BFP Unity Walk, Matagumpay na Idinaos

BALER, Aurora, Marso 7, 2013-Matagumpay na naisagawa ng Bureau of Fire Protection o BFP ang kanilang Unity Walk sa unang araw ng buwang kasalukuyan bilang pagsisimula ng Fire prevention Month sa buong bansa.

Dinaluhan ito ng ibat-ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan na nagsimula sa kapitolyo ng lalawigan ng Aurora patungo naman sa Baler Fire Station kung saan nagsagawa ng maikling programa.

Layunin ng aktibidad na ipamulat sa mga mamamayan partikular sa batang henerasyon na mga mag-aaral buhat sa iba’t-ibang paaralan ang kahalagahan ng pag-iingat sa apoy na pinag-mumulan ng malawakang sunog at tumutupok sa mga ari-arian at minsa’y kumikitil pa ng buhay.

Ipinahayag ni Provincial Fire Marshal Agosto M. Yalong na ang apoy ay isang kaibigan ngunit mahirap na kaaway kaya’t hindi dapat itong pag-laruan. Dagdag nito na ang aktibidad na isasagawa ng BFP sa lalawigan ng Aurora ay kinabibilangan ng House-to-house fire safety inspection, open house sa lahat ng mga municipal Fire station upang maipakita naman sa publiko ang kanilang mga kagamitan. Kabilang sa kanilang tungkulin ang pagbabahagi ng kaalaman sa safety awareness Campaign, Fire Drills at Lecture sa mga paaralan at pagsasagawa ng Fire Prevention games and Contest.

Nanawagan din ito sa mga mamamayan na bukas ang BFP sa mga nais maging Fire Volunteer sa bawat munisipalidad sa lalawigan. (Leonilo “Nilo” Beltran, 92.1 Radyo TV Baler)

Mag-aaral ng ASCOT Nag-amok

BALER, Aurora-Inaresto ng mga awtoridad ang isang mag-aaral ng Aurora State College of Technology o (ASCOT), matapos itong maghamon ng away sa mga kapwa mag-aaral dakong alas tres ng hapon.

Ang suspek ay kinilala ng Baler PNP na si Gerold Esteves Y’ Roxas, 19 na taong gulang at tubong Brgy. Tinib, Casiguran Aurora.

Sinasabing nasa ilalim ng impluwensya ng alak si Gerold ng sumugod sa dormitory ng mga kapwa mag-aaral na may dalang itak at bato habang naghahamon ng basag-ulo. (Ferdinand Pascual, 92.1 Radyo TV Baler)

SONNY ANGARA TELLS WOMEN KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AND EXERCISE THEM

Know your rights and exercise them.

Thus said Team PNoy senatorial candidate Edgardo “Sonny” Angara today as he called on women in the country to be vigilant in protecting their rights under Republic Act 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women, for this landmark legislation to succeed.

Angara issued the statement as millions of people around the world are expected to gather to celebrate the International Women’s Day (IWD) tomorrow, March 8.

“The myth of a weaker gender should cease to exist. It should be purged from the Filipino culture ,” he said.

IWD is a global day of recognition at the United Nations when women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences, come together to celebrate a tradition that represents at least nine decades of struggle for equality, justice, peace and development.

In the Philippines, the Magna Carta was signed in 2009 to eliminate discrimination against women by recognizing, protecting, fulfilling and promoting the rights of Filipino women in all spheres of society. The measure was originally authored by Angara.

Section 2 of the law affirms the role of women in nation building, and commits the State to ensure the substantive equality of women and men, promote the empowerment of women and pursue equal opportunities for men and women as well as ensure their equal access to resources and to development results and outcome.

Angara admitted that both the government and the private sector have yet to fully implement the provisions of the Magna Carta.

“When it comes to the Magna Carta, we have not fully implemented its provisions like the provision on equal representation for women in political parties. I don’t think that is being followed,” Angara said.

“Then, there is the equal representation in the civil service, and this involves millions of employees. That, too, I think, is not being followed,” he added.

Among the salient features of the Magna Carta are increasing the number of women personnel until they fill half of third-level positions in the government; setting up in every barangay (village) a “violence against women’s desk,” providing incentives to parties with women’s agenda, and barring the derogatory portrayal of women in media and film.

The Magna Carta also provides that women in the military service should not be prevented from performing combat duties and other sensitive military assignments . It also directs the military establishment to open up all forms of training – even dangerous ones – to women.

According to Angara, even women in search of economic opportunities should not be discriminated against.

As to education rights of women, the Magna Carta prohibits schools from discriminating against students or faculty members who get pregnant outside of marriage . The usual harsh penalty of expulsion meted against students or faculty members who get pregnant outside of marriage is deemed illegal.

On the other hand, the law’s health component has three significant provisions, namely, women should be covered by a comprehensive and gender –sensitive health care programs; the health programs shall cover all stages of a woman’s life cycle; and it shall cover all major causes of morbidity and mortality.

‘QUALITY EDUCATION WILL ARM US FOR A BETTER FUTURE’ – COCO MARTIN

MANILA, March 7, 2013-An advocate of quality education himself, Coco Martin joined Team PNoy senatorial candidate Edgardo “Sonny” Angara on Thursday in a university tour to promote Angara’s advocacy for education.

Prior his rise to fame, the “Juan dela Cruz” lead actor willingly followed his grandmother’s advice to finish first his studies before venturing into the limelight.

“Lola ko ang nagtaguyod para makapagtapos ako ng pagaaral—para matupad ang mga pangarap niya para sa akin. Bilang ganti, nagsumikap ako mag-aral,” he said.

Coco, who was solely raised by his grandmother, worked as a waiter for a local restaurant chain to help his lola earn extra money for his education.

It was during his stint as a waiter where he was first spotted by a talent scout and tapped to enter show business. But Coco chose to finish first his degree in hotel and restaurant management before trying his luck in the industry.

“Sabi ng lola ko tapusin ko muna ang pag-aaral ko bago mag-artista dahil walang katumbas na pera o kasikatan ang edukasyon. Kaya kahit working student ako noon, nagsumikap talaga ako para makatapos ng pag-aaral,” he said.

The award-winning actor together with Angaravisited Philippine Normal University (PNU), Technological University of the Philippines (TUP) and Philippine Women’s University (PWU) as part of the U-belt tour to impart on the students the lesson of his story.

“Edukasyon ang sandata natin kahit saan man tayo magpunta at kahit sino o anuman ang haharapin natin. Kaya ko piniling suportahan si Kuya Sonny Angara dahil nakita ko ang pagpapahalaga niya sa edukasyon,” he said.

Meanwhile, Angara said he admired Coco for prioritizing his education and doing whatever it took to finish his studies even if it meant delaying his chances at show business.

“Bukod sa galing niya sa pag-arte, dapat hangaan din ng kabataan ang paninindigan ni Coco sa kaniyang pag-aaral. Nagkakaisa ang aming adbokasiya para sa dekalidad na edukasyon. Sana sa ehemplo niya, lalong pahahalagahan ng kabataan ang kanilang pag-aaral,” the former law professor said.

Angara has long advocated for quality education, pushing for such laws as the Universal Kindergarten Education Act and Joint Resolution 4, which called for the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law III to raise the salaries of state workers, including public school teachers.

“Sumasaludo ako kay Kuya Sonny at maaasahan niya ang suporta ko all the way dahil naniniwala ako sa kakayahan, mga adhikain at sinserong hangad niya na makatulong. Sa pagsuporta ko kay Kuya Sonny Angara, itinataya ko ang kinabukasan ko, kinabukasan ng pamilya ko, at kinabukasan ng ating bansa. Tiwala ako na hindi ako nagkamali sa pagsuporta kong ito,” Coco said.