(More to be added later)
As a way of doing its part in enriching the next generation, the Los Baños Times held a free campus journalism seminar for high school students on February 18. Continue reading
Runners from the 3K batch pumped up at gunstart.
JANUARY 22, 2012—A total of 646 individuals flocked in front of the UP Los Baños Baker Hall to participate in a Fun Run, dubbed ‘Across Borders’ and hosted by UPLB Red Cross Youth (RCY of UPLB), in cooperation with the Macrunners Sports, Inc. Continue reading
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) recently awarded the municipality of Los Baños a seal of good housekeeping, embodying efficient and effective governance by local government officials. The seal was presented by newly-appointed DILG Local Government Operations Officer, Olivo Esquivel, to Mayor Hon. Anthony Genuino on January 30.
As of now, Los Baños is considered a first class municipality. The local government aims to bring the town further up to be one of the top municipalities in the country. “Kaya nga bilang staff ng DILG, talagang nagsusumikap kami (That’s why, as a member of the staff, we really try our best),” said Julieta DV. Jimenez, a DILG employee.
by Rose Ann Pulido
PNP LOS BAÑOS—Two suspects were caught on January 25 for attempted carnapping in Batong Malake. The two culprits, identified as Angelito Mamino, 33, and Saturnino Pamplona, 44, tried to steal the Honda XRM motorcycle of 17 year-old Anthony Gala, who was inside his house when the incident happened. Continue reading
by Paula Nicole A. Zaldivar
BAY, LAGUNA – A bloodletting activity will be conducted at Brgy. Dila on February 25, 2012 in cooperation with Philippine Red Cross, the bloodletting will be held at Bay Central School, beside the barangay hall of Brgy. Dila.
Ms. Edna Curibot, the Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS), coordinated with the Philippine Red Cross. Curibot explained that the barangay organized the second bloodletting activity inspired by the success of October 2011’s first bloodletting.
This is the second time for the barangay. Though there are still some details to be straightened out, assured that the blood donation will happen no matter what.
Fifteen blood donors from the barangay was recorded in October last year. Several residents were willing to donate blood, however, health complications hindered them from being qualified as a blood donor.
For this month’s bloodletting activity, the barangay aims to exceed the previous number of qualified donors. Brgy. Councilor Menard Curibot said that the teachers and staff of Bay Central School have expressed their interest of donating. He hopes that most of them will be qualified donors. Councilor Curibot explained that they are conducting house visits to encourage the resident to take part in the bloodletting.
The purpose of the blood donation is to help their ka-barangay who are in need of blood. Councilor Curibot mentioned that there was a time when they had to borrow a Blood Donors Card from the residents of other barangay when they needed blood for one of the residents of Brgy. Dila.
A Blood Donors Card is given to those who have successfully donated blood to Red Cross. Donors can present this card to any Red Cross Blood Service Facilities with the blood request from hospital whenever he/she or any members of his family and friends need blood. Blood Donors Card holders are in priority whenever they need blood.
“Yung mga taong kailangan ng dugo dito sa amin, ‘di na kailangang lumapit pa sa ibang barangay. Kami-kami na ang magtutulungan. Marami din kasi ang nangangailangan dito, tulad nyan, may isa kaming ka-barangay na dina-dialysis,” said Councilor Curibot. Still, he emphasized that it is the donors’ prerogative if he/she would like to give help and lend his/her card.
Councilor Curibot, a donor himself said that he will be willing to lend his card since he feels like it is his moral responsibility. He explained that it will just be one of the small things he can do to help other people. He also said that aside from helping others, it will also benefit his health.
Part of the promotion of the blood donation is letting people aware of the benefits of donating blood and educating the residents about the Blood Donors Card.
by Ma. Kathleen C. Cabal
CALAUAN, LAGUNA – Preparations are on-going for the five-day camp out of PESANTE Pilipinas happening on February 20 to 24 in front of the Department of Agrarian Reform’s central office at Quezon City. Around 100 farmers from eight provinces are expected to take part in this camp out that aims to address nine of the 84 pending land cases.
Brgy. Imok Councilor and PESANTE Pilipinas President Evangeline Mendoza stressed the need to address these concerns because it has already been long overdue.
The 84 pending land cases have not been resolved since the Presidential Decree No. 27 and the Agrarian Reform Code of 1971 was issued during the Marcos regime. These cases were the backlogs that were not addressed by the government.
She also emphasized that the reason why the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with Reform (CARPER) is not working today is because the land owners already know so much about the law that they already found ways to evade it.
Included in the nine cases to be addressed during the camp out is the Coconut Coir case of Barangay Imok, Calauan, Laguna.
Ka Vangie Mendoza, president of Pesante Pilipinas and one of the councilors of Brgy. Imok, Calauan, explaining the how the coconut coir logs help lessen the landslides and soil erosion.
The coconut coir project of Imok-Arc Women’s and Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative and also spearheaded by PESANTE Pilipinas, is a strategic project that aims to preserve 50 to 100 hectares of coconut plantation through replanting and fertilization in Calauan, Laguna. A total of 3.1 million grant is also involved in this case.
The coconut coir project has been on-going in Brgy. Imok in Calauan, Laguna since 2010. This project was established by PESANTE Pilipinas through the Imok ARC Women and Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative. The project may look promising because it generates employment in the community, but according to Councilor Mendoza, the process just to put it up was not easy.
“Dalawang taon naming ni-rally ito. Para lang maipatupad ang ganitong klaseng proyekto, dalawang taon namin itong inilaban,” explained Mendoza. She also discussed how the coconut coir project helps the farmers of Barangay Imok despite the fact that the project lacked support from the government.
“Halimbawa sa fiber, kumikita sila ng Php200.00 per day. Kung tuloy-tuloy ang aming operasyon, meron silang napo-produce na Php6000.00 per month. Tapos yung kikitain namin, ibibili namin ulit. Paikot-ikot lang. Kasi ang puhunan naman namin para dito, walang galing sa gobyerno Ang kapital para sa proyektong ito, galing lang din sa mga miyembro. Ang puhunan namin dito ay capital share. Ibig sabihin, lahat ng miyembro, nag-invest nang tig-Php500.00 bawat isa para dito, pambili ng diesel tsaka ng iba pa. Kaya sa amin talaga ito,” she explained.
The purpose of this project is because of the organic vegetable farming that the members of the cooperative initiated in the said barangay. Since farming is the main livelihood of the residents of Brgy. Imok, the cooperative members wanted the rest of the farming families to adapt the organic vegetable farming as well.
Councilor Mendoza also made it clear that they have been resilient to those companies who have shown interest in their project because they do not want to be affiliated with any political officers. For her, it’s not enough to have a capital alone or the manpower alone; it has to be a two-way process.
“Ang hinahanap kasi namin, yung tulong-tulong kami sa pagpapatakbo. Siyempre tinitignan din namin yung motibo nila sa paglapit sa amin. Ang gusto namin, yung parte sila, pero parte rin kami sa implementation,” she explained.
She also discussed the severe case of corruption in the Philippines and the reason why it is hard to address this issue. “Pati pondo ng mga magbubukid, halimbawa sa Fertilizer scam, papipirmahin kami ng attendance sheet pero ang nakasulat ‘recipient of liquid fertilizer’, pero wala naman kaming natatanggap. Doon ko talaga napatunayan na ang korupsyon, nag-uumpisa sa mga barangay, kaya naman napakahirap ng laban natin sa anti-corruption,” she shared.
PESANTE Pilipinas is a nationwide alliance of farmers focusing on agricultural development and agrarian reform of the country.