Docs warns flagellants from bathing on rivers

MALOLOS CITY—Medical doctors warned Bulakenyo flagellants from bathing on rivers to avoid inspection.

This is due to pollution on Bulacan rivers in Marilao, Meycauayan,Bocaue, Balagtas, Guiguinto which were declared as biologicall dead by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Angat River.

As head of the Provincial Public Health office, Dr. Jocelyn Gomez told the STAR that bathing on rivers is not advisable especially for flagellants who have open wounds on their back.

Gomez cited the possibility of infection due to a number of unidentified pollutants in the province’s river systems.

 The was echoed by Dr. Roberto Ramirez of Bulakan who noted the possibility of getting infected by tetanus.

As a medical practitioner, Ramirez insisted that it is safer for flagellants to wash their wounds with soap and clean water.

He specifically suggested water distributed by local water districts and through available artesian wells.

However, many Bulakenyo flagellants are unwilling to heed doctors advise.

They noted that older flagellants used to wash and bathe on local rivers in the past.

However, the quality of water on local river systems has dramatically change in the last more than 20 years.

Back then local water flowing on local rivers were clear and clean, and rivers are teeming with fish and other marine life.

Today, local rivers in the province are polluted with solid waste not to mention effluents coming from factories and households.

This situation were affirmed by Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado and Vice-Governor Daniel Fernando.

In an earlier interview, Alvarado lamented that water in rivers in the province turned brown in the last 10 years.

He said that it was due to pollution brought by increasing population.

The same was echoed by Fernando who said that if rivers in the past were teeming with fish,it is now teeming with garbage.

He also lamented the damage brought by undisciplined garbage disposal on local rivers that turned it into garbage dump.  Dino Balabo

Malolos Diocese reiterates stand on crucifixion, flagellation

Australian comedian John Safran at Kapitangan, Paombong, Bulacan.

MALOLOS CITY—The Diocese of Malolos reiterated its stand against self flagellation during the observance of the Holy week.

This came as the Church listed pilgrimage sites in Bulacan which exclude three prominent places in the province visited by thousands of devotes.

Excluded from the list if pilgrimage sites in the province are Grotto Vista in San Jose Del Monte City, old Santisima Trinidad Church in this city and the Barangay Kapitangan in Paombong town where devotees reenact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ every good Friday.

Arvin Ray Jimenez of the Commission on Social Communications of the Diocese of Malolos said that all three places have problems.

He said that Grotto Vista which draws thousands due to life size statue is no longer under the management of the diocese along with Santisima Church.

Jimenez said that pilgrims can instead visit the National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Marilao town which is adjacent to San Jose Del Monte City.

 

As another alternative, the diocese is advising pilgrims to participate in liturgical celebrations in different churches in the province.

The diocese also advised pilgrims to join in the annual Visita Iglesia, not only to see century old churches but to pray.

Among the churches that they advise for Visita Iglesia are the St. John the  Baptist Church in Calumpit, National Shrine of St. Anne in Hagonoy, National Shrine of Divine Mercy in Marilao, Basilica Minore here, St. James the Apostle Church in Plaridel, St. Augustine Church in Baliwag, and Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in San Rafael town.

Another place to visit for the Holy week is the Immaculate Conception Seminary (ICS) in barangay Tabe, Guiguinto town.

Jimenez said that  starting last Sunday, seminarians at ICS have starting the daily reading of the passion of Christ or Pasyong Mahal ni HesuKristo, which will be followed by seminars about holy week and nightly vigils.

On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, there will be a celebration for the station aod the cross and the seven last words of Jesus Christ.

With regards to annual staging of cenaculo or community theater depicting the life of Jesus Christ, the diocese of Malolos encouraged Bulakenyo to watch.

However, they noted that watching cenaculo is not only for entertainment purposes but for meditation on the life of Christ.

For about a century now, cenaculos are being staged annually in Barangays San Sebastian in Hagonoy, Caingin and Tikay in Malolos City.

There are also other theater groups like the Dularawang Bulacan Foundation and the Barasoain Kalinangan Foundation that stages cenaculos during the Holy week in Bulacan. 

Recycled materials, renewable energy highlight Earth Hour in Bulacan

BALIWAG, Bulacan—Recycled materials and solar lamps highlighted the annual Earth Hour celebrations here on Saturday night as organizers stressed the need for renewable energy to save the planet.

At least 100 replicas of fireflies made from recycled soda bottles and powered by solar energy lighted the façade of SM City Baliwag during the switch off as Bulakenyos joined the rest of the world in the annual celebrations.

It was followed by the lighting of laser finger beams attached to fingers of about 1,000 participants who joined the one-hour party.

Beverly Cruz, public relations specialists of SM City Baliwag said solar-powered firefly replicas symbolized the call to conserve energy and save the planet through utilization of energy efficient materials.

“Fireflies are known as lighting bugs and they are one of the symbols of environmental conservation as the insects only thrive in unpolluted areas,” Cruz said.

She stressed that fireflies also symbolize hope for every human effort to protect the environment from pollution.

Cruz also said that SM malls’ focus in this year’s Earth Hour celebration is on the use of the energy efficient materials and proper waste management practices.

Days before the celebration, she said that mall employees gathered soda bottles that were used in firefly replica production.

The improvised fireflies were later installed by SolarTech Enterprise, a Philippine-based company that provides functional and reliable solar power systems.

As one of the leading local supplier of photovoltaic cells, SolarTech aims to promote green and renewable energy in the country.

Its objective is to innovate products from solar and other renewable energy sources to help wean the world from relying on harmful and carbon-emitting energy sources.

Meanwhile, the annual celebration also drew pledges from participants who vowed to conserve energy by regularly turning off lights, re-use water and use bicycle as transport especially for short distances.

Just before the switch off, Shane Velasco of the Bulacan State University Rainforestation program also challenged participants including local officials to ensure sustainability of environment related programs.  DinoBalabo

Join Earth Hour tonight

MALOLOS CITY—Reelectionist Senators Loren Legarda and Francis Escudero called on every Filipino to join tonight’s (Saturday) observance of the annual Earth Hour.

This came as Bulakenyos prepare to join the rest of the world in the annual one-hour switch off starting at 8:30 tonight, March 23.

In their separate visit to Bulacan,Legarda and Escudero highlighted the need to participate not only to conserve electricity, but to raise awareness on environmental protection.

“Samantalahin po natin na makiisa sa pagsasagawa ng Earth Hour, not only to conserve energy but to raise awareness on the need to protect the environment,” Legarda said in an interview yesterday over Radyo Bulacan, a local radio station based in this city.

 

She also called on the use of renewable energy in order to protect the environment.

For his part, Escudero said environmental protection is not necessarily for the benefit of oneself.

“Hindi lang para sa ating sarili,kungdi para sa ating mga anak,apo, at susunod na salinlahi,” he said in an interview on Monday.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, Ecudero said they have been participating in the annual observance of the Earth Hour.

He said it was meant protect and [preserve the environment for the next generation saying, “hindi man mas maganda, at least kaparehas ng mundo natin ngayon.”

A worldwide event, Earth Hour was first started by the World Wild Life Fund for Nature in 2007 in Sydney, Australia.

Since then, it is annually held towards the end march highlighted by one-hour switch off.

In Bulacan, SM City malls in Marilao and Baliwag town has been participating in the annual switch off.

Tonight, SM City Baliwag said their Earth Hour celebration will be highlighted by participation of bikers and skateboarders to highlight alternative more of trasponport.

Beverly Cruz, the public relations officer of SM City Baliwag said participants will start by skating and pedaling from the town proper of Baliwag to Sm City mall.

It will be followed by skateboarder’s exhibition and a one hour video presentation.

Cruz said that at 8:30PM, major lights at the amml will be switch off and it will be followed by the lighting of the fireflies which are made from PET bottles.

The said bottles will be powered by solar energy  provided by SolarTech, a partner of SM City Baliwag.  Dino Balabo

SAYS CHIZ: Pinoys must rally behind PNoy on Sabah

MALOLOS CITY—Re-electionist Senator Francis Escudero called on Filipinos to trust and rally behind President Benigno Aquino in dealing with the Sabah crisis.

He also warned spectators including politicians to slow down on their comments to prevent escalation of hostilities that may end up in war.

“Hayaan po natin ang Pangulo na magdesisyon sa usapin sa Sabah, Galangin natin suportahan ang Pangulo dahil mabigat ang kanyang pasanin,” Escudero said in a press conference on Monday.

The re-electionist senator skipped the sortie of Team PNoy in Baguio City and chose to meet with journalists based in the province.

He explained that in dealing with the Sabah crisis, it is important for the country to have one voice on the issue.

“Huwag tayong sa publiko maghugas ng maruming damit, Hayaan natin ang Pangulo ang magsalita, suportahan natin siya, tama o mali ang kanyang desisyon, saka na lang tayo maningil,” he said.

Escudero also warned candidates in joining the fray saying “huwag na tayong makisawsaw,national interest na ang usapin, hindi ang pagsikat ng kandidatong pulitiko.”

He also reacted to proposals that the country must send an armed group to rescue the 200 member of the Royal Army of the Sulu Sultanate now trapped in Lahad Datu in Sabah.

Escudero said that 30 million lives in Mindanao and about 100 million in the whole country are at stake in case such proposals are heeded.

He said that there could be war between the Philippines and Malaysia noting that Malaysia will not just allow another armed group from the country to enter their territory.

Escudero said that the same principle is being followed by Malacanang in the case of Scarborough shoal off the coast of Zambales which is disputed between the Philippines in China.

“Kapag nagpadala tayo ng navy sa Scarborough tutumbasan o hihigitan pa yan ng China, ano ang mangyayari, baka giyera ang kalabasan,” he said.

Escudero added, “hindi dapat iba-iba ang boses natin ngayon, dapat ay iisa lang. Hindi natin dapat pag-awayan at pagdebatihan yan.” Dino Balabo

DOH's Health on Wheels to hit Calumpit

CITY OF MALOLOS-Two thousand five hundred Bulakenyos will gather at Northville, Calumpit on March 21, 2013 at eight in the morning to avail of the services of Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan caravan, a joint project of the Provincial Government of Bulacan and the Department of Health.

Bulacan Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said the health promotion caravan, which will be set in a fiesta theme aims to give information and education on maternal and child health care.

“Malaki ang role ng mga kabataan at mga kababaihan lalung lalo na ang mga ina sa ating lalawigan kaya marapat na bigyang pansin ang kanilang kalusugan,” the governor said.

Provincial Health Officer Jocelyn Gomez said that LBK features a bus customized with consultation and examination clinics wherein there will be talks about the importance of pre-natal check-up, birth planning, safe pregnancy and delivery, birth spacing, child immunization, hand washing, prevention of disability and health insurance.

“Bukod dito, mayroon ding interactive exhibit, storytelling sessions, entertainment shows and games on health,” Gomez added.

Alvarado added that prioritizing health programs also ensure the province’s continuous progress.

“Hindi mo matatawag na maunlad ang isang lalawigan kung hindi sapat ang mga programang pangkalusugan. Dahil dito, hindi tayo tumitigil sa pag-iisip ng mga programang pangkalusugan at pagpapatupad nito dito sa Bulacan,” Alvarado said.

The Lakbay Buhay Kalusugan is aligned with the Aquino Health Agenda of universal access to quality health care. ###

Pinoys to join Mars Homestead Project

MALOLOS CITY—Believe it or not, Filipinos will be taking part in the ambitious Mars Homestead Project that will be built by 2030.

Dr. Custer Deocaris of the Rizal Technological University (RTU) based in Mandaluyong City made the announcement on Saturday.

“Our very own Filipino astronomers, architects, engineers and students will be taking part in designing, planning and promoting for the Mars Homestead Project,” Deocaris said in an email message.

He said the goal of the ambitious project is to build the first permanent settlement beyond Earth allowing human civilization to spread beyond the limits of our planet.

Deocaris did not discuss details Filipino participation in the project, but said that ranking officials of the Mars Homestead project informed him that there designs that still needed for the settlement program.

It means that project organizers are still open for collaboration including with Filipino experts and engineers.

With regards to details of the Filipino participation, it will be discussed in a press conference at the RTU today (Tuesday).

Dubbed as First Astrobiology Forum with the theme “Mars Habitability”, the presscon will start at 9a.m.

Deocaris said that journalists will have a chance to interview NASA astrobiologist and Stanford Professor Dr. Lynn Rothschild, along with founder-director of Mars Homestead Project Engineer Bruce MacKenzie during the press conference.

Other issues that will be presented in the forum include the history of Mars water and updates on researches on Martian microbiology.

As an astrobiologist and head of the RTU Office of Space Innovation and Cooperation (OSSIC), Deocaris said “Mars, as you may know, is very important right now, in that we have ongoing missions designed to characterize the planet and search for biosignatures of life.”

Astrobiology, he said is a subject taught only at RTU which is considered as one of the newest and most cutting-edge fields of science as there is so much great deal of creative and exciting work happening now.

It revolves around questions on the origins and evolution of life, how life changes its environment, on the future of human civilization and its impact on biosphere amidst the various astronomical phenomena like asteroids and comets, and the scientific aspects of search for life beyond Earth. Dino Balabo