May | 2007 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Balancing Wheel: Revisiting an old acquaintance

May 27, 2007 in general, lifeways

By JOHN MARASIGAN

It was in the summer of 1977, when I first visited Western Minolco Mining Corporation a big multinational company which mined Boneng, Kapangan, Benguet . I was with my Father who happens to be the mechanical supervisor of the Heavy Equipment Department . As a kid I was impressed by the size of those Wabco and Euclid trucks, both having the load capacity of 180 tons of ore. What was imprinted in my memory was the roaring sound of Loaders and Dump trucks that used to roam the open pit of Boneng. Back then I thought that this mining corporation was to thank for, for giving progress to the nation, and providing job for my dad (Well what do you expect from a three year old?).

RARE OFF-ROAD TREK. Boneng’s dirt road gives bikers the rare uphill climb and downhill rush. Read the rest of this entry →

Makan a la Pinoy: Pinasengngawan a tilapia

May 27, 2007 in food, general

By BRENDA S. DACPANO

40 gramo a laya
1 kilo a tilapia (4-5 a pidaso)
1/4 tasa a digo ti nateng
4 a bulong ti sibuyas
1/2 tasa a cilantro wenno kinchay
1 pidaso a carrots
1/3 tasa a soy sauce
1 kutsarita a sesame oil wenno vegetable oil
Mabalin nga usaren ditoy ti karpa, tuna fillet wenno labahita Read the rest of this entry →

Poetry: The life of a devoted journalist

May 27, 2007 in general, literary

By CHERRY ANN NONONG-CALAPIS

There they go, there they go
Off to get the latest scoop
Never to quit, never say no
that’s the life of a journalist. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio officials take oath amid protests

May 19, 2007 in Baguio City, elections, general, politics

BAGUIO CITY (May 19) — Elected Baguio officials were proclaimed by the Comelec late afternoon Friday despite pre-proclamation protests on alleged poll fraud and other irregularities lodged against proclaimed Congressman Mauricio Domogan, Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and his KAMPI team mate Vice-Mayor Daniel Fariñas.

Baguio’s new officials. (From left seated) Councilor Elaine Sembrano (GO), mother of TV broadcaster Bernadette; Councilor Betty Lourdes Tabanda; Congressman Mauricio Domogan; Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr.; Vice-Mayor Danilo Fariñas and Councilor Perlita Rondez. Standing at the back are: (L-R) Councilors Galo Weygan, Isabelo Cosalan, Nicasio Aliping, Antonio Tabora, Erdolfo Balajadia, Rocky Balisong, Nick Palaganas, Richard Cariño and Fred Bagbagen. Photo courtesy of Ace Alegre. Read the rest of this entry →

Vote-buying rampant

May 19, 2007 in elections, general, politics

DAGUPAN CITY (May 16) — Residents of this city and other Pangasinan towns were treated to various forms of vote-buying by candidates from both sides, some eye-witnesses disclosed today.

“Talamak dito ang vote-buying kahit saang lugar,” (Vote-buying is rampant in any place here) a Nordis source claimed. She added people did not mind taking money or a bag of groceries from the candidates because it was the order of the day. Read the rest of this entry →

Comelec proclaims Benguet winners

May 19, 2007 in Cordillera, elections, general, politics

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (May 19) — The winners in the provincial political race of Benguet were proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday afternoon.

THE NEW BENGUET PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS. Photo by Kimberlie Quitasol/NORDIS Read the rest of this entry →

Apayao officials first proclaimed in Cordillera

May 19, 2007 in Cordillera, elections, general, politics

BAGUIO CITY (May 17) – Three days after the canvassing of votes, only Apayao province winning bets were first to be proclaimed proclaimed in the Cordillera region.

Elias K. Bulut Jr., who was unopposed is still the province’s representative in Congress. He garnered 31,731 votes, the Philippine Information Agency said out of the 54,761 registered voters. Read the rest of this entry →

Team Unity bets dominate in Ilocos Sur polls

May 19, 2007 in elections, general, Ilocos, politics

VIGAN CITY (May 17) — Local Team Unity (TU) candidates in the province of Ilocos Sur triumphed over United Opposition (UNO) candidates in 2007 elections.

As proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Ilocos Sur, incumbent Vice-Governor Deogracias Victor “DV” Savellano, a candidate of the Lakas-CMD-TU won over its opponent Efren “Rambo” Rafanan of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP)-UNO and independent candidate Roque Sison. Savellano garnered 132,656 votes over Rafanan who got 131,264 votes. Read the rest of this entry →

More than 2,000 stand to lose in Bokod mining

May 19, 2007 in Cordillera, general, mining

BOKOD, Benguet (May 9) — More than 2000 residents would be affected by mining operations once three prospective mining companies find out there is enough gold and other precious metals for commercial ventures, according to local officials of three Bokod barangays.

The field-based investigation team of the Benguet National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) disclosed the proposed exploration activities would take place in some sitios of barangays Poblacion, Bobok-Bisal and Pito. These barangays are predominantly inhabited by Ibaloys. A handful are Kankanaeys, especially in Pito, and still a few are of Kalanguya ethnicity. Read the rest of this entry →

Army troopers suffer loses as NPA steps up attacks in Abra

May 19, 2007 in Cordillera, general, insurgency

BAGUIO CITY (May 16) — Philippine army forces including an Army Lieutenant were slain after New Peoples Army guerrillas waylaid them early Wednesday morning in a remote town in Abra.

Senior Inspector Dennis Agno of the Regional Police Mobile Group temporarily stationed in Luba town said Lieutenant Mark Evan Onrubia, team leader of a 7-man team of government troopers from the 41st Infantry Battalion based in Manabo town, also in Abra, were killed when around 100 communist guerrillas attacked them at around 6:30 AM Wednesday morning in barangay Amtuagan, Boliney town. Read the rest of this entry →

1 soldier killed, 18 others hurt in Mountain Province ambush

May 19, 2007 in Cordillera, general, insurgency

CAMP DANGWA, Benguet (May 12) — One soldier was killed and 18 other government troops including an Army second lieutenant and a policeman were seriously wounded when communist guerrillas ambushed their convoy in barangay Samoki, Bontoc, Mt. Province. Read the rest of this entry →

People’s Watch thanks donors

May 19, 2007 in Baguio City, elections, general, politics

BAGUIO CITY (May 16) — Baguio-Benguet People Watch movement for 2007, convened by members of the Regional Ecumenical Council in the Cordillera (RECCORD), the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), other independent groups and individuals thank those who in one and many ways contributed and supported the movement for credible, clean and honest elections.

Maureen Loste of Reccord, one of the conveners acknowledged several individuals and groups who pitched in to support the volunteers of the People’s Watch, a broad multi-sectoral alliance of non-government organizations and concerned citizens committed to a credible, honest clean and orderly elections. Read the rest of this entry →

Renowned artists to hold pottery workshop in Benguet town

May 19, 2007 in Cordillera, general, the arts

BAGUIO CITY (May 18) — Renowned foreign and local artists will facilitate a pottery workshop focusing on monkeys as theme in the upland town of Kibungan in Benguet as part of a series of activities leading towards World Environment Day on June 5, announced a local environmental group.

The May 22-23 pottery workshop for children aims to generate from participants some 100 monkey masks. “By focusing on the faces of monkeys, the workshop seeks to help enable the children of Kibungan understand nature values, appreciate indigenous materials, and to view Nature through art because monkeys used to teem in Kibungan before its forests were gone,” said Mariko Banasan of the Cordillera Green Network, which is organizing the activity. Read the rest of this entry →

Pagpaslang sa lider magsasaka ng Pangasinan ginunita

May 19, 2007 in general, human rights, Ilocos

SAN NICOLAS, Pangasinan (Mayo 16) — Ginunita ng Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) at ilang miyembro ng Tignayan dagiti Mannalon a Mangwayawaya iti Agno (Timmawa) ang pagkamatay ni Apo Jose Doton, ang dating tagapangulo ng huli, sa pamamagitan ng patuloy na panawagan ng katarungan para sa kanya at sa lahat ng mga biktima ng pamamaslang.

Si Apo Jose, 62, ay aktibong nakipaglaban sa karapatan at kagalingan ng mga tao partikular ng mga kapwa niya magsasaka. Siya rin ay sumalungat sa patuloy na operasyon ng San Roque Dam (SRD) na pangunahing nakakaapekto sa maraming magsasaka sa probinsiya. Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial Cartoon: 20 May 2007

May 19, 2007 in editorials, general, opinion

Editorial: The battle is not over yet

May 19, 2007 in editorials, general, opinion

Nearly a week has passed since the May 14 elections.

In an increasing number of localities, the winning candidates for local government positions are being proclaimed. In other localities, the election results are still being canvassed or contested. This incoming week, we will be looking with more certainty at the trends of how the various political groups fared at the local level. Read the rest of this entry →

Advocate's Overview: Generally peaceful election?

May 19, 2007 in columns, general, opinion

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW

Some quarters claim that the May 14 election in Baguio City was generally peaceful. This is understandable if they equate un-peaceful election with the number of deaths. But the recent election in the city is definitely tainted. I claim in fact that it was the dirtiest election I ever witnessed, becoming a mockery of our electoral process, due to massive vote buying.

Vote buying among city barangays actually started during the campaign period, or even earlier. The most common were the “donations” given by politicians to several communities. Donated materials include monoblock chairs, cement bags, and large cooking vat (silyasi), among others. Vote-buying was also done under the guise of medical and dental missions where the face of the sponsoring politician is well displayed. Others said scholarships were also dangled upon them. All of these tend to woo votes. Read the rest of this entry →

From Under This Hat: The elections of circuses, Hollywood and horror stories

May 19, 2007 in columns, general, opinion

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO

Hollywood is that time during the Philippine election campaign when the candidates have to put into action their cooked-up advertisements and PR planks, put out their costumes and make-up, pull out their studied and practiced scripts, remember their choreographed stage blockings for every type of stage – which can be a parade in the streets, or a stroll in the park or sidewalk, on a regular stage in a plaza rally, or in some fund raising dinner.

The Circus comes to town when they go into action during the campaign in the open field – preening themselves, warming up for a speech, watching themselves in the mirror, taking a shot to loosen up. Read the rest of this entry →

Weekly Reflections: Divine elections

May 19, 2007 in columns, general, opinion, religion

By REV. LUNA L. DINGAYAN

“I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.” — Genesis 12:2

Election 2007

Our votes have already been cast last May 14, but the counting is still going on. And it may take more days or even weeks to finish the counting. Not to mention the election protest that may even last for a lifetime. We are really wondering why the counting of ballots would take so much time.

But surely as the counting drag on, more and more election-related violence and anomalies are being committed. There are already 200 people killed in election-related violence, yet authorities still assessed our situation as “generally peaceful.” This shows how distorted our sense of values, how cheap we regard human life. Read the rest of this entry →

Balancing Wheel: A different kind of Bayanihan

May 19, 2007 in Baguio City, general, people

By JOHN MARASIGAN

If my memory serves me right, I’ve been in a dozen concerts for a cause. I always make it a point to sing for people less fortunate as I am (plus the millions of Filipinos of course). Concerts for a cause are concerts that aim to raise funds for patients not able to cope up with the rising standards of cost of below standard hospitals he he…..

The author with some of the participants to the Pinsao Fun Ride for a Cause. Photo courtesy of Jannex. Read the rest of this entry →