A Tingguian/Itneg Courtship Dance

Here's a video of our Tingguian/Itneg kailiyans dancing one of several courtship dances in the Cordilleras. Maybe our Itneg readers, kung meron man, can tell us the name of this dance. Kankanaeys (at least those in Sagada) have a similar dance and we call it "palakis". [Tama ba ako, Pagano? Di ba this is palakis?]

I'm pretty sure those coming from other parts of the Cordillera, have a dance similar to this but would have a different name for it. So our different names for this dance and the different variations of it would be an example of what Dan Peckley was talking about regarding iCordilleras being diverse and yet having a common thread that binds us. So here's a question, do you have a dance similar to this? If so, what do you call it?

By the way, according to the person who uploaded this in Youtube, this video was filmed by anthropologist Robert Garfias in the 1960s.

UPDATE about the dance from ipadigunagawis: This Tingguian dance is called TADEK. We have two kinds of tadek: 1) lablabbaab or suklit = uses hands to produce the sound of the gongs (this is the dance above) and 2) pinnalla-iyan or talukatik = uses stick to produce the sound of the gongs.

Thanks ipadigunagawis :-)

RELATED POST: Idemdem Mailida: Itneg Victory Chant. VIDEO CREDIT: Robert Garfias uploaded by Anak1.

People vs. Duntugan (or Updates on the Campbell Case)

30 April: Yesterday, the Philippine National Police charged Juan Duntugan with murder before the prosecutor's office in Lagawe, Ifugao. Duntugan confessed to killing Julia Campbell after she allegedly bumped him at the back.

According to his story, he thought that it was his neighbor, with whom he had a rift, who bumped him so he retaliated by hitting that person's head with a stone. It turns out that that person was not his neighbor but Julia Campbell.

Ifugao Police Director Pedro Ganir explains why they charged Duntugan with murder: "We filed murder because of the presence of the element of intent to kill." Source: GMA News.

Our take: We're not quite sure if the correct charge is murder and not homicide (which carries a lighter penalty). If the police is basing the charge on Duntugan's confession, which appears to be what they are doing, then clearly (at least from where we sit) there was no intent to kill Julia. But let's see what the Ifugao Prosecutor's Office will decide on this one.

RELATED POSTS: Missing in Ifugao; Video Updates on Julia Campbell; On Juan Dontogan's Surrender and Confession. PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN.

On Juan Dontogan's Surrender and Confession

Now that our kailiyan Juan Dontogan (or Duntugan) has confessed to and apologized for killing Julia Campbell, should we now end our coverage on this case?

Well, not yet. We will continue to cover the case but we won't be posting as many updates as in the past. Also, our updates will be focused more on the forthcoming trial of our kailiyan since authorities will reportedly file a homicide case against him. Why he did what he did and the consequences of his crime are some questions which we hope will be clarified in the coming days.

It is worth noting that, according to reports, Dontogan surrendered after his mother appealed to him to surrender. This is a remarkable thing for a mother to do. She must have wrestled with her conscience and decided that, despite the consequences that would fall upon her son, the right thing to do is to tell him to give himself up. It would be a much safer world if mothers do not coddle their children and ignore their crimes, wouldn't it?

It would seem that there was also an element of community pressure which forced Dontogan to come out. In this video, he expressed the hope that the anger that people in Ifugao felt will somehow diminish since he has now submitted himself to authorities. To rephrase our question above, wouldn't our world be much safer if communities do not turn a blind eye to the crimes committed by their members?

It is good that Dontogan surrendered, that he confessed, and that he apologized for the wrong he committed. His confession and apology will not bring back Julia Campbell but it will help her family and friends find the healing they need and to eventually move on. It is reassuring to note that Julia's family is not the vindictive kind. Too often, when a crime is committed in our country, we are bombarded with demands for revenge, calls for the death penalty, and images of people beating the offender.

Maybe it is a natural human instinct to hit back, but I've often wondered whether cries for blood and vengeance will make our country a safer and a less violent place. So it is refreshing to listen to Julia's sister say in this video, that they would rather celebrate Julia's life rather than focus on her death and that she hopes to eventually walk in places where Julia walked.

Speaking of the place where Julia made her last walk, Dontogan's surrender will eventually restore balance to Batad and Banaue. These two places have been unfairly projected in a very bad light because of this crime and our iBatad and iBanaue kailiyans have a right to be really angry particularly because Dontogan, it turns out, comes from another part of the region. Hopefully, Batad and Banaue will regain their image as the places to see the best Cordillera terraces. (Although our kailiyans from other parts of the region can still argue that the "title" belongs to them.)

Finally, Dontogan's surrender is good for himself and his family. He cleansed his soul by his confession and, by surrendering, he won't be dragging his whole family down. The worst thing that could happen to him now is being imprisoned. But there is a certainty to this punishment and there's a hope that he will eventually be released. Whereas, if he did not surrender, can you imagine what his life would be like on the lam? Always hiding, always fearful, always on the lookout, always suspicious. And this goes on until he eventually gets caught.

Somewhere in our coverage on this case, we criticized the media for referring to Dontogan as the killer way before he confessed to being one. This is what we said, "we hope the media stop labeling Dontogan as the killer. If, in the future, he is convicted of killing Julia or if he outrightly confesses that he did, then by all means we will all tag him as the killer. But, at this stage, we hope that the media is a little more careful."

Well, we are not taking back those words. But now that Dontogan did confess to killing Julia, the media can now have a field day labeling him as the killer. But, even as that label can now be rightfully applied on him, we should remember that he is a human being who has shown remorse for his act. So let's penalize him alright but let us not fall to the trap, as some of us are wont to, of demonizing him.

RELATED POSTS: Missing in Ifugao; Video Updates on Julia Campbell. PHOTO CREDIT: ABS-CBN.

Palarong Pambansa 2007: How Did Our Kids Do?

Are you a sports junkie? Well I'm not, but in one of my past lives, I used to do freelance work writing stories about athletes. So sports is a topic I'm somewhat interested in but not to the point where I qualify as a junkie. I follow Roger "The Greatest of All Time" Federer's exploits though, but he's not been winning lately so I'm kinda avoiding going to the tennis pages. What's up Roger? Get a grip of yourself and start raising trophies again will you.

Anyways, our kids from the Cordilleras went down to Mindanao this week to compete in the Palarong Pambansa which, as you may already know, is our national athletic meet for elementary and high school students. So how did the kids from the boondocks do? Not bad, my friends, not bad at all.

Our kids did really well in athletics and arnis, a combat sport which Fil-Ams call kali. Kali, really, kali? Methinks kali doesn't sound as kick-ass as arnis. Imagine saying, "Kali-in ko kaya ang gagong iyon" vs. "Arnisin ko kaya ang gagong yun". Or "I'm gonna arnis you" vs. "I'm gonna kali you". Seriously Fil-Ams, kali is so neutered a term for a combat sport.

Anyways, here's a list of our kailiyans who made us proud in the Palaro. Congratulations kiddos!

Today is the last day of the competition so we will update this entry if we have the final results. But you might want to visit the not very user friendly Palaro site for more info.

Results for the Cordillera Administrative Region:
Elementary: 8th (out of 17 teams)
High School: 13th (out of 17 teams)

Elementary
Claudine Galbay (triple jump): 1st place, 7 pts.
Claudine Galbay (long jump): 1st place, 7 pts.
Divina Kitongan (800m run): 1st place, 7 pts.
Levin Clark Mina (taekwondo): 2nd place, 3 pts.
Devorah Alacar(taekwondo): 2nd place, 3 pts.
Divina Kitongan (1,500m Run): 3rd place, 4 pts.
Arnold Galap (1,500m run): 3rd place, 4 pts.
Karl Kevin Daniel (taekwondo): 3rd place, 1 pt.
France Mauric Pangda (taekwondo): 3rd place, 1 pt.
Dyan Ashley Codamon, Gladen Tuldis, Ivy Gioken, and Jamille Lyzette Ang (badminton, team): 3rd place, 2 pts.
Mirriam Tumapang, Krystle Joy Sagun, Irene Lourie Mabazza, Annalyn Cortez (tennis, team): 3rd place, 2 pts.
Alma Bunagan (shot put): 4th place, 3 pts.
Benedic Catadal (high jump): 5th place, 2 pts.
Abraham Banos (discus throw): 6th place, 1 pt.
Leo Patrick Niñalga (400 m run): 6th place, 1 pt.
Sharon Lubangon (discus throw): 6th place, 1 pt.

High School
Ma. Melissa Naputo (100 meter hurdles): 1st place, 7 pts.
Rolf Gagujas (taekwondo): 1st place, 7 pts.
Christopher De Leon (arnis, solo baston): 1st place,
Christopher De Leon (arnis, doble baston): 2nd place,
Glen Jay Duena (arnis, bantamweight): 2nd place, 3pts.
Karl Miko Alangui (arnis, lightweight): 2nd place, 3 pts.
Katherine May Santos (long jump): 3rd place, 4 pts.
Christian Earl Catolos (taekwondo): 3rd place, 1 pt.
Christopher De Leon (arnis, finweight): 3rd place, 1 pt.
Christopher De Leon, Andre Dean Fomaneg, Karl Mico Alangui (team, solo baston): 3rd place
Christopher Alangui, Andre Dean Fomaneg, Glen Jay Duena (team, doble baston): 3rd place
Ellamae De Los Santos (800m Run): 4th place, 3 pts.
Marc Jo Vincent Veloria (archery, 50m): 5th place, 2 pts.
Fernel Dela Cruz (800m run): 6th place, 1 pt.
Marc Jo Vincent Veloria (archery, FITA round): 6th place, 1 pt.

RELATED POST: Igorots in the Asian Games. CARAA Results. INFO AND PHOTO SOURCE: Palaro 2007.

Halsema: One of the Worst Highways in the World

According to this blogger, Halsema must be one of the worst highways in the world. I must say that I agree with him. Quote: "There are many accidents and overturned buses on a yearly basis. Often there are sheer drop offs of over 1000 feet without a guard rail. During the rainy season it is nearly impassable."

To be fair, the government has been improving Halsema these past years so we will hopefully eventually have a highway that is a highway and not a dirt road. They have to do something about the need for guard rails though because it seems like what they are doing now is simply cementing the road.

Incidentally, our very first blog post was about Halsema. I was so irritated watching The Female Version of Gollum falsely claim in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) that her father built the Halsema Highway. None of our politicians questioned her claim [who knows, maybe our bootlicking Cordillera politicians gave her the idea] so I decided to start a blog to point out that the credit should go to, you know, that engineer known as Eusebius Julius who happened to have a family name called Halsema. So thank you Female Gollum for "birthing" this blog. Next July, state in your SONA that your dad also built Kennon Road. Maybe Burnham Park too. And, heck, why not the whole City of Baguio.

PHOTO CREDIT: Dark Roasted Blend.

Thoughts on the First Cordillera Day in Tokyo

Dan Peckley Jr., an iFontok/iKalinga working with the University of Tokyo, sent us this article on the First Cordillera Day in Japan held last April 22. The event appears to have been a success. Dan writes: "Despite busy schedules (Palalo nan kinagaget nan kaka-ilyan takos na/Our kailiyans are really hard workers here) and the fact that no formal organizing committee was set up to prepare and coordinate the Cordillera Day, it was a success. Now that Cordillerans know each other better, one ka-ilyan suggested that we hold the next Cordillera Day at the Tokyo Dome."

Thanks Dan! Congratulations on your successful event and we hope you continue to have more Cordillera Day celebrations. Wow, Tokyo Dome ha? That must be as large as the Araneta Coliseum. Go for it kailiyans in Japan!

Thoughts on the First Cordillera Day in Tokyo
Daniel Peckley Jr., Ph.D.

The First Cordillera Day in Tokyo was a well-attended celebration. Only 50 to 100 participants were expected, but around 150 turned up for the event. It was indeed a large gathering where, by playing the gangsa, dancing the salip and tadek, and partaking of pinapaitan, dinakdakan and other Filipino dishes that were prepared by our kaka-ilyan, everybody enjoyed each other’s company so much so that some were hesitant to leave even after the program was over.

The sermon and message of the event’s special guest, Episcopal Bishop Dixie Taclobao, was thought-provoking and inspiring. His message on being our brothers’ keepers, “Lahat tayo ay may pananagutan sa isa’t isa”, particularly struck a chord. Indeed, a strong sense of fellowship flows in the blood of every Cordilleran and we call this panangisakit san kib-a or, in Tagalog, pagmamalasakit sa kapwa. But if such sense of fellowship is inherent in all Cordillerans, how come sometimes we end up being at odds with each other, or worse, killing each other in tribal conflicts?

I think this has something to do with the reality that Cordillerans are diverse groups of people, having distinct cultures and traditions. Having grown up in Bontoc, Mt. Province and Tabuk, Kalinga, I know that two tribes with only a river or a mountain separating them can be different from each other, in terms of dialect, practices and even how they play the the gangsa. However, having met more Cordillerans later (Ifugaos in my undergrad years and now, in Japan , Abraenians), I realized that Cordillerans, though different from each other, have common values. If we seek unity among ourselves, we should emphasize these values rather than our differences.

The success of the First Cordillera Day in Tokyo was largely due to the pride as Cordillerans that our kaka-ilyan from Abra had shown during the celebrations and to the hard work they contributed. Just like the Ifugaos, Kalingas, Kankana-eys and Bontocs who I know, Abraenians are proud of who they are. “They have no pretensions and are fun to be with,” was what my colleague from Laguna said about them. When I first met their group, a comment from a Norwegian friend, who now lives in the Philippines, came to mind: “Indeed, Cordillerans are proud of their roots and identities, and you better not mess with them.”

There are three values that I think Cordillerans have in common:
1) Pride in our identity and roots – which we have to extend beyond our clan and tribal affiliations;
2) Hard work that makes us self-reliant; and
3) Concern for others, or panangisakit san kib-a as pointed out earlier.

I believe these values transcend time and ideologies. These values should be celebrated in other Cordillera Days to come. These values are mutually reinforcing and it is because of these values that Cordillerans were largely spared from the cruelties of colonial rule. It is also because of these values that Macli-ing Dulag and other elders led the tribes of Kalinga and Mt. Province to resist the Chico River Dam and the repressions during the Martial Law period.

Like most Filipinos, Cordillerans are now facing the challenges of diaspora and globalization. With these values flowing in our veins, we will survive and prevail like our elders and ancestors. If there should be a main reason for celebrating Cordillera Day, it is to sustain these values among Cordillerans.

* * *

We are indeed very lucky that Rev. John Yuji Kanzaki offered Seikyushu Kyokai as the venue for the celebrations of the First Cordillera Day in Tokyo . Having been ordained as an Episcopalian priest in the Philippines and having lived with our kaka-ilyans in the Cordilleras, Rev. John knows us very well. After the celebrations yesterday, he offered the church not only to Cordillerans, but also to all Filipinos, as a sanctuary. He volunteered to offer an English Mass every second Sunday of the month for Filipinos, starting next May. With the company of our kaka-ilyans Jose and Cecilia Pampanico singing Salidummay songs and playing the gangsa, our kaka-ilyans will certainly feel at home at Seikyushu Kyokai. English mass starts at 3:00 p.m.

Note: Dan is a Researcher at the Geotechnical Engineering Laboratory of the University of Tokyo.

RELATED POST: First Cordillera Day in Tokyo.; Cordillera Day 2007

Time For Another Blog Roundup

Lots of things have been happening in our section of the blogosphere so it's about time to do another blog roundup.

LET'S WELCOME OUR NEW BLOGGERS. My good friend Gina Dizon, a columnist and writer for Northern Philippine Times, started a blog version of their weekly newspaper here. If you are looking for news and opinion about Northern Luzon (The Cordilleras, Ilocos, Cagayan, and even Central Luzon), this is the blog to visit. Another new blogger is our kailiyan from Kalinga who studies at UP and who blogs about his school in Peyups Corner. These two blogs are fairly new, let's send them some traffic and nurture them in the same way that you have nurtured this blog. Belated thanks to everyone :-)

LET'S THANK THOSE WHO NOTICED US. Our blogging on the Campbell case got some links from other bloggers [quezon.ph; mikeinmanila; and johncutter] and from a news website, lucianne.com [but the article is no longer available]. Thanks very much! To our readers: We will continue to cover the case for as long as necessary so visit this every now and then.

BACK TO THE BLOGOSPHERE. After some hiatus, Jocelyn Noe is once again posting at her blog. Some of you, of course, already know that we are a fan of Jocelyn's poems so we are thrilled to find out that she reads our blog [see the last paragraph]. Thanks Jocelyn, you are an inspiration to other Igorot poet-wannabes.

BEST SMILE CONTEST. Images of Sagunto is running a best smile contest and "whoever gets the most votes will win two jars of blueberry jam to improve eyesight". You might want to visit Images of Sagunto to cast your vote. [My pick is #7 hehe.] In case you don't know yet, Sagunto is an upland barangay in Sison, Pangasinan populated by Bago Igorots. Vic Buaquen has an excellent article about the Bagos here. Thanks Omom for the tip.

WHERE SERVICE BEGINS. Dr. Marcos Ayangwa, the Municipal Health Officer of Paracelis, Mt. Province writes about bringing reproductive health services to the remote barangays of Paracelis. Quote: "Through ‘roadless rivers’ (the cobbled riverbeds as the road itself), ‘slippery-when-wet roads’ ( muddy ruts), riverine highways (silk-smooth banca ride during rainy season only) and rough and rugged roads (bumpy and dusty dirt roads in summer), CHOPP endeavors to deliver enhanced basic health services at the doorsteps of the villages, literally." Read more at the Philmade Blog.

KAYNI VISITS CORDI. And writes a summary of her visit here. Like most people, she expresses concern about the direction that Sagada appears to be going and has this message to the town's authorities: "Please keep Sagada pollution free and not let tourism trample the preservation of its culture and people." Our belated condolence to Kayni, by the way.

NATS GOES UP TO MT. BINARATAN. Which, according to legend, is the hunting ground of Kabunyan. Visit Kalinga, the Land of the Brave to read Nats' account of his mountain trekking; he also has a video which you can watch. The mountain must be really inviting because Nats is planning another climb.

ROOTS AND IDENTITY. Fongakhan has a thoughtful article dealing with some of the topics which we have also discussed somewhere in this blog: indigenous roots, identity, the role of media, etc. Read her excerpt here.

IFUGAO SUMMER SALE. The summer sale in Ifugao is still on for those of you who are there in Ifugao or who might, by any chance, be going there. FerriCardia has some pictures of the sale here. While you are at her blog, read her story about being a "runner" at a wedding.

MATCHMAKING. Wil has a fun post about well-meaning friends who are always trying to find him a suitable girl. Ibirukan tayo man ni Wil iti asawa ditoy no December tapno haanen isuna nga agsubli idiay States. Wil, if you didn't get that, it's your punishment for not learning Ilokano hehe.

Mt. Province: List of Candidates

In case you are looking for the list of candidates in Mt. Province, here it is. Unfortunately, this list does not include those who are running for the provincial board or for the municipal council. This list is courtesy of Juliet Saley of the Philippine Information Agency in Bontoc. We hope to publish a similar list for the other provinces if we come across them in the future.


Provincial Positions
Congressional race:
Carlito Afadchay (Independent)
Jupiter Dominguez (Independent)
Victor Dominguez (KAMPI)
Efren Joseph Lingwa (Independent)
Sario Malinias (Liberal Party)
Arnulfo Pilando (Partido Liberal)
Francisco Siblawan (Independent)

Gubernatorial race:
Maximo Dalog (LAKAS)
Harry Dominguez (Independent)
Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr. (KAMPI)

Vice gubernatorial race:
Benjamin Dominguez (Independent)
Louis Claver (Independent)

Municipal positions
BARLIG
Mayoralty race:
Ferdinand Charaychay (LAKAS-CMD)
Apolonio Fiarango (Independent)
Crispin Fias-ilon (KAMPI)
Alberto Kiwan (Independent)
Heraldo Lamaton (LAKAS-CMD)
Simon Layong (LABAN)
Magdalena Lupoyon (Independent)

Vice mayoralty race:
Pio Cupasan (KAMPI)
Edmundo Sidchayao (Independent)

BAUKO
Mayoralty race:
Manuel Bilayon (Independent)
Simon Lacwasan (Independent)
Vice mayoralty race:
Delfin Bosoen (LAKAS-CMD)
Jose Tanggacan (Independent)

BESAO
Mayoralty race:
Bart Guzman (LAKAS-CMD)
Wellington Pooten (Independent)

Vice mayoralty race:
David Ballang (Independent)
Pablo Dicdican (LAKAS-CMD)

BONTOC
Mayoralty race:
Siegfred Fatongkeg (United Opposition)
Franklin Odsey (LAKAS-CMD)
David Yawan (KAMPI)

Vice mayoralty race:
William Aspilan (KAMPI)
John Diaz (Independent)

NATONIN
Mayoralty race:
Abel Bagsao (Independent)
Patrick Baguingan (KAMPI)
Ana Maria Bana-ag (LABAN/LAKAS-CMD).

Vice mayoralty race:
Constancio Chinayog (Independent)
Juan Henry For-og (Independent)

PARACELIS
Mayoralty race:
Pedro Alit (Independent)
Ernesto Gunday (Independent)
Cesar Rafael (KAMPI)

Vice mayoralty race:
Pedro Almeda (Independent)
Raul Lapon (Independent)
Eduardo Sullay (Independent)

SABANGAN
Mayoralty race:
Martin Budod (Independent)
Donato Danglose (Independent)
Junebert Gunaden (KAMPI)
Telesforo Gut-omen (LABAN)

Vice mayoralty race:
Joseph Bernardez (Independent)
Avelino Tolean (Independent)

SADANGA
Mayoralty race:
Moises Agmeyeng (LABAN)
Albert Agpawan (Independent)
Antonio Cassiw (Independent)
Estanislao Fagto (Independent)
Gabino Ganggangan (KAMPI).

Vice mayoralty race:
Francis Dangiwan (Independent)
Mathew Fanao (Independent)
Samuel Sarang-ey (Independent)
Nga-as Tecag (Independent)
Vicente Tic-chap (Independent)

SAGADA
Mayoralty race:
Dave Gulian (KAMPI)
Eduardo Latawan, Jr. (Independent)
Francis Tauli (LAKAS-CMD)

Vice mayoralty race:
Jaime Dugao (Independent)
George Tamking (Independent)
Jerry Ticag (Independent)

TADIAN
Mayoralty race:
Constito Masweng (Independent)
Anthony Wooden (LAKAS-CMD)

Vice mayoralty race:
Febe Sally (Independent)
Rogelio Yapes (Independent)

Total registered voters for the province is 86,063.

RELATED POSTS: Cordillera Election Roundup; Who's the Richest of Them All; Are Your Polititians Too Powerful. INFO SOURCE: Philippine Information Agency.

Baguio Mock Poll Results

Last 18 April, Baguio Options conducted a mock poll on the various electoral races in Baguio City. Before we give you the results, we first want to caution everyone that the mock poll is not a random survey and, therefore, we should not draw any general conclusion from the results.

In other words, the results are not representative of the will of Baguio's voters. It only represents the electoral preferences of the 135 registered voters who participated in the mock poll.

Still, mock polls are fun and we congratulate Baguio Options for this initiative. Another mock poll will be conducted on 09 May in front of the Laperal Building. If you are from Baguio and a registered voter, you might want to join the mock poll on said date from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Now the results:

Congressional race
Jose Molintas: 68 votes (55.74%)
Mauricio Domogan: 52 votes (42.62%)
Thomas Tayengco: 1 vote (.82%)
Ramon Kindipan: 1 vote (.82%)

Mayoralty race
Peter Rey Bautista: 62 votes (49.21%)
Braulio Yaranon: 29 votes (23.02%)
Leandro Yangot: 18 votes (14.29%)
Bernardo Vergara: 12 votes (9.25%)
Ramon Lado: 3 votes (2.38%)
Elmo Nevada: 2 votes (1.59%).

Vice mayoralty race
Danny Fariñas: 58 votes (49.57%)
Faustino Olowan: 19 votes (16.24 %)
Edilberto Tenefrancia: 15 votes (12.8%)
Roberto Ortega: 13 votes (11.11%)
Elmer Datuin: 10 votes (8.5%)
Antolin Mascarinas: 2 votes (1.17%)

You can view the results for the senatorial race as well as the race for membership to the Baguio City Council here.

RELATED POSTS: In Case You Want Peter or Jack to be Your Friend; Cordillera Election Roundup: Run Lola Run; Who's the Richest of Them All. INFO SOURCE: Baguio Options

First Cordillera Day in Tokyo

For our kailiyans who are based in Japan, you might want to join this Cordillera Day Celebration on 22 April (2-8 pm) at the Seikyushu Kyokai (The Church of Our Savior) in Koto-ku.

According to its organizers, "The event shall be a simple gathering of Philippine Cordillerans, where, by playing the gangsa, dancing the salip/salidsid, and sharing tapuy and pinikpikan, we hope to promote friendship and camaraderie - not only among ourselves but also among our Filipino and Japanese friends." Read the program of activities here and the map to the venue here.

RELATED: Cordi Day 2007. PHOTO CREDIT: Cesar Santoyo from this site.

Cordillera Day 2007

Our friends from the left will be celebrating Cordillera Day in Baguio City on 23-24 April. As you may already know, Cordillera Day was used to be called Macli-ing Dulag Day because it was initially held to commemorate the death of the man who led the people's opposition to the Chico River Dam. [You may want to read our brief posts about Dulag here and here.]

The Cordillera Peoples' Alliance, the main organizer of this annual event, then changed the name to Cordillera Day to recognize the other martyrs from the Cordilleras who died fighting (or who were simply killed) for what they believed in . [Some of them are listed here and the latest one is here.]

Though we do not entirely agree with our friends from the left, we believe that they do have a valid analysis of what's wrong with our society. For instance, they are correct in asserting that the scandalous poverty situation in our country is mostly because of the oligarch's stranglehold on our country's resources. And they are also correct in saying that the government appears to be more interested in protecting the interest of the privileged few than in serving the many who are poor.

And the facts do back them up. Indeed, if the government is really interested in serving the poor, then it should have implemented a genuine agrarian reform program (this is an undying issue precisely because the government failed to solve the problem of land inequity), it should have stopped paying the personal loans of Jose de Venecia and other Marcos cronies (using our taxes to pay said loans), and it should have passed a law that effectively banned political dynasties. At marami pang iba. Etcetera. Etcetera.

On the other hand, it is also good to remember that our leftist friends are not angels either. We disagree with their brand of justice like this one and we also disagree with their use of violence (at least those who decided to use violence as their means of expressing dissent against the current system).

Anyway, we wish our friends a Happy Cordillera Day! And we hope that Palparan and his ilk will not be showing their ugly heads in Baguio.

PHOTO CREDIT: Cordillera Peoples' Alliance.

Video Updates on Julia Campbell

All videos are courtesy of GMA Network.
For non-video updates, visit our first post on Julia by clicking here. It is updated regularly. Thanks.

VIDEO UPDATE 6
Juan Duntugan apologizes for killing Campbell.

VIDEO UPDATE 5
A newscast on our kailiyan Grace Dontogan, wife of the man that the police is now looking for. Here, she denies reports that her husband is connected with Campbell's death.

VIDEO UPDATE 4
Julia remembered in Albay. Co-worker: "She was very friendly, very cordial and was able to help the other teachers." You will also see footages of the library she helped put up.

VIDEO UPDATE 3
This GMA News Report retraces Julia's walk from Banaue to Batad. [Warning: Some graphic footages.]

VIDEO UPDATE 2
Campbell's body now in Manila and was brought to a funeral parlor for autopsy; the result will be known in nine days. Embassy officials confirm that the body is Julia Campbell's and that it will be flown to the U.S. after the autopsy. [Warning: In this video, the police tackily explains how an autopsy is conducted and GMA News, because it doesn't know any better, just as tackily broadcasts it on TV. Both our police and our media should really learn how to sensitive in matters like this.]

VIDEO UPDATE 1
Here's an update by GMA News television on Julia Campbell. The broadcast is in Tagalog but you can read the "print" version of this television report here. Additional information from this newscast: forensic experts are going to Ifugao to determine if the body found by the troops is indeed Julia Campbell's.

RELATED POST: Missing in Ifugao. VIDEO CREDIT: GMA News TV.

Bird Catching: Updates from Pagano and Gandang Igorota

Our good friends Pagano and Gandang Igorota wrote very interesting comments to our earlier posts on bird banding and bird catching so I decided to publish their comments here so that those who do not read the comments section will not miss the wit of our commenters and the information they add to this topic.

As it happens, Pagano comes from Sagada (where this letter came from) while Gandang Igorota comes from Nueva Vizcaya (where this letter came from), so let's consider their comments as updates from these two "bird catching" communities. For those who are not yet aware, Gandang Igorota has a blog here while Pagano also has a blog here.

Gandang Igorota on bird catching:
I have heard of the 'akik' (or ikik in your Kankanaey language) practice of bird catching in Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya and it was even featured in Magandang Gabi Bayan of Channel 2 some years ago; but yes, as far as I know, the practice is now banned by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

I'll confess though that in the earlier summers of my life (i.e. when I was still a kid), we used to catch birds (not by the hundreds but considerably many, like probably 50 or more a day and we do it everyday of the two months when school is out) by putting a bait of flapping insect through a stick that is dipped in a sticky paste from a certain tree. We usually catch migratory birds during the summers. The mechanics is that when the bird sees the insect, it flies to it and gets stuck on the paste and then you run from your hiding place to 'save' the bird. Nowadays, I don't see those kinds of birds anymore, I hope they just changed routes... makes me feel guilty that I might have contributed to their extinction. :(

Pagano on bird catching:
If that Peace Corps volunteer have had the luck to catch a few birds during their sortie to Ampakaw for him to have the chance to savor the taste of these birds, he would have said 'yummy'.:-) And it's not like you only catch a single bird and then head back home. Some of the locals here were known to have caught half a sack of birds in one trip.

Oops...not all the people here approve of the practice of bird-catching. Some of the more environmentally conscious individuals, (count me among them:-D) have tried explaining the migratory patterns of these birds -- that when the winter or the cold season in the northern hemisphere begins, these birds head south, where the temperature gets warm. It just so happens that the Philippines is the 'stopover' for these birds during their migration to the more southerly countries (Australia, New Zealand, etc.) and we should show a little more kindness to them. I told exactly that to a group of men during a night of ‘irrigation’ in one of our hangouts here and they just laughed. 'Ayke od waday mangik-ikkan is ikak-an takoy Isagada' (Nobody does it like we do), they said.

It’s not that the folks here don’t care or whatever. As that Peace Corps volunteer P.D. observed, the practice has been going on for a long time. It has turned into a tradition which gets observed, year in and year out, by the father, then the son, following the trails of their (maybe, more recent) forefathers.

P.D. is also right in saying that bird-catching is now mostly done for sport. How else would we explain why those professionals and the others, who have the money to buy all the meat they want, endure all the hardships (the long trek to Ampakaw, the cold temperature, the loss of sleep, etc.) that ‘ikik’ entails?

It’s the thrill of going up the mountain with friends, sharing in the fun of catching wildlife, and the alcohol-flavored story-telling that ensues the next day, which drives them up to Ampakaw. And if a plate of fried birds accompanies the inebriation, then the discussions get to be livelier.:-) I won’t be a hypocrite to say that I never ate a bird. I did but I stopped. (I prefer the kind which we call ‘siteg’. They’re small and not as tough as the other varieties.)

This is a kind of a dilemma for locals like me. We understand the concerns about the environment but just do try and dissuade the folks from bird-catching and you’ll be treated like a pariah. It will be you against the entire community…

Then bird flu got into the picture. I guess it’s another illustration of nature’s way of self-preservation… And you’re right, Bill. The municipal council of Sagada has passed a resolution banning ikik. Most have followed the ban, but some wisecracks have been heard to say, “If a bird had the capacity to fly from Siberia to Sagada, it couldn’t be suffering from any disease.” They could be right but the local officials aren’t taking any risks. Last year, during the ‘ikik’ season, barangay officials and some volunteers have stayed guard on the way to Ampakaw during nights, just in case. I hope it will continue.

RELATED POSTS: A Letter From the Boondocks; Another Letter From the Boondocks. IMAGE CREDITE: birdflunews.

Funny Videos [3]: Manny Pacquiao of La Trinidad, Benguet

Here's our third funny video. It is not hilariously funny but our kailiyan from La-Trinidad does resemble boxer Manny Pacquiao in some aspects. His attempt to mimic Pacquiao's attempt to speak English is kind of fun. Credit for this video goes to Rafael Manuel Jr.

In case you missed the first two funny videos we uploaded, here they are: Way to Go Kiddo and Funny or Offensive?


VIDEO CREDIT: Rafael Manuel Jr. RELATED POSTS: Way to Go Kiddo; Funny or Offensive?

Bird Banding and Bird Catching: Another Letter From the Boondocks

Aha. We have another letter dealing with the same subject as our previous post. This second letter was written by a Peace Corps volunteer who was once based in Sagada.

The letter goes into details about the iSagada practice of bird catching or "ikik". Back to the days when I was based in Sagada, I joined people (mga four or five times lang yata) who were going to Mt. Ampakaw to catch these migratory birds. It is exciting at first but it gets tiring because you have to climb this mountain at night and you have to do it during the cold months of the year. If I'm not mistaken this practice is now officially banned by the local government mainly because of the SARS/bird flu scare a few years back and also for environmental purposes. I'm not sure if the ban is effective.

30 September 1967
Sagada, Philippines

Dear Sir:

Your' bird, number 45324, showed up in Sagada and haplessly (for it) flew into a net set up for exactly that purpose: catching birds.

Sagada is located approximately 200 miles North of Manila and sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet. The bird, however, was caught on a mountain peak, a short walk from Sagada (mostly straight up), and perhaps another 1,000 feet in elevation higher than Sagada.

Because of its elevation, Sagada (and the rest of the Mountain Province) has a quasi temperate climate. And the Pine tree dominates its climax community. Quite different from the rest of the Philippines.

From what I can gather, the people of Sagada, as well as the rest of Mountain Province (Igorors), have been going up on the mountain peaks to net birds for as long as anyone can remember. The fellow who I go bird-netting with inherited his net from his grandfather, who wove the net many years ago using the bark of a special tree. In times past, birds caught were an important source of meat to the community; now, however, I believe it is mostly done for sport, although the birds netted are eaten as number 44324 will probably be. (45324
is now alive, but it can not fly due to its collision with the net and the subsequent struggle that ensued, between man and bird. We will attempt to nurse it back to health and get it off the ground again -- although it is quite doubtful that we will be successful. If the bird does fly again, we will send it back to Hong Kong; if it doesn't, we will eat it.)

Perhaps you will find the methods used by the Igorors to net birds interesting. The net, about 10 feet wide, tapering down from about 10 feet at the top to about 3 feet at the bottom, is stretched on and attached to two bamboo poles which are about 14 feet in height. The net is made of twisted bark "string" about 1/2 of an inch apart. This set-up, on the peak of a mountain, is stood up and held in the shape of a "V", the point to the ground. The net is held by a person, who, his hand placed 4 feet up the poles, either squats or sits, waiting for a bird to fly into the net. To attract the birds, to fly to and hopefully into the net, a Petromax (a pressurized kerosene lamp) is placed on the ground, a few feet to the right and behind the man holding the net.

The net, so it is believed, must be facing West. The environmental conditions must also be correct: netting of birds is only done at night; it must be a cloudy night, with the clouds low enough to sweep over the peaks where the netting is done. It is best if the clouds are blowing from East to West, thus sweeping from behind, over, and away from the direction the net is facing. There are usually birds in the East wind; although there are, so they say, birdless, East wind clouds. Sometimes, but rarely, there are birds found in clouds going in other directions, but there must be clouds present. If there are no clouds, there will be no birds. I went up last night to try my luck; freezing on the mountain top, I waited for clouds from 8pm until 4am (these are the usual times for netting), but during this time no clouds blew by; I caught no birds.

The birds that the people catch must mostly be migratory ones, because they just net during a part of the year: from the middle of September to the last of December. 45324 was caught the 27th of September.

We, here, suppose that you are studying the migration of these birds, but in a way this seems a little illogical (to me, anyway), because who would ever catch these birds in the course of their flight? Of course, you were right in this case, but it seems like Igorors catching these birds to eat would be the exception -- most peoples would not bother (the birds are so small!), and if one doesn't catch them he certainly couldn't read your address on the band. Or are you studying the total time elapsed that the birds take to get back to Hong Kong after 1/6aving?

We would be very interested in and appreciate any information that you can give us about number 45324 and its kind. And any help we could give you, we will gladly do so.

Sincerely,
P.D.
Peace Corps

RELATED POST: A Letter From the Boondocks; Rana Igorota: Going Going Gone. INFO SOURCE: elibrary.umn.edu. PHOTO CREDIT: Ecological and Environmental Learning Services.

Bird Banding and Bird Catching: A Letter From the Boondocks

Here's an interesting letter written in 1974 by a kailiyan from Nueva Vizcaya. It deals with a migratory bird which he saw hanging on a tree; he sent this letter to the organization which was banding birds probably to study their migratory patterns. Hindi kaya kilala ni Gandang Igorota ang ating letter writer?

Imugan, Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya
November 11, 1974
100-17217

Dear Sir,
Prior I proceed my letter may I greet you first say good morning or good afternoon. I send this short note ain of the bird, because it is already came here in the Philippines like here in my place of Barrio Imugan, Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya. When I go up to the forest I see a died bird hanging on the tree. When I see the big bird died, I claimed the tree in I get the bird died after I can't get, I see the big ring and their legs. So cant writing you. Sir please excuse me because don't know how speak Enlish because I am a cultural- minorities or Igorots or natives peoples So excuse me. THATS ALL and God Bless you always and merry Christmas to you all.

ToT.

Additional information from source: The remarkable young man who wrote the letter has since become chief of police of his small village. He continued to communicate with the bird banders as he has found rings among the hunters of his area. This bird that he reports was a Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) which had been ringed as a nestling in Taiwan in 1966. So it was eight years old and had managed to avoid Filipino hunters for as many winters.

RELATED POST: Rana Igorota: Going, Going, Gone. INFO SOURCE: elibrary.unm.edu.
PHOTO CREDIT: Ecological and Environmental Learning Services.

Missing in Ifugao: Julia Campbell, US Peace Corps Volunteer

Read Julia's blog here.
Watch video updates here.
Read updates on the case against Juan Duntugan (People vs. Duntugan) here.

UPDATE 18: The Philippine Star has a report on the memorial held for Julia in Fairfax, Virginia: "Between 250 and 300 people, mostly friends and relatives and Peace Corps colleagues including Karl Beck, US Peace Corps Director to Manila, attended the memorial service. Close family members wore leis around their necks to commemorate the time she spent in Hawaii where she attended middle school."

Ed Morris, Julia's brother in law, who made the eulogy had this to say: "Julia, you were not one to attempt to influence world events, but today two nations on opposite sides of our world mourn your loss." Read the article here. John Cutter also has an account on the memorial service.

UPDATE 17: You might want to read our thoughts on Juan Dontogan's surrender and confession here. Meanwhile, here's an update from ABS-CBN which, according to Dontogan, is the answer to the question "Why?": The 25-year old woodcarver said he was on his way to Batad town center last April 8 when he was bumped from behind, causing clothes in a sack he was carrying to be thrown off the mud.

Thinking it was his neighbor with whom he has a running feud, Duntugan bludgeoned the person who bumped him. "It was too late when I saw it was a tourist," Duntugan said in the vernacular. "Why would I want to hurt a tourist when it is from them that we get our livelihood."

UPDATE 16 (28 April): Dontogan apologizes for killing Julia Campbell. He says he is ready to face the consequences of the crime he committed. A homicide case will be filed against him. Video of Dontogan under police custody here.

UPDATE 15: Dontogan confesses to killing Campbell. Quote: "I neither planned to kill nor hurt Ms Campbell. Yes, I admit, I killed her. But it never crossed my mind, I never thought of doing whatever it is they think I did. That's not true." More here.

UPDATE 14 (27 April): Juan Dontogan turned himself over to police authorities today (3:20 pm). He is currently undergoing tactical interrogation. More here.

Meanwhile, a more detailed examination by police of the earlier pieces of evidence that were hoped to link Dontogan to Campbell's death yielded negative results. ABS-CBN reports: “Blood spots” earlier reported found on the pants of principal suspect Juan Dontugan and the pestle that probers said could have been used in the killing of Campbell were not actually blood. More here.

UPDATE 13 (26 April): Campbell's remains cremated this morning. Her ashes will be brought to the U.S. Embassy, then sent to her family in the U.S. More from ABS-CBN.

UPDATE 12 (25 April): Police find Campbell's camera near the place where she was buried. They hope that photos in the camera will yield clues that could help solve her death. Meanwhile two other kids, who reportedly saw the suspect Juan Dontogan (or Dontugan/Dontungan) with Julia's bag, are added to the witness list. More here. Campbell's hat and umbrella were also found inside Dontogan's house. Policemen speculate that his mother may have hid evidence linking her son to Julia's death. More here.

Police authorities theorize that more than one person may have attacked Julia based on the results of her autopsy and other pieces of evidence. GMA-7 lists the evidence that have been gathered so far.

At left is a photo of Dontogan which was circulated by the police. You can also watch a video version of the suspect's photos here [from the :19 to :41 mark].

Now, although we want whoever is responsible for Julia's death to be meted the appropriate punishment, it is unfortunate that headline writers are now referring to Dontogan as the killer. (Read here and here.). Maybe he killed Julia. Maybe he did not. He is the prime suspect but it has not yet been established that he indeed killed Julia. In fact, the pieces of evidence that have come out so far would only be considered as circumstantial evidence. They do not really pin him down as the killer. So we hope that the media stop labeling Dontogan as the killer. If, in the future, he is convicted of killing Julia or if he outrightly confesses that he did, then by all means we will all tag him as the killer. But, at this stage, I hope that the media is a little more careful.

Meanwhile, residents of Donsol, Sorsogon where Julia had her first placement in the country recall fond memories of her: “Almost everyone knew and liked her because she was friendly and always smiling. She greeted the people with a smile and a hello. She felt safe here.” Read more here.

UPDATE 11 (23 April): More info on the man the police is now looking for in relation to Campbell's death: Juan Dontogan (or Dontugan or Dontungan), 25 years old, 5’7" in height, fair complexion, and medium-built. He is a woodcarver and reportedly also lives in Km. 6, Brgy. Cruz, La-Trinidad Benguet. Source here.

UPDATE 10 (21 April): Initial autopsy results conclude that Julia died due to “multiple blunt traumatic injury to head." Meanwhile, Grace Dontogan, the wife of the man the police is now trying to find, denies allegations that her husband, Juan, is involved with Julia's death. She also asks the police to carefully review their evidence which they claim points to her husband. [You can watch a Tagalog newscast on Grace here].

Meanwhile, in a phone interview with GMA-7's Saksi, Julia's sister Geary Campbell Morris expresses appreciation for the Filipinos' outpouring of support for their family. Asked to respond to Sec. Raul Gonzales' remarks that Julia was careless and irresponsible for going to Banaue alone, Geary says: "Julia was an independent person... walking in a beautiful area. When I saw the pictures initially, I said 'Why would she not go there?'" Geary also expressed hopes of eventually visiting Banaue to walk where Julia walked.

You can watch the video here. Be warned that in the video, Vicky Morales asks some silly questions ("Does she have a boyfriend?") or questions that she should have found out in advance ("What prompted her to join the Peace Corps?"). Geeze, Vicky!

UPDATE 9: It turns out that the suspect is not actually under police custody. Our apologies for this error. The problem is that police authorities are not coordinating their communication efforts; practically every one of them is yakking with alacrity and their comments and speculations get reported in the media and are picked up by bloggers like us.

But the following are established: the suspect is a local resident who disappeared after reports of Julia's disappearance came out, a bloodstained piece of wood (which may or may not be human blood and which may or may not have been used to hit Julia) was recovered from his home, and police authorities are now looking for him and have also asked a Banaue court to issue a search warrant so they could search his home. Read ABS-CBN report here.

Our two cents: We agree with a prosecutor's assessment here that the police needs to build a stronger case. But the investigation is still in its early stage so its understandable if they have very little to show. We do hope that they will do a thorough job in establishing whether this is an accident, a homicide, or a murder. And that if it is either a homicide or a murder, that the culprit will be brought to justice.

UPDATE 8 (20 April): Suspect, a Batad resident, is now in custody. Police officer: "We recovered a piece of wood with bloodstains at the vicinity of the suspect's home. We believe that this was the instrument used in hitting Julia." More here.

Our two cents: We hope that the police is doing a thorough job on this case and is not, as happened in other high profile cases, just arresting people for the sake of presenting a suspect.

UPDATE 7: You might want to read the blogs of people who know Campbell: New Yorkian Afoot (who was with Julia in Sagada before she went to Banaue); Page's Adventure (her fellow volunteer in Albay); There and Back Again (a PC volunteer's blog); and My Year of Turning 50 (her co-worker in New York in the 1990's).

UPDATE 6: The witness earlier mentioned by the police who may be able to shed light on Julia's death is a thirteen year old boy who reportedly saw a man in the area where Julia's body was found. The man "allegedly rushed down to a dry creek when he realized the boy had spotted him". It may not be a very weighty evidence but it is a start. Police authorities are now looking for the man.

UPDATE 5: Oh my God! Now the Philippine Justice Secretary is blaming the victim. Damn! This guy should be fired. This tragedy is embarrassing enough for the country; the last thing we want is a stupid and insensitive quote from a senile government official. Sec. Raul Gonzales, please shut up your shitty mouth!

Gonzales' stupid quote: "She was a little irresponsible. Why would she walk alone in this remote mountain? I think, it would not have happened. She was careless that she took a lonely walk in this deserted area. Maybe she was confident." Source: GMA News.

Message to Gonzales: Things like this could happen to anyone even if s/he is the most careful person in the world. Please STFU.

UPDATE 4 (19 April): U.S. embassy officials confirm that the body found in Ifugao is indeed Campbell's. Campbell is now in Manila and was brought to a funeral parlor for autopsy to determine the cause of her death. She will be flown to the U.S. after the autopsy is conducted. Source: GMANews TV (here and here).

UPDATE 3: Police authorities now have a witness who might be able to shed light on the death of Julia Campbell. Robbery eyed as the most likely motive behind her death. More here.

UPDATE 2: Police authorities confirm that the body found in Ifugao is Campbell's; it will be airlifted to Manila on Thursday, April 19. Police will now treat the case as a "crime incident". Police officer: "There is a probability that there was foul play." Source: AP Report via Forbes.com. Our condolences to Julia's family.

UPDATE 1 (April 18): Troops find body believed to be Julia Campbell's. From GMA News:

Army troopers on Wednesday found the body of US Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell in Barangay Battad, Banaue town in Ifugao province.

In a text message to reporters, 5th Infantry Division chief Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang said that Campbell's body was found around 10:30 a.m.

No other details were immediately made available. Read more here.

OUR FIRST POST: We're posting this in case some of our readers from Ifugao would have, by any chance, any helpful information regarding this missing Peace Corps volunteer.

From ABS-CBN News:

A volunteer for the United States Peace Corps (USPC) had gone missing while hiking in Ifugao Province, ABS-CBN News reported Friday. The US embassy in Manila is seeking assistance and any information that would lead to the whereabouts of Julia Campbell. It added that a reward is being offered to anyone who may have details of her location.

Campbell, who served as a college teacher in Legazpi City, Albay since she began her USPC service in the country in March 2005, was last seen Sunday (April 8) in Banaue, Ifugao province. The 40-year-old Caucasian American stands 5’7", sports a blonde hair and wears eyeglasses.

The embassy said she intended to hike alone near Batad, 1.5 kilometers east of Banaue town. It was not clear whether the US embassy had sought the help of the Philippine government to locate Campbell.

Anyone who has seen Campbell may contact John Borja, Safety and Security Officer of the Peace Corps-Philippines at 0920-900-5270 or contact the US embassy in Manila at (02) 528-6300.

If I am not mistaken, Julia Campbell has a blog here. Like other blogs written by Peace Corps volunteers, her blog is very interesting because it presents the perspective of a non-Filipino trying to live the ordinary Filipino life. We hope she is okay.

RELATED POST: Video Updates on the Campbell Case.