BAGUIO CITY ― “Hindi ako masaya sa desisiyon ng Civil Service Commission (CSC) sa hatol kay Wilgetcortez Godoy…may kuwestiyon sa desisyon,” ani Sofia Bermudez, sa isang press conference ng Innabuyog-Gabriela nitong Huwebes.

Noong Enero 12, 2007 ay binagsakan ng upuan ni Godoy ang katrabaho niyang si Bemudez. Tinangka rin ni Godoy na bagsakan ng typewriter si Bermudez pero hindi natuloy dahil pinigilan din ng isa pa nilang katrabaho. Kapwa sila empleyado ng Department of Education (DepEd) sa Cordillera. Read the rest of this entry →

BAGUIO CITY ― The National Statistics Office (NSO) reported the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has over 1.5 million population based on the latest population census conducted last year.

This was the highlight of the 2007 Census of Population presented by NSO Director Olivia G. Gulla during the Regional Data Users Forum held September 5 at the Prince Plaza Hotel here. Read the rest of this entry →

Part of Bontoc-Tabuk road dev’t proj completed

TABUK CITY, Kalinga—After a year of work, the phase of the Bontoc-Tabuk road development project funded in 2007 is reported completed by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Based on the July 31 DPWH report, 4.03 kilometers of concreting work and 2.5 kilometers of road widening were completed out of the 29.51 kilometers Bontoc-Tinglayan portion, which composes section 1 of the entire Bontoc- Lubuagan- Tabuk road project. The completed portion cost P112 million.

Section 2 of the project, which starts from Tinglayan-Tabuk stretching 78.52 kilometers has 11.019 kilometers of concrete and 1.9 kilometers road widening and cost P229 million.

This road facility when completed would open transport access to highland regions. # L.Lopez/PIA-Kalinga

Provincial Sustainable Office leads Signature Campaign for RH Bill

LAGAWE, Ifugao—The Provincial Sustainable Development Division Office, also the Provincial Population Office here is spearheading the campaign supporting the passage of the Reproductive Health bill to prevent maternal and child deaths.

“We are alarmed with the deaths of women due to complications of pregnancies and infants or children dying due to different kinds of sickness,” the document stated.

The document also states that an alarming number of teenagers engage in premarital sex which results to teenage pregnancies and early marriages.

Because of the limited knowledge of the RH, the signatories claim that many mothers and children die and teenagers are prone to early marriages and unmanaged sexual activities.

On the other hand, the Catholic mission in the 11 mission stations here also staged a signature campaign against the passage of the RH bill.

“The life of every person is a gift from God which cannot be taken away by anybody else,” said Fr. Sammy Maximo, the Rector of the Kiangan Mission Station. # Vency D. Bulayungan/PIA-Ifugao

DTI advocates consumer rights to schools

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is now infusing consumer rights concepts among school children and students through the conduct of poster making contest and quiz bee for elementary and high school levels respectively participated both by public and private schools.

The competition is in line with the observation of Consumer Welfare Awareness Month and has the theme: “Leading the Consumers Towards Efficient Lighting for a Brighter Future.”

In Benguet, poster-making and quiz bee competitions will be held simultaneously on October 2 at the Provincial Capitol while in Baguio City on October 20, 2008.

Gawisan said the younger age brackets, which comprise the majority of the population are actively involved in organizations, by word of mouth they could greatly help in disseminating consumer rights. # S.C.Aro/PIA-Benguet

Tuba folk want Twin Peaks forest

TUBA, Benguet―The town council here recently endorsed the people’s clamor for the Department of environment and Natural Resources to transfer of the rights to a communal forest to Tuba, Benguet from the original Rosario, La Union.

In a council resolution the councilors passed on August 5, they cited the growing population in Barangay Twin Peaks as causing the improvement, cultivation and occupation of some portions of the said communal forest.

Benguet provincial board received Tuba Resolution 159-2008, which endorsed the town’s environment and natural resources office’s request for the said transfer. # Lyn V. Ramo

CSC declares September as Dev’t Policy Research Month

BAGUIO CITY―The Civil Service Commission, in its Announcement No. 40, s. 2008 dated September 16, 2008 announced the commemoration of the 6th Development Policy Research Month in September 2008.

Presidential Proclamation No. 247 dated September 2, 2002 declared the month of September every year as Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) to provide a means of promoting and drawing nationwide awareness on the importance of policy research in national development.

This year’s event with a theme “Managing the Development Impact of International Migration” highlights the significant role of international migration and the need to link the study of international migration to the country’s development process, is being spearheaded by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).

To ensure its success, all agencies of the government are enjoined to actively participate in the various activities. # CSC-CAR/PALD Release

BIR-CAR honors top taxpayers

BAGUIO CITY ― The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR-CAR) last week awarded certificate of recognition to the top taxpayers in the Cordillera Region.

The top taxpayers for 2007 that were honored are Thunder Construction of Bangued Abra represented by Alexander Baroña; Moog Controls Corporation of Baguio City, HEDCOR Inc of La Trinidad; Benguet, Rural Bank of Bontoc Mountain Province represented by Edith Chaokas; Peter Omongan for PBO Construction of Tabuk City Kalinga, and Wangjo Construction of Lagawe Ifugao.

BIR-CAR also gave certificates of recognition to various barangay units for their valuable support to BIR’s tax information dissemination. The office also recognized its outstanding employees, headed by Revenue District Officer Douglas Rufino, for their valuable assistance to the bureau’s various tax programs.

In his welcome remarks, BIR Regional Director Norberto D. Vitug stressed that tax awareness in communities leads to an increase in collection, though he also admitted that it would be a surmountable task for their office to reach their goal or target of P3.619 billion, as he cited that from January to August of this year their total collection is only P1.92 Billion. # BIR-CAR Release