TACLOBAN CITY – The regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed cash assistance to members of the indigenous people community in Bato, Leyte who were affected by typhoon ‘Paeng’.
At least 53 families received the cash assistance worth P5,000 personally distributed by DSWD Regional Director Grace Subong.
They also received food and non-food items like family food packs, kitchen, sleeping, hygiene kits, and 10-meter laminated tarpaulin.
Aside from the Badjao community, the DSWD-8 also distributed relief assistance to other typhoon-affected families in Bato town, one of the hard-hit areas in Leyte due to Paeng.
Among those who received food and non-food items from the DSWD were the 63 families from the villages of Anahawan and Tagaytay whose houses were totally damaged.
The agency had already distributed 6,450 family food packs and 880 non-food items worth more than P4.825 million to the municipality of Bato.
Moreover, the agency had augmented more than family food packs to local government units in the region that were affected by the typhoon.
These towns include Lope de Vega, Rosario, and Catarman, all in Northern Samar; Jipapad, Oras, and Arteche in Eastern Samar; Bato, Hilongos, Hindang, Inopacan, Mahaplag, and cities of Baybay and Ormoc in Leyte; and towns of Bontoc and Limasawa, both in Southern Leyte; and towns of Naval and Kawayan in Biliran province. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
ORMOC CITY-A known drug peddler who has been arrested by the police for illegal drugs previously but was given parole was arrested during a buy-bust operation at about 9:20 pm on Nov. 1 in Maasin City.
Maasin city police chief, Lt. Col Vicente Bullecer, identified the suspect as Jay-Ar Mercedes, 32, single, construction worker, and a resident of Barangay Mantahan of said city.
The suspect is listed as a high-valued individual of the city police drug watch as he was earlier charged with the same offense for two times already.
Recovered from the suspect was one sachet of suspected shabu procured by an operative in consideration of P5,000.
Further search from the suspect yielded more sachets of suspected shabu and cash of P5,500.
Charges of violations of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs are being readied by the local police against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Maasin City Police Station. (ROBERT DEJON)
NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, Northern Samar– The Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (DPWH NSSDEO) headed by OIC-District Engineer Charlito S. Carlobos reactivated the DPWH Lakbay-Alalay Program in connection with the yearly observance of the All Saints/Souls Day 2022. Spearheaded by the Maintenance Section, three teams were outright deployed in three (3) strategic areas along the highways of NSSDEO starting October 28, 2022.
The NSSDEO Lakbay-Alalay 2022 workforce was led by the chief of the Maintenance Section, Engineer Francisco Tañala as the overall team leader.
The three groups, each with team leaders were assigned in the following locations: (a) District Office in Brgy. Burabud, Laoang with the primary duty to speed-up transmittal of situational reports to the Regional Office; (b) Catubig (Junction) in the municipality of Catubig Valley Area; and (c) Maintenance Field Office, Brgy. Tinampo, Municipality of Palapag in the Pacific Area.
According to Engr. Tañala, uniformed motorist assistance teams with maintenance equipment on standby at navy blue-colored Lakbay Alalay tents are deployed on a round-the-clock shift to provide emergency assistance. They must also ensure that NSSDEO major thorough fares are well-maintained, safe and free from obstruction and potholes appropriate warning, directional and visible signages legibly and visibly installed.
The primary objective was to ensure the safety of travellers since many people rushed to the provinces to take advantage of the long vacation and at the same time observe the “UNDAS” in their home towns.
Meanwhile at the NSSDEO Motorist Action Stations, passing vehicles were also enjoined to fill-up a satisfaction survey form which serves as monitoring and evaluation of the overall efficiency of the program. As the teams’ duties winded-up last Wednesday, November 2, no vehicular accidents were reported and all road networks of NSSDEO were passable to all types of vehicles.
Also, the filled-up customer satisfaction survey forms by motorists reveal no glitches on their part throughout the one-week period. (LYCA MAE T. QUILICOL, PIO Alternate)
One thing you will notice among government officials, including Legislators, share one characteristic – that of being REACTIVE, instead of being PROACTIVE!
A case of “suffer first and find remedy later”! Such is the crafting of House Bill No. 1972 by the Gentleman from Rizal 4th District Honorable Rep. Fidel Nograles – does deserve being addressed as “Honorable”! Not even Representatives from typhoon-prone Visayan Regions, specifically Eastern Visayas, have thought about passing Bills to help the beleaguered Waray-Warays.
Rep. Nograles thought of submitting HB 1972 after super typhoon Kardings devastation of Northern and Central Luzon. It is highly possible some Lawmakers are not aware that Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country, provides protection to the Luzon, Visayas and part of Northern Mindanao from the onslaught of Pacific-borne typhoons.
HB 1972 seeks to create a super administrative body called the Sierra Madre Development Authority (SMDA) that will pass, implement measures to preserve the natural shield in the face of worsening climate crisis, lead the government’s anti-illegal logging and reforestations Sierra Madre, prevent the construction of unwarranted and illegal infrastructure, enhance and develop indigenous resources in the area that can be utilized for development and educate people on the importance of the mountain range as well as conduct a comprehensive survey of the Sierra Madre regions physical and natural resources.
Biologically, several studies have been (some are on-going researches) undertaken to document the biodiversity of the mountain range, e.g. taxonomic descriptions of new plant and animal species have been published, etc. It is highly probable that there plant species with potentials as raw materials for bacteria and virus-borne diseases.
Likewise, is the presence of precious stones and metals which if mined scientifically could be veritable export commodities and help improve the country’s saddled economy.
MY COMMENT
More than just the HB 1972, the obligation to preserve Sierra Madre is a concern of every Filipino. More measures need to be passed to protect the mountain for its aesthetic, scientific, and economic values. Also, information dissemination is in order to preserve and conserve the mountain range and its rich biodiversity, natural resources.
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THE great lesson we can learn from the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin (cfr. Lk 15,1-10) is that with the unavoidable differences and conflicts among ourselves, we have a golden opportunity to be like Christ and develop the true charity that knows how to love everyone in spite of whatever.
Like Christ, we have to take the initiative to understand everyone, to be patient and willing to suffer for whatever it takes to have that all-inclusive kind of love. Far from turning us off or distancing ourselves from the parties concerned when we experience these differences and conflicts, we should all the more be interested to be with them, to help and love them in whatever way we can, always with God’s grace.
We have to be wary of our tendency to keep grudges, resentments, critical and negative thoughts, mental reservations, etc., against anyone when we are confronted with these differences and conflicts. We should try our best to rid ourselves of them no matter how small or insignificant we think they may seem to us.
Only love that channels the love of Christ for all of us can handle this condition when we have to deal with our unavoidable differences and conflicts. When we find it hard to have that love, we have to beg God for the grace, and little by little develop the appropriate attitude, virtues and spirit.
Obviously, some struggle would be involved here. And it can be of the severe kind. But as long as we go to God for help, we can manage to win and conquer those human and natural weaknesses and limitations that hamper our power to have the charity of Christ.
Let’s remember that when we react negatively toward these differences and conflicts, it would be as if God is showing us those weaknesses and limitations that we need to correct and transcend with God’s grace. In a sense, we should be welcoming of these differences so that we can know ourselves better and have the chance to become more Christ-like as we should be.
We should bring these issues in our prayer, always begging God for light and strength. We should remind ourselves that as St. Paul told us, as long as we are with God, all things will always work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28)
The ideal condition of our heart is that of being light and bearing nothing other than pure love and understanding for everyone. As such, we can live what St. Paul described how true charity should be: “Charity is patient, is kind, does not envy, does not act wrongly, is not inflated, is not ambitious, does not seek for itself, is not provoked to anger, devises no evil…” (1 Cor 13,1-6)
So, we just have to learn how to be sport and game with everyone without compromising the rules of the game, so to speak. Foul is foul, cheating is cheating, and the appropriate penalties should be given, but the game has to go on.
Just the same, we have to be ready to get dirty. There is actually no game where the sportsman does not get dirty or does not experience extreme tensions and suspense.
In this regard, we have to realize more deeply that we need to be strong and flexible ourselves. Thus, we have to undergo continuing formation, just like those good athletes who never fail to practice daily and to go through endless training exercises.
What’s in a plant? Why we MUST go back to our photosynthetic roots and hopefully thrive because of it? Why it is our savior and without Plant our doom is certain?
In the recent NETFLIX documentary, What the Health! Advertised as “The Health Film That Health Organizations Don’t Want You To See”, the film follows Kip Andersen as he interviews physicians and other individuals on diet and health topics. Andersen is also shown attempting to contact representatives of various health organizations, but comes away dissatisfied with their responses. Through other interviews he examines the alleged connection between the meat, dairy, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as various health organizations. The synopsis is that serious health problems are a consequence of consuming meat and dairy products, and that a conspiracy exists to cover this up.
I have seen first hand the answer to the questions that lingers in my mind. What causes destructive conditions like Diabetes, Hypertension and Cardiac Arrests. My guess is as good as yours, it is diet.
And that there are industries that spend millions of dollars to overlook the fact that food, specific kinds of foods, create problems to our health. Further, the film also discloses that meat is the culprit of many ailment of sorts like cholesterol build up and ingestion of chemicals which is similar with the effect of smoking. Ergo fastfood staples like burgers, hotdogs are downright evil, for this film. Some sectors call this film as propaganda by vegans against the meat and dairy industry. Surely they would counter this head on with propaganda dollars of their own.
What fixed my attention is the realization that plants or plant based diet can actually prevent sure fire way to catch sickness like hypertension, diabetes and others. Propganda or not we Filipinos knew fully well that this is a fact. In fact, herbal supplements which is a Million Peso worth industry is a proof to that claim. And that the idea or notion organic is a comforting word and that we shall never panic when it is organic. These plant based reality is also undeniably established in the psyche of Filipinos. But why are plant based foods sold by local and specialized shops are never as popular as the fast food giants burgers and others. Two things, taste and the status it brings . The meat lovers in our Homo Sapien mind and taste are etched to be a reward of hunting and that it is conquest and a symbol of wealth or affluence. Two, the plant based foods are bland and at times bitter. A friend of mine criticized me buying Kangkong and Pako, lest snakes grew in the stomach because i am eating grasses where they can hide, a joke perhaps but its true, plant based diet are never hip nor cool.
The fact is established; Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar and it’s great for good bowel management. (mdananderson.org). Is a plant-based diet healthy? Yes. A plant-based diet is considered to be nutrient-dense and packed with fiber, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. It is a very healthy way of eating and can meet all of your nutrient needs. (https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/what-plant-based-diet-and-it-healthy).
Very recently, a Provincial Head of a national Agency suggested that plants, cash crops can be grown in campuses and that this is a sure way to instill discipline. Fully convinced that it can, we are launching a campus wide gardening initiative, thank you madame for the timely suggestion.
In closing we need to take a second look at the vitality of plants, in their lies our salvation.
