LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Municipality of Bakun has emerged as the top winner in the 2025 Benguet Roadside Beautification Program during the awarding ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol in La Trinidad, Benguet on June 25, 2025. Newly-elected Vice Governor Marie Rose Fongwan-Kepes, as representative of Gov. Melchor Diclas, congratulated the winners during the awarding ceremony. In her message, she requested that this program be continued and the beauty of the road environments in the province be maintained, so that it becomes a beautiful sight for traveling motorists. Bakun’s winning entry featured a beautifully maintained stretch along the Governor Bado Dangwa National Road from Sinipsip to Liwang Section of Barangay Gambang, and from Malikliko to Giswak Section of Barangay Ampusongan. Bakun received a plaque of recognition and a cash prize of ₱100,000.00. The second place was awarded to the Municipality of Buguias for their roadside beautification along Halsema Highway in Barangay Bangao. Barangay Bangao accepted a plaque and ₱90,000.00 in prize money. Mankayan secured third place with a plaque and ₱80,000.00. Barangays Abiang and Cuba represented their municipalities, Atok and Kapangan, respectively, earning fourth and fifth places with cash prizes of ₱80,000.00 and ₱70,000.00. Other municipalities also received cash prizes and certificates of recognition for their efforts in enhancing the roadside landscapes. Special awards, each worth ₱5,000 and a plaque, were presented to the following municipalities: Sablan for Most Sustained Roadside Landscape Kabayan for Best in Social Media Kibungan for Best in Partnership & Networking Atok for Best in Focal Area and Landscape Kapangan for Best in Mural All 13 municipalities participated in this year’s Benguet Roadside Beautification Program, showcasing their commitment to environmental stewardship and community pride.    

To safeguard its cultural heritage, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Mountain Province passed Provincial Ordinance No. 573, which prohibits all souvenir shops, garment stores, and online sellers in the province from manufacturing, distributing, or selling machine-made replicas of Cordillera indigenous woven materials and apparel in Mountain Province. The ordinance emphasizes the importance of preserving traditional handwoven textiles—an integral part of Cordillera identity and livelihood. Violators will face escalating penalties, a reprimand for the first offense, confiscation of items on the second, and confiscation plus permit cancellation for subsequent violations. Approved on June 2, 2025, the ordinance affirms the province’s commitment to protecting the authenticity and integrity of indigenous weaving. (PIA Mountain Province)

Local Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities in the municipalities of Sablan and Tuba, Benguet are scaling up organic farming and enhancing irrigation with the help of royalty shares from Hedcor’s run-of-river hydropower operations. Royalty shares are fair compensation given to IPs for the use of their ancestral land and resources. Hedcor is the run-of-river hydropower arm of Aboitiz Renewables Inc. that operates 22 run-of-river hydropower facilities; nine of which are located in Benguet. The Company adheres to free, prior and informed consent in providing the royalty shares, ensuring direct and tailor-fitted benefits. In Sablan, the Pahnga ni Sabdang Indigenous Peoples Organization (PASIPO) received ₱2.2 million in royalty shares to support agricultural and livelihood development across eight barangays. “The initiative will focus on the propagation of fruit-bearing trees, upgrading traditional tapuey (rice wine) brewing and broom-making enterprises, and establishing a composting facility to advance organic farming methods,” said PASIPO President Lilian Balangue, noting how these would help boost crop production and generate sustainable income. Meanwhile, in Tuba, the Tagadi-Aguyao Indigenous Peoples Organization (TAIPO) received over ₱250,000 in royalty shares to help address water supply challenges and reduced crop yields through investments in irrigation, free-range poultry, and materials such as greenhouse plastic sheets and anthurium nets. “These upgrades will help improve productivity and provide a more stable supply of food within the community,” explained TAIPO President Anita Madarang. “Hedcor’s partnership with the indigenous communities in Benguet — the ‘Salad Bowl of the Philippines’ — continues to focus on sustainable farming, food production, and responsible use of natural resources,” added Aboitiz Renewables First Vice President and General Manager for Hydro Business Unit Noreen Vicencio. “We recognize the value of supporting long-term projects that reflect community priorities and help improve quality of life.” Companies within the Hedcor Group are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Aboitiz Power Corporation through Aboitiz Renewables. Through the royalty shares generated from its facilities, Hedcor supports corporate social responsibility programs that promote inclusive development within its host communities, connecting clean power generation with practical, locally-led initiatives.            

CAMP DANGWA, Benguet – Two hundred police trainees successfully graduated from the Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC), marking another milestone in their journey towards becoming full members of the Philippine National Police (PNP). The police trainees under the MASALIBTAK Class 2024-01 were awarded their certificates, which was held at Camp Bado Dangwa, attended by high-ranking officials led by Regional Dirctor Brig.Gen. David Peredo, Jr., on June 14. As a highlight of the ceremony, three police trainees received Certificates of Merit for their exemplary performance in the course, namely Pat Rhodwil Cabbigat – 91.82%; Pat Ge-ann Palangyo* – 91.73% and Pat Diego Culhi* – 90.55%. The NPTI Director Leadership Awards were also presented to Pat Zielya Yagonda Dinamling, as Class President, and Pat Warren Ballestra, as Battalion Commander. Peredo commended the graduates for their hard work, discipline, and perseverance and encouraged them to carry the lessons of leadership and public service as they move on to the next phase of their training. Following their completion of the PSBRC, the graduates will now undergo a six-month Field Training Program (FTP), a practical, on-the-job training phase where they will apply their classroom learning to real-life law enforcement situations. Successful completion of the FTP will qualify them for permanent appointments as members of the PNP. The new batch of recruits represents not only additional strength for the police force, but also a renewed commitment to public safety, discipline, and community-oriented policing throughout the Cordillera region.

Rachel Angela Valencia Baday was crowned Ms. Tabuk City 2025 in the province of Kalinga, Cordillera Administrative Region, during the grand coronation night held tonight at the Tabuk City Gymnasium. Rounding up the top 5 of the pageant are: Ms. Tabuk Tourism Sheena Vail Gonayaon Lingbawan Ms. Tabuk Agriculture Kimberly Jireh Lemi Pigao 1st Runner-up Arriane Cagaid Lammao 2nd Runner-up Rio Beth Agabas Alcanzarine 📸Fuji Sakai

  Various stakeholders in Kalinga have started taking action to address concerns regarding the full operation of the Kalinga Pasalubong Center (KPC) in Talaca. Plans are underway to electrify the building to make it fully operational. The Chamber of Tabuk City–Kalinga Producers, Inc. (CTCKAPI) reported on the center’s current operations and proposed an action plan for improvements, including better facilities and enhanced marketing of local products. A site validation was conducted to finalize development plans. Kalinga Tourism encourages all travelers passing through Talaca to stop by the center to enjoy the view, drink local coffee, and support Kalinga-made products.

By: Laarni S. Ilagan   The Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) marked a crucial victory on June 3 as the Philippine Senate approved on second reading House Bill No. 10483, which seeks to renew BENECO’s franchise for another 25 years. Cheers and quiet celebrations filled the BENECO South Drive office as the Board of Directors, led by Chairperson Atty. George Dumawing, Jr., and office-based employees monitored the Senate proceedings via livestream. The passage of the bill on second reading—considered one of the most critical stages in the legislative process—boosted hopes for the measure’s final approval in the coming weeks. “If you hurdle the second reading, the third reading will be easier,” said Dumawing, underscoring the significance of this legislative milestone. House Bill 10483 grants BENECO the authority to continue operating and maintaining its electric distribution systems in Baguio City and the 13 municipalities of Benguet: Atok, Bakun, Bokod, Buguias, Itogon, Kabayan, Kapangan, Kibungan, La Trinidad, Mankayan, Sablan, Tuba, and Tublay. The franchise renewal has been a top priority for BENECO General Manager Melchor Licoben since 2020, well ahead of the expiration of its current 50-year franchise in March 2028. Licoben, accompanied by BENECO department managers, personally attended the Senate session, while board members monitored it remotely. The measure is the result of consolidated efforts in the lower house, where separate bills filed by Baguio representative Mark Go and Benguet representative Eric Go-Yap were merged into HB 10483. The power bloc representatives in Congress, PhilRECA Partylist Presley De Jesus and APEC Partylist Sergio Dagooc, also helped lobby for votes in the House of Representatives. HB 10483 passed the House in August 2024 with unanimous support—202 votes in favor and none against. “Without our franchise, BENECO cannot continue to serve Baguio City and Benguet province no matter how hard we work to improve our services,” Licoben has often reminded employees in their monthly assemblies. Despite the positive development, Dumawing urged cautious optimism, reminding employees to keep celebrations muted until the bill clears the third reading and secures the President’s signature. Senator Rafael Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, endorsed the bill’s approval with minor, mostly clerical amendments. Dumawing expressed confidence that the bill would not face significant opposition. “We hope the BENECO franchise gets the Senate’s final nod before the end of the current Congress. It’s part of a batch of bills—including those related to education—that the Senate may soon transmit to the President,” he added. Dane Ducayag, president of EC-MCO United Inc.—a SEC-registered organization of BENECO’s member-consumer-owners (MCOs)—hailed the Senate’s move as a major win for community-driven energy. “This is a significant victory for member-consumer-owners. It reaffirms the role of electric cooperatives in empowering rural communities and fostering inclusive economic growth,” Ducayag said. Longtime BENECO supporter Beng Garcia, national convenor of Ilaw Philippines, echoed the sentiment: “We MCOs are happy the BENECO franchise has passed the second reading. We’ve remained watchful throughout this long process and continue to fully support our BENECO.” With just one more Senate reading and the President’s approval remaining, the cooperative and its stakeholders are now cautiously optimistic that BENECO’s legacy of reliable, consumer-oriented energy service will continue for decades to come.

By Pigeon Lobien The convenors of the peace rally last week submitted a copy of their manifesto signed by 36,025 Benguet voters to proclaim Rep. Eric Yap as winner of the May 12 elections with the Commission on Elections – Cordillera Wednesday, June 4, prior they submit the same with the national office tomorrow. “It is a call to proclaim Cong. Yap as congressman to assure our province mates that we have a duly elected congressman,” said lead convenor Gary Abela carrying the 9-inch duplicate of the manifesto signed by resident voters from the 13 municipalities before submitting same with the Comelec -Cordilkera Wednesday afternoon. The signatures were gathered in a week-long campaign that started with a full pack rally at the La Trinidad parking lot behind the municipal hall last May 28. “It was made by then, done by them asking the Comelec to proclaim Yap,” said lawyer Francis Ray Camtugan, representing the convenors. Camtugan said that the manifesto is to help fast track the resolution of the seven cases of disqualification against Yap who defeated Vice Gov Ericson Felipe by more than 80,000 vites. “We will submit it (original) tomorrow with the national Comelec,” he added. Camtugan said that it will be the “comments be part of the records to resolve (the seven) cases. It is their sentiment (they want) to be part of the records,” Camtugan added. Some seven cases of disqualification had been filed against Yap including issues on citizenship and vote buying, among others. Camtugan pleaded with those behind the cases to accept the result of the election where Yap garnered 144,093 votes against the 62,371 of Felipe.  

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Reaffirming its dedication to health promotion and the welfare of Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and their families, the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PRO CAR) actively participated in the simultaneous conduct of the Love and Blessings (LAB) Virus Program and Medical Mission held on June 4, 2025. This initiative was spearheaded by the PNP Officers’ Ladies Club (OLC) in partnership with the Regional Community Affairs and Development Division and the Regional Medical and Dental Unit from the different Police Provincial Offices of the PNP. At Camp Major Bado Dangwa, La Trinidad, Banquet, PBGen.Rogelio Raymundo,Jr., Deputy Regional Director for Administration, together with Mrs. Grace A. Peredo, Adviser of the PRO CAR OLC, led the ceremonial turnover of grocery packs and financial assistance to 19 selected beneficiaries. This act highlights the PNP’s unwavering commitment to supporting the welfare of its personnel and their dependents. In addition, a medical outreach activity benefited 165 individuals, including PRO CAR personnel and civilian residents. Services rendered included medical and dental consultations, circumcision, free medicines and vitamins, and giveaways from partner organizations held at the Camp Bado Dangwa Hospital. To further promote camaraderie and mental resilience, a group dynamics session focused on Mental Calisthenics was also held at the PRO CAR multi-purpose center. Fifty personnel took part in interactive exercises aimed at enhancing teamwork and emotional well-being. The PNP OLC, through its LAB Virus Program and Medical Mission, continues to extend joy, compassion, and vital support to those in need. This meaningful initiative reflects the Foundation’s steadfast commitment to public service, community care, and the overall promotion of health and wellness.