Local news

SM Foundation Distributed Books in San Juan Batangas


Just recenlty SM Foundation headed by its Project Director, Ms. Cristie Angeles donated 13,000 books to different schools in Batangas, Quezon and Laguna.

The distribution was held in San Juan West Elementary School last October 2, 2008 where 30 day care centers, 25 high schools and 60 elementary schools benefited from the project. It was attended by the representatives of the different school beneficiaries from the towns of San Juan, Padre Garcia and Rosario in Batangas, Tiaong and Candelaria in Quezon and San Pablo Laguna.

It is a project in coordination with the Rotary Club of San Juan headed by its President Ms. Merlie Pasatiempo and Project Chairman Mr. Rawi Luistro.





Jueteng nasa likod ng STL

QUEZON PROVINCE- Kinuwestiyon ng isang sekta ng relihiyon ang legalidad ng operasyon ng Small Town Lottery(STL) sa lalawigan ng Quezon.
Isang leader ng nasabing sekta na tumangging magpakilala ang nagtatanong kung bakit karamihan umano ng mga kubrador (nagpapataya) ng STL ay walang balidong ID at uniporme subalit pinahihintulutang kumolekta ng taya ng wala ding kaukulang “Black and White Appointment”mula sa franchised operator.
Ayon sa source, dapat kumilos ang mga awtoridad , at hulihin ang mga kubrador na mabibigong magpakita ng kaukulang ID o pagkakakilanlan bilang mga lehitimong empleyado ng STL.
Ilan din sa mga kubrador at kabo ang nagsabing nagagawa talaga nilang mangolekta ng taya at magsulit sa jueteng o bookies operation dahil sa di pagbibigay ng tamang porsiento mula sa operator ng nasabing STL.
Napag-alamang ang STL operation sa Quezon ay ipinagkaloob sa Perouette Corporation sa pamamahala diumano ng isang Mr.Gonzales alyas “Bangus”, na ayon sa pa rin sa source ay pag-aari ng isang iligal gambling Lord na nakatira sa Medex Subd. San Pablo City, Laguna.
Napag-alaman rin na isang milyon umano kada isang araw lamang ang under remittance naman ni Aling Charing sa Provincial Government na dapat na pitong milyon daw ito ayon sa source.
Napakalaking halaga umano ang nawawala para mapapunta sa kabang yaman ng pamahalaang panglalawigan.
Nangunguna ang Lucena City sa pinakamalaking koleksyon ng STL,at pumapangalawa ang bayan ng Sariaya kung saan kumukoleksyon ito ng dalwang milyon.Hindi pa umano dito kasama ang ibang koleksyon mula sa ibang bayan. Maging ang ilang lokal na opisyal ay aminadong hindi malinaw ang guidelines ng STL kung kaya sila man ay nalilito sa tunay na porsientong dapat ipagkaloob sa bawat munisipyo.
Hindi rin lingid sa kanilang kaalaman na ang STL ay front o maskara lamang ng jueteng,upang makapag-operate ito ng Malaya at legal, base na rin sa pahayag ng ilang empleyado mismo ng Perouette Corp.




Old cemetery proposed to be PNP Station

Chelle Zoleta

Lucena City---- A partial of land intended to the house of the dead will soon be bustling with activities of 150 police member of Lucena Police Station.

City council had passed recently a resolution authorizing the city mayor to enter into an absolute deed of donation with the Philippine National Police (PNP) for a portion of lot which estimated to 1, 000 square meters located amidst the residential area of Barangay Market View at the aforesaid place.


The lot is intended for a public colorful painted cemetery however due to the resistance of people residing at the area, the proposed public cemetery was put on hold.


Recently, the building of the Lucena PNP station is a squatter at the back of City hall wherein the lot is also being lent by a private individual.


If the proposed PNP building will have its own lot, it will be better to construct a model building for a conducive working atmosphere.


However, the city will only give the lot but the construction’s budget will come from the national headquarters.


The proposed station is a two-storey building complete with amenities and spacious for the people who needs police service.


It is also beneficial to the area since the said Barangay allegedly has bunch of lawless elements.

Consultation & Planning Workshop sa Research Dev’t & Extension Program, isinagawa
nina King Formaran at Babes Mancia
Matagumpay na isinagawa kamakailan sa lungsod ng Tayabas ang Consultation & Planning Workshop on Research Development (RDE) Program ng lalawigan ng Quezon.
Isinagawa ang pograma sa pamamagitan ng pamamatnubay ng Tanggapan ng Panlalawigang Agrikultor sa pamumuno ni G. omingo Mamasig. Ang gawaing ito ay sinupotahan ni Governor Raffy P. Nantes sa layuning mapaunlad ang lalawigan sa larangan ng agrikultura.
Layunin ng nasabing gawain ang mga pangangailangan ng lalawigan sa larangan ng agrikultura ukol sa pananaliksik at extension. Naging tampok ang pagdalo ni Provincial Administrator Aristeo Flores at ayon sa kanya, ang “research” ay isang kasangkapan sa pag-unlad kung kaya hinihikaya niya na ipagpatuloy ang pananaliksik kung paano mapapalaki ang produksyon ng pangisdaan, pagtatanim ng bigas, mais, niyog at jathropa.
Ibinigay na halimbawa ni Flores ang mga bansang China at Japan na doon ay ginamit ang pagsasaliksik upang makagawa ng inobasyon at nagbigay daan sa pag-unlad ng dalawang bansa.
Nagkaroon ng presentasyon ng mga programa at proyekto ng lalawigan at mga lumahok na national agencies katulad ng DAR-Quezon II, BFAR, DA, DA-SIARC, PCA-Quezon I an II, BSWM at ATI. Sumangguni rin ang mga kalahok sa bawat distrito ng mga pangangailangan sa pangunahing kalakal nito sa agrikultura.
Ilan sa mga tinalakay ay ang pagpapataas ng produksyon ng palay at mais sa pamamagitan ng “vaietal trials”, pagsugpo sa mga sakit ng saging, pagbibigay ng daan sa maayos na merkado ng mga gulay, pagtaas ng antas ng lahi ng kalabaw at paglalagay ng “techno demo ng seaweeds” at abalone.
Sa larangan ng “extension”, ang patuloy na pagbibigay ng mga pagsasanay sa mga kawani at magsasaka ang natukoy na pangangailangan ng lalawigan. Hinikayat ng kinatawan ng DA-STIARC na si Gng. Rosemarie Olfato na isama sa RDE Program ang pagtukoy sa ‘special commodity’ na bawat munisipyo o distrito. Ito ay upang mabigyan ng supota ang pangangailangan nito hindi lamang sa lokal kundi sa Regional o National na pamahalaan.
Ang resulta ng gawain ay isusumite sa DA RFU IV upang mapasama sa Regional RDE Agenda Program ng RRDEAP.





A Kid’S Mall: Caring for Children

Today, as we celebrate the National Children’s Month, the management of SM City Lucena conducted an orientation/seminar on how to fully understand the needs and rights of a child. Attendees were employees, tenants, security guards and janitorial personnel of SM City Lucena. The program proper started with a brief review of the mall’s facilities. Then one of the speakers was Ms. Lourdes G. Ruanto, City Social Welfare Officer. She talked on Children’s Rights and/or Development and Social Protection or Proper Handling of Children with Disability She explained that any one under the age of eighteen or if a person is over eighteen years of age but visibly unable to take care of himself due to physical or mental incapacities , then he or she is considered a child. She added that children must be protected against cruelty, abuse, exploitation and human trafficking among others. She said that while a child is in shopping malls, he or she must engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child. Her example was to bring the child to Kiddos and Kids Place at SM City Lucena.

Atty.Rhaetia Marie Abcede explained the intricacies on Crime Prevention and/or Proper Handling of Apprehended Minor or the Republic Act 7610 and RA 9344.

Ms. Azenith Allegre, Nutrition Officer of City Health Office talked on the Guideline's for Breastfeeding Station and Child Nutrition-The right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition.

In respect and observance of these rights, SM City Lucena has placed child friendly facilities and signages around the mall to ensure the safety of children.










Crew Mechanix ng Batangas City, Makikipagtunggali sa Australlia
Ni Alvin M. Remo
Nakatakdang kumatawan hindi lamang sa Batangas City kundi sa buong Pilipinas ang grupong “Crew Mechanix” sa 4th World Supremacy Battlegrounds International Hip Hop Dance Competition na gaganapin sa Sydney Australlia sa ika-7 ng Disyembre.

Nakamit ng grupo ang ika-4 na pwesto sa finals na isinagawa noong Oct. 11 sa Crossroad 77 Convenarium, Quezon City. Kasama nila sa top 4 ang Company of Ateneo (2nd), Next Block ng Mindanao (1st) at ang Exquizite ng General Santos City (Champion). May 36 na grupo mula sa buong bansa ang lumahok sa finals.

Ang Crew Mechanix ay naging grand finalist ng U Can Dance Version 1 & 2 ng ABS CBN at naging kampeon sa mga local & regional dance competitions. Ang grupo ay naitatag noong April 2006 at tumatayong choreographer si Limuel Arias. Ang ilan pa sa mga miyembro nito ay sina Chester Samonte, Ivan Villanueva, Robert Serrano, Joseph Axalan, Dwight Gines, JC Amparo, Jeffrey Aldrin Sanggalang, Daimin Reyes, Christopher Maranan, Reagan Bautista, Ronald Espina at Angelo Cesar Lado.

Samantala, lubos ang pasasalamat ng nasabing grupo sa lahat ng tumulong at sumuporta sa kanila lalo na kay Punong lungsod Eddie B.Dimacuha. Hangad din nila ang patuloy pang suporta ng kanilang mga kababayan, pinansyal man o spiritwal para maipagpatuloy ang kanilang pakikipagtunggali sa ibang bansa. (, PIO Batangas City)


Crew Mechanix of Batangas City together with Exquizite of Gen. Santos City in the recently concluded finals of the 4th World Supremacy Battlegrounds International Hiphop Dance Competition held last Oct. 11 at Crossroad 77, Convenarium, Quezon City. (Photo by: Jeffrey B. Ona)


PRIDE OF BATANGAS CITY - Crew Mechanix courtesy call to City Administrator Felipe M. Baroja and Mayor Eddie B. Dimacuha after the employee’s flag Ceremony last Monday Morning. (PIO, Batangas City)



Youth and Student Forum

Outside the Classroom

By Kenneth P. Pornasdoro


I gaze at the white, glossy board in front as I sit leg-tucked at a desk near the aisle. I watch the teacher scribble nifty words and phrases on the board. After a while, the board resembles a scratch paper with numbers and equations, circles and figures, notes and reminders. I tried to write everything in my notebook, careful not to miss a detail. Just another day in the university. While drowning in the sea of words and numbers, I found a sign of hope in my teacher's signal to end the class. Too much learning can be indeed exhausting. But as I step out of the room, the class over and done, I couldn't help but wonder if learning stops there. In my opinion, learning continues well beyond the four corners of the classroom.


I traded my twelve peso loose change for a banana cue from a lady vendor. I strolled towards the next building while eating the sweet snack. Many of us probably do the same: eat while walking, while riding a jeepney or in a tricycle. It is a sad fact that a common habit of most Filipinos is to dispose our trashes as quick as possible. As a result, clutter piles up everywhere. A common Philippine street would not be complete without these lying on the sidewalks: plastics, used sticks and paper plates smeared with kwek-kwek sauce. No wonder rodents like the city so much.


Inside the classroom, Environment Science 1 taught me the chemical composition of common household wastes. I remember memorizing them all, so that I could ace the exams. But the truth is what good is my knowledge of the properties of polyethylene terephthalate if I only put it in paper? Enumerating them flawlessly in the exam can't change the society as I know it. It is the application of this knowledge that matters most to me. Know the situation and act accordingly. It is knowing that plastics don't decompose and acting by disposing them properly. Just like what I did with my plastic and banana cue stick--hold it in my hand until I see a garbage can and put them there where they belong.


Luckily, I found a garbage can beside the tambayan of an organization I'm affiliated with. It has been my habit to drop by the place during free times. I saw my orgmates doing a variety of things: eating, chatting, studying, and even sleeping. I thought mingling with people of mixed personalities is hard enough, let alone be one of their leaders--but that is what I exactly did.


I nearly failed Industrial Engineering 31, a course in Industrial Organization and Management. I did poorly, considering that it's a subject that, for once, did not dwell with numbers. It's a course that pushed me to memorize pages and pages of concepts about management. I did not enjoy the subject at all. I rebelled at the fact that they are teaching management through concepts. I am more interested in applying management in real settings--in handling people, in organizing events, in managing resources, time and effort of a working system.


My frustration of real management lessons pushed me to be active in student organizations. The experiences I gained in dealing with different situations improved my leadership and decision-making skills. I enjoyed the moments where my skills are rated not by numerical grades in class cards but through real feedbacks from people attending an event I helped organized. Good feedbacks make me feel better, bad ones make me stronger for I strive better next time I organize something. The experience itself is way better than teaching it in lectures. It is way, way better.


One should recognize that learning doesn't stop in the classroom; neither does it halt after finishing your college degree. Learning is a continuous process that we undergo, until we age, until we die. It is much better if we open ourselves to the world, recognizing that there's more to it that is within our immediate surroundings. Experience new things, teach, and share ideas. The world is a big classroom, and all of us are here are learners.




Editor’s note:

The contributor Mr. Kenneth Pornasdoro is an Engineering student at UP Diliman and is a native of Pagbilao Quezon.