Nueva Vizcaya

BY ABE ALMIROL BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (March 11)—As they embark to meet the multi-stakeholder Watershed Management Council (WMC) of this province on Thursday, 35 people’s organizations (POs) held a workshop to craft a collective vision and strategic goals for their federation. The federation which is present in eight sub-watersheds draining to the Upper Magat River was named Watershed Development Advocates (WADA). Both the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya have pushed for the establishment and empowerment of the WMC since 2018. Ansel Cabrera, institutional development specialist at the central project management office of the Forestland Management Project (FMP) of the DENR, facilitated the two-day workshop on Tuesd...

FORMER governor Ruth Padilla was officially sworn in as officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Nueva Vizcaya State University (NVSU) after the university's president filed his retirement. Ruth was serving as one of the members of the NVSU Board of Regents before she was chosen by her fellow regents to serve as OIC of the state-run university. On Wednesday, Ruth was officially sworn in by Commissioner Lilian De Las Llagas at the Commission on Higher Education central office in Manila. In a letter dated February 26, 2021, NVSU President Dr. Andres Taguiam sent his letter to Llagas signifying his intention to retire effective March 1, 2021. “NVSU is and will always be in my heart even during my succeeding retirement days. Being a president for almost six years, [NVSU] gave me a sense...

FCF Minerals Corporation donated more than P500 worth of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment to Lamo National High School (LNHS) in Dupax Del Norte and Bintawan National High School (BNHS) in Villaverde. FCF PHOTO BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (March 3)—A British mining company here has donated P552,531 worth of laboratory equipment to two state-run schools in the towns of Dupax del Norte and Villaverde in this province. James Carmichael, FCF Minerals Corporation country manager, said Lamo National High School (LNHS) in Dupax Del Norte and Bintawan National High School (BNHS) in Villaverde were the schools the mine has extended help in terms of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Carmichael said the laboratory equipment donated include digital scale ohaus sc...

FCF Minerals Corporation has allotted P500,000 from its Social Development and Management Program for facilities and equipment to boost the solid waste management program of Barangay Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (February 2)—In a move to support the solid waste management (SWM) program here, FCF Minerals Corporation has allotted P500,000 for facilities and equipment for the barangay local government unit of Runruno in this town. John Babli-ing, Runruno village chief, said he received the funds for facilities and equipment to boost their SWM program to reduce, reuse and recycle, all for the mining village to cut down on the amount of waste the community throws away.  “With the funds, we received from the mini...

FCF MINERALS CORPORATION BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO QUEZON, Nueva Vizcaya (January 29)—The FCF Minerals Corporation in Runruno village here has absorbed and qualified at least 17 students in the province under its various scholarship programs. James Carmichael, FCF Country Manager, said the scholarship they are offering to students is in partnership with their host barangay local government unit of Runruno. He said eight of the 17 scholars were accommodated under their Development of Mining Technology and Geosciences or DMTG program while nine will be funded under their Social Development and Management Programs or SDMP program. FCF operates the Runruno gold-molybdenum project that is covered under a financial and technical assistance agreement or FTAA with the Philippine govern...

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...