April | 2009 | Northern Dispatch (nordis) Weekly

Cordillera Day gatherings attended by 5,000 in five places

April 26, 2009 in Cordillera, general

By BRENDA S. DACPANO and ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

SAGADA, Mt. Province – Cordillera Day was successfully held throughout the Cordillera region on April 23-25, with organizations from various sectors gathering in five different places.

In Mountain Province, delegations from various people’s organizations gathered in brgy. Ankileng, this municipality, as one of five simultaneous and decentralized celebrations of Cordillera Day. Read the rest of this entry →

Int’l league commends Cordi Day 09

April 26, 2009 in Cordillera, general, international

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Speaking in behalf of the International Coordinating Committee and all member-organizations of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), Chairperson Jose Ma. Sison conveyed warmest greetings of solidarity to the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) and to the broad masses of the people in the region in relation to the holding of the 25th Cordillera Day on April 23 and 24.

In the spirit of international anti-imperialist solidarity, Sison, who is also the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), said “ we solemnly commemorate with you the martyrdom of Ama Macliing Dulag who was murdered on the night of April 24, 1980 by the forces of imperialism and state terrorism for opposing the World Bank-financed Chico River Basin Hydroelectric Dam Project of the Marcos fascist dictatorship which sought to displace the indigenous peoples from their land, devastate their lives and culture and deliver the land, mineral, forest, water and other resources to foreign corporations and the local exploiting classes of big compradors and landlords.” Read the rest of this entry →

AFP troops fire at Mountain Province folk

April 26, 2009 in Cordillera, general, human rights

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BONTOC, Mountain Province — Residents here complained of indiscriminate firing by troopers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) during their operations against the New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas.

At around 11:00 A.M. of April 14, AFP troopers fired at four residents of Barangay Mainit, dentified only as Dinanas, Vicente, Duclan and Agpawan who were on their way to attend the wedding of one of their relatives in Abra and later to their small-scale mining (SSM) area. Read the rest of this entry →

Belgians protest political killings

April 26, 2009 in general, human rights, international

By LYN V. RAMO
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Belgians, part of the international solidarity network of the Cordillera peoples, Thursday staged a protest rally in front of the Philippine Embassy in Brussels to protest political killings.

In a solidarity statement sent the Cordillera Peoples Alliance for the 25th staging of the Cordillera Day, the New World-Sint Niklaas, Belgium said representatives of several non-government organizations (NGO’s), trade unions and the provincial government of East Flanders participated. Read the rest of this entry →

Baguio media say no to Right of Reply Bill

April 26, 2009 in Baguio City, general, media

By JUNAVIC OBISPO and LORIDALE SALARIOSA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Baguio-based members of the media spearheaded by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) wore black shirts last April 21, 2009 to dramatize their protest against the Right of Reply Bill.

Desiree Caluza, secretary general of NUJP-Baguio said they chose black to signify their mourning for members of the press who were killed in the line of duty and sustain the nationally coordinated protest against the Right of Reply Bill. Read the rest of this entry →

Dumpsite residents sue Baguio dads

April 26, 2009 in Baguio City, general

By ACE ALEGRE
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Affected residents in Irisan barangay, site of the five-hectare open dumpsite, are suing Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr., Administrator Peter Fianza and Environment Officer Romeo Concio for the continued dumping of Baguio’s garbage at the said dumpsite.

“Instead of averting more environmental and health disasters, these officials are the ones violating rights,” said the residents in their petition for injunction with temporary restraining order. Read the rest of this entry →

City of Pines adopts Earth Day

April 26, 2009 in Baguio City, environment, general

By CATHERINE NAZARRO CALUYA
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — In taking care of the environment, Baguio City observed Earth Day ’09, a worldwide annual event which aims to create awareness among city residents and push them into action for the earth’s protection.

This year’s Earth Day with the theme, “Lupa, Tubig Buhayin; Batas ay Tuparin,” dealt with serious issues about maintaining and balancing the ecological system. The decline of the environment is caused by the malpractice of mankind or public unawareness of the cosequences of a deteriorated ecology. Read the rest of this entry →

Progressive partylists move to disqualify Palparan

April 26, 2009 in general, national

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW and VINCENT MICHAEL L. BORNEO
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Progressive party lists and groups hail the Supreme Court decision to increase to 55 the number of party-lists of the marginalized in the House of Representatives. They, however, will move to disqualify Retired Army Major General Jovito Palparan as he does not deserve a seat in Congress due to his human rights records and does not represent a marginalized sector.

The Supreme Court came up with a decision Tuesday, April 21, which increased the present 22 party-lists to 55 under the formula that the party-lists will fill up the seats equivalent to 20 percent of the House as prescribed by the Constitution. This will leave the Panganiban formula which mandates that only those who acquired 2 percent of the party list vote will have a seat in the House. Read the rest of this entry →

Con-ass resolution now in Lower House

April 26, 2009 in general, national

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

MANILA — The bid for charter change (cha-cha) gained a favorable start as a resolution for a formation of a constituent assembly was submitted to the House of Representatives by Speaker Prospero Nograles on April 21.

The said resolution was drafted by Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Villafuerte seeking for a joint assembly of Senate and House of Representatives members voting proposals to change the present constitution. Barely a month earlier, the chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments La Union Rep. Luis Ortega said the con-ass resolution will be given attention and promised to rule on it during the resumption of Congressional sessions on April 13. Read the rest of this entry →

NL at a glance: 26 Apr. 2009

April 26, 2009 in general, NL general

www.nordis.net

Butanding rescued in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — A rare whale shark was rescued by local officials and residents in Buguey town, this province over the weekend.

In a telephone interview, Buguey Municipal Secretary Arthur Pagador said that the whale shark, about seven meters long and weighing about two tons was found entangled in a beach seine (daklis) along the shore of Barangay Centro West Saturday morning.

After an hour or so, the whale shark, also known as “butanding,” was freed and was able to swim towards the deeper portions of the sea.

“It is very fortunate that the fishermen made a move to save the animal instead of kill it,” Pagador said.

Sec. 97 of Republic Act 8550 and Fisheries Administrative Order 193 prohibits the catching of whale sharks and manta rays. Violation of the law carries six months to four years imprisonment as penalty.

Old folks in the coastal areas say that whale sharks used to abound in great quantities but indiscriminate fishing might drive them off. # PNA

Kins, happy over Viloria’s victory

NARVACAN, Ilocos Sur — Relatives of Filipino-American boxer Brian “Hawaiian Punch” Viloria expressed their utmost happiness when he the won the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Light Flyweight crown from his Mexican opponent.

Viloria knocked out Ulyssis Solis in the 11th round in their championship match at Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.

Rodel Viloria, Brian’s uncle, said he did not expect that his nephew would win the fight via knockout considering that Solis is also an excellent fighter.”

“However, when I saw the aggressiveness of Brian in the first round, I was relieved and, from then on, was confident that my nephew would win the fight. # PNA

Mild earthquake hits Northern Luzon

VIGAN CITY — A mild tremor of 3.9 magnitude rocked some parts of Northern Luzon at about 6:00 A.M. of Sunday.

A report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) stated that the earthquake did not create any damage whatsoever.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said that the earthquake of tectonic origin was felt most in Laoag City and Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte.

“This was a tectonic earthquake. This type of tremor did not create any damage on any building structures or properties because this is not strong,” he said.

The epicenter of the quake was 81 kilometers northeast of Laoag City.# PNA

Free surgical mission in Isabela

ILAGAN, Isabela — The Isabela Provincial Hospital (IPHO) and a surgeon group from Manila will conduct a free minor and major surgical operations at the Faustino L. Dy Provincial Hospital.

IPHO chief Glenn M. Baggao said the surgical operation will be held at the IPHO on May 13-17, 2009 jointly by the surgical team from Manila headed by Dr. Erwin Tan at the onset of the Isabela Day celebration.

The IPHO will shoulder the cost of medicines and surgical procedures through the provincial government funds.

Baggao said the activity is part of the Isabela Day celebration and a way of returning the blessings of the provincial government to Isabelinos.

Dr. Nelson Paguirigan, IPHO’s surgery section chief, said interested patients are advised to undergo pre-screening procedures or laboratory examinations starting this month before the operation.

The illnesses to be treated/operated would be ovarian/uterus cysts, cyst in kidney, gallbladder stones, and other minor and major cystic diseases.

Patients who will undergo surgical operations will be confined for three to four days at the IPHO.

About 50 patients are targeted to be operated on during the week-long mission. Priority will be given to indigent residents.

Would-be-patients are advised to bring indigency certification from the barangay. # PNA

Editorial: Correcting a mathematical flaw

April 26, 2009 in editorials, general, opinion

www.nordis.net

The Supreme Court’s en banc decision on the allocation of seats in the country’s partylist system is a historical marker on various counts.

First, the decision finally enabled partylist representatives to occupy the twenty percent seats in the Lower House allocated to them by the Constitution.

Second, by setting aside the two percent threshold for any partylist group to qualify for a seat, the Court has effectively broadened partylist representation in Congress giving smaller partylists bigger chances to land a seat. Read the rest of this entry →

Advocate's Overview: Earth Day and Cordillera Day

April 26, 2009 in columns, general, opinion

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

April 22 is Earth Day. Internationally, various activities are slated on this day, with a common call to save Mother Earth.

Environmentalists worldwide call on their governments to observe international instruments that aim at the protection of Mother Earth. Among the instruments were those that were forged as a result of the Earth Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in the early 1990’s.

Among the focus of the campaigns every Earth Day is the deteriorating forest cover. Deforestation has threatened the earth’s biodiversity, which will cause massive species decline and extinctions. Southeast Asia, for example, was declared in red alert due to the loss of its rich biodiversity. Read the rest of this entry →

Economics and Society 101: May 1 as Labor Day, worldwide and for the Philippines

April 26, 2009 in columns, general, opinion

By ARTHUR BOQUIREN
www.nordis.net

For Nordis, I first wrote in May 2008 a view on May 1st as the Labor Day for the Philippines and the world. Let me expand, this 2009, on what I have written in 2008.

The first May 1st rally in the Philippines is attributed to the militant Union Obrero Democratica de Filipinas (UODF) in 1903. The UODF became the new name of the federation after it was established as Union Obrero Democratica (UOD) in 1902. Read the rest of this entry →

Labor Watch: The history of Int’l Day of the working class

April 26, 2009 in columns, general, opinion

By ALDWIN G. QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

First of two parts

If the workers took a notion they could stop all speeding trains;
Every ship upon the ocean they ca tie with mighty chains.
Evry wheel in the creation, every mine and every mill;
Fleets and armies of the nation, will at their command stand still. — Joe Hill

May 1 is the International Worker’s Day or Labor day. To many people, it’s simply a holiday where there will be no work unless employers are willing to pay double their employee’s wage for that day. But to the working class, it is the most significant day of their ranks.

Every year, workers not only here in the Philippines but also in many countries commemorate Labor Day with rallies and political programs. The workers will air their issues and situations at work, and the strengthening of untiy and solidarity within their ranks as well as with other sectors and groups. Read the rest of this entry →

Statements: Grieving for Joecap

April 26, 2009 in general, opinion, statements

By NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES
www.nordis.net

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines grieves the loss of Press Secretary Jose “Joecap” Capadocia, our former chairman, who was among the eight passengers of the Bell 412 presidential helicopter that crashed in the mountains of Ifugao on April 6, 2009.

Joecap was a consummate newsman and a beloved colleague who always looked after the welfare of his fellow journalists.

He was elected chairman of the NUJP during the historic Subic congress of 2000, when the organization was striving mightily to bring its calling to full fruition after the passing of our founding chairman, Tony Nieva. Read the rest of this entry →

Weekly Reflections: Jesus Christ (2/3)

April 26, 2009 in columns, general, opinion

By REV. LUNA L. DINGAYAN
www.nordis.net

We believe in Jesus Christ, the God incarnate in human existence, who has identified Himself with the brokenness of humanity, who has been crucified due to human sinfulness, who has been crucified due to human sinfulness, who has been resurrected by the power of God and who will come again in glory. He is the ground of our hope and our true humanity, the promise of deliverance from sin and death, the power; the courage, and the strength to love.

Second of three parts (click to read the 1st part)

In the process of God’s redemption there is the crucifixion. The cross symbolizes the kind of humanity that God identified with. A humanity characterized by anxiety, hopelessness, meaninglessness, concupiscence, slothfulness, greed, and selfishness. It is a broken humanity. It is this kind of sinfulness that brought Jesus Christ our Lord to the cross. So that in the crucifixion the depth of God’s anger against the sinfulness of humanity was revealed.

Perhaps, there is nothing sadder to think than a sinless man dying for sinful men and women. There may be people who would like to die for the sake of the noble and the righteous. There may be people who would like to die for the sake of their friends and loved ones. But this is not the case with Jesus. Even in the midst of his suffering, still he said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). Read the rest of this entry →

Single mom raised 13 children, all professional

April 26, 2009 in general, people

By JOAHNA GOYAGOY
www.nordis.net

“God helps those who help themselves.”

While some mothers lose hope when they are not able to put their children to school, or when unable to provide them with enough food and material things. While on the other hand, many children hate their parents for not having granted them the “vices” of life. Reflecting on this mom‘s life example shows life is not always unfair, for as is said, God helps those who help themselves.

In the face of life’s uncertainties, the many constraints and challenges of having to raise 13 children all on her own she succeeded to send all her 13 children to school and now, they are all professionals in the career they chose. Read the rest of this entry →

Makan a la Pinoy: Bistek-sesame ken ensalada a parya-singkamas

April 26, 2009 in food, general

Ni BRENDA S. DACPANO
www.nordis.net

Ti inaldaw a panagluto ket exciting no adu ti maluto ken challenging met no bassit ti linaon ti refrigerator ngem adu ti pakanen.

Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano/nordis.net

Nagsukainak iti drawer-crisper ti refrigerator ket adda met dua pidaso a bunga ti parya a dadakkel, inaramid ko nga ensalada. Gapu ta kurang ti parya linaukak ti bagas ti singkamas. Mayat met nga ilaok ditoy ti pipino. No adda tarong a nagbubukel a green, mabalin met nga ilaok ditoy. Iwaen ti tarong iti naingpis santo iyuper iti danum ken bassit nga asin iti 20-30 minutes. Paik-ikan santo ilaok iti ensalada. Timplaan ti dressing na a vinaigrette. Read the rest of this entry →

Cordi welcomes newly-formed 2010 nationalist coalition

April 19, 2009 in elections, general, national

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Various groups in the Cordillera region welcomed the founding Thursday at UP Diliman in Quezon City of a nationalist political coalition which will field senatorial and local candidates for the 2010 election.

Called MAKABAYAN (or Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan), the founding of the coalition is considered timely. Its platform of governance tries to address the political and economic crises besetting the country. Read the rest of this entry →

P95/kilo ng tabako ipinanawagan

April 19, 2009 in agriculture, general, Ilocos

By ROD TAJON
www.nordis.net

VIGAN CITY — Isang grupo ng magsasaka sa Ilocos ang nanawagan na itaas ang presyo ng tabako sa P95 kada kilo batay sa kanilang ginawang pag-aaral sa gastos ng magsasaka sa produksyon ng tabako.

STOP Exploitation leaders present the issues concerning tobacco farmers during their dialogue with NTA officials at NTA-Vigan Branch. Photo courtesy of STOP Exploitation

Ayon sa Solidarity of Peasants against Exploitation (STOP Exploitation), isang panrehiyong organisasyon ng mga magsasaka sa rehiyon ng Ilocos, tinatayang P22,800 hanggang P23,000 ang kabuuang gastos ng magsasaka sa pagtatanim ng tabako sa kalahating ektarya ng lupain. Kasama sa mga gastusing ito ay ang abono, pestisidyo, pagpapatraktor, pagdidilig, pagtutusok ng tabako, paghahanda ng pugon, gasolina, pamasahe at iba pa para sa 108 na araw ng pagtatrabaho. Dagdag pa ng STOP Exploitation, tinatayang 900 kilo ang abereyds na dami ng produksyon at kabuuang gastos ng pamilya sa isang araw ay P582, makatarungan at sapat lamang na P95 ang kada kilo ng tabako. Read the rest of this entry →