Gloria's 2007 SONA: The Good Bill's Assessment

As reported earlier by Evil Bill Bilig, Gloria mentioned three of our kailiyans during her State of the Nation Address (SONA). They are Mt. Province Governor Maximo Dalog, Warren Ambat and Hester Umayam. Of course, she mentioned many other politicians (55 according to Newsbreak) and several other private individuals.

What's up with all that name dropping? We think it is her attempt to maintain those politicians' favor. She also mentioned the names of private persons who have achieved something (won awards, etc.) in order to appropriate their achievements and to make us believe that these people are winners because of Gloria.

Anyways, let's look at what Gloria said in relation to the Cordilleras. First, here's where she mentioned our roads (Halsema and the Tabuk-Tinglayan road) and where she gave a shout out to Governor Dalog:

Halsema Highway from Mount Data to Bontoc and the Tabuk-Tinglayan Road are being built. If you look the chart, there is something incomplete in between.

So that the Cordillera LGUs can build more of their much-needed roads, I ask Congress to require companies to pay directly to the LGUs their share of the natural wealth. I hope, Governor Dalog hears that.

I went like, "Dude, what's up with that Dalog shout out?" It was totally random. We know of course that Dalog heads (or maybe used to head) the Regional Development Council but Gloria was talking about a legislative matter which should be directed to the region's Representatives in Congress.

So, as I was saying, it was a totally random mention. But I'm sure Governor Dalog in Bontoc was so pleased and went, "Wow. I was mentioned in the SONA. I will stick with Gloria forever and ever and be her rah rah boy." [Our unsolicited advice to the Governor: "Max, don't be such a cheapo. Just because she mentioned you in a SONA doesn't mean you become a rah rah boy like Morris. Besides she mentioned tons of other politicians so it's nothing special. It comes cheaper by the dozen, you know."]

Anyway, let's move on to other things. This is where Gloria mentioned Warren Ambat:

IT (information technology) ability won for Warren Ambat of Baguio City High the most innovative teacher and leadership award in Cambodia last February, topping contestants from 70 countries, congratulations to our contestants, women.

And this is where she mentioned Hester Umayam:

Six Filipinos bagged the awards at the Intel Young Scientists Competition in New Mexico last May: Ivy Ventura, Mara Villaverde, Hester Mana Umayam and Janine Santiago of Philippine Science High; Melvin Barroa of Capiz National High, congratulations, Melvin; and Luigi John Suarez of Benedicto National High.

We are happy of course that our kailiyans got the attention of the President and were mentioned in a SONA no less. But as we said earlier, this is Gloria's attempt to make us believe that the achievements of the people she mentioned are her achievements.

It is the oldest trick in the book of public relations: If you have a very bad image, co-opt the achievements of others and associate yourself with people who have a good image.

You wonder why Gloria keeps on having her pictures taken with Manny Pacquiao? Because she believes that our positive opinion of Pacquaio will rub off on her and that we will likewise view her positively. It's called gaining a positive image by association. This is what she is trying to do in her speech. Also, by mentioning the names of Filipino achievers she would make it appear that their achievements are because of her.

Anyway, we believe that the achievements of our kailiyans are testaments to their personal abilities and NOT because of Gloria and her ilk. We are not even sure if she lifted a hand to help these people achieve what they have achieved.

Pahabol about Pacquiao. Pustahan tayo, if Pacquiao will lose in his coming bout, Gloria will run away from him before you can say, "Darn, JK Rowling killed my favorite character!" Wanna bet?

RELATED POSTS: Gloria Lastog; SONA 2007: Gloria Lastog II.

Gloria's SONA: A Report by Evil Bill Bilig

The following report on Gloria's State of the Nation Address (SONA) is an attempt by Bill Bilig's evil twin a.k.a Evil Bill Bilig to be a cool kid.

If you want to see if his report is reliable, you should visit Tingog, the Voice of the Filipino People which has the full version of the SONA. Evil Bill apologizes to Kayni in advance for including her in Gloria's nonsense. The good (ehem) Bill Bilig's reaction to the SONA will be up soon.

According to Evil Bill Bilig, Gloria's state of the nation address went like this:

Yadaa, yadaa, yadaa, yadaa. Blaa, blaa, blaa, blaa. The Philippines will be world class in 2010. Yadaa, yadaa, blaa, blaa. We will have first class airports, first class seaports, first class roads. Yadaa, yadaa, blaa, blaa. [Mentions name of politicians.] Yadaa, yadaa, yadaa, yadaa. We will send Filipinos to the moon. Yadaa, yaddaa, quack, quack, quack. [Mentions name of Mt. Province Governor Maximo Dalog.] Yadaa, yadaa, yadaa, yadaa. Halsema Road will be world class. Tabuk to Tinglayan Road will be world class. Blaa, blaa, blaa, blaa. Quack, quack, quack, quack. [Mentions names of more politicians.]

NAIA will be world class, I will change its name to Gloria Macapagal Airport. Yadaa, yadaa, blaa, blaa, quack, quack. Metro Manila will be world class, so that Kayni girl will no longer be anxious when she passes by Manila. Yadaa, yadaa, yadaa, yadaa. The Philippines will be high tech. We have cyber corridor. Yadaa, blaa, blaa, blaa, quack quack. [Mentions name of Warren Ambat of Baguio City.] Yadaa, yadaa, yadaa. Blah, blah, blah, quack, quack, quack. [Mentions name of Hester Umayam of Kalinga.]

Baa, baa, black sheep have you any wool. Donald Duck, Donald Duck, quack, quack, quack. We will kill the terrorists, those damned activists [Ed's note: like Alice Claver and Markus Bangit.] Activists are terrorists. Terrorists are activists. Bomb them, shoot them, kill them. Hunt, kill, hunt, kill. The Philippines is world class. Yadaa, yadaa, yadaa, yadaa. Blaa, blaa, blaa, blaa. [Mentions names of thousands of politicians.] Quack, quack, quack. I'm not a duck. I'm a powerful woman. I'm a queen.

RELATED: Gloria Lastog.

Gloria Lastog*

Tomorrow, Gloria a.k.a. Gollum will be delivering her State of the Nation Address (SONA). Of course we are interested in what she is going to say. We're particularly interested kung ano ang sasabihin niya tungkol sa Cordillera.

In the meantime, let's review Gloria's SONA last year where she said the following:

GLORIA: My father built the Halsema Highway from Baguio to Bontoc, and the Bagabag airport in Nueva Vizcaya to access the Ifugao rice terraces, which by the way, the UNESCO has recently praised for the way we have carried out our heritage preservation policy. We have rehabilitated the Baguio to Mount Data leg of the highway and the rest of Halsema will now follow. We will upgrade the Bagabag airport and build a new one in Lallo, Cagayan, which will connect to Cordillera by upgrading the Tabuk-Tuguegarao Road.

OUR COMMENT: Di na nahiya si Gloria. We were so incensed by this woman's credit grabbing and the shameless rah-rah-rahs of Cordillera politicians so we decided to start this blog. You might want to visit our very first post here where we stated that Gloria's dad is no Halsema builder. Also, if anyone deserves credit for the Ifugao terraces conservation, it should be the people of Ifugao and not Gloria's heritage preservation policy dahil wala naman talaga siyang policy.

GLORIA: Sa Tabuk, Kalinga, noong Abril, tumanggap ng titulo sa lupa ang ilang matatanda, pagkatapos nilang naghintay ng dalawampung taon mula noong napirmahan ang Mount Data Accord ng gobyerno at ng Cordillera People's Liberation Army. May isang matanda, suot ang lumang uniporme ng CPLA. Pumila, hila-hila ang isang binatilyo. Sabi niya, "This is not for me but for him." Agad inabot ang titulo sa apo. Narito ngayon si Ginoong Ama Balunggay at ang kaniyang apo si Jacob.

OUR COMMENT: And this is where she shamelessly pointed at our poor kailiyans as if they are exhibits in a zoo. More shockingly, our equally shameless Cordillera politicians, led by their cheerleader Morris, kept clapping their hands and going rah rah rah while the cameras zoomed in to our kailiyans' bare feet kasi they are too poor daw to afford Spartan.

GLORIA: And our post-harvest support shall continue, like the cold chain that we set up in 2004 for La Trinidad, Benguet under Mayor Nestor Fongwan. It consisted of a refrigerated storage facility and refrigerated trucks to deliver vegetables to Metro Manila. Nais kong tumaas ang kita ng mga magsasaka, at ang ina ng bawat tahanan ay makabili ng mura at sariwang gulay para sa kaniyang mga anak.

OUR COMMENT: Farmers are not really using these refrigerated facilities na ipinagmamalaki ni Gloria. Last we heard the usage rate for this cold chain is only 37%. So there must be a serious reason why farmers are not using it.

Now, if you are a farmer, would you bring your produce to a cold chain (where you have to pay pay rental fees) simply to wait for better prices which may or may not come?

Personally, we think this cold chain thing is a very silly solution to the problems of farmers (which is the legal and illegal importation of vegetables). Government officials are tempted to build cold chains because they have something to show off to visitors and say, "Look, we are high tech."

GLORIA: So that the people will know how well their money is spent, Benguet and its towns of Bakun, Bokod and Itogon have rolled out the new electronic government accounting system in their jurisdictions.

If Ifugao was able to cut its poverty in half in the first three years of our administration, from 56 to 28%, congratulations. We hope that through these programs, the other provinces can replicate the success of Ifugao.

OUR COMMENT: Do anyone of you think, as we do, that there is something wrong with the poverty figures being cited for Ifugao. We don't think the poverty figure for Ifugao was really 56% to begin with. It is an impossibly high figure and to think that hindi naman nagkakalayo ang poverty situation ng mga probinsiya ng Cordillera.

My guess, is that whoever came up with the 56% poverty statistic for Ifugao in 2003 used a method of measuring poverty different from what other provinces were using. Then when s/he discovered that she was using a different method, s/he then adopted the method that other provinces were using.

But if we are wrong and that there was indeed a huge material reduction in poverty in Ifugao (from 56% to 28%) in a very short span of time (three years), then maybe we should all learn the secret on how it was done so we can reduce poverty, not only in the Cordilleras, but the entire country.

GLORIA: Hangad nating dumami ang mga taga-Cordillera sa mga propesyon na tinitingalaan ng bayan, gaya ng mga abogadong gaya nina Maurice Domogan at Romeo Brawner. Ibig din nating makapaghanda ang Cordillera sa awtonomiya pagdating ng pederalismo, ayon nawa sa pagbabago ng Saligang Batas.

OUR COMMENT: Now, if you ever wondered why Morris is GMA's rah rah boy in the Cordilleras, the above paragraph would answer your questions. (We found her words patronizing but that's just us.)

She caresses his ego by praising him in public. So Morris, an accomplished attorney no doubt, becomes the poster boy of a cheating President. He, in turn, becomes her lackey. Buti sana kung mabigyan siya ng isang committee chairmanship sa Congress (and not that indigenous committee chair because that's not competitive at all) para naman may bayad ang kanyang pagiging lackey other than cheap public praise.

[*Note: The "lastog" in the title of this post means "liar" in Ilokano and "arrogant" in Kankanaey; both meanings apply in this case.]

PHOTO CREDIT: Inquirer via ellentordesillas.com.

Kicking Ass for the Nth Time

Congratulations kailiyans! This team from the University of the Cordilleras captured three championships during the Universal Reality Combat Championships held last June 30 at The Fort in Taguig City. From left: Kevin Belingon, Edward Folayang, Mark Sangiao, and Rey Docyogen.

Belingon, Folayang, and Docyogen emerged as champions in their respective categories. Sangaio is the coach of the team.

RELATED POSTS: Billy Alumno Kicks Ass; Sport Tayo; Igorots in the Asian Games. INFO SOURCE: karitoon.com. PHOTO CREDIT: Arnold Nicolas/karitoon.

Your Thoughts on the Importance of Local Languages

Our posts on languages generated several thoughtful comments so I decided to upload two of them here for those of you who don't visit the comments section. [Aha, you are missing 2/3s of your life if you don't read the comments in this blog hehe.] The first comment is from an anonymous commenter (Hi Anonymous!) and the second one is from Layad who, incidentally, has a blog that you should visit. Thanks you two!

Anonymous says:
Languages do come and go. When a language dies so does a memory of a culture, a way of life.

How bad is that for Filipinos (and specifically, Igorots)? I believe that a good portion of new concepts and ideas that our global capitalism will feed on will come from old ancestral concepts and ideas.

I am of the opinion that an equalizing asset in this global economy will be ideas and concepts that are discoverable only via high proficiency of our languages and intimate knowledge of our world views, cultures, and ethnic heritage.

I believe that valuable ideas and concepts are now extinct because they are buried alongside ancestral chants,stories,and practices that can no longer be passed on in their original languages.

Just think of a traditional medicinal plant that folks talk about but do not know the term for anymore...the way it is conserved and applied for curing already vague...

Hope it does not sound Greek or Chinese to anyone? ;-)

Layad Daphne says:
Yes, it does matter when a languages dies, especially if it is your own! I remember the comment of the last speaker of a certain language, (I forgot the name of the language and this last speaker died recently as well), who said that it is no fun to be the only speaker of a language, because the only people you ever talk to are linguists and they are no fun. Ha!

As for Domogan's bill, it does not quite match what I think is best although it is capturing another aspect, which is that non-Cordillerans learn from our culture and maybe we learning from it as well. But when it comes to language vitality, I believe that using the local languages in the education system especially in the early stages is the better option, as most researches would back up.

But I think there are strong oppositions towards this kind of system, because of misinformation. Many people think that using local languages in teaching would hinder children from learning English properly, that it would make the children ignorant or dumb, etc.

That is why I applaud SIL and other NGOs for piloting First Language Components in the Philippines. They have one in Butbut, Kalinga. And mind you, the results are very encouraging!

*****
Incidentally FerriCardia has been blogging about the language issue long before we started doing it here. I think the following articles which you can find at her blog blog are must reads: On Language Maintenance, Shift and Death; Minority Language Education; On Language Development and Revitalization; and On Language Dilution.

RELATED POSTS: Are Our Languages Dying; Domogan: Teach Love in Many Languages.

Domogan: Teach Love in Many Languages

We've been quite critical of Baguio Congressman Mauricio Domogan but we are not blind to the good things he has done or tries to do.

In one of our early blog posts, we noted that Domogan filed a bill in Congress which seeks to mandate the teaching of Cordillera languages in our region's universities. We identified such bill as our favorite of all the bills filed by Cordi Congressmen.

Domogan's bill went nowhere in the previous do-nothing Congress so we're glad to know that he is filing it again. We're not quite sure if this re-filed bill will have a better fate but we have to acknowledge Domogan's persistence. Here's Dexter See's article from the Manila Bulletin:

Solon seeks teaching of 8 Cordillera dialects in colleges, universities
By DEXTER A. SEE

BAGUIO CITY — Higher-education institutions in the Cordillera Region would be directed to teach their students the eight major languages in the region.

This developed after Baguio City Rep. Mauricio G.Domogan filed House Bill (HB) 1021 directing the teaching and learning of the eight major Cordillera languages as optional subjects with accredited units on the tertiary level of education in the Cordillera.

Domogan said that the teaching of Cordillera languages on the tertiary level, particularly Baguio Ilocano, Ifugao, Inibaloi, Kankana-ey, Kalinga, Isneg, Tingguian, and Ifontok is pursuant to the constitutional provision on culture.

The Baguio lawmaker said that the teaching and learning of a particular language are among the surest ways to express the cultural heritage of the people and bring about pride for one’s culture,deeper patriotism, unity, and solidarity.

Under the proposed law, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) would be tasked to implement and prescribe the rules and regulations governing its implementation.

At the same time, the different colleges and universities in the region would have the option to agree with CHED on how many of the eight languages may be taught by them.

If any part of the bill is declared unconstitutional or invalid, such declaration would not affect the other provisions of the measure.

Domogan expressed confidence that the measure will be given due course by the 14th Congress, saying this would pave the way for cultural awareness among the people of the region and students from other regions who want to learn the culture of the Cordillerans.

The Cordillera is one of the regions in the country with distinct culture and tradition that are worthy of learning, the congressman said.

Furthermore, Domogan, who is known for his advocacy of the indigenous people’s customs and traditions, said the present generation must preserve the rich culture and tradition of the Cordillera which should be passed on from generation to generation.

*****
But enough with Domogan. This blog is about us hehe. Anyways, how do you say "I love you" in your own language. In Kankanaey, it's "Laylaydek sik-a". But I'm sure you know that already.

RELATED POST: Look, Your Congresman is Working; Tabuk: Many Voices, One People; Are Our Languages Dying?

Cultural Conversations: The Consul Responds, Dan Suggests

As we promised earlier, we are publishing 1) the letter of Eric Tamayo, Philippine Consul to Japan, which responds to Dan's article as well as 2) Dan's subsequent suggestions. Thanks Dan for sharing these with us.

First, we give you the consul's letter which goes:

Dear Dan,
Thank you very much for the link, and for sharing the pictures.

Viewing the photos remains as stirring (nakakatinding balahibo, ika nga) as the time I saw the Kanto Cordillerans form the parade line and start to drum, dance, and gong their way around the grounds in pure blissful abandon. As I was with my MOFA counterparts at the time, it was a sight to proudly behold and discuss about.

Indeed, the planning and imagination of Julius and Caryn were adequately matched by the spirit and determination of the Kanto Cordillerans (including honorary Cordilleran Ka Noli) -- inclement weather notwithstanding.

From what I gathered during the Execom meetings, and on the request of CCP, the full program designed by CCP throughout the two days required that they have time to prep the stage (and backstage) for each and every segment, and there simply was not enough time, let alone physical space, to have other performers use the main stage/backstage in between the CCP performances. It was thus decided that performances other than that of CCP be done at the second (though no less minor) stage. I believe Ryan Cayabyab was supposed to have performed at the second stage as a second day finale too.

The rain changed all that of course as the CCP program got truncated, and the finale performances on Sunday were instead done on Saturday afternoon (all at the main stage). I also understood during our meetings that the VIPs were suppose to move on to the second stage after the CCP opening and light refreshments at the travel cafe, I have to look into the reason why this did not take place, though I can venture an obvious guess that the incessant rains again had something to do with it.

Nonetheless, the Cordillerans provided that brilliant spot on a rather gloomy day, and thus we could call our Fiesta day complete.

Mabuhay and mga Cordillerans sa Kanto! Hanggang sa susunod muli. Huwag sana kayo madala. Next time around, we'll select a more bulletproof date (and venue perhaps).

All the best.

Eric Gerardo E. TAMAYO
Second Secretary and Consul
Administrative Officer
Philippine Embassy, Tokyo

Dan responds with the letter below and we agree with his requests/suggestions 110%.

Dear Consul Tamayo,
My fellow Cordillerans here in Kanto, Japan, very much appreciate your reply to the article below. May we put forward the the following requests and suggestions?

1) For the next Fiestas to be celebrated in Tokyo, we would like to suggest that cultural presentations be held only in one stage. Having two stages or more creates unpleasant and awkward impressions.

2) While inviting performers and artists from the Philippines could spice up the celebrations, we believe that performances by talented individuals and groups among the Filipino communities here in Tokyo and around Japan can be as exciting and more productive. We think that with awards and prizes for excellent performances by Filipino "local" talents here in Japan, everybody would be encouraged and motivated to prepare presentations that we can all be proud of. Half of the budget given to highly paid performers and artists brought in from the Philippines would perhaps be already enough for such awards and prizes.

3) To our friends from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), we would like to request that when they perform our dances and claim it to be Cordilleran or Igorot or Ifugao or Kalinga, they dance them the way we, the Cordillerans, do. As pointed out in the article, we care very much about our identity and cultural heritage, and the last thing we would like to be saying about CCP "Cordlilleran" performances is that they are not our dances. We have a number of fellow Cordillerans who are experts in our native dances. If they are interested in learning more about Kalinga dances, they can consult Ms. Naty Sugguiyao. For dances of the Igorots of Mt. Province, they can seek advice from Mrs. Caridad Fiar-od. Ms. Sugguiyao and Mrs. Caridad Fiar-od are both in the Philippines.

If the CCP performers are still here in Japan, they can give Prof. Sylvano Mahiwo a call about Ifugao dances. Our ka-ilyans from Abra, especially Ms. Lila Lumcang-Estolas and the Agcongay sisters, can also teach them about the Itneg Tadek. Our brother Jose Pampanico, who is also based here in Tokyo, can teach them how to beat the gangsa/gongs well, play the kaleleng/nose flute and chant the true Igorot way.

We do want the CCP to perform our dances, for we know its performers are among the most talented and best trained not only in the Philippines but also around the world. But we would be grateful indeed if their performances remain true to the dance steps, swaying and movements of the different dances of the Cordillerans. If they do, they can expect the warmest and loudest cheers from the Cordillerans, whenever and wherever they perform.

Muli, maraming salamat sa inyong reply! More power to you!

With best regards,
Dan

So shall we say, all's well that ends well. We commend Dan for bringing up his concerns to our officials and we also commend Eric for responding to these concerns.

RELATED POSTS: Igorots/iCordilleras in Japan; First Cordillera Day in Tokyo; Thoughts on the First Cordi Day in Tokyo. PHOTO CREDIT: eCordi.

Igorots/iCordilleras in Japan

Rain or shine, Agpal-look tayo latta/
Men-gangsa tako kayet!
by Dan and Silahis Peckley

Rain or shine. This was what our kaka-ilyans, the Cordillerans in Kanto, Japan, agreed among themselves the day before their performance at the Philippine Fiesta 2007 in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. True enough, typhoon notwithstanding, the ladies in the colorful Cordilleran tapis/dresses and the men in wanes/g-string danced the pattong/pal-look with pride and gusto at the event, although the performance was not exactly as practiced.

This pride and gusto of Cordillerans, whether they be here in Japan, the Philippines or anyplace else, come from their pride in their identity and roots. In much the same way, we believe the Philippines would benefit greatly if all of us Filipinos felt pride in being Filipino, and loved our country and our fellow Filipinos.

At the Philippine Fiesta, performances were held in two distinct locations. The first was the park’s big stage, where, apparently, the “main” program for dignitaries, diplomats and important guests was held. The second was a much smaller “stage” located at one corner of the park, not very far from the main stage. It was at this “stage” (a platform raised around six inches from the ground, roughly 20 sq. m. in size) that performances by OFWs in Japan and other Filipino communities were held, seemingly to entertain fellow Filipinos and friends of other nationalities. It was also at this area that an ecumenical service was held first thing in the morning.

Why the two stages, and two different programs? The reason for this was not explained to our kaka-ilyans, but it was pretty clear that a distinction was made between “local” Filipinos (those residing in Japan) and those deemed good enough to perform for the dignitaries. It was quite surprising that even Japan-based Filipino singers and artists, such as Tampipi, performed in the second smaller stage. We wonder, is this how we treat OFWs, our modern-day Filipino heroes?

It seems that those who performed at the big stage were mostly flown in from Manila, among them the folk dancers of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). The presentation of the CCP group started with a segment of dances representing dances of the Philippine Cordillera. The costume they wore looked like genuine Ifugao and Kalinga native attire, but the dances they performed did not at all appear Ifugao, Kalinga nor Cordilleran. At one time, our Cordilleran friends thought they were dancing the Kalinga salidsid, but a Kalinga would most likely say that it is not their true dance.

Naturally, our kaka-ilyans felt upstaged by the CCP performance, but still they loudly cheered the performance of the CCP group. When they were informed that they were not going to present their pattong/pal-look at the same stage, however, they were furious. Instead of walking out or creating a scene, they held their heads high and still performed at the smaller stage.

Not even the rain nor the limiting space of the tent-covered area could stop them from giving their all to the performance. Going out of the tent and dancing in the rain — heartwarmingly joined by Tampipi’s Ka Noli — our kaka-ilyans toured their performance around the fiesta grounds, swaying to the beat of the gangsa and inviting the audience to join them.

After the presentation, one elder sister said, “That was not our best performance. But I am very proud of what we did.” She is indeed a true Filipino Cordilleran.

NOTE: This article was sent to us by Dan Peckley who is based in Japan. In the next blog posts, we will publish the response of Eric Gerardo Tamayo, Consul of Philippine Embassy in Tokyo, to the issues raised in this article and Dan's subsequent suggestions. [UPDATE: They're here.]

NOTE 2: This article was also published in Philian Weygan's Cordillera Today column.

RELATED POSTS: First Cordillera Day in Tokyo; Thoughts on the First Cordi Day in Tokyo. SOMEWHAT RELATED: Igorots in London; Igorots in Seoul, South Korea; Adivay 2006 in Virginia, US; Igorots in Honolulu. PHOTO CREDIT: eCordi.

Are You a Worm: Ay Bigis Ka?

Here's a video with a timely (and timeless) message. It is fun to watch and it helps that the singer is also having fun. The song is in Kankanaey but, to be honest, I don't know what the following words mean: bigis (worm/pest?), kipkipita'm (close one's eyes?), pina-ugam (impregnated?), manmisa (go to church?). The song is in Benguet Kankanaey so I'm not familiar with some of the words.

Anyway, I'm going to follow Wil's example and ask for your help in translating the song. A translation attempt for non-Kankanaey speakers is found below:

Ay Bigis Ka?
When you neglect your blessings
And drown in vice
You're pitiful... you're a worm

If you break
Your deals with others
You're a cheat... you're a worm

The worm is a problem for all plants
So if you're a worm, you're a problem in this earth

If you neglect your family
And don't teach your children
You are a big worm.

And if you are going to grab
Your neighbor's property
You're greedy/grabby... you're a worm

The worm is a problem for all plants
So if you're a worm, you're a problem in this earth

If you cheat and have many women
Karma will get you... you're a worm

If you covet money
And put it above everything
Go to church.. you worm
Change... you worm

If you change... you're a fertilizer

We are going to follow the lead of the producers of this video and dedicate this song to the contractors of Halsema and the officials who let the buwakaws get away with not finishing their project obligations.

SOMEWHAT RELATED POSTS: Biag di Gardinero; A Kankana-ey Love Song; More Igorot County Videos; Benguet Country Singer; The Igorot Yodeler. VIDEO CREDIT: Igorotbrent.

Princess Urduja: The Mother of Ibalois?

Have you ever heard of Princess Urduja? If your elementary teacher was like ours, she would have told you about the warrior princess who is believed to have ruled the Kingdom of Tawalisi way before Magellan begged the Queen of Spain to give him those danged ships to, in the words of George W, circumcise the globe. [Note: The painting above right is a visualization of Urduja by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.]

Princess Urduja and her kingdom [queendom?] was first mentioned in the travel accounts of Muslim explorer Ibn Battuta. Our national hero Jose Rizal then speculated, based on the time and distance it took Battuta to travel from said kingdom to China, that Talawisi was in Luzon. Subsequent scholars placed the kingdom in Pangasinan and its neighboring areas.

Anyway, there is an ongoing debate whether Urduja ever existed and whether the Kingdom of Tawalisi really is modern day Pangasinan. Incidentally, the province of Pangasinan honors the memory of Urduja by naming its capitol the Urduja Palace and by putting up a statue in her honor.

Rather than rehashing the "Is Urduja Fact or Fiction" debate here, you would be better informed if you visit the Pangasinan Blog where this issue is much discussed: The Case for Princess Urduja, Tawalisi in Pangasinan?, Kingdom of Talawisi: It Seems It Existed, Historian Wants Urduja House Renamed.

Now, one evidence being put forward by those who argue that Urduja is real and that Talawisi can be located in the Pangasinan area is the oral history of our Ibaloi kailiyans which traces the Ibaloi ancestry to Urduja.

From Chi Balmaceda Guiterrez's In Search of a Princess:

Urduja's name still has great resonance among the Ibaloi, one of the major ethnolinguistic tribes in the Cordillera region. Dr. Morr Tadeo Pungayan, a respected scholar of Ibaloi culture and professor at the St. Louis University of Baguio City, said, "Linguistically, Urduja is Deboxah (pronounced Debuca) in Ibaloi. We've always had a woman named Deboxah from time immemorial among the genrations of Ibaloi. The name usually describes a woman of strong quality and character who's nobly descended. That name is an Ibaloi name. That's why Ibaloi trace their ancestry from Urduja".

The Cordillera tribes, also known collectively as Igorots, pride themselves as being the only ethnic group that doesn't talk about the origin of man according to Spanish chronicles. Among the tribes, genealogy and family history are orally passed history. The Ibaloi, just like other highland tribes, could easily trace their ancestry. This is ensured by their custom of naming newborns after ancestors to help keep their memory alive and evoke affection and protection.

"No Ibaloi will bear the name of an ancestor unless she's related," Dr. Pungayan explained. While the Bontoc tribe bestows the name of an ancestor to a grandchild, the Ibaloi style is namesaking the great-grandchild, he added.

A book on the history of Benguet province, written by Anavic Bagamasbad and Zenaida Hamada-Pawid, shows the Benguet genealogy tracing tribal family lines from the year 1380 to 1899. The book says, "The extent of inter-settlement alliances is climaxed in the memory of Tublay informants with the reign of Deboxah, Princess Urduja, in Pinga. She's acknowledged as the granddaughter of Udayan, an outstanding warrior of Darew. Her death signaled continuous decline of kinship and alliance between highland and lowland settlements."

Hah! That should put the Urduja doubters in their place, no?

NOTE: If you're interested in further exploring the Pangasinan-Ibaloi connection, Lovelyn has a very interesting family story here.

SOMEWHAT RELATED POST: Gabriela Silang. IMAGE CREDIT: cream 529.

Nats Dalanao's Sayote in Oil Pastel

Here's a a picture of a beautiful sayote painting by our blogger friend Nats Dalanao of Tabuk, Kalinga. You can view his other paintings here; we especially like Living Wonders and Innocence Caught Between Rivals of Urban Politicians which was Nats' entry to the 2006 International Art Contest. Make sure you visit the links because we're not sure if Nats' will allow us to "steal" more of his paintings hehe. We "stole" this sayote painting without his permission and we don't want to abuse him further. Great paintings, Nats!

Nats also heads the Kalinga Arts Guild (if we're not mistaken). He also blogs at Kalinga, the Land of the Brave and is the owner of kalingatambayan.com which has a forum that is becoming more and more popular. Aba, hindi yata natatakot ang mga forumers na mag-expose ng mga kababalaghan hehe.

RELATED POST: Sayote: Green Gold From the Boondocks; Sayote Chuchu. IMAGE CREDIT: Nats Dalanao.

Sayote Chuchu

The Nashman shares with us a picture of a pack of sayote which he shot in Brazil where sayote is known as chu-chu. You should visit The Nashman's delightful Brazilian adventures here, here, and here.

Sabi pa ni Nashman, this pack costs R$1 which is equivalent to 50 cents U.S. So medyo kapresyo siya ng binili kong sayote nitong linggo. Pero siyempre dito sa atin, hindi ganyan kaganda ang packaging kasi wala tayong concept ng packaging hehe.

Now if you, like us, are the "slice and dump the sayote in a boiling water" kind of cook and want to improve your cooking skills, you might want to try the recipe for ensalada chuchu which we are putting below. Yes, it's a Brazilian recipe and we copied it from Bonnie Hamre.

Hah! If you thought this is not a blog where you can find recipes, you should think again. We are going to give In Our Kitchen a friendly competition!

Ensalada Chuchu/Sayote Salad

INGREDIENTS:
6 chayotes or cucumbers, peeled and seeded
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 thinly sliced onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 teaspoons chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
5 tablespoons while vinegar

PREPARATION:
Boil the chayote or cucumbers for 10 minutes, no more. Drain, place in a bowl, then dress with salt, pepper, garlic, onion, parsley, oil and vinegar. Mix well and refrigerate before serving.

QUIZ: Ano ang brand name ng Brazilian sayote na kinodak ni Nashman? Ililibre ko ng free lunch (with boiled sayote as the dish of course) ang makakasagot ng tama :-)

RELATED POST: Sayote: Green Gold From the Boondocks. PHOTO CREDIT: The Nashman

Sayote: Green Gold From the Boondocks

Sayote a.k.a. chayote a.k.a. sechium edule is now selling at P20/kilo here in Manila. It's a bit cheaper than cabbage and wongbok but it's also much much cheaper to produce. Unlike the other highland vegetables which need a lot of farm input (those dangerous pesticides and commercial fertilizers), sayote is rather cheap and easy to raise. You just plant a seed anywhere, water it occasionally and it will bear fruit long after the end of Gloria's disastrous reign.

Sayote is believed to have originated from Guatemala and Mexico. It might have reached our corner of the world during the days of the galleon trade when the Philippines was trading with Mexico.

Some tidbits about sayote:

* Wangal, La-Trinidad produces the best sayote according to people from Wangal. [Source, scroll down]

* The raw pulp can be used to sooth skin rashes. The roasted leaves help in the suppuration of boils. [Source] (Comment: How does one roast the leaves?)

* We Igorots, who are not really known for our cooking skills, cook sayote by dumping chunks of them along with things like etag or beaten-to-death chicken in a potful of boiling water. Thankfully, JMom has a post on how you can cook guisadong sayote to add to your (I'm guessing here) non-existent culinary skills.

* The sayote shoots which you buy in the Baguio City Market are nothing but sayote leaves. It's not good for pasalubong unless you don't like the person you are giving them to. [Source: Personal Experience]

* Sayote is rich in amino acids and vitamin C according to wikipedia.

* Sayote Myth 1: In Australia, a rumor has floated around for years that McDonalds Apple Pies were made of sayote, not apples. This eventually led them to emphasize the fact that real Granny Smith apples are used in their pies. Interestingly, sayote is more expensive than the apples supplied to McDonalds Australia. [Source: wikipedia]

* Sayote Myth 2: Due to its cell regenerative properties, it is believed as an urban myth that this fruit caused the mummification of people from Colombian town of San Bernardo who extensively consumed it. The very well conserved skin and flesh can be seen in the mummies today. [Source: wikipedia] (Question: Did our Kabayan ancestors use sayote to preserve the mummies?)

* Sayote "co-starred" in the movie Daan Patungong Kalimugtong which we reviewed here.

* Sayote is usually the Cordillera Region's relief contribution to other regions facing disasters/calamities. [Source]

NOTE: I was thinking of doing a post on why sayote is called a "green gold" but got distracted by all the above tidbits. Anyway, I'm sure you know why it is called the green gold from the boondocks :-)

PHOTO CREDIT: Baguiocity.com

The Hen Walked Coquetly (or The Greatest Tragedy of Our Time)

Forget the fact that some of our kids have to walk three hours a day to go to school; this is not a great tragedy. Heck, it's not even a tragedy. It is a big challenge for the kids alright but not a tragedy.

So what's the greatest tragedy of our time? Well, it's the fact that our kids who are attending public schools are using textbooks which are riddled with tons of mistakes. We should thank Antonio Calipjo Go for pointing out the errors (usually grammatical and/or factual) in our kids' textbooks.

Read the following errors and weep:

In English textbooks:
* We grow our hogs in our own farms so you’re sure to get meat that is grown.
* He seemed to be waiting for someone, not a blood relation, much less a bad blood.
* The high flagpole could be seen easily. During windy days, the flag flies so high it doesn’t drop. The national anthem sounds so high that we cannot reach the pitch.
* Choke: stop breath by blocking the windpipe. The baby was choke from eating biscuits.
* Open door on back of camera, place film and close camera door.
* The hen walked coquetly.
* The potato pursued a disapproving lip.
* Look at the sky at night. You see the moon and the stars. Then you see lightning flashes and you hear thunder before the downpour of rain. Why is the sky? And why is the sky?
*Seeing a rainbow in the sky is like a dream that disappears that’s why a child wants it painted permanently in the sky.
* Science is what we find out by studying the world around us.
* As the campers trek through the trail at the rainboat they’ll stop now and then. They had huffs and puffs.
* The mountain climber was flown off his feet.
* Not all mountains are made by wrinkles in the ground.
* God’s footsteps bulged the mountains up.
* Kiosk: a somewhat similar structure open at one or more sides used as a bandstand.
* Fort Santiago was the fortress used by Rajah Soliman as his protection against the Spaniards.
* Galileo invented a magnifying telescope to study the moon.

In Filipino texbooks:
* Walang ulap kung umaga. Nasinghot na ng lumalaking populasyon.
* Si Pres. Garcia ay kumita ng unang liwanag sa Talibon, Bohol.
* Ang sipon ay umaapekto sa buong katawan.
* Ang kahirapan ay hindi sagabal patungong kaitaasan.
* Chick boaster at broiler ang kinakain ng mga sisiw na pugo.
* Ang kanin ay galing sa halaman.

And if you remember Sisa, Basilio, and Crispin in Noli Me Tangere, you will recognize the following scene despite the hilariously bad writing (it might have been written by someone as crazy as Sisa):
* On Basilio’s skull, fire nicked. The tiny fire had a blow, huge and quick. He touched the fire on his skull. Past all that is beyond, he runs. Guavas hang ripe from the trees; they leap from branch to branch, like the fleet of butterflies. Sisa runs out of the town in the woods, runs into the gate. She cries with joy and in that joy dies.

Pinoy Press has the complete list of errors, you might want to read it here if you want to continue getting mad (or having a good laugh). You might also want to read Anitokid's criticism of the Department of Education for minimizing these mistakes. Our favorite columnist, Conrad de Quiros', also wrote a column about the matter which he has aptly titled Reign of Error.

Finally, you might want to read this gem of a story written by Gandang Igorota about a teacher who is as weird (and as harmful) as these textbooks.

UPDATE: More absurdities at the Department of Education.

SOMEWHAT RELATED POST: When Your Kids Won't Go To School.

The List: More on Julian Chees

Do you remember Julian Chees? To refresh your memory, Chees is an iFontok who's made a name for himself in the world of karate. He made it to the 6th installment of our List of Achievers where we stated that our kailiyan has won several karate titles.

Not a lot of us know about Chees' exploits because he was representing Germany (where he is based and where he is known as kleine Phillippino) when he won his many titles.

Anyway, Chees made the news again when he captured his second world karate title last month. According to Ramon Dacawi, our kailiyan "captured the individual kata (formal exercise) in the seniors’ division of the World Championships in Bergamo, Italy. It was his second world title, coming 14 years after he topped the open event in the 1993 World Shotokan Championships in Saarbrucken, Germany as member of the German national team." Read the full story here.

If you want to see more pictures of Julian Chees, visit our earlier post of him here.

RELATED POSTS: List of Achievers: Part 6; Julian Chees in Pictures. PHOTO CREDIT: bkc-magdeburg.

Boon Award: La Trinidad Mayor Artemio Galwan

So here's our first awardee for the Boon Award: Mayor Artemio Galwan of La Trinidad Benguet. Why does he deserve this award? Because he rejected the plan of barangay captains to operate bingo in the municipality. [If you are wondering why we are suddenly giving out awards, read this one.]

From a report by Jane Cadalig in Sunstar:

"It (‘bingo sa barangay’) is practically gambling. Why engage in questionable forms of fund-raising activities when we can raise money through other legitimate means?" Galwan said.

The mayor said he does not want to create a worry among his constituents by allowing activities that have raised concerns in areas these were initially operated like Baguio City.

"It has raised concerns in Baguio, so why do we transfer the headache here? I will not welcome the ‘bingo sa barangay’ in the municipality," Galwan told reporters.

We don't like any form of gambling so we are giving our first Boon Award to the La-Trinidad mayor. Two thumbs up to you sir.

Note: We have tried in vain to find a picture of our first awardee but the only thing we found is this one. We think it would be an injustice to him if we upload it here kasi nakatutok ang camera kay she-who-must-not-be-named.

INFO SOURCE: Sunstar Baguio

The Boondock Awards

Do you love awards? If you do then you might want to help us in this award giving exercise which we are going to name the Boondock Awards.

There will be two awards. The first one, which we are calling the Boo Award is for our kailiyans who need some friendly reminder that they have strayed or are straying from the right path.

The second award, which we are calling the Boon Award is for those who have done something good and whose acts should be recognized and encouraged. This award is our way of giving the thumbs up to our kailiyans who've done a good thing.

We're sure you are familiar with the origin of the names of our two awards. Boo, of course, is an interjection which is used to express disapproval. Boon, on the other hand, is a noun which means "a benefit bestowed" or "a blessing or benefit".

So if you know of any kailiyan who deserves either the Boo or the Boon award, do bring them to our attention in the comments section or through email (igorotblogger@gmail.com). Thanks.

IMAGE CREDITS: Kookerkids.com and Childsgalaxy.com

COMELEC Proclaims Cesy Luna as Abra's Representative

Abra will have a Representative when Congress opens this month. Congratulations to former Lagayan Mayor Cecilia Luna (seen in photo above through her bullet riddled campaign vehicle) who won over ex-Governor Vicente Valera for the post. Luna was proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) last Wednesday, July 11.

This marks the first time in 20 years that the Valeras, who ruled Abra since EDSA Uno, will be out of power.

From the Inquirer: "Luna, in the latest Comelec tally, garnered 34,103 votes while Valera received 33,493 votes, or a margin of 610 votes. Gil Valera (no relation to Vicente) was third with 17,828 votes."

Again, congratulations to Abra's new Congresswoman. However, we would like to echo this comment from Abrenian.com: "... lead us not into bad but in peace and progress.."

UPDATE: Valera reveals that he is going to contest Luna's proclamation even if he has to go all the way to the Supreme Court. Report here.

RELATED POSTS: By Only 610 Votes; Abra Election Results; Run Lola Run; Abra's Violent Politics Claim Two More Lives. PHOTO CREDIT: AFP/Jay Directo via Abrenian.com

Blog Advisory

For some reason the "Read More" link which should open the rest of a post is not working. A "Read More" link also appears in very short posts even if it is not supposed to be there.

We're not sure if this is a problem with Blogger/Blogspot or with the hack which we included in this blog's template. It's quite irritating really and we are looking for the solution to this weird problem.

In the meantime, the best way to read a post is to click at the title and not the "Read More" link.

Our apologies and thanks :-)

UPDATE: Mischief managed.

Know Your Officials: Kalinga Governor Floydelia Diasen

RELATED POSTS: On Kalinga Governor-Elect Diasen; Kalinga Election Results; Updates on the Diasen Case (Part 1 and Part 2); Black Saturday in Kalinga. PHOTO CREDIT: PIA-CAR.

Weird News Roundup

WEIRD. Was Cordillera Tourism Director Purificacion Molintas misquoted in this news report or is she simply clueless? You can read the report here, but here's the questionable quote:

Our main focus at the moment will be the Ifugao rice terraces areas and the Sagada Caves in Mountain Province where the centuries-old mummies are kept, she said.

We'd like to believe that she was misquoted because otherwise she has no business leading our region's tourism effort. In case you don't know yet, there are no mummies in Sagada's caves. The mummies are found in Kabayan.

ALSO WEIRD. Were the high school students in Tuba National High School possessed by the spirits of dead Japanese soldiers or were they simply "hysterical" as claimed by the school head? More at Sunstar and at the Nordis Blog. Whatever it was, we're sure glad if things get back to normal.

KIND OF WEIRD. We like the fact that the Baguio City Council passed an ordinance which requires the use of paper bags (rather than plastic) by business establishments but we're wondering why it will only be fully implemented in 2012. We Filipinos are notorious for having a short memory and it's quite possible that when 2012 comes around, no one will remember this ordinance. So it might go the way of those good laws that are never really implemented. More here.

PAREHONG WEIRD. We don't know which is weirder: the fact that pre-arranged marriages still exist or the fact that a local legislative body is trying to legislate a personal/family matter. More at Northern Times.

WEIRD PA RIN. We never realized that Baguio, the City of Pines, has a concrete pine tree which was constructed to the tune of P2 million. More from Alfred Dizon.

NOT REALLY WEIRD. Apparently, Levi's jeans (the original version) are now being made in Loakan. But for a fraction of the price, you can buy a similar pair of jeans made of the same material that Levi's uses and tailored by former Levi's workers. Saan ka pa? More at Sunstar.

WEIRD HEADLINE. This is the weirdest headline we've come across so far: "Baguio Moralists Praise Abra Policemen". Moralists, eh?

Our Town: Bagulin, La Union

The town of Bagulin is found in the Cordillera mountain ranges but, administratively, it is a part of the province of La-Union. The town's name was either derived from the name of a Kankanaey chieftain or from its original settlers, the Bago Igorots. More here.

Historically, Bagulin used to be a part of the old Mt. Province (i.e., the present Cordillera Administrative Region except Abra) but it was transferred to La-Union in 1923 following an agreement by the governors of the two provinces. At present, about 85% of the population of Bagulin are Kankanaeys or Bagos.

OTHER OUR TOWN POSTS: Bakun, Benguet; Sta. Marcela, Apayao; Bucay, Abra; Asipulo, Ifugao; Sagada, Mt. Province. SOMEWHAT RELATED: Candon, Ilocos Sur. INFO SOURCE: bagulin.gov.ph; PHOTO CREDIT: Lakbay Pilipinas.