The IronKids waiting for gunstart. Photos by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

SUBIC, Zambales—The sun hadn’t fully risen yet on one Saturday morning here in Subic but a massive throng of young athletes had already converged at Remy Field.

More than 800 kids aged six to 14-years-old participated in the annual Alaska IronKids swim/run race in this coastal city where a couple of up and coming young stars ruled the event.

Zedrick Borja ruled the 13 to 14-year-old boys’ division clocking in at 18:21.9, nearly 20 seconds faster than the silver medal winner, while Samantha Corpuz conquered the 13 to 14-year-old girls’ division, finishing the course at 19:01.4, more than three minutes ahead of the second-fastest female.

Coach Ani De Leon-Brown, one of the organizers and pioneers of the sport, said seeing nearly a thousand kids get up before the crack of dawn and go through a physical adventure speaks volumes of what the future holds for the younger generation.

De Leon-Brown said kids who started as early as possible in any sporting endeavor already set the foundation of a healthy lifestyle for years to come.

“If you can encourage your kids, even if they’re not competitive, even if they’re not racing Ironkids for example, it’s really a good time to teach that skill [swimming]… it’s easier to establish that fitness routine because later on it would be harder to start,” said De Leon-Brown.

“If they’re used to that, their bodies are used to activity, it’s a healthy habit they can take on to adulthood.”

Setting children up for an early start in any sport could very well pave the way for a potential career especially in the current landscape of triathlon where the sport has fully entrenched itself in the public’s consciousness.

The two-time World Championships qualifier said they didn’t have a role model in the Philippines but with so many other personalities thriving in the sport, she’s positive the younger athletes have someone to look up to.

“Everyone has their own specific path but personally when I was starting we didn’t have that many role models,” said De Leon-Brown. “It’s really great that kids can realize ‘oh this is what we can become, we can be similar to that person.’”

“They know what’s possible and that’s great.”

Source: sports.inquirer.net

Continue Reading

Photo Credit: eph.ru

SMC Consolidated Power Corp. (SCPC) received the go-ahead of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to develop a transmission facility so that electricity from its 4×150-megawatt (MW) Limay coal plant in Bataan can reach the Luzon grid via the substation of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.

To dispatch the power to be generated by the power plant, SCPC will construct a dedicated point-to-point limited transmission facilities to connect said power to the 230-kilovolt (kV) Lamao substation of NGCP.

The transmission facility will cost P114,412,440.75.

In approving SCPC’s application, the ERC said the NGCP shall operate the facility to ensure and maintain the reliability, adequacy, security, stability and integrity of the nationwide electrical grid. SCPC was also directed to pay the commission a permit fee of P639,789.74.

The ERC noted that the entry of SCPC’s power plant to the Luzon grid is technically feasible and that the transmission facility is “necessary for the power plant to deliver its generated power to the grid through NGCP’s 230-kV Lamao switching station.”

Likewise, in order to comply with SCPC’s obligation to supply power with distribution utilities, the power plant should be connected to the grid. “Thus, the development of the subject facility is required,”the ERC said.

SCPC is a wholly owned subsidiary of SMC Global Power Holdings Corp. (SMCGPH), one of the largest power firms in the country.

SMCGPH controls 4,197 MW of combined capacity as of end-September 2018 and which benefits from diversified fuel sources, including natural gas, coal and hydro. Its combined capacity comprises approximately 19 percent of the national grid, 25 percent of the Luzon grid and 9 percent of the Mindanao grid.

It is considering further expansion of its power portfolio of additional capacity nationwide through greenfield power projects over the next few years, depending on market demand.

Source: businessmirror.com.ph

Continue Reading

By: Rhea Claire Madarang

MORE THAN JUST A CAFÉ. This is the wall outside Julyan’s Coffee Spot. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

San Narciso’s beaches in Zambales, with the most popular arguably being Crystal Beach, are well-known for waves perfect for surfing the pine-like agoho trees rising from volcanic ash-gray sand.

GARDEN AND ART. Julyan’s Coffee Spot is a good place to relax with plants and art. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

San Narciso has more to offer, though. Just a tricycle ride away from San Narciso’s beaches and located in the town proper is a beautiful garden café decorated with paintings and calligraphy.

SPECIAL CAFÉ. Julyan’s Coffee Spot is a colorful garden art café in the San Narciso town. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

What makes the café extra special is that it employs people with special needs and disabilities, or differently abled people.

Some of the artwork in the café are also made by people with special needs and disabilities. Upon entering, you come across wooden chairs, sofas, and other seats surrounded by greenery, flowering shrubs, and colorful paintings of animals and usually bright objects, as well as inspiring quotes in calligraphy.

You are also greeted by welcoming smiles from the staff. Above are paper lanterns which look magical at night.

Julyan’s Coffee Spot was founded by Rachel Harrison, a local who returned to her hometown to build a home for her son with autism. In their home-turned-resort, her 26-year-old son Julyan channels his energy into surfing, farming, doing household chores, and painting.

JULYAN. Julyan Harrison, the name behind Julyan’s Coffee Spot, harvests chili at the farm in his home. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

Some of the artwork at Julyan’s Coffee Spot are painted by Julyan, some are painted by other people with special needs, while the rest are made by the café’s manager Jennyfer Uy, who also runs art workshops at the café, which is also an arts and skills center. She was the one who taught Julyan painting.

SPECIAL ART. The octopus is among the café’s artworks painted by Julyan. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

ART ROOM. Here, customers, usually kids, can make art. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

Uy says the employees with special needs and disabilities wear a pin that mentions their being differently-abled so customers know. She said that when trained well, people with special needs and disabilities can also work well and are very focused on their tasks.

SPECIAL PIN. Employees with special needs and disabilities wear this pin. Photo courtesy of Jennyfer Uy

Eighteen-year-old Ace Salvador, who was diagnosed with an learning disability and polio, for example, takes the initiative during his shift to sweep the floor and wipe the tables. He also helps in prepping the food and shopping in the market for ingredients.

Before working at Julyan’s Coffee Spot, Salvador was already helping his mother out in a resort where she works.

Thirty-four-year-old Christian Conanan, who has a learning disability, is known for his friendly smile. He’s enthusiastic about his work as he uses his salary to help out in his family’s expenses. He always looks forward to bringing money home to his parents.

ALL SMILES. Christian Cunanan is generous with smiles to customers. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

Salvador and Cunanan are just two of the employees with special needs and disabilities at Julyan’s Coffee Spot. Both study at an elementary school in the neighboring town of San Antonio and work at the café when they have no classes.

Uy says that they reached out to the Special Education departments of schools in San Narciso and neighboring towns to recruit employees and interns. Their efforts are well-received, and the students there learn new skills working at Julyan’s Coffee Spot. She teaches them to do barista work like mixing drinks, preparing food, among other skills. Some, after gaining experience, get employed in other places.

ENTHUSIASTIC MANAGER. Jennyfer Uy is passionate about her work. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

Seeing the employees at Julyan’s Coffee Spot learning and working happily give Uy a sense of fulfillment. She reveals that she has a young daughter who died early. Working at Julyan’s Coffee Spot and looking after its employees feels a bit like being a mother to her.

POSITIVE WORKFORCE. Here are some of the employees at the cafe. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

She also loves holding art workshops. Recently, both fully-abled students and students with special needs and disabilities from San Narciso and neighboring towns gathered for a painting session at the coffee shop. Some of the current coffee shop employees also joined in.

TEAMWORK. Ace Salvador (left), Christian Cunanan (right), together with founder Rachel Harrison (second from left) and manager Jennyfer (third from left). Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

ART WORKSHOPS. Art workshops for both fully abled and differently abled students are also held. Photo courtesy of Jennyfer Uy

While what Harrison and Uy are doing with Julyan’s Coffee Spot may be considered special, the Philippines’ Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) (Republic Act 10524) requires government agencies to reserve 1% of jobs for PWDs. Private corporations with over 100 employees are encouraged to do the same.

The same law also requires equal employment opportunities for PWDs. It is Harrison’s hope that more companies and organizations employ more people with special needs and disabilities.

Should you visit Julyan’s Coffee Spot, enjoy the ambiance of art and plants and be patient with the differently abled employees. You may have to write your orders down, depending on the person attending to your table. Remember to watch out for the special pin!

CHILL HERE. Enjoy the art, the plants, and of course, get your photo taken. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

EVENING MAGIC. Nighttime is a perfect time to visit. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

Try the macopa shake (P95). Their milk teas (P85 up) and colorful frappes (P85 up) are good, too.

GROUP SNACKS. Here are some of the must-try food items. Photo by Rhea Claire Madarang

Other must-tries are the beef burger sliders (P180 up), the bacon burger (P199), and the gourmet tuyo pasta (P180), among others. The café also has rice meals with chicken, pork, or beef (P180 up).

Source: rappler.com

Continue Reading

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 31) — The chairman of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) has lauded the reshipment of trash from Canada Friday, saying it was a joyous occasion. Sixty-nine trash-filled container vans that have been languishing in the Philippines for over half a decade are finally en route to where they came from: Canada.

The Maersk’s MV Bavaria docked in Subic Bay around 3 p.m. Thursday, and past 7 a.m. Friday.

Aside from the garbage, the ship also has 150 shipping containers as it is taking the regular commercial route.

MV Bavaria will make a stop in Taiwan before heading straight to the port of Vancouver in Canada where it is due to arrive on June 22. Canadian media reports have said the garbage will be incinerated in Burnaby.

BREAKING: MV Bavaria now sailing out, together with 69 containers of mixed household waste sent by a Canadian private company to the Philippines in 2013 and 2014 | @CarolynBonquin pic.twitter.com/x3ZSw3D7at

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) May 30, 2019

MV Bavaria is expected to arrive at the Port of Vancouver in Canada on June 22. Local Canadian Press reported, once back in Canada, the garbage will be burned in a waste-to-energy facility in Burnaby | @CarolynBonquin pic.twitter.com/JBJYdfHUg0

— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) May 30, 2019

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma said the departure of the unwanted shipment was a momentous occasion.

“We thank President Rodrigo Duterte for his decisive action that brought about a satisfactory conclusion to this sordid chapter in our history. This is one proud moment for all Filipinos,” she said in a statement.

She noted that the SBMA documented the whole procedure from the time MV Bavaria docked in Subic’s New Container Terminal-1 to the loading of the containers Thursday to the ship’s departure.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. said Canada paid for fumigation, ship side loading, and shipping, which was estimated to cost around P10 million.

The International Container Terminal Services Incorporated waived all costs on land.

MV Bavaria is expected to arrive at the Port of Vancouver in Canada on June 22, after a stopover in Taiwan. Local Canadian press reported the garbage will be incinerated in Burnaby.

The 69 container vans of trash are what remains of the more than 2,500 tons of waste illegally shipped in batches in 2013 and 2014 by Canadian company Chronic Plastics Inc. The company declared the trash in 103 container vans as “recyclable plastic scraps.”

Customs officials earlier said the contents of 34 container vans have already been disposed of.

Environmental activists from Ecowaste Coalition, however, said only 26 container vans have been accounted for. They called on the government to disclose where the contents of the eight other container vans were dumped

The Manila Regional Trial Court is still hearing cases on alleged violations of environmental and customs laws against Canadian firm Chronic Plastics and customs brokers involved in smuggling the garbage.

Source: cnnphilippines.com

Continue Reading

Global imaging solutions leader Canon believes one of its missions is to maximize the use of finite resources.

Canon Marketing Philippines, through its local partner Envirotech Waste Recycling, turns empty ink cartridges and other refuse into useful items such as school chairs.

“We at Canon strive hard to not just create superior imaging products and business solutions for our consumers and partners; we also innovate ways to deliver products and processes in a more eco-friendly manner,” said Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc. president and chief executive Kazuhiro Ozawa.

Ozawa said the company is aware that their products may eventually end up in landfills. “As a global company, we are mindful of our environmental impact and take responsibility by implementing a closed-loop recycling system. We are proud to be the first company globally to recycle toner cartridges since 1990,” he added.

Canon believes that smart designs and recycling are some of the solutions in addressing global waste and resource issues. As such, they design products that are easier to reuse and recycle, which starts from the selection of materials down to limiting the types of plastics used.

In the manufacturing process, they practice a closed-loop recycling method where the byproduct of one process is used to make another product, thereby minimizing or eliminating waste altogether.

In Japan in the 1990s, the company pioneered the recycling of toner cartridges. Last year, it celebrated the 10th anniversary of Project Homecoming, a recycling program that allows people to properly dispose of their empty ink cartridges. To make it accessible for everyone, over 6,000 recycling bins were deployed across Japanese cities that resulted in 24 million cartridges being collected.

Canon wishes to replicate the success of Project Homecoming in the Philippines with the relaunch of its ink cartridge recycling program. Together with its local partner Envirotech Waste Recycling, Inc., the company plans to transform the collected refuse into usable items.

Collected cartridges will be given new life as new collection bins, effectively fueling the program’s expansion.

“Since we started the ink cartridge recycling program here in the Philippines only six years ago, we have collected 7,000 empty ink cartridges from consumers,” shared CMPI vice president Anuj Aggarwal.

He continued, “Our business partners have also been supportive. They have submitted for recycling 99 percent of the toner cartridges they purchased from us. In doing this, we hope to encourage everyone to be more conscious about the environment and to start practicing recycling.”

To meet its goal of collecting at least 30 percent more ink cartridges and 10 percent more toner cartridges, Canon is encouraging everyone to drop off empty ink cartridges (non-Canon cartridges are welcome, too) in recycling bins located in the following stores: Canon Customer Care Center in Commerce and Industry Plaza; Canon Image Square in SM Aura Premier; Canon D-Center in SM Megamall; Canon D-Zone in SM North Edsa; and Canon D-Zone in SM Mall of Asia.

Source:

Continue Reading