Rizal Remembered Through Ilocano Rendition of Masterpiece

by Marciano Paroy Jr.

Rizal's life is one of the most documented among 19th century Asian treasures due to the vast and extensive records written by and about him. With all the literary wealth that he has produced, , there is this one literary piece that has truly stood the test of time. Everytime it is read and recited, it does not fail to evoke deep emotions - which is the very intent of Dr. Jose Rizal. This is the “Mi Ultimo Adios,” or “My Last Farewell.”

As the 109th anniversary of his martyrdom is remembered this month, a number of institutions and organizations ingenuously came up with the idea of further popularizing the masterpiece using the true vernacular of the North - the Ilocano dialect.

Initiated by the 501st IB, 21st IB, and LGU-Kalinga – with strong participative support from the the Provincial Toruism office, the Kalinga Media Organization, the KASC Alumni Federation, and the Kalinga Mountaineering Society – a poetic rendition of Rizal's piece “Maudi a Pakada” was held at the Tabuk Gymnasium on December 17.

Participated in by high school students who were officially selected to represent their respective municipalities, the activity, in the welcome remarks of Tabuk Mayor Camilo Lammawin Jr., “would hopefully widen the reach of Rizal's appeal in inspiring the youth.”

Kalinga Governor Floydelia Diasen was also on-hand to encourage the young contestants and mostly high school audience. In her message, she stresses the importance of “Rizal's long-lasting dream of a nation whose transformation depends on the leadership roles that the youth of today choose to undertake.”

Emerging as victors were Jasper Garobo (1st place), Warlie Alagao (2nd place), and Gretchen Dawaton (3rd place). Consolation prizes were given to Cherry Mae Crystal Bautista, Glen Mike Sobrepeňa, Reuben Dale Soriano, and Windy Mosing.

Cash prizes and expensive tinted fiber-glass plaques were handed out to the winners – made possible through the funds contributed by Hon. Allen Jesse Mangaoang (Balbalan), Hon. James Alunday (Lubuagan), Hon. James Edduba (Pasil), Hon. Chris Maek dela Cruz (Rizal), Hon. Johnny Maymaya (Tininglayan) and Hon. Camilo Lammawin Jr. (Tabuk). Aside from Mayor Lammawin, Hon. Alunday was the only other Mayor who graced the affair.

Selecting the winners were Dr. Carmelita Ayang-ang (VP of KASC), Dr. Marylinda Santos (of Dep-Ed Kalinga), Dr. Romulo Gaerlan (of KPHO), Sir Oliver Gacuya (of the City Information Office), and BGen. Johnny Corcha (of the 5^th ID, PA).

Overseeing the whole activity, from the planning stage up to its culmination, were Dr. Amelia Miranda (who came up with the idea), Lt. Col. Francis Lardizabal, CO of the 21st IB, Col. Roberto Morales CO of the 501st Brigade, and Ms. Grace Kidang, Provincial Tourism Officer and KASC Alumni Federation President.

Grace Kidang Crowned Ms. AMH '07

Crowning Glory. Ms. Grace Kidang proudly wears the crown as the Ms Alumni Mega Homecoming ’07 – one of the highlights of the CICM celebration of their contribution to the history and development of the province in the light of Christianity, education, health and socio-cultural values.

KASC Accepted Into ASPAP

by Marciano Paroy Jr.

KASC, with its curricular offering AB in Public Administration (in the baccalaureate level) and Master of Public Administration (in the graduate school), has formally become part of the Association of Schools of Public Administration in the Philippines (ASPAP).

The membership of KASC entitles its Public Ad instructors and professors to take advantage of training that the association gives to members. In fact, Mr. Jeremias Ammakiw attended the international conference, entitled “Public Administration and Governance at the Forefront of Change: Dimensions, Dynamics, Dysfunctions and Solutions,” last December 5-7.

The affair, which was jointly organized with the UP- National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) and the Network of Asia-Pacific Schools and Institutes of Public Administration and Governance (NAPSIPAG), provided a venue for discussion and sharing of knowledge and experiences in dealing with the dimensions, dynamics and dysfunctions of development challenges and concerns.

“It was during the conference when I submitted to ASPAP our proposal for The First Forum on Good Governance for the City of Tabuk” Mr. Ammakiw said. “which was accepted and approved with enthusiasm. Atty. Daniel Fariňas, Vice-Mayor of Baguio and the Dean of the College of law of UB, even expressed his desire to be invited to the forum.”

Tentatively scheduled on March 2008, the forum might even open doors for a series of similar activity in the region which ASPAP-Cordillera is currently considering. The project is the result of the collaborative efforts among College President Eduardo Bagtang, Extension Director Maximo Garming, Graduate School Dean Marymina Odiem, Institute of Arts and Sciences Dean Joy Grace Doctor, and IAS Extension Coordinator Jeremias Ammakiw.

Membership in ASPAP is open to any school - public or private - offering public administration/management education programs. Currently, the association has 120 member schools covering the country's regions from Northern to Southern Philippines.

Kalinga’s Ullalim Wins Innovative Choreography Prize

The yearly staging of the Grand Parade of Cordilleran Festivals, more commonly known as Cordillera’s Best, was held from November 28 to December 2 at Baguio City. Spearheaded by the Department of Tourism, the activity is a rendezvous of Cordilleran festivities unique from each province, along with products, artworks, crafts and tourism destinations.

Only in its third year, Cordillera’s Best has easily found a strong following from home-based as well as foreign tourists. The participating provinces, through their Provincial Tourism Officers, have consistently sent their contingent to compete in the various contested activities.

Grace Kidang, chief tourism officer of Kalinga, chose to field the Tanglag Cultural Group, made up of Baguio-based Kalinga cultural performers, for the Theatrical Performance Competition and the Indigenous Choral Competition held at the Center for Culture and the Arts at Saint Louis University.

For the Street Dancing, the group’s performance of the “Ullalim” Festival was adjudged as having the Most Innovative Choreography, for which they were awarded with P15,000.00. The “Lang-ay” Festival of Mountain province garnered the first place, with P45,000.00 as prize money.

The "Adivay" presentation from Benguet won for The Best Indigenous Communication Practices, with P15,000 cash prize. "Gotad ad Ifugao" from Ifugao won for The Most Colorful Festival, with P15,000.

As it has been a practice in the past, non-traditional performances were also staged. Baguio City National High School’s “Ragragsakan” was cited as the Best in New Concept" with P20,000 cash prize; the Cordillera "Paet" performed by the Saint Louis University was judged as the "Best in Audience Impact" with P15, 000; and the Cordillera Gardening Festival performed by the Baguio City National High School Quezon Hill annex was also given citation, with P10, 000 cash prize.

“Aside from the cultural performances, we also participated in the showcasing of our products, events and tourism attractions via an exhibit at the SM City-Baguio,” Ms. Kidang said. “I would like to stress that the provincial government is actively encouraging the different local government units, the Municipal Tourism Councils, and other organizations to promote their distinct cultural dances, songs, products and tourist destinations,” Kidang said.

Prior to the cultural performances and the provincial exhibits, the Regional Toruism Conference was held on November 29, which was attended – alongside with Ms. Kidang – by Mrs. Natividad Sugguiyao of NCIP, Mayor Johnny Maymaya of Tinglayan, Noel Macaiba and Clemente Basing-at (of Tinglayan’s Municipal Tourism Action Office), Tanudan Vice Mayor Eddie Pugao, SB Samuel Bongabong, PPDO Alice Busiley, Balabalan’s MTAO Sonia Duggoy.

Hon. Fernando Abay was the sole elected Kalinga provincial official who attended this actual gathering of all that is best in the Cordillera during the Cultural Parade on the November 30.

National Month of the Community Press

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has declared December, through Proclamation No. 1187 dated Dec. 7, 2006, as "National Press Congress Month and the Month of Community Press in the Service of the Nation" to be observed under the auspices of the Publishers Association of the Philippines Inc. (PAPI).
The proclamation is an unequivocal recognition by the President and this government of the potent and unifying role of the community press in building bridges of understanding with the people.

About time, community press practitioners might sigh. But, in a global environment, where exactly does the community press stand?

Cebuano historian Resil Mojares seems to have the perfect answer when he said that “the community press lives a very peripheral existence.”

It is understood to mean that, aside from being physically far from the nation’s capital, community or regional newspapers are generally less well-off than the national publications, they have limited resources and, in many cases, they are less able to cope with attacks on their ability to perform their work.

Yet, community newspapers have the wide-scope task of reporting information of great significance to a number of people. This is information not normally carried by the metropolitan newspapers.

In Tabuk alone, there are loads of news that people, including the reading public, are not aware of. Their preference for the national papers are quite understandable – one which has grown out of habit. But the national papers cannot address information needs specifically packaged for the local populace.

The book “Connecting with Communities: Public Journalism Experiments in the Philippines” lays down the painful truth on the community press’ uphill climb for recognition. It is a pioneering publication on how initial experiments on public journalism in the Philippines have challenged the community press to evolve new thinking about the craft. These experiments promote the idea that information provided by media and journalists should encourage citizens to find solutions facing local communities.

These are concerns that this paper has committed itself to address.

This month, as community papers across the nation are recognized for their contribution to rural development, GURU re-strengthens its role in Tabuk’s overall development process – and, therefore, we refuse to be seen as part of the periphery.

KASC’S Student Writers Win in Region

by Marciano Paroy Jr.

Earthline, the official student publication of the Kalinga-Apayao State College, participated in the 8^th Annual Press Conference for Tertiary School Papers in the Cordillera Administrative Region on December 7-9 at the Baguio-Benguet Community Credit Cooperative, Inc. (BBCCCI) training hall in Baguio City.

Formally opened by Dr. Freddie Bernal, OIC-Regional Director of the Commission on Higher Education, the three-day activity was participated in by tertiary institutions in CAR – both private and state-run.

When prodded why the affair was again held at BBCCCI, overall organizer Dr. Mariano Marchan said, “the reason why we are again utilizing the facilities of BBCCCI is due to the difficulty in taking the commitment of tertiary schools to stage the whole activity. Besides, it is easier for schools in the province to converge here in the City than for us all to travel to a school in, say, Abra.”

Earthline writers from KASC that managed to be included in the Top 5 of their contested activities were Ser Antoni Ramos (2^nd place – Editorial Writing in Filipino, 4^th place – Opinion Writing in Filipino), Ren Geramis Bais (2^nd place – Editorial Cartooning, 4^th place – Comic Strip, 5^th place – Literary Graphics), and Janice Catalig (Newswriting in Filipino). Campus journalists who landed in the Top 5 will be joining the Cordilleran Team for the Luzon-Wide Press Conference in Tuguegarao City on February 6-8, 2008.

The White and Blue paper of Saint Louis University ran away as the Overall Champion with the most number of awards, including the Best Tabloid Award. The Alternative (University of the Cordilleras) placed 2^nd, The Mountain Collegian (Benguet State University) placed third, while Earthline (KASC) ranked as the 4^th Best Tabloid.

FITS-KASC Database Management Undergoes Upgrading

by Marciano Paroy Jr.

The Farmers’ Information and Technology Services (FITS) Center of KASC joined the band of other FITS Centers in the country whose websites are being maintained by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) for a three-day training on web content management at the Benguet State University in La Trinidad from December 5-7.

Representing Kalinga-Apayao State College is Marciano Paroy Jr., being the Information Services Specialist of the KASC FITS Center.

The training is targeted at building-up the FITS Information System – a web-enabled system, which allows simultaneous updating of data by various FITS centers nationwide. In this manner, collection of important data and information in the Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources (AFNR) sectors are fast and easy. In this way, the evaluation and monitoring functions of PCARRD are made easier.

FITS Information System aims generally to serve as a viable tool to facilitate faster access of information to fast track the delivery of services to AFNR clients. Moreover, it also intents to organize data available on technologies, whether from local, regional and other sources; to provide an up-to-date inventory of agriculture-related publications and other communication materials that are available in the FITS/Techno Pinoy Center; and to make ICT-based services available to FITS clients.

FITS IS utilizes the following databases, described as follows:

The Farmers Database contains the farmers’ socio-economic profile which includes personal information, total farm size and characteristics, commodities and other agriculture-related activities, and annual income and its sources. It also documents farmers’ information and technology service needs, thereby serving as a dynamic feedback mechanism to ensure the relevance of service being provided by the FITS Center.

The Experts Database provides an inventory of agriculture and natural resources researchers that can be tapped for technical and consultancy services by the FITS clients in the area. The FITS center staff refers to this database in such case where a client needs to avail of the expert’s services such as pests and diseases management, latest production technologies, etc. The experts’ profile is not limited to experts within the locality but also includes researchers/scientists from other regions.

The Contact Firms Database contains the firms/establishments, which the FITS Center may refer to clients for business partnership.

The Publications Database provides an inventory of publications and other print materials that are available in the FITS Center. The Videos Database provides an inventory of technology/information materials in video packages.

The Technologies Database captures data on agriculture and natural resources technologies generated by the R & D institutions in the area. These technologies are considered mature and are ready for dissemination to clients within the locality of the FITS center and nearby communities. Likewise, this database serves as source of technologies that are being subjected to validation and assessment as to their potential for becoming an enterprise. Indigenous or rural people’s knowledge is also being considered for documentation but with some provisions for validation by both the knowledge generator and the concerned R & D institutions prior to dissemination.

The Clients Database is a compilation of clients seeking professional advice or services from the FITS Center. It stores the data on the clients and their inquiry made upon visiting the FITS Center.