Atty Sikyu, determination and intellectual drinking sessions

Atty Sikyu, determination and intellectual drinking sessions

   

“Everytime workloads clash with law school’s schedules and we feel the urge to flip our office table and throw our office chair at our boss, think of Roy Lawagan.”

Another Round of Intellectual Drinking hours before the COMELEC liquor ban  

This has been our soothing phrase with Karl Alangui, fellow working law stud, which we hum everytime we are stressed out because of work and law school. And so far it worked! Because me and Karl are still employed in our respective work places and we’re even performing well in law school. Well, our grades may not be that high but nevertheless passing numbers.

I recall when Karl and I were walking along Session road in search of a bar to flush our stress from work and law school away. While debating on which bar we should enter, Karl saw Roy mixing his ‘momma’ at the side of a local pub. Karl quickly went at his side and shook his hands. Roy was then a frustrated Barrister for having failed his attempt at our nation’s hardest professional examination. And what a timing that was because coincidentally, Roy was also looking for a place to doze his frustration away, I guess the three of us were placed at the same location that time for a reason.

That night, we drunk and exchanged discourses regarding the Bar questions that were asked during the 2014 exams. Among which were the Jennifer Laude case and territoriality issue over the freedom island. Said issues ate  most of our time discussing towards the wee hours because of the relevance of the cases during that time.

The same intellectual drinking echoed when the three of us once again bumped into each other along session road. This time, the Bar exams is just a month away and Roy was doing his self-review by squeezing his reading session during his breaks while working as security guard at the Commission of Audit in Latrinidad. Despite the approaching Bar exams, Roy insisted for another round of intellectual drinking which we quickly concurred. We were again placed at that same location for us to drown our stress and for Roy to relax in preparation for the Bar exams.

Karl, being the eldest, volunteered to do the ‘pitik’, a ritual being performed by elders to ask blessing from the gods before drinking starts. In the ‘pitik’, Karl asked the gods to shower Roy with knowledge, luck and peace as he will about to enter hell’s gate, that is the Bar exam. Here, Roy is in his second attempt to pass the Bar exam, but unlike the first one he did not enrol in any review centers.

Roy, months before the Bar month, did not file his application for leave from his work place unlike other barristers would, who isolates themselves from the rest, months before the Bar exams, for them to concentrate on their review.

In fact even during the Bar month, Roy continued to work in his agency as the watchman. And because of that, Roy would have to travel back and forth to Manila during Fridays and rent a 150php bedroom near the bus station for the four Sunday Bar examinations.

Along with his travels and nights at the bus station, would be his single set of extra clothes, photocopies of review notes, books, momma and gin. Like your typical Baguio boy, he dresses in his most comfortable shirt and blue jeans to be easily identified by fellow Baguio law students who are dishing out Bar kit goodies outside the gates of UST, the Bar site. His photocopied notes and books were for his last minute review, and his momma and gin, to help him rid of his anxiety during this Bar crunch time.

Now after surpassing the Bar exam, Roy landed in the national news and even overshadowed the Bar top-nocther because of his unique story and willpower to succeed despite the hurdles of being a working student and a family man. Roy became an instant celebrity and his story touched a lot of people when it was broadcast nationwide. But in spite all of this, Roy maintained his down to earth attitude as Karl and I witnessed when we had our recent round of intellectual drinking with him.

READ: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/783315/baguio-sikyu-is-now-a-lawyer

READ: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/783778/atty-sikyu-was-night-watchman-at-baguio-cemetery

During the said drinking, Roy was very thankful to all those who featured his story before the public joking that it’s a free advertisement for him in luring future clients. But on a serious note he said, he hopes his story will lift other working law students’ spirit and willpower in pursuing their goals of becoming one day as agents in the administration of justice despite their heavy workloads in their workplaces.

Looking back at his fellow barristers who did pass the Bar exam while recalling his first failed Bar attempt, Roy said, ‘’they should never be dismayed, one need to hit rock bottom in order to spark the determination within them because when you’re down, the only way is up’’.

As your drinking buddies in Olympian, Atty Roy, we send our sincerest thank yous for the inspirations you have bestowed upon us. We will hold these insights you’ve shown to help us fuel our depleting determination-juice to surpass law school. And may you forever supply us with bottles during our intellectual discussions.

   

And to end this writing on a serious statement, Roy vowed to protect the sanctity of our laws wherein he shall not allow or tolerate the use of any false, misleading, deceptive, self-laudatory or unfair claim about our laws or the legal profession with the intent to exploit less-educated masses. This is one of many Canon laws which a lot of the senior lawyers have overlooked in their practice of law.

Lawyers find K12 unconstitutional

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Debuting new breed of people’s lawyer Howard Chan from University of Baguio with his mentors from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL) Baguio-Benguet chapter presented key points to University union leaders, professors and students on the unconstitutionality of the newly signed K-12 law as they prepare to file a petition for a review of the law.

The lawyers hope to pull a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) thru from our high court to hold off its implementation on this school opening and allow the Court time to study the legal issues and doubts being raised on the K12 scheme as a better program to educate the Filipino people.

Quoting Troy Colmenares in his presentation, Chan disclosed that the K-12 did not follow legal procedures of the legislative branch prior to its so-called passage into law. He cited that the amendments made in Congress were not inserted in the enrolled bill signed by the President BS Aquino.

These amendments according to Chan were done by the lawmakers in the joint explanation of the conference committee which then were written in the Senate Journal. However, these amendments did not make it to the enrolled bill instead entirely different entries were added and not that entered in the Senate Journal No. 52 of January 30, 2013.

He added further that the passage of K12 law violated the three-reading rule required by law. According to him, certain provisions were made and added after the third reading of the bill on K12 which our law strictly prohibits. “Congress committed grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction by allowing methods or forms, through the insertions and deletions made in the K12 bill, which enabled the President of the Philippines to usurp the powers vested only in Congress,” said Chan.

He added that to hold the erroneous enrolled bill has become law would be to sacrifice truth for fiction and bring about mischievous consequences not intended by the law-making body.

“Aside from congress, BS Aquino also committed grave abuse of discretion by usurping the power vested only in Congress with his approval of K12 containing insertions and deletions that did not undergo the proper law-making procedure”, said Chan.

He added that BS Aquino deliberately allowed the process of ‘dagdag bawas’ by not vetoing the said erroneous enrolled bill.

Before the signing of the K12 law on May 15, 2013, an earlier Dep Ed order number 31 entitled ‘Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Grades one to 10 of the K12 Basic Education Curriculum Effective School Year 2012-2013’ was devised and then signed into law by the executive.

According to lawyer Cheryl Daytec, NUPL’s Baguio-Benguet Deputy Secretary General, the Dep Ed order number 31 is another violation to our constitution. She pointed out that the power on legislation as stated in our constitution is vested in the Congress of the Philippines which consists of the Senate and a House of Representatives, and not the executive branch that includes the Dep Ed.

She added the signing of the Dep Ed Order Number 31 has no legal basis because it was signed on April 17, 2012, a year earlier than the K12 signing.

She added, the K12 law violated Article VI section 26 of the Philippine Constitution and the Doctrine of Separation of Powers.

“We must hold the supremacy of our constitution because any act or law that was signed contrary to the provisions of our 1987 constitution is void”, said Daytec.

While the legal battle is in full swing, teachers from the Alliance of Concerned Teacher (ACT) in Baguio will be joining the nationwide protest against K12 on this 2015 class opening.

“While we wait for developments from the legal arena against K12, we will continue to storm our streets in protest and to register our vehement opposition to the K12 scheme,” said Joel Capulong of ACT.

NUPL Baguio-Benguet shall be with the teachers on the June 1 show of force in protest of the K12 system at the Baguio Central School. 

BIBAK dorm/lot reclamation

Clamor to reclaim BIBAK dorm lot grows

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY – “The BIBAK lot belongs to the Cordilleran students and should be utilized by them freely”, said BIBAK (Benguet, Ifugao, Bontoc, Apayao, Kalinga association) elders from the 70’s to the 90’s in a press conference which they boldly conducted at the BIBAK hall that is alleged to be unlawfully occupied and currently utilized as the Cordillera Regional Assembly (CRA) office and a barangay office.

Following the countless attempts by the city mayor’s office to demolish the said hall and other illegally erected structures, BIBAK elders revealed before the media a copy of a tax declaration of real property naming BIBAK as the owners of the area which spans to 5,000 square meters.

Also, they cited the 1961 Certificate of Title 1 favoring the erection of the BIBAK dormitories to gratify the housing needs of BIBAK students. However, as the years passed, the BIBAK dormitories deteriorated and was replaced by a smaller structure hence the BIBAK hall, and a lot happened since then; from the entry of the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) claiming ownership of the land to the leasing out parcels of land to entrepreneurs creating more problems.

Opportunists inside BIBAK lot

Problems develop when certain individuals under the banner of the paramilitary CPLA started utilizing the area as their office and place of business. Stories came out that these individuals were collecting rent money from BIBAK students wanting to utilize the area in the guise of maintenance fees.

In a separate interview, Jerry Gittabao former University of Baguio BIBAK officer recalled paying out rent money to the CPLA occupying the hall for them to use for their cultural workshops. However, in the middle of their cultural workshops they were asked to leave by the same individuals who they paid rent money to.

“They asked us to give any amount in our capacity as students. Recognizing that they needed to refill their water drums for cleaning, we passed the hat among our fellow BIBAK and we were able to collect 200 pesos which we handed to them, but still they wanted more. Though they did not expressly asked for more, we assumed that they did anyways because, what else could be the reason they impolitely interrupted us in the middle of our activity and rudely asking us to leave the hall”, said Gittabao.

Aside from the exploitation of BIBAK students wanting to utilize the hall, CPLA also claims ownership to parcels of land in the area. Aling Sherley (name is withheld upon her request) a three year tenant of a commercial structure in the area said that she is paying monthly rent to somebody who claims to be the owner of the land. She refused to give out the name however she said that the person belongs to a group occupying the hall as their office.

“I have no knowledge about the history as to the real owner is. As far as I’m concerned, they leased me a commercial area for me to do my business which in return I pay their asking rent fees”, said Aling Sherley.

Another tenant, Randy Aguilar, who agreed to be named, discloses to this author that one Contancio Manglan and other two individuals run the BIBAK lot. According to Aguilar, Manglan and the other two individuals sort of divided the whole BIBAK lot three ways as their territories. According to him, they collect rent fees and lease out a commercial structure based on their territory. He added, aside from leasing out commercial structures to interested entrepreneurs, these three also erected their own residential houses inside the BIBAK lot.

Reclamation of BIBAK lot

According to records, there are at least 50 private individuals who are illegally occupying the BIBAK lot. According to the BIBAK elders, these illegal settlers entered the vicinity without the permission of proper authorities thus depriving the BIBAK students the rights of utilizing the property. And because of this, they now call for the repossession of the BIBAK lot from these illegal settlers and shall once again construct the BIBAK dormitories at the same time establish a cultural workshop center.

“Once given the legal permission, we will request these illegal settlers inside and outside the BIBAK hall to peacefully vacate the lot”, said the current Interim BIBAK Dormitories Inc. President Sonny Bugnosen.

Marifel Macalanda of the Cordillera Youth Center (CYC) lauded the move to reclaim BIBAK lot. “The BIBAK lot should serve its true purpose and intent. Let’s uphold what the founders of the BIBAK dorm envisioned before, that is, to provide home for the needy Cordilleran students. Hence, lessening their financial burden to rent boarding houses and pay their already steep tuition fees”, said Macalanda.

The reclamation of the BIBAK lot has been one of the campaigns of CYC over the years. “CYC has always been hopping to universities lending a voluntary helping hand to unite BIBAK student leaders and organizers from different schools for the formation of a centralized BIBAK Federation” said Macalanda.

According to her, reclamation of the BIBAK lot can only be possible through a solid and united BIBAK students themselves. “Let’s again revive the militancy of our Cordilleran students through BIBAK and reclaiming the BIBAK lot is just the first step.

Lest we forget BIBAK students before were actively involved in different kinds of socio-political and environmental issues affecting Cordillera and they won these struggles through their collective efforts”, said Macalanda.

Meanwhile, recognizing the effect to the informal settlers if the reclamation of BIBAK prospers, Gittabao asked proper authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and identify those who claimed ownership of the land. “We understand that most of the tenants will be losing their means of livelihood if BIBAK reclaims what is truly theirs. A possible conflict between them is certain,” said Gittabao.

He added however that should not be the case, because both BIBAK and the tenants are victims here and should work together and bring down the felons with the appropriate law suit.

Lone Cordi TOSP

LA TRINIDAD — With an aim to empower the citizenry in the locality specially the youth, newly crowned Top Outstanding Student of the Philippines (TOSP), Apolinario ‘Apoli’ Bagano, a graduate of Development Communications of Benguet State University (BSU), vows to continue what he has started while he intends to conquer yet another feat outside the walls of the University – Law School.

BSU’s pride Apoli is now an instant celebrity not only around BSU but in the whole region CAR as well. This is because he is the lone Cordi student that made it through in this year’s TOSP. And even without the TOSP award, Apoli will still always be a celebrity through the eyes and hearts of many high school students and communities he has touched in the region.

Apoli’s 360-degree turn around

Apoli’s enthusiasm to help the less-privileged was never that high during his earlier high school days in BSU. Though he never experienced flunking, his grades had all been sevens. Apoli never cared about his grades, so long that they are passing numbers. He even disclosed before this author that during these times, he only cared about computer games and that his world revolves around the computer screen and its keyboard.

It is only during his late high school days when he made a 360-degree change. Apoli found the girl that radically changed his perspective of life. But unlike cheesy Filipino movies, the girl in Apoli’s life that changed him was his high school teacher-mentor, Jean Tom of BSU secondary school (BSU’s High School Department).

Needless to say, Apoli’s essay-writing skills caught the attention of Tom; skills which she helped polished until Apoli’s exit to secondary education.

Having great mentoring from Tom and good writing skills, Apoli went on and enrolled in Development Communication (DevCom). There, his critical mind lit up. He began involving himself in student organizations, wherein he joined the BSU College of Agriculture (CA) student publication. Apoli then mastered his skills and joined essay-writing competitions even at his early years in college.

In his sophomore year, he stood out from the rest of his fellow lower-years. Upper BSU DevCom students started involving Apoli in their community visits, which was an academic requirement only for junior and senior DevCom students. Despite being only a sophomore back then, he still managed to cope up with his seniors in the DevCom department.

It was during those community visits when Apoli was exposed on the different social and environmental issues affecting the people of Benguet. There, he found his true calling.

In their community visits, Apoli realized the power of pen and paper as the medium for empowering the less-privileged residents in the community. Through writing, Apoli immortalized the stories of the people from the communities they visited in the BSU CA student publication ‘Agshan’, circulated not only inside the College of Agriculture but in the entire university as well. His stories played a huge role to the social awareness of his fellow students inside the university.

Aside from writing stories from their community visits, Apoli and his colleagues also conduct journalism trainings to selected High Schools and communities throughout Benguet and in adjacent municipalities of Mountain Province. They pass their acquired knowledge on outside the walls of the university, indeed staying true to their profession as DevComs.

While studying in BSU, Apoli was able to manage his time as a public servant to the youth during his time as one of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Kagawads of Balili, La Trinidad. Apoli, together with fellow kagawads, captured the interest of the youth and steered them clear of unhealthy vices.

Through sports they have managed to inject good-quality norms for nation-building to their fellow youths. They used sports to lure the youth in attending their social awareness seminars.

In his junior days, Apoli applied for the exchange student program and was granted to represent BSU in Japan. There, Apoli witnessed and experienced the perks of a first world country from education, urban development to agriculture. But Instead of envying and comparing the level of progress to the Philippines, Apoli saw it as fuel to boost his dedication in helping his fellow countrymen, who seems to be hard up in coping with the pace of development.

In his senior year, Apoli became the Editor-in-Chief (EIC) of the school paper CA Pride. There he revitalized CA Pride’s annual tradition wherein CA Pride is required to administer one basic journalism training in one selected high school in Benguet. However, in his term as CA Pride EIC they visited and conducted trainings in 13 high schools in Baguio, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao.

These basic journalism trainings served as a tool for Apoli and his colleagues to entice social involvement from the youth.

Apoli’s quest in law school

Citing some of his conversations with community elders, Apoli become aware of the exploitation being done to the communities. Profit-driven individuals take advantage of the lack of knowledge of some less-privileged community residents and elders in attaining a vast number of properties, mostly land. From that moment on and following his father’s footsteps, Apoli swears to continue to render voluntary paralegal assistance to the community even after his undergraduate years, in which he will be entering law school. If granted the lawyer’s license after, he’ll be doing pro bono.

Law school will culminate Apoli’s experiences. In his entry to law school, Apoli will be carrying with him an essential tool that will separate him from the rest of the would-be lawyers.

His herculean principle to empower the less-privileged populace, which was forged by his years of community immersions, is a formidable weapon that will help guide him in construing our law’s complexity, for it to benefit the needy. After all, framers designed our statutes so that those who have less in life have more in law. But without the appropriate weapon to construe, laws will appear gibberish and be just words on paper, thus discounting its true intent and wisdom.

BSU aids JHMC’s battle vs beetle attack

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

LA TRINIDAD — Employing its research and extension functions, Benguet State University (BSU) through their small army of researchers and foresters managed to trim down the 68 beetle-infested pines trees, which were subjected for sanitation tree cutting, to marginal number of 39.

As of January of last year, John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) sought BSU’s expertise to asses and control/prevent the infection/infestation of pine trees within the watershed area. A memorandum of agreement then later followed between BSU and JHMC. Subsequently after the MOA signing, BSU’s research team composed of plant pathologists, entomologists and foresters were called to assess the affected area.

The infestation

After countless data gathering and ocular inspections, the BSU research team discovered insect pests specifically bark beetles with some indications of nematodes and fungi were the ones causing the infestation leading to the death of most pine trees in Camp John Hay. These bark beetles were then later identified by BSU research team as Ips Calligraphus (Ips).

Close inspections at the bark of these infested pine trees revealed the presence of pitch tube, a clear manifestations of bark beetle infestation. Also, the research team found huge accumulation of frass (boring dust) among the 68 infested pine trees. The presence of frass is an indication of advance infestation in pine trees. Most prevalent and glaring evidence they documented were the loose pine bark around most infested pine trees. Most trees they examined were peeling and loosing their bark.

According to the BSU research, these Ips is the most serious pests for pines in Asia, USA, Africa, and Latin America. Also Ips are the most documented bark beetle pest in the country that goes far back as 1970’s. Moreover the Ips thrive in high elevated places like here in northern Luzon were most pine trees are located.

These Ips also have the ability to transmit blue stain fungi. The beetle’s exoskeleton serves as the vessel for these blue stain fungi in entering the insides of pine trees. Once entered, fungi then grow within the tree thus further adding damage by hindering the translocation of water from the roots to the leaves.

These Ips play a huge role in the balance of nature according to the research team. Ips loves feasting on old and stressed trees which they can easily identify from the rest through the odor they excrete called terpenes. They added that older and stressed trees emit more terpenes than young healthy trees. However the occurrence currently happening in John Hay is anomalous due to the increased number of infested trees. Now, even the young and healthy trees are already prone to beetle infestation.

Control and treatment

Infected trees were then subjected to treatment and surgery. The BSU research team painstakingly located and covered entry and exit points of the beetles with a covering solution they devised in their laboratory which they assured that will have no effect to the pine tree. Trees having early signs of infestations were wrapped in plastics to prevent beetles in causing further damage.

Though tree cutting is strongly discouraged, victims of the advanced stage of infestation, mostly dead trees, were arranged for sanitation cutting. This is to reduce the actual or anticipated spread of insect and disease. Timely cutting of these already dead pine trees according to the research team is important in order to prevent the escape of mature beetles that can infest other trees.

In order not to resort to sanitation tree cutting, debarking of infested trees can also help. The debarking done by the researches exposed and killed larvae of Ips. They later wrapped the debarked tree with clear plastic 6 mills thick to prevent the adults from escaping. They then used an insecticide that coated the tree trunk.

Lastly, they used pheromones. In luring these pests out from the trees they used Frontalin pheromones with terpenes from pine wood. Then they applied Verbenone, an anti-aggregation pheromone to uninfected trees which served as a counter aggregation pheromone emitted by the beetle that will drive beetles away.

As of this writing, the 68 infested trees that were subject for tree cutting were reduced to 39. John Hay, after being pummeled down by heavy rains brought about by Typhoon Ineng, two pine trees from the 39 beetle infested pine trees snapped due to its brittle trunk. The incident prompted the foresters of Camp John Hay to execute an emergency sanitation cutting with the supervisions of CENRO, BSU and DENR last Wednesday. They slashed six infested trees which according to them presents imminent danger this rainy season.

What’s next?

Recommendations for management and control were given to JHMC by the BSU research team all based on the results. Also, a training course was conceptualized and conducted by the BSU team to equip JHMC’s foresters and staff the knowledge and skills to address the problem. JHMC foresters and staff were instructed on how to identify symptoms of fungal and nematode infection, a course on bark beetle biology and to perform pine tree surgery.

BSU together with JHMC now aim to conduct further comprehensive research towards an integrated pest and disease management within Camp John Hay which will serve as the continuation for BSU’s research study. The integrated pest and disease management aims to start from the early growth of pine trees until its maturity. With this, researchers from BSU can give necessary solutions for the permanent eradication of pests plaguing the pine trees of Camp John Hay. Aside from eradicating pest and disease, JHMC through the help of BSU, seek to formulate a sustainable forest management plan for Camp John Hay.

With the community in Runruno, Nueva Vizcaya

Community immersion in Nueva Vizcaya mines

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

After covering a convenors meeting of Amianan Salakniban in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, we (Nordis) were given the privilege to join a community integration and sharing at sitio Runruno and Bit-ang – an indigenous people’s community in Nueva Vizcaya where a mining company named FCF of London is set to mine for gold, molybdenum, among others. With lessons shared and new insights but with heavy heart, I attempt to share their story for others to gain insights too.

ONCE UPON A TIME, THE LUSH FOREST. The drill site of the FCF Mining Corporation in sitio Tayag, Runruno village, Nueva Vizcaya. Photo by Rocky Ngalob

First, we departed from Bayombong with a briefing that left a tense feeling in us about the area of Runruno and Bit-ang. Among others, we were briefed and oriented of the presence of military detachments along the way where previously UP students were blocked and harassed in their attempt to enter the area to conduct a research for their thesis. Accompanied by priests and members of the church, whom we assigned as our negotiating group, we traveled to the area with calmness within us.

Upon entering the area we were met by armed security personel of the FCF mining company. From the highway just below the mountain, we immediately saw the signs of destruction on the environment; the once pristine clear river water is now like the dark chocolate grime in a canal. Worst, we were prohibited to enter the mining site of Runruno but from where we stood, we were able to observe huge machine equipments carving out the once lush and green mountain. Up there we were met by Jonathan Humiwat, a local of the area and the Chairman of their community organization.

He vividly described to us the devastation of the area. He described “If I were to name this mountain John, FCF is the butcher that amputated the limbs of John”. Indeed, from our line of view the mountain was cut almost in half of its original form. Furthermore, the remaining half, was shaved bald of its trees and vegetation. From there, Jonathan invited us to Bit-ang: a community that is also threatened by displacement and to suffer the fate.

A one hour hike through lush forest on a 60 degree slope walkway led us to the community of Bit-ang. Upon arrival, the community greeted us with smiles and delight. Also, they prepared a simple feast at our arrival. We ate while some of the community members just watched. As we were eating our lunch, we heard roaring sounds of heavy machinery in the background. We later came to know, the roaring sounds came from bulldozers and loaders of FCF operating above Bit-ang.

After eating we went to their barangay hall – a make-shift type of a waiting-shed with four posts, a roof and slabs of wood nailed on its sides to serve as chairs. From there overlooking the site of operation of FCF, the community facilitated by Jonathan shared their experiences to Amianan Salakniban.

According to Humiwat, Bit-ang is community of almost 400 households with a population of over a thousand. The means of livelihood of these citizens according to him was agriculture (planting and harvesting coffee, pineapple, citrus, ginger, beatle nut, banana etc.), poultry (raising pigs, chickens and ducks) and small scale mining. He further explained that these means of livelihood is now at risk due to the presence of FCF mining company (just right above the community) and its plan to mine their lands. Moreover, the presence FCF armed security personel causes tension and fear in the community for their lives and their everyday way of life.

Now, in this situation the people of the community are resorting to different forms of action like setting human barricades infront of the bulldozers and loaders to paralyze the FCF mining operation. Sadly, these human barricades were never enough since FCF mining company is backed by hordes of armed security personel that forces the community to cower in fear.

Humiwat said, they are now forced to resort to compromise agreements with FCF Company by letting the company asses their property for “just compensation” – basically they are now selling their property to FCF. Humiwat further explained that help from the local government unit in their area is long gone after they allegedly sold-out their fellow ‘kababayans’ to FCF.

After Humiwat, members of the Amianan Salakniban also shared their experiences and struggles from their regions with hopes to rejuvenate the militancy and the unresponsive spirit or hopelessness of the Bit-ang community. First to share was a Priest from IFI. He said that the problem of Bit-ang and Runruno is also connected to the crisis being experienced by the entire Nueva Vizcayanos in particular and the Northern Luzon in general.

He cited that these large scale mining companies aside from degrading the mountains, these companies’ operations also contaminate the water resources of Vizcaya. He further explained that Nueva Vizcaya is the water source of the neighboring parts of Northeast and Central Luzon. With this, he ended his sharing stating that the struggle of Runruno and Bit-ang is also the battle of the entire Northern Luzon.

The culture of unity and collective action in resolving the crisis was stressed by other members of Amianan Salakniban. Madona of Defend Ilocos discussed how unity and collective action helped them in their struggle against magnetite mining in Ilocos.

Fernando Mangili from KAIABANG supplemented the value of unity and collective action by sharing the victories gained by the people of Benguet against large scale mining. Also, Mangili shared how deceptive and manipulative large scale mining companies have been through his years of experience as a small scale miner and a community leader in Benguet. Mangili stressed that accepting payments from companies tantamounts to surendering one’s human rights to capitalist interests.

He added, not to delve too much on the legal battles but to concentrate more on the community collective actions because according to him, the community is the decisive factor in the resolution of any common issue. He ended saying to the people not to submit to the capitalist mining company but to start organizing, educating and mobilizing themselves to seek solutions concerning their issues.

Cultural workers vs mainstream artists

DKK revolutionizing deceptive arts   

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

“Literature, culture and art are part of the whole revolutionary cause; they are cogs and wheels in the whole revolutionary machine.” – Mao Tse Tung

NEW BREED OF CULTURAL ARTISTS. Young members of the Dap-ayan ti Kultura ti Kordilyera internalized their acts deriving their lines and emotions from the actual experiences of the people. The play was part of the 2013 anniversary activities of DKK

I can still remember my first theatre performance with Dap-ayan ti Kultura iti Kordilyera (DKK) entitled “Essence of a Woman” which we performed before IP women delegates in an IP women forum, that changed my socio-political views as a performer from a cultural artist and strive to be a cultural worker.

It was DKK that showed me the difference between an artist and a cultural worker. I am sure most of us have already seen one of their theatre plays along the streets of Baguio or heard one of their songs being played on the radio inside the busses on our vacation trips to our towns or provinces in the Cordillera. But unlike other artist groups, DKK projects deep socio-political messages in their songs, visual arts and theater plays that they want to impart to their listeners and audiences.

OLD AND NEW. DKK dance and sing the 'Mangagawang Pangkultura' to culminate their 24th anniversary concert in University of the Cordilleras 

On its 23rd anniversary which was observed earlier this month, allow me to share a glimpse of its nature that distinguishes a cultural worker from a mainstream artist. Though most of us are confused because both are into visual and performing arts, but on a critical observation of their works will tell you that they put across different socio-political and economic orientations. As the saying goes, “Ang artista ay gumagawa ng isang obra habang ang mangagawang pangkultura ay lumilikha ng sigwa”

AMA MACLI-ING DULAD. DKK, in one of their street plays portray the heroism to the assassination of one Cordillera's Pangat (elder/leader) Ama Macliing Dulag  

A mainstream artist creates works of art to merely express his/her impressions of beauty, crudeness or feelings while a cultural worker’s art aims to liberate the minds of the audience from the shackles or limitations of a rotten and mainstream culture. In crafting words, a typical author jots down words on thick volumes of paper to be sold or to build a profitable career and to be “rich and famous”, while a cultural worker uses pen and paper as a weapon to teach readers how to struggle with the wider community.
               “Ang sining ng isang mangagawang pangkultura ay paglaya ang nais kamtin. 
               Nagsusulat ang artista ng akda upang makilala habang ang akda ng mangagawang                            pangkultura naman ay sandata sa pakikibaka.”

SETTING THE TONE. DKK takes center stage before the community folks of Kalinga as they perform 'Panagsubli'

Images being painted by an artist are illusions while a painting from a cultural worker illustrates the revolution. Furthermore most images painted by a mainstream artist can be very surreal and bizarre whereas limiting the message only to artists alike. In contrast to cultural workers whose paintings and images are simple and easy for the common masses to digest. 
               “Ang bawat imaheng likha ng artista ay isang ilusyon... 
               habang mga imaheng ipinipinta ng mangagawang pangkultura ay ang rebulosyon.”

A soil painting expressing the ills of commercializing culture

Movements from the body of an artist are set to only entertain, so are the usual messages from their music. If movements and music from artists are for entertainment, cultural worker’s movements are based on true experiences from the struggles of the Filipino masses. Also, the choice of venues for performance differ from each other where as artists perform on vast stages inside gymnasiums and theatre centers coupled with camera flashes and spotlights, while cultural workers execute their act adapting to the streets and available spaces inside communities. 
               “Ang bawat galaw ng artista ay nang aaliw... 
               habang ang pilantik ng mangagawang pangkultura ay naghihimagsik. 
               Nota mula sa mga artista ay nanghuhumaling o di kaya'y nagpapakilig... 
               habang sa mangagawang pangkultura ay puspus ng dakilang pag-ibig.”

The grandest stage of them all is before the common masses. Photo taken in Kalinga

Hence, based on what Mao said we can say that the mainstream artist promotes deceptive types of art, disguising the rotten system plaguing society. Meanwhile, cultural workers aim to crush the deceptive art that is continuously hypnotizing apathy upon the oppressed masses. 
               “Ang artista ay artista lamang sa esensya... 
               habang ang mangagawang pangkultura sa esensya ay isang mandirigma”. 
The candlelight DKK still struggles to hold up in the dark of a chaotic system.

Martial Law, then and now

By ROCKY NGALOB
www.nordis.net

“Defiance is necessary to rid the state from tyranny” — Zach Dela Rocha

January 1970, Former President Ferdinand Marcos was welcomed by enraged students in a series of street demonstrations right after his speech in the Halls of Congress. This was a demonstration of youth and students who took to the streets to protest the alleged election manipulation that resulted to an overkill electoral victory of Marcos for a second term as president. The series of large demonstrations and protest gatherings continued from January to March 1970 now known as the First Quarter Storm. This was one of the factors that led Marcos to declare Martial Law in 1972 in the last two years of his term.

The cruel implementation of: curfews, the suspension of civil law,  civil rights,  habeas corpus, and the application or extension of  military law or  military justice to civilians was widely imposed. With this, the Marcos rule held the record of a huge number of human rights violations and extra-judicial killings. These were difficult times for student leaders fighting for student’s welfare and rights like Brenda Dacpano back then.

Last week, in a press conference led by Samahan ng mga Ex-Detainees at Aresto (SELDA), Manang Brenda with other martial law survivors recalled their grim martial law experience before the press. Manang Brenda’s story struck me the most.

During the martial rule, academic freedom was curtailed whereas, students deprived of the right to engage in group discussions on any topic, or promote openly advocacy to certain eco-political issues were picked up for questioning. Furthermore, student rights like free speech, right to gather and organize (just to name a few) were also denied to students. With this, Manang Brenda in defiance fought for what is right and helped arouse, organize and mobilize her fellow students. Sadly as answer to her selfless act, the state vilified her, illegally arrested and detained her at an early age.

Now after hearing her experience, I cannot help but relate to her story because until now shadows of student oppression, similar to what happened during the martial rule still lurks around in our current academic institutions.

Today even after martial law and the so-called restoration of democracy, academic freedom still remains as an illusion. Based on my experience when I was a student we were limited to explore other topics in our research focus for our thesis subjects. What’s more, academic institutions nowadays dictate what authors of books to be read, restraining students to explore other ideas and principles.

Also, like martial law, progressive student organizations get blacklisted causing denial of organizational privileges, services, mobility, access or recognition. Worst, these progressive organizations and its leaders with their members get vilified or red-tagged as fronts of some underground organization. It is quite ironic that being assertive of your rights and being critical is by the way a mandatory trait of every citizen inside a democratic country, but it is dangerous though against democracy itself.

Martial law terrorized our nation for nine long years. Now, the case of manang brenda and other martial law survivors is more than enough for us to say, “Never again to martial law! Never again to student oppression! Never again to academic repression! Never again to student and organizations being vilified! Let’s learn from the struggles and experiences of the survivors. Lest we forget that Martial Law was a cowardly reaction of the state leaders to the rise of activism among students, workers and other sectors who were together asserting their nationalist and democratic rights.

Martial Law should not just be viewed as an isolated case of the absence of democracy but as a reflection of the unjust societal system that continues until now – the ruling class using the government, the State, and even the State’s military forces to protect and promote their interest and to preserve their top position in the social pyramid. This means Martial Law can actually happen any time when the people of the ruling class feel that the masses are at work to change the social system, that is, ang pagbaliktad ng tatsulok. At the same time, the 1972 Martial Law showed how Filipinos would sacrifice themselves for the liberation of the oppressed and for a democratic nation.

Wasted power delegation: Lessons from past IP representations

Wasted power delegation: Lessons from past IP representations

ROCKY JAKE CALDE NGALOB·FRIDAY, 5 FEBRUARY 2016

Under the principle of co-equal and coordinate powers, the structure of government was divided into the executive, legislative and judiciary. The rationale behind this is to avoid the evils of monopolization of power as orchestrated during the grim Philippine era of martial rule wherein all three powers were under the discretion of the dictator.

The legislative power is centered in the bicameral congress – the lower house and the house of senate. The former is composed of over 290 plus district and partylists representatives while the latter houses 24 senators. They practice their legislative power to enact, repeal and amend laws. Every laws that were enacted, repealed and amended by congress were presumed to been done in behalf and with the consent of the people. The reason behind is that the legislative power, the only power vested upon the people and one of the special feature of a democratic state, was delegated to their district and partylist representatives through the process of election.

Last Indigenous Peoples’ (IPs) month in Benguet State University (BSU), Jill Carino, the second nominee of Sulong Katribu, discussed the current plight of the IPs before the student and professor attendees. In her discussion, she exposed numerous socio-cultural issues regarding IP resource management leading to conflict between the State through its security forces and the marginalized sector of IPs.

She highlighted the pitfalls in our legal system as to the laws and institutions which were supposed to have addressed these issues. One of which she underscored was the infamous plea for Cordillera autonomy where she gave her utmost support, if the said autonomy will serve its true purpose and intent as envisioned when it was enshrined in the our Constitution as an expression of the IP rights to self-determination.

Yes, the right for Cordillerans to an autonomous region enshrined in our Constitution, however, it is none executing, thus in need of a legislation for it to be executed. As a result is the now pending HB 4649 dubbed as the ‘An act establishing Cordillera autonomous region’. Carino slammed this pending bill, saying that it pushes for a decisive bogus autonomy legislation.

The bill is nowhere near the essential requisites for it to be considered a legislation expressing the Cordillerans’ rights to self-determination. In a nutshell, if enacted, the bill won’t answer the centuries of injustices bestowed upon the IPs. Injustices which were coupled and made possible by oppressive laws with the aim to favor large foreign owned companies over the IPs’ rights and welfare.

Among the laws which was supposed to be corrected by HB 4649 is the PD 705 (Forest code of the Philippines). PD 705 classified lands in the Cordillera as owned by the State in which all activities herein like grazing, cattle raising, gathering honey, planting, hunting and other IP activities are considered criminal acts under the eyes of PD 705. Sadly, PD 705 and other oppressive laws like the NIPAS were not corrected, in fact it was never mentioned in the pending HB 4649.

Legislators pushing for HB 4649 betrayed the people they are representing in their respective districts in the Cordillera the moment they filed the bogus autonomy bill in congress. Sure, they did surveys, forums and information disseminations around Cordillera. But did these legislators note and consider the sentiments of the people and inserted if not, made some amendments on the language of the bill? Clearly, the people of Cordillera are not dumb because they rejected the move for bogus autonomy twice already. Not that they are less informed but the real reason behind is because their voice, representation and their delegated power to legislate was being lambasted by legislators in congress.

Legislators nowadays are at a loss and need to be reminded about their actual function. It seems nowadays that legislators are focused on piloting expensive multi-millions infrastructure projects, from overpriced buildings to unnecessary bak-bak the beautifully paved road and highways. This became a vicious cycle not only here in the north but in the entire nation.

Every election, we delegate our powers only to be defecated on by TraPo legislators in congress. Last election, majority of IPs in the entire nation delegated their power to a partylist group ANAC-IP which scored them one seat in congress. Question, how did that work out for us IPs? From 2013, how did ANAC-IP respond to issues encountered by IPs, just to name a few, from the Philex tailings spill in Benguet, indiscriminate bombings and firing in Sagada, to the current Lumad killings in the south? None! Probably they only drafted and authored only a handful of bills in congress, if not none, if there are, they were but co-authors.

Here now enters Sulong Katribu. Needless to state, the absence of IP voice in congress was however represented by Sulong Katribu in the street parliament since it was founded in 2010.

Sulong Katribu is the exact representation we need in congress. Since they were founded, Sulong Katribu was the voice of the IPs when our voice were no longer being heard by State’s authorities and institutions. And what partylist is more fitting to receive our delegated representation, than the Sulong Katribu themselves.

For our district representatives, the lesson left behind by the HB 4649 and the bak-bak road fiasco is already enough for us to be enlightened that the people’s power to be delegated in congress must be valued dearly that before casting our votes, we should think not once, not twice but many times if the representative we ought to give our power to, really deserves our delegation.