Three landmark documents for gender-fair, sensitive portrayal in mass media launched

The Media and Gender Equality Committee (MGEC), chaired by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) launched on March 22 at the National Telecommunications Office, the three document-outputs, landmarks toward gender-fair mass media.

The three documents are: the Gender Equality Guidelines, Guidelines to Protect Women against Discrimination in Media and Film, and Code of Ethics for Media formulated by the MGEC to achieve gender-fair and sensitive portrayal in mass media and art productions.

This was gathered during the local validation of the Women’s Economic, Development, and Gender Equality Plan or Women’s EDGE Plan for 2013-2016 led by the Philippine Commission on Women.

The Gender Equality Guidelines is also applicable to schools of journalism, communication and information to help prepare students become gender sensitive.

On the issue of media’s self-regulation, the Code of Ethics for Media is offered as a “guide” which media organizations can use in reviewing existing policies and Code of Ethics.

The Guidelines to Protect Women against Discrimination in Media and Film contains provisions that promote the dignity of women and their roles and contributions in the family, community and society.

Those who attended the launching were the PCOO, its attached agencies, Philippine Commission on Women, NTC, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Women Feature Service, Optical Media Board, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, Film Development Council of the Philippines, Film Academy of the Philippines, and National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

The Magna Carta of Women requires the state to formulate policies and programs for the advancement of women in collaboration with the government and non-government media-related organizations. The law also requires government to raise the consciousness of the general public in recognizing the dignity of women in the family, community, and the society through the strategic use of mass media.

Moreover, the Magna Carta of Women encourages government to ensure allocation of space, airtime, and resources, strengthen programming, production and image-making that appropriately presents women needs, issues, and concerns in all forms of media, communication, information dissemination, and advertising.

The law also requires all media organizations and corporations to integrate into their human resource development components regular on gender equality and gender-based discrimination; create and use gender equality guidelines in all aspects of management, training, production, information, dissemination, communication and programming; and convene a gender equality committee that will promote gender mainstreaming as a framework and affirmative action as a strategy, and monitor and evaluate the implementation of gender equality guidelines.

Environment Dept partners with academe to protect ecologically rich islets in Guiuan

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Eastern Samar State University have inked a memorandum of agreement in a bid to protect and develop the ecologically rich Monbon and Batan Islets in Barangay Bungtod, Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

In a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed last March 18, the DENR grants rights to ESSU for the special use of the 21.8 hectares Monbon/Batan Islets and pursue the implementation of activities related to sustainable management of coastal and marine resources in said islets.

The MOA provides that the management of the said islets shall now be jointly undertaken by the two parties, DENR Regional Executive Director Manolito Ragub informed.

Monbon/Batan Islets forms part of the total 60,448 hectares Guiuan Marine Reserve Protected Landscape and Seascape (GMRPLS), a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992 or Republic Act No.7586.

Under the agreement, the ESSU represented by its Administrator, Andres Pagatpatan, Jr., adhere to prescribed environmental protection measures as it makes use of the Monbon/Batan Islets and its vicinities.

Sustainable activities to be pursued include among others: resource and habitat conservation, protection, rehabilitation, and introduction of ecotourism projects for educational and research purposes.

On the other hand, the DENR through its Regional Executive Director Manolito Ragub, shall delineate and demarcate the exact boundaries of the islets and provide ESSU the map of the area which could be used in planning and implementing project activities.

Being inside the GMRPLS, the activities of ESSU in the Monbon/Batan islets shall be duly indorsed by the GMRPLS Protected Area Management Board, the governing Board of GMRPLS which has a multi- sectoral membership, RED Ragub said.

GMRPLS PAMB endorsed the approval and issuance of a Special Use Agreement within Protected Area (SAPA) per PAMB resolution No. 004 dated October 2009.

However, meantime that the SAPA issuance is still suspended, operation of the ESSU is legally based on the Special Land Use Permit, this MOA, and the provisions in the Local Government Code of 1991, Ragub added.

The DENR Director said the agreement shall cover a period of three years renewable for another three years, until a SAPA is in place.

ESSU is a duly recognized government academic institution mandated by law to provide quality advanced education, research and extension services particularly in the province of Eastern Samar where Monbon/Batan Islets are located.

The DENR recognizes the need to involve various stakeholders such as ESSU and other agencies particularly the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, non-government organizations in the management and protection of areas like Monbon/Batan Islets, Ragub said.

East Visayas women occupy only 1/4 of electoral posts

The results of the last National and Local Elections conducted in May 2010 showed that women occupy only 25.4% or one-fourth of electoral positions in Eastern Visayas region.

The National Statistical Coordination Board in Region 8 said that men dominated all electoral positions at 74.6%, but largely the congressional, gubernatorial and vice-gubernatorial positions at 83.3%.

On the other hand, a considerable proportion vice mayors are women at 27.3%, mayors, 25.9% and board members, 23.2% of local legislative bodies.

According to NSCB, in the 2010 elections, only 21.4 percent of those elected to government positions in the country, were women.

In the Philippine Senate, in the outgoing 15th Congress, out of 24 senators only three are women.

The Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of promoting gender equality and empowering women, which targets 50.0% of electoral positions to be held by women by 2015, is still far from being achieved.

However, although only a quarter of electoral seats are occupied by Eastern Visayas women, they are in equal footing with men in terms of exercising their rights to suffrage.

Based on the data of the Commission on Elections, voters’ turnout among women (80.8%) was slightly higher than among men (80.0%). Women posted higher voters’ turnout than their male counterpart in all provinces, except in Southern Leyte.

"Pamalandong," Palo, Leyte's Holy Week traditions

All roads lead to Palo, Leyte which is about 7 kilometers from Tacloban City, on Good Friday as the faithful from all over Eastern Visayas flock there for the observance of Holy Week traditions that have been kept alive all through the years.

 

Aptly, Palo was declared in the Diocesan Synod of 1910 as a center of faith and religiosity in Eastern Visayas.

At center of the activities is the Archdiocese of Palo under the pastorship of Archbishop John Du and the parish priest of the Lord’s Transfiguration Parish Monsignor Bernardo Pantin, with full support from the Municipal Government of Palo under the leadership of Mayor Remedios Loretto Petilla. 

The Holy Week tradition starts with the Palm Sunday rites held at the Lourdes Grotto at the Church’s patio with a vantage view as it is facing the highway.

On Holy Thursday, the priests of each vicariate gather with the Archbishop to consecrate holy oils, which are used throughout the year for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. This ancient practice, which goes back to the fifth century, is known as the Chrism Mass and stresses the role of the bishop as a successor to the apostles. "Chrism" is a mixture of oil and balsam used for the holy oils.

It is during this time when all the priests under the Archdiocese renew their vow in the presence of Archbishop Du.

At 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, “The Last Supper” is observed in the cathedral with Archbishop Du leading the activity.

The Pamalandong or meditation on Good Friday is the highlight of the Palo Lenten traditions. So grand the Pamalandong has become that several Palo roads have to be closed and traffic has to be rerouted.

Pamalandong because of its significance and crowd-drawing potentials has been adopted as the first part of the 4Ps Tourism Promotion program of the municipal government under the present administration of Mayor Remedios Petilla; the other Ps being “Patron ha Palo” (Fiesta in Palo), “Pagbalik ha Palo” (Leyte Gulf Landing Commemoration) and “Pasko ha Palo.”

Pamalandong is a re-enactment of the Lord´s Passion celebrated in Palo. It consists of religious rituals which start at 12:00 at noon at the Lourdes Grotto at the grounds of the Palo Cathedral. 

The Good Friday rites include "The seven Last Words" as explained by the best priests in the Archdiocese, during which, the Passion of Christ is re-enacted by participants in full regalia who underwent recollection to spiritually prepare them for the role they would be playing.  

“Providing spiritual assistance to those who are participating in the re-enactment is important because the role the actors will be doing is part of a spiritual activity,” Msgr. Pantin stressed.

Oldest of Palo’s Holy Week traditions is the Penitentes, a penitential fraternity of cassocked, barefoot, and hooded members organized by Fray Pantaleon de le Fuente, OFM in 1984 supposedly to replace the flagellants, fanatics who whipped themselves or have themselves whipped to atone for wrong doings, whose cult of fanatics was gaining momentum among the faithful.

It is popularly known among the locals as “tais-dupol,” as those penitents who wear “tais” or pointed hoods are married men and “dupol” for single men.

With the seventh last word uttered and the death of Christ depicted and brought down from the cross, a procession that includes all the biblical characters of the Passion play starts.

A quaint Good Friday local custom is the gathering of the leaves from the mock-forest where the three crosses stand, by the people who believe that the same would bring luck, cure illness and other attributes.

With their faith rekindled and their thirsty souls quenched, the pious go home ready once more to face trials and tribulations.

New ordinance calls for responsible dog-ownership for rabies-free Leyte

The members of the Leyte Provincial Board recently passed an ordinance that calls for the promotion of responsible dog-ownership for the control and elimination of rabies in the province.

 

The passage of the ordinance authored by First District of Leyte Board Member Ryan Lawrence Tiu is in time with the observance of Rabies Awareness and Control Month in March and is in accordance with the Philippine Rabies Control Program vision to declare the Philippines rabies-free by the year 2020.  

The ordinance, “Responsible dog and feline ownership and rabies control and elimination ordinance of Leyte” is the third ordinance authored by BM Tiu that was approved by members of the provincial board since he took over the post vacated by the untimely demise of his father BM Atty. Roque Tiu, last August, 2012.

The First District Board Member said that the ordinance seeks to promote humane treatment of dogs and felines which will redound to the control and elimination of rabies in the province of Leyte.

Calling for responsible pet ownership, the ordinance  provides that owners should have their pets vaccinated against rabies  and must maintain registration card which contains necessary information related to the vaccinations conducted for accurate record, and see to it that pets always have proper veterinary care.

The ordinance also seeks for the establishment and maintenance of veterinarian-client patient relationship; provide preventive and therapeutic health care for the dogs or cats under their care in consultation.

Owners are also ordered to observe proper waste disposal of pets’ waste, noise control, not allowing their pets to go astray and provide exercise and mental stimulation appropriate to the pets depending on their age, breed and health status.

BM Tiu said that if owners can no longer provide care to their pets, they can turn them over to a public or private animal care facility; have their pets be adopted by a qualified adopting owner or entrust their pets to a veterinarian willing to provide alternative care or to existing animal welfare and protection group.

The ordinance also mandates local government units to strictly enforce impounding activities to eliminate stray dogs, allocate funds to augment the implementation of the national rabies prevention and control program and ensure that Republic Act 8484 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 is properly implemented.

Electrocution and other brutal force or inhumane means of killing pets are also prohibited by the Ordinance.

Those who would violate the ordinance could be penalized with P500 up to P3,500 and six month imprisonment, depending on the discretion of the court.

Strict implementation of the ordinance will fast-track the attainment of Leyte as a rabies-free province, BM Tiu said. 

Rejuvenating old trees through tree surgery

Pedestrians couldn’t help but notice the new young look of the old and mature native trees at the Regional Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources along Santo Niño Extension in Tacloban City.

Old trees can be rejuvenated or rehabilitated. This is the answer given to satisfy the curious minds. Several staff revealed that tree rehabilitation which includes activities like tree surgery, sanitation cutting, pruning and cleaning has been conducted from January to February of this year.
 

Taking good care of trees is a must. If the owner does not properly care for the trees, the results are large ungainly giants that are completely out of control and are an unsightly mess. 

In many cases, these old trees can be brought back to a more manageable state. The primary means of renovating older trees is through judicious and properly selected pruning cuts.

Forester Carlito Buante, OIC Chief  of the Environmental  Research and Conservation  Division (ERCD) is the study leader of the research project on tree rehabilitation strategies being implemented by the Ecosystems Research and Development Service (ERDS) of the DENR in Region 8. 

To give them a young look, old and mature native trees were rehabilitated by pruning the rotten parts of branches and trunks infected with fungi; the decayed portions were cleaned out and chlorox, coal tar and fungicide were applied, Forester Bulante said.

Among the trees treated were agoho (Casuarina equisetifolia),  kamagong (Diospyrus philippinensis),  narra (Pterocarpus indicus), molave (Vitex parviflora), and other mature trees with their canopies shielding the streets,  causing hazard to big trucks plying the street,  and tangling up the electric and telephone cables.

Pruning operations were done by the personnel of the DENR Region 8 and treatments were made to remove the rotten parts of the branches and trunks that were infested with certain species of fungi, Forester Buante disclosed.

After cleaning out the decayed portions, chemicals like chlorox, coal tar and fungicide were applied to preserve the native trees and make them live longer, he added.   This will make pedestrians safe from the danger of falling twigs and other debris.

People in Eastern Visayas will see more tree rejuvenation activities as the group of Forester Butante has also slated for the application of tree rehabilitation activities are those along Magsaysay Boulevard and Benigno Aquino Avenue in Tacloban City, MacArthur Park and the Leyte Landing site in Candahug, Palo, Leyte.

Other places in Eastern Visayas like Samar are also targeted as sites of tree surgery operations of the ERDS.

 

This activity of the DENR is in line with the goal of averting disaster and fostering disaster-preparedness during natural calamities caused by the changing climate,  a worldwide phenomenon that causes sea levels to rise,  small islands to disappear,  landslides, flashfloods and tsunamis to occur, thereby  endangering   human lives and properties.

Under the National Greening Program (NGP), forests are rehabilitated, indigenous forest tree species and fruit trees are planted in open spaces and most of the upland areas, and old trees are saved to ensure that the life support systems that fed, clothe, shield and shelter people will continue to sustain the present and future generations, Forester Butane said.

The NGP goals include making the wood-based economy stronger and more competitive in the world market. 

The technologies that make this possible like tree surgery and the application of mycorrhiza and organic fertilizers on seedlings and plants are all being encouraged by scientists and researchers alike. 

Farmers and farming communities are encouraged to plant more trees to attain the target of 1.5 billion trees planted until 2016 to help promote green economy. (PIA 8)

PBA legends searh for next generation of basketball stars

Former PBA players Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc will be in Brgy. 95A Caibaan, Tacloban City to conduct a basketball training camp at the Court of Inspiration on March 23, 2013. 

With him are Jojo Lastimosa, Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera and Johnny Abarrientos. 

The group of retired hardcourt legends has been revisiting various Visayas and Mindanao provinces to hold the Galing Mo Camp as part of Alaxan FR's advocacy to foster the value of hard work and dedication through sports.

Five aspiring basketball players will be chosen as official representatives for each camp. They stand a chance of winning prizes for themselves and their communities, as they train under PBA Legends in the Galing Mo National Camp that will be held in Manila in April.

The program is open to all aspiring basketball players aged 16-21 years old. Registration is open on March 22, Friday from 8AM-5PM at the Court of Inspiration in Brgy. 95A Caibaan, Tacloban.

REAL’s congress focuses on women’s leadership towards the straight path

The Region Eight Administrators League will hold its 1st Quarter General Assembly and Leadership Seminar on March 21 at Matapat Hall, PNP Headquarters at Camp Ruperto Kangleon, Campetic, Palo, Leyte.

The activity coincides with this year’s Women’s Month Celebration and adopts its theme “Kababaihan: Gabay sa Pagtahak sa Tuwid na Daan” to give the Filipino women due respect and recognition in helping the P-Noy administration tread the path towards transparent, accountable and inclusive government.

REAL has invited Msgr. Ramon Aguilos to talk on the topic How Women in Government Could Become Guides towards the Straight Path.

The activity aims to enhance the participants' knowledge and insights to become better leaders and public servants. They are also expected to share best practices with the other members and contribute to group and roundtable discussions.

The REAL member-attendees will also earn CESO training points, Director Imelda Laceras of the Department of Budget and Management, who is the REAL president informed.

This is very timely as we are currently in the Season of Lent and are celebrating the whole month of March as Women's Month.

For more information regarding the conduct of the activity, interested individuals may contact the REAL Secretariat Head, Ms. Aleli N. Hernandez at telephone numbers 523-1162/523-1523.

Gearing up for the 492nd anniversary of 1st mass in the Philippines at Limasawa

Preparations are being made for the commemoration of the 492nd Anniversary of the First Mass in the Philippines in the island town of Limasawa, Southern Leyte on March 31, 2013.
History books have it that on a Saturday, March 16, 1521, the ship of Portuguese circumnavigator Ferdinand Magellan,reached Homonhon, Eastern Samar. “The natives seemed to be friendly. Unlike other people who were fearful of white men, the Visayans approached them on their own accord.”
“The natives took their leave and came back with provisions which the Spaniards purchased.”
“After the encounter, Magellan sailed to another island – Limasawa. Through an interpreter, Magellan made known his intention. The Spaniards were welcomed by Rajah Awi, chief of the island. On the island of Limasawa, on March 31, 1521, the first mass was celebrated on Philippine soil.”
“After the mass, from Limasawa the Spaniards sailed to the harbor of Cebu. They were accompanied by Rajah Awi.”
This same story is the storyline of the Sinugdan Festival in Limasawa, which will be presented as soon as the image of Santo Niño de Cebu arrives from Cebu.
The activity, which is a joint undertaking of Southern Leyte and the diocese of Maasin, falls on an Easter Sunday just like 492 years ago, thus, more guest and believers are expected to take part in the celebration, Nedgar Garvez, province officer of Southern Leyte, said.
Both Governor Damian Mercado and Bishop Precioso Cantilla chose to adapt the theme, “Duaw Sto. Niño sa Limasawa: Ang Sinugdan sa Kristiyanismo,” Garvez said.
“We are promoting the importance of the observance of the First Mass in Limasawa especially to the younger generation, the tourism officer said.
For the second year, the Santo Niño de Cebu will make its historic return to the island where Fr. Pedro Valderrama officiated the First Mass.
The Santo Niño de Cebu is said to be the same image given by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana, the wife of King Humabon during his baptism on April 14, 1521 in Cebu City.
The Santo Niño de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation Inc., under the leadership of Augustinian priest Fr.Tito Soquiño, the caretaker of the Holy Image kept in the parish convent of the Santo Niño Basilica, Cebu City.
The image will board the Philippine Navy ship in Cebu City and is expected to arrive at 7 a.m. of Easter Sunday in Barangay Triana, Limasawa. Augustinian priests, and religious and civic groups from Cebu will join the journey.
Meanwhile, the faithful from Maasin diocese will join the fluvial procession going to Limasawa, will depart Maasin port at 5 a.m. and will arrive Triana port at 7 a.m.
From Triana, A foot procession will be conducted towards Barangay Magallanes, the site of the First Mass that marked the first Catholicism of the Philippines.
A festive welcome awaits the Santo Niño and guests. The Sinugdan Festival contingent will perform and a six-gun salute will signal the start of the holy mass to be celebrated by Bishop Precioso Cantillas of the diocese of Maasin.
The commemorative program will follow after the mass with Department of Energy Secretary Jericho “Icot” Petilla as guest speaker.
The Santo Niño de Cebu will be brought to Maasin at 1 p.m. The naval ship will be accompanied by the Maasin delegation in a fluvial parade, Nervez said.
In Maasin City, there will be a procession with the Santo Nino image as the main feature up to the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral.
On April 1, a Holy Mass will be conducted in the different vicariates of the diocese of Maasin. At 5 p.m. a Pontifical Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Cantillas. The image of the Santo Niño and the Cebu delegation will leave for Cebu at 9 p.m.

Commemorating the 492nd anniversary of Magellan Landing at Homonhon

With a two-storey galleon-like structure and the Magellan Cross as the backdrop, the town of Guiuan, Eastern Samar recently commemorated the 492nd celebration of the landing of Portuguese circumnavigator Ferdinand Magellan on Homonhon Island on March 16, 1521 which led to the discovery of the Philippines.

Mayor Annaliz Gonzales-Kwan said the celebration was highlighted by a commemorative mass at Sitio Cantilado in Barangay Pagbabangnan with Eastern Samar Gov. Conrado Nicart, Jr., Vice Gov. Christopher Sheen Gonzales, and local government officials of Guiuan in attendance.

Cultural presentations that followed shortly after the Mass, was participated in by Homonhon’s eight barangays, including Suluan and Manicani Islands, and the performing groups from DepEd-Guiuan south district, Mayor Kwan informed.

A re-enactment of the historic landing was also held at Sitio Cantilado.

It was on this Island where Magellan leading a Spanish fleet landed in March 16, 1521. Chronicles had it that Magellan was surprised to be welcomed by the Sultan of Guian, Samar. He was offered fruits, fish, and meat by ancestors who were civilized, wealthy, cultured, and with a society that grew independent of external influence. They lived off a productive land that had offered them an abundance of fruits and game. The westerners were welcomed with joy as an equal, as a friend, Mayor Kwan narrated.

Mayor Kwan said a weeklong trade fair which started on March 13 was also part of the activities. The Trade Fair, a presentation of local products, was intended to attract buyers and investors. It also aimed to focus Homonhon Island as a tourism destination in the country, Mayor Kwan who has been advocating development capitalizing on the tourism potentials of Guiuan, said.

“We have been promoting Guiuan and surrounding islands as prime tourist destination since 2004. Right now our efforts are paying off as more tourists are coming to our place,” Mayor Kwan said.

The provincial government of Eastern Samar under the leadership of Governor Nicart has constructed the two-storey building galleon-like structure which has a museum, four rooms where visitors could rest, a living room area, guest room and a bar-like facility.

With the facility complete with water supply and electricity, important guests were able to use the facility this year.

Aside from the historic Magellan landing, Guiuan town is endowed with many historical and natural attractions.

The town also hosted the US’ largest naval base in the Pacific during World War II and serves as jump-off point to Calicoan Island, a surfing destination.

Philippine Eagle abounds in rich forests of Taft. Eastern Samar

The ecologically important bird species, the Philippine Eagle with the scientific name of Pithecophaga Jefferyi naturally inhabits the rich forests of Samar.

The recent citing of the Philippine Eagle at the Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary confirmed this, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Executive Director Manolito Ragub said.

“The sighting of the Philippine Eagle is something which the people of Eastern Visayas must be proud of,” Ragub said. "It is in this part of the country where this important bird species naturally abound," he added.

He said that the presence of the Philippine Eagle is an indicator that there is still an ecologically-balanced forest in Samar.

He added that while the government is spending so much money just to propagate this species in captive breeding like what is being done by the Philippine Eagle Foundation Center in Davao, Eastern Visayas has its own naturally breeding Eagles in the forests of Samar.

The Taft Forest Wildlife¸ the Philippine Eagle¸ was sighted on March 10, in the forests of San Rafael, Taft, Eastern Samar which is part of the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, Samar Island Natural Park Protected Area Superintendent Angelito Villanueva informed RED Ragub in a report.

The Philippine Eagle was sighted by Ms. Ruth Francisco, a member of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines in the course of her bird watching activity. Together with Ms. Francisco was Mr. Joselito Sierra, a local tour guide of the SINP.

Ms. Francisco who has been conducting birding activities for two years already, has been to different forested areas in the country like the Mt. Kitanglad in Bukidnon.

Francisco said that she usually sees wild birds in flight and the Philippine Eagle in captivity.

At the Taft Philippine Eagle Sanctuary, however, she actually sighted a Philippine Eagle in the wild just about 100 meters away from her standpoint.

Ms. Francisco was on her second visit to the SINP to look for the Mindanao Bleeding Heart, a species of bird in the pigeon and dove family (Columbidae) so named because of a red blotch on its breast, which is endemic to the Philippines.

At 7:55 a.m. of March 10, while hiking amidst the forest on a cloudy with occasional rains morning, we heard the call of a Rufus Hornbill, Ms. Francisco excitedly shared to DENR Region 8 Regional Public Affairs Officer Purificacion Daloos.

“Expecting that the Mindanao Bleeding Heart will follow, I positioned my camera and was excited to see a raptor… the Philippine Eagle,” Ms. Francisco narrated.

“The Philippine Eagle was preening while perching for about five minutes, on a leafless tree on top of a cliff. It stayed there until three Rufus Hornbills flew in and perched on a nearby tree. Disturbed by the noise of the Hornbills, the Philippine Eagle flew away,” Ms. Francisco recounted.

She added that other birds seen in the thickly forested area with surrounding perching trees were two Samar Hornbill, two Yellowish Bulbul, one Amethyst Brown Dove, four Red¬-keeled Flowerpecker, four Orange-bellied Flowerpecker, two Philippine Bulbul, and one Sunpride Species.

RED Ragub said the sighting of the Philippine Eagle is not only a moment of pride and rejoicing, but more so, a challenge and reminder to every Filipino especially the people of Samar to help protect the remaining forest of Samar.

The continued existence of the Philippine Eagle and other wildlife species depends on the condition of the forest, their habitat, RED Ragub said.

The Philippine Eagle was first sighted in Paranas, Samar on June 15, 1896 by a British collector John Whitehead. The various sightings of the Philippine Eagle in the forests of Samar prompted then President Joseph Estrada to declare on July 31, 1999, the 3,720 hectares of the said forests as Taft Forest Wildlife (Philippine Eagle) Sanctuary through Presidential Proclamation No. 155.

Preventing iron deficiency among pregnant women, babies

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte -- Four out of 10 pregnant Filipino women are suffering from iron deficiency anemia (IDA), the result of the National Nutrition Survey (NNS) by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), shows. Based on the criteria set by the World Health Organization (WHO), the prevalence of IDA among pregnant women in the Philippines is of significant public health problem, said Czarina Teresita S. Martinez of the FNRI-DOST. According to the FNRI-DOST, the best method of combating iron deficiency in pregnancy is to promote high intakes of available iron by women of reproductive age so that she enters pregnancy with adequate iron stored. The FNRI-DOST said that iron is present in both animal and plant origins. Liver and glanular organs are the richest sources of iron while meat, fish and poultry are the other good animal sources of iron. Iron-rich plant foods are the legumes family, green leafy vegetables such as gamet (seaweeds), kulitis (spineless amaranth), dahon ng malunggay (horse raddish leaves), kangkong (swamp cabbage), dahon ng gabi (taro leaves), dahon ng kinchay (Chinese celery leaves) , dahon ng saluyot (jute leaves), talbos ng kamote (sweet potato leaves), and some dried fruits like prunes. IDA could also be avoided by consuming foods that may help in increase iron absorption and metabolism like vitamin A, Vitamin C, and riboflavin that are abundant in fruits and vegetables. The Department of Health (DOH) is advocating the consumption of foods with the Sangkap Pinoy Seal; this includes iron fortified foods. The FNRI-DOST develops fortified food products including iron fortified foods that will help increase the consumption of iron. Martinez quoted Dr. Helen A. Guthrie, Professor of Nutrition at the Pennsylvania State University, who said that a woman who has been well-nourished prior to conception enters pregnancy with a reserve of several nutrients that can meet the needs of the growing fetus without jeopardizing her health. During pregnancy, the body conserves iron since menstruation ceases and iron absorption increases three folds. The blood protein responsible for iron absorption likewise increases. However, iron stores may decrease during pregnancy because iron needs also increase. On the last trimester of pregnancy, much of the available iron and maternal iron stores are taken up by the fetus to create its own iron stores for the first three to six months of life.