DSWD 4a conducts 2nd round of Listahanan assessmentThe Department of Social Welfare

and Development (DSWD) Region IV-A Office and the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) of Los Baños concluded the second round of their municipal consultation last January 30.

The consultation started on December 3, 2015. It aimed to verify the data collected from residents who applied to be part of DSWD’s data management system dubbed Listahanan.

Formally known as the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), Listahanan aims to identify “who the poor are and where they are located.” It is a national data management system that aims to organize and centralize data of socio-economic status in the country.

According to Cristina Alimpuyog, area supervisor of DSWD, the month-long consultation is the second round of data collection to validate the information gathered from the first data collection in May 2015.

Representatives of households from different barangays went to MSWDO at

Probisyon para sa brgy PWD coordinators, aprubado ng Sangguniang Bayan

Noong Pebrero 2, opisyal na inaprubahan ang Municipal Ordinance (MO) 2016-1510 na magtatalaga ng barangay persons with disabilities coordinator (BPWDC) sa bawat barangay ng Los Baños. Ang mga BPWDC ang tutulong sa Office for Persons with Disabilities na magpatupad ng mga programa at proyekto sa bawat barangay.

Ang mga pangulo ng Barangay Persons with Disabilities Association ang tatayong BPWDCs. Mayroong 12 na samahan ng Barangay Persons with Disabilities Association sa bayan ng Los Baños. Kabilang dito ang mga barangay ng Anos, Bambang, Batong Malake, Baybayin, Lalakay, Maahas, Malinta, Mayondon, Putho-Tuntungin, San Antonio, Tadlac, at Timugan. Layon ng samahan na mas paigtingin ang partisipasyon ng mga PWDs

ni Lorelie Liwanag, focal person, PWD Office at dating kalihim ng Los Baños Federation of PWDs (LBFPWD)

COMELEC to hold training for election inspectors

Kilalanin ang inyong mga kandidato!

More than 5,000 participants from various parts of Laguna will take part in the Board of Election Inspectors Certification Training for Laguna on March 1 to 22 at Splash Mountain in Brgy. Lalakay.

The election inspectors from the different municipalities and cities of Laguna will undergo the two-day certification training in preparation for the upcoming May 9 elections.

According to Elections Officer Randy Banzuela of the Los Baños Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Office, around 180 election inspectors from Los Baños will be taking part in the training scheduled from March 9 to 10. The Los Baños election inspectors will be composed of public school teachers, civil servants, and private citizens.

by Ricarda Villar

by Ana Catalina Paje

Los Baños residents interested to take part of DSWD’s programs gathered at the Municipal Hall to be assessed and included in the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction, a database of potential DSWD future program beneficiaries. (Photo taken by Ato Catipon) Continued on page 2

Itutuloy sa pahina 3

Continued on page 3

Libre!VOLUME XXXVIIssue 1 JANUARY 2016Serving Los Baños and nearby communities

www.lbtimes.ph

4pahina

2 LOS BAÑOS TIMES

E D I T O R I A L S TA F FEAlforja ■ CBelda ■ RLCeleridad ■ MImatong ■ LLiwanag ■ ACPaje ■ MRFRolle ■ RVillarWriters

Ricarda B. VillarEditor-in-ChiefMa. Roxanne Fatima S. RolleAssociate EditorMa. Roxanne Fatima S. RolleLayout ArtistRosa Pilipinas F. FranciscoAdviser

The Los Baños Times is produced by the students and staff of the Department of Development Journalism

at the UP Los Baños College of Development Communication in collaboration with Los Baños local government agencies, barangays, schools, and civil society organizations. No part of this paper may be

reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means stored in a database or retrieval system without

prior consent. All rights reserved.

The Los Baños Times is located at Rm. 201B, Department of Development Journalism,

College of Development Communication, University of the Philippines Los Baños

College, Laguna

Tel. No.: (049) 536-2511 local 401 or 410Email: lbtimes@devcom.edu.ph

Website: http://lbtimes.ph

NEWS

DSWD Reg-4A conducts...Continued from page 1

the Los Baños New Municipal Hall for a livelihood assessment. This a requirement to be included in the Listahanan database.

According to DSWD, Listahanan provides national government agencies and other social protection stakeholders with a socio-economic database as basis for identifying beneficiaries of programs and services.

Alimpuyog clarified that Listahanan in itself is not a program, however, the data generated from the system may be used for the implementation of future DSWD programs. Alimpuyog emphasized that being included in the database does not guarantee being a program beneficiary. Despite this, many residents are still hopeful that being included in the list will entitle them to be a part of DSWD’s programs.

“Maaga nga kaming dumating ng hipag ko, pero panggitna na rin kami. Di bale ng pumila ng mahaba, basta malaman nilang isa kami sa mga nangangailangan dito sa Los Baños,” shared Lailani Bundalian, a 42-year-old housewife from Brgy. Bayog.

Data from households will be encoded to a web application and will still be subjected to a Proxy Means Test (PMT). PMT is a statistical model that estimates the income of a household based on the variables included in the family assessment form. Households with estimated incomes that are equal to and above the latest provincial poverty thresholds will be considered as non-poor.

Laser technology, sinubukan sa mga senior citizen ng Baybayinni Renz Louie Celeridad

Inilunsad ng Office for Senior Citizens’ Affairs (OSCA), kasama ang Los Baños Federation of Senior Citizens, Inc. (LBFSCI) at Makiling Lodge No. 72, ang demonstrasyon ng isang laser technology noong ika-19 ng Enero sa Brgy. Baybayin ng Los Baños, Laguna. Sinasabing isang makabago at alternatibong paraan ng panggagamot ang naturang teknolohiyang dala ng Bio Laser Institute, isang korporasyong nagdaraos ng mga taunang health mission dito sa Pilipinas.

Ayon sa pinuno ng OSCA na si Dr. Federico Cruz, dinaluhan ng mahigit 90 katao ang demonstrasyon ng laser technology. Tumagal ito ng humigit-kumulang limang oras, mula alas-siete ng umaga hanggang alas-dose ng tanghali.

Ang naturang laser technology ay sinimulan ni Dr. Romeo Quini, isang retiradong general surgeon. Ayon sa

lasersinmedicine.com, ang opisyal na website ng Bio Laser Institute, ang teknolohiyang ito ay nagagamit na ngayon sa diabetes, pagkaparalisa, stroke, at impeksyon sa balat. Ginagamit din daw ito kahit sa Parkinson’s Disease, isang sakit na nakaaapekto sa paggalaw ng tao. Maaari rin daw itong gamitin sa mga pananakit ng ulo, ngipin, likod, buto, at kahit sa mga pilay.

Nagsimula ang pagbuo ni Dr. Quini ng laser technology noong 1999, pagkatapos ng mahigit tatlong dekada sa general surgery practice. Siya ay kilala rin sa paggamit ng acupuncture, isang uri ng alternatibong panggagamot kung saan itinutusok ang mga maninipis na karayom sa mga bahagi ng katawang tinatawag na acupuncture points.

Nabuo ni Dr. Quini ang naturang teknolohiya noong 2010, pagkatapos ng ilang taong pag-aaral at pagsusuri rito. Makalipas naman ng isang taon ay itinatag na niya ang Bio Laser Institute. Layunin nito ang ipagpatuloy ang mga pag-aaral tungkol sa paggamit ng mga instrumentong nakabase sa laser. Ngayon ay ginagamit na nila ito sa mga isinasagawa nilang health mission dito sa Pilipinas.

Ang nangyaring demonstrasyon noong Enero ay isa lamang sa mga taun-taong mga ginagawa ng OSCA upang makatulong sa mga senior citizens. Alinsunod din ito sa Republic Act 9994 o sa Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, na may layong magsagawa ng mga aktibidad at mga programang pupuno sa kanilang mga pangangailangan.

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board, poverty threshold pertains to the minimum monthly income that a family of five needs for food and non-food requirements such as clothing, shelter, transportation, education, and health care. Those with estimated monthly incomes falling below the poverty threshold will be considered poor. As of 2012, the poverty threshold in Laguna is at PhP 9,863 with a relatively low poverty incidence of 6.3%. Once a household is identified as poor, it will automatically become a beneficiary of DSWD’s social protection initiatives such as the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).

All households in rural areas will be enumerated. Assessment in urban areas will be done in areas in the barangay where clusters of poor reside.

3LOS BAÑOS TIMESNEWS

Ang Kapisanan ng mga Samahan sa Malinta (KASAMA) ay kasalukuyang nakikibahagi sa programa ng Department of Agriculture (DA) ukol sa organic farming.

Sa Hulyo 2016, ipagdiriwang ng KASAMA ang unang anibersaryo nila sa programa. Sang-ayon sa National Organic Agriculture Program ng Republic Act No. 10068, layunin ng programa na ipalaganap sa mga magsasaka ang paggamit ng makabagong pamamaraan sa pagtatanim na gamit ang mga organikong pampataba at pamuksa sa insekto ng iba’t-ibang uri ng halaman at gulay.

Layunin din ng DA na ang Los Baños ay makilala bilang “organic town” at makapag-ani ng iba’t-ibang halaman at gulay gamit ang organikong pamamaraan.

Bukod sa Brgy. Malinta na kinakatawan ng KASAMA, mayroon pang anim na barangay na nakibahagi sa programa. Ito ang mga barangay: Bambang, Bagong Silang, Bayog, Mayondon, Putho-Tuntungin, at Timugan.

Bawat barangay ay may 15 kinatawan. Sila ang naatasan na mamahala sa pagtatanim.

Brgy. Malinta, nakiisa sa programang organikong pagsasakani Emily Alforja, pangulo ng Kapisanan ng mga Samahan sa Malinta (KASAMA)

The first part of the certification training will be the orientation about the election procedures, as well as updates on the operation of the new vote counting machines (VCM) which will be used in place of the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines that were used in the 2010 and 2013 elections. During the certification training, participants will

undergo an examination to be conducted by representatives of the Department of Science and Technology.

Banzuela explained that the Board of Election Inspectors Certification Training for Laguna is one of COMELEC’s efforts in ensuring efficiency and orderliness during the May 9 elections.

COMELEC to hold ...Continued from page 1

The Los Baños Local Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Program (LCCAMP) secretariat conducted a lecture-seminar entitled “Si Juana, Si Juan, at ang Paaralan: Climate Change Action Plan in the 21st Century” for Colegio de Los Baños (CDLB) last January 28.

Martin Imatong, LCCAMP consultant, served as the resource speaker. The four-hour lecture-seminar covered the following topics: what is climate change; how is climate change affecting the Philippines; how is climate change affecting Laguna; how is climate change affecting Los Baños; what can a person or student do to help combat the effects of climate change; caring for the environment; and community programs and interventions.

According to Aleli Teresa San Agustin-Nolido, school director and student affairs head of CDLB, the program aimed to “help CDLB in promoting its educational institution mission to make students aware of important issues that directly impact their development and lives.”

A total of 55 college students attended together with CDLB faculty and staff. LCCAMP administrative officer, Joan R. Magdaong, assisted in the program.

LCCAMP conducts talk about climate change in the 21st centuryby Martin Imatong, consultant, Los Baños Local Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigtion Committee

Sila rin ang dadalo sa mga pagsasanay ng DA ukol sa organikong pagsasaka.

Sa kasalukuyan, may lupang tinataniman ang KASAMA na maaaring magamit sa loob ng dalawang taon. Ang lahat na kagamitan tungkol sa pagtatanim, punla (seedling), pataba (vermicast), at troso para sa patubig ay ibinibigay ng DA sa KASAMA. Ang ani ay ibabahagi sa mga magsasaka.

Nakakatulong ang programa sa mga miyembro ng KASAMA sapagkat nakakadagdag sa kita ng isang pamilya ang mga ani.

Ang kasama ay binubuo ng mga mamamayan mula sa limang purok ng Brgy. Malinta. Sa kasalukuyan, mayroon itong 300 miyembro; karamihan ay mga mangingisda.

Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, makipag-uganayan kay Ma. Emily Alforja, pangulo ng KASAMA, sa numerong 0930-800-0274.

Probisyon para...Mula sa pahina 1

sa komunidad at palawigin ang kanilang oportunidad sa trabaho, edukasyon, paglinang ng kakayahan, at iba pang aspeto.

Bahagi din ng ordinansa ang pagbibigay ng isang opisina sa bawat barangay para sa mga BPWDC. Magkakaroon rin ng travel allowance ang mga BPWDC na nagkakahalaga ng PhP 500 kada buwan. Ang pondo ay paghahatian ng internal revenue allotment (IRA) ng Los Baños Office of Persons with Disabilities mula sa munisipyo at ng bawat barangay.

Ang ordinansa ay sang-ayon sa Republic Act 9442 o ang Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities, kung saan isinasaad ang tulong ng gobyerno

sa mga may kapansanan. Noong Enero 25, sa Sangguniang Bayan Conference Room ng munisipyo ng Los Baños, nagkaroon ng pagpupulong ang mga konsehal ng bayan na sina Antonio Kalaw, Cesar Cabrera, Julius Moliñawe, Benedicto Alborida, Ricardo Bagnes, at John Emmanuel Oliva, kasama ang mga opisyales ng Los Baños Federation of Persons with Disabilities (LBFPWDs) at ng Municipal Budget Officer Genoveva Poyaoan. Tinalakay sa konseho ang mga probisyon ng pagtatalaga ng PWD coordinators sa mga barangay.

Ang 12 Barangay Persons with Disabilities Association ay pinamumunuan ng LBFPWD at sinusuportahan ng Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).

Masusing sinusuri ni Tita Zeny, miyembro ng KASAMA, ang mga mustasang malapit na nilang anihin bilang bunga ng kanilang proyekto kasama ang Department of Agriculture, ang organic farming sa Brgy. Malinta, kasama ang 15 kababaihan mula sa organisasyon. (Larawang kuha ni Emily Alforja)

4 LOS BAÑOS TIMES FEATURE

[4] AlkaldeMarcelino “Leo’s Photo” de Guzman (IND)

Profession: BusinessmanBrgy. Putho-Tuntungin65 years old

Nais kong magkaroon ng mga mamuhunan sa Los Baños upang hindi na kailangan lumabas ng munisipalidad ang mga taga-Los Baños para sa kabuhayan. Nais kong maitaas ang antas ng pamumuhay ng mga mga mamayan ng Los Baños.

1. Edukasyon: Tutukan ang mga programang pang-edukasyon ng elementarya sapagkat iyan ang kritikal na lebel ng pag-aaral at pagkatuto ng isang bata.

2. Kalusugan: Tumulong magpagawa ng isang 10-bedroom clinic para sa mga hindi makakapagbayad sa isang malaking ospital ng kanilang pagpapagamot.

3. Turismo: Palaguin pa ang turismo sa bayan upang dumami ang pinagkukuhanan ng kabuhayan.

Caesar Perez (LP)2013- present: Municipal Mayor2010-2013: Vice-Governor Province of Laguna2001-2010: Municipal Mayor1997-2001: President, Liga ng mga Barangay

1989- 2001: Municipal Councilor

My motivation to run for re-election as Mayor is based solely on my desire to serve our community and the citizens of Los Baños... It is my dream that I will retire making my beloved town (through the support and cooperation of everybody) a city and maintains its role as a science and nature city of the Philippines.

1. Construction of Livelihood Training Center

2. Additional trainings at PESO which are in demand locally and abroad

3. Provision of entrepreneurial trainings to make citizens not just ordinary employees but owner of their own business and livelihood;

4. Promotion of Organic Farming for Sustainable agriculture

5. Construction of Trading Post6. Improvement of museum as tourist and

student attraction7. Acquisition of Lots for Relocation Area8. Construction of Disaster Resilient

Housing Units9. Construction of Poblacion Public Market

and Improvement of Batong Malake Public Market

10. Lot Acquisition for Tadlac Lake Nature Park

11. Installation of traffic light with timer12. Installation of CCTV cameras in strategic

places13. Intensify police activity on

apprehension, rehabilitation and

Laurence Fandiño (IND)

Profession: EntrepreneurBrgy. Timugan45 years old

Rodelo Pabalete (IND)

Profession: BusinessmanBrgy. Bambang51 years old

information to fight proliferation of prohibited drugs

14. Road widening of Anos to Maahas Road15. Construction of additional classrooms

and acquisition of lots for Senior High School buildings

16. Hiring of additional doctors, dentists, nurses and midwives in big barangays to further provide quality health service in health centers.

17. Improvement of Eco- Waste Processing Center

18. Strict implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA 9003) by involving stakeholders

19. Construction of Evacuation/Multi- Purpose Center

Bise-alkaldeProcopio “Copie” Alipon (LP)

2013-2016: Vice Mayor 2004-2010: VIce Mayor2001-2004: Councilor1982-1985: MunicipalFederation KB President

As the incumbent Municipal Vice Mayor, it is my intense desire to continue my public service in the same position to serve the people of Los Baños.

Bilang Bise-alkalde, magiging kaagapay ako ng buong Sangguniang Bayan upang magbuo at lumikha ng mga batas at alituntunin para sa mga Kabataan, Senior Citizens at ng buong mamamayan ng Los Banos patungo sa isang maunlad at progresibong pamahalaan.”

Ang Los Baños Times, bilang bahagi ng proyektong Bantay Halalan 2016 ng Kolehiyo ng Komunikasyong Pangkaularan ng UP Los Baños, ay maglalathala ng mga storyang layon na magbahagi ng sapat na impormasyon tungkol sa mga kumakandidato sa iba’t-ibang lokal na posisyon sa Los Baños, plataporma ng mga kanditato, at iba’t-ibang isyu na may kinalaman sa eleksyon sa May 9.

Sa isyung ito, silipin natin kung sinu-sino ang mga kandidato sa bayan ng Los Baños, ano ang kanilang motibasyon sa pagtakbo bilang alkalde, bise-alkalde, o konsehal, at kung maihahalal ay anong mga programa ang bibigyan nila ng prayoridad.

Ngayong Mayo, muli tayong pipili ng susunod na mga mamumuno sa ating bayan. Kaya PiliPinas, dahil sa tamang pagkilala nagmumula ang matalinong pagboto.

ni Roxanne RolleRONDA LB

5LOS BAÑOS TIMESFEATURE

Ricardo Bagnes

2013-present: Municipal CouncilorBrgy. Captain: 3 yrsSecretary, Brgy. Malinta: 17 yrs

Kung maihahalal bilang konsehal, nais kong bigyan ng prayoridad ang sumusunod:1. Mailapit ang mamayan sa Diyos2. Pagdaragdag ng pondo ng pamahalaan

sa scholarship grants3. Pagsugpo sa problema ng droga4. Paigtingin ang serbisyo publiko sa

nangangailangan na mga mahihirap na mamayan

5. Palakasin ang Municipal Health Office, pagbigay ng libreng gamot, tamang pagkain, nutrisyon, at potable water system

6. Proteksiyunan ang kalikasan lalo na ang bundok Makiling para lalong lumakas ang turismo

7. Maglatag ng mga ordinansa sa peace and order, education, environment, disaster and risk management, health and sanitation, senior citizen, PWDs, social welfate, at infrastructure

Benedicto “Benny” Alborida

2010-Present: Municipal Councilor2002-2010: Punong Barangay2002-1994: Kagawad

Makatulong sa bayan at kabataan sa pamamagitan ng livelihood programs, paglikha ng mga trabaho, at pangkatahimikang solusyon (peace and order) sa bayan1. Livelihood programs2. Road widening laban sa trapiko3. Senior High School building

construction4. Peace and order projects

Jerico Ciceron

President of LB Tourism Council2007-2010: Vice Mayor 1995-2001: Municipal Councilor

Nais ko pong tumulong bigyan ng pagkakataon na makapaghanapbuhay ang mga tao sa pamamagitan ng small-scale businesses. Nais kong tumulong linangin ang kanilang kakakayahan sa pamamagitan ng mga programang handog ng TESDA.1. Tumulong sa pagresolba ng lumalalang

trapiko sa bayan; sumuporta sa paghanap ng alternatibong ruta

2. Tumulong magkaroon ng hanapbuhay ang bawat isang pamilya upang mabawasan ang kriminalidad at magkaroon ng maligaya at tahimik na komunidad.

3. Palawakin ang turismo4. Suriin ang mga ordinansang mayroon na

sa konseho upang makabalangkas ng mga bagong ordinansang angkop sa panahon at pangangailangan ng bayan.

Jaime dela Viña

2013-present: Facilitator for Family Development Session of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps)Nakita ko ang totoong antas ng kahirapan sa Los Baños dahil sa exposure ko sa 4Ps. Nais kong makatulong bigyang solusyon ang problema sa pamamagitan ng mga programa at proyektong pumapatungkol sa Family Development.

Kung maihahalal bilang konsehal, nais kong maibahagi sa komunidad ang:1. kaalaman, batas, at karapatan ukol sa

family development2. kaalaman tungkol sa kalusugan3. mga programang kakalinga sa

kayamanan o kabuhayan tulad ng mga skills development training programs

Matilde “Nanay Ending” Erasga

Former Gender and Development officer

Former president, Los Baños Women on Official Commitment and ChallengesAng Konseho o Sangguniang Bayan ay lugar rin para sa isang ordinaryong tao na may ekstra ordinaryong kakayahan para sa serbisyo publiko. Gaya ng isang ina, aalagaan ko kayo at ipaglalaban ang karapatan sa konseho.1. Mas progresibong turismo:

Pangangalagaan natin ang kapaligiran at magkakaroon ng makabuluhang programang pang turismo

2. Kalusugan: ordinansa para magkaroon ng sapat na pondo sa pagpapa-ospital ng mga mahihirap na kababayan.

3. Edukasyon: Scholarship para kolehiyo4. Pangkabuhayang proyekto: Mga

imprastrakturang tugon sa “One Barangay, One Product”

Josephine “Baby Sumangil”Evangelista

2010-2013: Vice Mayor2007-2010: Municipal Councilor

Arnel Gahol

2013-present: Supply Staff2010-2013: Legislative Staff

Ipagpatuloy at palakasin ang mga programa tungkol sa

palakasan o sports, hindi lamang para sa mga kabataan kung hindi para sa lahat, bata man o matanda, lalake o babae, o miyembro ng LGBT community.

Nais kong ipagpatuloy ang Bryan Gahol Big Basketball League bilang alaala sa aking namayapang kapatid, ang dating konsehal na si Bryan Gahol.

Antonio Kalaw

2010-2016: Municipal Councilor

Nakikita ko ang pangangailangan ng tao. Mas maganda kung may maibabahagi ako sa ating mga kasamahan – makatulong sa mga problema, upang ang aking edukasyon at karanasan ay maibahagi sa pamahalaan.

Kung maihahalal bilang konsehal, nais kong bigyang pansin ang mga sumusunod:1. Edukasyon2. Kabuhayan3. Kalusugan at populasyon4. Kapakanan ng senior citizens at persons

with disabilities

1. Edukasyon: Scholarship para sa elementarya, sekondarya, at kolehiyo

2. Social Welfare: Tulungan magkaroon ng accident insurance ang mga mamamayan; isulong ang karapatan ng senior citizens, PWDs, kababaihan, at LGBT

3. Kabuhayan: Patibayin ang implementasyon ng “One Barangay, One Product”

4. Kalusugan: Bumalangkas ng mga ordinansa para sa health care ng mga kababayang kapos-palad

5. Transportasyon: Paigtingin ang mga programang nagbibigay ng prankisa sa mga ilegal na pampublikong sasakyan upang maging ligtas ang mga pasahero sa pang-aabuso at kriminalidad sa lansangan

Nais kong ipagpatuloy ang legasiya ng serbisyo publiko ng aking pamilya. Mahal ko ang serbisyo publiko.

George “Boy George” Erasga

Self-employedBrgy. Mayondon39 years old

Kandidato bilangKonsehal[17]

6 LOS BAÑOS TIMES

Leo Katimbang

2010-2012: Executive Assistant of the Vice Governor2010 -2001: Municipal councilorI aim to create laws/ordinances to (1) assist the local executive in the pursuance of drug-free Los Baños, (2) ease up traffic and vehicle congestion, and (3) implement truck ban from 7-8:30 AM and 4-6PM1. Bumalangkas ng mga odinansa para sa

karadagang pondo para sa kalusugan2. Tumulong sa pamunuan na magsulat

ng mga kasunduan sa mga kalapit -bayan ng Los Baños na mayroong industrial companies upang matulungan magkatrabaho ang mga kababayan

3. Ordinansang mas magpapalakas sa pagsugpo ng droga sa bayan.

4. Pagbuo ng Public Safety Office na may kasamang monitoring system

5. Bumuo ng ordinansa para sa mga benepisyong pang edukasyon tulad ng mga scholarship

Gaudencio Macatangay

2010-2013: Liga ng Probinsiya (Member of the Board of Directors)2010-2013: Presidente, Association of Barangay Captains2002-2010: Barangay Captain, Brgy. LalakayHangarin kong maglingkod sa kapwa sa abot ng aking makakaya. Ako ay ipinanganak upang maglingkod.

Kung maihahalal bilang konsehal, nais kong bigyang pansin ang mga sumusunod:1. Help relocate the informal settlers in

danger zones2. Environment: Ensure that the town is

clean, the canals are clog-free3. Peace and Order 4. Social welfare: Provide insurance for

barangay officials (tanod)5. Education: Provide scholarships6. Support livelihood programs

Julius Moliñawe

2010 -present: Municipal Councilor2007-2010: SK Chair, Brgy. San Antonio

1. Continue to improve day care centers in every barangay

2. Continue to provide educational assistance to less fortunate college students

3. Provide incentives to Los Baños students who give honor to the municipality in the field of academics

4. Spearhead the “Ready na ako” program for graduating college students and the “grassroots sports program”

Jay Rolusta

2013-present: Municipal Councilor2010-2013: Municipal Councilor2007-2010: Kagawad, Brgy. Tadlac2002-2007: SK Chair, Brgy. Tadlac

Mahal ko ang bayan ng Los Baños at ang ating mga kababayan. Nais kong patuloy na maging bahagi ng solusyon sa pamamagitan ng direktang paglahok sa mga gawaing panglehislatura sa Sangguniang Bayan. Nais ko pong patuloy na ibahagi ang aking kabataan, kakayahan at karanasan upang patuloy na mapaglingkuran ang aking mga kababayan.Una po sa aking adyenda ang mga programa para sa kabataan:1. programang kaugnay ng breast feeding 2. adbokasiya sa kahalagahan ng pagbasa

bilang instrumento sa pagpapalago ng kaisipan ng mga kabataan;

3. pagtiyak na may maayos na espasyong laruan sa bawat barangay para sa rekreasyon at kalusugang pangangatawan ng mga kabataan;

4. anti-bullying sa mga paaralan; 5. scholarship program at pagsusulong ng

karagdagang pondo para dito; 6. Youth entrepreneurship ordinance 7. Barangay Council for the Protection of

Children o BCPC upang tiyakin na may konsehong tututok sa karapatan at proteksyon ng mga kabataan.

Norvin Tamisin

2013-present: Municipal Councilor2001-2007: Municipal CouncilorGraduate of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business

Mahal ko ang bayan ng Los Baños, wala akong balak lumipat, dito ako pinanganak at lumaki. Sana dumating ang panahon na sa buong Lo Banos ay ligtas sa krimen, at higit sa lahat, walang droga.1. Kalikasan: Lahat ng pag-unlad o

development ay positibo at hindi dapat makompromiso ang kalikasan

2. Karapatan ng mamayan: Handa po akong ipaglaban ang karapatan ng mga mamayan. Kami pong mga konsehal ay gumagawa lamang ng batas. Subalit liban pa dito, pinaglalaban ko ang karapatan ng taong bayan.

3. Kalusugan at maayos na pagpapamilya: Ipagpatuloy ang medical healthcare mission, no smoking ordinance, kasalang bayan, libreng late registration tuwing Disyembre, at isulong ang mga prpgramang bubuo sa isang matatag na pamilya.

4. Maiayos pa ang bayan natin: Ipagpatuloy ang walang casino sa Los Baños; hindi maipapatapon ang basura sa Creek ng Makiling Forest Reserve; hindi magpuputol ng puno ng walang permiso; pangalagaan ang Mt. Makiling; siguraduhin ang paglagay ng taripa ng lokal na water district ay tama

Lourdes “Lulu” Principe

2004-2013: Municipal Councilor1998-2001: Municipal Councilor2009: Launched the Alternative Learning System-Literacy reform program (ALS-LRP community learning center

Hangarin ko na magbigay ng scholarship sa mga batang mahirap na nais makatapos ng pag-aaral. Ang scholarship grant na magkakahalaga ng PhP 5,000.00 kada semestre ay popondohan ng sarili kong sweldo bilang konsehala ng bayan. Nagawa ko na ito noon at ipagpapatuloy ko ito ngayon.

Kung maihahalal bilang konsehal, nais kong bigyang prayoridad ang mga sumusunod:1. magkaroon ng sapat na pondo para sa

pagpapatuloy ng aking ALS-LRP review center; at

2. buksan ang pintuan ng “aking tanggapan” sa samahan ng mga magsasaka upang maipabatid ang kanilang pangangailangan.

Felix “Bro. FPJ” Pelegrina, Jr.

Profession: Mechanic/TechnicianBrgy. Batong Malake60 years old2011- 2012: Vice President,

Division Federated PTAVice Chairman, Philippine National Red Cross Los Banos ChapterGraduate, Auto Service Technology, Lucena City

Kandidato bilangKonsehal

Teodoro “Teddy” Elec

Farmer-agriculturistBrgy. Anos73 years old

[17]

Information published in this section are based on interviews with the candidates and lifted from their official Certificate of Candidacy furnished by COMELEC-Los Baños. Due diligence was done to reach every candidate. Those who wish to add more details to their profile may contact the Los Baños Times secretariat at (049) 53602511 loc. 401.

7LOS BAÑOS TIMES

The household’s pipes may also be old, deteriorating, and may need replacement.

In the event that a consumer may find water from tap as turbid, unclear, or with suspended particles, LWD strongly encourages the residents to submit water samples in a sterilized container for analysis. The local water district offers this service for free. Samples should be submitted to LWD’s office within six hours. The time between collection and processing should not exceed 24 hours. This is based on DOH’s requirements in testing samples published in the PNSDW 2007 document.

LWD will also be glad to check a household’s pipes for any holes or causes of contaminants upon request. Cruz reminds the concessionaires that LWD covers the pipes from the household’s water meter to LWD’s water pumps. On the other hand, the pipes from the water meter to the household’s faucets are the responsibility of the concessionaires.

According to Cruz, the tap water offered by LWD is safe for drinking for the following reasons:

1. Water supplied by LWD is treated with disinfectant that kills microbes and other contaminants.

2. LWD conforms with the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water 2007 (PNSDW) set by DOH.

3. LWD regularly monitors the quality of water that they distribute. Random samples of tap water undergo monthly bacteriological analyses. The physical and chemical properties of where the samples were drawn are also analyzed.

4. The pipes used by LWD abide by the standards of the American Water Works Association (AWWA).

Cruz further recommends drinking tap water for health and environmental reasons. “Ang pag-inom ng tap water ay mainam sapagkat maraming natural minerals na galing sa tubig na makakadagdag sa pangangailangan ng ating katawan,” shared Cruz. She also cited that drinking tap water entails consuming less plastic used for bottled water.

With these facts in mind, it is interesting to find out why many water purifying, filtering, or distilling stations have sprung in Los Baños.

Why water refilling stations thrive in Los Baños“[T]he public’s demand for safe drinking water enabled the bottled water industry to flourish in the recent years.” This is based on a study in 2012 published in the Journal of Human Ecology and conducted by

Dr. Aimee Sheree A. Barrion, Hannah Margaret Rabaja, and Wilma Hurtada of UP Los Baños.

In the case of Los Baños, a study was conducted on 2008 about the willingness to pay for safe drinking water in LWD areas. This was published in the Journal of the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences and conducted by Genny G. Bandoles and Corazon L. Rapera. They surveyed 392 households constituting 1.9% of all households with piped water in the three municipalities [Los Baños, Bay, and Calauan. Based on the study, the “revealed willingness to pay for safe drinking water was very high because piped water was perceived by many to be unsafe for drinking.”

Drinking water preferences in Brgy. BaybayinWhile some subscribe to different forms of bottled water -- purified, mineralized, distilled, or filtered – there are still others who primarily use tap water for drinking.

Eunice Lusanea, a former resident of Brgy. Baybayin lived there until 2006. For 17 years, she and her family used tap water for drinking at the said barangay. “Tap water kami pang-inom at pangluto. Safe naman. Never kami nagka-problema.”

Nanay Laila and her family has also been using tap water for drinking for 51 years. During the past typhoons, though, she decided to subscribe to water purifying stations for five months because they noticed that their water appeared turbid. This happened in 2006 during bagyong Milenyo. When the water from the tap appeared clear again, they reverted to tap water once more. This is what they have been using until now.

In the household of Brgy. Captain Anselmo Lapitan, purified water and tap water are used for drinking and cooking. “Kapag ubos na ang mineral [water], eh di tubig sa gripo na rin”, he shares. Lapitan has been living in the barangay for 30 years.

The case todayAt least 50 years ago, Brgy. Baybayin residents have drawn water from Laguna de Bay and hand pumps for drinking and shallow wells for other purposes. Today, most rely on tap and bottled water -- purified, mineralized, distilled, or filtered.

A 400-year-old town surrounded by a lake, hot springs, shallow wells, and hand pumps is now down to two sources of safe drinking water: tap and bottled. As such, LARC water potability analyst, Llewelyn Framil-Cruz, reminds everybody to be wary about keeping the environment clean. It need not be said that the environment’s health affects our sources of piped and bottled water.

Pump, well, tap ...From page 8

(From L-R) (1) A resident of Brgy. Baybayin washes his hands using the nearby hand pump or poso after a day’s work at the public market; (2) Brgy. Councilor Josephus Baes shows a bottle filled with tap water with suspended particles; (3) Brgy. Baybayin lies along the coast of Laguna de Bay or the Laguna Lake (photos 1&2 by Camille Belda, photo 3 by Brgy. Baybayin Updates official Facebook page)

FEATURE

“Noong araw…” These two words often escape the lips of those who have seen much of the world turn – when there were more trees around; when the bodies of water were clearer.

These are also the same words of Brgy. Baybayin residents when recalling how they once enjoyed potable drinking water from Laguna de Bay, hand pumps, and wells.

Let’s zoom in on a 400-year-old barangay that is as old as Los Baños itself: Brgy. Baybayin.

Sources of water in Brgy. BaybayinBrgy. Baybayin in Los Baños is a coastal community. Blessed with multiple sources of water, the said barangay lies along Laguna de Bay. It also has access to water from hand pumps or poso, shallow wells, and tap connected to the Laguna Water District (LWD).

Although there are a number of water sources in the community, not all can provide potable water or water safe for drinking. This is a concern of Erlinda Ramos. The benefits of having multiple sources of water no longer trickle down on Nanay Erlinda, a resident of Brgy. Baybayin. “Noon, nakakainom pa, nakakapaglaba sa sobrang linis [ng Laguna de Bay]. Ngayon hindi na,” she shared.

Nanay Laila Gobres, a resident of Brgy. Baybayin for 51 years has a similar story. In her younger years, she and her playmates would swim at the Bay. She would inevitably swallow water in her careless swim and not experience any stomachaches. “Mas malinaw noon, pag tumingin ka lang sa [tubig], kita na ang tulya. Ngayon hindi na, puro burak kasi.”

Interview results of a study published in the Journal of Nature Studies in 2011 reflected Nanay Laila’s observation. Conducted by

the UP Los Baños Institute of Biological Sciences, the study discussed that interviewees “from Brgy. Bayog reported that in the early decades until the 1950’s, [Laguna Lake or Laguna de Bay] had high quality water such that they could drink water from it.” Brgy. Bayog also runs along the coast of Laguna de Bay. Water from hand pumps or “poso”The young Nanay Laila and her family used to have one poso at home. This is where they drew water for drinking, cooking, and household chores. For 30 years, they did not have to boil that water. They never experienced any health problems. In the 1990s, though, she and her family began using piped water from the local water district. They observed that sand and small particles have begun appearing in the water from their poso.

Today, there are still residents who derive water from hand pumps such as Ate Vangie. She has been a resident of Brgy. Baybayin for 34 years. She and her family currently use their own poso for household chores. However, they do not use the water for drinking and cooking. Instead, they subscribe to water purifying stations. They have no piped water connection at home as they find that this arrangement agrees with their budget more.

Water from wellsWells are used by the residents especially those near the market area which is just a few minutes away from Laguna de Bay. According to Brgy. Councilor Thomas Josephus Baes or Kagawad Jophy, 17 shallow wells are located within the barangay. However, water from every well is not safe for drinking. Some of these wells are directly connected to canals making them prone to contaminants such as wastes from humans and animals.

Based on the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW) 2007 published by the Department of Health (DOH), “drinking-water supplies should be free from contamination by human and animal excreta, which can contain a variety of microbial contaminants.”

As such, Llewelyn Framil-Cruz, a chemist at the Laguna Water District Aquatech Resources Corporation (LARC), a contractor-operator of the Laguna Water District (LWD), and a water potability analyst, does not recommend using water from shallow wells for drinking and for tasks involved in handling food.

According to Cruz, water from the pump has not gone through the proper treatment process. The water’s bacteriological, chemical, and physical properties have not been tested as well. One may not be sure of any potential contaminants settling in the water.

Nonetheless, households may manually disinfect or treat the water from shallow wells. There are many ways of doing this, one of which is by chlorination. The process entails adding commercially-available chlorine tablets into the water. However, Cruz reminds everyone that the proper chlorine-to-water ratio must be observed. The help of water experts in doing this is advised.

Local water districtFinally, like typical households, tap water from LWD is used for drinking, bathing, and other chores. However, Councilor Baes reported an instance, on August 27, 2015, when one resident of Brgy. Baybayin observed small particles floating in the water from the tap.

Cruz said that there are many sources of water impurity such as what the constituent of Councilor Baes experienced. There could be holes in the consumer’s water pipes where contaminants can enter.

Pump, well, tap, or bottled?Where do Brgy. Baybayin residents get [safe] drinking water?

by Roxanne Rolle and Camille Belda