FEATURE For five years, Caleb Dingmoc stood at tourist spots in Baguio City, patiently selling handcrafted keychains to strangers. Each sale helped him get through another day. Each keychain represented another step toward a dream that seemed to take longer than expected. What many customers never knew was that behind the smiling vendor was a young man from Mangali, Tanudan, Kalinga, quietly holding on to a childhood dream—to one day wear the uniform of a public servant. Toda

Tabuk City, Kalinga – As the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Kalinga intensifies its support for the establishment of the Cordillera Autonomous Region, Vice Governor Dave Q. Odiem has appealed to iKalingas and all Cordillerans to unite behind the decades-long aspiration, emphasizing that genuine autonomy means giving the people of the Cordillera a greater voice in shaping their own future. While the Provincial Board prepares a resolution supporting the region-wide campaign for au

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Governor James S. Edduba has called on the Butbut tribe of Tinglayan, Kalinga, and the Betwagan tribe of Sadanga, Mountain Province to end the cycle of violence and pursue lasting peace, emphasizing that both communities remain one people as fellow Cordillerans despite their long-standing boundary dispute. Edduba made the appeal following the renewed clash between the two tribes on June 27, 2026, which claimed the life of a Butbut tribesman. The encounte

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 64 in Abatan, Buguias has extended by 17 days the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) directing identified residents to stop obstructing the mineral exploration activities of Crescent Mining and Development Corporation (CMDC) in Mankayan, even as the Benguet Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) reaffirmed its opposition to the project. Presiding Judge Daniel D. Mangallay initially issued the 72-hour TRO on July 10 after CMDC

FEATURE For many people, repeated rejection is enough to make them give up on a dream. For Corrections Officer 1 (CO1) Shelly Mar Bassong of Tabuk City, Kalinga, every rejection became another reason to try again. Long before she wore the Bureau of Corrections uniform, Bassong had already endured the disappointment of seeing her name repeatedly left out of the final lists of successful applicants. She passed examinations, completed application requirements, and advanced throu

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – More than ₱2.48 million worth of marijuana was seized and destroyed in separate anti-drug operations in Kalinga and Benguet, as the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PRO-CAR) intensified its campaign against the illegal drug trade. According to a report released on Thursday, the operations conducted on July 14 targeted illegal marijuana cultivation and transport in the two Cordillera provinces, resulting in the destruction and recovery of illegal drugs

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Governor James S. Edduba has urged parents and guardians to bring their children to the upcoming Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) this August, stressing that vaccination is the safest and most effective way to protect children from the highly contagious diseases. Measles and rubella are vaccine-preventable viral diseases that commonly cause fever and rashes. Although they share similar symptoms and are often confused, they are

FEATURE Lamut, Ifugao – What began as a few cacao trees planted with hope has blossomed into an award-winning farm, a learning center, and a source of inspiration for countless farmers. For Edna Norial of Barangay Mabatobato, Lamut, Ifugao, success was never measured by the number of cacao trees she cultivated or the awards she received. Instead, it has always been about how many lives she could help improve through agriculture. That selfless vision recently earned Norial nat

Balbalan, Kalinga – In honor of the courage and sacrifices of Cordilleran ancestors who fought for indigenous peoples' rights, the protection of ancestral lands, and the pursuit of regional autonomy, the Municipality of Balbalan held its own municipal-wide celebration of the 39th Cordillera Day on July 15, 2026. The celebration featured a simple yet meaningful program at the Municipal Hall, attended by Mayor Almar Malannag, Vice Mayor Regina Munda Cruz, and members of the San

San Mariano, Isabela – Long recognized as the country's leading stronghold for Philippine crocodile conservation, the municipality of San Mariano has once again underscored its vital role in saving one of the world's rarest reptiles after authorities discovered two nests of the critically endangered Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), along with two juvenile and two adult crocodiles, during a site validation on July 5. According to the International Union for Conse

Baguio City, Philippines – Years after the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped daily life across the globe, Baguio City has recorded 41 confirmed COVID-19 cases from January to July 2026, prompting local health authorities to reinforce preventive measures while assuring residents that the situation remains manageable and under control. Despite the recent increase in cases, city health officials emphasized that the current situation is far different from the peak of the pandemic. No CO

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Bureau of Local Government Finance–Cordillera Administrative Region (BLGF-CAR) Regional Director Mary Lou G. Gamboa commended Kalinga's provincial, municipal, and city treasurers for maintaining integrity in revenue collection and ensuring the timely remittance of government funds, saying she has not observed any corruption among local collectors in the province. Gamboa made the statement during the closing of the two-day Writeshop on the Updating of the