CHO Pushes Harder for Smoking Ban

                "The Republic Act No. 9211 or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 and the Anti Smoking Ordinance of the city is now undergoing a stronger implementation," said Arniel Laurence Q. Portuguez, MD, City Health Office Head. 

                Portuguez added that the ordinance is gaining cooperation from the Carloseños as they voluntarily disallowed the advertisement ad to be placed in their stores and others facilities.

                Juan Carlos Ramon Solidarios, the Anti Smoking Coordinator of the city told NRWP in an interview that the CHO received a letter from the Province last March 24, informing them to strictly implement the RA 9211 with regards to the "no tobacco sales or ads within 100 meters of the school, playgrounds or other facilities frequented particularly by those below 18 years old."

Tuzon: No special treatment for RPA-ABB members

As the San Carlos City Police Office gears up for the Holy Week, April 1-8, P/Supt. Harold B. Tuzon said that members of Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) will not be given special treatment once they get caught with firearms in checkpoints.

    "No special treatment. Unless there is a prior coordination with OPPAP na merong RPA-ABB member na dadaan," Tuzon said. Although SCCPO is officially a member of the Technical Working Group and the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPPAP), standard police procedure still apply if the RPA-ABB member does not have proper documents for the firearm. 

PESO needs unemployed skilled workers

                Public Employment Service Office (PESO) continues to invite skilled but unemployed workers to apply for the Department of Labor and Employment's Starter Kit Program.

                DOLE has allocated P518,000 for San Carlos City's unemployed skilled workers with National Training Certificate 1 and 2 (NC 1, NC 2). DOLE will provide qualified applicants with tools for welding (shielded metal art welding), automotive servicing, computer hardware servicing, general electricity servicing, pipe fitting, masonry and carpentry.

                PESO Manager Delia Camsura said DOLE's goal is to help the unemployed skilled workers through entrepreneurship. As of press time, PESO has received around 50 applications but Camasura clarified that they are still inviting other skilled workers to apply until the first week of April.

                Not all applications will be approved though. Employed skilled workers are not qualified to receive Starter Kits since those without current jobs are the priority.

                San Carlos City Local Government Unit will counter part 20 percent of the budget from DOLE.

Emergency Employment

                Meanwhile, PESO also confirmed that DOLE allocated P 179,000 for the Emergency Employment Program that will give 15 days of casual, construction jobs to the unemployed. Mayor Gerardo Valmayor has identified Barangay VI as a priority due to several on-going construction projects.

                Sixty percent of the budget is from DOLE while 40 percent is from the barangay fund.

Culture of Violence

By Ma. Jesusa F. Constantino

No Pain. No Gain.

                "Kaya na ninyo! Naagian na namo!" This is a common line of most fraternity and sorority members to a new recruit, who undergoes an initiation ceremony.

                A whole new world awaits him/her if he/she passes the "entrance test".

                "Fraternity and sorority is a social, professional or honorary society for males and females respectively," defined Atty. Samuel Lezama, a member of Demolay, a prominent fraternity.

                Mr. Pascual Mondragon, a private high school principal, said of his fraternity experience, "Actually [an] organization is a venue where you can practice the full development of an integrated personality." Mondragon is a member of Beta Epsilon of Siliman University.

                Considering that being in a fraternity or sorority is not just for fun or meeting new friends,  suffice it to say, there's nothing wrong in making fun and meeting people.  What's wrong is the initiation ceremony which is frequently violent and mentally degrading.  Some also say, it includes erotic element, because of this, they call an initiation hazing.

                According to R.A. 8049 or the Anti Hazing Law, Section I: Hazing as used in this act of initiation rite or practice as a prerequisite for admission into membership in a fraternity, humiliating situations such as forcing him/her to do menial, silly, foolish and similar tasks or activities or otherwise subjecting him/her on her physical and psychological suffering or injury.

Funeral Homily

Homily from Monte Agudo

By Rev. Fr. Rafael Cabarles, OAR

This homily was delivered during the Mass at the wake of former City Mayor Rogelio R. Debulgado 

in his residence on March 9, 2012. 

                Once there was a lady who has a pet bird-a talking and singin Mayna. Now, we are like this Mayna who stops talking and singing because we feel sad at this moment. We have come to share the sorrow of the Debulgado Family, all the Recollects Family, Priests, SARF, Faculty, AR Sisters, our Children's Choir, to express our sympathy and support in their grief and loss.

            Our sadness at this moment must have a reason. Sadness is the fruit of love. We feel sad because somebody whom we love in life has gone away. Yes, our life is full of goodbyes, but this one is the hardest to accept. Even people of deep faith find it hard to stare at the face of death.

                Dead men are like bridges. Every day, we cross the river through the bridge. Many times, we take the bridge for granted-how important and how precious that bridge is. Then one day, the flood washed out the bridge and that is when we realized how special that bridge is to us, such is the case of our Big Brother Roger.

Street dwellers

No Baby Talk

By Georgene Rhena P. Quilaton-Tambiga

                Holy Week is supposedly a quiet time for meditation and prayer among fellow Catholics but here I am failing to hold back some thoughts.

                A couple of weeks ago, my colleague, Henry Sandoval, came storming in the office and rained down his irritation that the street sleepers (yes you read that right) are growing in number. True enough, as I passed by the dilapidated building fronting the City Auditorium one evening, I myself noticed that the family who used to dwell at the City Plaza have now transferred along that sidewalk and it has actually extended.

                Happily, Henry and I are not the only persons who have noticed. Alas! Not all people in San Carlos are blind! P/Supt. Harold Tuzon, San Carlos City Police Office Chief, told the Peace and Order Council last March 30 that there should be relocation for these people. His point was openly directed to Cynthia Mirande, City Social Welfare and Development Office Head.

                But Mirande quickly defended that these street dwellers that Tuzon described as eyesores had been beneficiaries of several grants, aids, and programs of the local and national government alike (they are 4Ps beneficiaries) but they keep returning to the streets after the programs. As if raising both her arms in surrender, Mirande said there seems to be nothing that could keep these people out of the streets.

                My imagination suddenly flew and I saw myself suddenly grabbing the microphone and joining the forum.

                "Don't you think that there is something wrong with the program that's why these families go back to the plaza and the streets?" My imaginary self asked Mirande.

                I do not claim to be a social welfare expert. I am not even a social worker at the least but the fact that the problem with these street dwellers is already a vicious cycle logically tells me that something is desperately wrong and the authority refuses to admit that a fault exists somewhere.

                Now, in order to answer the nagging accusation that NewsRecord is all about criticisms and does not actually contribute to the solution, let me sound like my colleague Arthur Keefe.

Mama, baby's hungry!

Tita Len-len's Wais Tips

By Lenlen Pataytay

                I have been gone far too long! The NewsRecord's writing space is now far too small for all of us writers and contributors. Indeed, there are just so many stories to tell.

                Now, let me pick up where I have left my on-line readers, on feeding infants.

                Okay, the rigors of modern career life push women to bottle-feed their babies. But bottle-feeding often pose health risks including colic and diarrhea.

                Bottle-fed babies have watery stool due to several factors. One is the water mixed with the formula milk. Most pediatricians today recommend distilled water. Distilled water has undergone a process called distillation which removes contaminants and minerals such as calcium and iron. Water is boiled until it changes into steam and it is allowed to cool until it changes to liquid again.                 

           While distilled water is preferred over purified, there are some experts who maintain that tap water sourced from a pure mountain spring is still the best.

                 Another factor, which I have much to say about, is the quality and cleanliness of the feeding bottles. It is very important that parents, especially mothers, choose quality feeding bottles made of food grade, heat resistant plastics that do not contain harmful chemicals. And, it is equally important to maintain the hygiene of those bottles.

                If you are washing bottles, never let salt out of reach. Since most bottles today are made of plastic, they usually absorb the smell of their contents and even that of the washing detergent. Salt is an antiseptic agent that cleans plastics (the kind of clean that squeaks when rubbed) and it washes off the smell, too! Good-bye bahong sabon and bahong pan-os nga gatas! Sometimes babies lose their appetite for milk when the bottle smells soap or stale milk. So an odor-free bottle is a child's best friend.

                First, wash the bottles and all its parts including the teet with warm soapy water and rinse it well. Then, wash them with warm water with salt. Dissolve salt and rub some generous amount on all parts of the bottle and rinse.

                If the baby already plays by himself and has the tendency of putting things in his mouth (more than a year old), it is already pointless to sterilize the bottles by boiling. The child ingests more bacteria by putting things in the mouth than by using bottles that have not been sterilized.

                However, mothers have to note that bottle feeding does not readily mean formula feeding. Milk from the mother can be expressed using a breast pump, stored safely and hygienically, and fed to a baby using a bottle. One more tip though: Electric pumps prove to be more effective than hand-held pumps.

Mag-ooling

Bantay Banat

Ni Rics Cañisarez

              Lisod na kaayo ang kahimtang karon sa mga tawo nga mamutol ug kahoy unya olingon ug ibaligya aron lang makapalit ug bugas sa ilang pamilya. Ingon man usab niadtong mga mobaligya ug oling, kay karon kinahanglan na nila nga mokuha una, ug Barangay Certification ug clearance gikan sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources, kay kon dili ka katuman niini, hunong gyud ang pamutol ug ingon man ang imong negosyo.

Kon mao unta ang gibuhat sa atong gobyerno kaniadto, hayan nga dili unta maupaw nang atong kabukiran. Sigon sa akong mga kaila nga manug-oling nga wala na gyud silay mahimo gumikan kay mao na man kini karon ang patakaran sa gobyerno. Ang solusyon niini, mao unta kon dunay livelihood assistance nga mahatag ngadto sa atong mga igsuon nga nag kinahanglan ug panabang sa gobyerno.

                                                                **********

                Naunsa na man intawon ning atong Pangkabuhayan ng Pamilyang Pilipino Program kon 4Ps. Daghan na man kaayo ang reklamo nga matud nila nga kaniadto kompleto pa nga P2,400 ang ilang nadawat, pagkasunod, P2,000 na lang.  Misaligbat usab ang laing beneficiary nga miingon, “Ah! Maayo ka gani kay duna ka pay nadawat. Ako, wala na gyud kay napapas ang akong ngalan.” Sus, naunsa na man ni? Sa mga nagdumala sa 4Ps diri sa atong syudad, esplikahe kuno ninyo ang mga tawo nga nagmulo kon nganong na-ingon na man ang kahimtang karon niining 4Ps.

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Arangkada na sad

Pikpik sa Abaga

Ni Henry Sandoval

                Nanimaho na ang bugnong lugaynon sa Unang Distrito. Sa silinganang lugar ning syudad sa San Carlos may mga ngalan nang mitumaw nga mudagan pagka mayor ug pagka bise-mayor. May holohungihong  nga sa Calatrava mahimo kunong  tulo ka korner ang kombate sa politika. Apan murag sa among tan-aw duha ra gyud. Ang incumbent nga mayor ug ang sa pikas nga grupo.

                Sa tulo ka lugar, Calatrava, Toboso, ug Escalante City, makita dinha ang kompetisyon sa politika. Dinhi sa ato debuynas ang mabindisyunan kay murag nakasakay na sa jet plane. Wala na may kisaw ang mga kanhi midagan niadtong milabay nga eleksyon. Dunay mitumaw nga usa ka engineer nga mudagan kuno kini sa pagka konsehal dinhi sa syudad sa San Carlos. Kinsa kahay palaran nga masulod sa grupo sa administrasyon nga naa may mo-graduate nga konsehal?

                Sa pagka kongresista, murag walay engkwentro si Congressman Jules Ledesma. Apan dimalas ning mga kandidatuha kay ang filing of candidacy karon mang Nobyembre ug dili gyud kini maka-eskapo sa mga bumubuto sa mga pinaskuhan sa mga kandidato unya. Murag di gyud ni ka pahiple sa daplin kay magpa pogi na man ni sila. Kung sa Tagalog pa, KANYA KANYANG GIMIK YAN! Unya ang mga botante basta panahon sa election ang kandidato mahimo na nang DOCTOR. Mapuno na sa resita. PREPARAR SA BULSA.

**********

Summer kick. Mao kini ang mga miapil sa Inter-Crishar Taek Won Do Tournament nga gipahigayon niadtong Marso 25, sa Gaisano San Carlos. Ang mga misalmot gikan sa Bacolod, Talisay ug San Carlos City. 

                Reklamo sa usa ka trabahante nga natingala sya anang usa ka opisina dinha sa City Hall nga inug abot sa alas kwatro di  na man molihok ang papeles nga ilahang gi-follow up. Mura bag duna silay cut-off time nga inug abot sa alas kwatro di na mudagan ang mga papeles sa maong opisina. Ang empleyado nga mapundo ang ilahang papeles matud pa niya mag sige ug guwa unya magpa bulhot sa sigarilyo. Naa pud kunoy casual nga na assign diha nga opisina kung maka astar mura pud ug regular. Wala na diay nay tracer ang inyohang papeles nga i-process?

                Sa akong nahibaw-an walay cut-off time ang gobyerno.  Sa panahon kanhi sa mipanaw na nga Mayor Roger Debulgado ug malangan ang papeles labi na gyud ug payroll sa casual ang ma-delay tawgon ang in-charge sa maong lamesa nganong nadugay ang maong papeles. Kay matud pa ni kanhi Mayor Debulgado sa pag delayed sa mga payroll sa casual mapugos na lang sa pagdagan sa mga iho nga anaa nagpahulam ug kwarta sa City Hall.

                Para mahunong nang ingon ana usa ipasulod ninyo anang opisinaha pauban ug usa ka security aid sa City Mayor's Office para makita gyud ug di ba gyud ipadagan ang inyong papeles.

**********

                Sa pipila na ka tuig nga milabay mipaguwa tag isyu dinhi nga adunay usa ka opisina sa gobyerno nga ug mubayad na gani ta ang kambyo dili isukli. Sa kadaghan sa mibayad nga mi-reklamo nasulat nato kato sa NewsRecord.

                Karon na sad duna na say botika nga ug mupalit ta ang senintabos nga kambyo dili iuli. Maayo ra ba unta nga ug inug hatag nila bisan dulse na lang ibalik wala gyud. Ang uban nga botika nga ug alang-alang sa kambyo muhatag man ug dulse. Pero kining botikaha muhatag ra diretso sa kambyo pero kanang senintabos dili na ma-uli nimo. Maayo untag inug cash count ani nila nga ug masubra ang cash ma suspended ni sila. Dili siguro.

                Ako mismo sa kadugay na nakong pinalit diha nga botika gireklamo gyud nako sa nag-duty niadtong gabhi-una kay ang tambal nakong gipalit P 14  gikambyuhan ra man kog singko sa akong P 20. Uy! Usa ka buok bulad na man na mapalit sama namong mga kabos.

Singapore: Heaven on Earth?

Friendly Observer

By Arthur Keefe

                Another trip, another comparison! This time, I was able to spend nearly a week in Singapore, and reflections and comparisons are not self evident.

                Many aspects of Singapore invite envy.  They have one of the best integrated public transport systems in the world, excellent information, electronic through ticketing between bus and MRT, reliable, clean and comfortable.

                The streets are clean, with no potholes, signaled pedestrian crossing and level access everywhere for disabled people.

                Crime is rare; people are very helpful and polite to the tourist.

                The economy continues to boom, and the per capita income is now one of the highest in the world, outstripping both the Americas and the Europe.

                For the tourists, accommodation and entry to visitors, attractions are expensive.  I paid P400 (equivalent) for a cup of coffee on one occasion, the most I have ever paid anywhere!

                This is offset by low cost transport (except taxis) and cheap appetizing food if you "go local."  My favorites are the Indian curries for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a cup of (cheap) tea.

                So, on the face of it, for residents and tourists alike, Singapore has it all.