The Los Baños Philippine National Police arrested three robbery suspects during a security check at a checkpoint in Brgy. Timugan at about 2am on July 21.

The suspects identified as Relex Vidal, Sunny Ritual and Darwin Gusilatar, all residents of Infanta and Real Quezon, are being implicated in the robbery incident that occurred in the Honda showroom at Brgy.Maahas on July 8.

The three suspects were flagged down for not wearing helmets while riding their motorcycles. During the stop and search procedure, none of them were able to show a driver’s license.  In addition, it was found out that the two motorcycles are individually registered under different names.

Further, the police officers confiscated a Llama caliber 380 pistol from one of the riders, Vidal.  Since the robbery in the Honda showroom involved an identical pistol, the police station immediately coordinated with the establishment’s employees.

At about 10am of the same date, an employee from the Honda showroom came to the police station and positively identified the three suspectsduring the police line-up procedure.  He also identified the confiscated Llama 380 pistol as the same firearm used by one of the suspects during the incident.

The Honda showroom was robbed at about 8:30am. While it was about to open, four men, armed with a Uzi machine pistol, a 45 caliber and caliber .380 fire arm, entered the establishment and aimed at the employees inside.  Two other men stayed outside as lookouts.  Since the suspects failed to open the vault, they took the gadgets –cell phones, tablets and playstation portable (PSP) – of the employees instead.  The suspects hurriedly headed to crossing Los Baños, using two motorcycles as getaway vehicles.  One motorcycle was described as a gray Honda XRM RS 100 while the other one was a black TMX with a yellow plate.  Two of the suspects were said to have a heavy built standing 5’10” while one has a small built and about 5’3” in height.

The three suspects remain in the custody of the Los Baños police station with a robbery case filed against them.  A ballistic of the confiscated firearm is also being requested from the crime laboratory of the province.  (With reports from PNP Los Baños)

The Philippine Association of Nutrition (PAN) – Alpha Omega (AO) Chapter, in partnership with the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food of the College of Human Ecology (CHE), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) held the 2013 Food, Nutrition, and Human Health Symposium with the theme “Nutritionist-Dietician: A Total Health Performer” at the D.L. Umali Hall Los Baños on July 3.

Dean Erica B. Tabuac of the College of Food, Nutrition and Dietitics of the Laguna State Polytechnic University (LSPU) – Los Baños opened the series of talks with her lecture titled “ND’s…why consider a career in the academe?” It tackled the various reasons why Nutritionist-Dieticians (ND) should take on the role of teachers as a form of professional practice.

It was followed by a lecture from the Nutrition Executive Officer of Unilever Philippines Incorporated Myrick T. Principe. His lecture focused on how the NDs could serve the country, the bad effects of salt, and how Unilever Philippines continually strive to formulate products with less salt and more organic ingredients to help address the country’s nutrition problems.

A discussion on community nutrition was also conducted by Ms. Richel Torralba, a City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO) in Olongapo City.  She discussed how community nutrition should cater to everyone and how it increases the value of people.

“Changing the lives of people… that’s the best reward I could get from being an ND,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ms. Ma. Jenee C. Virtudazo, clinical dietitian and Associate Diabetes Educator of the Philippine College of Diabetes Education Foundation Inc., focused on the qualities of an effective clinical dietitian. She emphasized that one “should have a big heart for sick patients and empathize with them; a heart for the less-educated, even the foul smelling patients” as a requisite for the job.

The symposium was concluded by a discussion on the importance of nutritionists towards a productive country.  Amy Basa, a New York-based restaurateur and President of “Ang Sariling Atin” Culinary Heritage Institute, explained that the role of nutritionists in the country is a matter of life and death, and in performing their roles, they must equally strive to preserve the country’s culinary heritage.

“If you want to improve nutrition, you have to go back to your roots,” she explained.

Two open forums were also held during the course of the symposium, which provided an opportunity for the audience to ask the lecturers about their talks.  It was hosted by PAN resident members Ms. Elaine Wagan, Ms. Dara Harina, and Ms. Jhaycelle Calayag.

“[The symposium] inspired me to continue pursuing a career as a nutritionist-dietitian. It taught me that being a nutritionist is truly a mission… Because of the lectures, I was enlightened of what my true purpose is,” said Aileen Faye Villegas, BS Nutrition student ’10.

The conduct of the symposium was influenced by the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which was set to be achieved by year 2015.

“This year’s Nutrition Month theme aims to address MDG no. 1, which is to eradicate poverty and malnutrition… And this symposium we conducted is one step to give awareness, to disseminate information, and to share what nutritionists need to do to help achieve this goal,” said PAN AO current president, Mr. Eriel O. Javier.

The symposium was conducted in line with the month-long celebration of the Nutrition Month themed “Gutom at Malnutrisyon: Sama-sama Nating Wakasan.”  It served as a venue for BS Nutrition students, food and nutrition professionals, and other field practitioners to gain information about the ND profession.  It likewise established the importance of NDs in the Philippines in fighting malnutrition.  About 275 students from UPLB, Colegio de San Juan de Letran Calamba, and LSPU – Los Baños attended the symposium. (Paoloregel B. Samonte)

The newly-elected government officials of Los Baños started their office at the new municipal hall located at the corner of Jamboree Road and Los Baños National Highway last July 1.

The offices of Mayor Caesar Perez and Vice Mayor Procopio Alipon are located in the first floor of the municipal hall. Delfin Laforteza, the incoming Public Information Officer, said that the old mayor’s office was too “luxurious” for Perez’s liking.  The new set-up gives high consideration for the senior citizens who are already having a hard time climbing the stairs. Monoblock chairs have also been placed outside the Vice Mayor’s office for everyone’s convenience.

The new municipal hall has the following departments at the first floor: Accountancy, Treasury, Civil Registry, and Commission on Audit.  Councilors, on the hand, are provided with their own offices at the second floor near their concerned departments while the third floor consists the Planning and Development Office, Engineering Office, and the official Office of the Mayor. (Angelu M. Almenteros)