Shrine of the Brown Madonna 33rd anniversary kicks off Silahis ng Pasko

 BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred Dizon

(This week’s piece is by the Baguio City government information office) 

TUBA, Benguet – The 33rd anniversary celebration of the Shrine of the Brown Madonna on Oct. 27 officially kicked off  the 46th year of the Silahis ng Pasko, which will be staged this year sans its Santa Claus, Narciso Padilla.

                A mass, native rituals marked the special day as it will also honor Padilla, who died last March 3 after a massive heart attack. He was 87 years old.

The shrine at Km. 7 Asin Road in sitio Pacac of Barangay Tadiangan here is a tourism area and place of worship.

Padilla, a former Baguio councilor and tourism officer, started developing the area in 1986 and was opened to the public in October of that year after having the 12 foot statue of the Virgin Mary inside the 50 foot deep cavern that is about 35 feet high and 28 feet across.

By sheer “labor of love”, said son Fritz Gerald, the late Padilla built a casing with stained glasses, a Santo Nino accompanied the statue, as well as an altar, candle stands, concrete benches for 60 people, cemented aisle, a 10 foot steel gate and a 20 foot entry paved with bricks.

The entrance has also concrete benches as well as a landscaped garden where a marker has been placed.

At the entrance, a marker was placed in Dec. 16, 1990 to celebrate those who helped in the rescue of victims after the July 16, 1990 earthquake.

The younger Padilla has for two weeks refurbished, cleaned and painted the statue and fixtures within the shrine for the October 27 celebration of the shrine, just four days off the birthday of his late father.

The 50-year old Padilla said the shrine will be venue of several of the Silahis ng Pasko events which will take off on December 1 that will also start the city’s Enchanting Christmas in Baguio celebration.

The Children’s Mardi Gras will see more than 4,000 pre-school learners garbed in Christmas attire in a parade. It is staged in coordination with the City Social Welfare and Development Office.

On December 7, the OCSWADO will select the Lucky Christmas Family, an indigent family who will be given a Christmas package and will be guest during the mass of Immaculate Conception on December 8 at the Shrine.

A special Olympics for the blind and paraplegic and concert are slated  on December 15.  The Lucky Christmas Baby will be selected on December 25 and New Year Baby on January 1 at the Baguio General Hospital.

On Dec. 30, the TALA for elderlies and KISLAP awards for the outstanding athletes will be staged at a hotel yet to be identified.

“               We are introducing improvements like staging the awards at a hotel instead of the Sunshine Park to protect our awardees from rain and cold,” the young Padilla said. Last year, rains did not stop the late Padilla from staging the event at the park with awardees that included national artist Ben Cabrera and chess GM Eugene Torre as guest.

               Calling it SNP – Legacy, the younger Padilla said he will not let what his late father has worked so hard to establish and sustain that left him at times penniless.

“I found out that he only had P11 to his name in his bank and the money he used to get from my siblings were withdrawn during the SNP programs,” said the young Padilla.

“He died literally penniless,” he added.

The younger Padilla will be donning the Santa costume in most of the events or a Manila-based nephew who is bigger and heftier.

“We will continue his works, while also adding new ones but first we have to get things moving,” added the security consultant.

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Mercylynne and forgotten spot of Mayor Halsema

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March Fianza

Years ago, I learned a lesson in life from Mang Luis, a farmer in Barangay Baan, Aritao, Nueva Viscaya who has to walk three kilometers from the main highway to reach his farm.

One evening, he was about to walk the distance when I chanced upon him. Having traveled the unpaved and rugged foot trail myself, I imagined how a 70-year old farmer could negotiate his way at night, encountering NPAs or nice people around at certain times.

I offered him my flashlight to which he quickly refused. Instead, he said it is safer to walk through the fields without any light or under cover of darkness, saying further that life-threatening accidents come according to God’s will.

When asked if he believed in what he just said, he cited instances where there are people who meet accidents often but still survive, while there are newborns who have yet to open their eyes to the world when their lives are suddenly snuffed out.

The farmer believed that such instances were all God’s will – and that we all have destinies written on our palms. His unsolicited advice was that I should be able to move on with whatever fate I have.

Our friend Mercylynne Sixto Bastian was held hostage by the Big C for around three years. Only she can describe the pain she experienced, and all that her relatives and friends could do was to comfort her.

Last Monday, after being stuck for a long time, she moved on. And I remember my conversation with Mang Luis. What came to Mercy that fateful morning was God’s will. It was also a signal that she was healed.

The healing that came to her is also a sign that her family, relatives and friends can now move on. So long Mercy. Your memories and songs live on.

***

Unrivaled in treatment to money-making ordinances, the grasses around the burial grounds of Eusebius Julius Halsema, Baguio’s last serving American mayor and his wife, Marie Boesel Halsema have grown waist-high.

This means that the corner of Mayor Halsema has been neglected for a long time. The CEPMO and our concerned city officials have even allowed adjacent gravesites to encroach the space allotted for the Halsema couple. Our officials stopped cleaning the Halsema couple’s graveyard because anyway they gain no benefit from it. 

In an almost forgotten spot just a few yards around the center section of the Baguio Cemetery, one will no longer find the words “Baguio is his monument” etched on a cement slab.

For no good reason, with bad taste and bad grammar, somebody changed the epitaph to “The mayor who engineered Baguio City”. This destroys history because the original epitaph were exactly the words that his family wrote on his grave.

The epitaph should be returned to its original text. Indeed, in honor of the best mayor Baguio ever had, beautifying and redesigning EJ Halsema’s graveyard into a more prominent area will not hurt the coffers of the city. 

Except for some Baguio old timers who are aware, the graves of the first American mayor of the Charter City of Baguio and his wife are unnoticed and regarded by passers-by as ordinary burial grounds.

EJ Halsema was no ordinary engineer volunteer for the Bureau of Public Works, considering that he served as mayor of Baguio, then the capital of Benguet, and district engineer of Benguet at the same time.

Hence, he developed many parts of the city during its infancy, gradually transforming it from a sleepy Ibaloy community to a flourishing city with paved roads and it was during his term as mayor when the first light airplane landed at the Loakan airfield.

As mayor, he made sure that the city allotted budget subsidies for the establishment of the Mountain Province High School (now Baguio City High School), the construction of Burnham Park city auditorium, market and numerous elementary schools.

In 1919, he carved a mountain road from La Trinidad in Benguet to Bontoc with the cooperation of people living along its route. The road, then popularly known as “Mountain Trail” was shrouded by fog most of the time and was opened to vehicular traffic in 1930. It was later named Halsema Highway in memory of him.

In 1990, some kiss-ass advisers of President Cory changed the mountain highway’s name to Ninoy Aquino Highway but the Igorots who traverse it daily refused to recognize the replacement because they know history.

It was also during his time when the Asin hydro-electric plant in Nangalisan, Tuba was built to energize a lumber sawmill at Tadiangan, Tuba that supplied Pine timber to the gold mines in Benguet.

Past city administrators could have wanted that nobody tampered with the blueprint development of Baguio as envisioned by the urban planner Architect Daniel Burnham and wished for by genuine Baguio folks.

             The simple Burnham plan that was closest to the hearts of Baguio people was sustained by Mayor Halsema. The old city was closest to nature with not too much concrete, no traffic jams, no squatters and no TSA applications over forest lands.

              There was no serious garbage problem then, no leasing of roads and public parks, no private management at the skating rink, and no proposals for a parking construction under Melvin Jones. But that’s not now if you look around.

              On March 15, 1945; Engr. EJ Halsema was killed when Japanese bombs hit the Notre Dame Hospital where he was recovering from a bout of dysentery. His body was crushed under the concrete walls.

Mayor Halsema and his wife were buried just a few yards around the center section of the Baguio Cemetery, now a forgotten spot.

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Baguio gov’t outs Uniwide in market dev’t/ Barangays’ biodegradable wastes

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – The city government rejected Uniwide company Chairman Jimmy Gow’s intent to proceed with and execute the Design-Build-Lease agreement with the city for the development of the city public market saying the agreement has been deemed terminated due to the dissolution of the Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corporation (Uniwide).

Gow in a letter to Mayor Benjamin Magalong dated Sept. 20 through legal counsels  Aileen Grace Deticio and Mark Resty Derit reiterated his intent to continue with the project and requested for the city to issue a notice to proceed citing the “finality of the Resolution issued by the Supreme Court dated March 14, 2016 and the entry of the judgment having been made which upheld the validity of the Design-Build-Lease agreement  and Ordinance No. 38 series of 1995.”

“In the intent to continue with the deal and to accommodate the market vendors who will be temporarily displaced, our client would like to express modification on the architectural design previously present before the city council to include leasable spaces to accommodate the existing vendors who stand to be displaced,” the letter read.

In his reply prepared by the City Legal Officer under Acting Legal Officer Melchor Carlos Rabanes, Magalong cited four reasons why the city “cannot anymore entertain your intent to proceed.”

“The aforesaid DBL Agreement is deemed terminated by operation of law; Uniwide is deemed dissolved and its corporate or juridical existence terminated; all assets of Uniwide are now vested in the court-appointed liquidator; and you have no more legal standing to deal with the City of Baguio with respect to the DBL Agreement as all matters pertaining to this Agreement have been transferred by alw in the hands of the Liquidator,” the mayor said.

He said the city’s legal stand is based on Section 113 of Republic Act 10142 or the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act of 2010 in the wake of the court’s issuance of Liquidation Order dated Nov. 23, 2017 against Uniwide Group of Companies including the Uniwide Sales Realty and Resources Corporation with which the city entered the agreement.

He informed Gow that the city had communicated its stand to court-appointed liquidator retired justice Martin Villarama  that as of the date of the liquidation order, Uniwide is deemed dissolved and that the its DBL agreement with the city is deemed terminated.

He said a letter was sent to Justice Martin Villarama Jr., the court-appointed liquidator in line with the dissolution of the companies belonging to the Uniwide Group of Companies which include the USRRC as per the liquidation order dated Nov. 23, 2017.

In said letter to Villarama last August, the mayor asserted the city’s intention to avail of the provisions of RA 10142 and that it will not agree to any assignment of the market contract to any subsidiary or affiliate of the company. 

***

Barangays were urged anew to manage their own biodegradable wastes through segregation and home and backyard composting as part of their obligation under the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 and the city’s Environment Code.

General Services Officer Eugene Buyucan said the city as directed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong now strictly enforces said provisions of the laws designed to help the concerned government agencies and local governments address the garbage disposal concerns.

The GSO does not collect biodegradable wastes at present to encourage households and businesses to do their part in managing their compostable wastes. 

Barangays that encounter difficulties in setting up their composting systems may request assistance from the GSO.

“We will evaluate if these barangays really have no means and capability to do their own composting and if so, we can assist them,” Buyucan said adding that they have available drums for requesting barangays or residents. 

He said residents should practice composting and urban gardening in their homes because it does not only help reduce the volume of both biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes but is also beneficial for the homes.

He said a simple composting method would only require any container, big or medium-sized and can be plastic, wood or cement where biodegradable wastes can be stored.

“Just cover the refuse with small amount of soil for drying and repeat the process.  The compost can be used in one to two months for their backyard garden,” he said.

Other methods such as the use of African night crawlers can also be employed.

The mayor at the start of his term urged residents and business owners in the city to adopt their own backyard composting methods and technologies to lessen the city’s biodegradable wastes and help the city which albeit is its best to maximize the operation of the Environmental Recycling System (ERS) machines stationed at the former dumpsite at Irisan still needs the cooperation of residents and businessmen in easing the city’s waste burden.

Aside from collecting some 40 to 50 tons of biodegradable wastes from the different collection points in the city’s barangays, the local government is also collecting some 170 to 180 tons of non-biodegradable refuse in the barangays daily.

The city is still hauling out residual wastes to Urdaneta City.

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POLICE ROUNDUP

Farmer fires gun at dead’s house over pig; hunted

LUBUAGAN, Kalinga – Police are now hunting afarmer who fired his gun at the house of a dead woman after his relatives did not buy a pig from him for rituals and instead got one from another.

Complainant Goodwin Wagwagon Lumiwan, 45, married, construction worker and resident of Cogawi, Cudal, Tabuk City was  accompanied Monday by barangay captain Balmasida Magmoyao here of Mabongtot and filed complaint against Jeffrey Dongga-as “Suggiyao,” married, farmer, with dual residence at Mabongtot and Callagdao, Tabuk City for alarm and scandal.

Investigation disclosed on Monday around 11:30 after the burial of the complainant’s mother, Dongga-as came out from his house holding a Cal. 45 pistol and fired it to the house of the complainant that hit the stairs and went through an adjacent house owned by Nancy Bissonoc.

Investigation revealed the suspect got angry when complainant and his siblings bought a pig from other person instead of his pig.

Complainant, barangay officials and other residents tried to pacify and arrest the suspect who escapep carrying with him the firearm.

Man nabbed in Tuba  for physical injuries

TUBA, Benguet – A man was arrested here Monday for physical injuries.

Nabbed at Kiangan Village, Camp 3 was Cariño Segundo Yabes after Noe T. Aquino, Judge of MCTC, Tuba-Sablan, Benguet issued warrant against him wiuth bail set at P2, 000.

 Man arrested for child abuse

BAGUIO CITY – Police from Carranglan, Nueva Ecija and this city arrested a man here Tuesday at West Quirino Hill for child abuse.

Nabbed was Rolan E. Domingo after warrant was issued against him by Judge Cynthia Martinez Florendo of RTC Branch 39, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

The judge set bail of P40,000 for the suspect’s temporary liberty.

Woman held in Tabuk for estafa

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Police arrested Helen T. Sta. Ana here Tuesday for estafa.

This, after Judge Nympha Abbacan of MTCC, Tabuk City, Kalinga issued warrant against her while setting bail of P12,000 for her temporary liberty. The suspects was nabbed here at Purok 4, Bulanao.

Lack of license to sell  lot lands man in jail

BAGUIO CITY – A man was arrested here Tuesday here inside Justice Hall for violation of Presidential Decree 957 (Absence of certificate of registration or license to sell by HLURB).

Nabbed was Lorenzo De Guzman Aguilar after Judge Jose Lorenzo R. Dela Rosa of RTC Branch 134, Tagaytay City issued warrant for his arrest with bail set at P20,000.

 Woman nabbed in Roxas for theft

ROXAS, Isabela – A certain Monique Jane G. Melchor was arrested here Tuesday at Barangay Bantug by Roxas and Baguio police for theft. Judge Jeanylene T. Isip-Fukai of MTCC Branch 2, City of San Fernando, La Union earlier issued warrant for her arrest with bail set at P12,000.

 Cops nab woman in La Trinidad for theft

BAGUIO CITY – Police arrested here Tuesday a certain Jiselle Jade S. Esperon for theft. This, after Judge Ivan Kim B. Morales of RTC Branch 59 issued warrant for her arrest with bail set at P50,000 for her temporary liberty.

Man wanted for robbery in Lucena nabbed in Trinidad

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A man wanted for robbery in Lucenan cCty was arrested here Monday along km. 3, Pico. Jordan Agustin Duldulao was object of a warrant issued by Joselito P. Tamaray, judge of MTCC, Lucena City who set bail of P200, 000 for the suspect’s temporary liberty.

 Man lands in jail for physical injuries

BAGUIO CITY – A man was apprehended here Monday at Celestial Village, Upper Asin Road by police from Ifugao, Mountain Province and this city for physical injuries.

Steven Gano was the object of an arrest warrant issued by Ivan Kim B. Morales, judge of RTC Branch 59, Baguio City for two cases. Morales set bail of P 2, 000 for each case for Ganos’ temporary liberty.

 Man arrested in Baguio for estafa

BAGUIO CITY – A certain Samuel Binwag was arrested here Monday at Maharlika Building along Abanao Road for estafa.

This, after Emmanuel Cacho Rasing, judge of RTC Branch 3, Baguio City issued warrant for his arrest. Rasing set bail of P 60,000 for Binwag’s temporary liberty.

Baguio PNP head pushes changes in towing law

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY – Col. Allen Rae F. Co, city police director urged the city government to amend Ordinance 78-2018 or “Towing Ordinance of Baguio City.”

In his letter, Co said certain provisions of the ordinance needed to be amended “in order to address current problems, issues, and needs which their office is currently encountering.”

The letter was forwarded to the Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Baguio for action. 

The city director commented on “City Towing Task Force” saying there is no actual task force established; rather, in actual practice, it is the City Engineering Office that removes obstructing vehicles along roads in the absence of a towing company.

He suggested the use of the term “Authorized City Government Office” which will aptly refer either to the CEO or any office authorized to undertake the towing. 

The CEO, however, recently clarified that a City Towing Force does exist or performing functions.

Also, the addition of “motorcycle” in the definition of terms was suggested implicating that any two-wheeled vehicle will be towed when parked along public roads impeding the flow of traffic or causing traffic hazards.

Co proposed the inclusion of towing fees for erring motorcycle owners worth P500 for the first four kilometer with an additional charge of P50. 00 for each succeeding kilometer. 

Section 4 of the ordinance (authority to remove and impound) mentions “City Parking Management Office” as one of the authorized offices to remove an obstructing vehicle from the road.

The BCPO suggested the creation of a City Traffic and Transportation Management Office (CTTMO).

According to Co, the name of such office (CTTMO) is more appropriate as it is broader and more general in scope encompassing traffic and transportation, parking, and other related matters. 

Section 18 of the ordinance states “Towing without the presence of a police officer or duly deputized enforcer shall be considered carnapping.”

Co wanted the phrase “duly deputized enforcer” removed to ensure  prevention of any possible carnapping incident by exclusively authorizing police officers who are educated and trained in dealing with criminal acts including carnapping.

Another proposed amendment was the inclusion of a 5-minute waiting time for the vehicle owner to remove his vehicle from where it is parked. Under the amendment, any unattended illegally parked vehicle will be towed if the owner fails to appear after five minutes of waiting by the towing personnel.

 Gov sets P300-K reward for arrest notorious Korean prisoner escapee nowhere to be found 

By Nelson Bolos

TARLAC CITY —  A “notorious” South Korean national detained in Pampanga Provincial Jail for killing 3 fellow Koreans escaped from his five guards in a restaurant here Oct. 22 around 10 a.m. and is still nowhere to be found.

Lt. Col Joel Mendoza, this city’ police chief said Park Wang Yeol, 41, escaped through the ventilation window of the comfort room of Julia’s Kambingan in Barangay San Rafael after attending a hearing at the Tarlac Regional Trial Court Branch 64.

This, as Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda offered P300,000 reward for the capture of Park.

Mendoza said Park is facing a charge of illegal possession of firearm here when he was caught carrying an unlicensed pistol during his arrest in Barangay Balete in 2016 for his triple murder case in Pampanga.

Park was brought at the court here to attend his arraignment on illegal possession of firearms by 5 Pampanga provincial jail guards PG1s Randy Sibug, Danilo Gonzales, Carlo Layag, Clarito Mendoza y Franco and Danilo Aragon, said Mendoza’s report. 

On their way back to Pampanga after the hearing, along with Park’s girlfriend Elvie Fider y Samson, 32, of Barangay Balete here, the group stopped at the Julia’s Kambingan to eat.

Upon entering the restaurant, Park went straight to the comfort room unescorted because the five guards and Fider sat on the table and ordered their food.

Minutes later, the guards discovered that Park escaped through the small window of the comfort room.  

“Meron din kaso yan na (RA) 9165 o drugs sa Metro

 Manila, pero nakatakas din siya doon kaya notorious talaga siya,” Mendoza said.

Park, along with another Korean identified only as Kim, was accused of killing three other Koreans in a sugarcane field in the town of Bacolor, Pampanga.

According to a Korean newspaper, Park and Kim, apparently, took their victim’s cash of more than $2,000 and around $600,000 which were intended to be invested in a business.

As this developed, the five jail guards were charged by Pampanga Provincial Warden Col. Edwin Mangiliman (retired ) before a court here for infidelity in the custody of prisoner  and are now detained at the PPJ.

Bulacan village chief gunned down

SAN ILDEFONSO, Bulacan — The chairman of Barangay Malipampang in this town was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men Oct. 22.

Felimon Santos was in front of a store beside his house when the gunmen arrived and shot him several times, Lt. Col. Voltaire Rivera, San Ildefonso police chief, said, citing initial investigation.

A bystander identified as Richard del Rosario was hit by a stray bullet and taken to a hospital for treatment.

Residents said Santos survived an assassination attempt a few years ago. – Ramon Elfren Lazaro

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‘Barlig LGU deserves award’

COMMUNITY BILLBOARD

Dionie Chungalan

BARLIG, Mt. Province – “Barlig (local government unit) needs an award of appreciation,” a member of the council of elders here was overheard saying.  “As the most peaceful town in the province, our LGUs should at least be recognized. Peace and order was maintained by our people, and yet no concern agencies seem to take note.”

              Culturally, Barlig folks are happy, peace-loving and industrious patterned from their ancestors’ way of life who were against outside forces that disturbed their livelihood.

On Feb. 11, 2015, the the Barlig Association of Barangay Captains headed by David Osborn Fomocod, ABC president that time unanimously made resolution no. 01, s. 2015 addressed to Ka Magno Udyao, spokesperson of the Leonardo Pacsi Command stationed at Mountain Province, “Denouncing any member of the Communist Party of the Philippines/National Democratic Front/New Peoples Armed Group (CPP/NDF/NPA) from engaging transactions with the different barangay residents of the town.”

The association affirmed that since time immemorial, the municipality of Barlig enjoyed harmonious peace since the time it stood as an independent municipality in 1966 to date.

On Nov. 27, 2017, the Barlig Sangguniang Bayan promulgated resolution no. 99, s. 2017 duly approved by then Mayor Genesis Changilan “Condemning the extreme act of CPP/NDF/NPA that disturbed the peace and disruption of community activities in a wide range that included the municipality of Barlig.”

The Resolution read: “The continuing interference of CPP/NDF/NPA within the territorial jurisdiction of Mountain Province at East Chico line affected our municipality being frequented by armed people creates fear among the populace on their terroristic activities.”

On August 27, 2019, it was followed by resolution no. 28, s. 2019 under the present leadership of Mayor Clark Ngaya “Declaring the CPP/NDF/NPA including terrorist groups as ‘persona non grata’ within the municipality of Barlig.”

In consonance with presidential executive order no. 70, Mayor Ngaya organized the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC), to efficiently and effectively implement the “Whole-of-Nation approach (WNA) for sustainable peace in all barangays of Barlig.

Barlig, a fast growing tourists’ destination which will be a progressive town upon the near completion of an all-weather national road must not be disturbed by doubtful futuristic principles, according to professionals of the town.

A village headman said, “We live a simple, contented indigenous way of life. Just leave us manage the peace that we know in our ancestral domain. However, we pray fervently that they come down to enjoy peace with a love-one, family and friends as we only live but once. Is this not a merit of good governance on house-keeping?”

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MP PWDs press for PWD Center, social pension

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province — A multi-function center for persons with disabilities (PWD) is envisioned to be built in this capital town to render care for PWDs and serve as skills training and display center for products made by PWDs.

A PWD stakeholders forum attended by PWDs, social welfare officers and concerned government agencies forwarded issues and concerns of PWDs held here including a PWD Center, social pension for PWDs and a PWD office in local government units.

                Organized by the Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO), Provincial PDAO focal person  Maria Codeo said the activity was intended to bring the concerns of PWDs to concerned government offices for their  attention and response.

                The creation of a municipal disability affairs office was raised in accordance with Republic Act 10070 stating “PDAO shall be created in every province, city and municipality.  RA 10070 provides measures on “establishing institutional mechanism  to ensure the implementation of programs and services for persons with disabilities in every province, city and municipality.”

                Lourdes Claire Piel of the Dept. of Interior and Local Government  and speaker on said event said the implementing rules of  RA 10070 mandates  all provinces, cities and municipalities with an income class of 1st class to 3rd class  to establish a PDAO; and 4rth to 6th class municipalities and provinces for the mayor to designate or appoint a focal person to perform functions of said PDAO.

                Implementing rules enacted in 2016 was emphasized for implementation in DILG’s memorandum circular 2017-119 directed to local chief executives of LGUs.

The need for a social pension for PWDs was also raised on the legislation of a law to specially provide a certain amount for PWDs similar to what senior citizens receive monthly.   

                The province has some 2,000 plus  PWDs based from the records of the Provincial PDAO gathered in ocular visitations in the ten municipalities of the Province.

                Social welfare officer Anchita Ewan of Besao municipal social welfare development  reminded the participants of the Philippine Registry of PWDs under the program of the Department of Health (DOH) for accredited PWDS to avail of services from the government.

                The need for the conduct of a medical assessment among PWDs was raised where they specially asked DOH to conduct assessment of PWDs in the Province.  

DOH in their website advise that PWDs with non-obvious disabilities such as psychosocial, learning, mental/intellectual, visual and hearing disabilities should secure a certification from  DOH through its regional hospitals, medical centers, and specialty hospitals attesting to the individual’s impairment.

Medically assessed PWDs stand as a crucial need following a previous ocular assessment  by the  Provincial PDAO among 2,294  PWDS  who suffer from  orthopedic disabilities numbering the highest  followed by speech disability. Third is mental disability followed by multiple disability, learning disability and intellectual disability.

From the PDAO survey, 7 out of 10 municipalities numbered the highest orthopedic issues. Sadanga and Natonin  numbered the highest mental cases though other municipalities identified an alarming number of mental disability cases as well. Communication deficiencies as to speech impairment was a crucial finding in almost all of the ten municipalities.

In said forum, PWDs other concerns ranged from medical and therapeutic attention, psychological to psychiatric care, need for assistive devices, skills training for PWDs to trainings for caregivers on handling PWDs.

One crucial concern brought out is the need for a psychiatrist and neurologist who shall regularly be deployed at the Provincial Bontoc General Hospital to attend to mentally  challenged  PWDS

 at least on a monthly basis.

The DOH was especially cited to help out in the programming and budgeting on the availability of  psychiatrists and neurologists to be deployed at BGH in a monthly basis. The deployment of a psychiatrist at  Bontoc General Hospital was forwarded to let patients from Bontoc, Sadanga, Sagada and Besao and  Barlig have nearer access to the hospital.

The municipalities of Natonin and Paracelis are closer to mental health facilities of  Isabela.

Luis Hora Regional Memorial Hospital has already a psychiatrist from Baguio General Hospital Psychiatric Department who is deployed at LHMRH on a monthly basis. Patients come from  nearby Tadian, Bauko, Sabangan, Cervantes, Ilocos Sur and other places of the Province .     

Assistive devices was also forwarded as a need with the construction of  ramps for  PWDs in public  buildings including  town halls and government offices and commercial centers.

In accordance with  BP 344, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) was especially identified to help in the  programming, budgeting and construction of structural devices to facilitate mobility of PWDs.  

Conduct of trainings was forwarded especially among caregivers of PWDs caring for PWDs and dealing with stress and depression.   

RA 10524 and the UN Convention on the Rights of PWDs refer to PWDs as individuals who suffer long-term physical, mental or sensory impairments.

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Mayor, city administrator to check projects before payment

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY – All city government-funded infrastructure projects will have to undergo inspection by no less than Mayor Benjamin Magalong and City Administrator Engr. Bonifacio Dela Peña before the city pays the construction costs.

This is to ensure that no contractors will violate their programs of work and deliver only quality projects to the city.

“               It is about time that we compel contractors to undertake quality projects.  We can decide not to pay contractors with substandard or defective works.  We want quality projects that are commensurate to their costs,” the mayor said as he encouraged anew residents to help in monitoring and reporting ongoing projects that are substandard.

Dela Peña who heads the Bids and Awards Committee for infrastructure of the city said he and the mayor initially thought of limiting the personal inspection only to projects costing P500 and above but they later decided to include even those with less project costs.

As per the new procedure, the inspection will happen before the city makes the second and final payment for the project and those that passed will be issued a clearance to collect the final payment.

Dela Peña said they will not hesitate to implement the ‘remove and replace’ policy for projects that will not pass the inspection.

He said this is crucial especially that the city is bent on implementing several major projects starting 2020.

The city is at the threshold of a construction boom by 2020 with some P5.3 billion worth of programs, projects and activities (PPAs) lined up under the Annual Investment Plan.

                Dela Peña said more than ten contractors have been accredited by the BAC which had adopted stricter requirements in pre-qualifying contractors to ensure that only competent once will be awarded projects.

The mayor said he does not have any linkage with any contractor and therefore cannot be influenced in his decisions.

The city officials earlier revisited and strengthened the project monitoring procedures after numerous projects including school improvement jobs were found to be substandard.

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Benguet Grand Cañao unfazed by ASF scare

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet— Residents here who are considered meat-eaters and major consumers of pork meat will not settle for anything less in celebrating the 119th foundation day of Benguet. 

“It’s not affected, iba naman kasi, may sarili tayong produce sa Benguet, may sarili tayong baboy (We are not affected, it is different because we have our own produce, we have our own pigs),” Governor Melchor Diclas told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Friday on the possible effect of the African swine fever (ASF) to the celebration.

                He said their data in 2017 shows the province has 45,000 heads of pigs at one time which come from the 13 municipalities. The number has grown higher considering the demand as Benguet produces mostly black pigs for its needs.

                Diclas said even if there are no pigs from the other provinces, Benguet will be able to sustain its needs for the festivities.

 The government issued Executive Order 2019-36 on September 17 for the temporary ban on the entry of live pigs, fresh and frozen pork and all pork products from provinces and cities affected by ASF.

                He said the provincial veterinary office, as well as its agriculture office, has assured that the province has ample supply of hogs for daily consumption and for the festivities of the province and the several towns that also celebrate the foundation day in November.

Diclas said there will be at least 21 pigs to be provided by the province during the Grand Cañao on Nov. 23.

Each town will receive a live pig, which it can add on to what it will prepare for the visitors who will partake of the food.

The provincial government, however, will have eight pigs to butcher on said day. Some municipalities will have three to five pigs butchered on that day.

Vice governor Johnny Waguis said the Cañao is a thanksgiving for the blessing that “Kabunian” (native god) has bestowed to the province and the people and for keeping them safe from calamities and disasters.

As a practice, people of Benguet butcher as much pigs to celebrate an occasion, observing the traditional “owik”.

The pig is killed by piercing its heart using a pointed wood. It is then butchered the traditional way, bringing out the liver while a ”mambunong” (native priest) interprets the size and location of the bile.

The mambunong says a prayer in the native dialect, usually asking Kabunian and the ancestors for guidance, protection, and blessings.

The pig is cut in large chunks, boiled in water without any spice, vegetable or extenders and is partaken by everybody- locals or guests.

                Each person is given a big piece or two weighing about 150 to 200 grams each, sometimes more, which they do not need to eat on-site but needs to bring home as their share from the blessings.

People are also encouraged to bring their plastic containers for them to bring home their “share” or what is called “wat-wat”. Soy sauce with chili spice is also provided to add flavor while everybody eats with their bare hands.

During the Grand Cañao, residents from the 13 municipalities troop to the Wangal sports complex at this capital town where the festivities are held. They all partake of the “wat-wat”.

There are 14 parachute tents in the area- one for each of the towns and one at the center for the provincial government. It is there where they will entertain guests while there are gongs being beaten and people doing the “tayao” (native dance) as food and rice wine are served.

Diclas said animal quarantine stations have been set up on all the roads leading to the province — Naguilian Road from Bauang, La Union; Marcos Highway from Pugo, La Union; Benguet-Vizcaya Road from Kayapa Nueva Vizcaya; Baguio-Bontoc Road from Mountain Province. Kennon Road from Rosario, La Union is also within Benguet’s jurisdiction which is currently closed to all types of vehicles.

                The governor said the executive order does not allow hogs to enter all the roads to Benguet.

Diclas, however, said the problem is in Baguio, which is located at the center of the jurisdiction of Benguet.

“Our quarantine stations only allow pigs to enter if there is a certification that it will be for Baguio and that the delivery is complete with a certification that the pigs are ASF-free,” he said.

He said they are only protecting the province from being affected by ASF as several Benguet residents are engaged in swine production due to the culture attached to pigs.

“We are being vigilant because we want to protect our province-mates who are into hog raising. We do not want to kill their livelihood. We do not want their animals to be infected because if Benguet is affected, it will really spread throughout the province,” Diclas said in the Ilocano dialect.

He said they are hoping the virus will not reach the province and that ASF will soon be contained. (PNA)

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OWWA fetes Cordillera model OFW families

BAGUIO CITY — The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with the 2019 model OFW family of the year award regional search and selection committee, awarded families of OFW Angelina Calaowa and Alfonso Maico as Cordillera’s MOFYA winners in the land - based and sea – based category, respectively.

Angelina Calaowa worked as a staff nurse at United Arab Emirates for 27 years. Angelina and husband, Manny, are blessed with four children, all of whom have their respective careers now. Their eldest is currently working as a nurse in UAE. The family lives in Loakan, Baguio City.

Alfonso Maico of Woodsville Subdivision in Camp 7, Baguio City worked as a seafarer for 27 years. He and wife Marivic have three children who are all professionals now.

Winning  special awards during   MOFYA awarding held at Paragon Hotel here Saturday are the  family of Peter Cotiyam of Buguias,  Benguet for Outstanding Achievement in Community Projects,  and the family of Helen Betbet of Pudtol,  Apayao for Outstanding Achievement in Entrepreneurship.

Other regional finalists for the MOFYA 2019 are the families of OFWs Deborah Milad of Natonin, Mountain Province and Jenelyn Bayawon of Kiangan, Ifugao for the land – based category, and the family of OFW Porsado Valera Jr. of Bangued, Abra for the sea – based category.

All finalists received certificate of recognition and cash prizes. OWWA partner agencies like DOT, DTI, LandBank, POPCOM and DFA also shared tokens as additional prizes. 

                This year’s MOFYA RSSC is composed of Fe Damagen of Episcopal Diocese of Northern Central Philippines (EDNCP) as chairperson with Director Helen Tibaldo of PIA – CAR, Wendy Salada of DOLE- CAR, Vilma Corpuz for OFW sea – based sector, Grace Mayos for OFW land – based sector, Cathy Biswalen, former president CALMA, and Carmen Moyaen of Community and Family Service Inc. as members.

                OWWA – CAR Regional Director Manuela Peña outlined that MOFYA is an annual search since 1995 that aims to highlight and give recognition to OFW families triumph in facing the challenges of migration, on how they cope up and maintain family solidarity despite the physical distance, how they maintain civic and community involvement, how they invested in their child/children’s education and on how they manage their finances and business investments. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)

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Tarlac- Ifugao bike run revisits WW2 sites

KIANGAN, Ifugao — More than a hundred motorbike enthusiasts from the different parts of the country held a bike run to World War II historical sites in Northern Luzon which ended at the historic Yamashita capture site here yesterday Oct. 27.

The Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB) in partnership with the Dept. of National Defense, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the Without Limits Consultancy held the historic motorbike ride on Oct. 26-27  to revisit historical sites and relive the path to victory during the WWII.

PVB first vice president Michael Villareal said the event dubbed Ride to Valor 2  aimed to recognize personalities and sites that played very significant roles during WWII . 

“The Ride for Valor aimed to recognize World War 2 sites which are not widely recognized but were very important and vital to our victory during the war,” said Villa–real.

The event also aimed to raise funds to help build WWII  museums, shrines and memorials including the Kiangan Shrine.

Without Limits event organizer Ian Alacar said the Ride for Valor 2 concentrated on the capture of   Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita and the contributions of the guerillas resulting to the victory of Filipino and American forces over the Japanese Imperial Army. 

Riders kicked off the ride at the Capas National Shrine in Tarlac where the Bataan Death March ended, going through the two different routes and will converge at the Kiangan Shrine in Ifugao, the site where Yamashita was captured by the Filipino forces on Sept. 2, 1945.

Participants that formed a 4-man team rode and sought WWII locations from Tarlac to Ifugao.

The Elite route from Capas in Tarlac passed through Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, and Mountain Province while the Manufacturer’s route passed through Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya.

Alacar said the Elite Category was open to all big bikes 400cc and up while the Manufacturers Cup Category was dedicated to smaller bikes, all scooters and under bone motorized vehicles with participants

While the riders passed through the historic sites along their route, they had challenges like an “amazing race” where participants held activities in each stop.

The challenges which varied from mental, physical or logical related to the area earned them points where they accomplished them or not.

“We wanted our events to be different from the usual endurance motor bike activities or competitions. We aredid it for the advocacy and focus on the history and bringing back the glory for our World War 2 heroes, our war veterans who fought gallantry for freedom of our country,” Alacar said.. 

The first edition of the Ride to Valor was held in March this year to raise funds for the maintenance of over a hundred Death March markers and the restoration of key points lo­cated along the route from Mariveles, Bataan  to Capas, Tarlac.(JDP/RMC- PIA CAR)

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P1-M marijuana burned in Benguet, Kalinga towns

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Police recently uprooted and burned  P1,050,760 worth of marijuana plants in Benguet and Kalinga, the regional police office here at Camp Dangwa bared.

In Tacadang, Kibungan, Benguet   on Oct. 21 and 22, some 4,394 seedlings and 375 fully grown marijuana plants worth P250,760 were uprooted in a plantation.

In Tinglayan, Kalinga, some 4,000 fully grown marijuana plants worth P800,000 were uprooted in Barangay Butbut Proper on Oct. 26, 2019. Police and narcotics agents discovered the  marijuana plants also in a plantation.

No marijuana cultivator was arrested in the operations while all illegal plants were burned at the sites.

“The eradication drives does not guarantee the elimination of marijuana plants in such Cordillera areas because some residents still cultivate marijuana as additional source of income, said

Cordillera police director Brig. Gen Israel Ephraim Dickson.

He urged marijuana planters to stop producing marijuana and to instead join livelihood projects which local government units and non-government organizations offer.

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