Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Comelec blamed for poll glitches

By DELIA BAGNI www.nordis.net BAGUIO CITY — The Makabayan Coalition-Cordillera blamed the Commissi...

Benguet police chief admits lapses in Balao case

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL www.nordis.net BAGUIO CITY — Benguet Provincial Police Office (PPO) P...

Makabayan candidate ranks 2nd in Kalinga town polls

By CAROLYN A. MAMBA www.nordis.net PINUKPUK, Kalinga — Makabayan (Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamayan)...

Comelec blamed for poll glitches

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City, elections, Featured

By DELIA BAGNI
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Makabayan Coalition-Cordillera blamed the Commission on Election and stated that it should be held accountable for the glitches during the recently concluded May 13 elections.

DESPERATELY SEEKING FOR A SOLUTION. The Board of Election Inspectors of Clustered Precint 104 and the Smartmatic technician try to solve the mystery of a Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) that worked perfectly until it was about count the votes.Would the BEI continued trying if they had known that there was a possibility that the voters would be disenfranchised if the votes would not be counted by the PCOS? Photo by Noel Godinez

DESPERATELY SEEKING FOR A SOLUTION. The Board of Election Inspectors of Clustered Precint 104 and the Smartmatic technician try to solve the mystery of a Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) that worked perfectly until it was about count the votes.Would the BEI continued trying if they had known that there was a possibility that the voters would be disenfranchised if the votes would not be counted by the PCOS? Photo by Noel Godinez

According to Theresa Manglicmot-Panem of Makabayan-Cordillera, the Comelec committed a grave mistake as it did not check the ballots to be used by the voters in Barangay Lualhati here. She said that the residents of the said barangay discovered that their supposed ballots are actually for Compostela Valley. She added that because of this, the voters in the barangay have not been able to exercise their right of suffrage.

According to Comelec Cordillera Administrative Region (Comelec-CAR) Assistant Regional Director Reddy Balarbar during the canvassing of votes at the Baguio Convention Center, a special election is possible yet it may be hard considering the expenses and time needed for such. He said later that it is no longer needed as it will not affect the outcome of the results. Read the rest of this entry →

Benguet police chief admits lapses in Balao case

May 19, 2013 in Cordillera, Featured, human rights

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Benguet Provincial Police Office (PPO) Provincial Director Rodolfo Azurin admits lapses in the investigations conducted in relation to the disappearance of James Moy Balao.

Azurin in an interview pointed out that there were procedural lapses in the conduct of the investigations on the Balao case. Among the lapses he mentioned was the failure of the investigators to immediately verify the reported exchange of text messages between James and his family and colleagues as reported by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA). Read the rest of this entry →

Makabayan candidate ranks 2nd in Kalinga town polls

May 19, 2013 in Cordillera, elections, Featured

By CAROLYN A. MAMBA
www.nordis.net

PINUKPUK, Kalinga — Makabayan (Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamayan) candidate Elma Cielo Ramos Awingan of Barangay Limos, Pinukpuk rank number two among the 25 candidates for the Sangguniang Bayan of the Municipality of Pinukpuk in the May 13 midterm election with a total votes of 5,826.

Awingan, is the only candidate under the Makabayan in the province and even in the whole Cordillera carrying the political call “Iyabante ti Pulitika ti Panagbalbaliw ken Progresibo a Panagdur-as” and actively campaigned and supported other Makabayan candidates especially Teddy Casiño for senator as well as Katribu Indigenous Peoples Partylist. She supported them because they are along side the people’s issues and welfare. Read the rest of this entry →

May 13 poll winners proclaimed

May 19, 2013 in Cordillera, elections

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Regional Director Atty. Jose Nick Mendros confirmed that as of May 16, all provincial board of canvassers of the six provinces of the Cordillera proclaimed winners in the recently concluded midterm elections.

In an earlier press conference Mendros reiterated that the May polls was not smooth sailing as he admits there were problems along the way. He, however, stressed that Comelec was prepared with contingency measures. Read the rest of this entry →

Anakpawis remembers Ka Bel

May 19, 2013 in national, people

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Anakpawis Cordillera like their compatriots together with the various sectors all over the country remembers the late Anakpawis Partylist Representative and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Chairman Emeritus Crispin Beltran as they vow to continue his fight.

“The workers of the region like their colleagues in the various regions together with their allies in the various sectors of society will neither forget nor give up the struggle the late Representative Ka Crispin Beltran embraced and fought for all through his life,” Anakpawis Cordillera Regional Coordinator Michael Cabangon stressed. Read the rest of this entry →

Ambassador Albert not giving up on mining museum in Baguio

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert declared during the Kapihan at the Tam-awan Village that they are not giving up with their plans of building and managing a Baguio Historical Mining Museum that she said will house memorabilia among others that will tell how the city of Baguio evolved through the existence of the mines.

NATURE WATCHER. An artist as the art installation himself serves as one of the many attractions in the concluded 4th Tam-awan International Arts Festival. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

NATURE WATCHER. An artist as the art installation himself serves as one of the many attractions in the concluded 4th Tam-awan International Arts Festival. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

Albert, who is a distinguished career diplomat who represented the Philippines in many countries said they are proceeding with the said museum but this time with a different concept. This time she added they are thinking of more of a geopark where it will be set-up indoor and at the same time outdoor.

She said that they are designing a geological museum with the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB). She added that the installation of geopark outdoor meanwhile will be in partnership with the Department of Tourism, Bases and Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).The geopark she explained is the identification of historical sites significant to the development of the city and the setting up of markers explaining the details of each site. Read the rest of this entry →

Comelec proclaims top Benguet officials despite transmission glitch

May 19, 2013 in Cordillera, elections

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Even when the municipality of Atok failed to transmit election results to the provincial canvass, the Commission of Elections (Comelec)-Benguet most of the winning candidates running for provincial posts, May 15.

BENGUET POLLS. Benguet Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ricardo Bolintao raised the hands of the winners of the recently concluded midterm elections for the top positions in the province of Benguet. Photo by Kimberlie Ngabit-Quitasol

BENGUET POLLS. Benguet Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ricardo Bolintao raised the hands of the winners of the recently concluded midterm elections for the top positions in the province of Benguet. Photo by Kimberlie Ngabit-Quitasol

Comelec Benguet Provincial Election Supervicor Atty. Ricardo Bolintao proclaimed as winners Ronald Cosalan for congressman; Nestor B. Fongwan for governor; Nelson Dangwa for vice governor; Johnny Waguis, Esteban Piok, Alfonso Fianza and Ben Saguid for district 1 board members. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio May poll winners proclaimed

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City, elections

By CARMELA BALCITA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Commission on Election-Cordillera Administrative Region(Comelec-CAR) Assistant Regional Director Atty. Reddy Balarbar proclaimed the winners of the Baguio local elections at the Convention Center, May 14.

SAME FACES AFTER ALL. Familiar names with known reputation dominate Baguio politics. Here, Comelec Assistant Regional Director Reddy Balarbar declare the winners at the Baguio Convention Center. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

SAME FACES AFTER ALL. Familiar names with known reputation dominate Baguio politics. Here, Comelec Assistant Regional Director Reddy Balarbar declare the winners at the Baguio Convention Center. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

The proclamation happened after all election results from the 215 precincts in Baguio were received at the canvass area in the Convention Center at around 12 noon. There are a total of 213 barangays canvassed leaving the two other barangays, Kayang Extension and Lualhati with a total of 1,577 registered voters, uncanvassed due to PCOS machine errors and the unintended ballot switch. Read the rest of this entry →

PNP says Cordi polls ‘generally peaceful’

May 19, 2013 in Cordillera, elections

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — “I wish there is another term but cliché as it may be there is no other way to describe the recently concluded elections. The 2013 elections in the Cordillera is generally peaceful.”

This was the statement of Police Regional Office Cordillera (PRO-Cor) Deputy Regional Director for Operations PSSupt Ulysis Abellera during a press conference on the 2013 polls last May 14 at the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO). He reported that still there were election related incidents particularly in Abra and Kalinga. Read the rest of this entry →

The Sagada-Besao Wind Farm Project

May 19, 2013 in Cordillera, energy

By SAGADA-BESAO WIND WATCH and SAGADA AND BESAO CONCERNED CITIZENS

This proposal is for a giant industrial project that will change our lives for many years. It will put a big piece of our ancestral land under the control of a Manila corporation for at least 25 years. This Company that does not understand or care about our ways or our place. They are here for money, nothing else. We cannot just say “yes” because they give us a few gifts or make some promises an reassurances. We need real information, real data, real research. PhilCarbon, is treating us like we are children or primitives and we need them to tell us what is good. This is not right. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) works for us Indigenous Peoples and must uphold our right to Free Prior Informed Consent. They must insure that all the documents and the research are provided us and let us study them. We must think long and hard before we let them tell us to approve this. Come to the meetings, ask questions. Think for yourself do not let them tell us what is good!

1. The construction of wind turbines requires huge excavations and clearing of large areas. The Company has not release any site plans showing how large an area will be cleared and excavated for each turbine site. How can they build major excavations like this along a steep narrow ridge without affecting the watershed and causing landslides? Read the rest of this entry →

Table tennis training center opens in Baguio

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City

By JANUARY A. TURLA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Baguio Table Tennis League (BTTL) urges enthusiasts and beginners to train themselves more for a better and competitive table tennis milieu in the city.

Baguio definitely has someone or some entity from any field of sports to represent the city in the national and international tournaments. BTTL’s goal is to train members and boost their skills to bring them to a more cutthroat table tennis environment around the Philippines and outside the country. Read the rest of this entry →

Floating Book Fair docks at La Union

May 19, 2013 in Ilocos

By EDSELLE MAE Q. RAMAT
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — MV Logos Ships together with its crew member volunteers from different countries will be bringing good quality books at affordable prices to San Fernando City, La Union as they open the world’s largest floating book fair on May 24 to June 2.

According to Joanne Li, the Taiwanese Project Manager and Coordinator of the GBA ships, an international charitable organization that is registered in Germany, there are 400 crew members from 45 different countries. Read the rest of this entry →

More BCNHS buildings on CFL bulbs

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City

By KIMBERLIE NGABIT-QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Fifteen out of the 21 buildings of the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) are now using compact fluorescent lamp bulbs after receiving 938 CFL bulbs from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) as part of the latter’s power saving program.

BCNHS Principal Elma Donaal disclosed that changing the school bulbs from incandescent to CFLs contributed to the decrease in the schools electric bill payments during the press conference of the DOE on the wrapping up of its Philippine Energy Efficiency Project (PEEP). Read the rest of this entry →

All set for Sabsabong ti Mayo

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City, tourism

By CARMELA BALCITA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio Tourism Office with the Department of Tourism (DOT)- CAR and Region 1, in partnership with the local government of Baguio City, Lingayen, Pangasinan and Bauang, La Union announced the line-up of events for the sixth year of Sabsabong ti Mayo during the weekly Kapihan at Rose Bowl Restaurant last May 15.

The Sabsabong ti Mayo is an annual event in Baguio that could be equated to the Santacruzan of the lowlands. Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial: Unconvincing

May 19, 2013 in editorials, Featured, opinion

www.nordis.net

Credibility continues to hound elections in the Philippines.

In an attempt to address the inefficiency and dangers of the manual elections Congress passed the Automated Election System (AES). The shift to computer-based technology would mean less human intervention and faster counting and transmission of election results. Also, since official results are transmitted not physically but through “wires”, the unscrupulous practice of ballot snatching and switching would be immaterial. This would also address the unnecessary deaths of Board of Election Inspectors (BEI). Read the rest of this entry →

Crossroads: Election blues and all that jazz

May 19, 2013 in columns, Featured, opinion

By MARY LOU MARIGZA
www.nordis.net

At 60, I get to experience my first automated elections. As the hokus-PCOS said: Congratulations! For reasons of work, I have not participated in the last two elections and had to re-register last year so I can vote this year. I did try using the machines last 2010 when they were tested at the market for all first timers who wanted to “practice” with the machines.

It went fast with me. The clustered precinct where I voted had a snaking line when I went at 10 am. I had stayed in the line with the rest for some ten minutes when a security guard told me I can use the senior citizen’s lane. So I got priority! One more time to thank the white hairs on my head! Read the rest of this entry →

Dakami Ti Umili: Stories from prisons

May 19, 2013 in columns, Featured, opinion

By JUDE BAGGO
www.nordis.net

There are things we ignore when we are free. Things change when one is in prison; everything whether it is a living or non living thing is counted, studied and analyzed. As the detainees would say, it is just to kill time and maintain sanity.

In the region, there are seven political detainees, five in Ifugao and two in Kalinga. All of them are maliciously charged with fabricated crimes such as multiple and frustrated murder to illegal possession of ammunitions. Read the rest of this entry →

From Under This Hat: Remember WAWI, my brother?

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City, Featured, people

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO
www.nordis.net

Born October 13, 1959, Edward, the fifth child of Ferry Cuilan Tagley and Bernardo Cariño Okubo. When our parents arrived from the hospital with him in tow, we his siblings, gathered around him to introduce ourselves, excited we had a new brother. I remember Patrick asserting his manongship and maybe by way of passing the position of “youngest” to him, he held his hand and directed the question to our watchful mother, “What is his name?!” “Edward,” says mom. “Why Edward?” No answer, and Patrick declares, why not Wowee? Wowee nalang, Mama, let us call him Wowee! Patrick declared when he saw my mom smile amusedly. Whatever which way you say it or spell it, Wowee, or wawi was his name since.

From Guisad (Leonor Rivera) we moved to Belshang, a three hectare piece of land our parents acquired and divided with our late Auntie Cecile, from Lolo Mawini’s (one name) Estancia that spanned then from Coyeesan to the present Sta. Lucia including the Crystal Cave area. Wawi arrived here as a baby and grew up to the ‘wild’ new frontier of Belshang. Read the rest of this entry →

Labor Watch: After elections is enrollment

May 19, 2013 in columns, Featured, opinion

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

“Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.” — Alexander Pope

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) already proclaimed the winners in the national as well as local level of the 2nd automated elections despite the many protests and petitions. The temporary job of the campaigners distributing leaflets and other campaign paraphernalia is over for now and will resume after three years. All the promises politicians for decent jobs, justice, upliftment among others who won will again remain as promises while Filipinos continue to hope that even a pinch of them be fulfilled.

On May 20, parents, teachers and even the students and generous out-of-school youths will join forces for the yearly “Brigada Eskuwela”. Read the rest of this entry →

Pokus: On the second automated elections

May 19, 2013 in Baguio City, columns, Featured, opinion

By RACHEL ANNE V. BACONAWA
www.nordis.net

The automated election was first introduced in the Philippines through the presidential elections on 2010 when the 15th head-of-state, Benigno S. Aquino III was proclaimed. This type of election was created via Republic Act 9369, amending Republic Act 8436, which authorizes the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to use an automated election system to encourage transparency, credibility, fairness and accuracy of elections’ on July 2, 2006.

Comelec deemed this year’s mid-term elections successful because the results came in early and the Precinct Count Optical Scanner (PCOS) machines only had minor problems that are quickly fixed and there are only a few incidents declaring failure of elections. Read the rest of this entry →

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