October | 2007 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Lepanto delays workers’ pay

October 29, 2007 in Cordillera, employment, general

MANKAYAN, Benguet (Oct. 26) — The National Federation of Labor Unions-Kilusang Mayo Uno (Naflu-KMU) criticized the Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company (LCMCo) for delaying the release of mineworkers’ wages.

In its dialog with Lepanto Employees Union (LEU) officials on October 25, LCMCo management admitted that workers’ wages would be delayed this month. A company representative reportedly said it could not pay workers on time because of the late payment of gold buyers and that the company is prioritizing the payment to its creditors. Read the rest of this entry →

All Saints Day traffic advisory

October 29, 2007 in Baguio City, general, transport

This is the temporary traffic measure to be implemented for All Saints Day on November 1 based on the advisory from the Traffic Management Bureau of the Baguio City Police Office.

All private vehicles, except trucks and buses, may pass through Naguilian Road. Motorists coming from the central business district (CBD) going to Baguio Cemetery must turn around 1st Road to San Carlos Heights before proceeding to the designated parking areas. Private vehicles intending to park at Quezon Hill Parking area should take the San Carlos Heights-Quezon Hill alternate route. Vehicles going back to CBD should exit through Dominican Road towards Queen of Peace Road or Rock Quarry Road. Read the rest of this entry →

IP advocates seek DOH accreditation for traditional village midwives

October 29, 2007 in general, national

TAGAYTAY CITY (Oct. 24) — Traditional village childbirth attendants may be accredited and their indigenous knowledge and skills recognized, as agreed in a workshop as part of an orientation on indigenous peoples’ rights and issues among government agencies, here.

Reconciling the need to enhance indigenous knowledge, skills and practices with the health department’s policies was among the challenges posed by indigenous peoples (IP) and their advocates during a gathering of government officials. Read the rest of this entry →

Gov’t-NGO converge for IP rights

October 29, 2007 in general, national

TAGAYTAY CITY (Oct. 24) — A group of government planners and decision-makers agreed to get their act together to address the indigenous peoples’ (IP) agenda in all major programs involved in IP rights advocacy.

To get the government bodies to sit down for the advancement of indigenous peoples’ rights was a joint endeavor of both government and non-government organizations who conducted an orientation seminar on indigenous rights and issues. Read the rest of this entry →

UNP sinuspinde pangongolekta ng student publication fee

October 29, 2007 in general, Ilocos

VIGAN CITY (Okt. 25) — Mariing kinondena ng mga patnugot ng Tandem, ang opisyal na pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng University of Northern Philippines (UNP), ang pagpigil sa pangongolekta ng pondo para sa nasabing publikasyon ngayong enrollment ng ikalawang semestre.

Ayon kay Ma. Criselda Diocena, punong patnugot ng Tandem, ang ginawang pagsuspinde sa pangongolekta ng Tandem fee ay isang paglabag sa karapatan ng mga estudyante sa pamamahayag. Dagdag pa ni Diocena, ang inilabas na memorandum ni Office of Student Affairs (OSA) Director Gilbert Arce at ang pagpapasya ng administrasyon ng UNP na ihinto ang pangongolekta ng pondo ngayong ikalawang semestre ay naglalayong patigilin ang operasyon ng Tandem. Read the rest of this entry →

Magsasaka ng Ilocos iginiit karapatan sa lupa

October 29, 2007 in general, Ilocos, land rights

CABUGAO, Ilocos Sur (Okt. 24) — Iginiit ng mga magsasaka ng Barangay Bato at Barangay Lipit ng Cabugao, Ilocos Sur ang kanilang karapatan sa lupang sinasaka at kinondena ang gobyernong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa kawalang sinseridad nito sa pagpapatupad ng tunay na reporma sa lupa.

Ayon kay Zaldy Alfiler, pangkalahatang kalihim ng Solidarity of Peasants against Exploitation (STOP Exploitation), karapatan ng mga magsasaka ng Ilocos Sur na magkaroon ng sariling lupang sasakahin upang mahinto na ang pagsasamantala ng mga panginoong maylupa. Read the rest of this entry →

Cordillera farmers march against CARP

October 29, 2007 in Cordillera, general, land rights, national

MANILA (Oct. 2I) — While almost 5,000 marching farmers were stopped by anti-riot policemen at Morayta as they were about to reach the foot of Mendiola bridge near Malacañang, they were still in high spirits as they recount their pains and countless gains in speeches and cultural numbers, a Cordillera farmer retold his experience in the big city.

The Alliance of Peasants in the Cordillera Homeland (Apit Tako) joined the Martsa ng Magbubukid at Mamamayan Para Sa Tunay na Reporma Sa Lupa at Pagbasura sa Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) (peasant and people’s march for genuine land reform and the junking of CARP) on October 19. Read the rest of this entry →

London anti-mining confab blames GMA, TNCs for killings, harrassment of environmental activists

October 29, 2007 in general, human rights, international

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 26) — Advocates for the protection of the environment in the country are among those endangered. Records showed that they are among those listed of 860 victims of extra-judicial killings, an international mining peoples’ network revealed recently.

These killings and the harassments of environmental activists in the country has been blamed on transnational mining corporations (TNCs) with the administration of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a conduit by an international group. Read the rest of this entry →

Jocelyn Dulnuan’s body laid to rest

October 29, 2007 in Cordillera, general

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 24) — At 12 noon of October 24, the remains of Jocelyn Dulnuan will now be laid to rest in her parent’s backyard at Namulditan, Hingyon, Ifugao as the clamor for justice continues.

About 350 community people, supporters and relatives who attended the eulogy had only one question; “Who murdered Jocelyn?” The family had no answers either but told their village mates “let us wait for the results of the investigation”. Read the rest of this entry →

Dumped salvaged victims known

October 29, 2007 in Baguio City, criminality, general

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 23) — Police has identified two male bodies found dumped in a 15-meter bushy ravine along the roadside in barangay Outlook Drive here Monday morning.

Station 3 commander Chief Inspector Elmer Cereno whose men first investigated the alleged salvaging victims named the bodies as 20-year-old Ganilon Wilfredo Balbin Dup-et, a native of Sabangan town, Mountain Province and 19-year-old Gardo Soting, a resident of Sabkil, Itogon, Benguet. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio Roundup: 28 Oct. 2007

October 29, 2007 in Baguio City, general

Fariñas urge Juvenile Justice Act revision

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 26) — Vice-mayor Daniel Fariñas urged the amendment of the Justice Welfare Act (RA 9344) to combat the growing gang-related crimes involving minors in the city.

Fariñas said “while the stature intends to increase protection of children in conflict with the law, it deviously encouraged kids to commit crimes, instead.” He added the Western-based laws are inapplicable to the Filipino culture.

Fariñas said RA 9344 is a virtual reproduction of Western juvenile laws penned by Senator Francis Pangilinan signed into law on April 28. # Isagani S Liporada/PIO

Sidewalk clearing drive on

BAGUIO CITY (Oct. 26) — Acting Mayor Daniel Farinas through Administrative Order No.177, ordered the inspection and immediate removal of obstructions in all national and city roads. Read the rest of this entry →

Cordillera this week: 28 Oct. 2007

October 29, 2007 in Cordillera, general

Government assets up for sale

Baguio City (Oct. 26) — The Department of Finance identified P80 billion worth of assets up for disposition next year, preparing to compensate for any slips in tax collection that would threaten its balanced budget goal.

BSU, AILA launch TESOL course

La Trinidad, Benguet (Oct. 26) — Last week the Benguet State University launched its full international course as it is now formally accredited to teach English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) . Read the rest of this entry →

NL at a glance: 28 Oct. 2007

October 29, 2007 in general, NL general

30 cops to augment forces in upland Ilocos Sur

BANTAY, Ilocos Sur (Oct. 25) — A 30–man police team from the Ilocos region were deployed to the 12 upland towns in the province for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on October 29.

Ilocos Sur Police Director Senior Superintendent Virgilio G. Fabros identified the 12 upland towns as Nagbukel, Burgos, Banayoyo, Lidlidda, San Emilio, Quirino, Cervantes, Del Pilar, Suyo, Alilem, Sugpon and Salcedo. # Freddie G. Lazaro/PIA Ilocos Sur

65 punong barangays in La Union unopposed

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (Oct. 26) — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) La Union Provincial Office reported that 65 out of the 576 punong barangays (barangay captains) in the province remain unopposed in the forthcoming synchronized Barangay and Sangguniaang Kabataan (SK) elections. Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial Cartoon: 28 Oct. 2007

October 29, 2007 in general

Editorial: Honor among thieves

October 29, 2007 in editorials, general, opinion

That Thursday evening, while the Filipino TV-viewing public watched Acting Executive Secretary Ignacio Bunye read the text of the proclamation granting executive clemency to deposed Pres. Joseph Estrada, we could not help but notice the numerous WHEREAS clauses that tried to explain, verbosely, why GMA decided to pardon Erap. So many Whereas this and Whereas that.

We think all these legalistic “reasons” boil down to only one: “Whereas we believe in the principle that there is honor among thieves…” Read the rest of this entry →

Advocate's Overview: Of ghosts and All Saints Day

October 29, 2007 in columns, general, opinion

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW

Ghost stories are popular nowadays. Why not? A few more nights, it is already All Saints Day.

Baguio City has several ghost stories to tell. The white lady. The priests at Dominican Hill. The cries heard at midnight at the formerly Hyatt Hotel. And many more. Read the rest of this entry →

Brutally Frank: Mockery of justice, public office!

October 29, 2007 in columns, general, opinion

By MARY ANN MANJA BAYANG

Gloria Arroyo has granted executive clemency to Joseph Estrada! Preposterous! Estrada was ousted from office because of allegations of bribery, plunder and corruption while occupying the highest public office of the land. Arroyo was catapulted to the presidency and took over the seat of Estrada. Under Arroyo’s administration, Estrada was aggressively prosecuted. He gets so many favors while on house arrest but was nevertheless convicted of the crimes he committed.

Comes now Arroyo granting absolute pardon to a deposed president found guilty of plunder. The crime of plunder is committed only by public officials, by himself or in connivance with members of his family, relatives, business associates, or subordinates by amassing, accumulating or acquiring ill-gotten wealth through a combination or series of overt criminal acts in an amount of at least fifty million pesos. Read the rest of this entry →

Economics and Society 101: Cordillera remains without regional autonomy

October 29, 2007 in Uncategorized

By ARTURO BOQUIREN

I should be focusing on peasant issues by now because October is not only indigenous peoples month but also peasant or farmers month. Hopefully, I could do a write-up on the situation of farmers next week.

I will be happy to be wrong, but the current efforts of the National Economic Development Authority-Cordillera Administrative Region to resurrect debates on regional autonomy appear conspiratorial than transparent. Yet, the NEDA-CAR self-dubs her exercises as “scientific.” Read the rest of this entry →

From Under This Hat: Flowers are to celebrate life

October 29, 2007 in columns, general, opinion

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO

Coming Wednesday night is the western adopted traditional – Halloween Night, where costumes of the scariest monsters are donned by the children and those feeling-children and then they go around the neighborhood to “trick or treat” for goodies. Though we Igorots never did that, here in our city maybe some feeling American-families still do this in their homes.

Though in some communities, even here in these mountains, did or still do practice the kararua where each house prepare their favorite rice cakes and meat dishes for visitors who are welcome to come and warm-up relations and friendship. At this time, a privilege only allowed to the growing teen-eagers; the chicken-in-the-coop under the house is fair game to the neighborhood teenagers (usually only boys). Read the rest of this entry →

Statements: Stepping down is the moral thing to do

October 29, 2007 in general, opinion, statements

By Tongtongan Ti Umili
October 20, 2007

The people cannot forget and the people know the truth. Though propping itself with all the trimmings of political stability and economic growth, the Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo government is wracked by self-destructive scandals and activities that point to a morally bankrupt leadership.

Despite the first impeachment case that failed in Congress, the people will continue to ask GMA to come clean from all the accusations of a rigged presidency in 2004 involving her AFP Chief-of staff Gen. Hermogenes Esperon and then COMELEC Commissioner Garcillano as proven by the “hello Garci” tapes. Read the rest of this entry →