Civilian disaster response team looking for volunteers

By Jarred Santos

LOS BANOS, LAGUNA – The Calabarzon Unified Responders is looking for more volunteers who will “heed the call in any disaster”.

In partnership with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region IV-A, the organization is geared toward preparing its volunteers to be “self-contained”, especially during times of disaster. In the occurrence of a disaster, those most close to the site will be called to help. “Kahit cook ka pa, pero kung kailangan naming ng driver at marunong kang mag-drive, makakatulong ka”, says Arwin Carandang, de facto coordinator of the volunteer group. Through this system, earlier response to disasters is allowed, as compared to waiting for rescue teams to respond. According to Carandang, volunteers are expected to respond immediately once a disaster occurs within a volunteers’ immediate vicinity.

Carandang, himself a volunteer at the Philippine Red Cross-San Pablo City Chapter, says that volunteers cause “undue stress” to people affected by a calamity when they come unprepared on site of a disaster. “Inaalala pa yung mga kinakailangan nila. Kaya kailangan nilang maging self-contained,”he adds.

As of May 26, 2015, more than 50 have signed up and sent emails to confirm their volunteering for the said group.

Huwag sanang mangyari, pero pag nagka-disaster, mabuti nang prepared,” says Carandang.

The Calabarzon Unified Responders can be reached at [email protected]

Madre de Amor Hospice Conducts Day Care Workshop

By Jarred Santos

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA — The Madre de Amor Hospice conducted its day care workshop last week Wednesday at its center in Los Baños Subdivision from 9 AM to 12 noon. The day care, a part of the hospice’s array of services that offers care for a wide range of diseases, was attended by seven people.

“We were expecting 13, pero 7 lang nakapunta” (“We were expecting 13, but only 7 were able to attend”) says Gina Cabrera, administrative staff at the hospice. The four other participants were not able to attend mostly due to therapy.”Kitang kita mong nag enjoy yung mga participants” (“You could really see that the participants were enjoying”), she adds.

The day care workshop was conducted with the help of Ms. Cirila Perez, a retired teacher from Calamba. The day care workshop activities included bracelet making by the participants. These bracelets are then sold by the hospice as an additional source of income to be used for the hospice’s operation and maintenance.

the Hospice sells the bracelets, among other merchandise, to support their operation and maintenance. (Photo by Jarred Santos)

Cabrera attributed the positive outcome of the workshop to Perez’s cheerful disposition. “Talagang napaka masayahin niya,” (“She was really a happy person”) Cabrera adds.

Meanwhile, the Madre de Amor Hospice will be holding its volunteer orientation on June 25, 2015.

The hospice can be reached via email at [email protected]

LBG conducts T-shirt printing workshop

By Kimberly Salamatin

The Los Baños Group (LBG) conducted its first basic silk screen making, t-shirt printing, and photoshop workshop last May 16 at the New Municipal Building, Los Baños, Laguna.

A total of 28 participants consisting of mostly out-of-school youth and other interested citizens from different baranggays attended the workshop.  Randolph Franz C. Tolentino, CEO of LBG, said that the workshop’s target participants are out-of-school youths because they want these people to have a livelihood to help them in their lives.

The participants are grouped into three; a group is learning Photoshop, others are making silk screen, and some are printing on plain shirts. The organizers were continuously assisting and guiding the students on how to do the said activities to learn better.  One of the participants is Hyden Pol Memphill, 23, said that he learned a lot by joining in the workshop and it can be a start of a business.“Malaki ang naitulong nya sakin”, he added.

A member of LBG teaches a participant how to use a silk screen (Photo by Kimberly Salamatin)

Another member of LBG instructs participating students how to layout in photoshop (photo by Kimberly Salamatin)

Members of LBG cooperated to make the event successful. Counselor John Emanuel taught the participants how to layout and use photoshop for designing while Mr. Nelson Bandila taught them how to make a silk screen for t-shirt printing.

Tolentino believed that the event was successful and they were able to achieve their goal. He also said that they are planning to conduct a succeeding seminar especially that they saw the willingness of the participants to learn. He said that they [participants] are the ones who willingly went to them to learn and they are very interested in the workshop.

Hazel Terco, a participant, described the event as “fun” and said that she would gladly attend if there will be another workshop.

LBG is a group in a social networking site that is created for Los Baños citizens. It is a Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) registered group that conducts programs for the citizens. LBG projects are funded and organized by the members themselves. Tolentino added that what they are doing is because of their “passion” to help.

Los Baños to refurnish old town hall into a historical museum

By John Paul Omac

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA – For four centuries, Los Baños has been a cradle for history, culture, and arts.

But history will never be a heritage if not preserved and passed on to younger generations. Fortunately for the people of Los Baños, historical artifacts and other artistic pieces with cultural relevance will soon find a new home.

The Municipality of Los Baños is rebranding its former Municipal Hall to be its own “town museum” as part of the celebration of the 400th year foundation anniversary of the town. Spearheaded by the Municipal Tourism Office, The Los Baños Town Museum is expected to open September 17, 2015.

“The museum will focus mainly on the history of Los Baños—events that transpired from 1615 up to 2015,” said Rommel Maningas, Municipal Tourism Officer of Los Baños, Laguna.

“The main goal of the museum is to preserve the heritage of our town for the following generations to see,” explained Maningas. He said that through the museum, they hope that the constituents of Los Baños will have a better understanding of the town’s history and culture by studying significant events in the past, as well as the lives of the early residents of Los Baños.

Aside from this, Maningas also revealed that they also see the museum as a potential tourist attraction where tourists can also learn about the history of the town.

Initial plans for a museum can be dated as early as 2013 after the inauguration of the new municipal hall along the national highway, leaving behind the former town hall at Brgy. Baybayin. This led the local government to think for an alternative use to the historic structure. “Owing to its historical significance, we have decided to turn the former municipal hall into a museum,” Maningas said.

Arlene Garido, a student from Liceo de Los Baños, said that the new museum would be quite helpful for the students. “We will be able to learn more about the history and heritage of our town,” Garido said.

Melvin Ontol, resident of Brgy. Baybayin, also commends the effort to turn the old municipal hall into a museum. “At least they’ve found good use to it, rather than just abandoning it.”

Currently, the former municipal hall is still undergoing renovation and refurnishing to transform it into the said museum.  Researches for the historical timeline and events are still on going in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). A crowdsourcing campaign has also been launched since June last year to ask for the public to donate artifacts, documents, or photographs relevant to the history of the town that can be exhibited in the museum.

The Municipal Tourism Office accepts photos, documents, or other historically relevant artifacts. Among the donations is this 1900's photo of Bambang, Los Banos owned by Juvy Pastores (courtesy of Mayen Lobina)

Since last year, the Municipal Tourism Office has already received numerous submissions, mostly photographs, from the residents. However, upon filtering, Maningas revealed that only about five to ten percent of the submissions can be exhibited in the museum.

Among these historical donations is a 17th-century jar which a family from Brgy. Baybayin pledged to donate to the museum.

“We are still asking for possible donations that can be exhibited for the museum,” said Maningas. “rest assured that due credits will be given once the item has been displayed,” he added.

For those who are interested to donate, or have queries or concern, you may contact the Municipal Tourism Office at 530-2818 (local 215).

How to Get Away from Trash: Enterprise Owners’ View on the New Garbage Collection Days in Batong Malake

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This gallery contains 4 photos.

by: Demee Angelica S. Ludia Change has been imposed. Last February 16, 2015, new garbage collection days in Barangay Batong Malake Los Baños, Laguna were implemented, departing from the daily collection that residents have been accustomed to. Under this change, … Continue reading