tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67101204261610236222024-03-16T11:52:14.341-07:00-The Eternal Student-ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.comBlogger88125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-17262169893510241262021-04-27T20:24:00.003-07:002023-10-12T23:19:52.431-07:00Journal of Dreams: A prologue<p><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">(My First blog Entry for 2021 about my dreams and a possible prologue of a dream examination series - Valred Olsim)</span></i></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';">Growing up, I dream in my sleep a lot - the dreams are vivid, very real that they have profound effect in my waking life. Nevertheless, I learned to shrug them off because I thought that they are common experiences by people.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11.0000pt; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-spacerun: 'yes';"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">My view on dreams changed after my father died.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> After we buried him in Montanosa and we were about to drive home to La Trinity, I took an afternoon nap in his bed at their old family house. In my dream, he was assisting all of us in a convoy telling us that we can all go home, that it is now okay to go home. I was calling him to join us but he just stared at us. Then I woke up drenched in tears shouting “Papa!”. I dreamed of him frequently since then – the scenes were always about riding in a vehicle together, or touring around…the destinations </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">were</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> always unclear, hazy. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Yet, these dreams have given me comfort in my grieving moments.</span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">The experience made me value dreams better. Hence, I started paying more attention to what my dreams mean, not necessarily as indicators of the future or as a paranormal phenomena, but of how my subconscious work, or how my internal turmoil plays in my being. Perhaps, one of the example is the common dream of floating, or not arriving in a specific destination, which probably meant that I feel that my hopes of accomplishing my dreams are put on hold, or the feeling of unresolved goals. In recognizing these deep emotions, I can spot the source of my frustrations and stresses.</span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">However, although I consider myself a logical person, I cannot help but be amazed on how dreams tend to serve as a warning to future happenings. For instance, prior to receiving the news of one of my life’s biggest failures, I already dreamed of being bitten by a snake. The fear it brought, and the huge feeling of loss actually happened. They say it is a difficult spiritual experience that we need to experience in order to grow. Whether it is a warning for an impending failure, or a subconscious scream of opening my eyes to my misguided confidence, dreams have become as much as a reality as my real waking life.</span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Last night, after a day that puts me in one of my career’s biggest challenge that involved being singled-out in a charge, I dreamed of joining (or being forced?) in a bicycle race. In my dream, I hesitated at first, telling the participants that I have not trained for the strenuous physical activity. Then, I went along with it for the experience, not expecting anything. Then, a steep hill climb which required carrying bicycles in a muddy uphill trail happened. With that, I somehow caught up with the rest of them who are more than 30 participants.</span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">On my way to the top where I breezed through most of them for some reason, I was congratulated by faceless organizers telling me that I won 7th place. Although I didn’t win the top three ranks, I felt that I won because compared to them, I was just an occasional biker where they are real racers (Plus, the number 7 which is my favorite number, is a symbol of triumph). </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">As a bonus, the dream showed that people paid attention to me and expressed their fondness of me.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"> Number 7 also meant that one has spiritually matured after a long span of learning cycle. </span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">Whether this dream is a reflection or message of what is in store for me, or an expression of my confidence of my life quote that “whatever happens, we will not only survive but we will win”, I will take this dream anytime especially in our preset challenging situations.</span></p><p align="justify" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_MLCIRp1BgcymGkMZrnjDO_w2WtpeOKQdE_2oKC4XJ4RQJdPpyp6arqmDRoAUYwmST6yO9lnADnhmGSNGrMC47jjWOibX7QECtfOdfir5b8Rf9llqeYfc2IKhftTe7y0v5ID8NzcPRXl/s2048/156383140_444402310229462_7183680446266075889_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_MLCIRp1BgcymGkMZrnjDO_w2WtpeOKQdE_2oKC4XJ4RQJdPpyp6arqmDRoAUYwmST6yO9lnADnhmGSNGrMC47jjWOibX7QECtfOdfir5b8Rf9llqeYfc2IKhftTe7y0v5ID8NzcPRXl/w640-h360/156383140_444402310229462_7183680446266075889_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A dream can become reality, and reality can become a dream...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p>ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-86524493787615149802020-04-10T22:59:00.000-07:002020-04-10T23:05:02.827-07:00Destined Benguet Officials against Crisis?<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An elder suggested that by some destiny or some weird design, an elected Governor in Benguet will always have to face a great crisis that is very close to his/her heart or being, example:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Former Governor Nestor Fongwan , from Barangay Puguis, La Trinidad had to confront the deadliest landslide brought by Typhoon Pepeng in 2009 near his own backyard out of all places at (Little Kibungan village), Puguis, La Trinidad, which claimed about 200 of his constituents.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Former Gov. Crescencio Pacalso also had to do the same: respond to a very tragic landslide two years ago brought by Typhoon Ompong, in his very own hometown in Itogon, which also claimed close to a hundred lives.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Our present governor, Gov. Melchor Diclas, a medical doctor, has to face this global "Public Health Crisis" (Covid19 Situation) which is a challenge related to his area of inclination --a Doctor-Governor in a Heath Emergency.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Despite said challenging crisis, it seems that there will always be glimmers of hope in Benguet: that the 'Right People' seem to be in the 'Right Place, at the Right Time'. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This coincidence may be comforting for some, but frightening for others. Anyway, let us all pray for our beloved province!</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>"This is Benguet rose of the northern mountains,</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>May God keep her safe and forever free.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Land of the brave where no evil foot could wander,</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Home of the free where brotherhood is sown.</i></span></div>
<div id="yiv0014201758yMail_cursorElementTracker_1586583830518" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Hail to thee! Province of Benguet…my own!"</i></span></div>
<div id="yiv0014201758yMail_cursorElementTracker_1586583830518" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22so_wsucEvxjB-Nh6HvbQIYYME9GDXM-Ppdufv-0GPiZxLACiQ6ofDl-2JW5Nj4coQvYmWwlvDYfNlq0F0q1krPx5H7MFgckN9LxnRy4b_yXCcof6otQssi2ZNx3WFxDyc3bCy4YiN4c/s1600/thumbnail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="810" data-original-width="1080" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg22so_wsucEvxjB-Nh6HvbQIYYME9GDXM-Ppdufv-0GPiZxLACiQ6ofDl-2JW5Nj4coQvYmWwlvDYfNlq0F0q1krPx5H7MFgckN9LxnRy4b_yXCcof6otQssi2ZNx3WFxDyc3bCy4YiN4c/s400/thumbnail.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-49559704220457200942019-08-18T20:52:00.000-07:002019-08-18T20:52:23.877-07:00Fixing the Broken Windows<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Fixing the Broken Windows<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><i>Valred
Olsim – The Eternal Student</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
solutions to our society’s ills are right under our noses but we tend to look
far, even up to the moon for answers. What if, the answer to criminality and
chaos is simple cleanliness? What if maintaining order only requires the fixing
of ‘broken windows’? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The broken
windows theory, credited for New York’s crime rate decline in the 1990s, is
a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminology" title="Criminology"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">criminological</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> theory that states that
visible signs of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime" title="Crime"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">crime</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-social_behavior" title="Anti-social behavior"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">anti-social behavior</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">, and </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_disorder" title="Civil disorder"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">civil disorder</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> create an </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_area" title="Urban area"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">urban environment</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"> that encourages more crime and disorder,
including serious crimes. That, addressing these through persistent cleaning
and maintenance of public spaces will deter said tendencies and ultimately
promote order and community development. Academics James Q. Wilson and George
L. Kelling first introduced the broken windows theory in an article entitled
"Broken Windows", for </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Atlantic_Monthly" title="The Atlantic Monthly"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Atlantic Monthly</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The title comes from the following example: “Consider a building with a
few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for
vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the
building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires
inside. Or consider a pavement. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter
accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of refuse from take-out
restaurants there or even break into cars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQmtHFBQhl7po32MvB85wORKKcRfOsVQFURuaNnD2x0vll4tHyOpvWsPmhIdxJuE6jqdK8gilZolYqeQdOFH73OaRVYjDPMkX7tJAAYcmkmsxUqSxw651rHqUNz6-3wcDZaDhplIsaW8W/s1600/999592_10200728506354858_979156202_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="274" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQmtHFBQhl7po32MvB85wORKKcRfOsVQFURuaNnD2x0vll4tHyOpvWsPmhIdxJuE6jqdK8gilZolYqeQdOFH73OaRVYjDPMkX7tJAAYcmkmsxUqSxw651rHqUNz6-3wcDZaDhplIsaW8W/s400/999592_10200728506354858_979156202_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">A
disorderly and chaotic area represents mismanagement and inefficiency, and on
the part of the people, disobedience and lawlessness. That is why Mayor Isko of
Manila made it a point to clean the streets first before any other business of
the day, or why many politicians pride themselves of their clean and orderly
places, or why Singapore’s Lee Kwan Yew made no apologies in penalizing
litterers, or why Japan is the progressive Japan that it is, or why
“Cleanliness is next to Godliness”. Obviously, the way our place looks reflects
the people that we are. Simple disorder creates more disorder, simple trash invites
more trash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">This
philosophy ultimately produces a noble repercussion to its citizens and the
place as a whole – the community becomes invested in the orderly place and will
help in protecting and preserving it. The idea will inspire community policing,
and ultimately, community development and pride of place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Cleaning
is not just cleaning. Fixing windows is not just fixing. It is the answer that
we sometimes underestimate, the solution that we refuse to accept.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The
VolunTourism Organization is still accepting volunteers not only for tourism,
but for all community development works. Interested individuals and groups may
visit us at the La Trinidad Tourism Office to register and schedule activities
or volunteer works. They may also contact us at 09294619617 or through email at
</span><a href="mailto:valredsmail@yahoo.com"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">valredsmail@yahoo.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">. Our organization also wish to
express our heartfelt to our tireless volunteers who sacrifice even a couple of
hours for the community. Salamat! Iyaman! Thank you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-26487031499525441622018-07-21T18:00:00.001-07:002018-07-21T18:00:12.671-07:00Benguet Association of Tourism Officers (BATO)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BATO<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Benguet Association of
Tourism Officers (BATO) has turned over a new leaf with the election (or
appointment) of its new officials last week (yes, this is not the ‘bato’ that
gets you executed these days). The organization wishes the best in life for
Engr. Nicomides Caliguing the association’s outgoing president, who held the
position for seven bountiful years. We also wish the same for Ma’am Claire
Prudencio, the Benguet Tourism Officer head and pioneer who has also retired
recently this year. They say that the most awaited adventures of ‘apo-stolic’
duties are much more interesting than the world of travel and tourism.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Since the other twelve Municipal
Tourism Action Officers conspired to get me into such trouble (or maybe just to
compel me to attend the regular meetings, hehe), I don’t really much have
choice but to accept the responsibilities of heading the association after the
outgoing officials. As the youngest among the Benguet tourism and cultural
workers, I acknowledge that my abilities and knowledge are way too limited for
such obligations. But since my fellow tourism workers believed in me, it would
only be just and proper to believe in myself too. I thank them with a humble
appeal for them to work with me, guide me, and even admonish me should I stray
away from our goals.</div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiR1pQzxov8nrxe_uKA6xlRMlPSQ_fwwnQBAuvO6fdSQNEIlr9qsmrL9QkpLldPSrdMHz1oK3-ufgaI5I1vRlCyT5qrPTBrOVRmx9Oka7KX48VQK6hpngp0DSBe9yfQCvnS5oCtktLS0IO/s1600/Trading+Post.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1075" data-original-width="1600" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiR1pQzxov8nrxe_uKA6xlRMlPSQ_fwwnQBAuvO6fdSQNEIlr9qsmrL9QkpLldPSrdMHz1oK3-ufgaI5I1vRlCyT5qrPTBrOVRmx9Oka7KX48VQK6hpngp0DSBe9yfQCvnS5oCtktLS0IO/s320/Trading+Post.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Benguet agri-products ffind their way to the capital trading post</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Our first organizational meeting
as new officers explored our status as an organization, our direction, and our future
activities, which includes our participation on the upcoming Benguet Adivay
celebrations of 2018. As an additional activity, we proposed for a Benguet
Tourism Conference (which I suspect to be a first) that will gather tourism
workers and stakeholders in the whole province. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the first order of business in our care, we
intend to make the community know about our organization that mainly serves as
a tourism partner of the Benguet Provincial Government and its Municipalities.
This includes conferences, seminars, and tourism-orientation activities since
tourism can be a tool for environmental protection, culture and heritage
preservation, and community development. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I write this article from the
beautiful queen city of the south where tourism is flourishing to a very swift extent.
‘Suroy-suroy sa Sugbo’ (Going around Cebu), their gems or attractions
traditionally employs the best tourism elements in the country – great tourism
products and natural resources, the rich sea and its beautiful shores, culture
and heritage, innovations, and substantial tourism investments. It has that
unique beauty of its own that attracts foreign and local visitors alike – that
unique inviting town soul which makes travelers stop with awe and admiration.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
***<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i>Just how quickly the summer days
have passed, we will soon feel that familiar air of September – the memories
and longing through the years etched in the lines around our eyes from both
laughter and tears. And, like most of the young romances which are born only to
fade away, we try to shy away from the convenient numbness in attempt to start
feeling again. The future, albeit scary, is always fascinating.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br /><br />
<br />ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-39529640555267051082018-05-26T22:32:00.003-07:002018-05-26T22:32:36.008-07:00La Trinidad History Conference<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">An
event is truly successful when it inspires a future action. Hence, the 1st La
Trinidad History Conference has succeeded in rousing appreciation and interest
in La Trinidad’s and whole Benguet’s History and Heritage. The event not only
saw renewed passion for local human stories, it also enthused our
decision-makers and officials to give their active and positive support on
future historical researches / write shops, and programs for the preservation
of heritage, including the needed institutional support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">The
activity, which was organized by the Tourism Development Services of the Local
Government and in celebration of the National Heritage month, is also a prelude
to La Trinidad’s 68</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">th</sup><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"> Foundation Day celebrations on June 16, 2018.
While economic programs and regular services nourish the physical aspect of a
town, appreciation for arts, culture, and heritage nourishes its soul. A town
which does not have a “story to tell” is a lifeless town.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What
I learned from our main Speaker, former NCIP-Commissioner chairperson and
co-author of the book “A People’s History of Benguet”, Ma’am Zenaida Brigida
Hamada-Pawid, is the term “composite history” – where researchers compile the
different versions of stories, since all of them are still genuine stories of
the past. Hence, Barangay Pico’s origin “Piho” or the native term for the small
houses, and the other version, “Piko” for the agricultural tool, can be placed
together to co-exist in one story book. Same with Buyagan’s, “Buya-an” (a place
for spectators), or the other version’s “Boyagan”, or the name of the hunter
which was devoured by a huge snake in that area as narrated by our IPMR, Pendon
Thompson. And of course, the origin of the name La Trinidad; some say it was
inspired by the “three prominent hills” (overlooking Poblacion where the seat
of Cabecera was established), and others maintain the older version that it was
a namesake of Donya Trinidad (allegedly the wife of Spanish soldier Guillermo
Galvey).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AQkUZlFbEg1GXWgbUL_8-cwK66YwtgPH4i5l6EV7BmPAiWIJICW8l3g6AAczajKEEd3zLZIfT7NQZEAJU0LxDqzSXM7hY9MxqyEJcOGtAqARwWsYDpgfTxjDXg70UbsmDrZjJoe6-W3E/s1600/33367579_1998826586803962_6411870983010910208_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1569" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4AQkUZlFbEg1GXWgbUL_8-cwK66YwtgPH4i5l6EV7BmPAiWIJICW8l3g6AAczajKEEd3zLZIfT7NQZEAJU0LxDqzSXM7hY9MxqyEJcOGtAqARwWsYDpgfTxjDXg70UbsmDrZjJoe6-W3E/s640/33367579_1998826586803962_6411870983010910208_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The
Conference reminded the participants one important thing, that La Trinidad (even
before Baguio City as an American city) was the recognized “Cabecera” – a center
that attracted people, and where even animals gathered to drink in its lake’s
clear waters (Laguna de Benguet) hundreds, maybe thousands of years ago. It was
the capital in administrating a large part of the Cordilleras during the
Spanish period, even before its present role as the capital of Benguet
Province. It was a prominent town and has been a subject of flattering stories
where conquistadors describe as, “a very large town situated in a broad and
fertile valley the inhabitants of which were very rich and brave people….”
(Espedicion al Valle de Benguet en Enero del año de 1829).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Since
the past generally affects the events and courses of action for the future,
what does our history tell us? Perhaps, La Trinidad should stop thinking that
it is only a second-rate Cordillera town after Baguio City. That its residents
should drill in their consciousness to have stake on all issues involving the
place as their own home, and contribute to its betterment. That perhaps, La
Trinidad should strive to become the best town, not only in the Cordilleras,
but the whole country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-44696748379179968662018-03-26T00:02:00.001-07:002018-03-26T00:02:58.013-07:00Valentines in the Valley 2018<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Valentines in the Valley<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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February 14 is my birthday, not Valentine’s day. When
some people have already buried Feb. 14 in their calendars to oblivion, I am (un)fortunately
mandated by my own being to celebrate the same. The fact is, my name came from ‘Val’entines
day, which further added ‘Red’ to (intentionally) highlight the color of the
heart. “Adu la angot!” expressed my unmarried friend whose name is “Mary”.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Valentine season as they say
is a time of victors and victims for those who volunteer and vie for the
cupid’s arrow. Depending on who you ask; it is either a valuable volition, or a
virulent vexation, usually a failure to honor a verbose vow, or simply a
violation from the romantic villain. For the veterans of the game who have
endured such vicissitudes of fate brought by said valentine madness, it is just
another vacant day not in vain. Since, as “V” said: “the value and veracity of
such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Obviously, such fad is economic
more than cultural. February is the gain season for our rose and flower farmers
in La Trinidad, the better time for our coffee shops and restaurants, and an
opportunity for many of our local gift shops to exploit. Money is meant to be
used and shared after all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For those who want to spend a
romantic time in the valley, you can hike and have a picnic at Mt. Yangbew, or
at Mt. Kalugong eco-park. You can also visit Jeffrey Visaya’s garden at Brgy.
Bahong/Alapang and spend the day with their plants and flowers. Of course our
town is teeming with great coffee shops. Hunt them all from Km.3, Km.4, Km.5,
Km.6, to Brgy. Poblacion. For those who prefer to go out at night, La Trinidad
has a cowboy bar lane in Km.6 (from Oldwest to Cowboy town).<o:p></o:p></div>
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***<o:p></o:p></div>
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The “Eternal Student” book
published to cap my 30 years of existence (kuno) is out. I dedicate them to my
supportive kapamilya and friends. I planned to consign copies to local
bookstores and offer them for a cause – following a tradition that calls for us
to share what we have in order to welcome more ‘blessings’.<o:p></o:p></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-30456024932335049182018-01-08T00:23:00.000-08:002018-01-08T00:23:10.915-08:00Marching in January<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
rank and file workers start the year with stories from their own hometown vacations,
while those who have <i>no other</i> “ili”
can only listen in curiosity. By nature, we prolong the bliss and joy of pure
family time and rest period, by talking about them. The boys went to their
mother’s Kapangan, the home of the Igorot Grand March, though they are also
from Sagada, Buguias and Bauko, and Bontoc. Of course, their real home is still
in La Trinidad and Baguio City. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Then
the chat surprisingly turned deeper when “grand march” was mentioned, Cath
(recalling her thesis) concluded that said Kapangan’s pride (grand march) is
the result of the past’s culturally deprived generation, “the children will be
admonished for simply holding the gong then”.
“…that is why they needed an outlet or alternative for their social yearnings”
I completed, as the culture (though originally Polonaise) is like the Benguet’s
“kinoboyan” which undeniably came from
western influence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A
debate with cultural purists is futile though I do not really have a quarrel
with them. When the world spent centuries breaking barriers, and diverse colors
have been woven to single human fabrics, it would be treacherous to live in the
frozen bubbles of delusion. Our multi-cultural children and their culture are
the evidence that the world has moved on, there is really not much things as
pure anymore. Yes, we look back to appreciate, and learn, maybe reminisce…but
we do not stay there for long, we have to march forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
local grand march is characterized by unity (holding hands), and optimism/
perseverance (marching), which are the keys to a better workplace,
organization, or community. The culture is perfect tone-setter for the whole
year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Today
is a new beginning to improve. As long as we are alive there is hope to change
ourselves, if not the world, for the better. January is a time of investments
for the whole year, so we have to hit it running. Let us start marching in
January.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-16300116232177729412017-12-07T17:06:00.000-08:002017-12-07T17:14:42.695-08:00The Trinity<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">By Valred Olsim</span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
cross-carrying armored conquerors came with ordained swords – purging the pagan
relics and substituting them with the Christian religious icons. Then, the
paths were named after the Saints, and villages were named after Christian doctrines,
events and symbols. The unification of lands at the foot of Montanosa was named
“La Union” (The Union), and the valley town where the Cabacera (Capitol)
overlooks “three prominent hills” was named “La Trinidad” (The Trinity).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The
skeptic may insist that La Trinidad was named after Spanish Soldier Guillermo
Galvey’s wife, Donya Trinidad, but Galvey’s military records show no wife, and
the name “La Trinidad” was actually recorded to have been given by Galvey’s successor
Commandante Manuel Scheidnagel, decades after Galvey’s death. As an imperative, Conquistadors dedicate a subjugated place to their Christian faith, or to
the Royal crown…not to their wives or girlfriends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">Before
the Trinity of Benguet, there was the island of “Trinidad (and Tobago)” which
was encountered by Christopher Columbus in his “third” voyage. It was named
similarly to the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity which holds that God is
three consubstantial persons or hypostases—the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ),
and the Holy Spirit— or as "one God in three Divine Persons".<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">The
number three is popular in the context of symbolism and spirituality. It can
refer to the harmony of “Mind, Body, and Spirit”, the “3<sup>rd</sup>
Dimension”, the “three wishes”, the resurrection on the “3<sup>rd</sup> day”,
the “three stages” of birth, life, and death, the “three timelines” of past,
present, and future. Hence, the number “three” is said to mean “completion”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">An
i-La Trinidad friend reminded me that for a successful life, one must have the
three essentials of friends, family, and faith. A day should be fun, fruitful
and fair. And we should always have the three values of love, hope, and joy.
Three is indeed, a special number. Just the same, the Trinity (La Trinidad), is
a very special place to me.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">****<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">With
newfound vigor, I’m back to the job of telling good stories about the Trinity
(La Trinidad). Despite the mounting number of meetings and paper works, we made
sure that we will have a year-ender event which is related to tourism. Hence,
we have organized the 2<sup>nd</sup> La Trinidad Tourism Conference on December
20, 2017 at the beautiful Mt. Kalugong Eco-park. We imagine it to be a meeting
of tourism stakeholders and tourism-interested members of the community, and at
the same time an avenue to appreciate the gems of our town (since the yearly
conferences will be held on the different tourist spots of La Trinidad). We
will also have an afternoon music jam to further add value to the event
experience while offering coffee and wine to the attendees! Due to the limited
capacity of the mountain park and the unique condition of the access road, we
only produced 200 tickets to effectively manage the activity. Interested
persons may visit the Mayor’s Office for the registration forms and tickets! <i>Asen taha shiman da! Men-iila tako isdi!
Kitakits!</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-10801998816478176162017-12-06T00:36:00.004-08:002017-12-06T00:36:45.314-08:00BACK TO WORK<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Aside
from absorbing some mounting collections of letters and codes, the six month
sabbatical I had also re-educated me about life’s lessons that I sometimes
overlook. Indeed we are all eternal students of this life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I
am back for work, and I thank my workmates for holding my designated fort. <i>Salamat talaga kakadwa!</i> Even though the
La Trinidad-LGU is naturally modest, the 2017 year just as the past years, is
their year of awards and rewards. La Trinidad is again a recipient of the “Seal
of Good Local Governance Award” which proves that the LGU has a passing mark in
financial administration, disaster preparedness, social protection, and peace
and order, and also in the essential areas of business friendliness, tourism, culture
and the arts, and environmental protection. La Trinidad was also awarded with
the best Cooperative Office in the country, the Red Orchid award for No Smoking
implementation, the National Gawad Kalasag for our Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Office, and various awards and citation on the Regional and
Provincial levels for Solid Waste Management, Agriculture, and many other
areas. It is good to be back to our service-oriented agency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Despite
the challenges of our everyday, we are still the lucky ones who live to work
(not work to live) –this entails the presence of “purpose” which is the very
core of a meaningful existence. This also means that we will spend more than
half of our lives with work and workmates more than our personal interests and
loved ones. Hence, our 8-5 or 40 hours of weekly work (not including regular
overtimes) compared to only 30 hours weekly awake time for family, should be at
least comforting and meaningful. Lest we want to live the tragedy of being
immersed with 8 hours of conflict and negativity every day, we have to try our
best to encourage a healthy and supportive working environment for all of us
lowly workers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As
a laborer for the past ten years in different institutions, I hope to humbly share
three tips on how to effectively work with workmates: 1. Speak kindly, 2.) Be
Organized and, 3.) Smile, always.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As
they say “it is not what you say, but how you say it”. Workers do not mind
doing extra work if they are tasked respectfully and considering the basic
human dignity. I am not really a judgmental person, but I do judge people
according to how they treat the smaller people; the janitor, the security
guard, or the lowly salary–grade 1 to 5 employees. The power-trippers, or the people
who only respect power but treat the rank and file like disposable slaves,
unfortunately arouses gossips, politicking, and needless stress and contempt in
the work place. As a reminder for the lucky junior and senior officers (even
the heads), kind words uplift the lower rank employees and build an environment
of trust and positivity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When
I was younger (and as an artist and rock & roller), I worked with chaos and
recklessness. Despite surviving for some time, there were couple of times that
such care-free outlook cost me important ventures. Some workmates advised me to
learn the skill of management and organization. This will prevent blame-games
and confusion at work because all the levels of tasking and specialized
delegations will be covered for efficiency. I am still learning those skills.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Smile.
Energy, as they say is contagious. When you enter work with the look of
depression, your co-workers and even clients will have the tendency to spend
the day with the same drive and perspective. Smiling is the most inexpensive
and the simplest way to encourage a lively and healthier working environment.
As doctors remind us; Smiling contributes to the success of our work, our
health, well-being, and happiness! Smile at work everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-88674068228647930862017-10-02T19:29:00.000-07:002017-10-02T19:29:28.779-07:00Valle de Benguet<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">“I have heard some Igorot say that
beyond the great mountain called “Tonglo” which overlooks Santo Tomas and Agoo,
and is one of the noteworthy mountains of Luzon, there was a very large town
situated in a broad and fertile valley the inhabitants of which were very rich
and brave people and made war upon the pagans of the foothills.” (Espedicion al
Valle de Benguet en Enero del año de 1829)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">The
expedition diary of Lt. Col. Guilermo de Galvey in 1829 is a fourteen-day
account of his voyage to “Valle de Benguet” (present day ‘La Trinidad Valley’).
Galvey is without a doubt, “the greatest despoiler of the Igorots Spain ever
sent to the Cordilleras”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Seventy
years after the punitive expedition of Tonglo by Pangasinan Governor Arza,
Galvey marched to the mountains with his Igorot friend, Pingue, about a dozen
officers and a troop of fifty, and some 200 ‘Polistas’ (Filipinos forced
into labor). They crossed wild rivers and climbed steep rocks. For days they
shielded themselves from the traps of ‘pagans’ and heavy rains, until the eight
day where they finally ‘came upon the pine trees’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">At
4 am that day, they finally arrived at the valley where Galvey wrote: <i>“…we discovered from the heights the
beautiful valley of Benguet, the lovely sight of which surprised us all, so
that even the soldiers gave vent to their admiration by joyous shouts”.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Galvey’s
troops were advancing when two drunk Igorots with spears planted themselves and
confronted them furiously. They were later bound after a brief scuffle and
another group of Igorots were brought to Galvey for interrogation. He set them
free and told them to go back and tell the headmen to see him the following day
and assured them that no harm would be done to them, but that if they attacked,
he would burn their village. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">That
afternoon he described Valle de Benguet as: <i>“…a
valley of a league and a half or more in circumference; it is surrounded with
springs and forms a basin. The soil was very well cultivated, with immense
fields of sweet potatoes, gabe and sugar cane, but no paddy in this tract of
land. All was irrigated and fenced in by dividing lines of earth after the
manner of Spain, and provided with wells. The houses which had numbered some
500, were of broad pine boards and very dirty.</i> He finally decided that it
is in the valley that he will establish the capital of the district. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">At
8 pm however, their camp was attacked by Igorots, and Galvey, in response, killed
a number of natives and captured twelve Igorots – all of whom were drunk and
were shouting savagely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">On
the next day, Galvey found himself surrounded by more natives who were angrier
than the night before. It is at this tipping point that Galvey decided to “give
them a lesson”. He and his troops stormed the village firing at the natives and
burning down some 180 houses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">After
that unforgettable violence, Galvey and his troops went southwest with
twenty-eight Igorot prisoners. They continually descended towards the west for
days until they arrived at Aringay in the fourteenth day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">As
a final reflection, Galvey wrote: “…<i>the
expedition, though short , served well for those I made later, as the Igorot of
Benguet shortly afterwards asked me for peace and have since been my friends.
On different expeditions I have passed eight or ten times through their valley,
and far from attacking me, they have treated me with kindness, providing me
with rice, cows, and other food. Still, as a consequence of this expedition and
of smallpox, this town has been reduced to about a hundred houses. I am,
however, doing everything to make it flourish again, and my highroad reaches
there”.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">Ten
years later after the expedition, Don Guillermo de Galvey died in 1839. Despite
popular tradition that La Trinidad was named after his supposed wife Dona
Trinidad de Galvey, his military records in Madrid revealed that he is in fact
unmarried (soltero).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In
1875, one of Galvey’s successors, Commandante Manuel Scheidnagel renamed “Valle
de Benguet” to La Trinidad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">In
my ridiculous moments, I wonder why our Igorot ancestors had to get drunk
before they took any action against the foreigners (or just about anything). Maybe
it has something to do with the “shy mangu” and “agbainbain, ngem nu nabartek
ket mang-ibabain” stereotype. Just maybe. But then, we have a history of even
defending our “right to get drunk”, just read the case of People vs. Cayat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-15594163181645460412017-10-02T18:02:00.004-07:002017-10-03T16:40:29.769-07:00Likely Unlikely<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
I regained my
consciousness two hours before midnight and found a different crowd. Still, the
spirits have swayed the attendees to imagine intimate friendships – so much for
a coffee to gin decision when you haven’t been inebriated for some time. Coffee
shops are now a thing in Baguio and La Trinidad, but the old bars in Assumption
where we spent our college lives have not lost its charm.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
“So who do we
believe now?” the younger millennial (or centennial) looked at me like a sage
because maybe ten years made the difference on our outlook in life. Believe me,
we can sub-categorize millennials further; the ‘Xennials’, or the older
millennials who must have breached 35 by now, the “90s kids” like us who had
the best childhood, and the “centennials” or the post-millennial generation. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
“Definitely not
fake news” it hit me that I have spent the last two hours explaining how media
works, and how online-trolls become weapons for propaganda – the ‘like-generating-system’
to a web-content which gives the impression that a certain post is popular and
therefore publicly-accepted. The teenagers which must have been tailing us for
hours, expressed their distrust to the ‘traditional media’, and felt that the
alternative/new media is more organic and tells the real stories. If it wasn’t
a face-to-face conversation, we would have bashed each other like cyber-trolls
do – but, ‘personal dialogues’ will forever humanize us.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f5aWoc39wXbf_qncK0JX-Glqpk3PbzE6NawnbWqVPFqO_GXhWh7ODdF02T1aSFqf-N5iJFdbLLOP-UQSzkc1hAeUrPytZL0PjihrRDj5SFG67Z7G7NZipIPYN5XSBiekfHV9VsoKU-Ot/s1600/306729_468933419793294_930564415_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="699" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-f5aWoc39wXbf_qncK0JX-Glqpk3PbzE6NawnbWqVPFqO_GXhWh7ODdF02T1aSFqf-N5iJFdbLLOP-UQSzkc1hAeUrPytZL0PjihrRDj5SFG67Z7G7NZipIPYN5XSBiekfHV9VsoKU-Ot/s400/306729_468933419793294_930564415_n.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
From our
conversations, I could clearly imagine the alarming extent of social media as
part of their lives. Although I do check my facebook a lot, these teenagers
confessed of much worse tendencies like; deleting an uploaded photo when nobody
hits a ‘like’ button in ten minutes, choosing a boyfriend who has a good camera
“so he could take great FB/Instagram perfect shots”, and even joining a certain
Facebook ‘FAME’ group which assures hundreds of ‘likes’ and can elevate their
posts to ‘viral-status’ (because topping their bucket list is to become ‘viral’
someday). That desperate need of social media attention is definitely today’s
youngsters’ tragedy.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
“Not everything
that is viral is true” I repeated. Having a few viral posts in the last two
years, I personally knew the feeling of affirmation in having a post that was
‘liked’ by thousands of people. It will be hypocrisy to deny that fleeting
euphoria that it gave. But just like most people I know who experienced brief
social-media fame, disillusionment often follows. After their popularity, most
of them became inactive social-media users. Perhaps just like in real life, we
only strive for something that we do not have. We finally lose interest when we
finally get what we wish for. Unless, it is part of our jobs. Hopefully not
because we are addicted to it.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
In this
generation measured by buttons and where our value depends on digital thumb-ups,
we have to log out more often to protect ourselves from the chaos and stress of
the ‘social media’ world. It is likely unlikely that our idea of
social-connectivity through social-media does not connect us at all. On the
contrary it divides us to binary codes; <i>Dutertards
or Dilawan, Liberals or Republicans,</i> Like or Exit, black or white.
Stressful indeed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
What we really
need now is to get out more often. Be in the moment, away from the sucking
whirlpool of this modern digital tradition. Maybe get a coffee, tea, or gin
with a good crowd. It is likely that this is what we need this Tuesday. After
all, coffee shops are now a thing in Baguio-La Trinidad.<o:p></o:p></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-39492525679903659212017-10-02T17:57:00.002-07:002017-10-02T18:03:45.408-07:00"Angsan"<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>“Angsan”<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
The name of Aang
San Suu Kyi, the Nobel prize winner and politician, is reminiscent of “Angsan”
– our local expression to remind us not to veer away from what is acceptable.
This is closely similar to “Inayan sa” or “ululay sa” – our indigenous people’s
expected wisdom to know what is right from wrong, what is morally tolerable and
what is not, even without the written laws.
Aang San Suu Kyi’s silence to the atrocities against the Rohingya
people, however, proves a stark contrast to our culture of ‘angsan’ which
demands moral responsibility to speak out against injustice and oppression. Lest we become like Aang San who will be
judged unkindly by history, we speak. Lest the spirit of ‘angsan’ and ‘inayan’ curse
our breath and blood for not raising our voice when we were given much, we speak. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrBW5BqMf_TJQgzk7u-rBWxZUl5xuqhXUG5R8EN2BwiQrK5qPdkRo6PWzcyzVyr64oO_0_0ozduMY6CdiCgcZdrKYhaZ_cZ2QV0sWsGqj9RLNGVFRBRSK64SCJvhxv62XYDbBdmg93c5v/s1600/10317826_803708392982460_6202406377992820722_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="802" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinrBW5BqMf_TJQgzk7u-rBWxZUl5xuqhXUG5R8EN2BwiQrK5qPdkRo6PWzcyzVyr64oO_0_0ozduMY6CdiCgcZdrKYhaZ_cZ2QV0sWsGqj9RLNGVFRBRSK64SCJvhxv62XYDbBdmg93c5v/s400/10317826_803708392982460_6202406377992820722_o.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
It is a
challenge to convince our friends (even our teachers) that the world does not
revolve around polarizing extremes of being for the administration, or for the
opposition. When we dissent and criticize, it does not mean that we are already
‘dilawans’. We only speak out because there is a need for such. And the living are
the only ones who can speak for the dead. It is simple really; as citizens, we
give credit to a job well done, and we react against abuses and injustices,
regardless of position or politics. We speak because silence amidst cruelties
is ‘<i>Angsan’: that is not right.</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
People ask my
opinion about tourism and violence, “How do you promote our country with all
the bad news?” “Will it be morally acceptable to paint rainbows to cover
terrorism and killings?” “Is your work even relevant today?” Contrary to common
perception, most tourism officers are not shallow people whose only job is to
promote a place. Because they travel often and interact with different people,
they can form well-balanced and substantial opinion on various topics – arts,
culture, economics, trade, and yes, even politics and current events. For tourism, the negativity surrounding our country
today may only be purged by simply being human. Humans with a conscience like
that culture of ‘angsan’: <i>Violence is
angsan: it is not right. Abuses are angsan: they are not right. Disrespect for
the rule of law and basic concepts of justice and human rights is angsan: it is
not right.</i><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: .5in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-941498212348490512017-10-02T16:17:00.001-07:002017-10-02T16:17:24.225-07:00Teachers and Teaching<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Our
country’s celebration of Teachers’ month will end this week, particularly on
Oct. 5, which is also the World Teachers’ Day as declared by the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1994. The
celebration focuses on the nobility of the profession itself and intends to
promote the international standards for the teaching profession.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I
was a teacher for some time (how could I forget). I was an eager English tutor during college at
schools for Koreans in Camp. 7, served as an ESL teacher at BSU-ILC after I
graduated, a College Instructor at King’s College of the Philippines for three
years, and I also had a very short teaching stint at Saint Louis University .
When I was in college, I dream of becoming the coolest teacher in town. I also
made it my goal to teach in my own alma mater even for a short period – I just
have to cross that experience in my bucket list. I was inspired by the Anime,
“GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka”, which tells the story of a former gangster who
became a teacher for some deviants. With his unorthodox methods in the
otherwise traditional educational system, he taught life lessons beyond the
routine school work. In the real world, however, the teaching profession does
not approve the ‘unconventional’ or eccentric methods. That is why teachers are
imposed with standardized lesson plans, uniform method of teaching, regularly
scheduled grading periods etc. One cannot simply pull out a class to a smoky
bar and justify their exposure to such ‘real life elements’ as part of a valued
lesson or strategic teaching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">On
my first day of classroom teaching, I walked straight to the front chairs and
pretended that I was just another student like them. That was simply no. 77 of
my bucket list that I have to cross. Since I still looked like a teenager that
time, I started chatting with my seatmates/students with a grin. After some twenty
minutes, the class became agitated and some even started walking out of the room.
Before, they could take their complaints to the Student Affairs or to the
College Dean, I announced that I was actually their teacher. “Sure you are!”,
the students nevertheless laughed at my proposal. I looked around and it hit me: nobody would
believe me with my gothic wear and earrings. Eccentric is cool, but not
effective. I would have a memo that day for that useless stunt. But hey, I
crossed some lines in my bucket list. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The
most challenging and tiring work for any teacher is ‘grading’. A teacher can
stand and talk in front of the class all day with a smile, but the grading job
after class hours will suck all those energy away. Add the daily lesson plans
and researches, and the teacher will age considerably. Add the required
graduate school, and family life, and the teacher’s brain is fried. No wonder we
all look like hell sometimes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But
teaching is really a noble job; it is not an 8-5 duty but a 24-hour
responsibility, not a routine, but an everyday hustle to survive before the bell,
and an opportunity to change people’s lives. Despite its comedies and
tragedies, a teacher finds comfort on the thought that his or her students will
take over the world someday. Who knows, one of our students might even become
the future President of our country. At least the teacher can boast: <i>“Insurwak dayta nga ubing!”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia37hSf8v-lZvMH4zyp2Ze8hI_ktwz5AnBsH5S6uFCq0aBnuzqZO0v7GB_6p316eZQ4gj-oMBIdTFL8NBT6-PUtwHnRp3PDPx6WYYbLTgXdSYLKi-9vOK5BAGYE8UFHh8TeXCehMYLP-DS/s1600/IMG_4028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="813" data-original-width="1220" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia37hSf8v-lZvMH4zyp2Ze8hI_ktwz5AnBsH5S6uFCq0aBnuzqZO0v7GB_6p316eZQ4gj-oMBIdTFL8NBT6-PUtwHnRp3PDPx6WYYbLTgXdSYLKi-9vOK5BAGYE8UFHh8TeXCehMYLP-DS/s640/IMG_4028.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-38919183220407370512017-10-02T16:02:00.004-07:002017-10-03T16:38:18.916-07:00The Igorot Dissent<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">A week ago, Igorots in social media exploded with
unimaginable fury – condemning the use of the g-strings and gongs in a political protest. “They do not represent us!”, most kailyans strongly proposed.
“Our traditional wears are only used in celebrations. Those are not Igorots”,
our poor brothers were quickly disowned by their own Igorot kin.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">For someone who once
performed in Panagbenga wearing my traditional wear, it will be a double standard
for people to cheer at me as a festival spectacle, but condemn me for wearing
my wanes/kobal to express my political views. Our Igorot hero Macliing Dulag
protested a damaging project using his ethnic garb with pride, same with those
other mountain elders in the past who opposed land grabbing and environmental
degradation. It only means; “I am an Igorot, and this is my political
sentiment”, and not, “this is a political statement of the Igorots”. Most of us
read the scene wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">How can we forget the Igorots’
history of dissent? From the punitive Battle of Tonglo to Galvey’s conquests? From the
Spanish to Japanese Rule? How can we forget our history of opposition to oppression?
From the famous case of People vs. Cayat, when an Igorot was prohibited by the government
to get drunk, to the protests of Trinidad School (now BSU) students against
their exploitation as cultural entertainers for the Americans, to the number of
cases when our 'apapongs' were jailed for simply harvesting sayote in
properties owned by the ‘crown’ (government)?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">Why do we get angry when our
colors are worn by our brothers and sisters to express their beliefs, but we are delighted
when they are sold as a product or displayed as a fashion trend (or even used
as a table topper)? In the words of someone from Besao; “You cannot glorify
something as sacred, and at the same time sell them for profit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;">But I’m not a purist, my
background in tourism and sociology does not allow me to. To become a purist
and to be of this modern world is a paradox. The Igorots are not frozen in time
– can the Ibaloi woman in her smartphone know what it is like to carry a camote-packed
Kayabang and walk ten kilometers to get home? Can the young i-Bontoc guy in
Assumption know what it is like to carry the head of his nameless enemy to the
fires? Can the young Igorot today know what it is like to travel to the lowlands
to trade meat for salt? I doubt that. They can only learn the cultural
constructs, the tools; language, cultural dances, symbols. They can only wear
their names and their ethnic wears. But beyond that, they have changed.The
world before is different from the world today. The Ibaloi child in the past,
admonished for simply beating the gong; “ngantoy, wara in-partian mo?”, is now
encouraged to learn the tradition to keep it alive. “Entako men-gangsa” while
infusing the western Country music line dance in the routine is now tolerated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwDL3MzsVsBmOwIKEVjsOBKf8njX9aPyeyLlnbDlxrqv2j5Ma7b3JqirnbIrYda0o5_Gc35ZrV6r3PcDgtnUNxsR6miuH1fb5BjQwISADnB3FNZSGDlwCMm4IUdB95jo62Uoiar1BGPep/s1600/chico_macli-ing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="1100" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHwDL3MzsVsBmOwIKEVjsOBKf8njX9aPyeyLlnbDlxrqv2j5Ma7b3JqirnbIrYda0o5_Gc35ZrV6r3PcDgtnUNxsR6miuH1fb5BjQwISADnB3FNZSGDlwCMm4IUdB95jo62Uoiar1BGPep/s640/chico_macli-ing.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: justify;">Our traditional wears, as
part of our heritage, were originally used in every aspect of our ancestors’
lives – both in joyful celebrations and mourning, in respectful gatherings and even
in passionate protests, in the fields, and even in their homes. They wore it
because it is part of them. Ironically, the Igorots we condemned and judged for expressing themselves as Igorots (though I don’t share much of their political
views) simply acted like the proud Igorots of the past. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-64364024127159267322017-06-11T18:05:00.004-07:002017-06-11T18:05:44.601-07:00La Trinidad at a glimpse <div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">La Trinidad at a glimpse </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Valred Olsim Eternal Student Column for
SunstarBaguio June 13, 2017)</span></span></i><b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">At
4 in the afternoon, we discovered from the heights the beautiful valley of
Benguet, the lovely sight of which surprised us all, so that even the soldiers gave
vent to their admiration by joyous shouts – </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">Lt.Col.
Guillermo Galvey,1829</span></div>
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</span><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">During the Spanish era, the valley of La
Trinidad was originally called “Valle de Benguet” from the local term “Benget,”
which means the stench emitted by the mud-covered swamp area. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">Its original settlers were </span><i style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ibalois</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">, who grew rice, </span><i style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">kamoteng kahoy,</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sweet potatoes, </span><i style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">gabi,</i><span style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and sugar cane on hillside gardens
and terraces along the mountain slopes. Power and wealth were measured by</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="textexposedshow" style="font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;">one’s
ownership of land and livestock. These were shared by holding the prestigious
feast called “Peshit”.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="textexposedshow" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 115%;"><span class="textexposedshow">For centuries, the whole Gran Cordillera went
undiscovered, not until the Spaniards heard about the gold-rich Igorots trading
with the lowlanders. Earliest Spanish visits by Captain Garcia de Aldana and
Don Alonso M. Quirante</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span class="textexposedshow" style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">were recorded as early as the 1620s.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="textexposedshow" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Although the District of Benguet was established in
La Trinidad by 1846, it was only in April 21, 1874, under Commandant Manuel
Scheidnagel, that “Valle de Benguet” was renamed “Valle de La Trinidad” (La
Trinidad Valley). Despite popular acceptance that it was named as “a fitting
tribute to Galvey’s wife - Doña Trinidad de Galvey” – recent research has revealed
that credit should have probably gone to Scheidnagel, having been inspired by
the three prominent adjacent hills (in effect, forming a Trinity: a religious
icon of the Christian campaign) overlooking the Poblacion church, where the
seat of government, the Cabecera, was established.</div>
</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span class="textexposedshow" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
After the Revolutionary period in 1900, La Trinidad
grew vegetables via the Trinidad Farm School (now Benguet State University). Along
with socio-economic changes, the concepts of freedom of religion, titling of lands,
formal education and the democratic election of leaders were introduced. Paid labor
and money became an important feature in the economic lives of the people. Such
time of plenty is fondly recalled by old folks as that “time of blissful peace.”</div>
</span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span class="textexposedshow" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="textexposedshow">In contrast, the Japanese occupation and World War
II were turbulent times. Residents were imprisoned without formal charges and
pitilessly tortured. This prompted able-bodied men to join the guerrilla
movement, while their families fled for safety to the mountains.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPTSo1CLQLhktrnqVWjMb7ZKCfzGyiT-8NYwQoeIILSVXGjpxvzvR2XXUzVAmmaolvcJXCOdEkN7NKoYTHI5KncQ6pDTz_Th4kTeLJsALHmJwsdlHr9xiIaZVrTi45-6-aRD3ICTmeV73/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzPTSo1CLQLhktrnqVWjMb7ZKCfzGyiT-8NYwQoeIILSVXGjpxvzvR2XXUzVAmmaolvcJXCOdEkN7NKoYTHI5KncQ6pDTz_Th4kTeLJsALHmJwsdlHr9xiIaZVrTi45-6-aRD3ICTmeV73/s1600/01.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">After liberation, on June 16, 1950, La Trinidad became a
regular municipality by virtue of RA No. 531.
To get back on its feet, La Trinidad went on a massive production of
vegetables. For this, the municipality soon came to be widely-known as the
Salad Bowl of the Philippines. And with the establishment of the La Trinidad
Vegetable Trading Post, the valley solidified its status as Benguet’s marketing
hub of highland vegetables.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Owing to the need to diversify and with the introduction of new
varieties, strawberries soon became the town’s main product by 1980s. Growing
acclaim for these red and luscious strawberries earned La Trinidad for itself
the title “Strawberry Capital of the Philippines.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">Farmers likewise ventured into cutflower production, and by the 1990s,
many barangays in La Trinidad were soon growing chrysanthemums, roses and a
variety of flowers. Barangay Bahong, a major flower farming community, was
named “The Rose Capital of</span></span><span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"> the Philippines”.</span></span></div>
<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="textexposedshow" style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
By the turn of the century, migration and
urbanization paved their way in, bringing with them a colourful tapestry of peoples
not only from the nearby Cordillera and Ilocandia regions, but from all islands
of the archipelago.</div>
<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">***<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">La Trinidad will be
celebrating its 67th foundation day this Friday (June 16, 2017) at the
Municipal Gym. There are many things we hope and pray for La Trinidad, our
home; we passionately hope and pray for the cooperation of the community in
many programs of the town, as well as dedication and wisdom for our officials
to work for the common good of the community. We hope that we will all love and
take care of our home, La Trinidad, for the very simple reason that…it is our
home.<span style="font-size: 9.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-68399657627075500752017-05-24T01:49:00.001-07:002017-05-24T01:49:30.147-07:00The Millenials<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
About nine years ago, I was a fresh college graduate eager to take on the world. With an average grade, and the absence of advantageous connections, however, I didn’t have a choice but to be confident with my creativity and communication skills.</div>
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Thankfully, in the SLU Humanities department before; most of us, while studying, worked either as part-time English Language tutors for foreign students, or call center agents for outsourcing companies at night. Aside from our distinct approach and confidence, we were admittedly party-starters hungry for new things – information, culture, gadgets, and perhaps, experiences. They call us the "Millennials."</div>
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The Millennials, or "Y" generation, those born from 1980s to year 2000, and majorly shaped by technology; from the advent of Walkman, MTV, the popularity of video games, to the rise of the new media and smart phones, is seen to have the tendency to be impatient, self-absorbed and vain. As the link to the old school and new school, they were often misunderstood.</div>
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No thanks to social media, they were exposed to a culture where self-worth is measured by the number of "likes," and information gathering is affected by the unstable environment of alternative facts and fake news. Throw in the pop culture of YOLO (You Live Only Once), and DIYs (Do It Yourself) challenged by the existing age-old traditions and systems in the government, school, and work places, and we have a bunch of confused and exhausted generation (or maybe I’m just talking about myself).</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
Despite this however, most from my generation are bold people; leaving sleepy towns for the hurly-burly and fast-paced energy of Metro Manila, or going abroad in search for remunerative jobs, or even bravely contending for executive, or official positions at home never mind the tradition of seniority, or politics. They have the willingness to face challenges – a quality instilled by their hardworking Generation X parents, and that brashness of trailblazers like Mark Zuckerberg, the millennial who flipped the world. As such, they believed that they can fairly call themselves the Generation next.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #3f3f3f; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
It is too early to tell how my generation would place in the history of the world. Nevertheless, just like the generations before ours, there are also many great challenges that we are bound to face – from the rising costs of assets, the need to conform to trends to be accepted, urban decay, environmental degradation, the judgmental social media society, up to waiting for the "One Piece" comic to end. The world today is different from the world before. But, if all generations regard themselves as the best, then perhaps we can also comfort ourselves that we can be great ourselves.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM9SAOh8ND_210tQIcSPncVSQ-wnDn7UAwLredTQ6StcIlAljETWMGbSg06ELMXZKu4emczlJ_n4-suic6x_JH8X85ryXBGIzwkum4MO2g539AQSHTSlXSniwzPFUii5BWdUxhh5iSpCz/s1600/aaaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1080" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKM9SAOh8ND_210tQIcSPncVSQ-wnDn7UAwLredTQ6StcIlAljETWMGbSg06ELMXZKu4emczlJ_n4-suic6x_JH8X85ryXBGIzwkum4MO2g539AQSHTSlXSniwzPFUii5BWdUxhh5iSpCz/s640/aaaa.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-1002570102221688752017-04-29T19:32:00.000-07:002017-04-29T20:06:42.466-07:00Apayao: the last Nature Frontier of the Cordilleras<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
When you've been to the majestic Benguet mountains like Ulap or Pulag, or at the caves and nature wonders of Mt. Province like Bauko and Sagada, or at Kalinga's nature adventures and cultural immersions, or to the Ifugao wonders of the world, what is there left to do? Go further north to the last nature frontier of the Cordilleras: Apayao! Here are some pics of the day tour:</div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5azWGYXPtYxvARYq9ZjPXzo4F3rjj0pbtY3_vjIA6D4SwWtuDzipTsrsrKytWkqYV_GKH0gD6B9jENhWdgn9zzo9FoBX3FBWUDXXOnOM1xt1jsVFhVV8DQxYu72yQ9Rs1KDIkm5OmOsPZ/s1600/IMG_20170427_052820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5azWGYXPtYxvARYq9ZjPXzo4F3rjj0pbtY3_vjIA6D4SwWtuDzipTsrsrKytWkqYV_GKH0gD6B9jENhWdgn9zzo9FoBX3FBWUDXXOnOM1xt1jsVFhVV8DQxYu72yQ9Rs1KDIkm5OmOsPZ/s640/IMG_20170427_052820.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaHf-cWeHhFSvEYPeEvilvEr9PyTE6U8W4BqEME6LSKa8f2nVstiFPmW1RExMJtf8BkcgV_43ApGMlllch42mSmzbvZ2LXE66P3vxZvjPHjac_PMg8F__8QLDtTS6gYewX5RwHx12hhwe/s1600/IMG_20170427_083921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMaHf-cWeHhFSvEYPeEvilvEr9PyTE6U8W4BqEME6LSKa8f2nVstiFPmW1RExMJtf8BkcgV_43ApGMlllch42mSmzbvZ2LXE66P3vxZvjPHjac_PMg8F__8QLDtTS6gYewX5RwHx12hhwe/s640/IMG_20170427_083921.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKGpI4fL7B0DS5jj9QX81W72EUpf5FIgzxwKbg1T8VO7Da1WdiF6h4exS8rMi6LKZlFR_UV7Di6z6v8gFVHBqArMt0K3GH3ZJnTjVdqOLkJgoyERGlZlVVESDg7JO1kHC506iOhL9wTRy/s1600/IMG_20170427_084809.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKGpI4fL7B0DS5jj9QX81W72EUpf5FIgzxwKbg1T8VO7Da1WdiF6h4exS8rMi6LKZlFR_UV7Di6z6v8gFVHBqArMt0K3GH3ZJnTjVdqOLkJgoyERGlZlVVESDg7JO1kHC506iOhL9wTRy/s640/IMG_20170427_084809.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEwy2AHHePaGk_zqb4QK4hBm0oNJrxDPHQqgiHOEzxvfo1fqqKH-J5omW-7gl3DAKLCBOMqeqLpYgx4U7cMnYacZG07Gvn-KtzilsD_XSkeA2RlRBXg0kN3-7YUGLk6PoCg-7RhJ4Lrvw/s1600/IMG_20170427_091144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCEwy2AHHePaGk_zqb4QK4hBm0oNJrxDPHQqgiHOEzxvfo1fqqKH-J5omW-7gl3DAKLCBOMqeqLpYgx4U7cMnYacZG07Gvn-KtzilsD_XSkeA2RlRBXg0kN3-7YUGLk6PoCg-7RhJ4Lrvw/s640/IMG_20170427_091144.jpg" width="354" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtqRzRYw8F0-vLliU6m2Ipalq0cz_cVptSTP9bWkkDmVb5dvZz_MSi0s08gOiwcGUu3U0eOXpl-xklRZiPmq5Lpp3Ln9vso63o8QAB1obLqU1IKEJHBeugTt4xJM9EetC8ukbQVOJoFfA/s1600/IMG_20170427_093004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLtqRzRYw8F0-vLliU6m2Ipalq0cz_cVptSTP9bWkkDmVb5dvZz_MSi0s08gOiwcGUu3U0eOXpl-xklRZiPmq5Lpp3Ln9vso63o8QAB1obLqU1IKEJHBeugTt4xJM9EetC8ukbQVOJoFfA/s640/IMG_20170427_093004.jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dupag Rock Formations at Marag (which has sharper rocks compared to our Mt. Kalugong</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0cvIuqPz2l41fZgjS1_Xgmbz09w5DBujfiAFdf_WnYT0RmVk7u_cW1h0ECAoD2S-0n3W_DkyaMn-q8qrGPkoKK6brNDaAIHHI3KgmwzwCXZ6089fw7dsctP2XAsgQ4gjLmhnHp0kEEdy/s1600/IMG_20170427_093515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0cvIuqPz2l41fZgjS1_Xgmbz09w5DBujfiAFdf_WnYT0RmVk7u_cW1h0ECAoD2S-0n3W_DkyaMn-q8qrGPkoKK6brNDaAIHHI3KgmwzwCXZ6089fw7dsctP2XAsgQ4gjLmhnHp0kEEdy/s640/IMG_20170427_093515.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9AO8l6riUJKxCKihkZ5SjAXKN_-f-tp2tVDCsQVVrgnlWWGNPdmHPVvocq8c35aa7c_zzu7MGQMMOunYHK8to9irC-p0PVweYtCd19fC9CuKtKs3I3WtVL0ykGMs02rbUiDDFzI42Bgl/s1600/IMG_20170427_093529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9AO8l6riUJKxCKihkZ5SjAXKN_-f-tp2tVDCsQVVrgnlWWGNPdmHPVvocq8c35aa7c_zzu7MGQMMOunYHK8to9irC-p0PVweYtCd19fC9CuKtKs3I3WtVL0ykGMs02rbUiDDFzI42Bgl/s640/IMG_20170427_093529.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vduWHhz5claqaGtFJ9A9ZqDxhWFYk-mm-qkxkYXCqDW4by1d4kT_trJciat6fIXDKOFB7aXhR8Yug0cv7xFoTTgagkHAvQnnssUqRvjyE7X8o_H0wEQFOKYtgHF6FoVlTnPIOy04VOMv/s1600/IMG_20170427_110051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vduWHhz5claqaGtFJ9A9ZqDxhWFYk-mm-qkxkYXCqDW4by1d4kT_trJciat6fIXDKOFB7aXhR8Yug0cv7xFoTTgagkHAvQnnssUqRvjyE7X8o_H0wEQFOKYtgHF6FoVlTnPIOy04VOMv/s640/IMG_20170427_110051.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Also in Marag is the Manacota underground river adventure<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjTW1ksNYle6QqNcHWdRkWe8B2uRf9eSybhsSZ1JrlyHEOVPlt0OQGokPFTNtkunn1o3e87VR2d65og6RG56FTfJtip1uY4-4VzMSwIr2rOmxOa5dt4sv_keCQIPDplvAPomNV51PAoqJ/s1600/IMG_20170427_112356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghjTW1ksNYle6QqNcHWdRkWe8B2uRf9eSybhsSZ1JrlyHEOVPlt0OQGokPFTNtkunn1o3e87VR2d65og6RG56FTfJtip1uY4-4VzMSwIr2rOmxOa5dt4sv_keCQIPDplvAPomNV51PAoqJ/s640/IMG_20170427_112356.jpg" width="640" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xvwFweX3Bep70-Ic2dYyijGHA-YCoULdZlieENcTg0JO1QpKnV975U4-saqcvFhzG_oIr0D9wexnY8mNzrZ1KKCr30NAXcEHlsZbcqSSxsKyXFJu0FhKRG1-UhyXPMXmgtWrpWjC4Z7H/s1600/IMG_20170427_113243.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3xvwFweX3Bep70-Ic2dYyijGHA-YCoULdZlieENcTg0JO1QpKnV975U4-saqcvFhzG_oIr0D9wexnY8mNzrZ1KKCr30NAXcEHlsZbcqSSxsKyXFJu0FhKRG1-UhyXPMXmgtWrpWjC4Z7H/s640/IMG_20170427_113243.jpg" width="354" /></a></td></tr>
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For more info please click here : <a href="http://www.visitmyphilippines.com/index.php?title=Apayao&func=all&pid=1079">Apayao Transport and Accomodations</a>ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-84693622545622590102016-12-02T17:22:00.003-08:002018-07-21T18:13:53.076-07:00VISIT PH (Random Sights and Scenes from Travels) <div style="text-align: justify;">
On the bus and plane windows, I often think of how lucky I am to have been given many opportunities to roam around the country and learn - see the country's beautiful and ugly sides, talk to people from their own lenses...and contemplate on how interesting life is. They say pictures speak a thousand words,so, here are Random snapshots from my Philippine travels:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap6R3CFcQjp-GdCqHLRZVqAZSSw_H8xZrW1_dWti-Tj7BQNMzg3cVUpuz0ftfLTDAhszTvVX9MHhZAjmidq38lcw3gjRRAZaoKq5DvORFuWWfLfgKOz5rUE-14nLMWoEwIiasDAIcGmI6/s1600/37664902_2080685581951395_6971624780684328960_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiap6R3CFcQjp-GdCqHLRZVqAZSSw_H8xZrW1_dWti-Tj7BQNMzg3cVUpuz0ftfLTDAhszTvVX9MHhZAjmidq38lcw3gjRRAZaoKq5DvORFuWWfLfgKOz5rUE-14nLMWoEwIiasDAIcGmI6/s640/37664902_2080685581951395_6971624780684328960_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolling Hills, Basco, Batanes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmUq3_DHY3Pdfvm53pG7SI2ZMFc7yBtEYFN-kamyT-XmgVju8Lu9DCIE_Hn2iMileJsVJmj2If2Jl2QikwoZ3cqmp9MNUs6itRcTgtNfIOVf80irovbF1PRKbHaSgz3sViaeGULsskg-3/s1600/37623534_2080685725284714_2214481147792982016_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFmUq3_DHY3Pdfvm53pG7SI2ZMFc7yBtEYFN-kamyT-XmgVju8Lu9DCIE_Hn2iMileJsVJmj2If2Jl2QikwoZ3cqmp9MNUs6itRcTgtNfIOVf80irovbF1PRKbHaSgz3sViaeGULsskg-3/s640/37623534_2080685725284714_2214481147792982016_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D' Bone Collector Museum, Davao City</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Kalawitan view from Mt. Tinmakudo, Mt. Province</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buscalan Village of Apo Whang-od, Tinglayan, Kalinga</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luna, La Union</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Samal port, Samal City</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTdLKJDP2MxYtb6M5xQBKkViXU8yulDj7bJ59StpwvcRDNS1NXX6uCUi6oZeEyvjrFpf7O71PsEoWTiDFWXTQb32Hpstq3saEyXwRr1wYGuhqNa4pqA6Hw3N0dMv3pXvFLj-R_xh7PIWv/s1600/P1520114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTdLKJDP2MxYtb6M5xQBKkViXU8yulDj7bJ59StpwvcRDNS1NXX6uCUi6oZeEyvjrFpf7O71PsEoWTiDFWXTQb32Hpstq3saEyXwRr1wYGuhqNa4pqA6Hw3N0dMv3pXvFLj-R_xh7PIWv/s640/P1520114.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tuba, Benguet</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2JAerTvl-bx5jETaUH8Az7z4BFOzhNjSDzyqSk9S3tLOsEnyz_XLiUSEzLEy-NfUMRt-4kaEzSwWoBeDXPs5VV9jHqYWaFKf7JD5bzjv6XmnAGrflYuaKzmkRc1XxbAZEohwLlamNVKF/s1600/DSCN9463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf2JAerTvl-bx5jETaUH8Az7z4BFOzhNjSDzyqSk9S3tLOsEnyz_XLiUSEzLEy-NfUMRt-4kaEzSwWoBeDXPs5VV9jHqYWaFKf7JD5bzjv6XmnAGrflYuaKzmkRc1XxbAZEohwLlamNVKF/s640/DSCN9463.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balibago, Pampanga</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqylc0bfvYs1vrM8ft4hS5_fjrpizAMhrZy_SdynnvVza6OerWxb0iPR2iBlX2lpvjJkoCBb4WQoSIl2fhFUyvATatJoCmDCO4L1xtG21htIp6f7w7lCwJeMqgIEBvFmXrOWwKqaeHKtw/s1600/37561323_2080663598620260_8398159852647481344_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqylc0bfvYs1vrM8ft4hS5_fjrpizAMhrZy_SdynnvVza6OerWxb0iPR2iBlX2lpvjJkoCBb4WQoSIl2fhFUyvATatJoCmDCO4L1xtG21htIp6f7w7lCwJeMqgIEBvFmXrOWwKqaeHKtw/s640/37561323_2080663598620260_8398159852647481344_n.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Leah, Cebu City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJuGnBqtnxcsYhcQnurpUCo7446CTh83JX3bMo-h7YxFlb7d09zUzSMUFsurfgZXJGLQlF_4OX5KJZOUYBLMMkK7MLwl53_4CM3NhYB2NgvlCm5ivQiwvF_s3KuH6o3M0wPZoLwhNlpI7/s1600/DSCN9480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwJuGnBqtnxcsYhcQnurpUCo7446CTh83JX3bMo-h7YxFlb7d09zUzSMUFsurfgZXJGLQlF_4OX5KJZOUYBLMMkK7MLwl53_4CM3NhYB2NgvlCm5ivQiwvF_s3KuH6o3M0wPZoLwhNlpI7/s640/DSCN9480.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fontana, Clark </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatiZHai5hcYTDiRMPRnS1AsDKLpDSkAFz4EPPBiNqhBgvKuwdvrqos2lhzox6_NVuCAPv0Q9FXTLyWNVDw1_hhyphenhyphendUuM4bWtNZa2SV0ga72Q4lJCM43uQp8rMelUM-o6aGsQMrKOCeBtXB/s1600/DSCN9560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatiZHai5hcYTDiRMPRnS1AsDKLpDSkAFz4EPPBiNqhBgvKuwdvrqos2lhzox6_NVuCAPv0Q9FXTLyWNVDw1_hhyphenhyphendUuM4bWtNZa2SV0ga72Q4lJCM43uQp8rMelUM-o6aGsQMrKOCeBtXB/s640/DSCN9560.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pasay City, Metro Manila</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBG427g-K3loD9HM_1Nnm2SvW7WWzlYkF2nN46vD_vQrd9dIEEMnhNQjJoYdQO-IfKX1OX-Vz1lzXPFlhuZWCsVRU94BBUfE3WY6qP6mteysELTZbB9Ftp1pD_0l_HdpfyOwkiuHT6X83/s1600/10346446_886503928033277_1638599988911714560_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBG427g-K3loD9HM_1Nnm2SvW7WWzlYkF2nN46vD_vQrd9dIEEMnhNQjJoYdQO-IfKX1OX-Vz1lzXPFlhuZWCsVRU94BBUfE3WY6qP6mteysELTZbB9Ftp1pD_0l_HdpfyOwkiuHT6X83/s640/10346446_886503928033277_1638599988911714560_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Cabuyao, Benguet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGBgX0GekS7GkSg7dfW1VekP7aJHA3cC-3d8SHhhd0R7Q7oNwQn5r148fj5vK2WAI4cIQ5zzDHMTyPSB17_2x9-PNqdmNXPcXy8FoMQarKTxuHXN38pG7-ryVdAeQdssaTeMjzfh1nO75/s1600/IMG_6105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGBgX0GekS7GkSg7dfW1VekP7aJHA3cC-3d8SHhhd0R7Q7oNwQn5r148fj5vK2WAI4cIQ5zzDHMTyPSB17_2x9-PNqdmNXPcXy8FoMQarKTxuHXN38pG7-ryVdAeQdssaTeMjzfh1nO75/s640/IMG_6105.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tabuk City, Kalinga</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Vz0sc8HcuOzq6KCKgkWkfEjF0RDFRFGFq3Yf-RigZnjsYNG58xSkgf2k9E8ju_Utl5jb0lmdVnmrko9-Sy9SURxVzAzoBjRaKiqb0nsJl0fWglZefCn2mrWy_cKeSP9_i2Z7cYcEwMPD/s1600/DSC_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Vz0sc8HcuOzq6KCKgkWkfEjF0RDFRFGFq3Yf-RigZnjsYNG58xSkgf2k9E8ju_Utl5jb0lmdVnmrko9-Sy9SURxVzAzoBjRaKiqb0nsJl0fWglZefCn2mrWy_cKeSP9_i2Z7cYcEwMPD/s640/DSC_0548.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vigan City, Ilocos Sur</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnkgsflMcGfxSLo6WVFoeWPSz0Mlyszdfs_rLL_AJ4FGv0hQ5e8Z5IO4xh_xIcP1gWLk7CLPjYO8aokth5R4-wKQpbpbQDxHYR7K42dw57N-CV2EYz2zGxzPBaWYz2Y8Ut6m_zJG2Vs43/s1600/IMG_20161118_055910%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEnkgsflMcGfxSLo6WVFoeWPSz0Mlyszdfs_rLL_AJ4FGv0hQ5e8Z5IO4xh_xIcP1gWLk7CLPjYO8aokth5R4-wKQpbpbQDxHYR7K42dw57N-CV2EYz2zGxzPBaWYz2Y8Ut6m_zJG2Vs43/s640/IMG_20161118_055910%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alaminos, Pangasinan</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bSvL6FIOAXERvIM_003Z0S2WzpSHP8FcEmb43PkBhGnKOS8u4Iz8Sj_fMybOKm6a2ZT0tOFVAueG2X2cvHIAkG4qEvh3d2K03a7N1OSYv5DaHT6CkcnFfD0zCREz1CJNsyE-f02Dm43g/s1600/IMG_20161127_160815%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bSvL6FIOAXERvIM_003Z0S2WzpSHP8FcEmb43PkBhGnKOS8u4Iz8Sj_fMybOKm6a2ZT0tOFVAueG2X2cvHIAkG4qEvh3d2K03a7N1OSYv5DaHT6CkcnFfD0zCREz1CJNsyE-f02Dm43g/s640/IMG_20161127_160815%255B1%255D.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Espana, Manila</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fnUUr3KtRtFwhHRroEP8B-lCo1PvRjrbEVeHpdzyoX91zOgCgX-Tc1YFCbOcPZHvhdkzi9nHhrz6qwa6nu-lGklOzM8H8C2Sj15J-4AHiH_aNwxeFjXootWR90iTZ0zdSJV3vImTOvUY/s1600/DSCN9231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6fnUUr3KtRtFwhHRroEP8B-lCo1PvRjrbEVeHpdzyoX91zOgCgX-Tc1YFCbOcPZHvhdkzi9nHhrz6qwa6nu-lGklOzM8H8C2Sj15J-4AHiH_aNwxeFjXootWR90iTZ0zdSJV3vImTOvUY/s640/DSCN9231.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bat Cave, Samal City<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-I2ijQgbnyaVtReVVQbNjPBmvh6jRjzPp8fo4ZAVR_COdLP39unaKtnNvlvNS6cQvupXcE5tc4WOThyRdi7W-SeVPgnzvPz0smKc2htj8atwEgQ1B7pjBAhTDT48UscINUQlI5HcpPpb/s1600/IMG_2846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="564" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ-I2ijQgbnyaVtReVVQbNjPBmvh6jRjzPp8fo4ZAVR_COdLP39unaKtnNvlvNS6cQvupXcE5tc4WOThyRdi7W-SeVPgnzvPz0smKc2htj8atwEgQ1B7pjBAhTDT48UscINUQlI5HcpPpb/s640/IMG_2846.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Bacnotan, La Union</td></tr>
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</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHjOoC0G1xBb_0GaPyBgwnryWxnYXMRrAAGhl-CtcZ3GAXfQ3IF0K8rFtXvcPo3nuyBcfCSrBbNaWMXgQo7oAYat1AGi8lXZmFGbfbrV2xOeVdoC4Ww60zFcrmkWo5_gyN7BRzudMfAng/s1600/IMG_20170427_112356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHjOoC0G1xBb_0GaPyBgwnryWxnYXMRrAAGhl-CtcZ3GAXfQ3IF0K8rFtXvcPo3nuyBcfCSrBbNaWMXgQo7oAYat1AGi8lXZmFGbfbrV2xOeVdoC4Ww60zFcrmkWo5_gyN7BRzudMfAng/s640/IMG_20170427_112356.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lussok, Apayao</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjRVc8zQZsMGZ2aRJd1wRtQg_uyMMQEoUnUtAr6uN1Dp5qZg9pZjbcRw7Z9opuoIYLb61M98ZGcQ08OLY5OC-vP5YhfZN-myTXwzfgzbD38v_YL5qHJYbhsiDQAf2fsnGRSHL5yb0SVbf/s1600/IMG_20170426_165128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjRVc8zQZsMGZ2aRJd1wRtQg_uyMMQEoUnUtAr6uN1Dp5qZg9pZjbcRw7Z9opuoIYLb61M98ZGcQ08OLY5OC-vP5YhfZN-myTXwzfgzbD38v_YL5qHJYbhsiDQAf2fsnGRSHL5yb0SVbf/s640/IMG_20170426_165128.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">to Cagayan valley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeQfPZWBcxQwxcDJBZEHLQLu5aiBY3BgXy-mWwXsTaSjSZ3b4dGR8FElYj_Vzpj9sNZVZ4hSYPWhaS3uJZ-QtP5ygSe4kt4LL3nv8VZ3oX5gB-1pwuOcwivuUpKJagdEwN6h4v5yMERpt/s1600/IMG_20170426_150957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgeQfPZWBcxQwxcDJBZEHLQLu5aiBY3BgXy-mWwXsTaSjSZ3b4dGR8FElYj_Vzpj9sNZVZ4hSYPWhaS3uJZ-QtP5ygSe4kt4LL3nv8VZ3oX5gB-1pwuOcwivuUpKJagdEwN6h4v5yMERpt/s640/IMG_20170426_150957.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bangui, Ilocos Norte</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOyL60UU-eytmYdY81aH4qzznXWhTImkSSukk70C9ERQt7IjLn-bobhiRBeUmEwqkjaE_zPGPp5O6SwWIHl98H93hMyZKEtWRH2MX0BYQo5Pm0e06ECS3nSXa7u568ra2hsw7TRKxlgcq/s1600/IMG_20170426_160223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixOyL60UU-eytmYdY81aH4qzznXWhTImkSSukk70C9ERQt7IjLn-bobhiRBeUmEwqkjaE_zPGPp5O6SwWIHl98H93hMyZKEtWRH2MX0BYQo5Pm0e06ECS3nSXa7u568ra2hsw7TRKxlgcq/s640/IMG_20170426_160223.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The blue lagoon of Ilocos</td></tr>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQqbiMg0Nj21VoumD6593DykePIxt79CvEaUGBDHYZLzwFq50tKe0VDqVDxFyCqs5nmq2T2cWp8JTrZq3rv6vuBs9x7w4wNrU4bPDLEgWYTGIFlVtJwXGT-Byh_jdet8a6OlEnLBKzRP_/s1600/DSCN9345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEQqbiMg0Nj21VoumD6593DykePIxt79CvEaUGBDHYZLzwFq50tKe0VDqVDxFyCqs5nmq2T2cWp8JTrZq3rv6vuBs9x7w4wNrU4bPDLEgWYTGIFlVtJwXGT-Byh_jdet8a6OlEnLBKzRP_/s640/DSCN9345.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Siburan, Mindoro<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGykA7ocOm7IqFwaZDKsprvdpwM1SswBoRHMqVVUcB-waX2WVqx-5k4SXff88BYgFxg6uMjnfOMW4cBM6-4hq8NqACdiwqeUkVW22Ar_mtotoehsOILlARFkv5L42w2nkMxxzhIb7UpcKi/s1600/IMG_20170505_075606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGykA7ocOm7IqFwaZDKsprvdpwM1SswBoRHMqVVUcB-waX2WVqx-5k4SXff88BYgFxg6uMjnfOMW4cBM6-4hq8NqACdiwqeUkVW22Ar_mtotoehsOILlARFkv5L42w2nkMxxzhIb7UpcKi/s640/IMG_20170505_075606.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Mitra's Ranch, Puerto Princesa<br />
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-82449189626223622852016-09-06T19:03:00.002-07:002016-09-06T19:11:09.518-07:00Tourism Security and Safety Conference in Davao City<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">TOURISM SECURITY AND
SAFETY CONFERENCE<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">SMX, Lanang, Davao City (August 23-25, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">_______________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">
TOPICS:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Establishing Security and Emergency
Response Department<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">International Terrorism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Landmark cases on Tourism Security<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Hotel and Travel: Inseparable with
Tourism<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">5.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Linking HR and Security and Safety Risks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">6.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Events: Security Preparedness<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">7.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Policies in Tourism Security<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;">8.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">National Tourism Situationer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Day
1: National Tourism Situationer and the Tourism Systems as a whole<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">“We look at our structures
(including own buildings) as a tourism spot - airlines not as aviation centers
but as an attraction…security guards as tourism officers” explained Mr.
Sigfried Mison, the guest speaker of our convention. Mr. Mison further
explained that; in a system where we have a government that do not understand
tourism, and tourism people who do not understand the government, the marriage
between their orientation and thinking is the only way to make sure that
tourism will thrive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; text-align: justify;">The
tourism industry, which involves many aspects, contributes to ten per cent of
the world’s Gross Domestic Product. In the Philippines, it is responsible for
8.2% of our GDP and it involves one out of eleven people in the entire country.
It is a people’s business. As such, there is a need to protect the industry
from external and internal factors; terrorism, criminality, under-investment on businesses’ security, health risks, and other threats.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfmA6W2FhYPt-6IM6eq3ehznj_1yi8yPfqLG7qqBe1PPtmML4mNK0pzBA8faFxvpnLTjgEgR9C4IRDSB8-oH71Jo-DBrU4EVAQXbH45Y1EWnWn0h9wSzzHlx9PWgeJsnRQTAUumyidVlZ/s1600/a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfmA6W2FhYPt-6IM6eq3ehznj_1yi8yPfqLG7qqBe1PPtmML4mNK0pzBA8faFxvpnLTjgEgR9C4IRDSB8-oH71Jo-DBrU4EVAQXbH45Y1EWnWn0h9wSzzHlx9PWgeJsnRQTAUumyidVlZ/s640/a2.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: georgia, serif; text-align: justify;">“Speak
well about our Country” encouraged Ambassador Marciano Paynor, who hinted that
Filipinos are the first to speak against our tourism marketing and promotions.
“When we speak bad things about our country, we most likely deprive economic
opportunities for our people..” he explained.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Day
2: Tourism Security and Safety (Special Topic: Event’s Safety)</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">In the present National
Tourism Situationer, the Philippines ranked 128th out of 141 countries as to
tourism safety and security. The indicators include reliability of tourism
services, peace and order, and the state of stability and well-being of the
receiving community. This begs the question:"Is our home safe for
visitors?". All speakers highlighted that even without marketing and
promotions, "Safety sells in tourism". This means that visitors, in
addition to feeling a sense of community, must also have a sense of comfort and
safety. This, without a question, involves the effort of all. As exhibit
"A". the conveners presented the Davao Public Safety Center set-up
(including the 911 system), and other systems used by tourism stakeholders to
promote a culture of safety for tourists. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GL4cwyn1Is4chr3r1eszXk7rmDlzngqGbo5j0SVKXqlmYmxm8BYLbbPE9uHq2mdf7na8nOBwVn2GzwR89kjHpNHM8RI_YlDmSo3PExNwcerLDdke_SVb6Tqc3Ifv2xQDX5aFhgZSnfaM/s1600/a3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0GL4cwyn1Is4chr3r1eszXk7rmDlzngqGbo5j0SVKXqlmYmxm8BYLbbPE9uHq2mdf7na8nOBwVn2GzwR89kjHpNHM8RI_YlDmSo3PExNwcerLDdke_SVb6Tqc3Ifv2xQDX5aFhgZSnfaM/s640/a3.jpg" width="640" /></a><b>Insights:</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">In
Tourism Security Operations, they classify the asset as either “natural
attraction” or “man-made attraction”. Because “natural attractions” can easily
be secured, the speaker focused on man-made attractions, which includes the
ever popular “Special Events”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><i>Important definitions: </i></span></div>
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<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Situation • a condition or
combination of conditions that exist at a particular time<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Security Situation • is a situation
that is or may be potentially a security threat event or incident<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Security • the state of being free
from danger or threat<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Incident • a security event or
occurrence<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Emergency • a serious, unexpected,
and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action (potential for
loss of life or great damage)<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Disaster • a sudden event, such as
an accident or a natural catastrophe, that causes great damage or loss of
life<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif;">Special
Events under “Events Tourism” includes Festivals, Parties, Conferences, Summits,
Exhibitions, Fairs, Meetings, Games and Sports, Religious activities and other
events which draws people. These involve high-level of operations since they
come with many risks and threats. Although such events only last for a short
duration, they nevertheless involve long and careful planning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Special
Events management must always ensure effective preparation. That is why
organizers should always consider the following areas: Administration, Design,
Marketing, Operations, and Risk management (ADMOR).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">Events are planned
disasters that is why there should be “Command Centers” to monitor the whole
activity, and Security Plans. Events and Tourism Security all comes with a cost
(for peace of mind). We should weigh public safety versus public sentiment. In
the end, lives are more important than criticism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";">The third Day of the Conference is a city tour where I got the impression that the best security multiplier is a town with a sense of community. People who look after their own neighborhood is an effective deterrent to criminality and other threats to tourism.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><i>Daghang Salamat Davao!</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "serif";"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(A week after the Security and Safety Conference, a terrorist bombing happened there days ago. It was unbelievable in so many
levels - like a foreshadowing of a future event. But that is what terrorists do, they strike the heart of the current efforts of security and safety. Let us be vigilant and unite
against people who are bent on destroying our country and all the lives in it.)</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-74162123172022984852016-08-30T00:15:00.001-07:002016-12-02T17:37:42.631-08:00Monfort Bat Sanctuary and Hagimit Falls<div style="text-align: justify;">
If you are in Davao City and you have six hours to spare, go visit the Monfort Bat Sanctuary and Hagimit Falls while having a view of the island life. Just take a taxi to Sasa Port and ride a ferry (only P10.00 pesos) to the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACLOS). The distance is only 15 minutes from the Davao city main land. The boat trip is also scheduled in an almost every 30-minutes interval so you are assured that you can get back immediately to your hotel in a moment's notice (if you don't want to stay overnight in the island).</div>
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At the Samal Port, haggle with the tricycle drivers there for a good price. The city tour which includes the Monfort Bat Sanctuary, and Hagimit Falls usually takes about P 800 to P 1,200 transportation cost, depending on the arrangement. </div>
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<b>The Monfort Bat Sanctuary</b></div>
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Batman fans like me would like to see the "Bat Cave" of Samal which is a home to about 2.5 million fruit bats. The site is recognized by the Guiness book of world records as the largest single colony of its kind. </div>
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Upon arrival, we could already hear the screeching sounds of the night creatures. There is a P 100.00 entrance fee which includes the services of the most friendly tour guides I've ever met. Here are some pictures of the place:</div>
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<i>"Without bats...there will be no Durian.." </i>stressed our kind tour guide. She lectured about the big role of bats in the balance of the ecosystem in the region, as well as its role as night pollinators and farmer's allies in controlling pests. The tour was enlightening. After the experience, you will see bats in a much different light. They are our friends.</div>
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<b><u>Hagimit Falls</u></b></div>
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About thirty to forty five minutes ride from the sanctuary, the majestic Hagimit Falls is an oasis to the tired traveler. You just have to pay Forty-pesos for entrance fee, a One hundred fifty fee for a shed, and a Five-peso environmental Fee. The cool and fresh waters from the mountain springs? Priceless.<br />
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After dipping in the nice waters. Just tell manong pedicap driver to take you to the the best views in town before going to the sea port. Just have a feel of the island life.<br />
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Inhale all the experiences with gratitude, and proceed to the seaport back to your Davao City hotel..:) <i>Salamat Kaayo Samal!</i><br />
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Related Article: <a href="http://valredolsim.blogspot.com/2016/09/tourism-security-and-safety-conference.html">Tourism Security and Safety Conference in Davao City</a></div>
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ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-19761051816854308542016-07-13T01:54:00.001-07:002017-10-02T18:26:55.194-07:00Malaysia: Truly Asia<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"><i>I’m
writing my experience after a couple of months. There were (un)expected misfortunes
which hauled me to some needless heartbreak – I just have to run away from it
all. I am a firm believer that things happen either for or because of
something. Such ribbing philosophy which is both hopeful and humiliating is
naturally, human, I must accept. "That is life!", as people would say.</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">We landed
at Kota Kinabalu International Airport at dawn, eager to flag a taxi to our
hotel. Outside, I didn’t feel away from home, and except for the Malay signages; the environment,
the feel if you may, even the vegetation around is no different than Davao City,
or even the nearby Ilocos towns. Hell, even the people there looks like us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";">We
checked-in at Likas hotel and proceeded to Likas Bay – a cove featuring a park that
will put Manila bay to the depths of shame; it has health and wellness
facilities, children’s park, and recreational areas, all open to the public.
The city area reminded me of Singapore, though not as clean, but, because of
its sound urban management, great zoning compliance, and decent housing, I can
see it as an extension of Lakeside, SG.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif";"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZTxEsCSIbKn0yQOp2tP5aGsHAB72EwjSzOEWuOqTwYIpfMjnCwcVzqmKJ3JaU4ptavpsE7eDBqQUOd_TnhYXttAGM7UVsUsEZh2-Qx966Tsv3xLHJaxk_tXh1ykS4hhFHDAeKfQEXlVT/s1600/DSC_0140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwZTxEsCSIbKn0yQOp2tP5aGsHAB72EwjSzOEWuOqTwYIpfMjnCwcVzqmKJ3JaU4ptavpsE7eDBqQUOd_TnhYXttAGM7UVsUsEZh2-Qx966Tsv3xLHJaxk_tXh1ykS4hhFHDAeKfQEXlVT/s640/DSC_0140.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Likas Bay at 6:00 in the morning<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The next day, we had a city tour starting from its famous bay KK City Waterfront which is even more energetic at night, and the the KK City Mosque and surrounding temples, the University of Malaysia (Sabah), Atkinson’s Tower and Signal Hill, and the Sabah Museum which wrapped up the day for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmODrLzho0IiKiSgdzkiymDKcwSZ_GZvEMp-_vImUM348dIx4bznxh1o1i0R-vHDjuB_N6fW5cT95LBKN7AAbNZcFy__2GX1Tda5XVRuabaFzrx2HluHyI3ewLBOnvwlyyToYXtzH0jeG/s1600/13094402_1194823837204245_5803338078145944638_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmODrLzho0IiKiSgdzkiymDKcwSZ_GZvEMp-_vImUM348dIx4bznxh1o1i0R-vHDjuB_N6fW5cT95LBKN7AAbNZcFy__2GX1Tda5XVRuabaFzrx2HluHyI3ewLBOnvwlyyToYXtzH0jeG/s640/13094402_1194823837204245_5803338078145944638_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Many of us (Igorots including) might not consider that we are not 'that' unique as a people...perhaps, until we learn about things we share with our neighbors. For example, the Malay word for "road" or "path" is called "jalan", similar to our "shalan" (ibaloi), or "dalan" (Ilocano), or "danan" (Kankana-ey)or "daan"(Filipino)...I can go on and on about the similarities of our language as Austronesian people, but maybe a little visual evidence may convince us (below): he is not from the Ifontoc tribe, he is actually from a head-hunting tribe in historical Malaysia. Karkarupan ikit tako inya? jeje. And the wooden plank they use to display/offer the hunted heads? They call it "atang".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy63zpHNLGVejlxtsMPYeVlNX6Ot9AImyWrHubAdGPvx9axuhHuRUvCoRfS1Un3qFIsQjxFxcPVVH7y6GfWTJgJS5JrxQXCN8ItwOtQYHdQ8a1Va-amuuaZL9AzmztCUx7FFACssJj1gBH/s1600/13254838_1209537085732920_1419578660310620736_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy63zpHNLGVejlxtsMPYeVlNX6Ot9AImyWrHubAdGPvx9axuhHuRUvCoRfS1Un3qFIsQjxFxcPVVH7y6GfWTJgJS5JrxQXCN8ItwOtQYHdQ8a1Va-amuuaZL9AzmztCUx7FFACssJj1gBH/s640/13254838_1209537085732920_1419578660310620736_o.jpg" width="532" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
next day, we proceeded to Jesselton point to rent a boat to Manukan and Mamutik
islands. A boat owner instantly recognized us as Filipinos and offered
discounted prices for their water sports. At Mamutik island, we met Jessie, a
water sport coordinator, who also introduced himself as a Filipino. I’m
beginning to believe that 25% of the population in Sabah is composed of
Filipinos (most from Mindanao who have escaped the decades of conflict) as claimed by a Filipino vendor at Gaya Street.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
Water sports are as good as those in our islands!</span></div>
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Terimah Kasih KK, Malaysia!</div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-62348823913416982252015-08-06T22:22:00.002-07:002017-10-02T18:27:21.041-07:00Vigan City Convention on Cooperatives and Tourism<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Expanding Tourism in the Cooperative Sector”</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Tourism-oriented
City<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">From
the onset, the delegates have observed the tourism investments of Vigan,
especially in its quest to being the prime destination of the North, and
recently, one of the “Seven wonder cities of the world”. The congress venue,
for instance, which is one of the best convention centers in the country was
constructed by virtue of hard-earned local government loans directed to
establishing Vigan City as a “must experience” destination in Asia. It is an
investment which caters to tourists and supports the tourist accommodation
establishments and tourism servers of Vigan City. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb5uWYh7v9-h5gmAiDit_nRp3NZH5zJsPxNQPD4R74R1M2oHkDVsOANWU6tyyepEfrGh1d2EA8OKTjNjSITMCHC65-8zcbXmfX9YIG3ShEnG7se3h9F5RV0AUdspV-XsuzQuQUTYvbFYI/s1600/DSC_0520.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEb5uWYh7v9-h5gmAiDit_nRp3NZH5zJsPxNQPD4R74R1M2oHkDVsOANWU6tyyepEfrGh1d2EA8OKTjNjSITMCHC65-8zcbXmfX9YIG3ShEnG7se3h9F5RV0AUdspV-XsuzQuQUTYvbFYI/s640/DSC_0520.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Beautiful Vigan Convention Center</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Just
like other LGUs which are heavily dependent on Tourism, Vigan City has
completed all the strategic requirements of Department of Tourism for quality
tourism services which include; infrastructure development, signage,
directional maps, tourist information and assistance centers, police assistance
near core tourism sites, subsidized cultural performers projects, customer
service trainings on tourist servers, and clean comfort rooms/ toilets.</span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
National Tourism Directions<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
national tourism development plan was discussed and highlighted by the DOT
Regional Director for Region 1 and other guests from DOT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Tourism
is acknowledged as the fastest growing industry in the Philippines. Its direct
and indirect economic benefits has put Tourism as a sustainable economic
activity. In fact for the past five months this year, tourism attracted 4.27
million tourists which garnered around 93 billion income, or about 11% of the
national economy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Such
national importance of tourism have set the following tourism directions
especially to LGUs in tourism development; Improve market access and
connectivity, Develop and market competitive tourism experience, products, and
destination, and Improve institutional, governance, and human resource
capacities.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
following infrastructure improvements were discussed by TIEZA who reiterates their agencies’ mandate to assist LGUs infrastructure
development. TIEZA, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">can accommodate proposed tourism infrastructure projects </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">for 1</span><sup style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> class municipalities who are willing
to shoulder a 60% counterpart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Tourism
Challenges by LGUs<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJOg4LtC3xl6mbqL6y4ehjhmT8p07Xy6g2XoarUqZCURczCMSrYRL4RuXJCTXTAzPQcODTVYy1HB4NMKL8aTzpErUyHGVCGBQLUcjuuXyFc7XlKwV6p6TOEcAgZMygowDJdVLz4Mw6-x6/s1600/DSC_0468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQJOg4LtC3xl6mbqL6y4ehjhmT8p07Xy6g2XoarUqZCURczCMSrYRL4RuXJCTXTAzPQcODTVYy1HB4NMKL8aTzpErUyHGVCGBQLUcjuuXyFc7XlKwV6p6TOEcAgZMygowDJdVLz4Mw6-x6/s640/DSC_0468.JPG" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the captivating Calle Crisologo, Vigan City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Vigan
proudly holds the banner of adhering the national tourism banner of “To become
the “must experience” destination in Asia”. They succeeded – from their tourism
goods of Vigan bagnet, longganisa, empanada, and other Ilokano kakanins, to
their implementing mechanisms of building or maintaining a heritage city. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">However,
just like any LGU, the local government also admitted challenges when they
started their campaign of making Vigan a must experience site. They identified Lack
of Infrastructure Support and Information/Mechanism to assist/control tourists
as primary issues in their development quest. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
representatives from the DILG admitted that there are more roles for Local
Governments who are at the forefront of all economic activities, the national government
remains only as a support cast.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">For
the city of Vigan – LGU they have constantly considered the effect of tourism
on the community. “Tourism is not just
earning pesos…it must have conscience. It must consider the impact to public
health, the environment and the whole community. Local Government should see to
it that these are considered.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Cooperatives on Tourism<o:p></o:p></span></i></b><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“It takes the
whole community to develop a sustainable tourism practice”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VTiMaCmEUD0CndcaL2DkXfvcSVxjtrznWk-mtKUS8S64tfbuU7RTLKXTzvYqp6MxpRQRgB0vnvibXAU8hLxA1wN5wxloVQzm0zUbndS4cF0FyXTSlo3dpO8HiAwBf6O0vee_IbNKtSCQ/s1600/DSC_0587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VTiMaCmEUD0CndcaL2DkXfvcSVxjtrznWk-mtKUS8S64tfbuU7RTLKXTzvYqp6MxpRQRgB0vnvibXAU8hLxA1wN5wxloVQzm0zUbndS4cF0FyXTSlo3dpO8HiAwBf6O0vee_IbNKtSCQ/s640/DSC_0587.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Cooperatives
pride itself as the backbone of local economy. Businesses which are owned not
just by sole proprietorship, but of communities have improved the lives of many
people. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In Vigan, cooperatives have organized themselves brilliantly and have
invested in tourism related businesses. The primary organization, Nueva Segovia
Consortium of Cooperatives, have partnered with the LGU and community and built
hotels, a school, a bath and coffee center, a convention center, and an
industrial zone. Such feat can only be achieved by tourism-oriented and
visionary community cooperatives.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As a constant
exercise, cooperatives in the city are encouraged to enhance their capacities
in engaging into tourism businesses. Primarily, cooperatives are trained in the
following areas:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Product
and Destination Development<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Tourism
Marketing and Promotion<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Cooperative Advantage in Tourism
Businesses<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The 1<sup>st</sup>
Tourism cluster convention is themed with the reigning trend that
tourism-related businesses are the priority areas for investments.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The speakers
outlined four reasons why cooperatives should invest or engage in
tourism-related businesses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Exempted
from Business Taxes<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Helps
communities – no monopoly of income, ownership of business, easy marketing
(people to people)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Cooperatives
have Linkages <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">4.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i><!--[endif]--><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">It
serves the community – They have the Community Development Fund (Mandatory)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">A number of
cooperatives with tourism related businesses like Tam-an Banaue Coop and
Paglaum MPC have testified that in a community wherein tourism is a significant
industry, or even even when it only has the potential for it, tourism is the only
way to improve lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFONOqP146wbCrEOWMfJllEM3wkLgDZZpjPU6beJniGhu3LHb_XK4dPM9jWU0x45nZLXVd6LZpfN9Q1xl9LhquIOHodMW4N8IS1LIwDisaNWfF8PlpHs2jjrWQF0X4tTYUBgYpTzGlCb/s1600/DSC_0548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFzFONOqP146wbCrEOWMfJllEM3wkLgDZZpjPU6beJniGhu3LHb_XK4dPM9jWU0x45nZLXVd6LZpfN9Q1xl9LhquIOHodMW4N8IS1LIwDisaNWfF8PlpHs2jjrWQF0X4tTYUBgYpTzGlCb/s640/DSC_0548.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tourists can enjoy a dancing fountain treat every night at the Vigan public park</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Promotion of Tourism Investment<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In the lectures
and sharing, we finally understood that there is only one formula to tourism
progress: “Love”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“LOVE is the Formula for Sustainable Tourism”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Leadership
– LGU and Community leadership/shared Leadership<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Open
Business Environment – We need to align support/ policy based on assessment and
not assumption.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Vision
– Do Not stop innovating. We do not stop Cultivating new approaches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Enable
and Empower People – Love for the community. Pride for the Place Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">(e.g.: “I am from the Strawberry
Capital! I will protect Strawberries and Strawberry farms”)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">As they say; <i>“Tourism
is like fire; it can cook your food with it, or it can burn your house”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The key is,
always, balance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-62421872780221608372015-06-17T19:53:00.001-07:002015-06-17T22:10:13.144-07:00Plotting the Future for BSU Strawberry Farms<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbqnjkq9vVgDMc_a7TxiTFXxdRrEC2YHoAcFW6hGzcyFNgLvckf64EJv3_c50mmxsw-2D1wBhLXQRf2p6zxw8C3pNrlsWClsXDIwOKYJUfsdH548xDlKdZaTu-QjmhF8icrAGPyBvxZAW/s1600/strawberry-picking-basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbqnjkq9vVgDMc_a7TxiTFXxdRrEC2YHoAcFW6hGzcyFNgLvckf64EJv3_c50mmxsw-2D1wBhLXQRf2p6zxw8C3pNrlsWClsXDIwOKYJUfsdH548xDlKdZaTu-QjmhF8icrAGPyBvxZAW/s640/strawberry-picking-basket.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Tripsiders</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Strawberry Farm’s crimson crop could
lose its cream if potentials will not be given the attention it deserve. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The strawberry farm remains to be one of
the main destination for tourists in La Trinidad Benguet where its farmers found
an avenue to sell their crop. Local producers and farmers who uses the land
provided by the Benguet State University (BSU) gained the opportunity to bring
their harvests and other goods to the national market where tourists comprise
the large portion as their consumers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> “I came all the way from Cavite just to see
the strawberries”,</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> says Nica Torres one of the many tourists who
visited the Strawberry Farm to see and buy fresh strawberries and experience
first-hand picking from the strawberry patches. This crimson crop of the valley
attracts people from different places and have introduce them to Benguet
Province’s other attractions as an agri-destination.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The fact that the people themselves are
the ones who get to pick the berries straight from their patches keeps people coming
from different regions of the country to the Cordillera region. The Strawberry
Farm reminds the locals and visitors that Baguio City is not the only source of
vacation hotspots in the North. La Trinidad is just among other municipalities
in Benguet that offers out of town experience to many travelers and visitors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Grassroots’
Advocate<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There are about 42 farmers who lease
farms at the BSU Strawberry Farm.
According to Prof. Danilo P. Padua, former director of the BSU Business
Affairs Office and Strawberry farming and production research expert, BSU’s
priority is to lend the land to the farmers and allow them to develop their own
area in the way they want. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">BSU rents out the land to farmers at 15
pesos per square meters in a year. “We rent the land but we put up the stalls, and
the farmers are in charge of maintaining and improving the land they rent (<i>Nirerent lang namin yung lupa tapos kami na
ang gagawa ng stall at yung sa mga farmer yung lupa nila na nirent ay bahala na
sila mag ayus o gawin ang gusto nila.</i>), according to Myrna Akilit, a stall
owner at the Strawberry Farm for more than ten years now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">According to Dr. Jones Feliciano, Vice
President for Business Affairs of Benguet State University in an interview, the
main purpose of the Strawberry Farm is to serve as an income generating project
(IGP) of BSU.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As cited on the official website of BSU
the Strawberry Farm is included in one of the 21 income generating projects of
the University that supplement the subsidy it receives from the General
Appropriations Acts (GAA). The IGPS include Bakery, Food Processing Center,
Souvenir and Gift Shop, Marketing Center, Multi-Vegetable Production, BSU
Garments, RSDC Canteen, Strawberry Restaurant, the Gladiola Center, Agricultural
Land Use, Commercial Space Use, Sariling Sikap Program, Strawberry Production
Project, Guestels (HMEG), and SLS Canteen, among others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">One of the farmers located at the BSU
ATIB-IC shared that the area where they are farming is under development. Farmers
in located at the front entrance of the Strawberry farm undergoes training and
research for improvement. <i>“Kaming mga
farmers ang mag-dedevelop ng farm namin. (We are farmers are the ones who would
develop our farm.)”, </i>he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Top Tourism
Spot in La Trinidad<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Strawberry Farm also brings tourism
opportunities for the municipality of La Trinidad. Among other strawberry farms
in the municipality, the BSU Strawberry Farm has the widest land area and
production of strawberries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;">“Tourists
can see our products, like strawberry taho, from social media. With this they
are magnetized to visit Benguet. (Yung mga tinitinda namin nakikita ng mga tao
sa social media. Nahahatak nila mga turista dito sa Benguet.)”,</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12.0pt;"> says manong
Bruce Castillo a taho vendor at the farm for more than ten years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Department of Tourism Cordillera Region
have been listing the Strawberry Farms as one of the top most visited site in Benguet
for many years. Further , it has been included as part of the Baguio City tour
itinerary since the city’s tourism boom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To visit or
not to visit again?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Despite the benefits of being a tourist
destination, there are few concerns from the vendors around the farm and the visitors.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">“The Number one problem here is the lack
of parking lots, but because this is the property of BSU their approval should
be sought first”, explains manong Bruce. <i>“Lack
of trash bins is also a problem…”, he added, “…the trash of the tourists were
scattered because they do not know where to throw so it affects the beauty of
the place.”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A farmer suggested to pave the pathways
along the strawberry farm. He added that tourists complains about the muddy
passageways. <i>“This has been, apparently,
a plan way, way back but it’s not yet implemented”, </i>he shared. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Lack in advertising is also a problem as
observed by the residents. People from different places thought that the farm
is located in Baguio City. Also, during strawberry festival, tourists were not
as many as during Panagbenga or other famous festivals in the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Aside from strawberries, the farm also
produces lettuce, broccoli, sweet peas, beans, some varieties of flowers that
grows in Benguet. These are the products the tourists see and buy especially
during the rainy season when strawberries are not available.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">La
Trinidad Strawberry Farm overtaken?<o:p></o:p></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> Strawberries
require a specific climatic condition to grow. However, other provinces like
Davao and Bicol have strawberry farms now. Photos of these farms posted in the
internet would show that they have wide strawberry farms with green houses.
Davao plant the berries in a bamboo stalk to prevent the strawberries lay on
the ground also to provide a walkway conducive for visitors exploring the farm.
Bicol on the other hand, focused on the aesthetic aspects of their strawberry
farm. They have photo booths and good signage and designs in their view deck
and entrance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> Dr. Feliciano
also believes that BSU’s strawberry farm needs a lot of improvement but the
University still needs to seek assistance for funds<i>. “We requested to the accounting office for enough fund for the
improvement of the farm. We need to improve it because it is the main tourist
attraction of the province of Benguet particularly La Trinidad so by all means
we need to develop it.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> <i>“I do not believe that other places can
surpass our strawberry farm. If they’ll produce strawberries in the low land,
it will be for temporary production since we can only provide the needed
climatic condition by nature to grow strawberries. They cannot come up with the
kind of quality we produce here in Benguet”,</i> Feliciano added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">Plotting
the plans of the farm<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">For the past few years the Benguet State
University and its co-stakeholders are looking out on improving the state of
the farm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">Dr. Padua, had
headed a group from BSU who wants to improve the farm for tourism purposes.
According to him, they passed a draft to the BSU administration for the
development plan with the help of a Canadian expert. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> The
development plan includes producing new varieties of strawberries, installing
more trash bins inside the farm for cleaner environment, and having a good
source of water. The farm is also in
need of green-houses too to produce strawberries even in rainy seasons. CRs,
information desk, uniform stalls, good view deck, wider parking lots and
establishing a restaurant to improve the tourism is also part of the plan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> <i>“We had the draft but they didn’t give us a
go signal to push the development plan”, </i>Dr. Padua said. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> Dr.
Feliciano also enumerated the things UBA wants to improve for the improvement
of the farm. These are: sourcing out a good portable irrigation system, very
good view deck, road system, drainage canals, comfortable comfort rooms,
restaurant that will cater the needs of the tourist going to the farm, very
good parking area, and green houses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> <i>“The plans will be implemented at soonest
possible time. We are trying to source out financers because that requires a
multi-million cost of project to develop”, </i>Dr. Feliciano answered. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">Season
of Implementation to Come<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">UBA and Padua’s
team has the same views on what to improve in the farm. The plans were
broadcasted during the BSU Kapihan 2013. But as observed, the farm now, two
years since the plans were constructed, the aesthetic aspect of the place only got
worst.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">The La Trinidad Tourism
Plan has already been approved since the first quarter of this year, although
we understand that BSU have their own plans for the site. “Implementation lang
ang hinihintay. (We are only waiting for implementation), says Valred Olsim,
Municipal Tourism Officer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">There are four main
projects which are included in the Tourism Plan in which BSU’s approval and
intervention are paramount. These are, beautification of CR, building of view decks,
good parking lots and landscaping of the farm/parking area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-PH;">The plan was created
through the efforts of several stakeholders which compose the Tourism council
of La Trinidad. The council includes representatives from Benguet State
University, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Local
Government Unit, Barangay councils, Non-Government Organizations and private
sectors. <b>//Jessica Caranay & Gerbien Mansilla </b>(BSU-DEVCOMM)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">*</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> I promised Jessica and Gerbien to publish their story in my blog as part of their final output in their academic requirements. I'd like to thank them for this good start as fellow DevComm practitioners. Good luck to all endeavors!</span></i></span></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-46209785453819238092015-05-22T20:34:00.002-07:002016-09-01T18:45:36.393-07:003 Better Finales for the ‘Forevermore' Soap<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErSKLirvRdnfjHP_tv2v2IdrYmDjYfjH7XIQzTQE0nERbC_M7bSoaLw2-x_i-Kzdw2j8KlcjQQ6hgM25czHsKD_XfIuroACQFurghJjssQrIHzO6Ofi9nCAJ0tJXHqenTQLJSrwG8FYjf/s1600/th.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiErSKLirvRdnfjHP_tv2v2IdrYmDjYfjH7XIQzTQE0nERbC_M7bSoaLw2-x_i-Kzdw2j8KlcjQQ6hgM25czHsKD_XfIuroACQFurghJjssQrIHzO6Ofi9nCAJ0tJXHqenTQLJSrwG8FYjf/s1600/th.jpg" /></a><a href="file:///C:/Users/ACER~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I get
it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
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style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:285.75pt;
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o:title=""/>
<w:wrap type="tight"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><a href="file:///C:/Users/ACER~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The romantic comedy drama ‘Forevermore’
about young love, which had blossomed in the cold foggy mountains in Benguet, was a huge hit. For the average Filipino viewer,
the show has all the elements of a feel good night treat – beautiful mestizo/mestiza
cast,</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-language: EN-PH; mso-no-proof: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"> picturesque setting, the underdog vs. powerful
conflict, third parties, and a bit of comic relief (thanks mostly to Bangky and
that cute kid). Undeniably, we can’t blame the women in the house and the neighborhood for usurping the television every night, to the men’s errr...</span> <span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">‘prejudice’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">With
all the anticipation of a promised great ending, the drama finale, unfortunately,
turned out to be no more than a corny, half-baked, and poorly written script to
convince us that the “forevermore” title was justified in the end. “That’s it?”
the young kid in our neighborhood mused. Yup, Xander shouts “may forever pala!”
and automatically there is forever. Somehow, it felt forced.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
favorite hobby of most men when women watch soap operas is to pester them; give
common predictions, criticize the characters’ sloppy lines, point out errors in
the story line continuity – it is in this moments that men shine to momentarily
become art and TV show critics, philosophers, and what have you, all to
convince the women to switch the channel to the NBA highlights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Fortunately
or unfortunately, we watched most or some parts of it, and we can only imagine
alternative endings that will save the story in our minds. Here are three better
(or perhaps outrageous) finales (at least for the average guy) for the undoubtedly
successful and engrossing show:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">1.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Xander and Alex (Erich) got married and
had babies, while Agnes went on to have a family of her own and successful career in
Japan.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">After
30 years or so, they will unexpectedly meet each other in La Presa (with
older faces and talk about the places they’ve been…yup, that ‘maybe this time’
song haha). They won’t rekindle their romance, however, since they already have
families of their own. But they do talk for the longest time, reminiscing the
past (with flashback effects). Then, they part ways without glancing back and
realize (maybe through narration) that what they “had” many years ago is pure
love and will never fade ‘forevermore’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">2.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Xander and the La Presa people found out
that the drained water-supply was caused by a certain politician who excavated a
whole mountain, violence erupted and Xander died protecting Agnes.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I’m
not a bit happy for how the writers seem to have defended an environmental
rapist. The least that they could’ve done is to show the importance of
watersheds in relation to the water supply. Maybe, connect them somehow to the soap
villains as conspirators to the crime. The hoodlums of the politician drove
them away with violence (just like the real news), and superman (Xander) is
there for the rescue, sacrificing his life to protect Agnes. After 30 years, a
married Agnes visits Xander’s grave admitting that her love for him will always
be there. That, it is true love ‘forevermore’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;">3.<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Agnes lost her memory in an accident in
the forest. From then, Xander spends forevermore loving, and reminding her that
their love is forever.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.75in; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->-<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Agnes
who got lost in the forest (ironically) hit her head and wandered around
without memory. She was later found by Xander and the La Presa people
unconscious. The damage was done, she suffers from anterograde amnesia (like
the 50 first date movie) waking up every day thinking that Xander betrayed her.
Of course, Xander will spend forever convincing and showing Agnes that he
really loves her ‘forevermore’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Anyone
who have read or watched a Nicholas Sparks’ work would understand what I am
driving in to. Sometimes, tragedy can romanticize everything. Sometimes, loss
and misery can make stories more realistic and beautiful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">However
I also understand why most TV soaps would not dare to have any of these as
their finale. Maybe it is not that the scriptwriters lack talent, but maybe
they are only giving what the population want – a fairytale ending where the protagonists
live happily ever after and villains go to jail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">For the common Filipino people,
there is already too much drama, loss, and tragedy in their real lives, too much
bad news in the media, too much stress and pressure in work, and to pile more
to their psyche may bury them to depression. They need a happy convenient
ending, regardless of how senseless it will be, because most of the time they only turn the box for one thing --- to make
them feel better.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">__________________________________:)___________________________________</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
ValreDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08038876078320310853noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6710120426161023622.post-46354990888820354702015-04-25T23:31:00.000-07:002016-07-14T06:40:49.209-07:00The Ibaloy Studies Conference: The Ibaloy today<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">(Our </span></i><i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">Tourism policy is more than numbers that help generate employment and pump the economy but also includes the preservation of culture and heritage. That is why </span></i><i style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity to attend seminars and conferences that are related to our functions such as this recently held Ibaloy Studies Conference at UP Baguio on April 24-25).</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“That’s
a very difficult question.” Dr. Julie Camdas-Cabato, sighed not knowing that the
inquisitive person in front of her is one of the many babies she ushered to this world via caesarian section.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Dr.
Cabato’s story of the “vanishing Ibaloys of Baguio City” echoes the many fears
of the Ibaloys in this age – the displacing of its people, the fading of its
culture, and the losing of its identity. As many queries piled the hall, I was
compelled to stand up and address the room’s white elephant after a UP
professor’s “profound” and “extremely important” inquiry about the “color of
the butato (fireflies)”.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“How
do we, the multi-cultural children- the one-halves, and one fourths, address
our identity? What is the implication of being a multi-cultural child in the
Ibaloy’s advocacy of cultural preservation?” I nervously raised.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“That
is indeed a very difficult question” The questions actually broke the room-
each participant looking side and up, asking the ceiling the same thing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">There
was no answer.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Earlier,
messages were given asking the obvious question: “Who are the Ibaloys?” Benguet
Gov. Fongwan, who admitted that he has no Ibaloy blood but can speak fluent
Ibaloy, shared that he is considered by many as one of them simply because he
lived as an Ibaloy, and speaks the Ibaloi Language. (<i>“He looks and sounds
like a chicken, therefore he must be a chicken”).</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Does
that mean that those who do not know how to speak Ibaloi, despite having Ibaloy
parents, like most from the fifth and perhaps, sixth generation, are not
considered Ibaloys? Is being an Ibaloy
by blood? Or by cultural orientation (as being able to speak Ibaloi)? Although
I understood that Anthropological researchers use the language to sort human
groups, I still felt unconvinced.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">NCIP
Commissioner Zenaida Hamada-Pawid (a one-half, one- fourth herself) answered my
query in three parts. She started her story by recalling her experience as a
young Anthropology professor of UP who is tracing her ancestry by collecting the genealogy of the
five biggest clans of Benguet villages. What she and other researchers found out was that all of the
people in the southern Cordillera can trace their roots to only one people – the Kalanguyas (Ikalahans), a distinct sub-group of the Ifugaos.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
Kalanguyas (from “Keley ngoy iya” a term used to pacify misunderstandings), in
turn, are blood brothers of many different ethnic groups, not only from the
Cordillera region, but also of the people of Region I and II. “Enshi nai-afafil”
I smirked.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">If we go deeper, we will find out that our different tribes in the
Cordillera region belong to the same Austronesian Peoples in Southeast Asia and
Oceania. This means that we belong to the same family with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwanese_aborigines" title="Taiwanese aborigines"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Taiwanese aborigines</span></a>; the majority ethnic
groups of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia" title="Malaysia"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Malaysia</span></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Timor" title="East Timor"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">East Timor</span></a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia" title="Indonesia"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Indonesia</span></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunei" title="Brunei"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Brunei</span></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar" title="Madagascar"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Madagascar</span></a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micronesia" title="Micronesia"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Micronesia</span></a>,
and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynesia" title="Polynesia"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Polynesia</span></a>,
as well as the Polynesian peoples of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C4%81ori_people" title="Māori people"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">New Zealand</span></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_Hawaiians" title="Native Hawaiians"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Hawaii</span></a>,
and the non-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papuan_languages" title="Papuan languages"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Papuan people</span></a> of <span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanesia" title="Melanesia">Melanesia</a>, </span>the minorities of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore" title="Singapore"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Singapore</span></a> where
Malay is an indigenous language, the Pattani region of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand" title="Thailand"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Thailand</span></a>,
and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cham_people" title="Cham people"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Cham</span></a> areas in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam" title="Vietnam"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Vietnam</span></a>,
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambodia" title="Cambodia"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Cambodia</span></a>,
and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan" title="Hainan"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Hainan</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“What
irks me is the different organizations, including that Bangsamoro, who insist that they are different (perhaps superior?) groups when they belong to the same group of people” She said strongly. “Even without discussing the cultural and social
matrix however, we are one people because of our common activities – pasturing,
agriculture, forestry and mining.” These activities, she explained are
protected by the Indigenous Peoples themselves suggesting that said activities
taught them to become very much protective of their land and resources.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“So
how can the young Ibaloy today understand how is it to become an Ibaloy of the
past?” She asked. “The Ibaloy is a culture and people in constant change….they
are not frozen in time”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">“But
if you want to know the core value of the Ibaloys, go ask the Ibaloys who
perished in the Battle of Tonglo at Lumtang (Lamtang). Our ancestors who spent
300 years of fighting to protect our ownership of our lands, properties, and
resources.” She almost shouted. “The Ibaloys are strong and empowered!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The
room almost became somber. For some of the Ibaloys who are there, the obvious
implication of her last lines hit them like a brick. “Have we protected our
ownership of our land and resources?” They must have muttered. Perhaps, our ancestors
must be rolling on their graves screaming that “the real Ibaloys are those who
have protected the lands of their ancestors!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">************</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">My late Father, Alberto Ingosan Olsim Jr., descended from the Ingosan-Gabol Clan of
Irisan, Baguio City who can trace their roots to Ahin (Buguias) and Kabayan,
and the Olsim and Bacquian clan of Buguias, Benguet. He is a “Kanibal”(Kankana-ey
– Ibaloy). He, however, grew up in Mt. Province because of his father’s choice
to farm at nearby Bauko and Sabangan, Mt. Province.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">It
is a different case with my Mother, Marcelina Dulay Elwas, who is predominantly
a “Bontokis” from Sabangan and, Samoki, Can-eo, and Gonogon, Bontoc, Mt. Province. She,
however, grew up in an Ibaloy mining village at Itogon, Benguet where she lived
and spoke like a true blue Ibaloy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">This (comically) means that I have an i-Benguet father who grew up in Mt. Province, and a Mt.
Province mother who grew up in Benguet.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">I
was born in Baguio City, and raised in La Trinidad, Benguet. I lived in a multi-cultural
neighborhood who uses the Cordillera region’s “neutral” language – the “Ilokano”,
or perhaps our washed out version of it. Our parents did not use the Kankana-ey or Ibaloy language in our home, just like many parents today.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Growing up, however, I saw how the two tribes treat each other with contempt - the Ibaloys thinking that other groups have robbed them of their lands, and the other groups blaming the Ibaloys for selling hectares of it. In one record, my Ibaloy side,the Ingosan and Gabol, who are two of the major clans of Baguio City, sold their lots at Irisan to Manila developers. Such event at Irisan served as the microcosm of how Baguio City had turned out to be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">The attitude of Benguet versus Mt. Province, or the Ibaloys vs. the "Bontokis" is visible in schools, in the workplace,and even in news columns like Midland's Opposite Direction by Atty. Benny Carantes where he constantly viewed the "Bontokis" as carpet baggers, and his fellow Ibaloys as threats to other Ibaloys. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Many writers blamed the division of the Ibaloys to the conscious machinations of powerful people in the past. The division of barangays to divide the Ibaloy clans (and subdue them), and the unfair politics of this date. Come to think of it, there has never been an Ibaloy mayor of Baguio City.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Such conflicting scenario, taught me to become indifferent with my cultural identity. "Why can't we just say that we are humans who breath the same air, and drink the same water?" I contemplated as a young kid. For a 90s kid immersed in the global pop culture, I never really cared...until today.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">******************</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">So,
how do we, the part Ibaloys, address our identity, especially in the Ibaloy’s
call for cultural preservation in this modern multi-cultural society? Does it
mean that I have to marry an Ibaloy girl to ‘promote and continue the blood line’? Does it
mean that we have to ban the entry of the “Bontokis” or other cultural groups? How can I compromise the preservation of the different cultures that I belong
too (which are equally wonderful)?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">For
us hybrids, we can only imagine in our silence.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">In
this multi-cultural generation in which the young Ibaloys have learned to love
without the issue of tribe, language, or colors, they will barely understand the importance of their Ibaloy culture and identity, or feel what is it to become an Ibaloy.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">They can only learn the cultural tools, perhaps, the constructs; the language, and the dances. They can only wear their names and their ethnic costumes. But beyond that, they have changed... just like this ever-changing world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 3.0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">************<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
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