Sagada Blog

Sagada 11

2006-03-09T02:15:00.000+08:00

Something happened on their way to Sagada. Read the petition here.

Now the Sagada 9.

my First BubbleShare Album

2006-02-16T22:56:00.000+08:00

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Old SMV bell

2005-11-19T02:59:00.000+08:00

The old SMV bell was built in 1921.

Is Antonio a blogger?

2005-06-22T13:10:00.000+08:00

MEETING ANTONIO. "Antonio, chief of the Bontoc Igorotes from the Philippines, was a popular figure at the Fair. People found his clothing, headdress, and jewelry exotic. They wanted to see for themselves the scarification on his chest and shoulders.
"While at the Fair Antonio, one of the Igorot chiefs, was given a typewriter. Antonio could be seen using it." [source]

Water wars

2005-06-13T18:31:00.000+08:00

Water wars threaten Philippines mountain rice terraces

Mountain springs are the lifeblood of the majestic rice terraces of the northern Philippines, but keeping the emerald stairways to the clouds fit for tourist eyes sometimes required the spilling of blood.

Carved from the sides of towering peaks, some of the plots had gone untended over the past decade as tribes of Igorots, the hardy descendants of headhunters, fought deadly battles for control of the precious but diminishing water sources.

But following a truce in April, the irrigation canals have since been flowing again into the terraces on either side of the mountain, just in time to save the dry season crop of aromatic upland rice.

"We could have avoided this war," says Domingo Kally, the 64-year-old president of the irrigation cooperative of Fidelisan village on the outskirts of the tourist town of Sagada, some 4,000 feet (1,212 meters) above sea level.

"If only they had had more respect for the boundaries laid down by our forefathers," he says, reflecting on the long and destructive conflict with the village of Dalican, across the mountain to the east.

The water war had simmered since the 1990s as the Dalican folk dammed up the stream to divert the water to their village, leading to several killings, says Ben Mangacheo, an official of the government's National Irrigation Administration.

Living isolated lives amid moss-covered pine forests, the Cordillera peoples wielded battle axes until World War II and though the days of the grisly practice of headhunting are long gone, the warrior tradition dies hard.

Against Dalican "we used guns", says Kally, standing over an irrigation canal that bisects the village of galvanized iron-walled farm homes that sit on a ridge. Below lie the terraced plots, festooned with scarecrows to drive away seed-eating sparrows. -- "Next wars will be over water" --The Cordillera mountain range serves as the headwaters for eight major river systems that irrigate farms and provide tap water to the northern Philippines.

But forest fires and land conversion into farming or cattle pastures has dried up some aquifers, says government forest ranger Alex Macalling, who is supervising a 6,150-hectare (15,190-acre) reforestation project funded by a loan from the Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB).

"It has been said that this new century will see a crisis of water, and that wars may even be fought over water," ADB vice president Shin Myoung-Ho has said.

In Cordilleras blood has already been spilled, but the April truce saw a compromise with Fidelisan's ownership of the springs that feed the stream being recognised by the Dalican who in turn were guaranteed a share of the water.

"The Fidelisan people agreed to share because three of their people had been taken hostage," says Sagada Mayor Robert Baaten. "After the peace pact the Dalican people released the hostages."

The local governments decided early on that the dispute was beyond the scope of formal law. The municipal governments steered clear of the conflict after a warning by the village elders of both tribes, and no one was prosecuted for the killings.

The quarrel mirrored another bloody, long-running boundary dispute between the villages of Butbut and Betwagan in the northern Cordilleras, and to a lesser degree, Sagada's own longstanding disagreement with the neighboring Besao town over tap water access to a tributary of the Abra river.

The mayor points out that this dispute has been peaceful. "We will try to negotiate with the Besao people to allow us to build a dam," Baaten says.

"Disputes over water rights are becoming a frequent problem now," says provincial engineer Arsenio Dungail. "With the increased population, the water sources will not be enough to supply everyone."

A major earthquake devastated the northern Philippines 15 years ago and altered the course of Cordillera mountain streams.

"Right after the earthquake in 1990, when the sources of water for these areas were gone, some areas became denuded," says Cameron Odsey, the chief agriculturist of the Cordillera region.

"The spring water went underground." -- Forests pay as mines fail --The mountainous terrain and poor road networks make the five provinces of the Cordilleras -- populated by 1.4 million people who are physically related to the Mongols and the Ainu minorities of Japan -- among the poorest regions in the Philippines.

Its sole link to the outside world is a landslide-prone highway blasted out of limestone rock. The road, often covered in mist that reduces visibility to near zero, snakes across the brows of mountains that soar to more than 7,000 feet (2,121 meters).

Despite its rich mineral endowment, only two commercial gold and copper mines are in operation and its residents rely almost entirely on farming terraced plots by the side of the mountains, supplemented by government jobs and tourism.

Tourism is a major industry of the Cordilleras, but due to its remoteness visitors tend to be funneled into a few areas -- Baguio city and La Trinidad. Sagada is accessible only by dirt road and which is visited by backpackers who want to see the underground caves and Igorot coffins hanging on limestone cliffs.

Subita Dew-ey arrived in the upper reaches of the Cordilleras as a teenaged bride in 1958. She remembers helping her husband clear a pine forest in the town of Bauko, on the edge of the 5,100-hectare (12,597-acre) Mount Data National Park.

"When we first came here, the trees were so big two men could not wrap their arms around them," Dew-ey, a newly widowed 66 year-old tells AFP as she works her half-hectare (1,235-acre) cabbage patch.

But when rains are poor the crops fail and the children go hungry.

"One time we had to return to Cervantes," she tells AFP, pointing west with her stubby, dirt encrusted fingers to her native town on the lower reaches of the Cordilleras. "There we had to plant corn, yams, and cassava."

The demise of the mining sector due to low metals prices in the early 1990s, and more recently due to popular opposition based on environmental grounds, also swelled the population of the farm-dependent upland villages, Odsey says.

"When the mines closed, the miners went home and it had a major impact on the rural population," he says.

"They had left behind swidden farms for five, 10 years. Now they go back to these swidden farms, and communal lands are being claimed, leading to conflicts and tribal wars," he adds. [source]

Science High for the Cordillera?

2005-04-16T01:46:00.000+08:00

The Cordillera region has already a Regional Science High School, but another school under DOST will most likely be put up soon.

The congressional S&T Committee, headed by Zambales representative Antonio Diaz, also admitted two other proposals to build science high schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Republic Act 8496 or the Philippine Science High School Act mandates one science high school in each of the 16 administrative regions of the Philippines. In compliance, the S&T committee decided last Tuesday to pass the proposals for the establishment of science high schools in Bulacan, Zambales, CAR, and ARMM since they do not as yet have science high schools. [source]

Bomasang quits

2004-09-20T17:54:00.000+08:00

The President has accepted the resignations of Rufino B. Bomasang, president and chief executive officer of the PNOC-Exploration Corporation, and Jose A. Gangan, president and chief operating officer of the PNOC-Petrochemical Development Corporation, Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said Monday.

The two top officials of state-owned Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) have quit their posts in the wake of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's order to review the performance of government-owned and -controlled corporations and government financing institutions. [source]

Bomasang, third fat cat

2004-09-17T13:41:00.000+08:00

Given the financial slump, is a salary of more than P6 million a year unreasonable? Not if the government is to attract the "best and brightest," said Rufino Bomasang, president of the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) and third on the list of government "fat cats" in 2002. [source]

Extra Challenge: Road Trip hanggang Sagada

2004-09-12T19:21:00.000+08:00

One of GMA 7's shows, Extra Challenge, featured Sagada. They did shoot at the church and in St. Jo. Will Mulawin be visiting Sagada too?

At first, the challengers did not know that Episcopalian and Anglican meant the same thing. Then they had to go inside the church to earn points. It was night and the main door was locked. They later learned that the door to the chapel (the church's side door) was open. Just to earn points, they forgot that the church was a place of worship.

The people behind the show should inform the challengers that they should respect the culture of the place they are visiting. But given the pasaway culture of the challengers and ExCha itself, it seems that this is going to be a hard act to follow.

Making SMS the best school

2003-12-16T15:45:00.000+08:00

Dear Everybody,

I would just like to inform everyone of some key developments in our common pursuit of making SMS the best school in Mt. Province by 2008 and in the Cordilleras by 2013.

Firstly, Brent School Manila (the most profitable Brent branch, where I am a member of the Board of Trustees) has confirmed in writing its willingness to help St. Mary's in upgrading its educational standards on a sustainable basis. I will be making a presentation to the Brent Board during the annual board retreat in Baguio on the various needs of SMS and how Brent can help. As a first step, Brent Manila will be sending its librarian next month to see how the SMSA library can be further upgraded.

Secondly, Mapua Institute of Technology (which has become one of the leading colleges in the country after it was taken over by Ambassador Yuchenco) has agreed in principle to having SMS as one of its outreach institutions and will be sending one of its deans to SMS in January 2004 to see how Mapua can be of further help. Mapua had already donated a truckload of laboratory equipment and supplies to SMS in 2001 and it was Ambassador Yuchengco himself who put up a new SMS building after the old one was burned down.

Finally, I personally accompanied Dr. Josette Biyo and her husband on a highly successful visit to Sagada last weekend. For those who may have not heard about her, Dr. Bito is a high school science teacher in Philippine Science High School Iloilo who won several national awards and in 2002 won the 2002 Intel International Award for science teaching, besting over 4000 contestants from all over the world (including the United States) in a final competition in Louisville, Kentucky. She was the first Asian to ever win such award. As a result, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory named a newly-discovered planet between Mars and Jupitar as Planet Biyo. Various educational institutions and corporations all over the Philippines, including San Miguel, have invited her to speak before students, employees and excutives. I believe that every Filipino who heard her has been inspired by her story. In Sagada, she spoke before students and teachers and inspired them to do their best in everything they do. She made the teachers proud of their profession and are now eager to learn new teaching methods, including how to make science and mathematics interesting to students. They appealed to her to return to Sagada to conduct a workshop this summer. She was so overwhelmed by the warmth of the recption that she cried whils speaking. Although she is fully booked for the next several months speaking and conducting workshops all over the country and therefore could not immediately say yes, she has assured me that she will do everything to accomodate SMS. One thing going for us is that she has been captivated by the beauty of Sagada. I told her to bring her family.

Through institutional linkages with Brent, Mapua, and hopefully Josette's own school, Philippine Science High School in Iloilo, where she has proposed that SMS teachers be sent for training during the summer of 2005, I am now more than ever confident that we can make SMS a world-class institution. This, however, requires cooperation and commitment from all the alumni, friends, and other stakeholders of SMS.

I will keep you updated on future developments.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone.

Have a good day.

Rufino Bomasang

The Sagada church bell

2003-12-16T15:10:00.000+08:00

from The Agawa compassion: Life in the country

-a budding author from Agawa, Besao
-works now as a development officer at Easter School
-an account on the bell which now stands in front of the convent in Sagada
-notice the reference to the Agawa people eating more.

The Agawa compassion
Life in the Country
Vicente Sapguian

Wanted: More Igorot journalists. Often enough on Igorot history and culture, we detect prejudiced implications from foreign and non-Igorot writers. But we cannot utterly blame them if we do not help to clarify the issues ourselves. One need not hold a doctorate degree to become an effective journalist or writer. I’d say an Igorot who was raised in that ethnic culture is better than a non-Igorot scholar writing about Igorot folkways.

It is delightful to learn that a young man from Agawa has begun a research work on his people’s origin and culture. I sought the man thinking to get from him more details about some stories that I gathered from their place. You know what I’ve found? A small treasure. The young man has come out with a book detailing his people’s history, researched and written from what he calls the real authors of his book, the old folks at home!
Leon O. Lonogan came up with a book he titled “The Sun Sets at Sunrise: The Rise of the Agawa Tribe”. Lonogan started researching on the origins of his people in 1997. He then presented his first work as a term paper required in an Education subject during his undergraduate teaching course at Easter School. Agawa elders, in due time, saw the volume and made suggestions to go more extensive. Historical details shaped up more clearly as more elders and concerned Agawa leaders helped in the research to establish facts and beliefs. The latest unedited copy of the book has just been bound last August.

Leon O. Lonogan is presently working as development officer of Easter College, Inc. He also handles some classes at the school.

A good editor can help refine the Lonogan manuscript and make it competitive in the book market. The book with its historical episodes is surely a priceless treasure for the Besao people.

Aside from the adventures of the pioneers of Agawa and how “Linnapet” and the twelve months of the Agawa agricultural year came to be, the origins of the four barangays of Agawa are amply found in the book. Adventure fills the reader as he follows the exploits of Agawa forebears who carved a land and passed a culture of exceptional unity to their people, up to this day “a slave to none, dependent to no one, and crony of nobody.”

To give you a foretaste of the book, here’s an abridged version of a portion of the chapter on ‘Agawa and the Establishment of the Besao Municipality’.

“When the mountain villages were divided into municipalities, Agawa became part of Sagada while Besao was included as a barrio of the municipality of Bangnin. . . . Government projects or donations were given through the officers stationed in Sagada. All ran smooth in the political and socio-economic affairs involving the Agawa villages..”

“In those days, when there was no electricity to run machineries and there were no communication facilities, a bell was very important. It provided information to the people. It reminded the community of the time of worship, let know the hour of the day, called the people during meetings, attracted their attention when there was an emergency, and gave a warning in time of danger for the community. With this, government officials stationed in Sagada were given the assignment to bring a big bell from Vigan, Ilocos Sur to Sagada."

“In the beginning of the 20th century, the church of Sagada requested for the bell. This was to be carried all the way from Vigan to Sagada since there was no easier means of transportation during those days. Carrying government or church properties was one of the means by which Igorots earned money, for mining companies were not yet common. The people of Sagada were of course prioritized to do the work. They chose their able-bodied men for the job and off they went to Vigan.”

To shorten, the Sagada men failed and so were the second batch of carriers who came from Besao. The church bell was too much for them even with the employment of long sturdy bamboo poles with the cumbersome object tied at the center and carried by the men on all sides. It was the Agawa carriers who persevered.

“In Sagada, the church officials did not give up to secure the bell. The year was 1903 when they offered a higher pay for the job and promised a shirt for every carrier. Able-bodied men from Agawa decided to try. Led by Budkaeng, 20 sturdy men from Agawa started for Vigan. Among them were Aklatan, Tigilan, Sib-aten and Ciano, the youngest.”

“The chief officer in Vigan whom they called Seniora welcomed the third batch of carriers. She fed them well and prepared their food provisions for the tortuous trip back. She observed that the Agawa carriers were smaller than those from Sagada and Besao, yet they ate twice more than the bigger men. Hope ran through her. She demurred to judge strength by the size of a person.”

“As the way it used to be in carrying a heavy object, the Agawa carriers tied the big bell to a bamboo assiw. They slowly lifted the heavy bell then moved down the road at a snail’s pace until they were out of sight. The Seniora was much pleased. He hoped that the difficult job would at last be done.”

“The way from Vigan to Sagada was long and hard. The Agawa carriers walked unhurriedly but certainly. Sometimes they had to follow the long route to avoid passing through a narrow channel. At times they had to walk at night to arrive at a place with water to camp. Fortunately, it was summer, there were no rains to make the journey more difficult.”

“As the carriers reached Langyatan, the mountain that overlooks the Lepanto River, they rang the bell, that its sound was heard in the Kayang villages below. The people upon hearing the sound of the bell gathered food and brought it to the carriers. This is an indigenous way of helping people with a heavy load, a native practice called mangoto.”

“On the fourth day, the group finally reached the village of Malliten in the Kinali territory. They decided to rest and go fishing at the Balas-iyan River, leaving the huge bell at the Dap-ay. Down at the river, the Agawa carriers enjoyed feasting on the fish, including eels and wading. They decided to stay the night at the river to mannilew.”

“Up in Malliten, men from Sagada who were sent to meet the Agawa group arrived and prepared to leave with the bell even without the Agawa carriers. The thought of the rewards filled their hearts. They did not think of the efforts and difficulties undergone by their brethren from Agawa who brought the bell to the upland, now only about a fourth of the way herefrom to Sagada. Selfishness reigned in them. They contemplated of taking the reward by themselves, so off they went with the huge bell home without the Agawa carriers . . .”

This episode extends more. But as I have said, I can only give you a foretaste of what the Lonogan manuscript has in store for readers. Anyway, the bell now remains a treasure in Sagada.

The misunderstanding between the Agawa and Sagada carriers for the reward of money and shirts helped to kindle the eventual separation of Agawa from Sagada. Agawa soon joined Besao to form the Besao municipality that it is now. **

For reactions email vicsapguian@digitelone.com

Sagada-Besao water dispute

2003-12-16T15:07:00.000+08:00

Any one out there agree that Agawa was once part of Sagada?

That can not be. Aye pay di tomikitikid dung ket menleblebleb -- et omey kad Danum. Sankapay lomaylaylayog ad Sagada. Another way is tomiktiktiktikid ad Langtay sakapay lomaylaylaylaylayog to Bangaan sakapay menleblebleb -- to Sagada.

Ay ayeh pay sa!

Ngem no Besao ah et kapapate. Men eh lebleb mo et id Besao.

Sabagay. My uncle Bacdayan(Nellie, Andrew and Albert's father) from Agawa (roots is Payeo) to get married, tenikid nad langtay danet lomayog ad Bangaan.

He did not realize that he created a hardship for the relatives. I have to accompany my grandmother from Payeo carrying rice on our heads. Climbed to Langtay and down to Bangaan. On the return we carried beans and cabbage.

Sagada-Besao water disputes

2003-12-16T15:03:00.000+08:00

Sankapay lomaylaylayog ad Sagada. Another way is tomiktiktiktikid ad Langtay

Ay id Langsayan (near Kalimogtong) nan kankanam, because I roamed those mountains as a kid dat maid getkek as Langtay ti ngadan na mo:>)). Langyatan is another, but it is situated between Agawa and San Pidli (ooops, Fidelisan gayam met a).

Re Agawa being a part of Sagada, the more credible reference is probably hinged more on territorial jurisdiction. Agawa and Fidelisan has a common border - along the Buasao area - where there has recently been some conflicts on water rights. On those occasions of tungtungan, reference was again hinted (so I heard) that the two barangays may have been conjoined together as one jurisdiction before. As it is with local history though, most if not all have been handed down by word of mouth. As an aside, and in keeping with this related theory, Lake Banao (for Besao folks, Danum for Sagada) is currently being claimed by some (a couple with Sagada-Besao origins) for their personal use. Interesting, eh? Ironically, these so-called "claimants" are citing 'history' - believe or not!

Dr. Biyo to visit SMS

2003-12-06T14:59:00.000+08:00

I am forwarding the speech of Dr. Biyo, if some of you cannot open the attachment that Engr. Bumas-ang sent. Dr. Biyo is the teacher, through Engr. Bumas-ang's invitation, will be visiting St. Mary's School. She won the INTEL Excellence in Teaching award besting 4000 teachers from all over the world. You can also click the links to know of the award and more of her.

Linda Killip-Sucdad
SMS Class 70

-----

Filipina - Winner of Intel Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. Biyo is a public school teacher from Iloilo who won the Intel Excellence in Teaching award in the US, besting 4,000 candidates from all around the world. When asked by the judges why a PhD holder like her opted to teach in a public school in Iloilo, her response was, "And who would teach the kids?"

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in Boston named a minor planet in her honor. Read the rest of her story below.

Related links at:
http://www.intel.com/education/isef/top5.htm
http://www.intel.com/education/isef/IntelTchAward2003.pdf

"The Power of the Human Spirit" Dr. Josette T. Biyo
24 October 2003 Edsa Shangrila, Manila

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. For a high school teacher to speak before a large group of business executives for the first time is overwhelming. But it is indeed a great honor and a privilege to speak to the group of people who is responsible for making San Miguel Corporation the top food and beverage company in the country, and on its way to becoming one of the top companies in the Asia-Pacific. I am here to talk about "The Power of the Human Spirit." Indeed, the human spirit has no limits. If you dream big, and you have the determination and the will to pursue your dream, it will become a reality. I dreamt of making stars; I was given a planet.

A few months ago, I was featured in the local, national and international newspapers. I caused a stir to be the first Asian teacher to win the "Intel Excellence in Teaching Award" in an international competition held in the U.S. Since its inception in 1997, no Asian teacher has received this award. But I think what created waves was, I am a Filipino, and I defeated 4,000 other teachers from around the world, including the American finalists in their hometown. Because of this, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory in Boston named a Minor Planet in my honor. There is now a Planet Biyo rotating around the sun which is located between Mars and Jupiter.

What made me win in this international competition? What made me stand out from among the best teachers in the world? My road to attaining this international recognition is a very long 23 years of improving and harnessing my craft as a teacher. I consistently study and learn new skills to improve my method of teaching. I want my methods to be interesting, relevant, and fun for students. For just like any product, the measure of teaching success is clientele satisfaction.

I finished a B.S. Biology degree from U.P. in the Visayas hoping to be a medical doctor. For lack of financial resources however, I took the first job opportunity available- teaching. Never did I regret this twist of fate. The day I entered the classroom, I knew I would be an excellent teacher.

My first eight years of teaching were spent in a rural school. For lack of teachers in proportion to the number of students, I taught not only biology, but also other subjects outside my field such as English, Music, and Physical .Education. The materials, equipment, and facilities for the type of effective teaching I had in mind were absent. These challenges however did not dampen my enthusiasm for the job. In fact, I became more creative and innovative.

I believe that teaching and learning should not be confined within the classroom. Even during those first few years of teaching, I see to it that the science concepts I discuss inside the class would have social dimensions. Thus, I took an active role in school as moderator of the Rural Health and Science Education Committee. I designed outreach programs for students and teachers. Through these programs, students were trained to teach primary health care to the people in the barangays. They also taught barrio folks how to make cough syrup from plant extracts and soap from coconut oil. Students also gave lectures on environmental protection and conservation.

Those eight years of teaching in a rural school has prepared me for greater challenges ahead. Working with the children of the poor has instilled in me the importance of service, compassion, and respect for human dignity. I have learned to love teaching, and I see it as an instrument for transforming the person and the community.

After eight years of teaching however, I felt I had nothing more to give to my students. I resigned from my teaching job and enrolled as a full time M.S. in Biology student at De La Salle University in Manila. I was lucky to get a scholarship which included free tuition and a monthly stipend.

To augment my stipend, I taught as part-time lecturer in the Biology department and worked as research assistant by one of the senior researchers in the university. This I did on top of my full-time MS load. I was so engrossed with my studies however, that I finished my M.S. degree in one year and five months only, after which, DLSU took me in as a full time assistant professor.

Teaching college students at De La Salle University was an entirely new experience. With modern and sophisticated equipment at my disposal, my world opened to the wonders of scientific research. However, I still value the importance of nature as a big laboratory such that in my ecology classes, I would bring my students to the seas of Batangas, the rivers of Rizal, and the lahar-affected areas of Pampanga to conduct field studies. Pursuing my Ph. D. while teaching also enabled me to conduct researches which were presented in the country and abroad.

Research is very exciting. It means sleepless nights, disappointments, physical and mental exhaustion. But the joy of discovering something new in nature makes it all worthwhile.

While Manila has provided me with opportunities for professional growth, I still feel that my heart is in Iloilo. Thus, with an additional degree and one additional son, I brought back my family to Iloilo in summer of 1995.

In June 1995, Philippine Science High School Western Visayas hired me as a Special Science Teacher. Only on its third year of existence, the school welcomed my suggestions and expertise. I helped develop its Science Research curriculum and introduced some innovations for teaching the course.

Barely a year of teaching at Pisay, I realized that my role was not only to teach students but to train teachers as well. This I do by organizing workshops for teachers in the region.

One day, I received a letter from the students. The letter said, "Dear Ma'am Josette, we know you are being groomed for directorship of the school, and you would want to be the director someday, given the chance. The thing is, we don't want you to be the director. We just want you to be a teacher. Pisay needs teachers like you. The Philippines needs teachers like you." Their letter touched me deeply.

When I won the Metrobank Foundation Award in 1997 as one of the outstanding teachers in the country, the Pisay community gave me a poster. The poster was a white cartolina filled with signatures of students, teachers, and the non-teaching staff. In the center was a painting of a rose, and the message which says, "You are the song that plays so softly in our hearts; that gives us inspiration to aim for greater heights and bigger dreams. Congratulations. We are so proud of you."

In 1998, I won another national award as one of "The Outstanding Young Filipino" formerly known as the TOYM in the field of Secondary Education. Last year, I won the "2002 Intel Excellence in Teaching Award" in an international competition held at Louisville, Kentucky from May 10-17.

In Kentucky, I presented to the panel of judges and to about 150 teachers from all over the world my method of teaching Science Research to my students in Iloilo. I told them that the Philippines is a third world country blessed with abundant natural resources. However, we face problems such as the rapidly declining environment and the lack of equipment and facilities for scientific endeavors. Faced with this situation, I introduced innovations and strategies for teaching the course. These innovations included: a) building a scientific library, b) conducting field studies, c) establishing linkages with research institutions in the country, d) holding science forums in school, and e) teaching students laboratory and field techniques which would help them in the conduct of their research work.

The judges and teachers from different parts of the world were amazed that even in the absence of sophisticated equipment, my students were able to produce quality research outputs beyond their expectations.

At this point in time, let me show to you what we do in our Science Research class? ( a five minute power point presentation of my class activities).

I went to Kentucky with three high school students from the Manila Science High School, and one student from the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. These students competed in the International Science and Engineering Fair which was held back to back with the teaching competition. The students from Manila Science competed for a team project in Physics, while the student from Iligan competed for the individual category in the field of Microbiology. These students were competing with 1,200 other students from around the world.

May 17, 2002 was a glorious moment for the Philippine delegation in the U.S. When it was announced that the student from Iligan won second place grand award for Microbiology, our delegation was ecstatic. When it was announced that the students from Manila Science won first place grand award for Physics, our group was delirious. When the grand award for "Excellence Teaching" was announced, and for the first time in the history of the event an Asian teacher won, and a Filipino, there was a standing ovation from the crowd as the Philippine flag was waved in the air.

The Philippine delegation's road to success in Kentucky was far from smooth. We almost never made it to the U.S. Our visa interview was scheduled on May 29 when we were supposed to be competing in the U.S. by May 10. Almost desperate, we went to the Department of Foreign Affairs for help, only to be told that the Office cannot give us an endorsement letter to the U.S. Embassy because they cannot guarantee that we are coming back.

It was a painful experience for me and the students. Anyway, we were able to get our visa on the last minute the most unconventional way, and brought glory to this country.

Let me show to you the scenario during the first day of the teaching competition?.

When I entered the judging area, one table in front was occupied by the board of judges. At the right side of the room, the table was occupied by the finalist from China and her supporters. The table at the left side was occupied by the finalists from U.S.. and their supporters. The center table for the Filipino finalist was empty. I sat there alone.

I went to the U.S. bringing a CD for my presentation. I also brought some transparencies and a white board pen in case my CD won't work. Coming from a third world country, I was prepared for the worst. It turned out, I was the only finalist without a notebook computer. Luckily, one American finalist lend me his computer; but before doing so, he gave me a brief lecture on the parts of the computer and its use.

I was the fourth presenter. When it was my turn to present, a panel member asked if I needed an interpreter. I said, "No thanks." A personnel from Intel volunteered to run my presentation. I said, "I can do it." After my presentation, they said, "Wow, you're so cool. You know more than us!"

What am I telling you? That despite our country's limited resources, Filipinos can compete globally given the proper training, support and exposure. Our winning at the international scene may not reflect the general condition of science education in the country. But with our concerted efforts, my dear fellowmen, we can move this country forward and show the world that we are a globally competitive race.

Last May, I was in Cleveland, Ohio to present my methods of teaching to 150 teachers from 17 countries. I also served as the team facilitator for the Spanish-speaking teachers from Brazil, Costa Rica and Argentina.. Last August, I gave a demonstration lesson to educators from the third world countries of Laos and Cambodia.

Filipinos are indeed talented and will excel at the international level in their individual capacity. But as a country, we lag behind. This is because we lack the spirit of community which is very strong among progressive nations.

When I went home to Iloilo after the competition in the U.S., my school gave me a very warm welcome. During the convocation, students and teachers expressed how proud they are of me. I told them, "I am very proud of you too. It is you who has brought me to where I am now. Our experiences together has brought world attention to the fact that hey, there's a world-class school out there in Iloilo; a school with world-class teachers and students. I told the teachers and I quote Mr. De Quiros that "being world-class doesn't mean going internationally and showing our best out there. Being world-class is passion and commitment to our profession. Being world-class is giving our best to teaching. Being world-class starts right inside the classroom."

In winning this international award, I do not claim to be the best teacher of the land. There are thousands of best teachers out there, working silently, giving their hearts to teaching, without thinking of benefits or rewards. I salute these teachers. In winning this award, I believe I was just commissioned by somebody up there to deliver the message that indeed, Filipino teachers can be world-class teachers. In winning this award, I have shown to the world that Filipinos can be world-class if they choose to be. And more importantly, I have shown to my fellow Filipinos that they can be world-class if they choose to be. That if we do our best, we can conquer the world.

During the panel interview in the U.S., one judge asked me, "You have a Ph.D. in Biology, why do you teach in high school?" I answered, "And who will teach these kids?" Another judge asked if how much am I paid for all my pains. They were shocked when I told them that I am getting a net pay of not more than $300. a month.

When your job becomes your mission, your primary concern is giving your best in everything you do. Knowing that you have contributed significantly towards the creation of a product which can make a difference in your company and the larger community is reward in itself.

Believe in what you are doing. Believe that you can make a difference. Believing however doesn't mean you have to stop from where you are now. Believing is improving your skills and maximizing your potential. With determination and the will to win, your company can conquer the world.

As members of the San Miguel Family, you are lucky to take part in the production of high quality and accessible consumer products that can be found in every Filipino home. Your skills do not only contribute to the development of the country's economy, but you also bring out the spirit of fun, joy, and laughter into the lives of the people; thus helping make everyday life a celebration. Your capable hands can paint a true image of the Filipino as a people- intelligent, hard-working, passionate, fun-loving, creative, innovative, "magaling!."

You could paint one bright picture of this country and its people - by your achievements in the workplace, your teamwork, integrity, passion for success, and your discharge of civic responsibilities. You can show the world that you are the new technocrats, capable and willing to meet the challenges of the new order of market globalization. You can show the world that you are the new citizenry, capable of making this country a worthy member of the league of peace-loving nations.

Be proud!

Thank you very much.

Ooops! Serene Sagada

2003-11-26T21:30:00.000+08:00

Huh?

Journalists, I believe, should be responsible for what they write.

Serene Sagada
By Ann Bernadette Corvera
The Philippine Star 11/26/2003

By keeping his Ifugao name, Poclis says he preserves tradition and gives respect to his ancestors.

--Sagada residents are not Ifugao. You call them either i-Sagada or igorot but not Ifugao.

The challenge came when we started our ascent towards Bontoc to
get to Sagada. Banaue is 47 kilometers from its capital Bontoc.

---Banaue is a town of Ifugao. Ifugao's capital is Lagawe. Bontoc is the capital of Mountain Province. Anyway, logically speaking, a place is always zero kilometers away from its center since the center is part of the place, right?

Read artcle

Books Written by William Henry Scott

2003-11-19T11:59:00.000+08:00

Some of the books written by William Henry Scott are:

A Sagada Reader - aims to provide the reader a better understanding of Sagada social and ritual life, and the development of the town.
Barangay - 16th Century Philippine Culture and Society
Ilocano Responses to American Aggression During 1900-1901
Looking for the Prehispanic Filipino - new insights into the life of the Filipino people at the time of the Spanish advent
Slavery in the Spanish Philippines
Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History -This book (dissertation) invalidated the Maragtas Code and the Kalantiao Penal Code because according to the research of Dr. Scott that the Jose E. Marco contributions to Philippine historiography - viz., the Povedano 1572 map, and the 1572, 1577, 1578 and 1579, Morquecho 1830, and Pavon 1837-1839 manuscripts - appear to be deliberate fabrications with no historic validity

Scott

2003-11-19T11:52:00.000+08:00

Scotty, Dee and Emmett:
Their fight against Marcos repression
By Frank Cimatu
Baguio City

NO CHRONICLER of the martial law regime should ignore William Henry Scott, Dolores Stephens Feria and Emmett Brown Asuncion, all American teachers detained during the start of those terrible days of Philippine history.

That they fought against Ferdinand Marcos and what he represented showed that the fight against repression need not require a visitor's visa.

That these three emerged triumphant and went on to influence millions of Filipinos showed that they are, above all, teachers and their lives their own lessons.

They all chose to stay in the Cordillera for the rest of their lives, hoping, of course, that Emmett, the only one living of the three, should go somewhere else.

Scotty
Scotty, a fixture in Sagada, Mt. Province almost as permanent as its magnificent caves, died on Oct. 4, 1993. Feria died on March 22, 1992.

Scotty was an Episcopal lay missionary with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese Language from Yale University when he first came to Sagada in 1954. He taught there until 1963 before going to the University of the Philippines for his Master of Arts degree in History.

His thesis, which later became the book, ''Pre-Hispanic Source Materials,'' debunked well-loved history myths like the barter trade of Panay and the wave-migration theory.

Scotty later became the only non-Filipino teacher of Philippine history at UP in Diliman, Quezon City.

His love for Cordillera and the Cordillerans never wavered. In December 1971, he was the keynote speaker of a convention of militant Cordillera students and was among the first to wage the war for genuine Cordillera autonomy.

He was detained right after the declaration of martial law.

Manny Loste, himself a history teacher at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, remembered seeing Scotty at one of the detention centers.

''He was wondering what he was doing there. He saw no reason to be detained as almost everyone else,'' Loste said.

Scotty was almost sent to Engineers Island to be deported to the US but the whole town of Sagada rallied for his release. He went on to write 15 more important books on Philippine history and ethnography.

It would have been a pity (almost an act of treason) if Scotty was deported in 1972 because the country would be wallowing in a sea of historical ignorance.

The late historian Renato Constantino Sr. had written: ''Despite his nationality, William Henry Scott belongs more to the Filipino than to the foreign group. He had been assiduous in unraveling many strands of our past. Moreover, he has done so not from the vantage point of Spanish colonialism or American imperialism but from that of the Filipinos' struggle for emancipation.''

''We were able to regain a sense of pride in our history, a distinct identity and self-respect. Without these, we lose our peoplehood,'' said former St. Mary Academy student and now Sagada Mayor Tom Killip during Scotty's burial.

''He respected us more than we respected ourselves,'' he said.

Emmett
Emmett, whose father was Filipino, came from New York and in 1965, established the University of Baguio Science High School together with UB founder Fernando Bautista Sr.

The UB Science High is the oldest science high school in the country. And despite the fact that the students had to build their own bunsen burners and test tubes, it has managed to survive without government subsidy.

Everybody who studied under Emmett can blame him for sometimes waking up sweating in the middle of the night.

Every alumnus knew the feeling of losing one's voice during choir practice or Latin classes. Anyone who properly graduated from the UB Science High may not turn up to be science nerds but they always have an opinion on anything.

A free mind is what he wanted his students to possess even if he would beat him with a walis tingting to instill that in him.

He never told his students about his detention during martial law.

INQUIRER correspondent Nathan Alcantara remembered Emmett as very liberal.

''He used to invite KM (Kabataang Makabayan) leaders to talk with his students,'' recalled Alcantara, who was only 15 when he was arrested by the military.

''If there is something I can say about martial law, it is that it stole my childhood,'' Alcantara said. He finished his high school under Emmett.

Emmett remained a firebrand even after he became a born-again Christian. Stage a discussion about John Hay and his students will be there. Invite poets and artists in a gathering and be sure to see his students taking notes.

Last March, the UB Science High building was razed by fire. While waiting for a new building, Emmett held classes under the trees and any available school room in UB.

''Let the world be your classroom,'' he bellowed.

Emmett and Scotty, like most of their colleagues, were surprised to have been detained during martial law.

Dee
Dolores Feria, or Dee, knew that she would be arrested but not in the way that transpired. She was born in Sta. Clara, California, an earthquake country, and she knew how to live on the edge.

She taught English and Comparative Literature in UP and Silliman University. In 1972, she went underground and wrote for the Communist Party of the Philippines' news organ.

In June 1974, she was among those arrested in connection with the sinking of the MV Doña Andrea in the South China Sea off the coast of Pangasinan. The vessel was supposed to deliver arms to the CPP.

Dee was among the ''hardcore'' underground members although she did not know how her part in the dragnet known as ''Project Sea Hawk.''

''She was cool, more concerned about her kids. She stood out in the crowd because of her complexion,'' Loste recalled.

Dee kept a journal in her 112-day stay in maximum security prisons. It was bereft of sentimentality and sometimes critical of her prisonmates. It was her way of keeping her sanity in a dehumanized world.

''I have reached a major resolve--to keep this prison diary, no matter what the cost. The day will come when we will all be called liars although that is statistically impossible. An even sadder time will come when this painful period in our history will be forgotten or piously diluted, like the 1950s or the sufferings of Ka Amado
Hernandez, a good and noble creature whose spirit was almost destroyed. Someone has to write these things down. God only knows how this will survive discovery. But it has to be. It will have to be written before sunrise, the only safe time,'' she wrote.

Dee's ''Barbed Wire Journals'' should be read and discussed in schools to remind us of the horrors of martial law and how easy it could come back.

The journal was published posthumously in 1993. After retiring from UP, Dee settled in Baguio to live a monastic and simple life.

also published in:
Philippine Daily Inquirer (09-28-1999)

Ooops, you think so?

2003-11-10T13:10:00.000+08:00

from ExpectoRANTS harrumphing essays and other mucolytics:

Memorandum from Your Ecological Disaster Coordinating Council Chair
posted Tuesday, October 28, 2003

Our ultimate goal must be to bring back wildlife population to sustainable levels, where we can benefit in ways we've never known and protect and perpetuate our humble traditions again. (There must be a little qualification here: Sagada's tradition of massive bird-killing during the migration of birds from the Saharan winter is more of a harmful tradition than a sustainable one because the method used to trap birds alarmingly resembles a finely-meshed seine.)

read complete article

massive bird-killing hmmm...
isn't it Siberian, not Saharan?

Episcopalian Sagada

2003-11-08T18:16:00.000+08:00

Asked to describe the resort town of Sagada in Mt. Province in one word, one travel writer chose "Episcopalian."

read article

Note: The article is no longer available.

Peace Zones

2003-11-08T18:09:00.000+08:00

Delegates from the towns of Sabangan, Bauko and Tadian, known as Sabata area that composed Cluster 1, approved the inclusion of Sabata to Cluster 2 comprising the municipalities of Bontoc, Sadanga, Sagada and Besao, which earlier declared their areas as peace zones. The eastern towns of Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis (Cluster 3), meanwhile, opted to maintain status quo.

read article

Sagada implements zero waste management to save river

2003-10-16T22:13:00.000+08:00

Source: INQ7 here

Sagada implements zero waste management to save river
June 30, 2003
By Desiree Caluza

SAGADA, Mt. Province -- There is hope that the water of the polluted Chico River will become clear again as the town government is now strictly implementing zero waste management.

Dr. Penelope Domogo, assistant provincial health officer, said the pollution in the Chico River was caused by indiscriminate dumping of garbage.

Last month, residents of Kalinga province filed a complaint against the Mountain Province government because the latter's garbage was polluting the river.

The 80-km long Chico River, which traverses through the highlands of Mountain Province and Kalinga to the Cagayan River, is one of major sources of water of the two provinces.

"But we are glad that Sagada is leading the zero waste management to save the river," Domogo said in a recent provincial peace and order council meeting here.

The Kalinga government has been promoting Chico River for its whitewater kayaking adventure trips. The river connects to 10 more tributaries around the lush mountains of Kalinga.

Chico River, one of the major rivers in Mountain Province, became a symbol of unity among the tribes in the Cordillera Autonomous Region after Kalinga chieftain Macliing Dulag led his people and the Kankanaeys in opposing the construction of the Chico Dam during the regime of Ferdinand Marcos.

Dulag's opposition led to his death on April 24, 1980 in Bugnay Village in Kalinga.

Sagada Gothic

2003-10-13T21:21:00.000+08:00

Donni

And if the death was particularly disturbing, small-town graveyards are also where those secrets are buried.

In Sagada’s hilltop cemetery, Donni “Cadiog” Cadiogan’s grave marker did not look like any of the others. His grave was fresh, not more than a few months old. The border between the turned soil and the rest had yet to be overgrown, so a long, rectangular border could still be seen glinting through the grassy loam. And there were a couple of things that seemed off about his simple wooden cross painted with a gay blue sky and flowers. The first was the cryptic, bitter epitaph painted on the back:

“It gives you real respect for the truth when you have to clean up lives that have been based on a lie. Think about it. Donni”

The second was the span between the dates on the front: June 26, 1980 — September 3, 2002. He had died at 22, an age so young his life was barely lived.

To die at that age is to die tragically.

St. Mary's -- I Remember When : First Dance

2003-09-29T14:28:00.000+08:00

The First Dance

I remember when I was in seventh grade in 1961. I was then staying at the Boy's Dormitory which was located in the upper most floor of the old St. Mary's School building - the one that was burned down. It's the wing towards the basketball court. There were about 10 of us in each room. My roommates were from Ankileng, Basao, La Trinidad, and Bauko. I was the only one from Tabuk.

Anyway, one Friday, I overheard from the upper classmen that there's going to be a dance that night at the school. After class that Friday, my roommates were all busy fixing themselves. First time I smelled 'Tancho'. We lined ourselves up to the small mirror hanging on the wall. A friend gave me this little green thing to chew on. A mint?

At the dance hall, I couldn't get myself to sit down on the front chairs. I was way in the back. I saw the upperclass boys and girls start dancing. I remember the emcee announcing that Fred Baldo is going to do a solo. At that time, it was the best song I ever heard. The song was titled "Butterflies Blue" I think. And then I heard a duet from Aida Yodong and Ely Abad singing "When it's spring time in the valley.....". Man, I never heard such sweet voices. They were my classmates.

Everytime the emcee annouced 'dance for all', I became very nervous. I would slowly sneak out and view the dances from afar. But part of me says you've got to try to dance. I finally mustered enough courage. What if I get rejected? Oh man, I'd kill myself. Anyway, I've been eyeing Francisca Baido, my classmate. She was kind to me in class so I didn't think that she would embarass me by rejecting me. So finally the time came. I slowly walked down toward her and even said in English, "May I dance with you?". She stood up. That was my very first dance. I went home in dreamland.

Ed Abeya, Class 66
Thursday, September 25, 2003

Source: Yahoo! Groups: StMarySchool: Message 2697 Login required.

Abong Small Home the Movie

2003-09-25T14:31:00.000+08:00

Sun.Star Baguio
Abong mobile theater tour on its 3rd week

Sa Pinilakang Tabing 2003: Arkipelago
Film Abong

Global Nation | INQ7.net
When 'abong' means more than little home
By Frank Cimatu, Inquirer News Service

St. Mary's -- I remember when...

2003-09-22T17:50:00.000+08:00

Mia and I are here in St. Louis negotiating with people at the Hotel, Art Museum, etc for the Igorot International Consultation on Jul 1-4, 2004. The other day, Mia and I went to the Union Station, a tourist site (train station, shopping mall, restaurants, etc). In the middle of one of the halls, they displayed hundreds of letters from ordinary citizens who wrote letters to the Union Station Office when it was renovated in the 1970s. The person in charged of the renovation sent out ads asking for anyone to send letters to him and share their experiences with the Union Station. They started their letters with "I remember when...". While Mia was window shopping, I spent about an hour reading the letters. The letters were full of human history. One person shared about his first time to go the Union Station to wave goodbye to her brother who was on his way to the Pacific Islands during World War II. One said, I remember when I was a little girl in 1920, my grandfather would take me to Union Station and we would buy ice cream...One described about this first date...

So how about an "I Remember When..." in the Sagada Postboy for the graduates to share with the students?

I remember my first day as a Seventh Grader in St. Mary's School in 1961. Coming from Tabuk Central School and having heard about how smart the graduates of Bomabanga Elementary School, I was very nervous. I was also terribly homesick. Our first class was with Mrs. Gulian. I looked around and I saw one student who looked lost. His eyes were looking out the window. He was wearing short pants and his tight shirt wasn't long enough to cover his belly. I said to myself..good there is someone who is probably not from this place and from his looks, he is probably just as dumb as I am. Relieved that I wasn't the only 'dummy' in the class, I tried to pay attention to Mrs. Gulian. She gave us a small quiz. The next day, feeling that I did well in the quiz, I couldn't wait for Mrs. Gulian to gave us our papers. She shuffled the papers and then said, "Who is Daniel Dulnuan?". The small boy in short pants and tight shirt slowly walked infront of the class. Mrs. Gulian handed him his paper and said, "You had the highest grade in this quiz.Congratulations!".

Daniel Dulnuan was my best friend in high school. He was a walking dictionary.

Edwin Abeya
Class 66