Mountain Life

Miniature or Larger than Life?

2011-12-30T20:07:00.000-08:00

Could this be a miniature or larger than life size- rocks? If you were not here, it would seem that some playful giant set the rocks on a stream. Stop by barrio Alab, a barrio of the capital town of Bontoc (Mountain Province) along the scenic Halsema Highway and admire the view.

Go Ahead Shoot!

2011-12-30T20:01:00.000-08:00

Stop by barrio Alab (about 4 kilometers away from the capital town of Bontoc. From the tin waiting shed, get down to a steel hanging bridge and take this shot.

Along the Halsema Highway, coming to Bontoc, whether from Baguio City or Bannaue, Ifugao, take a break from driving and take images. There's just so many natural attractions in Mountain Province.

At Day's End

2011-12-26T02:30:00.000-08:00

At day's end, I could not resist to take this shot. Only God makes things possible-clouds-fluffy, perfect blue sky and lighting that's just enough. I took this shot at our farm in Tala, Bontoc, Mountain Province. Cheers to another good day. Thank you God.

Moving Up the Value Chain

2011-12-23T21:23:00.000-08:00

Students of Xijen College of Mountain Province getting ready
for a cultural presentation.

There will always come a period in the lifecycle of yourenterprise where you have to take measures to move up or be left behind. Today’s business climate more challenging andthere’s no room for those who are complacent. Decades ago, the business set-up had a very simple managementstructure. Back then, businesses onlyrequired the owner to operate it.

Today is another story. Current business models or today’s business set-up may become obsoletein a few more years. For example, If youare in the retail business, and you happen to be in a growing community,getting goods from suppliers, marking them up and selling to your customers mayno longer be enough. At these times, youhave to be more sensitive to the needs of your customers. You also have to learn to start adding value-customers are now more informed, have a wider range of choices and demand valuefor their money.

So what do we mean by value chain? A value chain involves several enterprisesworking together to satisfy the customer’s demand for a product orservice. For example, in the informalmining industry sector, to bring the final product-gold to the market, severalactors play the part. At the bottom ofthe chain is the miner who goes underground. Along the way, several other actors work including the truck driver, thesupplier of chemicals or basic necessities to support the miner until the goldis extracted and brought to the middleman. If you are at the bottom of the chain, you tend to be doing the moredifficult job. Of course, somebody elsehas to do it but now is the time to adapt strategies to expand one’s influenceon a larger scale and not be content to stay on one component of the entirechain.

So what then are the ways? For one, the miner in the informal miningindustry can invest in equipment and along that line, serve other fellowminer’s needs and eventually becoming the gold buyer.

In the education and training services sector,technical-vocational schools the looming implementation of the K to 12 policy(2 more years in high school) of the Aquino government is a warning bell. The scenario includes a possible year whereintechnical vocational schools and colleges will not have freshmen students. The state colleges have no problem in thisarea because they are being supported by taxes. The private sector however faces uncertainties-but as always, indifficult times, the enterprising spirit prevails. The private education sector instead ofsulking in a corner must face adversities head on and turn the situationinstead into opportunities.

The private tech-vocational sector must move up from the nationalcompetency certification administered by the government’s technical vocationalauthority (TESDA). In the case ofcomputer technician students who study for two years, the K to 12 couldpossibly put the computer technician training at the high school level. To counter this, a private technicalvocational institute could work on to improve the curriculum and go for a moreglobally recognized certification like the CompTIA. The CompTIA website explains the CompTIAcertification as:

“CompTIA A+ certification validates foundation-level knowledge and skills necessary for a career in PC support. It is the starting point for a career. The international, vendor-neutral certification proves competence in areas such as installation, preventative maintenance, networking, security and troubleshooting. CompTIA A+ certified technicians also have excellent customer service and communication skills to work with clients.” A private technical vocational school that continues to offer the recommended required competencies based on the National Certification standards for computer technicians- could be stuck in the increasingly fast paced changes in the information technology industry. We now have things like cloud computing, security concerns on the integrity of data in our storage devices, networking beyond the traditional local area networks- all the new developments in the computer industry must be met with updated, upgraded training programs. Private technical schools must be given more freedom to chart their paths-all in the name of providing relevant and up to date training programs to prepare students for the demands of the workplace. At the current set-up, it is mandatory for students enrolled in technical-vocational schools to take up national certification exams. I have been advocating tech-vocational training in the field of Information Technology for the past twenty years and I long to see a time when the government liberalizes this sector and let the industry establish its own standards as dictated by real world demands for the entry level worker in the information technology sector. At this point, Xijen College of Mountain Province (that I founded) is working on plans to enhance the computer technician curriculum along the line of the CompTIA- in the next two years, I hope to see our students take the CompTIA certification examinations. After all, the CompTIA A+ certification is accredited by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The World of Digital Photography

2011-12-23T21:18:00.000-08:00

My first ever encounter with an SLR camera wasa Yashica film camera. I was already incollege and the camera was lent to me by an OFW uncle-fresh from SaudiArabia. Photography is an expensivehobby at that time then because film rolls and the developing charges were waybeyond a college lad’s allowance. I justpoint and shoot the camera and have not given it much interest as I was moreonto recording events on video. All ofthese gadgets, I was lucky to borrow, explore it and return it with a heavyheart. I took the Yashica camera withits “zoom” lens and intended to take part in a photo contest. The competition required one to take aninteresting photo of the local election. Too bad, a local police (now retired)had quite a closed mindset on the blah blah blah of freedom of expression. While I was taking shots of the counting ofvotes at the munisipyo, the policemancame to me and angrily ordered me to back off. I left frustrated and did not touch the camera again after someyears.

Fast forward to the year 2002 and the digital camera wasnewly launched in the market. My firstdigital camera was a Sony 1.4 mega pixel point and shoot. I was thrilled at the prospect of taking picturesand have an immediate preview on the display screen at the back of thecamera. The market for digital cameraswas not at its height then and I look back with a sigh, how society reacts tothings new. First, the digital photo wasnot trusted by institutions like the Civil Service Commission so that itrequired that photo IDs should be produced from silver halide films-in shortthe traditional camera film. There wasthat thinking that digital photos are manipulated and are probably notrepresenting of the real thing. Whiledigital photos can be edited, the fact is that it will take hours for one to dothe job of removing blemishes or totally changing the face structure (digitalFrankenstein). Second, traditionalcamera film users put up a brave fight and insisted that digital photos are oflow quality and lack the oomph from the film based photographs.

Today, technology has upped the ante on digitalphotography so that it can now rival the quality of a film basedphotograph. Digital photography alsogives chances to budding photographers to practice and enhance their skillswithout hurting much their wallets. Aseveryone knows, photos can be reviewed instantly and deleted if the photographturns out to be a dud. The developmentshave gone so fast that leading companies that manufacture camera films haveannounced that their film manufacturing division no longer churns out rolls offilm.

Digital photography has changed old business models. You no longer process your films in a darkroom but your computer becomes your dark room. Still digital photography is haunted by so called “purists” who insistthat photos should be taken as is- without enhancements with a photo editingsoftware (on a computer). This issuecould entail endless discussions but digital photography is a new dimension butstill with a connection to the basics of photography. Today’s digital cameras are already equippedwith enhancements like you could set your camera to take photos that come outin black and white, sepia (brown) or in saturated colors. So, right in your camera, enhancements arealready being done. In the end there isa limit to what a photo editing software can do. The bottom line is developing your ability tosee, frame a picture-taking it to a new level from the ordinary photos.

If you are interested in photography as a hobby orwanting to make a living taking pictures (now that is what we call aprofessional photographer), now is the time to invest in a digital camera. Shoot all you want, but read and understandyour camera’s manual first. Read up onphotography books or read countless articles found online. Nothing beats constant practice and joining aphotography club for sharing of what-you-know as this is the fastest way toimprove on your photography skills.

Taj Mahal: A Tomb, a Monument Built Out of Love

2011-10-27T03:30:00.000-07:00

By Joel T. Fagsao

November is the time of year for most Filipinos to take a bus, ship or plane to come home and visit the tombs of their loved ones. Filipinos can forego going home at Christmas time but almost certainly, they really it a point to come home-to pay their respects for their departed. If you ask transport companies, an All Soul’s Day visit is when you find more Filipinos on the road compared to summer vacation time or Christmas. To the Filipino, maintaining family ties is a valued tradition as a visit to the dead is also a commune and reunion with the living as the Filipino diasporas has led to relatives living apart.

On the first of November the public cemeteries are full to the brim so that it often becomes a logistics nightmare for the authorities. These includes having to manage traffic-obviously on the way to the cemetery, maintain peace and order and giving directions to those lost in the crowd. At these times and in the past, the tomb of loved ones is spruced up, painted the traditional white paint-the reason why we have a ‘white village’ in Bontoc. For those who can afford, an inlay of tiles and a roof help protect the grave. For the ultra rich-a mausoleum as big as a house are ways of expressing love, care, respect and reliving the memories of the deceased.

The death of a loved one often leaves the living in a state of sadness, grief and loneliness. Death often leaves a hole on one’s heart and that the healing process takes longer than usual.

At times we take comfort in the hope of the resurrection of our departed loved ones and that they are etched in the Creator’s memory-ready to be resurrected at a time in the future. Other religions preach about a loved one having gone to a better place. But in all aspects we have the high hope that our dead are at peace. For some, it is the belief that the dead are akin to falling into a deep sleep and thus not knowing anything at all-translated to not having anything to do with the daily stresses of living. Others would take comfort with the fact that a dead loved one has joined the Creator and is now in a state of perpetual bliss.

The efforts that we do to keep alive the memory of our dearly departed led me to know that this is a universal thing. This was my reflection when I had the chance to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. I was on a scholarship courtesy of the government of India last February to March of 2011 and I wanted to believe that our hosts made sure that The Taj is a must visit for all of us visitors to India. Our group, 27 students from fifteen countries, lined up for tickets and joined the early morning crowd of visitors-locals and foreigners.

After passing through security and metal detectors, having entered the south ticketing “booth”, we found ourselves in an open courtyard so that you have to continue walking to a massive structure of a gate made of red sandstone. Lo and behold as you step out of the arched passage, the amazingly inspiring white marble structure, The Taj, in the distance beckons. The Taj Mahal, crown jewel of Islamic architecture as they say is known in English as “Crown Palace.” The night before the visit, I did a quick read on several websites about the Taj Mahal on my mobile phone. I learned that the Taj Mahal is a tomb, built by fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in the 16^th century. At that time, the Mughal Empire was in its prime so that most of the architectural wonders of India are built during the Mughali period. The descendants of the Mughals came from present day Uzbekistan (Mongol tribe) and a mix of Persians (today: Iran), Pashtun (Afghanistan) and Turkish.

Shah Jahan had a very deep love for his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal who died when giving birth to their fourteenth child. I continued on with my reading and learned that Shah Jahan promised his dying wife that he would never remarry and would built a magnificent edifice over her grave. Shah Jahan ordered his kingdom into mourning for two years. For the next twenty two years, the monument (Taj Mahal) was into construction with laborers numbering to as much as twenty thousand. The Taj Mahal is actually one of the structures that form the complex laid as a tribute to Mumtaz Mahal. Upon entry, a garden influenced in the tradition of a Persian garden has a reflective long and narrow tree lined pool. Other parts of the complex are the other entry gates and mosques on the left and right sides. The Taj Mahal has an onion shaped dome and four minarets each slightly tilted outwards. The tilt, although hardly noticeable are angled in such a way that in the event of an earthquake, the minarets will not damage the main structure. The designers and builders are of Turkish, Persian, Italian and French origins. It was fitting that as my group joined the line to get a peek inside the Taj, I befriended a young Iranian couple, child in tow. The lady knew that The Taj was largely of Persian (now Iranian) design. In line was an Iranian delegation-they were proud of the fact that their ancestors had a major contribution to a world architectural wonder. We decided to break away from the line with my Costa Rican classmate and just stepped aside to take photographs of the structure. I asked Maria Del Mar if we can close our eyes for a moment to savor the fact that we were in a structure admired the world over.

Maria later confided that while at the entrance, she shed a tear, as it was her long time dream to visit India. She has been to Europe and other parts of the world but The Taj was simply overwhelming. We then joined the line to get inside and while the mausoleum attendants were reminding us not to take pictures, the ever adventurous Maria got me to take her picture as everybody else was breaking the rule-a large camera aperture enabled me to shoot in low light without a flash. The sarcophagus that was enclosed in an intricately carved marble screen was not the real one they say because in the basement lies the grave of Mumtaz Mahal and her beloved Shah Jahan.

The visit was a most unforgettable experience as I reflected on the magnificence and grandeur of a monument built out of love. We really do go to great lengths to show our love and affection. We moved on to Agra Fort, across the river, where Shah Jahan remained in prison for 9 years. The emperor was then imprisoned by his son in a power grab. As I looked from a window where Jahan used to watch his wife’s monument, The Taj though shrouded in haze was still a beauty whether from near or from afar. Millions visit the site each year unmindful that it is a tomb, but to admire this great piece of architecture and the love story that form part of the mystery of the The Taj.

Saint Vincent's Elementary School Celebrates 100th Founding Year

2011-10-25T13:27:00.000-07:00

Saint Vincent's Elementary School was established by the CICM Missionaries, a Catholic order, in 1911. SVS Elementary school today:

A Farmer I Would Like to Be

2010-12-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

Our kids join in taking care of the garden.

I only had gardening experience in the elementary grades, when gardening was part of the curriculum
and so with horticulture lessons in first year high school with my teacher Mr. Angawa. A property bought in Tala, Lengsad, Bontoc gave me this opportunity to really feel the earth again. The plots I dug, I put a net over and I had grown lettuce successfully. The vegetable patch had to go when my kids needed a place to play, so I had it
planted with lawn grass. The next attempt to plant vegetables was in a wood frame house covered with protective ordinary garden net. I planted herbs and lettuce in garden pots and all grew well. It was a small space and was manageable. I spent weekends at Tala and the sweat all over my body-from the physical activity gave me an immense feeling of oneness with nature. Then the wood frame was attacked by termites and rot. That was the end of it. I lost interest and did not bother to plant again. That was in 2006.

I got interested to do gardening again in early 2009. I needed to get away from it all and so I lingered at the garden section of a hardware store and bought some seeds. While setting up a greenhouse facility, I plunged into learning mode, getting to know as much as I can. It is good that Auntie Berning-Paran, our gentle lady companion is a gardening enthusiast. Having grown up in Buguias, Benguet, she helped turn parts of the garden into a highland vegetable haven. After spending time in her preaching ministry as a Jehova’s Witness the rest of the days of the week, she asked permission if she can do some gardening, reasoning that gardening was and would always be part of her life. And so she proved that all the vegetables she can grow in Buguias can be had in warmer Bontoc. I only had to make an agreement with Aunt Berning, no commercial fertilizers and pesticides in the garden. The gardening lessons continue as I get insights from riding at the Maligcong-bound jitneys that pass by Tala. Our conversations with the passengers are punctuated by nothing but experiences in the garden. I also tagged along to visits to farms in La Trinidad and the Eve’s garden at Tacay or request my driving companion Gilbert Sapla to pull over so I can have a look at a farmer’s garden. Lately I wet to visit the La Trinidad Organic Producers Multi-Purpose Cooperative shop at the La Trinidad market. I also lingered long at the organic specialty shops in HK and had conversations with the shop owner. I ended up buying seeds to fill up my back pack-and I thought, HK was all about urban concrete jungle. Another inspirational book I carry with me is one authored by Keith O. Mikkelson, an American missionary based in Palawan. His book, “Sustainable Agriculture” chronicles the setting up and maintenance of a natural based farming system. The use of effective microorganisms as promoted by Mikkeslon made me realize the importance of taking care of the soil.

I found an ally, retired Engr. Abraham Akilit. We visited him in his house at Bila, Bauko. He was breathing, talking about organic gardening. I ended up getting from the former NIA head, a gift- a rice hull carbonizer. Of course the write ups of my neighbor columnist, Mr. Robert Domoguen are a part of my readings. In between, the organic gardening sites I visit online (sadly not much information from the Philippine side) helped increase my learning curve to farming. The positive feedback I get from visitors and “test” customers of the taste of our lettuce and other vegetable produce gives me a high. Even Russel Maier, my Canadian friend loves my parsley. And so, information technology will not take a back seat, I will see how else one can integrate new technologies to gardening, without harming the earth. Yes, I farmer I would like to be.

It Happened Again!

2009-07-30T03:58:00.000-07:00

The next day, thinking that things were back to normal, the same thing happened. Here's my email to my Yahoo groups on what happened next:

Ay ay, kaasi nan onga aynayda- I could only have pity for these kids.

The following morning the school held a mass at the school grounds and a repeat of yesterday's events unfolded. Sounds of the sirens of the ambulance pierced the air, vans coming in and out of the school grounds, shots fired into the air- this time, some students were rushed to the Episcopal church, the hospital chapel and the hospital. I and my workmates rushed to the church thinking my daughter was there as I learned that my daughter was one of those who fainted (again). The scene at the church was too much for a normal person to handle. You just could not comprehend what's happening. Students were being held tight as they were screaming, struggling and acting strange- it was a scene straight from the movie Exorcist. It was a scene enough to break your heart. You would really break into tears as you take pity on the helpless youth. The priests were going from one youth to another, offering prayers. Everyone was there to give comfort and help in any which way one can. The whole town rallied to offer support.

We were stunned, really and you feel the hair at the back of your head stand up. At this point, the priest requested all of us to pray. I and my workmates said our prayers in silence. It was all you could do at the moment. We were literally helpless. Some recovered but others were all too weak and had to be rushed to the hospital. Yes Khalim, Jocelyn, it is something you really cannot explain. Discussions focused on the event as a wake-up call to renew our spirituality. Others focused on the possibility of having disturbed an area of the school where the unseen dwell. Still others (one teacher, a nurse) would relate what they saw. How could you explain someone lying down then all of a sudden without support –be lifted at an angle until she is literally standing? How could you explain- seeing someone’s hair flying as if the victim was in front of an electric fan? A student-victim would spit on a Bible, one would break the cross. The lines were jammed as parents frantically made calls. It was a sigh of relief when I learned my daughter rushed home upon seeing the events unfolding.

In this hour of great need, what comforts you is the care and concern the students gave to their classmates. The care and concern everyone gave. Male youths would fan their classmate victims, massage cold hands and feet, others took off their jackets and covered their classmates who were in skirts (Monday to Friday is uniform day). Many came to volunteer their services. Tricycles offered free rides to the hospital. I could only reflect on this event. Yes, I prayed.

All Hell Broke Loose!

2009-07-30T03:50:00.000-07:00

July 29, 2009 could just be another ordinary day in Bontoc. The kids would be off to school, parents on to their places of work. Well it would be a day that would be forever etched in the memory of many a youth in this capital town of Mountain Province. I was in meeting high up on the mountains when I received a text message telling of frightful events unfolding in the local high school. The text message told of my daughter as one those students whou would be rushed to the hospital. She fainted and so with about 50 other students. Here's my story as told in an email I sent to my Yahoo groupmates:

My daughter was one of those to be rushed to the hospital. I talked with her and she recalls, there was one student in one of the rooms talking gibberish... .and acting strange .then some students were fainting. At about 10 AM one of the teachers-sensing the unfolding events was not normal, requested that the rest of the students pray so they gathered at the quadrangle --then all "hell" broke loose. One by one (including my daughter) started to faint. My daughter felt cold starting on her feet and then all over...most of the students felt the same. About 50 of them were brought to the hospital. (The school has a student population of 1500). I too amconfused. If it is drug related then why the fainting spell for most of them- like flies falling on the ground one at a time? Initially i thought it could be a chemical (a mercury spill closed a Makati high school for a month) accident- in the school lab. But it was not. Could it be psychological- teenagers have mixed reactions... fear, something they could not comprehend as to why their classmates are acting this way? Could some of them have experimented with "spirit of the glass?"- one of my workmates would say Alitao Alfonso (a respected eleder of the Bontoc tribe) Kiat-ong related that a similar incident happend in the late 50's in the Mountain High grounds, there are spirits who dwell in the school grounds, he said.

One would relate his observation to the presence of several fawi (houses of the dead) beside the main entrance of the school, there is grave their too...could it be spirit related? One of the religous would say "the dead know nothing at all as they are in deep sleep...

"Haaaaya...I could not find anexplanation. I was at Teng-ab Lay Force Center and was ready to come down. It was good, the mobile sites did not shutdown. Everyone at our meeting room was making a call. Helen, my wife recalls...parents rushed to the hospital ...even dads frantically searching for their kids were crying.

This is the worst July of our lives...the rape murder..of a third year high school in Sagada, .the vehicular accident in Gonogon...the murderat Madepdepas, Sabangan (causing tensions with Tulgao tribe of Kalinga)...all towards the end of July.This morning, my daughter wakes up early to prepare for school, I watch her more closely now.

Welcome to the House of Rules

2009-06-27T20:42:00.001-07:00

After work in Sagada, on a Saturday afternoon, we stopped at the Heritage Coffee Shop and Picnic Grove. We were met by the amiable owner, Ms. Grace Pit-og Dayag. Ushering us at the back of the cafe, we were greeted by fresh river air and a full view of Kadchug Rice Terraces. What struck me in particular were a row of miniature house replicas (locally term-fawi) set at the viewing area and the numerous signs posted in strategic areas of the coffee shop. Grace explained that part of the Heritage Coffee Shop property is pagwawalitan or hallowed ground. It is in this place where numerous rituals of making contact with our dead ancestors are made. As Grace started to explain, in my mind, I was having thoughts of a late night movie “The Lord of the Rings.” I blurted “this must be the centre of the universe. Well Grace continued to explain that in times of sickness or hardship, a family member contacts the local shaman (translation in my mind- career executives who contact the dead). Grace relates that even shamans from as far as Bauko visit the place. The shaman brings offerings such as wine, tobacco or chicken and performs the ceremony to contact the dead. The shaman usually gets a stick points to the air (in my mind, a magic wand- point to the east and point to the west...hello hello, anybody home?) north to south, east to west and starts to call the ancestors of the sick one. “Calling all the members of the family of ______who have gone ahead of us....hear ye....your grand daughter______________ is in need of your help.” Again, in my mind, it looks like the spot is where one can receive the strongest signal from the underworld or it could also be considered the door to the underworld. The ritual is performed (in my mind, message sent) and the shaman heads home expecting favours from the spirit world. And so, I realized that the reason signs (actually, rules) were posted so that visitors will be aware of the significance of the place to our Igorot culture. While it is a place where one can drink and dine, there are certain rules one has to observe. I notice that on the (stone) wall of the “dynamite” house hang a plastic wrapped tobacco and a bottle of gin, “I placed it there as an offering.”Grace said. Grace was not taking any chances, lest the spirits will be disturbed and wreak havoc on the cafe’s visitors. One sign clearly displays “you are on hallowed ground please behave..”, another sign says “Tinadlangan rock bed of god Lumawig,” and another says “please don’t step on the seats and headrest of the Ato.” A first time visitor would be awed by the numerous rules (code of conduct) posted and would be amused. In fact as much as possible, conversations should be hush-hush and please no boisterous laughter. But what about the “karaoke” singing, I asked; well the singing wan bees are inside the main house. The spirits are perhaps more tolerant of the singing, I said to myself.
Heritage Coffee Shop could be the start of reviving stories of old, developing an appreciation of our Bontoc culture and a jump off point to places of interest, the present generation might not know. In front of the coffee shop, the sign provides quite a mouthful of places to explore while in Bontoc and is within range of the Heritage. The view of the Kadchug Terraces is breathtaking, the Chico River, Mount Palikot Aso and Amkinak River, a venture to the dynamite house (with a rich history), an exploration of the Amkidchangen Tunnel, Tinadlangan, the Ato and the sacred prayer mountain. Grace said, developing the property is a labor of love and devotion, add to it -sensitivity to preserving the Bontoc life ways and culture. All Grace’s brothers, nieces and nephews have done their share of working to improve the place. Immerse yourself in the stories of old, enjoy a great view over a cup of steaming native coffee—welcome to the house of rules, welcome to Heritage Coffee Shop.

Amlosong Bridge View (Amlosong, Bontoc)

2009-06-25T19:25:00.001-07:00

Kiltepan Rice Terraces, Sagada

2009-06-25T19:16:00.001-07:00

Kiltepan Rice Terraces, Sagada, June 20, 2009.

Job Hunting Tips

2009-06-02T23:58:00.000-07:00

For fresh tech-vocational and college graduates, here are some tips on how to make an impression during a job hunt. First, do your homework. Before filing your application, make sure you have researched well about the organization you intend to apply to. Know what the organization does, its programs or activities. Knowledge of the organization will come in handy as it might be asked during the interview or in the preliminary examinations. Second, brush up on your communication skills. Read. Improve on your writing skills. In answering questions whether oral or written, make sure you understand the question. Be direct to the point. In written essay type examinations, The proctor might still give you points for the effort. make it a point not to leave a question blank. Make it a point to answer even in two sentences. You can also improve further on your communication skills by typing in full and in English whenever you send text messages. The practice of sending text messages in truncated language is carried over when you start to write. Third, computer skills are an important factor in getting hired. Find time to improve on your computer operations-skills. Creating a chart or graph in a spreadsheets application is one favorite test of computer skills. Also, brush up on procedures like mail merge, formulas (redounds to your math skills), page numbering, email, etc. Fourth, dress up for the interview. Even in the submitting your application credentials, dress up! Jeans, t-shirts are a big no no. Fifth, arrive on time for the interview. Finally, remember that there are still some government agencies which adhere to recruitment procedures. Think twice before getting an endorsement from your congressman or government official to support your application, some government agencies detest this practice and you might lose the chance to that job.

Entrepreneurship Course Online Debuts in Mountain Province

2009-06-02T23:54:00.000-07:00

And pardon me, but I got to make this plug. Xijen College of Mountain Province will offer the first full online course on Entrepreneurship, a first in Mountain Province. There are two variants of the course, one, Starting and Managing a Small Enterprise, a non-formal course/certificate program. The other one is a full BS Entrepreneurship Course. The course is designed for those with existing businesses or contemplating a career in managing one’s own business. In offering the program, the school’s administration is banking on the statement of Professor Marion Antonio Lopez of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) that an entrepreneur who finished a degree in entrepreneurship would be able to quadruple the impact of his business in the community by being able to spot his strength and weaknesses. The courses will be offered within Mountain Province initially and students enrolled in the program must have access to the Internet. The course will be conducted via the e-learning portal of Xijen College (www.xijen.com/elearning). The college has been into online learning but initially it was offered as support learning to class room bound students of the said college. The full online course will not require students to meet in a classroom setting. Classes will be conducted in cyberspace. For those interested to enroll in the program you can send your queries to 0920 903 1948 or email joelfagsao@yahoo.com. (Photo credit: Joe Barrera)

BONTOC AS “UNIVERSITY TOWN”

2009-06-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome back students. Bontoc is being primed as a “university town.” Still, there’s much work to be done if we want to attract a larger percentage of the student population who usually flock to Baguio City. First, student security is a prime concern. Students form part of the economic landscape of a community. To make life better for a growing student population, we need to look at several areas of concern. First is security. This calls for vigilance among all sectors concerned. The Local Government Unit, police force, barangay tanods, land lords are prime support to ensure the safety of our students. How I wish we could also rid Bontoc of stray dogs. Bushamir, a student of Xijen College was bitten by a rabid dog at Samoki bridge last March. He died this May and with it, a lad with so much to look forward to has gone too soon. Second is the condition of boarding houses. A check for sanitation, fire safety standards compliance and related conditions is in order. Third is water service. Bontoc is twenty years behind in terms of a quality water service. A build operate transfer scheme where a private group could take (similar to Maynilad) over the management of the Bontoc water system could be a possibility. For several decades now, nothing really improved in terms of water service. If private management is not acceptable to the populace, then turning over management to a true blue cooperative where everybody benefits could be an option. It’s also time; we really have to pay up for the amount of water we use. How can sixty pesos a year fund a quality water service. Tabuk City has a good water service in place. Fourth is the selling of liquor and cigarette to minors. I do not have knowledge if we have local regulations on the sale of liquor and cigarette to minors. Fifth, is for the local businesses to adapt to the paying capacity of students. Food can be sold in affordable sizes/quantity ( tingi system or the sachet economy). Host schools also need to work on the quality of life for students in this town. Some schools do visit boarding houses to check their condition. If we are able to attract more students into the community, then educational services can be spread over to other towns within Mountain Province. Tabuk city has at least four private colleges and a state college. Mountain Province has one private college and a state college. More educational service providers should be coming in through the years. Alas, the local government units and all related sectors have to move in unison to serve the student populace. It is just about time!

COME HOME and RETIRE IN MOUNTAIN PROVINCE

2009-06-02T23:48:00.000-07:00

Imagine if we can invite our US (and from other countries) based relatives to consider retiring here. Imagine, if they can also bring their friends and family to live in Mountain Province. That’s exactly what the Philippine Retirement Authority is trying to sell to locals. With retirement funds following overseas retirees, the economic impact is simply good. Along with employment, almost all service and trade sectors where retirees choose to live will benefit. If our retired nurse- relatives in the U.S. are operating nursing homes, they can opt to set up nursing homes in the community too. Caregivers/nurses can thus find local employment. Vacant houses or an investment in apartments for lease to retirees is also a good idea. So how does the system work? Simply, the Philippine’s encourages retirees from other countries including Filipinos who are now citizens of their adaptive countries to retire in the Philippines. A special visa is issued to these retires and with it come some privileges. Allow me to provide information coming from the website of the Philippine Retirement Authority. Here goes: WHAT IS THE SPECIAL RESIDENT RETIREE’S VISA (SRRV)? A. It is a special non-immigrant visa issued by the Bureau of Immigration of the Republic of the Philippines through the Retirement Program of the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) to foreigners and former Filipino citizens. It entitles the holder to multiple-entry privileges with the option to reside permanently in the Philippines. WHO MAY APPLY? A. All foreign nationals provided they are issued an entry visa by the Philippine Embassy/Consulate and former Filipino citizens who are now holders of foreign passports both of whom are at least 35 years old. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS UNDER THE PROGRAM? A: Once you are an SRRV Visa holder, it opens the door to vast opportunities and benefits. These include: 1. Option to Retire Permanently a. You may live, work and study in the Philippines 2. Multiple Entry Privileges b. You may travel outside the Philippines and re-enter anytime 3. Exemptions from: a. Income tax over your pension and annuities; b. Exit and re-entry permits of the Bureau of Immigration; c. Annual registration requirement of the Bureau of Immigration; d. Customs Duties and Taxes with regard to the importation of household goods and e. personal effects up to US$7,000.00; f. Travel tax, if you stay in the Philippines is less than one year from the last entry date; and g. I-Card As an SRR Visa holder, the PRA can assist you in obtaining basic documents from other government agencies. These include, but are not limited to: a. Alien Employment Permit b. Driver's License c. Tax Exemption/Extension Certificate National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Clearance. Q: WHAT AREAS OF INVESTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO A RESIDENT RETIREE? A: The areas of investment are the following: Purchase of condominium unit/s; Long term Lease of a house and lot, condominium or townhouse unit/s; Construction of a residential unit on a leased parcel of land; Purchase of Proprietary Membership/Golf shares in golf clubs; for former Filipinos, purchase of a lot not exceeding 5,000 square meters in urban areas or three (3) hectares rural areas to be used for business or other purposes. More information can be had at the PRA website at http://www.pra.gov.ph/main/faq. Local government units and the local chamber of commerce should start moving now and act on this opportunity. Everybody benefits when retirees especially our own relatives start coming in to spend their remaining years here. Note that retirees can those ranging in age from 35 and up. We need investments in real estate development, wellness centers, resorts, book shops, entertainment services. The Local Government Unit can also support investors by providing incentives either through tax holidays or other means of support.

The Little Candles in Your Lives

2009-05-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

“It is better to light just one little candle than to stumble in the dark.” And so goes the song of our Kindergarten II pupils who will bid us goodbye this year. How time flies. Our routine of sending off and fetching our kids at school will now take a break. As we bring the school year to a close, we take the time to reflect. Imagine a world without children. For sure, it would be a drab and dreary world. Who brings the sunshine into our lives? Who pushes us to wake up early in the morning? What is our reason for being? What makes us complete? I believe everyone knows the answer. Kids are the light in our lives. They are the candles whose light shines brightly amidst the misery and darkness that surround our world. Our “little candles” give us the hope, the tenacity to keep going on. The little candles shine with their light of love and compelling innocence that sometimes makes us wish we were kids again.

As parents, we are reminded to keep the flame among our little candles alive. Let us find time for them, let us leave our work in our places of work, let us leave our worries behind, and let us be inspired by their presence. Let us savor their childhood because they will never be kids again.

Kindi? Candy? " Tao Po Ako!" (Candy, I am a Human Being)

2009-05-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

Background: (I am putting my regular take on technology and entrepreneurship in the back burner for this week and have my email published here- regarding the Candy Pangilinan “Tao Ako Hindi Ako Igorot…” fiasco. Ms. Pangilinan’s official website www.candypangilinan.com seems to be blocked or pulled down- you only see a dark screen. E-mails, blogs, online petitions have been fired up to talk on the “Hindi Ako Igorot…” brouhaha. Nevertheless, Ms. Pangilinan has issued a formal apology and appeared on TV programs (in tears) apologizing for her remarks about the Kaigorotan. Earlier on, I have not given this much thought. I received a forwarded email about someone who has been at SM-Baguio where Ms. Pangilinan performed. The witness heard Ms. Pangilinan utter it twice. In his e-mail: “I actually heard those words come out from Candy Pangilinan's mouth TWICE this afternoon (May 9, 2009) during her PRE-MOTHER’S DAY show in SM Baguio. She was late for the show and a DJ from a radio station started the program for her by giving away prizes to the audience who were within the barricades. She suddenly appeared and greeted the crowd and also walked down the run-way. It was when she reached the end of the run-way when she blurted out those words. (“Tao Po Ako, Hindi Po Ako Igorot!”)

My Yahoo group –mountainprovince was also flooded with reactions about the issue. Here’s my take on the issue, as an email sent to my Yahoo group.

Ala, ganagawis amin nan binasak ay kuro kuro ken anak Pangilinan aynay. Nan damo ay reaction ko, ay sino man nan Candy ay sana? Sapay gisan ko si Sharon Cuneta ya sya anggay nan amok ay artista. I did receive an email from someone who was right there at SM Baguio idi kinwanin nan etad tako aynay ay Candy nan syadi.

Kanan antik (my aunt) ay Layet ay Ifontok ...."ay sino ka pan lawa ay Candy Pangilinan?"

Syana, wen tet-ewa esang na ay mangilaan tako, kulang paylang nan amon nan ib-a tako ay Pilipino sinan makwanian tako ay Ikolot. Ya saken achi ya .....why bother? probleman et achi- nan no sino ka sa ay kulang nan amona pangkhep si Ikolot.

No kaya sumakhong tako akhes sinan mismo ay ili tako aynay. waday nan personal biases tako metlang. isan ka high school ko, chengek...kanan nan mistolo mi ay "eh...ibar baryo ka titiwa...!" obviously i-bar-baryo (from the barrio) means you are of a lower life form in comparison to one who comes from Poblacion, Bontoc.

Isnan akhes ilik ay nay Bontoc, waday nan makwani ay ey "ifab-fey ka tit-iwa." Now that's another "lower life form" remark. But to me who grew up and went to a public school with my ifab-fey (from Bontoc Ili) friends..it was a most unfair remark. I should know better, nan ifab-fey ay liliwid ko, I learned a lot from them. The most precious gifts they taught and gave me were that of humility and respect for elders. Wen nengan ak titiwa iska Kamalin (Poblacion).

Kulityakhang (refering to Ilocanos), Bontokish... .and so on and so forth. Even the way we speak...intonations ...become jokes and pity the one who cannot handle it well. Things like "infyafyatong nan fyakfyak ka fyato...", (for our Barlig brethren), magaggagpaak nan dapong is demang na (for me who is from Alab).." The list can go on and on.

Of course, everyone is entitled to his or her own reaction to the Candy Pangilinan issue.

I have had several instances where I had a (double take) questions like "Are you really from Mountain Province...? " "Igorot ka talaga?" Really?

But I have learned to just let it pass. I no longer have the usual hang-ups when similar incidents come up. Peoples of the world, nations, regions, ethnic groups have their own biases, even racial slurs. That's a fact.

Bottom-line is, every morning when I wake up, I stare at myself in the mirror, love handles and all and notice that I do not have a tail and know fully well that I do not live on trees. Then I can say....tao din pala ako.

Again, let's leave their ignorance about us as is. Perhaps it’s only their way of getting up a notch higher in a country whose citizens are looked down upon in the international stage. And now....take it away Alec Baldwin, American actor...."I think about getting a Filipino mail-order bride at this point or a Russian one, I don’t care, I’m 51," Baldwin told host David Letterman.

Ay apo, adi malmalpas na...mamuknag tako et angkay,,,sayang nan olas tako ken chatona ay takho.

10 Tips to A Better Trade Fair Participation

2009-04-23T23:29:00.000-07:00

Despite the early afternoon rains, successive brownouts and glitches in the trade fair venue, trade fair participants to the Lang-ay 2009 agro-industrial fair pocketed 2.9 million pesos in sales. The figure was based on the sales monitoring submitted by the local entrepreneurs. The fair sales were also generated from the municipal booths representing the municipalities of Mountain Province. Local agri-products displayed on the municipal booths were favorites of fair visitors. Souvenir items which included Igorot artifact replicas, woven items, fruit based wines, food-snack items, t-shirts and even gongs were this year’s best sellers. Corporate sponsors such as Coca-Cola and San Miguel beer was not included in the sales monitoring. Last year’s Lang-ay agro-fair gross sales were at 4.3 million pesos. Last year’s sales figures were boosted however by large sales on furniture and included sales of corporate sponsors. This year the furniture manufacturers missed the trade fair. The Department of Trade and Industry which is a committee member to the conduct of the fair did the sales monitoring.

Trade fairs highlight the conduct of special events such as festivals. If visitors enjoyed an event, they would want concrete evidence that they have been to that important event. Thus, souvenir items are favorites among visitors. Judging by the sales performance, every trade fair participant should aim to make it better in the next fair.

A few observations have been gathered which make for good lessons to learn for every budding entrepreneur. For one, stop whining. Some trade fair participants were complaining of the foul weather and the power failure. Seasoned trade fair participants know well that trade fairs are not always perfect. You do encounter a lot of problems. One problem could involve disputes with trade fair organizers that include trivial things such as lighting, booth assignment, and exhibit paraphernalia. An entrepreneur must learn how to keep cool in similar situations. You won’t get anything if you blow your top for minor problems. Second, abide with the organizer’s rules. Some trade fair participants are not keen to following rules such selling items which are not attuned to the overall theme of the fair. At one time, one fair participant insisted on selling plastic flowers- items which are not supposed to be sold in a fair that intends to highlight local products. If you are a perennial head ache to fair organizers, you might not be invited in the next fair- in short; you could be a candidate for blacklisting. Third, be ready with extra items to support a good booth display. As long as trade fair organizers allow it, bring in display cases, banners or posters. Have business cards, product brochures and be ready with product samples. Fourth, learn to establish networks with fellow producers. It is useless fretting over other fair participants who have similar products to sell. By developing a network of fair participants, you can come up with collaborative projects in the future. For example, if you have a large order of products, you can meet up with your networks and together, fill in the order. Other producers can also provide for your accessories- things that you can source out instead of manufacturing it on your own. Sometimes, you would be surprised; you discover that you could lower your manufacturing cost if you source out some of the work or accessory to your product. If people tend to crown on a fair participant, observe on the sidelines as to what makes that booth click with customers. Fifth, orderliness and cleanliness is a must. If you handle food products, a health certification/permit is a must. Make it a point for you and your team to attend food handling seminars. You would not want your booth to be the source of food-borne diseases. Sixth, establish security measures. Learn to organize well. Be ready with loose change, put a price tag on your items for sale, this saves a lot of time and minimizes haggling. There should only be one handling the cashiering. Food handlers should have an attendant handling the cashiering duties as well. Tie up items on the display racks. Keep a sharp eye on your products. One or two high prized items shoplifted can mean your profit for the day.

Seventh, keep a positive attitude. Some days will be diamonds some will be stone. If you don’t make a sale, try to do some valuation. You can try to look into your product quality, booth presentation, pricing, color, design. Ask from customers if they can suggest improvements into the product. Eighth, commitment is important. If you have booked orders for your products, make sure to deliver it on the agreed date. Commitment to orders is very important. If you are not able to deliver, say so at the time of negotiation. There should be no ifs and buts after you have agreed to a purchase order. Ninth, reward your booth attendants. It is not easy to man a booth in open air. Give your people generous bonuses for a job well done after the fair. Tenth, be conscious of the blessings you receive each day. Stop for a while; take the time out and thank God above for the privilege that you enjoy.
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Local participants can learn from the Kalinga group who were invited to the Lang-ay Agro-industrial fair. The Kalinga participants were in there Kalinga attire- one that blends well with the products they sell. One fair organizer made an effort to go the rounds of the booths to remind them to wear our local attire to which one participant quipped “bay-amon ta nalpas ti judging ti booth mi!”
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What if the local producers organize themselves and mount the Lang-ay 2010 Agro-Industrial fair themselves?
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Scholarship slots are still available for those who would want to land jobs as domestic helpers, hotel and restaurant service crews here and abroad. Inquire about the Household Services NCII training program at Xijen College of Mountain Province, Inc. Tuition for the training is funded by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s training for work program channeled through TESDA. Other courses under a similar program are: Computer Hardware Servicing (1.5 months); for second batch, and Call Center Agent Training (1 month) for third batch. For details you can inquire at 0927-922-7270.

Substandard Construction

2007-09-18T01:38:00.000-07:00

Watch this video on the sorry state of construction projects in Mountain Province.

Enact Laws to Hold Contractors Responsible

2007-09-17T23:17:00.000-07:00

Here's my letter addressed to the members of the Provincial Board of Mountain Province. This after Winston Sili Pawid, my former student was killed by a rock slide while driving on his way home to Bontoc on September 14, 2007.

XIJEN BUSINESS CENTER
Bontoc, Mountain Province
Telefax: (074) 606 8132

September 18, 2007

HON. LOUIS F. CLAVER
Vice-Governor
Bontoc, Mountain Province

Subject: On The Safety of Government Projects

Sir:

I earnestly urge your good office to look into what the Sangguniang Panlalawigan can do on road safety measures here in Mountain Province and other related government projects. On September 14, 2007 at about 9:00 PM, Winston Sili Pawid, a native of Lesseb, Bauko was driving home towards Bontoc. He is a truck driver of Ranee Enterprises, the San Miguel Beer products dealer here in Mountain Province owned by Mrs. Eugenia Manao. When his truck passed by within the vicinity of Lukib, boulders and all fell down on his truck. The landslide carried with it his truck down below. It was only in the morning of September 15, 2007 that the incident was discovered. Winston leaves behind 1.6 year old son and his wife, Geraldine Cabiadan Pawid who is my employee.

Winston 28, will be buried today and as a fitting remembrance to his early demise, I appeal to your good office and the honorable members of the Board of Mountain Province to pass legislation in the hopes of preventing future incidents that are related to ongoing government projects. Yes, Winston was there at the wrong time, at the wrong place but let’s put things into perspective. I believe that accidents can be minimized or prevented.

As we traveled to Lesseb to attend his funeral services, the ongoing road widening and concreting project along the Mount Data to Bontoc route is sorely lacking in warning devices, traffic management including directories for motorists. Even our concreted roads lack the standard traffic signs.

You can’t help but notice the potential dangers of the mountainsides. They are “killer” mountains waiting for the next victim. There is not even an advisory on road conditions on all exit roads.

Now is the time to act. Now is the time to institute local legislation on holding contractors responsible and ensure that ongoing projects provide adequate safety measures starting with their workers and the public at large.

We can just look around and proof abounds on our lack of concern for the safety of others. Sidewalks that are supposed to be for the people become the commerce of men or an extension of one’s abode. The sidewalk just below the barracks going to the hospital is blocked by an overextended fence. I remember this sidewalk was a project of a Member of the Board.

People’s lives are at stake in all these government projects that are supposed to make life easier for its citizens.

I appeal to your good office to make the necessary action and help make Mountain Province a safer place. We can’t move forward as a province if sloppy infrastructure projects continue to be the order of the day.

I have faith in your capabilities.

Very truly yours,

Joel T. Fagsao

Joan Baez: 'You Still There?

2007-09-11T15:31:00.000-07:00

I'm a lousy singer, I forget lyrics. But Joan Baez's song "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"- I can sing it completely. Folk singing was in vogue in the 70's. Being able to play the guitar was something every teen in Bontoc would pine for. Thanks to Allen Te-elan of Samoki, who was patient enough to teach me to play the guitar. It was also nice to have my best friends Brentford Ayochok, Clifford Felwa. Brent would dictate whether I should do a C or a G. Clifford Felwa would sing but Brent was the better singer. Allen sang in one of the "folk houses" in Bontoc. It is a known fact in town that people from nearby barrio Samoki can carry a tune very well. Allen was from Samoki. It was the "age" of activism in the 70's and it did manifest in the songs of that era. Well, we had Asin and Freddie Aguilar. There, I got to be introduced to the songs of American activist Joan Baez. Thanks to Julio Acofo, my neighbor and my favorite when it comes to discussing any topic under the sun. It was he who helped me elucidate the lyrics of Joan Baez. Joan's beautiful lyrics and operatic voice helped shaped the ideals of the youth at those times. As students in Baguio's rotten boarding houses, Julio would play his sister's phonograph and we listen to Joan Baez's album. As the artist croons, Julio would explain to me the meaning behind the lyrics. They're But for Fortune had the lyrics "whiskey stains on the floor." Julio explained that the whiskey stains were actually blood spilt on the floor. Joan's songs conveyed the concerns of the generation at that time. Her songs were universal as it touched the lives of those who listened to her music. It tells of justice, it tells of values, it tells of humanity.

Today, thanks to Yahoo Music, I can still get to listen to Joan Baez as I click on to Joan Baez Fan radio. Recently I saw her on TV. She still had those eyes that spoke of the struggles of the generation during her time. Joan too had a lighter side and sang "Old Stew Ball." "Old Stew Ball was a race horse... and I wish he were mine." Joan today is as active as ever- getting the world's attention on environmental and human rights violation issues. The "Diamonds and Rust" singer-activist has not faded. She is still the diamond of her time.

To know more about Joan Baez, log on to www.joanbaez.com

Note: Joan's picture on this blog was taken from the site http://www.joanbaez.com/fanphotos2006a.html. Photo is by Bill Revill

Professional Mourners

2007-09-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

Note: Photo does not have any connection to the blog.

Philippine movie star Sharon Cuneta acted in the movie "Crying Ladies.” While I did not watch the movie, the picture tells about ladies being hired to cry in funerals for rich Chinese-Filipino families. Could it be that people are hired to cry in funerals because today’s fast paced lifestyles no longer enable us to feel or express our emotions? Think about stories where the dead are left in funeral parlors to be visited or viewed on a scheduled basis. Whether this is true or not, vigils for the dead in Mountain Province are a 24 hour activity. But how is a wake in Bontoc, in particular?

Singing of golden oldies, church hymns are interspersed with the funeral dirges of the old folks. In the early days hymnals were borrowed from the local church to be used during the group singing. Singing was a way to keep awake, aside from the drinking binge or staying put at the gambling table. But for most people, exercising one’s vocal cords were the more common activity. Senior citizens led by Mrs. Faustina Gomez (wife of the late Henry Gomez) had a song book printed. The song book was a collection of old songs, standards, and church and Igorot compositions. While the song book was not specific for use during wakes, the song books were lent anyway every time there was death in the community.

The song book was sung from page to page. Someone during the wake announces the page number to be sung. Either the people sing starting on page 1 or jump from one selection to another depending on the mood and popularity of the song for those in the group. Somebody else gives the pitch or the “page announcer” would lead the song. It would also be nice if somebody good at playing the guitar accompanies the “singers.” The song book contains standards like “Green Green Grass of Home,” church songs like “Amazing Grace,” “Rock of Ages,” “Mansion Over the Hill Top,” and others. Kundimans and compositions by the late Mr. Khensay are found on the last pages. Even a song from the Phantom of the Opera “All I Ask of You” is found in the song book. As the vigil goes deep into the night and up to the wee hours of the morning, the song book keeps everyone awake.

One aspect of a Bontoc wake is the presence of the gay members of the community. Ensconced in their salons by day, they fulfill their social obligations by attending the wake- as long as there is one to attend to at night. The gay community has a knack for “inventing” titles and other figures of speech. The gay community of Bontoc invented the title “Professional Mourners.” Anyone earns the title of a Professional Mourner by the number of times one is present in a wake, his or her ability to last through the next day, his or her capacity to know as many songs in the song book. The title is mostly bestowed to most of the gay community members and others in Bontoc who could match the singing, drinking and “staying awake” capabilities of those who were bestowed the title earlier on.

Always a happy bunch, the members of the gay community would enthrall others with stories and even the latest updates from the elite of the community. So the “kwentong barbero” is not the monopoly of your neighborhood barber but the salon divas could match the secret spilling skills of the latter. Of course spilling secrets is just a cliché in this blog, but the matter is that its part of the stories that they tell albeit not too loud for all to hear. In a Bontoc wake it is the singing that keeps everyone awake.

Happy are the small grocery owners (sari sari store) as the liquor ban is lifted and the sales of round post or quarto cantos (local terms for San Miguel sugar cane liquor) go on a high note. For the Professional Mourners, you would be rest assured they would be in your home during the death of a family member. They don’t have to be hired to sing or keep vigil. It is still a social obligation for people in this province.

But as always, you would expect less people to come if you are not a common presence during a vigil for the dead in Mountain Province.

The Bar Code and Made in USA

2007-09-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

Every time I visit supermarkets or department stores in the city, I observe how the cashier quickly scans the product bar code onto the point of sale machine. Ah the bar code. The bar code symbol reminds me of goods that were made in the US of A. Whether it was chocolate bar (Hershey) or Dove soap, it had that bar code marking on the packaging. It was my way of knowing that it was a Stateside product. As long as it had a bar code, it surely was made in the States. Everything made in USA evoked quality, great taste if it was food.

In my childhood days, only a few people in my hometown of Bontoc made it to the "Land of Milk and Honey." That is the US of A. In those days it was either you had a relative who gets recruited to the US Navy via Clark (Pampanga) or a nurse heading off to California. The pioneering OFWs only had eyes set for the US. Back then Saudi Arabia was not yet developed by ARAMCO.

So that was the 70's. Every time my cousin (now a retired US Navy) came home for a visit, chocolates and other stateside goods bought from the PX store in Clark were handed to us kids. I grew up having the fascination with America, the land of great products, those with the bar code symbols.

Fast forward to 2007. As I read in my Fortune magazine subscription, I made a discovery. So there, the bar code symbol was a "requirement" from Walmart. Well Walmart was already that big in the 70's. Its either you as a manufacturer of goods -intending to sell to Walmart, have to include a bar code symbol on your finished product or you don't get shelf space at the retail giant's stores that were spread across America. Of course it While the article does not mention of Walmart inventing the bar code, it is the retail giant that popularized the use of the bar code.

The article at Fortune magazine describes Walmart's requirement of a bar code for inventory tracking and product information purposes- from all of its suppliers. Manufacturers then had to adapt to the requirement knowing that Walmart was a big buyer.

In the 90's bar codes started appearing in goods sold in the Philippine market. The appearance of bar codes on local products no longer got my attention. I just looked at it as another copy cat action among local manufacturers to present a stateside aura.

Now my notion of the bar code symbol has come full circle. The bar code symbol was just there for purposes of tracking and product information, that's all. The Philippine market adapted quite late. Today, everyone knows that if a product has a bar code symbol on the package, it did not necessarily come from the US of A.

Winning Poster

2007-09-07T02:38:00.000-07:00

The office of the Population Commission conducted a province-wide poster making contest withe theme "Role of Fathers in Maternal Health Care." The top prize for category 4 (ages 15-18 years of age) went to Dwight Lee Baldo of Sagada National High School, 2nd Prize was Gene Antry Banagao of Ankileng Nat’l. High School, 3rd Prize, Fritz Allawey of Mt. Prov. Gen Comp. High School, Bontoc. Other winners are: Category I 6-8 yrs. old
Ist Prize Winner - Shane Macayba Alab Elementary School
2nd Prize - Alden Jose Wandag Sagada Elementary School
3rd Prize - Luke Joshua Daoines Kayan East Elementary School

Category II 9-12 yrs. Old
Ist Prize Winner - Jason Lee G. Galgala Bontoc Central School
2nd Prize - Jay Maveles Sagada Central School
3rd prize - Joyal C. Langoy Bauko central School

Category III 13-15 yrs.old
Ist Prize Winner - Jushi Balingawan Amkileng National High School
2nd Prize - Florence Laca Mt. Prov. Gen Comp. High School
3rd Prize - Jun Palangdao Banga-an Nat’l. High School

The Longest Bridge

2007-09-07T02:29:00.000-07:00

Aluling bridge in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur is probably the longest bridge in the world. For thirty (30) years, the bridge is still to be completed.

Synergy in Building Construction

2007-08-21T01:04:00.000-07:00

To build a building in Mountain Province is no easy feat. In Bontoc, a 40 kilogram bag of cement costs one hundred ninety five pesos or 4.50 US dollars. Twenty five mm steel bars alone costs 995.00 pesos a piece. On the positive side, aggregates such as river sand and gravel are within reach. The Chico River abounds with sand and gravel. Another positive aspect is low labor cost and the help of relatives, neighbors and friends during the "buhos." "Buhos" is a local term that literally means pour or the activity of pouring cement the beams and flooring of a structure. In urban areas, contractors would usually bring in equipment (cement mixers) to do the job of mixing and pouring concrete. In Bontoc and other parts of Mountain Province, "buhos" becomes a community activity. Like the days of old when a house needs to be moved or day 1 of a new construction activity, all the neighbors converge and help out. The practice is still carried today. The day before d-day, neighbors and relatives are informed by the owner of the construction. "In buhos kami is wakas.." (We will do concrete pouring tomorrow) is the message sent to neighbors, relatives and friends. The owner of the house or building takes care of the food and snacks on d-day. Morning, people come in droves. The women do the cooking, the men or boys mix cement and aggregates. The concrete mix is shoveled onto pails and are passed from one hand to another. People who come to help do not expect to be paid. But there is a common understanding that when it is some body's turn to build a house, help will come his or her way. In the YouTube video, a school building is currently constructed with help from friends, relatives and neighbors during "buhos" day. In the Philippine culture, the act of helping neighbors is called "bayanihan." The "bayanihan" is also practiced in Mountain Province during rice harvest or rice planting season. Such is the Filipino spirit--Synergy!

Watch more videos of the activity at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQGIBtoSbv4
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9FoCwkMDK4

Cervantes Sojourn

2007-07-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

Cervantes in Ilocos Sur is a two hour ride away from Bontoc, the capital town of Mountain Province. On a clear Friday morning, July 2007, my workmates decide to visit "historic" Cervantes. Cervantes holds an important place in the history of Mountain Province. Cervantes then was the seat of the old Mountain Province during the Spanish and on to the early American period. It was the heart of the action in the early days of yore. What a pity it was, we thought, not to visit Cervantes- an important trading place too at those times. Salt from our Ilocano brothers and sisters was an important trade item for us in the highlands. Our grandparents would talk of salt being a barter commodity at those times. Of course garlic, fruits and other agri products are traded too in Cervantes.

We start from Bontoc at about 8:30 AM and reach Tadian at 9:30 AM. Children ham it up for the camera during our stopover at Poblacion, Tadian. Tadian, a municipality of Mountain Province is the nearest municipality to the town of Cervantes.

I take a quick shot of ex Mayor Ting's shop before the van leaves. The Ting family store is one of the earlier stores who served the needs of the community of Tadian for decades.

Our van proceeds to Kayan, Tadian, a village nearest to Cervantes. I ask our van driver to stop and take shots of the mountain views on the road.

Our BESTA Korean made van takes a stop. We take a leak and enjoy the scenery.

We reach Kayan, Tadian as I take a shot of the village's marker. The village's cemetary welcomes every visitor to Kayan.

A gravel road takes you down to Cervantes. This road is still within the Mountain Province side.

Bamboo, locally known as "anes" lines the road (still on the Mountain Province side) to Cervantes. The abundance of bamboo is a potential source of raw materials for handicrafts.

Suddenly, Cervantes looms ahead. We look out the van windows in awe as we spot a plateau and the river below.

We reach the village of Aluling, Cervantes. The village welcome arch sign is written in the Kankana-ey dialect "UMALI KAYO" (welcome). I thought we were already in Ilocano country, the sign could have been "UMAY KAYO". We celebrate with Sprite and Coke and some bread bought from a nearby store. The store-owner is from Tadian. She narrates that there are a lot of residents of Igorot lineage in Aluling.

Rice fields dot the river banks of Aluling. Accross the river is Cervantes.

The infamous Aluling bridge that connects to Cervantes cries out for completion. Residents say contractors have come and gone for the past thirty years and nothing has come out of it except this skeleton structure. In the Department of Public Works and Highways website, the Aluling bridge is one of the projects on the pipeline for 2007. It is already July 2007.

Rows of steel bars are laid out on the Aluling side in preparation for a new bridge. Residents relate that work has stopped because a project engineer says "we wait until the dry season to be able to work again."

Steel frames for the bridge's post lies in waiting for the bridge project to resume. Signs of rust starts to enclose the steel matting.

This project marker says its all.

Could this be the project contractor or could the project sign been there some years back and a new contractor is set to do the job?

More photos soon!

As promised here are some more photos of the Cervantes visit.

The make shift bridge is quite dangerous especially during the rainy season.

Up the bridge we go. I take a quick shot as my friends are already at the other side. We are still at the Aluling side as I take this photo.

Cervantes Elementary school is built near the old "munisipyo" which has been converted into a museum and classroom.

The brick structure is the seat of the Spanish government in Cervantes. Too bad, restoration was not quite right. Authorities just painted over the brick walls.

Cervantes town marker.

A "baby" bus plies the Cervantes to San Fernando City route. This mode of transportation is just right for the narrow, (roads formerly traversed by horse drawn carriages called the "Calesa") precourarious road passing through the famous Tirad Pass.

Growing commerce in Cervantes. If only the bridge of Aluling finally gets to be completed, trade will flourish between Mountain Province and Ilocos Sur.

THE BONTOC "PASUK-EY"

2007-06-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

By Josephine M. Ngodcho*
MPSPC, Bontoc, Mountain Province

This study aimed to describe and document a cultural practice of the Bontocs – the Pasuk-ey which is a Lang-ay activity. Specifically, this study answered the following problems: 1) What is Pasuk-ey? 1) Why is it called Pasuk-ey? 3) How is Pasuk-ey done? 4) What are the practices before and after the pasuk-ey itself?
To gather data, the author used participation-observation, focus group discussions, and interviews, supplemented by pictorials.
One of the activities of the ato in Central Bontoc is Pasuk-ey. It is called Pasuk-ey because, originally, the women participants ensukey or insert leaves between their beads and hair to protect them from the scorching heat of the sun as it is summertime. Also, the women give out to gong players gifts in the form of tobaccos and leis during the said affair.
Pasuk-ey is an ato feast where there is gong playing and dancing, singing, praying, eating and drinking, and sharing. Men and women in the community bring to the ato having the feast tobaccos and drinks like tapey (rice wine), fayas (sugar cane wine) and San Miguel gin, and soft
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*The author’s family maintains its membership to Ato Sipa-at, the lead ato in Central Bontoc, Mountain Province. Membership to the ato is by families.
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drinks. While dancing, the women give to the gong players tobaccos and
leis consisting of matches, cigarettes, and candies. Men and boys take turns in playing the gongs; women and girls from the different atos also take turns in distributing to the gong players tobaccos and leis. Meanwhile, other men are singing the ay-yeng in a separate portion of the ato. After each group gong playing and dancing, one is tasked to collect from the gong players the distributed tobaccos and leis which will be hung on a tree in the ato.
The collected tobaccos and leis will later be redistributed to men and children. Before these will be redistributed, an old man prays (enkapya) so that nobody will get sick.
Ato non-members who attend the Pasuk-ey eat and drink at the house of the ato members who will invite them.
Playing gongs and dancing and singing go on simultaneously.
In the morning of the pasuk-ey, men and boys set up ar-along si pasuk-ey (branches or twigs used as shade). These are taken either from the forest or from the homes like the coconut palms.
In the late afternoon, ato members with invited relatives eat at the ato where their viand consisting of meat, chinad-alaan (dinuguan or dinardaraan with rice shaped into balls) and soup are cooked and/or prepared. Ato members bring their own cooked rice to supplement the rice cooked in the ato. After eating, the ato members are given additional
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cooked meat called “pasing”. They share cooked meat with their other relatives, and even neighbors.
Ato members also invite their peace pact partners. An example is: the members of Ato Sipa-at invite people from Betwagan, Sadanga, Mountain Province two days before the Pasuk-ey to come and join in the merry-making. The peace pact partners who will come with their wines as gifts will be the special guests. They will be given their share of the meat when they go home the following day.
In the evening, there is Cha-ing which is preceded by a prayer by an old man. In the Cha-ing, the participants with two leaders (a male and a female), each holding a stick with feathers, repeatedly dance (without gongs) in circular formation, with a “toonan”, a special jar with wine at the center, as they sing prayers to the powerful Kafunian to send rain. The Cha-ing will stop at midnight.
Dancing and singing will stop for two nights/days. The third day is Feklas. During daytime, the men and boys go to the river to take a bath and have picnic. They bring with them cooked rice. For their viand, they cook crabs and fish taken from the river plus vegetables like apako and
sibsifit taken from the river banks. Bathing symbolizes the coming of the rain.
Late in the afternoon, they go back to the ato. In the evening, there is again gong playing with dancing which goes on overnight.
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The following morning is Sangat. The men and boys go to the mountains to cut and gather twigs to be used as Sangat around and on the lot used for gong playing and dancing.
There are preparations before the Pasuk-ey itself. First is the Manerwap. Manerwap is a ceremony for the calling of the rain. During summer, men of the ato go to a certain mountain at night and build fire then beat their gongs to plead Kafunian to send rain.
The following morning, the men go back to the ato and are met along the way by women who bring food for them. Both groups will eat at the fawi (small hut in the mountain) then come home together and
assemble at the ato where they will be served sinab-ang (cooked glutinous rice with sweet potatoes/camotes) by other women.
Men start playing gongs. With that, there will be nightly gong playing (pattong) by men and boys and dancing (sagni) by women and girls plus singing (ay-yeng) by men until the scheduled Pasuk-ey. Meanwhile, the young men and the boys have to daily butcher pig or chicken and cook them with vegetables like unripe papayas. If this is not done, there is no nightly gong playing and dancing.
Men, in deciding the schedule for Pasuk-ey consider some factors like the availability of pigs to be caught and the availability of employed ato members; hence, Pasuk-ey is usually held on week-ends.

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The day before the Pasuk-ey is Chepap (catching pigs). Chepap is of two types: the kachongsan and the sangfo. The type to be followed is to be decided by the ato members, especially the men. In the first type, catching and butchering pigs and Pasuk-ey are simultaneously done in one day. In the second type, catching and butchering pigs is done one day before the Pasuk-ey. The male ato members catch pigs to be butchered and to be eaten by ato members and others who attend the Pasuk-ey. Of the many pigs caught, at least three pigs will be carried and brought around the members’ houses then will be carried back to the ato where the pigs will be butchered and kept for the next day which is Pasuk-ey. The many butchered and sliced pigs will be cooked during the Pasuk-ey.
Before, during and after the Pasuk-ey is tengao (rest days) among the people.
Before all the activities, meetings of ato members, especially the men, are conducted.
The following are some of the pictures on Pasuk-ey taken by the author on May 12 – 18, 2004 when Ato Sipaat had its Ato Chomno which included the Pagpag or Parpag and Cheg-as, hanging of heads and other parts of butchered pigs, Pasuk-ey, Cha-ing, Feklas, and Sangat.. There was no Pasuk-ey last summers 2005, 2006 and 2007 in the said ato and in the other atos because the rains came early.
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1. Ar-along si Pasuk-ey (Shade for Pasuk-ey)
2. Women preparing tobaccos for gong players
3. Women giving gong players tobaccos with matches
4. Women giving leis to gong players
5. Man turning over tobaccos to an old man for safekeeping and for
redistribution later… At the background is a bunch of leis hung on a tree.
P.S. Researchers interested in the details

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It could be concluded that all the ceremonies before, during and after the Pasuk-ey are for the calling of the rain through pleadings to the powerful and merciful Kafunian who will finally send rain to the simple, humble, prayerful and grateful people.
It is recommended that other practices related to Pasuk-ey be documented.

It could be concluded that all the ceremonies before, during and after the Pasuk-ey are for the calling of the rain through pleadings to the powerful and merciful Kafunian who will finally send rain to the simple, humble, prayerful and grateful people.
Throughout the duration of the Pasuk-ey, there is Lang-ay.
It is recommended that other practices related to Pasuk-ey be documented.
Special thanks are given to the following key informants:
Ing-inga, Pablo “Kamodchay”. 57 years old, of Ato Sipa-at, Chakalan, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

May-ao, Ignacio “May-ao”. 61 years old, of Ato Sipa-at, Chakalan, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Mi-ing, Leona “Attaw” M. 51 years old, of Ato Amkhawa, Amkhawa, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Ongngog, Jose. 88 years old, of Ato Sipa-at, Chakalan, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Pecley, Fagsao “Tecla”. 70 years old, of Ato Lao-ingan, Chakalan, Bontoc, Moun tain Province.

Peleo, Margarita “Eneman” Fackayan. 78 years old, of Ato Foyayeng, Foyayeng, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

Yango, Alicia “Fakokad”. 93 years old, of Ato Songowan, Chao-ey, Bontoc, Mountain Province.

The author also wishes to thank Mr. Vicente N. Tafaleng, of Ato Sipa-at, Chakalan, Bontoc, Mountain Province, for assisting the author in tape recording the old men’s prayers (kapya) and the “Cha-ing” prayer-songs.

Barlig Is Most Authentic Delegation

2007-04-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Barlig is always a crowd favorite in the Lang-ay Festival. But as usual, they do not appeal to the judges. I expected them not to win this year because I do not understand why they don't appeal to the judges. For the third time in a row, they were the most creative and wore authentic attire during the festival. My hunch was right, they did not win for the third time that they participated. This year, the delegation wore abaca fibers which are indigenous to Barlig and the adjacent municipality of Barlig. The students wore it sans briefs for the gentlemen. See the photo slide show of Barlig Delegation. Photos are for sale.

Lang-ay Festival 2007 Photos Part 1

2007-04-13T07:56:00.000-07:00

Here now are the digital photos of Lang-ay 2007. If you are interested to buy any of the photos, you will be supporting a worthy cause. Half of the proceeds will go to tuition subsidies to incoming qualified college freshmen from Mountain Province who wish to take up IT, Education and communications courses at Xijen College (www.xijen.com) Photos will be sold at 5 US dollars each or peso equivalent. Photos will be printed in A4 size,full color (except of course for black and white photos)using thick coated paper and sent to your specified address. Buyer will pay for postage For particulars write me at joelfagsao@xijen.com

Watch the photo slide show. Warning! Music may not be appropriate.

The "Igorot Salad"

2006-12-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

What's an occasion in Igorotlandia without the Igorot Salad? Forgive me, but as far as I can remember, the macaroni salad has become an Igorot staple during the holidays. For those who are curios on what it is, here's the ingredients of the Igorot Salad:

Elbow Macaroni (cooked and drained)
Mayonnaise
Nestle Cream
Cheese
Condensed Milk (for the sweet tooth in us)
Kaong (palm fruit)
Fruit cocktail (Today's brand if you are on a budget, Del Monte if you just received money sent by relatives from abroad)
Raisins
Add-ons: China apple, China grapes or Grapes from San Fernando La Union, marshmallows

Mix all the ingredients and expect your State Side relatives to raise an eyebrow! Eeewy! Isn't macaroni for soups?

As I write this, my wife says, isn't this supposed to be the Philippine Salad?

Decades past, only a few households could afford the macaroni salad. Thus, it was something to look forward to during the holidays. Today, it is a different story, the macaroni salad has quite lost its "magic" because you can order a plateful from the various snack houses in Bontoc.

As I watch on the 24th of December, people visit the grocers and stock up on the "Igorot Salad."

The Generation Gap

2006-12-18T04:15:00.000-08:00

I remember as a teen age high school student, my US Navy cousin was our guest at home. He brought over a bottle of imported brandy. As Dad and my cousin Joh__ exchanged notes about the developments in Bontoc, I sat with them and took a drink. My cousin Joh__ blurted, "good for you, you can take a shot in front of your father.." I felt my face grow warm. He continued.."if you still don't have anything to prove to your father, then it is not proper to drink in front of adults, especially in front of your dad..." I stood up and blurted a barely audible apology. From that time on, I vowed to be careful in the way I would act in front of adults. At that time, my generation would not dare speak against adults, if we were to be corrected.

Today, things have changed. Yesterday at our farm house, we had college students as guests. They were brought over by their teacher, my cousin who asked if they can hold their group year end party. We warmly received them but I was in for a rude awakening. I let them sing on the karaoke and things were going on fine. Then as the night went on, I noticed that the girls were drinking with their boy companions. As I went into the hut and played the guitar, the girls (college students) would take a shot. They simply were not ashamed that a 40 year old (adult) was with them.

Then we had dinner. The more I noticed how today's generation really lack social skills. As we finished dinner, their other teacher started to clear the table. My wife had to remind the girls that they should pitch in to help. It was only that time that some volunteered to do the work. To be fair, I did observe some teens who helped out instinctively.

As the night wore on, I had to get down and tell them that the party's over. My sound proofed plyboards just could not deaden the noise of the party animals!

In the morning, I wish I did not let them use our bathroom at the second floor. Everybody just lined up to use the tub. Only a few used the ground floor bath. Pheew!

I vowed that the next time we had teens as guests, I would lock our second floor bathroom!

In the end, my observation on today's generation here in Mountain Province might pale in comparison to teens in other lands. Exposure to mass media, western culture might be the culprit. But then, I would still put the blame on permissive parents, one parent households (as a result of a father or mother working abroad) and worse, both parents working abroad.

Still, the responsibility is in us, parents to see to it that it pays for our kids to be trained in good manners, respect and responsibilities.

Bontoc My Valley Home

2006-12-08T02:25:00.000-08:00

Sturdy planks of wood and cement posts made up the original bridge that connected the barrio of Samoki to Bontoc. The famed Chico River passes through. In those days, the wooden planks were sturdy enough to carry the weight of people and animals and in the early 80's tricycles. Only a few trucks and buses passed on this bridge. Then the bridge was upgraded to a concrete structure and gone was the wooden bridge. The former bridge then was a lover's lane at night. It had a ledge where lovers would stay, stare at reflection of the evening sky and enjoy the river breeze. The concrete structure of a bridge doesn't let you feel romantic anymore. Instead, trucks, buses, tricycles would speed past and makes for a dangerous spot for the Bontoc dweller.

This is the Cawed Hotel, now known as the Chico Terrace Inn building. This is one of the major landmarks of Bontoc. In its heyday, the Cawed Hotel catered to American tourists. They were mostly from Clark and Subic, the former military bases in the country. Cawed hotel had large floor to ceiling windows/sliding doors. As a kid we would stay at the sidewalks and gawk at American kids dancing to the disco sounds on the hotel's restaurant. Cultural shows were also a daily fare as Americans flocked to town during peak season- October to December. Sadly, the former Cawed Hotel has lost its luster. The new owners do not seem to care in restoring the building to its former glory.

Here is another landmark that has turned into an eyesore. The pine trees that dotted the front yard of the Bontoc Municipal building have been cut. Cars park and pose a security risk. This has been our playground during our pre-school days. At that time, kids were not yet into pre-schools, play was part of the learning process. Games we played include shatong, kikirit, longkiat...if you grew up in this town, you would surely know this. Of course, this was your game if you were a child of the late 60's and 70's.

House Old House

2006-12-08T00:54:00.000-08:00

I have a passion for old houses as they are good photo subjects. It also evokes memories of my visits to my grandfather's house. The smell of burning pine wood on the hearth is a welcome respite to the pressures of daily life. In an old house, time suddenly stands still. This house is located on the road going to Mainit, Bontoc. This is about a 5 minute drive. In here lives old woman, La-ayan Wakwak. It is a watering hole for farmers, kamineros (road maintenance men), wood cutters. The house materials probably came from a burned out house and reconstructed on this mountain side. Observe the bundle of pine wood stacked near the house.

Old woman was happy to welcome us when we made a visit. She laughingly said that we were too many on the motorbike. I was quite surprised. I insisted that there was only the two of us on the motorbike. She said there were five of us. I had this erie feeling that her being alone in this part of town...she could be seeing things ordinary mortals do not see.

As we draw closer to her house, we sit and she offers us a drink of "safeng." Safeng is a drink concocted from cassava rootcrop that is fermented. The smelly liquid is a cure for the common cold, aids in digestion and is great to nurse a hangover.

The old woman narrates that she can either see the dead and the living. The dead do pass by her house each day she says.