Hardworking student in Baguio sells 'pugo balot' and 'chicharon' to support studies.

Photo Courtesy || Bombo Radyo Baguio

Cordillera - Knowing the great importance of education is a powerful weapon which can be used to change the world and an investment that pays the best interest.

This hardworking student in the city of Baguio worked out his way to support his own education by selling popular Filipino snacks during his free time.

A photo posted by Maria Michelle Awing-tauli on Facebook shows a young student still wearing his university uniform holding a basket full of 'pugo balot' in his left hand while holding a plastic bag full of 'chicharon' in his right hand roaming around the city establishments to sell his products. 

Photo Courtesy || Maria Michelle Awing-taulie

The hardworking student was identified as Jonel M. Tejedo, a student of the University of the Cordilleras and taking up BS. Hospitality Management based on his ID card. 

READ ALSO: 

Inspiring Story: Igorot security guard turns Attorney

 Igorot soldier in Marawi puts his life in danger, talks face to face with terrorists to free hostages

"Was so speechless when I saw him. I admire him for his act. May the young generation imitate his perseverance.. He came from school and need to roam around to sell balot pugo and chicharon. The road may be long and bumpy but the success is still at the end of the road." Maria wrote in her post.

Photo Courtesy || Maria Michelle Awing-taulie

The post has been shared almost 1.3K and 4K Likes as of this writing and many netizens has expressed their admiration to Mr. Tejedo.

One netizen wrote,

"This is something that young generations of today should learn from.. Ang edukasyon na minsan at kadalasan we take for granted... Keep going young man.. Your dreams will surely run after your in time."

Although, Mr. Tejedo didn't grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth, he has the courage, resilience and 'diskarte' in life to earn money for his studies by being a working student of his own. He is considered a young entrepreneur on the making. 

Truly, may this young hardworking man become an inspiration to all students to always give value to their education. 

Read More

100 year-old Igorot man credits long life and health with eating camote, banana and squash

Photo Courtesy || MSWDO 

Cordillera - There are no other secrets to having a longer and healthier life than choosing the right  and healthy food to eat and living a healthy lifestyle.

A centenarian from Bontoc, Mt. Province shared how he was able to reach 100 years of his life. 

Mr. Herbert Malecdan Todyog just reached another milestone in his life when he just turned 100 years old last year - a long years of living that most people can not reach. He was born in March 10, 1918 in Bontoc.

Todyog shared that living in the village eating organically-grown food like camote, banana, squash and legumes are the reasons he believed help him reach 100 years. 

He also claimed that he was never been hospitalized, can still walk and has clear eyesight, according to a post from Municipality of Bontoc FB page. 

The organically-grown vegetables in his backyard like camote and squash are pesticide-free and these gave him long life and clear eyesight despite his age.  

Read Also: Survey says Igorots are among the 'healthiest' Pinoys in the country

It's a known fact that camote or sweet potato are full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, potassium, calcium and other nutrients that act as antioxidant, anti-cancer, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory properties. 

READ ALSO: How to avail PHP100,000 Centenarian CASH Gift for you Lolos and Lolas who reached 100 years old

As a centenarian, Todyog recieved PHP100,000 from the social welfare department and another cash worth PHP30,000 from the local government of Bontoc.

Photo Courtesy || Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office

Social Welfare Officer III Araceli Shane Bayanos of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) said that Todyog was blessed with one child, four grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. He has an adopted daughter who lives in Baguio City. 

Read Also: Health Benefits of drinking "Tapuy": Cordillera's traditional rice wine

Mr. Todyog chose to live alone in his house in Bontoc where his daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren visit him, attends to his needs, and provide for his basic necessities. 


Photo Credits || bbcgoodfood, prohealthlaw, viggiebullet

Read More

Government to compensate Cordillera vegetable farmers - DA Piñol

Photo Courtesy || Manny Piñol

Cordillera - Vegetable farmers in the Cordillera region who threw away truckloads of unsold vegetables will be compensated by the government according to Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol. 

The announcement came after he had received reports from Cordillera Agriculture officials that the reason why farmers weren't able to sell their produced was due to typhoon Usman that hit the Bicol region.

Officials from the DA-CAR reported that 'traders refused to buy the vegetables delivered by the farmers to the Benguet Vegetable Trading Center because the floods in Bicol prevented them from shipping the commodities to Bicol and the Visayas'.

When Tropical Depression Usman hit Bicol region last week of December, it caused flooding to the national highways thus, preventing traders to transport vegetables.

Photo Courtesy || Manny Piñol

Although some farmers were able to sell their produce, they have sold it with a very low price.

To help the Cordillera farmers, DA Piñol said that his department and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation will conduct a validation process next week to identify those affected farmers so that they will be given appropriate insurance payment. Issuance of payment could take two weeks.

"Tomorrow, the DA and the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) will start the validation process which would involve the identification of farmers who suffered losses and the estimated value of the vegetables they threw away," Piñol said.  

"I would like to assure our farmers that the administration of President Rody Duterte listens to the voices of our farmers and fishermen," he added. 

Read More

United Arab Emirate (UAE) needs qualified 150 Filipino Emergency Medical Technicians

JOB POSTING - The Department Of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) has released a job posting yesterday that the National Ambulance Company in Abu Dhabi, UEA is in urgent need of qualified Filipino applicants to fill up its vacancy for 150 emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

The leading pre-hospital emergency care provider in the UAE accepts female or male applicants that are graduate of Bachelor of Science in Nursing and should have completed internationally recognized Basic EMT course or equivalent training with minimum of four weeks duration, and have at least eight months of experience as EMT.

According to DOLE, applicants are advised to register online at www.eservice.poea.gov.ph and personally submit to the Manpower Registry Division, Window S or T, Ground Floor, Blas F. Ople Bldg., Ortogas Avenue corner EDSA, Mandaluyong City the following requirements (fastened in a folder labeled RSF No. 180023-A, applicant's name, position applied for, country of destination, and e-registration number):

- Detailed resume with job description
- High School diploma and form 137
- College Diploma and transcript or records
- Valid BLS and BTLS certification
- PSEMT or AREMT registration covering at least the last 8 months
- Letter of good standing from the registering body
- Updated letter/employment certification showing experience as an EMT-B covering at least the last 8 months
- Colored copy of passport (valid for at least one year)
- Colored copy of valid driver's license
- Two (2) pieces 2X2 recent picture

Picture should be clear and with white background, colored top (polo) with collar, neat / masculine haircut for male candidate, face should not be covered with hair for male of female and teeth should not be exposed.

- Certificate of POEA online PEOS
-Printed copy or worker's information sheet/e-Registration

Applicants are required to present their original document for authentication. The deadline for submission of applicants is on January 31, 2019.

source || DOLE-CAR

Read More

BRAVE CF confirmed Brave 22 to be held in the Philippines

Photo Courtesy || Stephen Loman

Cordillera - The Bahrain-based mixed martial organization Brave Combat Federation (Brave CF) has revealed that their next super fight Brave 22 will be held in the Philippines on March 15 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. 

"The Philippines have offered some of the greatest talents to ever perform inside the Brave cage and it's time to bring the fastest-growing MMA promotion to the land of true warriors! Brace yourself, Brave Combat Federation is coming to Manila!" Brave CF posted this in their Facebook Page.

Brave CF president Mohammed Shahid said they are now working their plans out to make their first fight debut to the Filipino MMA fans right in their home country. 

"Philippine had been a focus for Brave Combat Federation from the very beginning. From time and time warriors from Philippines had proved that they not only have the skill to compete in the International level. But also have the heart that matters when it comes to combat sports," Shahid said.

The Philippines is the home country of the reigning Brave CF bantamweight titleholder Mark Stephen Loman. 

Loman, a native from Ifugao is the only Filipino who currently hold a title in Brave CF and was crowned by His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Last year, he successfully defended his title against Frans Mlambo during their rematch in the United Kingdom and on November 17 against Brazilian Felipe Efrain. 

He is expected to defend this title in front of the Filipino audience this March, according to Brave. 

source || Brave CF FB || RealFight.PH

Read More

70-year old Lola from Benguet reunited with relatives after 50 years of separation

Cordillera - Anita Licwasen received the greatest Christmas gift she had ever wished for in her entire life - to be reunited with her family. She will never forget the joy, happiness and the fulfillment of her longings that she had this holiday season of the year.

Anita Licwasen  was reunited with her family in Bakun, Benguet after 50 long years of being separated with her siblings.

From her story,  she left her hometown  at the age of ten to work as a vegetable seller in Hilltop, Baguio City. At the age of 17, she was recruited to work as a household employee in Casa Espanol in Quezon City, Manila. Her kind employer offered her free housing and allowed her to put up a small sari-sari store near the area. She also worked as a baker for the Francie's Food Industry. She was given the name Evelyn Garcia by her recruiter back then. 

During those long years of working in Manila, lola Anita was able to save some of her earnings but lost them all when she suffered a stroke in 2010. Due to her condition, lola Anita was bedridden and can no longer work. Back then, she only relied from the children of her previous employer and good Samaritans in her neighborhood to provide for her basic needs. 

The plight of Lola Anita caught the attention of the netizens on Social Media when her information was posted by Mr. Eloy David and became viral with almost 890 shares. The post later caught the attention of her relatives in Bakun and also the Bakun-MDRRMC. 

Photo Courtesy || Eloy David

According to Bakun-MDRRMC's post, they immediately contacted Mr. David and arranged a plan to go to Quezon City to bring lola Anita home  to her family in Bakun before Christmas Day. 

"When we arrived at her quarters, she immediately opened her door, her brother immediately introduced himself and communicated our purpose to bring her home. Tears immediately fell down her lonely eyes. We asked her whey only now that she informed her relatives that she is alive, she emotionally answered that she doesn't have the courage to face her relatives because of what she have done. She asked for forgiveness to which his brother immediately replied that she doesn't need to ask for forgiveness because her only mistake was her failure to immediately inform them of her whereabouts. What they missed were the opportunities and time the they could have share together. Her brother instead thanked her of her decision to come home, it's never too late to bond with her relatives,"  Bakun-MDRRMC wrote.

Indeed, it was a joyous Christmas and will be a happy New Year for lola Anita and her family!

Read More

How to get to Baguio City and Benguet from Manila faster and less traffic

Cordillera - Do you want to go to Baguio City faster with less car traffic on the road this holiday season? Don't you know that there is now a new alternate road open to motorists to avoid the traffic congestion on Marcos Highway. 

The Department of Public Works and Highways is encouraging visitors coming to Baguio to take the newly-opened alternate road, the ASIN-NANGALISAN-SAN PASCUAL, TUBA, BENGUET-TUBAO, LA-UNION BDRY. ROAD. 

According to PNA, the new road is now passable to all types of vehicles, cutting travel time to Baguio by at least an hour. 

Baguio City Mayor Domogan also said that the use of the alternate route will address the traffic situation of Marcos Highway, considering it's capacity is just for 34,568 vehicles.

The opening of the newly constructed Anduyan bridge last month helped travelers from Central Luzon to reach Baguio City and Benguet with less traffic and faster than taking the Marcos Highway.

READ ALSO: New route from La Union to Benguet now opens to public with travel time of 1 hour

See the map below for the direction provided by DPWH-CAR

Motorists coming from Manila to Baguio can take the left road at the intersection going to Tubao and Agoo. 

About 50 meters from the intersection after a gasoline station is a large signage saying, "Alternate road to Baguio", which will lead to Asin Road. You can stop by at the hot spring to relax for some times.

Upon reaching the hot springs, go straight up to the Ifugao Wood Carving Village passing the BenCAB museum. Upon reaching Kilometer 4, on the left side is the diversion road leading to Naguillian Road, the right side leading to Suello Village and exit to Marcos Highway, and the middle road leading to Cooyeesan Mall, which is about 50 meters to the Lourdes Grotto intersection.

If going to La Trinidad, Benguet, from Cooyeesan, take the road on the left side, which leads to Tam-awan and Puguis, straight to the strawberry fields. 

Looking for Budget Hotels and Accommodation in Baguio City?

Booking.com Source || PNA

Read More

WATCH: Cordillera's strangest food: Etag with maggots

Photo Courtesy || Mike Corey via Fearless and Far

Cordillera - We all know that etag is a term Cordillerans in the North used to call a slab or slice of pork preserved in a traditional way. For most Cordillerans, they associate etag to a tasty pork ham that can be used to flavor 'pinikpikan' and other traditional delicacies.

The making of etag does not involve a complicated  process and the main goal is to preserve the meat by salting and either smoking or sun-drying.

You might see some videos or images of etag with live moving maggots in them and you might be asking yourself if those nasty creatures are essential to making a good tasty etag? Perhaps you might have heard someone from Sagada saying, 'Well, maggots are fine. You can eat it, it won't kill you, anyway', just to talk you out from the "Eww" disgusting feeling that might prevent you from actually eating it. Someone might have also complemented your curiosity to try them by saying "real etag has maggots, no maggots - not tasty".

Kidding aside, the fact that maggots appeared on some etags is an indication that the initial process of preserving the pork hasn't been done very well. It could be due to not being properly salted or exposed under the heat of the sun.

A properly preserved etag should be prepared by rubbing the meat with a generous amount of salt and a little vinegar to prevent flies from swarming on the meat when hanged.  Then dry under the sun for at least three hours daily for seven days. Failure to follow those procedures would allow flies to breed on those meat resulting to the existence of maggots after a few days.

What happens if you eat those meat with maggots on it? Is it safe?

Well, it depends if you intentionally grab a piece of etag with maggots and actually eat them or take the etag with maggots, boil it, then use it to flavor your pinikpikan dish.

It may be safe to consume a little piece of it. However, you could be susceptible to whatever the flies have eaten or been exposed to, such as feces or rotting flesh. Deadly bacteria may be present to the flies and pass it on to the meat.

Etag with maggots can be a potential cause for someone to suffer from Mysisas infection which occurs when maggots infest and feed on the living tissue of animals or humans.

Eating etag with maggots can also cause bacterial poisoning. Most food that have maggots aren't safe to eat, especially if the larvae have been in contact with feces. Some houseflies use animal and human feces as breeding site. They also breed on garbage or rotting organic materials.

Is there a way to eat your etag with maggots?

No one could say that maggots are dangerous because it is actually a very good source of protein, good fats and other elements. In fact, scientist are now looking into the possibility of using maggots to produced textured protein or a sustainable snack for humans, according to healthline.com.

If you cook your etag before eating like most Cordillerans do like mixing them with pinikpikan, it could be safe because cooking would kill the microbes, parasites and bacteria present on the meat.

However, the risks could not be guaranteed to be non-existent in cooked etag. It is still advisable to consume only those etag that was properly preserved without the presence of maggots.

Researchers from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development recommended to etag makers to add 180 grams of rock salt for every kilo of pork they make. Then they should arrange the meat on a covered platter and allow it to cure for at least five days, after which the meat was either hot-smoked for two days (16 hours ) or cold-smoked for five days (56 hours). To ensure that no fly could touch the meat, the dryer should be covered with polythylene plastic -  pcarrd.

So if you happen to visit Cordillera and you want to have a taste of our unique pork ham or jerky, look for the ones that was properly cured. If somehow you are challenged or offered to try one, just make sure those flies washed their hands before sharing those etags with you.

Read More

Multi-awarded Cordilleran coach Mark Sangiao among outstanding Filipinos honored in Ginebra Ako Awards 2018

Photo Courtesy || CNN Philippines

Baguio City - Multi-awarded coach Mark Sangiao of famed Team Lakay was among the outstanding Filipinos who were given awards and recognition at the Ginebra Ako Awards held on Tuesday at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. 

Ginebra Ako Awards was established to recognize individuals who personify Ginebra San Miguel's 'Ganado sa Buhay' Brand. 

Ginebra San Miguel is the leading producer of gin in the Philippines.

All of the candidates were chosen from well-respected organizations around the country. They passed through a screening committee after which they will be shortlisted for each different category. 

Coach Mark Sangiao was chosen as the awardee for the Ginebra Ako para sa Palakasan category. 

"Thank you so much for being chosen as an Awardee for the Palakasan Category - for instilling the virtues of discipline, humility and respect from the tough of sports and mentoring a generation of enlightened, educated Filipino athletes in Mixed Martial arts," Sangiao wrote in his Facebook account.

Meanwhile, Mark Espesor, the President of the Federation of Person's with Disability Associations, Inc, took home the Ginebra Ako para sa Kabataan award. 

Teodoro Canda, the founder of Nagpapakabanang Mananagat sa Tigao was awarded the Ginebra Ako para sa Kalikasan. 

Lastly, Storyteller and director Joseph Keit Anichoche, bagged the Ginebra Ako para sa Entablado award. 

Watch Coach Mark Sangiao Short documentary below presented by CNN Philippines

Read Also:

He died a hero: Igor drowns while saving two boys and his girlfriend drifting out to sea of La Union

Team Lakay's Edward Kelly turns entrepreneur: Invests earnings in water refilling business

Igorot Champ Eduard Folayang VS. former UFC Champ Eddie Alvarez | Possible matchup in 2019

Book Budget Hotels and Accommodations in Baguio City


Booking.com

Read More

Team Lakay's Edward Kelly turns entrepreneur: Invests earnings in water refilling business

Photo Courtesy || Edward Kelly

Baguio City - Some of the world's known Mixed Martial Artists are not only thinking of going into the cage and box with their opponents, but they are business minded (entrepreneur) people as well. 

Just like Edward Kelly who is now almost ready to launch his new business venture - a water refilling station in his hometown in Baguio City. 

He called his water refilling station "Mr. Twenty One Water Delivery" which is the first refilling station located in his Barangay. 

Water refilling business is one of the most promising and highly profitable business today because people wanted to have a clean source of water to drink.

"I have thought of this type of business way back. My cousin wanted to try this livelihood, but since he's away, I got the opportunity to do it. I am the first in our barangay to do this," Kelly said via abs-cbn sports. 

For Kelly, he pretty well understand that his career in Mix Martial Arts has an expiration and it is not a lifetime source of income. So while he is strong, he find ways to maximize his earning so he decided to invest in water refilling business. 

"I saved up money from my winnings  to put up this business. I don't want to compromise my family's future because I'll never know what I'll be in my 50's," Kelly said. 

Kelly has an entrepreneurial mindset and he knows how he can make his savings from his winnings grow and be able to provide money for his family in the future. 

According to him, he doesn't want to be like other athletes who succumb to financial problems when they retire. 

Kelly makes it a habit to go straight to the bank and deposit a portion of his prize purse after each and every bout. 

Investing his hard-earned money is the best decision Kelly has ever done to prepare for his retirement in the future. 

Investing in any passive-generating income will provide him and his family a source of cash in times when his body can no longer work. 

Read More