How can OFW win Condominium, Toyota Vios and Gift Certificate worth Php200,000 for FREE

Manila - Have you heard of the new program by the Department of Tourism which allows Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) including expats to win amazing prizes such as 7-Million worth of condo unit, a brand new car,  Php200,000 worth of gift certificates and a chance to win a trip to top tourist destinations in the country?

The Department of Tourism just launched its Bring Home A Friend (BHAF) program, which aims to give Filipinos working and residing abroad rewards and incentives when they invite their foreign friends to come and visit the country. 

The DOT said, it will give overseas Filipinos opportunity to participate in a raffle draw that  can have them the chance to win attractive prizes. 

"In order to entice Overseas Filipinos to participate in the program, we will appeal to their sense of nationalism and love of country while providing them the chance to win attractive prizes in the raffle draws for the Sponsoring Overseas Filipinos and their Invitees/Foreign friends," DOT said.

The program has already been started last October 2017 and will run up to April 2018. 

For interested participants, just access the BHAF official website https://www.bringhomeafriend.online/, go to the mechanic tab and follow the instructions given. 

Winners will be selected through electronic raffle draw from the electronic randomizer housed at the DOT IT Department to be witnessed by DTI and DOT. 

The grand raffle draw will be held in April 2018.

Winners in the grand raffle draw will be notified by the DOT through email and SMS. List of winners will also be posted on DOT website and social media accounts.

For more information about this program, please visit the official website of BHAF at www.bringhomeafriend.online.

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New attraction in Botanical Garden: 5-feet tall elephant statues from Thailand

Philippines-Thailand Friendship Garden - Elephant statue. Photo Courtesy: PIA Cordillera

Baguio City - The local government of Baguio city under the leadership of Mayor Mauricio Domogan and the Ambassador of The Kingdom of Thailand to the Philippines, H.E. Thanatip Upatising finally opened the elephant statues during the official hand-over ceremony at the Botanical Garden on December 18th.

The sculpture which was donated by the Thai government and designed by Thai sculptures shows an elephant family with four members. The construction that was started in July this year was originally composed of three elephants but it was changed to four.

Thai elephant is the official national symbol of the Kingdom of Thailand. Elephants are animals known for their power and strength which symbolizes endurance, prosperity and good luck. In Thailand, elephants have been an important figure in their culture for centuries. 

In the blockbuster film "Ong Bak" of Thailand, elephant plays an important role in the movie. 

Called The Philippine-Thailand Friendship Garden, the five feet tall elephant sculpture symbolizes the good bilateral relation between the Philippines and Thailand. The design of the garden emphasizes the elements of a close family relationship in which Filipinos and Thais can call themselves brothers.

A stroll in this serene place in the heart of Botanical Garden will bring one to appreciate the long-lasting friendship between the Philippines and Thailand. 

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Jollibee Foods Corporation to open its first store in Tabuk, Kalinga

Cordillera - Philippine biggest fast food chain Jollibee Food Corporation announced today the opening of its new store on February 18, next year in Tabuk City, Kalinga.

During the flag raising ceremony at the City Hall, Franklin Papala of North Luzon Ultimate Foods Corporation said that a local recruitment activity (LRA) is scheduled today at the Public Employment Service Office to hire 200 potential service crew. 

He said that the LRA will also orient interested applicants of their expected work and compensation. 

He revealed that service crew are paid P290.00 daily or 36.25 per hour for a maximum of eight-hour working schedule.

Papala said that as part of their selection criteria, service crew should at least be high school graduate or college undergraduate. He said that the store sets no age qualification as long as the applicant is flexible, can work for long hours, willing to work in shifts, competent and honest.

He also mentioned the possibility that additional store managers will come from the newly-selected service crew themselves.

Papala told that the first batch of service crew and store managers hired by Staff  Search Asia Service Cooperative in July 2016 who already underwent training at Jollibee Roxas and Tuguegarao City branch and Manila respectively will still be interviewed, oriented and trained.

The two-storey Jollibee Tabuk which is a company-owned and not a franchise of any Jollibee will rise in Bulanao operating from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM to feature a drive thru, catering and party, dine in-take out and big order.

(By Darwin S. Serion/CIO) via Tabuk City Kalinga FB page.

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No Dengvaxia vaccine recipient in Cordillera - DOH-CAR

Cordillera - Parents, students and concerned citizens in the Cordillera region has nothing to worry about the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine as the Department of Health Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR) said it has not conducted mass vaccination to children with Dengvaxia.

Dr. Alexie Marrero, DOH-CAR Medical Officer IV expressed confidence the region will not be faced with problems because it has not conduct mass vaccination among the students due to low incidence of dengue in the region.

The mass vaccination program by the Department of Health only qualifies those regions with the higher incidence of dengue, according to Dr. Marrero.

The Department of Health has created a task force to manage problems caused by the controversial Dengvaxia vaccines which recently been found out to be harmful if given to  those without a history of dengue. 

On November 29, Sanofi Pasteur, the pharmaceutical company that manufacture the vaccines admitted that Dengvaxia is not recommended for people who have no prior dengue infection. Otherwise, they may develop more severe forms of dengue after the cycle of vaccines shots runs its course, according to PhilStar.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III yesterday said, they are demanding the refund of the P3.5 billion spent by the Philippine government for the purchase of Dengvaxia vaccine to be used to "cover the hospitalization and medical treatment for all children who might have severe dengue".

Duque III also said PhilHealth is ready to cover the expenses of any child who may have been hospitalized for severe dengue. Under PhilHealth's Medical Case Program, dengue case rate can cover up to P16,000 which includes hospitalization and doctor's fee.

"We will continue to be vigilant in monitoring our children for any adverse event following immunization and will strengthen the readiness of our public hospitals in attending to any severe dengue cases that my occur," Duque said.

Photo: AFP pic

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Police Office headed by Igorot Cop PSupt. Allatog is Cebu's top performing police office

Bogo City PSupt. Allatog received recognition during  the "SUKOD" program 2017 (SUgbo KOntra Droga) Top Performing City Police Station of Cebu. Photo Credit || Bogo Police Station FB page.

Cordillera - Bogo City's Police Office headed by Supt, Byron Filog Allatog was given recognition as the top performing police office in Cebu during the annual Sugbo Kontra Droga (Sukod)

 ceremony conducted by the Cebu Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Office (CPADAO) on Monday.

It can be recalled that 39-year-old Allatog gained international popularity after a US-based newspaper The Washington Post lauded him and his office for making Bogo City drug free without any single man, woman or child killed. 

Byron Filog Allatog is an Igorot from Bontoc, Mountain Province who graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) class 2001. He is the current chief of police of Bogo City - a small municipality in the island of Cebu.

Prior to serving in Bogo City, Allatog has been a chief of police from different towns and provinces in the country such as in Tawi-tawi, Abra and Benguet.

Allatog also made waves as contingent in the United Nations Peacekeeping Efforts as member of the UN-Close Security and Protection Officer of the UN Police Commissioner and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Timor Leste.

He has taken numerous trainings and courses  in policing from different high-level police agencies like the Criminal Investigation and Detective Development Courses by the PNP Detective Schools, Supervisory Management and Criminal Investigation Course from the US Department of Justice, Police Intelligence Officers Course by the PNP Intelligence Training Group and FBI National Academy Session 265 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI).

The Cebu Oversight Committee on Illegal Drugs declared Bogo City drug-free making the city the first to have all his barangays free from illegal drugs.

The City's Anti Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) declared three cities in Cebu province winner in which Bogo City at the second place while Naga City declared the champion. 

Bogo City received cash reward of 150,000 pesos. 

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RICO - Rice and Corn Mix: New nutritious staple food for Filipinos

RICO - Rice and Corn Mix Staple Food. Photo Credit || PhilMaize

(Featured Post) - The Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation said that at least six million Filipinos nationwide have been diagnosed to have diabetes - a major health problem among Filipinos that can result to other serious health problems like cardiovascular diseases, kidney damage and infections.

The foundation warned that the figure could double to twelve million by 2040 if  nothing can be done to stop the increasing prevalence of the illness. 

To help combat this problem, the Department of Agriculture through the cooperation of both government and private sectors introduced a new staple food being developed as a healthy alternative to the plain white rice - this is called RICO or Rice and Corn Mix. 

DA Sec Manny Piñol highlighted some of the benefits of eating RICO aside from helping the country not to depend on other countries for its food supply.  

"With the increasing number of Filipinos afflicted with Diabetes, health conscious people have started looking at both the White and Yellow Corn as options ['because of its low Glycemic Index content and high in Beta Carotene']," Piñol wrote. 

Research found out that too much rice in one's diet could led to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes thus medical practitioners recommend consuming staple food that has a lower Glycemic Index. 

According to Piñol, the new product which is a mixture of Rice and Corn will be available for the public in major supermarkets like SM, Robinsons, Rustans, PureGold and others. It will be sold in 2-kilo packs in which buyers have the choice to select different RICO mixtures (100% Corn; 75% Corn-25% Rice Mixture; 50%-50% Rice-Cord Mix or 25% Rice-75% Corn.

" A Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of Agriculture, the National Food Authority, the PhilMaize Foundation and representatives of supermarkets... Under the MoA, the DA will finance PhilMaize so it could produce RICO Staple while the NFA will help in marketing by offering it for sale through its outlets in Metro Manila and nearby areas," Piñol wrote.

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Two BSU students in Top 10 of Teachers' board exam for Elementary

Cordillera - Two graduates of Benguet State University (BSU) La Trinidad made it to the Top Ten passers in the September 2017 Licensure Examination for Teachers by the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC).

The Commission and the Board for Professional Teachers (BPT) has announced on November 27 (Monday) that a total of 21,198 elementary teachers out of 80,509 examinees (27.78%) passed the the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) held on September 24, 2017 in various testing nationwide.

The new licensed elementary school teachers from BSU who made it to the Top ten are 9th placer Abraham Millan Angala (86.60%) and 10th placer Beverlyn Canuto Diplat (86.40%).

Forty- one examiness were listed as Top Ten passers in the LET-Elementary topped by Mary Clarence Gepes Madero of West Visayas State University - La Paz (88.80 %) followed by four students who landed second place with a rating of 88.60%. 

See List of Top Ten Passers : http://www.prcboard.com/2017/09/Top-10-Passers-Elementary-September-2017-LET-Teachers-Board-Exam-Topnotchers.html

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Biggest Bendian Dance of Benguet attempts Guinness World Record

The grand Bendian Dance performed by some 1,500 students targets Guinness World Record. Photo Courtesy || Darwin Pitlongay.

Cordillera, - Some 1,500 students participated in the traditional Benguet dance  in an attempt to set

a Guinness World Record for the largest and longest Bendian Dance ever held during the celebration of the Adivay Festival 2017 at the Wangal Stadium in La Trinidad Benguet.

The Bendian Dance, some called it Bendayan or Bindiyan is a circle dance that is long known as a dance to celebrate the arrival of successful headhunters. It is a part of every Benguet festivity with the circles slowly giving way to other formations and interpretations.  The circular movements of the dance symbolizes unity and harmony among the people of Benguet.

11th and 12th - grader students of the Benguet National High School performed the dance. 

In this year's celebration of the Adivay Festival and Benguet Foundation Day, the Bendian Dance has taken a new face as thousand of participants converged at the Wangal Stadium for the first time.

The local government of Benguet plans to enter the said event in the Guinnes Book of World Records as the longest and largest Bendian Dance Circle.

The Kaikottikali dance of India currently holds the largest line dance which involved around 5,211 dancers performed to an audience of over 55,000 people.

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Up to 100 Mbps Free Wi-Fi now open to the public at Benguet Capitol

Cordillera, - Where can you access free Wi-Fi in Benguet?

Students, employees, entrepreneurs, tourists and residents can now connect to the internet while visiting the Benguet Capitol as the provincial government of Benguet launched its free Wi-Fi connection inside and outside the capitol building on November 21. 

Ten Wi-Fi hotspots were strategically placed throughout the capitol. The access points allow internet users to have free access to the internet for 30 minutes at fast speed reaching up to 100 Megabyte per second . Up to more than 2,000 users can simultaneously do internet browsing for free.

The launching of the free wireless internet service powered by Smart and PLDT is the first in Benguet. 

REAL ALSO: Discovery World Corporation to build world-class hotel in La Trinidad, Benguet

Benguet Governor Crescensio Pacalso said the free internet connection would benefit the people of the province specially  students doing their research and people who conduct their businesses online. 

The Free Wi-Fi is a project of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) that aims to provide free internet access to every municipalities and cities nationwide. Its goal is the make internet access available for all Filipinos to accelerate economic, social and educational opportunities. 

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Discovery World Corporation to build world-class hotel in La Trinidad, Benguet

Cordillera, - Property firm Discovery World Corporation (DWC) is raising funds to finance the construction of two new hotels, one in Palawan and another in La Trinidad, Benguet.

BusinessWorld reports that Discovery World has signed a subscription agreement with International Finance Corp. (IFC) to get funding for the projects for as much as Php650 million "to meet the growing demand for hospitality infrastructure in the Philippines.

The leisure property developer said, the accumulated funds will be used for the planned building of two hotels to be located in Palawan and in Benguet.

La Trinidad is a growing tourism spot in the country, known for its sweet strawberry and variety of fresh vegetables coming from different municipalities of Benguet. Discovery World has seen this spot in the north as another perfect area for its hotel and resort business to grow.

This will be the first time for DWC to invest in Benguet, expanding its foothold from the Visayas Region into the northern region.

Discovery World develops, operates and manages hotels and resorts in the Philippines. The company also develops, invests in, owns, constructs and operates hotels, resorts condominium, buildings and other tourist-related structures. It currently operates the Discovery Shores, Club Paradise and Discovery Fleet.

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