Sorsogon water firm preserves watershed areas, pursues contour agricultural farming

By Irma A. Guhit
Tuesday 21st of February 2012

SORSOGON CITY, Feb.21 (PIA) — Watershed areas need to be cared for, preserved and protected as these sustain the source of water, said Engr. Ronaldo G. Borbono, manager of the Sorsogon City Water District (SCWD).

According to Borbono, the watershed areas now being maintained by SCWD are very well preserved and protected by farmers themselves and now home to several endemic flora and fauna. It is envisioned to become a tourism visitation site.

The local water district continues to advocate to the public to be appreciative of its importance.

He also said that employees regularly conduct tree planting activities as their firm support of the government’s environmental thrusts and to articulate collectively the National Greening Program as trees preserve the sources of water.

Borbono said that Barangay San Jose of Bacon district is one of their watershed areas and now being developed to showcase the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) program, a banner project under the Water District Assistance to Environment and Resources as highlighted in their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program.

As an environmental preservation tool, the SALT project is also an alternative source of livelihood for people living in the slopes in the watershed and are taught contour farming according to Barbono.

The water district is assisting these farmers to adapt this kind of farming to abolish the practice of kaingin system or slash and burn that destroy the forest.

The prevalent livelihood source in forests is the illegal cutting of trees made into charcoal but with this assistance, Borbono said that farmers will avoid this practice since they will now have a source of livelihood and the watershed will be preserved as they are also taught the importance of protecting the land from erosion due to incorrect upland farming practices.(MAL/IAG-PIA Sorsogon))

Original article.

Orosipon – Istorya San Lola Ko (Happy Birthday Lola Felisa)

Even when I was a kid, I prefer to listen to the stories of those older than me.

One thing that never fails to amaze me, is the fact that lola never showed that she has a favorite among my cousins. I never felt that she favors any one of us. But when I and my cousins were all grown up, we agreed that lola’s number 1 apo is the eldest among the cousins, Manoy Nono; nonetheless, it was more of a sense of pride that lola never treated anyone of us differently.

For those who do not know her, she’s known as Tiya Pising or Felisa. Or for those who would watch the Sorsogon National High School’s annual alumni parade,  she is the most senior among the alumni and would be the first one in front after the drum and bugle corps. I noticed that the gap between her batch and the 30s batch became closer and closer. And lola would insist that she attends the parade. Her last parade was 2 years ago, she had to take a sedan driven by her daughter, Tita Chi.

I remember back in Fairview, in my cousin’s house, she would still try to wash her own plate and utensils; she also would wash her underwear. And she was in the 80s then.

And I was lucky she was able to attend my wedding. Afterwards, she attended my cousin’s wedding in Cebu. I think that was the last apo wedding she attended because she’s having a hard time travelling.

I guess that kind of normalcy in her life gave her a long life that some might covet.

I still remember Lola Felisa would bring me to Velasco (now Jane’s Restaurant) for a Magnolia Ice Cream cup (I could still taste the sweetness of the mango flavor) or a waffle hotdog from Bahay Minindalan (apparently, they were the only resto with waffle maker during those days). I was 5 years old then, studying in Colegio de la Milagrosa in Brgy. Talisay. Lola would pick me up from school around 4pm.

When Lola Felisa visited Japan for a couple of times (one of her sons, Tito Don, lived there for a couple of years or so), I remember her presents – robots transforming into steel balls (yup, die cast was common then) and toys that couldn’t find in SM back then. One time, my mom was so mad when I lent one of my toys with one of my classmates – it was a white car, which I called ‘Devil’s Car’ from the comic book, Aliwan – and it was returned with scribble all over its body!

Lately, before she went into coma (a few weeks after her 99th birthday), I was trying to put stories of the old times together (this is where the idea of Orosipon series came about). I was much interested on the history of the Laurio/Jamila clan and wanted to write about it.

I learned that her parents were from Abuyog. Her father could speak Spanish and never finished college – her father got hitched when he fell in love with my lola’s mother. The family was landed – they owned part of that land that’s now occupied by the DAR office and Camp Pabilani; the Commonwealth government bought it when it started growing the young Philippine Army under Gen. MacArthur. The land was eventually divided amongst my lola’s siblings, some can be found as far as the border with Casiguran.

She was the family’s walking family tree – she can trace 3 or 4 levels of consanguinity  in the family, ending up with lots of relatives in the old town.

I can still remember her story about why my lolo  who never ran again in the mayoral election in the town of Castilla in the early 50s. Apparently, it was very costly for the family. Eventually, lolo Feliculo became the regional director for Philsugin (now the Philippine Sugar Authority) in Bacolod City; thus, lola Felisa had to move with him and my mom.

Happy birthday, lola!

Travel Tip – Dealing with Public Restrooms

It’s been a perennial challenge for travelers on a long trip to have clean restrooms along the way, especially for the ladies. Here’s a tip that I learned from my sister in law – a lighter and a rubbing alcohol (hand sanitizer works as well).

Pour water (if it’s available) around the surface of the toilet bowl. Wipe it clean with a tissue paper. And pour the rubbing alcohol around the toilet bowl surface and light it up with a cigarette lighter (kids, don’t do this at home).  Wait for the fire to burn out.

Finally, check the bowl if it’s cool enough for use.

Good speed for the travelers!

Driving from Manila to Sorsogon (Part 2 – Driving along Quirino Highway)

Note: This is the second of the series, Driving from Manila to Sorsogon.

From Calauag City, one can decide if he wants to take the Bitukang Manok going to Naga City. From what the author gathered, the road is very smooth compared to the Quirino Highway. This might be because the vehicular traffic dropped considerably when Quirino (or Andaya nowadays) Highway was open to the public. The said highway cut the travel time by almost 2 hours. But if you enjoy the long drive, you can take the Maharlika Highway to Naga City via the following Camarines Norte towns:

• Santa Elena, Camarines Norte
• San Lorenzo Ruiz, Camarines Norte
• Daet, Camarines Norte
• Basud, Camarines Norte

Note: Between Daet and Basud, the Bicol National Park is located.

• Sipocot, Camarines Sur

If one takes the Quirino highway – a 90-km relatively winding stretch, he will pass by the following towns:

• 

  Petron station in Tagkawayan offers clean restrooms and a restaurant for travellers. The gasoline price is more expensive than other gas stations along the way to Bicol.

• Tagkawayan, Quezon – favorite stop, from the author’sobservation, of travellers since clean restrooms, a restaurants, and a small grocery is available in the Petron station. Tagkawayan is also popular for its prawn products, mostly exported to Japan and other Asian countries.
• Del Gallego, Camarines Sur – if one is not checking the kilometer markers, you can miss this town. The only sign that you are in the center is the relatively large roads intersecting with the highway.
• Ragay, Camarines Sur – this is also where one can have a meal stop, albeit on the public park along the highway. The highway is located above the town proper and, from the park, one can observe the Ragay Gulf. A nearby Total station is also located.
• Sipocot, Camarines Sur

Depending on the season, there are short portions of rough roads on Andaya Highway. During the 2011 trips of the author, approx. 10 to 15 kms of road between towns of Sta. Elena and Tagkawayan are full of potholes that a car with 13″ tires would have a hard time going through at 50 km/hr. If one has a car with small-sized tires, the author suggest to avoid driving at night – he experienced a double-tire blow out (and damaged rims) on a single pothole that could also damage 17″ tires. Otherwise, the driver has to run not faster than 40 km/hr at night. If it’s any consolation, the residents know already how to assist you.

Author’s Note: When the highway was pretty new, approx. less than a year of operation, it would only take the author between 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes to cover the whole stretch. The author had fun then because he could sustain for several minutes a 90kph to 100kph running a 1.3L sedan with full load of passengers. Nowadays, 2 hours is a normal drive due to damaged portions, more than a couple of PNP/AFP checkpoints, walking pedestrians and slow moving trucks. But still, this is a shorter route than via Date, Camarines Norte.

From Sipocot, to Sorsogon City offers a smoother drive compared to Quirino Highway.

17 Bicol schools to impose tuition hikes

By Media Solutions Home Updated February 14, 2012 05:00 PM 0 comment to this post

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – Seventeen higher education institutions (HEI) in Bicol region signified intentions to raise tuition fees on school year 2012-2013, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) here confirmed.

Janette Naag, CHED-Bicol supervisor in-charge of tuition fees, said the 17 HEIs were the only ones who submitted “Letter of Intent” as of February 13, the last day of filing LOI.

Among the applicants for tuition fee hikes included:

DB Pena Memorial Colleges Foundation, Oas Community College, Immaculate Concepcion College, all in Albay province, Mariner’s Polytechnic College Foundation in Camarines Sur, Masbate College and Southern Roosevelt College in Masbate, St. Louise de Marillac College, RG de Castor College, Sorsogon College of Criminology in Sorsogon, the Mariner’s Polytechnic College Foundation, Divine Word College and Aquinas University in Legaspi City, Ateneo de Naga University, Mariner’s Polytechnic College Foundation, University of Santa Isabel and University of Nueva Ciaceres in Naga City and Catanduanes College.

Naag, however, said the applicant-HEIs have yet to undergo process as required by CHED Memorandum No. 13 series of 1998 which governs the increase of tuition fees by private schools.

The HEIs also must submit certificate of intended compliance as well as certificate of compliance which would show that they complied with the directive regarding the utilization of the tuition hike which mandates that 70 per cent must be allocated for salary increase of its personnel, 20 per cent for improvement of facilities and only 10 per cent shall be retained as return on investment (ROI), Naag said.

The CHED official said there is no limit as to the amount of increase the HEIs may impose as long as all the sectors concerned gave their approval to such hike, she said, adding that the institutions must conduct consultations with the students, parents and other stakeholders.

This is based on the CHJED memo 13 which in return was based on Education Act of 1984, Naag said.

However, only tuition fee is covered by the memorandum while other charges like miscellaneous and other fees are left to the discretion of the school authorities, she clarified.

Naag reminded the HEIs that they must submit proof of the consultation signed by the president of the student council as part of the requirements which must be filed with CHED not later than April 1.

Original article.

Sorsogon City is still Waiting for the Google Map Update

It would have been more fun if Google Map can now cover Brgy. Balogo, the whole of Bibincahan, Cabid-an and other nearby barangays. Besides, the local government can use it for planning purposes especially for disaster risk management. Oh well, that’s what you get for free.

So far, as of February 14, 2012, there's no updated section yet of Sorsogon City (the one within the red box) via Google Map.

Last time I checked, a hi-res map via satellite costs around US$3,000 per certain area!! The resolution is the same as what the western military uses for planning purposes. With that market price, I guess it’s worth the wait. Say another 2 years?

Related articles:

• Google Update – Hi-Res Coverage for OLV Bibincahan
• Google Map Update – Bacon District has now a clearer coverage
• Google Map Update for Sorsogon City

Happy Valentine in Sorsoganon

Gin-iisip ko kun papan-o sasabihun an, “Happy VAlentine” sa Sorsogonan.

Maugmang ka-adlawan san mga puso? Maugmang adlaw san mga puso?

Di bale na, basta magkasarabutan kita!

Happy valentine’s day, Sorsogon!

SC