NEWS BRIEFS

CPP marks 48^th anniversary in Kalinga

SOMEWHERE IN KALINGA – Around 400 folks attended recent anniversary rites of the Communist Party of the Philippines here highlighted by societal study sessions and “revolutionary culture” showcase events like honoring martyrs of the revolution.

               During the occasion, Kennedy Bangibang, National Democratic Front consultant for Cordillera affairs talked on developments on peace process talks between the NDF and government of the republic of the Philippines.

FDA warns public vs lead-laced candles

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned the public to refrain from using lead-laced candles available in the market.

In an advisory, the FDA said the candles with wicks containing lead as well as candles in metal containers pose hazards to people’s health.

“Health experts have confirmed that lead emission poses health risks and can result in increased blood lead levels in unborn babies, babies and children,” the agency said.

The FDA said that when a lead-cored candle wick burns, some of the lead may vaporize and be released into the air, which may be inhaled by babies.

Other toxic effects from exposure to lead are brain damage, delayed mental and physical development as well as attention and learning deficiencies, according to the FDA.     

Firm to purchase compost fertilizer in Baguio trash site

BAGUIO CITY  – A licensed fertilizer distributor will purchase the high grade compost fertilizer produced by the city’s two Environmental Recycling system (ERS) machines t the closed Irisan open dumpsite that  processes some forty eight tons of biodegradable waste to high grade compost fertilizer.

City General Services Officer Romeo D. Concio said Raport Innovation, a licensed fertilizer distributor, plans to purchase some 8,000 sacks of compost fertilizer stocked in the processing area for its clients in the lowlands.

He said the company conducted 6-month experiment using the compost fertilizer produced by the ERS machines and it found it suitable for palay and vegetables, thus, some municipalities in Tarlac have informed the firm that it will be purchasing the city’s compost fertilizer by bulk in the future.

                “We are elated that after a long time, the local government will now be realizing a return on investment from the sale of the compost fertilizer stocked in the area for quite some time,” Concio stressed.

 He said details of the agreement with the firm are being finalized before the signing of the formal contract detailing the obligations of each party.

 The local government purchased the two ERS machines amounting to a total of P128 million purposely to process some 48 tons of biodegradable waste to compost fertilizer to be sold to recover the cost of its purchase.

Aside from purchasing some 3,000 sacks of compost fertilizer last month, Concio said the firm committed to entering into a long-term agreement with the city for an increased volume purchase.

According to him, the company will purchase the compost fertilizer at P3 per kilo which is lower than the supposed P6 buy-back price of the supplier of the machines.

The city official said his office is doing its best to dispose of the stockpiled compost fertilizer to earn revenue for the city, thus, the agreement with this company which found the fertilizer to be useful.

He said the ERS machines are still operational and continue to process some 48 tons of biodegradable waste daily which is being added to the stockpiled compost in the area.

The operation of the ERS machines will be part of the city’s integrated solid waste disposal facility to be established in either Antamok, Itogon, Benguet or within the 139-hectare city-owned property in Sto. Tomas School Area.

Implementation of the portion of the city’s solid waste management plan containing the integrated solid waste disposal facility was suspended by the local legislative body for still unknown reasons. -- Dexter A. See

Ilocos Sur cited for effective anti-illegal drugs campaign

CAMP QUIRINO, Ilocos Sur – The Ilocos region police named this province as the top performer in terms of implementation of programs and initiatives against illegal drugs, Senior Supt. Rey de Peralta of the Ilocos Police Provincial Office bared during a recent provincial peace and order council meeting.

It was also earlier confirmed by Iloocos Region police director Chief Supt. Gregorio Pimentel.

The news was welcomed by Gov. Ryan Singson, who said this will further boost the public’s trust and confidence in the government.

Singson said he is fully supporting the anti-illegal drug campaign program of President Duterte and Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Based on records of Ilocos Sur Police Provincial Office, the number of users and pushers of illegal drugs who surrendered under the “Oplan Tokhang” and “OplanDouble Barrel” is about to breach the 5,000 mark, while over a hundred were arrested from July 1 to November 24, 2016.

The police have intensified their house to house visit to remind the community of the effect of illegal drugs.

A total of 81,901 households were already visited.

In a related development, eight municipalities in Ilocos Sur were declared as drug-free, including the upland towns of Suyo, Banayoyo, Lidlidda, San Emilio, Sigay and lowland towns of San Esteban, Santa Catalina, and San Vicente.

Return of garbage bins on roads, parks studied

BAGUIO CITY – The city government is studying possibility of bringing back the garbage bins on the city’s main roads and parks to prevent litter from being dumped anywhere that are eyesores and health threats in said places.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said garbage bins on major sidewalks and in parks have been effective in the past but in most cases, undisciplined residents, business owners, and visitors use the said bins to dump household and establishment waste.

“Much as we want to bring back the garbage bins in our sidewalks and parks, we want to make sure that the said bins will only serve as disposal areas for litters and not household and establishment waste. We call on our people that once the garbage bins will be put in strategic places in the city, it will only be for small waste,” Domogan stressed.

He said that once the management of a city-based bazaar will come out with the garbage bins that it promised to donate to the city, the bins will be placed in strategic areas on an experimental basis to test the discipline of residents and visitors in adhering to the policy that the bins will be for litters only.

According to him, concerned offices of the city are studying the possibility of bringing back the garbage bins, provided that, local residents and visitors will not dump their household and establishment waste thereat.

In the past, he noted that business owners used these garbage bins for their establishment waste.

Netizens had posted the garbage situation in the city during and just after the holidays which showed overflowing garbage bins, and unscrupulous dumping of waste anywhere depicting a bad imgage for the city but actually reflects on the lack of discipline among the people, whether residents of visitors.

Domogan appealed to residents and visitors to be disciplined in disposing of their garbage properly per the set schedule of garbage collection by barangay, instead of using these garbage bins in front of their establishments or homes.

The city is awaiting formal turnover of garbage bins committed to being donated earlier by the management of a local bazaar that will be placed along major roads and in parks to serve as litter dumps.

It was suggested that garbage bins be placed in areas that could be monitored by close circuit television (CCTV) cameras to help authorities identify unscrupulous individuals who deliberately dump their household and establishment waste in the said bins. -- Dexter A. See

4.9-magnitude quake jolts Laoag

LAOAG CITY -- A 4.9-magnitude quake hit this city at 5:20 p.m. Monday.

Damage is not expected, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). But the agency warned of aftershocks. The earthquake is tectonic in origin.

Intensity III was felt in Vigan, Ilocos Sur while Instrumental Intensity III was reported in Vigan City and Sinait in Ilocos Sur and Pasuquin in Ilocos Norte.

Intensity III means a weak quake is felt by many people indoors especially in upper floors of buildings while hanging objects swing moderately. The vibration felt is comparable to a passing of a light truck, Phivolcs said.

Kalinga LGU allots P17.6M for sponsored Philhealth members

CITY OF TABUK, Kalinga -- The provincial government allotted  P17.6 million in its provincial budget to pay Philhealth contribution of 7,300 sponsored members.

Provincial Administrator Kristian Wandag said the provincial local government unit has to maintain assistance to indigents under its social services in order for said members to enjoy free hospital confinement.

He said the LGU also spends this big amount to discourage doctors who are charging professional fees from indigent patients confined in charity wards since half of what will be reimbursed by Philhealth go to them.  

Wandag said the provincial hospital gains from Philhealth reimbursement payments. “We generate income more than what we spend”, he said explaining that 50% of the total collection from Philhealth reimbursement goes to medical doctors and 50% to nursing and other allied services.

In another development, the provincial government also shoulders payment of medicines purchased outside of the provincial hospital but also on reimbursement basis. Patients can be reimbursed of their money upon presentation of an official receipt.

P400,000.00 petty cash was granted to the hospital cashier to readily pay back patients of what they spend on outside medicines. -- Peter A. Balocnit

Parks Management Authority formed 

BAGUIO CITY – A Parks Management Authority has been created to serve as policy-making body for all parks and recreation centers in the city.

This is pursuant to Ordinance No. 18 series of 2016 or the Environment Code of the City of Baguio which provides for the creation of such body, according to Mayor Mauricio Domogan.

In his Administrative Order No. 183 series of 2016, the mayor tasked the city environment and parks management officer to head chair the body with the following as members: city council committee on tourism, special events and parks or playgrounds chair; city buildings and architecture officer; city engineer; city administrator; city general services officer; Baguio City Museum administrator; and members of the city local finance committee, United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers of the Philippines (PICE) local chapters and representatives from the University of the Cordilleras, St. Louis University and the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC). 

Apart from being a policy-formulating body, the PMA will be tasked to coordinate the planning and preparation of the over-all concept and master plans of all parks and recreation areas in the city.

It will also identify areas for partnership with the private sector in line with the city’s Adopt-a-Park program, screen applications of would-be partners and coordinate regular public engagements to enhance awareness of the constituents on the aesthetic and environmental value of city parks.

The PMA can recommend amendments to all existing codes and must submit related reports to the city mayor on the status of the parks as basis for executive and legislative decision-making. – Aileen P. Refuerzo

2,834 Tabuk elderly receive  social pension

TABUK CITY, Kalinga - - Some 2,834 elderly of this city received  2016 last quarter socialized pension from the Department of Social Welfare and Development last December. 

Vilma Palma of City Social Welfare and Development Office informed another 539 senior citizen pensioners also received the same benefit from the Tabuk City –LGU as sponsored beneficiaries.

Under Republic Act 994, the government through DSWD extends monthly socialized pension of P500 to senior citizens who have no other financial support. This is released per quarter.

Aside from the socialized pension, the city government also provides other support like livelihood assistance and mortuary benefits of P5, 000 to qualified members of the federation and P2, 000 to non-federation members.

There are 150 additional pensioners this year making to 689 the total number of city-LGU sponsored beneficiaries under the program.

CSWDO records show there are 6,723 duly registered senior citizens in Tabuk.

CSWDO Susana Daluping said their office closely coordinates with the City Federation of Senior Citizens for the updated master list of members since the sector is included in the priority targets of the office. -- Larry T. Lopez

Caravan gives aid to 2,376  Ilocos Norte families

BACARRA, Ilocos Norte -- The Millennium Development Goals Caravan reached its last stop here last week with Gov. Marcos distributing groceries, livelihood support, medicines, and veterinary supplies to beneficiaries.

From December 16 until last week, a total of 2,376 families in Ilocos Norte received aid from the Caravan.

A yearly program of the provincial government, the Caravan aims to drive the province forward in attaining worldwide MDGs set by the United Nations in 2015 addressing poverty.

While the MDGs reached its deadline in 2015, the provincial government is extending assistance to indigent families.

In addition to grocery packs which included rice, cooking supplies, snacks, and toiletries, the 78 beneficiary families were also given 45-day-old chicks as livelihood assistance.

The Municipal Agriculture Office also gave veterinary drugs and equipment, from the provincial government while barangay health workers received additional medicines.

 "Nagpapasalamat kami dahil hindi kami nalilimutan ni apo gobernadora," Bacarra Agriculture Officer William Ulep said, saying that the supplies arrived just in time for the town's annual vaccinations and that they would benefit the town as a whole.

-- Mizpah Grace G. Castro

Mayor urges council to enact ordinance on firecracker ban

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan urged the city council to enact now the much awaited ordinance imposing a firecracker ban in the city for Yuletide revelries.

The local chief executive said decline in number of firecracker-related injuries in the city the past years is an indication residents are now realizing that there are other alternative ways of celebrating the Yuletide revelries.

During the Christmas eve revelry, he noticed there were a few residents who used firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials to welcome the celebration of Christmas but there were no casualties.

However, he claimed the four firecracker-related injuries that were reported in the city were only registered at the height of the New Year revelry.

For the past three years, the local government refused to issue permits to the organization of firecracker and pyrotechnic materials vendors.

 “We hope our local legislators witnessed the initial success of our efforts to spare our people from injuries that might affect their productivity and their bright future, thus, we need then to enact the ordinance on the total ban on the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials to put an end to the illegal sale of the said items in the city,” Domogan said.

Earlier, the Baguio Fire Department was able to obtain more than 28,000 signatures from local residents supporting the passage of an ordinance banning the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials in the city to achieve the long overdue goal of zero casualties and injuries to ensure safe and peaceful Yuletide revelry.

A proposed ordinance was submitted by some local legislators imposing a total ban on the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials in the city during the Yuletide revelries.

Domogan said now that the local legislative body approved the city’s budget, it is also important for local legislators to consider enacting ordinance banning sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials in the city because of reduction in the number of firecracker-related injuries even without the ordinance. -- Dexter A. See

Cordillera fire-cracker-related injuries drop by 65 percent

 BAGUIO CITY  – The Cordillera office of the Department of Health reported sixty five percent drop in number of firecracker-related injuries from Dec. 21, 2016, to January 5, 2017, with only twenty-two cases compared to the sixty-three cases recorded regionwide during same period last year.

Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi, DOH-CAR regional director, said Apayao recorded the highest decrease in number of firecracker-related injuries from 14 injuries during the previous reckoning period to only 2 injuries during the current reckoning period while Abra registered an 84 percent drop in similar cases with only 6 this year compared to 25 the previous year.

                 For Baguio City, Dr. Rowena Galpo, city health services officer, said there was a 54.5 percent decline in firecracker-related injuries this year with only 5 cases during the current reckoning period compared to the 11 cases recorded last year.

Galpo noted the five firecracker-related injuries were a 5-year old boy from Bakakeng New site, a 9-year old boy from Lower QM, a 20-year old male from Upper QM, a 32-year old male from Camp 7 and a 49-year old female from Phil-Am barangay.

Of the 22 reported firecracker-related injuries regionwide, health authorities revealed 17 males and 1 female were described to be active users while 2 females and 1 male were said to be passive users.

Legaspi attributed successful campaign of the health department and the local governments against the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials for the New Year revelry to the aggressive and combined efforts to reach out to the people on the serious negative effects of using firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials to celebrate the Yuletide season.

“We are elated over the significant reduction in the number of firecracker-related injuries this year but we need to sustain our campaign to achieve zero casualties during the celebration of the Yuletide season,” she said.

The DOH-CAR official underscored the need for local governments to already enact ordinances banning the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials during the celebration of the Yuletide season in their respective areas of jurisdiction to compliment whatever orders that will be subsequently issued by higher authorities in the future.

Galpo added the need to continuously engage the barangay officials in a sustained information and education campaign to teach residents to shift from the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials to non-harmful ways of making noise to celebrate the Yuletide season in their own homes.

            She claimed one of the important aspects that guarantee the successful campaign are local policies that ban the sale and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials as well as the imposition of stiffer penalties. -- Dexter A. See

TESDA offers learning programs

BAGUIO CITY – Traditional and contemporary programs could be availed of through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA)’s on-going program, Barangay Kasanayan para sa Kabuhayan at Kapayapaan.

This was known from Roger Dancel of the TESDA office during the forum between service providers, government agencies, prospective employers and the City Poverty Reduction Action Team (CPRAT) at the city multi-purpose hall, last Wednesday.

The comprehensive program, Dancel said, includes community profiling for the scholars, including environmental, market, political, community needs and economic opportunities analysis. Training design and delivery, curricula, selection of participants, trainings, skills and entrepreneurial alllication, assessment and certification; and post-training assessment are included in the program.

The participants’ choice of being employed or of self-employment is boosted by distribution of start-up tool kits, and access to credit and cooperative groups through the local government units (LGU), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Cooperatives Development Authority (CDA), it was known.

Target beneficiaries include marginalized groups; persons with disabilities, surrenderors, indigenous persons, out-of-school-youth, senior citizens, rebels, urban poor, the unemployed, farmers and fisherfolk, women, solo parents and those from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), be they wounded-in-action (WIA).

The trainings target rapid and sustained economic growth in priority industries in agri-fisheries, agri-business, general infrastructure and new and emerging sectors.

Registration could be done in three ways: through the barangay office, online, and at the TESDA offices.

Applicants should be at least high school graduates, and 18 years old at the time of completion of training. Availment could be done several times, but no simultaneous.

The program is a “two-pronged strategy in poverty reduction for sustainable inclusive growth” and to ensure a decent employment for participants. The offered courses include, animation, automotive, Barista, bartending, beauty care, book keeping, pastry and baking, caregiving, carpentry, English proficiency, masonry, security, metal arc welding, slaughtering, tailoring, lathe machine, milling, computer, construction painting, customer service, cookery, dressmaking, food and beverage service, electronics, events management, health care, massage, medical transcription, drafting, tile setting, visual graffix and web design and development. – Julie G. Fianza

Urban gardening in the city

BAGUIO CITY – Urban gardeners have up to April to prepare for a city-wide home garden/backyard competition and showcase; the rules crafted in a meeting at Councilor Leandro Yangot, Jr.’s office, late last year.

The inter-agency meeting for the 2017 best home garden contest was attended by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Division chief Lino Cuhingan, Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit (DA-CAR RFU) personnel and urban gardener Danilo Agliam and City Agriculturist Alberto Tomas.

The contest aims to encourage edible urban gardening, with residents showing off their gardens to registered members of the public for a day tour. Participating gardeners may choose to open their gardens all day or only for a certain time during the day for tours. Additional instructions may be given by during registration. 

Registration would be through an email to councilor Yangot (leandrojryangot@gmail.com or nivram120905@gmail.com)  providing the first and last name, home address, phone number and a 100-word description of the garden and four photos of the edible garden. The contest is open to all residents of Baguio.

Entry submission deadlines Feb. 25, showcase guest registration ends March 25, judging begins April 2 up to 24, and awarding is on urban garden showcase day; April 25.       

Evaluation includes visual appeal and impact, with complementary colors of the plants and non-plant materials, texture of plants, landscape materials, light and shade due to arrangement, with decorative materials, pieces of art, water fountains, architectural features for overall effect of the garden are considered for judging.

Judges Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Councilor Yangot, Jr., or their representatives, and personnel form the DA-CAR RFU, DTI and one from the private sector may consider design, balance, composition, creativity, plant variety, evidence of maintenance and use of recyclable materials.   

Other upcoming gardening competitions are the school-based and open category.- Julie G. Fianza

Baguio SPES registration opens Jan. 16

BAGUIIO CITY  -  The registration for the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) will open January 16 at the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) at City Hall to qualified students .

The registration will start at 9:00 A.M. on January 16 up to 5:00 P.M.A until Feb. 28.

Both high school and college qualified students must register personally at the PESO from 8 A.M. TO 5 P.M., from Mondays thru Fridays.

However, interested SPES babies must bring their SPES identification cards and register personally on Monday, January 9 until 13 at the PESO.

Interested students must be bona-fide Baguio residents, physically fit, 15-25 years old at the time of registration, currently enrolled or a student who has not been able to enroll for the past semester/academic year but is intending to enroll this coming semester/academic year, have garnered an average passing grade during the last school term attended, and must belong to families whose parents’ or guardians’ joint incomes, including his own, if any, do not exceed P116,898 per year after tax deductions.

Documents needed include original copy of birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statictics Authority (formerly NSO) or by the Local Civil Registrar if Baguio born; original copy of parents’ or guardians’ most recent Income Tax Return (ITR) duly filed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) or Certificate of Tax Exemption issued by the BIR including sworn statement of affidavit if parents or guardians are exempt from paying taxes for the year 2016.

High school graduates must present last year’s grades for school year 2015-2016, while college and vocational students are requested to present their most recent grade/grades from the first semester of academic year 2017, ether original of certified true copy.

Said documents must be photocopied before submitting the same at the PESO.

This year’s program will be held in two tranches- high school students’ work period will begin in April to May, while the work period for tertiary level will begin in June, stressed PESO manager Jose Atanacio.

“New registered SPES applicants will undergo qualifying examination on March 5, 2017,  8 A.M. onwards

at the Doña Josefa Elementary School,” said Atanacio.

Some 350 qualified students will be given the chance to work and experience government and office works this year.

The SPES is based on Republic Act No. 7323 or an Act to Help Poor but Deserving Students Pursue their Education by Encouraging their Employment during Summer and/or Christmas Vacations, through Incentives Granted to Employers, Allowing them to Pay only Sixty per Centum of their Salaries or Wages and the Forty per Centum through Education Vouchers to be paid by the Government, Prohibiting and Penalizing the Filing of Fraudulent or Fictitious claims and for other purposes.

The program is designed to help poor students and out-of-school youth support their education.  -- Jho Arranz

Public urged to prepare for cold weather illnesses

BAGUIO CITY – Health authorities urged the public to prepare themselves for the expected resurgence of cold weather illnesses that would significantly affect their productivity in their work and responsibilities in their personal life.

Dr. Lakshmi Legaspi, regional director of the Cordillera office of the Department of Health said with the expected continuous drop in temperatures in Baguio and Benguet since the start of the year, residents and visitors must make sure they protect themselves from respiratory illness, dengue, chikungunya, and zika, as well as food and water-borne illnesses by keeping themselves healthy through strengthening their immune system.

The lowest temperature recorded in the city for this year was at 13 degrees Celsius last Jan.  4, but weathermen predicted a continuous decline in the city’s temperature in the coming months with the enhanced northeast monsoon bringing the cold winter winds from mainland China to the Northern Luzon area.

Dr. Rowena Galpo, City Health Services Officer, reminded the local residents and visitors to keep themselves warm at all times by wearing thick clothes to combat the serious negative effects of the cold to their health, especially with the expected drop in the city’s temperature.

Galpo noted this time of the year, respiratory cases surge because residents and visitors easily contract the said illnesses because of the unpredictable weather condition.

Common respiratory illnesses that usually affect the public include cough and colds, pneumonia, bronchitis, asthma, among others.

The lowest temperature recorded in the city by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) was 6.3 degrees Celsius on January 18, 1961, while the fifth lowest temperature in the city which was 7.5 degrees Celsius was recorded on January 15, 2009.

Galpo expressed confidence that with the regular chilly weather from November to February every year, people know how to protect themselves from the serious negative effects of the cold to their health.

She added the public must also brace for the expected increase in influenza-like illnesses that could result in dengue fever considering that dengue is now a year-round illness that could increase anytime once the immune system is not strong enough to combat the virus.

She appealed to the people to immediately seek early medical attention once they contract whatever kind of illnesses so that they could be properly diagnosed by the health personnel assigned to the different health facilities not only in the city but also regionwide. -- Dexter A. See

City library mobile book program, ongoing

BAGUIO CITY – Around 800 students from four local public elementary schools and seven day care centers  have benefitted from the Baguio City Library Mobile Book Service Program since it was launched in February of last year.

Acting city librarian Fe Requilman said the project lends children’s books for up to three days to deserving public elementary schools and day care centers in the city including the showing of films that teaches good morals and values.

“The mobile book service aims to bring the city library closer to the public especially the children,” she said.

Requilman added they are targeting to serve at least 1000 or more students in the program this year in hopes of developing the public’s especially young people’s “love of reading for lifelong learning”.

She revealed that the on-going project has Mayor Mauricio Domogan’s full support being a firm believer and promoter of the power of reading and education in improving one’s station in life.

Later this month, Requilman and her staff will visit various local public elementary schools and day care centers to determine those that will best be served by the program.

The three-storey Baguio City Library is located just across the Children’s Playground at Burnham Park and is equipped with a computer room and person with disability section.- Gaby Keith

“Learn from the past,” Baguio officials advise

BAGUIO CITY – Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Congressman Mark Go are exhorting their fellow officials and government civil servants to learn and improve from the mistakes or shortcomings of last year so that even better and more efficient service can be provided the public this year and beyond.

Both gentlemen also reiterated the importance for every office and department to always work together in unity and for every government personnel to be respectful and serve their clients to the best of their abilities.

The call was made in last Tuesday’s flag-raising ceremony at city hall, the first day of work for 2017, the year of the Fire Rooster according to the Chinese calendar.

Go also mentioned the bills he has sponsored and co-sponsored in the House of Representatives for the six months that he has been at the Lower House of Congress.

 Earlier, Domogan urged residents to include helping the city achieve its goals in becoming a more orderly, progressive and peaceful place to live, work and conduct business in among their resolutions for the New Year.

The mayor said setting a good example is the best tool to influence others to change the way they live their lives for the better.

He added that everyone should change their undesirable outlook and attitudes in life so that they will be able to set good examples and demonstrate laudable virtues for others to emulate.- Gaby Keith