Category Archives: Government

Activism, Baguio, History

Blast From the Past 1: "You Backstabbing, Public Urinators!"

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Here’s an interesting article on a 1988 demonstration by Igorots/iCordilleras in Baguio to protest against then Baguio City Mayor Ramon Labo’s remarks about Igorots. This is what he reportedly said, “We will not lose [the elections] to those Igorots. They urinate anywhere . . . that is why we club them. . . . The Igorots are traitors. They are civil in front of you, but once you turn your back they stab you.”

I was still too young to be a part of this demonstration. (Hehe, that’s a joke. I was actually based in Manila by then and didn’t know about Labo’s remarks.) I wonder if some of you were a part of this rally and would want to re-live the experience by reading about it. This article is actually part of the first chapter of a book on the Cordilleras written by Gerard A. Finin, The Making of the Igorot: Contours of Cordillera Consciousness. The book was published by Ateneo Press and was a finalist in the 25th National Book Awards.

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Government, Ifugao

People vs. Duntugan, Part 2

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Last 18 May, Ifugao prosecutors charged Juan Duntugan with murder for the killing of Julia Campbell. [Links to our previous coverage on this issue: Missing in Ifugao; On Juan Duntugan’s Surrender and Confession; People vs. Duntugan] Why murder and not homicide which we argued is the proper charge? Well, according to assistant provincial prosecutor Marvin Ngayawan it’s gotta be murder because there was treachery and cruelty involved.

From the Associated Press via Boston.com:
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Government, Ifugao, Politics

Teddy Baguilat Says, "Thank You". We Say, "We’ll Be Watching You"

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Here’s a cool letter from Ifugao Governor-Elect Teddy Baguilat which was forwarded to us by a friend:

yo people of ifugao!

i’m back after a gruelling 45-day campaign and a few days of tense moments waiting for the official proclamation. so at the moment, i’m on vacation.

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Government, Kalinga, Politics

On Kalinga Governor-Elect Floydelia Diasen

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As we usually do in this blog, we are putting some of your comments here in the main page because we believe that they deserve to be read by more people. These comments are about the new governor of Kalinga. Thanks Queen Esther and TruBlue!

From Queen Esther:
Let’s give Dr. Floydelia Diasen a chance to lead as Governor of Kalinga. She is a true blue e-kalinga, her mother being a pure blooded original. The “sympathy votes” as we call it that installed her to governorship is her chance to do public service to the whole Kalinga province. She is already honed for this kind of leadership. Being a nurse, an educator, a mayor’s wife for 9 years and vice-governor’s wife for 3 years, she did a lot of public service to the Kalingas, doing medical/dental/health/family planning outreaches to far-flung barangays.

I’ve been with her in several of these endeavors, so I really know her personally. She is a quick thinker, has very good judgment and an excellent decision -maker. As a politician’s wife, she has stood alongside the late Vice Governor Rommel Diasen influencing him for good and guiding him in his leadership. As a teacher, she has trained/influenced a lot of college students to achieve their dreams. As a mother, she has extended her motherly love by adopting 2 more kids in spite of her own 6 kids. She finished her doctorate on Public Administration, and she came from a family of people involved in public service for 2 generations.

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