PCSO gives P100,000 grant to Foundation University’s walking program
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 21 (PIA) -- The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) is giving a grant of P100,000 for the walking program of Foundation University (FU) in Dumaguete City.
This was disclosed by Dr. Aparicio Mequi, FU’s director of Institute for Youth Sports and Peace, in a recent meeting of the university administrative council.
The grant came after Mequi submitted a proposal to PCSO citing the need to sustain FU’s Quarter Marathon Walk for Wellness and the Environment (QMWWE) program.
The walking program was institutionalized by FU after Mequi introduced it in 2009 requiring all Physical Education students to walk a quarter marathon or 10.5 kilometers as a requirement for passing the course.
Mequi initiated the program after a study conducted by Physical Education teacher Kathleen Dellona showed that almost half of FU’s incoming freshman students exhibited health risks due to obesity, which is a precursor to non-communicable lifestyle diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments.
“Six QMWWEs have been staged so far, each with some 1,000 walkers and FU spends about P15,000 for each staging. Clearly, there is a need for a sponsor to sustain it,” Mequi noted.
With the funding support from PCSO, Mequi said the university is committed to sustain the Quarter Marathon up to early next year. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from Joel Llanos)
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Agreement inked for launching of Brigada Eskwela in Dumaguete
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 21 (PIA) -- The Brigada Eskwela 2012 in Dumaguete City kicked off today with a signing of agreement among city government officials and other stakeholders here.
The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed by City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, Vice Mayor Alan Gel Cordova, and City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Ramir Uytico at the Dumaguete City Central Elementary School.
Based on the MOA, the officials pledged to actively participate in ensuring the readiness of public school facilities in the city for the forthcoming school opening in June.
For the launching, public elementary schools in the city and province are simultaneously cleaning up, repairing, and painting classrooms and school facilities.
Personnel from the Department of Education are doing the rounds to inspect the ongoing clean-up drive. (RMN-PIA 7, Negros Oriental)
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University in Dumaguete to offer more agri-related courses
By Rachelle M. Nessia
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 21 (PIA) -- Foundation University (FU) in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental will offer more agriculture-related courses, following the success of its Hydroponics program that grew plants without using soil.
FU College of Agriculture (FUCA) Dean Engr. Mark Espedilla said the university will offer more short-term courses relevant to today’s evolving agriculture.
"We will have courses on tissue culture, organic farming, and other courses and we will offer them regularly to cater to the rising needs and interests of Dumaguetenos," Espedilla said.
FU embarked on its Hydroponics program in 2009, brought on by a small group of local hydroponics hobbyists who were learning from each other and who shared this technology.
As part of its summer course offerings, FUCA decided to offer Urban Gardening with emphasis on hydroponics and aquaponics, a system that combines aquaculture with hydroponics.
Urban gardening later on became the college’s research and extension project throughout the academic year.
Espedilla said the course participants were made to craft their own Hydroponics projects and went on field trips to demo farms and other hydroponics gardens “to give them a better understanding of the technology.”
One of the course’s students, professional airline pilot Narain Hassaram, sees himself retiring in a few years and running his own hydroponics farm.
For his final project, Hassaram chose to construct a portable 40-plant Nutrient Film Technique hydroponics set-up, which can provide the daily fresh herb and vegetable requirements of a medium-sized family.
On the other hand, Graciano Jose Pal, a junior Animal Science student from Silliman University, enrolled to seek a diversion from his usual courses in college. But his interest in the subject increased after he learned of the potential of hydroponics in attaining food sustainability.
The students said they appreciated that FUCA was able to bring down the cost of a hydroponics system by using locally available materials. (RMN/PIA Negros Oriental with reports from Joel Llanos)
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Cebu-based NGO launches 'Run to Plant for Greening PHL'
By Jennifer C. Tilos
DUMAGUETE CITY, May 21 (PIA) -- The Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI), a Cebu-based NGO launched the 2012 “Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines” program recently at the Cebu Provincial Capitol Conference Room.
This year, 'Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines' is a running and planting activity which targets to plant 220,000 native tree seedlings on June 30 all over Cebu Province.
RAFI chief operating officer Dominica Chua said “the idea of this activity is not just to plant or for photo purposes, but to really grow trees to become forests. This will be held simultaneously in 50 municipalities and component cities in Cebu, making the event a province-wide endeavor."
'Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines," one of the components of the GREENIN Philippines Program, is a fun run and planting activity that provides a venue for every Filipino to contribute in rehabilitating and protecting our environment. It aims to expand the forest cover of the country.
The event is designed to promote healthy lifestyle by running and environment conservation by planting native tree species that will become vibrant forests in the next few years.
GREENIN Philippines Program, which stands for Generation REdemption and Expansion of Natural resources INitiatives in the Philippines Program, is one of the programs under RAFI's Integrated Development focus area.
It aims to replicate best practices in environmental protection, conservation, and rehabilitation to more places in the country for a greener Philippines.
In time of the celebration of Environment Month in June, the Cebu government issued an executive order mandating the implementation and institutionalization of 'Run 2 Plant 4 GREENIN Philippines' throughout the province.
The organizer said the central event targets 7,500 participants to surpass the 5,000 target last year will be held in an eight-hectare forestland in Jaclupan, Talisay City.
The area will be planted with 20,000 native tree seedlings and will be developed into a forest model through a co-management agreement among DENR, Cebu Provincial Government, Talisay City government, and RAFI, Chua said.
To ensure the growth and survival of the native trees seedlings planted during the event, RAFI will initiate monthly nurturance activities with National Greening Program (NGP) partners and GREENIN Philippines Program volunteers.
The running activity will feature 3k (kilometres) only to allow more participants to join, regardless of age.
This event is in line with the national government’s National Greening Program and tied to DILG's Billion Trees Program under the NGP.
GREENIN Philippines Program is a program under the Integrated Development focus area of RAFI, addressing the foundations needed to develop successful communities. (mbcn/JCT/PIA-Negros Oriental)