...the Education for Sustainable Development Awardee

Philippine Elementary School Wins In Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Japan Education For Sustainable Development Award

Editorial

Manila Bulletin

November 12, 2012

 

A Philippine school won second place in the recent 2012 Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO)-Japan Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award, besting entries from the Southeast Asian countries of Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The Iliranan Elementary School in Barangay Codcod, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, led by its Principal, Gary P. Magnanao, won for its Disaster Education Program. The school is located in an upland barangay at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon where most of the sitios are part of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park, making them vulnerable to volcanic eruption and landslide. Iliranan Elementary School, was also awarded as one of the ASEAN Eco-Friendly Schools on July 17, 2012, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

First placer was State High School No. 1 of Kungyangon, Myanmar and the third place went to MIN Jejeran (Jejeran State Islamic Elementary School) of Indonesia. A Special Prize from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. for the best Disaster Risk Reduction activity carried out in small schools of less than 150 students went to Wat Soumpouathong School, Thailand. The award ceremonies will be held at the SEAMEO High Officials Meeting in Thailand this month.

The SEAMEO-Japan ESD Award was organized by the SEAMEO and the Ministry of Education,Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan, in cooperation with UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. The Award is held every year to promote and share best practices in ESD in schools around Southeast Asia.

We greet the Department of Education headed by Secretary Bro. Armin A. Luistro and the Iliranan Elementary School headed by its Principal, Gary P. Magnanao, in winning second place at the 2012 Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization-Japan Education for Sustainable Development Award. CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

...the Singapore play-off 2nd placer

Bad boy Pagunsan comes good in Singapore play-off

By Talek Harris

AFP News 

14 November 2011

 

Bad boy Juvic Pagunsan was grinning widely Monday after shaking off controversies and shooting to the top of the Asian money list by remarkably finishing second at the Barclays Singapore Open.

Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines at the Singapore Open on November 13. He has nearly doubled his career earnings by finishing second at the Barclays Singapore Open

The Filipino, 33, who was barred from his domestic circuit following a number of run-ins, was also in grave danger of losing his Asian Tour card after slipping to 54th on the money list, just six spots from elimination.

But the former caddie became Asian golf's overnight sensation by claiming the Singapore Open's US$666,660 second prize in a rain-delayed play-off against Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano early on Monday.

Pagunsan admitted he was staggered by the turnaround, which now puts him in pole position to become the season's top earner with only three eligible events left on this year's Asian Tour.

"It surprises me because I am on top now -- I almost lost my card this year," Pagunsan said.

"It is a surprise. I will play the rest of the events in Asia. I want to get the Order of Merit (title). I really want to get that. It is a big achievement for my life."

The coveted money title is suddenly well within reach for the slight, but clean-swinging, Pagunsan, who dropped out of school at 15 to pursue golf and has now nearly doubled his career earnings in one hit.

"Hopefully," Pagunsan said, when asked if he could now challenge for more big titles. "I work hard every tournament. I prepare for every tournament. Who knows, maybe Juvic can play the big events (now)?"

According to newspaper reports from the Philippines, Pagunsan scorched to four wins on this year's Filipino circuit before being suspended for the rest of the season for failing to properly register his caddie.

The www.pinoygolfer.com website said the sanction followed earlier transgressions, including a mid-round walkout from last year's ICTSI Forest Hills Invitational.

And at this season's ICTSI Negros Occidental Championship at Marapara, Juvic dismissed his caddie after an argument over a putt and carried his own clubs for the rest of his round.

"I think it tragic that the most talented golfer in the country today is given to such issues," the website's editor wrote in a blog after Pagunsan's punishment was handed out in September.

"With a different attitude and approach to the game, there is no telling just how good he could be."

Pagunsan also placed second at the 2006 Hong Kong Open and he said he was so laid-back about the high-pressure play-off, delayed overnight after lightning storms, that he forgot all about it when he woke up.

"Actually I forgot I was playing this morning. I woke up at six in the morning and went straight to the golf course," said Pagunsan, who narrowly missed a birdie putt for victory on the first play-off hole.

"I had big confidence I was going to win. Unfortunately I missed the first putt. I thought to myself 'this is my big chance to win' but I missed it. But I am still a big winner in myself."

...the 2nd most liveable city in the world

Negros city is world’s 2nd ‘most livable’

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer Visayas

Tuesday, November 1st, 2011

ILOILO CITY—A Negros Occidental city is the second most livable city in the world for a population not exceeding 150,000.

During awarding rites held in South Korea on Oct. 31, San Carlos City was cited as the second most livable among cities with a population of 75,000-150,000.

The most livable city with that kind of population was Tongyeong in South Korea, where the awarding rites were held for the UN-backed International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom).

The third most livable city in that category was Namown, also in South Korea, according to the LivCom website.

The annual awards recognize cities based on their performance in several criteria, including environmental practices, healthy lifestyle of citizens, community involvement, arts and cultural heritage.

San Carlos was the only Philippine city which won in the “whole city awards.” It also won the “Special Whole City Award.”

The contest for cities has five categories based on their average daytime population  of 20,000 to those with over 400,000.

This year’s awards had 77 finalist cities from 26 countries, the largest so far in the awards’ 15-year history, according to a LivCom statement.

...the sweet energy

PHL may produce sweet sorghum bioethanol by 2013

09/26/2011

GMA News

By 2013, the country may start producing the first sweet sorghum-based bioethanol, the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) said Monday.

According to the bureau, the Philippine National Oil Co.-Alternative Fuels Corp. (PNOC-AFC) is now in exploratory talks with the San Carlos Bioenergy Inc. to create a 1,000-hectare sweet sorghum plantation in Negros Occidental.

The plantation’s produce will be used as feedstock for the San Carlos Bioenergy plant in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental.

“We're trying to do this because the price of sugar in the market is very volatile, and we need to help produce the feedstock," said BAR director Nicomedes Eleazar.

Sweet sorghum is ideal to sugarcane as ethanol feedstock because of its resilience to drought and lower water requirements, according to the bureau.

Prior high prices of sugar in the world market have prompted farmers in northern Negros to sell sugarcane for sugar production rather than bioethanol feedstock. Sugar producers offer as much as P2,200 per metric ton (MT) for sugarcane while ethanol distilleries can only offer P1,550 per MT.

Studies have indicated that sweet sorghum production would need P45 million to P75 million in investments to cover the P30,000 to P50,000 per hectare in production cost. Estimates show that 1,000 hectares of sweet sorghum may produce as much as 2.5 million liters of bioethanol per year.

Importance of feasibility study

Rex Demafelis of the University of the Philippines Los Baños Alternative Energy Research, Development, and Extension Thrusts said that the BAR helped in mainstreaming sweet sorghum as complementary feedstock to bioethanol.

Demafelis also highlighted the importance of a feasibility study, due by the end of 2012 from AFC, to validate previous past studies. AFC is also doing a “site specificity analysis."

Once a feasibility study confirms the economic viability of the plantation, AFC and San Carlos Bionenergy will then sign a memorandum of agreement.

Two other companies did a comprehensive research on sweet sorghum for ethanol. Seaoil affiliate Fuel Inc. started a 16,000-square-meter field trail area in Negros Occidental after acquiring a 36-hectare area in Negros for an ethanol production plant.

Lucio Tan’s Negros Biochem Corp., meanwhile, has an 848-sqm trial area with an observed yield of 49 MT per hectare.

Increasing demand

With the implementation of the mandated 10 percent mix of bioethanol in gasoline, the country’s total ethanol requirement is seen to hit 400 million liters per year.

By 2015, levels are expected to reach 645 million liters with a 15 percent mandated bioenthanol-gas mix.

Foreign exchange savings were estimated at $218.203 million starting in 2010, $789.3 million by 2015 and $1.274 billion by 2020.

Bioethanol production is also expected to generate up to 289,611 jobs by 2020. — BC/VS, GMA News

...the Hans Manneby awardee

Pinay from Negros wins intl museum devt award

09/23/2011

GMA News

A Filipina — Elizabeth Cordova — will receive this year's Hans Manneby Memorial Fund Museum Development Award for her work in museum development in Negros Occidental.

According to a report of the Visayan Daily Star, Cordova, director of the "Museo sang Bata sa Negros" in Sagay City, will receive the award in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 10.

The Hans Manneby Memorial Fund Museum Development Award is given to a person who has worked in the spirit of Hans Manneby (1946-2008), an author and chairperson of Swedish ICOM, the International Council of Museums.

Cordova told the Visayan Daily Star that she will try her best "to live and work in his (Manneby's) legacy. I am very thankful to the Lord for this prize."

The report said Cordova was cited for her work at the Museo sang Bata sa Negros, a children’s "hands-on" museum that aims to stimulate their creative and intellectual potentials.

Cordova was nominated by another museum director from Africa.

Cordova shared that she will have an audience with the Queen of Sweden and other royalty who are very interested in projects for children. - VVP, GMA News

...the Asian "Nobel" awardees

Filipino NGO leads 2011 'Magsaysay' awardees

By RAYMUND F. ANTONIO

August 31, 2011

Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines — They’ve always keep a low profile status, silently helping poor communities empower themselves with the use of environment-friendly technology.

 

But from now on, it’s going to be hard for this local nongovernment organization (NGO) to be inconspicuous, what with the Ramon Magsaysay award tucked under its belt.

The Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation, Inc. (AIDFI) is the sole enterprise and Filipino NGO that was bequeathed with the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award, reputedly Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Other winners in this year’s awarding were individuals who made a mark of excellence in various fields.

AIDFI got the nod of the Magsaysay selection committee for its selfless effort to help rural and impoverished communities improve their lives with simple technology.

This year’s other awardees are: Harish Hande of India; Koul Panha of Cambodia; Tri Mumpuni of Indonesia; Nileema Mishra, India (for emergent leadership); and Hasanain Juaini, Indonesia.

The group introduced the ram pump technology, which brings water to upland communities and improve agricultural production.

For years, it has been a silent, if not lonely, endeavor for AIDFI, with few resources and lack of private and government support.

But the group persevered, realizing that doing good for the sake of good will bring in the rewards.

“We still have to grasp the full impact of it,” said Auke Idzenga, a Dutch marine engineer and co-founder and management committee head of AIDFI.

“So far, it is unbelievable, the media attention, the emails coming in,” he added.

Idzenga said AIDFI began its rural work in the 1990s, organizing labor unions and working with agrarian reform communities. Then, the group branched out to socio-economic projects after organizing and education workers on unionism.

The group started sowing it seeds in Negros province, at an auspicious time.

“Initially borne out of social turmoil that accompanied the collapse of the sugar industry in Negros during the 1980s. Hundreds of workers and farmers were displaced and the survival of peasant families was severely threatened,” was how the Magsaysay awards described AIDFI.

However, AIDFI was forced to close shop due to lack of funds and loss of key members.

In 1997, Idzenga revived the group with a clearer vision of technology innovation to help the rural poor.

It re-invented the ram pump technology, introduced it in rural communities in Negros whose economy is largely agricultural.

It was soon a matter of time before the idea, and the project expanded.

“It naturally expanded and became bigger in the Philippines,” Idzenga said.

With over 200 ram pumps installed in hundreds of communities in Negros Occidental, the group is now exporting the technology to Cambodia, Nepal, Columbia, and Afghanistan.

“When we did the first installation, no one knows about it. Then people started looking at the installation and word spread about it. From one community, we are now a technical service provider in many organizations in Cebu and some parts in Mindanao,” Idzenga said.

The Ramon Magsaysay Foundation, in citing AIDFI, said that the enterprise “does not only introduce machinery, but a whole “social package” which includes community consultation, training of village technicians, transfer of ownership of the water system to the community and the organization of local water associations to manage the water generation and distribution system.”

Idzenga said they were not after winning any awards for their endeavor but he stressed it was fulfilling to be recognized for their efforts.

“I’m not expecting it, not at all. We won some international awards last year but never did I expect something like this. Not the Magsaysay awards because this is for special people and groups. It was really a big surprise when they called us,” he said.

...the German's ecoprogram

Germany grants P68M to Negros Occidental's forestry program

04/16/2011

GMAews.tv

The German government has granted P68 million to some local government units in Negros Occidental to develop a forestry management program.

A Visayan Daily Star report on Saturday said the recipients of the funds are the municipalities of Ilog, Candoni, Kabankalan, with the program set to start within this year.

The report also said Germany has allocated another P20.6 million for other projects in the province.

The Gesellschaft für Internaionale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) said it also plans to focus on the management of integrated coastal resources, solid wastes, and climate change.

Also, the GIZ has programs in the province that focus on good governance and decentralization.

Moreover, the GIZ said its P68-million grant for the development of a forestry management program in some parts of Negros Occidental will run until 2015.

Also ongoing is a P16.6-million grant for natural resources management in the towns of Ilog, Candoni, and Cauayan, according to the GIZ. The grant will end in 2012.

The GIZ also said P2 million has been allocated for a decentralization program and a comprehensive land use planning in some areas of the province. The grant started last year and will end in 2011.

Another P2 million has also been earmarked for the management and development of some coastal fisheries resources in Negros Occidental. — JE/LBG, GMA News