TACLOBAN CITY — The National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) has been gathering ideas from scientists and researchers nationwide to put an end to plastic pollution in the country.
At the end of the two-day Visayas Regional Scientific Meeting held at the Summit Hotel here Friday, NAST president Rhodora Azanza said plastic pollution has become a major concern being a central feature in modern living.
Azanza said they have been holding meetings in the country’s three island groups to learn from one another, share opinions, and produce significant recommendations to curb plastic pollution.
“If we decide as a group, we will recommend to appropriate bodies. We need everybody’s help to campaign against plastic use,” he told reporters.
The city is the host of the Visayas regional scientific meeting on March 20-21. The gathering is anchored on the theme, “Caring for our country’s carrying capacity”.
This is the first scientific meeting this year. Other gatherings will be held in Alaminos, Pangasinan in April for Luzon and in General Santos City, South Cotabato in May for Mindanao.
NAST is eyeing to synthesize all recommendations in an annual meeting July. The output will be presented to the House of Representatives, Senate, and Cabinet officials.
Fabian Dayrit, NAST academician and professor of Ateneo de Manila University, said about 15 percent of solid waste in the country is made up of plastic materials and the volume is consistently rising due to increasing demand.
“The management of plastic waste must be based on an understanding of the physic-chemical nature of the various plastics, in particular, their polymer composition and properties. Strategies to minimize plastic pollution should consider the different types of plastic pollution: macro pollutants, microplastics, microfibers, and chemical additives,” Dayrit said.
The waste management strategy of 3Rs — reduce, re-use, and recycle — must be augmented with a fourth strategy: redesign, according to Dayrit.
“New management strategies for plastics now advocate for a circular economy, which includes the conversion of waste plastic into raw materials and the development of new polymers and plastic materials,” he added.
The scientific meetings decided to make plastic pollution as the main topic after plastics were found in the digestive systems of dead dolphins and whales.
NAST said the Philippines had been identified by Ocean Conservatory in its 2015 report as a significant contributor to the plastic found in the world’s oceans.
Citing studies, NAST revealed that the country generates some 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste with more than 50 percent find its way to bodies of water.
NAST is an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology mandated by law to advise the President and Cabinet on matters related to science and technology.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY- A 21-year old man was stabbed while he was trying to intervene a fight involving his girlfriend and his brother.
But the culprit was neither his girlfriend or his brother but a man who just happened to pass by while the two were having a heated argument along Paterno and Gomez streets, this city, at about 1:50 pm on March 19.
The victim, Nico Amparadolo, said to be mute, sustained deep wounds at his back, was brought to the Divine Word Hospital for treatment.
Based on police report, the victim was trying to pacify his girlfriend and his brother when a group of men passed by in the area.
One of the men, without provocation, drew a knife and stabbed Amparadolo, hitting him on his back.
The suspect and his companions immediately run.
Police authorities are still conducting their probe to identify the suspect and his arrest.
The suspect, identified as Ronel Corre,18, was arrested and is now detained at the lockup facility of the Tacloban City Police Station
(GLADYS CORTEZ, MICOTT FARON, JOHN LOUIS CABIDOG, MARISON GALLARON, EVSU Interns)

CAMP GENERAL VICENTE LUKBAN, CATBALOGAN CITY – A total of 166 pupils coming from Palanog, Resettlement Elementary School, Brgy Palanog, Tacloban City availed free dental services provided by the Pacific Partnership 2019 contingents last March 13, 2019 at 09:00 A.M.
The 8ID Dental Team led by Lt. Col. Ranulfo O. Espera, commanding officer of 1368th Dental Detachment, Camp Lukban Station Hospital noticed that one of their patients was wearing a broke pair of eyeglass.
Without hesitation, Lt. Col. Espera extended help to Micaella Silmar, 8 years old, a Grade 3 pupil from Palanog Resettlement Elementary School by accompanying by her to an ophthalmologist for a check-up and after which they bought her a new pair of eyeglasses.
Micaella had been using her broken eyeglasses for more than a year because her parents can’t afford to buy her a new set of eyewear due to their meager income.
Inspite of that predicament she has preserved in her studies and is a consistent honor student at her school.
On her part, Micaella was thankful to those who extended help to her “Daku an akon pasasalamat nga nabalyu-an an akon daan nga salamin, ine in daku nga bulig ha akon pag eskwela; An ira ginpakita nga pagbulig ha akon in magin usa nga inspirasyon para ha amon nga mga kabataan.” (These new eyeglasses will inspire me to study more in setting my sights in life; their generous act in helping children like me will serve as an inspiration to younger generation).
Maj. Gen. Raul M. Farnacio, Commander, Joint Task Force “STORM” lauded the compassionate act of the said officer.
“The 8ID is pleased that we provided a little help for Micaella for we know that this is a big comport on her part as she continues her studies.Truly, such generosity of our soldier exemplifies our sacred oath to serve the people of Eastern Visayas,” Farnacio added. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- “Population program is not only aimed at population control. It is focused mainly on population policies, plans and programs in the pursuit of socio-economic development reforms,” Commission on Population (POPCOM) Undersecretary Juan Antonio Perez III said.
During the Regional Population Executive Board (RPEB) meeting held recently at the Sal’s Restaurant in this city, POPCOM-related concerns were discussed, particularly the Executive Order (EO) 71, an Order Renaming the Popcom as Commission on Population and Development, and reverting its attachment from the Department of Health (DOH) to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
According to Perez, “Although there is a change in agency’s name, it does not mean that the programs will stop. The implementation of the population programs will continue.”
The Popcom chief also clarified and reiterated the provision of the said Executive Order.
“With the said order aimed to strengthen the development and implementation by the Popcom of population-related policies and programs, there is a need to enhance its coordination with NEDA, considering that NEDA is the authority primarily responsible in formulating continuing, coordinated and fully integrated social and economic policies, plans and programs,” he said.
Perez added that the renaming of the POPCOM is also one way to enlighten us with the view that population and development is based on rights and matters that relate not only to the health of women, but also their rights and the right to the development of countries.
To recall, Presidential Decree No. 79, otherwise known as the Revised Population Act of the Philippines created the Commission on Population under the Office of the President primarily aimed to formulate and adopt coherent, integrated and comprehensive long-term plans, programs and recommendations on population policies geared towards economic and social development.
PD 79 includes undertaking a national program for family planning involving both public and private sectors which respect religious beliefs and values of our citizens. However, the said agency was attached to the Department of Health (DOH) per Executive Order 188, series of 2003.
“President Duterte acknowledged the continuing importance of Presidential Decree 79, as its implementing policies relates to economic and social development. But since the policy is not just a health policy but likewise has a socio-economic implication, talking on the socio-economic agenda of the Philippine Development Plan,” he said adding that reverting its attachment to the NEDA finds it more appropriate.
EO 71, which was signed on December 13, 2018, is also one of the identified strategies under the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 with the goal to increase the country’s potential economic growth. (LDL/GTTabao/PIA-8 Leyte)

TACLOBAN CITY- Cybercrime is a “massive” global problem but the Philippine National Police (PNP) is ready to respond to it.
Police Superintendent Ma Bella Rentuaya, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the region, said this following their continued information drive on Republic Act (RA) 10175 also known as “Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.”
Rentuaya said that their Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU) is ready to assist those who are victimized by various crimes through a computer or internet.
Cybercrimes include identity theft, bullying, illegal recruitment, human trafficking, pornography, fraud, scam, estafa, libel, threats, extortions, robbery, and terrorism, among others.
Police Chief Inspector Romenito Mondoñedo, head of RACU in the region, told the public to report any cybercrime incident through their hotline 0998-5988-113.
In a statement, he said the RACU can respond to cybercrimes through computer network log analysis and forensic examination of the computer, video, cellphone/mobile, and others.
To prevent from being victimized by cybercriminals, the police has issued “do’s and don’ts” to the public in accessing or engaging social media.
Important safety tips to consider in using social media are:
Change the Facebook (FB) password every month with a minimum of 12 special characters; do not accept friend invitations without scrutinizing the profile of the requester; be cautious in opening/clicking websites as it may contain viruses or may compromise your account; when placing an order through online shopping, make sure it is cash upon delivery (COD) and no advance payment should be made; only transact business with trusted sellers and do not deal with online networking; and social media accounts should not be publicized.
(RONALD O. REYES)

In Eastern Samar

BORONGAN CITY– Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Isidro Lapeña led in the soft opening of an agri-technology building in Balangiga town on March 15.
The P10 million worth of building is at the Balangiga National Agricultural School (BANAS), a TESDA technology institution.
Lapeña said the building is the realization of their expansion program to accommodate more clients.
“With the new agri-tech building, more students in animal production and agricultural crops production will enroll,” Lapeña told the small crowd of TESDA employees, school employees, students, and parents who attended the simple program.
“With the expansion of TESDA programs, we hope to contribute to address the poverty incidence in this area,” he added,
Rolando Juanillo, TESDA-Eastern Samar provincial director, said the building will be finished by the end of March.
He added that this is still one of the initiatives of then Joel Villanueva and it is only this time that the building construction was realized.
Juanillo shared that BANAS is offering courses on animal and agricultural crops production, cassava production, and poultry production.
BANAS occupies a 46-hectare campus in Balangiga and still has other sites in other barangays including one with a rice production site.
With the additional building, Maria Nenalyn Abanador, school administrator, is hopeful that more students interested in agricultural production will increase in the area.
(NBQ/PIA-8, Eastern Samar)