January | 2009 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

GMA named in Balao abduction

January 25, 2009 in Cordillera, general, human rights

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — In a bold decision promulgated Monday, the Regional Trial Court-Branch 63 here found President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and ten others responsible in the abduction and continued disappearance of activist James Balao.

RTC Judge Benigno M. Galacgac also named with Arroyo Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander Yano, PNP Chief Jesus Versoza, Brig. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, P/Dir. Edgardo Doromal, Maj. Gen. Isagani Cachuela and Cordillera Police Senior Superintendent Eugene Martin. Read the rest of this entry →

Bid to decriminalize sidewalk vending aired (2/2)

January 25, 2009 in Baguio City, employment, general, law

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW

Second of two parts (click here for the first part)

BAGUIO CITY – Vendors interviewed claim that the anti-vending policy remains in place while the city has yet to identify areas for vending.

ANTI-VENDING POLICY. Sidewalk vendors bid the city council to review its seven-year old anti-vending ordinance to help them continue selling. It is their only source of livelihood. Nordis file photo

“Still we do not know our fate if we are among the duly registered vendors or those the city plan to register,” said vendor Mendoza. Politicians promise to address these problems during election time but fail to act on it when elected. Read the rest of this entry →

Vendors bite the bullet

January 25, 2009 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY — The number of sidewalk vendors in this city swells to 7,000 during peak seasons. This even grow bigger in times of the Panagbenga Flower Festival and the Lenten season, when tourism arrivals also swell in tens of thousands.

The vendors do not only face threat to their right to earn a decent living for their families. They also are in constant need of cash to use as capital for their trade. Read the rest of this entry →

Filipinos coping with stressful realities

January 25, 2009 in general, national

BAGUIO CITY — Psychiatrists admit access to mental health care is one huge problem for most Filipinos, although they see that people tend to have coping mechanisms against the stressful realities in Philippine society today.

As a trend, when confronted with “problems,” Filipinos opt for the lighter side, they go to videoke (sing-along) bars, watch TV/movie or indulge in tsismis (gossip). Some resort to vices like alcohol or substance abuse, according to a psychiatrist attending the 35th Annual Convention of the Philippine Psychiatric Association (PPA) at the CAP John Hay here. Read the rest of this entry →

Talks on SONA projects set

January 25, 2009 in Cordillera, general, public works

BAGUIO CITY — The regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) here, will convene in Bontoc, Mountain Province on Thursday a multi-stakeholder dialog to discuss the various issues and concerns pertaining to the State of the Nation Address (SONA) projects.

OIC-Regional Director Roy Manao, during the ceremonial turn-over of stewardship of DPWH-CAR Monday disclosed to media that the priority of his office is the completion of the SONA projects by the end of 2009 or by first quarter of 2010. “Complete all the SONA as scheduled,” he retorted lightly when asked his first order of the day. Read the rest of this entry →

Roxas hits GMA global financial crisis policy

January 25, 2009 in general, national

Mar Roxas hits GMA global fin’l crisis policy

BAGUIO CITY — “Katangahan nang may paparating na bagyo ay hindi pa tayo maghahanda,” (It is stupid for us not to brace ourselves against an upcoming storm) says Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas of the government’s wait-and-see policy on the global financial crisis.

When Roxas addressed the Liberal party here Friday noon just before its meeting at a downtown restaurant, he asked them to “keep the flame burning” because the destiny of the nation depends on how the people decide on it. Read the rest of this entry →

Roads, park to close for Panagbenga

January 25, 2009 in Baguio City, general, transport

BAGUIO CITY — City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. last week issued two Administrative Orders for the use of certain roads and parks for activities of the Baguio Flower Festival 2009.

In Administrative Order 9, Athletic Bowl, Melvin Jones Field and Grandstand shall be used for the opening parade and ceremonies on Feb. 1; Burnham Park and the lake shall be used for the “Promenade at the Lake,” Fluvial Parade on Feb. 14; Melvin Jones, for the “Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom,” activity on Feb. 22; and the Athletic Bowl for the Grand Street Parade and Ceremonies on Feb. 28. Read the rest of this entry →

2008 top Filipino-Chinese citizens known

January 25, 2009 in Cordillera, general, people

BAGUIO CITY — Outstanding citizens, as chosen by the Chinese New Year awards committee shall be honored during a dinner and awards night on Jan. 26 after the Grand Spring Festival parade.

The event finally caps the Chinese New Year celebrations, after the book launching, gift-giving and medical-dental missions, lecture, and fireworks display. Read the rest of this entry →

Stop gap measures up for displaced OFWs

January 25, 2009 in general, international

BAGUIO CITY — Different government agencies in the region aligned to implement stop-gap measures as a response to overseas Filipino workers displaced by the global financial crisis.

In a media forum at the Mountain Lodge, here Friday, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA)Carmelita S. Dimzon said her agency could not do it alone. She said the Cordillera-based agencies and local government units are the most responsive. Read the rest of this entry →

Model bamboo village to rise in Abra

January 25, 2009 in Cordillera, general

Model bamboo house village soon to rise in Abra

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Undersecretary Edgar Manda announced the building of a model bamboo house community in Pidigan, Abra, before the Cordillera Bamboo Development (CorBamDev) Council general assembly at the Benguet State University here.

The announcement came with the bamboo house-designing contest launched last year with the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) unveiling a 30 square-meter proto-type bamboo house. Read the rest of this entry →

Benguet calls for exemption of Cordi from EO366

January 25, 2009 in Cordillera, general, land rights

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Benguet provincial board through a resolution Monday requested President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Vice-president Noli de Castro, chairperson of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) to exempt Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) from the coverage of Executive Order 366 that specifies the rationalization of the Housing and Land-Use Regulatory Board- Cordillera Administrative Region (HLURB- CAR).

Leandro B. Yangot Jr., public relations officer of the Chamber of Real Estate and Builders Association (CREBA), presented to the provincial board as an appeal, Monday, that if this executive order will be implemented, the region will be merged with Regions I and Region II in terms of housing and land-use concerns. This also means the transferring of the HLURB somewhere in either region and should be effective on February 9 this year. Read the rest of this entry →

Irisan dumpsite rehab still undecided

January 25, 2009 in Baguio City, general

BAGUIO CITY — The city council has yet to decide on which contractor to entrust the rehabilitation and final closure of the Irisan dumpsite.

There are three interested bidders who offer their services and technology for the city’s utilization. These are the Rajce Construction, Full Advantage (Phils.) International, Inc. and Ace Technologies, Holding and Development Corporation. Read the rest of this entry →

Beneco clarifies issues with city council

January 25, 2009 in Baguio City, energy, general

BAGUIO CITY — Benguet Electric Cooperative (Beneco) clarified its side of the issue regarding the requirements for electrical power connection and the street lights concern in a press conference held at its office Wednesday.

On the issue of the application for electric current in residences and establishments here in Baguio City, according to General Manager Gerardo Verzosa, Beneco requires applicants to provide the Certificate of Final Electrical Inspection (CFEI) and an electrical permit. This is to ensure that electric current installation is safe and would not hold Beneco liable to any damage caused by poor electrical operations. Read the rest of this entry →

Ambassador Kenny stays

January 25, 2009 in general, national

BAGUIO CITY — US Ambassador Christie Kenny continues to be the highest US official in the Philippines, even with the inauguration of Pres. Barack Obama Wednesday.

Kenny clarified during her December media forum at the Ambassador’s Residence at Camp John Hay here, her position is a career position and is not co-terminus with the US presidency. Read the rest of this entry →

Puno ouster part of Cha-cha gameplan

January 25, 2009 in Baguio City, general, national, politics

BAGUIO CITY — The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) with its Baguio-Benguet chapter slammed moves to impeach Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, saying that it may yet be another part of the Arroyo administration’s game plan for charter change.

Presently, 12 out of 15 SC justices are appointed by Malacañang. Seven justices are set to retire this year, with the High Court awaiting impending appointments. Read the rest of this entry →

Editorial Cartoon: 25 Jan. 2009

January 25, 2009 in editorials, general, opinion

Editorial: The change that we need

January 25, 2009 in editorials, general, opinion

As the dust settles and the euphoria of the historic Obama inauguration ends, people all over the world are keenly watching what the next moves would be of the first black American President who won the presidency on the promise to deliver change.

Such high expectations cannot be avoided because the global influence of America is so far-reaching that policies issued from the White House, even if intended for their own domestic affairs, impact on the lives and fortunes of people outside the American borders. Read the rest of this entry →

Advocate's Overview: UN must investigate war crimes in Gaza

January 25, 2009 in columns, general, opinion

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW

The 23-day war of aggression by Israel against the Palestinian in Gaza has led to the loss of lives and properties. The death toll was put to 1,300 where almost half of them were civilians. More than 4,500 were wounded, reported Gaza health officials.

Filipino women who got married to Palestinian, who came home lately, claimed on media how that war did not spare civilians. These are first-hand information from persons who actually experience the horrible war. Again the war, which started on December 27 and temporary halted on January 18, showed how civilians were as usual the victims of war. Read the rest of this entry →

From Under This Hat: The 1st NL Character Confab

January 25, 2009 in columns, general, opinion

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO

(Sheila May M. Martinez guest writes from under her hat this week — Ed)

“Good governance is good politics”, said Guest Speaker Hon. Gov. Mary Gracia Cielo M. Padaca on the 1st Northern Luzon Character Conference held here in Baguio at the Pines View Hotel, guided by the theme “Character Builds a Nation”.

This Character Conference aimed to gather politicians to discuss how to achieve good governance thru character building. It was a two day conference that gathered politicians, the academe and other local personalities. Invited speakers shared their experiences they believe built their person to be able to open the minds of other people. On the last day, Governor Padaca is the one who is chosen to be the guest speaker due to her exemplary character as a politician. The speakers shared their experiences to be able to open the minds of other people. Read the rest of this entry →

Pokus: Of bomb threats and drug tests

January 25, 2009 in general, opinion

By SHIELA MAY MARTINEZ

Nordis asked several students on their views regarding two burning issues on and off campus. Here are some of their responses:

On bomb threats

Eddel of UP. Feeling ko may nanloloko. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang intention nila pero I’m sure hindi maganda. Hindi siya nakakatuwa, actually nakakinis. Kahapon, sarado ang Porta dahil sa bomb threat eh may kailangan ako ipaayos dun tapos wala naman pala.

Kristina of UP. It’s alarming. What’s the reason for the increasing bomb threats? I think it’s because of the upcoming Panagbenga. Read the rest of this entry →