Two Bicolano youths vie for prestigious TOSP

by Aida Alcazar-Naz

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 08 (PIA) -- Two Bicolano youths have chances of joining the prestigious circle of Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) this year.

Thirty-two newly graduated young achievers for school year 2010-2011 were successfully selected by the National Screening Board as finalists for the 2011 TOSP. From hundreds of nominees who won in respective regional search nationwide said 32 nominees made it to the roster of national finalists after long hours of dedicated and conviction-packed deliberations, according to the RFM Foundation, the search main sponsor.

The two Bicolano national finalists are Arleen T. de los Reyes, a graduate of University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City and Domar Nicolas A. Sara, graduate of Ateneo de Naga University.

De los Reyes is a cum laude graduate of Bachelor of Secondary Education of UNC, was an awarded as one of the Ten Outstanding Students of Bicol by a non-government organization, a university leadership awardee, an outstanding education student awardee and a delegate to the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Leadership Journey.

Sara graduated from ADNU with a Bachelor of Science Entrepreneurship degree cum laude, voted Naga City Youth Mayor in 2008, a youth ambassador in the Japan-East Asia Network for Exchange Students and Youth Program (JENESYS) in 2009, Black Shell Industry social entrepreneur, 2nd runner-up to the Most Outstanding Entreprenuership Student of the Philippines for years 2009 and 2010

The finalists were grouped into seven education disciplines. These are

Medicine and Health Related Profession—Geminn Louis C. Apostol, Ateneo de Manila University; Jane Aprille S. Luis, Benguet State University; Christopher M. Millora, West Visayas State University; Ramon Victor G. Roxas Jr., Far Eastern University; Inna Joyce J. Siazon ; St. Paul University and Kendrick Nigel C. Tan, Centro Escolar University;

Agriculture, Science, and Math-- Sean Vincent L. Aquilino, University of the Philippines – Diliman; Julius Paul V. Juen, University of St. La Salle and Jonathan Andro P.Tan, Silliman University;

Engineering, Architecture, Maritime, and Information Technology--Juanito A. de la Rosa, University of Sto. Tomas; Wilson Lloyd C. Estero, Colegio de Dagupan and Jerrence S. Taguines, Angeles University Foundation;

Humanities, Communications, and Social Sciences--Renee Juliene Karunugan, University of the Philippines-Los Baños; Sittie Norhanie H.Lao, Mindanao State University-Main; Patricia Andrea D. Pateña, Saint Theresa's College; Rio Carl F. Miguel, Filamer Christian University; Marie Olivia Ramos, St. Scholastica's College; Maria Angelica O. Reyes, De La Salle University – Lipa and Karla Marie T. Tumulak, University of the Philippines-Cebu;

Teacher Education-- Arleen T. de los Reyes, University of Nueva Caceres; Robert P. Fugaban, St. Paul University; Lovely A. Genoguin, University of San Jose Recoletos; Lalaine M. Hangdaan, Ifugao State University; Michelle Marie Montelibano, Assumption College; Johnattan E. Valdez, St. Mary's University;

Business, Entrepreneurship, Economics, Industry, Criminology, Law--Allaenvin C. Columna, International School of Asia and the Pacific; Mae O. Estuche, University of Iloilo; Athena C. Plaza, University of San Carlos; Domar Nicolas A. Sara, Ateneo de Naga University;

Accountancy-- Kathreen U. Alcantara, University of St. La Salle; Shiela Marie V. Ladroma, University of San Carlos; Ariston J. Miñez III, University of the Philippines – Visayas.

Females dominated this year’s search to 17 while male finalists total to 15. In years past Metro Manila schools normally ruled the number of finalist but this year the honor is shared with Visayas- located higher education institutions. Meantime, nine finalist-nominees are from Luzon and one from Mindanao.

A one-week finalists formation started July 29 followed by other events such as outreach day, interaction with other TOSP awardees during an alumni night, wreath laying at the Rizal monument in Luneta and the final judging through a one –on-one interview.

Results are expected to be announced anytime this week-end or early next week. Just like in past years, awarding is at Malacañang Palace with the President of the Republic of the Philippines as the guest of honor.

The TOSP is an annual search for student achievers that dates back in 1961. The quest recognizes exceptional youths for their academic excellence, leadership, good morals and diverse involvement within the community. TOSP seeks to promote integrity, excellence and service as a way of life. The program hopes to instill among the finalists a deep commitment and understanding to the youth as factors to the success of each scholar and the Filipino community as a whole.

Each year, candidates start their road to TOSP honors from their schools who shall nominate them to the regional TOSP search. He or she should not be more than thirty years of age and a bona fide Filipino citizen with no criminal record. They should also be graduating students of the current academic year from any Commission on Higher Education (CHED)-accredited university or college. They must not have failing grades from first to the final year of college and are consistently active in both academic and extra-curricular programs and activities.

The TOSP was established by leading businessman Jose Concepcion Jr. on June 19, 1961, on Jose Rizal’s 100th birth date. Concepcion believes that the youth should take inspiration from Rizal and that the key to a nation's prosperity, peace and harmony is for the youth to be aware of the values of high integrity, good morals and education.

In 1961, one of the TOSP was the former Bicolano Senator Raul Roco of Naga City.

Bicol has its share of TOSP winners in the past. Four of them are from Ateneo de Naga University, Ira Sheena Howard in 2008, Julie Lucille del Valle and Ben Secretario in 2007 and Jose Bas, Jr. in 2004. Another TOSP awardee in 2005 was Butch Saulon of the University of Nueva Cacares also in Naga City. From 1994, Bicol had finalists to the TOSP search. (MAL/AAN, PIA V)

Sorsogon PESO reports updates on special recuitment, other programs

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, Aug. 8 (PIA) -- A total of 119 overseas employment applicants have been assisted and recorded by the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) here in the province of Sorsogon under the Special Recruitment Activity (SRA) program for the last quarter of 2010 and first two quarters of 2011.

Lorna B. Hayag, provincial government head of the Human Resources Management Office (HRMO) and at the same time PESO officer of the province , in an interview provided to the Philippine Information Agency office said.

"A total of 11 Overseas Recruitment Agencies and legitimate ones coordinates with our PESO office here and we provided the public the announcement on what jobs these agencies are looking for.", Hayag explained.

"We have also assisted Jobs Fair in coordination with requesting Manila based recruitment agencies and so far deployment of these workers who applied went to the countries of Quatar, Malaysia, Dubai and Hongkong", she said.

"Here in Sorsogon we have also assisted the employment of almost 83 persons through local employment with the opening here of Mang Inasal, a food chain that hires employees. 24 persons are now employed by the said food chain here", she further explained.

According to Hayag another local employment is the Sunwest Group of Companies with 59 assisted applicants for this two quarters of 2011 and as reported almost a total of 30 were hired.

"Basically the PESO here has been the recipient of of a provincial, regional and national awards. Last year, Sorsogon has been the national awardee in the Search for the Best PESO during the National Peso Congress" , she said.

This year , the PESO here has been assisting also the different agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment on trainings like the training on Child Labor Knowledge Sharing System ( CLKSS)

It has also been providing on-going posting online of vacancies and have created the PESO website assistance to the different local government websites.

"Just recently we have a meeting in Catanduanes where we have discussed the guidelines again on the Search for the Best PESO which will be held at Davao during the 11th National PESO Congress and the province of Sorsogon will again vie and hopefully will again win and make it this year f", Hayag said.

The SRA assistance here, she said has been strengthened through the provincial government leadership and their office i by providing employment interventions mechanisms like the scheduling here of the Mobile Passporting activities. Applicants applying for jobs abroad can now on schedule have their passports filed and assessed and then picked up through the PESO office here in the province.

The PESO here maintains 10 overseas recruitment agencies namely the Nonstop Overseas Employment Corporation, One World Enterprises Network,Novation Resources Philippines,Maanyag International Manpower Corporation,Humania International,First Asia Career Solution,Al Alama International Manpower, First Champion Corporation and International Corporation.

Hayag said that on a yearly basis, these 10 overseas recruitment agencies at least recruit more than 200 job applicants overseas which they disseminate and assist through the PESO.office.

According to Hayag, the provincial PESO office here have also been providing all municipal PESOs continuous information on how they can assist in the Phil-Jobnet Establishment Registration through the Labor Market Information (LMI).

"We are coordinating with the Sorsogon Technical Educational Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) office here in the job seeker match and job vacancies scheme in the creation of more and better job opportunities", she said.

She also said that in their PESO association quarterly meeting held at Catanduanes last August 2, 2011, the PESO officers passed a resolution for the institutionalization of the all PESO office. That national government. allocate funds with a plantilla position for a PESO officer with an independent office..It should not just be a ride on work to the HRMOs", Hayag expressed. (MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

Albay LGU, CIRCA to lead coastal clean up in Tiwi

LEGAZPI CITY, Aug. 8 (PIA) -- The Albay Centre for Initiatives and Research on Climate Adaptation (CIRCA) and Climate Change Academy for LGUs has been tasked by Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda to lead a coastal clean-up along the coastlines of three villages in Tiwi, Albay this coming August 13.

Salceda, UNISDR Senior Global Champion on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, said the move is in line with the priority policy agenda of the provincial government to demonstrate Albay in Action on Climate Change (A2C2) program.

He said clean-ups alone can't immediately solve the marine debris problem, stressing that “We need to stop it at the source, armed with indigenous knowledge about the most prevalent components of marine debris, elected officials can make informed policy decisions, and community leaders can more effectively tailor and expand recycling and other waste reduction programs.”

“Partners and Corporations can see the need for improved new technology and reduced packaging, and individuals are inspired to properly dispose of trash to keep it out of the sea,” he added.

Salceda furthered that “This will even enhance the panoramic view of the coastal areas along the shores of Barangay Joroan and neighboring villages of Sogod and Baybay, preparing the sites for the religiously spectacular marian procession of Albay patron saint, Our Lady of Salvation on the 20th in time for the fiesta of host Barangay Joroan.”

Dubbed ‘Baybaying Yaman’, the coastal cleanup is a joint undertaking by the CIRCA/CCA for LGUs with special support from partners Joint Program United Nations MDG Achievement Fund: 1656 Albay Demo, Rural Bank of Guinobatan Incorporated (RGBI), Philippine Army, Navy and Air Force, Coastguard, Philippine National Police (PNP), Maritime Police, and the municipal government of Tiwi, led by Mayor Jaime Villanueva.

Nong Rangasa, executive director of CIRCA & Climate Change Academy for LGUs said barangay officials along the marian procession routes have organized around 100 residents who volunteered to pick up pieces of dirts, beverage bottles from beaches, shorelines, clear the areas.

“We also encourage them to step up campaign on information and education effecting behavioral change among residents to refrain from polluting the sea and other water channels,” he said.

Village leaders and residents will also be working shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of students, business partners and uniformed participants from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Salvador Apinado, CIRCA staff in charged of community organizing for this event, said the Governor through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), headed by Ms. Yolanda Guanzon, has committed to provide 5-kgs rice for each family that will join the cleanup drive.

Apinado said activities like this also help motivate barangay residents to take care of their surroundings and continue the ‘bayanihan’ spirit towards climate-resilient communities. (MAL/RMN/CIRCA/CCA)

NSO conducts 2011 Family Health Survey

VIRAC, Catanduanes, Aug. 8, (PIA) -- National Statistics Office (NSO) Catanduanes Provincial Office is conducting the 2011 Family Health Survey (FHS) in August 2011.

The FHS is a nationwide survey designed to provide information on maternal and child health, family planning and other health-related concerns in order to assist policymakers and program managers in evaluating and designing strategies for improving health and family planning services in the country.

It will also update findings from a series of Family Planning Surveys conducted from 1995 to 2006, various rounds of the National Demographic and Health Survey.

The FHS is a stand-alone survey and will involve interviewing all women who are 15 to 49 years of age in the sample households. These women will be asked questions about some of their background characteristics, the children they have given birth to, use of family planning methods, the health of their children, their reproductive health and other information which will be helpful to policymakers and administrators in the fields of health and family planning.

The 2011 FHS aims to provide information to monitor changes on fertility, family planning practice, selected maternal and child health, and key health indicators in the country for the use by the Government in assessing the progress of its programs on population and health. Some of the specific objectives of the survey are:

1.Determine the contraceptive prevalence rate and contraceptive method mix;

2.Determine the source of supplies and services for selected modern contraceptive methods;

3.Determine the current level of unmet need for family planning;

4.Determine the differentials in the use of contraceptive method by age, place of residence, education, occupation and socio-economic status;

5.Determine reasons for non-use of family planning;

6.Measure the percentage of births where mothers and their children are subject to elevated risks of morbidity and mortality;

7.Get more recent measure of under-five mortality and maternal mortality;

8.Determine the provision of selected essential newborn care to infants;

9.Determine the percentage of women breastfeeding, the median duration of breastfeeding , and prevalence of breastfeeding among infants up o six months;

In the province, twelve (12) sample barangays, each sample barangay with sixteen (16) sample households will be interviewed in the municipalities of Baras- 3 barangays, Caramoran- 2 barangays, Pandan-1 barangay, San Andres-4 barangays and Virac- 2 barangays.

Pursuant to the provision of Section 4 of Act 591, information obtained from the respondents shall be held strictly confidential and shall not be divulged to any person except authorized NSO personnel acting in the performance of their duties.

Actual enumeration is from August 1, 2011 to August 26, 2011. (MAL/EABagadiong, PIA Catanduanes/NSO)

25 pregnant women trained on baking and candy making in San Lorenzo Ruiz town

by Rosalita Base-Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, Aug. 8 (PIA) -- Some 25 pregnant women were trained on bread, cakes and candies making in the town of San Lorenzo Ruiz held at the Senior’s Citizen Building in the said town this province recently.

Socrates J. Fuentebella, municipal nutrition action officer of LGU-San Lorenzo Ruiz, said that the one day training aims that pregnant women while waiting for the delivery can prepare foods for their siblings and at the same time, make the technology on bread, cakes and candy as a livelihood to support and augment their day to day existence.

Jorge Pedro V. Villanea, PSTD of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said that the training was requested by the Municipal Government of San Lorenzo Ruiz as part of the celebration of Nutrition month of the municipality.

He advocated for the continuous production after the learning of the technology so as not to waste resources of the government.

He said that the training is part of the DOST’s program on Food Processing and Good Manufacturing practices.

Nora Lobos of the Abby’s Pasalubong (one of the beneficiary of the DOST assisted projects) trained the participants and products after the training were cheese cupcake, crinckles, pili yema and banana chips.

Marilou J. Belgado, SRS II of the DOST emphasized the twelve salient points in Good Manufacturing Practices focusing on food processing industry.

San Lorenzo Councilor Arnulfo Bacuňo delivered a short talk in recognition of the efforts made by DOST and LGU San Lorenzo Ruiz for the success of said activity. (MAL/RBM, PIA Camarines Norte)

NADESCOM, ABS-CBN construct 2-classroom school building in Castilla

by Irma A. Guhit

SORSOGON CITY, Aug. 8 (PIA) -- A 2-room school building is being constructed at the campus of Pandan High School in Barangay Pandan, Castilla town, through the initiative of the 103rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army and National Development Support Command (NADESCOM), in partnership with ABS-CBN and Castilla local government.

Col. Felix J. Castro, commander of the 103rd IB of PA, said during a dialogue with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) provincial head Irma Guhit during this morning Pledge of Commitment and Adherence to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) observance, said that BGen Rene Pilapipil, deputy commander of the NAESCOM) led the ground breaking of the project last June together with Marcel Rinon of the ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation and local government officials.

ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya Foundation has provided the cost of building materials, the local government of Castilla share on labor labor cost, while other needed manpower assistance given by the Army's engineering brigade.

"Here we can see the inter-operability of public and private organization complementing each other to pursue development projects for the community," Col. Castro said.

"We have also emphasized with our presence here the" bayanihan spirit" in every undertaking that the community and the Army is implementing," according to Castro.

The 2-room school building will now allow next year the school to accept students up to the 4th year.

The inadequate number of classrooms, according teacher in-charge Lucia Villa of Pandan High School, was the main reason why they can not allow additional enrollment.

"We have inadequate classrooms, now we will be able to open the 4th year class. We are very thankful to the PA here through Col Castro, this project is now being undertaken", she said.

The additional classrooms according to Villa will ultimately benefit the students from five other barangays who everyday walk several kilometers to go to the nearby Barangay Dinapa where there are extra school rooms to accommodate the students.

"The construction of these school buildings will be a big help to lessen the cost of travel of students who before will always enroll at Dinapa due to the lack of school rooms in Pandan," she said.

Meanwhile Vince Nato during his visit to the school administrator reiterated that through the office of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW), Secretary Imelda Nicolas have also assured the Army and the local communities of Pandan that additional help will be provided by the Commission for Filipinos Overseas providing logostics for another school building next year.(MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)