by Aileen Refuerzo

Vice Mayor Daniel Farinas proposed the appropriation of P1 million for the rehabilitation of all existing fire hydrants in the city.

In a proposed ordinance, Farinas said the city must repair the hydrants to boost the fire-fighting capability of the fire department and avert loss of lives and properties during fire incidents.

“It has been observed that many of the fire hydrants in Baguio are either dilapidated or fully unserviceable, thus these must be repaired and improved to be able to serve its purpose,” Farinas said.

“Several fire incidents have occurred in different locations within Baguio, and the constant problem of those responding to said incidents is the lack of water necessary for their rescue operations.”

The restoration of the hydrants to its full capacity and usability will mean more saved lives and properties.

He proposed that the P1 million be appropriated from the 2012 Executive Budget of the Baguio.

As further proposed that the City Buildings and Architecture Office undertake the necessary processes in the proper implementation of this ordinance after a thorough inspection and evaluation of the disposition of these fire hydrants.

Farinas’ proposal is being studied by the city council. *(PIO Baguio City/AR-PIA CAR)

by Aileen Refuerzo

Non-government and people’s organizations here will soon have the opportunity to participate in annual city budget deliberations when the city council approves a proposed ordinance for said purpose.

The proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Edison Bilog seeks to institutionalize the active participation of bonafide NGOs and POs in crafting the city’s financial plan based on the mechanisms also set in the proposed ordinance.

This he said is aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability of the city’s budgetary process.
“The budget (approval) is a long process and the showground where an individual or group of individuals can make use of the power of their citizenship to openly influence the societal, economic, and financial aspect of the community,” Bilog said.

“Given the fact that there are endless allegations of corruption, fraud, and mismanagement of our financial grade, people are now asking about the transparency and accountability of the budgetary process.”
He said NGOs and POs should have a hands-on participation in the budget process to have a remarkable impact in the prioritization of the city ‘s funds.

“All NGOs and POs should fully participate in the city budget deliberations as well as monitor the city budget allocation to ensure that the budget process is responsive to the needs of the majority,” he said.

In the proposed ordinance, Bilog sought to declare it as the policy of the local government of Baguio City “to promote and revere the rights of NGOs and POs to become effective and valuable partners in all aspects of social, political and economic decision-making in order for them to pursue and protect their legitimate interests and aspirations as a group.”

Under the measure, all accredited POs and NGOs may be allowed to take part and play a significant role in the deliberation of the local annual budget as well as the budget monitoring provided that they undergo mandatory accreditation process.

The local government of Baguio shall allow the active participation of accredited POs and NGOs in the annual city budget by inviting their duly authorized representatives as resource persons subject to the limitations provided by law, their respective ordinances, rules and regulations.

The accreditation process will follow the system provided under the Dept. of Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular No. 2007-81 dated 17 July 2007 where interested NGOs and Pos can file their applications before the city council.

The measure also provided the qualifications and responsibilities of the accredited NGOs and POs along with the privileges and incentives to wit: Participate, through their duly authorized representatives, in any public meetings, hearings, consultations, conference, dialogues, interviews, debates or deliberations in relation to the city’s annual budget; present alternative and proposed position paper with regards to the sector they represent; access to the copies of ordinance, budget proposals and other pertinent documents filed free of charge; and present written proposals on projects and activities to be considered under the budget. *(PIO Baguio City/AR-PIA CAR)

by Aileen Refuerzo

 A stiffer fine is being sought here to penalize businessmen who continue to operate their enterprise without the necessary business permit.

Councilor Philian Louise Weygan-Allan proposed an ordinance amending existing tax measures to impose a P5,000 fine on business establishments that will operate for more than a year without securing a mayor’s permit.

As proposed, the penalty can be levied after an investigation conducted by the city treasurer’s office and the concerned barangay. In her proposed Tax Ordinance No. 15-2001, Weygan sought to amend section 3, section 2 of Tax Ordinance No. 2004-01 entitled “An Ordinance Providing a Set of Rules and Regulations Governing the Administration, Appraisal, Assessment, Levy and Collection of Realty Taxes, Business Taxes, Permit Fees, Building and Lot Rentals in the City of Baguio and such other Fees and Charges Therefor Pursuant to the Provisions of the Local Government Code 1991.”

Tax Ordinance Numbered 2004-01 amended certain provision of Tax Ordinance No. 2000-001 including Section 3, Section 2 F), Chapter I. Title I of Tax Ordinance Numbered 2000-001.

Under said measure, the city imposes a penalty of P1,000 fine or imprisonment against businesses operating without permits for not more than six months.

But Weygan said that the City Treasury Office observed that, despite the P1,000 fine, many businessmen continue to operate without the permit for more than a year, thus, the need to impose a stiffer penalty.
Weygan’s proposal has been approved on first reading and will be deliberated on by the city council on second reading after publication. *(PIO Baguio City/AR-PIA CAR)

by Lito Dar & Joseph Zambrano

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso Alcala assured that there is enough and stable supply of rice this summer during a press conference at the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) in Benguet State University, Wednesday.

Alcala denied a looming rice crisis in the Philippines despite an intelligence report citing the shrinking supply of the staple food of most of the 90 million Filipinos.

According to Alcala, only the National Food Authority (NFA) Council can determine and decide whether there is an impending shortage or a need for rice importation, and that nobody even him as council chair has the right to say such statement without the NFA Council approval.

Alcala also belied report that there will be an increase of about P2 for every kilo of rice. “Paano po tataas ang presyo eh ang daming bigas ngayon dahil harvest season,” (How can there be price increase when we have abundant rice supply because it is harvest season?), he stressed.

Alcala added that based on the reports he has received, this cropping season may have the highest yield in the dry season cropping history of the country. He attributed this to the early rain that provided ample water for irrigation and that the country was not hit by strong typhoons last year.


Alcala also assured that he would not allow any importation of rice at this point in time. We are closely working with our farmers and we could see their hard work in trying to hit our projection to be self sufficient in two years time. The government is 100 percent supporting our famers, Alcala said.

He also reiterates that there have been wrong information or reports that were circulating, that may be workings by a cartel or some individuals/groups that want to make money out of importation. (LD/JZ-PIA CAR)

by Redjie Cawis

Cab drivers in Baguio City and Benguet want government to include taxi cabs in the fuel subsidy being offered by the national government.

According to members of a taxi operators and drivers association who do not want to be identified, taxis are also part of the transport sector and they should also be given subsidy.

They also claim that the taxi groups have legitimate transport franchise which is a requirement by the Department of Energy in securing the smart card for the subsidy.

Last week, President Benigno Aquino III said that government has approved a fuel subsidy for public utility jeepneys and tricycles amid rising oil prices. Aquino said the funds would be sourced from government savings.

The DOE plans to start distributing smart cards to jeepney drivers under the government’s fuel assistance program by May.

Some 214,000 cards will be distributed, each good for P1, 050 worth of diesel fuel, to help PUV drivers cope with rising prices of fuel.

The DOE is coordinating with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board to draw up a list of legitimate franchise holders. They are still screening banks that will print the smart cards to make sure the cards are good only for fuel discounts

Meanwhile, the Public Transport Affairs Office and other taxi operators are still pushing for the P15 additional fare of taxi.

PTAO head Perfecto Itliong said that their petition for the increase of the flagged down rate is still pending in the Department of Transportation and Communication and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board. (RC-PIA CAR)

by Lito Dar
 A total of 377 Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) beneficiaries in the city received their first cash grants recently.

The released amount, totaling P908,600 represents the CCT assistance for the month of January and February this year.

Held April 12 at the Baguio Convention Center, leading the releasing of the assistance were Mayor Mauricio Domogan, Association of Barangay Council (ABC) president and Councilor Joel Alangsab, City Social Welfare and Development (SWDO) officer Betty Fangasan, Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD-CAR) Pantawid Pamilya Programs and Operation Division head Janet Armas, Department of Education (DepEd-Baguio) officials, and Land Bank (LBP-Baguio) representatives.

In a statement Fangasan, stressed to the beneficiaries that the initial cash release grant is only part of the package of services that the government offers under the CCT program. There are more services that are being prepared for them such as livelihood and feeding programs for their Day Care children by June, she said.

Thus, Fangasan calls on the CCT beneficiaries’ cooperation and participation in attending their regular meetings and in complying to all the other conditions of the program, such as regularly bringing their kids to a regular check-up and attending school meetings.

Beneficiaries are urged to comply with the program conditions to keep them from being delisted as this would be a big help for their family.

In the same activity, 65 college students, who are also children of CCT beneficiaries, received an educational assistance, courtesy of Senator Pia Cayetano and Bayan Muna Representative Rafael Mariano.

In an interview, Janet Armas explained the said educational assistance is a one time grant to CCT beneficiary dependents who were enrolled in the second semester, October to November 2010. The assistance also goes as high as P15,000 depending on the assessment submitted to them from the college/university the beneficiaries are studying.

Armas also stressed that they will be monitoring the impact of the educational assistance to the beneficiaries and at the same time look for additional funding that would help address the other needs of the CCT household beneficiaries.

In his message, Domogan also calls on beneficiaries to religiously comply with the conditions of the CCT aside from the big help it would bring to their families, the program’s good implementation and performance in the city may inspire the government or the DSWD central Office to add more CCT beneficiaries in Baguio.
“We should look at this program as an opportunity so you should also help yourself by complying with the program’s conditions, as this is the contribution of the government to help people. You may say that the cash assistance is not sufficient but I am sure that this would be a big help in improving your life conditions,” Domogan stressed. (LD PIA CAR)

by Gigi Dumallig

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Taking advantage of the visit of Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the provincial government of Kalinga has proposed several priority projects for possible funding by the agency.

Kalinga Governor Jocel Baac handed to de los Reyes proposed projects for possible funding composed of three major infrastructure projects: farm-to-market-roads (FMRs), bridges, and communal irrigation systems (CIS).

The listed FMRs include the rehabilitation of Cabaruan-Sucbot-Magaogao Road Calaccad FMR, Balong-Kinama FMR, rehab of Junction-Pakawit Road, rehab of Nasgueban-Ipil-Appas FMR,  Dalnacan-Taloctoc-Mangali FMR, Cabaritan-Dugpa-Bayao FMR , and the Mallango-Manubal-Sumadel-Dananao-Tulgao FMR.

 Also included in the list are the rehabilitation and improvement of three bridges under the President’s Bridge Program identified as the Baligatan Bridge, San Julian Bridge, and the Caganaw Bridge.

The improvement of these road networks and bridges according to Baac will speed up the transport of farm products from the barangays as well fast track the delivery of government services.

To boost production in certain barangays, the provincial government also requested funding for the rehabilitation of the following irrigation systems:  Cadamayan CIS in Lubuagan; Daclag and Tabbayan CIS of Tanudan;  and the Cabaruan-Sucbot  and Naneng-Bagumbayan CIS of Tabuk City.

Delos Reyes was in the province last April 13 and served as guest of honor and speaker during the 18th Commencement Exercises of the Kalinga Apayao State College of Tabuk City, Kalinga. (GD-PIA CAR Kalinga)

by Vency D. Bulayungan

LAGAWE, Ifugao - The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) here is reminding all taxpayers to beat the April 15 deadline set for the filing of ITR or Income Tax Return.

BIR assistant district revenue officer, Jojo Gorospe, in a radio interview emphasized that government will not be granting any extension for ITR filing.

Thus, all taxpayers must file on or before the deadline set so as to avoid any penalty and pay the right amount of taxes, said Gorospe.

This month the Revenue District Office here targeted the collection of P16 million. Gorospe said their office was able to surpass their target for the first quarter of the year by P1.8 M.

He said their office did not encounter problems in the province such as tax evasion. “We would like to thank all taxpayers in the province of Ifugao for adhering to our call for all concerned to pay their taxes honestly and on time,” he further said.

Gorospe also disclosed that in order to facilitate filing of taxes, they have extended services to big government agencies in the province such as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Education (DepED deploying some of their staff to the provincial offices of the said agencies.

He also urged taxpayers to pay their dues at the Land Bank of the Philippines which will extend services until 5:00 PM on April 15 to accommodate late payers. (VDB-PIA-CAR/Ifugao)

by Larry Lopez

TABUK, Kalinga – Governor Jocel C. Baac issued this month Executive Order 15, series of 2011 creating the Kalinga Reintegration Committee (KARIC) in pursuit of a peaceful and developed province.

The move is pursuant to the Philippine Reintegration Program of President Benigno S. Aquino III, which takes the place of the former Social Integration Program (SIP) of the previous administration.

The reintegration program is under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process (OPAPP).
As contained in EO 15, the reintegration committee aims to carry out the integrated plans of both the provincial with that of individual plans for former rebels and the necessary interventions for their peaceful transition to harmonious civilian life.

Through EO 15, the province opens a trust fund account as depository of all funds from the OPAPP for use in the reintegration program of Kalinga.

The KARIC serves as local counterpart of OPAPP in the implementation of the reintegration program of the government with support from member agencies.

For the KARIC composition, Gov. Jocel C. Baac sits as chairman, Vice Gov. Allen Jesse Mangaoang – vice chair, members are: heads of PSWDO as secretariat, provincial legal office, DILG provincial office, PNP provincial office, 501st brigade, 21st Army IB, public attorney’s office, provincial prosecutor’s office, DTI provincial office, DZRK radio station, provincial administrator office, TESDA provincial office, DOLE provincial office, OPAG, and PIA provincial office. (LL-PIA-CAR/Kalinga)

by Lito Dar

The Baguio Correspondents and Broadcaster Club (BCBC) is all set for this year’s Holy Week media camp, at Camp Peppot, Burnham Park, which will run from Monday April 18 up to Easter Sunday of April 24.

According to BCBC president Migs Velarde, winning the “Lucky Summer Visitor” activity will highlight the weeklong activity. First time visitors of Baguio who will be selected on Maundy Thursday will be accorded with a red carpet treatment as well as free food and accommodation and tour packages for four days.

For the summer camp, Velarde affirmed there will also be free journalism workshops on broadcast, print, and photo at the camp to be provided by BCBC members, every afternoon, from Monday to Saturday. The journalism workshop was launched last year.


“College students, especially Mass Communication students as well as journalism enthusiasts are welcome to attend the workshop. Speakers will be our colleagues who will also share their experiences in the media industry,” Velarde said.

The Media Camp will also have different sponsors each day, which includes the Hotel and Restaurant Associations of Baguio (HRAB), the Benguet Electric Cooperative, BCBC Miners Team, Baguio Water District, Aboitiz, Manila National Tollways Corporation, SMART Communication, and Chevron.

For Saturday, April 23, this will be a tribute to the senior members of BCBC as well as commemorations of past media personalities including Presidential Management Staff officer Jose Capadocia who has been a long time friend of BCBC. There will also be a band that will play classical music of the 50s, 60s, and 70s.

For Easter Sunday, the families of the media including their kids will be invited to the camp to join an Easter Egg Hunt and fun games sponsored by SM City Baguio and Jollibee. The BCBC will also prepare additional prizes for a whole day of fun and surprises.

Velarde also stressed that for Holy Week’s media camp there are already designated camp director and directress who will handle every scheduled activity, Nonnette Bennett for the journalism workshop, Roderick Osis as the Lucky Summer Visitor Tour director and Dodie Mendillo, Dexter See, and Rizaldy Commanda for camp operations.

The Department of Tourism (DOT-CAR) will also sponsor a Kapihan forum at the camp on Wednesday to promote the other scheduled tourism activities this summer vacation. (LD - PIA CAR)

by Redjie Cawis

Two victims of the ill-fated plane crash here in Baguio City were airlifted yesterday to Manila.

The victims, Vanessa Cabiso and pilot Col. Reynaldo Garcia who have serious injuries were transferred to Saint Luke’s Medical hospital in Metro Manila for further medical treatment.

Cabiso suffered a fracture at the back and the collarbone while Garcia suffered burns in various parts of the body.

They were among the victims of the six-seater Piper Aztec plane, with tail number RPC 5140 that crashed and burst into flames in the horse-riding trail in Camp John Hay at 2:53 p.m. after taking off from the Loakan Airport.

The two other victims are still confined at the Intensive Care Unit of the Baguio General Hospital.
The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is still conducting investigation on the cause of the accident.

The CAAP also is trying to match the passengers of the plane and the flights manifest that was given by the Tower Control in Loakan Airport.

In an initial report, the CAAP and the police identified those killed in the crash, based on the manifest, as Jose George and Grace Alvarez. They also identified the four injured as Garcia, Jose Miranda, Ness Guerrero, and Basil Matthew.

The manifest did not include Cabiso; one Ireneo Yabut; and one George Haranas. Haranas was reportedly among the fatalities while Yabut was among the injured.

The CAAP is yet to release an official statement on the details and other information of the plane crash. (RC-PIA CAR)

by Joseph B Zambrano

 Three days before the deadline on April 15, the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Cordillera  is reminding taxpayers to file their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) to avoid  long queue.

With this year’s theme, "Buwis Mo Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas," the Bureau is intensifying its tax compliance verification drive to ensure that business establishments and the tax paying public fulfill the taxation requirements and that correct taxes are declared and paid.

BIR-CAR director Atty. Eduardo T. Bajador, said that a 20 percent interest and a 25 percent surcharge will be charged should a taxpayer fail to file income tax before the deadline.

He explained that establishments which under-declare earnings by 30 percent could be temporarily closed under their office’s ‘Oplan Kandado’ program while concerned owners or proprietors could be criminally charged under the Run After Tax Evaders (RATE) campaign.

Meanwhile, Bajador shared that a bill was filed pushing for the creation of a unified invoice system which aims to enhance tax payment consciousness and improve collection.

House Bill 4089 proposes the centralized printing of official receipts (ORs) that shall be undertaken by only one printing outfit or factory under the direct supervision and control of BIR.

“It's about time that we adopt a unified invoice system to effectively reduce, if not eradicate, the irregularities and anomalies in tax collection and tax evasion,” he said

As indicated in the proposed measure, the BIR shall be mandated to create a centralized printing of all ORs that shall be classified according to industry, profession or business.

This will prevent the printing and issuance of double or triple sets of receipts as well as the printing of fake, spurious and unregistered receipts, Bajador added. (JBZ-PIA CAR)

 A 43-year-old chef was caught red-handed with marijuana in a buy-bust operation by anti-drug agents last April 7 here.


Edward Mendoza Jarencio, who identified himself as a brother of former Philippine Basketball Association player Alfredo “Pido” Jarencio, sold 80.50 grams of dried marijuana leaves to a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) agent acting as poseur-buyer in a buy bust operation.

When frisked, he yielded an additional 18.20 grams of the dangerous drug and a rolled aluminum foil containing the same. The total dried marijuana nabbed from Jarencio had a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P2,467.50.


Jarencio is a graduate of Hotel and Restaurant Management, native of Quezon City and resident of Lourdes Subdivision, Baguio City. He works as chef in one of the establishments along Session Road.


Meanwhile, PDEA–CAR’s Benguet Special Enforcement Team and Kibungan Municipal Police Station (MPS) destroyed 1,000 full-gown marijuana plants with estimated DDB worth of P200, 000, in an eradication operation at Sitio Bileng, Sagpat, Kibungan, Benguet last April 6.


The approximately 200 square meters marijuana cultivation site, concealed by chayote and banana plantations is about an hour of up and down hill walk from the nearest area that can be reached by vehicle.


Earlier, operatives of PDEA–CAR, the Benguet Police Provincial Public Safety Company, and the Bakun MPS uprooted 5,500 full-grown marijuana plants and 2,400 marijuana seedlings and burned these on-site at Bagu, Bakun, Benguet during a marijuana eradication in a 1,112-square-meter marijuana plantation. The destroyed marijuana plants had an overall DDB value of P1,196,000. *(PIA CAR with reports from PDEA CAR)

by Larry Lopez

TABUK, Kalinga – Pasil and Tanudan, which are both 5th class municipalities, are listed as pilot for President Benigno S. Aquino’s Convergence Framework in the province.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which spearheads the new flagship program of government to reduce poverty combines the three major poverty alleviation programs on Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), and Self Employment Assistance para sa Kaunlaran (SEA-K) and have these implemented all at the same time in program areas.

Under the 4Ps or granting of conditional cash transfer, beneficiary-mothers receive P500 for pre-post natal care, while their children aging below 14 years old who are in-school get P300 cash allowance.


Government hands over infrastructure projects like day care centers, farm-to-market roads, irrigation facilities, and other community-based projects  to identified barangays covered under KALAHI-CIDSS.
For SEA-K, low-income families get livelihood assistance in the form of zero-interest soft loans payable in one year from the government as start-up capital for livelihood projects and income generating activities.
     
In Kalinga, Jeoffrey Garcia of DSWD Field Office said the Convergence Framework shall be launched in July in Pasil and Tanudan, before it gets adapted in the other municipalities.

The concept of convergence, Garcia explained, is the pooling of resources and expertise to put up a systematic channeling of efforts in pursuit of a commonly agreed goal aimed at addressing poverty.
There is a need to harmonize government’s poverty reduction efforts in both program and operation level to generate greater impact beyond what each program could accomplish on its own, Garcia elaborated.
Through convergence, use of government resources is maximized and at the same time, duplication of efforts is avoided.

When there is harmonized implementation, operational efficiency is enhanced that would assure maximum results from the programs, Garcia claimed.

The strategic focus of the framework is linking poverty flagship programs and empowering local government units, non-government organizations, services providers, and intermediaries.

KALAHI-CIDSS is implemented in 48 provinces, 78 provinces for SEA-K, and 79 provinces under 4Ps.
Under the convergence framework, there are 47 provinces identified as initial program areas: 16 come from Luzon, 12 from Visayas, and 18 in Mindanao;
 
In the Cordillera region, the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, and Mt. Province are identified as pilots for the new framework. (PIA-CAR/Kalinga)

by Redjie Cawis

Two people were killed while four others were hurt after a private plane crashed inside the Camp John Hay, here Sunday afternoon.

The six-seater Piper Aztec plane, with tail number RPC 5140, crashed and burst into flames in the horse-riding trail in Camp John Hay at 2:53 p.m. after taking off from the Loakan Airport.  The plane was owned by Techno Air Company based in Bulacan.

Based on the flight manifest of the Loakan Tower controller, listed were  Col. Reynaldo Garcia,59, the aircraft pilot and passengers Josephine Miranda,50; J. Vanessa Cabiso, 26; Ereneo Yabot aka Abot Carino, 51; Jose George Haranas, and Grace Alvarez.

Baguio City Police Station 4 commander Senior Inspector Ruben Porte identified the fatality as Jose George Haranas who died on the spot and Grace Alvarez who expired while undergoing treatment at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center at around 6:30 p.m.

The injured identified as Garcia, Miranda, Cabisa, and Yabot were rushed to the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center.

Based on police reports, the plane took off at around 2:48 p.m. from Loakan Airport en route to Plaridel town in Bulacan when it crashed and landed on pine trees Camp John Hay.

According to pony boys at the area, they saw the plane flying low then the plane got caught on the pine trees before eventually crashing and exploding at the site.

The pony boys also were the first responders to the crash site. They pulled out four of the victims of the crash and even used their jeepney and a van to transport the victims to the hospital before the ambulance and the fire truck arrived.

Fire brigade from the Camp John Hay responded and put off the fire on the totally burned plane. Parts of the plane were also scattered on a grassy slope in the wooded area.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) is conducting an investigation of the incident. They are looking into human factor as well as maintenance issue as possible causes of the accident. The weather was good when the accident happened. *(RC-PIA CAR)

by Lito Dar

Health and environment problems such as climate change are all caused mainly by human induced behavior particularly behaviors that are not morally and spiritually guided.

This was stressed by former Senator Leticia Ramos Shahani, in her keynote address, during the “Inward, Upward…Onward, Forward—for health, environmental integrity, and Human Values,” symposium Friday at the University of the Philippines (UP-Baguio).

According to Shahani, aside from health and environmental concerns, the Philippines is now also sliding down or moving backward, from once one of the leading economic country in Asia, which is why all Filipinos should wake up and help the government move the country forward.

“Wake up my friends, my fellow Filipinos, it will depend on each and everyone of us, not only to help ourselves but also to help others, to serve all as the problems of health, environment are mainly because of human behavior, interventions not guided by values. It is about time that we take our responsibility, for our national destiny and faith,” Shahani said.

Shahani said that it is important for every person to look inside themselves, since there is good in each and everyone, then to look upward – to God, for spiritual guidance, as this is what each and everyone needs - moral and spiritual values - to move forward and help others, even the government, in moving the country forward.

“We have to make our inner lives the foundation of what our outer lives is going to be. We have something good inside each and every one of us and our inward part is the starting point of ourselves. Learn how to keep silent so you can listen to yourself, then you would realize that there are many good qualities, peaceful, good, respectful, which is very important in any things that you are doing, personally, on health or environment, on shaping your own human values,” Shahani said.

“With the power of this human (moral) value and through spiritual guidance, we can transform this country, regarding who are the government leaders, the transformation will depend on all of us, as the power is all inside of each and every one of us,” Shahani stressed.

The said symposium was organized by the Brahma Kumaris Philippine Foundation, in partnership with the City Government of Baguio, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Health (DOH), the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, in line of the celebration of Health Day and Earth Day this April.

In an interview, Brahma Kumaris, Philippines national coordinator Rebecca Ortega, said that the main objective of the symposium is to give emphasis on the importance of values in all human endeavor, especially on the preservation of our environment and health protection.

“Hindi lamang sa kalusugan ng katawan kundi pati kaisipan. Ang Brahma Kumaris ay isang organisasyon na nag-e-emphasize ng mga values for human wellness and world betterment. Nais naming makatulong na ibalik ang values sa buhay ng tao,” Ortega stressed.*(LD - PIA CAR)

By Lito Dar

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)- led National Household Targetting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) survey results shows 79,135 poor households in Cordillera or about 33.84 percent of the 233,863 households assessed all over the region.

Of the 79,135 poorhouseholds, Abra registered 17,509; Apayao – 11,119; Benguet - 13,819; Baguio City – 3,613; Ifugao – 12,032; Kalinga – 13,427, and Mountain Province- 30,900.

In his report during the Regional Development Council’s (RDC) En Banc Meeting in Bontoc Mountain Province last week, DSWD-CAR Regional Director Leonardo Reynoso said validation of the NHTS-PR data is still on-going as there are still complaints and requests for assessments coming in.

According to Reynoso, in line with the conduct of validation, DSWD-CAR received a total of 38,198 complaints of which 32,748 were already resolved by the different Local Validation Committees (LVCs).
Reynoso also confirmed that most of the complaints were individual claims that they are poor and must be included in the list of poor households. “This is the most perennial problem or complaints that we receive in the region as almost everybody wants to be included in the list of poor households,” he said.

Other complaints include individual claims: that they have not been visited by an enumerator for an interview, a certain household should not be included in the list of poor household, that the interviewer incorrectly entered data, and that the list is incomplete and does not represent the actual poor households in the community.

Reynoso, during the said meeting, affirmed that the DSWD accounted all the complaints on the NHTS as part of the Local Verification Process and that they have even segregated the complaints by province/municipality. For the next step, he assured that they will communicate to all LGUs the actions taken on these complaints.
“All concerned local government units shall be properly updated on the action taken on the complaints and shall be provided with a copy of the details within this month of April,” Reynoso stressed.

The NHTS-PR upon completion would be the basis of the government’s identification of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) or CCT program, identification of social pensioners (senior citizens) and Philhealth indigent program.

In addition the NHTS-PR data will also be made available to the different LGUs in the country and other private partners or stakeholders for the identification of their civic and social programs for the poor families or households in the country.* (PIA CAR)

Three shabu pushers were arrested by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) in two separate buy-bust operations in the city on April 7.


Carmina Dizon Atienza, 21, single, high school undergraduate, native of Angeles City, Pampanga and resident of Block II, Lot 41, No. 30 St. PZMRC, Dapdap, Mabalacat, Pampanga, was nabbed at around 3:30PM near the Solibao Restaurant in Burnham Park.


Atienza sold one sachet of shabu, containing .2 gram of the dangerous drug to a PDEA – CAR agent who posed as buyer. She claimed she gets the shabu that she peddles in Baguio City from a supplier in Pampanga.
Meanwhile, Alexander Tagano Pido, 27, married, high school undergraduate, jobless, native of Tubod, Lanao Del Norte and resident of Quezon Hill, Baguio City; and Al Mala Macabalang, 21, male, married, high school undergraduate, jobless, native of Marawi City, Lanao Del Sur and resident of No. 3 San Luis Village, Baguio City, were apprehended within the vicinity of Malcolm Square, Baguio City at about 5:45 PM after they sold a sachet of .09 gram of shabu to a PDEA – CAR agent poseur-buyer.


Rolls of aluminum foil used in sniffing shabu, were likewise seized by the operatives from Pido.


Pido had been previously implicated in murder and robbery cases, while Macabalang had been involved in a Theft case. They point to a drug group in Baguio City as their shabu source. *(PDEA//PIA CAR)