Making Pinoy Police More Capable

The blaze of police transformation spreads here as the local cops led by PSSUpt Edgardo Ingking vowed never to succumb to political pressures hindering the growth of the culture of reform to make police render more capable, effective and credible service. 

During the culmination of the 11th leg of the Torch Run Relay, Ingking said that the transformation torch would be the beacon that carries the light signifying the transformation program the Philippine National Police (PNP) has to undergo to make itself an organization that would compete globally.

The Transformation Torch, which traveled all over Bohol according to reports came into Bohol last October 12 and was passed to every station to bring the beacon of transformation across the country, police sources explained.

From a sagging perception and a performance that scraped rock bottom, top leaders of the police organization has to push for the reforms that would unseat abusive, arrogant and unfit cops and ease them out of public service.

With police inefficiency reports hurting most of the men in uniform, the local officers welcome the move knowing that only with the reforms can the police reclaim its rightful seat as the people’s servants and protectors.

Briefing over three hundred men and women of the Bohol police manning town stations, Ingking, who claims the charges are only examples of the threats every police officer has to face and overcome to realize the real transformation also cited highlights and gains of the integrated police transformation which started in 2005.

During the briefing which took him an hour and a few minutes, Ingking shared to the police the vision of a police force in 2030: one that would be globally competitive, capable, effective and credible.

We hope that the torch inspire, motivate and encourage our men and women in the force never to lose hope, press ona nd run the race towards genuine police transformation, Ingking added.

The Integrated Transformation Program has done things, he said and cited that recent surveys results showed that the police has slowly gained immensely from a baseline performance.

Now, the PNP is the 6th best performing government agency, Ingking prided, adding that President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has even commended the police force during their anniversary in January this year.

We are slowly regaining the claim and we are making sure that by 2030, every police officer in the service would be sitting side-by-side with their foreign counterparts, a police officer who asks not to be identified shared his vision. (PIA)

President Gloria Arroyo Stop Goods Overpricing

In the advent of some reported unreasonable price increases in basic commodities bought about by the effects of the calamities President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (PGMA) has issued a price freeze of selected basic commodities until the state of national calamity is lifted.  

The result is that prices of six basic commodities are frozen to their October 2 prevailing price levels.  

The basic commodities: canned fish, processed milk, coffee, detergent or laundry soap, bread and salt should remain at tight watch by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) monitors, says Jose Hibaya, consumer welfare and business regulatory division chief of the local office.  

DTI Regional Director Asteria Caberte also issued the advisory to all retailers in Central Visayas, notifying them of the price freeze order imposed until President Arroyo shall lift her declaration of the state of calamity over the country, upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Coordinating Council.  

Price freeze is based on the prevailing prices from DTI before the declaration of the state of calamity, Caberte warned retailers.   

Sharing the advisory during the recent Kapihan sa PIA aired live over DyTR, Hubaya said the advisory also forms as warning to retailers not to get advantage of the situation brought about by the devastating calamities that hit the country. 

The advisory also bears an accompanying sheet detailing that a 155 g sardine should not be sold in supermarkets at more than 11.80, the 370 ml Alaska condensed milk at 46.30 and the 305 ml condensed Milkmaid at P52.10.  

370 ml Alaska evaporated milk is at 41.50, Alpine at P44.30 while Nido and Alaska 150 g powdered milk should always be sold at P72.00 and 41.50. 

A 50 gram Nescafe refill is pegged at 35.95 in local supermarkets, 25 gram Blend 45 refill at P15.75 while Great Taste of the same weight is sold at 17.15. 

420 g Mr. Clean detergent bar and laundry soap should be at P20.50, 400 g Perla at P40.00 and Surf bar kalamansi is at P19.50. 

A 400 gram loaf bread is at P30.00, 500 gram at P45 and 20 gram pan de sal sells at P1.75 each. 

Iodized 250 g Fidel salt should not be more than 5.25 while 1 kg Fidel rock salt sells at P7.75.  

According to Caberte, anybody caught in violation of the price freeze can get a miximum of ten years and a penalty reaching P1 millon. 

Over this, DTI calls concerned citizens to help them and their deputized agents monitor any noticed price increases. Complaints and inquiries can be coursed through DTI-Bohol at 501 8260 or 411 3302, stressed Hibaya. (PIA)

Consultation on the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRA)

Public Officials and partners from the executive agencies and civil society for regions 6, 7 and 8 converged in Cebu City recently for the 4th area consultation on the National Human Rights Action Plan (NHRA).

 

Executive secretary Eduardo Ermita, chairman of the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), in a statement read by USEC Severo Catura, said "the consultation will put in place the much-needed public policies, programs, and resources with human rights standards."

 

The Cebu leg is the fourth in a series of area consultations since August 2009 and is palnned to end by December via a national summit, Catura added.

 

Catura, the executive director of PHRC further said, the area consultation is a problem solving mechanism.  It aims to instill national ownership of the plan in as many stakeholders as possible.

 

"We are pushing for a new and a broader way of looking at human rights as it would impact the full development of our people and the nation as a whole," he said.

 

Ermita in his statement also said, the consultation hopes to address human rights issues at their roots.  It involves more than identifying wrongdoers and exhorting government to improve on its obligations.

 

"Largely, we will venture to capacitate and empower all sectors of Philippine society to claim and extend these human rights obligations and entitlements, bringing out genuine improvement at all levels of governance in the country," Ermita stated.

 

Ermita added that the NHRAP becomes the expression of "our political will" and perhaps, one of the legacies of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to ensure that human rights protection and promotion becomes a matter of policy that will transcend politics. (PIA)

Bohol Peace Building Effort

Documentation on the highly successful counter-insurgency program as national peace building template starts.

 

The government brings in the Orientation Workshop on the Documentation of Peace Building Good Practices for Team Bohol at the Bohol Plaza this October 13-14.

 

Team Bohol, the unified team of implementers of the famed Bohol Peace Formula is composed of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, the church and the civil society and the local government, which converged resources for a singular goal.

Such is to dramatically reduce the incidence of armed conflict in the province, not just by the might of the arms but also by peaceful means.

 

The peace initiative which has resulted in Bohol's getting off the list of the country's 20 poorest provinces speak of good governance practice, one that needs to be made a template for replication.

 

In an invitation to participants sent by Governor Erico Aumentado, he told Team Bohol stakeholders "the efforts of the province to provide the lessons and good practices which can be evolved into models in peace building and can be replicated in other conflict areas.

 

With the move to keep the peace process forward, he added the government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) used the services of the Local Government Academy of the Philippines (LGAP) to facilitate the two day workshop.

 

With the LGAP is the project tem of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

The workshop hopes to come out with valuable policy and program recommendations for the national government to keep the peace process moving forward.

 

The ultimate goal is to create a snowball and multiplier effect of these good practices throughout the country by scaling up the process towards an adoptive replication process, Aumentado said. (PIA)

Philippine Rice Importation

The Philippines relies heavily on imports to feed its rapidly growing population of 92 million. In 2008, the country was forced to buy some 2.3 million tonnes of the crop despite record world prices. This year, it has so far imported 1.7 million tons from Vietnam.- Philippine Daily Inquirer

Jose Carillo's Comment on Reporting of Typhoon Ondoy

Understandably, major natural disasters like Typhoon Ondoy's killer floods take their toll in flawed grammar and syntax if not outright cockeyed news reporting. This was evident in the flood-disaster reporting of one of the major Metro Manila broadsheets, where a misplaced modifier reared its ugly head—to use an ugly cliché—right on its front-page headline story, followed by the paper's imprudent if not impudent decision to directly quote a high-ranking government official mangling his English while making a major announcement. It's really in the worst of times like this that reporters and editors could be a little more understanding of other people's flawed English and a little more compassionate in their reporting, but sadly, the propensity of some of them to put the country's high officials down appears to seethe unabated come hell or high water.

Help Philippine Typhoon Ondoy Victims

September 26, 2009, around 10am, tropical storm "Ondoy" landed in Luzon and hit 25 provinces. Heavy rains continued to pour causing the rivers to overflow at about noon, severely flooding the urban poor communities surrounding it.

One of the areas affected was Sitio Olandes, Bgy. Industrial Valley Complex in Marikina City which is located near the banks of the Marikina River. Sitio Olandes is home to about 3000 families and the Olandes Batibot Early Learning Center (OBELC), a network organization of the Children's Rehabilitation Center.

As floodwaters rose up to their roofs in a matter of 3 hours, women and children were crying for help on their roofs, waiting desperately to be rescued. OBELC was submerged in flood waters causing damage to the center, including books, school supplies and other things used for their daily operations.

Our network organizations, from other urban poor communities of Quezon City and City of Manila, are also affected. In Sitio Talanay, Barangay Batasan Hills in Quezon City, the houses were washed away by the raging waters. The day care center, an extension of the Busilak Learning Center (BLC) program in Sitio Veterans, Quezon City, experienced severe damage similar to the OBELC.

The same effects of "Ondoy" were also experienced in Bgy. Tatalon, an urban poor community in Quezon City perennially flooded during storms. The houses were also washed away by the fierce flood currents. The residents, who still have their houses also stayed on the 2nd or 3rd floor or on the roofs to avoid the rising flood waters.

In Vitas, Tondo,in the City of Manila, one of the areas organized by the Samahan ng Maralitang Kababaihang Nagkakaisa (SAMAKANA) or the Association of United Urban Poor Women, the residents, especially women and children were also severely affected by "Ondoy's" wrath.

Tropical storm "Ondoy" left serious damage on properties and even deaths in some parts of Luzon. The areas that were hit the hardest are the cities of Marikina, Quezon, Manila, Pasig and some areas of Rizal like San Mateo, Cainta, Taytay and Antipolo.

With these numbers of families affected by the storm and the floods, Children's Rehabilitation Center (CRC) is trying to extend its help by providing immediate assistance like relief goods and financial support. This is necessary as efforts of the local and National government are inadequate and slow, especially with the large number of victims needing immediate assistance.

Through the help of our fellow child rights advocates and other child focused organizations, a rescue operation in Sitio Olandes, Bgy.Industrial Valley Complex, Marikina City was conducted last September 27. CRC is currently part of a Task Force overseeing immediate relief for the families of OBELC. About 4 families are temporarily housed in the office where they were immediately evacuated.

The victims call for:
Immediate assistance for basic needs like food, drinking water, clothes and shelter.
Donations of books, school supplies and equipment to the OBELC and BLC for their operations.

Relief goods and materials may be dropped off in our office, #90 J. Bugallon, Barangay Bagumbuhay, Project 4, Quezon City. You can contact us at (+632) 913-9244 or 439-1053 and look for Malou or Sarah.

For financial donations, you can deposit at:
Account name: Children's Rehabilitation Center
Bank name: Bank of the Philippine Island – Kamias-Anonas Branch
Account number: SA 3323-2050-85

Please notify us of your deposit for your official receipt.

CHILDREN'S REHABILITATION CENTER
September 28, 2009

Children's Rehabilitation Center
#90 J.Bugallon St. Project 4
Brgy Bagumbuhay, Quezon City
Philippines

Pinoy Kids Born in 50s, 60s, 70s and Early 80s

TO ALL PINOY KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 50's, 60's, 70's and early 80's! (a forwarded email)

 

First, some of us survived being born to mothers who did not have an OB-Gyne, smoked and/or drank San Miguel Beer or Syoktong, while they carried us. The manghihilot was the cheapest way to deliver babies. Dinala ka ba ng nanay mo sa pediatrician for DPT? While pregnant, they took cold or cough medicine, cortal or medicol, ate isaw, and didn't worry about diabetes or cervical cancer. 

    

Then after all that trauma, our baby cribs were made of hard wood covered with lead-based paints , pati na yung walker (andador)natin, matigas na kahoy or rattan at wala pang gulong. 

   

We had no soft cushy cribs that play music, no disposable diapers (lampin lang), (noon cloth or rattan duyan lang tied to the posts or ceiling, babies fell asleep sa sobrang hilo) and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads, sometimes wala pang preno yung bisikleta. 

  

Take-out food was limited to Ongpin's pansit or Aling Toyangs pre-cooked ulam in kalderos. No pizza shops,  McDonalds, KFC, Subway, Jollibee; and, coffee was just kape hinde ga-mahal as in Starbucks. 

  

As children, we would ride in jeepneys libre pag kandong,hot un-airconditioned buses with wooden seats (yung JD bus na pula), or cars with no airconditioning & no seat belts (ngayon lahat may aircon na) 

   

Riding on the back of a carabao on a breezy summer day was considered a treat. (ngayon hindi na nakakakita ng kalabaw ang mga bata)  Did you make your own saranggola and pasted bubog on the strings?

    

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle purchased from 711(minsan straight from the faucet or poso) walang 711 noon, sari-sari store ni Mang Akong to buy sarsi, suntan, RC cola or choco-vim.   

We shared one soft drink bottle with four of our friends, and NO ONE actually died from this or contracted hepatitis.   

We ate rice with star margarine, pampatangkad daw, took raw eggs straight from the shell, and drank softdrinks with real sugar in it (hindi diet coke), but we weren't sick or overweight kasi nga......

  

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, and get back when the streetlights came on. Sarap mag patintero, tumbang preso, habulan at taguan.Tandaan mo ba PIKO, step-no-step- yes, trumpo, garter & mala-ahas sa haba na goma? Kung naulan, jackstones, pick-up sticks or sungka, bahay-bahayan, tinda-tindahan, titser-teacher- an or swimming sa baha or kangkungan. 

  

No one was able to reach us all day (di uso ang cellphone, walang beepers). And yes, we were O.K.  Sipol lang ni tatay ang meron noon! 

   

We would spend hours building our wooden trolleys (yung bearing ang gulong) or plywood slides out of scraps and then ride down the street, only to find out we forgot the brakes! After hitting the sidewalk or falling into a canal (sewage channel) a few times, we learned to solve the problem ourselves with our bare & dirty hands . 

  

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 100 channels on cable, no DVD movies, no surround stereo, no IPOD's, no cellphones, no computers, no Internet, no chat rooms, and no Friendsters, Facebook. MSN etc. ...... ...WE HAD REAL FRIENDS and we went outside to actually talk and play with them! TV viewing was a treat, kilala mo ba si Popeye, Gumby, Betty Boop & followed the bouncing ball in Melody Tunes? That was karaoke then, LOL! 

  We climbed walls and trees (to get aratiles and catch salagubang & tutubi - tied them on the neck with a string), fell out of trees, got cut or "bukol", broke bones and teeth and there were no stupid lawsuits from these accidents. The only rubbing we get is from our friends with the words..masakit ba ? pero pag galit yung kalaro mo,,,,ang sasabihin sa iyo..beh buti nga !

  

We played marbles (jolens) in the dirt , washed our hands just a little and ate dirty ice cream, fish balls & inihaw na baga. We were not afraid of getting sick or germs in our stomachs. 

  

We had to live with homemade guns, gawa sa kahoy, tinali ng rubberband , sumpit , tirador at kung ano ano pa na puedeng makasakitan, pero masaya pa rin ang lahat. We made up games with sticks (syatong), and cans (tumbang preso)  and although we were told they were dangerous, wala naman tayong binulag o napatay... paminsan minsan may nabubukulan lang. 

  

We walked a lot, rode bikes, or took tricycles to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them to jump out the window! 

  

Mini basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made to the team. Those who didn't pass had to learn to deal with the disappointment. Wala iyang mga childhood depression at damaged self esteem ek-ek na yan. Ang pikon, talo. 

Ang magulang ay nandoon lang para tingnan kung ayos lang ang mga bata, hindi para makialam at makipag-away sa ibang parents.

 

That generation of ours has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers, creative thinkers and successful professionals ever! They are the CEO's, Engineers, Doctors and Military Generals of today. 

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.. 

We had failure, success, and responsibility. We learned from our mistakes the hard way. 

 

Floods in the Philippines Caused by Typhoon Ondoy

Rescue workers are being overwhelmed by the scale of floods in the Philippines that are estimated to have killed at least 86 people, officials say.

The head of the National Disaster Co-ordinating Council, Anthony Golez, said available resources were being spread too thinly.

Torrential rains from Tropical Storm Ketsana flooded the capital Manila and nearby provinces on Saturday.

Some 80% of Manila is said to be under water, with 435,000 people displaced.

"We are concentrating on massive relief operations. The system is overwhelmed, local government units are overwhelmed," Mr Golez told reporters.

"We were used to helping one city, one or two provinces but now, they are following one after another. Our assets and people are spread too thinly." - bbc

Culture of Gratitude in Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Philippines

The culture of gratitude prevailed this Founders Day by honoring some of the faithful servants and former mentors who helped establish Silliman's mark of excellence. Home Economics Professor Emeritus Evangelina Nobleza Bokingo was honored by naming the little center of hospitality at the main building of the Nutrition and Dietetics complex, Prof. Eve Bokingo Lounge. There was groundbreaking of the future Rev. Dr. Edmundo Pantejo Memorial Chapel at the Silliman University Medical Center Foundation grounds, led by his wife, Mrs. Ophelia Recla Pantejo. The circular road in front of the SUMC was named The Palmore Circle in honor of James and Mimi Palmore; the Law Library cyber corner as the College of Law Decenteceo E-Library in honor of former librarian Felicisimo S. Decenteceo; the road from Langheim Road to the amphitheater passing the new Nursing Education Building was named the Roman T. Yap Lane in honor of the Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees; also in honor of Col. Roman T. Yap is the ROTC Office now called the Col. Roman T. Yap ROTC Center; SC 110 was named the Rabor Science Lecture Room in honor of the Bird Man of the Philippines Dr. Dioscoro S. Rabor; SC 111 was named Imperial Science Lecture Room in honor of the First Filipino Chairman of the Chemistry Department Prof. Gerardo A. Imperial; the Biology Museum as the Rodolfo Gonzales Museum of Natural History in honor of Professor Emeritus Rodolfo Gonzales; the former soccer field beside the gymnasium as The Ravello Physical Education Field in honor of Professors Emeritus Jose and Sofia Ravello; the Archery Range as the Dionisio Flores Archery Field in honor of Outstanding Sillimanian in the field of Sports Development  and former Archery International Coach Dionisio R. Flores; and the Marine Laboratory facilities as the Dr. Angel C. Alcala Environment and Marine Science Laboratories in honor of world renowned scientist in Coastal Resources Management  Professor Emeritus Angel C. Alcala.

The third batch of Silliman mentors who were honored as Heritage Builders include the founders of the Mission Hospital Henry W. and Eleonor A. Langheim, the first S.U. Filipino Science teacher Guillermo T. Magdamo, Music Education pillar Mercedes V. Magdamo, first S.U. Filipino Bible teacher Lorenzo B. Bernardez, Basic Education pillar Genoveva E. Bernardez, first S.U. Filipino Spanish teacher Mariano Muñoz, College of Education pillar Dr. Herman C. Gregorio, Law Library pioneer Felicisimo S. Decenteceo, the former President's Social Secretary and Alumni Affairs Director Ludy S. Perez, Chemistry Laboratory pioneer Victorio Alaban, University Library pillar Gorgonio D. Siega and Leoncio Duran of  Buildings and Grounds.  Their names were added on The Heritage Builders Wall at the Silliman Hall grounds on August 25.

Installed into the Order of Horace B. Silliman in ceremonies held at Silliman Hall grounds on August 25 were Dr. Romeo B. Ariniego who gave much towards the completion of the  Udarbe Memory Chapel, the late Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees Roman T. Yap represented by Mrs. Mary Consolacion Yap, the generous former Chairman of the Board of Trustees Fred S. Dael and his corporate associates represented by Rachel Gadiane Silliman, Outstanding SUCN alumna and donor of the Nursing Education  Building Olivia Villaflores Yanson, long time patron of the Robert B. and Metta J. Silliman Library and College of Nursing William Barry Thompson, and the donor of the Allied Health Sciences facilities and of the research arm of Dr. Angel C. Alcala, the Angelo King Foundation, Inc. represented by the President Teddy Kingsu. Present to do honors of the floral offering for Dr. Horace B. Silliman were Nathalie Yap and Allen King.

Someone asked, "Why does your Founders Day feel festive with the people in high spirits?" We explained that the people who come are our alumni, most of whom join the re-unioning classes.  Represented this Founders Day were the following:  SUHS 1939, SUHS 1947, SUHS 1948, SUHS 1949, SUHS 1951, SUHS 1952, SUHS 1954 (donated a Verano painting to celebrate their Emerald year), SUHS 1955, SUHS 1956, SUHS 1957, SUHS 1959 (they launched the Rabor Bird Walk to celebrate their golden year), Law 1959, BSN 1959, SUHS 1962, a general gathering for Class of 1964 represented by students who graduated that year from grade school to high school, college to graduate school in celebration of their Sapphire year, SUHS 1965, SUHS 1966, SUHS 1969, Pre-Med 1969, BSN 1969, BSN 1989, Accounting 1970, SUHS 1974, SUHS 79 (mounted a photo exhibit to celebrate their Ruby decade), SUHS 1984 (celebrated their Silver year), SUHS 1989, SUHS 1990, SUHS 1994, SUHS 1999, Accountancy 1999, Elementary 1999, SUHS 2004 , the alumni groups from Aklan, Bacolod, Bukidnon, Cabadbaran, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu Alumni, Davao (with their winning colorful performance in Parada Sillimaniana), Dumaguete, SoCKSarGen ( South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos), Metro Manila, Misamis Occidental, Palawan, Western Samar, Tacloban, Tanjay, ZAMBASULTA (Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulo and Tawitawi), Antique, Melbourne, Acacia (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia and Western Pennsivania), Singapore, NCR(Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia), Honolulu-Hawaii, Central Texas and from the following organizations Demolay, Rhoans, Pan Hellenic, Beta Sigma and Rizal Youth Club.

15-year-old Glenna Duch, a high school student whose mother is a Filipina and the father from Denmark, was crowned Miss Silliman 2009. Joining her were the runners-up: Miss Silliman COED Joahnna Saad of the College of Engineering and Miss Silliman Headline Girl Djerica Mate of the College of Mass Communication.

The College of Computer Studies won the University Cheerdance Competition.  Junior Philippine Physics Society got Booth of the Year at the Hibalag Festival.

The centerpiece of the celebration was the Sunrise Service which had the 2009 Outstanding Sillimanian Rev. Dr. Francisco D. Somera Jr. as preacher. The Rev. Dr. Federico Agnir was the speaker on Silliman Sunday, the 23rd of August.

TIPON in Dumaguete was a huge gathering that lasted until the wee hours of the morning.

IN MEMORIAM: Theonilo Pala (BSME 1977) on August 8, Nostradamus A. Villanueva (SUHS 1964) on August 8 And  Leila Berenguel Alano on August 21. (If you know of a Sillimanian not in our memorial list, please inform us.)

Thank you for always being there for dear old Silliman.  President Malayang has requested this office to regularly update you about happenings on campus.  We are also interested in knowing what you and your alumni chapter are doing. Please keep in touch and update your file with our office if you have not done so. We would truly appreciate it.  You may reach the President's Office through this email address: pres@su.edu.ph or our Alumni Affairs Office through this address: sillimanspool@gmail.com,  alumni@su.edu.ph or  sillimanualumni@yahoo.com.