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)

ASP-Laguna, LB LGU open community center for therapy, support services

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by Camille Anne Mendizabal, Emmanuelle Dominique Mendoza, and Neil Arwin Mercado

On September 17, the Autism Society of the Philippines (ASP) – Laguna Chapter and the local government of Los Baños inaugurated the Los Baños Community Center for Therapy Intervention and Support Services (LBCC-TISS) in Brgy. Timugan as part of the activities for Banamos Festival.

Georgia Lovell, the executive director of the Direct Aid program (DAP) and Los Baños Mayor Caesar Perez during the ceremonial turnover of the community center to the local government during the inauguration.

The construction of the LBCC-TISS was funded by the Direct Aid Program (DAP) of the Australian government after the approval of ASP’s proposal for putting up a community center for therapy and intervention programs for their scholars. ASP coordinated with the local government unit of Los Baños in the refurbishment of the old Department old Social Welfare and Development and Sangguniang Bayan offices to be used as a community center.

LBCC-TISS will provide services such as medical and occupational therapy and other medical intervention for children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome, multiple disabilities especially those diagnosed with autism, and the like. This not only serves as an intervention center, but also as a training ground for parents of these children to help them be their child’s own teachers at home.

According to Ma. Ana Del Valle of ASP, the center will serve as the hub and therapy center for family members and children dealing with disabilities. The LBCC-TISS is the fifth center built by ASP in Laguna. Other centers are located in includes the Paete, Liliw, and Calamba.

Before the LBCC-TISS was established, the programs conducted by ASP, such as the Sensory Motor Activities (SMA) for children ages 6-12 every Saturday, were held at the Los Baños Central Elementary School covered court. On the other hand, ASP’s early stimulation programs for children with ages five and below were formerly conducted in the play area of the Municipal Health Office. With the opening of the LBCC-TISS, the ASP activities can now be held in the LBTC-TISS, which is tailored to address their scholars’ needs.