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‘River clean-up’ goal: change Water quality after 6 months
To have substantial improvements in the rivers’ water quality by June 2019: this fairly sums up the mission the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and its horde of community volunteers in embarking on the simultaneous River Clean-Up this Friday, February 22. And according to the new Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Charlie Fabre, the task may not be that tough a challenge for Bohol than in other Central Visayan provinces. Fabre, who had a long stint as PENRO of Negros Oriental and an even longer stint as Regional Director for Caraga, said he has seen all the 10 rivers which DENR 7 identified for the February 22 simultaneous clean-up, and the three Bohol rivers are better than the 7 others in the region. While the DENR monitored higher coliform levels at the lower banks of these Bohol rivers, its headwaters are still mostly category A, meaning, these can be sources of drinking water, or at least safe for swimming. Should Bohol succeed in elevating the water quality of its identified rivers, then the clean-up picks another location based on the current local inventory and the need to get these rivers into shape again, according to Fabre. It may be recalled that after the DENR led governments and the civil society in successfully cleaning up Manila Bay in what media would call as Battle of Manila Bay, DENR secretary also looked at the implementation of the Clean Waters Act of 2004 or the Republic Act 9275. The law basically applies to water quality management in the country’s body of water by control of pollution from land... read moreUBI-ouslyoff to extinction, The vanishing ubi culture
That ubiquitous ubi solemnly embellishing the popular Pinoy halo-halo, may soon be lost, thanks to a culture that looks down on the hardwork and perseverance of ubi-farmers, being low class, dirty nailed slaves of the land. Bohol has gained over 200,000 kilos of ubi in the past year, according to data cited by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. The figure however is yet to be shown in the local markets as there have not been much of the 200,000 kilos, enough to flood the markets with the purple or the white yam. On the 18thUbi Festival here, there is enough reason to believe that ubi could possibly vanish in the next generation. Here for generations immemorial, ubi has endeared itself to Boholanos, that the crop sits on a pedestal along with some faint objects associated with the pagan animist faith. It is so defined in some family altars during the padogmak (harvest thanksgiving) which also coincides with the All Saints and All Souls day. But how did the ubi get there? According to scientific research, ubi(DioscoreaAlatasp) was said to be brought in by THE Austranesian cultures. But the natives have another story for this. A drought which lasted for months practically killed almost all the food plants. The natives found vines with traces of green or purple towards the roots, and they started digging it up. Out came the ubi, a food natives believed was provided by the gods of the forest and the gods of the land. And true enough, it is seasonal and survives towards the last months of the year. As it is, farmers who... read more
The Call from the TAPP:
Alicia opens trail Until January 25 TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol January 12 (PIA)–The gorgeous trails leading to the best panoramic views in eastern Bohol open again this year for the annual The Alicia Panoramic Park (TAPP) Trail Run 2019 in time for the foundation days celebration of the town, 100 kilometers from this capital city. Said to be most brutally beautiful race that allows trail masters to get a glimpse, or a selfie at the scenery, the TAPP trail run gets a trail runner from The Farm in Barangay Cambaol, Alicia to dizzying elevations by following the pasture trails that make their way to Mount Labawan, the trail’s highest peak at over 350 meters towering over the largely rolling landscape. Now fast becoming the town’s most popular sports tourism product, the trail run this year, set February 24, Sunday, is open for 5 kilometer kiddie, the 10 kilometers and the 30 kilometers trail for the hardcore runners who have found the real challenge off-road and away from the pavements. With registration opening since December, the TAPP trail run attempts to limit the number of runners considering the trails’ carrying capacity, according to town tourism officer Godelia Lumugdang. When there were over 350 runners who registered in last year’s TAPP Trail series for the 21 kilometers, organizers this year opened limited 150 slots for the 30 kilometers, another 150 slots for the 10 kilometers and 50 slots for the kiddie 3 kilometer race, she added. Registration for the 30 kilometer race is P1,200, for the 10 kilometer race, P700 and for the 5 kilometer kiddie, P500. Registration which includes an event...“FACADE: Opening an Open Space of Possibilities”
Dalareich Polot and Joy Angeli Uy, two young Boholana entrepreneurs launched their personal advocacy called FACADE (Food, Agriculture, Culture and Arts, Development, Education) with a tagline “Opening an open space of possibilities”. FACADE aims to change the face of culture in the province of Bohol through community development and education. Two social entrepreneur speakers from Manila, JOSH MAHINAY, founder of BEAGIVER and DR. ANTON MARI LIM, Co-Founder and President of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation also inspired the guests with the stories of the respective communities they are helping. During the launching, they introduced FAÇADE Talk Series 1 that was held in Tagbilaran City Grounds for 3 consecutive nights from April 24-26, a side event of Tagbilaran Fusion Nights 2018. The first topic was handled by two young Boholano coffee farmers, Duke Minoza of Buenaventura Farm and Paolo Rigotti of Rigotti Coffee with the topic: Cacao Seed to Cup Appreciation Night”. On the second night, April 25, the topic was “Bean to Bar Chocolate Journey and Chocolate Appreciation Night” handled by our two Bohol chocolate makers , Ms Vina Antopina and Dalareich Polot itself. On the 3rd night, April 26, the topic was “Organic Food and Farming, Sustainable Planet, Produce and People” handled by Efrenia Holt and Cyrus Lobrigas of KABOOM Organic Farming Group of Bohol. The talks were attended by several people who pre-registered and walk-in people during the Fusion Nights. “This is just a personal advocacy for the both of us, purely borne out of our numerous frustrations with how underappreciated certain aspects of our culture are. Our only equities are our network, sweat, and ultimately, just our...Local News/ Bohol Balita
ARTS MONTH culminates on a magical Abatan backdrop
FEBRUARY IS NOT only the Love Month but it also is the time of year when Filipinos can have their fill of our rich culture and feast their eyes on colorful events and activities. This is because the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has chosen February as the country’s National Arts Month (NAM). NCCA is the country’s prime agency for arts and culture and is leading the whole nation in celebrating artistry, creativity and a whole lot of imagination, led by National Artist Virgilio Almario as Chair, and OIC-Executive Director Marichu G. Tellano. The NAM had its opening salvo last February 5 at the Rizal Park, followed by a month-long celebration with an impressive line-up of activities and events all over the country. NCCA’s Sub-Commission on the Arts (SCA) led by Teddy Co has come up with this year’s theme as “Malikhain. Mapagbago. Filipino.” The SCA comprises the national committees on architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, theater and the visual arts. Here in Bohol, the Provincial Government led by Gov. Edgar M. Chatto celebrated the NAM with a string of activities like an exhibit on industrial design and visual arts, a theater festival, drama workshops, an art fair, printmaking workshop, a film screening and forum, and a musical tertulla. The opening celebration at the Bohol Cultural Center last February 7 was followed by a “Drama Explosion of Creative Transformative Filipinos,” “Visual Arts and Literary Explosion of Creative Transformative Art Works,” “Cinema Explosion of Creative Transformative Filipino Films,” and eventually, the culmination and closing program, an expo/explosion of Boholano creativity, innovation and transformation. The closing program consequently...New building marks start of new Cortes says Mayor Iven
CORTES, Bohol, March 7 (PIA)—With resolve, Cortes Mayor Lynn Iven Lim declared the new Cortes Police Station as the beginning of a new Cortes. Lim, who assumed his first term on office as Cortes top executive inherited a town that has hardly changed its economic landscape. In fact, if only to show how bad it is, wild vines are slowly retaking the abandoned town hall and ugly piles of rubbles from its crumbling centuries-old stone church are still evident in the town plaza. The past earthquake in 2013 has pulled back all the town efforts and set its economic plans decades back. Faced with the daunting task of rebuilding and restoring its earthquake damaged infrastructure, Cortes was lucky to have gotten funds from Bohol Earthquake Assistance funds. BEA is a national government stimulus funds to help local governments jumpstart its rehabilitation programs. For Cortes, a history of bad fiscal management has hampered the release of the funds, sources said. This also incapacitated the newly elected local officials from implementing their rehabilitation funds. Until a lot donation in 1989 has allowed the town to see the Philippine National Police erect its P4.87 million three-storey police station, which Police Regional Director PCSupt Noli Taliño turned over last week. “This is the first public building built after the earthquake. This new building, let this be the new beginning, the start of the new Cortes,” Lim who has to do a crash course as chief executive said. Barely eight months in his post as mayor, Lim has had a long stint as councilor and vice mayor. This time, making sure that BEA which...PCSupt Taliño turns over P4.87 M Cortes station
CORTES, Bohol March 8 (PIA)–Central Visayas regional Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Noli Taliño led police and local government officials in the inauguration and turn-over of the P4.87 million three-storey Cortes Police Station, March 8. Accompanied by Regional Deputy Director for Logistics PSupt. Pedrillo Villlamor Jr, Bohol Police Chief PSSupt Felipe Natividad, Police Regional Chief for engineering PSinspector Jason Gutierrez, regional and provincial office staff, PCSupt. Taliño openly beamed his appreciation for the Cortes local officials led by Mayor Lynn Ivenn Lim for the support. “With the lot donation, the only PNP requirement for the setting up of the fund for the building, we have this to show,” the regional chief said, referring to the iconic blue and white police station building. “This is part of the police transformation program which CPNP General Conrado Lomibao initiated and put in the funds so the PNP can have separate police stations,” Taliño explained. He said the PNP minimum lot donation is 400 square meters, and the donation would not go to the PNP, it still belongs to the town. “We just make sure that it is the PNP which uses the building,” he added. Cortes Parish Priest Roderick Pizarras officiated the blessing which was also attended by local advisory council members and town constituents. Although seemingly getting to be credited by the accomplishment, Cortes mayor Lim also insisted that the success also goes to the past leaders and the Sangguniang Bayan members led by Vice Mayor Leo Pabotoy. He told the crowd that it was during the incumbency of then Mayor Leo Pabotoy when the lot donation happened in 1989....Best Pinagsanib SWAT grads to lead AFP anti-drugs opns
TAGBILARAN CITY, February 28 (PIA)–The past month may have seen a lull in the local anti-drugs war, but now, expect some change. If the suspension of police in anti-drug operations dealt a huge setback in the anti drug war, the undermanned Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the lead role, and the army being thrown into the task they were not trained for, arrests which then happened daily, ebbed. Both the military and the PDEA are not equipped to wrestle the immensity of the beast that the drug problem has mutated, a Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) member commented at the February 2016 drug war accomplishment. Last Tuesday however, two teams of nine squads from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) completed the 77 days 496 hours of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) along with 46 members of the Philippine National Police (PNP). The full 72 hours training course equips the AFP with 18 men some serious capability to handle a variety of crisis situations in urban warfare, counter-terrorism, urban assault, hostage taking, close quarter combat and a menu of aggressive breaches of closed structures, said PNP Deputy regional Director for Administration PCSupt. Franklin Moises Mabanag. Coming in as keynote speaker and guest in the possibly first in the country joint training for AFP and the PNP, General Mabanag hailed Bohol for the rare convergence of police and army and assured that the PNP still has some more skills for the trained group which has just been enthroned to the ranks of the police elites. All belonging to Class 32-2016, Class Pinagsanib is actually a team of...BPPO Proud of 62 new SWAT Members Innovation 1st in the country-PA
AFTER THE TRAGEDY that hit the Province of Bohol which left everyone stunned, the Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) is sending the message that Boholanos can now feel safer. This is because just last Tuesday, sixty-two members of the Philippine National Police and of the Armed Forces of the Philippines gladly participated in the graduation rites as new members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Class “Pinagsanib” group after an exhaustive and rigid two-month special training. The number started out with sixty-four trainees, but then, of the three women who have initially enlisted, two dropped out which then left a sole woman survivor who eventually graduated with sixty-one men in uniform. The SWAT graduation ceremonies at the BPPO grounds commenced with a simulation of an actual combat situation where SWAT know-how and special mind tactics were deployed right before the very eyes of the guests. The adrenaline rush was upped even more when three explosions were witnessed by everyone and the graduating class exhibited more special tactics, not only to please the audience, but more so, to show what would happen to offenders when they cross paths with Bohol’s latest SWAT corps. Participants and guests were warmly greeted by Bohol PNP Chief Felipe Natividad, with Guest of Honor, PCSupt. Franklin Moises R. Mabanag, Deputy Regional Director for Administration, PRO-7; and Provincial Administrator Alfonso “Ae” R. Damalerio, in lieu of Gov. Edgar M. Chatto. The Bohol SWAT Team is a composite group of the PNP and AFP, a clear innovation of the 302nd Achievers Brigade, the 47th Infantry Brigade, BPPO, the Provincial...National News
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