Cagayán Valley Region

[venntro]

Calayan folks elated over prospect of new seaworthy vessel
FLORO TAGUINOD, GMANews.TV
02/19/2009 | 08:25 PM

TUGUEGARAO, Philippines - Jubilance have finally taken over the gloom that hounded the people of Calayan Island since the tragic sea disaster two months ago.

The accident, which happened a few days before Christmas, took the lives of more than 50 people who were on their way to celebrate the holidays with their relatives in mainland Cagayan.

In an interview, Calayan Mayor Joseph Llopis announced that a bigger and more seaworthy vessel will be arriving at their port very soon to once again service the islanders.

Llopis said a resolution have been passed by the local council to apply for a bank loan in addition to the P10 million support pledged by Governor Alvaro Antonio and P15 million from Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile’s development fund for the acquisition of a new boat.

According to the mayor, the new boat is sturdier, can cut travel time by half, and capable of ferrying a maximum of 200 people in a round-trip journey to and from the mainland, a treat for the islanders who have to cram into a small boat and sail for eight hours across dangerous waters.

Travel within the Calayan group of islands have been limited since the tragedy due to fears of another accident since its old and small boats have been declared by the Maritime Industry Authority unfit for long sea journeys.

The Calayan Islands lie midway between mainland Aparri and the Batanes group of islands dotting the China Sea on the northernmost tip of Luzon. - GMANews.TV

[venntro]

2 threatened owls escape cooking pot
By Charlie Lagasca Updated February 20, 2009 12:00 AM


SANTIAGO CITY, Philippines – Two endangered owls were rescued in Quirino province last weekend, according to the San Isidro community environment and natural resources office here.

Officer Pablo de la Cruz said the owls were turned over to the regional office of broadcaster ABS-CBN here.

“It’s fortunate that the finders thought of turning over the birds instead of selling or having them for food, which is the common practice,” said De la Cruz.

Farmers Elmer Pacio and Roseller Domingo found the owls wandering in a sprawling field, apparently weak.

Instead of selling or eating the owls, Pacio and Domingo gave them to a school utility worker who in turn handed them over to the ABS-CBN office here.

“It’s possible that the birds’ habitat was already running out of food, prompting them to scout for other feeding areas,” De la Cruz said.

Owls, which hunt small mammals, insects, and other birds (some specialize in hunting fish), belong to the order of birds of prey, comprising 200 species. The bird species, mostly solitary and nocturnal, is found in practically all regions of the earth except Antarctica and some remote islands.

A number of endangered species of birds including the Philippine eagle have been rescued in different parts of the northern Sierra Madre.

Environmentalists believe that endangered animal and flora species have been displaced or threatened due to illegal logging, kaingin or slash and burn farming, forest burning, hunting and other environmentally destructive activities.

[Waldenstrom]

BATANES

















photos from ferdzdecena

[kiretoce]

Beautiful Batanes!


LINK

[freightrunner]

PIA Press Release
2009/02/23

PhilHealth beneficiaries top 2.1 million in Cagayan Valley
Tuguegarao City (23 February) -- The National Health Insurance Program (NHIP) also known as PhilHealth increased its membership in all sectors to 451,754 or 2.11 million beneficiaries all over Cagayan Valley Region.

Mr. Oscar Abadu, OIC-Manager, said the cumulative membership reached 60% coverage to the total population of the valley with claim reimbursement payment of 298.9 million pesos last year for 1.8 million total beneficiaries served.

Abadu said 69 out of 87 Local Government Units (LGUs) or 79% of the municipalities have sponsored families enlisted under sponsored program, either solely subsidized by the province, municipality, city or jointly subsidized by both.

"To strengthen benefit availment of members and to ensure that reimbursement of claims will be paid to the rightful payee, the statement of account duly signed by the member and official receipt are required as attachments to claim documents," Abadu said as he explained the new strategy they implemented to strengthen benefit availment of the members.

They also fully implemented the policy on Membership Data Record (MDR) requirement to be attached to claim applications and aside from facilitating the processing of claims, the move has also ushered members who have not previously submitted documents as proof of dependency to update their records.

As of December, there were 64 Accredited Health Care Providers (AHCPS), 20 Out Patient Benefit (OPB) packages, 13 Directly Observed Treatment Short-Course (DOTS), 4 maternity clinics and 550 accredited professionals in Philhealth region 2.

PhilHealth has also added Malaria Package, Coverage of 4th Normal Spontaneous Delivery, Package for Voluntary Surgical Contraception Procedures and Payment for TUBEX as expanded benefits and services to the members. (PIA Cagayan) [top]

[dandelionne]

SM Prime to build Santiago megamall
By R. Alluad, 26 Feb 2009
Source: Business Mirror
Santiago City—SM Prime Holdings, Inc., owner-operator of SM Megamall across the country, will construct a 5-hectare malegamall and recreation center in Barangay Malvar in this city soon.

City Mayor Amelita Navarro said she has negotiated with officials of the SM Prime Holdings, and company owner Henry Sy is “very eager”to make the city as the newest SM Megamall.

Ïf fully realized this multimillion peso business venture will be a blessing for Santiago City folks in terms of business boom and employment opportunities,” she said.

The contractors are now cleaning the site before construction starts.

The new mall will have three levels of commercial space that would house a food court, entertainment zone, recreation area, and parking spaces.

The area used to be the government-foreclosed Pantranco terminal along Pantranco-Sagana Road in Malvar village.

It is in front of the P350-million integrated transport terminal and commercial center that is now in operation.

“They are raring to put up one in Cagayan Vallley, and this city was the area they have chosen because of its proximity to the provinces and for being the primary commercial area in the region,” Navarro said.

This city is accessible from the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Cagayan.

************

YOU CAN CONFIRM IT AT WWW.SMPRIME.COM on their NEWS section

[panganuron23]

Batanes to preserve Ivatan homes


By Ben Moses Ebreo
Northern Luzon Bureau
First Posted 01:20:00 02/26/2009

Filed Under: indigenous people, Culture (general), Regional authorities

CABARROGUIS, QUIRINO – Ivatan houses in Batanes are built to withstand typhoons and have served as safe abode for the island’s residents for years.

But expect these to be refurbished and opened for tourists, too, as the provincial government starts embarking on a program to preserve these native houses to provide income for villagers, said Batanes Gov. Telesforo Castillejos, during the opening of the Cagayan Valley Regional Athletic Association (Cavraa) meet here.

Castillejos said the provincial government is involved in various programs to develop Batanes as an eco-cultural tourism attraction.

“We have become a mere point of reference for years but if you noticed, we are no longer being visited [frequently] by typhoons,” he said.

Livelihood for residents

Castillejos said the provincial government is promoting the home stay program by providing funds for the restoration of Ivatan houses.

“In this way, we can provide livelihood for [residents]. Whenever tourists spend time in their houses, they will earn P500 to P700 a day, excluding their treat for native dishes. I think this is helpful,” he said.

Castillejos said while the local government is not yet prepared for a full blast competition among other tourist destinations in the country, the natural beauty of the province has continued to attract local and foreign tourists.

He said the program local officials are preparing aims to protect and preserve Batanes’ environment and culture and to give livelihood to villagers.

He said this is important since Batanes has been nominated for inscription in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (Unesco) Heritage sites.

Castillejos said Ivatans who have left the province to seek better opportunities in other parts of the country and abroad are now returning and starting to invest locally.

“They were able to compare the quality and beauty of Batanes with other places and they are now spending much to develop their [properties] there,” he said.

Augment income

One of the livelihood projects that some Ivatans have started is the production of souvenir items for tourists.

The livelihood program, Castillejos said, is also intended to augment the income of Ivatan fishermen who have to compete with the season and Taiwanese and Chinese fishermen venturing into local waters.

“But we are solving this problem (poaching) through diplomatic means so that they will respect our territorial waters,” he said.

[panganuron23]

Luzon niyanig ng 4.9 magnitude na lindol

Niyanig ng 4.9 magnitude na lindol ang ilang bahagi ng Luzon nito gabi lamang.

Ayon sa ulat ng United states Geological Survey (USGS), naitala ang pagyanig ganap na 8:32 ng gabi kung saan naitala ang epicenter nito sa 110 kilometro (70 milya) hilagang silangan ng Laoag City o 175 kilometro (105 milya) timog timog kanluran ng Basco, Batanes.

May lalim umano itong 35 kilometro (21.7 milya) kaya't posibleng makaramdam pa ng ilang aftershocks sa Luzon sa loob ng susunod na 12 oras.

Sa inisyal na ulat ng mga otoridad, wala namang naitalang pinsala sa mga nabanggit na lugar.


Buti naman walang nasaktan, hay thank god

[dandelionne]

SM Prime to build Santiago megamall
By R. Alluad, 26 Feb 2009
Source: Business Mirror
Santiago City—SM Prime Holdings, Inc., owner-operator of SM Megamall across the country, will construct a 5-hectare megamall and recreation center in Barangay Malvar in this city soon.

City Mayor Amelita Navarro said she has negotiated with officials of the SM Prime Holdings, and company owner Henry Sy is “very eager”to make the city as the newest SM Megamall.

Ïf fully realized this multimillion peso business venture will be a blessing for Santiago City folks in terms of business boom and employment opportunities,” she said.

The contractors are now cleaning the site before construction starts.

The new mall will have three levels of commercial space that would house a food court, entertainment zone, recreation area, and parking spaces.

The area used to be the government-foreclosed Pantranco terminal along Pantranco-Sagana Road in Malvar village.

It is in front of the P350-million integrated transport terminal and commercial center that is now in operation.

“They are raring to put up one in Cagayan Vallley, and this city was the area they have chosen because of its proximity to the provinces and for being the primary commercial area in the region,” Navarro said.

This city is accessible from the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and Cagayan.


GUYS,YOU CAN CONFIRM IT AT WWW.SMPRIME.COM. on their NEWS Section.
__________________

[freightrunner]

PIA Press Release
2009/03/03

Cagayan stages Tag Gatag arts show to transmit tradition through songs, dances
Tuguegarao City (3 March) -– The provincial government of Cagayan has staged the first-ever Tag Gatag (By the Riverbank), a showcase of songs and dances indigenous to the Cagayan Valley Region at the Kammaranan Hall here over the week-end to start off the 2009 National Arts Month celebration.

The show featured four Iloko and Ibanag songs and 12 indigenous dances performed by students and teachers of the some schools in Cagayan and nearby Isabela towns.

The songs included a welcome and a birthday song (Pammasangbay and Sagutnaka Kadakami), and two others about the Cagayan River and the fishing industry (Biko na Bannag and Panagdaklis).

The dances included: Pagayaya Ta Bannag (Riverside dance), Mangaramang (Flat Shrimp Fishing), Aggunetan (River-Climbing Slope), Bangkero (The Boatman), Galluan (Lagoon/Pond), Panagdaklis (Beach Seine Fishing), Lurung (Lobed-River Mullet), Pammangi (Corn Farming), Aringay (Aromatic Upland Rice), Tabako (Tobacco Dance), Panagtalon (Lowland Rice Farming), and Pangayaya (Ibanag Courtship Dance).

Primitiva Talla, provincial museum curator and organizer of the show, in her message, said Cagayan Gov. Alvaro T. Antonio expressed gratitude for the long years of research work conducted by Professor Jimmy P. Domingo on at least 26 indigenous dances of Cagayan and the region.

Dance which is one of the oldest forms of expression of one's culture provided a significant landmark of the valley's history.

Talla, however, lamented that most of the present day dances, except the wedding dance called maskota, are foreign-influenced.

The museum curator quoted Domingo's statement that there are still a number of undocumented dances performed by many ethnic communities in the valley particularly those on the native's livelihood, life cycle and rituals.

The cultural showcase which started the month-long celebration is actually a harvest of the arts in the region in line with this year's theme: "Ani ng Sining" (Harvest of the Arts), Talla said.

Meanwhile, the history of the Cagayan Valley Region revolves around the mighty Cagayan River which used to serve as the chief means of transportation, recreation, as source of fish and water for human beings, plants and animals.

The region was likewise easily evangelized by the Spaniards in the 16th century because of its navigable waters, Talla said.

The region's important settlements, then, were established near the rivers or by the riverbanks which the Ybanags (the natives) call Gatag.

Grand celebrations and distinctive ceremonies used to be held near the river, while those who lived near the river perform soul-cleansing rituals and other practices to appease supernatural beings.

The people, then, believed that the river and the places around it are the home and playground of the gods.

The colonizers (Spaniards) strengthened the link between the people and the river when they built huge churches either near or facing the river. (PSL/PIA Cagayan) [top]

[freightrunner]

PIA Press Release
2009/03/13

NVizcaya eyes full energization by 2010
Dupax Del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya (13 March) -- In support of the national government's thrust for the full energization of the country by 2010, Nueva Vizcaya is set to be of such as there are only 22 barangays left to be prioritized for electrification development by the electric cooperative here.

Abraham Reyes, Nueva Vizcaya Electric Cooperative (NUVELCO) director for district 6 said out of the 22 remaining barangays to be energized, 13 are within the gridable coverage of the cooperative while 9 are within the non-gridable areas.

"This means that the non-gridable areas will have to use solar - powered facilities compared to the gridable areas where we can still provide them with our usual energization system," he said.

The remaining unenergized villages are located in the towns of Ambaguio, Deupax del Norte, Dupax del Sur, Kasibu and Diadi.

"We do not see any problems on the way and we are optimistic that we can reach our goal," Reyes said.

Lloyd Valdez, NUVELCO board of directors president said they have also discussed the energization of non-gridable areas with the Department of Energy(DoE) for the utilization of solar - powered facilities in these areas.

He said they are in the process of negotiating the maintenance of these facilities so that they can be maintained and repaired immediately from time to time.

"This is what we are endorsing to the DOE that whoever will win in the bidding, they have to establish their office in the province to immediately respond to these problems and to technically train our personnel for this purpose," Valdez said. (PIA NVizcaya) [top]

[garzland]

DOH gives P10 M to Nueva Vizcaya provincial hospital

BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya, March 14 (PNA) - The Department of Health (DOH) recently gave P10 million to the Nueva Ecija Provincial Hospital (NVPH) for facilities improvement.

Dr. Edwin Galapon, NVPH chief, said the fund will be used to buy modern equipment and facilities improvement.

The modern equipment will be for the delivery, operating and intensive care unit rooms.

"With these improvements, NVHP will soon be elevated from secondary to a tertiary-level hospital where more services will be provided to patients," Galapon said.

Since 2004, the provincial government has invested much to the NVPH in its bid to transform it into a health-tourism enterprise.

Under this thrust, the provincial government has fast tracked the upgrading of the hospital's facilities, acquiring of modern equipment and construction of additional buildings.
The hospital has recently established a dialysis center, where kidney patients can avail of lower cost of treatment. (PNA)

[zoroethgenre_003]

Saint Mary's University - Bayombong

[garzland]

100 new high schools await PGMA green light --Nograles

MANILA, March 25 (PNA) -- Even as the country counts every strand of economic options to shield the Filipino family from the effects of the global economic crunch, Speaker Prospero Nograles on Tuesday said education remains the highest priority.

"This is a Constitutional mandate we will never deviate from," said Nograles as he reported that awaiting the signature of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are 100 local bills establishing the same number of new national high schools spread nationwide.

The Speaker noted that during the first regular session of the 14th Congress, the legislature has approved and transmitted to the Office of the President 114 local bills, 100 of which seek the establishment of new national high schools all over the country.

The proposed high schools are to be located in Surigao del Sur, Zamboanga del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Leyte, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Oriental Mindoro, Negros Occidental, Bulacan, Nueva Vizcaya, La Union, Agusan del Sur, South Cotabato, Kalinga, Bohol, Mandaluyong City, Ifugao, Zamboanga Sibugay, Nueva Ecija, Dinagat Islands, Misamis Occidental, Mountain Province, Benguet, Antique, Batangas, Tarlac, Davao City, Masbate, Lanao del Sur, Cagayan de Oro City, and Aurora.

Marikina City Rep. Del de Guzman said the building of these new schools would be part of the infrastructure development for education, which would also generate jobs during their construction and spur productivity among downstream industries supplying building materials and related enterprises.

"These are collateral benefits resulting from the development of educational infrastructures," he added.

Nograles and House Majority Leader Arthur Defensor noted that the committee on basic education chaired by Rep. De Guzman is one among the most prolific committees during the first regular session in terms of number of bills acted upon and approved by both chambers of Congress.

Defensor said that apart from the 25 measures signed into law, there are some 10 bills of national interest that await the President’s signature.

Seven other bills -- five national and two local -- are pending in conference committees and expected to be ratified during the early weeks of the resumption of the regular session of Congress on April 13.

Statistics from the Bills and Index Section of the Plenary Affairs Bureau show that as of March 9, the House recorded some 6,090 bills filed (3,268 national and 2,822 local), and some 6,067 have been referred for committee actions.

Some 960 bills -- 22 national and 838 local -- are also pending action by the Senate. A total of 33 measures (18 national and 15 local) have been approved by the House on second reading.
During the same period, 1,042 resolutions have been filed, 373 were adopted by the House, and 669 referred for action by the various standing and special committees. There were 25 concurrent resolutions, eight adopted by the House, three House resolutions adopted by the Senate, and one adopted by both Chambers. There were also 33 House Joint Resolutions filed. (PNA)

[Rodel]

is there a direct flight to batanes from manila?

[[dx]]

Originally Posted by Rodel

is there a direct flight to batanes from manila?

I think meron. SEAIR

[tonight]

10,000 ‘green collar’ jobs in Cagayan Valley

MANILA, Philippines — Almost 10,000 jobs have been generated in the Cagayan Valley region though the government’s Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (CLEEP), Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said.

Of the 9,917 beneficiaries, 4,467 were hired under Department of Agriculture farm-to-market road projects and 4,517 were employed for repair of irrigation systems, Yap said.

CLEEP is part of a P330-billion economic resiliency program that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is implementing this year to stimulate the domestic economy. It is meant to help Filipinos ride out the deepening US-induced global recession.

So-called “green collar” jobs were also created under the department’s coconut replanting program to ensure the sustainability of the government’s biodiesel feedstock program in line with the Renewable Energy Law, Yap said.

Yap, who was designated Cabinet steward for CLEEP in Cagayan Valley and Bohol province, said other government departments also came up with their respective employment projects.

He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) implemented a “Cash for Work and Food for Work” program, and the Department of Interior and Local Government and Department of Public Works and Highways provided jobs under the Out-of-School Youths Servicing Towards Economic Recovery (OYSTER) project.

To date, the DSWD has employed a total of 376 individuals under its program. The
Department of Public Works and Highways “Kanan Program,” a roadside maintenance project, has generated a total of 255 jobs so far.

The Department of Labor and Employment has the Tupad and Isla projects to help generate jobs among marginalized fisherfolk and displaced workers. It has hired 202 individuals.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources will hire 4,452 out-of-school youths and 3,572 forest guards under its Bantay Gubat Program and Upland Development Program, respectively.

[garzland]

Nueva Vizcaya eyes 1st class status in 2011

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, April 9 (PNA)--– Nueva Vizcaya is expected to be elevated into a first class province in 2011.

“We hope that by 2011, with the leadership of our provincial officials, we will attain our first-class status,” said Perfecto Martinez, Jr., provincial treasurer.

Martinez said if the 2009 projected tax collection which is P576,302,000 will be sustained until 2011, the province, which currently has 2nd-class status, will be able to consistently attain the required P450,000,000-income bracket.

“The attainment of a 1st-class status means that we are progressive, we have saturated our local tax sources and we will have more than sufficient funds for projects and services for our constituents,” he said.

According to Martinez, the recent discovery of the Provincial Assessor’s Office (PAO) of the alleged fraudulent declaration of CMIPP properties in Alfonso Castaneda town will also boost the provincial government’s bid for a first–class status since these will become tax collectibles for the province amounting to more than P1.75 billion.

“In fact, we have a dialogue on this with officials from the Department of Finance, National Irrigation Administration and CMIPP operators,” Martinez said.

The CMIPP real property tax, he said represents the biggest collectible amount from local sources.
He said the position of the provincial government is to collect the amount and if they will refuse to pay, they will apply civil remedies. (PNA)

[garzland]

Nueva Vizcaya tax collection up in 2008

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, April 9, (PNA) – The province improved its tax collection last year, an official of the Provincial Treasurer’s Office (PTO) here said.

“Because of the full support of our provincial officials to the revenue generation program, we were able to increase our tax collection for 2008,” Perfecto Martinez, Jr., provincial treasurer, said.

The improved tax collection, Martinez said, will pave the way for the implementation of more infrastructure projects in the province particularly farm-to-market roads, schools in upland areas, Dumlao boulevard project in Bayombong town and the Lower Magat Eco-Tourism Park in Diadi town.

The increase in tax collection, Martinez added, came from the beginning balance or unspent budget for 2007, local sources such as local taxes, fees and charges and income from local government-managed hospitals.

Most of the collected taxes, he said came from the real property taxes such that the target collectibles for last year which was P105 million was surpassed with more than P43 million or a total of more than P148 million.

“The increase includes a windfall or unexpected tax remitted from the operation of the Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project (CMIPP),” Martinez said.
CMIPP operators remit more than P62 million real property tax payments yearly to the provincial government. From the amount, P14 million is the share of the provincial government. (PNA)

[garzland]

Batanes governor takes pride in Ivatan culture, urges visitors to promote the island

By Purita S. Licas

BASCO, Batanes, April 9 (PNA) - Gov. Telesforo Castillejos here is proud of the Ivatans and their culture.

He urged visitors of the island-province to help them preserve not only their culture and tradition but also the environment of Batanes.

"You came here because of what Batanes is, not because of what you want it to be," Castillejos said in his welcome remarks to the officers and members of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, Northern Luzon Region as well as those of its national headquarters for a regional committee meeting here.

"How we wish we could influence you with what you will see and experience in this beautiful island," he said.

"In Ivana, one of the towns of the Batan Island, one can find the 'Honesty Store' where buyers can get their choice of the items and just leave their payment," he said.

He related how the store started with just a gesture of hospitality to visitors bound for Sabtang island-town.

Ivana's seaport, located near the Honesty Store, serves as the jump-off point for travelers bound for the island-town.

Elena C. Gabilo, the store owner, in her pity for the travelers waiting for their boat to arrive, would serve hot coffee until the people and the travelers urged her to sell goods, on the side.

The governor said aside from being value-laden, the Ivatans were a sturdy people who could weather life's difficulties.

"We have limited resources to work with but we make do with what we have. We live a simple life," Castillejos told the GSP Officials.

He requested the GSP officials to be Batanes' ambassadors of goodwill for the mystique island paradise which is being promoted as a tourist haven.

"It is not economic crisis that we are suffering from but rather crisis of morals. Let the GSP, therefore, lead in the efforts at teaching the young to be God-fearing and to love our country and its people," the governor noted.

Batanes has 10 islands but only three of which are inhabited. It has over 15,700 population, although the bulk of which are out of the province. They come to the island to vote during election time, though.

Tourists come to Batanes during the summer months starting late February up to May. At least three local movies had their location shooting in the island-province.

The World Trade Organization's (WTO) open market forced the local residents to intensify production of crops like sweet potato, and other root crops, which could withstand adverse weather condition including typhoons.

Meanwhile, Basco Mayor Demetrius Paul C. Narag vowed to help promote scouting movement in this town.

"Women are interesting to deal with, with so many moods they display in a day. Yet, you have tremendous power to make a difference in the life and advancement of a community," Narag said. (PNA)