Free Japanese language course

The free Japanase language course to be facilitated by our Japanese volunteer Atsushi Nakanishi is set to begin on March 21 at the MTESD Training Center on Highway 59 (street adjacent to Gubat South Central School). For inquiries, see Ms Rowena Fajardo or Mr Atsushi Nakanishi at the Municipal Registrar's Office.

Repair of public market

Kasalukuyan naming ginagawa ang ilang mga daanan sa ating pampublikong palengke. Dahil po ito sa mga concerns lalo na galing sa mga senior citizen na natitisod o nadadapa dahil sa baku-bakong daan sa palengke.

Communicating for social change seminar-workshop

Join this four-day seminar workshop to provide opportunity for young leaders to find their voice, gain new skills as facilitators of change, and grow their capacity for citizen action towards a more just world. Only for twenty-six years olds and below though.

World Read Aloud Day

To celebrate the World Read Aloud Day, I spent the whole day telling the story of Si Langgam at si Tipaklong to Grade 1 and kindergarten pupils in six schools: Buenavista, Villareal, Rizal, Bagacay, Tiris and Cogon. Picture below is Grade 1 class in Tiris. Namaos ako, ang hirap din pala magkwento nang magkwento.

Raul S. Roco Youth Achievement Awards 2012 (RSRYAA)

The City Government of Naga and Raul S. Roco Foundation, Inc. thru its Secretariat, the Raul S. Roco Library, are launching the 6th edition of the Raul S. Roco Youth Achievement Awards 2012 (RSRYAA), to all the youth organzations in the Bicol region. To become a participant in RSRYAA, youth organizations are required to submit a proposed project (proposal) that will address/resolve community problems in their respective area which they are going to implement for six (6) months.

THE PRIZES

Five (5) projects will be chosen as finalists which were successfully implemented by the youth organizations and will receive:

A cash prize of P50,000.00 and a trophy designed by National Artist Salvador Bernal for the grand prize winner.

Trophy and a cash prize of Php 10,000.00 for the four finalists.

Deadline of proposal is MARCH 30, 2012.

For inquiries, please call the THE SECRETARIAT @ (054) 472-7095, CP 0917-512-2776 or email at library@naga.gov.ph

Job Opening: National Coordinator

The Ecological Waste Coalition of the Philippines, Inc. (or the Ecowaste Coalition) is seeking a highly motivated and committed team worker to be its NATIONAL COORDINATOR to assist the Coalition in attaining its overall purpose of pursuing ecological solutions towards a Zero Waste goal.

The National Coordinator will play a key role in the ongoing effort to strengthen and expand the Coalition’s membership and reach, and in implementing strategic programs and activities geared at understanding and realizing the Zero Waste goal.

As a convergence of diverse public interest groups working on waste, pollution and other environmental health issues, the National Coordinator is to perform - creatively and patiently – the essential tasks of involving, coordinating and mobilizing the membership in the pursuit of the Coalition’s objectives and priorities.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS:

Knowledge and Critical Skills
· Share EcoWaste’s vision and have track record in environmental advocacy
· Excellent leadership qualities and “people skills”
· Good oral and written communication/media skills
· Good mediation/conflict management skills
· Good management skills
· Computer literate
· Experience in preparing project proposals; preferably has been able to get some proposals approved
· Basic knowledge of financial management and financial report preparation

Physical Demands
· Work involves a lot of meetings and consultations, and some traveling to places at risk like dumpsites and pollution-impacted communities.


DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS
· More than five years of experience in coalition and organizing work in the environmental and/or sustainable development field

· Knowledge of Zero Waste principles, issues and methods


WORK RESPONSIBILITIES
· Manage the Secretariat and oversee the planning, development and implementation of strategies, policies and programs.
· Facilitate provision of support services to the Steering Committee and Task Forces
· Ensure that the Steering Committee members, Coalition members, partners and volunteers are informed and involved on issues of concern
· Manage the public profile of the Coalition
· Take the lead in generating resources for the Coalition through fund raising and grant seeking activities
· Prepare consolidated reports of Coalition programs and activities

ACCOUNTABILITY
The Coordinator is accountable to the Steering Committee of the Coalition.

For interested applicants, please send your letter of intent and CV to info@ecowastecoalition.org before March 31, 2012. No calls, please. Writing samples will be requested from successful candidates later in the process. Screening and interviews will begin immediately in April 2012.

Call for volunteers: Delfin Fresnosa Municipal Reading Recovery Program

About the Project

Reading skills are very important. We are always seeking to improve our schools, but without a solid ability to read, children will be unable to make full use of any of those improvements. Reading is, in this sense, foundational.

This summer, the Municipality of Gubat, the Sangguniang Kabataan , the Department of Education and the Gubat PTA Federation are launching the Delfin Fresnosa Reading Recovery Program from third week of April to May, 2012. Incoming Grade 2 pupils who can make use of extra help in developing their reading skills will be identified throughout the municipality. Each pupil identified will be assigned a reading partner who will visit the pupil at his own home three times a week ( 30 minutes - 1 hour per meeting ) during the summer vacation.


We need volunteers

To provide each pupil with a reading partner, we are looking for volunteers who can spend at up to 3 hours of his time per week for the program. The municipality will provide the necessary training and instructional materials for the volunteers. With this program, we can help our pupils improve their reading skills and at the same time encourage volunteerism among our youth and people.

If you are interested to volunteer, please contact the Mayor's Office at (056) 311-7962, 0949-9483191, 0918-9850130 or email mayor.gubat@gmail.com not later than March 31. You may also contact your barangay's SK chairman to sign up.


About Delfin Fresnosa

Perhaps the finest writer Gubat has ever produced, Delfin Fresnosa was born on May 23, 1915 in Bulacao, Gubat. He was educated at the University of the Philippines and the Far Eastern University and taught at the National Teachers College and the University of the East. He served as the editor of Boy's World, the official organ of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines .

Fresnosa was part of the group of thirteen writers who called themselves the Veronicans (after Veronica who mirrored the true face of Christ), which included among others Francisco Arcellana and NVM Gonzalez. Fresnosa's short stories regularly appear in anthologies of the best Philippine short stories. He died on December 19,1988 and was buried at the Gubat Municipal Cemetery.

Vote for your preferred nominee to head the Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA)

As per Republic Act 9994 or the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010, the senior citizens of Gubat have nominated their members to head the municipality's Office for Senior Citizens Affairs (OSCA). The nominees, whose background and plans of action you can see below and who have all been recommended by the Sangguniang Bayan, are: Mr. Jaime Espineda of Barangay Tiris, Ms. Lilia Hernandez of Barangay Paradijon and Ms.Azucena Nerida of Barangay San Ignacio.

From these nominees, I, as the mayor, am required to choose the one to head our OSCA for three years. As the nominees are all equally competent and qualified in my opinion (and since I don't have personal acquaintance of their personalities because obviously the age gap is too big), I think it would be wise to resort to internet democracy: Let the people vote the nominee whom they think is the best choice.

I will be posting the pictures of the nominees in my Facebook account. The nominee who gets the most likes gets to head the OSCA. Please vote until midnight of March 4.



NOMINEE NO. 1
JAIME AQUINO ESPINEDA

Tiris, Gubat, Sorsogon
July 13, 1942 – 69 y/o


EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Mandaluyong Elementarey School, 1958
Alternative Learning System (ALS) High School Graduate 2010

WORK EXPERIENCE:
●MILUDECO – 1971-1980, PETROLA INTERNATIONAL KSA – 1982-1984, PROTECTORS SEC. INC. 1986-1996

PLAN OF ACTION FOR SENIOR CITIZENS:
●Protect the rights and benefits of the senior citizens.
●Create livelihood project.
●Earn extra income for their needs.
●Assist and help the Senior Citizens Federation for their programs and activities.




NOMINEE NO. 2
LILIA JOVEN FERNANDEZ

Paradijon, Gubat, Sorsogon
311-0331
SEPTEMBER 1, 1935 – 77 y/o


EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
1948 - GUBAT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (GUBAT NORTH CENTRAL SCHOOL)
1949-1952 – GUBAT NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
1967-1970 – A.B. POLITICAL SCIENCE
Manuel Luis Quezon University, Manila (MLQU, MANILA)
1970 – Methods of Teaching and Child Psychology
Manuel Luis Quezon University, Manila (MLQU – MANILA)
9971 – 1973 – Student – LAW PROPER
MANUEL LUIS QUEZON UNIVERSITY, MANILA


WORK EXPERIENCE:
●1957-1973 – Employed and Supervisor Newfounland Printers (Binondo, Manila)
●1977-1980 – Store-owner – Market site, Gubat, Sorsogon
●Lumber Dealer – Manook St., Gubat, Sorsogon
●Video Store – Vivo’s Residence, Manook St., Gubat, Sorsogon
●Store and Pocket Book (Villaroya’s) – Manook St., Gubat, Sorsogon

OTHER EXPERIENCE:
● Barangay Kagawad – Brgy. Paradijon, Gubat, Sorsogon
●Brgy. Secretary – Brgy. Paradijon, Gubat, Sorsogon
●Brgy. Associaton of Secretaries – President
●1998-2004 – Federation of Senior Citizens – Secretary – Under Mr. Holaso
●2004-2011 – Federation of Senior Citizens – Secretary - Under Atty. Mel D. Encinas
●2012 – Federation of Senior Citizens– President

PLAN OF ACTION:
●Explain the meaning of life for senior citizens
●Widen and differentiate being an OSCA member and the Federation and unite them to oneness for a purpose.
●Initiate programs toencourage the elderly that at age 60 still they are productive, capable, self-reliant and self-sufficient in their age.
●Adult education is also needed for the non-readers elders especially in remote Barangay.



NOMINEE No. 3:
AZUCENA ESPALLARDO NERIDA

San Ignacio, Gubat, Sorsogon
09284990533
December 14, 1941 - 70 y/o


EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
BS Industrial Engineering, Adamson University

WORK EXPERIENCE:
Lecturer at Sales, Department of Radio wealth
Applicant Interviewer of Department of Labor
Supervisor Agent of Insular Life-Cebu
7 years Treasurer of PTA Gubat Central Elementary School
7 years Treasurer of PTA Saint Anthony Academy
3 years Secretary – Treasurer of San Ignacio Senior Citizens
Presently Board Member of Senior Citizens Federation


PLAN OF ACTION:
●Disseminate information regarding rights and privileges of senior citizens of Gubat
●Organize senior citizens in barrios who had not been informed of their Privileges
●Do the best of my capacity
●Read and study the law regarding Senior Citizens.

Photo contest

You can join this photo contest on how we can adapt to climate change, organized by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom.

Call for Proposals: 2012 Climate Advocacy Small Grants Fund

Drawing Linkages between Population, Reproductive Health, Gender and Climate Change Adaptation

Population Action International (PAI), a Washington, D.C. based non-profit organization that advocates for women and families to have access to contraception in order to improve their health, reduce poverty and protect their environment, is soliciting proposals for our 2012 Climate Advocacy Small Grants Program: Drawing Linkages between Population, Reproductive Health, Gender and Climate Change Adaptation. Only organizations based in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, the Philippines, and Tanzania are eligible to apply.

Several grants of up to $20,000 USD will assist civil society organizations in identifying opportunities to promote the integration of reproductive health and gender considerations into national strategies and plans to address climate change. These one-year grants will support organizations in their efforts to document entry points for advocacy at the national and regional levels; strengthen cross-sectoral research, communication and collaboration; and build national-level support for the integration of reproductive health, gender, and climate change in national policies.

The deadline for proposals is no later than Monday, February 6, 2012 at 6 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST). For further information and to receive application materials, please contact Roger- Mark De Souza atrmdesouza@popact. org

Sangguniang Kabataan Planning Session

I was with our Sangguniang Kabataan chairmen for a planning meeting over the weekend at LIKAS Ridge Hotel in Irosin. We have scheduled things to do for the next six months, the biggest being our Learning To Read Program for Grade 1 pupils this summer.

Free urological surgical operation

Para sa mga kalalakihan: Magkakaroon ng libreng operasyon sa provincial hospital kung kayo ay mayroong prostate enlargement, orchitis o filariasis (boyong). Pumunta kay Dr Lelis sa Municipal Health Center bago mag Feb 15, Lunes, Miyerkules o Huwebes ng hapon) para magpalista at checkup.

Who wants to start a local film club?

Earlier today, I picked up this book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die from Book Sale Gaisano in Legaspi and reminded me just how many great films I haven't seen yet, which in turn reminded me of another thing in my bucket list: organize a local film club which will hold weekly private film showing among friends. If you are also interested in starting a local film club, please contact me. We can arrange meetings at the municipal hall or maybe Mr Nace, the Bicol University administrator, might even allow us the use of the Monreal Ruins for the film meetings. We can start trimming down our list of must-see films using the book as a checklist. What do you say?

Medical mission for surgical operations

May medical mission para sa ilang surgical operations sa darating na Hunyo: hernia (luslos), gallstones (bato sa apdo), goiter, bukol sa matris, cyst . Pumunta agad kay Dr Carino sa Gubat District Hospital para magpalista. Sponsored by UP Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Medical Team, Ugay (Gubatnons of Australia), Rotary Australia World Services Community, GNHS Batch 1992.

The Charles Dickens Bicentennial

Come February 7, the world will be celebrating Charles Dickens's 200th birthday, and as you can see at Dickens2012 many activities have been lined up for the commemoration of this bicentenary. Over at Jessica Zafra's blog, she is attempting a collective effort at translating the novel Great Expectations (here's the free Gutenberg text of the novel) into Filipino.

Embarrassing to admit, but I have never read any Dickens myself. I figure this year would be a good year to remedy this, so I am starting with Great Expectations. I am also going to write the high school English teachers to ask if I could interest them to organize with the municipality a Charles Dickens film festival for their students.

Let the Bullets Fly

Let the Bullets Fly is a brilliant film. Ostensibly, the story is akin to what we would imagine the lives of Mao Zedong and his comrades were like back when they were rebel bandits dedicating their lives to redistributing wealth for the poor and freeing one town after another, but, take a closer look at the brilliant ending, and it could be a criticism of the Chinese people who do not rise up against the present-day Chinese government, with the town square in the film standing in for Tiananmen Square. The film is directed and starred in by Jiang Wen. Chow Yun Fat also stars in the film.

I strongly recommend this film. Where else can you see a film about corruption and political tyranny become a highest-grossing film?