Looc fire victims complain of flooded tents in Norkis Park
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Victims of the fire in Sitio Paradise, Barangay Looc, Mandaue City were already transferred to the Norkis Park, the city’s former isolation unit that is also located in Barangay Looc. They were previously staying at the Ceasar Cabahug Elementary School but were asked to move because the Department of Education wants […] The post Looc fire victims complain of flooded tents in Norkis Park appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
First Panambal Festival promotes Siquijor’s folk healing practices
[caption id="attachment_123658" align="aligncenter" width="558"] Photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the daily tribune | Common healing oils, concoctions, haplas and tambal used in Siquijor.[/caption] At the junction of Tañon Strait, Cebu Strait and Bohol Sea, in Central Visayas, the island of Siquijor has been inspiring fascination and curiosity mainly because of its reputation of being a home to many practitioners of sorcery, witchcraft and folk medicine, and its often being described as “mystic.” Whenever I was in Dumaguete City, in the neighboring province of Negros Oriental, I could see the island from the coastal boulevard, a fuzzy landscape floating on the sea, shrouded in mystery. My only images about it were culled from television shows featuring sorcery practices, particularly of a man who made paper dolls dance. Last Holy Week, through the very first Panambal Festival, I was able to step foot on the island province, which is about an hour’s ferry ride from Dumaguete City, and know more about the culture, particularly the folk and traditional healing practices, of one of the smallest provinces of the Philippines. [caption id="attachment_123661" align="aligncenter" width="747"] photographs by Roel Hoang Manipon for the daily tribune | Olang Arts Park in Maria was the venue for the first Panambal Festival.[/caption] We arrived at night in the town of Maria, in the southeast portion of the island, and during late dinner, we heard the story of Maria Nico, the resident engkanto of the town, together with his sisters Maria Nica and Maria Luisa, told by the town’s tourism officer, the loquacious and always flamboyantly dressed Aldrin “Aldrina Braxton” Daguman. Said to be tall, handsome and fair-complexioned, Maria Nico seemed to be a benevolent character, often granting wishes of people. Aldrina said that once millions of pesos worth of furniture was delivered to Maria but the recipient was unknown. People attributed this to Maria Nico. Stories about him bear some similar details to stories of Maria Kakaw of Cebu, Olayra of Antique and other engkanto characters in other parts of the Visayas. Local lore of mystical beings before we got to see the island was a very apt introduction. [caption id="attachment_123664" align="aligncenter" width="742"] The opening of the Panambal Festival led by Maria mayor Roselyn Asok.[/caption] The folk and traditional practices are what many people in Siquijor want to highlight and promote, and a cultural and touristic festival was created for that. Using the Cebuano word for “to heal” or “healing,” “tambal,” the Panambal Festival was held in the town of Maria, spearheaded by the local government, led by its mayor Roselyn Tancio Asok and co-organized with Eufemia “Minnie” Solomon Crouse and Anna Lacpao Tabujara Cornelia of the Olang Arts Park, the main venue of the festival in the barangay of Olang. The festival was conceptualized by veteran events organizer and tourism planner Nilo Agustin, who lives in Metro Manila but considers Siquijor a home, with the crucial help of 43-year-old folk healer and visual artist Junel Tomaroy. [caption id="attachment_123660" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Junel Tomaroy, one Siquijor’s traditional healers.[/caption] The Panambal Festival is not Siquijor’s first festival highlighting local pananambal. The province has been holding the Pahi-uli Festival since 2010 in Mount Bandilaan, a 212-hectare forest reserve in Maria. The mountain is the highest point of the island and is an important source of plants used in folk medicine and concoctions. According to Agustin, the event has become too commercialized, and Panambal Festival aims to present more authentic practices and spotlight the traditional healers. Both festivals are held on Holy Week, particularly from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday, which is a very important time for local folk healing. During this time, haplas or healing oil, tambal or remedy and other potions are concocted. According to Tomaroy, considered one of the most reputable mananambal or practitioner of folk and traditional medicine, in Siquijor, they start gathering ingredients on Friday after Ash Wednesday and continue only every Friday, culminating on Good Friday. They can only gather ingredients and make concoctions during this time of the year, the Lenten season, on seven Fridays. [caption id="attachment_123665" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Traditional healer Ricardo Oyog doing the haplas.[/caption] Folk healing in Siquijor is a blend of practices that appear old, animistic and of pre-Christianization and Catholic religiosity, with the use primarily of concoctions, prayers and rituals and faith. The people of Siquijor are predominantly of Cebuano ethnicity as much of Central Visayas which includes Cebu, Negros Oriental and Bohol. Catholicism is a strong presence in the island, which has a number of old churches, as in most parts of the country. The neighboring Cebu is where Christianity first gain foothold. But remnants of native Visayan Cebuano culture survive. The Panambal Festival opened on 7 April with a short program at the three-and-half-hectare Olang Arts Park, which was established in 2005 by Crouse, who hails from Pangasinan. According to organizers, the festival aims to feature the arts as well as traditional healing. A visual arts exhibit was also opened, showcasing works, mostly depicting healing practices, by Siquijodnon artists of the Pahiuli Artists Collective—Tomaroy, Joven Y. Ansing, Vicente C. Looc, Jr., Peter G. Agan, Dubonga Jorom, Louie Gabucan, Malvin E. Lomosad and Dondon dela Victoria. Performances of the young Olang Arts Park Orchestra were also featured. The next day, Good Friday, healers demonstrated steps in making concoctions and oils, and conduction healing sessions in a cluster of huts surrounded by mahogany trees. One common healing practice is the tuob or suob, a kind of body fumigation, for a variety of ailments and to drive away general bad vibes or spirits. The minasa, a black dry concoction, is burned inside a dry coconut husk to create palina or healing smoke and is place under the patient who is wrapped with a blanket or malong. [caption id="attachment_123666" align="aligncenter" width="525"] Tuob using fumigation is a common healing practice.[/caption] In one corner, Ricardo “Ricky” Oyog doing the haplas, application of healing oil on the feet and legs, massaging them with their version of reflexology. The 55-year-old mananambal, a former radio operator from Caitican, Siquijor, Siquijor, also had common oils and remedies for sale. These concoctions include himughat, a dry mixture of wood chips and bark of different plants believed to be medicinal. At P250 per bag, the himughat is mixed into vino or wine or any alcoholic drink, letting it steep. A shot or a tablespoon or two is recommended for fatigue or general tiredness, for headache, dysmenorrhea and kidney ailments. The haplas sa panuhot is an oil concoction for lamig or bodily aches. It is also used for buntis (pregnancy), pamanhod (numbness), pamaol (muscle ache), and arthritis. The tambal sa hilo ug daot is a treatment for as well as panagang or defense against poisoning and paninira (slander, defamation) and jealousy and envy, which is a kind of poisoning. It is also used to treat pangatol or itching. There were also concoctions in small vials, to be placed in the cash box to bring luck in business, and in amulets, a general charm. Other participating healers were Daniela Sartin, Gibrint Edd D. Reyes, Dodong Amboludto, Jomar Enanor, Dean Mark Enanor, Tessie Calimpon and Delia Bajo. On Good Friday, the mananambals performed the adlip on the gathered woods, stems and branches of different plants and trees, which they have gathered during the season. There were several kinds and the healers know by their local names such as tagnipas, duguan, tabun-hangin, etc. There are kinds they call pahiuli or restoration plants. According to Josel B. Mansueto, a professor at the Siquijor State College who have conducted studies on the island’s folk healing practices, mananambals use 377 varieties or kinds of plants. The forests and mountains are sources of these. Other sources of other ingredients are caves (stalactite, earth, etc.), the sea (anything that causes itching or irritation, bearing toxins, etc.), the church (holy water, flowers offered on funerals, candles, etc.). Pag-aadlip involves chopping the woods and stems into smaller pieces. On this day, they also do the pag-uuling, the burning of collected materials to be used as ingredients in the making of minasa. On Black Saturday, Tomaroy led in pagmamasa, the preparation of the minasa. A large kawali was placed over fire and ingredients were put in, which included beeswax, candles, incense, tawas, kamanyang, tuba, honey, soil from the floor of a langub (cave), lana or coconut oil, pahi-uli wood, uling and many others. [caption id="attachment_123662" align="aligncenter" width="728"] Preparing the minasa to used to make palina for the tuob.[/caption] The black mixture was frequently stirred until the healer deemed it ready. Aside from tuob, the minasa is also used in producing anting-anting or amulet or charm. On Easter Sunday, the paglalana was done. It is the process extracting coconut oil. They scraped off the meat out of coconuts using the kudkuran. The most potent coconut comes from the “bugtong na niyog na nakaharap sa silangan,” or a lone coconut facing the east. Every batch must contain at least one. If more, they must be in odd numbers, such three or five. Lana made with coconuts facing the west and used in even numbers (two, four, etc) is for pangkukulam/pambabarang or witchcraft. They squeezed the milk out of the grated coconut meat. Only kakang-gata, the milk of the first squeezing or extraction, is used. The milk was boiled over fire until the oil came out after about two hours and was then separated from other particles. The lana or coconut oil is an attracting agent as well as a vehicle to deliver the efficacy of the herbs and other ingredients. The popular lumay is also concocted during Easter Sunday. It is also known as gayuma or love potion but lumay gererally is meant to attract positive vibes and good fortune not only in love and romance but also in business, career and even marital and family life. [caption id="attachment_123657" align="aligncenter" width="752"] Flowers, seeds, twigs and other ingredients for making lumay, popularly known as gayuma.[/caption] Lumay is concocted during Easter Sunday because many ingredients are gathered from materials used in salubong and other Easter events and practices of the church such as leaves and flower decors. It can be concocted by anyone if one knows the ingredients. Some of the ingredients in making lumay include tawa-tawa, amorseko, buhok sa hangin, lagay-lagay, makahiya or mimosa, rosary pea seeds, sampinit, kadena de amor, and likup-likup. These are gathered and put in a bottle together with perfume or honey. Dab some perfume on the skin or smear a little honey on the lips, the healer advised. Tawa-tawa is used maybe because the fruits are phallic, and the likup-likup, maybe because they cling to the trees. The plants’ perceived characteristics as well as their names indicate what powers they can add to the potion. One ingredient is the curious, bag-shaped plant called lagay-lagay sa amo, the Hydnophytum plant that grows on tree branches and trunks, and is structured like an ant colony, thus it is called the ant plant. The mananambal includes it their healing oil concoctions to treat bukol or swellings or tumor-like symptoms as well as goiter, and certain types of cancer. The name means testicles and it is also included in the concoction of lumay because of its sexual connotation. While the lumay making was going on, an Easter egg hunt was organized for the children, a seemingly incongruent inclusion in the festival. But the hunt is also a practice with old, paganistic roots, with eggs and bunnies as symbols of fertility, like the healing practices, an amalgam of native and Catholic beliefs. Agustin has been planning for the next holding of the Panambal Festival. He has invited the Aralan ng Gamutang Pilipino, led by Dr. Isidro C. Sia, convenor and executive director of Integrative Medicine for Alternative Healthcare Systems Philippines, to hold its national convention during the festival. Organizers also envisioned having traditional healers from different parts of the country, such as mumbaki of the Ifugao and healers of the Ati of Negros Island, as guest participants. An herbarium has been started, with an ambition of growing all the plant ingredients used in pananambal. All these are for the vision of making Siquijor the healing center of the country. The post First Panambal Festival promotes Siquijor’s folk healing practices appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mandaue City HUDO assures Brgy Looc fire victims of temporary housing
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – The head of the Housing Urban and Development Office (HUDO) in Mandaue City assures fire victims in Barangay Looc that they will be transferred to the temporary housing located behind the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC). HUDO Chief Lawyer Johnbee Biton, said that the 120 units that are currently constructed and […] The post Mandaue City HUDO assures Brgy Looc fire victims of temporary housing appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
HUDO : 24 housing units ready to be turned over to Mandaue fire victims
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Twenty four housing units are now ready to be turned over on Saturday, March 18, to some of the fire victims of Barangay Looc, Mandaue City. On Friday morning, March 17, police volunteers, personnel of the Housing Urban and Development Office (HUDO), Department of General Services, and City Engineering Office work to […] The post HUDO : 24 housing units ready to be turned over to Mandaue fire victims appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Temporary housing units for Looc fire victims almost complete
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — A few units of the temporary housing project of the Mandaue City Government for the victims of the massive fire in Sitio Paradise, Barangay Looc, are almost complete. The construction of the housing project that is located near the Cebu International Convention Center (CICC) is ongoing but a few units were […] The post Temporary housing units for Looc fire victims almost complete appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Looc brgy chief to 2,000 Paradise fire victims: Leave school, wait for city’s temporary housing
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The over 2,000 victims of the Sitio Paradise fire have started to leave the Ceasar Cabahug Elementary School where they were temporarily staying for nearly a month or since Nov. 27. Looc Barangay Captain Allan Siazon said that the victims of the Nov. 23 fire were given until Dec. 31 to […] The post Looc brgy chief to 2,000 Paradise fire victims: Leave school, wait for city’s temporary housing appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Lapu-Lapu Mayor donates P1M for Mandaue fire victims
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City or Lapu-Lapu Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan turned over on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, a cheque worth P1 million to Mandaue City Vice Mayor Glenn Bercede. Chan donated the amount to the city government of Mandaue for the fire victims at Sitio Paradise in Barangay Looc. The fire that hit […] The post Lapu-Lapu Mayor donates P1M for Mandaue fire victims appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cortes: Temporary shelter for fire victims will be up before 2022 ends
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes told victims of the massive fire that struck Sitio Paradise in Barangay Looc here that their temporary shelter will be ready before the year ends. Cortes announced this on Wednesday, November 30, during the distribution of the victims’ financial assistance through the Assistance for Individuals in […] The post Cortes: Temporary shelter for fire victims will be up before 2022 ends appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
More aid for Mandaue’s fire victims
CEBU CITY, Philippines – More help has arrived for the thousands of individuals in Brgy. Looc, Mandaue City displaced by a massive fire. The Cebu Provincial Government, through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), has donated at least 700 relief packs to the families from Sitio Paradise, Brgy. Looc who lost their homes […] The post More aid for Mandaue’s fire victims appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Barangay Looc declares state of emergency due to massive fire
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Barangay Looc in Mandaue City has declared a state of emergency after it was hit by a massive fire on Tuesday, November 22. Looc Barangay Captain Allan Siazon, on Thursday, November 24, said that emergency funds will be used to purchase goods and equipment that the fire victims would need especially […] The post Barangay Looc declares state of emergency due to massive fire appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Chan donates 1-month salary, goods to Mandaue fire victims
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has donated his one-month salary to the fire victims of Sitio Paradise, Barangay Looc in Mandaue City. The cheque for the mayor’s salary amounted to P188,726. Aside from his one-month salary, Chan also turned over to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes 1,000 pcs. relief packs […] The post Chan donates 1-month salary, goods to Mandaue fire victims appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Cortes to let fire victims return, rebuild their homes
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has promised the fire victims in Sitio Paradise, Barangay Looc that they can return and build their houses in the area. Cortes made this promise during his visit on Wednesday morning, November 23, to the two evacuation sites where the fire victims were temporarily sheltered. Cortes […] The post Cortes to let fire victims return, rebuild their homes appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
South Korea’s Halloween crowd surge: What we know
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is investigating the exact cause of a deadly crowd surge that killed 154 people at a Halloween event, as public outrage grows over perceived policing and crowd control failures. A man offers a flower at a joint memorial altar for victims of the deadly Halloween crowd surge, in Naksopyeong, near the district of Itaewon in Seoul on October 31, 2022. ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP What went wrong and why did so many people die at the first post-pandemic Halloween party in Seoul’s popular Itaewon nightlife district? Here is what we know: What’s going on? The government promised a “thorough and transparent investigation” into the exact causes of the deadly crush in Itaewon, and police said Monday they had launched a task force and started the probe. They’ve deployed forensic experts, seized footage from 50 security cameras in the area, and interviewed scores of witnesses, victims, and workers at nearby stores, according to a senior police officer. How did it happen? Typically, a gathering of over 1,000 people has to submit “safety management plans” to the government in advance for review by police and fire departments. But in the case of the Itaewon Halloween festivities, there is no designated event organiser — individual bars, clubs and restaurants simply hold their own events and people flock to the area. Just weeks before, a “Global Village Festival” was safely staged in the exact same streets — but it was an organised event sponsored by local authorities. As a result, it had “effective crowd control with many police officers and district office staff in charge”, said Kim Min-kyu, who runs a currency exchange shop near the site of the accident and saw both events. Police have admitted to lapses in their real-time management of the event. “Police officers on the scene didn’t detect a sudden surge in the crowd,” Hong Ki-hyun, chief of the National Police Agency’s Public Order Management Bureau, told local reporters. Why was it so bad? Experts say the crowd crush could have been prevented with proper preparation, But they admit things have gotten more difficult after years of pandemic-related lockdowns. “Everywhere in the world event organisers are struggling with the post-Covid crowd,” said Eric Kant, a crowd safety specialist who runs the Phase01 Crowd Management. “A lot of visitors are new with partying, they are indeed very excited, and maybe do not understand risks very much,” he added. Key risk factors for crowd surges are “unrestricted entry” of people into a small space, and “no ticket sales” which means organisers have no exact estimate of demand, experts say — all of which happened at Itaewon. “This is a recipe for disaster in mass gatherings,” crowd safety expert Milad Haghani of the University of New South Wales told AFP. Even for the Halloween event — a public gathering with no tickets — authorities could have been actively managing the situation to prevent overcrowding. “On the day, this would mean monitoring the numbers, at the very least,” said John Drury, an expert on crowd psychology at the University of Sussex. “It would also mean a public information campaign beforehand to discourage such large numbers attending.” He warned that psychology studies show people actually seek out “objectively dangerous levels of density” at events, and organisers need to be aware of this risk. Who is to blame? So far, no one has been held accountable, even as public anger flares at the government and police for their apparent lack of oversight. Top-ranking officials have brushed off questions about taking responsibility, saying the priority is currently on helping the victims and dealing with the aftermath of the accident. Much local criticism has focused on the police — but experts say they are not necessarily at fault. “We should remember that the primary role of the police is generally not crowd management,” said Martyn Amos, a professor at Northumbria University who works on crowd simulation. “It’s possible to manage an event largely using stewards, with the police there to ensure public order and to deal with criminal activity,” he told AFP. What happens next? The government is under immense pressure to resolve this quickly — and properly. The opposition Democratic Party has already slammed the government’s handling of the event, and will likely push for resignations once the national mourning period ends on November 5. The Itaewon crush could deal another blow to President Yoon Suk-yeol’s popularity ratings — already at record lows. There is also a possibility that the disaster, if mishandled, could become a major political liability for the government. In 2014 then president Park Geun-hye was in power during the sinking of the Sewol ferry in which 304 people — mostly school children — died. She was widely criticised for her handling of the incident. The issue lingered over her presidency until she was impeached three years later over a corruption scandal......»»
Mandaue City puts up more rooms for COVID-19 patients
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City Department of General Services has started partitioning every room of a building in Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School Annex Campus (MCCNHS) in barangay Looc, which will be used as an additional isolation unit. Mayor Jonas Cortes, said the city’s two other isolation units, the Norkis Park beside […] The post Mandaue City puts up more rooms for COVID-19 patients appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Mandani Bay extends help to Mandaue City
Committed to providing help for its partner communities, Mandani Bay developer HTLand has extended assistance to the victims of the recent fire that broke out in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City. HTLand Project Director Gilbert Ang handed over the PhP200,000 financial aid to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes at the Mandaue City Hall. “Mandani Bay is […] The post Mandani Bay extends help to Mandaue City appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Looc fire victims get cash aid from Mandaue City gov’t
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines- Victims of the fire that hit sitio Superior, Barangay Looc here last December 6, 2020, received financial assistance from the city government on Monday, December 28, 2020. Mayor Jonas Cortes led the distribution of financial assistance to families that were displaced by the fire. The families, whose homes were totally damaged, received […] The post Looc fire victims get cash aid from Mandaue City gov’t appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Kuya Bong visits Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu cities
Senator Christopher ” Bong” Go went to the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu in Cebu to bring aid to fire victims and market vendors yesterday. Go visited the 152 fire victims in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City and provided them with P5,000 each. “We facilitated financial assistance and provided them with foods, groceries, face masks and […] The post Kuya Bong visits Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu cities appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mawar reminds importance of a `Department of Disaster’ – Go
With Typhoon Mawar, to be locally referred to as "Betty," entering the country, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go reiterated the importance of preparedness, cooperation, and the urgent need for the establishment of the Department of Disaster Resilience. In an ambush interview after personally providing assistance to fire victims in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Wednesday, 24 May, Go emphasized the necessity of more proactive measures when dealing with natural calamities, reiterating his long-standing appeal for the establishment of the DDR through his proposed Senate Bill No. 188, a cabinet-level department dedicated to disaster response and mitigation efforts. “Alam n'yo, unang-una, kaya nga po noon pa nananawagan po ako na magkaroon tayo ng isang departamento, Department of Disaster Resilience, a cabinet secretary-level, na bago dumating ang bagyo, preposition of goods agad, coordination ng department secretary with DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) and other concerned agencies,” explained Go. “Ayusin na ang preposition of goods. Coordination with Coast Guard, ilikas agad ang ating mga kababayan sa ligtas na lugar,” he added. He also stressed the need for immediate restoration and rehabilitation efforts after a calamity, with coordinated actions between the DDR and other pertinent agencies. “Pag-alis ng bagyo, restoration of normalcy agad at rehabilitation efforts. At ang coordination po ng cabinet secretary, coordination with Department of Energy, para maayos agad ang mga kuryenteng naputol,” he said. “'Yung mga telecommunications, coordination with DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology), DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) para sa mga posteng natumba ma-clearing agad,” he added. Addressing the frequent occurrence of natural disasters in the Philippines, Go earlier pledged to continue pushing for the passage of said crucial legislation. He emphasized the importance of being one step ahead in disaster preparedness, highlighting the need for a dedicated agency to oversee disaster response and mitigation efforts. “Hindi natin maiiwasan ang pagdating ng lindol o bagyo, pero mas mabuti na palagi tayong handa para maiwasan natin ang mas malalaking pinsala o pagkawala ng buhay na maidudulot ng mga ito,” he explained. “Kaya naman nagpupursige ako sa Senado na maipasa ang panukalang ito para masiguro na may ahensyang tututok sa ating disaster response at mitigation efforts,” added Go. Meanwhile, the senator also urged the public and local governments to remain vigilant and rely on accurate information from trusted sources, avoiding the spread of fake news. “Sa ngayon po, may parating na bagyo, nakikiusap po ako sa mga kababayan natin, sumunod po tayo sa paalala. Halimbawa, sinabi ng local government, lumikas kayo sa ligtas na lugar, sa evacuation center,” he urged. “At nananawagan naman ako sa LGUs (local government units), bigyan ng maayos na evacuation center, higaan, komportableng comfort room po, pagkain po lalo na ang mga bata na maaaring magkasakit. Monitor lang po kayo, 'wag po kayong maniwala sa mga fake news. Tutok po kayo mula sa gobyerno, tutok po kayo sa mga balita ng ating trimedia,” he added. Previously, Go emphasized the importance of individual preparedness and adherence to the directives of LGUs. He urged the government and the public to work hand in hand, emphasizing that monetary losses and material possessions can be regained, but the loss of human lives is irreversible. “Paulit-ulit ko nga pong sinasabi sa tuwing may sakuna, bagyo man iyan, sunog, lindol, o pagputok ng bulkan: magtulungan tayo. Ang pera, maaaring kitain iyan. Ang mga gamit natin, maaari nating mapalitan. Pero ang buhay, hindi iyan nabibili. A lost life is lost forever. Kaya mag-ingat, maghanda, at alagaan po natin ang buhay ng bawat isa,” said Go. To complement the DDR, Go also filed SBN 193, or the Mandatory Evacuation Center Act, which aims to ensure the availability of safe and clean evacuation centers in every city, municipality, and province across the country. "Hindi po ako titigil sa pagsusulong ng mga panukalang batas na ito. Napapanahon na para magkaroon tayo ng DDR at mandatory evacuation centers para mapangalagaan ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan,” Go affirmed. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has downgraded Mawar from a super typhoon to a typhoon on Wednesday but said it has the potential to regain strength as it moves towards the Philippines. The typhoon is projected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday, and is anticipated to be fully within PAR by Saturday. The post Mawar reminds importance of a `Department of Disaster’ – Go appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Revenue streams
Teachers in many countries, including the developed ones, are resorting to strikes to force the government to increase their wages. They complain that their current salary is no longer enough to cover the rising cost of living due to high inflation. A major teachers union in the United Kingdom plan to stage a walkout next month and July if an ongoing pay hike negotiation doesn’t conclude in their favor. Other teachers groups in the country are also planning strikes in autumn if their similar demand for salary raise is ignored. The unions were not satisfied with the 4.3 percent salary increase, which translates to £30,000 (P2 million) per academic year, offered by the government. Other teachers are switching to jobs that pay higher wages. A kindergarten teacher from Wuhan, China has resigned and became a full-time vlogger after earning so much in one of her classroom videos that went viral in Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. In the viral video of the teacher with the surname Huang, she is singing the Chinese nursery rhyme “Planting Flowers in the Garden” live. The video received over 100 million views, the Malaysian news outlet Oriental Daily reported. Many viewers flooded Huang with cash gifts amounting to more than her 3,000 yuan (P23,000) salary as a teacher. In the Philippines, the minimum wage of a public school teacher is P27,000. Huang’s live streaming earnings were 16 times that. Her cash earnings were also greater than American teachers’ minimum salary of $33,000 (P1.8 million) per academic year and British teachers’ pay of 30,000 pounds (P2 million) per school year. Huang herself was shocked to receive 450,000 yuan (P3.5 million) in cash gifts from viewers. “I’m so happy, I live streamed for a day and earned more than 10 years’ worth of my salary. Thank you, everyone,” Huang told her viewers, according to Oriental Daily. The post Revenue streams appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go extends support to Sta. Cruz fire victims
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, personally led a relief operation on Wednesday, 24 May, for the victims of a devastating fire that ravaged a densely populated area in Sta. Cruz, Manila. The fire, which broke out on 15 May, left two dead and more than a thousand families affected and in dire need of assistance. Held at the Manuel L. Quezon University basketball court, Go and his team distributed grocery packs, vitamins, masks, and shirts to 1,201 households. He likewise gave away bicycles, cellular phones, shoes, watches and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Go collaborated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which extended financial assistance to the affected families. Through his speech, the senator recognized the efforts of Manila City officials, led by Congressman Joel Chua, Mayor Honey Lacuna, and Vice Mayor Yul Nieto. Go also thanked officials present during the operation, including Barangay 310 chairman Roland Gacula, Kagawad Roywilhelm Lim, Kagawad Rodelito Jurilla, Kagawad Romulo Balincongan and Kagawad Ryan Lacsina, among others. He likewise expressed his gratitude to former president Rodrigo Duterte for signing the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021. The senator then reassured the Filipinos that the bureau will be more equipped in addressing and preventing fire-related situations. Under Republic Act 11589, which Go primarily authored and co-sponsored, the BFP is mandated to undergo a ten-year modernization program that includes acquiring and upgrading fire equipment, recruiting more fire personnel, and providing specialized trainings, among others. The post Go extends support to Sta. Cruz fire victims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Go extends help to 1K families affected by Sta. Cruz fire
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go personally led a relief operation on Wednesday, 24 May, for the victims of a devastating fire that ravaged a densely populated area in Sta. Cruz, Manila City. The fire which broke out on 15 May left two dead and affected more than a thousand families who are now in dire need of assistance. Held at the Manuel L. Quezon University basketball court, Go and his team distributed grocery packs, vitamins, masks, and shirts to 1,201 households. He likewise gave away bicycles, cellular phones, shoes, watches, and balls for basketball and volleyball to select recipients. Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Go collaborated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which extended financial assistance to the affected families. Through his speech, the senator recognized the efforts of Manila City officials, led by Congressman Joel Chua, Mayor Honey Lacuna, and Vice Mayor Yul Nieto. Go also thanked officials present during the operation, including Barangay 310 Chairman Roland Gacula, Kagawad Roywilhelm Lim, Kagawad Rodelito Jurilla, Kagawad Romulo Balincongan, and Kagawad Ryan Lacsina, among others. “Marami pong nagtatanong sa akin kung bakit (ang isang) senador (ay) pumupunta sa mga nasunugan? Alam n’yo, hindi ko po matiis na nakaupo lang po sa opisina habang kayo rito nangangailangan po ng tulong. Iyan ang ipinangako ko sa inyo. Kahit saang sulok kayo ng Pilipinas, lindolin, bagyuhin, masunugan kayo, buhawi, pagputok ng bulkan basta kaya lang po ng aking katawan at panahon pupuntahan ko po kayo,” Go said. “Nandito ako para makatulong sa abot ng aking makakaya, mapakinggan ang inyong mga hinaing, maalalayan ang mga may sakit na kailangang magpagamot, makasuporta sa mga proyekto na makakapagpaunlad ng inyong komunidad, at makapag-iwan ng kaunting ngiti sa panahon ng inyong pagdadalamhati,” Go added. He likewise expressed his gratitude to former president Rodrigo Duterte for signing the Bureau of Fire Protection Modernization Act of 2021. The senator then reassured the Filipinos that the bureau will be more equipped in addressing and preventing fire-related situations. Under Republic Act No. 11589, which Go primarily authored and co-sponsored, the BFP is mandated to undergo a 10-year modernization program that includes acquiring and upgrading fire equipment, recruiting more fire personnel, and providing specialized training, among others. “Ang gamit po (ay) nabibili ‘yan, ang pera po kikitain natin ‘yan magtrabaho lang po tayo, magsipag lang tayo. Pero ‘yung perang kikitain ay hindi po nabibili ang buhay. Ang nawalang buhay ay wala na po. A lost life is a lost life forever. Kaya mag-ingat tayo,” Go stressed. “Pasalamat tayo sa Panginoon na buhay tayo. At magtulungan tayo dahil kilala po ang Pilipino sa pagtutulungan. Magtulungan lang po tayong lahat para makaahon mula sa krisis, mga kababayan ko,” he encouraged. Meanwhile, Go, who chairs the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, offered to help those in need of medical attention. The senator highlighted that there are five Malasakit Centers in the city where they may avail of medical assistance programs by the government. Principally authored and sponsored by Senator Go, Republic Act No. 11463, otherwise known as the Malasakit Centers Act of 2019, mandates all hospitals administered and managed by the Department of Health nationwide and the Philippine General Hospital in Manila City to open their own Malasakit Centers. Other public hospitals may also establish their own centers provided they meet a standard set of criteria and guarantee the sustainability of their operations. The program has so far assisted over seven million Filipinos since its inception in 2018, according to the DOH. The Malasakit Centers are located at Tondo Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, and in San Lazaro Hospital. In line with his efforts to bolster the health sector, Go mentioned that DOH has identified several barangays in the city where it will establish Super Health Centers, including Valeriano Fugoso, Barrio Magsaysay, Esperanza, and Maria Clara. Through the collective efforts of fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. DOH, the lead implementing agency, identifies the strategic areas where they will be constructed. Super Health Centers offer database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation center; and telemedicine, where remote diagnosis and treatment of patients will be done. Lastly, as Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, Go supported several projects in the city, including road improvements, the construction of a multipurpose building, and improvements of public buildings within the Department of Justice. He also supported the acquisition of a multipurpose vehicle, rescue patrol, and an ambulance. “Hinding-hindi ko po sasayangin ‘yung pagkakataon na magserbisyo sa inyo. Magtatrabaho po ako sa Pilipino. Sanay po ako sa trabaho… iyon po ang pwede kong ialay sa inyo, ang aking kasipagan po sa pagtatrabaho. Kaya magtulungan lang po tayo,” Go reassured. On the previous day, Go was in Pasig City where he personally assisted indigents. The post Go extends help to 1K families affected by Sta. Cruz fire appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»