Category: News and Current Affairs

As we welcome 2024, may we be reminded of God’s word in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

This gives us hope that His plans for our Province, our communities are filled with hope, welfare, and a promising future.

In the spirit of ‘binnadang,’ let us continue to strengthen our camaraderie as we build our relationship and togetherness even tighter. Truly, unity breeds strength, warmth, and support. May we carry this culture forward as we face various challenges and victories in the coming years.

Our character of humility as iBenguet is one of the foundations of our identity. It is our hope that we continue to treasure and perpetuate this value to invigorate understanding, empathy, and cooperation among us as we pursue more progress and development in our community.

Also among the values that define our cultural identity are respect and hard work. May these principles guide us as we step into the new year. We may face different challenges along the way, but always remember to draw strength from our shared values of trust, understanding, and treating one another with dignity and respect.

Let all these values which were safeguarded and passed down to us by our forefathers be reflected among us as we tread the path toward a better and HEALTHIER Benguet.

May 2024 give everyone more success, more happiness, and good health. Happy New Year!

MELCHOR D. DICLAS, MD

Benguet Governor

Five grade 12 students of Benguet National High School (BeNHS) together with their coaches paid a courtesy visit to Governor Dr. Melchor Daguines Diclas to express gratitude for the Governor’s support and to present their success at the recently concluded 2023 Regional Science Fair.

The team exhibited their skills in robotics during the said fair held in Lagawe, Ifugao on December 7-8, 2023, earning them a place in the finals for Robotics Machine Team Category.

Among the team members, Bernadin Jr. Escobar clinched the first place in the Physical Science Individual Category, while Veinson Alcaraz emerged as the champion in the Robotics Intelligence Machine Individual Category. The other team members include Clark Dickson Carbonel, Ryden Flyndon Gillao, and Niccaella Walang.

Escobar and Alcaraz are set to represent the province and the entire region at the National Science Fair scheduled for March 2024.

Supervised by Imelda Espiritu, Eugene Espiritu, and Cheryl Garcia, who served as their coaches throughout the preparation and competition, the team expressed their gratitude to the Office of Governor Diclas for sponsoring their food and transportation during the event.

The Governor congratulated the team for their success and expressed hope they will inspire more youth to be also engaged in endeavors in the field of Science and Technology.

At least 118 more livestock farmers from the 13 towns of Benguet received a total of 1,700 16-week-old lay pullets (Dekalb White) as livelihood assistance from the Government, in response to the challenges faced by the farmers during the onslaught of Typhoon ‘Egay’ and other inclement weather conditions.

The distribution of the chickens, with a total cost of almost P1 million, was led by Governor Dr. Melchor Daguines Diclas; Assistant Agriculture Provincial Coordinating Officer (APCO) Cirilo Batan, representing DA-CAR OIC Regional Executive Director Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan; and Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Purita Lesing.

The assistance came from the Department of Agriculture (DA) which complements the financial assistance of the Provincial Government. Governor Diclas said the Provincial LGU is currently distributing cash assistance to qualified typhoon-affected livestock farmers in the province with a total amount of P1,000,000.00. In the wake of the recent typhoons, it can be recalled that the Provincial Government has distributed financial assistance to affected farmers with aid coming from the National Government.