May | 2008 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Women's Front: Goodbye to our modern-day hero, Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran

May 26, 2008 in columns, general, national, opinion

By INNABUYOG-GABRIELA

Today, we mourn the loss of a hero. Crispin Beltran, or “Ka Bel” as he was known by the Filipinos. He passed away on May 20, 2008, after a fatal fall while trying to prepare his house for the rainy season.

The Philippines was blessed by this living hero for many years. Pickets, dialogues, strikes and demonstrations were strengthened by his mere presence, his faith and courage. He battled many trials in his life as he to the yoke with the Filipino masses against oppression poverty, government corruption. Read the rest of this entry →

Sagawisiw: 25 May 2008

May 26, 2008 in general

By TITO SANQUI

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Burburtia Krokis: 25 May 2008 (Puzzle)

May 26, 2008 in general

By ART B. BELISARIO

ACROSS
1 pinakamataas na bundok sa Pilipinas
3 masugid na tagahanga (Eng)
6 palayaw ni Oscar
9 ekspresyon na patanong (Tag)
10 propesyunal sa larangan ng batas (Sp Pil) Read the rest of this entry →

Burburtia Krokis: 4 May 2008 (Solution)

May 26, 2008 in general

By ART B. BELISARIO

Getting Lost: Oceans of bliss

May 26, 2008 in general

By CHEN REYES-MENCIAS

Have you fantasized of being an astronaut hopping on the surface of the moon? Can you imagine the thrill of being in another world and feeling honored you are one of the privileged few to actually experience that environment? How would you like to feel that way and not even leave planet earth?

Inner Space

2008 is the Year of the Reef and all over the planet people are celebrating the blissful wonders of the underwater world. For 13 years, I have been teaching people how to dive and I have been ushering new recruits from young professionals, parents, families, and even a few who started out being anxious in the water. They all have one thing in common. They are all adventurers who were not afraid to explore something new and the exuberance of discovery.

SHALLOW HAVENS. In some places in the Philippines inter tidal zones become havens for coral species resilient to the extreme conditions.These shallow reef areas have great potentials for snorkeling activities. Photo courtesy of Chen Reyes-Mencias
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Makan a la Pinoy: Kare-kare

May 26, 2008 in food, general

Ni BRENDA S. DACPANO

Maikapamitlon daytoy a dawat dagiti gagayyem ngem ita laeng a nasapar ko a suraten. Nakaugalian mi ngamin ditoy Nordis a no ania ti mai-feature a makan ket masapul a lutuen tapno adda maritrato. Medyo natrabaho ngamin daytoy no homemade ti sauce na. Nalaka met ket di a lutuen nangruna ita a panawen nga adun ti magatang nga instant a pangtimpla.

Ti kare-kare ket putahe manipud iti Pampanga. Ngem segun kadagiti dadduma a mabasbasa ken iti panagsukisok ko iti internet, ti kare-kare ket impluwensya ti putahe nga adda curry na manipud kadagiti Indians (iti India) nga immay ditoy Pilipinas. Umasping met laeng iti gado-gado a luto dagiti Indonesians. Agpada a kangrunaan a ramen ket nateng ngem ti nateng ti gado-gado ket repolyo, green beans, cauliflower, kdpy. Read the rest of this entry →

Military tags churchmen as NPA members

May 21, 2008 in Cordillera, general, human rights

BAGUIO CITY (May 12) — Even the church is not safe from the recent military occupation at the tri-boundary of Abra, Mountain Province and Ilocos Sur provinces.

In a press conference of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance at the Cordillera Peoples Alliance office, two churchmen professed they were allegedly tagged by the military as members of the New People’s Army (NPA). Read the rest of this entry →

Ifugao town vice-mayor snaps at 2 Baguio media

May 21, 2008 in Cordillera, general, human rights, media

BAGUIO CITY (May 16) — Still trembling telling her harrowing experience from a supposedly dangerous situation while covering a festival in Ifugao province, Malaya correspondent Ma. Elena Catajan vowed for justice as she claimed she and her photographer colleague Redjie Cawis were “snapped at” by Alfonso Lista town vice mayor Clarence Polig, even to the point that guns were reportedly drawn.

Catajan and Cawis went to Alfonso Lista together with Department of Tourism-Cordillera regional director Purificacion Molintas on May 10 to cover the town’s festival. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio mayor defends one-way traffic scheme

May 21, 2008 in Baguio City, general, transport

BAGUIO CITY (May 15) — Despite the heavy traffic that Baguio City is experiencing, Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr, said that the one-way traffic scheme along Upper Session Road and its side streets is effective.

“The summer vacation brought in a lot of tourists to the city, which caused heavy traffic,” said Bautista adding that this one-way traffic scheme was aimed to divert traffic to other areas, like Marcoville.

Read the rest of this entry →

Congress to look into Oceana Gold-N. Vizcaya officers dispute

May 21, 2008 in Cagayan Valley, general, land rights, mining

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (May 12) — An environmental activist group lauded the congressional inquiry conducted yesterday by the Committee on National Cultural Communities into the reported encroachment of the Australia-owned mining firm Oxiana Philippines-RoyalCo and New Zealand-owned Oceana Gold into indigenous peoples’ territories here.

The Congressional Committee on National Cultural Communities decided to hold an on-site investigation in mining affected areas in Nueva Vizcaya in the next few weeks. Read the rest of this entry →

Solon calls for bigger agricultural budget

May 21, 2008 in agriculture, budget, Cordillera, general, national

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (May 16) — The House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture chair Abraham Mitra during the committee’s regional consultation here said that the budget for the agriculture sector should be increased and that it should even be larger than the military’s.

“The agriculture sector should be second to education in terms of budget allocation and should have a higher budget than the military,” said Mitra adding that he will push for this in congress on the 2009 budget deliberations. Read the rest of this entry →

UNP sues student publication editor-in-chief

May 21, 2008 in education, general, Ilocos, media, youth

VIGAN CITY (May 14) — The University of Northern Philippines (UNP) administration filed a criminal complaint for theft before the City Prosecutor’s Office here against one of its student leaders.

Docketed as I.S. Number 08-049, UNP alleged that in January 11, 2008, their student stole the computer central processing unit (CPU) of Tandem, its official student paper from the locked and the barricaded publication office. Read the rest of this entry →

Abra files cases with GRP-NDFP joint monitoring committee

May 21, 2008 in Cordillera, general, human rights

Bombings reminiscent of Beew massacre

BAGUIO CITY (May 13) – Elders of Tubo, Abra announced in an interview that they will file cases of human rights violation with the joint monitoring committee of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).

The violations inflicted on their villages in the month long militarization under the 50th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army that reminded them of a nightmare in the 1980s when the nearby village of Beew was transformed into a no man’s land after government troops burned houses, killed a pregnant woman, and committed various human rights violations.

BIG SHELL. A Pananuman resident disclosed that mortar and cannon shells are big enough for a boy’s foot. Community folk estimated the craters to be as deep as 1.5 to 3 meters, created by bombs dropped in their domain. Photo by Lyn V. Ramo/NORDIS
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Baguio dads invite GSIS, SM, DENR execs on Baguio Convention Center lot

May 21, 2008 in Baguio City, general, land rights

BAGUIO CITY (May 16) — The city council has invited to its regular session tomorrow (Monday) personalities from key institutions involved in the alleged plan to construct a commercial structure at the remaining forested lot within the Baguio Convention Center reservation.

Invited to shed light on the issue were representatives from the Government Service Insurance System, the Shoemart Investments Corporation, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Registry of Deeds. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio slaughterhouse wastes pollute Balili River

May 21, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (May 16)– City veterinarian Brigit Piok Monday suggested three ways to tackle the waste problem at the city slaughterhouse which was reported as one of the causes of pollution of the Balili River.

Piok, who attended the city council session to shed light on the abattoir’s waste situation, admitted that the slaughterhouse may be contributing to the river’s pollution because its septic tank cannot hold all the liquid wastes coming from the animal corrals within the area. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio bids for Ad Congress 2009

May 21, 2008 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY (May 15) — The local government considers the possibility that the Ad Congress 2009 could be a part of Baguio City’s Centennial Celebration. The city government and the City Tourism Office will be bidding against other cities during the Ad Board meeting in Makati City.

The Ad Congress is the number one showcase of the advertising industry in the country. Read the rest of this entry →

MJ sisters slip MP checkpoint

May 21, 2008 in Cordillera, criminality, general

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (May 15) — Two lady drug traders who slipped into a checkpoint in Mountain Province are now being hunted by anti-narcotics agents.

Rosa and Unchangay Macabio, sisters from upland Betwagan barangay in Sadanga town, were enroute to Baguio City with at least 27 kilos of dried marijuana leaves in brick form on May 4. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio Roundup: 18 May 2008

May 21, 2008 in Baguio City, general

“No to Bingo, STL, and Bingoteng; Casino yes, but…” – Mayor

BAGUIO CITY (May 16) — Mayor Reinaldo Bautista, Jr. last week reiterated his stand against all forms of gambling highlighted by a recent closure order against a barangay “bingo fund-raiser.”

In tow with an earlier City Council decision sending jueteng’s legal derivative – the Small Town Lottery (STL) – to the gallows, Bautista said there is no chance STL can be hard-pressed in the limelight.

He likewise accented apparent skimming of the “Bingo sa Barangay” in the foreground and declared he “will not allow” test runs of the Association of Barangay Councils’ (ABC) innovative yet controversial fund-raiser.

Punning alleged establishment of casinos in the city sparked by the construction of two new hotels along Legarda and Kisad Roads he said, “I would consider casinos in the city provided they can employ 5,000-10,000 Baguio locals.” # Isagani S. Liporada/PIO

Balik Probinsya program sends 8 families home

BAGUIO CITY (May 15) — In line with the government’s program called “balik probinsya,” Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. has sent home eight families and 18 individuals to their hometowns.

Most of these families came from Irisan dumpsite. Read the rest of this entry →

Cordillera This Week: 18 May 2008

May 21, 2008 in Cordillera, general

PNRC Benguet assures safety of its blood bank

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (May 16) — The Philippine National Red Cross Benguet Chapter assured the public on the safety of its blood banking following the upgrading of its facilities.

PNRC Benguet Chapter Administrator Oscar Paris said the upgraded facility could already detect immediately infected blood from sexually transmitted diseases such as Hepatitis B and C, HIV 1 and 2 and other contagious diseases.

PNRC Benguet Chapter Medical Technologist Veron Tactay said if the blood extracted is found out to be positive, it is sent to Manila for confirmation.

Paris revealed that the chapter is working within the standards set by the Department of Health aside from it being regularly monitored.

To qualify as a blood donor one must be 18 years old and above, must weigh 50 kilograms and above and has a blood pressure within the normal range. The donor should not have a history in heart disease, diabetes, no tattoo within the year, no dental extraction, and must have a normal hemoglobin count. # S.C. Aro/PIA-Benguet

DTI – Kal warns of high-bromate flour

TABUK CITY, Kalinga (May 16) — The provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here alerted bakery operators of the possible entry to the province of unlabelled flour, found out to have high content of potassium-bromate.

Bromate is a substance mixed in flour as puffing agent on baked products like bread and is harmful to humans. Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial Cartoon: 18 May 2008

May 21, 2008 in editorials, general, opinion