News

3Jul

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

Cayetano renews call for establishment of Department of Disaster Resilience

Former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday renewed his call for the establishment of the Department of Disaster Resilience (DDR), saying the country needs a department that will focus on rehabilitation efforts and boost the national government’s rehabilitation capacity. “Ang point ay hindi kaya ng present set-up natin na DOH, DSWD, at DOLE ang sila ang tumutugon kapag mayroong kalamidad, kasi after ‘yung relief, wala ng effort sa rehabilitation,” Cayetano said in a press conference in Baguio City on July 2. (The point is our present set-up, where the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the Department of Labor and Employment all respond to disasters, is not working because no rehabilitation efforts usually ...

OceanaGold opens modern health facility for Covid-19 patients

22Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Covid-19, News, Nueva Vizcaya

OceanaGold opens modern health facility for Covid-19 patients

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO Engr. Edgar Rivera, OGPI officer-in-charge, noted the importance of mutual cooperation among the LGUs, community and private sector in overcoming the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (June 22)— An Australian mining firm-built first-class isolation facility started accommodating patients specifically those infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the gold and copper deposit rich upland barangay (village) of Didipio here. According to lawyer Joan Adaci-Cattiling, OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. (OGPI) president, the P10.8 million Didipio Family Health Center (DFHC) was refurbished to serve Covid-19 infected patients at its host community in Didipio and its neighboring areas. Constructed in 2...

3Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

Calayan Island remains Covid-free

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (June 3)—The island town of Calayan in Cagayan Province remains free of Covid-19 despite a report from the Provincial Epidemiology Surveillance Unit two Calayan residents were tested positive for the virus on Monday. According to Mayor Joseph Llopis, the two natives who tested positive remained stranded in Aparri, Cagayan and had not reached the island yet. Llopis noted it has become the policy of the Calayan local government unit that everyone who returns to the island must undergo a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test from their point of origin. "This makes Calayan Island Covid-free because the two new cases recorded for the island have not set foot or returned to their hometown," Llopis said. He said they ar...

3Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

Citicore unveils farm project

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO TARLAC (June 3)—Citicore Power Inc. (Citicore), a leading agro-solar energy supply and solutions provider, unveiled the Citicore AgroSolar project that was highlighted by the first-ever turmeric harvest festival at Citicore's Tarlac 2 Solar Plant in Barangay Dalayap, Tarlac City. Citicore AgroSolar project highlighted by the first-ever turmeric harvest festival at Citicore's Tarlac 2 Solar Plant in Barangay Dalayap, Tarlac City. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Citicore President Oliver Tan said the pilot project demonstrates that agriculture and solar power generation can coexist. "After 10 months of strict project implementation and monitoring, we consider the AgroSolar model a resounding success for the Filipino people. The output is sufficiently high, which can be p...

2Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

Housing program offered to ex-rebels

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, Isabela (June 2)—After having endured beds made of woven leaves and other materials, former Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) rebels can now own homes under the Housing Assistance Packages for Former Rebels (HAPFR) program of the government. Maj. Gen. Laurence Mina, 5th Infantry Division (ID) commander, said the program is the first of its kind in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) in partnership with the National Housing Authority (NHA). One of the first beneficiaries who was identified only as "Rico" for security reasons was present during the "signing agreement" on Monday in Barangay Bangag in Lal-lo town, Cagayan province. "Within the movement, our bedrooms were of woven leaves in the wild. I have no regrets...

1Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

Covid cases up in Tuguegarao, Baguio

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO CAGAYAN VALLEY (June 1)—As Covid-19 cases continue to decline in the National Capital Region, infections and deaths rose in Baguio City and Cagayan Valley, greatly alarming local officials. Baguio City recorded its highest case fatality rate (CFR) at 2.09 percent on May 20 with 247 deaths out of 11,814 cases. City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit head Dr. Donnabel Panes said Baguio's CFR is higher than the national rate of 1.69 percent. She said more than half of the fatalities were aged 50 and above and there were more males than females. "These statistics put the 50 and above age group at higher risk of death so we would want them to get vaccines to prevent severity and decrease chances of dying," Panes said. "As to the men, we have to encourage th...

31May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Cagayan, News

P1-M Marijuana intercepted in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY (May 31)—At least nine packs of marijuana were confiscated in anti-illegal drug operations of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police in Lasam town, Cagayan, according to police reports released on Sunday. Lasam town police identified the suspected drug pusher as Romel Maguddayao, 36, a resident of Lasam. Tagged as a high-value target, Maguddayao was arrested in Centro 1 village in the town after an agent acted as a poseur buyer of marijuana leaves. The arrest of Maguddayao yielded nine blocks wrapped in packing tape containing dried marijuana leaves with fruiting tops and stalks of approximately 8,500 grams. Police said the marijuana packs had a street value of more than P1.020 million. The suspect was ...

30May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nation, News

Kalinga village gets P20M

KALINGA (May 30)—Mayor Karl Bugao Baac of Rizal in Kalinga province received P20 million to fund projects in Barangay Babalag East under the anti-insurgency program of the national government. According to Baac, the fund came from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac). "This village with 500 families is only receiving an internal revenue allotment, ranging from P1 million to P2 million, and that we are thankful that the village was included in the NTF-Elcac development program," he said. Baac added that P15 million will be used for the rehabilitation of the Barroga-Baggas farm-to-market road, P3 million for the improvement of the water system and P2 million for the rehabilitation of the health center building. LCD

Renewable energy firm helps families ‘rebuild’ homes in Isabela

30May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Isabela, News

Renewable energy firm helps families ‘rebuild’ homes in Isabela

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO SANTIAGO CITY (May 30)—At least 53 households ravaged by Typhoon Ulysses last year in the municipalities of Cabagan and Sto. Tomas and the city of Cauayan in Isabela province received home repair kits from the renewable energy solutions provider SN Aboitiz Power-Magat (SNAP-Magat). Renewable energy solutions provider SN Aboitiz Power-Magat (SNAP-Magat) distributed home repair kits to 53 households in Cabagan, Cauayan, and Sto. Tomas in Isabela province who were affected by Typhoon Ulysses last year. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO In a press statement, SNAP-Magat said each beneficiary received through "Project Rebuild" a home repair kit worth around P6,500 consisting of galvanized iron sheets, hollow blocks, cement, and roofing nails. The Isabela Provincial Social Wel...

DTI assists Quirino watermelon growers sell harvest

30May

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

News, Quirino

DTI assists Quirino watermelon growers sell harvest

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO DIFFUN, Quirino (May 30)—Under the “Walang Sayang Project” (WSP) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), a group of local farmers growing watermelons here was able to sell some 2.5 tons of their harvest. THROUGH the Department of Trade and Industry's Walang Sayang Project, watermelon growers in Diffun town in Quirino province were able to sell some 2.5 tons of their harvest to partners based in Bulacan province and the National Capital Region. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Leah Pulido Ocampo, DTI Region 2 director, said watermelon grower Leah Prieto was able to establish partners from Bulacan and the National Capital Region benefitting nine other local farmers who work with her from Barangay Ricarte Sur in this town. According to Prieto, they still have around...