Makialam Ka!

Makialam Ka!

 

This is a video presentation encouraging the Sangguniang Kabataan and every constituent of barangaysto conscientiously participate during the 2013 Barangay and SK Elections

 

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 5^th 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. Full force during the drill was the Philippine National Police (PNP) Philippine Army, Rural Health Unit (RHU), and the Municipal DRRMO of Barcelona headed by Mayor Manuel Fortes, Jr.

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 (OCD) V and the Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (SPDRRMO). (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)