April 2008
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04.16.08Igorots/iCordilleras in Switzerland
The BIBAK group in Switzerland perform during the Philippine Independence day. Video courtesy of igorotland.
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04.16.08Cool Ifugao Humor
The humorous side of the Ifugao people
By Delmar Cariño/Philippine Daily InquirerBANAUE, Ifugao – The jokes are still on them, but the Ifugao have managed to keep things in stride. And just like those who have heard the funny stories, the people themselves relish listening to the stories.
The so-called Ifugao jokes have made the natives popular, making others want to know more about them as indigenous peoples, next to the curiosity over their woodcarving skills, world-renowned rice terraces, and years of chewing muma (momma) or betel nut.
Ramon Dacawi of Hungduan town, Baguio City’s public information officer, brought the house down during the Igorot International Consultation (ICC) at Banaue Hotel when he dished out samples that ribbed the delegates to the hilt.
Here are some of them:
An Ifugao flagged down a Dangwa Tranco bus bound for Baguio. When the bus stopped, the conductor asked where he was going. The man answered, “Ket siempre dita oneg a (There, inside),” meaning, he would go inside the bus.
The man had a pig placed in the bus compartment. When the conductor asked him to pay for the cargo, the man said, “Damagen a no adda pagpliti na (Ask the pig if he has money for fare).”
Evolution of jokes
Dacawi’s jokes, narrated with native accent and facial expression, were enough to generate discussion on their evolution.
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04.15.08Geeks and Virtual Universes
Well, I must admit that this is the first time I hear of metaRL.com, metaverse, free lindens, virtual worlds, and that kind of stuff. I’m sure it is a new thing to a lot of us whose online experience is mostly focused on blogging hehe.
Anyways, what is metaRL? It is a web site for geeks who are into virtual worlds. In said site, you can play games, participate in surveys, join contests, and many other things. While doing these things you will, in the process, earn virtual currency.
Okay. How much virtual money can you earn? Apparently, you can earn as much as you like. The more you participate in the online activities, the higher will your points be and — obviously — your virtual earnings will be higher.
Ha, ain’t that a nice way to have virtual money. By the way, just to be clear, we are talking about virtual money here and not that kind which you can put in your wallet.
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04.11.08GMA News Video: Lang-ay Festival 2008
Here’s a video report from GMA News on the recently concluded Lang-ay Festival. The video itself isn’t very good (it’s blurred in some parts) but it features an interview with Governor Maximo Dalog, the wedding of Dave and Janice Gulian in Sagada, and some shots of our favorite Anglican priest, Fr. Ben Solang.
Related: Lang-ay 2008 Video
Video source: GMANews.TV
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04.11.08Video Report on the Dontugan Trial
Here’s a video on the latest development on the Donald Dontugan murder trial. In case you missed our earlier post, click here.
Video Credit: GMANews.TV
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04.11.08School of the Day: Tabuk National High School
Just because it’s vacation time in the Philippines doesn’t mean that we cannot feature our first ever school of the day — Tabuk National High School. From the Smart Schools program:
Tabuk National High School, with a total land area of 32,233 sq. meters and is formerly named Kalinga Apayao Provincial High School, is now on its 39th year of advocating quality education to 3,205 enrollees every year. It is located at the heart of Poblacion, Tabuk, Kalinga. The school was founded and headed by Mr. Augusto Alejandrino, a District Supervisor. The school was nationalized on June 1973 with Mrs. Joaquina C. Falgui as the appointed principal followed by Mrs. Purificacion E. Domingo, Mrs. Aurora E. Plan and at present by Dr. Rodolfo C. Ballog. The school has 72 teachers and 20 administrative and support staff. There are 2 building annexes: New Tanglag and Uma Lubuagan which is considered as the center of curricular and co-curricular activities.
Read the rest of the article here. And here’s a THNS website but we’re not sure whether its the school’s official site or not.
PHOTO CREDITS: Smart Schools Program and TNHS Tabuk.
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04.11.08Senate to Probe Halsema Project — If Someone Files a Complaint
Aha. We hope someone will bring a formal complaint to the Senate. Maybe the iMPACT group should make this its undertaking as a follow-up of the signature campaign last year? If the Senate does conduct an investigation, the most important thing would be evidence, evidence, and evidence. We hope someone in the know would be willing to spill out what s/he knows.
Senate ready to probe Halsema rehab project
Sunstar BaguioTHE Senate committee on public works is willing to investigate complaints on the implementation of phase 2 of the Halsema Highway rehabilitation project.
Committee chairman Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. said any complaint over alleged anomalies committed will be immediately investigated once the issue is brought to the Senate’s attention.
In a coring test done by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in September last year, a portion of Mt. Data to Bontoc section failed the inspection. This prompted the agency to issue a remove-and-replace order to the contractor.
The rehabilitation of this section is under investigation by both the Office of the Ombudsman and the Presidential Anti Graft Commission (PAGC) for alleged overpricing and partiality in the selection of contractors to handle the project.
Funded by the Office of the President and the Mountain Province District Engineering Office (MPDEO), phase 2 of the project amounts to P1.905 billion.
Halsema highway is the major access route to the Cordilleras, coming from Baguio City.
The project aims to provide basic infrastructure which would support the attainment of the development objectives of the country and to enhance the social and economic progress in the countryside. (RO)
Related posts on the Halsema Project:
Questions, Questions, and a Suggestion
An Open Letter to All i-Mountain Province
Safety First
Project Watch: Complaining Does Produce Results
