THE MINDANAO POST APRIL 22-24 2023

Impasugong Communal Ranch: Impasugong Communal Ranch:

Haven for nature buffs Haven for nature buffs

IMPASUGONG, Bukidnon

– The communal ranch in Impasugong town is the ideal place to go when the hustle and bustle of everyday life start to swarm.

It is hidden in valleys and grassy canyons, with streams and water springs flowing through it.

Perched amidst rolling hills in Capitan Bayong village, about eight kilometers northeast of the town, the ranch has been a legendary place of quietness and peace.

This vast, 643-hectare grazing land is a haven for both animals and people. As far as the eye can see, lush green pastures stretch out in the distance, dotted with well-bred cattle and horse grazers.

The ranch features a captivating heart-shaped lake, apart from the mountain backdrop and wildflowers.

It is best for tourists looking for a picture-perfect setting and

for couples searching for a place to take prenuptial photos.

A sanctuary

For outdoor enthusiasts, the ranch is a paradise. A place where we can slow down, breathe deeply, and appreciate

the simple things in life.

The forests and nearby hills connected by a network of trails are ideal for trekking and hiking. You can challenge yourself and push your limits, or take a leisurely stroll and bask in the

stunning views. There’s something for everyone.

The town as a whole and the local government unit both jointly own the ranch, according to Mayor Anthony Uy.

“For a fee of 500 pesos a year, Impasugong residents can benefit from various services, including free vitamins, deworming, breeding, and feeding for their cattle, as well as the privilege to have their cattle cared for in the ranch,” Uy said.

As you stroll along the shore of the mirror-like lake, the towering ridges of Mt. Kulago beckon you to unwind and let go of your worries.

The rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds create a harmonious and serene ambiance, attracting tourists and nature buffs.

Go horseback riding

The cowboys, or “vaqueros,” have been honing their skills for generations, passing on their expertise from father to son.

DENR-10 calls for local green drives

By Uriel Quilinguing Contributing Editor

TO declare a climate emergency or not is the prerogative of the local governments, an official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-10 said on Wednesday, April 19.

Lawyer Ban Mikhael Pacuribot, DENR-10 legal office chief, said this in a forum at the SM City CDO Uptown mall in Cagayan de Oro, when asked if local governments should place their localities under a state of climate emergency.

“That is their prerogative,” said Pacuribot, but vowed to take the issue of climate emergency declaration in a proper forum.

This, he said, must be based on impact assessments of climate change.

Climate emergency is a situation in which urgent actions are required to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it.

The environmental lawyer hinted that such initiative must emanate from the City Local Environment and Natural Resources Office as well as from the Committee on Environment in the City Council.

So far, the city governments of Bacolod, Cebu and Makati as

well as the municipality of Tolosa, Leyte have declared state of climate emergency in their localities.

Dumaguete City-based Silliman University has also issued the same declaration.

In the same forum, Forester Mercedita Barbarona, DENR-10 senior conservation and development officer, said everybody has been experiencing the extremely hot weather and low water pressure on faucets in recent weeks.

“Everybody wants to stay in airconditioned rooms to avoid dehydration and even heat stroke,” Barbarona said, and that even her ornamental plants at home are wilting even if these are watered in the morning.

She said the national government has invested so much to mitigate the impact of climate change and one of these is the greening program which started 12 years ago, to plant 1.5 million trees in 1.5 million hectares of denuded lands.

Aside from this, DENR-10 has been securing 11 protected areas, consisting of five natural parks, two natural monuments, two protected landscapes and seascapes, a protected landscape, and a watershed forest reserve.

“These are our last cards,” said Barbarona because many lands with forest cover had al-

ready been converted to other uses, and that everyone must do his share of reducing the destructive effects of climate crisis.

At this time, she said every household could contribute in environmental protection by proper disposal of garbage which for months posed health hazards and sanitation issues in Cagayan de Oro.

Pacuribot said the campaign for greater consciousness of protecting the planet must be on the young, particularly school children.

They, he said, must already know the proper way of disposing biodegradable and nonbiodegradable wastes.

While there has been an ordinance banning the use of specified plastic bags in Cagayan de Oro, but there is none in Misamis Oriental, thus these nonbiodegradable and highly-toxic materials find their way into some households in the city, a forum participant observed.

On Saturday, April 22, DENR-10 is spearheading a coastal cleanup – together with other government agencies, civic society groups, and nongovernmental organizations – along the coastal areas of Lapasan and Gusa villages in Cagayan de Oro to concretize the region’s Earth Day participation. (MT)

IMPASUGONG, from p1..

Tourists who want to try horseback riding need not worry, as the cowboys will guide them.

For a fee of 250 pesos per hour, the tourists will be taught how to hold the reins and make the horse walk, trot, or run.

Not only do they teach the tourists how to ride, but they also make sure that the tourists are safe and comfortable while riding.

They would check the gears, make sure that the horse is wellfed and hydrated, and give tips on how to handle the horse in case it becomes agitated.

The cowboys take pride in their work as they share stories about the ranch and the town.

Capture memories

For photography enthusiasts, the ranch’s sprawling hills and serene lake provide a stunning canvas to capture memories that will last a lifetime.

The ranch serves as the scenery for prenuptial photos for couples looking for a unique and intimate setting.

Pictures captured at the ranch will serve as a reminder of the beauty of nature and the warmth of Filipino hospitality.

They will be a testament to the couples’ affection—captured in a place that has witnessed countless love stories.

Preserving heritage in changing times

Villagers used to herd cattle across long distances. However, since it requires more time and skill, becoming a cowboy was every herder’s dream.

For several decades, the “dreamers” gradually learned to perfectly tend cattle and perform many of their duties on horseback.

The town still has preserved its cultural heritage and ethnic identity, which led Star Cinema to unveil the beauty of Impasugong.

The blockbuster film “Love Me Again,” starring Angel Locsin and Piolo Pascual, was shot in the town’s vast grazing land and valleys.

Its colorful mountains, grasslands, rocky canyons, and gorges are all cinematically spectacular.

With the town’s wealth derived predominantly from cattle farms—aside from pineapple, palm oil trees, and high-value crops—rodeo shows also prospered.

The mayor said the town’s cowboys work actively on ranches, do trail riding, and handle cattle and horses.

“They also compete in rodeos to demonstrate their unique skills in a specially prepared

arena. We are inspired and honored as they top in almost all rodeo events,” Uy said.

The rodeo challenge In the annual Kaamulan Festival, rodeo became the most watched sports race.

Cowboys compete in five rodeo events: breakaway roping, steer wrestling, team roping, bull riding, and calf ribbon picking.

Breakaway Roping: A roper is on horseback with one end of the rope tied to the saddle horn. When the calf is released from the chute, the roper will be in hot pursuit, with the lasso swirling in the air overhead.

When the loop is thrown, it must pass completely over the calf’s head. As the calf pulls away from the rider, the rope grows taut, and the string will break away from the saddle horn. The fastest run wins.

Steer wrestling: This involves strength, speed, and precision. A cowboy on horseback, with an assistant known as a hazer, chases a steer (a neutered bull), drops from the horse to the steer, and then wrestles the steer to the ground, twisting its horns. The fastest cowboy to plunge the bull to the ground wins the race.

The Team Roping: This features a steer and two riders. The first roper is the header,” who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns or neck. The second is the heeler,” who ropes the steer by its hind feet. The fastest performer wins.

The Bull Riding: Involves a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the bull bucks or jumps upward. The rider must tightly fasten one hand to the bull with a long braided rope. A rider who stays longer atop the bucking bull wins.

The Calf Ribbon Picking: This is also a timed event where a horse-mounted “muse” (cowgirl) ropes or lassos a calf, leaps from her horse, and picks the ribbons decorated in the calf’s body parts. The fastest performer is proclaimed “Rodeo Queen.”

In harmony with nature Impasugong is a Higaonon term that means “current that flows upstream.”

With numerous waterfalls and springs wholly ideal for bathing and swimming, it has cool temperatures all year long. Its surrounding lush forests and cool blue waters allow you to chill out and relax.

There are countless reasons why Higaonons in Impasugong love nature. Find time to come and visit us here.

Before you know it, you will be adding other reasons why this town should naturally be as it is—the home of the country’s finest cowboys. (RLRB | PIA-10 | Bukidnon)

Cagayan de Oro Mayor Rolando Uy (3rd from left, front row) and Vice Mayor Jocelyn Rodriguez (2nd from right, front row) lead the capsule-laying ceremony for the proposed Operation Kahusay ug Kalinaw center Thursday, April 20. With them are some of the members of the city council. (Photo courtesy of Kim Zaldivar | Cagayan de Oro City Information Office)

Oro fisherfolk call ‘fish list’ a burden

By Franck Dick Rosete Correspondent

THE local fisherfolk in this city raised concern over the burden they experienced with the required submission of their journal, which contained the data of the kind of fish they caught, sold, and consumed, among others, as required by the Registry System for Basic Sector in Agriculture (RSBSA).

Councilor James Judith II, in a meeting led by the city council’s committee on agriculture on Tuesday, April 18, presented his special report, relaying the concerns of the local fishermen that the supposed monthly reporting of data has become daily.

“Sa mga subsistence nga fishermen, dili naman ni trabaho nila. Mura’g para sa ako, lisod (To those subsistence fishermen, this is not their job. For me, it’s hard),” Judith said.

The RSBSA is a registry of farmers, fisherfolk, and farm laborers that serves as a targeting mechanism for the identification of beneficiaries for different agriculture-related programs and services of the government.

Since the monthly submission of data has only been required by the City Agriculture Office (CAO) here, Judith suggested making it every six months.

He added that the tallying of data should also be done for a certain focal person, either from the barangay or the association.

Apart from the struggles with data reporting, the CAO was also asked by the said councilor if they could also amend the order

that requires the fishermen to renew their licenses every year, as well as their fishing vehicles.

“Nahimo gani sa atong passport, nahimo sa atong lisensya... Nganong lisodlisuron man nato sila sa duha ka rekisitos (It has been made to our passport, to our [driver’s] license as well... Why do we give a hard time to them as to the two requirements),”

Judith said.

Pablo Rojas Jr., head of the CAO’s fisheries division, who was also present during the committee meeting, said they already consulted the fishermen’s concerns and later expressed their favor for amending the monthly data reporting.

To ease the burden on the fishermen, the CAO also contracted people on the ground called the barangay fisheries extension workers for whom the office provides incentives to do the data gathering.

“Gihan-ay pa nato ang pamaagi ana. Dili pa perfect, pero I think mao na ato buhaton moving forward para mas klaro ang information and data gathering. (We are still finalizing the procedures for that. It’s still not perfect, but I think that’s what we’re going to do moving forward to have clear information and data gathering),” Rojas said.

A total of 20 individuals were contracted as barangay fisheries extension workers, of whom six –one worker per two barangays – have been assigned to the 12 coastal areas in the city. Meanwhile, the remaining 14 workers have been assigned to the upland areas.

Councilor Yevonna Yacine Emano echoed the importance of the said journal as a way to determine the situation and aquatic resources available in a particular coastal area. She supported the required submission of the said journal, but in a way that wouldn’t add additional burden to the local fishermen.

“Benefit sad nato kay

ma-exhaust man ang mga limited resources (it’s for our own benefit because we can exhaust our limited resources),” Emano said.

As to Judith’s concern when it comes to the validity of the fishermen’s license and fishing vehicle, Rojas said they can always amend the renewal requirement since there was no national mandate that strictly required the

renewal every year.

However, for the fishing vehicle’s registration, both Emano and Councilor Agapito Suan were in favor of the yearly or just prolonged registration for the security of the fisherfolk.

“I would want that the burden be removed, but I also want to maintain the safety and security of our fisherfolk,” Suan said, suggesting an easier registra-

tion process.

At the later part of the meeting, Judith was being asked to provide in written form his recommendations and amendments for the ordinance.

Judith is aiming to finish his recommendations and amendments this week, and a following meeting will be conducted for the ordinance. (MT)

CANDIDATES OF MS PHILIPPINES EARTH VISIT SINULOM FALLS AND BOLAO COLD SPRING — Cagayan de Oro City Councilor Jay Roa-Pascual tours official candidates of Miss Philippines Earth at the enchanting and breathtaking Sinulom Falls and Bolao Cold Spring which is bounded between barangay Tignapoloan in Cagayan de Oro City and municipality of Talakag in Bukidnon Province. (Photos by Kim Zaldivar/CIO)

Editorial&Opinion

Bar exams post mortem and musings

for an episode of “Maalala Mo Kaya”. There is also the former beauty queen and registered nurse who also passed the bar.

I am especially proud of my former students who were among the bar passer. I received personal messages from some of them which I will always treasure as a perk of being a teacher too.

serious problem than the lack of precise knowledge of the law and has been the cause of high failure rates.” Failure to communicate in English in a precise and concise way is essentially what many Bar Examiners cite as a large cause of many who failed to pass the exams.

“The bar exam does not define you” - Anonymous

Last Friday, the 2022 Bar results were finally released much to the relief of many who took it. Like all those who came before them, the bar was the culmination of a long exhausting journey. Each and every one of the taker probably had their own tales of hardships and obstacles. When the dust settled, 3,992 of the 9,183 or 43.47 percent of those who took it were whooping it up or crying in joy.

I remember my own experience of having to go through anxious months of waiting and going to Sta. Clara almost every day to pray (for truly there are no atheists in a foxhole) while

waiting for our bar results. I can also vividly recall the exact moment I received a page (most of us did not have cellphones yet in the day) from my friend who told me I passed. As I was on a street walking that time, I stopped and sat on the curb stunned and grinning like an idiot.

After this year’s results came out, newspapers featured the names and pictures of the top 10 and the usual post mortems of passing percentage and law school performance. There were also many human interest stories surrounding the bar results. There is this story of the first blind bar passer from the University of Baguio whose travails would be a good story

The 33 golden

Unfortunately, in the midst of this unbridled joy of the bar passers almost unnoticed by many there is the pain of those who did not make it this time. While their batchmates or classmates rejoice they went home dejected. Many of them will take the next bar exams and succeed. I know many practitioners who had to take the exams a second time and fare better in practice than most other lawyers. Many however will never pass the exams no matter how they try.There are many reasons why some never pass the exams. Not all of them are due to competence. I know of many law graduates who never passed the bar but who could analyze and apply the law better than most lawyers. However, as the Office of the Bar Confidant in 2019 once put it “incorrect English is a more

There are many who cite the foregoing as reasons why they want the bar exam removed or radically changed as the mode of licensure for lawyers. They argue that the bar exams cannot measure adequately the skills one needs to be a good lawyer. Some even claim it is an elitist exam designed for English speakers.

Proponents of the exams have always stressed that the bar exams in general are designed to test if the takers have attained the minimum competency needed to practice law. It is essentially a minimum qualifying exam for practice. I remember one of my old professors telling us that law school and the bar were set up to ensure the safety of the public upon whom we were about to be unleashed.

Until a viable alternate mode of exam is put forth however the bar exams are here to stay.

Whether you believe in the

bar exams or not, one thing is clear. The bar exam is just the beginning and not the end all and be all of a law career. In fact unless the new lawyer is a topnotcher, prospective employers often concentrate on law school performance. Passing the bar is not a guarantee of success, happiness or even wealth (none of the richest Filipinos are practicing lawyers).

What happens after the bar depends on what the new lawyer will do next.

This is my oblique observation.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the foregoing article are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) or any other office under the Presidential Communications Office.

(ATTY. GILBERTO LAUENGCO, J.D. is a lawyer, educator, political strategist, government consultant, Lego enthusiast, and the director of CAER Think Tank. He is a Former Vice Chairman of MECO, Special Assistant of NFA and City Administrator among others. His broad experience has molded his unique approach to issues analysis which he calls the oblique observation.)

of Filipino press: 1952-2002

colonial rule practiced political satire and strong editorial writing, the post-World War II journalists who founded the NPC practiced factual, objective journalism. It was a worldwide trend at the time, but its popularity in the Philippines could also have been due to the influence of American and European editors who had returned to the publishing business after the big war.”

the national press was being organized. The President had been sympathetic and offered to help by assigning to the Press Club on a lease-basis a piece of riverside land near Jones Bridge.

reported the arrival of a foreign visitor, quoting airport sources. His editors read a wire service dispatch that said the important visitor had canceled his flight to Manila.

What was the typical impression or observation by newspaper readers and the general public about the conduct or behavior of the immediate post-World War II Filipino journalists?

I found the answer to that question while I was going over the varied articles in the Commemorative Book published by the National Press Club (NPC) of the Philippines in 2002 to highlight the celebration of its “50 Golden Years” on Oct. 29, 2002.

An article titled “Remember when journalists worked in barong or suit?” called my attention because the writer, veteran lady journalist and former national government spokesperson Alice Colet Villadolid, had this proud description of the founders and original members of the NPC, the country’s first association of journalists which was established in 1952:

“If the 19th century ‘ilustrados’ (Filipino scholars or enlightened ones) who led the Propaganda Movement against

Villadolid noted the NPC had just been organized as an institution by senior reporters of the robust Philippine press that sprang up in 1945 after the liberation of the Philippines by United States forces under Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

She noted that journalists Luciano Millan, Domingo Abadilla, Celso Cabrera, Eugenio Santos and Teodoro Valencia, Malacañang reporters of the Manila Bulletin, Manila Times, Manila Chronicle, Evening News and Philippines Herald, respectively, had informed then President Elpidio Quirino that

“Jose Aspiras, Francisco Dipasupil, Juan Perez Jr., Liberato Mariñas and Ernesto Granada, who were covering the Legislature, Defense and Labor for the same major newspapers, assisted in organizing and mobilizing the press. They became the first officers of the NPC,” Villadolid wrote.

According to her, “the postWorld War II journalists who founded the National Press Club were very professional -- in language, in dress and in their commitment to accurate and objective journalism. No cuss words or porn pictures appeared in the paper; stories which could not be verified as accurate were not used.”

She recalled that a talented Ateneo graduate was fired by the Philippines Herald after he

“To go to their beats, these professional journalists wore long pants with ‘barong tagalog’ or polo shirt. Women reporters and editors went to their interviews wearing conservative day dresses or pantsuits. They observed delicadeza and did not argue with their interviewees. Only after the 1980s, partly because of the advent of the tape recorder and the competition with broadcast crews, did some reporters shove microphones into the faces of their interviewees and chase around those who did not want to be interviewed.”

“Corruption of the press was practically unheard of. The publishers-owners of these post-war newspapers fired any editor or reporter who was tainted with rumors of a bribe. While it is true that some of the publishers

Carmen vendors urges Uy for more favorable location

SEVERAL sidewalk vendors selling their wares outside the Carmen public market were happy after the city government planned to organize them, but some of the merchants were humbly asking City Mayor Rolando Uy to provide a location that won’t affect their income.

Jaypee Abelano, one of the sidewalk sellers along the V. Castro Street who sells fried food items, said he received unverified information from his covendors that they would be transferred to a less populated area.

“Kung ugaling ibalhin man lang mi, mas maayo nga unta dili sad maapektohan amo kita (If we were being transferred, it would be better that it shouldn’t also affect our income),”

Abelano, who is also a resident of Barangay Carmen, said in an interview on Sunday, April 16.

Abelano has mainly sold chicken “proben” – the proventriculus of a chicken dipped in cornstarch or flour and deep-fried – for over five months now, and a location that will be organized by the local government, he said, will actually help them sell their goods peacefully and without fear from the surprise raid by the authorities here.

Apart from asking for a better location for business, another sidewalk vendor also asked the local chief executive to allow them to sell their goods at an earlier time just in case the plan to organize the Carmen sidewalk vendors has been fully implemented.

Marisol (not her real name) made the comment referring to the similar implementation of the city government to the street vendors outside Cogon public market where they are only allowed to sell their goods from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.

“Basin parehason sa Cogon nga alas 6 na magbaligya. Wala naman tao ana (Maybe it’s the same as Cogon that sells at 6 o’clock. There was no one at that time),” Marisol, who also sells chicken “proben,” said in a separate interview on Sunday, stressing that the Carmen area was different compared to the Cogon area, which is the busiest.

Marisol normally starts selling around 10:00 in the morning in preparation

for lunchtime, and that is until 7:00 in the evening when the number of people outside Carmen’s public market starts to lessen.

Abelano, on the other hand, patiently sells his fried goods until 10 p.m. to have a better daily income.

In his response, Uy said there was still no proposed area intended for the sidewalk vendors in Carmen, but he wanted to place them in one area.

“Kanang mga sidewalk vendors, sama sa Cogon nga ma-usa ra sila. So, ang mga suki nila o mamalitay mutultol nalang gyud mismo sa usa ka lugar asa dapit mahimutang ang atong mga sidewalk vendors. (Like Cogon, those sidewalk vendors [in Carmen] can sell in one place. So, their customers will only lead to a place where our sidewalk vendors are located),” Uy said in an interview on Monday, April 17.

As to the selling time request, Uy explained that implementing the 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. schedule would give fair opportunities to others, saying that areas that have been occupied by the sidewalk vendors should also be used, especially by commuters and vehicles during rush hours.

As of this writing, the chief executive was still waiting for the final count of the sidewalk vendors in Carmen.

On April 11, the City Economic Enterprises and Business Development Administration tallied over 160 sidewalk vendors outside the Carmen public market, specifically in the streets of V. Castro and Ipil. The said office is still continuing with the profiling process.

Abelano also asked the Roads and Traffic Administration (RTA) to be humane in raiding the sidewalk vendors, as they only wanted to make a living.

He asked RTA to provide a simple warning prior to the actual confiscation while there was still no intended area for the sidewalk vendors.

Marisol echoed Abelano’s comment, but she said that the raid by the authorities under the leadership of Uy was not that brutal compared to the previous administration. (Franck Dick Rosete| MT)

Personnel from the RTA carry the confiscated products from the sidewalk vendors in Cogon, Cagayan de Oro City, after they continued selling their goods outside the implemented schedule. (File photo courtesy of the Cagayan de Oro City Information Office).

Travel&Tourism

MANILA – Amid concerns about water quality in certain areas of Puerto Galera, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Friday said aside from swimming and water sports, Oriental Mindoro hosts a wealth of attractions that offer various activities for tourists to enjoy.

Adventure-seeking tourists for example, can hike up Mt. Malasimbo, enjoy the scenic Tamaraw waterfalls, which is just one out of the many breathtaking waterfalls in Oriental Mindoro, explore the Puerto Galera Mangrove Conservation and Ecotourism Area, and visit the Iraya Mangyan Village to immerse in the rich and colorful culture of the Iraya Mangyan tribe.

Additionally, there are other cities and municipalities in Oriental Mindoro that also have a wide range of tourism offerings that await visitors.

Tourists needing a break from the hustle and bustle of the Metro can opt to relax by the river and go on a picnic at the Infinity Farm in Baco which just takes an hour of land travel from Puerto Galera; go on a food crawl in Calapan City or visit sites such as the Silonay Mangrove Conservation Ecopark and Oriental Mindoro Heritage Museum; go walking, biking, or jogging around Naujan Lake; trek to Talon Falls or see the famed heritage houses in Pola; and go on a culinary tour in Pinamalayan.

“The Department of Tourism (DOT) notes that while the joint statement of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) advised against consumption of water in affected areas of Puerto Galera and which the DOT also relayed to the public, the DOH in a subsequent announcement advised against partaking in recreational water activities in the said affected areas though without attributing the contamination directly to the recent oil spill. Therefore, we wish to highlight the plethora of offerings that this beautiful town and province has to offer particularly to nature lovers and adventure seekers,” Frasco said in a statement.

“Paramount of course is the safety of tourists while giving importance to the need to balance the life and

livelihood of the people,” added the Tourism chief.

Frasco also stressed that the DOT defers to the DENR and the DOH in making the recommendations on the allowed operations in Puerto Galera based on scientific evidence and environmental and health standards, emphasizing that the health and safety of the public always come above all else.

The DOT, she noted, is grateful for the tireless work of the provincial and local government units of Oriental Mindoro, and that the department in line with the Marcos administration’s whole of government approach towards helping the province throughout the crisis, is ready to assist affected tourism workers and front-liners should the destination be closed or tourism activities be suspended.

“In addressing the needs of tourism stakeholders, we look not only at the primary tourism enterprises but also the secondary enterprises as well as the entire tourism value chain involved including all of the informal and indirect employment generated in the areas such as, for example, the vendors, the boatmen, the ‘pasalubong’ makers, the dive shops, divers, among others,” Frasco said.

The DOT chief said that following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure assistance for losses in livelihood, the department is providing training and livelihood programs as well as other forms of assistance in partnership with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to qualified beneficiaries.

This, she said, is a way of providing alternative means of livelihood as tourismrelated activities continue to be affected by the oil spill situation in the province.

The tourism chief also announced that on April 24, the DOT shall commence its training programs for affected tourism workers and community-based tourism organizations that can provide them with alternative livelihood such as Farm tourism: Urban Farming; Tourism Micro Retail: Beadwork and Lei making; Food Tourism; Kulinarya Training; Health and Wellness

Tourism: Hilot Training, and Basic Haircutting Training.

(PNA)

MORE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS. The Tamaraw Falls in Barangay Villaflor in Puerto Galera. Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco on Friday (April 21, 2023) urged tourists to visit other attractions in Oriental Mindoro, where some areas have been affected by a recent oil spill. (Photo courtesy of Travel Oriental Mindoro PH)

SAMONTE | from p4 advocate policies beneficial to their business interests, such policies were reflected only in their editorial pages. The news sections were clean, accurate and fair.”

“The professionalism of the immediate post-war press earned the respect of news sources as well as readers. High government officials and foreign diplomats did not hesitate to grant interviews as they were confident of fair rules of the game -- no misquotations or malicious interpretations out of context. The post-war press did not allow itself to be used by unnamed sources of malicious tips.”

In 2002, to commemorate the NPC’s first five decades of existence, the NPC officials then headed by Louie Logarta decided to honor the “golden jubilarians of the Philippine press” or those who began their journalistic careers in 1952 or earlier by coming out with the NPC’s “50 Golden Years Commemorative Book.”

An editorial board composed of NPC members Fort Yerro and Sanny Galvez of the Manila Bulletin and Dado Beltran and Butch Galicia of the Philippine News Agency (PNA) chose to focus “on a most noteworthy era when the Filipino press was honest, accurate and well-respected.”

Logarta said the honorees were chosen by a search committee headed by Jose L. Pavia, founding general manager of the PNA, in coordination with the NPC 50th Anniversary Executive Committee chaired by Alice Reyes and whose members included Gil Santos, Rollie Estabillo, Cris Maralit, Art Padua, Diego Cagahastian, Jorge Reyes, and Nixon Kua.

The 33 jubilarians were (in alphabetical order): Domingo Abadilla, Manuel Almario, Eugenia Apostol, Ariel Bocobo, Dave Borje, Jose Buhain, Adrian Cristobal, Neal Cruz, Johnny Dayang, Benjamin Defensor, Eric Giron, Olaf Giron, Virtudes Guinto, Emil Jurado, Llita Logarta, Romy Mapile, Nestor Mata, Juan Mercado, Rosalinda Orosa, Virgilio Pantaleon, Ligaya Perez, Domingo Quimlat, Napoleon Rama, Rodolfo Reyes, Ben Rodriguez, Jose Romero, Bernie Ronquillo, Gil Santos, Manuel Silva, Ernie Singson, Jesus Sison, Max Soliven and Alice Colet Villadolid.

The awardees received their scrolls of honor from then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during ceremonies held at the Holiday Inn Manila Coral Ballroom on Dec. 17, 2002.

A special award was given posthumously to Teodoro F. Valencia, generally considered the dean of Filipino columnists.

By the way, one of the jubilarians, Alice Colet Villadolid, was the author of the article “Remember When” which became the basis of this column. She began as a reporter for the Manila Chronicle in 1952, then went on to write for the New York Times, Newsweek International, Asiaweek and Philippine Graphic, among many other publications. She served as a Philippine government spokesperson in 1986-1987. She is married to retired Ambassador Oscar S. Villadolid, who is also a noted columnist.

(He began his journalistic career by contributing to the Liwayway and Bulaklak magazines in the 1960’s. He was the night editor of the Philippine News Service when Martial Law was declared in September 1972. When the Philippine News Agency was organized in March 1973, he was named national news editor because of his news wire service experience.

He retired as executive news editor in 2003. He also served as executive editor of the Malacanang-based Presidential News Desk from 1993 to 1996 and from 2005 to 2008.)

PhilHealth-10 provides services to Claveria

By Jan Albert Araña

CLAVERIA, Misamis Oriental – The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation-10 (PhilHealth-10) brought its services to the grassroots as it participated in the MisOr PAGLAUM Serbisyo Caravan in the town of Claveria on April 10.

PhilHealth-10 provided

assistance and orientation to the benefit packages that they offer to their members in Claveria in line with the Universal Healthcare Law, such as the KonSulTa packages and hospitalization benefits.

PhilHealth membership registration and updating were also given.

"We are here to provide our services to the people of

Claveria because we want to make sure all can avail of the packages we are offering," said Merlyn Ybañez, PhilHealth-10 Public Affairs Unit head.

Hundreds of clients lined up and availed themselves of the services during the event, and beneficiaries appreciated the services extended by PhilHealth to their town.

PhilHealth urges the public to visit their nearest Municipal Health Insurance Office or their website, www.philhealth.gov.ph, for inquiries about the services and benefit packages that the agency is offering to ensure coverage in the event of health emergencies. (JAKA | PIA-10)

DOLE-10 CDOFO, World Vision Foundation Inc. intensify multi-sectoral efforts against child labor

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –

The City of Golden Friendship is one of the pilot cities in the implementation of the World Vision’s Project Against Child Exploitation (Project ACE) along with the three barangay governments.

Cagayan de Oro was this year’s host for the regional partners review and assessment at Chali Resort, Cugman, this city, on March 29-31.

The three-day event aimed to determine milestones from the 2022 joint call to action statements and sustainability roadmap.

With reports from DOLENational Capital Region, LGU-Quezon City, Philippine Chamber of Commerce, DOLE-10, LGU Cagayan de

Oro City, DSWD-10, NEDA10, PNP ACU-10, and CSWD among many other participating organizations and agencies.

Currently, the crusade in curbing Worst Forms of Child Labor (WCFL) and Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) with the collaborative initiative of authorities and organizations from both the private and public sectors have gained momentum.

For Cagayan de Oro City, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-10) spearheaded by Regional Director Albert Gutib was proud to report that the region, through Cagayan de Oro Field Office led by Provincial Director Emmanuel

Toledo has been very proactive in their implementation of the Child Labor Prevention and Elimination Program (CLPEP) whose parents of profiled child laborers were given livelihood assistance and emergency employment under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program – who are now actively attending their different business enterprises.

In addition, DOLE-10 CDO FO will be releasing P30,000.00 worth of individual starter kits to 100 parents of child laborer (PCL) as a long-term, profitable solution to prevent their children from repetitively engaging in hazardous age-inappropriate labor.

Through a sustainable livelihood, their parents will be able to elevate their economic circumstances without compromising the growth and education of these profiled children.

As Toledo has recounted, there will always be cases of child labor and exploitation as long as poverty prevails.

As an organization that also champions for the welfare of children’s rights, in convergence and partnership with Project ACE partners, the call for organizations to be educated and converged at the forefront in order to combat evolving forms of exploitation among children only gets stronger — now that there are visible results from initial efforts. (DOLE-10)

Hundreds of residents line up in the town of Claveria in Misamis Oriental and availed of the services offered by PhilHealth during the PAGLAUM Serbisyo Caravan. (PhilHealth-10)

TNT dethrones Ginebra, wins first PBA Govs’ Cup title

MANILA – TNT claimed its first PBA Governors' Cup championship after unseating Ginebra, 97-93, in Game 6 of the finals in front of 13,588 fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Friday night.

Mikey Williams exploded for 38 points on nine triples to lead the Tropang Giga, who survived crucial free throw misses in the endgame.

With the Tropang Giga up by two, 95-93, with 43.6 seconds left, Williams missed two free throws that could have given them a more comfortable cushion, even air-balling his second charity.

Justin Brownlee, however, lost possession for Ginebra while driving for the layup, and Poy Erram secured the ball to give TNT the ball with 30.6 seconds remaining.

Best Import Rondae

Hollis-Jefferson, finally enjoying a regular diet again following the end of the Ramadan, could not finish off Ginebra as he missed a layup and Jamie Malonzo sealed the rebound to give the Gin Kings a chance to force overtime with 10 seconds left.

Brownlee, though, missed a short jumper, and Hollis-Jefferson sealed the title for the Tropang Giga with two free throws, 3.2

seconds remaining.

“Huge credit to the coaching staff and the

players,” said coach Jojo Lastimosa, who took over at the start of the confer-

ence from Chot Reyes, whose focus is on Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in the FIBA Word Cup.

Williams, eventually named Finals Most Valuable Player, also had seven rebounds and three assists for TNT, which won its ninth PBA title overall.

Ginebra lost in a final for the first time under coach Tim Cone. It was Governors’ Cup champion in four of the previous five editions, not counting 2020 when the season was canceled due to the

Covid-19 pandemic. Hollis-Jefferson added 29 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and two steals. Brownlee led Ginebra with 29 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks. Malonzo, who helped will Ginebra's comeback from seven points down midway through the fourth quarter, added 21 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block, while Scottie Thompson chipped in 20 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. (PNA)

High hopes for Filipinos in ASEAN Para Games

MANILA – The Philippines will send a 259-member delegation, including 174 athletes, to the 12th ASEAN Para Games scheduled on June 3-9 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner and Team Philippines Chef de Mission (CDM) Walter Torres will submit the names of athletes, coaches, team officials and administrative staff when he attends the Delegation Registration Meeting on May 28.

The Filipino para-athletes will compete in 13 sports: athletics (23), badminton (9), boccia (8), chess (22), cerebral palsy football (10), goalball (12), judo (4), powerlifting (11), sitting volleyball (14), swimming (12), table tennis (21), wheelchair basketball (23), and demonstration sport, esports (5).

“We would like to do better than last time. Our team will definitely give their best because everybody wants to win,” Torres said on Thursday.

He served as CDM of the contingent which hauled 28 gold, 30 silver and 46 bronze medals and finished fifth among 11 countries in the 2022 edition held in Surakarta, Indonesia.

“Pray for the success of our athletes in their pursuit of excellence. Excellence doesn’t just mean the number of medals won, it can also mean the development of one’s personality, character and leadership so that he or she becomes a positive influence on others,” said Torres, a former national fencer.

The PSC, in coordination with the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC), will host a send-off party for the Cambodiabound delegates on May 21 at the Multi-Purpose Arena in Pasig City.

Meanwhile, 2018 Asian Games gold medalist Ernie Gawilan and others will be leaving for Singapore on April 25 to join the World Para Swimming (WPS) World Series slated from April 26 to May 2. (PNA)