Metro-Manila surgeons up in Baguio for convention

by Ramon Dacawi

Beauty lies not only in the eyes of the beholder; it lies in the hands of a surgeon.

Thus said mayor Mauricio Domogan in keynoting Thursday the mid-year convention of the Metro-Manila chapter of the International College of Surgeons (ICS) at the posh Baguio Country Club.

“I hope you add the RH (Reproductive Health) bill in your discussions on the theme ‘Health, Beauty and Longevity in Harmony with Nature’”, he suggested after a glance at the eye-popping topics of the two-day conference.

Even without the controversial measure now pending in Congress, there was enough fire in the topics lined up. On tap were “Female and Male Sexual Dysfunction”, “Penile Augmentation and Vaginal Tightening”, as well as “Invasive and Non-Invasive Body Sculpting” focusing on abdomino plasty (tummy tack), ultrasonic liposuction, radio frequency, and sclerotherapy.

It was “Diseases of the Prostate Gland” for males and “New Technique in Wound Closure” for surgeons, “Updates in the Initial Management of Trauma” for emergency medics and “Medico-Legal Pitfalls in the Practice of Medicine” for all in the profession.

“We are making sure that this forum will be educationally gratifying as we have meticulously crafted very interesting, hot and burning issues…,” assured convention chair, Dr. Francis Decangchon who introduced Domogan.

The theme, according to ICS Metro-Manila chapter president, Dr. Nicasio Salang, was “geared towards excellence in the practice of surgery, thus significantly improving the health and well-being of our people.”
Dr. Ernesto Acosta, ICS Philippine Section president, took the occasion to thank the membership for the team work in the Philippines’ hosting the 37th ICS World Congress that ICS president Christopher Chen noted was the most successful.

Tracing the founding of the Philippine section in 1948 through Dr. Gumersindo Garcia Sr., the medical director Mary Johnston hospital, Domogan noted “you have achieved unparalleled accomplishments” and “may you continue to fulfill a God-given task that has an impact to my life and those of other lives.”

ICS envisions “to improve the lives of patients through the development and education of our members and the advancement of the medical field”. Its missions are to “teach, research, communicate and lead”. Its goals are anchored on: explore new horizons; active participation; one world, one organizatio.”

After the doxology and the national anthem by the City Hall Choir, the surgeons renewed their vows through the ICS hymn, pledging anew to care for patients “regardless of nationality.”

To the beat of Cordillera gongs, the ICS officers and the mayor went ethnic before the convention topics began with “Power Dressing and Fashion Etiquettes” by designer Rene Salud and models Marina Benipayo and Patricia Betita.

The two-day convention opened just after BCC general manager Anthony de Leon signed with labor union president Ronald Rivera a collective bargaining agreement that ended a month of tension-filled negotiations. *(PIO Baguio City/PIA CAR

Domogan goes to prison this Mother’s Day

by Ramon Dacawi
City mayor Mauricio Domogan will be in prison early this Sunday afternoon, to toast with the city jail inmates the day’s twin themes of motherhood and humanitarian volunteerism.

“We, too, would like to celebrate, being either mothers or, like others, children with mothers,” a resident of the female dormitory of the city jail said Friday as she was finalizing the program for the computer print-out.
The rest in the cells of double-deck beds were scribbling their thoughts while a male detainee waited, so he could organize them into poetry or essay to be read in this afternoon’s program with the mayor.


“We are also observing Red Cross and Red Crescent Day,” another male inmate said. “We have set aside from our livelihood programs a little something for the calamity victims in Japan.”

He couldn’t give a figure but said the support from inside might help give substance to the Red Cross and Crescent theme “Find the Volunteer Inside You”.
The inmates are no strangers to the humanitarian side of things. Years back, they pooled over a hundred pesos for the ailing son of a pony boy at Wright Park who was suffering from congenital heart ailment.
Two years back, they counted from a hat that passed through cells P721. They then divided the amount, half for a woman detainee afflicted with cancer and the other half for Trinalyn Mangisel, then a two-year old girl born with a hole in her heart.

(Trinalyn eventually underwent corrective surgery, thanks to Peter Ernst, a Swiss benefactor, Jim Ward, a Zen Buddhism practitioner, and then five-year old twins Aira and Rhea Acosta who scooped clean their coin collection amounting to P476.25.)

Last March, the prisoners, for the third straight year, joined the rest of the world in marking “Earth Hour”. Cities and towns all over were in darkness for an hour. The inmates had it for three hours as with the visiting bands Blugraz and Shakilan piercing the darkness of the courtyard with folk and country music
They were into preparations for “Earth Day” last April 22, only to reset it upon realizing the day falls on “Good Friday”. They wanted to lump it into this Sunday’s program but wardress, Sr. Inspector April Rose Ayangwa, said another occasion to focus on the environment would be better.


It will coincide with the launching this month of the sale of now one-year old pine seedlings that the inmates began producing last year with support from the city and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Jail warden, Chief Inspector Severino Khita, has asked groups planning to plant trees during the rainy season to order their seedlings from jail in support of its reformatory program.

This Sunday afternoon’s marking of Mother’s Day and volunteerism are part of prison reform, Khita noted.
For the inmates, the twin celebration may serve as a reminder that, like the rest in the world outside, they are not what they measly own. Or do not have.

In-between these observances, the prisoners are into sharpening their writing skills through an informal journalism class, as an antidote to boredom and for the release of thoughts and emotions confined by their confinement.

Among those who recently went to prison to help guide the writing course were multi-awarded Baguio poet Frank Cimatu and Sunstar columnist Nonnette Bennett.

Last week, Cimatu had the newly re-established PNP Cordillera Press Corps adopt as its project the enrichment of the jail library.

Soon, the Cinderellas, Baguio’s multi-awarded women’s football team, will follow suit, this time to introduce the indoor game of futsal. – (PIO Baguio City/PIA CAR)

Council says no to salary hike for Beneco managers; yes to rank-and-file’s

by Aileen Refuerzo

 The city council last Monday approved a resolution “strongly opposing” the proposed increase in the salary rates of department managers of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) from P55,000 to P100,000.

The body, however,in a separate move “strongly supported” the proposed hike in wages of the cooperative’s rank-and-file employees from grades 1 to 18 as contained in BENECO Board Resolution No. 75-2010.

The aldermen reached the decision after a lengthy deliberation with the department heads of the utility firm led by Human Resources manager Delmar Carino who maintained that the increase is reasonable in view of the rising cost of living triggered by upheavals affecting the oil industry and the country’s economy.

The BENECO heads also said that the 82 percent increase in their salaries will make their wages at par with those of other cooperatives.

Despite the justifications, the body rejected the proposed increase adopting the sentiment of Councilor Fred Bagbagen, who broached the opposition in a resolution, that the proposed increase is excessive.

Bagbagen said that the National Electrification Administration (NEA) pegged the salary grade of managers serving at electric cooperatives at grade 20 or equivalent to P35,000 monthly and the proposed increase is over and above the NEA limit.

It also noted that the National Association of Electric Consumers for Reform (NASECORE) also objected to the increase through Resolution No. 2011-04 dated March 4, 2011.

The body tasked Councilors Richard Carino, Erdolfo Balajadia and Bagbagen to come up with a toned down version of the latter’s resolution.

Apart from this, Bagbagen also proposed that the city oppose the increase of the BENECO directors’ countryside development fund from P200,000 to P500,000 and to require the power firm to submit an audited financial report to the city government. (PIO Baguio City/PIA –CAR)

P4.5M development work for Heritage Hill proposed

by Aileen Refuerzo

A development plan to put up a nature walk and view deck facilities at the Dominican Heritage Hill and Nature Park has been proposed.

The Baguio Heritage Hill Committee chaired by Mayor Mauricio Domogan approved the development plan for the nature park as presented by the city engineering office costing P4,550,000.

Based on the program of work submitted by city engineer Leo Bernardez, the projects will consist of the construction of a pathway or eco-trail costing P3,650,000, four units of gazebo amounting to P640,000 and two units view decks, P260,000.

Councilor Philian Weygan-Allan, a member of the committee, submitted the project for confirmation by the city council through a proposed ordinance which was approved on first reading last Monday by the city council.
Weygan included in the ordinance the realignment of P4,130,005.94 from the Centennial Commission Fund balance to be used for the proposed project.

The city government intends to introduce substantial development in the area this year and included it as a priority project with P20 million allocation.

The overall concept for the development of the area was estimated to cost P98 million including the rehabilitation of the building, parking area construction, slope management, greening or landscaping, fencing, drainage system development and installation of sewer line.

The city initially introduced improvements in the area by constructing the perimeter fence, improving the road and parking area that amounted to P18 million.

The area was designated as a property for environmental, tourist, education and spiritual activities. *(PIO Baguio City/PIA CAR)

DepEd reiterates no collection of fees in public schools

by Mari Cruz

The Department of Education (DepEd) in the region has warned public school administrators anew to stop collecting fees this coming enrollment period.


DepEd -Cordillera Administrative region director Josefina Tamondong, in a radio interview, urged parents and guardians of public elementary and high school students to report to the DepEd any instance when fees are collected by schools during the enrollment period.


Tamondong said that the department has ordered all school administrators particularly public elementary and secondary schools to stop collecting fees from students except those that are allowed by law.

She explained that payment of voluntary contributions which include fees for Boy Scouts of the Philippines, Girl Scouts of the Philippines, the Philippine National Red Cross, Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc. and the Parent, Teacher and Community Association although authorized by DepEd, should not be collected during enrollment period.

She said that although there are several school officials in other regions being investigated for illegal fees collection for the previous years, Tamondong proudly stated that so far in the region, there was no case of illegal collection of school fees.

The DepEd official said that their office is always open to address any complaints or issues regarding questionable collection of school fees. (JDP/MC-PIA CAR)

Kibungan police chief to represent CAR in LEAD PNP Award

by Joseph B Zambrano

 - The chief of police of the municipality of Kibungan, Benguet, Police Senior Inspector Arnold Oblas Ventura, will represent the Cordillera Region in the nationwide Search for the Lead Philippine National Police (PNP) Award for Chiefs of Police/Station Commanders.

This was announced by Sr. Supt. Elmer Soria, chairman of the Police Regional Office – Cordillera (PRO-COR) Regional Screening Committee (RSC) .

The search was launched on January 26, 2010 during the 18th PNP anniversary purposely to promote the PNP Integrated Transformation Program and to develop and recognize PNP leaders at the station level.

The screening committee evaluated the nominees as per the documents submitted and conducted panel interview using the following criteria: ability to identify critical issues, having the courage to accept the truth about the critical issues, ability to plan and implement strategic intervention to institute change, and ability to mobilize the community, and resources to support the strategic intervention.

The committee was composed of Reverend Father Benny Casteñeda, parish priest of St. Joseph,La Trinidad, Benguet as vice chair; Dr. Rogelio Colting, president of Benguet State University representing the academe, Harley Palangchao of Baguio Midland Courier representing the media, and Oscar Cadeliña, representing the non-government organizations as members.

The national winner of the search will receive the Lead PNP Award trophy, cash incentive, and post-graduate scholarship grant at the Asian Institute of Management or at the University of the Philippines.(JDP/JBS-PIA CAR)

SLU inaugurates Sunflower Centennial Halfway Home for boys

by Lito Dar

The Saint Louis University (SLU) inaugurated last week the Sunflower Centennial Halfway Home for Boys, its flagship Centennial Extension project that would serve as temporary shelter for neglected and abused boys, not only for the city but also for the entire Cordillera.

SLU president Rev. Fr. Jessie Hechanova led other university officials and guests in the blessing and inauguration of the center located inside the SLU main campus, Thursday, which was officiated by Baguio City Bishop Carlito Cenzon.

Fr. Hechanova welcomed all those who attended what he defined as a historic occasion for SLU and also thanked all those in one way or another helped in the realization of a dream of putting up a center that would respond to the need of neglected children which was conceptualized about two years ago.

“Indeed this is another milestone in the history of this university, which continues to accomplish its mission to transform the lives of people,” Hechanova said.

SLU’s Sunflower Children’s Center director Fr. Geraldo Costa also stressed that with the center, they hope to make a difference in the life of people in the community, especially to the life of abandoned, neglected, and abused children that they are going to give shelter to.

According to Fr. Costa, the center has a bed space for 20 children, which, aside from giving temporary shelter, could also help in the schooling, psychological assessment, psycho-therapy, spiritual formation, and sports and recreational activities, among other interventions for the children.

The said center is a complete facility which includes bedrooms, study area, including computers, kitchen, bathrooms, and play area. The center also has two social workers (one permanent and one volunteer) and three house parents.

Fr Costa also stressed that after the establishment of the center, they will now work to build up its sustainability. Thus, he also called on the people and the community to partner with them in building a network of community donors.

SLU is the oldest and biggest university in Baguio City. Founded in 1911 by Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae missionaries, to further the Christianizing of the northern Philippines, it grew as one of the largest and quality educational institution north of Manila. Together with many of its alumni in and out of government, they continue to work together to share their blessings with the communities to transform lives. (JDP/LD-PIA CAR)