15 pilots join 2nd Daet International Aerosports Show

BY: ROSALITA B. MANLANGIT

DAET, Camarines Norte, April 3 (PIA) – Fiftheen (15) local and foreign show pilots joined the 2nd Daet International Aerosports Show, now showcasing anew this town in the reign of water sports events in the country and in the world, held at the Bagasbas Beach of this town March 27-30 this year.

The show featured foreign pilots like David Graupera (Spain),  paramotor display pilot instructor; Masaya Nakanome (Japan), display pilot instructor; Paul Banks (Poland), competition pilot; Karl Kreiple  (Austria), tandem pilot instructor; Mark Gambril (USA), quad paramotor pilot; Jeremy Caroll (New Zealand), paramotor paraglider pilot; Joachim Katz and Jumbo Dirk  both of Germany, paraggliders.

Other show pilots from the country were Joseph Oncada, tandem paraglider pilot; Buko Raymundo, air sports specialist; Carla Montero, XC pilot national team; Albert Mendoza, microlite pilot; Christopher Romano, service crew; Jet Acuna and Raymund Lumabad both paragliders.

Jeremy Caroll of New Zealand, paramotor paraglider pilot lauded the local government unit of Daet for sponsoring the event adding that the Bagasbas Beach is a very nice area in aerosports and he really enjoyed the place. He also teaches visitors in paramotor paragliding during the duration of the show.

Earlier during the press briefing Mayor Tito Sarion said that the event is an opportunity for Daet to be known in aerosports show especially now that there was no hot-air balloon in Pampanga.

The event is in partnership with the Philippine Paragliding and Hang-gliding Association (PPHGA), Mike Kites, the local kite boarding school in Daet and Bagasbas Beach Development Council.

He said that the Bagasbas Beach festival was added this year in order to cover activities like surfing and kiteboarding. In 2009, 2010 and 2011 kiteboarding international competitions were also sponsored by the local government of Daet, he said.

He said that the Bagasbas Beach in Daet was established as the 61st surfing point of the world. It can be promoted as best for beginners because it is not as big as Siargao in Surigao del Norte. Mike Kites offers surfing and kiteboarding clinic for a minimal fee, he said.

He said that Mike Gambril of USA, owner of Mike Kites, who was married to a Pilipina is now based in Bagasbas and was very supportive to promote the tourism of Daet. Gambril together with Kite Tour Asia introduced him to the PPHGA and eventually we agreed to initiate the 1st Daet international paraggliding and hang-gliding competition in March last year, he said.

“We really need to promote aerosports to be known and popular, we have already started and we need the private sector to help us especially businessmen, hotel owners and among others who also wanted to invest in this kind endeavor, he said.

The other surfing destinations in the country aside from the Bagasbas Beach in Daet are in the Baler, Aurora; San Juan La Union; Siargao, Surigao del Norte and Bura France in Catanduanes, he said.

 “We also have here in Bagasbas Beach a fiber optic, a submarine cable communication line of the Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications (PLDT) that connects us to other Asian country”. The area was chosen for the project because there is no fault line here, he said.

Cory Quirino, a television host of Thumbs-up of ANC channel who also grace  the opening said that she appreciated the events lined up because there are activities in environment and disaster like the Bicol Ecological Camp on Outdoor Activities and Disaster Risk Reduction Awareness and Climate Change Adaptation campaign as well as the Observance of Earth Hour.

Aerosports show back to back with Bagasbas Beach festival featured paragliding, paramotor fly by winch towing by cloudstreet, accuracy landing, ultralight/paramotoring fun flying, paraw regatta, aerobics at the beach, pinyasan festival repeat performance (2nd place in Magayon Festival of Festivals), search for Mr. and Ms.  Beach Bodies, BE COOL mangrove planting, BE COOL inter-action with Ilac Diaz of My Shelter Foundation and Kampo Bayanihan of Philippine Army.

Among other personalities and guests during the events were Hector Villegas of the Emotional Quotient Academy; Bembol Roco, Ping Medina and among others as the stars of the sine panitik project of the Film Academy of the Philippines who also held their shooting coinciding the event; Councilor Arnel Ruanto of Infanta, Quezon and Kaya Natin Movement; Ilac Diaz,  Executive Director of My Shelter Foundation, Kim Barquilla Blaza, program officer of the National Competitiveness Council (NCC).

The events were also in partnership with the Department of Tourism (DOT), League of the Municipalities (LMP), provincial government of Camarines Norte, Daet Press Corps and Bicol Advocates for Heritage Enrichment and Development (Bicol AHEAD).

Among the corporate sponsors were Air Sports Adventure, MacDonalds, Home-PLDT, SM Hypermart, BCSI, Ginebra San Miguel, Taichi Moringa Vita, Planters Product, Bicol Harvest Magazine, GSM Blue. (MAL/RBM-PIA5/CamNorte).

BFP warns dealers on selling fire protection paraphernalia

SORSOGON CITY, April 3 (PIA) – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in this city warned dealers and the public in general on rampant selling of any fire protection appliance or equipment in Sorsogon City.

This following two separate complaints just recently from victims of fraud dealer of fire protection paraphernalia selling them products using the name of the Bureau of Fire Protection to convince them.

“To ensure safety of all, I would like to call the attention of the general public about the rampant selling of any fire protection appliance and instrument especially gadgets which are connected to the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG),” said BFP Sorsogon City SInsp Walter Badong Marcial.

He said this act is strictly prohibited by the bureau since the BFP is not authorized to endorse any company or agent in selling products. He further advised the public to ask for business permit issued by the Local Government of Sorsogon City before buying any product.

He also said that the public needs to be more cautious and sensitive so as not to be victims of any fraudulent act. “Let us all be vigilant and immediately report any person who take advantage of and use the name of BFP to deceive others,” said SInsp Marcial.

He added that in case of fire and other related emergency cases, Sorsogon City BFP can be reached at their hotline numbers 421-6320 and 09094567636.

Meanwhile, the BFP had also been reminding the public to be always on guard and be critical in buying fire extinguishers as there are also fake fire extinguishers being sold in the market.

These fire extinguishers, aside from being unlicensed, the quality is not also guaranteed having failed to pass the product commodity standard.

According to BFP, consumers must not only consider affordability in buying fire extinguishers but instead think about its quality because in most cases, cheaper fire extinguishers are sub-standard and cannot be depended upon in times of fire incidents.

To ensure quality fire protection products, consumers must look for the quality product sticker or the Philippine Standards (PS) License mark and buy only from accredited dealers. (MAL/BAR-PIA5/Sorsogon)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=801396480411#sthash.rEgUQVlK.dpuf

Women Commission lauds GAD initiatives of three LGUs in Albay

BY: SALLY A. ATENTO

LEGAZPI CITY, Apr 1 (PIA) -- The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) recognized the initiatives and best practices of three local government units (LGUs) in Albay in the implementation of Gender and Development (GAD) programs in their communities as part of the Women Summit held yesterday at the Albay Astrodome here.

These LGUs are Polangui, Tiwi and Manito.

PCW local coordinator Tet Triunfante said these LGUs passed their criteria in determing LGUs supportive of inititating localization of Magna Carta of Women by crafting their GAD Code and implementing GAD programs in their respective communities.

“These criteria include trainings conducted on GAD, initiatives on upholding development of both men and women, implementation of GAD focal point system as structure to mainstream and implement Magna Carta of Women in their localities, crafting of GAD plan and budget based on the new approved template and crafting of the GAD code,” Triunfante said during the awarding ceremony.

Polangui is the first LGU in the province to craft their GAD code aligned with the Magna Carta.

Polangui and Tiwi are chosen as pilot LGUs for the implementation of GAD programs in the province.

Manito on the other hand initiated its own GAD programs.  

Also done in the said Women Summit are talks on Money Management for Wives, Mothers and Women with Bangko Sentral research specialist Paulette Santiago and the Role of Women in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management with Department of Science and Technology (DOST) research specialist Katherine Viñegas.

Santiago noted the need to save and prepare an emergency fund especially among mothers for their families to be ready in facing untoward events such as when a member of the family gets sick or when the breadwinner loses job.

Actress and wife Maricel Laxa-Pangilinan of The Master’s Lighthouse Foundation also motivated and inspired women participants with her talk on Relationships: knowing your worth, knowing your value as a woman.

She stressed the need for women, also especially among mothers, to know their purpose and to love themselves, be cautious of what enters their mind and comes out of their mouth and to recognize that the people around them are more important than things.

“It is important for us women to know our purpose, to love ourselves and uphold how we see ourselves for us to assist our society, by rearing our children well, and by that they will be part of people with positive views in their lives,” she said.

“Woman, you are beautiful, you are precious. Love your family and the people around you,” said the actress as she finished her talk.

Around 1,200 participants, majority of which are from women’s organization all over the province, joined the said summit. (MAL/SAA-PIA5/Albay)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=2571396329685#sthash.YAHCGxox.dpuf

DENR Bicol scores anew vs. illegal trading of charcoal

LEGAZPI CITY, April 2 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Bicol scored another  conviction of of an illegal wood charcoal trader as the regional office is upping the ante of its campaign to enforce forestry laws in the region.

PENRO Ponciano Mabeza of Camarines Norte reported that they are able to have a conviction of Jose Nazario Crescini for violation of Section 77 of Presidential Decree No. 705 otherwise known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines last December 5, 2013.

Crescini was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating the said environmental law by Judge Roberto Escaro, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 38 of Daet.

The accused was apprehended by police authorities transporting 16 sacks of undocumented wood charcoal in his public utility vehicle last February 26, 2011.

He was prosecuted for violating Sec. 77 of PD No. 705 for possessing timber or other forest products without legal documents required under existing forest laws.

Consequently he was sentenced to an indeterminate penalty of six months of arresto mayor as minimum and four years, two months and one day of pricion correccional as maximum.

“We have scored successive prosecution of persons involved in the illegal wood charcoal trade in the province of Camarines Norte and continue to do regular patrolling and conducting mobile checkpoint along the Bicol Natural Park,” Mabeza said.

Earlier, Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales issued a stern directive to field officers to prosecute all those who shall be violating existing forestry laws. (MAL/JSBasanta-DENR5/PIA5)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=771396576036#sthash.grOyB7zL.dpuf

NGCP turns over school Infra projects to CamSur beneficiaries

BY: ANA-LIZA S. MACATANGAY

NAGA CITY, April 1 (PIA) ---  A two-classroom building and a covered stage were recently turned-over to Del Rosario Elementary School in Pamplona and Sta. Cruz Elementary School in Buhi, respectively, on Wednesday last week by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) as a way of strengthening its relationship with its hosts communities of its facilities all over the region.

The 2-classroom building served as NGCP’s token to the barangay constituents of Pamplona as host community for the Naga-Libmanan 69KV, Naga-Labao 230 KB and Naga –Tayabas 500KV transmission lines of NGCP.

NGCP, based on the community’s request, also constructed covered stage in Barangay Sta. Cruz in the municipality of Buhi as this area is traversed by Naga-Tiwi 230KV Single line 11 towers and Naga-Tiwi 230 KV Double Bundle 12 towers.

As part of its corporate social responsibility, NGCP sees to it that host barangays are given priorities in terms of infra projects not just to safeguard their transmission facilities but also to gain the support of the community as its primary stakeholders.

According to NGCP Naga District head Engr. Luis Wong, the projects that they are giving to the community is in exchange for the protection the community is giving to their facilities.

NGCP SOuth Luzon Corporate Communication and Public Affairs Office chief Nelson Bautista said that while it is part of their corporate social responsibility, it is also their way of giving back and saying thank you to the members of community for helping NGCP protect their transmission lines.

“Our campaign to protect the citizenry by coming up with a strong transmission lines will not be possible without the cooperation of the barangay constituents. They are the first liners and the first responders in case there are problems in their village. By strengthening our transmission, we are already planting the seeds of a powerful nation,” Bautista added.

As for the recipients of their infra projects, Bautista stated that granting of such depends on the needs of the constituents. Upon learning that there is insufficient classrooms for at least 423 school children in Del Rosario Elementary School on Pamplona, they responded by taking part in the “Adopt-A-School” program spearheaded by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The NGCP endeavors to help the school in its target of increasing the academic performance level of pupils. Congested and densely populated classrooms, NGCP believes, will not enhance learning and will hamper the student’s full potential to participate in class discussion.

NGCP also donated a school stage with concrete roofing at Sta. Cruz Elementary School in Buhi as a way of showing their gratitude to the good people of the said barangay for maintaining the usefulness of the NGCP towers in their area.  This is also in response to the request of 267 students and 8 teachers of the said school.

The project was realized through the joint efforts of NGCP, the local government unit of Buhi, Barangay Unit of Sta. Cruz and the PTA members and officers of the said school.

Corporate Affairs Field Officer Nilda E. Somera said that the project intends to provide venue for educational, cultural, social and institutional activities of the barangay.  This, she said is expected to enhance the corporate image strengthen partnership with partner LGUs and make the barangay constituents their loyal ally in safeguarding the transmission facilities in their respective areas of jurisdictions.  (MAL/LSM-PIA5/CamSur)
- See more at: http://news.pia.gov.ph/index.php?article=861395985922#sthash.RVk74ktF.dpuf