dione has invited you to Yuwie! A message from dione domingo:

----------------------------------------
You have been invited to join Yuwie.com by dione domingo. When you join, you will be instantly connected to dione and dione's friends. Click the link below to join.

http://www.yuwie.com/yuwie.asp?r=34781&vid=

What is Yuwie?
=================
First off, Yuwie is 100% FREE. Yuwie is like any other "connect with friends" or social networking site. But we have one major difference.

Use Yuwie - Get Paid!

Yuwie pays you to blog, upload pictures, refer friends, chat, hang out, etc.

At last, natural rains fall in southern C. Valley

At last, natural rains fall in southern C. Valley

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – Before, they prayed for an end to the torrential rains, and so, the long dry spell came. Now that they're again praying for rain again, will the floods be far behind?

 

As if in answer to the prayers, the first more-than-an-hour-long non-stop natural rainfall in about two months fell in this southern part of Cagayan Valley starting the other day (5 Aug.).

 

Local agriculture officials said that significant hectares of dried rice fields, especially in this capital town and in neighboring towns of Solano, Bagabag and Villaverde basically got their first taste of natural rainfall after almost two 'rainless' months  

 

Dr. Gumersindo Lasam, director of the Department of Agriculture for Cagayan Valley, said that they have been conducting cloud seeding operations since last week to create artificial rainfall so as to cushion the impact of the prolonged dry spell in the region, which is now practically under the state of calamity as a result of the said catastrophe.

 

"Let's pray for more rains to come and that we won't be needing cloud seeding operations anymore," said Lasam.

 

Government weather officials said that the natural rainfall which came out the other day could be a positive sign that rains would start to fall at last. Earlier, the government's Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical and Scientific Administration forecasted that at least two typhoons are expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility, particularly in Northern Luzon .

 

"Thanks God, it's raining. At least our dried farmlands had somehow rejuvenated," said Manong Adong, a rice farmer in Solano town.

 

But before everybody could start jumping with joy about it, yesterday's natural rains didn't make any significant difference in the areas that mattered most, like the Magat dam in neighboring Isabela province, which provides irrigation waters to more than 100,000 hectares of farmlands in the region, with Isabela, the country's topmost rice and corn producing province, the biggest beneficiary of the dam's irrigation services.

 

Despite this fact, the farmers in the province were still happy concerning the rains, believing this will in a way help alleviate their dying crops.

 

"Hopefully, the rains are a sign that things are already back to normal and that we will still be able to have a bumper harvest," said Manong Tino of Villaverde town, which is one of the drought-hit areas in this landlocked province, considered to be the region's vegetable capital.

 

But in other provinces like Isabela, the rains appear only to have fallen within the general area of the southern parts of the region and barely if ever reached the vicinity of the Magat dam.

 

The two-month dry spell has already affected almost P1-billion worth of agricultural crops throughout the region, with the biggest cost of damage recorded in Isabela province with some P300,000 worth of rice, corn and other crops, including fishery resources destroyed, followed by Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino.

 

The second-biggest province in the country and its biggest rice and corn producer per hectare, Isabela was the second province in Northern Luzon to have been declared under a state of calamity after the province of La Union in the Ilocos region.

 

After Isabela, the other provinces of the region consequently were likewise declared under state of calamity by their provincial governments, beginning with Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio, followed by Quirino Gov. Dakila Cua while Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa Cuaresma is expected to issue a calamity state declaration anytime within the week.

 

Quirino alone lost more than P60 million worth of crops due to the extended drought, but "This figure may and will probably increase if drought sustains. We passed a resolution upon my motion to seek aid from (the) national government and realign their programs to address the imminent calamity in Cagayan Valley ," Cua said.

 

Likewise, Nueva Vizcaya, considered to be the region's vegetable capital, is losing close to P100 million worth of damaged crops due to drought.

 

"We are still collating data to be presented to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) before we would formally declare the province under the state of calamity," she said.

 

Over the week, the Regional Development Council led by Bishop Villena called on President Arroyo for the immediate release of funds for the drought-stricken areas in the region.  Such assistance would be utilized for repair of irrigation facilities, fund assistance for affected farmers, further conduct of cloud seeding operations and other related programs and activities.

 

The long dry spell, which earlier brought the Magat dam in Ramon, Isabela to a critical water level, the first time in seven years, had affected more than 100,000 hectares of agricultural lands, both irrigated and rain fed, in the region.

 

Cagayan Valley's four mainland provinces - Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino – account for at least 40 percent of the country's palay and corn production. CCL

 

LOCAL OFFICIALS APPEAL FOR FUND ASSISTANCE

LOCAL OFFICIALS APPEAL FOR FUND ASSISTANCE

Entire Cagayan Valley now under

calamity state due to extended drought

BY CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

TUGUEGARAO CITY – Practically the whole region of Cagayan Valley, which accounts for around forty-percent of the country's total rice production, is now under state of calamity as a result of the long dry spell that has been hitting the whole of northern Luzon during the past few weeks.

 

Meanwhile, local officials in the region's five mainland provinces -– Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya and Qurino - called on the national government for fund assistance amid the alarming reports of crops losses, which already reached closed to a billion pesos as a result of the extended drought.

 

This country's northernmost province of Cagayan, the region's second top rice producer, has joined Isabela in declaring itself under the calamity state, practically placing the entire region, the topmost rice and corn-producing region in the country, under such state due to the extended drought.

 

Yesterday, Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio, following consultation with various concerned government and non-government agencies, declared the province under calamity state as a result of the prolonged dry spell, which if it will continue without letup may result in the total damage to millions of pesos of agricultural crops and possible shortage to the staple food.

 

According to latest reports, more than 19,000 hectares of rice fields as well as 21,000 hectares of corn lands in the province have already been severely affected or damaged by the catastrophe.

 

Over the week, the Regional Development Council (RDC) chaired by Catholic Church Bishop Ramon Villena of the Diocese of Bayombong (Nueva VIzcaya and Quirino) called on President Arroyo for financial assistance to cushion the effect of the drought to thousands of rice, corn and vegetable farmers, including owners of freshwater farms in the region.  

 

Earlier, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca declared her province under state of calamity after losses of close to P300 million worth of damaged agricultural crops were recorded as a result of the extended dry spell, which government weather officials said could last beyond this month.

 

This was followed the other day (03 Aug) by the province of Quirino with Gov. Dakila Cua saying that more than P50 million worth of damaged rice and corn crops have already been recorded.

 

"This figure may and will probably increase if drought sustains. We passed a resolution upon my motion to seek aid from (the) national government and realign their programs to address the imminent calamity in Cagayan Valley," Cua said.

 

Likewise, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa Lloren-Cuaresma yesterday said she would meet officials as well as representatives of concerned government and non-government agencies to discuss measures to soften the impact of the drought on the economy of the province, especially the farmers.

 

Already, Nueva Vizcaya, considered to be the region's vegetable capital, is losing close to P100 million worth of damaged crops due to drought.

 

"We are still collating data to be presented to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (provincial board) before we would formally declare the province under the state of calamity," she said.

 

The RDC members led by Bishop Villena called on President Arroyo for the immediate release of funds for the drought-stricken areas in the region.  Such assistance would be utilized for repair of irrigation facilities, fund assistance for affected farmers, further conduct of cloud seeding operations and other related programs and activities.

 

Cagayan and Isabela in the Cagayan Valley region as well as Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija in the Ilocos and Central Luzon regions, respectively, which are all suffering from drought, account for at least 60 percent of the country's palay production.

 

La Union, also a major tobacco producing province in the Ilocos region, had been the very first local government unit to declare a calamity state within its jurisdictions.

 

The long dry spell, which earlier brought the Magat dam in Ramon, Isabela to a critical water level, the first time in seven years, had affected some 770 hectares of rainfed ricelands and 40,530 hectares of cornlands in Isabela, aside from irrigated rice lands and fishponds that were also severely affected by the drought.

 

According to Isabela-based Agriculture officials, at least 40 hectares of the affected area of rainfed riceland have no chance of recovery, which is also true with 11,444 hectares of corn land .

 

For irrigated rice land, about 2,440 hectares of irrigated rice land in Isabela, which has the country's highest production of rice in terms of output per hectare, may not be serviced for lack of irrigation water. CCL

 

Quirino now under calamity state, too

Quirino now under calamity state, too

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

CABARROGUIS, Quirino – The provincial government here is all set to declare the province under a state of calamity like practically all provinces in Cagayan Valley, if not in Northern Luzon.

 

This came after the provinces of La Union and Isabela had previously declared states of calamity based on the level of damage wrought by the dry spell in their areas.

 

Quirino Gov. Dakila Cua said the province's sangguniang panlalawigan or provincial board is set to pass a resolution Tuesday declaring the whole province as a calamity area.

 

Cua also said the regional development council of  Cagayan Valley had likewise passed a resolution on his motion to "seek aid from national government and realign their programs to address the imminent calamity" in the region

 

"The provincial agriculture officer has given us a partial estimate of damage to crops at around P58 million. This figure may and will probably increase if the drought (continues)," Cua said.

 

With a state of calamity already proclaimed in Isabela and similar declarations in the works and to be made by other provincial governments, including Qurino, the whole Cagayan Valley region would be under state of calamity.

 

The earliest to declare a state of calamity in the region, after La Union in the Ilocos region, Isabela had experienced loss of more than P300 million in cash crops, bulk of which were damage to corn plants.

 

Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, after being apprised of the extent of the damage brought by the extended drought immediately placed her province, the country's major rice and corn producer under the calamity state.

 

Meanwhile, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa  lloren Cuaresma indicated that like Quirino officials, she is mulling to have the province declared a calamity area by its provincial board.

 

"We still have to study the collated documents regarding the matter," Cuaresma said, dealing with the said incipient drought which according to Congressional reports has already caused P87 million worth of damage in the said province.

 

"We still have to attach all the documents to our letter of request as the board will not just automatically declare a state of calamity without proof," Cuaresma further said.

 

Cagayan Gov. Alvaro Antonio, in the meantime, said his administration would make similar moves to study the situation in the province before making a request to the provincial board for a calamity declaration. CCL

 

Vizcaya now losing P63-M worth of crops to drought

Vizcaya now losing P63-M worth of crops to drought

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya - More than P63 million worth of agricultural produce had already been damaged here as a result of the long dry spell, which is also hitting this landlocked province, considered to be the region's vegetable capital.

 

According to the latest damage assessment report by the local agriculture office, the extent of damage could increase to alarming levels if the dry spell continues until the end of the month.

 

Nueva Vizcaya, like its neighboring Benguet province, is a known producer of vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, potato and beans. It provides significant amount of its agriculture produce to the metropolis.

 

At present, Felipe Borja, assistant provincial agriculture officer, said that more than 2,000 hectares of agricultural lands planted with rice, corn, vegetables and fruits have already been damaged due to the drought.

 

"If no rains will fall in the next 15 days then the lands affected by the dry spell would increase to more than 3,500 hectares," Borja said.

 

The Department of Agriculture has been conducting cloud seeding operations in the region's four mainland provinces for a week now to cushion the impact of the extend dry spell, which government weather officials fear could last beyond August.

 

However, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) here said the cloud seeding failed to improve the water level at the Magat Dam Hydroelectric and Irrigation Project based in Ramon, Isabela.

 

According to latest reports, the water level at the dam was around five meters above the critical level of which if no rains would fall within the week, it would fall below critical, forcing irrigation officials to lower the percentage of irrigationwater being released or worse, it would temporarily halt its operations.

 

The Magat Dam, once Asia's biggest, provides irrigation to more than 100 hectares of farm lands in Cagayan Valley, with Isabela, the country's topmost rice and corn producer, as the biggest beneficiary of the dam's operations.

 

Besides its irrigation services which is being manned by NIA, the more than two-decade-old Magat dam also provides 500 megawatts of electric power to the Luzon grid.

 

Earlier this week, Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca declared a state of calamity throughout the province after the agricultural damage wrought by the long dry spell already reached close to P300 million.

 

The province of La Union in the Ilocos region was the first to declare a state of calamity as a result of the drought.  Local officials of other provinces in Northern Luzon, such as Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Quirino, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur are also contemplating to place their areas under calamity state.

 

Recently, President Arroyo ordered the immediate release of more than P3.5 billion for the repair of irrigation facilities, cloud seeding operations, cash assistance for farmers, provision of agricultural inputs and other related programs and activities to soften the impact of the calamity.

 

Malacañang is also contemplating to ask Coingress to provide her special powers to combat the adverse effects of the extended drought to the economy. CCL

 

DISPLACED VILLAGERS BACK TO WORK

DISPLACED VILLAGERS BACK TO WORK

MGB renews UK mining firm's

permit for Vizcaya exploration project

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has renewed the exploration permit of a British-owned mining firm which  temporarily stopped its government-authorized exploration activities late last month after it failed to secure the renewal before the lapse of the said permit, The STAR learned yesterday (8 Aug.).

 

Meanwhile, more than 100 local residents employed with MTL Philippines Inc., who were earlier temporarily terminated from work as a result of the stoppage are expected to return to work following the approval of the mining firm's exploration permit, including community teachers whose remunerations are being supported by it.

 

MTL Philippines Inc., which had been conducting an exploration project in Barangay Runruno in nearby Quezon town since 2005, was granted another two-year exploration permit by the said agency. The renewal came after the lapse of the firm's previous two-year exploration permit last July 25.

 

MGB national Director Horacio Ramos signed the foreign firms' exploration permit the other day (02 Aug), according to engineer Jerrysal Mangaong, MGB director for Cagayan Valley.    

 

Although nothing was mentioned about it, sources here speculated that the MGB's delay in issuing the renewal of exploration permit may have been due to a complaint letter of Gov. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma to then Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes pinpointing mining activities as one of the culprits in the occurrence of landslides and flash floods in the place last year. This was in addition to the previous lobbying by the Catholic Church-led anti-mining groups in the area.

 

"Like any government agency, MGB of course sent people to the place to investigate the real situation of the place," the source said.

 

Earlier, Cuaresma filed a letter-complaint to Reyes on the activities of MTL and seeking the revocation of its exploration permit, saying she was "convinced that the conduct of any mining activity would enhance the probability of another massive landslide in Quezon town."

 

However, geologists from the MGB's regional office based in Tuguegarao City, said the cause of last year's flashfloods and landslides was due to lack of natural vegetation and the place being a geological hazard, and not due to the ongoing exploration activities.

 

Mangaoang said that long-time illegal cutting of trees, kaingin farming and the dynamite-induced illegal small-scale mining were also attributed as contributory factors to last year's flashfloods in Runruno village, which is around 2 km. from this capital town.

 

Meanwhile, during and immediately before the stoppage, the barangay officials, supported by more than 1,500 residents of Runruno expressed support for MTL, citing the mining firm's many development projects and economic assistance to the village in terms of direct employment and other commercial transactions.

 

Even the municipal government of Quezon under Mayor Aurelio Salunat, a political ally of Cuaresma, had likewise shown its appreciation for what the MTL had done in terms of development projects and scholarships in technical courses for poor but deserving out-of-school youths or all those barangay residents willing to learn new marketable skills.

 

MTL executives were bullish about the prospects of gold, copper, molybdenum and other mineral deposits  in the area to be highly commercial in volume. They expect that in their second exploration phase they will be able to determine the commercial viability of their project.

 

Runruno, about two hours from this capital town, is a traditional mining village with many undocumented small-scale miners utilizing unregulated deadly explosives, which already resulted in the killing of undetermined numbers of illegal miners. The provincial government has been calling for the stoppage of their operations but instead their illegal activities mushroomed.  CCL

 

Vizcaya bishop breaks silence on 'kissing priest', apologizes to flock

 

By CHARLIE C. LAGASCA

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya – After nearly three weeks of keeping mum, the diocese of Bayombong has finally come out with a statement, copy of which was received by The STAR yesterday (02 August), expressing "sincere apology" to the Church faithful for an incident that  may have "scandalized, hurt and offended" them.

 

Bayombong Bishop Ramon Villena's statement, officially came out the other day, was obviously dealing with an incident last July 17 involving a priest of the diocese of Bayombong who, police said, created trouble inside a videoke bar in nearby Bambang town for being drunk and refusing to pay and allegedly making sexual advances on a guest relations officer there.

 

Bishop Villena vowed that the Church give its "just and proper action on the matter" that would eventually redound to "the good of God's Church.

 

Last July 17, based on police report, a Catholic priest, who was identified later as Father Elmer Saludares entered, along with two others, the Estrella's Videoke bar in Barangay San Antonio Bambang town here during the wee hours.

 

Police Inspector Avelino Cuntapay, officer-in-charge of the town's police office, said that the Fr. Saludares, of Saint Anne's Parish of neighboring Dupax Del Norte town, was accused by a videoke bar lady worker for biting her lips while kissing her, and later slapped here, causing trouble inside the bar.

 

The lady was identified by the police as Jenelyn Abello, 25, a guest relations officer at the said videoke bar.

 

Worst, according to police, the priest, reportedly drunk, even went wild, allegedly even ignoring some pleas for him to be pacified and allegedly refusing to pay. A responding cop, identified as one PO1 Jason Morales, said that it was only later after the police arrived that the priest agreed to calm down and pay his bills.

 

Two days after the news broke out, Villena reportedly restrained his priests from commenting on the issue.

 

Villena's statement read in part: "…as your humble bishop and shepherd, I on behalf of the clergy in the diocese of Bayombong, apologize to you who have been in one way or another scandalized, hurt and offended by the news reports last week against one of our priests."

 

The bishop went on to ask "for your kind understanding and forgiveness, I thank you for the continued support and trust that you give us, your pastors, notwithstanding our human weaknesses."

 

"With this, I together with the clergy of the diocese, assure you of our just and proper action on the matter for our good and the good of God's Church," said the bishop in his one-page statement. CCL