Northern Philippine Times

Gunman in slay of Judge Lammawin gets 40 years

>> Friday, February 4, 2022

TABUK CITY -- The gunman in the killing of Kalinga Judge Milnar Lammawin in 2004 was convicted and sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 40-year maximum imprisonment "without eligibility for parole" by the Regional Trial Court Branch 25 in this component city on Jan. 19, or more than 17 years after Lammawin's death, court records showed in the order that was only released to the media on Wednesday.
   Judge Jerson Angog, in his ten-page order, meted the 40-year reclusion perpetua verdict to Wilfredo Signabon alias Yolly after finding him "guilty beyond reasonable doubt" of killing Lammawin.
   Signabon was also ordered to pay P350,000 in damages — P100,000 each for civil indemnity, moral and exemplary damages, and P50,000 in temperate damages — to the heirs of Lammawin with a six percent interest rate upon finality of the decision.
   He was the lone arrested gunman while his alleged cohorts — Bennit Wandag, Peter Lingbawan and several John Does, or unknown companions, are still at large.
   The trial court said Signabon and Wandag repeatedly shot Lammawin while the latter was standing near a pick-up truck.
Signabon also pumped more bullets on the fallen judge and later boarded a getaway car. – Vince Jacob Visaya

Baguio Omicron cases rise to 9; Delta around

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- Known omicron variant cases here climbed to 9 with the detection of 7 additional cases in the Jan. 25 bio-surveillance report of the Philippine Genome Center.
   The report included 5 additional delta variant cases padding the total of variants of concern (VOC) identified afflictions in the city to 400 broken down as follows: 117 alpha; 52 beta; 222 delta and 9 omicron.
   The delta report proved that the more virulent variant had remained to be a threat in the city, an assumption aired by Mayor Benjamin Magalong last Jan. 24 after the city's Covid-19 deaths rose in the past days amid the surge caused by the less severe omicron variant.
   The omicron report, on the other hand, affirmed that is now omicron is now the dominant variant fueling the active transmission in the community.
   Of the 5 delta cases, 4 had recovered while 1 died.
   All omicron cases had already recuperated.
   The mayor said back contact tracing and link analysis were done to determine circumstances of the patients and provide a clue where the infection originated to guide the city in its preventive measures.

2 ex-NPAs, dead rebel's mom, receive P450-K housing aid from gov't

By Liza Agoot

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The government, through the National Housing Authority awarded P450,000 worth of housing assistance to three former New People's Army rebels who earlier laid down their arms and returned to the folds of the law.
   In a press release sent to the media, Capt. Rigor Pamittan, chief of the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) Public Affairs Office, said the former rebels received Tuesday their housing assistance from the NHA-Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
   He said alias “Bryan” and alias “Alex” who are both from the province of Kalinga, and the mother of the late alias “Gabby” from Cagayan, received P450,000 each for the construction of their house.
   Pamittan said the amount was computed based on the engineering and architectural design of the NHA where each house has two bedrooms, a living and dining room, kitchen, and a comfort room.
   He said the design could be altered based on the desire of the beneficiary.
   The housing assistance is among the several components of the government’s support program that aims to improve or change the lives of the FRs who have opted to reembrace the government and again pledge their allegiance in support of efforts to attain peace.
   Livelihood, education, firearms remuneration and most of all, a better life with their families, are given by the government to the former rebels, Pamittan said.
   He said the FRs, during the turnover ceremony at the 5ID headquarters in Gamu, Isabela, thanked the NHA and the 50th Infantry Battalion for allowing them to have a comfortable house for their family.

He also said the mother of the late alias “Gabby” emotionally thanked the agency and the 17th Infantry Battalion for giving them assistance and benefits even though her child had died.

“Thank you because the government is not just helping my son. Even if he is already dead, the Armed Forces and the other agencies in government do not forget us. The supposed assistance for my son is also benefiting us. Thank you very much for all the help,” Pamittan quoted the mother as saying.

The housing assistance that the former rebels received is provided for under Administrative Order No. 10-2018 of President Rodrigo Duterte centralizing the government’s effort for the reintegration of former rebels.

Amnesty set for erring city market stall holders

By Jordan Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- The City Council passed a resolution Monday, urging market stall holders to avail of amnesty program to rectify various lease violations committed in the city public market.
   In August 2021, the City Council enacted an ordinance granting an amnesty program that sought to end lease violations in market stalls or booths managed by the city government.
   Citing results of investigations conducted by the Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) and verification done by City Treasury Office-Market Division, Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda said numerous occupants of the market stalls were renting or leasing from the registered leaseholders while some were occupying the stalls due to the death of the leaseholders or by virtue of transfer by sale, mortgage, or waiver.
   Such acts were in violation of the city’s Market Code under tax ordinance 2000-01.
   Sections 157 and 160 of the tax ordinance stated leaseholders shall physically or personally conduct business in the stall subject of the lease.
   Section 157 stipulated the leaseholder shall not sell, lease, or transfer to other individuals nor permit others to conduct business therein.
   Section 161 prohibited sub-leasing of stalls and the use of dummies.
   According to the ordinance, any of these violations shall be sufficient for the cancellation of the contract of lease with the city.
   Under the ordinance, an amnesty program for a period of three months shall be granted to concerned stall occupants and/or actual leaseholders to rectify or act on their violations.

After said period, all arising violations shall be dealt with in accordance with the provisions of the city’s existing tax ordinance.

For the transfer of leasehold rights, the transferee, upon presenting a Deed of Sale, Waiver of Rights, or acknowledgment by the registered leaseholder of the transfer, shall be issued a Contract of Lease, provided that the transferee is personally or physically conducting business in the stall/booth.

For a stall whose registered leaseholder is already deceased, the compulsory heirs of the deceased person must execute an Extra-Judicial Settlement or Waiver of Rights designating a person (who may not necessarily be a compulsory heir) to be the next registered leaseholder.

For a leaseholder who is sub-leasing or mortgaging their stall or using a dummy, they must terminate this relationship.

The leaseholder, with the consent of the other party, may regain occupancy of the stall.

Should both parties fail to agree, the contract of lease shall be revoked or cancelled, and the stall shall be declared vacant.

The Baguio City Market Authority (BCMA) shall conduct a preliminary review of the affidavit and supporting documents of the actual occupant and issue a notice of violation to the registered leaseholder, giving the latter 15 days to contest the allegations and evidence of the occupant.

The BCMA shall then conduct a full investigation to be completed in not more than 30 days.

Whoever the BCMA decides in favor of, whether the leaseholder or the occupant, the right over the stall shall be granted to them. Any person who is not satisfied with the BCMA’s adjudication of stalls may file an appeal before the city council within 30 days from the date of the issuance of notice of adjudication as provided for in section 162 of the tax ordinance.

The ordinance shall also prescribe requirements for an actual occupant and the rental rates of a sold/mortgaged stall or a previously sub-leased stall.

A public consultation was held on June 16 in which the provisions of the ordinance were presented to the market vendors, concerned government offices, and the general public for recommendations.

The amnesty program is applicable in the Baguio City public market, city-owned satellite markets, and the slaughterhouse.

The council stipulated implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance shall be crafted by the City Mayor’s Office.

In the final version of the ordinance, Tabanda added a provision indicating that section 160 of tax ordinance No. 2000-01 which states that the registered leaseholder shall occupy, administer, and be present personally at their stall/booth, but they may employ helpers including but not limited to their spouse, parents, and children living with them.

The persons to be employed as helpers shall, under no circumstances, be persons with whom the leaseholder has any commercial relation or transaction.

During the council’s regular session on July 27, 2021, Mayor Benjamin Magalong told the legislative body that he supported the passage of the said ordinance.

11 Pangasinan PNP chiefs transferred as polls near

By Hilda Austria

MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – Some 59 personnel and 11 chiefs of police in Pangasinan have been rotated in relation to the upcoming national and local elections.
   Pangasinan Police Provincial Office acting director Col. Richmond Tadina said the 59 police personnel have relatives or family members running for posts in the May polls.
   “They were rotated in different areas to remove the influence of the police personnel in the respective areas,” he said in a forum hosted by the Philippine Information Agency Pangasinan and Radyo Pilipinas Dagupan on Tuesday.
   He added the 11 chiefs of police were also rotated to remove or prevent close affiliation to the incumbent officials.
   Meanwhile, Tadina said four towns in the province are considered areas of immediate concern due to the incidents that occurred in these localities during the past elections, but these are not yet considered as election hotspot areas.
   “These are Sual, Sto. Tomas, Urbiztondo towns, based on the previous elections, and Anda town due to the recent incident involving a former mayor. These localities will be monitored,” he said.
Tadina said the PPPO has already recorded nine shooting incidents this year but these are not election-related violence.
   “The eight incidents were isolated cases due to personal grudges or unpaid debts. The other one was the shooting of the former mayor of Anda town. However, the suspect was arrested and a case was filed against him but we are still looking into it because of its timing to the election period,” he added.
   Tadina said they are also monitoring a potential private armed group in the province.
   The police arrested six individuals from January 9 to the present for violation of the election gun ban.
   Tadina said the gun ban also covers gun replicas and deadly weapons. – PNA

City council wants poles on roads out

BAGUIO CITY -- The City Council urged the Dept. of Public works and Highways regional and district offices and the Benguet Electric Cooperative to immediate remove or relocate electric poles and other obstructions within the national government’s right-of-way as a result of the implementation of road widening projects in the different parts of the city.
   In a resolution, local legislators said as a result of various road widening projects implemented in the different parts of the city, utility lines, electric posts and other obstructions may have to be moved or relocated to lessen traffic.
   The council cited that Section 12 and 13 of Joint Circular No. 01, series of 2017, of the Department of Energy and DPWH provide that within one year from the effectivity of the same, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and electric cooperatives shall cause the removal and relocation of any improperly located facility in the government’s right-of-way, subject to the payment of compensation provided in the said circular.
   The DOE and DPWH adopted joint circular 2, series of 2019, to extend period of relocation of obstructing facilities within the national government’s right-of-way up to Dec. 31, 2019, and for the purpose of the implementation of the same, it created the inter-agency task force to closely monitor the compliance of the concerned government agencies to the aforesaid condition.
   The body said the deadline provided in joint circular 2, series of 2019 has lapsed while a significant number of unrelocated electric poles and other similar obstructions remain within the government’s right-of-way raising public safety concerns, especially those of public utilities, which pose threat to public safety.
   For the past years, the DPWH regional and district offices implementing road widening projects along national roads in the city where many electric poles owned by Beneco and other obstruction had been left out and are awaiting to be removed and relocated properly to allow the use of the widened portions of the roads for better management of traffic and more importantly, prevent the occurrence of untoward incidents that could compromise the public’s overall safety.
   The council urged the concerned agencies to fastrack the removal and relocation of the identified obstructions to ensure the smooth flow of vehicular traffic along the widened portions of the road and avoid the unscheduled power interruptions that may be caused by of accidents due to unrelocated poles and other obstruction.
   The DPWH and Beneco are working together for relocation of electric poles on widened portions of roads.
   Copies of the resolution will be furnished said agencies and entity for their information and guidance. - Dexter A. See

Commemoration rites: Magalong on SAF 44: Lesson in leadership

By Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the Mamasapano incident that led to the death of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) seven years ago should serve as a lesson for leaders to give premium to people’s lives rather than their personal motives.
   “Let this be a lesson in leadership – never, never allow personal interest or motives to prevail at the expense of the lives of the men in uniform and of our people,” the mayor said during the commemoration rites marking the anniversary of the heroism of the SAF 44 who were killed by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters during the Mamapasano, Maguindanao encounter on Jan. 25, 2015.
    The program dubbed “Day of National Remembrance for the SAF 44” was held Tuesday at the SAF Memorial Shrine at The Manor at Camp John Hay hailing “the dedication and sacrifice of the men of valor” as “the pinnacle of patriotism.”
    It was attended by PNP Deputy Director for Directorate for Human Resource and Doctrine Development Brig. Gen. Prexy Tanggawon who delivered the message of Chief PNP Director Gen. Dionardo Carlos, Police Regional Office Cordillera Director Brig. Gen. General Ronald Oliver Lee and Deputy Regional Director Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop.
    Magalong who was the former chairman of the PNP Board of Inquiry tasked to investigate the botched “Oplan Exodus” waged against the MILF said the day is especially unforgettable for the people of the Cordillera as 14 of the 44 hailed from the region.
    “Ang araw na ito ay hindi dapat mawala sa ating kaalaman at kamalayan. Mabagal man ang usad ng katarungan, hindi ako magsasawalang kibo upang muling ihayag ang tinig ng mga umaasam ng katarungan. Hustisya para sa SAF 44,” he added.
    The 14 SAF commandos from the Cordilleras who perished in the clash were: S/Insp. Gednat G. Tabdi, S/Insp. Cyrus P. Anniban, PO3 Noel O. Golocan, PO3 Robert D. Allaga, PO2 Nicky Dc Nacino, PO2 Noble S. Kiangan, PO2 Jerry D. Kayob, PO2 Walner F. Danao, PO2 Franklin C. Danao, PO2 Peterson I. Carap, PO2 Joel B. Dulnuan, PO1 Angel C. Kodiamat, PO1 Gringo C. Cayang-o, and PO1 Russel B. Bilog.
   Also present during rites were Hotel Manor general manager Ramon Cabrera and Julie B. Cayang-o, representative of family members of SAF heroes.
   Each paid their respects by laying a wreath on the memorial offered for the Fallen 44.
   During the program, Rev. Lt. Col. Jonathan Chy, regional police pastoral officer, rendered a prayer and officiated the blessing of the SAF memorial.
   Presidential Proclamation No. 164 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte, declared Jan. 25 Day of National Remembrance in memory of SAF 44’s noble deeds and acts of valor.
   There were 44 troopers who died in the Mamasapano encounter. – With a report from regional police information office

More structures on Baguio roads set for demolition

By Gaby B. Keith

BAGUIO CITY -- With technology and manpower, the city government has recovered more than seven meters along roadsides which translates to sidewalks for pedestrians and a wider road area for motorists in the Summer Capital.
   This was reported by the city engineer's office traffic and transport management division head, engineer Januario Borillo, at the city hall executives' management committee meeting recently.
   According to Borillo, the undertaking is in line with the city's program on road right of way recovery.
   With geographic information system (GIS) maps, roads along with Barangay Ferguson, Dominican, Camp 8, M. Roxas and    Greenwater were measured, and owners of structures discovered to be straddling the area were informed of their violation.
   Some structures were scheduled for demolition, while some owners willingly dismantled a portion of their buildings encroached on the road.
   GIS is a system that creates, manages, analyzes and maps data, integrating location with descriptive information including measurements, used in engineering and science, and as a basis in management and decision-making. It is also used in mapping an area, revealing structures that are present within areas of concern.
   The owner of a shop, a fence, a construction company's trucks and other building materials was also informed of their encroachment of road space.
   A barangay (village) hall constructed in 1994 within a road space may also be relocated in the same area, the report said.
   Pending clearing of several encroached structures in a wide area, a roadside gutter and a spacious sidewalk may also be constructed in a recovered area in Barangay Dominican, Borillo reported. Dwelling places and an eatery also need to be demolished, for sidewalks and wider roads.
   Borillo also reported that the city engineering personnel have cleared several roads for additional space for sidewalks in business areas along the central business district. Some electric posts need to be relocated in the process.
   Other roads shall be inspected along with the creek easement project. A report on other engineering projects is forthcoming, Borillo assured the executives.
   Mayor Benjamin Magalong and City Administrator Bonifacio de la Peña expressed approval over the ongoing undertaking.

TESDA inks MOA with vehicle firms for trainings

By Jhodie Flor Carpio and SNMP

BAGUIO CITY -- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Baguio forged partnerships with five industries to strengthen and expand its partnership with sectors.
   A memorandum of agreement was signed here recently at Lafayette Hotel among Tesda officials and business groups.
All, except for Toyota Baguio, forged a partnership with the training center for the first time.
   Three of the industries were from the automotive sector -- Toyota Baguio, GR Tuning Autoshop, and Marcos Highway Diesel Calibration Shop.
   The other two, GEGA Engineering and Construction Services and Gegasa Engineers and Construction Services are from the Construction sector.
   The agreement was for the Supervised Industry Learning Program under the enterprise-based learning program.
Both parties agreed to enhance TVET programs, venue for industry experience and immersion of trainees, curriculum enhancement and placement referrals.
   Regional director Jeffrey Ian C. Dy said one of objectives of enterprise based training was to train individuals to become “highly employable”.
   “Maraming matutulungan itong kabataan ,ang ibibigay ninyong craftsmanship doon sa bata ay yung gagamitin talaga nila direct to employment, that’s how important these types of training are,” he said.
   He added partnering with private institutions in skills training and development was crucial for the training center to provide a high standard of training delivery to their learners.
   “Innovation and technology have been a top agenda of Tesda,” he said. “Despite effects of the pandemic, the training center is stepping up its collaboration with private sectors and other government institutions.”
   RTC Administrator Felixberto B. Matute, Jr. cited partnership in helping learners get employment opportunities and work experience.
   MOA signatories said they were committed to the agreement. “Before wala pong private institution to offer automotive courses and basically talagang mga technicians po namin ay fruit po ng Tesda, without them hindi po kami makakapag repair ng sasakyan po na nakikita natin everywhere so it’s a privilege for us to be part of this partnership,” said Rainel Calagui, after-sales manager of Toyota Baguio.

India gives P4-M anti- Covid vaccines to Baguio

BAGUIO CITY -- The Indian government and the India Business Forum recently turned over to the local government some P4 million worth of anti-Covid-19 medicines and medical supplies to help boost the city’s efforts against the pandemic.
   The donation which included a TBS motorcycle was handed over by Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu S. Kumaran and Indian Business Forum president Dileep Kumar Tiwari to city officials led by Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong during the regular Monday flag raising ceremony held at the city hall grounds.
   Ambassador Kumaran said the Indian government wants to strengthen its partnership with the Philippine government and other local governments and business partners for the enhancement of the health care system, health care services and pharmaceuticals that will be beneficial to the greater majority of the Filipinos and the ongoing efforts to combat the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
   He added Baguio City is being eyed as a potential investment haven by some Indian companies wanting to expand their operations to the northern part of the country.
   The Indian envoy said the city’s good weather condition and natural attractions serve as a natural pull for foreign and local investors to consider as a potential investment haven that will surely help in creating more jobs for qualified local residents and boost the growth of the local economy.
   Officers and members of the India Business forum are in the city for a global partnership meeting with their counterparts in the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) to explore possibilities of bringing to the city various business opportunities that will generate employment and economic activities for the residents.
   Kumaran stated that the donation of assorted medicines and medical supplies will be instrumental in helping in the local government’s intensified anti-Covid response that will pave the way for the possible reduction of cases to allow the gradual and safe revival of the local economy that had been heavily impacted by the health crisis.
    For his part, Tiwari said there are already Indian companies that have earlier established their business operations in the PEZA and that more companies are expected to also invest in the local economic zone to help in improving the ongoing efforts to allow the generation of jobs and increase the economic activities of people.
   Among the Indian companies that are interested to expand their operations in the city are those that are engaged in information technology (IT) and business process outsourcing (BPOs) which are the primary job generators in the said country.
   Tiwari expressed hope that the global partnership meeting with PEZA will gain the momentum so that more Indian companies can establish their business operations in the city to help in sustaining the vibrance of the local economy as part of the efforts of the government to allow the economy to recover from the impact of the ongoing pandemic. – Dexter A. See

PDEA: 16 P’sinan b’gays drug-cleared

By Hilda Austria

DAGUPAN CITY – The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has declared 16 barangays from the towns of Umingan, Sual, and San Fabian, and this city as drug-cleared following a series of evaluations and monitoring.
   In a phone interview on Monday, PDEA Pangasinan provincial officer Rechie Camacho said Pangasinan now has 1,065 drug-cleared barangays out of the 1,272 drug-affected barangays in the province.
   “Hopefully, we would be able to clear the entire province before the end of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration as we only have 14 percent left,” he said.
   The barangays underwent rigorous validation by the provincial and regional barangay drug clearing team and were declared by the Regional Oversight Committee as drug-cleared during the deliberation in November this year, according to PDEA Pangasinan.
   Camacho said most of the remaining barangays not cleared from illegal drugs lack “Balay Silangan”, which is a requirement for the local government units (LGUs).
   “Balay Silangan is where the pushers are rehabilitated. It is required of the LGUs but due to the pandemic, the supposed facilities to be turned into Balay Silangan were used as coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) facilities,” he said.
   He added they are encouraging the LGUs to work on establishing a “Balay Silangan” as Covid-19 cases are now declining.
Meanwhile, Camacho said there was a reduction in the volume of supply of illegal drugs in the province amid the pandemic.
   However, he said they are monitoring the impact of easing the border requirements to the transactions of illegal drugs in the province. --PNA

Baguio seniors not ‘hunted’ for Covid jabs

By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY – The Barangay Health Emergency Response Team and barangay officials; shall visit and convince unvaccinated senior citizens to have their Covid-19 vaccine.
   Mayor Benjamin Magalong bared this as he dispelled talks in a media forum the city’s elderly are “hunted down” or “targeted” for Covid jabs.
   “We are gentle with our elderly, it is best to persuade and not coerce them to do things they are not willing to do. We have to assure them that vaccination is the best way against the Covid-19 virus,” the mayor said.
   He said vaccination and minimum public health standards such as the use of (double) mask, social distancing and frequent handwashing is urged for maximum protection.
   Nationwide, senior citizens were among those prioritized for vaccination when the roll-out started in March 2021.
   Of more than 32,000 SCs registered in Baguio City; 31,319 have been fully vaccinated with various brands, and with some having booster shots as soon as it was possible.
   According to the mayor, the BHERTs shall assist senior citizens wanting to have their first and second doses, and even with the booster shots two, or three to six months later. The Health Services Office (HSO) mobile vaccine (Movacc) team may administer vaccines in the elderly’s homes once they do not have access or are incapable of travel to any of the mega or community vaccine sites.
   No vaccines are perfect or 100% capable of warding off the disease, but studies from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other authorized health groups show vaccinated individuals have less chances of getting the virus.
   In breakthrough cases where fully vaccinated and boosted individuals get infected, the symptoms are less severe, less hospitalization rate and lower chances of dying, Magalong said.

Law against discrimination of unvaxxed Baguio folks pushed

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- Councilor Mylen Victoria Yaranon has proposed an ordinance prohibiting discrimination against Baguio residents who are not vaccinated against Covid-19.
   The city council approved the proposed measure on first reading and referred it to the legislative body’s committee on health and sanitation, ecology and environmental protection for review.
   Under the proposed ordinance, it shall be unlawful to discriminate against “vaccine-free” residents or to coerce them to get vaccinated.
   They shall be allowed to buy essential goods, access essential services, use public transport, and do outdoor activities within their properties.
   Citing Labor Advisory 03 Series of 2021 issued by the Dept. of Labor and Employment, Yaranon said people in workplaces must not be forced to be vaccinated and those who have not received the jabs must not be discriminated against.
   The said advisory provides that “refusal to get vaccinated should not be taken against a person nor should it be a cause for discrimination in terms of tenure, promotion, training, pay, and other benefits among others, nor should it be a cause for termination from employment.”
   The advisory further said a ‘No vaccine, no work policy’ shall not be allowed.
   In the workplace, vaccine-free employees shall be allowed to report onsite for work, provided they undergo RT-PCR or antigen testing every two weeks at their personal expense and present a Covid-19 negative result prior to being admitted for onsite work.
   The RT-PCR or antigen testing, however, shall not be required under the following conditions: the unvaxxed employee presents a medical certificate recommending that they shall not be vaccinated; they present a certificate of membership of a religious denomination that does not allow its members to be vaccinated; or they are partially vaccinated and are waiting for their second dose.
   In the proposed ordinance, Yaranon said the city government must take a “sensible and ethical” approach in its vaccination rollout.
   She said the focus on the freedom of choice of every individual, especially if it concerns their health, should be reflected in the city’s policies throughout this Covid-19 pandemic.
   Under the proposed ordinance, the City Health Services Office shall adapt in its COVID-19 vaccination program information drive on the risks involved and put into place an adverse event reporting system to document potential side effects of the vaccine.
   This is to help residents make an informed consent on whether to get vaccinated or not, the ordinance stated.
   The councilor cited the report of the Food and Drug Administration on the suspected adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines.
   According to the report, suspected adverse reactions experienced after vaccination are hypersensitivity including severe allergic reactions, increased blood pressure, thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome, confirmed Covid-19 infections, inflammation of the heart, capillary leak syndrome, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Bell’s Palsy and immune thrombocytopenia.
   The said report, however said “a report of adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that the vaccine caused the reactions [and that a] mere suspicion may also be reported.”
   “Undiagnosed illness, underlying comorbidities, and pre-existing medical conditions unrelated to vaccination can be factors in reporting adverse reactions,” the report added.

Summer capital records decrease in leisure travel

BAGUIO CITY -- Leisure travels to this summer capital city significantly dropped following more restrictions due to recent surge in Covid-19 cases triggered by the more infectious and more transmissible Omicron variant.
   Supervising City Tourism Operations Officer Engr. Aloysius C. Mapalo said sharp drop in leisure travels was also caused by many cancellations made by prospective visitors with already approved travels to the city after Baguio City was placed under alert Level III during the early part of the year.
   Currently, the daily limit for leisure travel to the city remains at 4,000 excluding those visitors that have booked in hotels and accommodation establishments that have been allowed by the city to triage their own guests.
   However, he said tourists from areas under Alert Level III have to present their negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results which were taken 72 hours prior to travel or negative antigen test taken 24 hours before travel in addition to their vaccination cards in the border quarantine control points as part of the measures to mitigate the further surge in local cases.
   Based on data from the visita.baguio.gov.ph, the city’s registration platform for tourists, there has been a sharp decline in actual tourist arrivals in the city during the past week compared to the previous weeks when the situation was much better.
   From Jan. 10-16, there were some 21,438 approved travels to the city from the 37,009 travel requests but only 3,522 travelers actually arrived in the city during the said period.
   On Jan. 8, there were still 2,072 tourists that arrived in the city before dropping to 997 visitors on the 9th, 697 tourists on 10th, 439 on 11th, 297 on 12th, 496 on 13th, 568 on 14th, 667 on 15th and 358 on Jan16.
   From Jan. 1-16, 2022, there were some 241,872 approved travels to the city but only 110,217 tourist were able to actually arrive where 121,664 had hotel bookings during that time. The highest number of tourist arrivals in the city during the said period was recorded on Jan. 1, with some 5,492 tourists that actually arrived while the least number of tourist arrivals was reported on Jan. 12 with only 297 visitors.
   The city started to gradually revive the local tourism industry in late October with an initial limit of 2,000 travelers daily before the same was increased to 3,000 by the middle of November, 4,000 by early December and 5,000 by the middle part of December.
   From January 3-09, 2022, there were some 46,487 approved travels to the city from the 63,980 travel requests in the city’s online registration platform but only 17,091 visitors actually arrived.
   From Dec. 27, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022, there were some 69,294 approved travels to the city from the 91,624 travel requests during the said period but only 39,629 visitors were able to actually arrive in the city.
   Mapalo reported 6,718 actual tourist arrivals in the city in Oct. 67, total of 962 actual tourist arrivals in November and 147,145 tourist arrivals in December which served as peak of the city’s tourist arrivals because of the easing up of the community quarantine restrictions following the decline in cases from the surge of the Delta variant. – Dexter A. See

DILG to Cordi LGUs: Regulate movement of unvaccinated persons

BAGUIO CITY—Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) OIC Regional Director for Cordillera Araceli San Jose, who is also the chair of the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force (RIATF), strongly urged local government units (LGUs) to pass an ordinance regulating the movement of individuals who have not been vaccinated or have only been partially vaccinated in the region due to the threat of the Omicron variant.
   It can be recalled that the  Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID)  on January 20, 2022 placed the provinces of Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province under Alert Level 4  due to a surge in COVID-19 infections.
   OIC RD San Jose explained that an escalation to Alert Level 4 means that an area has reached more than 70 percent in healthcare utilization rate, and alarmingly high two-week growth and average daily attack rates (ADAR).
   She also urged authorities to continue enforcing and the public to continue adhering to minimum public health standards.
   "We urge our local chief executives (LCEs) to ensure the consistent implementation of minimum public health standards (MPHS) and to strengthen the implementation of the Prevent, Detect, Isolate, Treat, Reintegrate + Vaccinate (PDITR) strategy. Contact tracing, as well as closely monitoring of adherence to home quarantine and isolation protocols, including daily checking of quarantined individuals in-person or via mobile/telephone must be aggressively pursued," she said.
   The Department also advised local governments to operationalize and plan for the expansion of their telemedicine services, as well as to widely disseminate contact information to local communities.
   OIC-RD San Jose stated that local government units (LGUs) can always seek the assistance of the RTF Against COVID-19 and the RIATF through the Office of Civil Defense Cordillera in conducting aggressive community testing (ACT) to further detect COVID-19 carriers.

On the issue of vaccination, she also urged LGUs to work with Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams (BHERTs) to bring COVID-19 vaccines closer to the people and cover the entire eligible population while also promoting trust in the effectiveness and safety of these vaccines.

94% of Ilocos Norte target folks vaxxed

LAOAG CITY – The province of Ilocos Norte had surpassed its target to achieve mass protection against Covid-19 as it vaccinated around 94 percent of its target, latest data from the Provincial Health Task Force showed.
   Ilocos Norte, with a total estimated population of 620,052, has 408,276 fully vaccinated individuals, which comprised 94.06 percent of its target population, provincial data showed on Wednesday.
   “With the continuing mass vaccination of various local government units, we hope to fully vaccinate all our residents by the end of this month,” said Dr. Virgilio Mangapit of the Provincial Department of Health Office in a media interview.
   Compared to other provinces in Region 1, Mangapit said Ilocos Norte is leading the way in terms of vaccination accomplishment against Covid-19.
   While the province is currently under Alert Level 3 status until Jan. 31 due to the presence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc has reiterated in a press statement that the public should not panic as most of Ilocos Norte residents had already been vaccinated.
   “Omicron is milder and we now know much more about the virus, especially the safety measures that work,” he said.
   With the help of public and private health volunteers in the mass vaccination drive, the governor has also lauded the multi-sectoral effort to achieve total mass protection against the virus.
   Administration of booster shots is also being offered by the province since the middle of January and some 10,851 already received their dose. -- PNA

POLICE ROUNDUP

‘Weed’ dealer arrested in Cabanatuan

By Jonas Reyes CABANATUAN CITY — The Cabanatuan City Police Office (CCPO) arrested a resident of the city and confiscated P300,000 worth of illegal drugs in Barangay San Juan of this city last week.
   Operating units of SDEU Cabanatuan CPS arrested Justine Jay T. Cruz,21, single, resident here of Barangay Mabini Extension.
   The authorities confiscated from his possession five transparent plastic sachets and three bricks of suspected marijuana weighing approximately 2.5kg with a street value of P306,600 and P500 bill marked money.
   Charges for illegal drugs were filed in court against Cruz.

2 held for gun ban violation in N. Ecija

By Ramon Efren Lazaro

CABANATUAN CITY — Two persons were arrested for violation of the election gun ban in Nueva Ecija on Tuesday night.
Motorcycle riders John Paul Nierval and Arnold Rebamba were flagged down at a police checkpoint in Barangay San Vicente in Gapan City for not wearing helmets, according to a report received by Col. Jess Mendez, acting Nueva Ecija police director.
The suspects tried to escape, resulting in a brief chase.
When cornered, police said a 9mm pistol, a hand grenade, a Cal. 45 pistol and .45 grams of shabu valued at P3,000 were recovered from the suspects.

12 nabbed in Baguio for drugs, P200-K MJ burned in Kabayan

CAMP DANGWA. La Trinidad, Benguet – Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement agents arrested 12 persons for illegal drugs and confiscated P220,00 worth of marijuana plants in Benguet and Baguio City Jan. 16 to 22.
   Reports submitted to Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. Ronald O. Lee said
   In Baguio, the 12, the arrested drug suspects were identified as: Norlailah Rascal Basman, 24; Paquito Lagen Palino Jr., 48; Arman Dauz Yanes, 25; Mano Casanguan Satta, 36; Mariebelle Barra Dugasan, 37; Jose Quezada Jr., 37; Adrian Mark Fernandez Villanueva, 18; Flor Mae Angela Pawid Ibarra, 27; Patrick Arcega Miranda, 18; Kennedy Ikenna Bondad, 21; Roel Bondad Javillanor, 36 and a 15 year old male minor.
   A total of 23.16 grams of suspected shabu worth P157,488 and 45 grams of dried marijuana leaves valued at P5,400 were seized from personalities, now facing charges for illegal drugs.
   Meanwhile, in Barangay Poblacion, Kabayan, police discovered two plantations where 1,100 fully grown marijuana plants worth P220,000 were found.
   All marijuana plants were uprooted and burned on site.
   Police also arrested two men for illegal drugs while P180,000 worth of marijuana plants were uprooted and burned in Benguet on Jan. 24.
   Police identified the suspects as Kristian “Ian” Maddang Geston, 30; and Benedicto “Diklong” Bayodang Atngag Jr., 35.
   In La Trinidad town, Geston was arrested after he sold a gram of suspected shabu worth P6,800 to a cop.
   In another buy-bust operation in Mankayan, Atngag was arrested after he sold 0.12 grams of suspected shabu also to a cop worth P816.
   Meanwhile, a marijuana plantation site was discovered in Taccadang, Kibungan.
Elements of Benguet 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company discovered 900 fully grown marijuana plants worth P180,000 in a plantation.
   No cultivators of the marijuana plants were arrested.

NPA arms cache dug up in Cagayan town

By Villamor Visaya Jr.
LASAM, Cagayan -- Government soldiers recently unearthed an arms cache and several anti-government items here, the military said.
   Found were barrels of M-16 and M-14 Armalite rifles, two .38-caliber revolvers, and two boxes of anti-government materials, according to Army Capt. Rigor Pamittan, 5th Infantry Division spokesperson.
   The materials were discovered in Sitio Angkiram, Barangay Sicalao, and brought to the 17th Infantry Battalion headquarters in Alcala for disposition.
   Pamittan said rebels belonging to the Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley of the New People’s Army own the items.
   A former rebel led the Army soldiers to the war materiel, Pamittan said.

Illegal lumber seized in Nueva Ecija town

By Ramon Efren Lazaro

CABANATUAN CITY — Illegal lumber with an estimated value of P600,000 was intercepted in Nueva Ecija on Dec. 31.
The forest product was loaded in a truck intercepted along the highway in Barangay Joson, Carranglan town, according to a report received by Nueva Ecija police director Col. Rhoderick Campo.
   The town police launched an operation after receiving information that a vehicle loaded with illegal lumber would pass through the area.
   The driver of the vehicle refused to pull over when it was flagged down by the authorities.
   Jomer Deteques and his helper Jayson Maniquiz were arrested following a brief chase.

Council ok’s allowance for Baguio City studes

By Jordan Habbiling

BAGJUIO CITY -- The City Council has approved on third and final reading an ordinance seeking to provide monthly allowance to qualified K-12 students in any public elementary and secondary schools and kindergartens in the city.
   Under the ordinance, 300 screened students shall receive a monthly allowance for the entire school year.
Qualified students from Kindergarten to Grade Six shall receive P500 monthly while qualified students from Grade 7 to Grade 12 shall receive P1,000 monthly.
   An amount of at least P2 million shall be appropriated every year under the general fund of the city government for the purpose.
   Principally authored by Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales with Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan and Councilor Vladimir Cayabas as co-authors, the ordinance seeks to lessen absences and dropouts among the students in the city due to financial constraints.
Based on records of the Schools Division of Baguio City, at the end of school year 2017-2018 and school year 2018-2019, there were 122 and 81 dropouts respectively.
   According to a study conducted by Nasitem in 2015, the main cause of absenteeism among Baguio learners was financial constraints.
   In another study conducted by Acong in 2015, it was concluded that adequacy of educational materials sustains or improves a learner’s attendance.
   The proposed ordinance cited the citizen satisfaction index survey (2017) conducted in the city which revealed Baguio students do not have adequate access to scholarships and financial assistance programs.
   The ordinance aims to address alarming dropout rates by granting financial assistance to qualified students to support their daily school expenses.
   The ordinance shall be known as the Baguio City Gawad Lingap Program of 2021.
   The program shall apply to qualified students enrolled in any public elementary and secondary schools and kindergartens in the city.
   The qualifications of beneficiaries are as follows:
           must be enrolled for the ensuing school year in any public school within the Schools Division of Baguio City;
parents' joint monthly income must not exceed P150,000.00 annually;

must not have an existing stipend and/or scholarship grant from any agency, company, and/or individual regardless of the amount being received;

must not have intentions to enroll in schools outside Baguio City;

must not incur a number of absences that is 5% (or higher) of the total number of school days for the ensuing school year;

must have passing remarks in all subjects in every grading period; and

must be actively involved in all curricular and co-curricular activities of DepEd and the City Government of Baguio.

Under the ordinance, a Gawad Lingap Committee shall be created consisting of the city mayor as the chairperson, the Schools Division Superintendent as the co-chairperson, Youth Formation Officer of Department of Education-Baguio as the secretary, with other officers of DepEd-Baguio, the Local Youth Development Officer, and the president of Parents and Teachers Association as members.

The committee shall be tasked to screen applicants and award financial assistance to the eligible students.

Applicants, with their parents or guardians shall submit a letter of intent to apply for the program.

The letter of intent and application shall be pre-evaluated by the head of the school where the student is enrolled before endorsing it to the Gawad Lingap Committee.

Along with the letter of intent, the following requirements must also be submitted: application form, certification from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) that the applicant belongs to an indigent family; endorsement letter from the school head; and an essay on the applicant’s family background (may be written using the vernacular language).

The ordinance has been transmitted to the City Mayor’s Office to be signed by the chief executive for implementation.

Baguio checks Covid rules compliance in PUV hubs

By Liza Agoot

BAGUIO CITY – The city government will deploy policemen and Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) personnel in public utility vehicle (PUV) terminals to ensure observance of the minimum health and safety standards against Covid-19.
   Mayor Benjamin Magalong said the move is aimed at checking compliance of jeepney drivers with the 70-percent seating capacity guidelines and passengers’ proper use of face masks.
   Magalong said PUV operators and drivers met with city officials to seek assistance in ensuring commuters will also abide by the rule.
   “I-nacknowledge naman nila yan (siksikan) during our meeting kaya humihingi na sila ng tulong sa atin (they acknowledged during our meeting that there is crowding that is why they are asking for our help),” he said.
   According to the transport sector members, the problem usually occurs during rush hours when passengers on queue start to break the lines to rush inside the jeepney in their haste to go home, making it difficult for the driver to reduce the number of people inside.
   The Dept. of Transportation earlier issued a guideline allowing the removal of plastic barriers in public utility vehicles but allowed only a 70-percent capacity.
    “We cautioned violators of the capacity rule and we are serious with it, they will be dealt with,” Magalong said.
   Several sectors in the city complained of overcrowding inside jeepneys, prompting the city officials to meet with the sector and address the problem which could lead to spread of Covid-19.
   Magalong said authorities will be deployed at the jeepney terminals during rush hours to ensure that health protocols are strictly followed including the 70-percent capacity limit, physical distancing in queues, and the wearing of face masks.
   “Kailangan ma-control ang galaw ng mga tao especially kung merong dumadating na mga sasakyan na lahat gusto ng sumakay (we need to control the movement of people especially when vehicles arrive and all passengers want to get a ride),” he said. -- PNA

Cops build house for Kabayan mother-PWD

KABAYAN, Benguet -- Another house was turned over to a family here, the ninth beneficiary of "Pabahay Handog Project of Benguet Police Provincial Office. Manang Janet, a 52-year-old person with a disability and a solo parent was chosen by Kabayan cops as their beneficiary of the project.
   Police said construction of the house started with contributions of town folks.
   After a year of hard work, the new house was officially turned over to Manang Janet in a simple house blessing recently.
   Turn-over ceremony was graced by Lt. Col. Baldwin Sokoken, police deputy provincial director for operations who represented    Col. Reynaldo Pasiwen, provincial police director.
   Together with her three children, they will now be staying in the newly constructed house with two rooms, a dirty kitchen, living room and comfort room.
   Private donors and police also gave kitchen utensils, burner stove, plastic cabinet, and curtains to the family.
   Manang Janet thanked police and other stakeholders for providing the house among other matters.

Cops build tank for waterless folks in far Ifugao village

LAMUT, Ifugao -- Cops of 1st Ifugao Provincial Mobile Force Company recently built a concrete water tank for residents of Halimutok, Holowon here to provide water for local folks. This, after cops visited and had a dialogue with Halimutok who said they lacked water supply. In response, 1st Ifugao PMFC initiated a “Shoot fest for a cause” to raise funds to buy materials for the tank.
   The activity raised P39,000 and police started construction of the tank in last December.
   After more than one month working with barangay officials and residents, the 6’x6’x8 water reservoir was formally turned over to residents of Sitio Halimutok on Jan. 19.
   Sitio Halimutok is remote and can be reached by walking for almost an hour through a steep mountain.
   The water tank will be used by the 20 households of Halimutok.

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