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.

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!

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!

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.

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

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

Di bale na, basta magkasarabutan kita!

Happy valentine’s day, Sorsogon!

SC

SORSOGON CITY, Feb. 13 PIA) — A number of visitors from a neighboring country

One of the solar lamps along the Sorsogon Diversion Road.

are in town not to see the sights but to learn how a Philippine province is readying itseIf for any natural disaster. They are representatives from several local governments in Cambodia to immerse and learn the strategies implemented by the local government of Sorsogon in terms of Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAM).

Recommended by the UN Habitat as one of the places here in Asia whose strategies for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation (CCAMs) are well in place, Sorsogon City is now among those under the CCAM- assisted cities considered as a “Learning Site to Visit” as a local government in Asia.

The representatives from Cambodia who arrived yesterday will be exposed to the different CCAMs’ human and infrastructure initiatives stategies that had been instituted here in this city, assisted by several global funding agencies working on disaster risk reduction mechanisms and strategies to adapt and mitigate effects of climate change.

Sorsogon City Mayor Leovic R. Dioneda said that the representatives from Cambodia will be shown the implementation of programs under the CCAMs starting from the practice of the city’s Ecological Solid Waste Management program, the establishment of their Materials Recovery Facilities; the installation of the Light Emitting Diode (LED) using solar energy in the city vicinity and street lights ; the School Mitigating Adapting Risk and Threat (SMART) schools used as evacuation centers; the retrofitting program of houses exposed to highly vulnerable areas and the establishment of the city’s CCAM office where equipment and devices are installed to include the automatic weather station.

The city will also share the implementation of the Executive Order 3, s 2011 local scheme/policy/programme on the conversion of 2-stroke tricycle motors to the more efficient and emission reducing 4-stroke motors developed and adopted by the city government.

He will also explain to them the city’s contingency plan in Disaster Risk Reduction Management as he had been usually invited in foreign countries to share the success story of the city in terms of creating an aware and enlightened citizenry when it comes to managing natural calamities and becoming a resilient community.

He will expose these visitors to the organizational structure of the CCAM starting from the barangays, the schools, non-governmental organizations and other government entities on how they harmonize efforts to implement a resilient community with regards to disaster risk reduction management.

Mayor Dioneda will also share the communication strategies being implemented in the city and the use of the comprehensive land use plan to ensure safety mechanism of infrastructure development following the CCMA scheme.

The Cambodian visitors will in the same manner share their experience in the implementation of their CCAM strategies but according to Manny Daep, city information officer, Sorsogon City has been now highlighted as a “Learning site to visit ” since last year 2011, a lot of visitors from local and international communities have been here and to see and learn from the city’s CCAM strategy projects. ( MAL/IAG, PIA Sorsogon)

Original article.

Sorsogon City (SC) would like to ask your participation about a research paper on the above mentioned subject. The paper is being completed by Edel Diaz of UP Diliman.

The survey will be closed by March 3.

If you have time, please visit and answer this survey.

If you have clarifications about his work, please leave your comment on this article and SC would coordinate.

Dios Mabalos!

Note: The site owner has no special interest with Edel Diaz’s work, rather this is just one objectives of site to assist those who are interested about Sorsogon.

The Energy Department approved over 700 megawatts of wind projects last year, boosting the country’s efforts toward energy independence, government data showed over the weekend.

The department cleared the application of CoastalPower Development Corp.’s Prieto-Diaz wind power project in Sorsogon province, which has a capacity to generate 420 MW of power, the biggest approved to date.

The department also gave the greenlight to CoastalPower’s 100-MW Mercedes wind power project in Camarines Norte.

Approved contracts include those of Energy Logics Philippines’ 100-MW North Pasuquin wind power project in Pasuquin-Burgos, Ilocos Norte, and 112-MW Mt. Redondo wind power project in Zambales.

The others are Philippine Hybrid Energy Systems Inc.’s 15-MW Puerto Galera wind project, PhilCarbon Inc.’s in Sagada and Bulalacao and Pan Energy Corp.’s Redondo wind power project.

Wind developers are waiting for the release of the feed-in tariff that will guarantee them a fixed rate over a 20-year period. The feed-in tariff is undergoing hearings at the Energy Regulatory Commission.

Wind developers, who are members of the Wind Energy Development Association of the Philippines, are also in talks with National Grid Corporation of the Philippines for the construction of transmission lines that will support the development of their projects.

National Grid has proposed a new transmission project, called the Northern Luzon 230-kV Looping project, that will serve the needs of wind projects in the north.

“This project aims to loop the north-western and north-eastern 230 kV backbone in Luzon in order to provide adequate transmission facilities in catering to the huge wind power generation potential in the region and at the same time improve the overall reliability of the transmission network,” National Grid said in its draft Transmission Development Plan 2011-2020.

(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on /2012/february/13.)

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• World’s Biggest Wind Farm in the middle of the Irish Sea Opened (rashidfaridi.wordpress.com)