Strictly monitor dams, expert said

MALOLOS CITY—While dams in Central Luzon remain safe after the 5.4 earthquake that hit Baler, Aurora on April 4, a dam safety expert advised that a thorough monitoring and assessment on structures be conducted.

Engineer Roderick Dela Cruz, a Bulakenyo dam safety expert based in California said that in the United States, they immediate conduct the same after an earthquake of at least magnitude 5.

“We want to be sure of the safety of our facilities,” said during his presentation on dam safety here on Thursday afternoon, April 4 hours after the earthquake.

As lead dam safety engineer of Southern California Edison (SCE), Dela Cruz manages 82 large dams with age range of 80 to 100 years old.

He said that immediate monitoring and assessment of dam structures especially dikes and spillways are important to see its integrity.

The said actions are mandated by US state and federal laws on dam safety that set standards in the management of dams.

He said that it is unfortunate that in the Philippines there is no law yet that cover dam safety which will also set standards in dam management.

“There are many stake holders in dam operations in the Philippines, but there is no single office that monitors the dam because there no law on dam safety,” he said.

He also lamented Congress’s slow pace on the ratification of the proposed bill for a national dam safety program.

However, he remained optimistic that advocacy n dam safety can be taken by local government units through the enactment of provincial ordinance on the same concern.

This was affirmed by Governor Wilhelmino Alvarado in an interview after Dela Cruz’s presentation.

Alvarado vowed that he will coordinate with the Sangguniang Panglalawigan of Bulacan to pass a local ordinance on dam safety.

He said that a local ordinance can later be improved by Congress, and will serve as their basis in passing a national law which takes time.

Meawhile, the National Power Corporation (Napocor) made assurance that Angat Dam in Hilltop,Norzagaray town is safe after the recent earthquake.

Engineer Rodolfo German,the general manager of the Angat River Hydroelectric Power Plant (Arhepp) said that Thursday’s earthquake was hardly felt at the dam.

  

However,he said that Napoco Dams and Waterways division along with representatives of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology were tasked to conduct monitoring and assessment of dam structures.

Constructed 43-years ago, Angat Dam is facing its first major rehabilitation due to the presence of a splay of the Marikina West Valley Faultline near the dam’s dike.

The Aquino Administration has allocated P5.7-Billion for the said rehabilitation but the bidding for the construction still have to be conducted.  Dino Balabo

Team Patay faces trouble in vote rich Bulacan

MALOLOS CITY—Team Patay candidates are likely to face bigger challenge in the vote rich province of Bulacan as lay leaders of the Church here vowed that they will not vote for candidates who voted in favor of the Reproductive Health (RH) Law.

This came as some political and Church leaders claimed that there is Catholic vote in this predominantly Catholic country is nothing but a myth.

The decision of the lay leaders, however, remains independent, as Bishop Jose Francisco Oliveros of the Diocese of Malolos is still preparing a pastoral letter that sources said was greatly influence by the passage of the RH law.

The bishop’s letter is expected to be issued after next week when the Church completed its second diocesan synod that will be held from April 8 to 13.

Father Dars Cabral, chair of the Commission on Social Communications admitted that there is not Catholic vote in the country for simple reason that Filipino voters are mostly Catholics.

He warned that said point of view might change in the coming May polls as the Church in Bulacan with almost 3-Million population has started working to educate the province’s over 1.4-M registered voters.

Cabral disclosed that there is no official communication yet from the Church hierarchy telling voters who to vote.

But he added that members of the church laity has already made a vow not to vote for candidates who voted in favor of RH Law last year.

He also disclosed that Bishop Oliveros is preparing a letter on the stand of the church.

But he stressed that while the Diocese did not make a clear cut stand in the past, its stand in the May poll is greatly influenced by the outcome of the passage of the RH law.

“There will be modification because of the influence of  the RH Law, yung  mga di pumanig sa paninindigan ng simbahan laban sa RH ay pinaninindigan din ng mga layko na hindi nila iboboto,” Cabral said.

Cabral also disclosed that all congressional representatives in the province gave their word to Bishop Oliveros that they will not support RH bill which was passed into law last year.

However, only Rep. Arthur Robes of the Lone District of San Jose Del Monte remained true to his words, while others either voted in favor of the controversial law or wne out of the country at the time that it is being ratified in Congress.

Cabral admitted that he still don’t what will be content of the bishop’s pastoral letter, but he stressed that Oliveros is interested in awakening the members of the church to vote based on their conscience.

He also said that the Parish Pastoral Councils (PPCRV) in Bulacan has started their voter’s education campaign as early as February.

As the citizen’s arm of the Church, the PPCRV campaign is parallel with the teachings of the church.

The provincial chapter of the PPCV is also responsible for the translation of its materials into Filipino. Dino Balabo

Jobs fair pre-registation at SM City Baliwag

MALOLOS CITY—Jobseekers are in for a real treat as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Bulacan together with the Municipal Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will hold an early registration for the upcoming Labor Day Job Fair on May 1 at SM City Baliwag.

 To help aspirants speed up their application process, a DOLE Pre-Registration Booth will be stationed at the mall’s event center where job hopefuls can drop by every Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting April 8, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Beverly Cruz, SM City Baliwag public relations specialists said the early screening will allow an applicant to sign up in advance, get their requirements validated and select possible jobs and employers.

During the actual day of the job fair, a pre-registered applicant will be able to go directly to their prospective employer for the interview.

Apart from the pre-registration opportunity, DOLE and PESO representatives will also conduct a Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS) every Monday, starting April 8, 2 p.m. at the event center of SM City Baliwag.

The seminar will aid job hunters and fresh graduates with information to prepare them for local and overseas employment.

For inquiries, please call DOLE Bulacan Provincial Field Office at (044) 662-0656 or SM City Baliwag at (044) 761-0723. Dino Balabo

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