DENR-7 celebrates 'World Migratory Birds' day
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Visayas has led a series of awareness campaign on May 12 to 13 to celebrate the World Migratory Birds Day (WMBD), an annual global awareness-raising campaign.
The campaign includes lectures, bird watching, public discussions and other educational and public events.
This year’s theme “Migratory birds and people – together through time,” highlights the need for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats.
DENR-7 regional executive director Maximo Dichoso said migratory birds are important to achieve a balanced and healthy ecosystem and enjoined everyone to celebrate with the world in promoting and raising public awareness about migratory birds and their importance.
The WMBD was initiated in 2006 and celebrated every second weekend of May. It takes place in various countries and but are all linked through a single global campaign and theme.
Avian migration is a natural process, whereby different birds fly over distances of hundreds and thousands of kilometers in order to find the best ecological conditions and habitats for feeding, breeding and raising their young.
In a related development, Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary (OIWS) Protected Area Superintendent Reginaldo Bueno also urged all local and foreign tourists to come and visit the Olango bird sanctuary and participate in the activities set for the 2-day celebration.
The OIWS is a sanctuary for migratory birds and other marine species in the Olango Island Group located about five kilometers east of Mactan Island, Cebu.
In 1992, the Philippine government declared the 1,020 hectares of tidal flats in the Olango Island Group as a protected area. The tidal flats in the island group are also home to various species of marine invertebrates that are the primary food of the migratory birds.
“Every year from September to April, the birds use the wildlife sanctuary as a wintering ground and feeding station in their annual southward migration to Australia and New Zealand,” Dichoso said.
He added the birds then stopped at the wildlife sanctuary in their northward migration back to the Northern Hemisphere to breed during the summer months from June to August.
Tourists and bird-watching enthusiasts usually visit the wildlife sanctuary in the months of July to November during the winter in the Northern Hemisphere, this is learned.
Based on the DENR inventory, there are 97 species of birds in the Olango Island Group consisting of 48 migratory species, while the remaining 49 species are native to the island.
According to DENR, some species of the migratory birds that stop at the wildlife sanctuary are considered endangered. (DENR7/MBCN/HFG-PIA7)
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18 families from Cebu City receive condo units from GK
CEBU CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- The Gawad Kalinga (GK) did a turnover ceremony for the three-storey building, Condoville 1, located at Barangay Lorega-San Miguel, to its beneficiaries, wherein 18 families were given the first units.
Tanny Go, GK Project Director, said that there were criteria in choosing the beneficiaries. On the part of GK, there is this Kapitbahayan Membership Training that the beneficiaries should attend. Another is Values Formation, which constitutes 10 sessions. Lastly, is the SWEAT Equity, wherein beneficiaries must take several hours in helping build the houses.
For the government's side, beneficiaries need to have a validation from the Department for Social Urban Poor and an approval from the Local Housing Group.
Department of Social Welfare and Development Regional Director Macapobre explained that the partial source of the funding for the first building came from the P10 million PDAF of former Congressman Raul Del Mar and another P2 million from the Action for Nurturing Children and Environment. The total estimated cost of the condoville is P14 million.
"Three floors, 20 units per storey for a total of 60 families will be able to benefit...This is only a first of many," said Rep. Cutie Del Mar.
This event was also participated by the Presidential Communications Operations Office Undersecretary for Special Concerns Jose Mari Oquinena.
Barangay Lorega-San Miguel was an old cemetery before, and was closed by the Cebu City Health Department because it no longer complied with the sanitary code. The Cebu City Council, through Resolution No. 12-49-2010, declared the closure and the conversion of its 9000-square-meter portion of the cemetery into socialized housing site. (PIA-7 Mayette A. Baring, CNU Communication Intern)
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Medical mission in Cebu provides free harelip, cleft palate operation
By Fayette C. Ri�en
CEBU CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- Unspoken joy written in their faces, 15 children from poor families benefited from a free harelip and cleft palate operation conducted by a medical mission group from Australia, assisted by the Mandaue City Government and a local civic organization.
The 12-member volunteer mission group from Australia included two specialist surgeons, two anesthesiologist-pediatricians, six registered nurses, and two coordinators. The group brought with them an electric cautery machine, suture materials, and anesthetic machine, among others.
“We conduct free operations, this is our mission of bringing joy to the patients and their families all over the world,” said Wilma Dunne, president of the sponsoring foundation, the Operation Rainbow Australia. Ltd. based in Perth, Western Australia.
Dunne, a retired nurse and an awardee of Australian Queen’s Order of Australian Medal for her highest and outstanding achievement in the field of service, said they have scheduled 90 patients during a one-week operation held at the Mandaue City Hospital in coordination with the Kiwanis Club of Cebu.
“This is a once in a life time chance since cleft palate or harelip operation would normally cost P50,000 excluding the medicines,” said Dr. Oscar Quirante, director of the hospital.
“I really thank the group, it is a dream come true and it makes my life very different,” said 14-year old recipient Vanessa Boytinguel, a first-year high school student from Ubay, Bohol.
The patients came from Mandaue and neighboring cities and towns as far as Bohol and Leyte in the Visayas and Dipolog City in Mindanao.
The out-of-town patients were treated first and accommodated at the Mandaue City Hospital. Aside from free meals, each patient was given a grocery bag that includes school supplies and a medical kit bag with all the needed medicines.
“We decided to hold the operation in Mandaue City, being located in the heart of Cebu and also because of the very accommodating mayor,” said Susana Tan, director of Kiwanis Club of Cebu.
According to Florita Cue, vice president of Australia-based Damayang Filipino, Inc., who provided the link, said there will be more medical missions to be conducted in Cebu. (PIA 7 Cebu)
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RAFI holds Heritage Night
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) Culture and Heritage and its partners is set to hold the sixth run of “Gabii sa Kabilin (Heritage Night)” on May 25 from 6:00 p.m. to 12 midnight.
In a press conference on May 3 at the Casa Gorordo Museum, RAFI Culture and Heritage executive director Jocelyn Gerra said, heritage places and museum sites are the soul and conscience of a society, the essence of who we are, “If we don't get to understand what they are, then it will be very difficult for us to move forward and connect with each other.”
Gerra reminded the audience that the event is not a race and is meant to be enjoyed as a learning experience.
This year, the heritage event will feature 22 main attractions composed of museums and cultural sites in the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.
Gabii sa Kabilin’s new participating sites this year are Ayala Center Cebu Cinema and The Terraces; BPI Museum, CAP Theater, Fo Guang and the Shan Chu Un Temple; JRG Halad Museum, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Temple, and University of San Carlos Museum.
According to Gerra, tourists are treated to cultural performances, exhibits, art fairs, food markets, and interactive demonstrations in the 22 main sites.
There will also be a walking tour along heritage sites that are within walking distance from each other.
With one ticket worth P150, local and foreign tourists may go to as many participating museums and cultural heritage sites within the six hours of the heritage event.
The ticket also allows them to take as many rides as they want in Gabii sa Kabilin-designated buses and one tartanilla (horse-drawn carriage) trip in Cebu City’s old district.
An added attraction to Gabii sa Kabilin 2012 is a set of children’s activities that will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in six participating sites, namely, Ayala Center Cebu, Casa Gorordo Museum, Cathedral Museum, Cebu City Museum, Cebu Normal University, and Fort San Pedro.
RAFI Dolores Aboitiz Children's Fund (DACEF) executive director Amaya Aboitiz said it is important for children to experience local culture and how it is to be a Filipino.
Children’s activities include native agamesa, storytelling of traditional Visayan tales, lukay art, carroza decorating, tartanilla ride, hat making, bugsay (paddle) making demonstration, Chinese calligraphy, and tai chi demonstration.
There will also be a code hunt game, which is organized by major sponsor Smart Communications, wherein participants can download in their phones information on a heritage site.
“Sometimes we take for granted the kabilin. But beyond the kabilin is the story. Also important is not just the memory but also the story behind the heritage object because it's the story that carries you on forward,” Gerra said.
Implementation of Gabii sa Kabilin is made possible through partnerships with the local government units of Cebu City and Mandaue, Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM), Philippine National Police–Cebu City (PNP), Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission (CHAC) of Cebu City, Province of Cebu, Department of Tourism–Region VII, and Santo Niño de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation.
RAFI and its partners are also assisted by tanods, officials and residents of 26 barangays in Cebu City, namely, Apas, Calamba, Capitol Site, Carreta, Cogon-Ramos, Day-as, Ermita, Hipodromo, Kalubihan, Kamagayan, Lahug, Lorega-San Miguel, Luz, Mabolo, Pahina-San Nicolas, Parian, Sambag I, Sambag II, San Antonio, San Roque, Santa Cruz, Santo Niño, T. Padilla, Tejero, Tinago, and Zapatera.
Tickets will be sold starting May 10 at the 22 participating museums and cultural sites, including the concierge at Ayala Center Cebu.
Detailed information about the participating sites and their presentations as well as tour routes of Gabii sa Kabilin will be available for download also on May 10 at www.rafi.org.ph or www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.
On May 18, RAFI and the local government units of Argao and Sibonga will launch its “Gabii sa Kabilin” in those towns.
For more information about Gabii sa Kabilin and other programs of the RAFI Culture and Heritage, please call 418-7234 local 703 and look for May or Florencio. (RAFI/MBCN/HFG-PIA7)
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Three barangays in Cebu to get potable water
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- After a long wait, residents of barangays Pit-os, Bacayan, and Talamban will finally have potable water supply from the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD).
MCWD Assistant General Manager for Technical Services Michael Balazo shared that on April 13, MCWD launched the Pit-os-Bacayan-Talamban Water Supply Project, highlighted through a groundbreaking ceremony and presentation of the water service project.
At present, residents in Bacayan buy water from private suppliers at P40 per cubic meter, or more than double the water rates of MCWD, said Bacayan Barangay Captain Armando Borces.
“Luoy kaayo ang mga tawo (We pity the people)," he said.
MCWD has set aside P54 million for the project, which will be implemented by contractor New Culion Builders, to distribute 12,000 cubic meters of water per day to the three barangays, according to Balazo.
Pipe laying is expected to start soon and it is hoped to be completed in December 9, 2012. When completed, 74 stub outs and seven water hydrants will be available.
Water sources include MCWD’s Talamban well fields and possible private sources through joint venture contracts, said MCWD General Manager Armando Paredes.
Paredes explained that the implementation of the project was delayed due to the lack of water source.
"Since a decade ago, MCWD has been exploring possible sources of water to supply to residents of northern Cebu City," he added.
Pit-os and Bacayan both have volcanic geologic formations, making it impossible to find water sources with sustainable yields. Only Talamban has water-bearing groundwater sources since its ground is made of limestone, Paredes said.
MCWD said exploration works and well drilling were conducted leading to the discovery of four wells in Highway 77, Tigbao, Cadauhan and Nasipit, all in Talamban.
The four wells were completed in 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively, and one is functional already with a daily yield of 1,540 cubic meters, MCWD reported.
Paredes assured that it is MCWD’s thrust to provide enough potable water to the people within its franchise area.
MCWD and New Culion appealed to the public to patiently bear with the inconvenience as vehicular traffic is expected to be affected by road diggings.
For residents of subdivisions in these areas who wish to connect to MCWD to improve their water supply, the developer or the homeowners’ association needs to turn over their water system to MCWD, this is learned.
Developers also have the option to purchase water in bulk from MCWD. This means MCWD will supply water to the subdivision but the developer will handle the distribution to the households. (mbcn/hfg-PIA 7/ MCWD)
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Public assured of steady water supply in Cebu despite hot weather
By Hazel F. Gloria
CEBU CITY, May 15 (PIA) -- The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) assured the public of steady water supply despite rising temperatures this summer.
MCWD Public Affairs Department manager Charmaine Rodriguez, in a press release, said MCWD produces an average of 180,000 cubic meters of potable water per day from ground water and surface water sources.
Rodriguez added that the average consumption of its 140,000 consumers reached 135,781 cubic meters per day for the first quarter this year.
Rodriguez noted that although MCWD’s Jaclupan facility, which is the largest source of water for Metro Cebu, experiences a drop in its water production during the summer months or from March to May, it is still able to produce enough to serve the water needs of MCWD’s service area.
Due to measures undertaken by the Water District to meet the demand, the production in the same period reached an average of 185,175 per day, the highest in the last five years.
But water consumption is expected to further increase this month, with the heat forcing consumers to use more water.
“We expect a higher consumption and demand for May. But while there are areas where consumption goes up, there are also places where the demand goes down, like the university belts,” said MCWD assistant general manager for operations Ernie Delco.
For the last two years, Delco said MCWD started a redundant supply program which ensures that there is always back-up water supply of about five to seven percent of the daily production.
MCWD distribution division manager Edgar Ortega said MCWD has 115 ground wells which produced an average of 149,266 cubic meters daily last March and the additional supply from private bulk water suppliers has also helped a lot, Ortega added.
According to MCWD production division manager Genaro Mejor, four private bulk water suppliers augment MCWD’s supply with an average of 31,245 cubic meters per day in March alone.
He added that MCWD’s only surface water source, the 100-year-old Buhisan Dam, produces an average of over 9,000 cubic meters daily or about five percent of MCWD’s water supply production.
Delco said during the summer months, MCWD introduces a dam protection technique to maintain the water level of the dam by minimizing its evaporation.
Despite these measures, Mejor is still urging the public to conserve water.
“Although we have more than enough supply, we’d like them to save water because there is lesser rainfall,” Mejor added. (MBCN/HFG-PIA7/MCWD)