February 2008
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02.08.08January 08 Architecture Exam Results
Congratulations to Ryan Mina Benaoe of St. Louis University for topping the Architecture Board Exam held last month.
From the Philippine Star:
A graduate of the Saint Louis University (SLU) here topped the licensure examinations for architects, the third in the school’s history.“Actually, it is hard to expect even to pass, much more making it to the top,” said 24-year-old topnotcher Ryan Mina Benaoe. Benaoe duplicated the feat of SLU graduates Joel Manzano and Rodel Rosario in the 1983 and 1995 licensure exams, respectively.
For the list of board passers, click here.
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02.08.08Stat of the Day
130,200
A total of 130,200 fully grown marijuana plants worth P23,640,000 were reportedly uprooted in the town of Bakun by the Benguet police. Source here. It would be interesting to know how they came up with that figure. Can you imagine them counting “one thousand and one….. five thousand and four… one hundred thirty thousand two hundred”?
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02.08.08Quote of the Day
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If you compare the vegetables from China and the ones we produce in the Philippines, the ones from China are bigger, greener and packaged well. [Many] Chinese farmers do not use fertilizers but they produce so much and we want to find out how they do it without using fertilizers.
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– Dr. Charles Cheng, a chapter member of the Association for Philippine-China Understanding.
Cheng said his group had asked the [Benguet] provincial government to help it send at least 10 farmers to China to learn new vegetable farming technology. More at the Inquirer.
We agree. We can keep on ranting about the government’s failure to effectively control vegetable importation but farmers also need to improve their produce if they are to be competitive in the market.
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02.06.08Around the Boondocks
Here’s a round-up of what’s happening in our part of the world:
Baguio officials ask nearby provinces (like Pangasinan) to help fund Baguio General Hospital. Why? Apparently, around 16-17% of BGH’s patients come from Pangasinan. Maybe this is a good argument for the re-nationalization of health service? More here.
Mayoyao, Ifugao adopts JICA Resident Representative as son of the municipality. Mr. Norio Matsuda “was instrumental in setting up of schools in Balangbang and Mayoyao Central School wherein the Japanese language and songs were taught and learned by the children.” Read more.
Philex Mining boasts about its increased profit (up 63%). No word on whether it increased its tax payments and whether these went to the province of Benguet where Philex gets its gold and copper.
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02.06.08Cesar Rafael Update
The police is hunting for the suspected mastermind and his alipores according to this latest report from the Philippine Star via ABS-CBN:
BONTOC, Mt. Province – Police vowed to arrest the mastermind and three other suspects in the Christmas Day murder of the mayor of Paracelis town within the month.
Being hunted down for the killing of Mayor Ceasar Rafael are Anonat barangay chairman Rommel “Borbon” Ambatali, the suspected mastermind and alleged leader of a criminal syndicate involved in kidnappings for ransom, robberies in band, illegal possession of firearms, murders and cattle rustling in Nueva Vizcaya and Isabela; Anonat barangay kagawad Danny Agabao, and brothers Tony and Orland Gumbi.
Last week, Ambatali and his six henchmen were formally charged for the Rafael killing after two suspects – Bong Felix, 34, and Rene Yadao, 32 – gave themselves up to police and claimed that they served as lookouts.
The two tagged Ambatali as the mastermind who paid them P5,000 for the hit job.
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02.06.08Kicking JdV: Your Rep’s Vote
The House of Representative has been the center of media attention lately because of the ouster of its former Speaker, Pangasinan Congressman Jose de Venecia. De Venecia was kicked out of his Speakership post after a majority of the members of the House declared his post vacant.
We don’t care either way who is Speaker as we’ve given up on Congress a long time ago. After all, this recent brouhaha is a fight among thieves as former Senate President Jovito Salonga said in a TV interview. We are curious however about how our Cordillera representatives voted. Here’s the breakdown:
Those who voted “Yes” to declare the post of Speaker vacant (in effect kicking out de Venecia):
1. Kalinga Rep. Manuel Agyao
2. Apayao Rep. Elias Bulut Jr.
3. Abra Rep. Cecilia Seares-LunaThose who voted “No”
1. Ifugao Rep. Solomon Chungalao
2. Benguet Rep. Samuel Dangwa
3. Baguio Rep. Mauricio DomoganIt’s interesting to note that the neophyte representatives (Rep. Agyao and Rep Luna) and the youngest one (Rep. Bulut) voted to kick out de Venecia while the more seasoned Reps voted to keep him.
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02.04.08Beans for Ballots
Trivia: Who were the first Igorots to vote in a U.S. presidential election? The St. Louis Public Library gives us the answer:
The Fair’s Philippine Reservation included villages for the three Igorot groups, the Bontocs, Suyocs, and Tingguianes. In the Philippines, the Igorots were farmers and miners.
Several Igorots showed an interest in the presidential election of 1904 and asked to be able to cast their ballots.
In response, two polling places were established in the Igorot village. Photographs of the two candidates Theodore Roosevelt and Alton B. Parker were placed over Igorot gongs; beans serving as ballots. Roosevelt carried the election, 83 to 2.
