NorMin’s ‘Day of Seaferers’ set

By Elaine O. Ratunil

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, June 24 (PIA) -- Northern Mindanao is all set to celebrate the "Day of Filipino Seafarer" on June 25.

With this year’s theme ‘Marinong Pilipino, Karangalan Ng Mundo,’ the celebration will kick-off with a motorcade from the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Terminal Complex, Port of Cagayan de Oro to SM City.

The celebration is in consonance with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution declaring every 25th day of June as ‘Day of Seafarers’ pursuant to the 2010 Manila Conference on the International Convention on STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers).

It is also pursuant to the pronouncement of President Benigno S. Aquino III last June 3, 2011 declaring every 25th Day of June of each year as “Day of Filipino Seafarer.”

The day is a way of recognizing the important role and contribution of the seafarers to the maritime industry and global economy.

Internationally hailed also as the “sailing ambassadors,” this is the day of showing appreciation the seafarers and pay tribute to their invaluable efforts and gestures, dedication to promote safety of life at sea and the marine environment.

The celebration will be highlighted with different activities and to be participated in by different government agencies, stakeholders, operators, seafarers, students, maritime schools and training center/s.

Among the activities are: holding short program at the local wharf, blowing of horns of all vessels at port, hanging up of streamers, text blast, radio and TV appearance, Seafarers Identification and Record Book (SIRB) Issuance, Maritime Symposium, exhibits, safety, health and environment campaign, Waive Passenger Terminal Fee and free haircut and Thai Massage.

Meanwhile, the DOTC family led by Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) for this activity, is inviting all seafarers, their families and friends to witness and take part in the celebration. (EOR/PIA10)

News Feature: Gardening—A tool for living a fruitful life in jail

By Ruby Leonora R. Balistoy

MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon, June 24 (PIA) -- Fifty-two-year-old “EG” is going to abandon his garden in nine week’s time. He will be giving up his planted herbs, bell pepper, eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, pechay, gourds, and the lot too. Not because he is sick of it, but because two months from now he will be due for release.

“EG” is an inmate at Malaybalay City Jail (MCJ) in Patpat village, a jail out in the backwoods. Since late 2006 he has been working seven days a week to help maintain the prisons’ famed farm and garden.

At the time, farming as a rehabilitation tool was largely unrecognized until Jail Warden J/SInsp Guy Jason J. Reyes suggested to his colleagues to promote and intensify gardening in MCJ.

Botanical Garden

This year, the inmates featured dozens of herb plant species with reputed healing qualities. These include thyme, oregano, garlic, coriander, angel’s trumpet, lagundi, and wild berries.

“Many of the plants we grow in here look very attractive,” explains jail warden Reyes, who oversees the operation with farm inmates. “But most people are not aware of their medicinal and healing qualities. These range from flatulence relief to plants which can boost immune system.”

Mallard duck raising

Prisons are also making money out of raising mallard ducks, locally known as “Bebe” for egg-laying, which they sell to “balut-makers (mangbabalut),” Jail officer Rodel P. Abratiguin, Inmates Welfare Dev’t Officer, said.

With the ducks feeding on weeds and insects, labor and pesticides costs are minimized. Consequently, the ducks provide another source of added income for the inmates.

As the powerful slogan says “May sud-an na, May kwarta pa (viand and money made easily available)”, inmates always think of ways in sharing self-help guides and ideas that can provide a “healing environment” and make money while in prison.

Economic Gains

Malaybalay city jail is hardly a typical porridge-style prison, J/SINSP Reyes said.

Vegetable growing and duck rearing enable inmates to obtain not only money, but also subsidiary products such as organic fertilizer, duck meat and eggs, from the same piece of land, at the same time.

“With the inmates’ stiff meal budget, we sometimes were able to serve them up some delicious meals harvested from the jail’s farm and garden especially during inmates’ birthday parties and merrymaking,” he said.

Earn money with no money

“EG”, known to prison inmates as the ‘farming and gardening whiz’, is credited with the revival of farming and gardening programs in jail.

“I spend no single centavo to earn money here. You’ve got to believe me. I was able to send my daughter to the university through my garden earnings while in prison. And my daughter will graduate from college soon,” EG said.

Within seven years of his sentence, he said his strength comes from God and family.

“I have forgiven those who have gotten me where I am today. I have long forgiven to keep hatred out of my heart. And I am proud to say that this experience made me stronger and thrown a great set of skills in me that I will continue to use throughout life,” he said.

“After I get my life back in order, I’m looking forward to putting this chapter of my life behind me and stick with the gardening and farming program.

He said he even choose to stay if the government laws allow him to continue working in jail farms until December, though he will be freed this September.

“I’ve never enjoyed life as much as I do right now. And all the time I’m in here, I will be learning more and working toward my personal dream,” he said.

The nurturers and builders of hope

Jail warden Reyes himself, a registered nurse and an enterprising agriculturist, said beyond the organizational success of Malaybalay City Jail system are the achievements of the 225 inmates, of who ‘EG’ is one.

With such positive results, through the help of MCJ’s hardworking model personnel, inmates discovered a fruitful way to fill their days. (RLRB/PIA 10, Bukidnon)

Northern Mindanao Medical Center receives cash assistance from PhilHealth-10

By Apipa P. Bagumbaran

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, June 24 (PIA) -- The Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) received cash assistance from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Regional Office 10 today.

PhilHealth-10 Officials led by Rhodella S. Pare turned-over the check amounting to P474,506.20 to NMMC Medical Director Dr. Jose C. Chan in a simple ceremony at the Mini Theatre of NMMC.

Pare, the chief of Philhealth-10 Management Services Division said the check was part of the regional proceeds of the PhilHealth Run 2013 held last February 17.

The run, held simultaneously in 19 sites, was aimed at increasing public awareness and calling more advocates on mother and child’s health protection in support to the country’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goal of reducing child mortality and improving maternal health.

She said the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital were the identified national beneficiaries of the run while NMMC was the chosen recipient for Northern Mindanao.

Dr. Jonathan Ortigoza, Philhealth-10 Accreditation and Quality Assurance Section Head and Regional Chairperson of the Philhealth Run 2013, is hopeful that the assistance can help NMMC in ensuring the protection of mothers and children under its care.

He said Philhealth-10 is also hoping that NMMC will continue to be a good partner in the delivery of health services and in all other activities of PhilHealth. (APB/PIA-10)

Steag is outstanding in environmental reporting

VILLANUEVA, Misamis Oriental, June 25 -- Energy firm STEAG State Power Inc. (SPI) is conferred with two national awards by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) and the Pollution Officers Control Association of the Philippines during the recently concluded 1st National Convention on the Philippine EIS System at the Manila Hotel.

Steag in press report said it received the Outstanding in Compliance Monitoring Report (CMR) and the Outstanding in Compliance and Validation Report (CMVR) Awards, citing it "for exceeding the standards for self-monitoring and reporting under the Philippine Environmental Impact Study (EIS) System.

EMB 10 Regional Director Sabdullah Abubacar who is also concurrent chairman of the Multi-Partite Monitoring (MMT) Team for the 210 MW (net) Mindanao Coal-Fired Power Plant said that the award is EMB’s way of promoting excellence in the Environmental Impact Assessment Reporting in the country at the same time showcasing best examples of EIA reports following well-established scientific approaches, comprehensiveness and effectiveness.

The awards specifically cited Steag “for demonstrating sound and scientific approaches and coherence, and for its technical comprehensive and impressive communication of monitoring results, in a manner that elevates it as a model for other CMRs". SPI joined the ranks of three other companies in the country to be recognized and honored, and the only Mindanao-based company to receive such distinction.

Steag owns and operates the only coal-fired power plant in Mindanao located at the sprawling Phividec Industrial Estate in Misamis Oriental. Apart from setting the standards in environmental reporting and transparency by pioneering an on-line Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) in the country, Steag has also set-up an independent and empowered Multi-Partite Monitoring (MMT) Team that also serves as the community mechanism for a highly participative approach in social and environmental monitoring.

Since start of its power plant operations in November 2006, Steag has delivered more than 9 billion KwH of electricity to the grid, representing about 20% of the island’s total power supply. Through the years, Steag has complied fully with all appropriate local and national labor and environmental laws and has managed to Apart from ensuring an efficient, reliable and responsible business operations, the company is also aggressively pursuing the implementation of community development programs and projects designed to help improve quality of life of the people in its host communities in Misamis Oriental. a highly secured and safe work environment by achieving more than three million safe man-hours with zero lost time due to accident. (Jerome R. Soldevilla/STEAG State Power Inc./PIA-10)

DOH 10 aims for tobacco-free environment through Red Orchid Awards

By Jasper Marie Oblina-Rucat

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, June 25 (PIA) - The Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development Northern Mindanao has launched the Red Orchid awards for local government units (LGUs), government agencies and government hospitals who strictly practices no-smoking inside and outside their offices.

Doctor Ellenieta HMV N. Gamolo, assistant regional director of DOH 10, said that organizations who practice and implement no-smoking in their establishments are our modern heroes in ensuring that the environment we are living in is tobacco-free.

The DOH Red Orchid award started four years ago in 2009 to highlight achievements in tobacco control by local government units (province, city and municipality), government hospitals, government offices, and DOH centers for Health Development.

Further, DOH Red Orchid Awards winners are judged based on the strength of comprehensive efforts to implement a 100% Tobacco-Free Environment using the World Health Organization MPOWER initiative.

MPOWER is an acronym that denotes the six proven tobacco control policies, namely Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies; Protect people from tobacco smoke; Offer help to quit tobacco use; Warn against the dangers of tobacco; Enforce bans on tobacco advertising; and Raise taxes on tobacco.

Regional Director of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) region 10 Hilarion E. Ulep and recipient of the Red Orchid for two consecutive years, said that this advocacy for a smoke-free environment must start with the self and everyone must have that willpower.

In region 10, the town and local government of Talisayan in Misamis Oriental is awardee for Hall of Fame for the Red Orchid Award after winning the title for three consecutive years.

Regarding the e-cigarette, the DOH still discourages its use because of the strong presence of nicotine, even without smoke. (JMOR/PIA10)