This
is a video presentation encouraging the Sangguniang Kabataan and every
constituent of barangaysto conscientiously participate during the 2013
Barangay and SK Elections
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
DOST-V and STII launch in Sorsogon the First Philippine Science Digital Library
By:
Bennie A. Recebido
SORSOGON
CITY, Aug 7 (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in its
effort to make Science and Technology (S&T) accessible to every Filipino
will be launching tomorrow, Aug. 7, 2013, the Science and Technology Academic
and research-Based Openly Operated Kiosks Stations (STARBOOKS) at the Mango
Grill, this city.
The
STARBOOKS is a stand-alone, research kiosk that provides free access to S&T
information for academic and livelihood use.
DOST
Regional Director Tomas B. Brinas said that the science digital library which
is first in the Philippines, offers access to hundreds of thousands of book
titles from the Science and Technology Information Institute (STII) library and
contains thousands of digitized and technology resources in various formats,
through text and through video/audio, placed in specially designed “pods” set
in a user-friendly interface.
“During
the launching, the DOST together with the STII will also host an Orientation on
STARBOOKS for schools, librarians and those in the related field to help us
validate the benefits that the students, researchers, entrepreneurs, employees
and other S&T clients can derive from our STARBOOKS,” said Dir. Brinas.
“Validating
for themselves the benefits of this Science Digital Library, they can help us
promote the availability of the S&T services,” he added.
STARBOOKS
is specially designed to create interest in the field of Science and Technology
so as to increase the number of Filipinos enrolling in S&T courses;
encourage curious minds to develop new ideas through inventions and innovations;
and to inspire one’s capacity for entrepreneurship and research.
The
STARBOOKS can be availed by the Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-Government
Organizations (NGOs), Educational and Private Institutions. (BARecebido, PIA
Sorsogon)
Operasyon ng planta ng niyog sa Sorsogon City ipapasara na
Sorsogon City Mayor Sally A. Lee |
Ni: Bennie A. Recebido
LUNGSOD NG
SORSOGON, Agosto 7 (PIA) – Matapos ang halos ay apat na buwang pagrereklamo ng
mga apektado ng operasyon ng Peter Paul Philippines Corporation, isang planta
ng niyog sa Brgy. Cabid-an, lungsod ng Sorsogon, positibo silang makakahinga na
rin sila ng maluwag dahilan sa desisyon ni Sorsogon City Mayor Sally A. Lee na
tuluyan nang ipasara ito.
Halos ay
iisa ang adhikain ng mga taga-lungsod, na maipatigil na ang operasyon ng Peter
Paul Phililippines Corp. dahilan sa hindi nito pagsunod sa Environmental
Compliance Certificate (ECC) na inisyu ng Department of Environment and Natural
Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) at sa kawalan nito ng
kaukulang mga dokumento at permit mula sa pamahalaang lungsod ng Sorsogon.
Matatandaang
Marso 2013 nang magsimulang magreklamo ang mga mangingisda dahilan sa naganap
na fish kill sa isang fish pond at sa mabahong amoy malapit sa planta. Apektado
din nito ang ilan pang mga mangingisda sa Sorsogon Bay at maging ang kalapit
nitong Retreat House at paaralan ng isang kongregasyon ng mga madre kung saan
ilan na rin ang napabalitang sumakit ang ulo, nagsuka at nagkasakit na mga
mag-aaral dahilan sa napakabahong amoy na malalanghap mula sa factory.
Ayon kay
Diocesan Commission Director Fr. Bong Imperial ng Commission on Media for
Evangelization ng Diocese of Sorsogon, nagsimula ang problema nang matuklasan
ng mga mangingisda ang pangingitim ng mga kanal at ilog na dumadaloy sa
Cabid-an River mula sa nasabing planta. Humingi umano ng tulong sa kanila ang
mga ito at sa pananaliksik nila, lumabas na ilegal ang operasyon ng planta
dahilan sa kawalan nito ng kaukulang mga dokumentong kailangan upang
makapagtakbo ng multi-milyong proyektong katulad nito. Napag-alaman ding may
mga paglabag ang kompanya sa labor practice.
Sa ginawang deliberasyon sa sesyon ng
Sangguniang Panlungsod kahapon, inirekomenda na rin ng mga kasapi nito sa
alkalde ng lungsod na ipatigil ang operasyon ng planta hanggang sa maisumite
nito ang lahat ng mga rekisitos na kailangan para sa maayos, malinis at
makakalikasang operasyon nito.
Ayon kay Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee
on Good Governance Chair Atty. Joven Laura, dahilan sa napakaraming paglabag ng
kompanya ay dapat lamang na ipasara ito.
Kabilang sa mga naitalang paglabag ay ang
mga sumusunod: walang Buisiness Permit mula sa tanggapan ng City Mayor; walang
Permit to Operate; walang Wastewater Discharge Permit; temporary lamang ang
Sanitary Permit nito na magtatagal hanggang ngayong buwan na lamang ng Agosto;
walang Building Permit sa lahat ng mga itinayong istruktura nito pati na ang
Waste water Treatment Facility; at wala ring Zoning Permit, dagdag pa dito ang paglabag
sa halos ay sampung batas sa kalikasan.
Sinabi naman ni Mayor Lee na handa siyang
ipatupad anuman ang maging rekomendasyon ng City Council kung kaya’t inihayag
niya ang tuluyang pagpapasara simula ngayong araw, Agosto 7, 2013.
Ang Peter Paul Philippines Corporation ay
mayroon ding kahalintulad na planta sa Candelaria, Quezon at target sana ng
planta dito sa Sorsogon City na makapagproseso ng 145,000 metriko tonelada
taon-taon ng sabaw ng buko at iba pang produktong galing sa niyog. (BARecebido,
PIA Sorsogon)
Public-Private Partners enhance evacuation preparedness of local folks
Photo courtesy: Barcelona MDRRMO |
By:
Bennie A. Recebido
SORSOGON
CITY, Aug 5 (PIA) – Residents of Poblacion Central, a coastal barangay in the town
of Barcelona, a 5th class municipality of Sorsogon, was freed from
pre-conceived fear brought by disasters after they were subjected to a
full-scale evacuation drill bringing them to a heightened consciousness on
disaster preparedness and management.
Conducted
on July 23, 2013, in time with the observance of the National Disaster
Consciousness Month, the full-scale evacuation drill exposed the residents and
the major key players on the basic strategies and appropriate actual action to
employ in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) activities.
The
drill was a flooding scenario where residents have to evacuate to safer
grounds. Taking part in the drill has to apply suitable early warning and
communication strategies as well as the proper transportation and evacuation
routes as if responding in a real-life situation.
Following
the activity, at least five residents in a quick statement expressed that they now
become aware and more valiant to face whatever disasters to come because they
are more prepared compared to that of the past. “We expect some more of this in
the near future,” they also said.
Poblacion
Central Brgy. Captain Norman Florano accounted that this was the first time a
drill like this was conducted in the town of Barcelona. “After a long time of
repeated exposure to the threats of disasters, local residents for the first
time were subjected to this drill and we feel proud that it happened in our
barangay where everyone was cooperative,” he said.
“As
the top official in our barangay, I realized that loss of lives and properties
during disasters can be prevented or reduced if people in the community are aware
of the underlying risks, are convinced that something can be done to reduce the risks,
and are equipped with the proper knowledge of what to do,” he further
explained.
Brgy.
Poblacion Central has 933 total populations with 460 male and 473 female. Eight
of the total residents are Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), 90 are senior
citizens and 213 are children.
Brgy.
Captain Florano, however, admitted certain gaps they have noticed and
experienced during the drill like few lapses in the flow of communication and
the inadequate procedural system used by some committees.
Barcelona
town DRRMO Municipal Councilor Antonio Falcotelo, Jr. supported the
observations of Brgy. Captain Florano saying he himself took notice of the same
observations specifically in terms of proper communication during the
evacuation and rescue procedures. “The clarity, accuracy and timeliness of the
communication are very important,” says Hon. Falcotelo.
But
just as disaster management requires timeliness, they immediately made the
assessment and give suggestions and recommendations to make the DRRM more
efficient and effective.
Photo courtesy: Barcelona MDRRMO |
He
said those involved in the process arrived in the consensus of enhancing the early
warning system and change the warning device used, like instead of whistle they
will use bells, so that the residents can better hear the warning signal. Adjustments
to cellular phones were also made to effectively deliver the first hand
information. Observations like poor communication signal and no cellular phone
available are also being carefully studied now by the concerned entities.
“But
generally, we assessed the drill to be very successful. It really helped the
community practice what to do prior to the advent of calamities/disasters, of
course with the help of various stakeholders,” Hon. Falcotelo said.
Brgy.
Officials and some residents of at least three neighboring coastal barangays of
Poblacion Norte also participated as observers during the activity. Unanimously,
they said that the drill was an awakening for them realizing that there are
still a lot to do to be fully disaster prepared and resilient community. “We
have learned a lot from what we have observed and we are considering the plan
of doing the same in our respective areas to be initiated by the Brgy-LGU
through the assistance of the Municipal-LGU,” they recounted.
Community
Facilitator Ms. Divine Nicolas-Pabalan said the active participation displayed
by the residents including the Grade Five and Grade Six pupils of Barcelona
Central School and the observers from other barangays, is an indication that
the community has started building disaster resiliency and can handle recurrent
disasters. Lessons learned from this drill will likewise help improve the Local
Government Unit’s emergency response and preparedness capacities.
Project
Officer Ms. Maila E. Quiring of Building Disaster-Resilient Communities –
Learning Circle (BDRC-LC), meanwhile said, the drill was part of the “Scale Up,
Build Up” (SUBU) Project which also forms part of evaluating how far the
project went through following the series of social preparations they have
conducted in the community. “The activity has strengthened the information
flows as well as inter-agency communication and coordination which are very
significant in an actual experience, specifically that some gaps along the
process were identified,” she added.
The
SUBU project is an 18-month project implemented by Christian Aid Partners for
Sorsogon namely the BDRC-LC and the Provincial Alliance for NGOs and Peoples
Organizations (PANGOPOD) where Coastal Community Resources Inc. and Livelihood
Development, Inc. (Coastal CORE), the front-line implementer of the project, is
both a member.
SUBU
project also supports the implementation of the Disaster Risk Reduction
Management Act (RA 10121) by improving access to information and increasing the
institutional capacity of DRR stakeholders to increase resilience of high risk
communities in the Philippines.
The
project is implemented in the towns of Barcelona, Juban and Casiguran in
Sorsogon in partnership with the Office of the Civil Defense (