Inmates complete training on massage therapy

By Analiza S. Macatangay

NAGA CITY, Nov. 7 (PIA) --- Twenty-five inmates from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) district jail here have completed their advance training on massage therapy recently as part of the agency’s inmate re-integration program following completion jail sentence.

The city government here, under the auspices of Mayor John Bongat, spearheaded the training program, in cooperation with the Rotary Club Naga in time for its 65th anniversary celebration with the theme “Sa piitan may mga pakinabang.”

Last November 3 during the graduation rites, inmates who have successfully finished the required hours for the massage training were joined by Rotarian Everette Olivan, former president of Rotary Club Naga and Arlene Espera, manager of Naga City Spa.

The organizers believe that these inmates should be given a chance to prove that they are still capable of doing productive things and still can contribute to the progress of the local economy.

BJMP Naga City District Jail Warden Superintendent Wilmor Plopinio in an interview said that the inmates/therapists will be given a chance to work at the Naga City Spa Center once they are already sent out of prison.

“In fact, while the training is going-on, we have one inmate here who has fortunately finished her sentence. She will be automatically hired as one of the legitimate massage therapists at the Naga City Spa Center. I think this kind of acceptance will give our inmates a chance to regain their normal life after their jail term,” Plopinio added.

The Advance Massage Therapy training being conducted by BJMP is only one of those trainings or activities that they have prepared to give all inmates a chance to start anew and get back to the folds of normal social life, without fear of being adversely judged or rejected by their own communities.

“Rehabilitation programs like this empower inmates to think differently of themselves since in a walled-in world of jails, training programs offer a glimmer of a possible alternative life,” Plopinio said in closing. (MAL/LSM-PIA5, Camarines Sur)


Police drivers in Sorsogon now Tesda NC II accredited

By Benilda A. Recebido

SORSOGON CITY, Nov 7 (PIA) -- Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) designated as official drivers of the different municipal and city police stations of Sorsogon Police Provincial Office (SPPO) have been issued a Driving National Certification (NC) ll by the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (Tesda).

“The accreditation was given to them after they passed the competency assessment conducted during the Training on Preventive Maintenance of PNP Vehicles and Defensive Driving last October 30 at Camp Salvador C. Escudero Sr. Sorsogon City,” PCI Nonito F. Marquez, public information officer of SPPO, said.

The training was initiated by the Sorsogon Police Provincial Office headed by Provincial Director PSSupt John CA Jambora in partnership with Tesda Sorsogon Field Office.

During the activity, PSupt Angela Q. Rejano, administrative officer gave the opening remarks while PSupt Robert AA Morico II, deputy provincial director for administration delivered an inspirational message.

Ricardo Detecio, Robert Chil and Dante Desuyo, personnel from Tesda Sorsogon Field Office served as lecturers of the training.

The Tesda lecturers gave the importance of defensive driving and described it as a form of driving that is doing anything possible to avoid any traffic accident despite the errors of other motorists/pedestrians.

They also emphasized that a defensive driver does a proper and regular maintenance of the vehicle and ensures the road worthiness and safety of the vehicle he is driving. (MAL/BAR-PIA5 Sorsogon/SPPO)


Legazpi, Sto. Domingo all set for Miss Earth 2012

By Marlon A. Loterte

LEGAZPI CITY, Nov 7 (PIA) -- Only nine days to go and the 12th annual Miss Earth beauty pageant reels off at the La Piazza Convention Center here on November 16-17 to be joined by 29 “beauties for a cause” from all over the world.

On its third edition in this city, the beauty queens will not just compete for the crown of Miss Earth but will promote and advocate progressive sustainable environment and climate change adaptation as their contribution to the "Conference of Parties 18" of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Except for the beauty queen from Macau, the 29 international beauties are:

1. Tatiana Maria Bischof - Argentina
2. Dayana Dorado Moreno – Bolivia
3. Teuira Napa - Cook Islands
4. Alba Marina Aquino Marte – Dominican Republic
5. Esther Cheyanne Foss – Fiji
6. Cherolle Myra Boubey – Gabon
7. Nel Linda Zublewitz – Germany
8. Stefany Miranda – Guatemala
9. Chersonese Archange – Haiti
10. Odily Alvarenga – Honduras
11. Guila Capuani – Italy
12. Deviyah Daranee Radhakrishnan – Malaysia
13. Yasmin Falzon – Malta
14. Lourdes aaola Aguilar Concha – Mexico
15. Nina Fjalestad – Norway
16. Zanib Naveed – Pakistan
17. Alexandra Fretes – Paraguay
18. Natalia Pereverzeva – Russia
19. Adiatu Bangura – Sierra Leone
20. Anjeza Barbatovci – Slovenia
21. Waratthaya Wongchayaporn – Thailand
22. Carlisa Williiams – Turks and Caicos
23. Levgenia Prokopenko – Ukraine
24. Zoe Kinsella – Wales
25. Aliona Chitoroaga – Moldova
26. Iulia Monica Dumitrescu – Romania
27. Rachael Angeth – South Sudan
28. Chathurika Ariyawansha – Sri Lanka
29. Do Hoang Anh – Vietnam

The beauty queens who will come for the evening gown and resort wear competitions belong to Group 3 of the international event.

The international beauty pageant will be hosted jointly by the local governments of Legazpi City, Sto. Domingo, Albay; Carousel Production, Inc.; and Local Climate Change Adaptation for Development (LCCAD) Inc., an NGO for community adaptation practitioners.

The occasion will also be highlighted by tree planting at the Mayon Eco-Park, a response to climate change adaptation and mitigation.

LCCAD Inc. President and Chairman Manuel Rangasa said that the candidates will also be featured in a mall tour and fashion show at the Pacific Mall Legazpi; tour to the Legazpi City Ecological Solid Waste Management; Cagsawa, Lignon Hill; Albay Eco-Park, Dawitan River; and ATV at Mayon Lava Flow.

Rangasa said the swim wear and long gown competitions will be held at the La Piazza Hotel and Convention Hall on November 16 at 5 p.m., while the Sarung Banggi dinner will be at the Coastal View Beach Resort in Sto. Domingo, Albay on November 17 also at 5 p.m.

Mayor Geraldine Rosal said Legazpi City will be all out in welcoming the beauty queens as it is not everyday that an event such as this takes place.

Likewise, Mayor Herbie Aguas is excited to lead the tree-planting activities and said that the trees to be planted will remain as living witnesses that on November 17, 2012, 29 beauties planted these trees in an effort to save Mother Earth. The surviving trees will be the mute testimonies to this historical and environmental event.

Albay, meanwhile, has since become a venue for national or international events with environmental concerns as the province serves as prime mover and role model for best working practices on mainstreaming climate change adaptation measures.

The Coronation Night of Miss Earth 2012 will be telecast live on Star World on November 24; Kapamilya Blockbuster on November 25, 10 a.m.; “TFC” the Filipino Channel. Tickets for the Miss Earth 2012 was being sold at the Pacific Mall Lobby since the end of October 2012. (MAL/CBV-LCCAD/FMGM PIA5)


Daet hosts 1st Int'l Paragliding Accuracy Competition

By Rosalita B. Manlangit

DAET, Camarines Norte, Nov 7 (PIA) -- Bagasbas Beach in this town will be in the center stage anew of another spectacle of water sports as paragliding enthusiasts in the country, Asia, and Europe will meet on November 8-11 for exhibition/clinic and lunch. On February 19-24, 2013, a bigger event will be held - the 1st International Paragliding and Hang Gliding Towing Competition.

The aerosports competition is jointly sponsored by the municipal government here, Bagasbas Beach Development Council, Mikes-Kites, and the Philippine Paragliding and Hang Gliding Association (PPHGA).

Mayor Tito Sarte-Sarion said that PPHGA aims to develop specific areas for international paragliding competition and to work with the local communities to allow access to safe launch sites and landing areas.

He said that early this year, Mike Kites, a local kite boarding school here, introduced here powered paragliding in Bagasbas Beach and then months later a winch (equipment) assisted/towed paragliding was tested at the Bagasbas Airport.

Mayor Sarion said the aerosports show is seen to promote Bagasbas Beach as the only site in Southeast Asia with winch towed paragliding and to introduce the town as a possible candidate venue of Paragliding Accuracy World Cup.

The event will also be a way to choose the town as one of the site for selecting and training of the Philippine National Team under the auspices of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) and also to boost the tourism and business opportunities here.

The 1st FAI (The International Air Sports Federation) World Paragliding Accuracy Championships was held in the United Kingdom in 2000. Over the past few years, there are paragliding competitions running in Japan, Kazaktan, Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Korea. On the other hand the 1st FAI Asian Paraglidng Accuracy Championships was held last June 12-18 in Yilan, Taiwan.

Paragliding is a burgeoning adventure sport that has attracted individuals from all walks of life because it give the freedom of the skies. It employs a self-supporting fabric wing, similar to a kite boarding wing, that is fully collapsible and can be easily carried in back-pack while hang gliding employs fabric over a rigid frame.

The municipal government here has already sponsored three international kite boarding competitions in 2009 , 2010, and 2011. (MAL/RBM-PIA5, Camarines Norte)