Albay News January 2013

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Albay - Archived News
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Seal of the Province of Albay
Interactive Google Satellite Map of the Province of Albay
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Location of Albay within the Philippines
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Provincial Capitol Building of Albay, in Legazpi City

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Mayon volcano albay province.jpg

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.

Albay to celebrate 10th Fiesta Tsinoy

(MAL/JMLobas-BU/PIA5)

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan 31 (PIA) -- The Chinese Community of Albay, in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT) Bicol, the provincial government of Albay and the city government, will hold the 10th Fiesta Tsinoy 2013 in time for the celebration of the Chinese New Year on February 9 and 10.

DOT Bicol Milo Oropeza public information officer of l, said during the meeting at the DOT regional office here last January 28 that plans and activities were being finalized for a more meaningful and colorful celebration this year.

The celebration will start with a dance exercise dubbed: “Zumbash sa Emba” to be held on February 9, at five in the afternoon at the Celebration Plaza, Embarcadero in Legazpi.

On February 10 at 6 a.m., Hataw Tsinoy will be held at the Legazpi City Boulevard at Barangay Puro. Then, a motorcade en route to Legazpi City to Daraga and a mass at 4 p.m. to be officiated by Most Rev. Bishop Joel Z. Baylon, D.D. An ancestral veneration, a dragon and lion dance plus a fireworks display will follow the mass.

The last part of the celebration will be a dimsum dinner at the Albay Astrodome.

Divers from Japan, China, Australia to explore Albay reefs

By Alfredo L. Vargas Jr. [(PNA), LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/EBP]

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 30 (PNA) -- Divers - both neophytes and experts, young and senior citizens - from China, Japan and Australia, are set to explore the various dive sites in Albay Gulf next month.

Jin Masuda, a Japanese dive master who has been into diving the 16 dive sites in this city and other flourishing reefs in Albay Gulf, confirmed the arrival next week of seven elderly divers from Japan who he will guide in underwater tour of the reefs.

It was learned that there are two types of underwater attractions for divers: fish species abounding in the sites and the corals and reefs which they regard as “the rainforests of the sea.”

Either or both, Masuda assured his visitors of satisfaction comparable to diving in the famous reefs in the country such as Tubbataha Reef in Palawan and those in Anilao in Batangas as far as the types of corals and species of fish are concerned.

His most encouraging promise to visiting fellow Japanese is that Albay Gulf is the calmest dive destination, the reason he has stayed in this city in the past three years--doing voluntary services to the local governments of Albay province and the city of Legazpi such as exploration, rehabilitation and promotion of the dive sites.

Now on his 11th consecutive year of stay in the country, Masuda has been inviting Japanese to come to this city.

Late last year, he provided guide services and itinerary of underwater tour in Albay Gulf to a group of elderly divers from Japan - the oldest of them, 75 years old.

Masuda will also provide the same to the group about to arrive next month, the youngest among them, he said, is 54 years old.

Matsuda is the vice president of the Pacific Blue Dive Center (PBDC) that has established an office in this city and has been providing free dive trainings to residents in Albay islands who are to be tapped in the ongoing coral farming and coastal resource management programs of the local governments.

Masuda’s group installed last December 31 the first ever coral garden in Albay Gulf at no cost on the part of the government and has vowed to put up more underwater nurseries, especially near the dive sites and on damaged reefs - all free of charge.

Another Japanese dive master, George Nakano, the head of PBDC, left for China after the installation of the first coral garden to provide dive training in Beijing.

At least 30 among Nakano’s trainees in Beijing are set to experience their first open-water diving in Albay Gulf, also next month.

“The training in Beijing was done in pools. They have not experienced the open seas and because Albay Gulf is a calm dive area, they were convinced to come here and experience open water diving for the first time,” Masuda said.

Also next month, 22 divers from Australia will be brought in by Lee Michael, a Sydney-based journalist who is into free promotion of tourism destinations in Asia.

Michael has featured in his own broadcast station the various tourism attractions of Albay province.

City Mayor Noel Rosal revealed that Michael had been in this city last September and indeed promised to bring divers from Australia for them to discover the natural underwater beauty of Albay Gulf.

It was learned that Michael had explored the various dive sites here and was all praises that he pledged continuing promotions through his radio station in Sydney and to invite fellow Australians to come to this city.

Nong Dawal, the action officer of the provincial government’s ongoing poverty alleviation program in the four islands within Albay Gulf which PBDC strongly supports through provision of free dive trainings, said that what makes local dive sites more attractive to tourists is their proximity to tourist destinations, particularly in the provinces of Sorsogon and Masbate.

“After each dive, they can go climbing to Mayon Volcano or hop to Donsol, Sorsogon for whale shark interaction tours, or to Masbate for other flourishing dive sites and various festivals such ‘Rodeo Masbateño’. We are at the center, and from here they have plenty of accessible tourism sites to visit,” Dawal said.

More foreign divers and nature lovers are expected to visit the area with the strengthened programs of the Albay-Masbate-Sorsogon (Almasor) tourism alliance that started middle last year.

More tourists visiting the ‘soul of the south’

(Manila Standard Today)

Legazpi City – Official tourism data are showing that there is a substantial increase in the number of visitors to the provinces of Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon in the Bicol region, which has been dubbed Almasor, phonetically meaning “soul of the south.”

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said tourism arrivals in the three provinces registered encouraging growth in 2012 compared to 2011, particularly Sorsogon which posted a 31% hike mostly due to interactive tours with whale shark, and Albay with 24%. Masbate also posted a modest growth.

Salceda, chairman of the Bicol Regional Development Council, said the Albay-Masbate-Sorsogon Tourism Alliance (Almasor) was organized last year to strengthen tourism promotion and help the three provinces lure at least 650,000 tourists annually within the next five years.

Salceda said they have noted a substantial increase in the number of tourists who inquire about tourism activities in the three provinces at drop by daily at Albay’s Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office.

The favorite activities are Mayon Volcano climbing, sightseeing and souvenir opportunities at the Cagsawa Ruins, the Daraga Church, the Lignon Hill, and the lava tours all in Albay, and the popular whale shark interaction in Donsol, Sosogon.

The island province of Masbate also offers coves and beautiful beaches that satisfy international standards, but they are still largely unexploited and need to be promoted more creatively, Salceda said.

PHL Navy spreads better service image in Bicol

(PNA), PDS/FGS/ALV/MMG/EBP

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- They are the guardians of the seas, but in Bicol, members of the Philippine Navy (PN) have gained the public’s recognition as all-terrain and all-weather friends from whom civilians can expect good service anywhere, anytime.

Officers and men of the Naval Forces for Southern Luzon (NAVFORSOL) have been actively taking part in preemptive and full evacuations during impending or real-time disasters.

They have also been into supporting and promoting tourism, sports, healthy lifestyle, efficient solid waste management, coastal clean-up, environmental conservation and protection, and various community education and outreach programs.

The most recent was the partnership with the local government of this city in the enforcement of the local anti-smoking ordinance.

The fleet-marine personnel of NAVFORSOL have been deputized as enforcers of the ordinance after completing a series of enforcement trainings and orientation.

Representatives from the city government turned over deputized enforcers' paraphernalia to NAVFORSOL on Jan. 24.

Navy personnel also regularly conduct career opportunities in the Navy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)for high school seniors inside the station.

NAVFORSOL holds festivals inside the station such as Masbate’s “Rodeo Masbateño,” this city’s “Ibalong,” Albay province’s “Magayon” and “Karangahan sa Pasko” and the most recent was Quiapo’s “Feast of the Black Nazarene.”

These are open for the public to watch and take part.

NAVFORSOL holds various events for the local media in the area.

Its personnel make themselves visible to the public not only during times of disaster and other emergencies but also during various community-based events such as their regular participation in locally-sponsored fun runs and the regular morning “Hataw” physical fitness sessions at the city boulevard.

Ballet presentation of Albay legend at CCP to set records in Philippine art history

(PNA), PDS/ALV/MMG/PJN

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 27 (PNA) -- The new production of "Daragang Magayon", Albay’s mythical epic in ballet form at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP) Main Theater on Feb. 8, is setting records in Philippine arts history.

“Daragang Magayon: Ang Istorya ni Mayon” lands on record as the first full-length ballet of a provincial epic, the first multimedia-backed ballet interpretation in the country, the first to integrate the love story legend of Mayon Volcano’s origin and the pre-Hispanic mythology of the Bicol region, and the first of its kind to be set to rondalla, specially composed and arranged by internationally acclaimed Filipino conductor and composer.

The mythical epic is the love story of Mayon Volcano and the people of Albay.

As an epic, it goes down on record as the first collaboration of three respected contemporary artists: the poetry of National Artist Virgilio Almario, the music of Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos and the creative resources of Albayano writer and researcher Abdon Balde Jr.

As composer, Santos’ works have been featured in major festivals in America, Europe and Asia.

Almario’s magic in poetry is expected to blend with Santos music intensifying emotions in new scenes of the tale.

Ancient rituals and mythological characters and other magical realism of the legend are products of the researches and stories woven by Balde, a multi-awarded Bikolano writer who specializes in mythopoeia and the folk stories of Bikol.

The production also comes as the first multi-media- backed ballet interpretation in the country, choreographed by Gerald Mercado and his wife Katrina Santos-Mercado, both ballet masters known internationally, with the e-Dance Theater.

e-Dance Theater expands the love story in new dances and movements that is uniquely Filipino, both in techniques and aesthetics and were created to evoke a rich character of the filmography done by Chuck Escasa, animation by Niko Salazar, the set designed by Leo Abaya and costume by Carlo Pagunaling.

The Daragang Magayon myth is basically a love-against-all-odds story between Magayon (beautiful) and Ulap (cloud). Their tragic death in the hands of an envious suitor, Pagtuga (eruption), earned for them favor from gods to make their love last forever and part no more by turning the lovers’ grave to mountain and the sky.

As a drama, Daragang Magayon will integrate two community bonding — the rites of “Haliya”, a protest against incoming threats, and “Atang”, the offering for good harvest.

The epic is produced by the Albay provincial government led by Gov. Joey Salceda. The presentation forms part of a revitalized tourism development program that would offer guests an opportunity to take a fresher look into the province’s mesmerizing mythical past, its magic and mystery.

Bicol University Professor Dennis Mirabueno said the matinee presentation at CCP will be done at 3:00 p.m. on Feb. 8 while the gala presentation is set in the evening at 8:00 p.m.

DSWD awards homes to 1,528 calamity-displaced families in Albay

(PNA), LAM/FGS/DOC/CBD/ABB

DARAGA, Albay, Jan. 25 (PNA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has formally turned over newly built core housing units to each of the 1,528 families displaced by recent calamities from villages near the foot of Mt. Mayon here.

The new housing units, built under the DSWD’s core shelter program in Barangay Anislag, are permanent structures that could withstand strong typhoons with up to 220 kilometers per hour wind velocity.

Vice-Mayor Carlito Baylon said Friday that recipients of the houses were families from eight barangays who lost their homes to flashfloods from the slope of Mayon Volcano that were triggered by past typhoons and heavy rains.

Through the spirit of “bayanihan,” the beneficiaries themselves helped in clearing their relocation sites and the construction of the sturdy housing units, Baylon said.

He said the municipal government provided the relocation site and additional construction materials.

The DSWD’s core shelter program involves a restoration and rehabilitation strategy that uses work teams composed of beneficiaries who provide the labor for the construction of houses, said Corazon Pitero, head of the agency’s Regional Social Protection Unit.

“Hence, the houses they now own were built out of their labor and desire to start a new life away from the hazards of living along the path of floods emanating from Mt. Mayon,” she said.

These new core shelter units are among the over 8,200 houses provided by the DSWD to families in Bicol displaced by calamities.

An additional 135 units are also now readied for turn over to beneficiaries in Polangui, Albay, Petiro said.

Albay reclaims slot as Bicol top destination for tourists

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY: Albay province regained its billing as top tourist destination in the Bicol region, following the high growth in influx of domestic and foreign tourists, Ma. Nini Ravanilla, Department of Tourism regional director told The Manila Times.

“Albay ranked first among the six provinces as to growth rate in 2012 first quarter as against to 2011 though we’re still waiting reports from other provinces collating the data,” Ravanilla said. Albay recorded 316,000 tourist arrivals in 2011, of which 138,000 were foreign visitors.

Last year, tourist arrivals in Bicol, domestic and foreign, reached 3,413,610. The tourism department report cited Albay-Legazpi with high number of tourist arrivals at 350, 629, while Masbate had 172,446 visitors and 132,692 in Sorsogon.

Ravanilla also said that they’re expecting higher growth rate in terms of tourist arrivals in Albay in the third and fourth quarters of 2012. Among the remarkable guests of Albay in 2012 were Queen Sofia of Spain, Hollywood star Zac Efron and Miss Earth candidates. Besides foreign and local celebrities visiting Albay, the province is also the favorite venue for teleserye and movies. The big influx of tourists in Bicol, specifically in Albay—the corridors of Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao (Luzvi­min) will even boom, according to Ravanilla following the strong partnership of private and government sectors as well as the formulation of Albay-Masbate-Sorsogon Tourism Alliance (Almasorta), a tourism road map corridor conceptualized by Gov. Joey Salceda of Albay, Regional Development Council chairman.

The department in Bicol is optimistic to achieve the 15 million targets of foreign and domestic tourist arrivals by 2016. The target is based on the Almasorta Tourism Alliance.

Salceda spearheaded the organization Almasorta and forged a covenant with Gov. Rizalina Seachon-Lanete of Masbate and Gov. Raul Lee of Sorsogon, to map a tourism promotion strategy. With the new alliance, Salceda told The Times that he is targeting 500,000 foreign tourist arrivals by 2016.

Almasorta aims to integrate and comprehensive promotion strategy to market the potentials and wonders of three Bicol provinces. Salceda, said that the alliance was done to ensure stronger and more interconnected tourism campaign among the three provinces, which all have their inherent world-class tourism potentials that needed better market positioning and promotion.

This strategy and approach according to Salceda will accelerate tourism development and promote the wonders of Bicol as tourist destination.

Ravanilla explained that the alliance on tourism is an approach of the province of Albay to compliment the marketing packages of Sorsogon and Masbate, in which each province will highlight its respective tourist destinations and local products.

She said that under this scheme—Albay will serve as the gateway to Sorsogon and Masbate. The visiting domestic and foreign tourists may first go to Albay’s various destinations, the next day, tourist may chose to interact with the butanding (whale shark) in Donsol, Sorsogon, or mountain climbing in Bulusan volcano and from Sorsogon, via Pilar, tourist may proceed to Masbate for another fun in Bontod, a fish and manta ray sanctuary adventure.

To boost up Bicol tourism, President Benigno Aquino 3rd’s administration, through tourism secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., approved the P1.4-billion tourism support infrastructure package for Albay — such as the P440-million Cagraray Circumferential Road in Bacacay town, and the P870-million road that will directly link Libon, Albay with Donsol, Sorsogon, home of the world-famous butanding.

Legazpi City gets P300-M funding for urban drainage project

(PNA), LAP/FGS/MSA/CBD/ABB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 23 (PNA) -- The city government of Legazpi recently received P300-million additional funding to finance the implementation of the city’s urban drainage project.

Lucy Castaneda, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Bicol spokesperson, said they granted the additional funding on top of the P500 million released last year to the city government.

With this additional funding, the project will have a total cost of P800 million, she said.

The project is designed to prevent the frequent flooding in almost 20 urban villages of the city during moderate-to-heavy rains spawned by bad weather events.

Castañeda said in an interview Wednesday that the urban drainage project involves the construction of three pumping stations in the barangays (villages) of Victory, Bonot and San Roque.

The project will also involve the repair and construction of a dike along the Macabalo River and the canals and streams that encircle the area.

Engineers will set up jetty structure in Yawa river channel to secure the flow of water and prevent floods due to clogged dikes.

Albay maximizes use of salt fertilizer for coconuts

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL/ARSajuel-BU/PIA5/Albay)

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 22 (PIA) -- Some 2,783 hectares of coconut plantation in Albay will be covered by the salt fertilization measures of government to improve production and help sustain the industry.

According to Salvador Alban, acting senior agriculturist of Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Albay, area coverage this year is 1,590 more than the 1,193 hectares covered last year provided with free salt fertilizers.

Aban explained that salt fertilizers are favorable for coconut production, noting that fertilizing coconut with salts had become a practice following a study that shows coconut trees along the seashore are more productive.

In fact, applying two kilograms (kg) of salt fertilizer per tree will double its production. Thus the organic salt fertilizer is now widely used instead of inorganic fertilizers, he said.

The salt fertilizers to be distributed can cater to 110 coconut trees per hectare, totaling 306, 130 trees for this year.

Yet, Ablan noted, the area only comprises only one tenth of the coconut plantations in Albay that also needs attention, and the agency continues to ask for government’s support in the development of the coconut industry.

Coconut products are highly in demand and have great potential to help boost the local economy and the Philippine economy as a whole.

Daragang Magayon sets record in local cultural development

(The Philippine Star)

MANILA, Philippines - The new production of Daragang Magayon, Albay’s mythical epic, which will be presented in ballet form at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP) Main Theater on Feb. 8, is setting records in Philippine art history.

Daragang Magayon: An Istorya ni Mayon lands on record as the first full-length ballet of a provincial epic; the love story of Daragang Magayon is the love story of Mayon Volcano and the people of Albay. It is also the first of its kind to be set to rondalla, specially composed and arranged by conductor and composer Ramon Pagayon Santos, known for his contributions in the development of ethnic music in the country.

As an epic, it goes down on record as the first collaboration of three respected, contemporary artists; its poetry is penned by National Artist Virgilio Almario, its music by Santos, and the new scenes and drama come from multi-awarded writer and researcher Abdon Balde Jr., Albay’s Poet Laureate.

The production also comes as the first multi-media- backed ballet interpretation in the country, choreographed by Gerald Mercado and wife Katrina Santos-Mercado with the e-Dance Theater, in filmography by Chuck Escasa and animation by Niko Salazar, the set designed by Leo Abaya and costume by Carlo Pagunaling.

As a drama, Daragang Magayon is first to integrate the love story legend of Mayon Volcano’s origin and the pre-Hispanic mythology of the Bicol region with two community bonding — the rites of Haliya, a protest against incoming threats, and Atang, the offering for good harvest.

The epic is produced by the Albay provincial government led by Gov. Joey Salceda. The presentation forms part of a revitalized tourism development program that would offer guests an opportunity to take a fresher look into the province’s mesmerizing mythical past, its magic and mystery. Entertainment ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

The governor said they expect the presentation to go beyond the CCP stage after the Feb. 8 presentation.


Japanese dive master devotes time preserving, promoting Albay dive sites

(PNA), FPV/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 18 (PNA) –- A Japanese dive expert, who has spent the past 11 years of his life in areas where there are dive havens across the Philippine archipelago, has become a devout protector and promoter of the dive sites found in this city on the western end of Albay Gulf.

Last year, on his third straight year of living in this city, Japanese dive master Jin Masuda began inviting fellow Japanese--especially senior citizens who remain dive aficionados--to come and enjoy the underwater heaven of Albay Gulf, which he openly describes as the “calmest” among the dive sites in the country he has been.

Last Dec. 15, at least three Japanese-- two among them females-- aging 65, 67 and 75 years old, came.

Masuda, vice president of the Pacific Blue Dive Center (PBDC), guided them in exploring some of the 16 dive sites in this city.

Next month, seven more elder Japanese divers, the youngest among them being 54 years old, will be arriving for scuba diving in Albay Gulf, he said.

It was during PBDC’s preparations early last month for the three elder Japanese visitors’ underwater itinerary when its staff members discovered at least three dive sites freshly damaged by dynamite and cyanide fishing.

They subsequently reported their discovery to authorities and took part in the immediate restoration of the area.

Masuda’s group, in tie-up with the local governments of this city and Albay province, launched late last month the first-ever coral garden in Albay Gulf.

The group and the two LGUs plan to replicate the coral garden in the 16 dive sites and areas within the gulf’s strategic areas conducive for corral farming this year and on.

“Unfortunately several marine lives were damaged by dynamite and chemical fishing. But not all the corals were damaged and these will re-grow over time and will be of much more extensive growth because of the coral rehabilitation activities by local governments,” Masuda said.

Late last year, his group started putting up floating buoys in each dive site to protect the corals that can be damaged not only by illegal fishing but also by anchoring of fishing and passenger boats.

Albay Gulf, with an estimated area of 300 square kilometers, is surrounded by four islands: Rapu-Rapu, Batan, Cagraray and San Miguel.

Legazpi City is situated in the western shore side of the gulf.

"Many minerals are provided from land and island side through the rich river systems. With this rich natural ecosystem, Albay Gulf can become a haven for various marine life to flourish,” Masuda said.

Having frequented the various local dive sites for more than three years now, Masuda tells fellow divers from Japan and from other countries how accessible the dive sites are, the safety in diving here and other collateral information to attract them to come.

Based on his experience, from the base port of this city, the reference jump-off point towards the 16 dive sites, the farthest scuba haven can be reached by a motorized banca within 25 minutes and the nearest, within 15 minutes.

“Albay Gulf is a calm gulf. Most of dive sites here do not have strong current or no current at all,” he said.

The dive sites are characterized by Matsuda’s group into three types: shoreline with short shallow area and sandy bottom, a peninsula with waters directing off shore after a long shallow area, and as independent underwater banks.

There are two natural phenomena in the gulf that affect the diving activities. The first one is the constantly changing wind direction throughout the year and the second, the heavy rainfall affecting underwater visibility.

Masuda recommended the period from June to November as the best season for diving in this city.

“If there is no typhoon developing in the south, affecting Legazpi, diving in Legazpi is best. During this time, the wind, locally called “habagat,“ blows from the west. The area is protected by mountains of Luzon Island so diving area will be usually flat. Although heavy rains frequent this season, visibility drop only occurs in shoreline dive sites but do not strongly affect independent bank diving sites far from the shore,” he said.

Among the 16 sites, he recommends Itom na Buya (Black Buoy) and Sadit na Itom na Buya (Small Black Buoy), both fronting Barangay Bigaa and a 25-minute boat ride from the base port.

In both sites can be found at least six types of “Nemo” fish (Clownfish or Anemone fish) and a number of Trumpetfish (Aulostomus maculatus).

“These sites are comparable to Tubbataha Reef in Palawan as to species of marine life present although not yet in number. But definitely all fishes in Tubataha are also found here,” he said.

The two sites are both slope-sand-shore line type.

In both sites, the slope starts dropping at almost 20 m from the beach and become stable from a depth of 25 meters.

The sea bed is powder sand.

This city is a 45-minute flight to and from Manila or Cebu. From the airport, the jump-off area to the nearest dive site will take only about a 10-minute tricycle ride.

Albay boy, 13, admits bashing woman to death

By Cet Dematera (The Philippine Star)

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – A 13-year-old boy was surrendered by his parents to the police in Daraga, Albay yesterday after he admitted bashing to death a 68-year-old woman who allegedly called him a thief.

The minor, a Grade 4 student, told police that he got mad when the victim, Salvacion Mallapre, allegedly accused him of stealing coconuts in her farm and that he bashed her head with a piece of stone several times.

Mallapre’s body was found half-buried in a forested portion of San Rafael village the other day. The young suspect has been turned over to the local social welfare office, police said.

Albay tourist arrivals increase 24%

(Manila Standard Today)

LEGAZPI CITY—Albay posted a 24-percent increase in tourist arrivals in the first half of 2012 over the same period in 2011, outstripping neighboring Camarines Sur and opening doors to further development goals in the coming years.

Records show that 290,845 foreign and local tourist visited Albay in the first and second quarters of 2012, a hefty jump from the 234,081 arrivals posted over the same period in 2011.

The data for the entire 2012 has not yet been collated, but the province registered a 17% increase over that of 2010, which surpassed the 15% national growth rate, in 2011.

The province now pushes further these recent gains with four flagship projects, worth P162 million, it hopes to launch this year.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has pushed for stronger Albay tourism-oriented initiatives, the latest of which is the staging of the new ballet production of Daragang Magayon at the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater on February 8, and the month-long Cagsawa Festival next month.

After making impressive gains in the fields of health, education, disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation, the governor said Albay “is now shifting from its Millennium Development Goals to economic development by attracting more industry players in agriculture modernization and tourism development.”

The province had already attained its MDGs in 2011 well ahead of the 2015 UN global deadline. It had also made broad strides in the fields of disaster risk reduction management and CCA where the governor was named as UN Spokesman and Senior Global Champion, and Albay as Global Model.

Salceda said the formal proposals for the four flagship projects – the P27-million Mayon Skyline Convention Center in Tabaco City, the P40-million rehabilitation and Improvement of the Cagsawa Park and Resort in Daraga, the P60-million Agri-Etno Ecotourism Village in Camalig, and the P35-million improvement of public plaza in as many Albay’s stragic towns – have already been submitted to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority.

The proposals, Salceda said, were submitted to TIEZA as suggested by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Tourism Sec. Ramon Jimenez. When completed, the projects will compliment the opening of the Southern Luzon International Airport in 2015, and usher in a strong flow of more tourists.

Albay authorities caution public on cold weather

(PNA), FPV/FGS/CBD/ABB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 16 (PNA) -- The Albay Provincial Health Office (PHO) and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Wednesday issued a bulletin giving precautionary measures on the cold weather that the province is presently experiencing.

Albay Governor and PDRRMC Chair Joey Salceda here said the measures/items included in the advisory should be considered as countermeasures to avoid cold diseases or injuries that may result in hypothermia or lowering of body’s core temperature or mal-adaptation to cold weather.

Among the measures, Salceda said, is to keep warm and dress appropriately by wearing jackets, sweaters, socks, hats and scarves or knit masks to cover the face and the mouth; sleeves that are up to the wrist; mittens and water-resistant coats and shoes.

Another is to avoid going outside if it is raining.

“If one becomes soaked, it will be colder and will further reduce the body temperature. Keep house closed to preserve warm room temperature," the advisory said.

When going outside, layer with loose-fitting clothing, turn off air conditioning units and stock food, water and other household and personal necessities to minimize outside movements, it added.

No. 3 item in the advisory is to give special care and attention to babies and elderly.

"Overall, use thick clothing to keep their body warm. Infants lose body heat more easily than adults; additionally, infants can't make enough body heat by shivering," it added.

It further said that infants less than one year old should never sleep in a cold room. "They should be provided with warm clothing and a blanket, at the same time maintaining a warm indoor temperature."

If the temperature cannot be maintained, make temporary arrangements to stay elsewhere, it added.

“In an emergency, keep an infant warm using a young adult’s body heat. Older adults often make less body heat because of a slower metabolism and less physical activity. If you are more than 65 years of age, check the temperature in your home often during severely cold weather,” the advisory stressed.

It also advised the public to check on elderly friends and neighbors frequently to ensure that their homes are adequately heated.

Number 4 precautionary measure is to eat hot foods, especially soups.

“Eating well-balanced meals will help you stay warmer. Avoid liquor as they cause your body to lose heat more rapidly. Instead, drink warm, sweet beverages such as hot chocolate to help maintain your body temperature. If you have any dietary restrictions, ask your doctor,” it said.

Number 5 advice is to cover one’s nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing; number 6, in case one develops fever, seek consultation immediately; number 7, hospitals should prepare for the admission of victims of hypothermia and increased incidence of cold weather-related diseases.

And number 8, the public is advised to take precaution as the use of firewood or charcoal fires for heating and cooking within an enclosed dwelling is extremely dangerous due to carbon monoxide poisoning and it may cause fire incident.

"Keeping in mind that our households are not as used to a protracted and unusually cold weather," Salceda said, "these measures will be necessary for the public to be informed."

The governor added that cold-weather injuries may affect health due to decreased temperatures, carbon monoxide poisoning and accidents due to impaired physical and mental function resulting from cold stress.

According to the weather bureau, Legazpi City had been recording the coldest temperature of 20.4 degrees Celsius in the past few days.

First batch of Albay island residents completes free open water dive training

(PNA), LAP/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 15 (PNA) –- Seven island residents and two employees of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), the first batch comprising the Albay provincial government’s free scuba diving training project, have successfully completed the five-day open water dive course.

The Albay provincial government, in partnership with Pacific Blue Dive Center (PBDC), a private organization based in this city, launched the project aimed at benefiting coastal residents and communities within the areas under the ongoing poverty alleviation program Coastal Resource Agri-Bio System Development Program Strategy (CRABS++).

The project is supportive to CRABS++ through generation of livelihood, tourism development and coastal resource management, especially on the protection of reefs and other marine resources.

CRABS++ areas are composed of the islands of Cagraray, Rapu-Rapu, Batan and San Miguel in the western seaboard of Albay and, in the west coast, from Barangay Buenavista in Pioduran town to the whole coastal communities of the municipality of Libon.

The first batch of open water dive completers, who call themselves “Banagans (Lobsters),” vowed to elevate to the next three levels of training until each of them become certified dive masters.

Two members of class Banagans are 19-year-old males who showed enthusiasm both in becoming dive masters and marine environmentalists.

As dive masters, they shall be required to assist in training other island residents that are to avail of the program, said Romeo Dawal, Jr., CRABS++ officer-in-charge.

The Banagans are also set to be hired on job-contract basis by the provincial government as marine wardens under the ongoing coastal resource management program.

The two DENR-EMB members of Banagans will be detailed in the technical monitoring of the coral gardens along the Albay Gulf, which the provincial government, the city government of Legazpi and PBDC jointly launched on Dec. 30 last year.

The coral garden project is an innovative propagation of second-generation corals and combines strategies for sustainable management of marine ecosystems with restoration of coral reefs and associated habitats.

Albay Gulf covers the coastal and marine reserves of this city, Tabaco City, and the towns of Manito, Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay and Santo Domingo – a fishing ground that needs a comprehensive and sustainable program in managing its marine ecosystem, Dawal said.

The free scuba diving training will last for six months but the provincial government has been preparing a support program dubbed as “dive now, pay later,” to further encourage CRABS++ coastal communities and residents from other areas in Albay to become expert divers.

At least 16 dive sites within the CRABS++ area have been identified by PBDC for expansion of coral garden project and for tourism development.

George Nakano, PBDC president, said residents trained as expert divers can become future dive guides who domestic and foreign tourists can hire.

PBDC assured the provincial government’s assistance for trained divers in their efforts to seek certification cards from internationally recognized dive associations such as the Professional Association of Divers, Incorporated (PADI), Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques (CMAS) or Scuba Schools International (SSI).

Embarcadero de Legazpi reshapes Albay

By Rhaydz B. Barcia v(PNA), FPV/FGS/RBB/CBD/EBP

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 14 (PNA) -- As the day ends, an imposing 30-meter tall lighthouse with theatrical lighting routinely shimmers in the sky and on the seas--transforming this city into “Las Vegas in the countryside.”

Located along the panoramic coast of Albay Gulf, with the spectacular view of Mayon Volcano as background, Embarcadero de Legazpi has changed the landscape and business climate of Bicol, specifically Albay province and the City of Legazpi, following the establishment of a world-class destination with unique seafront commercial complex and recreation hub in this city.

Conceptualized based on the Fisherman’s wharf in San Francisco, California, this project was built by Bicolano business tycoon Elizaldy “Zaldy” S. Co, executive officer of Sunwest Group of Companies, at the foot of the Kapuntukan Hill or the “Sleeping Lion” with its higher peak resembling a lion’s hunched shoulders.

The establishment of the multi-billion peso Embarcadero de Legazpi completely brings back the glory of Albay after the catastrophic occurrence of Supertyphoon “Reming” six years ago that killed more than 1,000 people and caused massive agricultural and economic devastation. resulting in a momentary exodus of Albayanos from the province.

This prompted Co to pour in his money to develop a new economic and tourism center along the seaside of Legazpi City port area to restore the old glory of Albay and to boost Bicol’s economy after that unforgettable disaster here.

Thus, a mega structure that features the first world-class bay-front lifestyle and entertainment center in the countryside rose.

“Thanks to that Bicolano businessman-philanthropist whose vision is to create an atmosphere of equal opportunity where the rich, powerful and underprivileged could intersperse together, creating a lively and family friendly environment during the day and at nighttime here,” said a friend of Co who requested not to be named.

During daytime, sea travelers from the island town of Rapu-Rapu disembarked in the wharf of Embarcadero where the islanders sell or trade their goods to local businessmen in the city.

At nighttime, the 30-meter lighthouse serves as the glowing landmark of Legazpi City and a natural light guide of small fishermen while fishing in the seas.

Within the seaside, local and foreign tourists can go fishing using a hook-and-line method while watching dancing lights, cultural shows and other entertainment events here.

This new commercial-cum-entertainment hub offers a mix of retail stores, restaurants, a well-known supermarket, service shops, a convention center and a 15,477-square-meter Information Technology (IT) Park envisioned to provide thousands of business process outsourcing jobs for Bicolanos.

Today, this mega project has completely transformed the image of Legazpi City port district area where it is located from a known place of wrangles, drug pushers and users, pickpockets and illegal log dealers to a shade of Las Vegas in the countryside.

For food lovers, Embarcadero de Legazpi is home to Bicol’s homegrown chain of restaurants, the Bigg’s Diner, and other food chains from Metro Manila such as Gerry’s Grill, Padi’s Point, Mang Inasal, Harbour Wok, La Mia Tazza Cafe, Pancit Malabon Express, Lots’a Pizza, Casa Nostra Bar and Restaurant and Chill Bar.

Shoppers can choose from famous clothing lines like Mango, F2M, Giordano, Cinderella, Adidas, Plains and Prints and Pacific Dive.

And of course, there is the Mercury Drug and Puregold that boast of reasonably priced items.

A newly added treat is the Duty Free Philippines-Bicol branch, which opened two years before the opening of Southern Luzon International Airport located in Barangay Alobo, Daraga, Albay.

Aside from these amenities, exciting water sport activities like roller blade around the waterfront promenade, parasailing, snorkeling, diving and others will also be offered in the seaside starting this month.

The Embarcadero project of Co is envisioned to cater to all sorts of guests with a wide variety of interests—from business, medical tourism, leisure activities and entertainment.

They can also go on boat cruising and island hopping, he said.

Co disclosed that once this venture is completed, at least 8,000-seat call center will soon operate at the Information Technology Park which could provide more than 10,000 jobs.

The malls, shops and restaurants can help employ over 10,000 individuals, generating more than P500 million in wages per annum, he added.

“This is our way of helping our fellow Bicolanos improve their personal incomes and boost the local economy,” the young entrepreneur further said.

The P1.8-billion IT Park Promenade will be the first IT ecozone in the region.

It is duly accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority.

This new development is a welcome addition to the city’s growing list of shopping malls like the LCC Mall, Landco Pacific Mall, Save More, A. Bichara Silverscreens and LKY Lifestye Hub adjacent to the new City integrated terminal here.

Governor Joey Salceda, Bicol Regional Development Council chair, said Bicol, especially Albay, is the emerging economic tiger in the Southern Luzon area owing to the flourishing business ventures here.

He said the establishment of Embarcadero de Legazpi by Co created a big economic impact by attracting more investors to put up their businesses owing to the vibrant economy.

This, he said, will result in greater employment opportunities that will outshine other famous investment destinations in the country.

The vibrant economic growth of Bicol is very promising, according to Salceda, after President Benigno Aquino III infused P1.4 billion funding for Bicol development, particularly for the immediate completion of the Southern Luzon International Airport in neighboring Daraga town.

The international airport is identified as a major infra priority project in the Medium-Term Development Investment Plan, including the south rail and the Bicol River Basin projects.

These projects are considered the most critical aspect for the development of the region as tourism is one of the catalyst for rapid investment and economic growth here, according to Salceda.

The on-going construction of the world-class airport is another milestone for Bicol development and a leeway to make Legazpi and the nearby town of Daraga as a metropolis in Bicol, a corridor of massive development in the region.

To complement the Embarcadero de Legazpi’s development, Salceda also started the P212-million Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga and Legazpi (Guicadale) project, which is envisioned to spur infrastructure development dubbed as “Business Platform in Albay,” a future business hub in the 3rd district of the province.

Albay folk remember cataclysmic eruption

(Manila Standard Today)

Daraga, Albay—The province of Albay is readying at least 50 tourist-oriented activities to mark the 199th anniversary of the February 1814 cataclysmic Mayon Volcano eruption that destroyed the town of Cagsawa, leaving only a baroque church that eventually ran to ruins over the years.

Today, only the belfry of the Cagsawa Church remains standing, but it has become a favorite destination for both Filipino and foreign tourists because its panoramic view of the nearly perfect cone-shaped Mayon Volcano. Albay folk remember cataclysmic eruption

Albay folk remember cataclysmic eruption

Albay province and the town of Daraga have teamed up for the month-long festival that will focus on the site of the ruins, just 11 eleven kilometers away from the crater of Mayon Volcano. Now in its second edition, the Cagsawa Festival ushers in Albay’s year-long series of festival celebrations.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda and Daraga Mayor Gerry Jaucian forged a partnership last year that gave birth to the month-long Cagsawa Festival, making it one of the province’s most significant festivals with the Daragang Magayon, Karangahan sa Pasko, Ibalong, Tabak and Pulang Angui.

Tragic as the 1814 Mayon Volcano eruption was, Salceda noted, the cataclysm also helped demonstrate the resiliency of Albayanos and the province is now a United Nations global model in disaster risk reduction, after rising from the ashes of 1814 and similar disasters.

The Cagsawa Church was built in 1724 by Franciscan friars in the small town of Cagsaua, the forerunner of what is now Daraga town, where the survivors of the 1814 disaster fled and settled down.

Next month’s festival includes at least 50 activities, mostly outside the confines of the protected Cagsawa Ruins Park and Resort. It will offer tourists new adventures including a traditional healers (herbolario) convention, trail run, cross country bike race, a chicken eating contest, and an on-the-spot “Pamaypay (fan)” making competition, handcrafts being one of Daraga town’s main products.

One other major festival event is a one-of-a-kind journey into the culinary world of the famous hot chili, known locally as lada. The journey goes beyond the limits of the traditionally known ‘Bicol Express’ cuisine.

Aside from the Cagsawa Festival, Albay has three other major festivals held annually — Magayon, its oldest which spotlights on Mayon and everything beautiful in the province; Culinaria which celebrates Albay’s native and new cuisines; and Karangahan Festival: Green Christmas, that features an environment friendly and safe celebration of the holidays.

In addition, Albay’s 15 towns and three component cities also celebrate their own festivals spread throughout the whole year.

Albay celebrates monthlong Cagsawa Festival in February

(Business Mirror)

DARAGA, Albay—Albayanos celebrate next month the second edition of their Cagsawa Festival to mark the 199th anniversary of the February 1814 cataclysmic Mayon Volcano eruption that buried underground an entire community and its imposing Baroque Cagsawa Church, leaving above ground only its belfry.

The scenic Cagsawa Ruins, from where one gets a panoramic view of the nearly perfect cone-shaped Mayon Volcano, now serves as a favorite destination for both Filipino and foreign tourists.

Albay province and the town of Daraga have teamed up for the monthlong festival that will focus on the site of the ruins, just 11 kilometers away from the crater of Mayon Volcano. Now in its second edition, the Cagsawa Festival ushers in Albay’s yearlong series of festival celebrations.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda and Daraga Mayor Gerry Jaucian forged a partnership last year that gave birth to the monthlong Cagsawa Festival, elevating it to the level of the province’s most significant festivals—Daragang Magayon, Karangahan sa Pasko, Ibalong, Tabak and Pulang Angui.

Historic events have woven together the significance of the Cagsawa Ruins and Mayon Volcano and their images have been captured in popular Albay postcards with the relic Cagsawa belfry in the foreground and Mayon in the background. The two are important landmarks of the province and the whole of the Bicol region.

Tragic as the 1814 Mayon Volcano eruption was, Salceda noted, the cataclysm also helped demonstrate the resiliency of Albayanos. Today Albay is a United Nations global model in disaster risk reduction, after rising from the ashes of 1814 and similar comparable disasters along the way.

The Cagsawa Church was built in 1724 by Franciscan friars in the small town of Cagsaua, the forerunner of what is now Daraga town, where the survivors of the 1814 disaster fled and settled down.

Next month’s festival includes at least 50 activities, mostly outside the confines of the protected Cagsawa Ruins Park and Resort. It will offer tourists new adventures, including a traditional healers’ (herbolario) convention, trail run, cross-country bike race, a chicken-eating contest and an on-the-spot pamaypay (fan)-making competition, handicrafts being one of Daraga town’s main products.

One other major festival event is a one-of-a-kind journey into the culinary world of the famous hot chili, known locally as lada. The journey goes beyond the limits of the traditionally known “Bicol Express” cuisine.

Aside from the Cagsawa Festival, Albay has three other major festivals held annually—Magayon, its oldest, which spotlights on Mayon and everything beautiful in the province; Culinaria, which celebrates Albay’s native and new cuisines; and Karangahan Festival: Green Christmas, which features an environment- friendly and safe celebration of the holidays.

In addition, Albay’s 15 towns and three component cities also celebrate their own festivals spread throughout the whole year.

Albay to apply learning from 'Pablo' experience

(PNA), PDS/FGS/ALV/MMG/ABB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 11 (PNA)–- The Albay Provincial Health Office(APHO)is set to start next week the application of the lessons learned by the teams of “Tabang MindaNow” humanitarian mission deployed to disaster areas in Mindanao in the aftermath of Typhoon "Pablo" last December.

At least two health-related disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) trainings are scheduled this month, aimed at honing further the response skills and efficiency of health experts and personnel during and after disasters.

The first is Water Sanitation and Hygiene in Emergency (WatSanHE)training set from Jan.15-18 and will be devoted to municipal and city health office personnel in Albay and barangay health workers(BHWs).

Prevention and management of diarrhea cases that are expected to come about in flood-hit areas are among the concerns of the training.

It will also focus on DRRM operation on areas prone to diarrhea epidemic.

The other event is the Health Emergency Response (HER) training devoted to personnel of government clinics and hospitals on Jan. 22- 25.

The establishment, operation and maintenance of tent hospitals during disasters when major health facilities are held inoperative will be the main focus of the training.

Dr. Nathaniel Rempillo of APHO, who led one of the water sanitation (WatSan) teams of the humanitarian mission, said the trainings are an application of their learning from Mindanao and will make these part of Albay’s DRRM practices.

“We don’t have to wait for 'Pablo'-like disasters to happen in Albay to start learning how to respond in saving lives,” Rempillo said.

He revealed that the Department of Health (DOH) facilitated the fund sourcing for the conduct of the two DRRM trainings in Albay this month.

The Albay provincial government and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol sent off Dec. 8 last year a 72-man humanitarian relief mission, dubbed as “Tabang MindaNow,” to Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental.

The teams for relief, medical and sanitation operations also included disaster response-trained personnel from DOH, Philippine National Police, Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force.


Legazpi City school showcases innovative urban vegetable gardening

(PNA) LAP/FGS/DOC/CBD/ABB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 10 (PNA) -- Food production is simple and easy even within congested inner-city settlements and constantly flood-submerged communities.

A showcase of this muted authenticity is what the constricted campus of Cabañgan Elementary School (CES) at the heart of this city’s urban center features charming presentation of creativity that teems the place with healthy-growing garden vegetables.

Old pairs of bra with growing green onions, trimmed denim pants filled up with soil-bearing tomatoes that bear fruits splendidly, worn-out shoes and boots sprouting with gingers and used socks and stockings with pepper plants — all these are fastened on walls outside CES classroom buildings.

Pechay (Pak choi) plants growing up from inside tattered school bags, okra on half-broken glass jars and garlic thriving on cut jumbo-sized soft drink bottles hanging outside windows and tree branches are some more common sights inside the campus.

Halved palm tree trunks emptied of its core and replaced with soil are arranged along classroom roof gutters bearing camote (sweet potato) plants hanging as decorative vines that offer fresh tops used as vitamin-rich vegetable combination for the hometown-favorite fish “sinigang.”

These are only among the innovative vegetable gardening styles that the school has started in a campus that offers not enough space to put up gardens for its “Gulayan sa Paaralan” project introduced last year by the Department of Agriculture (DA) among public schools in Bicol.

The project puts together school children, their parents, barangay leaders and community volunteers into a concerted undertaking of growing vegetables inside children the importance of producing food right in their backyards.

Besides not having space for traditional backyard gardening, the CES ground is easily submerged by flood waters during rains as the campus lies on a lower ground rimmed by commercial and residential buildings, making it a catch basin of water flowing from the surrounding higher grounds.

“This situation makes it impossible for us to put up gardens on our remaining vacant grounds,” according to Wilson Anza, the school principal.

The school, Anza told the Philippines News Agency during a visit over the week, learned about this simple gardening technology when it participated in the Agri-Pinoy Gulayan sa Paaralan Program--an undertaking of the DA’s Regional Field Office (RFU) for Bicol under its High Value Crops Development (HVCD) program being implemented in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).

CES is just one of the 800 public elementary and secondary schools in the region that participated in this year's Gulayan project, according to HVCDP regional focal person Rosita Imperial.

“We started the project in August last year after our attendance in the Gulayan sa Paaralan training-seminar conducted by a DA HVCDP team at the Daraga National High School in the nearby Daraga town,” Ma. Raquel Obias, the CES Gulayan coordinator, said.

As a participating school, Obias said, CES was provided by the DA with vegetable seeds, organic fertilizers, carbonized rice hull and garden tools like rakes, shovels, hoes and water sprinklers.

Gardening manuals were also made available to serve as visual guides and technical references.

Starting with the project, however, was not easy, given that gardening is strange to almost all of the 1,021 population of the school which is a mix of children belonging to urban families living either in congested slum areas or middle-class subdivisions where growing plants is a rare experience, according to Obias.

To develop the eagerness of the children and their parents into taking part in the project, she said the school administration came up with a contest wherein all grade levels from Day Care to Grade VI were listed as participants to win valuable prizes donated by various civic organizations, City Mayor Geraldine Rosal and other local officials and community leaders.

And so, the ball started rolling especially that parents who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) were called to action by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

These parents brought in garden soils as the school ground cannot be a source, being sandy and not suitable for growing garden plants.

Others produced scrap materials like worn-out garments, empty plastic bottles, cans, car tires, coconut shells, bamboo poles and anything that could hold soil.

The materials were converted into pots making it easy for the plants to be transferred to elevated places when flood comes.

Rosal herself helped in the preparations of the pots and planting materials during the launch of the program.

Now, barely four months after its Gulayan project was started, CES has become a showcase of a productive urban gardening undertaking.

Pechay, radish, okra, bell pepper, tomatoes, bush sitao, ampalaya, mongo, malunggay, turmeric, ginger, alugbati, upland kangkong, carrots, peanuts, cucumber and squash are all around the campus, seen in places where they are less expected to thrive.

Creeping plants like ampalaya, squash and bush sitao planted on the makeshift pots were made to climb on trellises made of nylon ropes toward walls, perimeter fences and even roofs of school buildings.

“We do not sell harvests from these improvised gardens. We use them in our feeding program for our malnourished pupils. Some are taken home by the children to provide fresh vegetables to their siblings and parents,” Anza said.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the school serves morning and afternoon snacks such as mungbean soup with malunggay, macaroni soup and arroz caldo for its about 120 severely malnourished pupils.

“Our home economics classes also prepare vegetables derived from the gardens as viands for lunch that are sold at P1.00 per serving to indigents pupils who eat at the school. These children have learned to love eating vegetables, especially that they are products of their labor,” the school principal added.

City agriculturist Jesus Kallos said CES is a good example of the collaborative effort of the local government, DA, DSWD, the school and the community.

The Gulayan project does not only educate school children on plant propagation but also makes them realize the health benefits of vegetables. CES is now a model in urban gardening because of its students’ ingenuity and resourcefulness.

It was recently awarded certificates of citation by Rosal and Albay Governor Joey Salceda.

Likewise, it was chosen as among the top three finalists in the regional contest for Gulayan sa Paaralan projects sponsored by the DA and the DepEd Bicol regional office and a frequent destination of educational tours by schools from all over the region.

Imperial said the "Gulayan sa Paaralan" project is a school-community food production project being implemented by the DA in support of the government's hunger mitigation and poverty alleviation efforts.

This initiative has been raising public consciousness on the health and nutritional dimension as well as economic benefits of establishing school, household and community vegetable gardens, Imperial added.

Magayon Festival 2013 to feature Albay-Masbate-Sorsogon scenic tourist spots

By Mike de la Rama [(PNA), FPV/FGS/MDR/CBD/EBP]

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 9 (PNA) -- The Provincial Government of Albay plans to feature different scenic tourist spots in the provinces of Albay, Masbate and Sorsogon (Almasor) during the month-long Magayon Festival 2013 in April.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, also Bicol Regional Development Council (RDC) chair, announced that the Magayon Festival 2013 will no longer be limited to promoting Albay’s tourism pride and products.

“This year’s festival will also help boost the tourism industry of the neighboring provinces of Masbate and Sorsogon,” he said.

Last year, as RDC chair, Salceda initiated the Almasor tourism area.

He said that tour packages will be offered to both domestic and foreign tourists during the Magayon Festival.

The visitors may opt to start their adventure in Albay from Lignon Hill to Cagsawa Ruin, Daraga Church, Mayon Skyline Observatory, Mayon Volcano lava and all-trail-vehicle adventure, and end up buying Albay’s best souvenir products.

The second leg of the tourism adventure is the “butanding” (whale shark) interaction in Donsol and watching the Matnog eco-aqua/fish sanctuary, both in Sorsogon province.

From Sorsogon, another extreme discovery adventure is to experience snorkeling and manta rays interaction in the island province of Masbate.

Manta ray, locally called “pasa-pasa,” is a gentle creature in the underwater world that abounds in the "manta bowl" off San Jacinto island in Masbate.

In the mid-water reefs of Sitio Tacdo, Barangay Bagahanglad is a wide "playground" of giant manta rays.

With the scientific name Manta birsotris, these gentle giants of the deep have been commonly seen by scuba divers and coastal dwellers.

Salceda also said that after their exciting journey in the provinces of Masbate and Sorsogon, tourists can then enjoy Magayon Festival’s other features like cultural events, sports and trade fair exhibits.

“It is one way of enriching the culture of the Albayanos as well as providing venue for the promotion of their products,” he said.

The main focus of the celebration is the reenactment of the tragic love story of Daragang Magayon and Panganoron whose death, according to a legend, gave birth to the beautiful Mayon Volcano.

Afternoon classes from pre-school to high school suspended in Albay due to heavy rains

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL-PIA5/Albay)

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 8 (PIA) -- Classes in the afternoon from pre-school up to high school in both public and privates schools in Albay are suspended today due to heavy rainfall since this morning.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, also chair of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council (PDRRMC), has directed all concerned school administrators in an advisory before lunch time today to suspend classes in pre-school to high school in the wake of heavy rains since early morning and the outlook for an increased volume of rainfall this afternoon until evening.

Salceda said such conditions could pose a risk to public health and safety, especially to children, who are most vulnerable to the implications of this weather condition, adding that they may encounter difficulties in going home after classes.

In the same advisory, students are directed not to return to school after their lunch break as afternoon and evening classes are suspended and to immediately proceed home.

The advisory furthered that classes are to resume automatically tomorrow unless a new advisory is issued before 5:30 a.m.

Data from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) show that the rainfall intensity today became very heavy at 10.55 mm from 10 to 11 a.m. but was light between 7 to 10 a.m. at 3.1 mm.

PAGASA outlook, satellite imaging and other precipitation models also show that the rainy condition may continue until this evening, however, weather is expected to improve tomorrow.

Bicolano studes named second, ninth in 2012 Search for Jose Rizal Model Students of the Philippines

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL/SOMontales-PIA5/Albay)

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 7 (PIA) -- Bicolano students Javier Leonardo Rugeria notched the second place and Mary Alyssa Jenica Sariba got the ninth place in the nationwide 2012 Search for Jose Rizal Model Students of the Philippines (JRSMP).

Rugeria and Sariba were conferred the recognition in an awarding ceremony held December 30, 2012 in the Knights of Rizal International Headquarters, Port Area, Manila where they received a cash prize, medal, trophy and certificate.

The two now joins the consistent roster of JRMSP finalists of their respective universities.

Rugeria is a fourth year college student taking up Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Foreign Studies and International Relations in Ateneo de Naga University and the current secretary-general of the AdNU-Supreme Student Government Student Tribunal.

Besides student leadership activities, he was also engaged in music, playing in a band four years ago. He has also done hosting stints which included the preliminary screening of Miss Kaogma 2011 and the Naga City leg of the search for Miss Earth Philippines last April 2011.

He has also served as a student ambassador and delegate in the Exchange Program on Education, Culture and Teaching Objectives (EPECTO) in Neustadt an der Aisch, Mittelfranken, Germany.

Meanwhile, Sariba is an Bachelor in Science Education 4 student of University of Nueva Caceres. She is able to balance academics, school activities and community work all at the same time.

Back in 2012, she became one of the 81 delegates in the 14th Ayala Young Leaders’ Congress. She is the vice president of the University Student Government and Filipino editor of their campus paper, The Democrat.

She is also actively involved with the Ten Moves Project, a retail fundraising campaign for the construction of public school classrooms all over the Philippines.

The two competed with 18 other finalists in a rigorous interview last December 29, 2012.

The board of judges was headed by Sir Reghis Romero II, Supreme Commander of the Knights of Rizal (KOR), and also comprised of Sir Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. of the KOR Council of Elders, Ms. International 1964 and grandniece of Jose Rizal - Ms. Gemma Cruz-Araneta as executive assistant, Sir Lutgardo Barbo, the JRMSP Chairman, as well as some personalities in the academic sector.

The Search for Jose Rizal Model Students of the Philippines is an annual event organized by the KOR which recognizes 10 exemplary college students of the nation who exhibit Rizalian qualities of academic excellence and leadership in campus and community activities and the Rizalian virtue of nationalism.

Albay wants control on Mayon trekkers

By Cet Dematera (The Philippine Star)

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – The provincial government of Albay yesterday said it would seek permission from the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other concerned organizations to become the lead agency in regulating the flow of trekkers to Mt. Mayon.

It considered the move as two students of the University of the Philippines got lost but were eventually rescued at the upper slope of the country’s most active volcano recently.

Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office, said it is the DOT that currently regulates and issues permit to people, mostly tourists, who want to trek the 8,000-foot volcano.

With the current setup, Daep said they are having difficulty ensuring the safety of climbers both during normal and abnormal conditions at Mayon.

He said they would also conduct massive orientation or re-orientation for those who serve as guides to tourists climbing the treacherous terrain of Mt. Mayon.

“We would like to ensure that these guides are indeed equipped with accurate knowledge about Mayon Volcano, particularly the dangers that may befall the climbers anytime during their ascent,” Daep said. Headlines ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

He said the climbers, particularly the foreigners, must also be given an orientation about Mt. Mayon before they are allowed to take the trek.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has ordered the province’s disaster management and tourism officials to draft guidelines in climbing Mt. Mayon which could be formulated as an ordinance.

“We would like to ensure the safety of our visitors by equally ensuring that their tour guides are well-trained, and that specific climbing protocol is properly observed,” Salceda said.

The Philippine Red Cross and local search and rescue groups in Albay earlier rescued Rosanne Aldeguer and Ramon Vizmanos, who were among 16 UP mountaineers who climbed the summit of Mt. Mayon last Dec. 27.

14 island villages in Albay loom as eco-medical tourism destinations

(PNA), GHG/FGS/MDR/CBD/UTB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 5 (PNA) --- The provincial government of Albay announced on Friday the full implementation of a livelihood program in 14 coastal villages in the islands of Cagraray and Batan.

Jeresha San Jose, Albay Millennium Development Goals Office program officer, said Cagraray and Batan had been identified as new areas for economic development and growth of the Cagraray, Rapu-Rapu, Batan and San Miguel (CRABS) island areas of the province.

The program was part of the Albay poverty alleviation, hunger mitigation and population management (Albay-PHP) program of the provincial government.

The livelihood project covers training, production of specific raw materials, product development and marketing.

San Jose said that for a long time, the two areas, which produce “caragumoy,” have provided livelihood for the villagers.

“However, no development and innovation have been introduced to improve both the production processes and the finished products,” she added.

Caragumoy, scientifically known as "Chlorophora excels calso," is also known as “screw pine” because of its pineapple-like leaves in corkscrew pattern.

According to San Jose, upon completion of the training program, the community will be divided into clusters. Each cluster will receive P50,000 to P100,000 capital, with zero interest, from the provincial government.

The CRABS program covers 60 barangays, including the island areas of Cagraray and Batan. The project aims to transform the coastal and island areas of Albay into investment and eco-medical tourism destinations.

Aside from community empowerment through the provision of livelihood, the Albay-PHP program also aims to pursue community-based tourism in the CRABS areas.

Batan and Cagraray have common resources that can serve as a converging project for the coastal barangays.

It is in the CRABS cluster that 10 potential marine dive sites have been discovered.

DENR asks Bicolano foresters, agri professionals to back environmental protection programs

By Samuel M. Toledo [(PNA), LAP/FGS/SMT/CBD/]

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 4 (PNA) -- Environment Secretary Ramon Paje has asked Bicolano foresters and agriculture professionals and workers to join hands in the government-led programs that are aimed to protect and conserve natural resources, including the ongoing national greening projects.

Paje made the call during the recent 100-year founding anniversary of the now Bicol University College of Agriculture and Forestry Campus in Guinobatan, Albay.

He said that the all-out support of workers from the agriculture sector would make the government programs for environmental protection and preservation more effective, as these are anticipated to save more lives in times of natural disasters.

The programs include the planting of more trees and the campaign against forest destruction.

Meanwhile, Paje has also signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with BU that would pave the way for the putting up of an agro-forestry training facility inside the BUCAF campus.

He said this facility would help develop projects that would improve upland farming and other modern planting schemes.

“DENR is very optimistic that this facility will help develop programs that will help our farmers adapt to the changing climatic conditions. BU is known for this endeavor,” Paje said.

Triad of Filipino artists to showcase Albay's Daragang Magayon at CCP

(PNA), GHG/FGS/ALV/MMG/UTB

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 03 (PNA) -– Three major Filipino artists led a pool of film-makers, writers, poets, musicians, stage performers, animators and dancers in recreating the undying legend of Albay, the “Daragang Magayon,” with scenes, colors and fresh outlook.

The poetry of National Artist Virgilio Almario, the music of Dr. Ramon Pagayon Santos and the creative resources of Albayano writer and researcher Abdon Balde Jr.; were pooled to present a fresh yet enchanting version of "Daragang Magayon."

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the 2013 production of the legend, the mythical tale of Mount Mayon that will be presented at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on Feb. 8. "It is a master work of art with higher level of creativity," he enthused.

The production was inspired by the common aspiration for creating a masterpiece out of the talents of different Filipino artists, and their unique approach to their art.

As composer, Santos’ works have been elaborated from concepts and aesthetic frameworks of Philippine and Southeast Asian traditions and have been featured in major festivals in America, in Europe and in Asia.

Salceda has acknowledged his familiarity with the tale to smoothly carve out hidden emotions from new scenes on the subject.

Almario, who has been known by his pen name, “Rio Alma,” blends the magic of his poetry with the lyrics of Santos’ music.

Aside from being a critic, he is engaged in translating and editing. Among his most important works include Jose Rizal’s “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo” that were deemed the best translations by the Manila Critics Circle.

Much of the magical realism of the legend, involving ancient rituals and mythological characters, is a product of the research and stories woven by Balde, a multi-awarded Bikolano writer who specializes in mythopoeia and the folk stories of Bikol.

Balde, a civil engineer who was born in Barangay Busac in Oas, Albay, concentrated on writing creative short stories, poems and novels after his retirement as a construction engineer. He received his first literary award in 2003.

Daragang Magayon’s choreography and stage direction were entrusted to spouses Gerald Mercado and Katrina Santos-Mercado. Gerald is the director of e-Dance Theater while Katrina is a homegrown ballerina whose professional dancing career spans over 15 years.

Film-maker Chuck Escasa and animators Benjie Marasigan and Niko Salazar contributed their expertise to the film and visual arts aspect of the production.

The Daragang Magayon myth is basically a love-against-all-odds story between Magayon (beautiful) and Ulap (cloud). Their tragic death in the hands of an envious suitor, Pagtuga (eruption), earned for them favor from gods to make their love last forever and part no more by turning the lovers’ grave to mountain and the sky.

e-Dance Theater expands the love story in movements and colors to evoke a rich character of the Filipino myth while Escasa, Marasigan and Salazar worked together in making use of two-dimensional film technology to ensure a vibrant, lively account of the lovers’ affair and the legend of the beautiful Mayon Volcano.

Salceda said it is by e-Dance Theater’s commitment to creating dances and movements that is uniquely Filipino, both in techniques and aesthetics, and by the genius of Mercado, plus Santos’ original score making use of ethnic Filipino instruments, “that Daragang Magayon will strike viewers as an original presentation.”

The provincial government’s rejuvenation of Daragang Magayon is part of a revitalized tourism development program aimed at giving guests chances to take a fresher look into the province’s enthralling mythical past, its culture, people, teeming natural beauty, and its magic and mystery.

The province‘s rich cultural heritage is contained in its year-round celebration of some 18 festivals, presenting the varied faces of Albay’s gaiety and celebrations.

Salceda’s on-going historical, cultural and arts-related projects include visual art exhibits conducted whole year round at the atrium of the provincial capitol and sculptures of local historical figures.

Albay to regulate mountaineering activities in Mt Mayon

By Marlon A. Loterte (MAL-PIA5, Albay)

LEGAZPI CITY, Jan. 2 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Albay is mulling to regulate mountaineering activities in Mayon Volcano that will make climbing in the renowned natural wonder a sponsored and tourism activity.

Albay Gov.Joey Salceda has already directed Provincial Tourism and Cultural Office (PTCAO) chief Dorothy Colle to inventory accredited mountain climbing guides in the province and to review the basic mountaineering standard procedures for climbers to comply with when trekking mountains within the provincial areas.

This, said Salceda, is the first order of business for the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to deliberate on, " I hope it would be enacted the soonest possible time.”

The governor's directive came after two members of University of the Philippines (UP) mountaineers were lost after they were left behind by their group, despite the presence of a local mountain guide, when trekking the 2,462-meter high Mount Mayon at the volcano’s border in Barangay Bonga in Bacacay town.

It can be recalled that personnel of the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO), Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and other local search and rescue groups rescued Rosanne Aldeguer and Ramon Vizmanos, members of a 16-man UP mountaineers who climbed the summit of Mayon Volcano last Thursday.

The Mayon Volcano climb tour was recently allowed after the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) lowered the alert level status to zero.

Salceda already asked Colle to confer with the Department of Tourism (DOT) in crafting possible provincial ordinance that will regulate or provide stronger platform for the safety of tourists and mountain climbers trekking Mount Mayon.

“We need here long-term regulations that would boost the promotion of Mount Mayon tourism, with more tourists safely trekking the mountains and scenic mountainscape of Mount Mayon,” He added.

Salceda noted that the mountain climbing activities in Mount Mayon and even other place for trekking have essentially been a free-for-all which is becoming a free-to-fall despite our efforts to regulate it.”

Salceda furthered that the provincial government is planning to send a team from PTCAO, PPDO, APSEMO, Department of Tourism (DOT) and tourism industry stakeholders to Japan to familiarize with regulations for safe mountain climbing in Mount Fuji that can also be replicated to further promote Mount Mayon as mountaineering haven.

No casualties in Albay despite Quinta flash floods

(Manila Standard Today)

Legazpi City — Albay posted another Zero Casualty record by evacuating some 2,513 families out of harm’s way, when torrential rains brought about by Typhoon Quinta triggered landslides and flashfloods in at least five towns in the province.

Albay Gov. Joey S. Salceda said they kept their Zero Casualty record through continuous public warning, hazards monitoring and preemptive evacuation initiated by communities themselves.

The governor has pioneered the Zero Casualty goal and preemptive evacuation during disasters, which are now widely adopted disaster risk reduction strategies.

Rainfall reached a peak of 19.8 mm within seven hours of continuous torrential bursts, or “an accumulated 138.3 mm heaviest” towards the morning of Thursday. Paradoxically, the torrents came after Storm Warning # 1 had already been lifted by Pagasa and people thought the disaster was over.

Salceda said the climate had become so volatile, mostly on the negative side of the spectrum. “We made continuous updating, which served us well when the rains came in torrentially and unremittingly, just when Quinta was supposed to be already far away,” he added.

“The result was that our people were well-informed of the possible scenarios and were not surprised when the unexpected torrents happened. They cooperated smoothly when our local leaders decided they need to evacuate. Thus, zero casualty was achieved,” the governor stressed.

Salceda said they insisted on the continuous reiteration and implementation of typhoon advisories: no crossing, no sailing, avoid low lying areas, and preparation for evacuation of families living in identified flood prone areas, despite Pagasa’s lifting of the storm signal.

Evacuation was carried out mainly through local initiatives of town and barangay officials. The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office responded only to specific requests for assistance, particularly in rescuing residents trapped by floods in Legazpi City and in Polangui town.

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