“This could actually alter our history.”

This was emphasized by Dr. Victor Paz of the University of the Philippines (UP) Archaeological Studies Program after fragments of ancient shards of jars and other artifacts were retrieved in Puypuy Village, Bay, Laguna on June 25.

The ancient jars and stone artifacts were accidentally found at the backyard of the couple Valeriano and Olivia Emata, both 59. Valeriano had the gut-feel to dig the ground where a tree with a carved ‘X’ mark stands beside their small nipa.

The excavation site of the ancient jar fragments at the Emata’s backyard measures eight to ten feet deep.

According to Valeriano, they digged in the spot but there was nothing in it. Until his psychic friend came over and interpreted that the ‘X’ marking represents the number ten. Olivia narrated that they walked ten steps from the tree following the direction of a loose nail stuck on that ground.

Digging the spot ten steps away from the ‘X’ marked tree, Valeriano found a clay jar with three stones arranged orderly inside. His wife, Olivia, a UPLB researcher, immediately turned the artifacts over to their family friend, Dr. Helen Dayo, an anthropologist from the UP Gender Center in UPLB. Dr. Dayo then called Dr. Bonifacio Comandante, an anthropologist from UP Diliman.

According to Dr. Paz, the clay jar used to be an ancient coffin. He said that stones were used to properly situate the dead body inside the jar, which explains the ordered arrangement of the stones.

These are fragments of an ancient jar that was used as coffin by our ancestors.

Valeriano also showed other stone artifacts found in their area such as obsidian rocks. These smooth and shiny rocks have a pitch black color which implies that they have been underneath the earth and have been exposed to intense heat and pressure for a very long time. Dr. Paz explained that our ancestors used obsidian rocks as sharp tools to hunt for food.

The UP Archaeological Studies Program team believes that the artifacts date far back as 2800 years ago or 800 B.C. – one of the oldest recovered artifacts in the Philippine history. But due to the team’s lack of funding, carbon date testing has not been pursued yet to determine the exact age of the artifacts.

“This discovery could be one of the many puzzle pieces that would complete the full picture of our ancient history,” Dr. Paz said. “This could help us support or debunk existing records in our history,” he added.

Currently, about 1,000 pieces of ancient jar shards have been recovered within the eight-feet deep excavation site at the Emata’s backyard. Further study and research are still on-going.

The Emata’s and the UP Archaeology team are expecting to discover more artifacts in the succeeding weeks. (Jasmin Joyce P. Sevilla)

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)