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Quezon City News September 2018

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Quezon City - Archived News
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Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

QC, Humane Society International, tie-up for mass anti-rabies vaccination

By Susan G. De Leon (PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY, Sept. 26 (PIA) — To implement its massive anti-rabies program, the Quezon City Government through the City Veterinary department has entered into a partnership with a global animal protection organization that will assist them in program implementation.

Dr. Marie Cabel, the city veterinarian and Humane Society International Director Rahul Sehgal, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Monday, September 24, 2018, for collaboration on the mass anti-rabies vaccination drive that will be conducted at the second district of Quezon City.

The partnership enabled the City Government to implement its massive anti-rabies program using a Global Positioning System guided tracking tool of Humane Society International. The smartphone app records vaccinations and geo-tags locations where vaccination has been conducted.

According to Cabel, the mass vaccination has started three weeks ago and they have already vaccinated about 12,000 dogs, out of the 100,000 in the district. Districts 2 and 5 have the highest number of dog population in the city as well as rabies cases.

Cabel added that this year, rabies cases have dropped by 60 percent due to the mass vaccination campaign.

Last year, Quezon City received recognition from the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Rabies Prevention and Control Committee for implementing the Best Rabies Program among LGUs in the National Capital Region.

Inmates, personnel of Quezon City jail undergo drug tests

By JOVE MOYA

INMATES and personnel of the Quezon City jail were tested for drugs on Tuesday as part of President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing war on drugs.

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the city government conducted the tests initially on 914 inmates and 159 jail personnel. The Quezon City jail has 4,751 inmates.

Supt. Ermilito Moral, jail warden, stressed the importance of having “both the detainees and the city jail officials comply with PDEA.

“Conducting a regular drug test program here in Quezon City jail will let everyone know that the President is very firm on his program on war against drugs,” Moral told The Manila Times

Detainees and police officials who test positive for illegal drug use will be sent to the Quezon City Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Center or “Tahanan”. Officials will automatically be removed from their positions.

“If a personnel turns out to be an illegal drug user, he or she will be subjected for confirmation, the personnel may also be subjected to administrative cases and will be asked to undergo rehabilitation sessions in ‘Tahanan’,” Moral said.

The tests started at 9 a.m. with 10 PDEA representatives present during the activity.

The results may be released in October, Moral said.

Low-cost produce markets set to open in Manila, Quezon City, Taguig City

By Reiclene Joy N. Ignacio

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) is scheduled to open stores selling low-cost produce in some of Metro Manila’s poorer neighborhoods, including Payatas in Quezon City and Baseco in Manila, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said Sunday.

The stores, known as TienDA Malasakit outlets, will be op[erated by women’s groups, supported by Local Government Units (LGUs) and will sell vegetables, fruit, rice, sugar and other basic food items.

The DA also plans to open three or four such outlets in Taguig by the first week of October.

“With the establishment of the Malasakit Stores in Metro Manila and other major population centers of the country later, it is expected that the stranglehold of traders and middlemen of the food supply in the country will finally loosen up,” Mr. Piñol said in a statement.

The system works on the basis of LGU-issued passbooks to verify that residents are from the intended areas and prevent middlemen from buying and reselling the goods, according to Mr. Piñol.

The DA staged a two-day vegetable festival last week at the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) compound in San Andres, Manila, selling goods from Bukidnon at below-market prices.

At last week’s market, carrots were sold at P95 per kilo, cabbage at P70, chili peppers, or sili, at P80, refined sugar at P49 per kilo, and cardava banana, or saba, at P17.

“There’s no need to import, we have a lot of vegetables,” Mr. Piñol said during the event.

He also said acknowledged reports that some buyers left the San Andres market without paying, noting that the event “was marred by reports from farmers that some buyers walked off with vegetables and fruits in plastic bags without paying for the items.”

“The farmers, many of them first-timers in Metro Manila, were obviously overwhelmed by the waves of people who swarmed their booths. Since it was their first experience to sell their produce directly, they were not able to cope with the weighing and the payment,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr. Piñol said that he will present to the National Food Authority (NFA) Council on Monday a proposal to ban private importers from importing higher-grade varieties of rice, and limit them to grades that the NFA will buy.

“On Monday, I will present to the NFA Council my proposal that private importers should not be allowed to import fancy rice, which is expensive. It doesn’t bring down the price,” according to Mr. Piñol, noting that premium grades of rice sell for about P58 per kilo.

He said that premium rice tends to set the trend for the rest of the market, driving domestic rice prices higher as well,” Mr. Piñol said.

Mr. Piñol is the new chairman of the NFA Council after the NFA, along with the Philippine Coconut Authority and the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority, was returned to the supervision of the DA on Sept. 19, after an executive order issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

QC to model education system from Singapore

By Chito Chavez

Quezon City wants to use Singapore as the model for its educational system, citing the country’s ASEAN neighbor of generally having one of the most elite students in the world.

Vice-Mayor Joy Belmonte said the move is geared at improving the city’s global competitiveness of its students as the locality has further collaborated with Singapore and other countries in the Southeast Asian region with high standards of education.

“The Singaporean government has been very supportive of Quezon City and other cities as well with regard to education,” Belmonte said.

Early this month, Quezon City hosted the 1stInternational Education Summit.

Belmonte has highlighted the country’s investments on education as a benchmark, stressing “Singapore invested tremendous amounts of capital on the education of their children to the point that they have reached the stage where the children of Singapore are considered one of the highest educated in the whole world.”

Belmonte maintained that Quezon City could learn from Singapore’s willingness to experiment with educational methods.

“Whenever there is a new pedagogy, new teaching style, there is an assessment that goes on. They consistently check whether these styles are appropriate or helpful and they are open to changing their modules of teaching,” she added.

The vice mayor added that the country also chooses the “best teachers” by hiring from among top graduates and giving high salaries.

Belmonte has looked forward to continuing to partner with Singapore and other countries as the city had already collaborated with the nation-state through Singapore’s Temasek Foundation, the Center for Livable Cities, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

With about 1.9 million students enrolled in the city, Quezon City has the largest school-age population in the country.

For this reason, Belmonte has referred to education as one of her top priorities to bring inclusive development to the people.

Only last year, the Office of the Vice Mayor donated computer sets to five schools for its computer literacy program and provided books and also computers to the Novaliches Public Library and in six other public elementary schools in Quezon City.

Aside from school supplies, Belmonte also distributed oral hygiene kits to 1,800 schoolchildren, 460 umbrellas to school-age children in District 3 and graduation leis to 69,811 students. In partnership with the Commission on Higher Education, Belmonte also gave special study grants to 1,066 beneficiaries.

She also implemented the “Gabay Guro” Program for 250 teachers to enhance their English proficiency and computer literacy; and special education training for daycare workers, with 50 participants trained on early detection and intervention approaches in teaching children with special needs.

Quezon City dads allow kids to help in disaster work

By Rio N. Araja

The 37-member Quezon City council has passed a measure tapping the youth and even children to help in disaster risk reduction and management program.

“Beyond the usual fire or earthquake drill, it is time we equip the youth with the knowledge, skills, and readiness that will help them reduce disaster risk in their homes, school and among classmates, friends, loved ones,” Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said.

“This is especially necessary for a young city where the average age of our citizen is 24,” she added.

City Ordinance No. 2711 or the “Children and Youth Emergency and Risk Reduction Management Program of Quezon City” aims to teach young people that they serve “an important role in saving lives and protecting the members of the community in times of disaster.”

The city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office shall provide training, drills, and workshops for children and youth in schools, barangays and various youth clubs.

The ordinance would also mentor young people on how they can help during rehabilitation and relief operation.

Meanwhile, police nabbed two female suspects in Quezon City in violation of the Anti-Fencing Law for selling a stolen laptop belonging to a teaching personnel of the Department of Education.

Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr, Quezon City Police District chief, identified the suspects as Salvacion Marco, 27, and Jellyn Gabito, 30, both from Caloocan City.

Three DepEd employees assigned at the Pasig City main office personally appeared to the QCPD’s District Special Operations Unit to report that the suspects were selling through online media a Coby laptop for only P11,000.

They said the gadget’s original price was at P39,976.95.

Upon verification, the laptop with a DepEd logo was confirmed by the employees as the same laptop that was reportedly stolen from a teacher in Tabuk, Kalinga on Aug. 2.

Last Sept. 7 at around 6:30 p.m., police operatives set up an entrapment operation as one of the three DepEd workers acted as poseur-buyer and met with the suspects at the Robinsons Place in Novaliches.

The suspects were immediately arrested after receiving a marked money of P11,000. Three other suspects remained at large.

Quezon Ave, Cebu BRT projects to push through - DOTr

By Dharel Placido (ABS-CBN News)

MANILA - The bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Quezon City and Cebu will push through, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday, months after the government halted its implementation due to several issues.

Transportation Assistant Secretary Mark De Leon said studies showed that implementing the BRT system along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City and in Cebu was still possible.

“Together with the World Bank and NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority), we inspected and evaluated the accommodation of the corridors of Cebu and Quezon Avenue. We found that it is still possible to have BRT systems in these corridors,” De Leon said in a Palace press briefing.

“We have sent letter to DOF (Department of Finance) that we will push through with the program ASAP. In three year’s time we will have a BRT.”

The 12.3-km Metro Manila BRT- Line 1 is worth P4.8 billion and will run from Quezon Memorial Circle to Manila City Hall via the Elliptical road, Quezon Avenue and España Boulevard.

The 23-kilometer Cebu BRT project, on the other hand, will ply the Bulacao-Ayala-Talamban route and is estimated to cost P16 billion.

De Leon said the EDSA BRT Line 2 is still undergoing evaluation.

Mayor “Bistek’ signs city ordinance making the installation of motion sensor alarms in pawnshops mandatory

By Chito Chavez

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has signed the city ordinance, in concurrence with the city council, that requires the installation of motion sensor alarms in pawnshops in the city to deter all forms of criminality.

The approved City Ordinance 2721-2018, introduced by Councilor Jose Mario Don S. de Leon, states that the installation of motion sensor alarms, in addition to the existing alarm system in the vaults of all pawnshops in Quezon City is a mandatory requirement.

Bautista noted the ordinance is pursuant to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Circular No. 91, Series of 1995.

The measure came after the rise in cases of break-in robberies where the vaults of banks as well as of pawnshops were penetrated by digging a hole underground to gain access to the vaults.

City Ordinance 2721-2018, Section 3 also states that “Upon the approval of this Ordinance, the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) shall notify all pawnshops in this City of such requirement for the purpose of renewing business permits /licenses.”

In Section 4, the penalties for violation of the ordinance include a fine of P5,000 to be imposed for non-compliance as well as the cancellation or revocation of business permits of the pawnshops.

De Leon said the installation of motion sensor alarms in pawnshops will help secure the premises.

QC gov’t orders mandatory structural integrity audit of all buildings

By Chito Chavez

Quezon City Mayor Herbert M. Bautista has ordered a mandatory structural integrity audit of all buildings in the city, private and government, to assess potentially hazardous structures.

Bautista signed City Ordinance 2724-2018 compelling the city’s Engineering Department (QCED), Department of Building Official (DBO), and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (QCDRRMO) to conduct the audit, particularly on structures that are built 30 years ago and those that are located in fault line or danger zones.

Introduced by Councilor Ramon Medalla, the ordinance states that the audit aims to evaluate and assess potentially hazardous structures and buildings within the territorial jurisdiction of the city that are vulnerable to severe damage in the event of an earthquake.

“The Quezon City Government mandates the promotion and development of an earthquake risk reduction and management program in order to mitigate, if not to eliminate, the effects of major natural and man-made disasters as well as to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of Quezon City residents,” the ordinance said.

The Engineering Department will be in-charge of the structural integrity audit of buildings built and owned by local and national government while the DBO will look at the privately-owned buildings’ structural integrity.

On the other hand, QCDRRMO will be responsible for identifying whether the site is located along the west valley fault and danger zones.

Before the inspection, a notice of structural audit will be sent to the owner.

Upon receiving the said notice, a structural audit must be conducted within 30 days and and a “structural audit report” submitted to DBO.

The owner’s Occupancy Certificate will be revoked if he or she fails to carry out the needed repairs and restorations. Refusal to carry out these reforms will result in the filing of criminal charges against the building owner.

“The city government desires to strengthen the city’s resiliency against human induced or natural disaster by recognizing the vision, policy framework, and strategies capitalized on disaster risk reduction and management in QC,” the ordinance read.

Barangay Greater Lagro hosts the Novaliches watershed

By Severino Samonte (PNA)

MANILA -– Do you know what makes the 21-year-old Barangay Greater Lagro in Novaliches, Quezon City very much different from the other barangays (villages) in Metro Manila, which is composed of 16 cities and a municipality at present?

It has the distinction of being host to the La Mesa watershed reservation, the only major watershed and forest covering the entire Metropolitan Manila area composed of 16 cities and one municipality. The watershed reservation is a protected area that surrounds the 89-year-old La Mesa dam which stores water coming from the Ipo dam in Barangay Bigte, Norzagaray, Bulacan.

The La Mesa watershed is under the joint administration, supervision and control of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

The La Mesa dam, constructed in 1929, is the primary source of potable drinking water of the residents in the metropolitan Manila area and nearby provinces of Rizal and Cavite.

From Ipo dam, water is funneled to La Mesa dam where it is stored prior to channeling to the MWSS filtration plant in Balara, Diliman, Quezon City for distribution to customers of private concessionaires Maynilad Water Services Inc. and Manila Water Company Inc.

The Tullahan River, which comes from La Mesa watershed and reservation in Barangay Greater Lagro, passes through North Caloocan City, Valenzuela City, Malabon City, and Navotas City before emptying into the vast Manila Bay.

According to the book “Ang Kasaysayan ng Novaliches” (History of Novaliches), the former Metropolitan Water District, predecessor of the MWSS, conceived the construction of the La Mesa dam between 1920 and 1926 to replace the old Wawa dam in Montalban, Rizal, the first source of water supply for the Manila area during the American regime in the Philippines.

The book, written in 1997 by historian Dr. Emmanuel Franco Calairo and his mother, Prof. Rosalina Morales Franco-Calairo, said the former town of Novaliches was chosen by the government as the site of the new dam in 1929 because of the sloping topography of the Novaliches forests from the neighboring Bulacan province.

Meanwhile, the La Mesa watershed was originally under the jurisdiction of Barangay Pasong Putik in Novaliches.

Owing to the big size of Barangay Pasong Putik, the Quezon City Council passed City Ordinance No. 439 dividing it into three barangays – North Fairview, Greater Lagro and the mother Barangay Pasong Putik Proper. The ordinance was authored by Quezon City Second District Councilor Godie T. Liban.

The division was approved by the residents in a plebiscite held on Dec. 8, 1996. The first barangay election was held on May 12, 1997.

Barangay Greater Lagro has a population of 35,000 and income of PHP35 million as of Dec. 31, 2017. Its land area is 307,853 hectares, including the whole La Mesa dam and reservation

Its present officials are: Punong Barangay Leo B. Garra Jr., Kagawad Romeo S. Buenafe Jr., Dr. Abelard T. Langcay, Crisente Albert B. Pedro, Arnold M. Sobremisana, Vladimir M. Torres, Annaliza T. Fellone, and Vicente A. Elefante; Dr. Rowena A. Cacanindin, barangay secretary; Brigida P. Aniban, treasurer; and Alessandra B. Fajardo, administrative officer.

Quezon City councilors pass landmark anti-drug code

By Rio N. Araja

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Monday said the 37-member city council has pioneered an anti-drug code to become the benchmark for other local government units to replicate.

“This will be the first drug code in the country, and we are happy to work with different national government agencies and the Quezon City Police District on this. We want to make sure that this drug code is consistent with the national laws and policies,” she said.

As the presiding officer of the city council and chairperson of the Quezon City Anti-Drug Abuse Advisory Council, Belmonte expressed her pride in the comprehensive approach the council and the city have taken in the war against drugs.

The code consolidates the programs and procedures already in place to implement community-based efforts to rid the city of drugs.

This includes the comprehensive program to rehabilitate drug offenders who have surrendered, educate young people through schools, and enact sustainable partnerships with the police force, the church, non-government sector, and private sector, she said.

“This is such a huge success for us. So now we would like to move our accomplishments further by creating a local ordinance which contains all of the programs, the policies that we already developed,” she said.

Meanwhile, Mayor Herbert M. Bautista has signed an ordinance reinforcing the organizational structure of the QC Protection Center to provide a more comprehensive service to the victims or survivors of gender-based violence and abuse.

City Ordinance 2701-2018, introduced by Councilors Irene Belmonte, Lena Marie Juico, Julienne Alyson Rae Medalla, and Diorella Maria Sotto, amends City Ordinance 2191-2012 that created the QC Protection Center for Victim-Survivors of Gender-based Violence and Abuse.

In the amendment, the QC Committee on Gender-based Violence is created to oversee the management of the protection center and to ensure that the ordinance is effectively implemented.

“To better adhere to the QC Protection Center’s objectives, there is a need to reinforce its organizational structure to further provide comprehensive service to the victim-survivors of gender-based violence,” the ordinance read.

CSC to hold Job Fair on September 26 & 27

By Jimmyley E. Guzman (CSC/PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY (PIA) – In celebration of the 118th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) will hold a Government Job Fair at the SM City North EDSA Skydome in Quezon City on September 26 & 27, 2018.

Interested applicants must bring the following documents: Fully accomplished Personal Data Sheet (PDS) with recent passport-sized picture with name and signature (This link open in new tab) (CS Form No. 212, Series of 2017) which can be downloaded at (This link open in new tab) www.csc.gov.ph; Performance rating in the present position for one (1) year, if applicable; Photocopy of the certificate of eligibility/rating/license; and Photocopy of Transcript of Records.

Blank PDS Forms (CS Form No. 212, Series of 2017) are also available at the Registration Area of the Job Fair.

CSC highly encourages qualified person with disabilities (PWDs), members of indigenous communities, and those from any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression (SOGIE) to apply for numerous vacancies that will be offered during the event.

The job fair is part of this year's month-long celebration of the Philippine Civil Service Anniversary the theme “Lingkod Bayani: Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makabayan.” It kicked-off with a fun run dubbed Race to Serve, joined by hundreds of participants who sprinted, jogged, and walked from the starting point at the Quirino Grandstand last September 2, 2018.

Meanwhile, government workers also get special treats from participating companies like, Ideal Vision, Inkrite, Manila Ocean Park, Ramada Manila, Star City, Western Appliances, SM Department Store, SM Appliance Center, Enchanted Kingdom, Ace Hotel & Suites, Hotel H2O, RCC Amazing Touch. For details of offers and promo, visit the CSC official Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/PhilippineCivilServiceCommission

For more inquiries, please call CSC Central Office at (02) 951-2578 or 931-8163; or CSC NCR at 740-8412, 749-0980, 781-5864, or visit the Government Job Fair webpage: http://www.csc.gov.ph/slider/1598-government-job-fair-2018.html.

DSWD strengthens preparations for ‘Ompong’

By Lucia F. Broño (PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD) strengthened its ongoing preparations to immediately assist those who may be adversely affected by Typhoon Ompong.

The DSWD through its Field Offices (FOs) continuously preposition relief goods particularly in regions that will be directly hit by the typhoon.

“We continue to strengthen our preparation for ‘Ompong’ to ensure the prompt provision of assistance to those who will be affected,” DSWD Secretary Virginia N. Orogo said.

Orogo urged the public to heed the warnings that will be issued by their barangays and local governments, especially when it comes to pre-emptive evacuations, to ensure their safety.

Orogo said the DSWD Field Office in Region II has already delivered 21,700 family food packs as prepositioned goods to the local government units (LGUs) in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya.

Four hundred thirty two (432) sacks of rice prepositioned in the province of Batanes, 72 of which are in the provincial office, while 60 sacks were distributed to the six municipalities of the province.

Aside from prepositioning of relief goods, the FO also inspected the evacuations centers in the province to ensure safety of possible evacuees.

Currently, the FO has 5,000 available DSWD Family Food Packs (FFPs), 1,000 hygiene kits, 2,500 collapsible water carrier with purification water tablet, and 1,000 sleeping kits in its warehouse, ready for distribution to local government units if the need arises.

Meanwhile, DSWD Field Office in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has already delivered 600 FFPs, 60 hygiene kits, and 60 sleeping kits in six municipalities in the province of Abra on Wednesday.

It has also provided 1,000 food packs to Mountain Province as relief augmentation in preparation for the typhoon.

The Department’s Field Office in Region I has a total of 4,230 prepositioned goods in the Ilocos Region. Of this number, 650 food packs are prepositioned in the Municipality of Burgos, Ilocos Norte; 1,000 in San Nicolas, also in Ilocos Norte; 1,000 in Vigan, Ilocos Sur; while 580 food packs are prepositioned in the City of San Fernando, La Union. There are also 200 relief goods that are prepositioned in the Municipality of Bolinao, Pangasinan, while 800 are in Manaoag, Pangasinan.

For Central Luzon, DSWD Field Office in Region III has already prepositioned a total of 8,000 FFPs in various local government units in the region, mostly in the province of Aurora.

The Department’s Field Office in CALABARZON will augment a total of 5,000 food packs to FO III, as some of the resources of the field office have already been

Orogo said that apart from prepositioning goods at the provincial and local levels, DSWD field offices have also activated their respective Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and Provincial and Municipal Action Teams (P/MATs) to provide assistance on the ground.

QC deploys rescue teams, boats in flood-prone areas

By Susan G. De Leon (PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- Mayor Herbert Bautista has ordered the advance deployment of Quezon City’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team in critical areas in view of the expected onslaught of Typhoon Ompong.

Following the pre-disaster risk assessment meeting of the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (QC DRRMC), Bautista included Barangay Apolonio Samson as well as barangays traversed by G. Araneta Avenue among the areas where the USAR will be prepositioned beginning Thursday, 13 September 2018.

The QC DRRMC directed the pre-deployment of its rescue teams in perennial flood prone areas, specifically Barangays Roxas and Silangan.

Classes in all levels, both public and private, will be suspended on Friday and Saturday as a pre-emptive public safety measure.

In the same meeting, Parks Development and Administration Department (PDAD) was directed to trim trees along major thoroughfares.

The Department of Building Official also directed building administrators to roll-up billboards and tarpaulin signs installed in buildings.

Construction companies were also ordered to secure construction sites and heavy equipment and tower cranes.

The Social Services Development Department will also pre-deploy social workers including the soup kitchen and other items, such as relief goods for the evacuees in the flood-prone barangays of QC.

There are a total of 84 evacuation centers in the six districts of Quezon City.

For rescue and other emergency concerns in Quezon City, residents may dial 122.

57 Quezon City junk shops closed

By Rio N. Araja

The Quezon City government has ordered the closure of 57 junk shops found illegally operating near the closed landfills in barangays Payatas and Commonwealth.

The closure order came from the Environmental Protection and Waste Management Department, and Business Permits and Licensing Office.

Frederika Rentoy, EPWMD chief, recommended the closure of the junk shops after a series of dialogues with the affected parties and consultations among environmental management partners and other stakeholders.

The city government found illegally stored and dumped garbage with an estimated volume of at least 12,000 cubic meters, or an equivalent of 800 trips of 10-wheeler trucks, and ordered them to be taken away in the clearing operations within two months.

Remelito Hirang, chief of the EPWMD’s monitoring, inspection and enforcement section, said the shops operated beyond the limits set in their business permit.

Several of the junk shops failed to present business permits and clearances from the authorities.

Meanwhile, the 37-member city council gave Mayor Herbert Bautista the green light to purchase 12 units of motor vehicles in a bid to improve the services, productivity, and efficiency of projects and programs of various barangays in District 6.

“The local government of Quezon City is committed to provide valuable basic services to the residents,” the resolution read.

City Resolution 7446-2018, introduced by Councilor Donato C. Matias, states that the barangays in District 6 are in need of vehicles that will allow them to bring their services closer to the people.

“The Local Government of Quezon City is committed to provide valuable basic services to the residents of QC,” the resolution read.

The 12 units cost P16.2 million total, as each vehicle costs P1.35 million. The vehicle can accommodate up to 11 people.

Pursuant to Administrative Order No. 1, amending Administrative Order No. 233 series of 2008, Bautista has already sought permission and authorization from the Department of the Interior and Local Government.

He wrote to DILG Assistant Regional Director and concurrently QC Director Juan Jovian Inginiero, CESO IV, for the acquisition of the motor vehicles, which amount is included in the 2018 annual budget of the city government.

“A deed of donation will be given to the beneficiaries transferring the ownership, encumbrances, and dues of the said vehicles and in so doing authorizing them to appropriate funds from their respective budgets for the maintenance and registration of the said vehicles,” the resolution reads.

Regional youth leaders to gather in Quezon City for intercultural convention

(INQUIRER.net BrandRoom)

In addressing the country’s most pressing issues – peace and conflict, indigenous rights, quality education, federalism, among others – comes a crossroad for building the Philippines’ path towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It is in this crucial time that youth leaders should play a key role in defining what it means to be a ‘Filipino,’ and more importantly, how the youth could contribute in this definition.

Sigaw ng Kabataan Coalition together with the Rotary Satellite Club of Fort BGC Titans, and many other Rotary Clubs and partner agencies, will provide an active venue for the youth’s exchanges on these issues through the Philippine Intercultural Youth Convention (PIYC) 2018, with the theme “Breaking Cultural Barriers, Empowering Young Leaders,” on September 22-23, 2018 in Quezon City.

PIYC 2018 aims to provide the Philippine Cultural experience through segments such as the Cultural Festival, an exhibition of cultures, a cultural networking night, and many other cultural presentations. At the same time, PIYC 2018 also creates a platform for exchanges between the youth and the Philippine government leaders on developmental issues that not only concern the country but also the generation’s future through the Sustainable Development Goals.

Gathering youth leaders from different parts of the Philippines, the conduct of PIYC 2018 will provide young people to personally learn and appreciate the different tribes and ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines while providing a dynamic platform for Filipino youth leaders to engage and discuss valuable solutions to the country’s issues. The themes of breakout sessions for this discussion are divided in line with the SDGs – Peace in Diversity: Youth as catalyst for peace; Health and Social Welfare: Healthy youth for a healthy tomorrow; Quality and Accessible Education for all: Education as a powerful tool for the youth’s future; Climate & Environmental Action: Greener Pasture in the Philippines; Poverty Reduction & Access to Adequate Food: Hungry for change; Decent Jobs and Sustainable Livelihood: What awaits for young people in the world of work?

With culture and sustainable development at the center of discussion, PIYC 2018 unifies the Filipino youth to define its role in building a better future while being rooted in Philippine heritage.

New QC Jail will have skills center, power station, cafeteria

By Jhesset O. Enano (Reporter, Philippine Daily Inquirer With a report from Cedrix Perez)

At daytime, inmates at the Quezon City jail can move around in a courtyard, which also serves as a basketball court, at the male detention facility’s ground floor.

It is a different story, however, by nightfall when prisoners fight for every inch of sleeping space at the courtyard, on stairways and inside their cramped cells.

Located in Kamuning district, the facility for male detainees occupies a measly 3,000 square meters, or 0.3 hectare, of land.

The jail, which houses 4,247 detainees, is ideally meant to hold only 600 to 800 inmates.

The female dormitory, which has 950 detainees, is housed at Camp Karingal in Barangay Sikatuna, where it shares space with the headquarters of the Quezon City Police District.

The Quezon City Jail once gave the problem of prison congestion in the country a human face, with images of shirtless, sweaty inmates, sleeping a few inches apart on concrete floors and steps, captured in photographs.

Better conditions

But inmates at the Quezon City Jail may begin looking forward to better living conditions while in detention, as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) begins the construction of a new facility to house its rapidly swelling population.

Envisioned to function as its own community — equipped with health centers and livelihood areas — the new city jail will rise on a 2.4-hectare lot on Payatas Road at Barangay Bagong Silangan. Once completed in 2020, it will be BJMP’s biggest facility for its detainees.

For both BJMP and local government officials, the construction of the new jail was a “realization” of a dream for more humane surroundings for both detainees and jail personnel.

During the groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, Jail Director Deogracias Tapayan, BJMP chief, said the new facility would “lessen the clamor about scarcity in space and ventilation.”

“It gives hope to all … The end goal is to secure the citizens of Quezon City by transforming lives inside jails,” Tapayan said, noting the importance of the detainees’ reintegration to society.

BJMP records showed that 35,967 detainees were in its facilities in Metro Manila, for a congestion rate of 587 percent.

Quezon City Jail’s female and male dormitories were the fifth and sixth most congested jails in the National Capital Region, respectively.

Supt. Ermilito Moral, Quezon City Jail warden, pegged the congestion rate at the male dormitory at 1,373 percent.

Topping the list was Navotas City Jail, with a congestion rate of 3,979 percent, followed by Caloocan City jail, with 2,225-percent rate.

As of June, a total of 143,972 suspects were crammed inside 486 jails nationwide, for a congestion rate of 578 percent. Despite the whopping figure, this was already slightly lower than the 612 percent recorded at the end of 2017.

P1.4-B facility

Once completed, the P1.4-billion facility in Payatas can accommodate over 4,400 detainees, both men and women. It will also house a clinic, a multipurpose area, basketball courts, and a livelihood and training area.

Also to be built are facilities for power generation, garbage collection and waste management, as well as a cafeteria.

Aside from the complex itself, the city government will also build a police station, a fire station and a barangay health center on at least a hectare of land.

In 2015, a 3.4-ha, tree-filled property was acquired by the Quezon City government from private landowners for P120 million. A portion of this property was later donated to the BJMP.

Mayor Herbert Bautista said he had ordered a tree inventory prior to the construction. He said trees that would be cut would be used to build chairs and tables for establishments in the jail complex.

Moral said the facility would be beneficial to the 150 personnel of the Quezon City Jail, where the low number allows a ratio of only one jail officer to at least 28 detainees.

Security

“With the new facility, the security of our personnel will not be compromised and we can exercise more control,” he said. “Riots can also be avoided since we can now provide more livelihood activities and recreation programs for them, given the wider space.”

At the Quezon City jail, gang riots, sparked by lack of decent space, have become more common. Jail officials had attributed the violence to the inmates’ “more irritable” attitudes.

In February, nine inmates were injured after they launched makeshift arrows and used their plywood beds as shields in a five-minute riot at the jail’s courtyard. The “weapons” they used were made from materials taken from their crumbling building.

In November last year, two inmates died following another riot, this time after dirty water was accidentally splashed on sleeping inmates on the ground floor.

Quezon City forms public transport service board

By Perfecto Raymundo, Jr. (PNA)

MANILA -- The Quezon City local government has created a public transport service board to rationalize public transport in the city.

Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista on Monday approved an ordinance creating a Public Transport Service Board that is tasked to formulate a comprehensive and rationalized local public transport service plan.

Authored by Councilors Ramon Medalla and Oliviere Belmonte, City Ordinance 2726-2018 said the QC Public Transport Service Board is expected to address the growing transport problem in Quezon City.

“The assistance of the Quezon City local government should be utilized to become a pro-active partner of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and private sectors in creating a long-term effective solution to traffic,” Medalla said in an interview Monday.

The members of the Quezon City Public Transport Service Board, to be headed by the Mayor, are the chiefs of City Planning and Development Office, Engineering Department, and Department of Public Order and Safety.

The City Council Committee on Transportation chairman will also be part of the Board, as well as representatives from DOTr, LTFRB, transport sectors, private sectors, and the Liga ng mga Barangay President.

The Board will be responsible to conduct research on transportation studies, guidelines, plans, and policies within the city and its adjoining cities; coordinate with other agencies such as DOTr, LTFRB and also private sectors; initiate public consultations with various sectors; and collect data and identify which routes were under-served or over-served.

“It is timely that the Quezon City local government, through its different departments, create/determine a comprehensive and rationalized public transport plan because they are knowledgeable in the formulation of policies not only within their territory but also to its adjoining cities, monitor the volume of motor vehicles in main throughfares and gather information through public consultation for the benefit of the riding public,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte urges local residents to resort to urban farming in their backyard

By Chito Chavez

With the soaring inflation rate, Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte urged local residents to resort to urban farming in their backyard to provide them with an alternative food source.

Through a city-wide program, local residents are provided with free training and tools for people to grow their own food.

“Vegetables and other food are getting more expensive, but we still want to promote organic and healthy eating through greens and fruits. So how do you make it sustainable? We want urban settlers to grow them within their backyard or near areas where they live,” Belmonte said in an interview.

In 2010, Belmonte launched a program called “Joy of Urban Farming” which helps residents from the city put up backyard farms to mitigate hunger and provide nutritious sources of food, especially for low-income families.

So far, the program has created 166 urban farms found in different barangays in the city. The main farm is currently located at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

“Even if you have a small space, we can develop it into a farm using, let’s say, containers or vertical gardens. There are a lot of farming techniques that can be taught which are useful for urban settlers,” Belmonte said.

The “Joy of Urban Farming” also provides a source of livelihood for backyard farmers.

Under the program, households that have been selling their produce earn as much as P400 per day, according to Belmonte.

“We are encouraging our citizens to grow their own food. We are really solving a lot of problems – the hunger problem, the livelihood problem, the climate problem and more. so maganda talaga siyang program (The program is really good),” she said.

In partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the local government is also planning to put up an organic farming school in the city to provide hands-on training on backyard gardening, eco-waste management, production of organic fertilizer from kitchen waste, postharvest techniques and more.

For interested households and organizations, Belmonte said her office provides free training, tools, and seedlings.

In response to rising food prices and the rice crisis in the southern region of the country, the DA has called on local government units to craft their own food security plans to ensure food sufficiency.

Possible interventions include plans to induce localized food production to mitigate the negative impact of production crises in other regions of the country.

Quezon City to ink deal with PLM for study program

By Rio N. Araja

The 37-member Quezon City council has approved a resolution giving Mayor Herbert Bautista the green light to implement an off-campus program for city hall employees at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

Under City Resolution 7501, PLM shall offer degrees in Bachelor of Government Management, Master of Government Management, and/or Doctor of Government Management under the off-campus program.

Under Book V of Executive Order No. 292 and Omnibus Rules of the Civil Service Commission, Rules VIII, Career and Personal Development, specifically Sections 1 and 7, every department or agency shall establish a continuing program for every career and personnel development for all agencies at all levels.

The same office “shall create an environment or work climate conducive to the development of personnel skills, talents and values for better public service,” the CSC rules add.

Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday called on solo parents suffering from symptoms of depression and other mental health disorders to take advantage of the city government’s medication and counseling.

In observing World Suicide Prevention Day, she told an association of solo parents and mothers: “Recently, it came to my knowledge that many of you are suffering from depression. I know the difficulty you are going through as single mothers.”

Belmonte lamented that many parents feel embarrassed to report mental health problems due to stigma.

“A mental health problem is just like having a heart ailment or any health problem that you do not have to be ashamed of,” she said.

This month, the vice mayor is spearheading programs to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention to citizens of Quezon City who may be at risk. She vowed to coordinate with psychologists to provide mental health awareness seminars this month.

In another development, the city council also passed a resolution strongly supporting the establishment of a senior high school in Barangay Tandang Sora.

City Resolution 7435 shall pave the way for the establishment of school for grades 11 and 12 to known as Tandang Sora Senior High School.

“The local government of Quezon City deems it necessary to create more public senior high schools in the City, including Barangay Tandang Sora, to be able to fulfill its constitutional mandate of providing access to basic education for all,” the resolution read.

QC govt provides mental health awareness, medical help for solo parents

By Chito Chavez

The Quezon City government encouraged solo parents suffering from symptoms of depression and other mental health issues to seek help and counseling to help them navigate their difficulties.

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte met with an association of solo parents and mothers and told them that she recognizes the hardships and adversities that they face. She asked them to avail themselves of the city government’s expert assistance, citing that some of them have already shown signs of mental problems due to extreme depression.

Belmonte said the city government’s program is in line with the observance of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10. she said data from a 2014 study conducted in Singapore shows that single parents – moms in particular – are at greater risk for mental health disorders compared to married parents.

However, due to the stigma surrounding depression and mental health disorders in the country, many parents feel embarrassed to report problems concerning mental health, she said.

Belmonte asked the concerned individuals to draw inner courage in seeking professional help, explaining that mental health issues are similar to other ailments like heart disease.

This month, Belmonte is spearheading programs to promote mental health awareness and suicide prevention to citizens of Quezon City who may be at risk. She said one of the projects being implemented in the city this month is to have links with psychologists who will lead in providing mental health seminars to the city’s solo parents association.

In the event a solo parent is diagnosed with symptoms of depression, the local government will be on hand to provide them with counseling and other appropriate medications.

Approved in 2015, the Community Based Mental Health Program of Quezon City mandates the integration of mental health services in the general health care delivery system and the provision of comprehensive mental health care and treatment for citizens.

As presiding officer of the city council, Belmonte has also pushed for expanded benefits to solo parents through local laws implemented under the Solo Parents’ Welfare Act of 2000.

The amended ordinance covers additional benefits on education, housing, medical assistance, micro-credit loans, employment, legal assistance and other social services for solo parents.

According to a 2015 report from the Philippine Statistics Authority, there are about 3 million single parents in the country, with two million of them female.

You can now ride P2P buses from Araneta Cubao to NAIA

By Aika Rey (Rappler.com)

A premium point-to-point bus route from Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City to Ninoy Aquino International Airport is now operational, only for P100

MANILA, Philippines – Airport-bound passengers from Quezon City now have another hassle-free option in commuting.

Premium point-to-point (P2P) buses from Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City to all Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminals in Pasay City are now operational, only for P100. Each trip is estimated to last from one to two hours.

Ube Express officially launched the Araneta Cubao-NAIA route on Monday, September 3.

P2P buses will be dispatched every two hours, with the first trip leaving Cubao at 7 am, and the last trip leaving at 9 pm.

SCHEDULE. This photo shows the schedule of trips from Araneta Center to and from NAIA. Photo from Araneta Center's FB page

Meanwhile, trips coming from NAIA will leave at 5:30 am, with the last trip going to Cubao at 9 am.

All premium P2P buses are equipped with a global positioning system technology, WiFi connection, and closed circuit television cameras.

To track the buses, real-time routes can be seen within the Ube Express app.

The Araneta Cubao-NAIA route is the 5th route launched by Ube Express. Its P2P buses also bring passengers from NAIA around Entertainment City and Grand Prix Hotel in Pasay, along the Robinsons route in Manila, and Ayala Center in Makati.

Maynilad aims to plant 100K trees in 2018 under 'Plant for Life'

(PR)

MANILA -- As part of its efforts to help reforest vital watersheds and prevent calamities like land erosion and flooding, water distributor Maynilad Water Services, Inc. (Maynilad) recently kicked off its “Plant for Life” tree-planting program for 2018.

For this year, Maynilad has committed to plant 100,000 tree saplings and mangrove propagules over a land area of about 47 hectares. Since the program’s inception in 2007, Maynilad has planted more than 630,000 trees and mangroves at the Ipo Dam, Laguna Lake, and Malabon watersheds, as well as along coastal areas of Manila Bay.

These initiatives are also being done in support of the “Annual Million Trees Challenge” of the state-owned Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), which aims to plant one million trees yearly for five years to protect six critical watersheds.

“One of the best steps we can take to protect our water sources is to plant trees on denuded lands. Trees help with the soil’s water retention, thus preventing the soil erosion that causes high turbidity levels in our raw water supply,” Maynilad President and CEO Ramoncito S. Fernandez said in a statement on Wednesday.

Maynilad’s “Plant for Life” is being held in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the local government of Norzagaray, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

Volunteers are welcome to join Maynilad’s series of tree-planting activities, which is held every year between the months of June and November.

Interested parties may call the company’s Environmental Management Department at 981-3484 to inquire about the schedule and requirements.

Maynilad is the largest private water concessionaire in the Philippines in terms of customer base. It is the agent and contractor of the MWSS for the West Zone of the Greater Manila Area, which is composed of the cities of Manila (certain portions), Quezon City (certain portions), Makati (west of South Super Highway), Caloocan, Pasay, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Valenzuela, Navotas and Malabon in Metro Manila; and the cities of Cavite, Bacoor and Imus, and the towns of Kawit, Noveleta and Rosario, in Cavite province.

Quezon City: Home to beautifully-named barangays

By Severino Samonte (PNA)

MANILA -- Among the 16 cities and one municipality of Metro Manila, 79-year-old Quezon City can very well lay valid claim to the title of being home to the most beautiful and inspiringly-named barangays and villages.

Here’s why: Of its 142 barangays in six congressional districts, more than one-third carry the names of either former presidents, saints, and other blessed persons or appellations, signifying inspiration, success or victory, unity, and holiness.

Quezon City has 37 barangays in the first district, five in the second district, 37 in the third district, 38 in the fourth district, 14 in the fifth district, and 11 in the sixth district.

At least five barangays have been named after former Philippine presidents --Barangays Ramon Magsaysay in the first district, Quirino and Aguinaldo in the third district, and Roxas and Don Manuel in the fourth district.

Barangay Aguinaldo is named in honor of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, first president of the Philippine Republic (1898-1901); while Barangay Don Manuel perpetuates the memory of the first president of the Philippine commonwealth, Manuel L. Quezon (1935-1944). Quezon City itself was named after the latter.

Located near the junction of Quezon and G. Araneta Avenues just off the famed Sto. Domingo Church, Barangay Roxas honors the late President Manuel A. Roxas (1946-1948). Barangay Quirino is named in memory of the late President Elpidio Quirino (1948-1953).

Situated in the city’s first district, Barangay Magsaysay is named after the country’s most loved Philippine president and idol of the masses, Ramon Magsaysay who died in a plane crash on Mt. Manunggal in Cebu on Mar. 17, 1957.

Two neighboring barangays in the fourth district bear the names of two former first ladies of the land. These are Barangays Doña Aurora, named after the wife of President Quezon, and Doña Imelda, wife of the late former President Ferdinand Marcos (1965-1986).

Also located in the fourth district is Barangay Doña Josefa, which has been named after Doña Josefa Edralin Marcos, mother of President Marcos.

In the city’s first district, adjacent to Barangay Magsaysay is Barangay Alicia, wife of the late President Quirino.

Quezon City’s longest-reigning mayor, the late Norberto Amoranto (1954-1976), has been honored with the renaming of a portion of La Loma district near the city’s southwestern boundary with Manila as Barangay N.S. Amoranto.

In the third district, the name of the late Senate President Eulogio “Amang” Rodrguez Sr. has been perpetuated with the christening of a barangay adjacent to Cubao, the city’s prime commercial area, as Barangay E. Rodriguez.

Coincidentally, both Rodriguez and Amoranto have also been remembered with the renaming of two major streets in Quezon City after them. The former España Extension from the Welcome Rotunda at the Manila-Quezon City boundary to E. delos Santos Avenue (Edsa) in Cubao has been renamed E. Rodriguez Blvd.

On the other hand, the former Retiro Street from Blumentritt Extension in Manila to Barangay Talayan is now known as N.S. Amoranto Avenue.

The barangays carrying names of saints or holy appellations are San Antonio, San Isidro Labrador, Sta. Monica, San Roque, Sta. Teresita, St. Peter, Sto. Domingo, San Jose, San Bartolome, Sta. Lucia, San Agustin, St. Ignatius, San Martin, San Isidro, Kristong Hari (Christ the King), Santo Nino (Holy Child), Sacred Heart, Immaculate Conception, Holy Spirit, Sto. Cristo, Sta. Cruz (Holy Cross), and Lourdes.

There are at least eight barangays that signify or seek to perpetuate love of country and spirit of heroism, nationalism and valor. These are Barangays Katipunan, Veterans Village, Tandang Sora, Unang Sigaw, Pasong Tamo, Apolonio Samson, Matandang Balara, and Pasong Putik.

Barangay Katipunan commemorates the name of the revolutionary society founded by Gat Andres Bonifacio and other patriots on July 7, 1892, which eventually launched the uprising against tyrannous Spanish rule in the Philippines four years later.

Veterans Village is named to honor the country’s numerous veterans, known and unknown, who sacrificed their lives to defend the country from invading foreigners and other lawless elements.

Barangay Tandang Sora, located in the historic former town of Novaliches, perpetuates the memory of the revered Grand Old Lady of the Revolution, Melchora Aquino.

More popularly known as Balintawak, Barangay Unang Sigaw, as its name implies, is among the disputable places where Bonifacio and his fellow Katipuneros were said to have raised the first “cry” of the 1896 Revolution.

Aside from Balintawak, the other places being debated upon as the site of the initial Cry for Independence from Spain or tearing of “cedulas” (residence certificates) include Pugad Lawin, Kangkong (now Barangay Apolonio Samson), and Banlat, which was the birthplace of the heroine Tandang Sora.

Barangay Pasong Tamo, an immediate neighbor of Barangay Tandang Sora, is the site of the first-ever armed encounter between the Katipuneros and the Spanish civil guards on Aug. 26, 1896 (some history books say August 24 or 25).

Also located in Novaliches, Barangay Pasong Putik was where Tandang Sora was arrested by the Spaniards prior to her exile to Guam on Sept. 2, 1896.

Meanwhile, at least two dozen other barangays have names that connote inspiration, hope, unity, progress, cooperation, and love, among other virtues. These are Barangays Kalusugan (health); Paraiso (paradise); Salvacion (salvation); Maharlika (noble); Damayan (cooperation); Bagong Pagasa (new hope); Pag-ibig sa Nayon (love of barrio); Kaligayahan (happiness);

Nagkaisang Nayon (united barrios); New Era; Socorro (aid or succor); Tagumpay (victory); Bayanihan (community brotherhood); Bagumbayan (new town); Masagana (bountiful); Milagrosa (miraculous); Marilag (pretty or beautiful); Bagong Lipunan (new society); Kaunlaran (progress); Laging Handa (always prepared); Paligsahan (competition); Damayang Lagi (perpetual help); Pinagkaisahan (unanimous decision); and Malaya (free).

QC council to launch ‘Batas QC’ mobile app program this month

By Chito Chavez

The Quezon City Council will launch the “Batas QC’’ mobile application program this month in a bid to lessen various violations of city ordinances and other laws in the city.

Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said the scheme will allow the city government to spread awareness on the penalties and rules pertaining to local ordinances.

Through this, Belmonte said “this is our way of empowering the people of Quezon City to be aware of their rights and the ordinances of the city that will deter abusive acts against them.

According to data from National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Guillermo Eleazar, the Quezon City police arrested 99,040 city ordinance violators from June 13 to September 2 posting the highest number of persons arrested for ordinance violations in Metro Manila.

For this reason, the city council is set to launch “Batas QC” app that will be available for download for all smartphone users of the city.

“Kung hindi kayo sigurado kung ano ba yung penalty ng naturang batas ay ita-type niyo lang ang keyword upang makita ang lahat ng batas at mga detalye na may kinalaman doon (If you are unsure what the penalty for the violation of a certain law one can just type the keyword to determine relevant details about it),” Belmonte said.

Citing as an example, Belmonte said one only needs to type the word garbage to verify details pertaining to improper garbage disposal including the implementing agent.

The city will also be distributing digital tablets containing the mobile app to barangay officials and city law enforcement units.

For the first batch, Belmonte said tablets will be provided to barangay chairmen, police station commanders and traffic enforcers.

According to the latest report from the NCRPO, some 209,959 arrests were made in Metro Manila for violation of local laws from June 13 to September 2.

The persons arrested violated ban on drinking and smoking, going shirtless in public and the curfew for minors.

QC seniors to get free anti-pneumonia shots

By Jimmyley E. Guzman (PIA-NCR)

QUEZON CITY (PIA)--All senior citizen-residents registered with the Office of the Senior Citizen’s Affairs (OSCA), including those who will turn 60 this year, are automatically entitled to the free anti-pneumonia shots.

This, as Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista signed an ordinance approving a budget allocation for free pneumococcal vaccination to all registered Senior Citizens of Quezon City.

City Ordinance 2699, S-2018, introduced by Councilor Rogelio “Roger” P. Juan, amending Ordinance 2381-2015, provides for free pneumococcal vaccination to all registered senior citizens which will be administered by the Quezon City Health Department (QCHD) subject to the availability of 23-valent Polysaccharide vaccine.

The vaccines help prevent pneumococcal disease, described to be any type of infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria that may include pneumonia, infection of the blood (bacteremia/sepsis), middle-ear infection (otitis media), or bacterial meningitis

The ordinance states that there is a need to amend the earlier measure to provide a definite budget allocation for the purchase and acquisition of 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine to sufficiently supply the needs of the senior citizens who are not yet vaccinated.

Section 8 of City Ordinance No. SP- 2381-2015 provides that: an initial budget allocation of at least P12,000,000 will be divided among the city’s six districts, equally appropriating P2,000,000 for each, subject to existing auditing rules and procedures.

Under the ordinance, the city government ensures proper budget allocation of the annual funds to augment the Pneumococcal vaccination of seniors that shall be included in the Next Annual Budget of Quezon City.

Quezon City okays funding for PRC, Scouts

By Rio N. Araja

The 37-member Quezon City council has approved a resolution giving Mayor Herbert Bautista the green light to extend P6.3 million in aid to the Philippine Red Cross to defray the accident and health insurance for members of the city’s Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of the Philippines.

District 2 Councilor Godofredo Liban II authored City Resolution 7462 in response to a Department of Interior and Local Government circular that would form part of Bautista’s capability to build a program to ensure health benefits and priority to blood donors in case of emergency.

Under the agreement, the Philippine Red Cross will provide accidental and medical assistance benefits to members and insurance coverage for one year, and build up Red Cross youth councils in each school and district of Quezon City.

“It is a form of good governance to utilize the resources and funds of the City as efficiently and as effectively as possible to finance the delivery of basic services, and the enhancement of various social and economic activities for the prosperity and progress of the people of the City,” the resolution read.

Meanwhile, councilors also passed a resolution urging Bautista to allocate an office space within the city hall compound for the Parents-Teachers Association of Quezon City.

“The creation of division office within the compound of Quezon City hall shall foster a streamlined communication and cooperation between the city government, the parents and teachers of Quezon City for the best interest of our students and their future,” City Resolution 7474 read.

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