LB OSCA leads Filipino Elderly Week celebrations

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by Emanuelle Dominique Mendoza and Neil Arwin Mercado

Over a hundred senior citizens from various barangays benefitted from the free medical check-up, aerobic exercise sessions, and pampering during the Los Baños week-long celebration of the Filipino Elderly Week. Themed “Ang Nakatatanda ay Yaman, Katuwang sa Pag-unlad ng Bayan, Pangalagaan Kanilang Kapakanan” October 29 in Los Baños Municipal Covered Court.

According to Baby Escobin of the Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs (OSCA), the idea of celebrating the Filipino Elderly Week for the first time in Los Baños is in line with Presidential Decree 470 Series of 1994 when the first week of October was declared as Linggo ng Katandaang Filipino or Filipino Elderly Week. OSCA sought to recognize the importance and value of the elderly in the community. The office also started meeting with each barangay’s Senior Citizen Association (SCA) head to identify the needs of the elders in each community.

Dr. Alvin Isidoro, the municipal health officer, led the free consultation and medical check for the Los Baños elderly during the concluding activity of the Los Baños Filipino Elderly Week celebrations. (Photo courtesy of the Municipal Health Office)

The free medical check-up was facilitated by the Municipal Health Office (MHO) headed by Dr. Alvin Isidoro. Free medications and vitamins were also given to the Los Baños elderly. According to Erlinda Darvin, one of the participants from Brgy. Timugan, she was pleased to join the event because she is really excited about the idea of the Los Baños honoring the elders in their community. She added that, even at the age of 77, she received vitamins and cough medicines  from the medical mission since she does not have any lifestyle-related diseases.

The medical mission also served as an opportunity for the Los Baños elderly from different barangays to build new friendship. “Masaya ako kasi marami akong nakita, marami akong nakasalamuha (I am happy because I was able to see and mingle with many people)” says Beatriz Cruz.

The medical mission concluded the weeklong celebration of the Filipino Elderly Week in Los Baños. Other activities included the following the:

  • (October 20) flag raising ceremony where the municipal office honored key senior citizens with special awards
  • (October 21) Lakbay Aral at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) where the Los Baños elderly were oriented on the different rice varieties as well as various rice cultures and cultivation
  • (October 22) Zumba and Tai-chi Sessions where the representatived fro the UP Los Baños Department of Human Kinetics facilitated exercise routines for the senior citizens; sports olympics where the elderly played chess, dama, sungka, and basketball free throws, and pampering day.

“Masaya ako kasi nakikilala nila [ng mga tao], at hindi lang kilala kasi nbibigyan din nila ng panahon ang mga matatanda (I am happy because people get to know and eventually give time to the elders),” Beatriz Cruz said when asked about how she feels about the celebration of Elderly Week.Erlinda Darvin shared that “Ngayon lang nangyari yan dito sa Los Baños yun. Natutuwa kaming lahat, kaming mga matatanda.”

Through the coordination among the barangay SCAs, the list of activities in the four-day celebration of the importance of the elders was finalized. OSCA partnered with the local government unit of Los Baños, which provided the venue and food for the activity. Other partners for the elderly week celebration included the UPLB DHK, MHO, and IRRI.

Dr. Federico Cruz, the OSCA director, shared that they were overwhelmed with the turnout of elderly participants as over 150 people gathered to join the flag raising ceremony and the inauguration of the elderly week celebration.

Most of the senior citizens who joined the program were from Brgy. Timugan with 33 elders, Brgy. Lalakay with 21 elders, and 19 elders from Brgy. Bagong Silang. The big turnout of participants was credited to the combined efforts of OSCA and the barangay SCAs. OSCA and the barangay heads meet every first Thursday of the month to orient the heads on the dissemination of information about the event. Beatriz Cruz, vice-president of Senior Citizen’s Association of Timugan (SeCAT) explained that in their barangay, she paid a visit to every senior citizen’s residence to distribute printed letters regarding the activity.

SSS conducts seminar on AlkanSSSya, membership benefits

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by Johanna Marie Drece, Joie April Lanuzga, and Yunika Ysa Lasic

On October 23,the Social Security System (SSS) of Sta. Cruz conducted a seminar for Los Baños residents at the activity area of the municipal hall. The seminar aimed to inform current and prospective SSS members about a more convenient way to avail of the SSS services reducing the need to take around two hours of travel to the SSS Sta. Cruz, which caters to 20 municipalities in Laguna. Around 70 participants joined the seminar and applied for an SSS account.

Sta. Cruz Branch Head Roman Belen explained that SSS wants to be more approachable to current and prospective members, by increasing the ease of use accessibility to SSS services. According to Belen, the main goal of SSS is to provide social protection to Filipinos in times of need. Belen led the previous SSS seminars in Pakil, Sta. Maria, Cavinti, and Mabitac. According to SSS Senior Analyst Linda Garcia, SSS also aims to make 9 out of 10 Filipinos socially secure through SSS.

Belen explained said that SSS covers Filipinos from all walks of life. “This is open to all. Meaning, this is also available to our ambulant vendors on the street, household helpers, Oversees Filipino Workers (OFWs), our jeepney and tricycle drivers, farmers and fishermen, manicurista and hair stylists, et cetera. As long as they have an association, they can represent us. Expanded self-employed workers such as car wash employees, junk shop owners, and even inmates can also avail the benefits of the program. The manner of payment this time will not be through Salary Deduction but through the AslkanSSSya Program,” he said.

In the AlkanSSSya Program, Been explained that associations will have secured piggy banks that are structured like a cabinet with several sections with the corresponding names of the members. Each member has a goal to save up PhP 330  per month (PhP 12  per day). Every end of the month, a representative from the association, one from SSS, and one from Bayan Center will collect the contributions.

The benefits of having an SSS membership include:

  1. retirement benefits where the person is in entitled to a monthly pension after retirement when he reached 60 or 65 years and a 13th month pay during Decembers provided that he made at least 120 months of contribution upon his membership;
  2. disability benefits where the disabled member is qualified to accept monthly disability pension if he was able to pay contributions for at least 36 months; 3)
  3.  sickness benefits where the member who suffers from disease that costs him or her to be absent from at least four days of work is eligible to receive 90 percent of his or her average daily salary;
  4. maternity benefits where the cash allowance equates to 100 percent of the daily wage of the woman multiplied by 60 for normal delivery and miscarriage, and 78 for caesarean;
  5. death and funeral benefits in which beneficiaries depend upon the discretion of the member;
  6. employee compensation benefits where both the employee and the employer is provided with monetary security, and
  7. loan benefits which is comprised of member loan, business loan, and housing loan.

A more detailed explanation about SSS benefits can be found at the SSS website www.sss.gov.ph. Records of members can also be viewed here via online registration as well as the SSS profile, available E-services, and details about registration among others.

After the seminar, Belen and his team take time to answer inquiries from interested potential members, as well as  explain the goal of the SSS seminars to the community journalists-in-training.

The seminar was organized on October 19, 2014, two weeks before the event. It was spearheaded by Mayor Perez in partnership with SSS Sta. Cruz Branch and the cooperation of barangay officials.The next stop of Belen’s team for the SSS seminar is in Pangil, Laguna.

TAG magsasagawa ng dental mission sa Bay

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Sa darating na ika-9 ng Nobyembre, ang  MataTAG na Ngipin 7 dental mission ay gaganapin sa San Antonio Barangay Hall ng Bay, Laguna.

Ang dental mission ay pampito sa serye ng proyektong “MataTAG na Ngipin” ng The Altruist Group (TAG) Los Baños sa pakikipagtulungan ng Philippine Dental Association-Laguna Chapter.

Ang TAG ay itinatag noong ika-16 ng Nobyembre 2012 sa Los Baños. Ang grupo ay binubuo ng mga propesyunal at mga volunteer na layong makatulong sa iba’t ibang komunidad sa Los Baños at kalapit na bayan. Ang naunang anim na MataTAG na Ngipin dental mission ay ginanap sa iba’t ibang barangay ng Los Baños.

Ayon kay Dory Recto, miyembro ng TAG, nasa 7-10 na dentista ang naging bahagi ng pagbibigay ng libreng serbisyo tulad ng dental check up o konsultasyon at pagbubunot ng ngipin sa ginanap na MataTAG na Ngipin 6 sa Brgy. Bayog Barangay Hall. (Larawan mula sa The Altruist Group)

Ang pinakahuling MataTAG na Ngipin ay ginanap sa Brgy. Bayog kung saan nasa 100-150 na residente ang nakibahagi sa dental mission na isinagawa sa barangay hall noong ika-31 ng Agosto.

Ang dental mission sa Brgy. San Antonio sa Bay, Laguna ay isasagawa sa pakikipagtulungan ng Philippine Dental Association-Laguna Chapter ng Los Baños, Bay, and Calauan Dental Cub (LBBCDC) at sa pakikipag-ugnayan ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Bay, Laguna.

ERDB to hold conference on biotech products for safer environment, better health

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by Martin Imatong

[Community Annuncement] The Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau (ERDB) will be conducting a conference on Biotechnology Products for Safer Environment and Better Health on November 25, 2014 from 9am-12nn at the ERDB Auditorium at the Forestry Area in the UPLB Campus. The conference aims to promote awareness about biotechnology products which help protect the environment as well as the health of the people.

ERDB calls for representatives from the 14 barangay of Los Baños to participate in the conference, specifically the following:

  • head of the barangay Committee on the Environment,
  • barangay health worker,
  • barangay nutrition scholar, and
  • two (2) mothers (preferably with child/children in the elementary level).

The Los Baños barangay councils are encouraged to organize and coordinate with the members of their delegation. Aside from the barangay representatives, ERDB also extended their invitation to the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO).

LB LGU nagsanay sa rescue operation

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ni Aries S. Isla, miyembro ng Los Baños Group

Nagsagawa ng Rescue Operation Training noong Oktubre 3-5 sa Brgy. Baybayin ang lokal na pamahalaan ng Los Baños sa pangunguna ng Office of the Mayor at ng Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

Layunin ng pagsasanay sa rescue operation na higit na mapalawak ang kaalaman at kahandaan ng mga mamayan ng Los Baños ukol sa mga darating na kalamidad nang sa gayon ay makapagbigay ng kaukulang tulong sa mga residente ng Los Baños at sa karatig bayan sa oras ng pangangailangan.

Ang mga miyembro Coast Guard Special Operation Group (CGSOG) Southern Tagalog Command ang naging tagapagsanay ng mga piling kinatawan ng munisipyo at ng mga volunteer mula sa iba’t ibang barangay ng Los Baños.

Dalawampu’t lima mula sa mahigit 30 kataong nagparehistro ang matagumpay na nakapagtapos sa tatlong araw na rescue operation training. Mahigpit na training ang pinagdaan ng mga kalahok. Kinailangang manatiling alisto at magpakita ng kooperasyon at koordinasyon ang bawat kalahok upang matagumpay na maisakatuparan ang bawat hakbang ng pagsasanay.

Matapos ang tatlong araw ng sakit sa katawan at pagsisikap na napagtagumpayan ang bawat pagsubok sa pagsasanay, nabuo ang rescue team ng Los Baños na binubuo ng 25 nakapagtapos sa rescue operation training. (Larawan mula sa Los Baños Group.)

Putho-Tuntungin, Bagong Silang showcase organic produce at SyenSaya 2014

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by Charlene Ruth Espenilla

Organic farmer collaborators from Barangays Putho-Tuntungin and Bagong Silang grossed about PhP 14,000 during the three-day SyenSaya 2014 Wonderama held at the EB Copeland Museum from September 10-12.

The organic produce sold during SyenSaya included gabi (yam), kangkong (swamp cabbage), luya (ginger), okra (lady fingers), sitaw (string beans), and talbos ng kamote (camote tops) from farmers who partnered with the Local Government of Los Baños through the Gender and Development (GAD) Office and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

Barangays Bagong Silang and Putho-Tuntungin were two among the six barangays involved in the organic farming project, which is part of the PhP 4.6 million project entitled “Enhancing Gender-Sensitive Sustainable Agriculture and Aquatic Science and Technology (S&T)-based Livelihood Enterprises in Los Baños” between PCAARRD and Los Baños that was formalized in March earlier this year.

Six months after the partnership was inked, the organic farming project has now established farmer collaborators in the six targeted barangays. The Los Baños LGU plans to organize an organic market in the new municipal hall as well as partner with local restaurants and food establishments to form an initial market for the barangays’ organic produce.

SyenSaya. The sales were turned over to the organic farmers of Barangays Bagong Silang and Putho-Tuntungin at the end of the three-day mini organic market. (Photo by CREspenilla)