by admin | Oct 15, 2018 | Headlines
While it is not yet too late, the National Museum (NM) has initiated the putting up of historical markers in Spanish-era colonial arched stone bridges that have survived the test of time and the real risk of road construction and widening operations.
Since then, these stone arched bridges would be treated as cultural properties of the country in pursuance of the constitutional right of the state to foster the preservation, enrichment and dynamic evolution of a Filipino culture, to conserve, develop, promote and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage and resources.
As cultural property, the NM means products of human creativity by which a people and a nation reveal their identity.
Along this line, the old bridges are now under the protection of the State, which regulates its disposition.
The historical marker, of the seven Spanish colonial stone bridges in Dimiao and three more in Lila now sits beside a creek in one of the seven bridges in Poblacion Dimiao, located along a street that runs parallel to the national highway.
No less than National Museum Assistant Director and Cultural Properties Division Angel Bautista represented the NM while Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Cultural heritage of the Church Chair Rev Fr. Milan Ted Torralba led the unveiling of the marker that lumps the 10 bridges which the government has just placed its mantle of protection.
Built possibly between the late 17th to the 18th century, these stone arch bridges provide an easy access for land travel across creeks that flow across the town.
Made of roughly hewn coral stones, these Spanish colonial bridges work on the basic principle of the curved design.
The curve does not push load forces straight down, instead these forces are passed along the curve of the arch to the supports on each end, called abutments.
The abutments carry the load of entire bridge and are responsible for holding the arch in its precise stable position, as passing on the forces across the arch is through a central keystone on the top of the arch.
This central keystone pushes the surrounding rocks down and outward, making entire structure very rigid and strong, explains modern day builders who have studied the arch bridges popularized during the Roman Empire and possibly copied by the Spaniards to make land travel more pleasant.
“We were able to document seven of these bridges in Dimiao alone,” shared NM Bohol officer in charge and Dimiao resident Engr. Joel Dahiroc.
He added, they also found at least three more preserved bridges of similar construction in nearby Lila town, most of these historic architectural marvels at the risk of getting destroyed for road expansion and widening operations.
A similarly built arch bridge is also along the national highway between Tagbilaran City and Baclayon, and when the road widening project hit the bridge, the contractor made plans that would retain the old Spanish bridge.
The Lao Bridge in Taguihon Baclayon may look modern on top, an old stone bridge sits below it.
Reports of another stone bridge in Loon which is now preserved even with the recent road construction over it, already reached the National Museum.
Through the unveiling of the historical markers, these heritage structures, which have been declared only recently, opens up the tempting potential for communities who have similar Spanish structures and infrastructure to notify the NM so that validation could be done quickly, Dahiroc said.
As declared cultural properties, cultural treasures and national historical land, marks, these sites or monuments are entitled to priority protection, conservation and restoration funds from government, and in times of disasters that may endanger the heritages, these sites are given priority protection by the government. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
Spanish-era arch stone bridges like this in Dimiao and Lila have been declared cultural properties of the state and puts a government mantle of protection over these structures that best illustrate the architectural marvels of the by-gone era. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Oct 13, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita, Photo Story
SHELTER ASSISTANCE IN TUBIGON – Gov. Edgar Chatto leads the Ceremonial Blessing and Turnover of 357 units of the Modified Core Shelter Assistance Project in Tubigon. The housing project was a joint effort of the DSWD, HABITAT for Humanity, the Provincial Government of Bohol and in cooperation with LGU-Tubigon. HABITAT admitted that the project was indeed delayed due to some concerns. With majority already done, focus is now on the 98 units on going construction and 10 about to be started units. With Gov. Edgar Chatto are Tubigon Vice-Mayor Billy Fortich, Executive Assistant for External Affairs “Tatay” Billy Tongco, DSWD-7 ARD Shalaine Marie S. Lucero, and representatives from partner agencies.
by admin | Oct 12, 2018 | Headlines, Tech Talk
On October 23, the innovation conference Slingshot Cebu 2018 will gather start-ups, entrepreneurs, innovators, educational institutions and government agencies at the Cebu City Sports Club.
According to the organizer Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the latest edition of Slingshot Cebu will have the theme of “Revving up your business in a Digital World”. Appropriate for its target participants which are both brick and mortar MSMEs and tech startups. Slingshot Cebu 2018 will have the twin objectives of nudging brick and mortars to adapt and adopt digital, while our tech startups will have the opportunity to network, validate business models and gain traction.
This year’s Slingshot topics include: The Digital Entrepreneurship Ecosystem, Scale Up Program for Startups, Data Privacy and Digital Marketing.
There will be two panel conversations. One to tackle Entrepreneurial Journeys and another will be on Revving up Revenues through Business Model Design. All will have both MSMEs and Startups in the panel to show that innovation and entrepreneurship are really two sides of the same coin.
Slingshot Cebu 2018 has two break-out sessions held simultaneously in the afternoon. The first session is called “The Pitch” for tech start-ups and brick and mortar MSMEs. Judges will be corporates from both the traditional and startup world. The second session is called “Coach and Connect.” This coaching session will focus on sales & marketing, financing & funding, legal, HR Related, and Payment Solutions.
Right after the conference, the DTI will launch the Startup Island Mentoring Program in Central Visayas. DTI 7 Assistant Regional Director Ma. Elena Arbon said that the Startup Island Mentoring program, which is being piloted in Cebu, is designed to help local startups gain entrepreneurial skills, strengthen their business models and scale-up.
For Slingshot Cebu 2018 event registration, interested parties may click on the following link https://goo.gl/forms/UXyJiwNCyP3IXvXg2
by admin | Oct 12, 2018 | Local News / Bohol Balita
Poor Boholano patients who have refused to go for treatment in a hospital for the confinement payments and medicine, may now find they have a government that helps them in their bills.
To realize a campaign promise to make health facilities accessible to the poor, no less than Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence Go led the opening of the country’s 11th one-stop-shop for Filipinos who need medical, financial assistance from various agencies.
Another one center would be opened in Ubay soon.
Called the Malasakit Centers, Bohol’s one-stop-shop opens inside the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran October 12, 2018 with SAP Go leading hospital authorities and heads of government agencies pooling their resources to prop up the facility for the poor here.
“Every time we fall sick, we do not know where to run. Now, we can go to this Malasakit Center and get help,” SAP Go said.
Malasakit Center is the office that directs us, SAP Go, who had been entrusted by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the opening of these centers, one that the president lodged in his office.
At times, when relatives of patients need the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, of the Department of Health, or the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) or the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), they use up all the day running through these offices.
The Malasakit Center puts them all in one place, Go was quoted in news reports.
To acknowledge the help of these agencies, Go said, “Salamat kayo sa inyong tabang kay without you, imposible [nga makabarug] ‘ning atong malasakit center.”
This is the people’s money, we gave it back to you, the trusted aide of the president and the pambansang photo bomber during Dueterte’s campaign sorties turned selfie king when Duterte won.
“Malasakit Center is the project of the office of the President and is implemented under the office of the Special Assistant to the President and without the support and cooperation of the different government agencies, this public service office would not come into existence,” Go, who is the president’s go-to-guy, stressed.
Earlier, SAP Go, turned over to hospital deputy chief Dr. Nonaluz Pizzaras a P5 million checque as initial cash aid for the hospital to jumpstart the operations of the Malasakit Center.
Putting the Malasakit Center in Tagbilaran is a decision that came about because Tagbilaran City is strategic, and patients need not cross the sea [to Cebu] to get treatment.
Malasakit Centers have also opened in Cebu, Dumaguete, Maasin, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Palawan, Manila, Davao and Pampanga.
Another Malasakit Center would be opened in Ubay, at the Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay, according to sources close to SAP Go. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Oct 11, 2018 | DTI Updates, Local News / Bohol Balita
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bohol scored plus points when all they rescued 64 passengers and 19 crew from a boat that ran aground early morning of October 9, 2019, in the vicinity seawaters off Danajon Bank.
PCG search and rescue team dispatched to the site also assured that aside from the slight dents in the boat’s hull, the grounding boat did not damage the area, had no damaged propellers and noted no oil spills.
The boat: MV South Pacific operated by Southern Pacific Transport Corporation is a 230.99 gross ton passenger ship and cargo vessel with a capacity of 204 passengers and has Cebu as home port.
MV South Pacific accordingly left Bato, Leyte at 9:00 PM October 8 with 59 passengers and 19 crew members, according to the captain of the ill-fated ship, Arturo Sullano.
While cruising off to Cebu, the boat strayed into the shallow waters and accidentally ran aground at about 1:00 AM, the skipper said in his report.
Good the incident happened in calm seas, otherwise it could be a major problem, observers who learned of the incident commented.
It was about 3:55 AM on October 9 that PCG PO1 Uy relayed to Coast Guard Tagbilaran the information and the exact coordinates of the grounding incident, for proper action.
Coast Guard Station (CGS) Tagbilaran then immediately called CGS Talibon to verify and report.
By about 4:15 of October 9, CGS Talibon established contact with the ill-fated boat captain, who confirmed the incident.
CGS Talibon then dispatched a search and rescue (SAR) team to do visual and surface inspection.
By early morning, the PCG SAR team boarded the boat and conducted an inspection in the engine room and steering room, accompanied by the ship’s crew.
The team also found no water seepage or spillage and noted that the passengers were all in good physical condition and no one was injured during the incident.
To facilitate the extraction of the stuck boat, the PCG them proceeded to transfer the passengers to PCG’s Multi Role Response Vessel (MRRV) and used a rubber boat to ferry the passengers to the PCG boat.
At about 9:00 AM, the PCG MRRV then left the stranded MV South Pacific and carried the 64 passengers and 3 crew members, to their actual destination, which is Cebu. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)
The Ill-fated MV South Pacific got too close to the shallow waters of Danajon Bank that it ran aground early morning of October 9. No one was hurt in the incident, according to the PCG. Passengers and crew were all rescued and brought to Cebu City on board PCG’s Multi-Role-Response Vessel 4404. (Photo grabbed from Anthony Aniscal’s facebook)
