Friday, March 28, 2025

Lantapan LGU provides communication skills training, empowers LGBTQIA+ as change agents

MALAYBALAY CITY (January 7, 2025) — To empower LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other identities) as catalysts for change, the local government unit (LGU) of Lantapan conducted training in Malaybalay City on December 18-19

The workshop focused on social media management, news writing, and broadcasting, emphasizing the media’s power to amplify marginalized voices and shape public discourse.
Participants delved into the intricacies of social media platforms and guided participants in crafting impactful content, building strong online communities, and effectively combating misinformation.
The training empowered LGBTQIA+ members to harness the power of social media to raise awareness about their rights, promote inclusivity, and foster meaningful dialogue on critical community issues.
These skills are crucial for empowering LGBTQIA+ individuals to share authentic stories that challenge stereotypes, celebrate diversity, and bring attention to the issues impacting their community.
Beyond technical skills, the workshop emphasized the participants’ ethical responsibilities, encouraging them to approach content creation with integrity and respect for all individuals.
By combining technical expertise with a strong advocacy foundation, the program ensures that LGBTQIA+ members are not only skilled communicators but also effective agents of change.
This initiative by the Lantapan local government underscores the significance of inclusive governance and active participation in societal discourse. By equipping LGBTQIA+ members with valuable media skills, the LGU fosters a more informed and empowered community, ready to take on leadership roles and advocate for positive change.

LGU’s Support

Lantapan Mayor Ernie Devibar acknowledged the LGBTQIA+ community as an integral part of the locality.
“In Lantapan, we actively include our LGBTQIA+ community in our initiatives and programs. Every June 12, during the Independence Day celebration, we organize events for our LGBTQIA+ community, where they can showcase their talents through pageants and other activities. This reflects the Lantapan local government’s commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable society where the voices of all its citizens, including the LGBTQIA+ community, are heard and valued,” the mayor said.
Dem Alfonso, 19, thanked the Lantapan local government for this valuable opportunity.
“I am grateful to the Lantapan LGU for facilitating this seminar-workshop. We learned so much,” Alfonso said. (Bernadith G. Epan/PIA 10-Bukidnon)

P29K worth of marijuana plants uprooted in Valencia

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon – A total of 295 marijuana plants were uprooted in the hinterlands of Sitio Migtulod, Brgy. Mt. Nebo, Valencia City, Bukidnon, on August 21, 2024

BUK-PDEU personnel worked alongside Buk-PIU, Valencia CPS, and PDEA Bukidnon to uproot the marijuana plants.

The Bukidnon Police Provincial Office (BPPO) said that the uprooted marijuana plants weigh approximately 7.8 kilograms and had a market worth of ₱ 59,000.00 (₱ 200/hill).

The uprooted plants were destroyed and burned at the scene in the presence of witnesses.

Samples of the uprooted marijuana plants were sent to the Valencia City Police Station for documentation and then turned over to the PNP Provincial Forensic Unit in Malaybalay City for laboratory testing. (melbmadera)

Hedcor turns over ₱5.1M royalty shares to Bukidnon IP communities

MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon (December 29, 2024) — Hedcor, the renewable energy asset manager of AboitizPower, has turned over ₱5,140,167.01 in royalty shares to Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities in Bukidnon for 2022-2023. These funds directly benefit the host communities of Hedcor’s Manolo Fortich 1 and 2 hydroelectric power plants, advancing inclusive growth and sustainable development

Five Indigenous Peoples (IP) organizations received their royalties, signifying progress for their communities. The Santiago Tribal Community (SANTRICO), Inc. and Impakibel, Apo Man Asilan Tribal Association were each awarded ₱1,401,529.47. Meanwhile, the Lumikapaw Ka Guihean Tribal Council of Elders and Guilang-Guilang Apo Datu Nanikunan Association, Inc. each received ₱935,578.60. The Buklod Kayantang Tribal Association, Inc. was granted ₱465,950.87. These funds embody a commitment to empowering and uplifting Indigenous communities, going beyond mere financial support.
The funds will be used for initiatives identified by the IP communities themselves, including livelihood assistance, skills training to strengthen economic resilience, scholarships for Indigenous youth, and elder care programs.
The projects will also help empower women entrepreneurs, preserve traditional practices, and advance environmental efforts such as reforestation.
Bae Priscilla Cariaga, President of Buklod Kayantang Tribal Association, Inc., expressed gratitude for the turnover.
“Ang pagtinabangay uban sa Hedcor nagpalambo sa among komunidad. Ang mga pondo makatabang sa pagpreserba sa among kultura, pagtubag sa mga kinahanglanon, ug paghimo og mga oportunidad para sa umaabot nga henerasyon,” she said.
(Working together with Hedcor has developed our community. The funds help preserve our culture, address our needs, and create opportunities for future generations.)
Implemented closely with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Region 10, the program ensures that projects align with cultural preservation and ancestral domain protection.
“Through joint efforts, we achieve meaningful progress for Indigenous Peoples, safeguarding their heritage while promoting development,” said lawyer Dexter B. Precioso, NCIP regional legal officer.
Hedcor Vice President for Corporate Services Noreen Vicencio said the giving out of royalty shares underscores Hedcor’s zeal to collaborate with IP organizations to enhance community well-being.
“This turnover is more than just meeting our obligations—it reflects our commitment to a meaningful partnership. We are honored to support the IP organizations’ efforts to advance livelihood, education, and cultural heritage.
By working side by side, we help ensure a lasting, positive impact that strengthens their communities and enriches their future,” Vicencio said.
She reiterated that by returning these royalty shares to the communities, Hedcor continues to advance renewable energy while strengthening communities, protecting cultural identities, and fostering long-term growth and opportunity. (Hedcor-AboitizPower/PIA-10/Bukidnon)

Bukidnon aims to be PH’s Arabica Capital with coffee roadmap

MALAYBALAY CITY (August 28, 2024/PIA) — “Bukidnon’s coffee beans, renowned worldwide for their quality, have elevated the province as a global coffee destination. We have world-class coffee beans right here in our backyard. It’s time to unleash their full potential,” declared Governor Rogelio Neil P. Roque

Despite this international acclaim, the governor emphasized that the local coffee industry remains weak and underdeveloped. However, he believes the province’s coffee industry is on the cusp of a transformation.

To achieve this revitalization, Roque aims to establish Bukidnon as the “Arabica Capital” of the Philippines. In a recent state-of-the-province address, he referred to the coffee potential as a hidden treasure, underscoring the untapped opportunities.

He said that with the right strategies and investments, Bukidnon can become a shining example of how to turn agricultural resources into economic prosperity.

To turn this vision into reality, the provincial government has established a technical working group (TWG) dedicated to crafting a comprehensive coffee roadmap.

This collaborative effort brings together farmers, processors, sellers, café owners, baristas, and coffee enthusiasts to chart a course for the industry’s growth.

The roadmap will prioritize improving coffee quality and marketability using advanced processing techniques.

Bukidnon seeks to boost its local economy and generate new opportunities for farmers and entrepreneurs by reinventing raw coffee beans into high-value products like roasted and ground coffee.

“We want to add value to our coffee beans. We aim to increase farmers’ income and establish Bukidnon as a leader in the global coffee market,” Roque said.

He explained that the newly created TWG is a significant milestone for Bukidnon’s coffee sector because the expertise and experience of various stakeholders could develop a sustainable and profitable coffee industry that can compete globally.

Bukidnon envisions a future where local products, including coffee, are celebrated domestically and internationally.

As the province embarks on this pursuit, the successful implementation of the Coffee Roadmap could serve as a model for other regions seeking to harness their unique agricultural products for economic development. (Bernadith G. Epan/PIA 10-Bukidnon)

Demo farm showcases drought-tolerant hybrid rice variety in Buk’non upland area

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — A demonstration farm in Sitio Incalbog, Can-ayan, featuring the hybrid rice variety TH-82 NSIC Rc350H, has showcased resilience amid the El Niño phenomenon, highlighting its potential to thrive within an upland ecosystem

This was underscored during a culmination program of the techno demo on August 22 in the said city.

This was led by the Department of Agriculture – Northern Mindanao (DA-10) in partnership with the Bukidnon Tagoloanon Mulahay Ha Kabukalagan Agriculture Cooperative (BUKTAMACO), Bukidnon province and Malaybalay City agriculture offices, and SeedWorks Philippines, Inc.

Chona H. Nacalaban, DA-10’s Rice program focal person, emphasized the importance of introducing the hybrid rice technology in upland conditions and engaging members of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs), especially in their ancestral areas with limited rice cultivation.

Launched last February 8, the planted rice variety was initially expected to be harvested by the third week of May, but faced a 58-day delay in maturity due to a significant lack of rainfall from March to May, albeit yielding 2.2 tons per hectare based on crop cut results after receiving rainfall in June.

For his part, Emmanuel F. Piñol, former DA Secretary and an early supporter of the initiative, lauded the demo farm’s success as a significant milestone for Philippine agriculture.

“The ability of this rice variety to survive drought and continue growing, despite a delayed maturity period, underscores its potential to revolutionize rice production in upland areas,” Piñol remarked.

“This breakthrough could allow us to cultivate rice in areas previously reliant on irrigation,” he added, while further noting that it is pivotal in easing the reliance on rice imports and addressing the need to feed the growing population by expanding and improving available tribal areas of the country for rice production.

The demo farm, covering 3,000 square meters, is a precursor to developing the 300 hectares within the BUKTAMACO ancestral domains, which overall seeks to implement sustainable farming practices tailored to upland environments, at the same time bolstering food security in the region. (BJCE)

Lalaking naghasi gitigbas sa uyoan

Isa ka 45-anyos nga lalaki kinsa naghasi ang gikatahong gidunggab patay sa iyang 79-anyos nga uyoan sa Flores Village, Purok 2, Brgy. Linabo, Malaybalay City gabii sa Agosto 16, 2024

Ang biktima kinsa ubos sa impluwensya sa ilimnong makahubog, naglasong samtang nagbitbit og sundang ug giguba ang koral sa suspek, sumala sa report ni Police Lt. Col. Virgilio Cruz, OIC sa Malaybalay City Police Station.

Gisuwayan pa unta sa pagpakalma sa suspek ang iyang pag-umangkon apan niresulta kini sa init nga panaglalis.

Dugang pa, ang suspek nibalik sa iyang balay ug mikuha og kutsilyo ug gidunggab ang biktima makaduha ka higayon nga naigo sa walang bahin sa liog ug walang gusok nga nakaingon sa iyang hinanaling kamatayon.

Ang nirespondeng Barangay Public Safety Officer (BPSO) sa Linabo nakasaksi sa hitabo ug nasikop ang suspek.

Gibira sa suspek ang kutsilyo sa liog sa biktima ug boluntaryong gi-turn over kini ngadto sa BPSO. (Omar Rashid Z. Abdullah)

Illegal settlement, land squatting gidili sa Malaybalay

Kaniadtong Hulyo 9, 2024, pinal nga giuyonan ni Mayor Jay Warren R. Pabillaran ang Anti-land squatting ordinance sa Malaybalay City

Nahitabo kini human giaprobahan sa Sangguniang Panlungsod ang Ordinance No. 1038, Series of 2024, nga mao ang ordinansa nga nagdili sa illegal settlement ug land squatting sa Malaybalay.

Sumala sa kasayoran sa city government, nakalusot sa SP ang ordinansa atol sa ika-94 nga regular session niadtong June 4, 2024.

Kini nga lakang naghatag og dakong kalamboan alang sa kalinaw ug kaluwasan sa siyudad.

Si Konsehal Erwin A. Damasco, chairman sa committee on human settlement, zoning, and land use, inubanan ni Konsehal Zoltan Dindo D. Dinlayan, ang nanguna sa pagduso ug pagpa-aprobar sa nasangpit nga ordinansa.

Ang ilang paningkamot ug dedikasyon alang sa maong isyu nakapahimo sa ordinansa nga isa ka realidad, nga gilauman nga maghatag og dugang pagbag-o sa siyudad.

Ang tumong sa maong ordinansa mao ang mapahugtan ang kampanya batok sa mga informal settler ug mga professional squatter.

Kini naglakip sa pagpasiugda og mas striktong mga patakaran aron malikayan ang mga kagubot ug mga dili maayo nga sitwasyon nga dala sa illegal settlement.

Dugang pa, ang ordinansa naglantaw nga malikayan ang pagtukod og mga building sa mga lugar nga delikado, sama sa mga daplin sa sapa, aron malikayan ang mga aksidente ug kalamidad.

Tungod niini nga ordinansa, gilauman nga mapabiling hapsay ug malikay sa peligro ang katawhan dinhi sa dakbayan sa Malaybalay.

Ang mga residente adunay mas ligdong nga pamuyo ug proteksyon batok sa mga illegal nga aktibidad nga maka-apekto sa ilang kaluwasan ug kabtangan. (melbmadera)

Lunsod Lunsad award midunol og P2-M nga proyekto ngadto sa Malaybalay

Ang lokal nga pangagamhanan sa Malaybalay nakadawat og grant nga nagkantidad og Php 2 milyon gikan sa 2024 Lunsod Lunsad nga proyekto sa Department of Trade and Industry

Ang Malaybalay isa sa tulo ka siyudad sa Rehiyon 10 nga nakaangkon sa maong grant alang sa Creative Industry pinaagi sa paghatag og proposal nga proyekto.

Ang proyekto ginganlan ug 7Tribes Museum Shops (digital museum, digital marketing/e-commerce), nga nagtinguha sa pagdasig sa mga lumad ug local nga artists sa pagpromote sa nagkadaiyang kultura, produkto, arts sama sa paintings, ug uban pang kalihokan nga makahatag ug bili sa atong lumadnong piyesa ug kahibalo, alang usab sa paghatag ug dugang kakitaan sa mga miyebro sa komunidad.

Magmalipayong gidawat ni Mr. Romeo Lapeciros ang sertipiko nga pagkadawat sa award niadtong Agosto 6, 2024 sa Philippine Trade Training Center sa Pasay City, Metro Manila.

Si Lapeciros isip focal person sa proyekto ug nagrepresentar alang ni Mayor Jay Warren Pabillaran.

Dako ang iyang pasalamat nga mahimo ang maong proyekto kauban sa kolaborasyon sa nagkalain-laing opisina sa dakbayan, lakip ang Tourism Office, LEDIPO, ICT-Innovation Council, Council of Culture, Arts, and Heritage, CPDO, Konsehal Kiril Dinlayan, Mr. Erlow Talatala, ug uban pang project technical partners. (Diego M. Hidalgo)

7 sites sa Bukidnon nakaangkon og free Wi-Fi access

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon (August 15, 2024) – Nakaangkon og free Wi-Fi access ang pito ka mga barangay sa Bukidnon bag-ohay lang

Ang pito ka mga dapit lakip sa activated nga 600 ka mga lugar sa nasud nga natabonan sa Connectivity, Capability, and Resiliency through Free Wi-Fi for All (CoRe FW4A) project sa Department of Information and Technology (DICT uban sa United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Nahigayon ang nationwide launching sa proyekto sa People’s Hall sa Malaybalay City, Bukidnon kaniadtong Agosto 15, 2024.

Diha sa programa si Mr. Paul Tuason, director sa DICT, Ms. Vivien Suerte-Cortez, team leader sa UNDP Philippines Institutions and Partnerships, Malaybalay City Mayor Jay Warren R. Pabillaran, ug uban pa.

Duha sa mga proyekto sa Bukidnon ang lakip sa Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) diin ang Free Wi-Fi naplastar sa Barangay Hall sa Cabadiangan, Kadingilan ug sa Santa Felomina Barangay Hall sa Quezon.

Samtang ang lima pa anaa sa Indigenous People’s (IP) communities nga naplastar sa Saint Peter Barangay Hall sa Malaybalay City, Dolorosa Barangay Hall sa Dangcagan, Maraymaray Barangay Hall sa Don Carlos, Kalabugao Barangay Hall sa Impasug-ong ug Sampaguita Barangay Hall sa Kibawe.

Ang CoRe FW4A project direktang gipatuman sa UNDP nga nagsuporta sa pagpatuman sa DICT sa Free Wi-Fi for All (FWFA) Program niini subay sa R.A. 10929 kon Free Internet Access in Public Spaces Act of 2017.

Ang programa gikatakdang matapos sa Disyembre 31, 2025. (melbmadera)

NCIP, LGU Manolo Fortich ink MOA on P226.9M FMR in Kalugmanan

The drafting and signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the concreting of the farm-to-market road in Sitio Balakbakan, Barangay Kalugmanan, took place on August 19, 2024, at the Barangay Kalugmanan covered court

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the Local Government Unit of Manolo Fortich signed the agreement.

The project involves concreting a 7.8-kilometer Farm-to-Market Road (FRM) under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), with a budget of 226,992,990 million pesos from the Department of Agriculture.

The road concreting will begin at Sitio Balakbakan and continue to Kalugmanan proper.

This project aims to assist farmers in Barangay Kalugmanan by facilitating the easier transportation of their farm produce to the Municipal Public Market in Barangay Tankulan.

Municipal Mayor Rogelio N. Quiño was present during the MOA drafting and signing. He expressed his enthusiasm for infrastructure programs, particularly road projects.

“Matod pa, himoon nato ni nga dako nga kalipay nga ang atong karsada gikan didto sa Café by the Ridge, musangko dinhi sa atong tulay, pasubida paingon sa ila ni Mr. Perrine, ug gani naa pay sobra nga budget, I think nga e-semento pa paingon diri. Nindot na kaayo mga programa nato mga roads section sa atong lungsod sa Manolo Fortich. Including ang atong Sankanan road, ang atong gi-plano nasad ang Lindaban paingon sa Dahilayan atong sementohon, so nangita tag budget para ana,” Mayor Quiño stated.

Farmer Sirapin Buyoc, 67 years old, from Zone 2, Kalugmanan, expressed his gratitude for the road project, which has made transporting their agricultural products easier.

“Ang ako lang, nga makadugang benepisyo niining muabot ang dalan nga kami di nami maglisod sa among mga produkto, sama sa mga mais, cassava, mga utanon, daghan mi mga utanon diha sa Ilaya. So sayon ra gyud kaayo ang pag-deliver sa produkto paingon sa atong market ug sa Cagayan,” said Buyoc.

Also in attendance were Municipal Administrator Engr. Joie Caesar M. Gaid, Sangguniang Bayan Member IPMR Coun. Alex Payangga, NCIP Regional Legal Officer Atty. Dexter Precioso, the Barangay Council of Kalugmanan, and Indigenous Peoples (IP) community members, including the Higaonon, Talaandig, and Bukidnon tribes.

Heads of offices and representatives from focal departments of the Local Government of Manolo Fortich, such as the Municipal Agriculture Office, Municipal Engineering Office, Municipal Assessor’s Office, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, and Municipal Planning and Development Office, also attended the MOA signing. (PR)