By Rachel Magday   Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito spearheaded a series of inauguration ceremonies for various development projects in several towns across the province, all funded through the provincial government. On June 26, Governor Gambito, together with Board Members Leonard Clemens L. Cadoy and Emerlene Jane G. Martinez, and Mayor Neil S. Magaway, inaugurated the newly constructed stage and the newly rehabilitated barangay gymnasium of Barangay Biruk in Dupax del Sur. The following day, June 27, Governor Gambito led the blessing and inauguration of a 430-meter farm-to-market road at Sitio Addon, Barangay Pingiian, Kayapa. The project, implemented by the Provincial Agriculture Office, was allocated a budget of 2 million pesos under the “Ti Kalsada Ti Kabanbantayan” program of Governor Gambito. Today, July 2, Governor Gambito together Ms. Desiree D. Baldevino, External Affairs and Social Performance Manager of OceanaGold Philippines and the barangay officials led the blessing and inauguration of the Pogonsino Health Station and the Barangay Pogonsino Multipurpose Building. The multipurpose building was completed in two phases—Phase 1 funded by the Barangay Local Government Unit (BLGU) and Phase 2 by the Provincial Local Government. The health station, meanwhile, was funded with 3 million pesos under the Community Development Fund of OceanaGold Philippines, featuring a health station on the first floor and a multipurpose hall on the second floor. Governor Gambito emphasized the provincial government’s commitment to delivering essential services and infrastructure to various communities, aiming to improve the quality of life for residents throughout Nueva Vizcaya.

By Rachel Magday   Atty. Jose V. Gambito was formally sworn in as Governor of Nueva Vizcaya on Monday, pledging to build on the province’s recent gains and continue championing inclusive development in his first full term as the province’s chief executive. The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Carlos M. Padilla Convention Center, where Governor Gambito was joined by Congressman Atty. Timothy Joseph E. Cayton, Vice Governor Eufemia Ang Dacayo, and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in taking their oaths. Several municipal officials also took their oaths during the event, including Diadi Mayor Sandy Gayaton, Vice Mayor Rolito Dulnuan, and members of their Sangguniang Bayan, as well as Councilors Ricardo L. Bonus and Atty. Mark Joel P. Balgos of Bambang. In a show of unity, Congressman Cayton and Vice Governor Dacayo both committed to working closely with Governor Gambito to ensure the continuous progress and prosperity of Nueva Vizcaya. The two officials expressed their full support for the governor’s vision and programs, emphasizing the importance of cooperation among the province’s leaders for the benefit of all Vizcayanos. In his message, Governor Gambito expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support he received in the recent elections, which he described as a “testament to your trust.” He recounted his rise to the governorship in 2023, following the untimely passing of then-Governor Carlos M. Padilla, and reflected on the challenges and apprehensions he faced during his initial months in office. “The warm embrace of our people, the openness to new ideas, and the responsiveness to our flagship projects gave me confidence to move forward,” Gambito said, highlighting the province’s achievements under his leadership. He cited Nueva Vizcaya’s insurgency-free status, its elevation to a first-class province, and its ranking as the second fastest-growing economy in the Philippines. The province also received its first-ever Seal of Good Local Governance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government. “These achievements are the fruits of our unity, the dedication of our provincial employees, and the transformation in the way we serve our people,” he said. Looking ahead, Gambito outlined a comprehensive agenda for his administration, including the continuation and expansion of infrastructure programs such as “Kalsada ti Kabanbantayan” and “Dalan ti Umili,” and the extension of the “Free WiFi ti Umili” initiative to all public schools. He also vowed to improve healthcare by equipping hospitals with modern facilities and expanding the reach of the Wellness Caravan to remote areas. The governor announced plans to reopen Bagabag Airport in coordination with the Department of Tourism to boost inter-regional tourism connectivity, and to extend incentives to senior citizens, including octogenarians and those aged 70 to 79. He reaffirmed his commitment to making Nueva Vizcaya an organic province, promoting renewable energy, and supporting local farmers through the establishment of a Palay Processing Center. “Our vision is a province that is progressive, inclusive, and resilient—a Nueva Vizcaya where no one is left behind,” Gambito said. Reflecting on his political journey, Gambito shared that he had run for governor three times before finally winning, attributing his eventual victory to “divine providence and the trust of the Vizcayanos.” “This is not just my victory, but a victory for all of us—for every Vizcayano who believes in honesty, hard work, and genuine service,” he concluded. The oath-taking ceremony was historic for Nueva Vizcaya, as it was the first time the three highest provincial officials took their oaths together in one venue. Notably, Cayton and Dacayo ran under Aksyon Demokratiko, while Gambito was elected under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas–Nacionalista Party coalition, making their show of unity a significant milestone for the province.    

By Rachel Magday   A total of 283 residents in Nueva Vizcaya received land titles from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on June 25, granting them legal ownership and security over the land they have long occupied. The distribution of land titles took place at the Carlos M. Padilla Convention Center,Provincial Capitol as part of the DENR’s ‘One Stop Shop Caravan’ initiative. The program aims to fast-track the processing and awarding of titles for Alienable and Disposable (A&D) lands in the province. DENR Regional Executive Director Gwendolyn Bambalan and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Engr. Giovanni Magat led the awarding ceremony, which was also attended by Vice Governor Eufemia Dacayo and Bayombong Mayor Antonio G. Bagasao. In addition to receiving their land titles, beneficiaries were provided with free sketch plans for their properties, further easing the process of land ownership. According to Engr. Magat, the titling program continues to cover remaining A&D lands in Nueva Vizcaya. Magat emphasized the importance of land titles in providing security to families who rely on these lands for their homes and livelihoods. He also expressed gratitude to the Registry of Deeds for facilitating the processing of the titles following the DENR’s survey and documentation. Although Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito was unable to attend the event due to an equally important engagement, he expressed his strong support for the DENR’s land distribution program. Governor Gambito has conveyed his appreciation for the agency’s dedication to promoting land security and environmental stewardship in the province. He reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that empower Novo Vizcayanos and protect the province’s natural resources. Vice Governor Dacayo also lauded the DENR and its partner agencies for their commitment to environmental protection and responsible land management in the province. The DENR said it will continue its land titling activities until all eligible lands in Nueva Vizcaya have been covered, aiming to empower more residents with legal proof of land ownership.      

By Rachel Magday   Authorities have officially concluded rescue and retrieval operations after recovering the bodies of three small-scale miners trapped inside a 400-meter-deep tunnel in Sitio Balcony, Barangay Runruno, Quezon. According to Barangay Captain John Babliing, the retrieval operation ended at around 2 a.m. today (June 26), after the decomposed remains of the victims were brought out. The miners were identified as Daniel Segundo Paggana, 47; Lipihon Ayudan y Bumulyad, 56; and Florencio Indopia y Napudo, 63, all residents of Barangay Runruno. Earlier, on June 25, volunteer rescuer John Philip Guinihid lost his life after being pulled out of the same tunnel. Guinihid and his friend Johnny Ayudan had entered the tunnel on the night of June 24 in an attempt to retrieve the body of Lipihon Ayudan, Johnny’s brother, who was among the miners trapped since the evening of June 23. Meanwhile, two other miners, Alfred Dulnuan and Joval Bantiyan, were rescued alive from the tunnel on June 24. Both had entered the site on June 23 together with Segundo, Indopia, and Ayudan. The rescue and retrieval operations were carried out by volunteer rescuers from the Runruno community, personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), FCF Minerals Corp., OceanaGold Philippines, Inc., Lepanto Consolidated Mining Company, as well as barangay and municipal officials. 📷NVPPO

By Rachell Galamay-Cagayan PIO   TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan — Tiniyak ng Department of Education -Schools Division Office (SDO)-Cagayan na kanilang pagtutuunan ng pansin ang pagpapataas sa literacy and reading comprehension rate ng mga mag-aaral sa probinsiya. Sa ginanap na Oplan Balik Eskwela SY 2025-2026 Reporting Educational Progress and Outlining Reforms and Targets (PROJECT REPORT) Meeting, noong Hunyo 23, inihayag ni Schools Division Superintendent, Dr. Reynante Caliguiran na sa pagbubukas ng School Year 2025-2026, target nilang pataasin ang lebel ng pang-unawa,kakayahan sa pagbabasa, at pagbibilang ng mga estudyante lalo na sa elementarya. Ilan sa mga istratehiyang kanilang ipatutupad na siya ring inilatag ng DepEd Central Office ay ang pagtatalaga ng mga guro sa bawa’t baitang anuman ang kanilang ranggo upang matulungan ang mga estudyante na linangin ang kanilang pagbabasa at pang-unawa. “Una, nagbaba ang ating central office ng abiso na ang mga Master Teachers natin ay kailangan i-reassign sa current Grade level kung nasaan sila. Yung mga nasa Key Stage 1 (Grade 1,2,3) stay put sila, yung mga nasa Key Stage 2 ay inilagay natin sila sa Key Stage 1. Ilalagay natin sila kung saan sila mas kailangan at trained,” saad ni Dr. Caliguiran. Maliban sa reassigning at realignment ng mga guro, nakikita rin ng SDO Cagayan na makatutulong ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na learning resource materials at pagyakap sa digitalization upang makausad ang mga ito at magkaroon ng pagbabago. Kaugnay rito, lubos ang naging pasasalamat ng SDO Cagayan sa Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan sa pamumuno ni Governor Manuel Mamba dahil sa pagbibigay nito ng pondo at iba pang kagamitan gaya ng mga libro na mamagamit sa kanilang pagtuturo. Matatandaang sa isinagawang Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) nasa 69.4% ang functional literacy rate sa buong Rehiyon Dos kung saan naitala ang Cagayan na may pinakamababang functional literacy rate kumpara sa ibang lalawigan. Ilan sa mga natukoy na salik na maaaring nakaapekto sa pagbaba ng literacy rate ng probinsiya ay ang labis na paggamit ng mga gadgets, online games, at iba pang online platforms at kawalan ng moral at emotional support ng mga magulang sa kanilang mga anak na maaaring nakaaapekto sa kanilang pag-aaral. Samantala, nanawagan naman si Amir Aquino, Public Affairs Officer ng DepEd Region 2 ng maigting na koordinasyon at kooperasyon hindi lamang sa mga ahensiya ng gobyerno nguni’t maging sa mga lokal na pamahalaan at magulang ng mga mag-aaral upang masolusyunan ang kinahaharap na problema hinggil sa pagbaba ng functional literacy rate ng probinsiya. “We are hoping a strong coordination with our stakeholders and also the parents of our students in Cagayan, dahil hindi lamang naman po dapat ang Kagawaran ang gumagalaw, naniniwala po ako na kapag tayo po ay gumalaw lahat at gumawa ng solusyon ay matutugunan po natin ang pangangailangan ng ating mga mag-aaral,” paliwanag ni Aquino  

Tinatayang aabot sa P323,600,000 ang halaga ng mga drogang sunod-sunod na narekober sa mga karagatang sakop ng Claveria, Sta. Praxedes, at Islang bayan ng Calayan sa Lalawigan Cagayan. Ito ay batay sa inilabas na pagtaya ng Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 2 matapos isailalim ang mga nasabat na mga kontrabando sa pagsusuri. Sa datos na inilabas ng ahensya, umabot sa himigit-kumulang isang kilo ng pinaniniwalaang shabu ang narekober sa Sitio Narvacan, Barangay Dilam nitong Hunyo 13, 2025, na nagkakahalaga ng P5,700,000 habang nagsasagawa ng seaborne patrol ang mga awtoridad sa lugar. Ang sumunod namang narekober ng dalawang mangingisda na dalawang sako na naglalaman ng mga pinaniniwalaang shabu kasama ang isang asul na gallon na may lamang hindi pa matukoy na uri ng likido sa Barangay Centro 6, Claveria, Cagayan nitong Hunyo 15, 2025 ay tinatayang nagkakahalaga umano ng P312,800,000. Iniulat ng PDEA Region 2 na ang dalawang sako ay may tatak na “Daguanyin” at Chinese characters kung saan nakalagay ang 44 vacuum-sealed plastic ng mga kontrabando na umaabot sa humigit-kumulang 44 kilo ang timbang. Sa kaparehong araw ay nakarekober pa ang ilang mangingisda sa dalampasigan ng Sitio Mingay, Barangay San Juan Sta. Praxedes ng isang garbage bag na naglalaman ng humigit kumulang 750 grams ng pinaniniwalaang shabu na nagkakahalaga ng P 5,100,000. Sa ngayon, patuloy naman ang maigting na pagpapatrolya ng mga awtoridad sa mga dalampasigan at karagatang sakop ng lalawigan upang mabantayan ang pagkalat ng mga iligal na kontrabando. Una na ring inihayag ng Cagayan PNP na patuloy din ang koordinasyon ng hanay ng kapulisan at ng iba pang law enforcement unit upang matiyak ang maayos na paglalatag ng mga polisiyang tututok sa paglaganap ng iligal na gawain sa Lalawigan ng Cagayan. Cagayan PIO 📷PDEA Region 2  

Dagsaan ngayon ang mga pasyenteng nagpapabakuna kontra-rabies sa mga Animal Bite Treatment Center (ABTC) sa Cagayan dahil sa kagat at kalmot ng aso’t pusa. Sa datos ng Animal Bite Treatment Center-Provincial Health Office (PHO) ng Pamahalaang Panlalawigan ng Cagayan, umaabot sa 250 hanggang 300 pasyente ang nagpapabakuna sa mga bite center sa mga naitakdang araw ng bakunahan. Ayon kay Shamon De Yro, Rabies Coordinator ng PHO, karamihan aniya sa mga nagpapabakuna ay namulat ang mata sa panganib ng rabies na napapanood sa mga trending video online. Dagdag pa ni De Yro, marami rin silang naitatalang pasyenteng nakagat ng aso o pusa lima hanggang sampung taon na ang nakalilipas nguni’t ngayon palang nagpapabakuna. Dumarami man ang nagpapabakuna, tiniyak na sapat ang libreng bakuna kontra-rabies ng Provincial Government of Cagayan (PGC) na naibababa sa bite centers ng 12 District Hospital ng Cagayan, kabilang dito ang Rural Health Unit ng Calayan Island, RHU Lal-lo, Sub-Capitol sa Bangag, Lal-lo, at sa ABTC ng PHO sa Kapitolyo ng Cagayan sa Tuguegarao City. Kaugnay rito, kapansin-pansin sa tala ng ABTC-PHO ang pagtaas ng bilang ng mga nakakagat at nakakalmot ng pusa kung saan ay umabot sa 4,816 pasyente ang nagpakonsulta at nagpabakuna sa unang quarter ngayong 2025 kumpara noong 2023 at 2024 na nasa 3,700 pasyente. Ito umano ay magandang senyales sapagka’t tumataas ang kamalayan ng mamamayan sa kahalagahan ng pagpapabakuna kontra-rabies at sa panganib na dulot ng rabies kung hindi ito agad maagapan. “Sana ugaliin ng sinumang nakakagat ng hayop na agad magpakonsulta at magpabakuna at hindi ‘yong tsaka lamang magsadya sa mga bite center dahil sa mga napanood o nabalitaan. Mahalaga rin sana sa lahat na may alagang hayop ay pabakunahan kada taon, itali o ikulong, alagaang mabuti o maging isang responsible pet owner’s para walang maitalang human rabies sa ating probinsya. Higit sa lahat ay huwag tayo magpakampante kapag nakagat ng alaga o hindi kilalang hayop,” ani De Yro. Samantala, inaasahan ngayong taon na magkakaroon na rin ng bite center ang ilan pang bayan sa Cagayan upang mas mailapit ang serbisyo kontra-rabies. (Susan L. Mapa)