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By: Remsce A. Pasahol “I am18 years old. I am a bisexual, and I have been sexually harassed.” This is how Jane (not her real name) started our conversation. She seemed to have the courage to speak, but truth is … Continue reading
By: Christjohn Reyniel B. Pelejo
Gone are the days when long lines of students crowd the waiting area of the then combined computer and special collections sections in the library basement. Now, not only the students but also the faculty and staff enjoy wider areas and improved services the library has to offer because of the recent basement renovation.
According to Concepcion Saul, the university librarian, the library is now a go-to place of students who need to do research, complete assignments, or hang out with study groups.
“Sa library ngayon kahit wala kang assignment, marami kang matututunan,” she said by way of encouraging UPLB constituents to come and use available resources in the newly renovated basement.
The renovations were done to provide additional space and for proper allocation of services, such as the discussion room, viewing room, leisure reading area, and computer section. All of these are available to UPLB students, faculty and staff for free.
The renovation started in the last quarter of 2013. It had an estimated budget of 2.5 million pesos. The basement services became operational in August this year, the start of the first semester of academic year 2014-2015.
The University Special Collections Section now offers a very spacious area where students can study, read theses, or borrow other university publications. The Computer Section was transferred to the new basement division on the other side.
Read more about the library services and facilities here.
According to Marcelita Pureza, the head of the university special collections section, the improvement was a big help in terms of organizing the thesis collection and giving enough room for other publications of the university. She said that the section now has better working space for the staff, and additional tables for students who wish to study and charge their laptops.
“Kailangan malaman nila [mga estudyante] na dito sa library marami makukuhang sources at maa-access yun para sa research nila,” Pureza added.
Students avail computer services in the computer section now located in the Learning Commons. Photo by: CJ PELEJO
The Computer Services and Multi-media Section, now called the Learning Commons, deployed additional computer units since the area got additional space. Before, only 50 computers were available; now, 66 computer units are fully functional, including iMacs and iMac minis. There are 30 desktop computers running on Linux, 24 on Mac OS, and 12 on Windows 7.
With all the computers deployed in the new setup, more users can be accommodated, hence no more waiting lines. The area also houses a discussion room and a viewing room which students can use for group meetings and film viewings, respectively.
An hour before the exam, students use the viewing room to discuss and review previous lessons. Photo by: CJ PELEJO
Rea Antenor, a BS Electrical Engineering student, said that it was her first time to use the discussion room when she and her friends reviewed for an exam. She said that having a room where she can discuss freely with her friends is good for learning.
“Gusto lang namin yung place kasi pwede kaming makapagtanungan nang malakas. Kasi pag sa library, hindi makapagturuan nang maayos kasi medyo makakapag-ingay,” Antenor said.
When asked what he thinks about the new library basement, Kendrick Faronilo, a BS Food Technology student, said that it is “very beneficial… It’s the only place where you can discuss freely. Good facilities, more computers for students. Friendly and accommodating ang staff.”
He goes to the library Mondays to Fridays to avail of computer services and e-journal subscriptions.
Faronilo also said that to be comfortable and cozy while doing paperwork is also one of the main reasons for going to the library, especially now that he is working on his thesis. He said that the 5th Information Literacy Program “Level Up Your Research” workshop he attended last September helped him to learn more about the library and its services.
“Effective yung lecture series for surfing the library page. Naging aware ako sa library services. And I learned how to use the journal subscriptions,” he said.
According to Pius Murillo, the head of the computer services and multi-media section, there was a significant increase in the volume of users of this section, particularly with regard to use of desktop computers and acquisition of e-journals.
From 2,800 users of the computer and Internet service in November 2013, the logbook showed an increase by 300% last September 2014. There was also a notable increase in the downloads of e-journals, particularly in the Elton B. Stephens Company (EBSCO) subscription, which provides a wide range of library database services for general reference collections to subject specific databases. From 3,300 last October, the number of successful full-text downloads on EBSCO alone doubled last September.
Even with 50,000 full-text downloads overall since October last year; Murillo said that the library is still expecting more students to maximize the resources available in the library particularly the e-journal subscriptions.
by Nykyle Patricia Buenviaje, Renz Louie Celeridad, and Victorena Diesta
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, in partnership with the Region IV-A Agricultural Training Institute, held the first Laguna Organic Agriculture Congress at the Cultural Center of Sta. Cruz on October 28-30.
The organic agriculture congress, themed “Sa Organiko Panalo Tayo, Kaya’t Lagunenyo para sa iyo ito,” was open to all offices, departments, organizations, and individuals who were interested in organic agriculture — a “natural” way of growing crops, vegetables, and other agricultural products.
According to Lydia Estrada, the Laguna assistant provincial agriculturist, organic agriculture aims to create a farming system that will grow various chemical-free crops. The promotion of organic agriculture, such as holding the congress, is in line with Republic Act (RA) No. 10068 or the Organic Agriculture Act of 2010, which mandates the state to “promote, propagate, develop further, and implement the practice of organic agriculture in the Philippines.”
The organic agriculture congress also aimed to help address gender awareness issues, recognizing the need to change the traditional belief that farming is only for men and to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor through technology transfer.
Los Baños GAD Office staff help farmer cooperators sell their produce during the three-day organic agriculture congress. (Photo courtesy of the GAD Office)
Laguna cities and municipalities took part in the provincial congress on organic agriculture. The local government unit (LGU) of Los Baños was represented by the Gender and Development (GAD) Office, the implementing agency for the organic agriculture component of the gender-sensitive livelihood project between the LGU Los Baños and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).
From the PhP 4.6 million project “Enhancing Gender-Sensitive Sustainable Agriculture and Aquatic Science and Technology (S&T)-based Livelihood Enterprises in Los Baños”, PhP 2.2 million was allotted for organic agriculture projects.
The implementation of the organic agriculture component started in March and covered five barangays, namely: Bagong Silang, Timugan, Maahas, Tuntungin-Putho, and Lalakay. According to Karen Lagat-Mercado, head of the Los Baños GAD Office, their unit started the project implementation by conducting seminars about organic agriculture in the five barangays in partnership with PCAARRD. These seminars were followed by trainings for the farmer cooperators.
According to Mercado, the organic agriculture project not only provided additional source of income for the cooperators, it also helped the women – especially the housewives – develop greater confidence, build their self-esteem, and become more independent. With their own earnings, the women now depend less on their husbands’ income.
Through the congress, Los Baños was able to showcase organic produce from the farmer-cooperator and present the LGU Los Baños-PCAARRD collaboration to representatives of various cities and municipalities in Laguna.
For more updates on the LGU Los Baños-PCAARRD project, visit the Gender Sensitive Organic Vegetable Prod’n for Low-income Communities of LB Facebook CommunityPage.
ni Ma. Emily P. Alforja, KASAMA President
Nag-organisa ng pagsasanay sa vermiculture ang local na pamahalaan ng Los Baños na isinagawa ng Gender and Development Office at ng Department of Agriculture para sa mga miyembro ng Kapisanan ng mga Samahan ng Malinta (KASAMA) noong October 18 sa Brgy. Malinta.
Sa pamamagitan ng pagsasanay sa vermiculture, natutunan ng mga kalahok na napakadaling mag-alaga ng bulate gayundin ang paggawa ng vermicast o organikong pataba. Maliit lamang ang kailangang puhunan at hindi nangangailangan ng mahabang oras o panahon para sa pag-aalaga.
Ang pagsasanay ay bahagi ng proyektong vermiculture kung saan tinuturuan ang mga kalahok sa tamang pag-aalaga ng mga bulateng African night crawlers at pag-ani ng vermicast na nagsisilbing organikong pataba.
Natutunan ng mga miyembro ng KASAMA ang pagpapabulok ng tira-tirang pagkain, iba’t-ibang klaseng gulay, tuyong dahon, suha ng saging, at dumi ng baka o kalabaw bilang bahagi ng proseso ng paggawa ng vermicompost.
Ang vermicompost ay ginagamit bilang organikong pataba para sa mga pananim ng mga miyembro ng KASAMA at maaari ding mapagkuhanan ng karagdagang kita.
by Dianne Carmie Basilio and Jean Andrea Galang
The University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) bested 13 universities and colleges during the 5th National Intercollegiate Genetics Quiz Contest (NIGQC) of the UPLB Genetics Society held on November 8 at the Umali Auditorium of the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) in Los Baños, Laguna.
The UPD team took home PhP 15,000 cash prize, a plaque, certificates of participation, and medals. Runners up DLSU and ADMU received certificates of participation, medals, and cash prizes worth PhP 7,500 and PhP 5,000 respectively. (Photo courtesy of the UPLB Genetics Society)
The UPD team was composed of Ardea Licuanan, Clinton Tang, and Tiffany Cheng Uy; all fourth year BS Biology students. Dr. Ian Kendrich Fontanilla, an assistant professor and UP scientist at UPD’s Institute of Biology was the winning team’s coach. Uy of the UPD team said that the time the team spent studying together helped the members bond and prepare for the competition.
Securing the second place (1st runner up) was the De La Salle University Manila (DLSU) and in third place was Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), last year’s champion.
Patricia Albert, committee head of NIGQC 2014, said that the UPLB Genetics Society is planning to hold the national genetics quiz contest yearly with the increasing number of participating schools and universities.
by Johanna Marie Drece, Joie April Lanuzga, and Yunika Ysa Lasic
On October 24, the Los Baños launched its Friday organic market at the Los Baños Municipal Hall Activity Area. The organic market manageed by the Gender and Development (GAD) Office opens at 9am and closes at 3pm.
The establishment of the organic market was part of the project entitled “Enhancing Gender-Sensitive Sustainable Agriculture and Aquatic Science and Technology (S&T)-based Livelihood Enterprises in Los Baños” between the Los Baños LGU and Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD). The project aimed to empower the local farmers of all genders to take on organic farming as a livelihood option, as well as to enhance community entrepreneurship and marketing.
The Friday organic market provided farmer-cooperators an integrated and accessible venue to sell their organic produce. Karen Mercado explained that the Friday Organic Market has helped the farmers gain additional income from selling their products.
The organic produce from the farmer cooperators are also sold at Herb Republic along Lopez Avenue every second and fourth Friday and Saturday of the month.
Since its launch in October, the Los Baños Friday organic market has gained patrons from the municipal employees. Joyce Del Valle of the Los Banos Budget Office said that purchasing organic produce assure her the vegetable her family would be consuming is healthy and free from harmful chemicals. “Kesa pumunta sa palengke at bumili ng mga di-pesticide na gulay, dito ka nalang,” she added.
Adelaida Castillo, an 85-year-old farmer from Brgy. Maahas, explained that aside from being chemical-free, the produce sold at the Friday organic market is relatively cheaper since the products are directly delivered to the market and no middleman is involved. Farmer cooperators also take home higher earnings. Shifting to organic farming also reduced the cost of farm inputs on pesticides and fertilizers. “Sadyang malaki ang ipinagbago dahil hindi na kami bumibili ng pang abono. Sariling compost na namin ang ginagamit namin,” Castillo shared.
Nestor Pamulaklakin, a farmer from Brgy. Maahas said, “Maganda ang kita ko ngayon. Lamang kaysa noong dati na hindi ako gumagamit ng mga organic. Saka dati, kailangan ko pang bumili ng pesticide. Ang ginagamit kong spray ngayon ay sili at kung anu-anong herb. Hindi na ako gumagamit ng mga pesticide na binibili.” Mang Nestor also said that vegetables grown with the aid of chemical pesticides are hazardous to the health of the consumers so they have stopped using them.
Communities involved in Friday oranic market include Barangays Tuntungin-Putho, Lalakay, Timugan, Maahas, and Bagong Silang. The GAD Office staff regularly visits farm sites to get updates and to hold farmer consultations. The farm visits also ensure that farmers are provided the resources and technical assistance needed and that the crops are grown organically.
The farmer cooperators were provided with technological knowledge through a series of trainings before they were granted the resources for setting up an organic farm. The farmer cooperators underwent trainings on vermicomposting, organic methods and pest control, organic vegetable crop production, as well as postharvest, packaging, and marketing skills. Farm materials, seeds, and planting materials were provided as part of the LGU Los Baños-PCAARRD livelihood project.
Karen Mercado (rightmost) and Ellen Ramos of the GAD Office in a posterity shot at the organic produce booth manned by farmer cooperators and GAD Office staff during the first Friday Organic Market at the Municipal Hall. (Photo courtesy of KLMercado)
The organic produce from the farmer cooperators are also sold at Herb Republic along Lopez Avenue every second and fourth Friday and Saturday of the month.
For more updates on the LGU Los Baños-PCAARRD project, visit the Gender Sensitive Organic Vegetable Prod’n for Low-income Communities of LB Facebook Communtiy Page.