Baguio media light candles to urge justice for victims of the Maguindanao massacre

Baguio media light candles to urge justice for victims of the Maguindanao massacre

Urge PNoy to protect witnesses, help victims’ families on livelihood 

By Arthur Allad-iw

BAGUIO CITY – Media practitioners in this summer capital city lit candles at the Session Road Rotunda here to commemorate the 5^th year commemoration of the killings of 58 mostly media workers in Maguindanao on November 23, 2009



Photo by: Noel Godinez 

.

Photo: Art Allad-iw

With candles lighted forming the number 58 to reiterate the victims of the Maguindanao massacre, the local media practitioners – wearing black and red shirts - urged the administration of Pres. Noynoy Aquino to perform his tasks by doing all means that would facilitate the immediate resolution of the case, which they claimed is in a turtle-pace at its present dispensation.

The candles that had been lighted tonight at the Rotunda and those at home, who cannot attend the activity, represent the days when the massacred happened up to this day and to reiterate that justice is still elusive for the victims of the horrible massacre in the history of the Philippines. It was a joint activity by media practitioners affiliated with the local chapter of the National Union of Students of the Philippines and the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters club.

Photo by Rocky Ngalob

“We do not only commemorate the untimely death of our compatriots, but we resolve to elevate to a higher level of vigilance our call for justice for the victims of the massacre,” said Kathleen Okubo, chairperson of the local NUJP and editor of the Northern Dispatch Weekly.

                                            

Photo: Art Allad-iw

The journalists also reiterated in their activity four points, which are as follows:

First, the case resolution of the Maguindanao massacre is a turtle-pace which allegedly reflects our justice system;

Second, Pres. Aquino should do his tasks as the highest officer of the land by ensuring that concerned agencies are performing their tasks towards attainment of justice for the victims, as they claimed that Aquino, whose father was killed during the fascist regime of Marcos, also experienced what the children of the victims felt at the moment;

Third, that the witnesses be extended protection in order that they will help in proving the guilt beyond reasonable doubt of those accused, as they pointed out that a fifth witness was recently killed; and,

Fourth, the government should extend protection to families of witnesses as they are continuously threatened. They pointed a situation where Myrna Parangan-Reblando, wife of one of the journalists killed, was forced to seek refuge to other country because of the continuing threat to her and her family. They also urged that the government extend hand to the victims’ families, particularly for livelihood until they can recover as their murdered kin were their bread winners, who died untimely and detached them from their sustenance.

Photo by: Noel Godinez

The lighted candles are the local media’s contribution on the target one million candles to be lighted nationwide by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.  # 

Sagada's Balangagan Cave, an underground wonder and ancient burial ground

Underground wonder Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

Sagada’s Balangagan Cave, an underground wonder & ancient burial ground

Published by the Northern Dispatch Weekly November 16, 2014 

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW


The genesis is from a folk tale passed on by elders. A long time ago, three men from Taccong, Sagada went for kupiti (bat) hunting inside a liyang (cave) caught quite a fortune – lot of bats. On their exit, they had difficulty finding the way out. They got tired, confused, and fear took over them as it seemed they kept ending up in the same area of the liyang. They heard a voice of a spirit dwelling in the cave. It told them not to take out dwellers (the bats) or anything from the cave. Immediately, the three men Bangcawayan, Lawagan and Nagayang freed all the bats they caught. Then they followed the same path they took and came out alive from the liyang.

Lakay (elder) Julio Mani of Taccong retold this tale on Wednesday’s inauguration of the Balangagan Cave to serve as a reminder, “while we open the cave for visits to tourists and locals, nothing should be taken out from the cave,” he told the crowd of representatives from different agencies, officials, media and villagers.
From the tale, it was learned that the liyang was named after as Balangagan, coined from the names of the three lost villagers inside the cave, and, perhaps, an eternal reminder for visitors to observe their indigenous concept of inayan or lawa, leave the things as they are sacred to the area.

Balangagan Cave inauguration. Photo Art Allad-iw

Balangagan is located in the hilly and pine tree covered barangay of Taccong and Suyo, Sagada, Mountain Province. It is more or less three kilometers from Poblacion. Sagada is more or less 130 kilometers and a four to five hour drive – on the improved Halsema Highway – from Baguio City.
It is a unique wonder, natural underground environment of various rock formations and century-old burial grounds of the ancestors of the indigenous peoples in the area. Such complimented Sagada as Shangrila of the north due to its waterfalls, lake, pristine pine-clad mountains, and wonderful underground caves that offer natural attractions to spelunkers and nature lovers.

Blue-watered natural pool. Photo Art Allad-iw

Natural wonder
Near the entrance of Balangagan is an eye-catching blue-water natural pool, where guides claim turns to green during rainy season. Flowing crystal clear streams seem to lead vistors into the cave.
Stalactites and stalagmites, in various forms and sizes, will definitely glue the eyes of adventurers to the roof from the entrance to inside the cave. “Its colorful speleothems are studded with sparkles that glint when lighted,” Robert Pangod, the municipal tourism officer said. Like the Sumaging cave of the town, these natural formations at the Balangagan cave are beyond description but best appreciated only when personally seen.

Cave entrance. Photo by Art Allad-iw

Cavers are cautioned, too, in exploring the winding hollows as there are low ceilings and passages that are tight and slippery. As such, cavers are advised to use appropriate footwear, and must visit the area with the assistance of professional guides provided when visitors register at the Poblacion.

Cavers would be amused with cathedral wide spaces inside complimented by the echoing din of bat sounds, the only music one may hear. And, the bats’ guano, evidence that the area had been closed for a long time, as one would have his foot covered up to his knee from the substance.

Rock formations. Photo by Art Allad-iw

Sacred burial ground
Balangagan’s natural wonders are complimented by the rich heritage of the indigenous people in the area. It is a sacred burial ground where various coffins were either tucked in high above on the ceiling, hanging coffins, or piled one coffin on top another. Their dead at the Balangagan Cave were placed in hollowed tree trunks and in jars, elders added. And they added that the cave’s twilight zone was an ideal resting place for their departed. “It is sacred that we are morally bound to protect,” explained Lakay Mani.

While amazed by how the coffins were kept inside, there are various questions that arise.

One of the rock formations. Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

At the height of a three storey building, there were coffins – both jars and hollowed tree trunks. There was no evidence insight of how they did it or any evidence of support materials in the area that they may have used to reach such height.

“How did the earlier ancestors place the coffins at that height? How old are these jars used as coffins?,” were among the questions raised by Larry Fabian, a journalist based in Baguio City. The questions may be answered by anthropologists who may have studied these ancient practices, as the elders had no documented literature to aid answers for the questions raised.

Photo by Aldwin Quitasol

Marcos Cave
The wonders of Balangagan captivated officials of the then President Fedinand Marcos administration. Then provincial Governor Alfredo Lam-en facilitated the development of Sagada as tourist destination. Through the Ministry of Tourism headed by Jose Aspiras, Lamen facilitated a road to Taccong and opened the cave to the public. In return, it was through him that the cave was named Marcos Cave, a chamber named Imelda, the wife, and the hall, as Aspiras hall, all directed for a development of the area as tourist attraction.
The development stopped during the tumultuous years of Marcos until he was removed from power via the Peoples Power Revolution.

But the cave named after Marcos, his wife and crony, was not acceptable to the people, ever since it was coined in the 80s. Hence villagers still call it Balangagan cave.

Reopening of Balangagan
The reopening of the cave is a move by the southern barangays of Sagada, namely Taccong, Suyo, Nacagang and Ankileng. They favor the opening of the cave which would be integrated to the town’s plan but, importantly, a community-based tourism program where they will have a greater role in the development and management. “This community-based tourism program will be ensured by our municipality, particularly the culture of the umili (villagers) of respecting the sacredness of the place,” assured Mayor Eduardo Latawan Jr., as they will adopt more measures to ensure that the coffins inside will be protected from deterioration and vandalism.

Accessibility, too, is addressed as the Balili-Payag-eo-Suyo road is on-going as a priority project funded by the DPWH-DOT convergence program.

Road development for easier access to the cave. Photo Art Allad-iw 

Such accessibility is seen by the municipal government as a step to easily supervise the area and arrest from defacement. Vandalism, destructions of the stalactites and stalagmites, desecration of the coffins and the remains had been noted earlier in the cave. With such accessibility and municipality’s adoption of management plan, stakeholders believed that Balangagan can be maintained at its present state.

But the words of Lakay Mani that reverberates must be incorporated in the plan, “nothing should be taken out from the cave as it is a sacred ground. We are willing to share the appreciation of this natural and cultural heritage to visitors who can freely visit the area. A must, however, is the respect of our system – that the area is a resting place of our departed ancestors. We are morally bound to protect its sacredness.” #nordis.net

http://www.interaksyon.com/search?q=arthur+allad-iw+on+mountain+province+folk

Mountain Province folk hold indignation rally over death of student under police custody

By: Arthur Allad-iw, Northern Dispatch (Special to InterAksyon.com)
November 13, 2014 8:19 AM

Mountain Province residents hold an indignation rally in the capital town Bontoc on November 12, 2014, calling for justice over the death of 20-year-old college student Stephen Galidan, allegedly a victim of police brutality. (Photo courtesy of Ricky Samidan)

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

BAGUIO CITY – At least 1,000 residents of Mountain Province, led by provincial and municipal officials, on Wednesday held an indignation rally condemning the death of a 20-year-old college student arrested by policemen for allegedly violating a curfew ordinance.

Stephen Bosleng Galidan, a sophomore taking up Business Administration at the Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, was picked up by the police on November 4 for allegedly loitering in the town with fellow students who scampered when the police were about to approach them, according to a Bontoc police report.

Photo credit: Ricky Samidan


The police report said that while Galidan was being brought to the police station, the student jumped out of the patrol car and landed on the road.
Bontoc police further said in the report that Galidan was brought to the hospital where he died the following day.

The rally against police brutality, considered as the biggest in the decade, was conducted by students of Mountain Province State Polytechnic College and attended by provincial officials, led by Gov. Leonard Mayaen, as well as municipal officials from the towns of Bauko, Sabangan, and Bontoc.
Mayaen told the rally participants at the plaza in the capital town Bontoc to be vigilant to contain the excesses of police, who tainted the name of their institution.

“Let us not allow such excesses, let us be vigilant,” Mayaen said.

He called for a fair and impartial investigation of the five policemen said to be involved in the custody and resultant death of Galidan, a resident of the vegetable-producing village of Monamon Sur, Bauko.
Bauko Mayor Abraham Akilit said an investigation should lead to the filing of appropriate charges against the policemen.

Akilit asked why the police, who should be protecting the people, are the ones involved in the loss of an innocent life.

Photo credit: Ricky Samidan


“If the police cannot assure security for our youth, we will bring home our 400 youth who are studying here in Bontoc,” said Akilit, adding that “those involved should be punished and jailed in Muntinlupa.”
Abi Batawang, an elder, said the rally was not against the police force per se but a call for justice for Galidan, an innocent youth who died allegedly due to police brutality.

The youth group Mountain Province Youth Alliance (MPYA) hit the police for saying in their report that Galidan died when he jumped out from the police car and hit the road.

Marceline Pilala, MPYA spokesperson, scored the police story as a move to cover up their atrocities.
She urged authorities to hand down an administrative suspension on the policemen involved so that witnesses can come out to reveal the truth without fear.

Meanwhile, Police Regional Office-Cordillera Director Isagani Nerez said they have secured a witness’ statement that Galidan was maltreated and that the five police officers have been suspended to pave the way for an investigation.

Galidan was buried on Saturday, November 8, in his village in Monamon Sur. #

Advocate’s Overview: Our ancestors’ burial grounds

October 26, 2014 in columns, Cordillera, Featured, opinion by patnugutan

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

It is again the season when Filipino Christians go to the cemetery to visit their dead kin’s grave. This has been a year after year occasion observed every first day of November. Today’s use of a cemetery is traceable as introduced by Christianity in the country.

Even in the Cordillera, people visit their community cemeteries where their dead relatives were buried. Interesting to note though is that prior to colonialism, indigenous peoples of the region had a common village burial grounds, too. These indigenous burial grounds were slowly “supplanted” by the Christian way of burying the dead. On this issue, we would like to share the burial practices of some ethnolinguistic groups prior to colonialism, and the changes brought about by colonialism to these practices.

Among the Kankanaey of Mountain Province, they buried their dead in a pamunpunan – usually the caves orliang. In Central Sagada particularly, the dead were laid in a wooden coffin put in place above the caves, these coffins when viewed from a distance seem to be hanging – hence the hanging coffins of Sagada.

Infants were buried in front of the house, in an area where the rain water from the house drops. Usually without any elaborate rituals and sacrifices of animals like that done in the burial rites of a dead adult.

In their aayagan or spiritual ground in Tekeng, the amam-a or elders of Kiltepan Sagada offer the liver of a pig and wine to their ancestors' spirits and to Kabunyan and to protect them and provide blessings in return. Photo by Art Allad-iw

Among the Bontoks, their dead are entered in a paryong or family gravesite. Those who died from unnatural death like in accidents or murder were buried separately from the paryong, as these kinds of death were considered by the people then as “dirty.” Sometimes, they bury their dead in vacant lots close to their ricefield or near their homes, according to June Prill Brett as cited in the book “Ethnography of the Major Ethnolinguistic Groups in the Cordillera” by the Cordillera Schools Group (CSG).

Brett also as cited says that in Tucucan, Bontoc, a dead infant male is placed on the right side of the doorway of the parent’s home; while an infant girl is buried on the left side.

In Benguet, the Ibalois perform elaborate rituals and their dead kin is put in a crude coffin made of planks of wood, as the CSG cited Cecile Afable. The dead were brought to the burial caves, hence we have the burial caves in Kabayan and Mount Santo Tomas in Tuba, both in Benguet Province, added Kathleen Okubo, an Ibaloi. The Amliang Cave at the Mount Santo Tomas is one of the burial caves there, which has not yet been well advertised (desecrated) for tourism purposes.

A burial cave in Kabayan where mummified dead was among those buried in the area. Photo by Eddie Dapliyan 

A similar practice is also done in Buguias, Benguet. According to Arsenia Pinge, their ancestors placed their dead relatives in wooden coffins and were brought to the caves. As to children, they are put inside jars and were brought in the caves too. But when communities started to settle permanently, the dead infants were buried near their home.

A tattooed mummy in a cave in Kabayan, Benguet. Photo by Eddie Dapliyan 

In the rice-terraces popular province of Ifugao, they practice various burial methods. Social status, age and cause of death will determine the sacrifice of animals and length of wake, according to the CSG book.

CSG added that still born babies and mothers who died giving birth were immediately buried under their house without ceremony. After a number of years, the spouse or family may open the grave, take the bones and wrap these with a new blanket. Then the usual rituals for the dead are carried out before they bury the bones in the appropriate place.

I have to come across literature about the burial grounds of the Kalanguya, Isneg, Itneg and other ethnolinguistic groups in the Cordillera. But it is worth knowing where and how their ancestors buried their dead.

With this short piece, however, it shows that our ancestors have burial grounds where they brought their dead for eternal peace. It also explains why indigenous peoples in the region need not go to the burial area for their offerings or prayers. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors are with them. It is their custom to remember their ancestors as they call them every time there are rituals to join them in such occasion; and they call their ancestors’ spirits to protect them from any harm or accident, and to shower them with good fortune in all their endeavour.

A mambunong or indigenous priest reads the bile of an offered pig and offered prayer to their ancewstros and Kabunyan. Ex-Gov. Raul Molintas witnessed the ritual performed at ther Ibaloi Park in Baguio City. Photo by Arthur L. Allad-iw 

Even during times of gatherings, whether formal or not, there is the pitik performed before the start of any occasion. The same in a drinking session, the first shot after opening the bottle of drink would be the pitik, offered to unseen spirits to join them and protect those involved from harm so that they may live longer and buy more wine for them to share too.

It is therefore timely, a pitik for our ancestors, for the unseen spirits, and for Kabunian to guide us all and protect us from any harm. A pitik for prosperity! (Cheers!) # nordis.net

Cordi elders lead protest vs rights violations

October 26, 2014 in Baguio City, Cordillera, Featured by patnugutan

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW and ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Cordillera elders in their indigenous attire, where men wear their wanes (loin cloth) and the women in their tapis (wrap-around skirt) joined at least 500 protesters from various Cordillera villages and rallied at the regional offices of the government agencies based here to demand a stop to the exploitation of their ancestral homeland and the pull out of military troops from their villages.

SUMIKAD KORDILYERA. Activists march from the regional office of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) towards the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA). Photo by Rocky Ngalob

The protesters claimed that the state gave the go-signal for the exploitation of resources within their territories by allowing the entry of corporate projects, mostly mining and hydropower which they believe would destroy their homeland and undermine their culture.

These projects, they claimed, are coupled with military deployment, particularly in areas where there is strong opposition. Military presence they said led to various human rights violations, on their collective and individual rights.

Cordillera Peoples Alliance Secretary General Abigail Bengwayan-Anongos said the activity is dubbed Sumikad Kordilyera (Sumikad literally means to stand up for your rights) as a way of addressing the present situation of development aggression in the region. Development aggression occurs when the natural resources of the region are exploited by corporate interests at the expense of the already marginalized the indigenous people because such projects undermines their interests and welfare.

To facilitate development aggression, military troops are deployed in communities where these projects are to be implemented as designed under Oplan Bayanihan, the military policy of the present Aquino administration.

According to an elder, sumikad is an indigenous practice where oppressed people stand up against oppression. He pointed out that they need to stand up for the protection of their communities and children as the state oppresses them through projects that never benefited them as a people. He invoked that sumikad had been a time immemorial practice, like what their ancestors did in fighting Spanish colonizers, who tried to penetrate the interior Cordillera region.

The protesters rallied infront several regional offices of national government agencies to raise their opposition on government projects and policies they consider against their interests.
At the regional office of the Department of Agriculture, farmers raised that the liberation of the agricultural industry and the membership of the Philippines to the ASEAN Free Trade Association would be detrimental to the country’s agriculture.

Peasants led by Apit Tako held a picket at the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA). Photo by Rocky Ngalob

According to Andres Wailan, secretary general of the Alyansa dagiti Pesante iti Taeng Kordilyera (Apit Tako), Cordillera farmers’ products cannot compete with their counterpart from otherAsian countries as the latter enjoy government subsidy and are technologically advance. Filipino farmers, he said suffer from high input cost and backward agriculture practices. Protesters also raised the threat from proposed energy projects and mining applications in the region.

CPA data show that there are 88 hydro-projects, eight geothermal projects, and a windmill energy project are spread through out the region. Proponents of these said projects are mostly big foreign corporations, including Chevron.

With the liberalized mining industry, 67% of the region’s 1,829,369 hectare total land area is covered by various mining methods, according to the data from the regional office of Mines and Geosciences Bureau.
Anongos accused the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) of manipulating the free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) to facilitate the entry of these mining and energy projects. She added that military troops terrorize villages where there is strong opposition to these projects.

Joseph Bagsao of the Cordillera Elders’ Alliance (CEA) said IP communities are living in fear when military troops encamp within their territories because of various human rights violations government soldiers commit against them. He said that in their experience, government soldiers will go to villages where people are actively opposing destructive development projects to intimidate and harass them to ensure that they will give their consent.

At the gates of Camp Henry Allen, the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) raised that the military operations of 41st IB soldiers in Abra did not only terrorize the communities but barred them from attending to their sources of livelihood such as their farms and fields. The human rights group cited the cases of the Ligiws; Licuben, father and sons Fermin and Eddie who were allegedly murdered by the 41st IB soldiers in April.

500 strong activists from the different Cordillera provinces held a protest action at the gates of Camp Henry Allen on October 20. Photo by Noel Godinez

They also condemned the war crimes committed by soldiers belonging to the same army command during their military operations in September which include the killing of two civilians, deliberate assault against villages and torture of NPA rebels among others. CHRA also said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) target community leaders by including them in their “target lists” like what the 86th IB did to Ifugao leader William Bugatti who was later extra-judicially killed in March.

Cynthia Dacanay-Jaramillo demanded justice for the torture and desecration of the her husband’s remains adding that erring governemtn soldiers should be held accountable. She said the autopsy report of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) clearly showed that government troopers mistreated her husband. She is the wife of Arnold Jarmillo, one of the NPA rebels killed in the September military operation of the 41st in Lacub, Abra.

She said the killing of her husband is a violation of international humanitarian law. The case of her husband and other alleged NPAs, including two civilians, killed on September in Lacub, Abra by the 41st IB is now the subject of a legislative inquiry in the Congress.

At the office of the Regional Development Council here, the ralliest criticized House Bill 5595 that seeks to establish an autonomous Cordillera region.

Anongos said the House Bill being peddled by politicians in the region does not embody the aspirations of Cordillera people for a genuine autonomy as it failed to address the recognition of the indigenous peoples rights to own and control their land and resources.

She urged Cordillerans to heighten the struggle to protect their ancestral domain and push for genuine regional autonomy. # nordis.net

Escaping Libya: An interview with a Filipina nurse

www.nordis.nethttp://www.nordis.net/?p=21176
(Posted here is an article I wrote which was published by the Northern Dispatch Weekly. ) 

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW


The on-going war that is destabilizing the oil-rich nation forced her to get out of Libya. And her well paying job as a nurse for more than one-year in a privately-owned hospital in the nation’s capital city of Tripoli. With heavy heart, she chose to leave Tripoli and will, like thousands of other licensed nurses, face the problem of joblessness or unemployment in the Philippines.

Regina Hombrebueno, in her mid-20s, is a nursing graduate from one of the tertiary schools in Baguio City in 2010. Like other nurses who were armed with their professional licenses, she applied for the Middle East in a company job-fair sponsored by a placement agency in the Baguio City hall in 2013.

She and the company agreed to a two-year contract but she believes she was actually “tricked” to accept a one-year contract. As allegedly, it was “rushed” by the company for her to leave the country and a plane ticket was already acquired for her. Thinking of the absence of employment for nurses here, she agreed to the one-year contract to begin with and she even agreed to pay for her placement’ fee an amount of PhP 45,000, the equivalent of her one month salary abroad.

Fortunately, she landed as a nurse at Tripoli’s Al Fardus Clinic, a part of a privately-owned hospital.It had a bed capacity for 100 patients. She was enjoying what she claimed was a satisfactory salary and liberal privileges. She was with 29 Filipino health workers and one Ukranian, they were housed in a dormitory where all were well provided for, including transport service to and from the hospital.

Tripoli is populated by more than one million. It lies at the western extremity of Libya near the Tunisian border of the African continent. It is one of the leading centers of Libya’s economy where businesses flourish like oil, in banking, communications, finance, and manufacturing. It is also where the largest international airport of the country is located.

Regine, as she is fondly called, was just more than a year in her job at Al Fardus Clinic when violence heightened in the newly-established government against the militias, which controlled most of Tripoli, and the Islamist groups which controlled most of Benghazi.

“Because of the chaotic situation, the Philippine government declared level 3 which means voluntary repatriation for Filipinos,” explained Regine. But few decided to go home as they believed the violence can be contained.

The situation abruptly turned to worst. A Filipina was reportedly gang-raped in Tripoli. There were reports of foreigners robbed off their hard earned salaries (particularly those working in state-owned institutions who receive salaries after six months) when they go to the banks to send their (salaries) home. Other criminal activities became un-controlled in that period of conflict. And she, personally, shared that the Libyan situation was better during the time of Pres. Moamar Kadhafi, who was toppled three years ago.

The situation at that time made the Philippine government declare a level 4 for Filipinos, who were forced to leave Libya.

Regine related their experiences in that war: combatants bombed Tripoli’s sources of water, oil mines, and food processing-institutions. They felt the hunger, including the absence of social services due to the destruction of various industries. Even their hospital lacked oxygen, electricity, water, medical supplies.

In the early part of August, 27 Filipino workers from Al Fardus Clinic were among the Filipinos who, unfortunately and forcedly left Tripoli and traveled to Libya’s border with Tunisia. From August 8 when they left under heightened war conditions, they reached Tunisia City on August 12. They able to rest in a hotel and got to the airport in the morning of the 20th where they caught the Philippine Airline plane home on the 21st.
Regine was among the 103 Cordillerans who were able to get home from the 307 Cordillerans working in Libya. She narrated that she was not considered a memberof the OWWA and therefore did not receive the OFW financial relief of P11,000. She lamented that she was registere for the first year with OWWA but only failed to register her 2nd year which was but a few months before she was evecuated from Libya to come home.

While she is happy being home alive, she sees a dim future for her as a nurse. “The job opportunities for nurses here is very slim,” she said. From the thousands of licensed Filipino nurses, they are either jobless or into other jobs, like in the call centers where job security is also a big problem.

Still, going abroad is an open option for her – the government’s declared Bagong Bayani. # nordis.net

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/92940/cop-mauled-after-questioning-presence-of-minor-in-bar-shoots-2-dead

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/92940/cop-mauled-after-questioning-presence-of-minor-in-bar-shoots-2-dead