SubicCentral

Th e E m e r g e n c y Rescue Team (ERT) of t he Subic Bay M e t r o p o l i t a n

Aut hor it y (SBM A) aga in received a well-deserved r e c o g n i t i o n , t h i s t i m e from the town of Calumpit i n   B u l a c a n p r o v i n c e for their participation in rescue operations at the height of the flooding caused by Typhoon “Pedring” last month.

Calumpit Mayor James de Jesus cited the SBMA team in a simple ceremony held  on November 4  at La Residencia in Calumpit , t h a n k i n g m e m b e r s o f the team who rescued and helped h is const it uents d u r i n g t h e f l o o d .

De Jesus gave a letter of c o m m e n d a t i o n t o t h e SBMA rescuers “for their u n se l f i sh t i me, ener g y and spir it in the pursuit o f t he no b l e v o c at i on of saving lives.”

The letter also thanked t h e c r e w f o r t h e i r “invaluable assistance and s upp or t t o t he L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t U n i t o f C a l u m p i t i n f l e x i b l y addressing the evolv ing p h y s i c a l n e e d s a n d welfare of those in the e v ac u at ion c ent er s , a s well as those left in the f a r - f l u n g b a r a n g a y s as the f lood threateningly raged on and receded.”

“But the most touching

of all the gifts they gave u s w e r e t h e c o f f e e m u g s t h a t s a i d t h e y w i l l never forget ,” sa id SBM A f i re ch ief R anny Magno who also commands the SBMA’s ERT. “We have won so many awards from fire-fighting and emergency rescue competitions, but nothing is more rewarding than b e i ng t h a n k e d b y t he people you have helped,” Magno added.

A total of 19 fire fighters f r o m t h e S B M A c a m e to help out in Calumpit as f loodwater s reached t h e r o o f t o p s i n s o m e areas of Bulacan due to heavy rains early last month.  

M o s t m e m b e r s o f

t he SBM A team st ayed there for almost a week. Mag no sa id help i ng i n t i m e s o f e m e r g e n c i e s is all part of their duty, a d d i n g t h a t t h e y a r e m o r e t h a n w i l l i n g t o sacr if ice their t ime and risk life and limb to make sure that everybody is safe.

A s i d e f r o m t h o s e posted in Calumpit, three other SBMA teams were deployed to  Olongapo City, Subic in Zambales, and the Roman Highway in Bataan  to clear roads and publ ic places of fa l len t r e e s a n d c o l l a p s e d structures.Because of its response to emergenc y situations, the SBMA Emergency

Rescue Team has received s e v e r a l a w a r d s f o r e x t r aor d i n a r y c ou r ag e , her o i sm , s e l f- s ac r i f i c e , a n d b r a v e r y a g a i n s t a l l o d d s i n t i m e s o f emergencies and disasters. A m o n g t h e s e a r e t h e 2 0 0 9 G a w a d K a l a s a g Special Citat ion for best s u p p o r t o r g a n i z a t i o n in t he nat ional level ; a nd t he 2 0 10 K a l a s ag Award for being the best disaster manager in the country.

Meanwhile, with its own elite corps of veteran rescuers and emergency response teams, the Subic Bay Freeport will soon be a center to train and develop emergency rescue teams in the Philippines and also become the regional headquarters of Red Cross for Asia-Pacific.

According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman Roberto Garcia, who spoke during the recent Luzon Island Cluster Conference of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) at the Travelers Hotel & Convention Center here, the Red Cross will establish its regional headquarters in Subic and develop a facility to enhance the skills of rescue workers from all over the country on emergency operations and disaster preparedness.

Garcia was inv ited to welcome participants to the LMP conference, along with Zambales Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.; Daraga, Albay mayor and LMP Luzon Island Cluster president Gerry Jaucian; Dinalupihan, Bataan mayor and LMP Bataan Chapter president Joel Jaime Payumo; and San Marcelino, Zambales mayor and LMP Zambales Chapter

president Jose Rodriguez.The three-day conference

discussed issues and concerns related to climate change and disaster risk-reduction management.

Garcia said that the SBMA now boasts of its own “very good fire department, rescue team and experts who are trained in disaster-preparedness and emergency operations.”

With this, the SBMA “is always ready to provide trainings, as well as assistance in any kind of emergency and rescue operation, as may be requested by local officials,” he added.

At the same time, the SBMA chairman cited the conference theme “Nagkakaisang Luzon Tungo sa Ligtas at Progresibong Pamayanan” and stressed safety and cooperation as foundations of progress. Garcia told LMP officials and members that the SBMA has just launched Project Unity, which seeks to promote cooperation with neighboring local government units in areas like agriculture, tourism, as well as disaster preparedness.

Garcia said that the SBMA board of directors has already paid a courtesy visit to Gov. Ebdane to talk about how SBMA and the province of Zambales can help each other enhance growth in the area.

Meanwhile, LMP Luzon’s Jaucian urged his colleagues to act on the collective task to help build a strong nation through LGU capabi l it y-building, especially in dealing with disasters. “Let us think of creative approaches in dealing with various problems that confront us by getting the support and commitment of the national government, as well as the private sector.

Th e S u b i c B a y Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) will supply most of Region 3’s

needs for seedlings under a national greening program that seeks to plant some 1.5 billion trees throughout the country in a period of five years.

SBMA Chairman Roberto Garcia announced this recently, as he tasked the SBMA Ecology Center to intensify its collection of seedl ings of various indigenous tree species in this free port for use in tree-planting projects in Central Luzon.

Garcia said the SBMA has taken on a significant role in the government’s National Greening Program (NGP) after it signed a joint memorandum of agreement with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for the

establishment of an indigenous tree specie nursery here.

“We are in the best position to supply planting materials for the greening program, because the Subic Bay Freeport has all sort of indigenous tree species in its well-protected forests,” Garcia said.

“Aside from this, Subic Freeport has all types of vegetation — from those that grow in forests to those that thrive in grasslands and mangroves, so it can really supply seedlings even for various types of location,” he added.

SBMA forester Patrick Escusa, meanwhile, said that Ecology Center personnel are currently gathering seeds and seedlings from a mini-park right at Subic’s central business district.

“So far, we have Narra and Bani seedlings from our mini-park here, and after this, we’ll

also collect so-called ‘wildings’ — or seedlings that have sprouted from fallen seeds — at residential areas in the zone,” he said.

 The collected seedlings are carefully transplanted into seedling bags, and then cared for at the SBMA nursery until they’re ready for distribution.

  The NGP aims to reforest 100,000 hectares with 100 million seedlings this year; 200,000 hectares with 200 million seedlings in 2012; and 300,000 hectares with 300 million seedlings annually for 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

  Half of the total number of seedlings to be planted would be forest tree species for timber production and forest protection purposes. The other half will consist of tree species used in agro-forestry sites conducive to growing cash crops and fruits.

  Environment Secretary Ramon Jesus Paje said that a key feature of the NGP is to correct certain gaps in past reforestation undertakings that “usually were concentrated in areas that were most convenient to (planters) without regard to whether the tree seedlings planted will thrive in those areas.”  

“What we really want are healthy and mature 1.5 billion trees. We want trees we can take care of, not just numbers,” Paje added.

Garcia said the SBMA would be willing to supply a huge chunk of the seedling requirements for NGP projects in Central Luzon.

 He added that the SBMA had previously provided seedlings for reforestation projects in neighboring communities upon request from local government units, schools and people’s organizations.  

By Jonas Reyes

A S u b i c B a y M e t r o p o l i t a n Authority (SBMA) employee recently

bought an endangered gecko and turned it over to Wildlife In Need (WIN) .

Information officer Carlo Andres bought a gecko for P20 from an Aeta boy at Sitio Kanawan, one of the Aeta villages inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone

The gecko, according to Andres, was hogtied and had a piece of wood on its mouth to prevent it from biting its handler.

A n d r e s , w h o w a s conducting community service for the SBMA at that time, bought the gecko and went to the WIN Rescue Center at the Naval Magazine area of the Freeport zone.

“I was going to release the animal in the wild, but after seeing its condition, I opted to take it to the rescue center,” Andres said.

M e a n w h i l e , t h e International wi ldl i fe trade monitoring network TRAFFIC said in a statement that the trade, both legal and illegal, in the gecko known

for its blue-grey skin and loud croak was on the rise across Southeast Asia

It called for the nocturnal animal to be protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as a “stitch in time” for the Asian gecko.

“TRAFFIC is alarmed at the massive increase in trade of these geckos,” said Chris Shepherd, deputy director of TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.

“If the trade continues to mushroom, it could take years to repair the damage currently being inflicted on gecko populations,” he added.

The animals are captured across Southeast Asia, especially the Philippines as well as Indonesia, according to a new report launched by TRAFFIC, which points out their “rapacious collection.”

They are usually killed and dried, and shipped to China for use in traditional medicine billed to cure various diseases, including HIV and cancer.

Tokay wine or whiskey is also sold as an energy booster.

Thank you for supporting my candidacy to Miss Bikini International 2011 Quest: Claudett

”“ I am deeply honored to have represented our country in the 36thMiss Bikini International at Qingdao, China and compete among more than 70 candidates from different countries around the world. Thank you Slimmers World International for the trust and endless support.

I am so happy and feel so blessed that I am one of the top12 finalists knowing that all

are equally sexy and beautiful. Proud that I brought three crowns from the pageant, 2nd runner-up Best in Evening gown -- thank you Sir George Ismael for the beautiful creation, 2nd runner-up Best in National Costume -- thank you my sister Dianne for lending me your costume and thank you also Iton, Pascual family for helping me fix it and pack it in my baggage ;) and Miss Internet

Popularity 2011.Thank you to the Local

Government of Olongapo City under the leadership of Mayor Bong Gordon, in coordination with Slimmers World International, SBMA, my mom, my tito and titas here and abroad, my cousins, Tita Abby, Tito Vincent, Aljames, Tita Myrna, Kia Frasco, Tita Veronica,Ate Jhona, my Lyceum Subic Bay Family,

GMA News, Butch Francisco, my GI sisters and friends, and the rest of my family and friends.

To those names i wasn’t able to mention, my apology and still my warmest gratitude.

Thank you so much!

Angelee Claudett Delos Reyes

SBMA to supply seedlings for CL greening program

SBMA Ecology Centre personnel collect seedlings at a mini-park in the Central Business District of the Subic Bay Freeport  to boost the government’s nationwide greening program.

Calumpit recognizes SBMA team on rescue operationsSubic eyed for disaster risk-reduction training, Red Cross HQ for Asia-Pacific

SBMA fire chief Ranny Magno (fourth from right, front row) receives a citation for the SBMA Emergency Rescue Team for their rescue operations from Calumpit, Bulacan mayor James de Jesus.

SBMA employee saves Gecko from poachers

Angelee Claudett

Delos Reyes

2B Subic Central