Mountaineering is not summiting in the Philippines

I Should have thought the same thing when I was a child

We are playing along the Tanudan river together with my friends when suddenly two American linguist appears from nowhere. It was our first time to see such white and tall guy with their big back packs and bright colored clothing a far contrast to us. We only had a shirt partly covering our body. Our penis swings in motion as we tried to jump along the river.We become a tail to this American linguist hoping they will give us some goods, money etc. We are amazed with their gadgets such as stoves, flashlights and two way radios.

Remembering from the past, mountaineering is not summiting. It has a broad sense of understanding. When I was a child, the mountains are my playgrounds. I was thought traditionally to care for the mountains, my playgrounds. Today that I am being exposed on the outside world, I have conflicting ideas on the implementation of their theoretical ideas with regards to the environment, we can’t impose our own modern solution or it will fail, what we need is to harness their traditional method. Anyway I will not waste my time discussing on environmental issues, I’d rather concentrate on mountaineering.

Hi-tech gadgets or fancy expensive clothes doesn’t define you as a true mountaineer. I’ve been to the mountains with only a bolo during my childhood and I am very happy with that. My fantastic goal of equipping myself with all available gadgets in the market makes me more sad. Today I realized how wrong I was, I am still longing for the enjoyment I had before, interacting with what nature has to offer as long as we are not depleting it.

Being hardcore among hardcores is not a pride or a prestige after all, Mountaineers are not define by their physical strength, we are defined by our emotional strength and the spirit that guides us in the mountains. I also believed before that my physical strength and the difficulty of the mountains that I will climb will define who am I, again “How wrong I was”

One thing important, in November 2008, I met Mr Jhong Navaro and Ms. Kely Austria, they claimed to be mountaineers but my rush judgement of treating them a mountaineer according to my observation is “How can these two guys claimed to be a mountaineers while in fact I questioned their physical capability to climb mountains” They laid their plans accordingly, an outreach mission in Lubo Tanudan Kalinga . During the day of the outreach, our truck broke down along the way. We have another truck behind us but I ordered everybody to walk, to test their physical strength. YES I was so rude during those time triggered by my ego that a mountaineer possess such extra ordinary physical strength, again!! How wrong I was!!!! This group TRAILS TO EMPOWER KIDS was motivated by their will to help unprivileged children on villages, they will sacrifice whatever they have just to reach their precious destination, and they will walk along rugged terrain just to share the true spirit of mountaineering. Today I strongly believed that “MOUNTAINEERING IS GIVING JOY AND HOPES TO THE TRIBES WHO CARES FOR THE MOUNTAIN THAT WE ALWAYS WANTED TO CLIMB, WITHOUT THEM WE HAVE NO JOY ON THE SUMMIT ITSELF”..yes I was once before a child in the tribe looking at the window with these mountaineers passing by going to my playground..I was awakened by TREK, the main objective is not the summit, but the people behind the summit.Physical strength is secondary to the heart. I have been in rigorous training when I was a cadet in PMA, but emo is more powerful.

Also with SAGKA-EARIST who opens the door for mountaineering exploration for KMS, without them I have no connection with the outside world..My status today doesn’t seem to reflect or makes people believed that I lived in a TRIBE..I am seven days old when I started my mountaineering journey,,see my previous blog http://kalingatambayan.multiply.com/journal/item/29/The_Sudden_Departure_Revisiting_it_through_Mountaineering_PART_1

"The Sudden Departure" Revisiting it through Mountaineering PART 1

Reminiscing from my past i came across an old magazine written by my mother during the summer institute of linguistics 1985. I know very well my story but the mountains i have been climbing from the past two years is the actual journey of my past life. I am 8 days old when they carried me in a sudden escape through the rugged mountains of Mt. Gimma, Mt. Kokok, Mt Alli, Mt. Tangob and Basecamp Mt. Patukan,I have some related articles entitled "FIVE BABY SUMMIT IN TRIBAL WAR TIMES".and, "A THREE DAY ESCAPE FROM DEATH" here is the original version of the story written in Lubo language with illustration and an english summary http://www.sil.org/asia/philippines/lit/kgh_Kattute_Awid_ya_da_udume_ur-ullit.pdf
.. Here is my mother account on my story.


The Sudden Departure
It was 8 in the morning on August 26,1982 at our house at Bulanao Tabuk Kalinga-Apayao when suddenly a group of young men from our tribe arrived while we are having our breakfast. They are in full battle gear informing us that they killed a certain man from ***** as revenged to our relatives who have been fatally wounded in Batong-buhay gold mines by a certain member of the ******* tribe.
During that morning we celebrated a Kalinga traditional ceremony called “Kontad” The Birth of the Child-
The birth of the child means the foundation of a real family life. It is the primary aspiration of Kalinga marriage and without it the marriage bond shall eventually undergo a very sad dissolution. As soon as the monthly flow of young married woman ceases, which means the beginning of conception, the house of the couple is closed to friends, relatives, and neighbors. The couple are forbidden to go to tabooed places such as marches, caves, known haunted forests, lagoons and springs believed to be the abodes of the "Paniyao" or evil spirits opposed to the birth of children. The diet of a pregnant woman is carefully prescribed. Morbid cravings are promptly attended to. Eating dark colored fruits which may cause unpleasant discoloration on the skin of the expected infant, must be avoided. All kinds of meats coming from animals butchered for funeral wakes are also tabooed for pregnant woman.
The birth of the child is announced with joyful ceremonies. Early in the next morning after the birth of the baby the grandfather or any elder in the clan goes to the main entrance of the village, any conspicous spot, shouting that the baby is born. The after birth is carefully collected, wraped in clean cloth and secretly buried. The younger mother goes to the spring early the next morning to clean herself. All along the way she scatters ashes to drive evil spirits who might smell her and lick her. On her way back home she does the same thing to repel these evil ones from following her home to do harm to her baby. Upon her return she is given soft rive and plenty of chicken broth to hasten her lactation. On the first or second day following the birth of an infant, the mandadawak is called upon to start the preliminary offerings to kabunyan and other lesser dieties overseeing the welfare and destiny of man. The kind and size of the animal offered is determined by the status of the deity concerned. The offering are repeated at intervals during the first six months. Ordinarily ten pigs and ten chickens of varying sizes are offered. The sacrificial animals are offered to appease the deities in order that they may protect the newborn child. During the entire period of sacrificial offerings called the "Kontad" or "Gabbok". When the time's finally decided to bring the baby to the river or nearby creek for the first time, A ceremony "Dupdupit" "Dupit" (means river bank) is performed.
The men who participated in the killing ate the food that we had butchered for the ceremony of the kontad which is not supposed to be because; it is a taboo among the Kalingas. After breakfast, my father heard some of the men saying "Moormot pay de utting nu te kinanni Kontad na ." “Your son in the future may lead some bloody headhunting expedition, because we ate his kontad.” Upon hearing these words, my father ordered us to pack all our belongings for evacuation to our native village in Lubo Tanudan Kalinga which is located approximately 28km from our house in Bulanao Tabuk Kalinga Philippines and it is only accessible 6km by jeep and a three day journey by foot in the rugged mountain of Tanudan Kalinga.
I have second thoughts of leaving the house because am too weak to walk, I just gave birth to our fourth child, our first born son. Despite all the pleadings I was forced to pack all our baggage because of fear that the other tribe will kill us.Due to the fact that during that time, the traditional rule applies “An eye for an Eye, A tooth for a Tooth.”
Suddenly the rented jeep arrived from Dagupan Kalinga to fetch us. I am trembling with fear because I heard some men saying that we should be vigilant and alert because we are imminent for any ambush on our way. Am too confused and exhausted thinking of my whole family and my newly born son. My husband too, fears the threat and he suggested to our companions to get some military escort from the barracks. The Constabulary commander then gave us two military escorts.
After about 10min from our journey the jeep broke down due to heavy mud caused by the constant rain. We are forced to abandon the jeep on the road. I don’t know what to do, we have a lot of baggage and no one would carry them. My brother in law and my husband’s cousin have to improvise ways to carry some if not all of our belongings. They cut some bamboos and tie our baggages on both ends. My husband too have a lot of baggage to carry. My 5 year old eldest daughter Gladys and 4 year old Heidi have to walk on their own. My 1 year old daughter is carried by my cousin “Illin”. With the muddy and rugged terrain, my in laws have to carry my daughters until the terrain becomes accessible for a child at their age. My son keeps on crying all the way, thanks for my relative Susan who carries him because I am too weak to walk.
On flat terrains my daughters always ask their uncles if we are already near the village, they always answer “Behind those mountains, we are near” but in reality it takes a three day journey by foot. “Amod pagay angiknaanni te lubok” “We feel torn down because the terrain is too muddy to bear.”
At noon we arrive, at Cogawe Tabuk Kalinga. We stayed at our relatives from Lubuagan Kalinga name Damgay. She cooked for us because we forgot our pack lunch at Bulanao . When the food is ready “Isuni pagay da angtan kanda aran we mangan” we are like ghost or aliens who didn’t eat for a long time”.
I thought we will continue our journey after lunch, but due to heavy rains we are forced to stay in their house. In the evening, it’s been a sleepless night due to fear of being ambush. My in laws, my husband, my relatives and my tribes mate are always awake during the night, in order to ensure our safety. But me too trembles with fear when I saw their guns, I am afraid that accidents may occur.
During that night, I am praying to God all the time, my son is suffering from fever. I am thinking to go back to Bulanao in order for doctors to diagnose my son, while my relative Dammay is very busy doing the traditional method of healing “Bagasibas” .(Bagasibas is a traditional healing composed of indigenous herbal medicine with some orations.)
Early morning we ate our breakfast and started our trekking. I know god answers my prayer because Nathaniel my baby is alright. Each of us carries his /her own baggage while the men who are already overloaded carries their gun. I am always suffering from fear because I can see my daughters being carried by the men with their guns. I am always praying to god to protect them from accidents. We are like guerillas on the trail, when we see some people approaching us on our way, we have to hide in ravines thinking they were the enemies until proper identification or any signal for us to show up, because we are very afraid.
The only consolation for my daughters, Gladys, Heidi, and Genevieve are the guavas along the trail, it boost their moral to keep going. When we reached Barangay Se-et, Tanudan Kalinga. Gladys keeps on talking that she is very proud that she can walk as easy as that, not knowing that we are approaching the worst of all the terrains. My daughter keeps on saying “yeah I can walk even it’s too far”.I am happy to hear that from my daughter but my teary eye is always pouring because my daughters are innocent of the challenges that we will be approaching..
Along the way, we met some strangers who are very curious about us especially my newly born son, they don’t know that we are escaping from a tribal conflict. At around 6pm we finally reached Barangay Se-et in Tanudan and we have to spend the night at the house of one of our relatives “Wannag”. Then suddenly some people from our tribe arrive to escort us.
Early morning I have to be carried out with a blanket attached to each end of a bamboo pole because I am already too weak to walk, and the rain is pouring heavily. My husband cousin’s Susan, carried my son. We arrived at a river and I am very afraid because the water level is almost above the waistline and the current is too strong. I am very worried for the two men carrying me because I am afraid we will be wash away by the strong current. I am also thinking for my son and my daughters.It is only when I am being informed that all of us cross the river safely that I have to take a deep breath.
We continued our journey assaulting steep and rugged terrains with dozens of leeches along the way that sucks blood from us. Every minute I am always praying to god. I feel dizzy because the blanket attached to the bamboo kept on swinging. When we reach flat terrains, that’s the time I can feel better. The guys carrying me are running, they keep on insisting that we have to move fast to avoid the other river from raising. When we reached “Alli” (A certain place along the road above Tatakkan) as if that all odds are against us. A sudden rain occurred Just like a hurricane that poured so much volume of rain and the wind is so strong, it is very cold and I am suffering from hypothermia. I can’t do anything but to pray. We have umbrellas but they are ineffective being blown by the strong wind. My husband have to provide plastic bags for cover. I just can’t imagine the ordeals, my son and my daughters are experiencing.
When we arrived at the river, they brought me down from the “Bulig”(Blanket attached to a bamboo pole). I have to breastfeed my baby because he is crying all the time, and my three daughters are crying begging for food because they are all hungry. When I saw my son, he is turning pale; his skin is turning into white. I am confused of what is happening. I breastfed him while an old woman is chanting some traditional practices to drive bad spirits from the baby.Others are very busy crossing the river carrying our baggages.
I was shocked when I saw the river, it is very muddy and the current is very strong. I have already accepted defeat that this may already an end given by god.
Everyone refuses to carry my son to the other side of the river, they only carry my daughters. I heard them saying “Amod makalipsanan ta kappos” (It’s too much we are afraid we will both be wash away by the rapids carrying a baby.)..When I saw Gladys, heidi and Genevieve at the other side of the river, I am half happy still thinking of my son, my only son at that time.
Then suddenly as if God heard my prayers, some people from our tribe came to the rescue with a rope and an interior of a tire. They tied me first on the interior then tied a rope in both ends of the river they pulled me up. Everybody wants my husband to carry my son, but when I saw my husband he is trembling with fear..The only person left at the other side of the Tanudan river is my husband and my son.I just close my eyes when they begun to cross the river, the rapids are eating them, my son was covered with blanket. Suddenly I heard some cheers saying “Ingadan tako pagungupong te utting te dinormang na dinakor” ( We will call the child PAGUNGUPUNG because he was carried across big waves and rapids )When I took the baby out of his
blanket I discovered that he had been
Carried across the river with his feet
Higher that his head. The old women said
That the baby should be called 'Pagungupung'
Because he was carried across the river when
I it was very high. They were all very
Thankful to have arrived home safely.

My love with "LOWE ALPINE"

Am sad dahil wala palang license distributor ng Lowe alpine dito sa pinas, even Malaysia kung saan my Kota Kinabalu....

I am being in love with this bag before, eto yung una nilang niregalo before i started my mountaineering journey.. until now i am using my old and veteran lowe alpine bag which was given to me as a gift from the US...still my favorite despite some branded bags from TNF or etc.. i love the suspension and comfortably of my old retiring bag Lowe...

I have seen a lot of Lowe alpine in Baguio wagwagan but they are all imitations..not only lowe but even other brands such as TNF and columbia..mga gawang china hehehe..

wala lang..wala lang din kasi magawa at maisulat hehehe

Over emotion acting with Cory?

Since the past week when the Late President CORRY AQUINO have been the frontpage and airwaves sensation OVER newspapers,television,radio and the net, I am now beginning to question the real intentions and stupidity of those who are over reacting trying hard to be emotionally affected while in fact they have their own agendas, here are some topics i want to digest;

WHAT IF CORY DIED AFTER 2010 ELECTION?
1. A lot of looser politicians will surely not attend the funeral or might even speak and criticized the former president, but since she (Cory) died before election, we see a lot of appreciation from former allies and critics of Aquino before..
2. They can no longer use the crowds for public appearance...or it might even be, their are no crowds after all..
3. The only people who will attend the wake are the sincere ones and true friends, allies, and the masses who sincerely supported both ninoy and cory.

Many of are fellow Filipinos are pushing some sort of things as follows;

CORY to become a national hero?

yes, regardless of status in life ,every single person who did something good for the country is a hero..but for my own opinion, CORY is very brave enough to fight against a wall (MARCOS)..and yes am not against it, By Ninoy through Cory we have restored democracy...

CORY to be paired with Ninoy in a Philippine Peso Bill?

Yes no big deal with that.Just a matter of remembering Cory who once stood 7 coup detat, and in recognition of his contribution to the country..

CORY to be honored as the best Philippine President being claimed by some politicians?

Big No...No need to elaborate..Am not against Cory but for comparison..am not really convince..every president has its own pros and cons but it doesn't make me convince that CORY is the best of them all...I go for Ramon Magsaysay,Diosdado Macapagal, Ramos or Arroyo instead..or even Marcos as one of the best..since we filipinos are always looking for the con side i bet many will react why i mentioned Marcos..

CORY to become a saint?
This is the stupidity of the filipino people..

Who are the real enemy of the state?

we are blinded with the propagandas of the enemies.. yes!! they are the enemies who seats in congress trying to use any legal means to battle democracy..Their main objective is to let democratic people fights against democratic people.believers of democracy fight against believers of democracy...And yet many people believes in this people because of their promises of an everlasting green green grass of home life..their leaders ride with issues that battles the government.Their leaders claims to represent the oppressed but they did nothing for the people.. they always support the underground and makes the people idiot inorder for them to execute their plans...they are the masters of deception..they go for the majority flying like an angel..but to hell with them!!!!!!Palparan is right shooting the deceptive flying angels.....and yet this angels would claim to the human rights commission that they are victims of AFP execution even if they die from natural cause such as tuberculosis..

Scholars no more?

This thousands of students will loose their dreams of pursuing and finishing their college education when the supreme court decided to reversed the cityhood of Tabuk Kalinga. Shown in this video are the LGU scholars of Tabuk Kalinga Province funded through the city budget but might be terminated when Tabuk will go back to it's Municipal budget..In the otherhand hundreds also have been laid off of their work in the Municipal hall due to the cityhood problem.

Mayor Bautista of Baguio city is the only Mayor that opposes the granting of cityhood to Tabuk in the Cordilleras. He signed and joined the league of cities who filed and opposed the cityhood of 15 municipalities including Tabuk to the Supreme Court..If you are a registered voter in Baguio, bear in mind what kind of a cordilleran bautista is.. 2010 might be the judgement day not from the supreme court but by the voters

Granting the cityhood of Tabuk to build a city

“The city, as one finds it in history, is the point of maximum concentration for the power and culture of a community. It is the place where the diffused rays of many separate beams of life fall into focus, with gains in both social effectiveness and significance. The city is the form and symbol of an integrated social relationship: it is the seat of the temple, the market, the hall of justice, the academy of learning. Here in the city the goods of civilization are multiplied and manifolded; here is where human experience is transformed into viable signs, symbols, patterns of conduct, systems of order. Here is where the issues of civilization are focused: here too, ritual passes on occasion into the active drama of a fully differentiated and self-conscious society.” from the Introduction to The Culture of Cities, 1938.

Today people think of a city with overcrowded structures and towers, where business is everywhere and every human need is provided. But what really our needs? Building a city is like building a house for our family. We start to look for a location, We say what we want and let Architects do the floor plan and house design, we finance for the construction, and let engineers and carpenters do the construction. Now we want to build a green city and one of the perfect location is Tabuk .Look at Tabuk today, we have 60m wide streets, wide land area to be transformed, very small numbers of squatters to be relocated and the perfect place to build a city.

Tabuk should be granted cityhood inorder for its dream to achieve a perfect city in harmony with the people and nature. Urban Planning and zoning had already been started in Tabuk, where Commercial areas, Agricultural Lands, Schools and churches, roads and drainages, recreational etc. are concentrated into one ideal site. If we call it a floor plan in architecture, it is Urban Master Plan in a city to be built. Imagine building a house and sketch the floor plans afterwards. Imagine designing a perfect Urban Master Plan in a city that is overcrowded and over populated, where many structures exist. This is the symbol of stupidity of some of the league of cities in the Philippines, and yet they claimed that they are cities, where squatters are everywhere, a city that is a flood zone because they didn’t even plan for a drainage system, a city of crime and violence, a city of prostitutes, a city whose sidewalks are the bed of its citizen during the night, a city of garbage. They are the cities of demolition and creation, where they construct projects and demolished it afterwards. These are the modern scammers because they destroy and build. Some of these cities have even been granted fertilizers while in fact they don’t have any agricultural lands; they are giving mercy to the street people and attract some other more from provinces. In short and simple language “a city of immorality and the symbol of poverty”. These are the problems of some big cities in the Philippines and the only solution is to create more cities, to provide the people with more opportunities and not to overcrowd them and let them die in hunger. These are the problems Tabuk City is looking forward to avoid.

Tabuk had already started to build a city and yet this League of Cities are the torns and obstacles for the people of Tabuk to achieve a peaceful and successful life. We have already our Urban master plan, we have engineers, architects, contractors and workers, but we don’t have the budget to continue the implementation if we lost our cityhood. It is not too late for the Supreme Court to reverse its decision, we don’t want Tabuk grow bigger and bigger without such planning and financing. We don’t want Tabuk be granted cityhood when illegal settlers and businessman flocks the Municipality of Tabuk and establish their businesses wherever they want The income of Municipalities should not be a basis, but of course it was the law. However it is not a guarantee to the people that high income cities have the most prosperous and successful citizens. Where there are prostitutes, criminals, street children, squatters, the poorest of the poor, and the elite of the elites, that is the impression of other cities in the Philippines.

With a 6-5 votes from justices The Supreme Court (SC) declared unconstitutional the 16 Cityhood Laws that were enacted by Congress to convert 16 towns into cities. This is an indication that our laws are not clear. They are made to be opinionated and each justices has its own interpretation of the law.

"Since the law is clear, plain and unambiguous that any municipality desiring to convert into a city must meet the increased income requirement, there is no reason to go beyond the letter of the law in applying Section 450 of the Local Government Code, as amended by R.A. 9009," the SC pointed out.

When the law is clear it should have been a unanimous decision. They should stop using the Phrase “When the Law is clear” because there are no clear laws after all. Each individual has its own opinion and interpretation of the law.

Lets give Tabuk a chance, in the future we will be very proud, head up and shout “WE BUILD THIS CITY!!”

Cop is accidental hero in bizarre QC robbery, shootout

By Jeannette Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 15:56:00 08/16/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) An off-duty policeman became an accidental hero Saturday afternoon in a bizarre turn of events in Quezon City in which he fought off an apparent robbery attempt on him, killing the alleged robber in a shootout that proved equally fatal to himself, and unknowingly saving an Indian trader being robbed nearby by another man who was then lynched by a mob.

The “accidental hero” PO1 Benhur Busu-ay, detailed with the Aviation Security Group at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, died while undergoing treatment at the Far Eastern University Hospital after shooting dead suspect Rustan Lorano, of Zapote, Las Piñas City.

The other suspected robber, Ramiro Reyes, 36, of Tanay, Rizal was allegedly mobbed by Busu-ay’s neighbors and stabbed to death.

But PO2 Joseph Diño of the Quezon City Police District Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU) said the people who attacked and killed Reyes were not being helpful because they took the man’s .45 caliber pistol. They also took Lorano’s gun.

Diño said that the chain of events started at around 1:30 p.m. on Republican Avenue in Barangay Fairview. PO1 Busu-ay, aboard a motorcycle, had just arrived at his home inside the Burawin Street compound when Lorano approached him.

Unknown to Busu-ay, Lorano’s cohort was at that time robbing Indian trader Sotanam Singh some 50 meters away.

Diño pointed out that Lorano had approached the aviation cop upon noticing a bulky object Busu-ay’s waist and apparently mistaken him for a messenger he and his companion could rob.

Immediately after Busu-ay identified himself as a policeman, Lorano reportedly drew his .45 caliber pistol and shot the cop. He ran away as Busu-ay drew his .9 mm caliber service pistol and fired back.

The sound of gunfire from Lorano and Busu-ay reportedly caused Reyes, who had just allegedly robbed Singh of P2,000, to scamper inside the Sikap Area parallel to Burawin Street to hide.

Despite having taken five bullets in the body, Busu-ay managed to catch up with Lorano and shot the suspect several times in the body, killing him instantly at the entrance to Sikap Area, said Diño.

Neighbors immediately took the badly wounded officer to the FEU hospital for treatment while other bystanders robbed the fallen robber, taking his .45 caliber pistol.

Busu-ay died several minutes after he was wheeled into the FEU hospital. His wounds were mostly in the chest.

Meanwhile, Reyes was cornered in an alley inside Sikap Area by knife-wielding residents who stabbed him to death. The mob also took his .45 caliber pistol but left untouched the P2,000 that had been allegedly stolen from Singh.

Diño said that both men carried identification cards indicating that they are police civilian volunteers and carried laminated business cards from Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon.

Diño pointed out that Reyes had a mission order stating he was a military civilian agent issued by the Army 2nd Infantry Division in Tanay, Rizal. The alleged mission order, he said, was signed by a Lt. Lhogan Cliff Acuril.

Diño said they still had to confirm the validity of the identification cards with the organizations marked on them.

He said investigators will also have to determine the identities of the people who attacked Reyes and took the alleged robbers’ guns.

Scene of the Crime Office personnel recovered several spent .9-mm and .45- caliber spent shells as well as Busu-ay’s service pistol from the scene.

Kalinga Cops Killed

Cop, 2 rob suspects slain in shootout
By Reinir Padua
Sunday, August 17, 2008

A policeman was killed when he shot it out with two robbery suspects who also died after the gun battle yesterday afternoon in Fairview, Quezon City.

Police Officer 1 Voltaire Benhur Busway, 26, who was assigned with the Aviation Security Group, died of gunshot wounds in the chest.

Quezon City Police District (QCPD) chief Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula identified the two slain suspects as Rustan Lorono of Las Piñas and Ramiro Reyes of Tanay, Rizal, who were identified through identification cards found on them.

Though the slain policeman shot it out with the suspects, Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the QCPD-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, said the body of one of the suspects was riddled with stab wounds.

Superintendent Raymundo Equibal, commander of the QCPD-Station 5, said the incident happened near Busway’s house on Republic Avenue in Barangay Greater Fairview.

Busway was getting off his motorcycle at around 1:15 p.m. when he noticed the two suspects frisking Indian national Satnam Singh, a money lender, Equibal told The STAR in an interview.

QCPD-Station 5 desk officer PO1 Jun Cabatan said the two suspects, who were wearing shirts with police markings, posed as policemen to rob Singh of his money.

When Busway saw what was happening, he tried to accost the suspects. One of them shot at Busway, who fired back.

As Busway fell, the two suspects were still able to run 60 to 70 meters away from the crime scene before they eventually fell and died, Equibal said.

Equibal explained this was because the police used his .9mm service firearm to shoot the suspects and this type of bullet takes about two to three minutes to have an effect on the one who was shot.

However, Mabanag suspects some residents “ganged up” on one of the suspects, as shown by the stab wounds in his body. Mabanag said it was still not clear whether the suspect was also shot by Busway.

There were reports that a third suspect, now the subject of a police manhunt, was on a motorcycle and took his slain companion’s .45 caliber pistols and an undetermined amount of cash divested from Singh before escaping towards Commonwealth Avenue.

But Mabanag said it could be that the ones who reportedly ganged up on one of the slain suspects were the ones who took away the firearms.

Neighbors and witnesses brought Busway to the FEU Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment. Cabatan said Singh was unhurt.

There is really nothing we can do – DOTC regional director

By Estanislao Albano Jr.

Tabuk City, Kalinga – There is really nothing his office can do with the proliferation of colorum public utility vehicles (PUVs) in Tabuk which have been the subject of numerous complaints, according to Transportation and Communication Regional Director Federico Mandapat.

In a letter to Mayor Camilo Lammawin, Jr., Mandapat said that they want very much to conduct law enforcement operations in the city, they are prevented by lack of manpower at the Land Transportation Office in Tabuk City and likewise in the regional office.

He said that the situation would be different had not former LTO Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Berroya not revoked on August 13, 2007 the deputizing of policemen in the city to do the job.

Saying that this deputized policemen were a great help in the maintenance of order on the road, Mandapat had reiterated an earlier suggestion made by LTO regional operations chief Robert Pocais to the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tabuk City for that body to pass a resolution requesting Department of Transportation and Communication Secretary Leandro Mendoza to issue anew deputation orders to local policemen.

Berroya had revoked the deputation orders because of reports that such were being used for mulcting activities.

Two PUV groups here have earlier petitioned the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to transfer the processing of papers of PUVs in the province from the Cordillera Administrative Region in Baguio City to the LTFRB-Cagayan in Tuguegarao City.

One of the reasons they cited is the little attention the province is receiving when it comes to the enforcement of traffic laws “contributing to the proliferation of colorum vehicles in the area.”

Kalinga Federation of Jeepney Operators (KFJO) and the Kalinga Transportation and Development Cooperative (KASTRANSDESCO) said that with the nearness of Tuguegarao City to Tabuk City, traffic enforcement would improve.

Cecilio Mangadap, board chairman of the KALTRANSDESCO, had accused the DOTC-CAR of not acting on the June 3, 2008 order of Secretary Mendoza to apprehend colurom PUVs in Kalinga.

3 Kalinga entrepreneurs win micro-business awards

by L. Lopez

Tabuk City, Kalinga (9 August) -- Three entrepreneurs classified under micro-business won regional and national awards, earning prestige to the province in the field of trade and industry.

Noryn Bagano of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here said Regina Madio of Praj's Gift Shop and Ma. Socorro Saclag of Ayatu's Ethnic Products got the Pundo sa Sipag, Puhunan sa Tiyaga Award, together with 16 other selected awardees nationwide.

Thelma Ng of Bayle's Supermart, joined the prestigious line of Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs in the Cordillera Region for this year's Go Negosyo Caravan staged yearly by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) chaired by business icon Jose Ma. A. Concepcion, who is the presidential consultant for entrepreneurship.

Madio and Saclag also received P100,000 cash awards each which will be used as additional working capital to make their business grow and will inspire others to start their own small business.

In the search and evaluation of entries conducted early this year, Madio and Saclag, who were nominated by DTI-Kalinga, participated in the product exhibit at Market! Market! Shopping Complex in Taguig City, which was visited by Senator Manny Villar.

Praj's Gift Shop and Ayatu's Ethnic Products use to figure in trade fairs organized by the DTI here and outside the province.

The Sipag-Tiyaga award is launched by the Nationalista Party in celebration of its 100th Year Anniversary as it contributes to nation building.

Meanwhile, Go Negosyo Awardee Ng displayed an extra-efficient business management skill, as seen in the chain of their business expansion amidst the economic difficulty hitting the country today.

"Managing a business is not at all bed of roses", says Ng who recalls what she terms as "bumps and humps" that they encounter in their daily transactions.

Ng admits that the business regulatory laws advocated by DTI have greatly helped them install a healthy relationship with customers. This was recognized in a regional scale having been conveyed a Certified Establishment-Silver Award (CE Award) in 2007.

But beyond her business management prowess, Ng acknowledges the Lord's hand over their family business, whom she believes is the source of all what they manage today.

Go Negosyo is a campaign advocated by government to build small business communities where the norm and way of life is improving the lives of small Filipinos through entrepreneurship.

Last year, Nancy Busacay of the Bago, Igorot, Tagalog, Ilocano, Cagayano, Kalinga (BITICK) Women's Organization and Natividad Sugguiyao of Chico River Quest, Inc. earned the same award for the province.

Kalinga student lands 2nd top slot in nursing board

by L. Lopez

Tabuk City, Kalinga (9 August) -- Alrin Flores Falgui, 20, who hails from this province and landed top 2 in the Nursing Board Examination given by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) last June, claims it was always his dream of topping the board examination.

"That dream became my goal and made me study very hard," Aldren, a graduate of Far Eastern University (FEU) Nicanor Foundation recalled.

"To keep me reminded of that goal, I wrote it on a piece of paper and have it pasted on a conspicuous place on the wall of my room, so I could read it every time. Everyday, that piece of paper reminded me to study, study and study," Alrin quipped.

But Alrin admits becoming a topnotcher is no easy thing. The secret he says is setting your goal and focusing on it everyday. It requires time management. With barely two months of review, devotion and focus on what you're doing matters, Alrin claimed.

On top of his academic preparation, Alrin recounted his deep prayers and trust on the Lord.

Alrin advises those preparing to take board examinations to take time and relax saying it is also important to do recreational activities to sustain one's energy and momentum.

A consistent student achiever, Alrin was DBP scholar for his four years in college. He graduated high school at the Tabuk National High School, where he earned various prestigious awards.

He is the eldest child of Engr. Danilo C. Falgui of the Kalinga-Apayao State College (KASC) and Udette Flores Falgui, CPA, Cashier, DBP-Tabuk.

Alrin obtained a rate of 85.80%, the 2nd highest among 64,000 plus examinees. He will join other successful examinees in the oath taking ceremony August 19-20 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. (PIA Kalinga)

NPAs step up terror acts in Kalinga – Army

Tabuk City, Kalinga (9 August) -- Communist terrorists operating in the province have stepped up their illegal activities with the burning of the Globe cellsite at barangay Pakawit in Pinukpuk last July 27, an attempt to destroy another Globe cell site at Dangoy, Lubuagan and the foiled attack on the Mallango detachment in Tinglayan.

This was the report of Lt. Col. Tony Lastimado, Commanding Officer of the 21st Infantry Battalion before members of the Provincial Peace and Order Council last August 6 at Laoagan resort here.

He said the current actions of the New Peoples Army (NPA) manifest their intention to instill fear among the populace, particularly those villages unsupportive of the communists' cause. "The NPAs are bent to counter our presence in far-flung barangays. They want to disrupt our outreach missions and delay government projects in those areas," he said.

The NPA strongholds in barangays Poswoy in Balbalan and Baay in Pinukpuk are taken by the soldiers and they are trying to regain them by sowing fear by their atrocities, Lastimado reported.

He said under the leadership of Col. Remegio De Vera, 501st Brigade Commanding Officer, government forces were able to repulse the enemies on all sides and decimated their strength in the Kalinga-Apayao-Cagayan area of responsibility (AOR) of the brigade.

Aside from combat operations the Army also initiated community services assisting 16 elementary schools during the "brigada eskwela" by doing ground clearing and minor repair on classrooms and other school facilities.

The 21st IB also conducted nine medical missions from May to August and served 2,578 clients on dental, circumcision, medical, and free haircut services.

Under the Kalayaan Sa Barangay program, the battalion in coordination with the 513th Engineering Construction Battalion and the 51st Engineering Brigade, a water system and a school building were completed while three PGMA school buildings and two farm to market road in Sumadel and Pasil are on-going.

Pasil Mayor James Edduba thanked the Philippine Army on their efforts to open the road to the Poblacion of Pasil. (PIA-Kalinga)

Lubuagan, Kalinga to hold 1st Lumin-awa festival on August 18-20

by Lito Dar

Baguio City (9 August) -- In celebration of the centennial founding anniversary of the first civil government of Lubuagan town in Kalinga, the local government unit in cooperation with the Department of Tourism will be holding its first "Lumin-awa" festival on August 18-20.

Lubuagan Mayor James Alunday in a press conference last week explained that the "Lumin-awa", is synonymous to "guminhawa", or to be relieved or relaxed in mind, spirit and health.

The three-day festivity aims to boost the town's economy and development, as he stressed that education, health and tourism are their priority.

The three-day Lumin-awa festival features grand parades, indigenous games/songs/sounds, Agro Industrial Exhibits/fair, stage programme, field presentations and medical/dental mission. The mayor is inviting everybody, local and foreign tourists alike, to witness or discover their rich cultural heritage.

According to Lubuagan municipal tourism officer Luisa Inga, one of the tourist attractions in their town is the "Tiwood" fertility spring. She cited the 30 families within the vicinity of the spring who were blessed with twin children. She also mentioned some testimonies regarding couples with no children who have had their own babies after going to the spring.

Meantime, Engr Paul Masilayan, consultant for special event, revealed that another attraction in Lubuagan is the mysterious Calamayan waterfalls. Mayor Alunday attested that nobody had successfully taken a picture of the said waterfalls except for an American tourist, who bought a pig first and butcher it in the area, before taking a picture.

DOT-CAR Director Pura Molintas assured their support, to what she described as a "grandeur occasion", in terms of promotional support and media coverage. Through the festival, we are promoting the "eco-tourism" of Lubuagan, which she called "home of artisans and great artists". (PIA)

12 projects approved for KALAHI-CIDDS 2nd cycle in Pinukpuk

BY:(ggd/PIA-Kalinga)

Pinukpuk, Kalinga (2 August) -- Twelve barangays in this town found new hope to improve the socio-economic conditions of their locality after members of the Barangay Representative Team (BRT) approved their proposal for funding under the Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program.

Approved proposal according to ranking are two units flood control project of brgy. Ammacian; the four-unit deep well water system proposed by Camalog Barangay; Pinococ Day Care Center; Barangay Health Station of Bayao; Solar Power Electrification of Asibanglan; Village Water System of Aciga; three units multi-purpose pavement (MPP) of Taga; construction of irrigation canal in Wagud, Solar Power Electrification of Limos; two units MPP of Mapaco; Solar Power Electrification of Baay and the construction of a 12 meter concrete footbridge in Allaguia.

During the presentation of proposals, Barangay Ammacian got the highest votes for their two units flood control proposal to redirect the flow of water back to the main stream after it deviated too close to the communities and farm lands during Typhoon Mina resulting to the drowning and death of some people and destruction of properties.

Said project costs around P1.48 million requiring P1.06M fund from KALAHI-CIDDS, P328,150.00 from the Local Government of Pinukpuk, P49,000.00 from the barangay and the rest as share of the community following the counterpart scheme of all KALAHI-CIDDS projects in the country.

The four units of deep-well in barangay Camalog, on the other hand, will be distributed in four puroks not reached by stream water. These will likewise provide water for travelers traversing the area which is just along the provincial road. This proposal costs around P.69M with a counterpart of P438,933.00 from the KALAHI-CIDDS.

Considering the distance of the barangay from health facilities in the municipality and the remoteness of its Puroks, Barangay Bayao opted for a P.95M barangay health station (BHS) to provide first aid treatment, consultation and child and maternal care in the area. It was reported that several people in the area died because they were not provided with immediate medical attention. KALAHI-CIDDS is required P674,783.00 to fund said project.

Meanwhile, having seen the urgency to provide lighting among households the proposals of Barangays Baay, Asibanglan and Limos for solar power electrification were all approved. Said projects cost a total amount of about P2.93M requiring a fund allocation of P2.12M from the KALAHI-CIDDS. These would be providing each household a portable solar powered lamp.

Barangay Aciga, on the other hand, got the nod of the evaluation team after presenting the people's plight of not having clean drinking water in the community which has resulted to unsanitary environment and illness among the populace. Said village water system would require KALAHI-CIDDS P595,928.00 to fund the P825,928.00 project.

Likewise approved were the proposal for a two units multi-purpose pavement (MPP) amounting to P415,000.00 in Barangay Mapaco and three units MPP in Barangay Taga costing P654,000.00. KALAHI-CIDDS will be providing the amount of P292,161.00 and P450,450.00 respectively.

Pinococ, one of the remotest barangays proposed for a day care center since children in the area have no means of availing pre-school services.KALAHI-CIDDS is set to allot P592,932.00 for the P805,932.00 project.

Barangay Wagud needs an irrigation canal to be able to cultivate and utilize a vast area of idle lands for farming and rice production in the barangay. The project requires a funding of P890,000.00 with a total of P567,925.00 KALAHI-CIDSS share.

Barangay Allaguia is aspiring for a more stable and durable footbridge to replace the bamboo makeshift bridge across a river entering their barangay to ensure safety of those passing by especially during the rainy seasons.Said concrete foot bridge would be needing the amount of P265,000.00 with P195,484.00 from the KALAHI-CIDDS.

From the total amount of P9,844,658.00 for said projects, KALAHI-CIDDS will be allocating P6,996,448.41 with the remaining amount of P2,848,209.59 as counterpart of the MLGU of Pinukpuk and the recipient barangays.

KALAHI-CIDDS is one of the comprehensive social services of the Arroyo Administration in fighting poverty funded by the World Bank with counterparts from the government and concerned LGU's and implemented through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). (ggd/PIA-Kalinga)

Kalinga benefits from PGMA food-for-school program

By:ggd/PIA Kalinga


Tabuk, Kalinga (2 August) -- The eight municipalities of the Kalinga are among the several poor towns in the country that benefited from the on-going food for school feeding program under the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program of the Arroyo Administration.

In an interview with Provincial Social Worker Gretchen Curameng, around 5,427 day care children were identified as target beneficiaries for this year's program implementation.

These she said include the 357 children from Rizal, 320 from Lubuagan, 360 from Tinglayan, 510 from Tanudan, 396 from Pasil, 530 from Balbalan, 1,704 from Tabuk City and 1,250 from Pinukpuk.

According to Curameng, the school for food program aims to provide day care children the needed nutrition to ensure that sufficient and nutritious food are available for them to cope with the physical and mental challenges of going to school. Each beneficiary are provided with one kilo rice per day for 43 days.

Curameng said it is a welcome development that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her recent State of the Nation Address included Kalinga as one of the provinces targeted for the administration's massive school feeding program.

As recalled, the President mentioned that with the revenues generated from the Value Added Tax (VAT), her administration will be launching a massive school feeding program at P10.00 per child every school day in indigent communities and calamity stricken areas including Kalinga, Apayao and Abra in the Cordillera Region. Through these efforts, poor provinces will be alleviated from the list of provinces with high rate of malnutrition the country.

In a related development, Division Feeding Coordinator Julia Bateg of the Department of Education (DepEd), Kalinga said that recipient districts of the second batch of Food-for-School program in the province just received their rice allocations in coordination with the National Food Authority (NFA).

From the 93 targeted schools from the Districts of Balbalan, Tanudan, Northern Pinukpuk, Southern Pinukpuk and Lubuagan, at least 2,742 pupils benefited during the implementation of the second batch.

Recipients of the first batch covered the Districts of Pasil, Rizal and Tinglayan benefiting at least 1,872 pupils in said areas. Each pupil received one kilo rice each for 19 days and noodles feeding for 35 days.

Said program was made possible through Deped in partnership with the NFA, National Nutrition Council and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). (ggd/PIA-Kalinga)

Fertilizer subsidy worth only P180.00 in Tabuk

By Estanislao Albano, Jr.

Tabuk City, Kalinga – With the participating farm input dealers here taking the discounted fertilizer under the government fertilizer subsidy program on credit, the actual worth of the P250.00 fertilizer subsidy coupon being given to farmers is only P180.00.

According to Betty Cawilan of the Casigayan Farm Supply in Dagupan Centro, this city, one of the four farm input outlets in the province accredited by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the fertilizer subsidy program, she is selling a bag of urea to farmers with coupons at P2,020.00 while to those who have none, only at P1,950.

Cawilan explained that the discrepancy of P70.00 covers the difference in the price of the fertilizer which they have to take on a 30-day credit from the distributors as against the unsubsidized fertilizer which they take in cash in order for them not to lose while implementing the subsidy program.

According to Cawilan, it is necessary for them to take the subsidized fertilizer on credit because the arrangement with the DA is for the payment of the surrendered coupons with complete and properly accomplished documentation at the end of each week.

“Not many farmers understand our situation. They cannot understand that even with the difference of P70.00, their subsidized fertilizer is still cheaper by P180.00 than the unsubsidized fertilizer,” Cawilan said.

Cawilan is asking why the DA does not just give the subsidy to them in cash “so there will be no need for processing and waiting for the payment.”

Told of the reduced value of the government fertilizer subsidy coupon, Provincial Agriculturist Gerardo Jose said that he will have the reports verified.

Jose informed ZZW that some 32,756 coupons worth P8.2M has been released by the DA to Kalinga and that the provincial government is also mulling to add four more P250.00 discount coupons per hectare to the two coupons already being given by the national government.**

Social workers demand benefits

by Larry Lopez / PIA

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Social workers employed with the provincial and municipal governments in the province are lobbying for additional benefits mandated under RA 94331 or the Magna Carta for Public Social Workers in the country.

The group of public social workers is asking for a P50/day subsistence allowance plus hazard pay, which is computed at 20 percent of their monthly rate.

Judith Puday of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office, who is representing the group, said they have initially presented their position in the provincial executives’ July monthly meeting.

“This move came about following the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Magna Carta in November last year,” Puday said.

But the group understands that local government units are already at the mid-year of their budgetary period, that is why members have considered presenting their cause before the local finance committees for proper fund allocation.

“Since the approval of the IRR last year, other local government units have already released additional mandated benefits to public social workers,” Puday said.
The Magna Carta for Public Social Workers mandates the state to promote and improve the social and economic well-being of public social workers to make them more responsive to the needs of their clients.

TESDA-Kalinga ready for nat’l best masonry event

by Gigi Dumallig / PIA

TABUK CITY , Kalinga – In preparation for the nationwide Best Masonry competition, 43 skilled masons in the province recently joined the launching of the program at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Kalinga training center that started last July 11.

According to TESDA information officer Belmar Angngolin, the agency utilized the unfinished 9x12 square meters building of TESDA office as a venue for the provincial competition to test the capabilities of skilled masons.

“Just after seven days of actual work, they have surprisingly accomplished more than what was expected as seen in the construction’s physical improvement,” he said.

He said that Donald Oplay emerged as the winner during the competition and will be representing the province during the regional feat this October.

Among the categories include hollow blocks laying, plastering, and installation of rails and balusters. The activity was sponsored by Holcim Company Philippines, which donated the 200 bags of cement used during the competition.

“The company also provided for the trainers for the 10-day training for the masons including their gears, tools and allowances,” he said
Holcim is one of the world’s leading producers of cement and aggregates that is working in more than 70 countries and employs almost 90,000 people.

Meanwhile, TESDA-Kalinga provided the other construction materials and other training support.
Through the comprehensive antipo-verty alleviation program of the Arroyo administration, more and more skilled Filipinos are provided opportunities for better paying jobs both locally and abroad with the provision of free government skills training assistance and scholarships through TESDA.

ikalinga ranked 2nd in the latest Nursing Board

Alrin Flores Falgui from TNHS and who took his nursing in FEU placed 2nd with an average of 85.8%. in the latest Nursing Board Exam held on June 1 & 2, 2008..The result was released on July 23, 2008.