SOCIAL MEDIA

Showing posts with label Events and Causes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Events and Causes. Show all posts

Monday, November 16, 2020

Flood in a Lifetime By: Jonas Hapinat


A Guest Blog by Mr. Jonas A. Hapinat

Can it be the worst year ever? People were flabbergasted with unexpected turns of events which wreaked havoc to the human civilization. This has been the year which hope is far from reach and disasters are agonizing the lives of every individual whose lives are already miserable--but made more miserable instead.

I was clueless at first, I never thought that something terrifying is meant to come my way. I have grown too complacent of the things that I thought is impossible of happening. As the flood submerged our houses in a knee-high level and it continuously increases in a short-period of time, I was left wondering in fear. Are we hounded by nightmares? That in every month of this year is the prevalence of different suffering which draws tears among our countrymen.

It was 12 midnight when I was startled by mother's panicking voice. She spoke a thunderous voice which lingers upon my ears until now. "The water is here," she shouted with an echoing blast, but behind the loudness is the sound of a mother being terrified of her children's safety. We hurriedly packed our clothes and brought the necessary things above the drawer where the water might not able to reach it.



The entire neighborhood is engulfed with the spirit of 'bayanihan' as everyone extended their hands in carrying each other's refrigerators, televisions and other electronic appliances. We carefully watched the water submerging the floors of our houses into a pool of mud and dirt. When the water reached a knee-high level, we evacuated immediately into my aunt' house, as their house is built significantly higher than the average houses in our neighbourhood. It was in the afternoon that we realized that the water is not yet subsiding, forcing us to evacuate immediately into a 2-storey building where we can have a peace of mind while sleeping the night away.

In the evening, I was forced to sleep in the rooftop, alongside with my cousins, for the 2nd storey house of my aunt is over-occupied by children and aged people. The electricity was shut down and the only source of light we had is the candle that brightened the dimming hope of the quiet night. I run out of battery so I borrowed the phone of my cousin to browse the Internet and update myself with the current situation of my town. It was heartbreaking to see people from different places in Cagayan Valley who were asking for immediate rescue after getting stucked on their rooftops without nothing to eat and drink. I thought that our situation is no better compared to others, but I was wrong, we are much better than them.



It was in the night that a surreal moment in my life happened in the midst of a disaster. I was sleeping with the stars, carefully watching them one by one. I can see them twinkling from up above, telling me that at the hour of darkness, there is a ray of light. I felt like I was in the middle of the universe. As I closed my eyes, I can see them sparkle with glittering hope and resiliency.

It was a flood in a lifetime, a moment that I will remember forever.


- Jonas Hapinat



Friday, November 13, 2020

Cagayan and Isabela needs HELP. #UlyssesPH

Photo Credits to Lorie Agub

Just after the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Rolly in Bicol, Typhoon Ulysses gave NCR, CALABARZON and Central Luzon nightmarish strong winds and heavy rain downpour submerging affected areas into deep floods more than what Typhoo Ondoy gave last 2009. Two provinces in the North cries for help – Cagayan and Isabela as main dams and Cagayan River overflowed causing severe deep floods that almost blurred the provinces in the archipelago as seen in aerial views. Social Media has been flooded with posts of despair, danger, hunger and grief though citizens are trying so hard to be resilient. This is not the time for division, we Filipinos should unite as one in helping each other never mind politics or social differences. People in the said provinces badly need food, water, basic necessities and to be rescued for those who are trapped by floods in the rooftops.


Photo Credits to Joash Aggabao

Photo Credits to Christina Saquing

I am using this blog as a channel to help my Kababayans in this challenging calamity situation. May this blog post reach everyone who has the heart to help even in the simplest ways.  Here are the hotlines and channels to where you could help and give donations. I would like to thank The Geyser -People's Publication for giving me the list of important hotlines to contact in Isabela and Cagayan. You can reach them at their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheGeyserPublication







IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO SAVE!
[Credits to ISU-The Geyser]

PDRRMC Isabela HOTLINE numbers:

(078)323-0416 - PLDT
09215852341 - Smart
09158193187 - Globe

DISTRICT 1 EMERGENCY HOTLINES


CABAGAN

PNP- (0917) 904 0182
BFP- (0917) 816 4240
LGU RESCUE-(0917) 565 6679

DELFIN ALBANO

PNP- (0977) 801 9029
BFP- (0953) 299 9108
LGU RESCUE- (0917) 653 3652

DIVILACAN

PNP- (0998) 967 3088
BFP -(0997) 288 4336
LGU RESCUE- (0919) 892 2240

CITY OF ILAGAN

PNP- (0916) 742 4412
BFP- (0975) 250 1218
LGU RESCUE- (0915) 234 1124

MACONACON

PNP- (0920) 566 7809
BFP- (0997) 288 4336
LGU RESCUE- (0929) 313 2791

SAN PABLO

PNP- (0998) 598 5238
BFP- (0917) 105 5336
LGU RESCUE - (0977) 851 9541

SANTA MARIA

PNP- (0905) 680 0334
BFP- (0917) 801 2748
LGU RESCUE - (0945 188 6494

SANTO TOMAS

PNP- (0975) 906 4763
BFP- (0905) 044 6665
LGU RESCUE- (0975) 052 8519

TUMAUINI

PNP- (0927 382 5487
BFP- (0915) 196 0342
LGU RESCUE- (0975) 994 8281

DISTRICT 2 EMERGENCY HOTLINES


BENITO SOLIVEN

PNP - 0917 508 2945
BFP - 0975 275 0727
LGU RESCUE - 0966 783 3357

GAMU

PNP - 0927 939 6862
BFP - 0975 275 9242
LGU RESCUE - 0927 128 7232

NAGUILIAN

PNP - 0945 335 7311
BFP - 0906 766 6324
LGU RESCUE - 0917 312 7540

PALANAN

PNP - 0998 598 5235
BFP - 0936 798 6959
LGU RESCUE - 0950 091 8241

REINA MERCEDES

PNP - 0935 532 8600
BFP - 0975 883 3915
LGU RESCUE - 0997 609 1594

SAN MARIANO

PNP - 0927 993 5330
BFP - 0975 657 4080
LGU RESCUE - 0917 971 1125

DISTRICT 3 EMERGENCY HOTLINES


ALICIA

LGU RESCUE-(0927)306 5309

PNP-(0917) 819 6449

BFP-(0966) 935 1144

ANGADANAN
LGU RESCUE-(0927) 142 8226
PNP-(0936) 971 413
BFP-(0906) 613 1450

CABATUAN
LGU RESCUE-(0936) 947 1537
PNP-(0915) 667 0205
BFP-(0917) 891 1416

RAMON
LGU RESCUE-(0906) 713 5314
PNP-(0906) 233 7819
BFP-(0927) 743 4104

SAN MATEO
LGU RESCUE-(0997) 538 4008
PNP-(0917) 174 5655
BFP-(0927) 824 9439


DISTRICT 4 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

CORDON

PNP- 0975 923 2655
BFP- 0926 946 8923
LGU RESCUE- 0936 184 5505

DINAPIGUE

PNP- 0928 386 6344
BFP- 0905 415 1335
LGU RESCUE- 0947 398 6624

JONES

PNP- 0935 136 6998
BFP- 0995 883 6125
LGU RESCUE- 0906 557 4826

SAN AGUSTIN

PNP- 0975 493 3840
BFP- 0905 783 5368
LGU RESCUE- 0916 690 9088

SANTIAGO CITY

PNP- 0917 840 6374
BFP- 0997 314 2795
LGU RESCUE - 0905 558 669


DISTRICT 5 EMERGENCY HOTLINES


AURORA

PNP-(0917) 846 1951
BFP-(0915) 198 4117
LGU RESCUE -(0917) 539 7151

BURGOS

PNP-(0915) 727 1471
BFP -(0953) 291 4596
LGU RESCUE- (0997) 211 3563

LUNA

PNP- (0915) 668 1499
BFP- (0917) 506 5840
LGU RESCUE-(0917) 504 2131

MALLIG

PNP- (0945) 745 2028
BFP-(0975) 661 9366
LGU RESCUE-(0965) 223 4514

QUEZON

PNP- (0906) 513 1703
BFP-(0917) 309 2580
LGU RESCUE- (0975) 769 8851

QUIRINO

PNP- (0916) 338 4207
BFP- (0917) 883 0082
LGU RESCUE- (0917) 635 1874

ROXAS

PNP- (0915) 841 4988
BFP-(0935) 935 1065
LGU RESCUE- (0935) 039 2203

SAN MANUEL

PNP- 0935 727 6812
BFP- (0927) 994 2961
LGU RESCUE- (0955) 681 2415


DISTRICT 6 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

CAUAYAN CITY

PNP- 0926 618 5717
BFP- 0926 490 5075
LGU RESCUE- 0927 716 9220

ECHAGUE

PNP- 0917 681 6913
BFP- 0917 500 2585
LGU RESCUE- 0917 626 2352

SAN GUILLIERMO

PNP- 0926 475 8526
BFP- 0906 821 0039
LGU RESCUE- 0967 544 1506

SAN ISIDRO

PNP- 0977 306 9391
BFP- 0915 995 5840
LGU RESCUE- 0926 943 0427

Sunday, March 26, 2017

[Events] Introduction to Honeybee Farming Training by Zoomanity Group


Mr. Albee Marcia doing a lecture about the Introduction to Honeybee Farming.

What comes into your mind when you think of honey? Probably we will say that it is expensive, nutritious and delicious. Last March 11, 2017, Zoomanity Group gave us the chance to be part of a training about Honey Bee Farming with an expert guest speaker in the person of Mr. Albee Marcia, an entomologist expert in commercial bee keeping and honey bees. The event was held in Paradizoo, Mendez Cavite as a part of the three month long Power of Three program that aims promote basic training education in different fields of Agriculture that could inspire not only the students but those who are interested to venture in this field.


Mr. Albee Marcia is an expert in commercial Honeybee Farming.


Flow Hive System.

Mr. Albee gave educated us about the basics in Honey Bee farming with demonstrations about the equipments and essentials we need to have. He also enumerated the types of honey bees and history of Bee Farming. Here are the lessons I learned from the training:

1.  Honey Bees are very useful insects. They have this important role in the ecosystem and food chain because they are responsible in pollination and propagation of plants.

2. In commercial Bee Keeping, you should attend a complete seminar because venturing in this business is very risky. You need to maximize and develop your potential in farming and culturing the bees and also takes years.

3. Honey is a food that is part of the history since then. The history of Bee Keeping traces back in 1930s.

4. Bee Keeping is an art and science to produce honey, learning of the bees’ behavior, process and biology.

5. The full seminar for Honey Bee Farming lasts 2-3 days with 1 day for theory and 1 day for hands on application.

6. The reasons why people are interested in Honey Bee Farming are curiosity, production of honey, investment, business and as a hobby.

7. The three species of honey bees are the Apis Dorsata also called pukyutan in the Philippines. These are large type of honey bees found in forests; the Apis Cerana are the Asiatic honey bees that lives commonly in dark places the Apis Adreneformis that lives in subtropical regions in Southeast Asia, specifically in Palawan; they are the smallest species in Asia and the European Apis Mellifera that are breed from wild kind of bees to being domesticated.

8. There are three kinds of bees in one colony. The Queen Bee the female that lays 1,500-3000 eggs. Second are the Worker Bees that we commonly see as performer of duties like honey makers and stingers. Last are the Drones, the male bees that mate the queen and carrier of genes.

9. Bees are important in nature’s biodiversity so we should conserve and preserve the bees.

10.  Honey is the food for the bees.

11. The younger the queen, the better the colony.

12. The best months to start honey bee farming are BER months (September-December).

13. Bubbles in honey indicate that it is not good and fermented.

14. Pure honey is so viscose that it exhibits pressure when poured.

15.  Honey is a simple sugar means it will burn fast inside the body. It is also a natural steroid and has calming effect.

16. There is no expiration for honey.

Very nutritious lunch!

At Lunch Break, we were served sumptuous nutritious foods (vegetable salad, adobo, fried fish and honey juice). The ambiance overlooking the Paradizoo Farm is so relaxing. After lunch Mr. Albee brought us to the Honey Bee House to witness how he demonstrates the collection of honey in colonies and how to operate the machines to extract. Also, he taught us the uses of Bee’s wax, the wax produced by honey bees and discarded into their hives.

Sir Albee harvesting honey from a colony unit.



Perfect Hexagons!

Bees Wax

Flowing Honey.

Honey filtered from solids.

Our mentor taught us the new innovation called Flow Hive. It was like a tap for water where you will harvest honey after you turn it a number of times giving you less effort in harvesting honey and less stress for the bees because you will not open your hive frequently.








For my readers who are interested in this kind of investment, it is estimated to cost less than 20,000 PHP for a flow hive, a whole unit for 35,000 PHP and a colony for 9,500 PHP.

I would like to thank Ms. Grace B. Nicolas for having me as one of the bloggers to cover the event and I hope this blog will help my readers in the Philippines who are thinking of agricultural business to start. Want to visit Paradizoo? You can contact Ms. Grace of Tag Media at grace@tagmedia.asia or text 09166299381.

-FAF

Tuesday, March 07, 2017

[Travel] Zoomanity’s Zooper Cruise: History and Environmental Awareness

The view from Valenzuela Ferry Boart Station.

March 04, 2017 – Manila, Philippines.

Long time ago, during the early Philippine History, there was a magnificent river that served as the center of economic activity as well as livelihood with its clear waters, abundance of fishes and a venue of trade and travel in the heart of the country’s most powerful city, Manila. Sadly, most millennials today, including me that was born in the late 80s, never got the chance to witness its glory. As the economy and industrialization progresses over time, the once clean and living river became polluted leading to its demise in 1990s leaving traces of rich history along its banks. How can the generation today appreciate its value? Why some groups like the Zoomanity Foundation still hoping that this nature treasure be revived and conserved?

Zooper Cruise offers a very unique experience under the Zoomanity Foundation with an aim to educate its participants about the rich history and beauty of Metro Manila through a journey along Pasig River via ferry boat cruise. Throughout the cruise were lots of trivia, activities and sumptuous snacks and dinner while seeing the historical edifices along the river’s banks providing more expanded consciousness to participate in the government and Zoomanity Foundation’s aim to conserve this heart of the city, to make it alive again for our generation as well as those generations to come. It is one of the newest projects of Zoomanity Foundation which comprises of four pillars: Education, Entertainment, Environmental Conservation and Exhibit.
Last March 4, 2017, I was one of those who were blessed to be invited for a Zooper Cruise experience. I could say that it was one of the most educational even I have attended. Most of us know how highly polluted the Pasig River is, so who wants to cruise along? After reviewing Zoomanity’s mission and vision, my interest was captured more because of my love for Manila and Philippine history, I knew the Pasig River has a lot to tell.


With the very accommodating Engr. Grace of Tag Media, co-blogger Nikko and my mother.
Arrived early at the ferry. Cozy ambiance.

The captain and owner of the ferry, Engr. Ed Bondad giving a talk.

Mr. Robert L. Yupangco, CEO of  Yupangco Group of Companies.


Coast Guard Station Pureza



Escolta Station.



Plaza Mexico.

My fellow bloggers Nikko and Rhodora.

The meeting place was at the Valenzuela Ferry Station located in Makati and the starting point of the tour. Looking through the windows gave me a feel of amusement seeing less to no garbage and water lilies floating in the river area. I wonder how beautiful this river back to the Spanish Era. The hostesses of the cruise then introduced Engineer Ed Bondad, the captain and owner of the cozy air-conditioned ferry bus we are in. He gave us information about the brand new ferry boat that could cater almost 152 passengers and how ferries could serve as an alternative transport throughout Metro Manila. Thinking about keeping away from traffic on EDSA or Manila? Why not? Also, the captain of the boat taught us so many historical trivia as the ferry cruised to different boat stations, bridges and historical buildings. This event is a great way to know more about renaissance history of Metro Manila which could be promising if given attention by both local and foreign tourists. The CEO of Yupangco Group of Companies to where Zoomanity Foundation is included, Mr. Robert L. Yupangco also gave an encouraging speech for us to support the advocacy.


Post Office Main Building.

Our first significant landmark is in front of the Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of our country. We were warned not to take pictures for security. He mentioned some interesting stories about the buildings that we passed by. Among these are the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, St. Jude College and Parish, Hospicio de San Jose, old Department of Budget and Management Building as well as the bridges like Ayala Bridge, McArthur Bridge and Quezon Bridge. Did you know that the person who designed the Quezon Bridge and Eifel Tower were the same? It was Gustav Eifel. The crew and staff also let us experience the river in the outside balcony of the ferry to take pictures and appreciate it even more as we approach the Escolta Station in Binondo and tour the area.

Polland Hopia Factory.
Sta. Cruz Church.
The inside of Crown Prince Seafood Restaurant in Escolta.
Some of the foods served in Crown Prince Seafood Restaurant. The soup and the chicken dish were not included because I have no decent picture of the two.

Mr. Robert Yupangco, CEO of Yupangco Group with the cruise staff and crew ended the night in closing remarks.
Upon arriving at Polland Hopia Factory, a very good delicacy store in Escolta, many of the tour participants fell in line to buy Chinese and Filipino food delicacies specially their many flavored hopia. We then headed to the beautiful and classy Sta. Cruz church to have brief prayers and respect. I was indeed awed by the classic buildings in Escolta, the architectural designs were timeless with the knowledge that this district was once the center of economy and trade in the country. To top it all, dinner was served at Crown Prince Seafood Restaurant with authentic and delicious Chinese Cuisine from appetizers to desserts.


Heading back to the ferry with smiling faces, we received an extended ice cream dessert followed by a trivia contest. Prizes were given to those who can answer the trivia questions correctly. Engineer Ed gave another speech about more learning of how important is the role of Pasig River not just in the environment but for the country’s economy and tourism. Zooper Cruise is a way to educate the students as well as every one of us of to be aware and help conserve the Pasig River and its huge contribution to Philippine history. Grateful guests gave donations with a happy heart.

Some of those notable guests were former secretary of Tourism, Mr. Vince Carlos and Presidential Appointee (Board of Directors) Mr. Ed Santos. The last remarks were given by Mr. Robert Yupangco himself thanking everyone with encouragement to support Zooper Cruise for the Pasig River. Along with Engineer Ed and the crew volunteers, the night ended in good spirits in everyone.

Attending such event served as an eye opener for us to value mother nature, to conserve and try to revive the treasure we once had as well as to appreciate the history behind. This cruise is recommended for the youth to engage in to develop their awareness of the advocacies.

I would like to thank Zoomanity Group and Tag Media for the amazing experience. For more details and inquiries, you can contact Tag Media, the public relations of Zoomanity Group at (02) 899-9819/ 899-9824/0917-9521371 or at their website  www.zoomanity.com.ph. For events and services, send inquiry to Ms. Grace Nicolas through her E-Mail: grace@tagmedia.asia or call 09166299381.