Day: December 29, 2023

Quang Nam: The collection of carbon isotope samples has been ordered to determine the age of a sunken wooden ship recently discovered near the coast of Cam An ward in the central province of Quang Nam’s Hoi An city.

The move is part of a series of activities launched by Hoi An authorities, which include cordoning off the area and safeguarding it around the clock to prevent unauthorised salvage operations.

In accordance with the heritage law, the city-level administration does not have the authority to carry out excavation or archaeological work. Hoi An has reported the findings to and requested the Quang Nam Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism formulate the next steps, said Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Van Lanh.

The incident unfolded on December 26 in the area where an emergency coastal embankment project was underway to combat erosion at Cua Dai beach. Local residents discovered an object believed to be a long-lost vessel. The impact of tidal surges and ocean waves cause
d a portion of the ship to protrude above the water surface.

According to Lanh, upon receiving reports of the discovery, specialised personnel from the city’s cultural heritage conservation centre were sent to the scene to conduct an initial check. Observations have indicated multiple dark brown wooden beams protruding between 10 – 30cm above the sea surface, resembling the shape of a boat with a pointed end. The boat’s width and length were estimated to be approximately 3m and 15m, respectively./.
Source: Vietnam News Agency

MANILA: After surpassing their expectations in the recent 24 Hores D’ultrafons En Pista De Barcelona in Spain, a group of Europe-based Filipino runners is preparing for more international tournaments next year.

Roland Espina, an endurance athlete from Ireland, emerged as the best Filipino finisher in the grueling Barcelona ultramarathon after completing a 195.368-km. distance within 24 hours of the race from 12 p.m. of Dec. 15 to 12 p.m. the following day.

‘Sobra saya niyang ibinalita na sumobra pa sa kanyang goal ang kaniyang tinakbo. Isa na naman ito achievement para sa kanya (He was very happy to report that he exceeded his goal. It’s another achievement for him),’ Espina’s friend Alona Cochon told the Philippine News Agency on Friday.

With his achievement, Espina qualified to join the prestigious Sparta Ultramarathon 2024 in Athens, Greece in September after surpassing the 180-km. qualifying mark.

Eugene Evangelista from Milan, Italy also made it to the Greece ultramarathon after running 183.367km. in
24 hours.

Bren Kevin Cabasa, also from Milan who has already qualified in the Sparta Ultramarathon after winning the gold medal in Cinisello Balsamo last year, submitted 166.567 km. to finish second in his age category.

Luisa Nuñez was the only Filipina runner from Paris, France who competed in the Barcelona 24Hours as she also surpassed her expectations with a distance of 152.966 km.

Other Filipino runners who completed the 24-hour Barcelona race were Genesis Cunanan from Piacienza, Italy (154.967 km.), Leonardo Castro from Florence, Italy (124.96 km.), Mark Robin Salas from Milan (147.366 km.), and Ted Magno from Ireland (97.2 km.).

Rex Brillantes, a silver finisher in the 303-km. Italian Ultramarathon on March 18, 2023, experienced cramps after 12 hours but still finished 117 km.

‘Barcelona 24Hours didn’t go as planned and ended up early. Congratulations and well done to all Pinoys, especially from Milan. 2023 is only training year. Bring on 2024,’ Brillantes said in his social media post.

Cochon sai
d more long-distance international races are up for grabs for Filipino marathoners in 2024.

‘I think a lot of them will compete in many tournaments next year and Sparta Ultramarathon is one of them. It is a sought-after tournament,’ she said.
Source: Philippines News Agency

_: Jeepney operators and drivers who failed to join the government’s Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) modernization program would be allowed to operate beyond the Dec. 31 consolidation deadline but only in routes that have few consolidated units.

Joel Bolano, chief of the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) technical division, said unconsolidated jeepneys in routes with at least 60 percent of units that consolidated would no longer be able to renew their provisional authorities to operate.

“‘Yung mga routes na may consolidated na less than 60 percent nag-consolidate, ‘yun pong mga unconsolidated will be given until end of January [2024] para makapag-issue [sa kanila] ng special permits sa route na pwede tumakbo, sa routes na may unconsolidated units [Jeepneys plying routes with less than 60 percent consolidation will be given special permits to run until end of January next year),” Bolano said in a press briefing Friday.

“Sa mga routes na totally walang nag-consolidate, they have until Jan
uary 31 din para makapag-operate sila pending the process of assigning units coming from other routes (In routes with totally no consolidation, they have until January 31 to operate pending the process of assigning units coming from other routes),” he added.

Transport officials said there would be no extension of the deadline to apply for consolidation into either a cooperative or a corporation, the first step of the modernization program.

Office of Transportation Cooperatives (OTC) chair Andy Ortega said offices of the OTC and LTFRB are open until Dec. 31, 2023 at 5 p.m. to accommodate those who would still avail of the consolidation.

“In between 3 to 4 kilometers are the routes of those who have not consolidated. Talaga pong tuloy-tuloy na magtutulungan kami (we will coordinate), including the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government), LGUs (local government units) and other concerned government agencies in order to have a reliable, convenient, and safe travel,’ Ortega said.

‘We still have
three days para makahabol sa deadline. Sana mahikayat pa ang ibang ayaw mag-consolidate na mag-consolidate na (I hope we can encourage them to consolidate with only three days left),’ he added.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista has earlier expressed support to operators and drivers who have consolidated under the PUVMP.
Source: Philippines News Agency

_: The Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Ilocos Region (DOH-CHD-1) renewed its call against the use of firecrackers after recording a first casualty due to an explosion caused by firecrackers.

DOH-CHD-1 regional director Paula Paz Sydiongco, in a statement on Friday, said the 38-year-old male victim from Dagupan City suffered from multiple physical injuries secondary to the blast incident on Christmas Day.

She said the victim died from sepsis after sustaining second-degree burns on the head and right upper extremities.

Based on the investigation of the police and the Bureau of Fire Protection-Dagupan City, the firecrackers stored in a house under construction in Barangay Malued exploded when one of the victims lit a cigarette during a drinking session.

The impact of the explosion also affected 21 houses.

‘We strongly advise everyone to avoid using firecrackers to avoid any serious incidents. Firecrackers are firecrackers and these are dangerous. So, we should just avoid going near it,
watch it, or pass through areas where there are firecrackers),’ she said.

Sydiongco said all government hospitals in the region are under code white alert from Dec. 21 to Jan. 5, 2024.

Code white alert refers to the readiness of hospitals and health offices to provide necessary medical services.

A report from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) showed there were 33 fireworks-related injuries in the Ilocos Region from Dec. 21 to 28, more than double the 15 cases during the same period last year.

Of the total, Pangasinan registered 26 cases, 18 of which are from Dagupan City; followed by La Union, five; and Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, one each.

Twenty-seven are males.

The ages of the victims ranged from 7 to 74 years.

Twenty-seven of the victims suffered from blast or burn injuries with no amputation, three suffered from blast or burn with amputation, and three suffered eye injuries.

Unlabeled imported firecrackers are still the main cause of injuries with 20 cases; followed by boga
or PVC cannon, 7; kwitis (sky rocket), 2; and One Star, Piccolo, whistle bomb and ‘bawang,’ 1 each.
Source: Philippines News Agency

TACLOBAN CITY: The approval of the medicine program in Northern Samar by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will encourage more students in the province to pursue medical education and improve the delivery of health care services, Governor Edwin Ongchuan said on Friday.

He thanked President Marcos for approving the local government’s long-standing request-the establishment of a College of Medicine at the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) in Catarman town.

“More Northern Samar residents will choose to pursue their medical education in their home province due to the lower cost compared to other regions or countries. The provincial government foresees an increased need for doctors and other healthcare personnel in local hospitals as the demand for health services continues to rise,” Ongchuan said in a statement.

On Dec. 28, President Marcos signed into law the bill establishing a College of Medicine at the UEP.

Republic Act 11972, authored by Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza, aims to address t
he need for more medical education programs and reduce the cost of medical education in the Philippines.

Three other state universities can also proceed to offer medical courses. These are Visayas State University in Baybay City, Leyte; Benguet State University in La Trinidad, Benguet; and Southern Luzon State University in Quezon province.

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the provincial government strengthened its healthcare program by opening the medical scholarship program. It provides indigent residents with the opportunity to pursue a career in medicine, hence increasing the number of doctors serving in public hospitals in the province.

“By addressing our health human resource requirements and improving our health facilities with necessary infrastructure and equipment, we hope to enhance the delivery of health services to people in the province,” Ongchuan added.

Currently, the program has already produced four licensed doctors while supporting the education of other scholars in different m
edical schools across the country.

Scholars are required to return service to government hospitals in the province upon becoming licensed doctors, depending on the number of years they have availed of the program.
Source: Philippines News Agency

_: The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) has issued a directive to its personnel and that of the municipal DRRMOs to be on ‘red alert’ to ensure a safe observance of New Year’s Day.

PDRRMO chief Broderick Train said in an interview Friday that the red alert status will run from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2, with provincial and municipal DRRMO personnel being on duty in two shifts for 24 hours.

‘There will be a close monitoring of the firecracker zones, beaches and inland resorts as well as other convergence areas to make sure that the people are safe,’ he said.

He added that the deployment of the provincial and municipal DRRMO personnel will allow them to swiftly respond to any New Year’s Day-related incidents.

The province has not yet received any report related to the firecracker or other pyrotechnics incident since Christmas Day.

‘So far, the Antique Integrated Provincial Health Office has not yet sent us a report related to the firecracker or other pyrotechnics incident,’
he said.

Meanwhile, Antique Provincial Police Office Staff Sergeant John Mark Gonzaga said based on their assessment, the province was generally peaceful with no incident of indiscriminate firing from the police or any other authorities during Christmas Day.

‘There will be no nozzle taping of guns anymore just like last year,’ he said.

Police personnel in Antique also had no nozzle taping during the Christmas Day celebration.

He said police personnel have been on full alert since the first week of December when Antique had its Binirayan Festival, and that the lowering of the alert status will depend on the assessment of the Police Regional Office 6.

Gonzaga reminded commuters to avoid having intoxicating drinks to prevent vehicular accidents.

He also warned firecracker vendors against selling prohibited items such as pla-pla and Goodbye Philippines.
Source: Philippines News Agency