Kalinga braces for 13th Ullalim Festival

TABUK CITY, Kalinga (25 January) -- The province braces for its 13th Ullalim Festival with regal festivities of modest budget come February 14.

DTI-Kalinga Provincial Director Grace Baluyan, who is a member of the program steering committee said this year's Ullalim Festival will be a 4-day celebration marking the province's 13th Foundation Day, Feb. 13-16.

Kalinga and Apayao became separate provinces on Feb. 14, 1995 under RA 7878 signed by former Pres. Fidel Ramos.

Starting the 4-day affair will be the municipal and sectoral float parade that leads to the provincial capitol grounds, where the opening rite of the Ullalim Festival will be led by Gov. Floydelia Diasen. Read more...

Democracy

Primaries
By Alex Magno

My own students in political science are a little confused about what is going on in American politics at the moment. They could quite grasp the exercise of party caucuses — or what the Americans call “primaries.”

The confusion, I think, begins from using our own electoral practices as reference point. Here, since the death of our party system 35 years ago, candidates simply throw their hats into the ring and expect a faction of loyal followers and a bunch of financiers to gather around presumptive (and often presumptuous) candidacies.

Since the death of the stable party system we once had, there has been no such thing as a candidate-selection process. Aspiring politicians do not have to work themselves up the party hierarchy. There is no systematic filtration process to vet candidates and hold them accountable to some party platform.

Instead of being loyal to their parties, our politicians expect their parties to be loyal to them. They herd in electoral investors, raise a war chest and dispense funds on their own. In exchange for helping finance the campaigns of local candidates aligned with them, “presidentiables” ( as we call them) expect a certain degree of feudal obligation from their barons. Read more...

Church urges police to expedite investigation of double murder

Tabuk City, Kalinga - The Anglican Church here has asked the police to conduct a speedy investigation of the murder of two of its members whose bodies were found floating in the Chico River late last week.

Fr. Gabriel Dapuyen, dean and rector of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Bulanao, this city, where Nick Maguinsay, married, resident of Duldulao, Malibcong, Abra but working as small scale miner in Guinaang Pasil, and Joren Maguinsay, 23, single, resident of Luba, Abra, jobless, were last seen alive 5 PM of January 10, that the church has not yet received any information even just where the incident took place.

The priest said that no witness to the crime has yet surfaced.

The body of Nick was fished out of the, Chico River at Pasonglao, Calanan, this city, January 11 while that of Joren were found by farmers floating in Tuliao, also in Calanan 4 PM the following day.

Nick was hogtied with his hands behind his back and his body, bore nine stab wounds while the body of Joren bore 18 wounds believed to be from a knife in different parts of his body and two more pounds believed to have been inflicted by a bullet and a club were found in iris head.

Dapuyen said that the two have been visiting with Jefferson Maguinsay, the catechist of the cathedral, who is a brother of Nick and cousin of Joren, at the time of their disappearance.

The priest said they discovered the disappearance of the two when the lights in the church compound were still on when it was already day as it was the responsibility of the two to turn on and switch off the compound lights.

Dapuyen said that the bodies were brought to their respective native places in Abra after mass last Sunday. **ZZW

Oldest Tabuk City high school turning 60

Tabuk City, Kalinga - Tabuk Institute (TI) in Magsaysay, this city, is in the thick of preparations for its 60th anniversary scheduled on the first two days of February.

Principal Presentacion Bartolo informed that the celebration will be opened up with a thanksgiving service followed up by family games and picnics and the coronation of Mr. and Miss TI 60th Foundation Day in the evening.

The speaker during the thanksgiving service will be Bishop Mar Inong of the UCCP Northern Luzon Jurisdiction.

Bartolo said that the awarding of outstanding alumni will highlight the second day with most of the activities intended to honor the awardees:

"After the awarding ceremonies in the morning, there will be a review by the Citizens Army Training cadets and ground demonstrations by students to entertain and honor the awardees after which there will be a luncheon and heritage presentation also to honor the awardees," Bartolo informed.

Bartolo has called upon all alumni of the school in and outside of Tabuk to take part in the celebration as well as subscribe to the souvenir program which is intended to raise funds for the construction of the gymnasium of the school.

Founded by United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) members on February 14,1948, TI is the oldest high school in this then frontier town.

Before its opening, Tabuk elementary school graduates who wanted to further their education had to go enroll in either the St. Theresita's School or the Kalinga Academy in Lubuagan, this province, 40 kilometers away deeper into the Cordillera hinterland.**By Estanislao Albano, Jr.

Kalinga electric cooperative elections up

Tabuk City Kalinga - Kalinga-Apayao Electric Cooperative (KAELCO) management has announced that with their incumbent directors ending their three-year terms this first quarter, the regular elections for directors of Districts 1 to 3 of the electric cooperative will be held in three successive Saturdays starting February 23.

District 2 which covers barangays Appas, San Juan, Bulanao Norte, Bulanao, Nambaran, Lacnog, Agbannawag, Bulo, Cudal, Calaccad and Malalao in Tabuk City and barangays Callangigan, Lepanto and Kassag in Paracelis, Mtn. Province will hold their election on February 23.

District 1 which comprises the northern Tabuk City barangays of Dagupan Centro, Dagupan Weste, Casigayan, Magsaysay, Laya East, Jose Anniban, Cabaruan, Balong, Dilag and San Julian will have their election on. March 1.

District 3 which consists of barangays Calanan, New Tanglag, Gobgob, Cabaritan, Tuga, Lanna, Masablang, Bantay, Malin-awa, Suyang, Lucog, Dupag, Bado Dangwa, Amlao, Bagumbayan, Naneng, Magnao, Guilayon and Nambucayan will hold their election on March 8.

According to Maritess Dumagas, Institutional Service Department manager, the electric cooperative, the last day of filing certificates of candidacy ere February 12 for District 2, February 19 for District 1 and February 26 for District 3.

She also said that only active member-consumers can exercise their right to vote while those who have been inactive for three months are barred from voting.

Aside from Districts 1 to 3, KAELCO has three other districts with representatives namely District 4 (Rizal municipality), District 5 (Pinukpuk municipality) and District 6 (Lubuagan municipality) but their elections will be held at different times.

Dumagas said that Districts 7 (Tinglayan and Tanudan towns) and 8 (Conner and Kabugao, Apayao) still do not have representatives as the districts are not yet stable financially.**By Estanislao Albano Jr.

Acid test in governance

The 1st 100 days in office

Gov. Floydelia R. Diasen, Ph.D.

The political lane is one less travelled by me before. But because of your overwhelming support it now became an avenue that shall serve as my linkage to you in delivering the reciprocate of the mandate that you have given me.

My being a newbie in the arena has not deterred my strong determination to fulfil the development thrusts especially the PEACE vision I have outlined upon my assumption into office. Of course the road has been rough and tough considering the complicated situation that I have been through right from the start, but against all these odds, and with your usual support, we have been able to start it right rowing towards a common direction that fits our vision for a better Kalinga. With full humility, allow me then to present some highlights on my first 100 days in office.

On Peace and Order

• Reorganized the Provincial Peace and Order Council, Chaired by the Governor;
• Issuance of Executive Order Creating and Organizing Task Force Malaplat in response to the unfateful incident at Matapiat, Rizal on June 25, 2007 wherein 9 people killed and 13 people wounded;
• Contracting services of hired members of the Provincial Peace Council of Elders tasked to settle criminal and civil cases amicably which may be referred to the Provincial Government; and
• Transfer without Cost of 1 unit motorcycle, 23 units of hand held radio, 2 units radio base, 7 units motor vehicle to the Kalinga Police Provincial Office in order to enhance law enforcement capability of the PNP personnel.

On Education

• Recognized the Provincial Local School Board chaired by the Governor; and
• Hired 41 PLSB Teachers for Elementary and High School and assigned to the different districts in the Province to augment the teaching work-force especially in schools having multi-grade classes.

On Agricultural Productivity

• The Provincial Government through Department of Agriculture Aggressively implemented the:
• High Breed Rice Commercialization Program by subsidizing 5,000 bags of seeds with target area of 5,000 hectares.
• Inbred Rice Seed subsidy of 3,000 bags distributed to the upper Municipalities of the Province.
• Several intervention services were provided, such as: a) Providing Bio-N; b) Fertilizer 0-0-60 for free; c) 15 units drying pavement; d) 10 units farm reservoir; and e) Delivered Agricultural extension services through training, seminars on rice production. Subsidized 600 bags of high-breed corn seed under the subsidy program.
• Dispersal of Five Thousand fingerlings of Tilapia to backyard fish pond owners to the high municipalities in response to the hunger mitigating program -
• Distribution of assorted vegetable seeds to partly solve malnutrition under the Gulayan Para sa Masa Program of PGMA. These programs were implemented by the DA through our initiative together with the municipal mayors and city mayor.
• Endorsement of a resolution requesting inclusion of the province for the Cordillera High Agricultural ResourceManagement (CHARM) to be funded by IFAD, ADB & OPEC.
• Sending group of farmers on Study Tour to the Science city of Munoz, Nueva Ecija and Mindoro to study and observe demonstration farms and their training Institute.
• Giving of PI 97,000.00 to KASC-TARO Project- a livelihood program.

On Culture and Tourism

• Issuance of executive order reorganizing the Culture and the Arts Council.
• Establishment of a tourism office at the provincial capitol building
• Financial assistance to the OTOP (one town one product) trade fair at the mega trade hall, SM Megamall.
• Invitational promotion and marketing of our tourism products and destinations- MTV Philippines ( Full Tank) media coverage of Kalinga and documentation by Cine Silip Foundation of our cultural heritage.
• Conduct of Eco-tourism Awareness seminar and tourist safety and security.
• Conduct of an Eco-walk together with the Rotary Club of Tabuk in celebration of the National Tourism Day.
• Financial assistance and support to the participation of the province to the IMPAKABSAT trade fair at Silver City, Alabang.
• Extended financial assistance to the Kalinga Mountaineering Society.

Environment and Health

• Endorsement of the Chico River Watershed Management Master Plan.
• Issuance of Executive Order Reorganizing the Provincial Health Board and consultations of all heads on Health Services about their concern and or issues which were tackled during the consultation.
• Issuance of Executive Order Creating and Organizing the Technical Working Group to formulate implementing rules, policies or guidelines for the sub-allotment of KPH Income and the granting of Magna Carta benefits of health workers.
• Lakbay-Aral of the Governor in Leyte to study and observe the best practices about health for possible adoption by the Provincial Government.
• Funding of the Provincial Government for the Anti-rabies program.
• Reorganization of the Provincial Early Childhood Care and Development and redefining the roles and functions.
• Reorganization of the Provincial Nutrition Council and redefining the roles and functions with 500,000.00 MOOE from the 20% Development fund of the province.
• The Governor spearheaded the upgrading of the Provincial Hospital from secondary to tertiary level.
• Proposed Botika ng Bayan to be put up at the Provincial Hospital with an starting fund of Php5 Million.
• Proposed additional provision of Ambulance. >>Credit: www.kalinga.gov.ph