BBM presented with pride his 5500 flood control projects worth P244B during his SONA, and after 2 days, it was tried and tested by Super Typhoon Carina.The weakness were witnessed by at least 31M Filipinos, seeing the massive floods across the country.
Philippines indeed has money. Philippines is not poor. It can buy and build anything it wants. From billions of intelligence funds to useless flood control projects that cost billions and billions of pesos, Philippines wealth is undeniable.
As expected, Filipinos remain poor because they are contented to live in the hands and promises of leaders they vote. Leaders and Filipinos live in circles, just going back and forth with no commitment to progress. Filipinos continue to be happy fighting each other during elections, standing for their chosen candidate and is happy to fight to death in exchange of relief goods, tupad and other forms of small tokens for their votes. Then when calamity and disaster arrive, they all suffer while the officials they have voted and fought for are in the comfort of their mansions or palace.
We can call them bakla, bading, shokla, antey, tita and even SIR, or tomboy with respect, confidence and acceptance. There had been no problems no matter how we call the LBTQs in the Cordillera. It’s because they never demanded respect from the community, instead they feel already well-privileged to be accepted in a conservative Cordilleran environment. They gained our natural respect.
LBTQs, most especially the bakla or gay, are not a discriminated or disadvantaged fraction of the society in the Cordillera. They live normal lives and in fact a lot of them have become a valuable member of a family, organisation or a community. A lot of LBTQs have good education and have successful careers in various industries or economic sectors.
LBTQs in the Cordillera do not behave nor feel entitled because they understand how to deal with normal or straight people, same as how others treat them as a member of the community. They also recognise the fact that there are other people who they need to offer respect, those people who believe that there are only 2 genders created by God, male and female. They understand that respect goes both ways. Respect is never demanded, but gained.
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Photo credits: Jude Bacalso, Pepita and IgorotHost
Alexandra Eala, the first Filipino player to win a junior Grand Slam singles title in 2022, took another significant forward stride on the ITF World Tennis Tour this weekend after winning both the singles and doubles titles in the tournament held in Spain.
The 19-year-old from the Philippines previously won four professional titles. Although, her win were outside the entry level W25 tournament grade. Also. I am not aware there was a picture of emotion after completing a milestone week with a 6-4, 6-4 triumph over fellow rising star Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva.
“This win means the world to me, it even made me ugly cry,” she posted on Instagram. “I am so proud because this represents the culmination of so much hard work. Securing my biggest titles yet in both singles and doubles is a fairytale finish, and I’m overwhelmed with emotion.
Eala, the world No. 155, had also won her 3rd doubles, title of her career a day earlier – combining with Frenchwoman Estelle Cascino to beat Lia Karatancheva and Diana Marcinkevica.
Eala participating at the 2024 Open Araba en Femenino in Spain, an ITF W100 tournament, triumphed in both singles and doubles. She won the tournament in singles without dropping a set. For doubles tournament, Eala and her partner Estelle Cascino, won their second doubles crown. As of today, new career high ranking in both singles and doubles, at 143 and 208 respectively.
Session Road, Baguio City- has become the art street of the Philippines, not because of historical artistic obras of known artists but for serving as an open medium for everyone to express their artistic minds thru visual and performing arts. Despite the traffic problems, the City Government of Baguio has opened Session Road to the public since 2019, free of Motor vehicles, to allow locals and tourists to enjoy walking around the historic downtown road free of pollution and as a venue for visual artists, musicians, performers as well as start-up businesses to try their products or services.
Every Sunday, Session Road becomes a festive venue for locals and tourists to enjoy listening to music buskers from solo and band performers, street chalk artists, living or human statues, business stalls and other interesting acts.
Although the downtown road is open to such activities, participants are currently regulated which will maintain quality of performers as well as safety, peace and order. One is by not allowing subversive performances or artworks that will stir the public such as depicting current divisive issues or criticism on the government.
This setting is a unique signature attraction of the City of Baguio as it may be impossible to replicate it elsewhere in the country due factors that are distinct to the city. These factors include the high influx of locals and tourists as spectators or artists and cool weather which very conducive and safe inspiring environment.
“Gawin mo yan sa Mindanao” is a comment we see on social media which confuses readers on what it really means. Knowing most people from Mindanao who migrated to Baguio are entrepreneurs, we could understand it as, like in this picture, “buy one, take one.” Although it is obvious that the comment has a double meaning.
Whatever it means, it is up to the reader to interpret. They might mean inviting content creators in Mindanao who’s contents they don’t like and aim to give the lessons of life or it could be a truly invitation for the person to do such thing in Mindanao.
We see this comments on contents with themes that are seem to be not acceptable to the culture of Mindanao such as sexy dancing or other contents that they consider as non-sense.
In return, fast-thinking netizens outside Mindanao will find similar content creators based in Mindanao such as that individual who died because of doing mukbang and put their comment, “nasaan yung comment na Gawin mo yan sa Mindanao?”
Any how, life is everything in social media. It is up to the readers and users to understand contents and comments.
Not Igorot, not Aeta but an Ilocano of Baguio wins Miss World Philippines 2024, following the recent public anger when Aetas were mistakenly said to be in Itogon, Benguet by a popular blogger and a veteran broadcaster. A perfect example of point of view of humans, disowning what they hate and embracing what that gives honour and favour.
Krishnah Marie E. Gravidez (born October 11, 2000) is a Filipino beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World Philippines 2024. A youth advocate, Gravidez will represent the Philippines at the Miss World 2025 pageant.
Gravidez previously represented Baguio at the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 pageant. Finishing as a top five finalist, she was appointed as the country’s delegate to the Miss Charm 2024 pageant before withdrawing from the competition to represent Baguio in Miss World Philippines 2024, where she was named the winner.
Gravidez was born on October 11, 2000, in Ilocos Sur. She began studying industrial engineering at the Saint Louis University in Baguio before transferring to the University of Northern Philippines in Vigan to pursue a degree in civil engineering. In an interview on the variety show Wowowin in 2019, Gravidez stated she uses the cash incentives she earns from her stints in pageants to pay for her education.
Miss Universe Philippines 2023
On February 18, 2023, Gravidez was introduced as one of the 40 delegates competing in the fourth edition of the pageant, serving as the delegate of Baguio after having previously been selected as Miss Baguio 2022. Her performance in the preliminary rounds was received positively online, with praise directed in her performance in the swimsuit round. In the national costume round, Gravidez wore a Strawberry-inspired ensemble designed by Erjohn dela Serna. The costume was made from Cordilleran textiles and featured a kabayang basket. Her costume reaped her the “Tingog ng Filipina” award for Luzon.
In the pageant proper, she won the Best in Swimsuit award. Subsequently, she advanced to the Top 5, where she, and her co-finalists, were asked “For you, what is the best that we can offer to the rest of the world? Why do you consider it so?”, alluding to the Department of Tourism’s new branding campaign. She responded:
“Having to struggle at a very early age, I have uncertainties. But I’ve received kindness a lot of times. So now, aside from it’s free, I give kindness to everyone. Because this kindness can go a long way, can motivate someone, can give radiance to rainy days. Because this kindness also made me transform myself from a woman who have nothing to a woman who has the universe on her doorstep.”
At the end of pageant, Gravidez finished as a Top 5 finalist to Michelle Dee, who won the pageant to become the Philippines’s delegate to Miss Universe 2023. Following Gravidez’s finish at the Miss Universe Philippines 2023 pageant, she was appointed as Miss Charm Philippines 2024 in a ceremony at the Okada Manila. The city government of Baguio issued a resolution honoring Gravidez for her appointment to the title and was honored with a motorcade organized by the city’s tourism office. While Miss Charm Philippines 2024, Gravidez participated at the 12th Mindanao Fashion Summit held at Cagayan de Oro.
Miss World Philippines 2024
As Miss Charm Philippines, Gravidez was the country’s delegate to the Miss Charm 2024 pageant in Vietnam. Amid uncertainties in the pageant, she announced her withdrawal on June 2, 2024, more than a year after her designation. A day following her withdrawal, Gravidez was introduced as part of the second set of candidates for Miss World Philippines 2024, designated as the delegate of Baguio. In an interview with The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Gravidez revealed that she had been tapped by the pageant’s accredited partner for Baguio to represent the city in the national pageant since April 2024.
Gravidez won four special awards in the charity gala held on July 18. The pageant was held the following day at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, where she would win all three major awards—Miss Photogenic, Best in Swimsuit, and Best in Evening Gown—and seven special awards from the pageant’s sponsors. Gravidez advanced to the top 20 through winning the Top Model and Miss Multimedia fast track challenges. She progressed to the top ten question and answer portion, where she was asked “Should inclusivity be a top priority among pageants? Yes or no? Explain your answer”. In her answer, she noted the role of pageants as platforms for advocacies and stated that humans must adapt to an evolving world.
Gravidez went on to win the pageant, being crowned by her predecessor Gwendolyne Fourniol and Krystyna Pyszková, Miss World 2023.
Advocacy
Gravidez established the non-profit Colors of Kindness charity, which advocates for the welfare of children and the youth
Ilocanos and Igorots, being regionally close to each other, have a lot in common. They share commonalities on their language hence they can understand each other. They also share the same attitude towards animals. They don’t discriminate dogs, from goats, pigs, cows, cats, chicken, carabao, etc. They treat them all the same and equal.
This is true when visiting Baguio most especially in the 1980s to 1990s. When Igorots go to the lowlands to visit relatives or friends, the nice smell of a goat will add to the warmth hospitality and interaction of the Ilocano host and the Igorot guests. The same thing when an Ilocano visits an Igorot friend or relative in Baguio, most especially during the cold seasons, the Igorot host will make sure there’s a warming experience for his Ilocano guest. This is by bringing the guests to visit dogs at Sagada Lunch.
Either way, both appreciate each other’s hospitality. They don’t discriminate each other, instead they will be equally appreciative to each other. In fact, everytime they visit each other, they are both happy seeing any of their pets, be it a dog, cats, pigs, goats, etc.
However, todays rhetorics have changed everything. Ilocanos and Igorots were taught by strangers and foreigners to treat dogs as man’s best friend, cats as something with 9 lives, etc. Civilisation taught Igorots and Ilocanos how to be discriminatory towards animals.
Additionally, Philippine History shows no serious tribal war between Ilocano and Igorots. They can jokingly mock each other but not the point of causing fatal injury to each other. Even the spoiled brat members of Samahang Ilocano and Igorot Wakad gangs in schools in the old days, they both behave like big dangerous gangs but they are actually nothing but just the same pulutan boys.
Take note: Please read this article with a little bit of art, and not too serious. The intention was to make you smile. No animals were hurt in making this article.
Some people most specially bloggers focus too much on their content and money that they forget about the basics of life and reality. That’s why even a content creator with huge money and a popular journalist got mistaken that our Aeta kailians are in Itogon instead of Zambales; that a bulul is for fertility instead of rice production, and that it is made buy Aetas in Itogon instead of Ifugaos.
Going back to the basics is good for us to realise the importance of appreciating God’s blessings, taking care of it and nurturing it. Nature is a gift, taking care of it is a good basic life responsibility. So here at The Cordillera Connection’s PROJECT T.R.E.E, the group of Joycelyn Sotelo Silva, Baguio Junior Police Batch 1983-93, and Lead Volunteer of TCCs Project TREE went to visit our designated area at Forbes Park, Baguio City to clean the surroundings where we planted pine saplings some years back. This is a project initiated and handled by our TCC-Montreal, Canada.
The group were amazed to see many saplings have thrived and survived the challenges of growing amidst the thick weeds. Lo and behold, the group will continue what they have started.
Activities like this will help us go back to real life and what matters to everyone. Temptations, fantasy and fake news in social media has taken control of our lives.
Igorots are proud to be Igorots. Tagalogs are proud to be Tagalogs and so as Ilocanos, Cebuanos, etc. So why not being an Aeta? Aetas are an indigenous people inhabiting the central and southern Zambales. Let us help the Aetas be proud to be Aetas. They are just the same as ours. They were just introduced to civilisation behind us. They can also become to what we are now!
It has been obvious on some comments on our previous article that so many people have bad connotations about Aetas. Some were even so reserved to write or speak the word Aeta. That’s not different from being a racist!
According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “Aetas are an indigenous people inhabiting the central and southern Zambales mountains in Zambales, Pampanga, and Bataan provinces of the Philippines.” Aeta are just same people as you! Aetas are humans and are no less than anyone! You should proudly address them as Aetas, with respect and confidence!
If you are afraid or reserved to say the word Aeta, you are RACIST!
It,s only in America and the Western world where racism exist where calling someone “Black or Coloured, or White” is branded as racist.
Igorots are the champions of defeating racism. The word Igorot has long time been a racist and discriminatory word of non-igorots but we defeated it by owning it instead and making it a brand. Other Filipinos can no longer think they are superior than us Igorots. Ironically, we Igorots now sometimes take so much pride and think or act as if we are better tribe than others; and that is not good. Aetas, Igorot, Ilocanos, Tagalogs, and all Filipinos are just the same Filipinos. We all eat rice by our mouth and excrete it by our anus!
Let us help Aetas be proud to be an Aetas! and that’s our Aeta Challenge!
Malacañang has declared July 15 a special non-working holiday in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). But how was this region of freedom, autonomy and cultural diversity created?
CAR is commemorating its 35th founding anniversary on July 15 after it was created through Executive Order 220 which was a result of successful peace talks with the local armed group – Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA) led by former priest Conrado “Ka Ambo” Balweg. CPLA is a break-away group from communist People’s Army (NPA) which is also the merger of Abra Province’s Tingguian Liberation Force in 1986, forming the Cordillera Organisation with the aim to fight for self-determination of the people of Cordillera.
The Philippine national government thru former President Corazon Aquino initiated talks with the rebel group in September 13, 1986 at Mt Data Hotel, Bauko, Mt Province. Adopting the local practice of “bodong” (peace talks), the parties went thru “sipat” (exchange of peace tokens) that led to the issuance of the EO creating the Cordillera Administrative Region in preparation for becoming an autonomous region. This is called the 1986 Mt Data Peace Accord.
In 1999, Conrado Balweg was assasinated by the NPA.
CPLA agreed and signed with the Philippine Government on July 04, 2011 for its closure or dissolution; bringing the rebel organisation to disarm and reintegrate into the mainstream society. Today, any rebel group left in the Cordillera are factions that are only fighting for their personal interests and not for the people of Cordillera.
THE CORDILLERA CONNECTION 