By Christele J. Amoyan and Joy Dianne J. Gumatay 

The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) President and a former chancellor of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Dr. Emil Q. Javier talked on Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) Tuesday, August 27, 2012, at Drilon Hall, SEARCA UPLB.

According to Dr. Javier in his lecture titled “Philippine Agriculture (PA) 2020: A Strategic Plan for Poverty Reduction, Food Security, Competitiveness, Sustainability and Justice and Peace,” the study is basically adapted by the NAST from the United Nations Millennium Ecosystems Assessment (MEA) of 2005. It correlates the contribution of the ecosystem to human well-being. This strategic approach recognizes three overlapping systems implied in agriculture: agricultural system, natural resources system, and social system.

“As a social philosophy, we fully recognized that agriculture has functions in material and economic distribution. That is, agriculture has to do with the even power to Filipinos socially and politically, especially to the countryside folks,” Dr. Javier explained.

Former DOST Secretary Dr. William G. Padolina addressing his question to Dr. Javier: “What comes to be your first priority?”

He outlined three main pillars of the modernization of agriculture in Philippine context, namely:

1. the organization of agriculture as business;
2. the asset reform for low-earning farmers, and
3. the nurturing of community values.

From these given pillars, Dr. Javier drew his observations saying that the current scenario of the Philippines today is “anemic” except for the fisheries. Additionally, rural poverty is elevating rapidly, agricultural deficit is widening (from 16% in 2005 to an exponential hike to 50% in 2009) and the hasty degradation of the environment is quite tormenting.

These components, Dr. Javier proposed, can be addressed by providing seminars and skills training for the farmers. Farmers then, specifically low-income farmers, can become business entrepreneurs. Dr. Javier identified people empowerment as one of the many feasible solutions faced by poverty-stricken farmers in the countryside.

Being a farmer himself, Dr. Javier pledged to his colleague in attendance, Dr. Leonardo Gonzales that he would increase his cropping intensity up to 3.5 from the average 1.56 cropping intensity potential achieved.

Citing Fr. Francis Lucas of the Asian Non-Government Organization Coalition (ANGOC), Dr. Javier aims “to bring soul to agriculture” by emphasizing the importance on  sustainability and the promotion for the love of nature.

He announced that the Ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo allocated P54 billion for the Department of Agriculture during her term. Now, the incumbent admistration of P-Noy hiked this budget to P60 billion. “So money is not a problem anymore. The only problem in mind is  how to spent the money properly,” he said.

Dr. Javier receives a certificate of appreciation and token from SEARCA Knowledge Management Department Manager Dr. Celeste Cadiz for the ADSS lecture at the Drilon Hall, SEARCA.

Present in the said seminar were the Former Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Dr. William G. Padolina, also former-UPLB Chancellor Dr. Ruben L. Villareal, and Filipino Scientist Dr. Ramon C. Barba.

by Earl Gio N. Manuel

The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of Los Baños conducted a mini job fair on August 29 in the PESO Gabaldon Building at Brgy. Timugan.

A representative from Alliance Mansoles, Inc. was orienting the applicants about the jobs that they offer

According to Municipal PESO Manager Gliceria Trinidad, about 70  job seekers from Los Baños and nearby municipalities took part in job fair themed “Trabaho Para Sa’yo: Mini Job Fair 2012”.

An applicant was being interviewed by the representatives of AZ Contracting System

Six companies namely Savemore, Alliance Mansols Inc., Samsung, Toshiba, KGBPhils, and AZ Contracting System took part in the fair looking for applicants for the positions of production operators, drivers, and call center agents.

The job seekers underwent mathematical examinations and interviews. “This job fair is a big help for applicants like me because we will be more productive once we get hired and start to work,” said Roldan Bugtong, a 21-year-old applicant from Brgy. Malinta.

“This job fair serves as a big help to our constituents specially when they get hired to their desired job but the only problem that they will encounter after being accepted by the company as an applicant is the money to be used in their medical examinations,” Trinidad explained.

ni Earl Gio N. Manuel

Tatlong linggo matapos salantahin ng hanging habagat na sinundan ng bagyong Helen ang maraming lugar sa Luzon, bakas pa rin ang iniwan nitong pinsala sa mga paaralan sa bayan ng Siniloan sa Laguna. Ayon sa ulat ng PAGASA, nakapagtala ng halos 472 mm ng tubig ulan ang Habagat sa loob lamang 22 oras na mas mataas kumpara sa bagyong Ondoy noong 2009.

Tinatayang dalawang linggo pa ang itatagal ng baha bago ito humupa sa mga paaralan.

Kabilang ang Siniloan Elementary School (SES), Siniloan Technical and Vocational National High School (STVNHS) at ang Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) sa mga lugar na hanggang ngayon ay lubog pa rin sa baha. Kasama sa mga lugar sa Siniloan na mayroon pa ring baha ay ang mga barangay ng Acevida, Halayhayin, at ang J. Rizal Wawa.

Sa halagang dalawang piso (P2), nakakapunta ang mga estudyante ng LSPU sa kanilang mga silid aralan sa pamamagitan ng bangka.

Ayon sa kapitan ng J. Rizal Wawa na si Brgy. Chairman Epong Em, ang matagal na paghupa ng baha ay nang dahil sa pag-apaw ng ilog Putol at dahil na rin sa pagpapakalawa ng tubig  galing sa lawa ng Caliraya sa bayan ng Kalayaan noong ika-8 ng Agosto.

Patuloy pa ring pumapasok ang mga estudyante sa kabila ng di pa humuhupang baha.

Ayon pa sa kaniya,  maaaring tumagal pa ng dalawang linggo bago humupa ang baha. “Nagkaroon na rin ng matagalang pagbaha sa mga paaralan dito sa Wawa noong bagyong Ondoy at tumagal ito ng isang buwan,” dagdag pa ni Kap. Em.

Sa kasalukuyan, lubhang naapektuhan ang pag-aaral ng mga estudyante sa nabanggit na mga paaralan dahil sa hanggang binting tubig baha na dulot ng pangatlong linggong di paghupa ng baha.

Sa LSPU, halos lahat ng mga klase ay ginawa na lamang “half-day” at nagkaroon na rin ng pasok tuwing araw ng Sabado dahil ang ginagamit na mga silid-aralan ay nasa second at third floor na lamang. Dahil sa tubig baha, napipilitang sumakay ang mga kolehiyo na sumakay ng bangka sa halagang dalawang piso.

Ayon kay Mirra Jane Principe, isang sophomore BS Psychology sa LSPU, nagiging mahirap ang paraan ng pagpasok dahil sa baha ngunit marami pa ring estudyante ang pumapasok at patuloy na nag-aaral sa kabila ng kanilang sitwasyon.

Samanatala, sa STVNHS naman ay nabago ang araw ng pagpasok kung saan tatlong araw na lamang ang kailangang  ipasok ng mga estudyante, ang nasa una at ikalawang antas ay tuwing araw ng Lunes hanggang Miyerkules samantalang tuwing Huwebes at Sabado naman ang nasa ikatlo at ikaapat na antas.

Sa kabilang dako, ginawa namang evacuation center ang ilan sa mga silid aralan ng SES at ang mga estudyante ay pumapasok na lamang ng kalahating araw.

Sa pamamagitan ng pinagkabit-kabit na mga kahoy, nagsisilbi na itong mga tulay sa mga paaralan ng LSPU, STVNHS at SES upang makatawid patungo sa lugar na nais puntahan ng estudyante.

Kasalukuyan namang nasa evacuation center sa SES ang mga residente ng mga apektadong baranggay.

Ayon kay Trisha Anareta, isang residente ng Brgy. Acevida, mas mabuti ay mas maging handa sila sa susunod upang mas maiwasan ang pinsalang dulot ng mga susunod pang mga sakuna.

by Earl Gio N. Manuel

“Proper food is the key to a healthy family which is one of the most important foundation of the country,” this is according to University Research Associate Belinda A. Lalap Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI), which is based in UP Los Baños during her lecture about proper nutrition at the Los Baños Central Elementary School Canteen last July 27.

“Susi sa kaunlaran ang kalusugan at nutrisyon.” Buong pusong tinuturuan ni Belinda Lalap ang mga dumalo sa Lecture on Proper Nutrition For School Children.

The said event was entitled “Lecture on Proper Nutrition for School Children”   which is part of the celebration of the Nutrition Month and a program of the Municipal Nutrition Council (MNC) partnered by the Department of Education,  Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS), and  BIDANI to teach parents on proper nutrition for their children.

The participants were composed of about thirteen (13) Los Baños residents, 12 mothers and one father from  Barangays Malinta, Baybayin, Timugan, Anos, and Bambang.

The lecture aims to teach the parents on proper way of feeding their children and the right foods to set on the table.

It was started through an opening message lead by Edith Lozano, BNS form Brgy. Anos followed by the discussion that was made by the University Research Assosciate of  BIDANI-UPLB and they were  Lalap who talked about Guidelines on proper Health and Nutrition and Pamela A. Gonzales who discussed about  Effects of Malnutrition.

BIDANI is a program which aids the nutritional needs of the people in the community and this was funded by Netherlands to be established on different States Universities and Colleges in the country on 1978. The Netherlands supported BIDANI financially for almost ten years that is why 46 SUC’s had BIDANI including UPLB.

After ten years of funding,  only few from the 46 SUC’s continued the BIDANI program. One of the universities who still has BIDANI is the UPLB which is still serving the people of the community in terms of health and nutrition.

At present, BIDANI-UPLB is now an extension project of Institute of Human Nutrition and Food in the College of Human Ecology which gives service to people from different areas about proper nutrition.

BIDANI-UPLB has spearheaded many programs like counseling program for mothers, training/ workshop for BNS and lectures about health and nutrition.

 “We are bringing the innovations of UPLB about health and nutrition in the communities at we believe that the true indicator of development is a healthy nutrition”, said by Gonzales.

The event became effective through the participatory discussion lead by the lecturers and through the active participation of the citizens who participated to the program.

“I knew that it is really important that we are feeding the right foods to our children in breakfast, lunch and dinner and it is good also to maintain the cleanliness in serving the foods”,said Mylene Paco, 30 year old mother from Brgy. Malinta.

In relation with this news, there will be a Culminating Activity that will be spearheaded  by  the Municipal Health Council of Los Baños as an ending of the Nutrition Month which will be held on the Municipal Covered Court on July 31.

by Mary Rose B. Manlangit and Darryl Joi P. Fuentes

A total of 118 persons have donated blood in this year’s Sandugan bloodletting activity of the Red Cross Youth of University of the Philippines Los Baños (RCY-UPLB) in partnership with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Laguna Chapter, held August 15, 2012 at the UPLB College of Human Ecology (CHE) Lobby.

This year’s turnout is 20 percent higher compared to the 98 donors recorded last year. This is according to Blood Program Committee Head  Genevive Paroan of the RCY-UPLB citing that there were actually 150  persons who registered  but others were not  qualified as donors. She said that the purpose of the activity is to collect blood that will be used readily by patients during emergencies. The donated blood will be brought to the PRC Laguna Chapter blood bank for testing and safekeeping. Paroan explained that 500 cc or about two cups of blood is being contracted from a donor’s body and right after the procedure they assist and provide snacks for the donors.

According to Riana Joyce Ortega, a junior BS Industrial Engineering student, donating blood gives her the feeling of fulfillment because in her own way she can help the people in need of blood in the community.

Because of the RCY of UPLB’s efforts in promoting Sanduguan, people became more aware about the insufficient blood supply in local blood banks.

“Being my first time to donate blood, this is also an opportunity for me to know my blood type and to assess my health status,” said Ferdinand Esguerra, a freshman BS Electrical Engineering student here, adding that he would also want to help those people looking for blood donors.

On the other hand, an Instructor of the Learning Place Los Baños and a graduate of the BA Communication Arts program of UPLB, Alex Crisologo, said that since he had entered college, it has been his practice to donate blood during bloodletting activities. He also added that this is his way to help a patient in need to use his blood ready during emergency.

The blood letting activity was opened to UPLB students and to all people in the Los Baños community who are willing to donate blood.  Qualifications of the donor are 16 years old and above, at least 50 kg in weight, have no tattoo and piercing, and have no open wounds. Donors who are 17 years below are to secure their parent’s consent.

The activity was conducted in partnership with the Rotary Club Los Baños Makiling,  Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), Shirts Avenue, Aqua Altria, and Jerico’s Bakeshop.

The Sanduguan was the first bloodletting activity of RCY-UPLB this academic year. Annually, they have three major bloodletting activities, the Sandaguan which is being held every first semester of the academic year; the Bloodline: The Pledge of Life, during second semester where RCY-UPLB awards the eldest and youngest blood donor; and the Bloodiest Rumble which is being participated by the UPLB organizations during February Fair.

The RCY-UPLB is under the supervision of PRC Laguna Chapter wherein the facilities used as well as the two physicians and the four nurses who administered in the bloodletting activity were from the PRC Laguna Chapter.

This coming September 10, the RCY-UPLB will be holding an HIV/AIDS Awareness and Prevention Seminar at the NCAS Auditorium, UPLB.