Northern Philippine Times

35 CPP-NPA guerillas surrender in Cagayan

>> Wednesday, February 10, 2021

By Liezle Basa Inigo

CAGAYAN – A total of 35 New People’s Army rebels surrendered to the military in Sinundungan Valley here on Jan. 29.
This was disclosed by 501st Infantry Brigade (501st IB) xommander Col. Steve D. Crispillo, who said the former rebels surrendered in Barangays Bural, San Juan and Masi.
    “Turning away from an organization like the CPP-NPA is an expression of courage especially when life is at stake in the decision they made,” he said.
   The surrendered rebels burned the flags of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the NPA as they also pledged allegiance to the Republic of the Philippines.
   Meanwhile, Crispillo along with Cagayan Provincial Police Office Director Col. Ariel N. Quilang, said they will not neglect the surrenderers, specifically in their inclusion in the government’s security and livelihood programs.

Ilocos cops nab 108 ‘criminals;’ 3 killed

By Freddie G. Lazaro

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- Police arrested 108 suspected criminals in two-day simultaneous operations in the four provinces of Region 1 on Jan. 27-28 with three suspects killed during operations.
   Brig. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin, director of Police Regional Office 1, bared this saying arrest of suspected criminals was realized under supervision of Col. Cesar Pasiwen, deputy regional director for operations of PRO1.
   Azurin said police conducted 15 anti-illegal drug operations, which resulted in the arrest of 13 drug personalities and confiscation of 8.0032 grams of shabu and 10.09 grams of marijuana valued at P55,632.56.
   Also arrested were the two top most wanted persons (municipal level) and 22 others.
    Twenty nine persons were also arrested for violation of Republic Act 10591 (illegal possession of firearms) while three were killed during operations.
    On illegal gambling, Azurin said police arrested 42 persons and confiscated bet money amounting to P8,084.
police also recovered 106 firearms in which 34 firearms were confiscated through 32 police operations and implementation of 30 search warrants, 41 surrendered, one seized, and 30 deposited for safekeeping through “Oplan Katok”.
   Meanwhile, Azurin said from Jan. 1-28 this year, the PRO1 had conducted 138 anti-illegal drugs operations that resulted in the arrest of the 144 of individuals, of which, 43 were listed and 101 were not listed; and seized a total of 180.6064 grams of shabu and 9,189.7126 grams of marijuana valued at P2,330,889.032.
   He said 26 operations were conducted that resulted in confiscation of 19 firearms while 54 guns were surrendered.
Sixty one firearms were taken for safe-keeping. -- PIA 1

Abra sets guidelines during GCQ period

By Christian Allister Tubadeza

BANGUED, Abra -- The Provincial Anti-Covid-19 Task Force has issued provincial implementing guidelines during the general community quarantine (GCQ) period for the whole month of February unless extended, modified or withdrawn earlier.
   Led by Gov. Jocelyn Bernos, the  task force along with local government units and national government agencies crafted executive order JN-05 s. 2021 providing guidelines on implementation of GCQ in the province like on minimum public health standards, movement of people, curfew, transportation and checkpoints.
   During the GCQ, persons below 15 years old and 65 years old and above including lactating mothers, pregnant women, persons with existing medical conditions, are not allowed to go out of their residences except for medical or emergency cases only.
   Sectors such as emergency response offices, medical services, hospitals, dental clinics, security services, funeral services, agricultural activities, pharmacies and drugstores, logistics or courier services including all frontline activities are permitted to operate. Nonetheless, these permitted companies are encouraged to establish alternative working arrangement.
Physical classes in all levels in both public and private schools are suspended.
   Other activities and gatherings such as leisure, amusement, tourism, sports-related, entertainment, gambling, community assemblies and other crowd-drawing events are not allowed.
   The public will use GCQ (pink) pass which will be used one at a time by any member of a household aged 15-64 years old who is going out for essential transactions or buying food and goods.
   Curfew hours will be 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. except for uniformed and emergency personnel who are performing in line of duty.
   On the regulation of liquor, buying and selling is still permitted as long as it is done during business period and not during curfew hours. The consumption of liquor or any alcoholic beverage in bars, restaurants or any public place is prohibited.
   On public transportation, public utility jeeps are permitted but not allowed to load up more that 50% of the total seating capacity of the vehicle. The “one trike, one passenger” policy is maintained and motorcycle riders are not allowed with back riders (angkas).
   The task force maintains seven provincial quarantine control points (QCP) which monitors access points to the province.
   These QCPs are located in Tangadan, San Quintin (Abra-Ilocos Sur Boundary), Gacab, Malibcong (Abra-Kalinga boundary), Nagaparan (Abra-Ilocos Norte boundary), Dilong, Tubo, (Abra-Ilocos Sur boundary), Supo, Tubo (Abra-Ilocos Sur boundary), Pang-ot, Pilar, (Abra-Ilocos Sur boundary) and the Luba to San Emilio Ilocos Sur QCP. All LGUs and barangays were directed to re-establish their own QCPs. – PIA Abra

Benguet dad to get vaccine for BeGH workers, journalists

By Redjie Melvic Cawis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Benguet Legislative Caretaker Eric Go Yap said he would provide Covid-19 vaccines for frontline personnel of the Benguet General Hospital and local media.
   During the inauguration of the Benguet General Hospital Isolation Facility last week, Yap said the House of Representatives is coordinating with National Policy Against Covid-19 Chief Implementer and Vaccine Czar Sec. Carlito Galvez to procure vaccines for their staff and their families.
   Yap said he signified his intention of getting additional vaccines for Benguet prioritizing frontline health workers of Benguet General Hospital and journalists, who are also frontline workers.
   He said health workers in hospitals who are dealing and managing Covid-19 probable and positive patients and journalists who are always on the go bringing the news and updates on Covid-19 in the province, need protection from the deadly virus.
He is eyeing initial 600 doses for these two groups.
   Yap said he asked Sec. Galvez that Benguet be included in the prioritization of vaccines to be rolled out to local government units.
   Due to the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Cordillera making Benguet among high risk areas, he said there is need to prioritize and protect frontline workers, senior citizens and stakeholders in the province.
   In the recent Provincial IATF meeting, Kevin See, Office of the Congressman’s chief of staff, said   Yap is reaching out to the private sector like mining companies to partner with his office to help local government units particularly those that are not financially capable to purchase vaccines for their constituents.
   The proposal is for private companies to not only buy vaccines for their employees, but to donate to the community.
   He said this way, the private companies while protecting their employees, also help safeguard the welfare of the Benguet people. – PIA Cordillera

Ilocos Sur gov bars travel to CAR, sets Covid restrictions

By Joyah Mae C. Quimoyog

VIGAN CITY – Gov. Ryan Luis V. Singson issued three executive orders on Jan. 30 providing restrictions to prevent entry of Covid-19 variants to the province including travel to Cordillera Administrative Region.
   With the detection of new cases of Covid-19 United Kingdom (UK) variant called B.1.1.7 in the country, Ilocos Sur EO No. 10, series of 2021 stated guidelines for all returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) coming from countries with reported cases of B.1.1.7 or South African variants called B.1.351 entering the province.
   With the confirmed cases of Covid-19 UK variant in Cordillera, Singson issued EO No. 11 temporarily suspending issuance of travel authority and discouraging the people of Ilocos Sur travelling to any place in the said region to avoid possible exposure to the virus.
   Said EO is applicable to non-authorized person outside of residence (APORs) travelers.
   Singson also issued EO No. 12 temporarily closing the borders of municipality of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur which connects the provinces of Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, and Benguet to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 UK variant.
   The Commilas north border and Aluling border quarantine checkpoints were temporarily closed to all persons and vehicles effective Jan. 30.
   Upon arrival at the border, ROFs will be allowed to enter the province once they present documentary requirements such as certificate from Bureau of Quarantine they have completed the 14-day quarantine period immediately upon arrival in the country; negative RT-PCR test result; travel authority (unless transported by Overseas Workers Welfare Administration/Dept. of Transportation or any assisting government agency and certificate of acceptance or proof of coordination with the local government unit of residence.
   They are allowed to undergo strict home quarantine as long as they comply with such requirements but they are mandated to undergo RT-PCR test on their fifth day upon arrival in the province.
   If the RT-PCR test yielded positive results, the ROF shall be brought to an isolation facility.
   An ROF who didn’t complete the 14-day quarantine upon arrival in the country shall be brought to an isolation facility of the LGU where he is a resident and complete therein the remaining days of quarantine.
   On the 14th day of quarantine, the ROF shall be subjected to RT-PCR test – if it yielded negative results, the ROF may already be reintegrated to the community, otherwise, he shall be placed in an isolation facility where samples shall be taken for genomic sequencing.
   Other ROFs who have not completed the 14-day quarantine period, shall be brought to the isolation facility of LGU or residence and shall be subjected to 14-day quarantine. -- PIA Ilocos Sur

‘Corruption in Congress to worsen if economic Cha-cha pushes through’

>> Friday, February 5, 2021

EDITORIAL

Former Constitutional Commission member Christian Monsod has warned that corruption among lawmakers would probably increase should the ‘’restrictive’’ economic provisions of the 1987 Constitution are amended.
   During a public hearing Wednesday by the Senate constitutional amendments committee, Monsod said a phrase in the Resolution of both Houses Number 2 (RBH2) of Congress, if adopted, would become an opening for corruption bigger than pork barrel.
   The phrase is ‘’otherwise provided by law.’’
   “This is devious and dangerous,’’ Monsod said. Monsod said this means that Congress will have the power to replace or reduce constitutional limitations on foreign ownership of land, natural resources, public utility, media, advertising, and educational institutions.
   Under this situation, foreigners in land development and mining should go to lawmakers to give them bigger access to their businesses in the country.
   RBH2 was sponsored by administration Francis Tolentino and Ronald dela Rosa.
   Monsod said the real motive for RBH2, just like previous attempts, ‘’is power and money and is supported by the business community.’’
   “The motive is not the country either. That’s the rhetoric. The real motive is profits,’’ he said.
   Once the phrase is inserted, constitutional provisions become meaningless, he said. “And the door is opened wider to corruption or transactional legislation which corrupt politicians and greedy elite businessmen are very adept at doing,’’ he added.

Loose restrictions relax self-control

LETTERS FROM THE AGNO
March L. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY -- Before we welcome each other to a GCQ (general community quarantine) status on February 1 until February 15, 2021 in the Cordillera; I got information that the annual media launching of the Chinese Spring Festival for the Year of the Metal Ox of 2021 has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
   However, businessman Roland Wong who owns the Chongloy News Agency (ChoNA) based in Luisa’s Café, Session Road said, the Filipino-Chinese community in the City of Dwindling Pines decided to launch the Chinese Lunar New Year in a simple program at the City Hall on Monday, February 1st, by donating 200 bags of rice for barangays.
***
National Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) contact tracing chief and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong confirmed that the Cordillera Region will return to GCQ general community quarantine (GCQ) to contain the spread of the coronavirus. This was the city’s quarantine status on May 15, 2020 until May 31, 2020.
   Restrictions include stricter border control between LGUs in Benguet, Mountain Province and other provinces, with travelers seeking to enter borders having to present medical clearances to authorities.
   This means that during the same period, restaurants would have to limit their capacity to 30%, persons aged 15 years old and below must stay at home, and so with our elders aged 65 years old and above.
   It has yet to be backed by scientific evidence but the exponential rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the region could be due to the relaxation of public health standards such as the wearing of masks and social distancing over the Christmas holidays.
   Apparently, people relaxed or let their guards down when restrictions loosened during the holidays. Although that may be considered as a factor in the alarming surge of infections of COVID-19 in the region, preventing transmission boils down to personal discipline.
   Around two weeks ago, health authorities found out that 13 of the 326 specimen samples of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) submitted by the DOH-CAR to the Philippine Genome Center turned out to be the UK variant.
   DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said 12 UK variant samples were found in Mountain Province and one in La Trinidad, Benguet. But medical specialists in the DOH-Cordillera epidemiology and surveillance unit said they have yet to find out how the UK variant reached the region.
   It was good that the UK variant of the coronavirus which was said to be more infectious was earlier detected, of all places, at Barangay Samoki in Mountain Province. Since this calls for the isolation of those who were contact-traced, medical response should see to it that people are really quarantining themselves.
   Naturally, the discovery of the UK variant in the region is cause for alarm, not only for the medical experts but for everyone, because it has been reported that this has a higher probability of transmission.
   Basic arithmetic tells us that a more infectious virus increases the number of active cases and decreases bed capacity of hospitals. Without showing the numbers, this condition places the Cordillera Region at “high risk” category.
   With 10,491 confirmed cases, the DOH marked the region as a “high-risk” area due to the increasing virus infection and a growth rate at 199 percent growth rate of the virus in the last two weeks, which indicated an alarming surge of infections.
   Yet, pandemic frontliners who have risked their lives since day-one wonder because while they exhaust extra time and effort to tell people to stay home and avoid non-essential travel, there are events in the city that promote tourism that are even endorsed. They party as if there is no COVID-19 pandemic.
   By the way, the public should know that putting the COVID-19 vaccine into peoples’ arms is not a free pass. The World Health Organization has just announced last week that with the vaccine, one can still transmit the virus and so, wearing the mask is still very necessary.
   Mayor Magalong said, sustain all health protocols. “It's the best we can do to safeguard ourselves and our families,” he said.

Kalinga mayor’s killer nabbed / Asin hydros / LGU People’s councils Ok’d

BEHIND THE SCENES
Alfred P. Dizon

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- As the NPT goes to press, we got a report from Camp Dangwa that the suspect in the 2008 ambush-slay of then Tinglayan, Kalinga mayor Alexander Alngag was arrested.
   After hiding for more than four decades, Jaime Tochok Bulatao, 77, of Tabuk City who had a P75,000 reward for his capture was nabbed.
   Kalinga police director Davy Vicente M. Limmong bared this saying Bulatao was arrested by Tabuk police after warrants of arrest for multiple frustrated murder and murder against him were issued by Marcelino K Wacas, then presiding judge of RTC 25, Tabuk.
   Based on a report of Kalinga provincial police office, Bulatao was the suspect in the killing of then Tinglayan, Kalinga mayor Alexander Alngag in 1976.
   Then in 2008, Bulatao was the suspect in the ambush of then Rizal, Kalinga mayor Marcelo Dela Cruz.
   Despite hiding for 45 years, the long arms of law has finally reached Bulatao, the report said. “With the support of the community, police operatives successively arrested the suspect and now under the custody of the Kalinga PPO.”
   ***
The controversy of the Asin hydros isn’t settled yet. The Baguio City Council, during its session on Jan. 24, required Kaltimex Energy Philippines, Inc. to submit documents the company has capability to rehabilitate and operate the three mini-hydropower plants located at Asin, Tuba, Benguet the city government operated ever since the Americans ruled the country.
   The company was given two weeks to submit to the council a letter signifying their interest to undertake the project, document on their financial capability, their six-month time table for the project, and company’s updated profile, a report by Sanggunian Panglunsod staff Jordan Habbiling said.
   Chaired by Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda, the Sanggunian’s committee on jaws, human rights and justice will evaluate documents and present findings to the council.
   Whether or not the contract between the city government and Kaltimex should be terminated is a decision the city council will make, Tabanda said.
   In 2018, the city government under the administration of then Mayor Mauricio Domogan, sued Kaltimex due to the latter’s failure to fulfill its obligations. However, a compromise agreement was signed on February 2020 between the city government under the administration of Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Kaltimex.
   As part of the agreement, Kaltimex paid liquidated damages worth P3.6 million and reimbursed the city government’s filing fee of P605,000.
   Upon the court’s approval of compromise agreement, the city government issued Kaltimex notice to proceed in February 2020.
   On Oct. 19, 2020, Mayor Magalong requested the council to enact a resolution terminating the contract on the ground that Kaltimex had failed again to commence the project. To date, the three power plants remain unoperational.
   Tabanda relayed to the council that, according to the City General Services Office, it will take one and a half to two years to re-bid the project under private-public partnership in compliance with Procurement Law.
   Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan said due process must take place before the city government reaches its final decision on termination of the contract, thus, the council’s invitation to Kaltimex for a forum.
   Olowan, however said non-submission of documents required by the council is a good ground to terminate the contract with Kaltimex.
   According to engineer Juris Awal, project manager of Kaltimex, the restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic hindered the company from bringing in project consultants and skilled workers to the city.
   “We cannot do this project alone. We need to import accredited workers, and bringing them here has been a challenge due to the current situation,” Awal said.
   Awal claimed the company had sent letters to the executive department starting August 8, 2020 stating the company's interest to continue the project and requesting for a joint inspection on the site.
   In his letter to Councilor Tabanda dated Nov. 23, 2020, Awal wrote, “The joint inspection could have presented a suggested procedure on how the assessment will be undertaken for enhanced recording and monitoring. The joint inspection is indispensable so that Kaltimex and the city government could have mutually recorded the actual condition of the hydro facilities, its machineries, and equipment.”
   Awal claimed physical possession of the facilities should have been completed had the joint inspection been granted and scheduled.
   The council said it will invite Mayor Magalong in one of its sessions to discuss the matter after evaluating documents to be submitted by Kaltimex.
   ***
The House of Representatives has approved on final reading the bill creating a People’s Council in every local government unit (LGU) as a way to provide a mechanism by which citizens’ views and opinions in different areas of governance may be heard and considered.
   With 217 affirmative votes and six abstentions, the lower chamber approved House Bill No. 7950 or the People Empowerment Act.
   Under the bill, the People’s Council shall be composed of civil society organizations (CSOs) that will be accredited by the local sanggunian upon proof of submission of several requirements which include proof of existence for at least one year, proof of activities, list of membership, and officers, among others.
   The People’s Council may elect among themselves their representatives to all local government bodies, boards, councils, committees, task forces, special government bodies and other similar workgroups which the local government or national laws may create.
   People’s Council may likewise participate in the conceptualization and evaluation of government activities, activities, and programs of the LGU, propose legislation and participate at the committee level of the local sanggunian.
   Moreover, the measure also creates a Provincial People’s Council (PPC) in every province which shall be composed of representatives from the municipality and city People’s Council within the province’s jurisdiction.
   The People’s Council, however, is not allowed to engage in partisan politics and shall adopt measures to ensure that it is adequately shielded from any political partisanship or influence.
   Under the Constitution, all CSOs are recognized as independent and autonomous self-help organizations and are encouraged to organize into formal cooperatives, interest groups, non-governmental organizations, among others to pursue their legitimate purposes and objectives.
   San Jose Del Monte City Rep. Florida Robes, who chairs the House committee on people participation, said that the bill “will make civil society organizations more involved in local governance and create a stronger partnership between the government and private sector and create an environment where people can participate in policy and decision-making processes countrywide.”

Is Trump planning a comeback?

PERRYSCOPE
Perry Diaz

   With a 21-gun salute, a color guard, marching band, and red carpet, ex-President Donald Trump bade good-bye to a handful of his followers at the tarmac of Joint Base Andrews at about 10 am on January 20, 2020.  Two hours later President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. took his oath of office at the Capitol.
   But peaceful transition came with a big price!  We almost lost democracy when Trump incited insurrection on January 6, 2021.  A mob encouraged by Trump, attacked the Capitol where lawmakers were debating the Electoral College tabulation.  Within a minute of breaching the door and windows to the Capitol, the mob chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!  Hang Mike Pence!”  Vice President Pence was able to evade the murderous insurrectionists and hid in a secure room.  Outside the Capitol, a makeshift structure with a noose was erected waiting for Pence to be escorted out of the building to meet his death by hanging.  The mob also went from room to room looking for the lawmakers, ready to assassinate them.  By just a few seconds, the revolution that would have overthrown the government of the United States failed to materialize when the rebels failed to locate Pence.
   The National Guard arrived and drove the mob out of the building.  Thus ended an attempt to stage a coup d’état by Trump’s supporters for the purpose of keeping him in power.  Pence assembled the lawmakers back into session and proceeded with the tabulation of the Electoral College votes.  By 3:30 AM, the tabulation was complete with Biden garnering 306 electoral votes to Trump’s 232, exactly the same votes that were originally submitted by the 50 states on December 14th.  Pence declared Biden winner of the November 3rd election to the consternation of Trump, who had urged Pence to change the votes and declare Trump re-elected.  But Pence followed the dictate of his conscience and stuck to the results of the Electoral College, which he couldn’t change.
   The events that began on January 6th, was followed a week later by the House of Representatives impeaching Trump.  After a span of two weeks -- for three Wednesdays in a row -- Biden was inaugurated on January 20th.  It will be known as the Three “I’s” – Insurrection, Impeachment, and Inauguration.  These three Wednesdays in January 2021 will long be remembered in U.S. history as the “uncivil war” that almost changed the “government of the people” to a Trump dictatorship that would have ushered in a dynastic autocratic rule of the Trumps.  But the failed attempt only reminded the American people that vigilance couldn’t be taken for granted.
   It was a reminder that America and her people will answer the clarion call of heroes to come to the aid of Liberty.  It was the determination of the elected lawmakers to not panic and surrender to the rabid mob in the Capitol’s gallery who thirsted for blood.
   Had the lawmakers come out of their hiding places and raised their hands in surrender, they would have been massacred to the last person without mercy.  It would have ignited the Second American Civil War!  States will take sides just like it was in 1861 when seven states seceded to form the Confederate States of America (CSA), which advocated states’ rights to uphold slavery.
Second Civil War
But the Second Civil War wouldn’t be about slavery, it would have been due to the cultic power of Trump, who had held the blind obedience of 70 million Americans who professed their loyalty to him – right or wrong – as was demonstrated by the Capitol mob, ready to die for him.  They came from all over the U.S. Yes; it was sheer idolatry that had mesmerized them into submission.
   Trump had a Hitler-like power that kept his followers in line.  During the 2016 presidential election, Trump boasted that his campaign would not decline even if he shot someone in the middle of a crowded street.  “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters,” Trump said at a campaign rally.
   While Hitler had an army of storm troopers who were ready to die for him, Trump had 88 million Tweeter followers who received tweets in the wee hours of the morning.  They would tune in to his tweets ready to start the day with Trump’s orders.
   But luck finally ran out on Trump when Tweeter, Facebook, and Instagram suspended his accounts permanently for spreading misinformation.  In effect, that stopped him from communicating with his followers.  And without his daily tweets – that sometimes numbered more than a hundred a day – his mouthpiece was silenced… permanently.
   Suddenly, his followers were no longer receiving orders and benediction from the High Priest of Hate.  By de-platforming Trump’s social media accounts, it stopped his attempts to spread lies and misinformation.
   After the January 6th riot, Trump lost the ability to communicate with his followers.  Suddenly, the social media platforms went dark.  No more tweets, no more messages to tens of millions of his followers.  Like zombies, they were lost in the wilderness of mindless devotion.
   On January 12th, the nation’s top military commanders condemned the January 6th’s acts of “sedition and insurrection” at the U.S. Capitol and acknowledged Biden’s victory.
   On January 15th, Mike Lindell, the “My Pillow Guy,” visited Trump in the Oval Office.  It was a well-publicized visit.  After he left the office, he was photographed outside carrying notes about using “martial law if necessary,” “Insurrection Act now,” and “Move Kash Patel to CIA Director.” (Patel is a Trump loyalist.)
   In a video filmed after the insurrection, Lindell told Fox 9 in Minnesota, “This is a fight for everything we’ve grown up with, everything we live for, everything this country stands for. The whole world is watching, and 100%, Donald Trump is going to be your president for the next four years.”
   Indeed, up to the final days of his presidency, Trump was still thinking of ways of how to prevent Biden from being sworn in as president!  He was about to declare martial law!  But the military’s acknowledgment of Biden’s victory threw out any attempt to install Trump in a military-backed coup.  Trump saw his reign disintegrating; it’s time for him to step down.
Farewell address
On January 19th, Trump delivered his farewell address at the White House.  It lasted 18 minutes.  Once again and for the last time during his presidency, he repeated a litany of achievements – all spoken in the superlatives – that would only become boringly repetitive to say it here.
   So let me just say those that are new.  He began his speech, saying, “This week we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous. We extend our best wishes, and we also want them to have luck, a very important word.”
   Towards the end, he said: “Now, as I leave the White House, I have been reflecting on the dangers that threaten the priceless inheritance we all share. As the world’s most powerful nation, America faces constant threats and challenges from abroad. But the greatest danger we face is a loss of confidence in ourselves, a loss of confidence in our national greatness. A nation is only as strong as its spirit.”
   In conclusion he said, “Now, as I prepare to hand power over to a new administration at noon on Wednesday, I want you to know that the movement we started is only just beginning. There’s never been anything like it…”
   “I go from this majestic place with a loyal and joyful heart, an optimistic spirit, and a supreme confidence that for our country and for our children, the best is yet to come. Thank you and farewell. God bless you. God bless the United States of America.”
   Two things that struck my mind was when Trump said,  “I want you to know that the movement we started is only just beginning.”  The other one was when he said, “The best is yet to come.”  Yes, after what Trump had done to bring the country down, there could only be one way to go, “Up!”
   We all know that he was thinking of a comeback in 2024, after Biden’s first term.  With that in mind, it is presumed that he would remain a voice in the Republican wilderness.  But without his mouthpieces, like Tweeter and Facebook, how is he going to reach out to his followers?
   He has to remember that there are other Republicans who would like to run for president like Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.   All in all, there would probably be a dozen wannabe presidents running in 2024.  But Trump beat them all in 2016.  Can he repeat his success?  If the 2020 election were a harbinger of his future in politics, I’d take a pessimistic view.
   At the end of the day, the question is:  How loyal are Trump’s supporters?  Are they still under the cultic spell of Trump?  And finally, is Trump seriously planning a comeback?
   Yesterday, I received an email from a Trumpist friend of mine.  He said, “Trump will come back in the future.  If not sooner.”    Well, all I can say is: “That’s an optimistic view that came out of a pessimistic event.  Good luck.”
(PerryDiaz@gmail.com)

Galpo stands by city’s data on Covid-19 cases

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galpo swore by the integrity of their data on Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases that they are reporting to the public daily.
     This after the city government and the Dept. of Health reported contrasting data last Jan. 27 with 18 and 121 cases, respectively causing confusion and suspicion among the public.
   "We maintain that our data are accurate since these all come from the ground and are subjected to validations. We have always maintained transparency in our reporting of cases as emphasized by our city mayor from the very start," Galpo said.
   Galpo said data on positive cases are generated from the two authorized molecular laboratories in the city, Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center and Parkway Medical and Diagnostic Center.
   These laboratories submit results to the DOH-CAR which in turn submits these to the city through the CHSO.
   The CHSO then gives daily reports after conducting validation of the cases which explains why at times there were discrepancies between the reports of the city and the DOH-CAR.
   The inconsistency last Jan. 27 was unusual because the city and the DOH-CAR's data were close at 18 and 20, respectively.
Galpo said that upon validation, the two cases that DOH-CAR earlier tagged to Baguio were found to be actual residents of Itogon town and therefore were delisted from Baguio’s record.
   The city health officer said they had reached out to the DOH central office to verify the apparent error in the number of cases.
   For her part, Dept. of Health Cordillera Regional Director Ruby Constantino clarified that the 121 report that came out on national television did not come from their office.
   "I do not know where the national news got their data as definitely these did not come from the DOH-CAR. Since Jan. 1, wala pa kaming data na umabot ng 100 ang cases ng Baguio," Constantino told the Kapihan sa Baguio press briefing Jan. 28.

CHED, 3 Baguio universities ink scholarship for instructors

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet --The Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR) under Dr. Danilo B. Bose, OIC Office of the Director IV and three private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) signed memorandum of agreement “Delivering higher education institution (DHEI) for the scholarship for instructors’ knowledge advancement program (SIKAP)” grant Jan. 28 here at CHED-CAR regional office.
   The three HEIs were Saint Louis University, University of Baguio and the University of the Cordilleras.
   Saint Louis University was represented by Dr. Jeffrey Centeño, executive assistant to the president and Dr. Cecilia Mercado, dean for advance studies and grant administrator.
   University of Baguio was represented by Dr. Janice Kaylyn Lonogan, vice president for academic affairs and doctors Aida Dapiawen, Kareen Leon and Charesma Grace Lud-ayen, deans from different colleges of the university.
   UC president Dr. Nancy Flores with vice president of administration Dr. Rhodora Ngolob took part in the activity.
   The grant provides opportunities for HEI teaching personnel, or former HEI teaching personnel who wish to go back to the academic to acquire advance degree.
   HEI teaching personnel may apply as SIKAP grant scholar, provided they qualify into the eligibility criteria and qualifying and selection process.
   There are two scholarship types: full time scholars and part time scholars.
   The eligibility requirements: Filipino citizen, employed as a teaching personnel in HEI, been employed as teaching personnel the last 12 months at the time of application, does not hold full time employment in any government agency or private company which are not HEIs.
   Full time scholars must commit to pursue the program on full time study.
   Part time scholars must commit to have a maximum of 12 units of teaching load or 20 hours of work per week in no case greater than any of the 2 conditions.
   The financial privileges are: masters full time scholars actual tuition and other fees, while the living allowance for full time masters is P25,000/month and P12,500/month for part time, for full time doctorate is P33,000/month and P16,500 for part time.
   There are book allowance and transportation assistance for scholars studying outside their province, P12,000 for full time scholars while P6,000 for part time scholars.
   Additional privilege is thesis allowance of P50,000 and dissertation allowance worth P100,000
   SIKAP grant is under CHED K to 12 transition program management unit (TPMU).
   The permanent alternate focal person of CHED CAR K to 12 PMU is Dr. Mariano D. Marchan Jr.
   Project technical staff are Eileen Aguirre, Bender Ambas, Clarrence Kate Malao, Lynette Cholin and Jerome Quitola.

Baguio gov’t hit for taking private info from city folks; city council presses review

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY – Members of the city council urged the executive department to review the process of registration for Baguio In My Pocket (BIMP), the city’s portal application, to avoid data breach.
   This, after Baguio residents questioned the program saying it intruded into their privacy and was unnecessary.
   Those who entered city hall the past two weeks complained they had to accomplish a form for the App by putting private data or be refused entry to city hall.
   In a resolution, the legislators urged the city mayor’s office and Information Technology Business Solutions (ITBS), the Pasig-based app provider, to go over the registration form and revise it if necessary to include only needed basic information.
   Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda questioned specific information being asked by the registration form such as “ethnicity” and “religion” saying such information were not needed for contact tracing, business transactions, and availment of social services.
   Tabanda said registrants at the registration desks were being made to provide all information asked in the form which could be “in violation of the Data Privacy Act of 2012.”
   Councilor Benny Bomogao asked the IBTS and the mayor’s office to strike out parts of the registration form that ask “sensitive information” to avoid any personal data breach.
   Lester Morfe, IBTS representative, and Philip Puzon, executive assistant V of the city mayor's office, said registrants have the option whether or not to provide secondary information such as ethnicity and religion. Only primary information are required for registration, they added.
   “When you register using the application, there are mandatory fields and there are secondary fields. The mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk. The registration team printed the form from the app so that people could queue up at the City Hall lobby and be given assistance during their registration. It was done very quickly and the team just copied all fields from the app when they printed the registration form,” Puzon said.
   Puzon said registrants may delete any secondary information they have provided using their android phones or may ask assistance from the registration officers at the registration area.
Puzon and Morfe told the city council data collected from the application are secured since the cloud server being used has “the best security systems in place.”
   Puzon said the gathered data will be stored in a private cloud server controlled and managed by the city government.
   The ITBS will only serve as the data processor and will not hold and store the data, he added.
   BIMP is a mobile application that aims to promote an e-government ecosystem which includes hands-free transactions, citizen data management, contact tracing, and other essential services for Baguio residents.
   Those who have successfully registered are provided quick response codes which they can access through the BIMP app.
   The city government recently implemented the “No QR Code, No Entry” policy for all its officials and employees and for all those with transactions inside the city hall.

Bontoc: 410 Covid cases, 2 deaths; Mt Prov ‘critical’

BONTOC, Mountain Province – This capital town had a total of 410 Covid-19 with 306 active cases and two deaths as of Jan. 25 even as Mountain Province was categorized the only “critical” province in the country.

Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey, in a social media post, said the UK variant of the coronavirus was detected here with 12 of 35 specimens testing positive for the more communicable variant.
Odsey, who is now on self-quarantine after contracting the disease last Jan. 15, said, lockdowns in every barangay with Covid-19 positives were still in effect.

Vice mayor Eusebio Kabluyen also tested positive for Covid-19 on Jan. 24.

He urged people who came in contact with him the past 14 days to get in touch with the municipal health office.

The Dept. of Health is looking into the swab test results of eight residents who recently returned here to determine whether they were the sources of the new Covid-19 variant spreading in the town.

Health officials have been figuring out the source of the B117 variant that reached Bontoc and infected 12 residents, said DoH spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire.

“Our contact tracing teams saw eight Filipinos who returned to the country and entered Bontoc. We will get their details like their RT-PCR results, so, we can identify if the infection came from them,” Vergeire said in a televised forum.

Bontoc has the highest number of the B117 variant infections in the country, accounting for 12 of the 17 cases. Three children in the mountainous town aged 5, 6, and 10 were among those infected.

Contact tracing teams Cordillera tracked down 615 contacts of the Covid-19 patients, including second and third generation contacts, authorities said.

The DoH earlier said 38 close contacts of Covid-19 patients infected with the new variant have tested positive for Covid-19.

A returning Filipino from the United Kingdom who arrived in the town with his wife on 14 December through a private vehicle after testing negative for Covid-19 was suspected to be the source of the mutated virus in the province.

But Dr. Alethea de Guzman, a medical specialist of the health department’s epidemiology bureau, later said there is still no strong evidence to prove such since the patient was not found with the more infectious variant.

De Guzman, however, said all the 11 other cases are linked to the patient.

The DoH stated earlier this week that the clustering of cases in Barangay Samoki in Bontoc is now considered a local transmission of the more infectious variant in the area, but added it is not a community transmission yet.

The country confirmed its first known case of the B117 variant on 13 January in a 29-year-old real estate agent who returned to the country from Dubai on 7 January.

Residents submitted themselves recently for RT-PCR testing conducted by the National Task Force Against Covid-19 through the Bases Conversion and Development Authority and Bureau of Fire Protection.

The mass testing started in Barangays Samoki and Tocucan, followed by Barangay Bontoc Ili and barangays Poblacion and Caluttit on Jan. 28. Two mass swabbing stations were set up in Samoki, which is the most affected by COVID among the barangays.

The ACT targeted 5,000 tests in the municipality prioritizing these barangays which have the most number of cases. It is also scheduled in the towns of Sabangan, Sagada and Bauko which have also recorded surge of Covid cases.

The DOH on Jan. 22 announced that 12 of the 16 new cases of the more transmissible Covid 19 UK variant in the Philippines were from Bontoc.

Seven were males, and five females with 11 of them were from barangay Samoki.

Nine of the cases recovered while three remained in isolation at a hospital.

The DOH confirmed “local transmission in Bontoc of the B117 variant of SARS-CoV-2 as identified through genomic sequencing.”

Expanded contact tracing is continuing to track down all persons who had interaction with or exposed to the 12 locals found out with Covid-19 UK variant.

The DOH sent reinforcement team led by DOH- CAR assistant regional director Amelita Pangilinan composed of contact tracers from CAR, Regions 1, 2 and 3 to help the Bontoc LGU in tracing up to the third generation contacts, to suppress further transmission.

The Cordillera regional health office sent contact tracers to Bontoc on Jan. 24.

Pangilinan said four DOH teams from Cordillera and Regions 1, 2 and 3 arrived in this town Jan. 24 and set up an incident command system (ICS) post.

The DOH teams conducted contact tracing and swabbing of test specimen from around 160 individuals, she said.

With some of the Covid positive cases were third generation contacts of the UK variant cases, contact tracing continues and will be expanded up to three generations of contact of the new confirmed cases, she said.

Pangilinan said contact tracing and swabbing samples that will turn out positive will be subjected for testing at the Philippine Genome Center to check if these are of the UK variant of Covid – 19.—With PIA reports

Two Ifugao mayors stop meetings, travel

By Marcelo B. Lihgawon

BANAUE, Ifugao, - - Two municipalities of the province temporarily prohibited public gatherings and suspended government works due to Covid-19.
   Banaue Mayor John Raymund Wesley Dulawan issued executive order No.03 temporary prohibiting all forms of public gatherings for two weeks from Jan. 24 to Feb. 7 and reviving market hours for barangays, These gatherings include weddings, thanksgivings, church gatherings, cluster meetings of the Dept. of Education and distribution of modules or giving instructions to parents and students, operation of billiard halls, or “moma” engagements.
   Exceptions are wakes but those present must be limited only to immediate family members and nearest kin and must observe minimum health standards but no gambling.
   “Honga” and other cultural practices or needs addressing of the sick, but not thanksgiving purposes, were limited only to immediate family members.
     Dulawan also revived the old market window/schedules for said period as follows: Monday – Ducligan, Banao, Anaba and Bangaan; Tuesday – Bocos, Poblacion, Tam-an, Viewpoint; Wednesday – Poitan, Amganad and Balawis; Thursday – Gohang, San Fernando and Uhaj; Friday – Bocos, Poblacion, Tam-an and Viewpoint and Saturday – Batad, Cambulo, Pula and Kinakin.
   The curfew hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. was maintained.
   Banaue police were ordered to conduct patrols. Violators will be apprehended.
   Meanwhile, Agunaldo Mayor Gaspar Chilagan, Jr. prohibited unnecessary travel to and from Bontoc, Mountain Province until further notice due to detection of Covid-19 UK variant in the town..
   “All incoming persons from Bontoc shall be allowed only upon the presentation of negative RT-PCR result issued within the last 72 hours but still be subject to mandatory 14-days quarantine before going home or allowed to the community,” Chilagan said.
   Travel from the same must be coordinated with the municipal local government unit through the municipal inter-agency taskforce Covid-19 hotline number 0975 072 4730.
   All were directed to adhere to local health protocols and urged to join daily prayer hour every 5 a.m. and 7 p.m.
   The mayor also suspended office works in municipal and national offices within the MLGU compound including the business one stop shop on Jan. 25-26 except for emergency frontline offices to give time for contact tracing and swabbing and while waiting for results of the first set of swab tests sent for testing.
   Among five active Covid-19 patients in the municipality, four were employees of the MLGU.
    All activities within the MLGU compound were suspended during said including the business one stop shop. -- PIA Ifugao

Cordillera LGUs cancel, postpone annual festivals

By Liza Agoot

BAGUIO CITY – With the Covid-19 pandemic including the more contagious UK variant, several local government units in the Cordillera Administrative Region called off or postpone their annual festivals scheduled February.
Sagada Mayor James Pooten Jr. announced the cancellation of the annual Etag Festival that is scheduled for the first week of February.
   Originally set from Jan. 30 to Feb. 4, Pooten ordered the cancellation of the festivity upon the recommendation of the municipal council to prevent the further spread of the virus.
   “It is with a heavy heart that we have to arrive at a decision to cancel our annual town fiesta and its festivities, but bearing in mind the health and well-being of the members of our community, this is the best course of action that we need to take,” said Pooten in a post on social media.
   Pooten said with the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in his municipality and in the entire Mountain Province, the possible re-opening of Sagada to tourists will be put on hold to ensure the safety and health of the people.
   Benguet's capital town of La Trinidad also posted on social media the cancellation of the 2021 annual Strawberry Festival.
   Kalinga province also announced on Jan. 18 that their 5th Bodong Festival is suspended. This coincides with the Foundation anniversary of Kalinga every Feb. 14, the date it was separated from Apayao province.
   “The observance and commemoration of the province's 26th Founding Anniversary will be through a simple thanksgiving mass following all minimum health and safety protocols on Feb. 14,” the local government said in a post on its official social media account.
   Kalinga province has been recording a surge in cases. On Jan. 18, it logged a record-high single day Covid-19 cases of 108.    This brought the province’s active cases to 322.
   The provincial government of Apayao has yet to announce whether the province’s Say-am Festival that coincides with its foundation anniversary celebration this year will be canceled.
   The city government here also announced on Jan. 16 that the Flower Festival or “Panagbenga” is postponed to a later date.
   The media sub-committee of the Executive Committee of the Flower Festival Foundation announced that the continuation of the month-long festival which is among the top crowd-drawing event in the country will be re-scheduled after an assessment based on the developments of the Covid-19 pandemic. - PNA

Cagayan forest rangers fired at by illegal loggers

By Liezle Basa Inigo

BAGGAO, Cagayan – The lives of three forest rangers here were threatened after suspected illegal loggers fired shots at them at the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) checkpoint in Barangay Santa Margarita last Jan. 21.
   Report from the office from the Baggao Information Office showed Mario Mamanao, Pablito Pascual and Dennis Villanueva were manning the MENRO checkpoint in Barangay Santa Margarita here at around 11 p.m. when they were fired upon by still unidentified gunmen.
   Witnesses saw the suspects onboard a blue motorcycle without license plates fire at the forest rangers six times.
   No one was hurt in the incident.
   According to MENRO, there have been three similar incidents, also in Barangay Santa Margarita, that were reported in 2019 and 2020.
   Authorities said they would investigate the incident and provide security for MENRO members.

CPP-NPA hit army for digging remains of slain Red fighter

BAGGAO, Cagayan -- The Communist Party of the Philippines said soldiers of the 501st Infantry Brigade dug up the grave of Justine Bautista, a Red warrior who died at 25 years of age , here in Sitio Kapanisuwan, Barangay Bitag Grande, Baggao last Jan. 23.
   “Violating international laws that prohibit the desecration of the dead, was an attempt at scoring media points, but which exposed the Philippine military's disrespect for the remains of an adversary in an armed conflict,” said Marco Valbuena, information officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
   “As if digging up the grave was not severe enough, photographs of the exhumed remains, as well as soldiers parading the cadaver, were publicized on social media and were also distributed to news organizations,” he said.
   Refuting the military's claim of an improper burial, Guillermo Alcala of the New People's Army (NPA)-Cagayan Valley said that it may be bereft of adornments, but one typical of a poor man's interment.
   He added that Red fighters of the NPA take joy in serving the people and offering their lives when circumstances warrant.        "They do not seek any reward, much less a 'fine' burial," Alcala said.
   Alcala also lambasted the 501st IB for “digging up Bautista's remains and violating the person's dignity by displaying the body as a trophy.”
   He said in most civilized societies and cultures, exhuming the dead is done with circumspect, as this offends the basic moral premise of allowing the dead to "rest in peace."
   Also, public health concerns on the potential transmission of disease from decaying corpses are considered.
   “These types of inhumane treatment are the subjects of the Geneva Conventions protocols and other instruments on international humanitarian law and international criminal law.”
   Reports meanwhile said soldiers from the 501st Infantry Brigade (501st IB) and police personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) Region 2 were led to the burial site of Bautista, alias Aira, by a former comrade, who surrendered to authorities.
   Aira, a former student of Cagayan State University and former member of the Kabataan party-list and College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP), was a reportedly medical officer and political guide of the Northern Front Region-Cagayan Valley Committee.
   The informant revealed that Aira’s comrades hastily buried her body in a shallow grave after she was killed in an encounter on June 25, 2017 in an NPA raid on a military camp in San Jose, Baggao.
   The military and police were also trying to locate the remains of Aira’s mother, also an NPA rebel, who was killed in an encounter last year.
   According to Division Public Affairs Office Chief Maj. Jekyll Julian Dulawan, Aira’s mother was identified only as “the wife of Edgar Edra Bautista, active commander of the West Committee”.
   “Dahil sa mga lumalabas na kwento na may mga nawawalang bata/estudyante nakonsensiya ang dating rebelde kung pano nila basta nililibing mga kasamahan nila (With the reports of missing children or students, the former rebel said his conscience bothered him on how they hastily buried their comrade),”Dulawan said.
   “Kaya siya ay nagbigay ng impormasyon regarding dito para malinawan ang mga tao sa totoong nangyayari sa mga kagagawan ng CPP-NPA (That’s why he gave the information to show what is being practiced in the CPP-NPA),” he added
   Last November 2020, soldiers reportedly took photos of themselves with the dead body of martyred Red fighter Jevilyn Cullamat. – With a report from Liezle Basa Inigo

Tabuk placed on 14-day ECQ

By Larry T. Lopez

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – City Mayor Darwin C. Estranero has issued executive order 06, series 2021 placing the entire city under 14-day enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) from Jan. 25 to Feb. 7 to contain transmission of Covid-19.
   The order was issued following report from the City Health Office showing 14 of the 43 barangays were Covid-19 critical zones with at least five clustered cases in every three puroks per barangay.
   Estranero said the city recorded 550 confirmed Covid-19 cases and three deaths as of Jan. 24.
   The city’s isolation facilities were full with more than a hundred active cases recorded.
   Under the ECQ period, public transport was restricted to limit movement of people except to frontliners, authorized persons outside residence and those allowed for essentials.
   Business operation was regulated but delivery of food, medicines and other essentials was unhampered, while mass gathering was not allowed. Curfew was imposed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
   City Schools Division superintendent Irene Angway reported public schools were able to distribute ahead modules for the 2-week lockdown while some private schools opted to temporarily suspend distribution of modules.
   Estranero urged residents to cooperate and strictly follow health protocols. -- PIA Kalinga

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