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22 hurt as bus plunges into ravine
Vency D. Bulayungan/PIA

Kiangan, Ifugao — At least 22 passengers were reported injured after the bus they were riding on fell into a 26-meter ravine along the national highway in Barangay Hucab, Kiangan last Sunday. Kiangan Chief of Police Michael Bongtayon said the KMS Bus Lines bound for Banaue from Baguio City fell into the ravine at about 4:30 AM. Eight passengers sustained serious injuries and are being treated at the Ifugao Provincial Hospital. Fourteen others sustained slight physical injuries and were sent home after receiving initial treatment.

Police investigation showed that the driver identified as Milan Pitlongay, 29, from Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, was sleepy which caused the road accident, Bongtayon said. #

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Dengue cases in Kalinga start to drop
By Larry Lopez/PIA-Kalinga

Tabuk, Kalinga — Health authorities here have lifted dengue alert following the drop in the number of dengue cases in the last few weeks. Provincial Epidemics and Surveillance Unit (PESU) Officer Jose Pardito Jr, who leads the dengue monitoring team, said cases started to go down second week of August. He, however, advised the public against being complacent. Reported dengue cases in Kalinga reached its peak first week of August when the PESU monitoring team recorded 162 cases in one week.

The municipality of Tabuk has the highest reported number of cases with 676 followed by Pinukpuk with 60, Balbalan – 59, Tinglayan – 30, Pasil and Tanudan – 27, Rizal – 17 and Lubuagan – 14.

Pardito explained that there is a wider and more efficient monitoring done this year under the Integrated Reporting System of the Department of Health where all district hospitals and rural health units are required to monitor dengue cases while in the past were reports from the Provincial Hospital only. #

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Kalinga bans structures on road-right-of-way
By GG Dumallig/PIA

Tabuk City, Kalinga — To resolve the incessant squatting along the provincial road-right-of-way, Provincial Ordinance No. 2010-004 was passed. Known as the “Anti-Squatting on the Provincial Roads Right-of-Way,” the ordinance prohibits any private structure within the 60-meter road right-of-way of the provincial roads of the Province of Kalinga.”

Only the construction of waiting sheds is allowed provided it is according to legal specifications granted by the Office of the Provincial Governor through the Provincial Engineering Office (PEO). A committee shall be created to ensure that the ordinance is enforced.

Violation of the ordinance would mean six months to one year imprisonment and/or a fine ranging from P500 to P 1,000 or both will be imposed on the discretion of the court. Summary demolition of illegal structures will then be imposed after due process of law. #

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Pay parking at BeGH
By Kimberlie Olmaya Ngabit-Quitasol/nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The two parking spaces alongside the Benguet Genreal Hospital building will soon become a pay parking area after the Benguet Sangunian Panlalawigan finalize proposed provincial ordinance No. 10.

Parking fees shall be P20 for the first two hours or a fraction of it and an additional P10 for the succeeding hours. Provincial government and hospital vehicles shall be excempt. The parking space at the back of the hospital shall be designated for the free use of hospital and local government employees, patients and other hospital personnel. #

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25 infra projects for ratification
By Aldwin Quitasol/nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The approval for 25 proposed infrastructure projects in the province is on board and pending at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. On its second reading on September 20, the proposed resolution listed different projects for specified to different parts of Benguet. Copies of the proposed resolution were furnished to the offices of Provincial Governor Nestor B. Fongwan, the Provincial Engineer, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator, Provincial Treasurer, Provincial Accountant and Budget Officer for their information.

Included in the projects are improvements of farm-to-market road such as in Naguey in Atok, Gambang and Sinacbat in Bakun, Natubleng in Buguias, Loacan in Itogon, Bagongin Sablan and Poblacion, Kibungan. Some of the projects are for concreting of pathways, construction of foottrails, improvements of barangay roads as well as rehabilitation of provincial roads, and repair of waterwork systems and irrigation systems. Mentioned also were a construction of a daycare center and repair of a school. #

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PDEA CAR train teenage drug busters
By PIA

Baguio City — The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) recently trained 42 students from the Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) main campus and its annexes to serve as core groups for the stepped up anti-drug campaign in schools.

Funded by the Baguio City Anti-drug Abuse Council, the Teen-age Drug Buster Training aims to empower the selected students to serve as force multipliers of PDEA – CAR in drug campaigns. Trainers include Dr. Michael A. Bengwayan, an international journalist and Director of the Pine Tree Cordillera Ecological Center, and some PDEA personnel.

Strategies in their action plans include: compulsory drug testing, routine body search and bag check, community service, bible study, skills-livelihood development, institution of drug-related security rules in campus, massive warning installation, art junk, collage making, painting, sports fest, movie making, poem composition, speech competition and essay writing. The BCNHS and its seven annexes, is the biggest government secondary school in the city with over 8,000 students. #

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Ifugao PNP observe Crime Prevention Month
By Vency D. Bulayungan/PIA

Lagawe, Ifugao — The police force here initiated activities in the celebration of the National Crime Prevention Month this September to enhance the community’s awareness on crime prevention.

Provincial Police Director, P/Sr. Supt. Lawrence Mombael said all police stations including the provincial office conducted various activities such as seminars, patrol and dialogues with the residents, lectures on crime prevention with pupils. In their information drive they were also joined by P/Sr Inspector Donato Tagubasi and Col. Steve Crespillo of the Army’s 54th Infantry Batallion and the municipal police stations in their own information drive activities in the different schools and barangays within their areas of responsibility.#