March | 2008 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Olympus mines violates IPRA — NCIP

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, general, land rights, mining

Baay-Licuan folk steps up mining protest

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 27) — Binongan indigenous communities in Baay-Licuan, Abra province stepped up their opposition to the operations of Canadian mining company Olympus Pacific Minerals.

Olympus was found to have violated the indigenous communities right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC), according to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP). Read the rest of this entry →

New arrest warrant out for Sadanga ABC prexy

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, criminality, general, human rights

15 years after the murder of Human Rights worker

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 27) — A Baguio City Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge issued anew a warrant for the arrest of an alleged killer of a human rights worker who was killed 15 years ago.

The accused allegedly evaded arrest due to his political connections and is even elected officer of the Mountain Province Association of Barangay Captains (ABC). Read the rest of this entry →

Fast nurse turnover noted in Benguet General Hospital

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, general

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (Mar. 27) — Fast turnover in the nursing staff of a government hospital here has been a common occurrence that hospital officials have anticipated it with mitigation measures.

“Once a nurse goes on frequent leaves, we know he or she is already preparing to work abroad so we anticipate the eventual resignation that we start scouting for replacements,” Benguet General Hospital (BeGH) Chief Nurse Virginia Saguidec told the press in the regular Kapihan sa Benguet, which featured the said government hospital.

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Baguio dads oppose proposed commercial hub

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 28) — City councilors here are opposing a proposal to construct a commercial building over the forested lot between the Baguio City Convention Center and the Court of Appeals.

According to the proposed resolution submitted by Councilor Richard Cariño, SM Invesrment Corporation (SMIC) has plans to construct a commercial building over the said site owned by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

LAST PINE STAND. These 30 year-old pine trees at the Baguio Convention Center premises are now threatened by the alleged proposal to erect a new commercial hub right on the site. SM Investment Corporation has reportedly been allowed by the Government Service Insurance System to build the structure. Photo by Cye Reyes/NORDIS
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Baguio mayor seeks rice price watch

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general, prices

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 28) — Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. Friday said he would ask the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office here to strictly monitor the prices of rice in the city to guard against profiteering, hoarding and other illegal practices that may arise due to the problem hounding the rice industry.

Bautista also appealed to businessmen not to take advantage so as not to exacerbate the plight of consumers already burdened by the rising cost of rice. Read the rest of this entry →

Unfinished business in Didipio, NV

March 30, 2008 in Cagayan Valley, general, mining

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (Mar. 26) — The towel is not yet thrown in despite the Black Saturday violence that resulted in the shooting of a local resident who was fighting a mining company’s demolition crew.

Emilio Pumihic, an Ifugao small scale miner in Dinkidi Hill, refused to be cowed by a 200-strong demolition crew and about 100 security guards of the Australian Oceana Gold, which is trying to clear the way for large mining operations in Didipio. Read the rest of this entry →

BALITOK heads human rights training

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, general

Baay-Licuan, Abra (Mar. 16) – Despite the heavy presence of Philippine Army belonging from the Charlie Company of the 41st IB in the area, the human rights training sponsored by Baay-Licuan Takderan Omnu a Kalintegan (Balitok) was successfully conducted in Brgy. Mogao here from March 14-15 with at least 123 participants.

Participants left agricultural tasks and braved the ongoing propaganda of the Charlie Company against the sponsors and organizers, maliciously branding them as members of the New People’s Army. The commanding officer of the Charlie Company, 1st Lt. Jefferson Guway, was invited on the first day to clear their suspicions on the activity. Read the rest of this entry →

7 AFP troopers killed in NPA-AFP clashes in Abra

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, general, insurgency

41st IB intensifies clearing operations

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 29) — Seven army troopers of the 50th Infantry Brigade were reportedly killed while two were wounded in two separate clashes between the 50th IB and the Abra NPA command said Diego Wadagan of the Agustin Begnalen Command (ABC), the NPA command in Abra, in a statement sent to media yesterday.

The clashes occurred in separate areas in Tubo of the said province on March 21 where five army troopers of the 50th IB were killed while two troopers of the same IB were killed and another wounded in a clash on March 25, Wadagan said. No casualties were reported on the ABC side despite the bomb dropped by the said troop on March 24. Read the rest of this entry →

Kin cries foul over Ifugao police chief’s slay

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, criminality, general

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 26) — Kin of slain Aguinaldo Chief of Police Orlando B. Bandao cried foul over their brother’s untimely death two weeks ago, as they forwarded doubts a firefight happened between him and Lagawe Police Inspector Jimmy Pugong.

Virgie Bandao-Dammay told the press the family will file appropriate criminal and administrative charges against Pugong. The Bandao family pleaded for a speedy investigation and fair trial as they appealed to eye-witnesses to testify and shed light on the incident. Read the rest of this entry →

Ilocos Sur church leaders unite for truth and accountability

March 30, 2008 in general, Ilocos

STA. CRUZ, Ilocos Sur (Mar. 16) — Prayer is a powerful tool in our quest for truth, says an Ecumenical group in Ilocos Sur as they unite for truth and accountability amid the controversies that the Arroyo government is facing.

Tagged as “Nagkaykaysa a panagkararag para ti kinapudno ken kinatakneng,” more than 200 members of catholic and protestant denominations, led by the Ilocos Sur Ecumenical Movement (ISEM), gathered around the Parish of the Immaculate Conception, Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur on March 16 to call for truth and accountability in the government and support Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada in his exposé on the National Broadband Network (NBN) issue. Read the rest of this entry →

Student leaders decry harassment, fascism

March 30, 2008 in general, human rights, Ilocos

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (Mar. 28) — Student leaders of the University of Northern Philippines (UNP) have been experiencing continuous harassment from the university administration since it increased tuition and other fees last June 2007.

Ma. Criselda Diocena, editor-in-chief of The Tandem, official student publication of UNP, has been barred from entering the university premises, accused of being an “NPA scholar,” and constantly bad-mouthed by members of the administration, is now being coerced into dropping out from school. Diocena’s clearance slip which is needed for her to take the final examinations, is being held by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) causing her to miss exams. Read the rest of this entry →

Newborn’s head rolls in front of mother at BGH

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 27) — It may have been the best gift for young Baguio couple Bernabe and Amy Diaz on Easter Sunday– their baby girl Ayesa Bea Mae.

Their first born from three-time miscarriages in the past would have been a dream come true. But the world seemed to have forsaken them. Read the rest of this entry →

SLU student prexy clarifies walkway rift

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 26) — Saint Louis University (SLU) student council President Michael Karl Flores finally broke his silence on the covered walkway controversy as he traced earlier allegations of corruption hurled against him to campus politics.

In a long-awaited press conference, Flores, chair of SLU Kataas-taasang Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral (Supreme Student Council), likened what he termed his opponent’s tactics to that with what happened in a 2004 student rift where the chair was reportedly forced to resign and was eventually replaced by the vice-chair, who was from the opponent party. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio Centennial Independent Film festival on

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 27) — As a prelude to the centennial celebrations of Baguio and in support to the city’s promotional campaign as a center for culture and the arts, ground works are being laid for a digital film festival for independent filmmakers.

Art Tibaldo, a media specialist and television segment producer volunteered to spearhead said film fest in coordination with the programs committee of the Baguio Centennial Commission. Read the rest of this entry →

Restoration preps Teacher’s Camp centennial

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (Mar. 27) — With its beginning pinned on April 06, 1908 when 150 American teachers arrived on the ship Thomas and pitched their tents in Orengao (its original name), the Teachers Camp is now undergoing preservation and renovation work-up.

Caretakers of the Camp hope this reconstruction project will conclude in time for its Centennial celebration slated for a soft-opening ceremony on April 6 where they hope to have President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as guest of honor. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio roundup: 30 March 2008

March 30, 2008 in Baguio City, general

Number coding suspended

BAGUIO CITY Mar. 27)— Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr. last week approved Administrative Order 39 exempting private vehicles from the traffic number coding scheme from April 1 to May 30.

The suspension shall provide local and foreign tourists, for two months, “a comfortable and stress-free journey” to main attractions of the city, in the comfort of their personal vehicles. Read the rest of this entry →

Cordillera this week: 30 march 2008

March 30, 2008 in Cordillera, general

Ifugao creates Magat Task Force

LAGAWE, Ifugao (Mar. 28) — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan here passed a resolution creating the Ifugao Magat Provincial Task Force.

Vice Governor Nora Dinamling explained that with the creation of the task force, the provincial government hopes that it will usher in the immediate resolution of the boundary dispute so as to protect and preserve the rights of the province and its people over the taxes and other benefits that have been long due them. Read the rest of this entry →

NL at a glance: 30 march 2008

March 30, 2008 in Cagayan Valley, general

Breeders developing heat-resistant rice

TUGUEGARAO CITY (Mar. 28) — The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-Philrice) is developing a heat-resistant rice variety that can withstand higher temperature arising from climate change and still gives a satisfactory yield of four to five metric tons (MT) per hectare.

Norvie L. Manigbas, chief science research specialist at Philrice’s plant breeding and biotechnology division, said breeders’ objective is to find varieties that can grow well beyond 35 degrees centigrade while the optimal temperature for rice growing in the Philippines is between a much lower 20 to 35 degrees. Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial Cartoon: 30 March 2008

March 30, 2008 in editorials, general, opinion

Editorial: Hiding behind the skirts of Mother

March 30, 2008 in editorials, general, opinion

When a kid is shy, feels threatened or scared, it is more than usual that the kid would hide behind his mother’s skirts.

It is turning out like the government-announced threat of a rice crisis was to justify the increase of the price of the staple and draw interest to the chaos expensive rice can create, and draw away focus on the ZTE-NBN corruption case. Read the rest of this entry →