This year’s town
fiesta has a theme: “Buhat, Pakigsaro, Harayo pa an lalakton.”
This year’s Executive
Committee told this writer that a lot of ecstatic activities, daily and
nightly, had been lined up starting as early as September 19 in
connection to the 415th year of consecration of Basey to its patron
Saint Michael the Archangel and its 104th Annual Town Fiesta, which
will culminate on September 29, this year.
Mayor Vicente C.
Labuac Jr., the over-all chairman of the grand fiesta said among the
activities lined up will be the holding of a meaningful religious
activities such as the Pagbungto Rites (Sept. 19), Parish Night (Sept.
20) and the holding of novena masses.
The regular festival
events like the annual Kawayan-Banigan Festival Parade, Rayhak han
Kabataan (Sept. 21), Grand Pasundayag (Sept. 25), the Search for Ms.
Guibaysayi 2006 (Sept. 26), Balik-Bayan and EVTC nights (both falls on
Sept. 27), ABC and LGU nights (Sept. 28), SK and PYAP nights (Sept.
29), Grand Alumni Homecoming (Sept. 30) will also be sustained.
The Kawayan-Banigan
Festival Parade is a yearly dance parade of pageantry and colorful
mats, winding through the town key streets, reliving the two main
source of livelihood of Basaynons – bamboo and mat weaving - through
their music, dance and drama.
This festival became
famous when hundred of community folks paraded a one-meter wide mat
and claimed now as the world’s longest mat in Fiesta feat in year
2000. Since then, the town, which has weaving as its prime industry,
comes to life when it celebrates outlandishly the feast of St.
Michael, its patron saint.
The highlight of the
feast is the Banigan-Kawayan Festival, where the women of Basey weave
a variety of intricately designed mats from sedge grass locally known
as tikog (Fimbristylis milliacea). This tradition was handed down from
many generations, and up to now.
To make this year’s
fiesta merrier, Mayor Labuac informed that the Committee has also
prepared some healthy competition among the youths such as Battle of
the Bands, Ballroom Dancing, Pop Dance, Singing and Rhythm Band and
Merry-Makers Competition, and “Tagisan ng Talino” in the Pasundayag
nights.
“A big big prize await
to the winners. This will be a great opportunity for us to enjoy, and
I am inviting you all,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, Basey
information officer Evangeline O. Ritaga, Chairman of the Cultural
Committee said that the search for the Miss Guibaysayi 2006, the most
awaited event during the 12-day celebration of this town, is a beauty
and brains contest of ladies between 15 to 25 years old who can amply
“promotes the quality of life as a Basaynon.”
”We will be providing
a nightly entertainment or cultural presentations for all Basaynons,
our visitors and those people living in nearby municipalities thus
livening up this year’s celebration,” Ms. Ritaga said. “That means
that we will have more fun and festive atmosphere this year,” she
added.
In part of their
messages of support, Parish Team Ministry Fr. Niceas Abejuela and Fr.
Dionesio Calderon said, “… as our Diocese is preparing for its Synod,
this Fiesta is a fitting avenue to realize the theme - “Buhat,
Pakigsaro, Harayo pa an lalakton...” For we gather our strength in our
solidarity in prayer and action, making the protection of St. Michael
as our shield against temptations of discord and apathy. May we all
work for the glory of God, the good of each Basaynon.”
Basey Vice-Mayor
Edgardo Rebamontan, “as we welcome this year’s Feast Day of our
beloved Patron, St. Michael, the Archangel the heavenly warrior and
God’s protector of his Church and his people, we take pleasure in
inviting everyone to join this happy occasion, not only to share (but)
to thank our Lord God, through the intercession of St. Michael for His
continued providence and protection, despite our unworthiness.”
In his part, Rep.
Catalino Figueroa of Samar 2nd district, “… my deep love and concern
for your municipality carries with it the great responsibility of
ensuring that the community is well taken cared of and to guarantee
the safety and security of your town… maupay nga fiesta ha iyo
ngatanan!”
Meantime, in a meeting
with the family of this year’s Hermano Esperato Palomino Sr., who
passed away last November 2005, the following were listed official
members of the Basey Town Fiesta Executive Committee: Chairman, Mayor
Vicente Labuac Jr.; Co-Chairman, Rev. Fr. Niceas Abejuela, Rev. Fr.
Dionesio Calderon, Mrs. Agustina Palomino, Atty. Ruben Palomino, Mrs.
Elizabeth P. Garcia, Mr. Jose Palomino; Executive Officers, Aurora
Colinayo, Erlinda Aguihon, Rodolfo Gad; and members, Sol Latorre,
Wigberto Belizar, Dr. Asisclo Labnao, Jaime Dacurawat and Nestor
Tabungar.
These people, it was
learned, solicited the usual cooperation and support of the business,
academe, government and non-government associations in order to ensure
a successful holding of this year’s fiesta celebration.
NIT’s ladderization program receives
PGMA’s award of recognition
By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA, (PIA Biliran)
August 12, 2006
NAVAL, Biliran – The
province of Biliran’s prime institution of higher education has
recently received an award of recognition accorded to the first and
only government institution of higher learning in the country that
successfully implemented Executive Order 358 which mandates to
institutionalize a ladderized interface between Technical Vocational
Education and Training (TVET) and Higher Education (HE) in the
Philippines.
The award of
recognition was personally handed by no less than President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) to Dr. Edita S. Genson, president of Naval
Institute of Technology (NIT) in a ceremony held inside the Malacañang
Palace with Director General Agosto Syjuco and few regional and
provincial officials of the Technical Education and Skills Development
Authority (TESDA) and national officials coming from the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED) in attendance.
The
institutionalization of a ladderized curriculum in higher education
under E.O. 358 enables a college student to acquire vocational and
technical skills in any of the first two years in college that will
ensure the student to land a job even if he will not pursue to higher
year to complete his college education.
EO 358 is one of the
program components under the 10-point priority agenda of PGMA which is
the creation of six to ten million jobs during her administration.
According to Dr.
Genson in an interview with PIA, the award given by PGMA is unexpected
since the college has just worked and implemented the ladderized
curriculum and that the implementation is working well and good.
Dr. Genson said that
NIT is offering six model courses under a ladderized curriculum like
civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering,
computer engineering, Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM)
and the newly offered course in practical nursing.
The college president
cited how a ladderized curriculum works which according to her is the
new trend and innovation in higher education by presenting the course
in practical nursing as a good example.
For the first year, a
student studying in practical nursing will undergo the skills and
knowledge in caregiving and in one and a half years as medical
transcriptionist where these skills will enable them to land for jobs
abroad with lucrative pay even if they will not pursue to higher years
of the course, Dr. Genson added.
Dr. Genson proudly
admitted that NIT is the only institution of higher learning in region
8 either in public or in private to implement first the ladderized
curriculum as mandated under E.O. 358.
She added that after
the awarding ceremony in
Malacañang
Palace,
many were asking as to how did she successfully implemented the
ladderized curriculum in her school.
The NIT president who
is banking more of her success because of her strong faith in God and
abundance of emotional qualification only replied by saying that if
one just kept on planning without implementing the plan, the plan is
useless, so work it out because many good and beautiful things will
happen.
Red Cross Northern
Samar bewails lack of blood donors
By NENE A. MANZANARES, (PIA Northern
Samar)
August 10, 2006
CATARMAN, Northern
Samar – "Everyday, blood is needed by people suffering from anemia,
leukemia, hemophilia, those who will undergo surgery, or those who
will deliver a baby” – thus says the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC).
This striking message however still needs to register in the minds of
possible blood donors in the province.
Provincial Red Cross
administrator Susan Hernandez and her staff Renard Fidel told PIA in
Huruhimangraw Sa Panginudto radio program last Saturday of
their concern over the seemingly lack of blood donors in Northern
Samar.
Hernandez said that
people need to understand that there should be a safe stock of blood
which should be available anytime it is needed.
On the other hand,
Fidel noted that there is lack of dissemination on the importance of
blood donation. He then explained that there are benefits a blood
donor gets like his bone marrow will be stimulated to produce new and
active cells which in turn make the blood forming organs function
effectively. The donor will also get a personal health check and would
consequently know his blood type, hemoglobin and blood pressure. And
more importantly, Hernandez added that donating blood will make the
donor feel good about himself knowing that he has possibly saved
another person’s life.
Hernandez however
noted that while the number of blood donors need to double up, the
PNRC is grateful to those who have donated blood. The list shows that
donors came from the Department of Public Works and Highways (1 from
the second district and 7 from the first district); Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints [May 13 and April 29, 2006 – 6 donors];
and from the
University
of Eastern Philippines [June 27 and July 20, 2006] – 25 donors, mostly
students).
Meanwhile, the call
for blood donors continue. Qualified to donate blood are those who are
18 to 65 years old, (16 and 17 may donate provided it is with parent’s
/guardian’s consent); one must be at least 110 lbs or 50 kgs.; one’s
hemoglobin level must be at least 125g/l (not anemic); one’s blood
pressure must be between: Systolic- 90 to 160 mmHg; Diastolic – 60 to
100 mmHg. Pulse rate should be 50 to 100 beats/min (regular rhythm).
PNRC reminds donors
that before donating blood, he should have enough rest and sleep; he
should not take alcohol at least 24 hours; he does not undertake
medication for at least 24 hours; he eats light meals, and avoid fatty
foods and he drinks plenty of fluids like water juice.
There are
approximately 5 to 6 liters of blood in the body of a normal human
adult. There are no ill effects therefore if a healthy individual may
donate 450 cc of blood. This small blood loss will be rapidly
compensated by the body as the fluid portion will be replaced within
24 hours and cell within weeks. By the end of the month, the body will
have the same amount of blood as before the blood donation.
Fact-finding mission
reveals HR violations in Las Navas barrios
Press Release
By KATUNGOD-Northern
Samar
August 9, 2006
CATARMAN, Northern
Samar – Marlon Parani is barely 12 years old. His being a child,
however, does not exempt him from being harassed by the military.
Parani was about to go
to school on the morning of July 5 when two soldiers approached and
forced him to admit that he knows of a certain Kumander Pigaw. When he
denied the allegations, one of the soldiers threatened to kill him
right on the spot and coerced him to go with them to the military
camp.
His case was only one
of the human rights violations documented by the fact-finding team
organized by the small farmers’ organization PESANTE, and the human
rights group KATUNGOD (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s
Rights) in Northern Samar. The group conducted a fact-finding mission
in the farming villages of Imelda, Quirino and San Francisco in Las
Navas (a town in Northern Samar about 232 km away from Tacloban City)
from July 24 to 28.
Harassment, physical
assault
Jonathan Calades,
Secretary-General of KATUNGOD-Northern Samar, described the human
rights violations in the three communities as “grave” and “alarming.”
“We documented 55
cases of human rights violations with 288 victims. Considering that
the mission covered only three barrios, this is already alarming,” he
said. Calades added, “This figure does not even include those
violations, which the victims refused to divulge to the fact-finding
team for fear of possible reprisal.”
The fact-finding team
documented cases of arbitrary detention, attempted killing,
destruction of property, harassment and threat, involuntary
disappearance, physical assault, strafing, torture and other
violations. Of these violations, harassment and threat accounts for 26
cases with 26 victims, which included seven minors (13 years and
below). Physical assault and attempted killing come next with 5
victims each. The violations, which affected 120 minors, happened
between May and July this year.
The victims pinpointed
the military elements belonging to the 63rd Infantry Battalion under
the command of Col. Felemon Santos as the perpetrators. The military
unit has its camp in Brgy. Opong in Catubig, a neighboring town of Las
Navas.
Calades noted a rise
in the number of human rights violations in the villages after
government troops under the command of 2nd Lt. Tizon ran over an
alleged NPA camp situated about 1 km away from Brgy. Imelda on July 6.
Fifty of the 55
violations were committed after the clash, according to Calades. Among
these was the forced evacuation of 204 villagers in Brgy. Imelda and
Brgy. Quirino, who told the team that they did it for fear that they
might be the next target of military attack.
“The significant
increase in the number of human rights violations after the clash
showed the military’s brazen disrespect for human rights and
international humanitarian laws. In their effort to stamp out
insurgency, they also target civilians whom they suspect as NPA
members or sympathizers,” he stressed.
Worse poverty
situation
Although the rest of
the residents in the three villages have not experienced the abuses
themselves, the soldiers’ mere presence caused them anxiety and fear.
Mylene Ymata,
Secretary-General of PESANTE, said the villagers’ fear of the military
has disrupted their livelihood.
“The local folks
revealed that many of them are now afraid to go out to their farm to
work. They are in constant fear that they might come across soldiers
in combat operation. Consequently, their income dipped,” Ymata said.
She added, “In normal situation, the villagers could at least earn a
daily income of Php 77 from farming. Now, they could only earn between
Php 40 to 50 a day.”
Ymata further said
that those branded as NPA members had it worse.
She cited the case of
the two Norcio families who were forced to leave their homes and farms
in Brgy. Quirino after the military interrogated and accused them of
being NPA members.
The victims are
presently staying with their relatives in a nearby village. They make
do with whatever support they get from their relatives and their small
share from working on the latter’s farms.
More rights violations
Calades expressed
alarm over the government’s all-out war against the communist rebels
as this would take its toll on the poor civilians in the countryside.
“This move would only
escalate the number of human rights violations and worsen the poverty
situation of the peasant sector,” he said.
KATUNGOD-Eastern
Visayas already recorded 42 cases of human rights violations with
4,203 victims from January to June 2006 in the region. The human
rights group also recorded one case of harassment done against 3
progressive partylist and organizations.
Calades further said,
“Instead of intensifying military operations in the countryside, the
government should rather improve the delivery of basic social services
to the peasant communities and concentrate on alleviating poverty,
which is the root cause of the long-running insurgency.”
