11,700 children benefit from Lray Vita kidz program
by S Nieves
Pili, Camarines Sur (5 October) — This year’s number of beneficiaries of the LRay Vita Kidz, has almost tripled since the program’s inception in 2005, according to the latest report of the Provincial Health Office (PHO) here.
PHO data show that LRay Vita Kidz program has benefited some 11,700 children this year compared to the previous years which averaged only at about 3,000 beneficiaries annually.
LRay Vita Kidz, a brainchild of Gov. LRay Villafuerte himself, is a program of the provincial government here which aims to eradicate malnutrition among children with ages ranging below 6 years.
The program has reached out to 459 barangays across the province. Its components include food and vitamin supplementations, de-worming before the start of the program, nutrition class for parents, and the distribution of assorted vegetable seeds intended for backyard and or community garden so that the parents will have source of food to sustain the nutritional needs of the children beneficiaries.
Launched in year 2005, the program has gained considerable headway because of its continuing success stories noted in many barangays which benefited from the program.
Local officials and barangay leaders, who were witnesses to the progress of children beneficiaries during the implementation of the program, were united in confirming its efficacy and efficiency. Children beneficiaries showed significant improvement in their weights and bearing after.
According to Dr. Gerardo N. Villafuerte, the head of the Provincial Health Office, the nutritional status in Camarines Sur is gradually improving as a result of the implementation of the LRay Vita Kidz program. (MMEC/PIA)
Deped shortens school breaks for make-up classes
Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said “Aside from holding Saturday classes in schools, semestral break is canceled.”
Secretary Lapus said that the holding of makeup classes was necessary to attain the required 204 class days in a school year. Remedial classes are usually held on Saturdays and semestral breaks.
The DepEd calendar says the school year shall begin on June 1, 2009, and end on March 31, 2010.
There should be 54 class days in the first quarter, 48 in the second, 51 in the third and 51 in the last quarter, Lapus said.
Lapus has directed DepEd National Capital Region director Teresita Domalanta and other regional directors to draw up the guidelines in the holding of makeup classes.
Lapus said that in general, classes will resume on Monday except in areas which remain inaccessible due to floods brought by “Ondoy” or where schools are still being used as evacuation centers and areas where classes are ordered suspended by local authorities due to bad weather.
“In most parts of these areas, schools are still being used as evacuation centers and many homes are still submerged in floodwaters and worse, mud, which would make it very difficult for students in these places to go to school,” Lapus said.
Records showed that 16,328 families from three regions, including Metro Manila, are temporarily sheltered in 204 schools.
Meanwhile, classes in the tertiary level are also expected to resume on Monday but no official announcement has yet been made by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). (PIA)
A Week After the Typhoon
A week after the typhoon, some roads were still covered with thick mud and some villages and streets were still underwater. People who were badly affected are still staying in nearby public schools that were converted into evacuation centers, surviving on releif goods being rationed by the government and other organizations. Classes in all levels have been suspended for a week. According to the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Ondoy caused an estimated P4.8 billion, P3.6 billion of which comes from the agriculture sector.(Buck Pago/AKP-Images)
Homeless
Hundreds of Filipino were dead and thousands were rendered homeless when Tropical Storm Ondoy (international codename: Ketsana) ravaged most parts of Metro Manila, especially its eastern part, and nearby regions. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared the whole country under state of calamity as another super typhoon threatens to bring more devastation to the still-suffering nation.
DepEd shocked at reported beheading of kidnapped Sulu principal
Canizares, 36, was kidnapped last October 19 at around 4:20pm. He was the principal of Kanague Elementary School of Patikul, Sulu, according to DepEd officials.
In a statement released today to media, DepEd said: “The entire DepEd family is shocked and grieves with the family of one of our best-performing principals, Mr. Gabriel Canizares. A key catalyst in teacher trainings with Synergia in Sulu, he is a great loss to efforts to improve the quality of education of our children in the area. We condemn this heinous act committed against the people of ARMM. Violence creates more sufferings and sabotaging education by harming teachers will have dire consequences in the attainment of peace and progress.” (DepEd)
Mt Province awards certificates to 1st batch NARS
by Juliet B. Saley
Selection for 2nd batch ongoing
Bontoc, Mt. Province (3 October) — The 42 first batch nurses employed under the Nurses Assigned in Rural Service (NARS) project who have just finished their six-month training last September 30 were given their Certificate of Participation during the launching of the Lang-ay 2010 last October 1.
These nurses were deployed in the different Rural Health Units (RHUs) in the municipalities of Barlig, Besao, Natonin, Sabangan, Sadanga, Paracelis and Tadian and also in the district hospitals of Besao, Barlig, Paracelis; Natonin CommunityHhospital; Bontoc General Hospital and Luis Hora Memorial Regional Hospital in Bauko.
The NARS project is an employment program to address the growing number of unemployed nurses in the Philippines especially amid the ongoing economic crisis. It is built within the frameworks of Economic Resiliency Plan of the Arroyo Administration and the Department of Health’s FOURMULA One for Health. It covers a one-year period consisting of two batches at 6-month training period per batch. The first batch which started April 1,2009 ended September 30, 2009.
According to Mrs. Miguela Limmayog, Provincial Head of Department of Labor and Employment, the second batch of this project is still on its final stages of selection.
DOLE-CAR Regional Director Atty. Ana C. Dione in her communication to DOLE Provincial Office here is requesting the pre-selected (top 5) applicants of each of the identified municipalities to submit the required documents which include the Barangay Certificate stating that applicant is actually residing in the area in the last six months; photocopy of License or Certification of Good Standing or Certification of registration from PRC; one piece (1×1) ID picture and one piece (2×2) ID picture with name written at the back of each picture. Deadline of submission is on October 7, 2009 at the Provincial Office.
Dione stated further that failure to submit the complete requirements means non-interest on their part and will not be considered to the program.
Accepted applicants for the second batch will be officially and immediately notified, Dione added. (PIA MP)
Abra multi-sectoral group sets “operation tulong” for “Ondoy” victims
by Maritess Beñas
In a special meeting of the working group of the AMSG called by its chairman, Bishop Leopoldo C. Jaucian, SVD, DD, underscored the urgency of raising donations in cash and in kind for the relief operations in the affected areas.
The appeal is now aired over the local radio. People are being asked to bring their help in cash or in kind like clothes and food stuff and even medicines to the DZPA-CMN radio station in Bangued.
The donations will be sent directly to the affected areas through the bishops of the dioceses in the Rizal province and other cities of Metro Manila to facilitate the distribution to typhoon victims.
It may be recalled that Abra was also a recipient of help from neighboring provinces and even from the international community during the killer quake of July 16, 1990, and Typhoon Feria of July 2001.
Meanwhile, as the AMSG’s primary purpose is to foster peace and order in the province, the clergy and police – members continue their efforts on peace-building.
Provincial Police Director PSSupt. Charlo Collado, reported to the body the result of the dialogue between and among the people of Brgy. Quillat in Langiden last September 29, 2009.
The dialogue was attended by Mayor Noel Castillo and other local officials of the municipality to thresh out the problem on the continuing killings in the barangay.
Fr. Drexel Ramos, the parish priest of the place, had expressed anxiety over the situation because it seems that the killings are caused by revenge and that even a young girl from the warring families became a victim.
Fr. Ramos even offered the premises of the chapel in the barangay for Abra PNP to put up a temporary Community Police Assistance Center (COMPACT).
The COMPACT aims to neutralize the peace and order situation in the barangay to avert further killings. (PIA-Abra)
Cagayan wins 2009 Gawad Saka Awards championship
Tuguegarao City (2 October) — Farmers and fisherfolk of Cagayan Province grabbed the championship award in the just concluded 2009 Regional Gawad Saka clientele category.
Cagayan has bagged 9 major awards in different categories paving their chance to grab the championship from Isabela province that posted 8 major awards and landed second place in this year’s search.
Dr. Andrew B. Villacorta, DA-Regional Executive Director, said Gawad Saka aims to promote modern agriculture to meet the demand of food supply, not only in the entire region but also in the country and abroad.
Villacorta further stated that the activity gives due recognition to individuals and groups who have excelled and contributed much in the field of agriculture.
In the individual category, Mr. Rodolfo Munoz of Roxas, Isabela was adjudged as Outstanding Rice farmer, Mr. Jeremias Pagulayan of Ilagan Isabela, Outstanding Corn farmer, Mr. William Banay of Roxas Isabela, Outstanding High Value Commercial Crop (HVCC) framer, Mr. Fernando E. Dierra of Itbayat, Batanes, Outstanding Large Animal Raiser, Mr. David Agpoon of Allacapan Cagayan, Outstanding Coconut Farmner, Mr. Rosendo Bancud of Piat Cagayan, Outstanding Sigarcane farmer, Ms. Vivein Taniza of San Mateo Isabela, Outstanding Fisherfolk-Fish Culture, Mr. Julcardio Bangalisan of Palanan Isabela, Outstanding Fisherfolk-Fish Capture, Mr. Tirso Tecson, Jr. of Gonzaga Cagayan, Outsnading Young farmer/Fsherfolk, and Dr. Jontahan Nayga of ISU-Echague, Isabela as Outsanding Agrocultural Scientist.
For group category, Lighthouse Cooperatives of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan was awarded as Outstanding Agri Entrepreneur, Sanchez Mira Cagayan MAFC, Outstanding MAFC, San Lorenzo RIC of Lallo, Cagayan, Outstanding RIC, Hiltop 4H club of Gonzaga, Cagayan, Outstanding 4H club, and Sto. Domingo MPC of Baggao, Cagayan as Outstanding Small Farmer/Fisherfolk Organization.
The special awards were given to LGU-Minante I in Cauayan City, Isabela and Balligi Rural Improvement Club of Sta Ana, Cagayan for the good performance and rating of their Barangay Bagsakan Project, LGU and NGO respectively. (Oliver/PIA 2)
Flashfloods of Ondoy’s magnitude remote in Pangasinan, asserts Gov
Dagupan City (02 October) — The flash floods that submerged Metro Manila is far to happen in Pangasinan, according to Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr.
Gov. Espino noted that Pangasinan is blessed with the Agno River which serves as catchment basin for large volume of water. It has a catchment area of 5,952 square kilometers, he said during the Lingguhang Talakayan sa Kapitolyo last Monday at the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) Bldg. inside the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) in Lingayen.
“Kung may tubig sa probinsiya, diyan bababa sa Agno. Ang advantage naman ng Binmaley, Labrador hanggang sa Dagupan ay nandiyan yung dagat kung saan diyan lalabas yung tubig,” he said.
He added that during the massive flooding caused by tropical storm “Ondoy” in Metro Manila, victims have nowhere to go but climb to their rooftops. Rescue workers even had a hard time conducting rescue operations due to narrow streets.
“I think if that happens sa atin, maraming matatakbuhan ang mga tao at madali tayong makaka-responde dahil may madadaanan tayo. Hindi kagaya sa Manila, walang madaanan yung mga rubber boats,” the governor said.
However, despite the advantage of the province, the governor is still keen on disaster preparedness.
“Pilit natin nililinis ang mga ilog kaya bibili tayo ng dredger para maalis yung mga cloggings diyan para pag nag-release ang mga dams, dadaloy siya sa river at lalabas sa dagat,” he said even as the provincial government already has started river clean-up drive dubbed “Ilog Ko: Aroen tan Bilayen Ko” and dismantling of illegal fish pens and fish cages.
Likewise, the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) also conducts disaster management trainings especially to local disaster coordinating councils to make them self-reliant in times of disaster.
Last July, the PDCC has successfully held disaster preparedness simulation and drill at the San Jose River in Lingayen to strengthen Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils’ (BDCCs) capability to conduct rescue operations involving rooftop, floating and drifting, and capsized boat situations and others.
PDCC Chief Paterno M. Orduña explained that when calamity strikes, the local disaster coordinating councils are the first responders to provide immediate assistance to their constituents. (PIO/PIA Pangasinan)
Pre-emptive evacuation in Albay underway
by MA Loterte
Legazpi City (2 October) — Albay Governor Joey Salceda has directed today the evacuation of residents who are threatened by landslides, lahar flow and flooding in several disaster prone areas in the province in the wake of typhoon “Pepeng”.
As of 10:30 am today, close to 3,000 residents have so far been evacuated while several thousands more are being readied to be relocated to safer grounds in their respective evacuation centers.
Cedric Daep, Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) chief, said that there are already some 577 families, consisting of 2,808 individuals, already transferred to their respective evacuation centers.
He said that these evacuees include residents of barangays Binitayan, Matnog, Bañadero and Alcala, all in Daraga town; barangays Tagaytay and Ilawod in Camalig, Batan Island in Rapu-Rapu and Basud in Polangui, Albay.
In the municipality of Daraga, AECID (second floor of public market), Daraga High School, Tabon-Tabon and Daraga North Central School are the designated evacuation centers for the residents living at low-lying areas.
According to Daep, barangay halls of Tagaytay and Ilawod, Camalig were occupied by the evacuees, the municipal guest house of Rapu-Rapu town, the barangay hall of Basud, Polangui and Mormon Church in Polangui were likewise opened for the fleeing residents.
Salceda, meanwhile, has also already instructed all mayors to review their preparedness and activate their contingency plans.
Pre-emptive evacuation for storm surge, winds and mud flow will be undertaken by the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) while that for flood and landslide will be ordered by the City and Municipal Disaster Coordinating Councils and the Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils concerned following the cue from river and water level observations as well as rainfall observations using the rain gauges installed in selected rainfall stations. (PIA V)
