CAMARINES SUR HOSTS ANEW IRONMAN 70.3 PHILIPPINES
…preparations in full swing, over 600 triathletes registered to join

PILI, Camarines Sur – With barely six weeks to go before “d day”, preparations are shifting to high gear for the staging of the Ironman 70.3 Philippines for the second consecutive year in Camarines Sur.

Camarines Sur Governor LRay Villafuerte gladly announced that the Ironman 70.3 Philippines is set on August 22 and some 600 elite multi-sport athletes from 30 countries are expected to take part in this international event..

This year’s Ironman 70.3 is the second edition of the Asian series of the Ironman championships brought to the Philippines for the first time last year principally through the efforts of the Provincial Government of Camarines Sur, Alaska Milk Corporation, and Asia Brewery.

Terenzo Bozzone, who won the Men’s Professional championship here last August, is considered yet the man to beat in this year’s skirmishes.

An accomplished multi-sport athlete who thrives well in hot weather, the Philippines and his home country New Zealand coincidentally having similar tropical climate, Bozzone will have a distinct advantage in his favor over protagonists from cold countries just like he exhibited in the first triathlon here last year.

Also registered to participate is Australian Pete Jacobs, a swimming ace who finished fourth in last year’s Ironman 70.3 Philippines, as well as top-notch Hawaiian Bree Wee, who also bagged fourth of the women’s professional division last year.

Other big names in the multi-sports registered are Kiwi now living in Australia Paul Amey, with his cap of colorful duathlon and triathlon triumphs; Fredrick Croneborg of Sweden, another power swimmer who finished sixth in the Men’s Pro category last year; Lance Watson, Olympic Gold Medal and Ironman Champion Coach; Leon Griffin, 2006 ITU World Duathlon Champion and 2nd in Ironman 70.3 Geelong 2010 in Australia, Justin Cole of Australia, Philippine based Wayne Dearing and Erich Felbabel from Hongkong.

Rated women triathletes include Rachel Paxton of Australia and Magali Tisseyre of Canada.

Set on giving them a run for the money is the horde of 571 other tri-athletes, including a large number of Filipino triathlon veterans as well as new converts who cropped up after the sensational race last year, aside from tri-athletes from United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, China, Vietnam, Hongkong, Sweden, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Germany, Japan, France, Mexico, Peru, Ireland, Austria, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, South Africa, Korea, Northern Mariana Islands, Spain, Taiwan, Czech Republic and Singapore.

Homegrown athletes are led by veterans of last year’s race Nonoy Jopson, conceded the number one Filipino Ironman; Heracleo “Leo” Oracion, the first Filipino ever to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. Other multi-sport standouts are Senator Pia Cayetano, Tessa Valdez, Dyan Castillejo and Wilfred Steven Uytengsu.

Host Camarines Sur will also field three relay teams sponsored by Governor Villafuerte, two men’s team including top local swimming, running and cycling athletes and a women team that will include CamSur’s first lady Lara Villafuerte.

The Ironman 70.3 is a combination of three sports disciplines – 1.2 miles (almost 2 kilometers) of swimming, 56 miles (over 90 kilometers) of cycling 13.1 miles (over 21 kilometers) of running for a total distance of 70.3 miles of over 113 kilometers.

The swim segment will start at one end of Lago del Rey down the rounded end turnaround and back, transfer to the CWC Cable Lake going about three-fourths of the lake island before transition to the biking stage which will run the southern course of the national highway, turn left at Anayan Pili to the Fuentebella Highway up to the town proper of Tigaon, turn to Sangay proper and another turn left toward the turnaround at Nato Port, then back to the CWC.

The run portion start at the bike transition beside the CWC, skirt a part of Lago del Rey towards barangay Maycatmon down to the San Antonio turnaround and back the same route to CWC for loop around the Lago del Rey towards the finish line. (GBClaveria/MMEC)

SORSOGON BAY, POSITIVE ANEW FOR RED TIDE

SORSOGON CITY — Shellfish Bulletin No. 15 issued by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) dated July 8, 2010 strongly advices the public that all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or “alamang” gathered from Sorsogon Bay are now again unsafe for human consumption.

BFAR bulletin says that based on the latest laboratory results of the red tide monitoring activities conducted by the agency and Office of the City and Provincial Agriculturist, shellfish samples collected from Sorsogon Bay are now positive anew of the red tide toxin.

“Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxin level in shellfish sample collected from the said area is 86ugSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat, thus, to avoid PSP, the public is advised to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting, transporting and marketing shellfish from the said bay until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory limit of 60ugSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat,” says the advisory.

However, BFAR also made it clear that fish harvested from Sorsogon Bay are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly and their internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking.

Sorsogon Bay was last declared negative of the red tide toxin in March this year and yet again declared positive on July 8, barely after four months of being dormant.

Following the declaration, local residents dependent on shellfish industry here expressed dismayed especially that some are starting to recover from previous economic losses while some has reactivated their green mussel pens.

The imposition of shellfish ban in 2006 due to recurrent occurrence of red tide hurt thousands of local residents dependent on the shellfish industry.

Meanwhile, it can be noted that BFAR Officer In-Charge Gil Ramos in his previous interviews reminded the public to remain on guard since there will always be a high possibility of re-occurrence of harmful algal bloom or red tide to previously contaminated coastal waters like Sorsogon Bay adding also that the changing weather and temperature are contributory factors.

BFAR along with the City and Provincial Agriculture Office of Sorsogon are still continuously monitoring Sorsogon Bay to safeguard public health and to protect the fishery industry.

They also appeal to the public to take necessary precautions and be kept updated of the latest results of their regular monitoring activities. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

INDIGENTS BENEFIT FROM FREE MEDICAL SERVICES SORSOGON

SORSOGON CITY — Sorsoganons overwhelmingly thanked the Bicol Clinic Foundation (BCF) following their two-month medical mission conducted in Buenavista, Brgy. Rizal, Sorsogon City that started in May and ended on July 4, this year.

”We were so glad that our health were given utmost attention through the medical mission annually conducted here by these foreign doctors,” said patients who benefited from the medical activities conducted.

Bicol Clinic Foundation vice-president James Fishelson said that Sorsoganons especially the indigents, were lucky this year to have twenty-two foreign doctors with varied specializations who stayed long here to conduct check-up and treatment of some one-hundred thirty patients daily.

”US volunteer doctors have been coming to Sorsogon for six years now to offer medical services treating minor to serious cases for free,” said Fishelson.

”We actually give general outpatient care, however, as per needed, we also conduct surgery, pre-natal and other laboratory services,”he added.

”For six months now, the BCF have already catered to more than three thousand patients including a serious case of tubercolusis with parasites and referral for kidney transplantation,” he said.

Fishelson also said that in case of serious cases beyond their physical and professional capacity, they usually refer patients to a more equipped hospital and even provide them with financial assistance.

Currently, the Bicol Clinic Foundation has twenty doctor specialists, aside from midwife, registered nurse and permanent staff working on a regular basis in thier clinic from Monday to Saturday.

Fishelson said that as long as they find patients who need assistance, the BCF will continue their voluntary medical work. ”This is the mission of our foundation which our founder and chairman Dr. Mich Schuster and his Filipino wife Marites Lacsa-Schuster from Bulan, Sorsogon has instilled in us” he further added.

”We also maintain our close coordination with the city and provincial-LGU and with the Sorsogon Provincial Health Office to improve further the quality of health services we offer to Sorsoganons,” he also said.

The Bicol Clinic Foundation also looks forward to providing personal hygiene activities and lectures to patients and eventually develop their clinic into a full-grown hospital in the future.

Fishelson also said that they would want to encourage young people here through their voluntary works to partake in serving the needy and also encourage them to start helping the poor while they are still young. (BARecebido, PIA Sorsogon)

DENR NOW ACCEPTS APPLICATIONS FOR RESIDENTIAL FREE PATENT

LEGAZPI CITY – Occupants of untitled residential public lands can now file their applications for free patents at the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) having jurisdiction over their areas.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional office here has issued the call following the approval of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) that will implement Republic Act No. 10023, otherwise known as the Free Patent Act on Residential Lands. The IRR took effect on May 30, 2010.

Under R.A. 10023, lands that are eligible for free patent applications include untitled public alienable and disposable (A&D) lands which have been zoned as residential, and zoned residential areas in proclaimed town site reservations.

Any Filipino citizen who is an actual occupant of a residential land for at least ten years may apply for free patent title, provided in highly urbanized cities, the land should not exceed 200 square meters, and in other cities, it should not exceed 750 square meters and in all other municipalities, it should not exceed 1000 square meters for as long as the land applied for is not needed for public service and/or public use.

Residential free patent applications shall be supported by the following documents:
1) A plan based on actual survey conducted by a licensed geodetic engineer and approved by the DENR;
2) Technical description of the land applied for; and
3) Supporting affidavits of two disinterested persons residing in the barangay of the city or municipality where the land is located.
Land management officials at the DENR said that the IRR (of RA 10023) will fastrack the titling process that will provide security of tenure to estimated 39 million Filipinos in the country occupying 7.8 million parcels of untitled lands classified as residential.

According to a primer, the application for a residential free patent filed at the CENRO shall be processed within 120 days to include compliance with the required notices and other legal requirements.

From here, the CENRO’s recommendation of the application shall be forwarded to the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), which shall have five (5) days to approve or disapprove the application. (ASAraya, DENR V/PIA)

CAMSUR MEDIAMAN WOUNDED IN A SHOOTING INCIDENT

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – A radio field reporter was seriously wounded when shot by unidentified gunmen in Iriga City at 8:30pm on July 9 (Fri), a military official said.

LtCol Ernesto Cruz, commander of the 42nd Infantry Battalion, identified the victim as Miguel Belen, 48, a radio reporter for DWEB located in Nabua, Camarines Sur.

“Miguel Belen was on his way home to Francia village on board his motorcycle when he was ambushed by motorcycle-riding gunmen last Friday night. The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds from a Cal .45 pistol all over his body,” said Cruz.

Belen was immediately brought to a local hospital in Iriga City for treatment. Attending physicians are saying that Belen is still in critical condition inside the hospital’s intensive care unit.

The motive of the attempted killing is still unknown as of this time.

Major General Ruperto Pabustan, commander of the 9th Infantry Division, has directed the 42nd Infantry Battalion to assist the PNP in the investigation.

Pabustan has also alerted some soldiers to provide blood donation upon receiving requests for blood donors by family members in a phone call to 9ID’s public affairs office yesterday evening. (HMCabunoc, DPAO 9ID PA/PIA)

P-Noy orders speedy release of soldiers' benefits

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III put forward soldiers’ welfare and benefits as among his early concerns for the country’s military as he presided over his first command conference with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Monday (July 12) at Camp Aguinaldo.

The President conveyed to the AFP leaders his concerns over the pace of delivery of soldiers’ benefits especially for those personnel killed in action.

He said that as far as he knew there were arrears in benefit payments from Malacanang, which has set aside portions of the President’s Social Fund as assistance to AFP members killed in duty.

He said he was meeting with the heads of Department of Budget and Management and the Presidential Management Staff to determine the status of undelivered assistance to slain soldiers and their families and dependents.

“Merong utang ang Office of the President through the President’s Social Fund for those who have been killed in action. This was promised in 2000 and is now a sizeable amount. I will be consulting with the DBM this afternoon and the PMS who manages the fund to ensure na yung utang ng OP ay mababayaran sa lalong madaling panahon,” President Aquino said.

During the command conference, the President also tackled the issue of the AFP modernization, assuring the military that he is now looking into the problems that are besetting the program, particularly those that hinder its funding

“We are studying the pertinent laws that will enable us or are posing a hindrance to achieving these outlays without massive appropriations in the GAA (General Appropriations Act),” he said.

He said that modernizing the AFP, which he laid out as one of his priority programs will involve recruiting more soldiers and upgrading their equipment “so that they will be able to do their jobs well.”

The President stressed, however, that the government would not be able to do this alone, so he suggested soliciting the possible assistance of the private sector .

“Napag-usapan yung proposal on how to fund the AFP modernization…and what was proposed today can really help achieve the aims of our modernization program at the soonest possible time by actively soliciting private sector help to assist the government in this,” the President said.

The Chief Executive arrived at the AFP headquarters at 9:40 a.m. and was welcomed by AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo David, Jr., Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and the commanders of the three major services of the AFP.

He was briefed on the military’s counter-insurgency operations, as well as on the country’s security situation and the AFP organizational structure.

The President then toured the AFP command center (AFPCC) at the second floor of the same building.

The AFPCC is manned by personnel representing the three major services of the AFP and houses the 24-hour center that facilitates direction, coordination, supervision, control, monitoring and evaluation of current combat and AFP-controlled civil assistance operations. (PIA V Release)

P-Noy congratulates Django, Julaton in Malacañang

MANILA — President Benigno S. Aquino III congratulated Monday (July 12) two outstanding Filipino athletes who recently copped world titles in billiards and women’s boxing.

The President welcomed reigning 2010 World 9-ball champion Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante and World Boxing Organization (WBO) super bantamweight titleholder Anna “The Hurricane” Julaton during the duo’s courtesy call this afternoon at the Presidential Guest House of Malacanang.

The President received a cue stick from Bustamante who bested Taipei’s Kuo Po Chen, 13-7, in the finals of the 2010 World 9-ball tilt last July 6 in Doha, Qatar.

Bustamante, who finally captured the elusive title after nearly winning it in 2002, now eyes the US Open this October, the only title missing in his trophy collections.

Bustamante was accompanied to the Palace by his wife Milagros, billiards legend Efren “Bata” Reyes, and billiards godfather Aristeo Puyat.

Puyat said Bustamante and Reyes will represent the Philippines in the World Cup of Pool slated this September in Manila.

For her part, Julaton presented to President Aquino the Everlast boxing gloves she used in defeating Mexican Maria Elena Villalobos during their action-packed title bout last June 30 in Ontario, Canada.
The President told Julaton that his father, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., was also into boxing during his college days. (PIA V Release)

P-Noy gains highest public trust rating ever for RP President at 88 per cent

MANILA — President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III has 88 per cent or “much trust” of adult Filipinos, an all-time high for any President of the Republic, according to a pre-inauguration survey conducted by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS).

The survey was conducted from June 25 to 28, using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults nationwide.
With this figure, P-Noy, as he wants himself addressed in the press, even surpassed the highest trust rating--at 42 per cent--that former President and democracy icon Corazon Aquino, his late mother, received during her time.

The survey also found that 53 per cent believe that P-Noy can fulfill a few of his promises made during the campaign.

P-Noy’s trust rating is highest in the Visayas at +87 per cent, followed by Balance Luzon at +84, Metro Manila at +84, and Mindanao at +79.

Among so-called social classes, his rating is highest in the upper-middle class ABC at +88 per cent, followed by class D or the so-called masa ( hoi polloi) at +83,and class E at +82.

The SWS survey questions about public trust in Aquino and Vice-President Jejomar Binay, and the expected fulfillment of Aquino’s campaign promises, are non-commissioned, SWS said.

As for Binay, the survey also found very good net trust ratings in all areas and classes. His net trust rating is highest in Balance Luzon at +73, while rating highest at +77 per in class E. (PIA V Release)

P-Noy to study DOE recommendation on nuclear power

MANILA — President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III will look into the possibility of tapping nuclear energy for power.

"I'm awaiting the Department of Energy (DOE) recommendation on this," he said Monday after holding his first command conference in Quezon City.

He acknowledged receiving reports that a foreign entity is interested in helping bring nuclear power to the Philippines.

President Aquino manifested openness to tapping nuclear energy as projections show the country's power demand will increase in years to come.

Authorities already cautioned against totally depending on hydropower, noting it's possible to have fluctuating supply of water needed to produce this.

They noted global warming and natural phenomena like El Niño affect supply of water for such power production.

Experts are also discouraging production of power from coal plants to help lessen environmental pollution.

The chief executive isn't keen about ordering the operation of the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), however.

"I'm really bothered and have a lot of apprehensions about BNPP," he said.

He noted BNPP's proximity to Mt. Pinatubo raises concern about safety of the facility.

Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the early 1990s after laying dormant for over 500 years.

Such explosion altered the landscape of Central Luzon forever and spewed ash that spread across the world.

Experts consider this explosion as the world's second strongest during the 20th century.

The President isn't bullish on operating BNPP as he also said it'll be costly to conduct studies on this structure.
Correcting errors in BNPP's structure will entail cost as well, he continued.

In the 1970s, former president Ferdinand Marcos ordered BNPP built to help address the Philippines' projected power demand.

This project also aims to lessen the country's dependence on foreign fuel.

Experts who worked on BNPP consider this completed facility as the Rolls Royce of its kind then.
They reported BNPP is better than other nuclear plants in the world as it has extra safety features for preventing nuclear leaks and explosions.

Marcos' successor and President Aquino's mother the late ex-Chief Executive and democracy icon Corazon "Cory" Aquino scrapped plans for operating BNPP, however.

Calls for operating BNPP surfaced as blackouts and the water crisis threat continue hounding the country. (PIA V Release)

Researchers link lack of exercise, vitamin D with Alzheimer's disease

MANILA — Senior people who take exercise and who have adequate levels of vitamin D may be less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease, two new studies suggest.

Findings of the large and long-term studies were presented Sunday at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease in Hawaii.

In one study, a team of U.S. researchers analyzed data from more than 1,200 people in their 70s. The study, which has followed people in the town of Framingham, Massachusetts since 1948, tracked the participants for cardiovascular health and is now also tracking their cognitive health.

The physical activity levels of the 1,200 participants were assessed in 1986-1987. Over two decades of follow-up, 242 of the participants developed dementia, including 193 cases of Alzheimer's disease.
Those who did moderate to heavy amounts of exercise had about a 40 percent reduced risk of developing any type of dementia. People with the lowest levels of physical activity were 45 percent more likely to develop any type of dementia than those who did the most exercise. These trends were strongest in men.

"This is the first study to follow a large group of individuals for this long a period of time. It suggests that lowering the risk for dementia may be one additional benefit of maintaining at least moderate physical activity, even into the eighth decade of life," study author Dr. Zaldy Tan of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Verteran Affairs Boston and Harvard Medical School, said in a news release.

In the second study, researchers at University of Exeter Peninsula Medical School(UEPMS) in Britain found a link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia later in life.

The researchers analyzed data from 3,325 people aged 65 and older who took part in the third U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

The participants' vitamin D levels were measured from blood samples and compared with their performance on a measure of cognitive function that included tests of memory, orientation in time and space, and ability to maintain attention. Those who scored in the lowest 10 percent were classified as being cognitively impaired.

The study found that the risk of cognitive impairment was 42 percent higher in people who were deficient in vitamin D, and 394 percent higher in those with severe vitamin D deficiency.

"It appears that the odds of cognitive impairment increase as vitamin D levels go down, which is consistent with the findings of previous European studies.

"Given that both vitamin D deficiency and dementia are common throughout the world, this is a major public health concern," study author David Llewellyn of UEPMS, said in the news release.

"Vitamin D supplements have proven to be a safe, inexpensive and effective way to treat deficiency," Llewellyn said. "However, few foods contain vitamin D and levels of supplementation in the U.S. are currently inadequate.

"More research is urgently needed to establish whether vitamin D supplementation has therapeutic potential for dementia." (PIA V Release)