Fr. George J. Willmann Charities scholar ordained priest

 

Another human instrument of Jesus was ordained to the Sacred Order of Priesthood through the assistance of the Knights of Columbus Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, Inc.

 

On August 23, 2011, San Carlos Bishop Jose F. Advincula ordained Rev. Fr. Stephen P. Bendanillo to the Sacred Order of Priesthood at the San Carlos Borromeo Cathedral Parish in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

 

Fr. Bendanillo was a scholar of the Knights of Columbus Fr. George J. Willmann Charities, Inc. during his Theological studies at St. Joseph Regional Seminary in Iloilo City from 2006 to 2011.

 

On March 28, 2011, only days after he graduated from Theology, Fr. Bendanillo was ordained to the Order of Deacons together with other two seminarians of their Diocese.

 

The Presbyterial ordination of Fr. Bendanillo was attended by the clergy of the Diocese of San Carlos and St. Joseph Seminary, relatives, friends, benefactors and the faithful of San Carlos, Negros Occidental.

 

A great deal of the Fr. George J. Willmann Charities programs have been focused on the scholarship of seminarians and priests.

 

 

This foundation provides assistance to deserving and qualified students, including but not limited to those in pursuit of religious vocation, formation or development and higher specialized studies. Since beginning of its foundation, the program has already graduated over a hundred priests.

For those who want to avail of the foundation’s scholarship grant, here are the three categories of scholarship: seminarians who are on their last course in theology; priests who wish to earn licentiate or doctorate degrees in ecclesiastical disciplines in local theology schools or seminaries; and priests who wish to earn licentiate or doctorate degrees in ecclesiastical disciplines in Rome.

 

It may be good to note, that those who have successfully graduated from this scholarship have formed an organization in 1999. They call all themselves, KC-Priests Scholars Association. Yen Ocampo

 

Paje orders crackdown on illegal used lead-acid battery recycling plants in Region 3

 

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently raided four lead smelting plants and a used lead-acid battery (ULAB) recycling facility in the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan and Nueva Ecija in a crackdown on informal businesses handling pollutive and hazardous substances without appropriate permits in Region 3.

 

            At the same time, DENR Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje has directed concerned provincial officials of DENR to explain “why they should not be charged administratively for inaction” on the illegally-operating plants.

 

Paje, who ordered a nationwide campaign against illegal ULAB recycling facilities and lead smelting plants, lauded the investigating team’s actions.

 

“These businesses, being run illegally, deprive government of revenues and give unfair competition to those operating legally. Most importantly, they cannot be monitored effectively and pose direct grave threats to human life and the environment because of their haphazard disposal of hazardous substances,” Paje said.

 

The one-day raid, conducted on August 18, 2011 by an investigating team organized by DENR Undersecretary for Field Operations Ernesto Adobo, Jr., also led to the arrest and filing of criminal charges against two Chinese nationals, namely Chen Tian Xi and Jiajia Chen, for violating Republic Act (RA) 6969, also known as the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990. The two were alleged to be behind the illegal operation of an unnamed lead smelting plant in Jaen, Nueva Ecija.  They were, however, released on August 20, 2011 by the Municipal Trial Court of Jaen, upon payment of bail amounting to P12,000.

 

Aside from the Chinese-run facility in Jaen, the lead smelting plants of Asia Pacific Resources, Inc. and Solid Lead, Inc., both in San Simon, Pampanga; and the ULAB recycling facility owned by a certain Roland Sumandal in Guimba, Nueva Ecija, were also each slapped with a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) for violating RA 6969.

 

The Oceanic Fishing Gear, Inc., another lead smelting facility in Meycauayan, Bulacan, was issued a notice of violation of its environmental compliance certificate (ECC).

 

Based on reports, the two Nueva Ecija plants were found to be operating without any ECC, permits for transport and for operating coal-fired furnaces, or registered treatment, storage and disposal facilities. Their pollution control facilities were also found to be “inefficient and ineffective”, allowing the emission of lead oxide in violation of RA 6969.

 

Lead smelting involves recycling lead acid separated from used batteries. The finished product is then sold locally or abroad for various uses, such as material for building construction, bullets, weights and soldering processes.

 

The DENR investigation team was joined by Jaen Mayor Santy Austria, members of local police headed by Major Resty Reyes, personnel from the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and members of the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force, in the inspection of the Jaen plant.

 

Paje described the illegal operation of the recycling facilities as “classic examples of wanton disregard of responsible management.”

 

Samuel Carpio, head of the investigation team, noted that the plants have been operating without proper treatment and disposal of lead oxide during the smelting or recycling process. Lead oxide poses harmful effects to the human body and can even be fatal if swallowed or inhaled. Ayda Zoleta, PAO, DENR

Govt sets new target area of 5,000 hectares in Region 2 for protein-rich, climate change-mitigating peanut

 

The government has set a new target area of 5,000 hectares in Cagayan Valley for protein-rich peanut as the legume is deemed as an ideal climate change-mitigating crop with its nitrogen-fixing property.

 

The Department of Agriculture (DA)-Cagayan Valley Integrated Agricultural Research Center (CVIARC) effectively targets a 43 percent increase in peanut production in Region 2 in three to five years. Present area is placed at 3,500 hectares.

 

“We want to continue our support for peanut breeding and production because peanut remains to be a minor crop rather than a cash crop even if farmers have an opportunity to make money from it by replacing our big import,” said Dr. Nicomedes P. Eleazar, Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) director.

 

DA sees expansion of peanut area as a climate change-mitigating crop with its ability to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas-emitting nitrous oxide from nitrogen. 

 

 

Peanut is likewise considered drought-resistant with less water need at an average irrigation water requirement ranging from four to 50 millimeter per application.

 

Legumes– peanut, mungbean, and soybean included– can capture nitrogen from the air, “fix” this into plant food, and thus make it a natural fertilizer to the plant.

   CVIARC Peanut Project Leader Rose Mary G. Aquino said BAR’s program involves breeding for improved peanut varieties. This also has a seed support component from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

 

“We want to stabilize the peanut production in Region 2 which has been erratic due farmers’ shifting from planting peanut to yellow corn as a result of insufficient peanut seed supply during planting season,” said Aquino.

 

The country imports an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 metric tons (MT) of peanut yearly out of a total supply of 60,000 to 70,000 MT. This means Philippines imports more than 50 percent of its peanut supply yearly primarily from China.

 

The peanut project should revive Region 2’s leadership in peanut production. Its peanut area was at 22,000 hectares in the 1990s, although yield was very low at 0.65 MT per hectare.

 

“Region 2 was once a big peanut producer. But due to the low yield and therefore low income, farmers shifted to yellow corn,” a BAR report said.

 

Legumes in general are eyed by DA as poverty reduction crops.  When inter-planted with corn or rice, legumes can raise land use efficiency and farmers’ income. At a production cost of P27,030, a farmer may earn a net income of P22,970 out of a 2,000 kilo per hectare yield, given a P25 per kilo farm gate price.

The use of legumes will have a significant beneficial effect in reducing stress on the soil specially due to cropping intensity.

 

“Leguminous plants have a give-and-take (symbiotic) relationship with a (soil) bacteria called rhizobia that thrive in the plants’ root nodules. Rhizobia can supply about 225 kilos (4.5 bags) of nitrogen per hectare per year or equivalent to input cost of P4,500 ,” Aquino said.

 

Considered climate change-ready varieties of peanut are Namnama-1 or Philippine-registered NSIC Pn 11 and Namnama 2 or NSIC Pn 14. They have a pod yield of 2.2 to 2.6 MT per hectare. These are breeds shared by the India-based International Crops Research Institute (ICRISAT) to the Philippines.

 

Another ICRISAT variety is the Asha  meaning “hope,” with a pod yield of up to 3.1 MT per hectare. It is called a “3-in-1” variety because of its flexible size of Class A “export” quality (one gram per seed), Class B for domestic market, and Class C for planting and processing.

 

Legume growing also supports a climate change mitigation measure called “conservation agriculture” which reduces soil tillage.  With reduced tillage, carbon is stored in soil rather than emitted to the air.

 

Aside from high protein content at 26 to 28 percent, peanuts are rich in B vitamins, folate, niacin, and Vitamin E. It has the good fat that helps remove cholesterol from blood, consequently helping reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

 

Peanut as a plant has other uses.  Its hay is a good fodder for livestock with its rich crude protein, better palatability compared to other fodder materials, and digestibility.

 

“Peanut hay is a high quality forage for cattle, carabao, horses,goat, sheep, rabbits,” said Aquino.

 

The peanut protein cake residue from oil processing and extraction is also used as an animal feed.

 

Crops inter-planted with peanut usually have better performance even with low or no fertilizer application due to legumes’ nitrogen-fixing capability.

 

This makes organic legume production possible.

 

In fact, peanut-white corn inter-cropping practices in Cagayan Valley involves organic farming. It does not use pesticide sprays or chemical fertilizers.

 

For the region’s mungbean and soybean production after upland rice planting, the same chemical free rhizobia seed inoculant-dependent practice is adopted.

 

The legumes are supplanted with macro and micro-nutrients through spraying of organic foliar fertilizers.

 

One of such organic fertilizer is the humic acid– a complex mixture of different acids forming humic substances that come from soil (humus), peat, coal, and many upland streams.  Another is the bacteria-mineral which is produced from bio-reacted manure.  Seeds are soaked on this bacteria-mineral water to enhance germination.

 

Vermi-tea, the worm tea or the liquid extract from a worm bed, is sprayed on the legume plants as an anti-fungal agent and provider of trace elements in the legumes.

 

Cagayan Valley farmers have also learned to fight pest infestation in mungbean and soybean through biological control measures or insect management.

 

For soybean in particular, government eyes the organic soybean to be used for food and the conventionally-bred ones for feed milling.

 

BAR’s organic production of peanut and soybean is being implemented together with the organic farming group called Earthkeepers Foundation and Cooperative for Rural Development (CORDEV). Rose Aquino/ Zeny Sison

Art and science of natural dying revives T’boli ancient craft

 

Fusing the ancient craft of natural dyeing with modern, efficient and cost-effective natural dye application technologies, the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI – DOST) helped enhance the T’bolis cultural heritage the tinalak. The revival of their ancient craft of natural dyeing is now through anchored on a more scientific and modernized process. The PTRI training on natural dye extraction and application provided the T’boli weavers and dyers the knowledge and skill to further improve their craft. As a result, the weavers were able to further experiment, discover and innovate their ancient craft of weaving tinalak. “Through these technology interventions, we can see how science and technology can boost and nurture the rich cultural traditions of our indigenous people as well as contribute to the improvement of their lives and yet, still remain true to their traditions,” explained PTRI Director Carlos C. Tomboc. He added that the application of science to their process enables their crafts to stand the test of time and carry on forever.

 

The tinalak is a sacred fabric woven from the tensile abaca fibers and is unique to the T’boli tribe of Southern Mindanao. It is a totem reflecting the ingenuity and exquisite craftsmanship of the T’boli women and an insignia of their individuality outpoured in an intricately patterned fabric exuding the yearnings of their souls, their struggles and, more importantly, their dreams as revealed to them by the spirits. The tinalak emerges as a primary commercial commodity of the T’boli tribe along with the effective promotion of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, with its lush rainforest, majestic lake and cultural bounty, as one of the country’s top ecotourism destinations,

 

The T’boli, like other prolific weavers and cultural craftspeople in the country, are in a predicament whether to forego their traditional processes in order to realize a higher yield or to sacrifice the badly needed extra income to still uphold tradition. Coping with the demands of their growing clientele and the widened application and commercialization of the tinalak, some of the T’boli weavers turned to synthetic dyes to hasten the process and went into mass production of the fabric. This resulted in poor quality outputs on top of health and environmental hazards brought about by the chemicals from the improper use and disposal of synthetic dyes.

 

Driven by its pursuit to revive the local textile industry and challenged by the T’boli’s predicament, PTRI assessed the practices of the Lake Sebu Indigenous Women Weavers Association, Inc. (LASIWWAI) that revealed their lack of systematic dyeing procedure often compromising the quality of the dyed materials and decreasing their productivity. To help resolve this, PTRI provided LASIWWAI members with a training course on natural dyeing involving a more systematic, standardized and scientific approach in dyeing abaca fibers akin to their age old tradition of dyeing using plant dye sources. Experts from the Institute introduced the fiber pre-treatment as part of the scientific process of natural dyeing to the T’boli women. Fiber pre-treatment is a crucial step of cleansing the abaca fiber, rendering it white in appearance and improving its capacity to absorb dyes and colorants. The participants were delighted to see the luster effect and the whiteness of the abaca fibers resulting from the pre-treatment process of scouring and bleaching which eliminates waxes, dirt, gums and other impurities that interfere with the even and effective application of natural dyes. This method permits the use of light and pastel dye colors to be incorporated to the abaca fibers.

 

They were also primed in the technique of mordanting the abaca fibers. Mordanting the fibers for a stronger bite of the dyes also increases its colorfastness and decreases the time spent about a hundredfold. The weavers were taught other sources of natural dyes and were also trained on a more cost-effective and standardized extraction and application of natural dyes from plant sources such as achuete, sibukao, yellow ginger, talisay, mahogany and loco roots to produce the color orange, fuchsia, yellow, black, brown and red, respectively. The traditional dyeing process can stretch on for weeks, whereas with the aid of this new PTRI technology, dyeing is cut short to a few hours.

 

In the past, the weavers were not consciously taking into account the measurement of chemicals, water and accuracy of parameters in dyeing. Through the training they were able to realize the importance of weighing their abaca fibers, dye sources, and chemicals prior to dyeing to ensure reproducibility and to maximize the use of scouring and bleaching solutions. Still not content with the abundance of natural dye sources in Lake Sebu, the T’bolis have now learned to cultivate dye yielding plants to ensure abundant and sustainable supply. The men are also slowly getting involved in the cultivation and stripping of abaca.

 

“PTRI’s natural dye technology provides the perfect solution offering the eco-friendly dyes and colors while enhancing productivity thru shortened, more accurate and efficient dyeing techniques,” explained PTRI scientist Julius Leaño. This technology intervention of PTRI lessened LASIWWAI dyers’ exposure to health hazards and provided additional value to the tinalak fibers. Also, the natural dyes are environment friendly and do not pose any threat especially to the life-sustaining rivers of the Lemkwa Village.

 

“The wide array of colors now available to the weavers as well as the technology available to them enables them to use other potential dye sources indigenous to their region,” remarked Julius Leaño. Through the efforts of the Non-Timber Forest Products – Task Force (NTFP-TF), a collaborative network of Philippine grassroots-based non-government organizations and peoples organizations addressing the livelihood needs of upland forest peoples, and linkages with PTRI and DOST Region IX, various products of  LASIWWAI are now being exported in various countries all over the world.  Joy Camille A. Baldo and Jona M. Bernal, S&T Media Service

FUN RUN NG CSC ALAY SA MGA NASAWING BAYANI NG KALIKASAN

 

Hinihimok ni Kalihim Paje ng DENR ang kaniyang mga opisyal at tauhan lalo na ang mga kawani na nasa NCR at Region 4B na lumahok sa darating na linggo sa isasagawang Fun Run na isasagawa ng CSC sa PICC.

 

Ang nasabing Fun Run ay kaugnay sa selebrasyon ng 111 taon ng CSC na naglalayong na makalikom ng pondo para sa naiwang pamilya ng kanilang mga kasamang nasawi dahil sa pagtatanggol ng kalikasan at kapaligiran sa bansa.

 

Dagdag pa ng kalihim na ang nasabing Fun Run ay hindi lamang makabubuti sa katawan kundi ito ay isang paraan upang bigyang pugay ang mga kasamahan nila sa DENR na namatay sa pagpapatupad ng tungkulin sa bayan. Tama lang aniya na balikang alaala ang mga taong nagbuwis nang buhay maipagtanggol lang ang inang kalikasan.

 

Ang CSC Fun Run ay gaganapin sa Setyembre 4 na magsisimula ng alas-singko ng umaga sa PICC kinapapaloban ng 2 kategorya n 3-K at 5-K na tatakbo sa kahabaan ng Buendia Avenue sa Lungsod ng Pasay.

 

Inaasahan na nasa 2,500 ang lalahok mula sa hanay ng pamahalaan at pribadong sector. 100 dito ay nagpatala na mula sa tanggapan ng DENR. Cathy Cruz, PSciJourn Mega Manila

 

Paje enjoins employees to participate in CSC Fun Run to help families of ‘environmental heroes’

 

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje is enjoining his Metro Manila-based officials and employees to actively participate in the Civil Service Fun Run on Sunday (Sept. 4) at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

 

Organized by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) as part of the month-long celebration of the 111^th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary, the Fun Run seeks to raise funds for the benefit of families left behind by government forest protection officers who died in the line of duty.

 

“I am enjoining the DENR employees, particularly those based in the central office, National Capital Region and Region 4B, to participate in this project.  Not only it is good for the health, but it is very noble as well as it seeks to raise funds for the families left behind by our co-workers in the department,” Paje said.

 

Paje added:  “We have always considered our fallen forest guards as ‘environmental heroes’, having sacrificed their lives for the protection of the environment.”

 

The CSC Fun Run will have two events: 3-K and 5-K races.  Both races will start at 5 a.m. at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, and will run through Buendia Avenue, also in Pasay City.

 

Initial report indicates that more than 2,500 participants from different government agencies and the private sector have already registered to join the Fun Run. Of the number, a total of 100 registrants are from the DENR. Ayda Zoleta, PAO, DENR

ANG PINAKAANGKOP NA REGALO AYON SA RED CROSS

 

Naniniwala ang Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) na wala nang mas hihigit pang regalo sa naging pagbubuwis ng buhay ng Dakilang Lumikha para sa kaligtasan ng sangkatauhan.

 

Dahil dito, naninindigan si PNRC Chairman Senador Richard Gordon na wala nang hihigit pa sa karagdagan sa panahon sa buhay ng isang nilalang na madudugtungan mo sa pinakasimple at walang kasing dakilang paraan.

 

Ayon kay Chairman Gordon, ang pagkakaloob ng sariling dugo sa mga nangangailangan nito ang isa sa pinakaangkop na regalo na maaaring ibigay ng isang tao sa mga nangangailangan nito.

 

Magugunita na sa kabila ng patuloy na kampanya ng PNRC para sa malawakang pagbibigay ng dugo, kulang na kulang pa rin ang mga kusang loob na nagkakaloob ng kanilang dugo para sa kapakinabangan ng nakararami.

 

Ngayong sasapit ang araw ng Pasko o ang buwan ng pagbibigayan, naisip ng Red Cross na mas lalong paigtingin ang kampanya nito para sa boluntrayo, walang bayad at kusang loob na pagbibigay dugo.

 

Tunay na walang katumbas na anumang uri ng salapi ang makapagdugtong ka ng buhay

 

Bukod sa mapapaligaya mo ang mga kaanak at mga taong nagmamahal sa taong makakatikim ng ibinigay mong dugo, mararamdaman mo rin ang kakaibang pakiramdam na tanging mga taong itinanggi ang kanilang sarili para sa kapakinabangan ng iba lamang ang nakadadama.

 

Hindi mo man naiisip pero mula sa iyong ipinagkaloob na dugo, ilang dengue patients na nangangailangang masalinan ang pwedeng makinabang at maligtas sa peligro na dulot ng mapanganib na dengue fever.

 

Ilan ding kanser patients na nangangailangang maoperahan at isailalam sa matagalang gamutan ang maaaring mapahaba mo ang buhay.

 

Kaugnay nito, nais samantalahin ng Red Cross ang pagkakataon ngayong buwan ng Kapaskuhan para kumatok sa puso ng mga mamamayan na huwag nang maghinayang sa isang bag ng dugo na maaari nilang maipagkaloob ngayong Pasko.

 

Para sa karagdagang detalye kaugnay ang pagbibigay dugo maaari kayong makipag-ugnayan sa PNRC Blood Services sa numero bilang 527-0000 loc 103 o 106. Alexander Rosete, Communications Manager