The Valley Journal

8Jan

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

NVizcaya gov still opposes Didipio

STILL NO. Nueva Vizcaya Province Governor Carlos Padilla speaks in front of a collage of the Didipio mine being operated by OceanaGold Philippines Inc. and local protesters who have blocked entry to the gold-copper mine. BY BRENDA JOCSON BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (January 8)—Governor Carlos Padilla on Friday reiterated his opposition to the renewal of the mining contract of OceanaGold Philippines Inc. in his province, saying even President Rodrigo Duterte expressed concern over the gold-copper mine’s resumption of operations. “We strongly oppose the renewal of the FTAA (Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement) of OceanaGold. We believe that the protection of the environment is more paramount than the interest of OGPI,” said Padilla in a text message. “No less than Presiden...

NV health workers to receive Bayanihan fund benefits

8Jan

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Covid-19, Health, Nueva Vizcaya

NV health workers to receive Bayanihan fund benefits

BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (January 8)—Health workers here who are directly in contact with COVID-19 patients are expected to receive additional benefits through the national government’s Bayanihan 2 Fund. Dr. Edwin Galapon, provincial health officer, said the Department of Health (DOH) has already approved the P15 million budget for the provincial government’s health workers. “These benefits are on top of the regular hazard pay of our health workers. These benefits will only be given to our health workers who are in direct contact with COVID-19 patients based on the guidelines of the DOH,” he said. Galapon said the COVID-19 health workers will receive the monthly P5,000.00 Special Risk Allowance (SRA) and P3,000 Active Hazard Duty Pay (AHDP) covering ...

CHEd, NVizcaya govt grant scholarship to IP students

7Jan

By Leander Domingo1 Comment

Nueva Vizcaya

CHEd, NVizcaya govt grant scholarship to IP students

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (January 7)—Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities in Nueva Vizcaya can soon send their children to college through a scholarship offered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) as part of its support to the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), according to Governor Carlos Padilla. With local government unit officials in the province, Padilla said their recent meeting with CHEd Chairman Prospero De Vera has focused on the proposed scholarship slots for IP students. Nueva Vizcaya province is home to some 18 IP groups, which include the Ifugaos, Bugkalots, Gaddangs, Isinais, Ikalahan-Kalanguyas, Iwaks and Kankanaeys, among others. Most of the tribes live in the upland towns of Kayapa, Alfonso Castañeda, Santa Fe, Ambaguio, Kasibu...

5Jan

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Covid-19, Health, Nueva Vizcaya

NVizcaya has 9 Covid-19 active cases

BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (January 5)—This province's Covid-19 active cases have been reported at nine as of today, with 25 deaths since the pandemic began early last year. Dr. Edwin Galapon, Provincial Health Officer, said Covid-19 active cases are in Bayombong with two cases, two in Bagabag, one in Bambang, one in Aritao, one in Villaverde, one in Dupax del Norte, and one in Dupax del Sur. "These cases did not come from local transmission but mostly from travel activities of fellow Novo Vizcayanos outside the province," he said. Governor Carlos Padilla has called on the police and health authorities to continue their strict implementation of the Covid-19 minimum health protocols, including the required travel documents of persons entering the provin...

NVizcaya govt aids ASF-affected hog raisers

4Jan

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Features, Nueva Vizcaya

NVizcaya govt aids ASF-affected hog raisers

BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (January 4)—The provincial government recently handed financial assistance to hog raisers who were affected by African swine fever (ASF) in the province. Dr. Cristopher Seraspi, provincial veterinary officer, said P951,000-worth of assistance was distributed to hog raisers from the towns of Villaverde, Bagabag, Kayapa, Aritao, Solano, Alfonso Castaneda, Bayombong, Diadi and Quezon. The distribution of assistance was led by Seraspi and Governor Carlos Padilla at the Nueva Vizcaya Pasalubong Center in Barangay Magsaysay this town. "We continuously assist our ASF-affected farmers so that they can cope with their economic losses," Seraspi said. The provincial government also intensified its quarantine measures to contain and p...

15Nov

By Bernabe AlmirolNo Comments

Nueva Vizcaya

NVizcaya youth heeds distress call

BY ABE ALMIROL BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya—Moved by a viral hashtag appealing to the nation not to forget Cagayan’s existence, a youth group here used their skills in rescue operations and their social media prowess to appeal for help.As Typhoon Ulysses exited PAR, the accompanying heavy rains that it has brought caused the flooding of the low-lying areas in the Cagayan Valley region. Residents of Isabela and Cagayan were shocked on Friday when the vast plains of the region suddenly turned into a huge ocean after the Cagayan River has swollen into a level never experienced since 1981.The #CagayanAlsoExist distress call was sounded off while the whole nation’s attention was focused on rescue and relief work in Metro Manila and outlying areas directly hit by Typhoon Ulysses.A group of young...

24Sep

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Features, Nueva Vizcaya

Region 2 towns hit hard by ASF

ASF. Isabela province is hardest hit by the African swine fever in Cagayan Valley (Region 2) with 31 towns now affected, according to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the region. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAMBANG, Nueva Vizcaya (September 24)—At least 31 towns in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) are now affected by the African swine fever (ASF), based on the monitoring of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the region. Dr. Zaldy Olivas, BAI-Region 2 chief, said hardest hit by the ASF virus was the province of Isabela’s 22 towns, including Cauayan City and Santiago City, or 61 percent of the total number of the province’s local government units. According to BAI-Region 2, more than P30 m...

23Sep

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Nueva Vizcaya

Region 2 drug traders go online

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (September 23)—With the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic limiting commerce and movement of people, pushers sell illegal drugs over the internet using social media platforms, according to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley). PDEA Region 2 Director Joel Plaza said the pandemic coupled with stringent checkpoints in provincial boundaries might have slowed down the supply of illegal drugs such as crystal methamphetamine, known as shabu, but drug pushers found a way to continue their illegal-drug trading activities through social media applications. The PDEA noted that while shabu has decreased, marijuana supply has increased. It said there had been more than 1,000 kilograms of dried le...

Solano govt opens market, bans buyers, vendors from other towns

21Sep

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Covid-19, Nueva Vizcaya

Solano govt opens market, bans buyers, vendors from other towns

BY ANGELY L. MERCADO, PIA SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya (September 21)—The local government unit here will be reopening its public market and slaughterhouse tomorrow (September 22) but banned vendors and buyers from other towns. "This is part of our intention to help our constituents through our aggressive implementation of our strict health protocols against the Covid-19 [coronavirus disease 2019]. Please bear in mind and understand that we do not want our severe situation to be aggravated further," Mayor Eufemia Dacayo said. Dacayo said they will also implement the “No Negative Swab Test. No Business" policy and advised market vendors and their helpers to submit themselves into the required swab testing through their Municipal Health Office. She said only three livestock vehicles ar...

NV vice guv erects barangay clinic for the poor

20Sep

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Health, Nueva Vizcaya

NV vice guv erects barangay clinic for the poor

BY BENJAMIN MOSES M. EBREO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (September 20)—Vice Governor Jose Tomas, Sr. here has initiated the putting-up of a clinic at Barangay Busilac in this town to cater to the sick poor villagers and elderlies. Dubbed as Tam-an Damayan Clinic (TDC), it will cater to the medical and health needs of Novo Vizcayanos from all walks of life. "We have established Tam-an Tomas Damayan Office and Clinic with the sole intention of helping, without prejudice, Novo Vizcayanos in dire need, especially during times of emergency," Tomas said. He said the TDC specifically intends to help poor villagers such as farmers, Indigenous People, daily wage earners and elderlies, among others. Tomas said they pool their manpower and other resources to boost the services of the TDC ...