The Durian Legend

A long time ago there lived an ugly, old but powerful king named Barom-Mai in Calinan near Davao City. He married the young and beautiful Madayaw-Bayho, a daughter of Tageb, king of the sea pirates who ruled the islands of Ligid, Talicud and Samal. But Madayaw-Bayho did not love the king: so she often ran away from his kingdom. But her father always returned her to the king. One day, she ran away, and vowed never to return to the king. Because of this King Barom-Mai told his advisers, headed by Matigam, to find a way to make his wife love him.

When the king met the hermit, the hermit said to him to get three things: the egg of the black tabon, twelve ladies of white carabao's milk, and the nectar from the flower of the tree-of-make believe, because the egg would soften the heart of the princess, the milk would make her kind and the nectar would make her see the king as young and handsome. 

Pawikan, king of the sea turtles, helped him secure the tabon's egg. The king also easily got the milk. He procured the flower with the help of Hangin-Bai, a wood nymph. He gave the three things to the hermit who mixed the nectar, the milk and the egg together and told him to plant it. It grew into a durian tree!

He brought the fruit to his wife who ate it. After eating, she fell in love with the king who looked young and handsome. They returned to their kingdom and feasted. they forgot to invite the hermit who said angrily that the delicious fruit with offensive odor be covered with thorns. Since then the durian fruit is thorny but delicious.

Davao first to Receive Fishery Patrol Boats

Among the regions in Mindanao, the Davao Region is the first to receive their share of patrol boats given by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic (BFAR) to municipal governments.

BFAR Regional Director Fatma Idris gladly notes that Region XI is one of the five regions nationwide, and the only one in Mindanao given such facility to strengthen community-based coastal resources management.

Region XI gets six of such patrol boats which cost 1.2 million PHP each. These are given to the municipalities of Tarragona and Lupon in Davao Oriental, Maco and Pantukan in Compostela Valley, Tagum City in Davao del Norte, and in Digos City, Davao del Sur.

Each patrol boat has -not only - a boat cradle through which it can be tugged inland and be kept in a safehouse. It is also equipped with global positioning system, telescope, compass, life jackets, enabling Bantay-Dagat volunteers to go after illegal marine resource poachers.

 

Building "Noah's Ark"

It was February, still months away from the rainy-season downpurs that can blanket Metro Manila with deadly floods, but in Barangay Tumana, Marikina City, the townfolk were busy evacuating their riverside homes as if their lives depended on it.

Carrying some clothes, beddings and important documents, about 350 people - including men, women and children - left their homes in an orderly fashion, boarded trucks and moved to the H. Bautista Elementary School in nearby Barangay Concepcion which had been identified as a safe haven in times of floods.

While there, the "evacuees" were brought to pre-assigned rooms and attended to by various barangay committees. For example, nursing mothers and pregnant women were brought to "lactating rooms" while the others were served piping-hot "lugaw".

All this was just a drill, but barangay officials and the residents took it seriously.

"People here remember Ondoy. They had a terrible time then and they want to be better prepared the next time around," said Hilda Tabar-Cleofe, executive director of the Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR), which is helping the flood-prone barangays ofmarikina prepare for future calamities under a program appropriately named "Noah's Ark".

"We are focusing on community preparedness, particulary for those areas that are frequently hit by calamities like floods," said Mon Isberto, public affairs head of Smart Communications which funded the drill.

"The idea is to develop a model that can be replicated in other communities with local governments and private companies working together,"added Isberto, who is also president of CNDR.

This model for community preparedness has already been tested in real emergencies. 

In 2010, Noah's Ark was piloted in Barangay Malanday, Marikina City with funding from Ayala Foundation. The effectiveness of the Malanday contingency plan in achieving "zero casualty" was tested - and proven! - during typhoons Falcon and Pedring in October 2011. 

For 2012, the plan is to bring Noah's Ark to four other high-risk communities, namely  Baranagay Bayanan in Muntinlupa City, Barangay Macasandig in Cagayan de oro, Barangay Banago or Mandalaganin Bacolod City, and another barangay in Iligan City.

These efforts are being supported by various corporate partners. Habitat for Humanity Philippines joined Ayala Foundation in supporting the program for example... .

CNN's Eye on The Philippines

 

Since yesterday till May 4, 2012  "Eye on The Philippines" features daily reports with Anna Coren from Manila, Batangas and Lake Taal and in-depth reportage from Kyung Lah, providing insight into this tropical country's people, politics, business and culture.

The special week of coverage culminates with a half-hour program featuring highlights from the week, airing from May 4 to May 6, 2012.

As an expatriate and journalist living in the Philippines, I am hoping that this will turn into positive things that the world has been creating negative look to the Philippines.

Ara Mina, Christine Reyes and Heidi Gatmaytan

(Ara Mina and Christine Reyes)

 A relative of celebrities Ara Mina and Christine Reyes is appealing to the public to give them time to settle their differences following their much-publicized rift. 

In an official statement Heidi Gatmaytan, sister of Reyes and Mina, said their family is deeply saddened by the turn of events. 

"This has gained so much publicity to the damage of the family. Let us give them time to talk and settle their differences. We understand that both of them are hurting right now. We appeal to everyone to give them space so these matters can be cleared up and let the family patch things up. They are both generous and supportive to the whole family contrary to what is being reported by some sectors. We just hope that people would be fair."

China and Philippines Ended Standoff

China and the Philippines have4 reportedly ended their week-long standoff in area in the South China Sea to which both countries lay claim.

The standoff last Sunday, when Filipino authorities reportedly intercepted eight Chinese poacher boats and demanded they hand over their catch.

Chinese officials saw the encounter as harassment to its nationals and responded by dispatching three larger surveillance vessels to Scarborough Shoal - located 230 kilometres from the Filipino Zambales Province, which the Philippines claims as its territory.

Manila, in turn deployed its largest navy ship.

There is concern over clashes in the region prompted by what may consider to China's growing assertiveness in its claims to territories. The last major standoff happened between China and Vietnam and claimed the lives of 70 Vietnamese sailors in 1988.

Climate Change in Mindanao

It's summer again in the Philippines. It's hot - also here in Mindanao. It rains. Sometimes it pours cats and dogs. Yes, we can feel the climate change also here. Especially Region XII is highly at risk in a changing climate condition with increased rainfall and rising sea levels.

Herlita G. Caraan, National Statistical coordinator Board Region XII chief, said that more rainfall, an increase in temperature and rising sea levels would hit the area in the medium term 2020 - 2050.

In a fact sheet, NSCB Region XII warned of worse flooding, landslide and storm surges affecting hundreds of villages in the region as a result of climate change. Based on a mid-range scenario simulations by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), rainfall in Region XII was predicted to increase in 2020 by as much as 14.8 percent and 15.6 percent by 2050.

The increased rainfall was projected to happen during the north-east monsoon season (December to February) and during transition of seasons from September to November. These period will be wetter and with potential for increased flooding.

Temperatures are also expected to increase across the whole year. This is what people experience right now - and not only in Mindanao. Warmer temperatures would also result to increase risks to infectious diseases like malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever and encephalitis. 

The NCSB XII report says, that areas mostly likely to be affected are coastal areas  in Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, General Santos City and especially Cotabato City as 70 percent of the city's total land area is below sea level. 

Philippine Press Institute Goes Live Streaming

For the first time since 1997 when the first press forum was organized, the Philippine Press Institute will cover live its 16th National Press forum on Media Accountability and Public engagement via video streaming on April 23 and 24 at Traders Hotel manila.

This is made possible by the Information Technology Ventures (ICTV) which offered its services and technical resources for free. Considered as one of the most anticipated annual gathering of publishers and editors from the 71-member newspaper of the institute, the Press forum will be accessed via Internet TV, to specifically cater to audiences who will not be able to attend the conference.

This year's exclusive broadcast partner TV 5, will also cover the vent from start to finish. Speeches from the main forum and industry forum will be made available in the PPI website www.philpressinstitute.com .

President Benigno Aquino is keynote speaker in the opening ceremonies. He is the first head of state to grace the annual event. Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales is guest of honour in the Civic Journalism Community Press Awards which will honour outstanding community newspapers for excellence in various categories.

The PPI is celebrating its 48th founding year and 25th year since reactivation in 1987. Dubbed as "PPI: Legacy of a Free Press', the celebration recognizes the restoration of democracy in the country through the historic People power that eventually reinstated social institutions, the media included.

Hans Pfitzner and Siegfried Ochs - Classical Music Masters... .

(Hans Pfitzner)

(Siegfried Ochs)

Check out more about these two fantastic classical composers here:

http://www.klausdoringclassicalmusic.webs.com

And don't miss listening my radio show "Classics with Klaus Doring", Sundays from 2 to 4 pm on 104.3 FM "The Edge Radio Davao" (Philippine Standard Time) or via live stream:

http://www.livestream.com/theedgeradiodavao

DOST to Strengthen Teachers on Disaster Management

As we are experiencing climate change, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) deemed it necessary to increase awareness and strengthen the capability of Science and Mathematics teachers on disaster risk reduction and management. Although one seldom experience strong earthquakes in Southern Mindanao, the disaster risk reduction and management awareness will guide teachers as well as students on how to effectively respond when such phenomenon occurs.

Fifty Science and Mathematics teachers from elementary and secondary schools as well as State Universities and Colleges in the region will gather on April 24-27, 2012 for the seminar workshop on "Strengthen the Capacity of Science and Mathematics Teachers on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management". The Science Education Insitute (SEI) of DOST recognizes that it is one of the fundamental functions of teachers to take part in educating students spend more hours in school, it is crucial for the teachers to understand the concepts on disasters and climate change to effectively and accurately transfer information to students. Students can then transfer the information to their family members causing a multiplier effect.

Experts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geogrpahical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS), Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-MGB), and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) will be invited as resource speakers during the said seminar workshop.

Participants, aside from being trained and capacitated to teach disaster risk reduction and management to students, are expected to come up with a disaster risk reduction and management plan for their respective schools.