Well, like that famous one-liner blurted out by my idol Michael Jordan when he decided to return to professional basketball after a brief vacation, I say it now, too: I’M BACK.
Yes, I’ve been out for a while. Almost a year, in fact. No excuses. I just found a renewed vigor to start blogging all over again. I give thanks to you, my readers who gave me this newly-found inspiration to do what I used to do and what I love doing.
Let’s get it on.
Pols’ bickering spoils festive Christmas for N. Vizcaya workers
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–More than 1,000 officials and employees of the provincial government here greeted Christmas Day with gloom following the botched release of the “cash assistance” they had been expecting to receive since last week.
Government workers entered the long holiday break on Tuesday getting receiving their global economic relief assistance (Gera) of as much as P30,000, after Gov. Luisa Cuaresma did not approve in time the ordinance releasing a total of P31 million for such benefit.
In a speech before employees Monday, Cuaresma said she refused to approve the ordinance, and blamed members of the opposition in the provincial board for supposedly boycotting the approval of the ordinance last week.
N. Vizcaya’s 1st university turns 80
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–The province’s first university is celebrating its 80th anniversary on December 8, with activities lined up featuring its intensified thrust of expanding its global linkages, balanced with programs tending to preserve its cultural roots.
This year’s event seeks to highlight the milestones that Saint Mary’s University, a Catholic church-run institution here, has achieved both on the domestic and global front, said Fr. Manuel Valencia, university president.
“Our theme for this year, ‘Crossing Boundaries at 80′, stresses how SMU continues to endeavor to reach out to partners in other parts of the globe, and focus on efforts to bring the best quality of education for our students and for our community,” he said.
Didipio controversy catches Australian media’s attention.
Used cars registration at CEZA stopped
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–The registration of used imported cars brought into the country through the Cagayan Economic Zone (CEZ) has been suspended.
But the importation of second-hand vehicles into the CEZ can continue although these cannot be brought out of the zone, according to an official at the free port in Santa Ana, Cagayan.
CEZ administrator Jose Mari Ponce has issued a memorandum to its Port Irene office ordering the suspension of all applications for the registration of imported used vehicles, said Ralph Iloy, CEZ port operations specialist.
Hi..
Sorry for the looong absence. I had to attend to some very important concerns. These needed close attention so I had to put off blogging for a while. As what California Governor Arnold S. (better be safe than wrong), with his strong Austrian accent, once said:
I’M BACK.
N. Vizcaya tribal folk score win vs mining firm
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines–Villagers of a mountain village in remote Kasibu town, who are facing eviction from their houses have scored another victory Tuesday when the Regional Trial Court here issued an order prohibiting a mining firm from further demolishing their houses to make way for its gold-copper mining project.
In a 12-page resolution, Judge Vincent Eden Panay issued a preliminary injunction against the demolition activities being waged in Didipio village by OceanaGold Philippines, Inc., an Australian firm that is attempting to conduct large-scale mining operations there.
“The issuance of a writ of preliminary injunction is warranted under the circumstances without any qualification. (OceanaGold) and all other persons acting in (its) behalf are hereby ordered to cease, desist and refrain from demolishing or dismantling (the complainants’) houses until further orders from this court,” he said.
Graft, crime charges filed vs N. Vizcaya gov
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines–An Australian mining firm has sued Governor Luisa Cuaresma and four other government officials here for graft involving the brewing dispute concerning a US$117-million gold-copper in an upland village in Kasibu town here.
In a 67-page complaint, OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. last week filed with the Office of the Ombudsman charges of graft and harassment against the officials, after they “forcibly” entered OceanaGold’s project area in Didipio village with the use of armed guards and police personnel.
Along with Cuaresma, also named in the complaint were provincial board member Edgardo Balgos; Francisco Tolentino, provincial environment officer; Senior Inspector Chevalier Iringan of the police provincial mobile group; Danilo Ramos of the environment office, and several unidentified security personnel.
N. Vizcaya’s ‘luxury buses’ draw flak
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–Officials and residents here denounced the alleged anomalous purchase by the provincial government of two brand new luxury buses worth P10.2 million, at a time when the country was suffering from severe food crisis and high power rates.
Board member Patricio Dumlao Jr. said the “questionable” purchase of a new 45-seater and a 25-seater Hyundai buses was made without the required public bidding, raising suspicion that this could be another graft-ridden deal entered into by unscrupulous provincial officials.
“This is highly anomalous because the province had to buy from a Korean supplier through direct purchase, when there are many other suppliers in the country that could have provided the same vehicles, maybe at less cost to the government,” Dumlao said.
Mining watchdog seeks probe of Aussie firms’ rights ‘abuses’
BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya–The Australian mining ombudswoman has called on the Commission on Human Rights in the Philippines to investigate the alleged human rights abuses committed by a Melbourne-based mining firm in remote Didipio village, site of its proposed US$117-million gold-copper project.
Shanta Martin, Oxfam Australia mining ombudsman, made the call amid reports of escalating human rights violations by OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. highlighted by last month’s shooting of an Ifugao native by a company-hired security guard.
“I urge the (CHR) to please investigate the situation as an independent party, and to assist the communities of Didipio to defend their human rights,” she said in a letter to Dr. Purificacion Valera-Quisumbing, CHR chair.
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