Allow this near-sighted Ibaloy writer to start the new year (and decade) with good news as Mayor Benjamin Magalong announced recently that the Philippine Long Distance Telephone (PLDT) Corp., Globe, and other telecom companies, in collaboration with the Benguet Electric Cooperative, gave their commitment to the city government to remove “spaghetti wires” in Baguio within 180 days.
The mayor said the move is a significant improvement from a previous plan to address the problem in one year and eight months.
He said the implementation started in Dec. 9, 2019 and will be completed in July 2020.
The removal of spaghetti wires is in line with the mayor’s strict implementation of the one-pole policy. Cheers!
Here’s “Bag-iw, Part IX” by my naughty poetic twin Gabriel Baban Keith: “I sound the solibao and gangsa/ and hope my solitary voice is heard/by fellow Ibaloys/scattered in the four corners of the/north, south,east and west/Come home my brothers and sister/to the unconquered home of you/brave ancestors./Come and visit this blessed land/you once fondly knew./The Kafagway, Bag-iw, Baguio/ is no more./ It’s now just an overcrowded melting pot:/An empty shell of what/it used to be./Come join me, my brethren, and witness/an Ibaloy paradise lost.”
FYI: “It’s about time for local coffee drinkers to enjoy a cup of home-grown coffee.”
This was the assertion last year of Councilor Philian Allan, chair of the city council’s committee on market, trade, commerce, and agriculture.
She said there are more than 35 coffee growers in various areas of Baguio with around 3,000 coffee plants.
“Those who want to see this dream come true can join us in planting, harvesting, packing and labeling coffee products through trainings and organizing,” Allan said.
Allan said that the council has passed a resolution encouraging all sectors to participate in coffee farming that’s in line with the city’s collective core agenda of strengthening livelihood and entrepreneurial services.
Allan hopes to propose the “Baguio Coffee Ordinance” in the next two years or before her term ends.
This includes an appeal pending in her committee to organize the Baguio urban organic farmers as the council approved the city’s agricultural plan for 2020 to 2022.
She said the city council also adopted a resolution asking Pres. Rodrigo Duterte to cede to the city the remaining portions of Slaughterhouse compound.
“The city envisions a comprehensive plan for a north bound bus terminal, veterinary and agricultural compound including a satellite market in the area,” Allan added.
We’re on air Wednesdays, 8 am, over K-Lite 96.7 FM, with Fiona Quinn and every last Tuesday of the month at 3p.m. for “City Hall Hour” over SkyCable, DZEQ RadyoPilipinas and Big FM.
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
