Nueva Vizcaya

GOV. CARLOS M. PADILLA BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya: At least 10 tribal groups in the province will be recipients of free education particularly their young people through a government scholarship program for Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities, according to Governor Carlos Padilla. Padilla said the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) chaired by Dr. Prospero De Vera 3rd will increase the scholarships for students in IP communities. He said the IP communities in the province who will benefit from the scholarship program include the Ayangan, Bugkalot, Gaddang, Ikalahan/Kalanguya, Ibaloi, Isinai, Iwak, Tuwali, Kankaney and Kalinga. De Vera announced the increased attention for ...

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...

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...

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...

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...