Friday, March 5, 2010

Tagalog News

SK SINANAY NG PVO SA DOG VACCINATION

SORSOGON PROVINCE (March 5) – Isinailalim ng Provincial Veterinary Office ang mga opisyal at kasapi ng Sangguniang Kabataan sa bayan ng Donsol sa isang pagsasanay sa pagsasagawa ng anti-rabies injection sa mga aso kahapon, March 4.

Ang aktibidad ay bahagi ng obserbasyon ng Rabies Awareness Month sa bansa.

Ayon kay Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Enrique Espiritu, pinili nila ang bayan ng Donsol upang doon magsagawa ng pagsasanay dahilan sa naitalang dalawang biktimang namatay sanhi ng kagat ng aso noong nakaraang taon.

“Maliban dito, nais ding maprotektahan ng aming tanggapan ang kaligtasan ng mga dadayong turista sa Donsol lalo pa’t nagsisimula na rin silang dumagsa sa Donsol kaugnay ng papalapit na summer season,” pahayag pa ni Espiritu.

Inilarawan din nito ang bagsik ng rabis sa tao kung kaya’t nararapat lamang aniyang maging alerto at magkaroon ng kasanayan ang mga mamamayan ukol sa tamang pamamahala sa rabis.

“Sa hakbang na ito ay magiging katuwang namin ang Sangguniang Kabataan sapagkat naniniwala kaming malaki ang maiaambag ng mga kabataan pagdating sa pagpapalaganap ng impormasyon at mga istratehiyang makakatulong sa pagpapatupad ng ating anti-rabies program,” dagdag pa niya.

Walumpong bahagdan ng kabuuang populasyon ng mga aso sa Donsol ang target nilang mabakunahan bago pa man dumating ang summer vacation.

“Sa susunod na lingo ay masusubukan na namin ang mga natutunan ng sinanay na SK sa gagawin naming massive dog vaccination sa Donsol.

Samantala, sinabi rin ni Espiritu na hindi pa naman nakakabahala ang kaso ng mga nabibiktima ng rabis sa Sorsogon, subalit pinaalalahanan nito ang publiko na dapat pa ring pag-ibayuhin ang pag-iingat nang sa gayon ay walang nabubuwis na buhay dahil lamang sa kagat ng aso. (Bennie A. Recebido, PIA Sorsogon)

'STEP JUAN' REACHES SORSOGON; CHILDREN CANCER PATIENT'S ADVOCACY ON

SORSOGON PROVINCE (March 4) – After 52 days of long journey on foot, Tomas Leonor, 28, of San Pedro, Laguna has finally arrived to Sorsogon yesterday, March 3, taking an overnight rest in Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon.

Sorsogon is his fourteenth and last province to get into following his 8-week walk for a cause he has dubbed as “Step Juan”.

Leonor, who was once a sickly child, now an avid mountaineer and a passionate artist, vowed to support the suffering young cancer victims by walking far to gather enough attention and support from the public to help the kids.

The “Step Juan” website: www.stepjuan.com explains that the project is a walking drive for the Children of Cancer Warriors Foundation, which he himself started, aiming to raise funds for the treatment of cancer afflicted children and promote child cancer awareness among the public.

“To fight cancer, we start with ‘Step Juan’. The first step is always very significant for it is the start of something, the start of my own journey towards helping the young Filipino cancer victims,” he states.

Leonor’s 1,294 kilometers walking expedition started from Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte on January 11, 2010 and to end in Matnog, Sorsogon on March 9, 2010 with 5-6 km/hr speed passing by 33 major cities and 150 towns.

From Cumadcad, Leonor will resume his walk on March 5 going to Sorsogon City and March 6 going to Casiguran town where he will take a day’s rest.

On March 7, he will again continue his journey going to Irosin town until he finally reaches the town of Matnog, the final destination of his Step Juan.

Meanwhile, volunteers from different sectors here are showing support to Leonor’s noble cause calling some others to join him on his way to Matnog and extend whatever assistance they could offer for the Cancer Warrior Foundation.

The Cancer Warriors Foundation is an organization that supports the needs of children afflicted with cancer. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

Thursday, March 4, 2010

EFFECTS OF EL NIÑO

EFFECTS OF EL NIÑO BEING FELT ACROSS THE COUNTRY

The El Niño dry spell has been causing losses to agriculture and tourism across the country, from farmlands up north to poultry farms and tourist destinations down south.

In Benguet in northern Philippines, water sources for mountain farmlands planted with potato, cabbage and other temperate vegetables have begun to dry up due to El Niño, threatening the country’s “Salad Bowl."

“There will be changes in the characteristics of plants. Pests and diseases are also possible," said Lolita Bentres, provincial agriculturist of Benguet.

In Ilagan, capital town of Isabela province also in northern Philippines, the Pinsal Falls in the Ilagan Sanctuary, a popular tourist attraction among locals, has begun to dry up also due to El Niño.

“Kung dati ang lapad niya isang buong kurtina, ngayon siguro kalahating kurtina na lang siya. Parang kalahati po ‘yung tubig na nawala (Before, the falls were as wide as a curtain. Now it’s probably just half-a-curtain wide. It’s like half of the water has been lost)," said Billy Perez of the Ilagan Sanctuary.

A seven-foot-deep swimming pool inside the sanctuary, which used to be open to the public, has been closed after the spring where it gets its water supply dried up.

More...

As of March 2, Magat dam was already 26.51 meters below its average level of 183.29 meters, about half a meter below its 157.19-meter level on March 1.

"The level of Magat is critical. As a result, upland agricultural areas can no longer be supplied with water. Only low-lying areas will be served," she said in Filipino.

Magat Dam is a major source of irrigation water for Cagayan Valley provinces and supplies additional hydroelectric power to the Luzon grid.

Susan Espinueva of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) Hydrometeorological Division said the government should also closely monitor Angat Dam in Bulacan province since it was already 6.07 meters below its normal level of 197.78 meters.

The water level of Ipo Dam, also in Bulacan province, went down further to 100.63 meters on Tuesday from 100.75 meters the day before, while the La Mesa dam in Quezon City fell by about a centimeter to 79.89 meters on Tuesday from a day earlier.

The Angat-Ipo-La Mesa water system provides irrigation to Bulacan and Pampanga provinces and supplies potable water to Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, the water level in Binga Dam in Benguet province has dropped to 562.55 meters — 11.45 meters lower than its average level of 574 meters. The Ambuklao Dam, also in Benguet, was 11.72 meters lower than its normal level of 752 meters, while the water level of San Roque Dam in Pangasinan was 2.71 meters short of its normal level of 250 meters.

All three dams are major producers of hydroelectric power for the Luzon grid, and San Roque also provides irrigation to hundreds of square kilometers of farmlands.

Meanwhile, the current level of Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija province was pegged at 202.3 meters — 6.14 meters short of its normal level.
All dam levels were “below normal and near critical," said Espinueva, adding that the steady decline was a "critical trend" because the country has yet to feel the drought’s full effect.

The El Niño Phenomenon

El Niño is an abnormal weather pattern caused by the warming of the Pacific Ocean. It is characterized by climatic aberrations around the world — warming in South America, torrential rains in North America, and drought in Southeast Asia and Australia. This phenomenon occurs every two to seven years.

Climatic Indicators of El Niño in the Philippines
• delayed onset of the rainy season
• early termination of the rainy season
• weak monsoon activity
• isolated heavy but short downpours
• weak tropical cyclone activity
• far tropical cyclone track
• fewer tropical cyclones entering the Philippine area of responsibility
• less intense tropical cyclones

Severe droughts in the Philippines
1982-1983
1992-1993
1997-1998

More... Worse than 2008 This year’s dry spell, which might last until the second week of May, is worse than 2008, according to Susan Espinueva of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) Hydrometeorological Division.

She added, however, that it is “a lot milder" than the 1997-1998 El Niño. "In 2008, the dams’ water levels did not drop to such low levels," she pointed out. Espinueva said the good news is that the dry spell had apparently reached its peak in February. But the government should brace for its effects since the country has yet to feel “the peak of its impact," she added.

Espinueva could not say if the damage this year will be worse, even as she confirmed that more farmlands would likely dry up due to lack of rain and irrigation water. She said the severity of the El Niño drought also largely depends on the length of the dry season that regularly affects wide sections of the country this time of year. (ph.news.yahoo.com

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

News Release

TULONG PARA SA MGA BATANG MAY KANSER IPINANAWAGAN

SORSOGON PROVINCE (March 3) – Nananawagan sa publiko si Tomas Leonor, dalawampu’t walong taong gulang at tubong San Pedro, Laguna, na suportahan ang kanyang adbokasiya na tinagurian niyang Step Juan.

Ang Step Juan ay isang proyektong may layuning makaipon ng pondong tutulong sa pagpapagamot ng mga batang may sakit na kanser sa pamamagitan ng gagawing paglalakad ni Leonor sa ilalim ng Cancer Warrior’s Foundation, isang non-profit organization na nag-aabot ng tulong upang maalagaan at maipagamot ang mga batang may kanser.

Matatandaang sinimulan ni Leonor ang paglalakad sa Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte noong January 11, 2010, at sa ikawalong linggo ng kanyang paglalakad ay narating na niya ang Bikolandia noong Lunes, March 1 kung saan tinatayang nasa lima hanggang anim na kilometro bawat oras ang kanyang nilalakad.

Ngayong araw March 4 ay inaasahang mula sa bayan ng Daraga dyan sa Albay ay tutuloy na siya sa Sorsogon, ang ikalabing-apat at panghuling lalawigan sa kanyang iskedyul.

Sa March 5 ay inaasahang nasa lungsod na ito ng Sorsogon at tutuloy sa Casiguran, Sorsogon kung saan magpapahinga lamang siya ng isang araw dito.

Sa panghuling lingo ng kanyang paglalakad, inaasahang mararating na nito ang bayan ng Irosin sa darating na Lunes at Matnog sa darating naman na Martes, March 9, kung saan dito na rin matatapos ang kanyang Step Juan Pagudpod to Matnog walking expedition.

Nasa 1, 294 kilometro ang layo ng Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte at Matnog , Sorsogon kung saan tatlumpu’t tatlong pangunahing mga lungsod at isangdaan limampung bayan ang dapat na daanan ni Leonor bago nya matapos ang kanyang paglalakad.

Umani naman ng suporta ang ginagawang ito ni Leonor mula sa iba’t-ibang sector ng lipunan habang may mga iba namang dinamayan pa siya at sumama sa kanyang paglalakad.

Samantala, dito sa Sorsogon ay nakaantabay na rin sa pagdating ni Leonor ang ilang mga grupong naghayag na ng kanilang suporta sa kanyang adhikain na kinabibilangan ng mga volunteers mula sa cyclist association of Sorsogon, PNP, mountaineers, green peace at iba pang mga sektor.

Suportado din ito ni Sorsogon Governor Sally Lee at ng PIA Sorsogon sa pangunguna ni Infocen Manager Irma Guhit na nangako ding sasamang maglakad hanggang Casiguran, Sorsogon.

Maaari ding maglog-on sa www.stepjuan.com ang sinumang nagnanais pang sumuporta para sa iba pang mga detalye ng proyektong step juan. (Bennie A. recebido, PIA Sorsogon)

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Tagalog News Release

SORSOGANON PINAGHANDAAN ANG POSIBILIDAD NG PAGTAMA NG TSUNAMI

SORSOGON PROVINCE (March 1) – Halos ay dalawang araw ding naging alerto ang mga Sorsoganon partikular ang mga nakatira malalapit sa baybaying dagat kaugnay ng ipinalabas na tsunami alert ng Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology noong nakaraang Sabado ng gabi.

Matatandaang nagpalabas ang Phivolcs ng tsunami alert sa halos ay labingsiyam na mga lalawigan sa buong bansa na nakaharap sa Pacific Coast kung saan kabilang dito ang lalawigan ng Sorsogon.

Ayon kay LJG Ronnie Ong ng Coast Guard Sorsogon City Station, una na nilang sinuspindi ang byahe ng lahat ng mga sasakyang pandagat bandang alas dyes ng umaga kahapon, kung saan umabot din sa animnapu’t tatlo ang mga nastranded na pasahero sa tatlong malalaking pantalan sa lalawigan. Walang naitalang standed na mga sasakyan sa ulat na ito ng Coastguard Sorsogon.

Ilang mga residente din sa Brgy. Caricaran sa Bacon District, Sorsogon City ang nakaobserba sa pagtaas ng tubig sa kanilang lugar na nakabahala sa kanila lalo pa’t nabalitaan na rin nila ang magnitude 8.8 na lindol sa bansang Chile.

“Kahit pa nga hindi rin namin naiwasang magpanic ay hindi na rin kami nag-atubili pang lumikas matapos naming marinig na itinaas na sa alert level 2 ng Phivolcs ang tsunami warning,” pahayag ng ilang residente sa mga kostal na lugar dito.

Naging aktibo rin sa pagsubaybay ang mga Barangay Disaster Coordinating Councils sa mga apektadong lugar at maging ang Philippine Army at Philippine National Police matapos na magbigay ng kautusan si Sorsogon Gov. Sally Lee sa Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council na palikasin ang mga residenteng nasa mga kostal na lugar.

Kabilang sa mga nagsilikas ay ang ilang mga residente sa halos limang barangay sa bayan ng Gubat at maging sa ilang barangay sa distrito ng Bacon sa lungsod ng Sorsogon, Pto. Diaz, Barcelona, Bulusan at STa. Magdalena patutungo sa mga designadong matataas at ligtas na lugar bago mag-ala-una ng hapon kahapon.

Maging ang mga dayong naliligo sa Bacon beach at Rizal beach ay agad ding sumunod matapos na ipag-utos ng kani-kanilang mga disaster coordinating councils ang paglilikas dito.

Bandang mga alas tres y medya ng hapon ay nagsimula na ring magsibalik ang mga ito sa kanilang mga bahay matapos na mapakinggan ang pahayag ni Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum na inaalis na ang tsunami alert sa bansa.

Alas sais naman ng hapon kahapon nang alisin ng Coast Guard ang suspension sa mga sasakyang pandagat at payagan na itong tuluyan nang makalayag at maisanormal ang kanilang operasyon.

Subalit sa bayan ng Gubat, ilang mga residente din mula sa barangay Cota na Daco, Balud del Sur, Balud del Norte, Panganiban at Rizal ang nanatili at nagpalipas ng gabi sa kanilang pinaglikasan dahilan na rin sa halos kalahating metrong pagtaas ng tubig sa kanilang tinitirhang lugar.

Nilinaw naman ng PDCC na maliban sa nakaambang tsunami, nakadagdag din ang high tide kahapon sa naging abnormalidad ng karagatan sa ilang lugar na nasa may dagat Pasipiko.

Pitong mga bayan sa Sorsogon ang nakaharap sa Pacific Coast na kinabibilangan ng Pto. Diaz, Bacon District sa Sorsogon City, Barcelona, Bulusan, Gubat, Matnog at Sta. Magdalena. Aabot naman sa mahigit kumulang walumpo ang bilang ng mga kostal na barangay dito na maaaring naapektuhan sakaling nagkaroon nga ng malakas na tsunami nitong nakaraang weekend. (Bennie A. Recebido, PIA Sorsogon)