The Town Of Barlig Should Tap Jeyrick Sigmaton To Boost Its Tourism Industry

If there’s anything we can learn about the Carrot Man phenomenon, it’s the always standing possibility that anyone living in utter obscurity can become an immense celebrity in very short notice – through the power of social media. One day, you are harvesting carrots. Days later, there are photos of you flooding the internet like an avalanche out of nowhere. And you are not even aware of it until someone tells you what’s happening. Such are the circumstances of the times we currently live in.

For Jeyrick Sigmaton, this instantaneous attention can either propel him to even bigger things or hurt him like an arrow to the knee. So far, the young man seems to be taking it well. That’s a good sign considering the observation by the majority that he’s a rather shy guy. However, it’s hard not to feel a bit of pessimism about the whole thing if you are going to try and think about what the future could hold for him.

There are rumors that he has already signed a deal with a television network. If this has any truth to it, there are three possible paths for the young man. Acting. Modeling. Advertising. With a face like that, he can sell anything. And he has charisma, he has already proven that. I’m not going to comment any further about these possible paths as I have no idea about the young man’s capacity or level of readiness should he try to pursue these things. All I can do is hope that those handling his affairs take care of him, take their time to polish him for whatever endeavor they’ve planned for him, and not throw him into the lion’s den.

As an observer, I have but a humble suggestion that can be very beneficial to both Jeyrick and his hometown of Barlig in Mt. Province. Thus the title of this piece. I greatly believe that Barlig has strong potential as a tourist destination. And what could be a better way to boost this industry than tapping a local-guy-turned-national-celebrity? Barlig is generally an agricultural town. Its economy revolves around this sector. The town’s economy would be the recipient of significant growth should those in power decide to be more aggressive in courting tourists. This is where Jeyrick enters the picture. He’s from the town. He knows the life there. He breathes the culture. In a nutshell, he’s the perfect representative.

Of course, for people to visit Barlig, it has to offer something. The town does have a lot to offer. For a start, there’s Mt. Amuyao, a natural wonder that has more than enough to whet the appetites of climbers and hikers in search of a challenging trail. The town has other peaks, mossy forests, and mountain lakes ready to be discovered (or rediscovered, if you may). What the town needs is the will to create a plan, devise a system, and build infrastructure for its tourism campaign. Letting people know of the natural wonders of the town would be a good start. With Jeyrick at the forefront, this is an achievable feat. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

Left: photo by Edwina Bandong. Right: artwork by Jo-anne Siadto.

I’ve seen first-hand how promoting a local town or barangay as a tourist destination can raise said town or barangay’s economy. About two months ago, I went to Ampucao in Itogon and climbed Mt. Ulap. Two or three years ago, this mountain is basically unknown. Nobody knows about it except the local residents and the most avid climbers. But look at it now. On any given day, there are dozens of hikers going through what is now called the Mt. Ulap traverse. These climbers inject thousands of pesos into the local community every day.

To get an idea of how much goes into the communities of Ampucao and Santa Fe because of this influx of adventurers, let me show you a breakdown of how much I spent when I went there.
35 pesos – fare from Baguio City to Ampucao
100 pesos – registration fee
400 pesos – tourist guide fee
30 pesos – two bottles of water
35 pesos – snack at the exit point in Santa Fe
50 pesos – fare from Santa Fe back to Baguio City

That’s a total of 650 pesos. The drivers plying the Baguio City-Ampucao-Santa Fe routes get a boost in their daily income. Dozens of local residents get employment as tourist guides. The barangay gets 100 pesos for every hiker. Stores and other business establishments in Ampucao and Santa Fe also get a boost in income.

I’ve heard that there are times when the registration booth in Ampucao logs in over 300 climbers in one day. That’s 30,000 pesos going into the barangay’s coffers in just a day. That’s 25,500 pesos being earned by jeepney drivers (assuming that every one of the hikers ride a public jeep back and forth).

Each tourist guide can accommodate up to ten people for the guide fee of 400 pesos. Let’s assume that the 300 hikers are composed of groups of 10 individuals. Doing the math, there are 30 groups paying 400 pesos each. That’s 30 tourist guides being employed for the day and 12,000 pesos being injected into the local economy. This is not to mention the money spent by the hikers in stores within Ampucao and Santa Fe.

The town of Barlig can learn from this setup to device their own tourism plan. They may not achieve the level of success that Mt. Ulap currently enjoys but the benefits will be worth the effort. Barlig is so far away from Baguio City so accessibility is definitely a problem. But here’s something they should note about seekers of adventure – to a lot of them, distance is irrelevant.

That Nike And Stephen Curry Story By A Pacquiao Defender That Went Viral Is False And Misleading

As I write this piece, the Facebook post by someone named Ronnie Magtibay has nearly 150,000 shares. This is unacceptable and dangerous given the fact that the story is fabricated. The post was obviously an attempt to criticize Nike's decision to let go of Manny Pacquiao as an endorser because of his anti-LGBT comments. Criticism is fine just as long as you don't fabricate stories to prop up your arguments.

In said post, Magtibay wrote: "Nike approached Stephen Curry to endorse their shoes but Stephen said "I will sign a contract only in one condition. And that is to put on the shoes my favorite Bible verse which is Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Nike did not like the idea. But Under Armour accepted Stephen's condition. His shoes is the fastest selling commodity by Under Armour."

This is simply not true. Just a quick Google search will tell you what really happened. There's absolutely nothing that tells of a story wherein Curry said he will sign a contract with Nike only if he can put a Bible verse on his shoes. We are talking about a global brand here letting go of an endorser because of his religious beliefs. If this really happened, there'd be thousands of pages online tackling the issue. America is a secular country and issues like this get a lot of traction. Not a single story about the thing.

I repeat, this story by Magtibay is not true. Curry already had an endorsement deal with Nike and in fact he had his own personalized shoes with a Bible verse on it. This was during a time before he turned into a superstar. When the endorsement contract ended, Nike offered another contract to try and keep him. Under Armour then countered the offer. Nike didn't make another offer. Remember that this happened before Curry's breakout as a superstar in the sport. So of course, Curry signed with Under Armour which was the higher bidder.

In a nutshell, Nike let go of Stephen Curry because the company thought that the basketball star wouldn't be able to sell signature shoes. So it was a business decision. The company didn't let him go because they didn't want to put Bible verses of Curry's choosing on any of their shoes. They let him go because at that time they thought he isn't a very promising business investment.

That all said, let's go back to Mr. Magtibay. I'm assuming that he is a religious person, a Christian. After all, in his profile, he has written "Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior." I want to ask Mr. Magtibay a question. Isn't lying an abomination in the eyes of your Lord? According to Proverbs 19:9, "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will perish."

BENECO Notice Of Scheduled Power Interruptions From February 22 To February 26

February 22, Monday, 9 am to 5 pm – Parts of Ambuklao and Maria Basa, Baguio City; DPS Compound, Baguio City; Tetep-an Village, Bakakeng, Baguio City; Parts of Lower Brookside, Baguio City

February 23, Tuesday, 9 am to 5 pm – Cresencia Village, Upper Bokawkan Road, Baguio City; Parts of Lower Balacbac, Sto. Tomas Proper, Baguio City; Publacion, Tuba

February 24, Wednesday, 9 am to 5 pm – Supang, Twin River, Mambolo, Tinongdan Proper, Dalupirip, Calew, Cabaritan, Balococ, Cashet, Tabu, Bantic Uling, Lawigen; Inselbeg, Parts of Pines Park, Parts of Tawang-Ambiong crossing, La Trinidad; near Guisad Valley National High School, Baguio City; Brookspoint near barangay hall, Baguio City; BWD, Woodsgate, Camp 7

February 26, Friday, 9 am to 5 pm – Tuding Slide, Itogon; Otek Street near Rizal Park, Baguio City; Lamut Shilan junction, La Trinidad; Cruz going to Mount Kalugong, La Trinidad

Reasons for the scheduled power interruptions:
1. Relocation of secondary pole
2. Rerouting of secondary line
3. Rehabilitation of secondary line
4. Relocation of eroded primary pole
5. Rerouting of primary and secondary line
6. Installation of intermediate poles
7. Correction of primary pole assemblies
8. Correction of primary structure

La Trinidad Strawberry Festival 2016 Schedule And Calendar Of Events

It's that time of the year again when strawberries take center stage in the town of La Trinidad in Benguet. The 35th Panaspulan Strawberry Festival with the theme "A more colorful agro-eco tourism" will kick off on February 18 with a press conference at the La Trinidad Municipal Park.

The festival will feature a diverse set of events that include music competitions, a fun run, a job fair, a motocross, a dog show, a pageant, and a search for the biggest and sweetest strawberry. Check out the full schedule and calendar of events below.

Date	Time	Activity	Venue
February 18	10 am	Kapihan (Press Conference)	Park
February 27	8 am	Valley Clean-up Drive	La Trinidad
March 1 to 31		Agro-Industrial Trade Fair and Best Barangay Booth Competition	Public Market Grounds
March 4	8 am	Ecumenical Service and Opening Program	Gym
March 4	10 am	Ribbon Cutting Ceremony and Opening of the Strawberry Lane and Agro-Industrial Trade Fair	Park
March 6	1 pm to 9 pm	Strawberry Glam Jam	Park
March 8	9 am	International Women’s Day	Gym
March 7 to 28	8 am to 5 pm	Art and Photo Lane (with coloring, hand painting, and solar painting activities)	Park
March 11	3 pm	Battle of the Bands	Gym
March 12	5 am	Strawberry Fun Run	Park
March 12	7:30 am	Duting tan Dukto	Park
March 12	8 am to 6 pm	Strawberry Fest Motocross
March 12 to 13	5 to 8 pm	Concert at the Park	Park
March 15	8 to 5 pm	Job Fair	Gym
March 16	2 pm	Strawberry Baking and Pastries Competition	Park
March 17	9 am	Dog Show	Market Grounds
March 17	10 am	Search for the Biggest and Sweetest Strawberry Fruit	Park
March 17	2 pm	Flower Arrangement Contest	Park
March 17	3 pm	Mr. and Ms. La Trinidad Pre-Pageant	Gym
March 18	6 to 10 am	Civic Parade	Km 6 to Gym
March 18	10 am	Main Program	Gym
March 18	12 noon	Kekkan	Gym
March 18	2 pm	Multi-cultural celebrations and Owik tan Tayao	Gym
March 18	3 pm	Sisterhood Signing with Guam	Gym
March 19	6 am	Procession in honor of St. Joseph	Km 5 to San Jose
March 19	8 to 10 am	Street Dancing, Mini-Float Competition, and Drum and Lyre Competition	Km 6 to Municipall Hall
March 19	6 pm	Barangay Night	Gym
March 19	6 pm	Strawberry Punch	CCDC Gym
March 20	8 am	La Trinidad Got Talent	Gym
March 20	9 am to 6 pm	Strawberry Speed Fest	Wangal Sports Complex
March 22	8 am to 6 pm	2nd Valley of Colors Circuit Tour	La Trinidad
March 21 to 25	8 am to 5 pm	1st La Trinidad SME Convention	Gym
March 26	6 pm	Strawberry MMA	Gym
March 27	6 pm	Dart Wars
March 28	9 pm	Mass Wedding and Renewal of Vows	Park
March 28	6 to 9 pm	Coronation Night – Mr. and Ms. La Trinidad	BSU Gym
March 29		Search for the Cleanest and Greenest barangays and schools
March 29	2 to 5 pm	Culminating and Awarding Program	Gym

Image credit: Valred Olsim via Facebook

Why Is There A Railing Blocking This Pedestrian Lane In Baguio City (Zandueta Street)?

A pedestrian lane is supposed to be an unobstructed section of the street where people can cross safely. This is not the case at all at a pedestrian lane along Zandueta Street in Baguio City. Onie Felizco took a photo of said pedestrian lane and posted it on Facebook. Where the markings of the lane start, a railing that measures about two meters obstructs pedestrians. People who wish to cross will have to make their way around the railing.

Whatever happened to common sense?

Now, we don't know which was built first on that area of the street. The railing or the pedestrian lane? Whichever is the case, that railing has no business standing there and obstructing people who want to cross the street. I think that the railing was already there before that section was turned into a pedestrian lane. Which means whoever put that pedestrian lane there was either too lazy to remove the railing or simply didn't care.

The pedestrian lane looks like it has been there for a while. Which brings us the question: When will those in power and the agency concerned roll up their sleeves and do something about it?

Image credit: Onie Felizco via Facebook

BENECO Notice Of Scheduled Power Interruption For February 15 To February 19

February 15, Monday, 9 am to 5 pm – Adabong, Caponga, Tublay; parts of Pico, Chinese Village, La Trinidad; parts of Banig, Tawang, La Trinidad; Purok 2, Pinsao Pilot Project and Purok 5, Pinsao Proper, Baguio City; Delia St., Green Valley Subdivision, Dontogan, Baguio City; Monglo, Amocao, Pedawan, Sabdang, Sablan, Palali, Sawali, Sablan

February 16, Tuesday, 9 am to 5 pm – Ucab, Garrison, Malasain, Docut, Baayan, Antamok Trail, Minac, Tram, Canog, Beckel, Antig-in, Tocmo, Labilab, Otso, Loacan, Luneta, Beda, Saldin

February 17, Wednesday, 9 am to 5 pm – Rimando Road, Upper and Lower Brookside to Chinese Hospital DS, Honeymoon Road, Holy Ghost Proper, Laurel St., Bonifacio Street to corner General Luna Road DS, New Lucban, Caguioa Street, T. Alonzo Street Upper Magsaysay Avenue, Center Mall, Dagohoy and Lakandula Street, City Market, Maharlika Building, Tiongsan Harrison, Carantes, Lower Mabini, Diego Silang Street, Calderon Street, Harrison Road, SSS, Governor Pack Road, UC to rotunda, right side of Session Road going up

February 18, Thursday, 9 am to 5 pm – Ampucao, Philex Road, Samoyao, Saddle, Hartwell, Gold Stream, Kias, Lower Liwanag, Loakan Proper, Bubon, EPZA, Pinesville, PMA, Atok Trail, Magsaysay, Apugan, Spring Hills, Loakan, Woodlane Court, Kadaclan Village, VOA, DENR

February 19, Friday, 9 am to 5 pm – Asin Road, Cabluyen, Km 5 Asin Road down to Tadiangan, Asin roads, San Pascual, Tarong; Bengao, Central Bakakeng

As per the BENECO advisory, here are the reasons for the scheduled power interruptions:
1. relocation of primary pole
2. replacement of rotten poles
3. relocation of secondary pole
4. restructuring of primary pole structure
5. replacement of cracked primary pole
6. relocation of sinking primary pole
7. replacement of recloser tank
8. rerouting of primary lines
9. extension of new primary line
10. correction of leaning primary line

Japanese National Voluntarily Paints An Overpass In Baguio City

It's no secret that a lot of the overpasses in Baguio City are in disarray. Floors that get flooded with water when it rains. Roofs that leak. And paint jobs that are either peeling off or are covered with soot, dust, etc. This is not to mention the litter that people wantonly drop on the sides of the overpasses. Go to town and look at the overpasses. They are drearily dull. They lack brightness.

It's the lackluster appearance of the overpasses that made a Japanese national living and working in the city to start painting an overpass there. It's an attempt to give the overpass a touch of color. It's a commendable act. But at the same time it makes you feel a bit of shame. It's like looking at your own house being overhauled for free by a guest or a stranger.

Querobin XD, a Facebook user, took a photo of the Japanese man painting the railing of the overpass and posted it online. If I'm not mistaken, the overpass in question is the one connecting the Baguio Center Mall to the City Public Market.

The man's name is Mazakasu Nose. And this isn't the first time he's been seen doing things for the city. If you regularly pass by Session Road, Harrison Road, or the overpass in front of Maharlika, chances are you've come across Nose picking up trash there. With a black garbage bag and a tong in tow, Nose roams the said roads and overpass most mornings to pick up trash.

Nose has been a resident of Baguio City for quite some time. He now runs a small stall at the Baguio Center Mall called Masaya Takoyaki. He sells takoyaki and waffles. A takoyaki is a "ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion. Takoyaki are brushed with takoyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce) and mayonnaise, and then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi). There are many variations to the takoyaki recipe, for example, ponzu (soy sauce with dashi and citrus vinegar), goma-dare (sesame-and-vinegar sauce) or vinegared dashi." [Wikipedia]

Nose promotes his takoyaki stall by handing out fliers almost everyday at the top of an escalator at the Baguio Center Mall. His stall is located at the third floor.

As a way of appreciating the good works of this selfless Japanese man, we can give back by patronizing his takoyaki stall. He more than deserves it.

Image credit: Querubin XD via Facebook.

Binay Camp On Sign Spotted At The Banaue Rice Terraces: 'That's Probably Black Propaganda'

For context, here's a short summary of what the issue is all about: Just recently a huge sign spelling the surname of Vice-President Jejomar Binay was spotted at the Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao. As expected, the sign attracted a deluge of comments and criticisms (mostly negative).

Common criticisms include:
1. That's the Banaue Rice Terraces. It should be free from the clutches of dirty politics.
2. That's a form of early campaigning (assuming that it was put by the Binay team).
3. Epal.

Now, here's the thing. The Binay camp has denied any role in the putting up of the sign. In the words of Atty. JV Bautista (the Secretary General of the United National Alliance): "We have nothing to do with that." UNA is the political party of Presidential candidate Binay. Bautista also strongly believes that the sign is the handiwork of someone trying to pull off a piece of black propaganda.

Now, here's another thing. The man who put up the sign is a 66-year-old man named Henry Lumabong. He said he built the sign because he supports Binay and that he thinks Binay can do to Banaue what he did to Makati. And it's his land so he can put up any sign he wants on it. That's an argument that's hard to contest. If you support Poe, go put up a sign on your own field. To each his own, let's just leave it at that.

In hindsight, Lumabong seems to be at the losing end here. He is a very eager supporter of Binay. So eager that he took the time to stitch together more than a dozen empty sacks to form the sign. Only to be dismissed by no other than the party's Secretary General as a purveyor of black propaganda. Poor guy. For his part, Bautista needs to drill into his head that it's very likely that his party has supporters voluntarily putting up signs everywhere. His quick dismissal of the sign (like he did with a similar sign in Cebu) as black propaganda is .... well, kind of childish.

Ifugao Governor Denis Habawel Proclaims Support For Jejomar Binay's Presidential Run

Ifugao governor Denis Habawel was present when the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) political party held a press conference at the Baguio Country Club on Tuesday (February 2). Also present at the event were UNA secretary general JV Bautista, UNA Ifugao provincial coordinator Cicero Lumauig, and Ryan Mangusan of the Baguio City mayor's office.

In said press conference, governor Habawel formally announced that he is supporting the presidential bid of Jejomar Binay. His reasons in supporting Binay? Here are a couple of quotes from the conference:

Habawel: "It was not difficult for me to make the decision to help Vice President Binay capture Malacañang because he is one of our own. He will be the first President, God willing, who will come from the ranks of the indigenous People’s (IP’s) group." [Source: Sun Star]

Habawel: "Additionally, this is also our way of expressing our deepest gratitude to the Binay family as his grandmother served for a long time as public school teacher in a far-flung Barangay Magulon in Mayoyao town." [Source: Sun Star]

And here's a couple of news alerts from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA):
News alert 1: "Ifugao Gov. Denis Habawel formally declared his support to the Presidential bid of Vice President Jejomar Binay during a press conference. Habawel who is a member of the Nacionalista Party, said that the standard bearer of ‪#‎UNA‬ is the most qualified to respond to various local concerns including problems on poverty, hunger, education and health care for the ordinary citizens."

News alert 2: "Ifugao Gov Habawel said it was not difficult for him to make the decision to support VP Binay as he is an IP who has a heart to listen to the concerns of ordinary citizens.Habawel said this is also a way of thanking the Binay's as his grandmother served for a long time as public school teacher in the far-flung barangay of Magulon in Mayoyao, Ifugao."

Image source: Governor Habawel's Facebook page.

In the same conference, Cicero Lumauig, the UNA provincial coordinator for Ifugao, mentioned that six incumbent mayors and two incumbent vice-mayors in the province are with Habawel in supporting Binay's presidential bid. They are: Ronnie Lumayna of Mayoyao, Gaspar Chilagan (vice-mayor) of Aguinaldo, Martin Habawel Jr. (vice-mayor) of Lagawe, Gerry Luglug of Hingyon, Gerry Dalipog of Banaue, Marcelino Catalino of Tinoc, Mariano Buyagawan Jr. of Lamut, and Hilario Bumangabang of Hungduan.

Habawel is running for re-election in the upcoming May elections under the Nacionalista Party. He will be up against six other candidates: Samson Atluna, Eugene Balitang, Jonathan Cuyahon, Manuel Dangayo, Narciso Dunuan, and Pedro Mayam-o.

Mark Eddiva Of Team Lakay To Fight Daniel Hooker Of New Zealand In UFC Return

To put himself back into the winning column. This would be the goal of Mark Eddiva when he flies to Brisbane, Australia this coming March for his return fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Eddiva was victorious in his UFC debut against Jumabieke Tuerxun in March of 2014. He then lost his two succeeding fights. A technical knockout loss to Edimilson Souza in May 2014 and a split decision loss to Levan Makashvili in May 2015.

Eddiva has been penciled to share the Octagon with New Zealand-native Daniel Hooker. Hooker has a record of two wins and two losses in the UFC. His most recent outing under the promotion was a losing effort against Yair Rodriguez in the undercard of Daniel Cormier vs. Alexander Gustafsson (October 3, 2015).

Experience-wise, Hooker has the advantage. Although he turned professional three years later than Eddiva, he has notched more fights. His record currently stands at 12 wins and 6 losses. Eddiva's record is 6 wins and 2 losses. Hooker also possesses significant height and reach advantages over Eddiva. He is 9 centimeters taller and his reach is 17 centimeters longer.

Eddiva trains under the Team Lakay banner. Hooker, on the other hand, trains at Elevation Fight Team, the same training ground for big UFC names like TJ Dillashaw, Brandon Thatch, Neil Magny, and Matt Brown.

Hooker told Sports Rants that he expects to dominate the Filipino fighter. "Have you ever tried to fight your big brother?! That’s how I see this fight playing out. I see myself beating him to the punch, bullying him in the grapple and squeezing the life out of him, “big brother style”", Hooker told the sports news website. He also posted on his Facebook page that the fight won't go past the first round.

UFC Fight Night: Brisbane will be headlined by a heavyweight match between Frank Mir and Mark Hunt. The event will be held on March 20 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Also in the card are Hector Lombard vs Neil Magny, Ross Pearson vs Abel Trujillo, Seo Hee Ham vs Bec Rawlings, James Te Huna vs Steve Bosse, Brendan O'Reilly vs Alan Jouban, Daniel Kelly vs Antonio Carlos Jr., Jake Matthews vs Johnny Case, Richard Walsh vs Viscardi Andrade, and Chad Laprise vs Alan Patrick Silva Alves.

Weekend Climbs In Mt. Pulag Fully Booked Until December Of This Year

If you are planning to climb Mt. Pulag on a Saturday or Sunday, you will have to wait until 2017. This is because the Mt. Pulag National Park has just released an advisory through their official Facebook page that all Saturdays and Sundays of the year (2016) have already been booked. That said, the park's management is advising interested climbers to schedule their ascent on a weekday. Or better yet, call the park at 09291668864 to check for available dates.

Also, it's unlikely that all of those who booked weekends are going to push through with their ascent. Cancellations are inevitable. So if you really are adamant in summiting the famous mountain on a Saturday or Sunday this year, you should make it a point to contact the park regularly to check on new openings.

Source: Google Maps