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04.05.08Coming Up: Cordillera Day 2008
If you’re looking for something to do these next three weeks, joining the Cordillera day celebration would be a good option. Apparently the celebration will be held in Baay-Licuan, Abra this year so it is a good excuse to visit Abra province. Visit the CPA website for a background on Cordi Day.
Cordi day celebration goes to Abra
By Rimaliza Opiña
MINING and the government’s approval of explorations in minerals rich areas in the country will be theme of this year’s celebration of 24th Cordillera Day Celebration.To be held in Abra on April 23 and 24, the event will be hosted by the local chapter of the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA), the Kakailian Salakniban Tay Nagtaudan (Kastan)
This celebration of Cordillera Day is one of the three celebrations spearheaded by several groups here, two of which are led by the Cordillera Regional Assembly and local government units.
The event will also advance the call for the immediate implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) for it to be meaningful in the recognition of indigenous peoples’ collective right to self determination, the CPA said in a statement.
The CPA is a staunch oppositionist of mining activities in the region because of its impact on environment as well as it displaces indigenous peoples in areas where mine exploration are done.
Pending mining applications of local and global mining giants cover 1.2 million hectares or 66 percent of the Cordillera land area, the CPA said.
Celebration of Cordillera Day has also expanded abroad in Hong Kong, Belgium, Macau, Taiwan, and Japan. These are organized by migrant workers together with international solidarity partners and advocates of Cordillera struggles and indigenous peoples’ rights.
“More than just a gathering, Cordillera Day is a political statement on present realities by the militant Cordillera people’s movement. It carries with it the historical advances of the mass movement for self determination and national democracy,” the CPA stressed.
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03.20.08Quicklinks: 20 March 08
* Want to travel the Southeast Asian seas? The BSU Blog has the details on how you can apply to the Ship for Southeast Asian Youth Program (SSEAYP). Application ends 11 April 08, so you still have time to prepare whatever requirements they will ask from you.
* Know more about the betrothal practice in Kalinga by visiting The Mountains of Kalinga blog.
* The Baguio City 2008 Yearbook is out according to Jack Cariño. Among others, the yearbook features the Ibaloi beauty queen, Chainus Guirrey. More at Chi from the Cool Clouds.
* Rex Pe blogs about myths regarding Igorots and presents the facts to debunk said myths. Read it here.
* Maurice has interesting reads on our culture of uprightness and honesty and our view on heavenly bodies.
* Remember the song that goes, “Small circle, small circle, big circle” which you sing while drawing circles? Page 101 has a post about it here. Join our discussion :-)
* Padma has a must read piece on the music of our lives a.k.a indigenous music. I was planning to steal it but I think it’s best if you read it at the PCIJ website.
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03.17.08Question of the Day
Like, uh, Metro Manila has tourists? Or just passers by? Seriously, I haven’t met anyone who goes to Manila to do touristy stuff. Practically all of them, whether foreigner friends/colleagues or Filipinos, pass by Manila because they have to and would like to get out as soon as possible.
This should be a challenge to Metro authorities because, as things stand, Manila really has a bad reputation as a tourist destination. Anyways, related story from which the above image was captured is here.
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03.14.08How Poor Are We?
A little over one in four (28%) families in the Cordillera are poor according to the National Statistics Development Board. The number increased from 25.8% in 2003.
So which province has the most number of poor people? Abra with a registered 22,484 poor families. The figures for the other provinces are as follows: Kalinga - 16,113; Mountain Province - 14,254; Apayao - 12,928; Ifugao - 11,082; and Benguet - 10,990.
Meanwhile, Apayao and Abra are included in country’s list of 10 poorest provinces in terms of poverty incidence. Poverty incidence in Apayao is recorded at 78.5% while in Abra the poverty incidence rate is at 50.1% .
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03.12.08Quick Links - 12 March 08
* If setting up sidewalk cafes along Session Road will make Baguio a more livable city, then we should be all for it, right? They should do something about vehicle traffic though. I’m not sure you’d want to go sidewalk-cafe-drinking if you’ll end up ingesting all those gas exhaust. [Sunstar]
* Seems like the question of whether or not Tabuk City and the other cities created last year are qualified to become a city is going all the way to the Supreme Court. [Inquirer]
* Ibaloi families displaced from Binga and Ambuklao renew claims against the National Power Corporation. [Inquirer]
* The peace and order situation in Abra is improving according to Governor Eustaquio Bersamin. [Bulletin]
* Lisa has a must read on how future Panagbenga celebrations can be improved. [Baguio Insider]
* Benguet board member proposes the creation of an OFW desk in all Benguet municipalities. [Sunstar]
* In observance of Women’s Month, the Digital Chain has some facts about women. Like, if Barbie is real she’d be walking on all fours. [Digital Chain]
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03.10.08Blog Quick Links
* I suppose this is investigative journalism? I admire PCIJ but that post was quite underwhelming. Like it’s news that we fight the cold by “wearing several layers of clothes”? In fairness, the pictures look great. [PCIJ]
* A tragic accident cost the life of Canadian Otto Unsinn who fell down when walking en route to his wife’s village in Balbalan, Kalinga. [Voice of Kalinga]
* Pukengkeng has a “haynaku” poem about homecomings which you should read. [PLF]
* Belated happy women’s day especially to Lovelyn who explains what Italians mean when they say “Peste le donne”. [Raconteur]
* Does your pastor love your money more than your soul? This man believes that they do. [W Todcor]
* Gerry Alanguilan has a post on an Ifugao story serialized in Hiwaga komiks back in the 1950s. Read it here. [Komikero]
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03.06.08Your Key Words, Part III
In our first blog, we did some write-ups on the search keywords of visitors who found us via search engines. In case you missed them, here’s the links to said posts: Part I and Part II. Now, here’s the third installment of our attempt to elaborate on the keywords/questions of blog visitors.
1. “What is bubod”: Bubod is the yeast that you add to the sticky rice to produce rice wine. Kumbaga, it is the fermenting agent. I think it’s made from sugarcane but I’m not 100% sure. Do you also call this fermenting agent “bubod” in your language?
2. “Most richest man in Benguet”: I’ve no idea. Maybe Nashman, Lovelyn, Page 101, and FBI know the answer. Sino sa tingin ninyo ang pinakamayaman sa Benguet? If by “richest” we mean both rich in terms of material wealth and good reputation, maybe Congressman Dangwa?
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