Divorce bill passage pushed in Senate

EDITORIAL

The divorce bill is now being pushed in the Senate withb Sen. Ana Theresia "Risa" Hontiveros renewing her call Tuesday to pass the bill, saying women who are victim-survivors of domestic abuse need this legal recourse.
    The senator, who is the chairman of the Senate committee on women, children, family relations and gender wquality, pressed for the passage of her proposed Senate Bill (SB) 147 or the "Dissolution of Marriage Act."
    Hontiveros urged the Senate "to pick up speed" as the House of Representatives has approved, in principle, bills that provide for the dissolution of marriage.
    "Our counterparts in the House have already been making the moves to help our country catch up with the rest of the world. The Senate must do the same," she stressed.
    "Some Filipino women have almost been killed by their own husbands. But most of them cannot leave their marriages because of the prohibitive costs of filing for an annulment," Hontiveros said.
    "We are the only country, aside from the Vatican, that doesn't have a divorce. As a secular state, this is not something to be proud of," she pointed out.
    For his part, Sen. Rafael "Raffy" Tulfo believes that the divorce bill is "an act of social justice that would give people a fresh start from a miserable marriage," and said he "strongly supports its enactment."
    "I join my colleagues in the Senate who have passed a similar bill and hope that we can harmonize all the best provisions to give Filipino families a chance to save themselves from endless suffering," Tulfo said.
    Sen. Robinhood Padilla stressed that divorce does not aim to threaten a marriage but to protect those trapped in a doomed union. "We will never be instruments to destroying a union."
    "As lawmakers, we will uphold the Constitution to strengthen marriage. But when the time comes that one, two or three Filipinos seek freedom from a doomed union, that becomes a right," Padilla said.
    Hontiveros noted that past surveys have shown that the majority of Filipinos favor divorce. "We better listen to our people.    "
    She conducted a public hearing on at least seven other similar bills, such as SB 554 recognizing the foreign decree of termination of marriage, SB 719 and SB 1198 amending and expanding the ground of legal separation, and SB 1298 or the proposed Church decreed annulment.
    She noted that the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey by the Philippines Statistics Authority showed 1 in 4 married women ages 15 to 49 years old has experienced spousal violence, whether physical, sexual or emotional.
The surveys also report that most of those who agree to institute divorce are women, the senator said.
"When a marriage has become irreparable, it is incumbent upon the State not only to provide relief to the spouses, but also protect children from the pain, anxiety, and trauma of witnessing regular marital clashes," she said.
"Let us give Filipino families the chance to let go of toxic relationships," Hontiveros said.
In 2017, the Social Weather Station ran a survey, revealing that 53 percent agreed to legalize divorce. Another survey, run by the Catholic Radio Veritas in 2018, showed that 52 percent "strongly agree" or "somewhat agree" to a divorce bill.
 

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Beneco Interim Board presses selection of GM

 BEHIND THE SCENES

Alfred P. Dizon

BAGUIO CITY – The Benguet Electric Cooperative Interim Board announced Thursday it will be opening the position of general manager for the Beneco in three weeks.
    Lawyer George Dumawing Jr. bared this to leaders of member-consumer-owners of the power firm in a meeting at the Beneco headquarters here at South Drive saying the job opening will be published in national and local newspapers.
Dumawing, member of the Interim Board said this was what the National Electrification Administration wanted -- to “return to normalcy” the state of affairs of the power coop disrupted by the NEA itself when it appointed Ana Marie Rafael of the then Presidential Communications Operations Office as Beneco general manager even if engineer Melchor Licoben was already the GM.
    Licoben was appointed by the previous board of directors as GM but the NEA never confirmed his appointment.
    Much had happened after that like the MCOs taking back Beneco from the NEA at its main headquarters here at South Drive.
    But five months ago, NEA administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda entered the Beneco headquarters at South Drive, accompanied by Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong and a police SWAT team and “took over” the highly efficient power coop.
    MCOs and MCOs were silent about the matter when Magalong announced it was a “win-win” solution to solve the impasse. But most had misgiving based from Facebook posts. It was a “grand betrayal,” they said.
    The NEA immediately installed five interim board members, most of whom were reportedly also not qualified for the posts. The NEA then announced elections will be held in six months to elect new board members.
            ***
But on Thursday Dumawing said the Interim Board would first settle the GM issue before scheduling elections, thus the opening to the public for the post.
    He said the interim board would appoint the next GM based from the list of applicants. MCOs said it was unfair for the interim board to do this since they were not elected by MCOs to select and appoint the next GM.
    But Dumawing said this was what the NEA wanted. Some MCOs said they could not trust the NEA anymore considering the mayhem it inflicted on Beneco.
    Others said if the NEA was sincere in restoring normalcy in the power firm, it should just confirm the appointment of Licoben by the previous Board since it was the NEA itself which approved the process of selecting a GM before the Covid-19 pandemic.
    MCOs said it was a waste of money for another selection process to be done considering Licoben was selected and appointed already and all the NEA had to do was confirm his appointment.
    Another MCO said since the list of applicants for Beneco GM is open nationwide, it would be unfair for an applicant from Mindanao to be chosen as Beneco GM considering Licoben had spent more than 30 years working in Beneco, rising from the ranks, and meeting all qualifications for the post.
            ***
The meeting between the Interim Board and some MCO leaders Thursday was cordial.
    But when Interim Boar members were told to just press for the NEA to confirm Licoben’s appointment as GM, Dumawing said they would not want to ruffle the feathers of NEA bigshots considering Almeda gave his word the NEA would respect what the Interim Board would select and appoint as GM.
    Dumawing said he was requesting the MCOs to trust the NEA and Interim Board this time to do the “right process” in selecting the Beneco GM.
    This made an MCO blurt if the NEA could not be trusted to follow its rules and procedures like in appointing a GM, how could it be trusted this time?
    Indeed for NEA to be trusted, all it has to do is confirm the appointment of Licoben by the previous board as GM. It will save a lot of time, money and effort. As an adage goes: Simple does it.
            ***
Members of the Interim Board present during Thursday’s meeting were Elma Donaal, pastor Sol De Guia and Joaquin Depalog Jr. Member Steve Cating was absent.
    Much of the discussion was centered on the GM issue and on electing new board members. Dumawing did not disclose a date for the elections, but said Beneco’s annual general membership assembly (AGMA) would be held on June 3, 10 and 17 this year.
    What troubled some MCOs during the meeting was the announcement of acting GM Ramel Rifani that in the NEA’s appointment of the Interim Board, no date was set for their disbandment.   
            ***
The Interim Board meanwhile did not disclose results of the audit on Rafael’s camp like where the P58 million fund for special electrification projects and around P42 million payments they collected from Beneco power users went. 
    The MCOs deserve to know the audit results considering the NEA said it would be transparent on the matter. This, also since the NEA accused Beneco of financial mismanagement. MCOs have a right to know since the NEA used the audit as its “basis” for terminating previous board members dubbed “Magnificent 7” who appointed Licoben as GM and standing by him even if the NEA appointed Rafael to take his place.
    The next few days are crucial for Beneco as the NEA and the Interim Board it appointed is proceeding with its “process” of selecting a GM.
    The MCOs are apparently biding their time, weighing their options, but for sure, the NEA is testing the waters through its Interim Board. 
 

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Benguet ‘son’ needs more awards

 LETTERS FROM THE AGNO

March L. Fianza

When Col. Robert S. Daculan of Benguet was assigned as provincial director of the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Office, he had no choice but do what was expected of him, including but not limited to being face to face with criminals.
    These suspects are not the common ones.
    Most are hardened and seasoned criminals belonging to ethno-linguistic groups of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR). To personally serve search warrants and warrants of arrest on suspects in an unfamiliar terrain is definitely not a "walk in the park".
    That could be the reason why he keeps on receiving citations and awards, the latest of which was the “Medalya ng Kadakilaan” award that was pinned on him by PNP Chief Rodolfo S. Azurin on April 10, 2023 during the flag-raising ceremony at the LDSPPO grounds.
     The award was given for the PD’s noteworthy and invaluable acts rendered in the successful service of search warrants on April 2, 2023 that resulted in the neutralization of three persons and arrest of seven suspects for violations of RA 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act).
     PNP Chief PGen. Azurin graced the awarding rites at the LDSPPO, at the same time to officiate in the deactivation of the Maguindanao PPO and activation of the Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur PPOs.
    On March 20, 2023; PCol. Daculan previously received in Camp Crame a “Medalya ng Kadakilaan” award for the arrest of suspects in the ambush of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal A. Adiong, Jr.  
    Unidentified gunmen took by surprise the convoy of Gov. Adiong at barangay Delimbayan, Maguing town while he was on his way to Wao town on February 17, 2023. The governor, along with two others, was wounded but four of his security escorts died in the ambush.
    Arrest warrants that were successfully served by Col. Daculan and his team on March 10, 2023 led to the arrest of the three suspects who were charged of four counts of murder, three counts of frustrated murder, and multiple attempted murder.
    This is a frustrated policeman’s story.
   ***
Congratulations to pare Romeo Gonzales of DzRH and to the mother of his son Rodney. Certainly, their 26-year old son who recently added a new title to his name deserves bigger greetings after passing the Bar exams last year. He is now known as Atty. Rodney Pascua Gonzales.
     Atty. Gonzales is an addition to the list of children of media practitioners, two of whom are now practicing lawyers Robin and Alfred Dizon Jr., sons of Northern Philippine Times publisher and Editor Alfred P. Dizon.
    My hats off to all of them. Congratulations also to new lawyer Ms. Faisa Mariano of Bombo Radyo who finally passed the Bar exams. I say this lady has big patience and guts to finish her studies, even while she worked as a radio reporter. Atty. Faisa Mariano’s parents deserve our best wishes too.
    Our hats off to all them for they deserve everybody’s salutations, not only because they are men of laws and useful citizens of this country, but because they are “improvements” of the race of their parents. They are the fulfillment of the dreams of their parents.  
    Media colleague Romy said Rodney graduated BS Criminology at the University of the Cordillera, passed the board exams and got into Law school right away after graduation. He finished Bachelor of Laws at the same school in 2022 and took the Bar that year.
    I told Romy, his son’s case is unusual since most BS Criminology graduates rarely enter Law school after graduation. Most, if not all, enroll at the police academy, follow a career in the uniform service and dream of becoming police generals someday.
    Wasn’t it only yesterday when we had those dreams? How time flies.
 
 

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Severe Covid-19 linked with 16-fold risk of life-threatening heart rhythm within 6 months

 WELLNEWS

Victor Dumaguing

BARCELONA, Spain -- Patients with severe Covid-19 requiring mechanical ventilation are 16 times more likely to develop ventricular tachycardia within six months compared to their peers without severe infection, according to research presented at EHRA 2023, the annual congress of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) – a branch of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).1 Risks of other heart rhythm disorders were also elevated.
    “The actual likelihood of developing ventricular tachycardia or other arrhythmias after severe Covid-19 is low for the individual patient, but much higher than in those without severe infection,” said study author Dr. Marcus Stahlberg of the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
    The objective of this study was to investigate the long-term risk of arrhythmias after discharge from an intensive care unit (ICU) for Covid-19 requiring mechanical ventilation.
    The researchers used the Swedish ICU register to identify all Covid-19 patients treated with mechanical ventilation and discharged alive from an ICU between March 2020 and June 2021. Each patient was matched by age, sex and district of residence with up to 10 people in the general population. Multiple compulsory national registries were used to record new diagnoses of arrhythmias after discharge from the ICU.
    The primary outcome was hospitalization with ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, other tachyarrhythmias, or bradycardia/pacemaker implantation. Ventricular tachycardia is a potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disturbance that occurs when the ventricle beats too fast to pump properly causing the body to receive insufficient oxygenated blood. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and fast heartbeat that causes shortness of breath and raises the risk of stroke. “Other tachyarrhythmias” refers to a fast heartbeat not caused by atrial fibrillation. “Bradycardia or pacemaker implantation” is a combined endpoint of slow heart rate or need for a pacemaker due to slow heart rate.
    The researchers analyzed the risk of developing each arrhythmia in severe Covid-19 patients, compared to those without severe Covid-19. The analyses were adjusted for factors linked with the likelihood of heart rhythm disorders including age, sex, high blood pressure, diabetes, high blood lipids, chronic kidney disease and socioeconomic status (education level, marital status and income).
    The study included 3,023 patients with severe Covid-19 who received mechanical ventilation at a Swedish ICU and 28,463 individuals from the general population who had not been in an ICU with Covid-19 requiring mechanical ventilation (control group).
    The average age of participants was 62 years and 30% were women. “Higher age and male sex are two important risk factors for getting severely sick with Covid-19 and this was reflected in our study participants,” said Dr. Stahlberg.
    The average follow up was nine months. In patients who had severe Covid-19, the incidence rates per 1,000 person-years of ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, other tachyarrhythmias, and bradycardia/pacemaker implantation were 15.4, 78.4, 99.3 and 8.5, respectively. Corresponding incidence rates in the control group were 0.9, 6.0, 6.7 and 0.9, respectively.
    Compared to the control group, patients who had severe Covid-19 requiring mechanical ventilation had a 16-fold risk of ventricular tachycardia, 13-fold risk of atrial fibrillation, 14-fold risk of other tachyarrhythmias, and 9-fold risk of bradycardia/pacemaker implantation.
    Dr. Stahlberg said: “Covid-19 patients who need mechanical ventilation often have other conditions and adding a heart rhythm disorder may lead to worsened health. These patients should seek medical attention if they develop palpitations or irregular heartbeats after hospital discharge so they can be evaluated for possible arrhythmias.”
    He concluded: “An increased risk of arrhythmias following Covid-19 has also been reported previously in the bulk of Covid-19 patients not requiring ICU treatment.2 Together with our new data and taking into the account that we globally have 650 million reported Covid-19 cases,3 hospital systems should prepare for an increase in patients requiring management for new onset arrhythmia
 

 

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BSP on fees for small financial transactions/ Pony boys’ training

 
CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGTUIO CITY -- Mayor Benjamin Magalong has lauded the recent pronouncement of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Felipe Medalla on the possible removal of fees for small online financial transactions saying this will benefit cashless payment users and will encourage more people to adopt the digital payment system.
    The mayor said the imposition of transaction fees especially when using two different financial service providers (FSPs) is one factor discouraging people from adopting the digital system as alternative mode of payment in public markets and transportation as envisioned in the Paleng-QR program of the BSP, Dept. of Interior and Local Government and local government units.
“    For example, one customer bought an item worth only P10 or paid his fare for P12 and he will be charged P15 service fee because he and the merchant were using different providers.  It does not make sense,” the mayor said.
    “So I would like to support Governor Medalla’s statement to exempt small transactions like purchases worth P500 and below from these fees especially interoperability transactions.  I am really hoping that this will get off the ground for the sake of fast-tracking our digitalization program, online payment system and Paleng-QR program aside from sparing the public from the burden of paying those extra expenses,” he added.
    Medalla reportedly revealed said they were “in talks with banks and digital money service providers on the possibility of exempting small financial transactions from payment of fees” as a means to “widening access of more Filipinos to digital financial transactions.”
    “Our dream is for small transactions to be exempted from paying transaction fees. We are still looking for a solution and we’re working closely with the banks and all the other operators so that we can at least address it,” Medalla was quoted by government media as saying in one Paleng-QR program launching event event recently.
   ***
Pony boys here should undergo training on first aid to equip them with technical know-how to attend to accidents and medical emergencies relating to their livelihood.
    Mayor Magalong said this is essential considering that horseback riding, a popular tourist attraction in the city, is one activity with high accident risk.
    Assistant City Environment and Parks Management Officer Marivic Empizo said mandatory first aid training has been scheduled on April 28 for Lualhati barangay horsemen as confirmed by punong barangay Julius Ampal.
The mayor for his part instructed Emergency Medical Service head Dr. Dandeo Halog to collaborate with Pony Boys Association officers for the conduct of similar trainings for all their members.
    A resident whose foreigner visitor got accidentally kicked by a horse at Wright Park last week voiced out concern on the lack of medical emergency teams in the area to attend to such emergencies.
    The mayor acknowledged the necessity for such services in Wright Park.
    The CEPMO also reminded horse owners not to leave their horses in areas where people traverse to prevent untoward incidents. 

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Over 525,000 tourists spent Holy Week in Ilocos: LGUs

By John Michael Mugas

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur are on pace to revive their tourism industries, which had been battered by Covid-19  the past three years, as more tourists visited these provinces during the long Holy Week break.
    More than 325,000 day tourists visited Ilocos Norte during the long weekend,” the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (Into) said in a statement on Tuesday, April 11.
    Into said the figure was 43.53 percent higher than the same period last year, when most quarantined curbs started to ease.
    Arrivals during the long Holy Week break this year were even higher by 81.28 percent compared to the same period in 2019.
    “This signals a revival in the industry, which is a main driver of economic growth in the province,” the provincial government said.
    Among the top tourist destinations in the province were the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage St. Augustine Church, Malacañang of the North, and Sand Dunes in Paoay; Madongan Dam in Dingras; Bangui windmills; Kapurpurawan rock formation and Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos; St. John the Baptist and La Milagrosa Cove and Chapel in Badoc; and the Blue Lagoon Resort in Pagudpud.
    These tourist attractions recorded between 6,000 and 10,000 daily visitors, the provincial government said.
Across the province, arrivals peaked on April 7 with 80,000 day visitors, the provincial government said.
    Xavier Ruiz, senior tourism operations officer, said the reports from stakeholders and local businesses showed that it “was the strongest Holy Week [vacation break] yet, even surpassing the pre-pandemic years.”
    He noted that big hotels, including the Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel in Laoag City, and small accommodations in the province were at full capacity.
    Nelly Cristobal, a resort owner in Pagudpud, was elated with the turnout of tourists, describing the long break as “lively and bustling” for her business.
    “We were fully-booked from April 4 until April 9 to the point that we were unable to accommodate walk-ins,”     Cristobal said, adding that it “was the first time I have seen such a large number of tourists” during the period.
    In Ilocos Sur, initial estimates from the tourism office revealed that the long break possibly drew around 200,000 visitors to the province, according to John Noel Andaya, provincial tourism officer, during a radio interview.
    Accommodation facilities across the province were fully-booked, Andaya said.
    He said that the arrivals recorded during the long break were a positive indicator that the province’s tourism industry has bounced back from the losses due to the pandemic and from the wreckage on major tourist sites after the magnitude-7 earthquake in July last year.
    For both provinces, manpower has been deployed to ensure the safety of and provide help to visitors.
    In Ilocos Norte, tourist ambassadors, trained in first-aid response, and tourist police officers were deployed to several attractions.
    In Ilocos Sur, the provincial government ordered establishment of a tourist help desk.
 
 
 

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FPIC is a must even for existing projects

IP Concerns

Rocky Ngalob

With due respect to National Commission on Indigenous Peoples [NCIP] Commissioner Gaspar A Cayat, more than just an agent of NCIP, but as a member of indigenous peoples [IPs], I must dissent on erroneous claims that rights to free, prior and informed consent [FPIC] is no longer applicable when a project existed and operated before enactment of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act [IPRA] of 1997.
    A video taken last 2021 has recently surfaced with Commissioner Cayat conducting an information education campaign [IEC] activity with IPs of Sison Pangasinan.
    Said video showed the Commissioner arguing that IPs’ right to FPIC does not apply to National Cement Corporation [NCC] for the reason the company had operated and existed before IPRA.
    In the video, Commissioner Cayat indirectly discouraged the IPs of Sison from asserting their due rights to FPIC by suggesting direct negotiation for their royalty monetary shares. It was later found out that the video was publicly posted on the official social media page of the Commissioner by his Executive Secretary. Interestingly, just last month, a case was filed against Commissioner Cayat for his unlawful issuance of an unnumbered Certificate on Non-Overlap [CNO] absolving NCC of mandatory requirement of FPIC and Certification Precondition for reasons only known to the Commissioner.  
    The pronouncement of the Commissioner is wrong and must be corrected. FPIC as a matter of public policy, must not be dispensed with. Let it be known that the IPs' rights to FPIC apply to projects that have existed and have continuously operated, like mining, within Ancestral Lands and Domains, even before the enactment of IPRA.
    The claim of the Commissioner is frowned upon by the landmark legislation IPRA and goes contrary to its noble spirit. Companies who have enjoyed and exploited IPs’ resources within Ancestral Lands and Domains, without due consent, are just one of many injustices which IPRA intends to cure. Thus, dispensing FPIC is an antithesis of IPRA. 
Condoning a rapist 
Pardon for using the word ‘rape’ in elucidating what IPRA is expected to correct and protect. If the statement of the Commissioner was left tolerated, such erroneous claims would be construed as forcing our IPs to sleep with their rapist. More so, conditioning the minds of our IPs to yield straight away to negotiation for royalty shares and/or monetary compensation as their sole and only option, rather than asking first for their prior consent, is no different from persuading our IPs to marry their rapist just so they can claim child support for the unwanted offspring. Simply put, IPRA, as a curative law, is akin to a vaccine made not only to cure but to prevent further effects of the disease brought by historical injustices against our IPs.              
    I join the elder in the video who refuted the claims of the Commissioner. The elder is correct in underscoring that there shall be no renewals of Mineral Production Sharing Agreements [MPSAs] without the consummation of the FPIC and the issuance of the Certification Precondition [CP].
    Obviously, the elder had been reading IPRA and is quite aware of its provisions. I’m just surprised that of all people, the NCIP Commissioner, as a member of the highest policy-making body of NCIP, was seemingly not aware of such. It puts a smile on my face that there are still elders who are willing, without fear of reprisals, to debate with high-ranking officials. However, these types of elders are becoming less and less occurring. I just hope no one throws the mold.
FPIC and the CP is a condition ;Sine qua non’  
Let it be known, rooted in no less than the Philippine Constitution, as well as being clear, categorically, and positively reflected in IPRA, the existence and mandate of the invoked public ensuring the protection of the rights of the ICCs/IPs to their Ancestral Domains cannot be undermined, worse disregarded. It should be borne in mind that IPRA, as a noble piece of legislation, was crafted to address the centuries-old neglect of the Philippines by the ICCs/IPs. Previous Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) all the way to the prevailing FPIC guidelines under NCIP Administrative Order 3 S 2012 outlines that, “No concession, license, permit or lease, production-sharing agreement, or other undertakings affecting ancestral domains shall be granted or renewed without going through the [FPIC process].”
    Verily, the Certification Precondition, which includes obtaining FPIC from the affected indigenous peoples, must be strictly complied with before such agreements, like the MPSA, may be renewed. If corporations are prohibited to circumvent this requirement on a mistaken notion that they still have vested rights by virtue that their facilities have existed and operated prior to the enactment of IPRA, more should the Commissioner or any agent of NCIP, tasked to uphold mandatory nature of FPIC, must sustain the same. 
Quo vadis Mr. Commissioner?
Was the claim of the Commissioner for waving the FPIC for existing and operating companies the official stance of the Commission? I think not and from the immortal words of the Commissioner on another video spread throughout social media, “that is a misnomer”. 
    It can be recalled that the NCIP Commission En Banc [CEB], a collegial body where ironically Commissioner Cayat is a part of, issued earlier “CEB Resolution 08-018-2021”. Said instrument declared the infamous Memorandum Order No. 148, “null and void ab initio for being used contrary to law, IPRA and its Guidelines, and for being contrary to public policy and public morals' '. This Memorandum Order No. 148 was quite famous then for the IPs of Itogon and Bokod. This Memorandum Order 148 was the exact tool used by the corporation operating the Ambuclao and Binga dams to elude the mandatory FPIC process. Fortunately, after a series of lobbying by NCIP field personnel, the 8^th Commission struck it down and compelled the company operating the dams to comply with the mandatory FPIC.   
    Given this clear stance of the 8^th Commission on existing and operating projects within the Ancestral Lands and Domains, it would seem Commissioner Cayat was either deliberately ignoring his office’s duties and responsibilities, or he was caught via video shooting from the hip. The lack of stutter in n his speech and the overwhelming confidence in the tone of his voice says the former.   
    Lastly, the Supreme Court ruled last year underscoring the strict observance of the mandatory prior consummation of the FPIC and CP before an MPSA can be renewed.
Said ruling now dubbed as Cosalan VS Lepanto, underscored that all mining companies should comply first with     FPIC and its CP otherwise the protection that the Constitution and IPRA seek to afford our ICCs/IPs would be pointless. Said case gave a clear-cut framework that the mandatory requirement of FPIC, as a matter of public policy, cannot and shall not be dispensed with and that renewal of MPSAs covering Ancestral Domains of the IPs is not automatic.
    This ruling which now forms parts of the laws of the land was welcomed and celebrated by the IPs/ICCs of Mankayan not only as a victory for their own Ancestral Domain but for the entire populace of IPs including their brothers and sisters in Sison Pangasinan.  
    The Commissioner, while clothed with authority as an agent of NCIP, opinion or not, shot himself in the foot when he uttered the non-applicability of FPIC for existing projects. Alas, such pronouncement is an abomination inside the agency NCIP created by IPRA.

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Kevin Belingon gets blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu

SPORTS

Carlo Quinto

Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon appears to be working on his ground game extensively during his offseason as he received a blue belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
    The 35-year-old spitfire from Kiangan, Ifugao was promoted by Prof. Gibran Langbayan, who possesses a stellar credential as a submission grappler and a black belt under Prof. Leonardo Fernandes.
    Langbayan, who earned the distinction as the first black belt in the Cordillera region, awarded the new rank to Belingon at the Maharlika Martial Arts Center in Baguio City on Monday, April 10.
    “It was an unforgettable surprise,” Belingon said of his promotion.
    The former ONE Bantamweight World Champion began his training in jiu-jitsu in 2007, the same year that he turned pro in the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA). However, his main focus was on his prizefighting career.
Belingon has faced a long list of elite submission artists inside the Circle, including Masakazu Imanari, Masakatsu Ueda, Toni Tauru, Reece McLaren and Bibiano Fernandes.
    Even though he has defeated opponents with exceptional grappling backgrounds, Belingon is aware that he still needs to improve in this area.
    Last December, he decided to join the classes conducted by Langbayan to advance his skills on the mats.
    Little did “The Silencer” know that he was ripe to transition from white to blue in four months’ time.
    “This achievement is meaningful to me. All the hard work, the late nights, and the sacrifices are worth it,” he stated.
    “I still have a long way to go, but I am a patient man. I’m willing to put in the work to get there.”
    Participating in jiu-jitsu tournaments could be on Belingon’s agenda in the future.
    “I am considering it, but we'll see," he quipped.
    Belingon was last seen in action this past November, bowing to South Korean hard-hitter Kim Jae Woong by way of first-round technical knockout.
    He plans to kickstart his road to redemption later this year.
    “The priority, of course, is my MMA career. I am here to prove that I’m not yet done and I still have a lot to offer,” Belingon declared.
    In relation to jiu-jitsu, the ONE Flyweight Submission Grappling World Championship will be on the line in ONE Championship’s maiden venture on United States soil on May 5th.
    Mikey “Darth Rigatoni” Musumeci will defend his gold-plated belt against 2022 IBJJF No-Gi World Champion Osamah Almarwai in one of the featured attractions at ONE Fight Night 10: Johnson vs. Moraes III, emanating from the 1stBank Center in Denver, Colorado.
    Filipino fight fans will get to enjoy the action on May 6 at 8:00 AM at watch.onefc.com, as well as at One Sports and One Sports+ on Philippine television.

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When discouragement threatens us

THOUGHTS AND VIEWS

Fr. Roy Cimagala

THE story of the 2 disciples on their Emmaus (cfr. Lk 24,13-35) tells us that we can always count on God to help us, intervening in our lives in a most crucial way, whenever for one reason or another we find ourselves depressed and demoralized. We should never forget this truth of our faith, especially because in our life we will always have many occasions that can cause us frustration and sadness.
    We need to trust in God’s providence and mercy. We have to learn to live a spirit of abandonment in the hands of God. Yes, if we have faith in God, in his wisdom and mercy, in his unfailing love for us, we know that everything will always work out for the good. If we are with God, we can always dominate whatever suffering can come our way in the same manner that Christ absorbed all his passion and death on the cross.
    Let’s always remember that God, in his ineffable ways, can also talk to us through these crosses. In fact, he can convey precious messages and lessons through them. It would be good that we have a theological attitude toward them, and be wary of our tendency to react to them in a purely human way, based only on our senses and feelings and on worldly trends.
    In all our affairs and situations in life, we should always go to God to ask for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and his providence, even if the outcome of our prayers and petitions appears unanswered, if not, contradicted.
    This should be the attitude to have. It’s an attitude that can only indicate our unconditional faith and love for God who is always in control of things, and at the same time can also leave us in peace and joy even in the worst of the possibilities.
    Remember the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says that for everything there is a season, “a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal…” But everything is under God’s control.
    We have to follow the example of the many characters in the gospel who, feeling helpless in the many predicaments they were in, earnestly rushed to Christ for some succor. They went to him unafraid and unashamed and they got what they wanted.
    It may happen that we may not get what we want. And in this, we should not be too surprised or too worried.         What is sure is that God always listens and gives us what is best for us.
    In those situations, I believe we just have to allow ourselves to play in God’s game plan, in his abiding providence whose designs are beyond reckoning, or are way beyond our comprehension and appreciation.
    In this life, we need to develop a sportsman’s attitude, since life is like a game. Yes, life is like a game, because we set out to pursue a goal, we have to follow certain rules, we are given some means, tools and instruments, we train and are primed to win and do our best, but defeats can always come, and yet, we just have to move on.
    We need a sporting spirit because life’s true failure can come only when we choose not to have hope. That happens when our vision and understanding of things is narrow and limited, confined only to the here and now and ignorant of the transcendent reality of the spiritual and supernatural world.
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

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34 buildings, 11 vehicles destroyed in Bontoc fire

Photo by Municipal Information  Office of Bontoc

92 families displaced; donations on 

By Gina Dizon, Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay and Christy Mae F. Che-es

BONTOC Mountain Province – A total of 34 residential houses and business establishments here in Barangay Poblacion were burned and destroyed after fire broke at around 2:30 a.m. on April 11 and declared out by the Bureau of Fire Protection 7:20 a.m. same day.
    A report from the Bontoc Emergency Operations Center said 24 structures were totally damaged, 10 partially damaged, and 11 vehicles burned. 
    A total of 194 individuals or 96 families were affected by the incident.
    No one was burned nor injured in the incident.  
    This as donations in cash or in kind from individuals, organizations, institutions and groups are being accepted here at the Emergency Operations Center of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management (MDRRMC) Office.
    Cash and in-kind donations continue to pour in. A total of P2,053,534 was received by the Bontoc local governmentfor fire victims as of 3 p.m. of April 14.
    Donors included Mountain Province Contractors Association with a donation of  P600,000; Province of Kalinga with P100,000, Barangay Caluttit of Bontoc with P45,226 and other persons from Bontoc, other municipalities of Mountain Province, elsewhere and abroad.   
    Bontoc MDRRMC Officer Johanna Padaen said cash donations shall be equally divided among displaced house owners.
    Individual renters of boarding house establishments shall be given cash assistance from the Social Welfare and Development, Padaen added.    
    MDRRMC distributed food, sanitary items and vegetables from donations to the fire victims given by members of the immediate community.
    Initial help of 39 family kits worth 359 thousand pesos from the Office of Civil Defense 161 free food packs from the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development worth P75,000 and 46 hygiene kits were given to the displaced fire victims.
    Of the 22 damaged structures, 12 were commercial stores for rent, boarding houses for students and working folks.
    Nine of the 10 partially damaged concrete structures are commercial spaces.  
    Also burned during the conflagration were 11 totally damaged vehicles including three tricycles and a Pajero.
Affected folks were brought to evacuation sites at All Saints Cathedral Compound and Jehovah’s Witnesses Church while some of the displaced individuals were accommodated by relatives in town.
 “The fire spread so fast,” Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Provincial Fire Marshall SINSP Ferdinand Ammiyao said. 
    Ammiyao said they received a distress call from the Bontoc Police at 2:36 a.m. of April 11.
    “We immediately went to the site and found the place in total fire,” he added.  
    Ammiyao said he called for assistance from the nearby municipal fire stations of Sagada, Sabangan, Sagada and Bauko.
    Fire was declared out at 7:20 a.m. with help from the BFP, Philippine National Police, MDRRMC, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Bontoc Water Delivery Organization, Criminology student interns of Mountain Province State Polytechnic College and other volunteers.
    Asked where and how the fire started, Ammiyao said investigation was still on going.
    Cost of damage is yet unknown pending submission of individual losses.
    Ammiyao advised the public to report any incident of fire immediately to the BFP.
    To date, clearing operations were being conducted at fire site.
    Bontoc Mayor Jerome "Chagsen" Tudlong, Jr., who chairs the MDDRMC and officials of Bontoc Emergency Operations Center thanked everyone for their help and assistance.
    Among the immediate needs of the evacuees are baby diapers, footwear/slippers, sanitary pads, and new or clean clothing.
    The public is advised to course through their donations to the Bontoc Emergency Operations Center.
    Following the fire, Mayor Tudlong, Jr. issued executive order No.18-2023 declaring suspension of classes in all levels, both public and private schools, to ensure health and safety of students.
    The Poblacion was temporarily cut off from power supply as personnel of the Mountain Province Electric Cooperative started to clear the electric wires for safety of residents.
    Lt. Col. Bernardo Wong, deputy provincial director of PNP Mountain Province, said among those burned were three cars and three tricycles. A policeman’s house, a policeman’s car and their tricycle parked in the area were also burned, he added.
    The deputy director also said that the area has been closed for an in-depth investigation of how the fire started.
    A few hours after the fire was declared fire out by the BFP, a ritual called “Khaeb si Uminuman,” a cleansing ritual performed after an incident to appease the “unseen and the living” before the responders go home, was performed by Municipal Indigenous People Mandatory Representative (IPMR) David Coycoyen at the Municipal Ato.
    Meanwhile, elders led by former IPMR George Luis Fakat performed “Changtey” or a cleansing ritual on April 12. The ritual is done in eventful difficulties like the fire incident.
    With the conduct of the ritual, the clearing operations at ground zero and the construction of the temporary shelters for fire victims stopped on April 13 for observance of “Tengaw” – a cultural lockdown. All activities being done at ground zero resume April 16. 
    The cause of fire is still under investigation and the estimated damage cost is still to be released by the BFP.

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7 Cordi policemen promoted Lt Cols

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet -- Seven police majors of Police Regional Office Cordillera were promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonels following their oath-taking and donning of ranks ceremony here at regional police headquarters on April 13.
    Promoted to lieutenant colonel were Dickson Banes of Abra Police Provincial Office, James Bauding of Apayao PPO; Orlando Bakisan, Ifugao;  Albin Balutoc and Julio Nalliw Jr. of Kalinga  and Apdilon Galong and Ceasar Sab-it of Mountain Province.
    Col. Laudemer Llaneta, chief of the Regional Personnel Records and Management Division read their promotion order while Maj. Alexander Pardo, regional pastoral officer, blessed rank insignias and accouterments.
    Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. David Peredo Jr. administered oath-taking and donning of ranks of the newly promoted officers.
    Peredo Jr., in his speech, congratulated the newly promoted police lieutenant colonels urging them to always uphold high standards of integrity and ethics in their everyday dealings.
    “May this significant milestone in your respective careers serve not just as a celebration of your personal and professional achievements, but also as a reminder of your sworn duty to serve Cordillera and its people,” Peredo Jr. added

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Cordillera congressmen set autonomy approval in June

BAGUIO CITY -- Cordillera Congress representatives are rushing passage of House Bill 3267 that seeks establishment of  Cordillera Autonomous Region in the House of Representatives before adjournment of Congress the first week of June this year.
    Kalinga congressmen Allen Jesse Mangaoang of Kalinga, aximo Dalog Jr. of Mountain Province and Mark Go of Baguio City, who headed a public consultation on the autonomy bill, said the bill was being calendared for plenary debates once Congress resumes its first regular session second week of May for the same to be approved on second and third readings before adjournment.
    Mangaoang said they wanted the autonomy bill will first be passed by the House so that there will be a compelling reason for them to request a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for him to certify the bill a priority administration measure.
    A meeting with the President will be scheduled before he delivers his second State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress by 4th week of July so he will include the same in his address.
    Go said the approved House version of the autonomy bill will be submitted to Sen. Robinhood Padilla, who will author the Senate version and facilitate immediate passage of the bill.
    At present, no counterpart bill on the proposed autonomy law has been filed in the Senate.
    Mangaoang said former and incumbent Cordillera leaders who will be meeting with the President will present to him signatures from the region to support their request for certification of the autonomy bill as a priority administration measure.
    Cordillera congressmen expressed gratitude to representatives of local governments, government agencies, private sector, professional and civil society organizations for their inputs on improving provisions of the autonomy bill before it will be subjected to amendments after plenary debates in the House.
    The public consultation held in Baguio was part of initiatives of Cordillera congressional representatives to engage people of the region to provide their inputs on improving provisions of the autonomy bill so it will address development goals of the region when its current special administrative status will be converted from being administrative to autonomous.

Dalog said the establishment of the autonomous region will solve development woes of the Cordillera because it will be the regional government that will craft programs, policies and activities suitable to the current situation of the region, contrary to the current setup where the region is bound to comply with policies  handed down by the national government.

In Baguio, officials recently urged Rep. Go to conduct public consultations in the city on the latest version of the proposed autonomy law pending in Congress and the proposed amendments to the revised Charter of Baguio City if any.

Under Resolution 204, series of 2023, the city council stated during consultations held last Feb. 28 at Baguio Convention Center, participants said the revised Charter of Baguio city could have included merging of the city’s 128 barangays to comply with the standard requirement for a barangay as defined under the pertinent provisions of Republic Act 7160 or the Local government Code of the Philippines.

The council said the city’s representative to the House is actively doing important legislations such as the proposed autonomy law and constitutional amendments, and the revised Charter of Baguio City under RA 11689 and the Metropolitan Baguio-La Trinidad-Itogon-Sablan-Tuba-Tublay (BLISST) development Authority under RA 11932 which may soon become laws.

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Crackdown on Baguio vs squatting, illegal buildings

 
By Jessa Samidan and Aileen Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- The city government is now halting ongoing constructions in residential and forest reservations not covered by building permits and started aggressive stance against squatting and violators of the National Building Code and environment laws.
    Mayor Benjamin Magalong who ordered an intensified campaign against ongoing illegal structures last March 3 formed a core group called the Baguio Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures (BASIS) to conduct inspections and identify and stop structural developments not covered by the necessary permits.
    The BASIS is composed of personnel from the City Buildings and Architecture Office (CBAO), the City Environment and Parks Management Office (CEPMO), the City Legal Office, the City Engineering Office (CEO) and deputized environment officers of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO).
    Since the mayor issued the order, BCPO City Director PCol. Francis Bulwayan Jr. included the monitoring of ongoing constructions in residential, commercial and forest areas in regular patrol activities of the different police stations.
    Those not covered by permits were reported to the CBAO for verification and issuance of notices of violation and cease and desist orders.
    As a result of the inspections, an ongoing residential building construction at GEFA barangay was issued a cease and desist order with the owner advised against pursuing further construction activities and to secure building permit. The owner was likewise directed to clean and clear all construction materials and debris obstructing the sidewalk immediately and to enclose the construction site with green G.I sheets pursuant to Executive Order No. 17 series of 2020.
    An ongoing construction of a rooftop enclosure at Roman Ayson, Campo Filipino was also slapped with similar orders for having no permit.
    In Outlook Drive, four ongoing structural developments (two ongoing building constructions, one extension and one digging of foundation) were found without building permits posted at the construction sites in Purok 2 and Purok 4.
    The BCPO endorsed its findings to the CBAO for verification and issuance of notices of violation of the Building Code.
    Three ongoing large constructions at Navy Base St. Joseph Village were also issued cease and desist orders.
Aggressive monitoring of forest reservations like Busol and Buyog watersheds is also continuing also on orders of the mayor.
    Regular patrols at Buyog by the BCPO Station 2, CBAO and CEPMO led to the discovery of an ongoing illegal construction inside the watershed of which the owner will be issued a notice of violation.
    Unauthorized constructions were also spotted by roving personnel of the BCPO Station 3 while on foot patrol at the Forbes forest reservation along South Drive Road last April 9, 2023.
    Follow-up ocular inspection on April 11, 2023 by the PS 3, CBAO and CEPMO showed the shanties already removed by the perpetrators.
    "Please know that the city is taking this campaign seriously since this is a very crucial issue in our city.  It is not just an issue of safety but also of health and sanitation, all of which are critical factors affecting the well-being of our residents,” the mayor said.

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Illegal Teachers Camp structures demolished

BAGUIO CITY -- Three structures built within the Teachers Camp reservation without the requisite building permit and no consent to construct were demolished April 13 by members of the City Demolition Team and City Anti-Squatting and Illegal Structures.
    The City Buildings and Architecture Office through the city demolition team led by engineer Donald Gas-ib implemented demolition order 4, series of 2022 issued by Mayor Benjamin Magalong based on complaints of the National Housing Authority.
    The NHA is the administrator of Proclamation 613 series of 2004 which segregated and reserved 3.4 hectares of land within the Teachers Camp reservation for housing site purposes and for disposition to qualified beneficiaries.
    The issue dates back in 2016 when NHA Region I and CAR Regional Manager Eduardo G. Leano requested the CBAO for the immediate inspection and issuance of demolition order to an ongoing construction within the proposed/identified access road of Proclamation No. 613.
    Records of the project interagency committee of NHA showed notices of violation have been issued to the owner of the structure for them to stop their ongoing construction.
    Considering that the investigation was conducted several years back, the Anti-Squatting and Anti-Illegal Structures Committee requested the CBAO to conduct re-investigation on the structures within the proclamation to have an updated report as to the identity of the owners as well as size/dimension of the structures and materials used.
    On October 19, 2021, the CBAO submitted a memorandum containing the result of the re-investigation revealing 11 structures within Proclamation 613 of NHA while the rest of the structures are within Proclamation 290 under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education particularly Teachers' Camp Administration.
    Four structures within Proclamation 613 are the priority concern of NHA described as follows:
1. One-storey residential structure made of reinforced concrete, concrete hollow block and galvanized iron sheets with approximate measurements of 8m by 8m in footprint area, allegedly constructed sometime in 2012;
2. One unit comfort room made of wood, concrete hollow block and galvanized iron sheet with approximate measurements of 2.5m by 1.5m in footprint area, allegedly constructed sometime in 2016;
3. An unfinished one-storey residential house made of reinforced concrete with approximate measurements of 9m by 6m in footprint area; and,
4. One-storey shanty made of wood and galvanized iron sheet with approximate dimension of 5m by 3m footprint area, allegedly constructed sometime in 2010.
Per certification issued by CBAO dated October 18, 2021, no approved building permit was issued to the owners of the structures thereby, notices of violation were issued and voluntary demolition were reiterated by the committee.
    However, only the owner of the shanty voluntarily demolished their structure as of December 2021.
    On December 2, 2021, one of the respondents requested the NHA if it is possible for the government to sell to the former that portion of the lot that they have occupied.
    But the representatives of NHA answered in the negative since this would be a direct violation of RA 7279 or the Urban Development Housing Act of 1992.
    Aside from this, under the Policy Guidelines on Beneficiary Selection and Disposition of Homelots adopted by the PIAC, all the three structure owners are not actual occupants within the Baguio Teachers' Camp reservation.
    The city government will implement an aggressive operation for the demolition of illegal structures within reservations as well as stoppage of ongoing constructions without building permits. – JMPS

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15 passengers of boat that submerged off Cagayan waters rescued

By Liezle Basa Inigo

SANTA ANA, Cagayan – Fifteen passengers of a motorized boat that partially submerged in the waters of Barangay San Vicente in this town on Good Friday, April 7, were rescued.
    Around 3 p.m., the motorized boat Jhon Lea was spotted by the search and rescue team in the vicinity of Barangay San Vicente approximately 300 meters away from the shoreline.
    Personnel of the Coast Guard Station-Cagayan and Coast Guard Sub-station Santa Ana immediately rescued the 15 passengers who were then transported to the Port of San Vicente for medical attention.
    Report said the boat submerged because it was overloaded.
    Meanwhile, personnel of the Coast Guard Sub-station Aparri West performing Baywatch patrol sighted a drowning person within the vicinity waters off Barangay Bagu, Abulug, Cagayan.
    The Coast Guard personnel were also able to rescue the man, identified as Benjie Malaga, 19, a resident of Tabuk, Kalinga.

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7 tourists faint seeing Sagada ‘hanging coffins’

By Gina Dizon   

SAGADA, Mountain Province -- Seven  tourists suffered dizziness and fainting  after trekking and seeing  “hanging coffins” site at Echo Valley here last Holy Week from April 6-8. 
    One female tourist fainted due to fumes of nearby forest fire causing the Echo Valley trek closed afternoon of April 7 upon advice of the Rural Health Unit and Bureau of Fire Protection.      
    Municipal Health Officer Assistant Geraldine Alangui, stationed at Echo Valley Medics Hub during the 2023 Oplan Semana Santa  said  fatigue, heat of the sun,  and lack of sleep  made six tourists suffer   dizziness during Maundy Thursday , April 6.
     The tourists were pronounced fine after being attended to by the responding RHU personnel.
    They were brought to the medics hub by tourist guides, police and fire personnel following an uphill climb from the tourist site.
    Alangui urged tourists who have just come from a long trip to rest before going on treks in town.
    She also said those who have comorbidities like cancer are advised not to take strenuous treks.
    Alangui advised tourists   to bring along water with them when trekking. A female tourist who walked to Echo Valley on Good Friday fainted due to the fumes of a forest fire nearby Echo Valley. 
    She was brought to St Theodore's Hospital for medical treatment. 
    Smoke  from a nearby  mountain fire  suffocated the female tourist  who  hiked  to the popular  Hanging  Coffins located below the  Calvary  Hill within a forested site.
    Police Officer Bertha Aspoen said the incident happened after the procession to the Calvary  afternoon of Good Friday in  April 7. .  
    Meantime, another male tourist suffered sprain when he was hiking at Mt Kaipitan at southern Taccong, Sagada on April 8.
    He was attended to by responding members of the PNP and BFP with the guide and brought to St Theodore’s Hospital for medical treatment.

 

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