Voters’ education ongoing in the Valley

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Commission on Election (Comelec) election officer Eugene Ramos is touring the 16 barangays in the Valley advocating all to go out and vote. 

Ramos said the continuing voters’ education here has finished its initial stage Monday this week, speaking to Wangal and Shilan residents on how to use the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines as well as a full seminar on voters’ information.

‘Some sections of Mining Act unconstitutional’

THE Akbayan Party-list petitions the Supreme Court (SC) of the Philippines to declare sections 80 and 81 of the Mining Act of 1995 unconstitutional.

On April 16, the counsels of the petitioner and the respondents face each camp during the debate of the case filed under the court. The Akbayan, as the petitioner presented its seven lawyers as its counsels namely Atty. Christian Monsod, Crizelda Mayo–anda, Marlon Manuel, Efenita May Taqueban, Mary Grace Ellen Villanueva, Jovencio Evangelista, and Vanessa Maguigad.

1 dead, 1 hurt in Benguet mining tunnel tragedy

CAMP DANGWA, Benguet -- A small-scale gold mining tunnel in Itogon, Benguet collapsed around 1 p.m. Thursday, killing one miner and injuring another, the Police Regional Office Cordillera (Procor) said.

Police Senior Superintendent Dave Limmong, public information officer of Procor, said the fatality was identified as Orlando Dalasiman.

Valley’s trade fair woes far from over

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Strawberry trade fair concessionaires have banded together in a complaint against organizers in the Valley. 

In a petition for intervention submitted to the local council during Tuesday’s regular meeting, 75 stall owners turned to public officials for help.

Inmates get to vote on May 13

JAIL officials and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) are finalizing plans for detainees at Baguio City Jail to cast their votes on May 13.

Wilson Banasen, Baguio City Jail warden for men chief inspector, said more than 100 male inmates will cast their votes inside the jail with the help of two special Board of Election Inspectors assigned by Comelec to assist in election activities inside the special polling precinct in jail.

Benguet’s most wanted men nabbed

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Cordillera top cop Benjamin Magalong lauded the efforts of highland cops in arresting top wanted men in the province.  

Magalong said, “The successful arrest of one of the most wanted persons in Abra and Benguet connotes the stronger campaign of Police Regional Office-Cordillera (Procor) to maintain peace and order in all provinces of the Cordillera region.”

Kalinga police beefs up security for May polls

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- All chiefs of police in the province were directed to identify possible threats and election watchlist areas in their respective jurisdiction to ensure a secure and honest midterm elections in the area.

Police Senior Inspector Wilson Lagan, Kalinga Provincial Police Office (KPPO) Deputy Operations Office, said the preparatory schemes will provide the needed data for the KPPO to anticipate possible problems that may arise and formulate the needed election security plan to pre-empt any possible security problems during the election process.

Naneng tribe holds Inandela fest

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- Guests and visitors to the 3rd Inandela Festival of the Naneng tribe in Kalinga were fascinated by the 70-meter long Kalinga indigenous tongue-shape glutinous cake called “inandela” by the locals here.

The Inandela Festival has become an anticipated event not only among the barangays of Naneng, Dupag and Bagumbayan in Tabuk City that comprise the Naneng tribe but the whole province.

BFAR grants scholarships for high school grads

TABUK CITY, Kalinga -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Cordillera region is offering slots to new high school graduates in the province under its Fisheries Scholarship Program.

Joyce Ducyugen, provincial fishery officer, said the program aims to provide educational assistance to deserving high school graduates of class 2012-2013, who lack financial resource for college education.

Priest: Baguio Diocese still supports PPCRV

THE Diocese of Baguio remains united and unaffected by the moves of other dioceses in the country, said Fr. Matthew Dontogan III of the Diocese of Baguio Social Action Center.

Dontogan said they remain united and will continue the voter's education, poll watching, and parallel quick counts instituted in the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), a lay people led initiative for clean and honest elections.

Group demands review of mining law

THE Cordillera People’s Alliance (CPA) demanded the Supreme Court to reexamine the contents of the Mining Act of 1995.

CPA deputy secretary general Santos Mero said the court should reexamine the contents of the act. He added the SC should reflect from the past experiences if indeed, the act helped the affected indigenous peoples (IPs) or just worsened the situation.

‘Operation Baklas’ set today

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Valley election officer Eugene Ramos said Operation Baklas will start at kilometer 3 going into the province capital tearing down election materials violating guidelines set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Ramos will be assisted by top cop Byron Allatog and personnel from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to physically bring down any materials.

88 slots available for CHED scholarship

THE Commission on Higher Education in Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR) said only 88 slots are allotted for the region this year.

CHED-CAR scholarship coordinator Christopher Depnag said there were 850 applicants from around the region who wished to pass the scholarship program. The filing of the application was done from January to February, but was extended to March 27. Qualified scholars will be released next month.

CSC holds eligibility exams

A TOTAL of 5,433 Cordillerans took the Civil Service Commission's eligibility examinations last Sunday, April 14.

CSC regional director Marilyn Taldo revealed there were four testing centers which held the paper and pencil examinations under the professional and sub-professional levels. She identified the testing centers as Tabuk, Kalinga; Baguio City; Bangued, Abra; and Bontoc, Mt. Province.

Disaster officials hold command confab

DISASTER Risk Reduction and Management Council Office (DRRMCO) officers in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are improving their capabilities through continued training.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) headed by regional director Andrew Alex Uy scheduled a command conference from April 16 to 18 at the Ridgewood Residences in efforts to improve capacity training of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council offices (PDRRMCO) in Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Kalinga including the cities of Tabuk and Baguio.

BIR denies cabbies' plea on tax deferment

THE BUREAU of Internal Revenue recently denied the Samahan ng Taksi sa Cordillera Administrative Region's request to defer the implementation of the three-percent tax based on the metered gross receipts also known as the Common Carrier Tax.

"We have received a letter from the Deputy Commissioner-Operation Nelson Aspe which stated that the mandated percentage of CCT must strictly be implemented in CAR immediately," said BIR revenue district officer Felly Simon.

Bukidnon, La Tinidad ink sisterhood ties

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet - Valencia City, Bukidnon and the Valley formally inked sisterhood pact during the Strawberry Festival last month.

The sisterhood pact aims to expand the reach of the Valley to other areas in terms of technology transfer, networking and exchange of cultures.

Zero backlog in Baguio projects reported

THE CITY engineering office incurred no backlog in the implementation of horizontal infrastructure projects last year based on its accomplishment report.

In its report read by Engr. Susan Mamitag last Monday, the office under Engr. Leo Bernardez implemented a total of 297 roads, bridges and other horizontal infrastructure projects for 2012 through its implementing arm, the planning, programming, and construction division.

DENR officials face complaint in CSC

FIVE officials of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) are in hot water for alleged grave misconduct.

Pablo Ambo, a resident of Pico, La Trinidad filed his affidavit–complaint with the Civil Service Commission-Cordillera Administrative Region (CSC-CAR) against the five officials.

Renal disease control program sought

La Trinidad, Benguet – Councilor Roderick Awingan is pushing for a law to provide ready assistance to end stage renal disease patients here.  

The ordinance, which aims to institutionalizing a renal disease control program in the municipality, has been passed in its second reading and may soon become a law.

Vergara, Domogan defend education aid

INCUMBENT Baguio Representative Bernardo Vergara and Mayor Mauricio Domogan denied irregularities in doling financial assistance to beneficiaries of their scholarship program.

The two continues to face criticisms from rivals after they gave cash to scholars before the provincial sortie of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) last month at the Baguio Convention Center.

Study reveals bean with highest ROI

A RECENT study proved that French bean provides the highest return of investment (ROI) to farmers and is also the most resistant bean against pod borers among the five types of beans.

The study entitled “Performance of Selected Bush Snap Bean Varieties under Organic Production System” was conducted at the Balili Experimental Area of Benguet State University (BSU), La Trinidad, Benguet from October 2012 to January 2013. It was conducted by Jovelyn Binwag, a graduate student now of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture major in Horticulture.

Abra adopts Soliman as daughter

THE Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Corazon “Dinky” Juliano-Soliman was honored as an adopted daughter of municipality of Tineg in Abra during her three-day visit in the area. 

In a ceremony held at Barangay Caganayan last April 9, the DSWD Secretary was given the name “Salidummay” for her dedication and commitment in helping the people of municipality.

AKF advocates vs dog abuse

THE Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF) Inc. continues to advocate for the prevention of askal abuse.

AKF conducted the Askal Club Day last April 13, which included free anti-rabies vaccination, free spay and neuter, free medical consultation on dogs, responsible pet ownership and dog adoption program.

Filing, paying of taxes due today

EDUARDO Bajador, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)-Cordillera Administrative Region director, said there is no extension in the filing and payment of income tax revenues (ITR) that ends today, Monday.

The regional director said the agency is expecting to meet the target amount of P4.3 billion in taxes for the whole region, adding that taxpayers have been trying to beat the deadline.

Illegal drugs seized

CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad – More than 34 pieces of dried marijuana leaves in brick form with a total market value of around P850,000 were seized in recent operations.

On April 6, personnel of Kapangan Municipal Police Station recovered four kilos of marijuana bricks along sitio Salakop, Balakbak, Kapangan, Benguet. The contraband has a Dangerous Drug Board (DDB) value of P100,000.

NSO data shows more women graduates than men

GONE were the days when men are given more privilege in earning college degrees than women.

A recent report from the National Statistical Coordination Board shows women have surpassed men in earning baccalaureate degrees based on a report submitted by the Commission on Higher Education (Ched).

Health department continues to enhance health services

DR. NICOLAS Gordo, Local Health Support Division Center for Health Development officer in charge, stressed there should be quality, accessible and affordable health services in the region.

Tuba celebrates 1st Cave Festival

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A celebration of natural wonders is up for this highland town.  

Tuba town is preparing for the celebration of its first Cave Festival set on April 27 and 28, highlighting the Ubong- Ubong at Sitio Piminggan in Barangay Ansagan.

PRC to conduct mobile licensing in Ifugao

LAGAWE, Ifugao - The Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) based in Baguio City is set to conduct mobile licensing in the province on May 7 and June 19, said Claire Calingayan, the Public Employment Services Officer of the Provincial Government.

The activity to be conducted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on said dates seeks to bring government services closer to the people and cutting expenses such as traveling, food and accommodation on the part of the concerned professionals in going to Baguio to transact official business with PRC.