Feeding their mind and also their eyes, 50 junior students of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Bulacan State University took the rare chance of visiting Angat Dam, October 1.
With the supervision of the professors Philippine Daily Inquirer’s Bulacan correspondent Carmela Reyes-Estrope and Philippine Star’s Dino Balabo, everyone met in front of the Provincial Capitol and started their itineraries.
At 8 ‘o clock, the group is already heading to their first and main stop, Angat Dam. Arriving at the site, the class was given a lecture by Engineer Saturnino Espiritu of Angat Hydroelectric Power Plant. The lecture was composed of series of videos showing how the power plant is working. After the lecture, everyone is given a chance to ask inquiries.
After the lecture, the class took a break and ate lunch at the View Deck, giving them a clear view of the dam as they feast on their lunch. The students also enjoyed taking pictures of the great view.
Next stop is visiting the Dumagats who are residing right beside the dam itself. The class took another half an hour trip to the heart of Angat Dam. They also brought gifts and donations to the ethnic group.
At around 3 ‘o clock in the afternoon, the class left Angat Dam and headed to their last stop, Bustos Dam. But some lucky students were given a chance to stop at Ipo Dam to take a view. At Bustos Dam they witnessed how the ‘Asia’s Longest Rubber Dam’ work and also given a lecture by Engr. Precioso Donato Punzalan.
“This is a lucky batch; they can be the last batch to visit Angat Dam, dahil nga sa pagpasok ng mga Koreans. Ngayon pa lang, ang dami nang mga requirements dahil sa transition na ginagawa,” said Balabo.
This is the third time Journalism majors took a trip to visit Bulacan dams.
Showing posts with label journalism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label journalism. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
[NEWS]Amidst illegal logging activities in Sierra Madre… Dumagats continues to live harmoniously with nature
Months after authorities trooped to Norzagaray to cop illegal timber poachers, a class of Journalism students visited the Dumagats and discover their lifestyle in times of environmental destruction.
Last July, a task force made by provincial government under Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office(BENRO) consists of National Power Corporation(NAPOCOR), Angat Watershed Area Team(AWAT), Sagip Sierra Madre Environmental Society, the army and Philippine National Police headed to Sitio Ipo Brgy. to arrest timber poachers in the area.
The team successfully retrieved 3,857 tablon, but failed to arrest anyone.
But inspite of illegal activities at Sierra Madre, the Dumagats are still living within the area and refuse to live in more urban part of Bulacan.
“Matagal na kami dito, kaya ayaw na naming umalis. Mas sanay kaming mabuhay dito,” said a Dumagat.
Food other necessities were sometimes donated by visitors, but most of the time, they have to go in towns to buy their needs.
“May kinabubuhay naman kami dito, nagtataga kami ng mga kahoy tapos binebenta naming sa patag,” the Dumagat woman furthered.
While Dumagat’s livelihood came from legal way, timber poaching activities are still uncontrollable in Sierra Madre.
“Yong kasing batas natin ngayon masyadong mahina, masyadong mababa ang parusa, kaya kami sinusulong naming sa kongreso ‘yong tinatawag na FRB, o Forest Recovery Bill, hopefuly maraming congressman ang sumoporta,” Bro.Francisco said.
The bill strengthens the parameters of what is legal logging and what is illegal. More prime species will be protected by the bill and the task force is hoping the national government will support it.
It took days before the operation was made due to careful planning and avoidance of leakage. Still, the suspects managed to escape leaving prime species of woods behind.
“Ang illegal activity do’n talagang nando’n dahil sa presence ng illegal occupants, dito ang ginagawa nila, nagnanakaw sila ng kahoy, pero sa batas, illegal logging ‘yong ginagawa nila,” said Mendel Garcia of AWAT.
Garcia also said he is promoting to strengthen laws against illegal logging.
“Yong kasing batas natin ngayon masyadong mahina, masyadong mababa ang parusa, kaya kami sinusulong naming sa kongreso ‘yong tinatawag na FRB, o Forest Recovery Bill, hopefuly maraming congressman ang sumoporta,” Bro. Martin Francisco of AWAT said.
The bill strengthens the parameters of what is legal logging and what is illegal. More prime species will be protected by the bill and the task force is hoping the national government will support it.
Monday, January 13, 2014
[NEWS]Sa gitna ng panganib ng 7.2 magnitude na lindol.. 7 sa bawat 10 Bulakenyo, pabor sa Dam Break Drill
Tinatayang umabot ng 12,000 ang lumahok sa nasabing aksyon ng Provincial Government of Bulacan sa tulong na rin ng iba’t ibang ahensya nito at apat sa mga pangunahing unibersidad ng lalawigan; Bulacan State University, Bulacan Polytechnic College, La Consolacion University- Philippines at Centro Escolar University.
Nagdulot naman ito ng iba’t ibang reaksyon mula sa mga Bulakenyo.
Para kay Ernesto Villafuerte, Education major mula sa BulSU, ang nasabing drill ay makakatulong sa lalawigan para maging handa sa maaring maging sakuna ng pagkawasak ng dam.
“Sa pananaw ko bilang isang mag-aaral, ang pagsasagawa ng ganitong drill ay nagpapatunay lamang na tayo ay dapat na mamulat na mula sa mga naranasan natin mga kalamidad sa ating bansa na nagdulot ng maraming pinsala.” anito.
Ganito rin ang saloobin ni Katrina Bautista mula sa Tikay, Malolos Bulacan.
“Nabigyan ng impormasyon ung mga bata tungkol dun sa danger ng Angat Dam if ever nga na masira ‘yon, sa ginawa nilang drill alam na ng karamihan kung paano ang gagawin, hindi ‘yong mamamatay nalang tayo ng walang ginawa,” ani Bautista.
Sa kabila nito, may ilang mga residente na nagsasabing hindi sapat ang drill para mailayo sa tiyak na kapahamakan ang humigit kumulang tatlong milyong Bulakenyo.
“Kasi if ever man na mabibiyak o masisira ang dam for sure kahit may time differential ang pag agos nun dito sa atin, hind nadin ako mag lalakad o tatakbo hahanap nalang ako ng building katulad sa school,” ani Andrew Estrella, IT Major ng BulSU.
Sinang ayunan naman ito ni Heidi Toledo, isang ina mula sa sa Guiguinto. Anito, mas kailangan ng Angat Dam ng pagsasaaayos at pagpapatibay pa kasabay ng paghahanda sa mga tao.
“Mahirap kasi na hinahanda mo ‘yong mga tao pero wala kang aksyon sa dam mismo. Pwede naman siguro na habang tinuturuan mo ang mga tao sa dapat gawin, kinukumpuni rin nila ‘yong Angat [Dam], mahalaga ‘yon, mas tumataas ‘yong chance na makaligtas tayo, kapag drill lang kasi, para kasing naghihintay lang tayo ng pagkamatay natin,” ani Toledo.
Ang kinatatakutan
Parte ang nasabing drill sa paghahandang isinasagawa ng Provincial Government of Bulacan simula nang kumpirmahin ni Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Director Ronato Solidum ang maaaring pagyanig na magaganap sa nalalapit na panahon.
Ayon kay Solidum, isang 7.2 magnitude na lindol ang inaasahang maganap malapit sa Marikina West Valley Fault na nananalaytay hanggang sa isang parte ng Angat Dam. Dahil dito, noong 2009, agad na humingi ng tulong ang noo’y kinatawan na si Governor Willy-Alvarado sa National Government para sa isang agarang aksyon.
““The danger of movement of soil is near within a period of three years, but 2009 nang ako’y magdeliver ng privilege speech, it was already four years ago, hinog na hinog na,” ani Alvarado.
Sinasabing kapag nangyari ang pagkawasak ng dam dulot ng lindol, lulubog ang malaking bahagi lalawigan at ilang kalapit na probinsya.
“Ayon sa pag-aaral, ang ating Dam which is carrying 815 million metric tons of water, ay magdadala ng 30 metrong lalim ng tubig sa lalawigan ng Bulacan, Pampanga at Metro Manila,” dagdag ng Gobernador.
Naudlot na pagsasalba
Matapos ang privilege speech ng gobernador noong 2009, naglabas ng budget si Pangulong Noynoy Aquino noong nakaraang taon na nagkakahalaga ng 5.7 billion pesos para kumpunihin ang dam at patibayin ito. Ngunit ayon kay Alvardo, ni isang kusing ay wala pa ring nagagastos para sa nasabing proyekto.
“Dinedebate pa nila hanggang ngayon kung sino ba ang magpapagawa, ang national government ba o ang K-Water na Koreano, hindi tayo pagmamalasakitan ng mga Koreano, nandito lamang sila para magnegosyo,” hinaing ng gobernador.
Sinabi pa nito na mas makakabuti kung habang maaga pa ay masagawa na ang pagsasaayos sa dam dahil mayroon namang pondo para dito at nang sa gayon ay mapayapa na ang kalooban ng mga Bulakenyo. Sa privilege speech nito noong 2009, naglabas din ng sama ng loob ang gobernador sa hindi pakikialam ng Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) ukol sa tunay na estado ng dam kahit pa 90% ng tubig na kinokonsumo ng Maynila ay galing sa Angat Dam.
“At ngayon, sa halip na pagtuunan ng pansin ang bagay na ito at paglaanan ng pondo ang pagkukumpuni at restorasyon ng Angat Dam upang mailigtas ang libu-libong mga naninirahan sa lalawigan mula sa kapahamakan, ay pagtatayo ng isang bagong Dam ang kanilang inaatupag at pingkakaabalahan. At ang kanilang ikinababahala ay ang inumin ng mga taga-Metro Manila sa 2015!” anito.
Nagbigay naman ng grade na 9 out of 10 ang Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region III Director Josefina Timoteo sa ginanap na drill.
“Ganito rin po sana ang maging tugon ninyo sa aktuwal [na Dam Break] upang maiwasan ang pagkakitil ng buhay,” anito.
[NEWS]In spite of the issue of being ineffective… APO runs for the 8th time castigating PDAF scam
Carrying the theme of ‘Sino ang dapat makinabang, Nawawalang kaban ng bayan?’, a total of 30 members of the fraternity participated in the event, urging the students and BulSU community to keep their eyes on the issues of PDAF scam amidst national calamity brought by Typhoon Yolanda.
"Yong pinaglalaban natin ngayon or 'yong gusto naming i-address ngayon ay 'yong issue sa PDAF. Kasi alam naman natin na nagkaro'n tayo ng mga kalamidad pero hindi naman natin sinasabi na 'wag nating i-etsapuwera 'yon. Nakikisimpatiya kami do'n, kaso nga lang sana wag makalimutan ng mga tao na before that meron tayong issue nA malaking kinahaharap which is PDAF. Masyado nan nakakalimutan 'yong issue." said Jerone Sanchez, APO Epsilon Kappa Chapter Chancellor.
Aside from the issue of PDAF, the fraternity also supports the fight against Roadmap to Public Higher Education Reform (RPHER). But inspite of different advocacy that the runners want the community to be concern of, students have different opinion about the effectiveness of the fraternity in informing the BulSU community.
“Siguro para sa akin, effective naman kasi naca-caught naman ‘yong atensyon ng university dahil sa ginagawa nila eh, ‘yong way naman kasi ng pag-iinform nila sa atin, ginagawa na rin ng ibang university pero at least, sa atin, meron din at may gusto silang mabago kaya ginagawa nila ‘yon,” said Luisa Andrada,from CAL.
While others still believes that the annual run is still effective as advocacy campaign, some students says otherwise.
“Sa tingin ko po hindi na s’ya gano’n ka-effective na way para marinig ng mga estudyante, kasi may ilan na kaya lang nagpupunta e para makakita ng mga bagay na gusto nila makita, pero kung tutuusin, hindi naman nila nakukuha ‘yong mensahe na gusto iparating ng pagtakbo ng APO. Pumupunta lang sila for the entertainment factor,” said Carl Espiritu.
[NEWS]Maguindanao massacre not yet hopeless.. Journalists, students, Bulakenyos still cries for justice
Local journalists, students and advocates trooped again infront of Provincial Capitol of Bulacan to commemorate the still hanging case of Maguindanao Massacre, November 21.
The ceremony started with a parade around the capitol with placards showing different messages about the case. "Justice by 2016" is the main cry of the crowd composed of journalists from different local and national newspapers, Bulacan State University students and faculty, and La Consolacion University of the Philippines students. After the parade, various representatives from different sectors gave their speeches with the same theme; for the case to be resolved and to stop the culture of impunity in the country.
"Expected ko na, na aabot ng ganito katagal. Una palang, umaattend na ako ng ganitong activities nong estudyante ako, ngayon nagtratrabaho na ako sa media, parte na ako ng mga practitioners, nandito pa rin tayo, so i-expect natin na matagal talaga 'yong pagkakataon na makukulong kahit na sino man sa pamilya ng Ampatuan. May hope pa naman sa kaso dahil lahat naman ng ebidensya, nagtuturo sa kanila[Ampatuan], kailangan lang talaga natin tanggapin na minsan 'yong hustisya, may pinapanigan," said Ron Lopez from Manila Bulletin and former Journalism student of Bulacan State University.
Furthermore, it is not only journalists who has a say on the issue but also aspiring ones.
"As a communication student, mahalaga talaga na may ganito tayong activities, mahalaga na namumulat tayo sa buhay ng mga mamamahayag, na sa totoong work na, nakalagay ang isang paa natin sa hukay. Pero kung talaga desidido ka, ang kailangan mo lang talaga gawin ay 'yong sabihin 'yong totoo, kasi 'yon ang dapat. At kahit may ganito, patuloy natin kalampagin ang gobyerno," said Danica Mae Puevo, Communication student from LCUP.
After the speeches is a candle lighting ceremony where everyone offered a prayer for the souls of the 32 journalists who died four years ago, and also for the victims of the Typhoon Yolanda.
[REPORT]The Importance of Media
Media have been and will always be the prime distributor of information from the sources to the masses. Since the beginning, from those times when the only communication device to be used is telephone, down at this present time when sharing of information is one click away, media practitioners always find quick ways to relay the news and information to the people. As those years passes by and as numerous media people started conquering Philippine politics, their fellows have been waiting for one solid law that will be enforce to protect the rights of media men. The waiting continues until early this year.
Of course, we cannot deny the fact that there are certain provisions in few existing laws that can be considered to be an advantage for media people. There is the Article III, Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution which empowers the freedom of speech, of expression, and of the press, and Article IX concerning foreign media ownership. But there is no law made solely for the media alone.
Until President Noynoy Aquino, the Data Privacy Act (Republic Act 10173) in August and the Cybercrime Prevention Act (Republic Act 10175) in September.
At first glance, you can’t tell that these laws will affect the media industry in a very disastrous manner. The Data Privacy Act states that, although the free flow of information promotes innovation and growth, it is essential that personal information in the government’s and private sector’s information and communications systems is secured and protected, while the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act supposedly protects the people from cyber crime offenses like cybersquatting, cybersex, child pornography, identity theft, illegal access to data and libel.
But at these present times when the competition in the media industry is stiff, when information flows should be as fast as it can be, media is really affected by these laws which prohibits them to get information and relay it all at once. It slows down information and news, and people have to wait for a long time to know.
The two laws doesn't really block the information flow, but it limits the media and the people on what they are and they are not suppose to know.
****************************************************
As said in the book, Media ownership is one of the most problematic aspects of the media institution in the Philippines. Foreign people are prohibited to own a media outlet without any solid reason. That is why even if a media company is slowly losing its funds to support their operation, any foreign man cannot help the company by funding it and eventually be the owner of the outlet.
The prime reason why there’s provision in the law because of the issue of influence of the owner to the views and opinions of the people working in the media outlet they own. Of course, you cannot go against the person feeding you, as they say, so an invisible limit to the news and information and there, whether they admit it or not.
This reason may be applied also to fellow Filipino media owners, but a foreign one is more harder to be controlled by the government due to the reason of being ‘loyal’ not to the Philippines but to his own country. It can be an easy way of foreign countries to control what they can in our own land. Of course, media is an obvious target, because if you can control it, then it will not be hard for you to control public’s opinion, too. The media is the main distributor of information, anything they release on public will be the truth in the eyes of some or many.
Public believes in media, and anyone who can control what the media can release is vital to the views and opinion of the Filipinos.
Of course, we cannot deny the fact that there are certain provisions in few existing laws that can be considered to be an advantage for media people. There is the Article III, Section 4 of the Philippine Constitution which empowers the freedom of speech, of expression, and of the press, and Article IX concerning foreign media ownership. But there is no law made solely for the media alone.
Until President Noynoy Aquino, the Data Privacy Act (Republic Act 10173) in August and the Cybercrime Prevention Act (Republic Act 10175) in September.
At first glance, you can’t tell that these laws will affect the media industry in a very disastrous manner. The Data Privacy Act states that, although the free flow of information promotes innovation and growth, it is essential that personal information in the government’s and private sector’s information and communications systems is secured and protected, while the controversial Cybercrime Prevention Act supposedly protects the people from cyber crime offenses like cybersquatting, cybersex, child pornography, identity theft, illegal access to data and libel.
But at these present times when the competition in the media industry is stiff, when information flows should be as fast as it can be, media is really affected by these laws which prohibits them to get information and relay it all at once. It slows down information and news, and people have to wait for a long time to know.
The two laws doesn't really block the information flow, but it limits the media and the people on what they are and they are not suppose to know.
****************************************************
As said in the book, Media ownership is one of the most problematic aspects of the media institution in the Philippines. Foreign people are prohibited to own a media outlet without any solid reason. That is why even if a media company is slowly losing its funds to support their operation, any foreign man cannot help the company by funding it and eventually be the owner of the outlet.
The prime reason why there’s provision in the law because of the issue of influence of the owner to the views and opinions of the people working in the media outlet they own. Of course, you cannot go against the person feeding you, as they say, so an invisible limit to the news and information and there, whether they admit it or not.
This reason may be applied also to fellow Filipino media owners, but a foreign one is more harder to be controlled by the government due to the reason of being ‘loyal’ not to the Philippines but to his own country. It can be an easy way of foreign countries to control what they can in our own land. Of course, media is an obvious target, because if you can control it, then it will not be hard for you to control public’s opinion, too. The media is the main distributor of information, anything they release on public will be the truth in the eyes of some or many.
Public believes in media, and anyone who can control what the media can release is vital to the views and opinion of the Filipinos.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)