Sen. Villar gives PBBM a book on farm schools

A Book of Directory of Farm Schools,Tourist Farms and Learning Sites in the Philippines was handed down to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. by Senator Cynthia Villar during the Signing of Executive Order for the Moratorium on the Annual Amortization of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in Malacanang on Sept. 13, 2022.

The directory is a part of Sen Villar’s effort to promote farm tourism and farm schools in the country. This also serves as a reference guide for farm enthusiasts, interested trainees, and tourists. Senator Imee Marcos and Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella also joined the handover.

Source: Pop News Philippines

New river drive inaugurated

Senators Cynthia Villar and Mark Villar, together with Deputy Speaker Camille Villar, led the inauguration of the 676-meter Zapote River Drive along Pasong Baka that transverses Brgy. Talon 1 and Brgy, Talon 5 in Las Piñas City. 

The river drive will ease up traffic from Marcos Alvarez Ave. going to Brgy. Pilar, also in Las Pinas.  

Also in photo: (1st row) Kag.Tony Ramos, and Kag.  Romy Clavecillas, both of  Brgy. Talon 1; Asst Dist. Engr. Cristina Tacardon, LPMDEO- DPWH; Dist Engr. Isabelo Baleros LPMDEO-DPWH; Kap. Josie Bumanlag, Brgy. Talon 5, Kap. Miling Ramos, Talon 1; Coun. Lord Aguilar; Coun. Ruben Ramos; Coun. Carlo Aguilar; Kag. Marlon Chua, Brgy. Talon 5. (2nd row) Kag. Ricardo Lucena,  Kag. George Zuniga, Kag. Rommel Serafico, all of Brgy. Talon 1 and Kag. Tyrone Rangel,  Kag. Yolly Tan, Kag. Wilson Tuibeo, all of Brgy. Pilar; Councilor Danny Hernandez and Kag. Ping Nerbes, also of  Brgy. Pilar.

 

Source: Pop News Philippines

GMA Network names Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes as Senior Vice-President

 

GMA Network, Inc.'s Executive Committee has elected Atty. Annette Gozon-Valdes on August 17, 2022 as its new Senior Vice President effective September 1 this year. In this role she will oversee the Talent Management and Development Dept., Program Management Dept., Human Resources Dept., Legal Dept., Worldwide Division, and some subsidiaries in the Kapuso Network. 

 

She has been a director of GMA since 2000 and was part of the team that led GMA's phenomenal rise to the top. 

 

She serves in numerous leadership roles across the Network. Among these was setting up GMA New Media, the Network’s digital media and technology arm and future-proofing agent.  As President of GMA Worldwide, she led the team that distributed GMA's shows to territories in Asia, North America, Middle East, and Africa. Atty. Gozon-Valdes was also instrumental in pushing for new partnerships with new global platforms and in bringing some of the best foreign shows to the Filipinos such as Full House, Stairway to Heaven, and Jewel in the Palace.

 

Currently, she is the Programming Consultant to the Chairman/CEO of GMA Network, where she works with the Drama group and drives synergy across departments. She was one of the brains behind the iconic series Encantadia and Mulawin. She was one of the first to push for local adaptations of iconic foreign materials such as Marimar, Stairway to Heaven, Endless Love, and other Korean dramas, as well as the upcoming live action drama Voltes V Legacy. 

 

She was recently appointed as Consultant of Sparkle, GMA's talent management arm and serves as President of GMA Films, Inc. where she led the production of several blockbuster movies such as Let the Love Begin, Lovestruck, and Moments of Love. 

 

Atty. Gozon-Valdes is also the Corporate Secretary of GMA Network, director of GMA Ventures, Inc. and Philippine Entertainment Portal, Inc. (PEP), Treasurer of Citynet Network Marketing & Productions, Inc., and a Trustee of the GMA Kapuso Foundation. She also sits on the board of RGMA Network, Inc., GMA's radio management and broadcasting affiliate, among others.

 

She is a partner (on leave) in Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion & Lucila and was an Associate Professor at the University of the Philippines, College of Law where she taught Taxation and Legal History. 

 

Atty. Gozon-Valdes was the valedictorian of her elementary and high school classes in Colegio de San Agustin at Makati City.  She graduated cum laude, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Engineering from the Ateneo de Manila University. Thereafter, she obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the Philippines where she graduated valedictorian and cum laude. She later obtained her Master of Laws from Harvard University.

Source: Pop News Philippines

Villar stresses value of wetland park as bird sanctuary

 

Sen. Cynthia Villar stressed anew the importance of wetlands in providing wildlife habitats, including as sanctuary of migratory birds.

On the occasion of the World Migratory Bird Day, Villar said the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park (LPWP) located South of Manila Bay, has served as resting and feeding grounds for migratory birds coming from Japan, China, and Siberia.

“Wetlands have a unique characteristic and serve a lot of functions that is why these areas are protected and preserved,” Villar said.

Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, authored Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas Act or E-NIPAS Act, which lists the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park as a protected area.

The park is a 175- hectare nature reserve providing sanctuary to 82 species of wild bird including Philippine ducks, Chinese egret, and the Black-winged stilts.

 

It has 36 hectares of mangrove forest, the thickest and most diverse among the remaining mangrove areas in Manila Bay. There are at present 11 mangrove species growing in the area. It is the spawning ground of fishes in Manila Bay supporting the livelihood of 300,000 fisherfolk in Manila Bay.

 

The Ramsar Convention recognizes Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park’s global importance to biodiversity that it declared the park as a Wetland of International Importance along with six other sites in the Philippines, namely; 1.the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan; 2. the Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park in Sulu; 3. the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Agusan del Sur; 4. the Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro; 5. the Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Cebu; and 6. the Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area in Negros Occidental.

 

Villar also underscored the urgency of preserving the Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park in the face of plans to reclaim Manila Bay.

 

“There are reclamation projects that plan to build on the buffer zones of the park. We are vigorously opposing this because buffer zones should not be touched in order to preserve the landscape where the wetland now thrives,” Villar said.

 

The senator has expressed her opposition to the plan of Bacoor and Paranaque local governments to reclaim 320 hectares and 287 hectares, respectively, in portions of Manila Bay which are delineated as buffer zones of Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park.

 

The World Migratory Bird Day is celebrated twice this year—May 9 and October 10. With the theme “Birds Connect Our World,” this year’s celebration aims to highlight the importance of conserving and restoring the ecological connectivity and integrity of ecosystems that support the natural movements of migratory birds. ###

Source: Pop News Philippines

Derek Ramsay rushed to hospital after looking straight into UV light

 

Kapuso star Derek Ramsay was rushed to the emergency room after he looked straight into the ultraviolet (UV) light he was fixing.

Ramsay said that they have a UV light which they use in disinfecting things.

In an interview with “Mars Pa More” on GMA 7, Ramsay said that the UV light was flickering when he decided to fix it.

His girlfriend Andrea Torres reminded him not to look straight at the UV light. Still Ramsay looked at it quickly. “Around 2 a.m. hindi ko na maidilat ‘yung mata ko. Talagang they were burning, eh ayoko naman siyang gisingin.” (Manila Bulletin)

For full details, click: https://mb.com.ph/2020/09/28/derek-ramsay-rushed-to-hospital-after-looking-straight-into-uv-light/

Source: Pop News Philippines

Villar cites growing number of volunteers, partners in Manila Bay clean up drive

Senator Cynthia Villar said the growing number of volunteers and partner organizations that take part in the clean-up and mangrove planting activities should be credited for the strides made in the Manila Bay rehabilitation campaign.

Villar, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, made this statement as the International Day of Coastal Cleanup was observed over the weekend.

Villar said almost 12 years after the issuance of the Supreme Court mandamus compelling government agencies and local government units to clean up and rehabilitate Manila Bay, “we still have a long way to go before we restore the bay to its pristine condition.”

“Natutuwa ako dahil mas marami na tayo ngayong volunteers and partners sa ating clean up and mangrove planting activities in Manila Bay. Marami sa kanila ang hindi tumitigil sa paglilinis kahit may pandemya,” Villar said.

Five years ago, Villar started a project in Baseco Compound. Together with the Department of Health, she initiated a project that will build toilet facilities for the residents and address the problem of open defecation in the area.

She also built livelihood projects such as mangrove planting, urban garden, recycling, and aquaculture. Baseco residents are now benefitting from these projects as a source of food or as a source of additional income.

The lady senator also continues to be at the forefront of the fight against Manila Bay reclamation. The Las Pinas-Paranaque Wetland Park, a 175-hectare critical area situated south of Manila Bay, is a Wetland of International Importance that was accorded protection against the threat of reclamation through the Villar-authored Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.

Also in a bid to increase awareness on the importance of this wetland as a sanctuary of migratory birds and haven of flora and fauna, Villar helped build facilities in the area such as a wetland center, visitor’s center, bird hides, boardwalk, and view towers, for the convenience of people looking to enjoy the wonders of this park.

“Ang rehabilitasyon ng Manila Bay ay hindi lamang para sa beautification. Napakaimportante na ma-preserve and biodiversity dito dahil maraming kabuhayan ang naka-depende dito. Umaasa sa fish supply ng Manila Bay ang may 300,000 na mangingisda,” Villar said.

“At syempre, ang Manila Bay na kilala sa buong mundo dahil sa napakagandang sunset nito ay gusto din nating patuloy na ma-enjoy ng future generations. Kaya naman nagpapasalamat ako sa mga taong sumusuporta sa paglilinis at rehabilitasyon ng Manila Bay.  Umaasa ako na kahit na malayo pa tayo sa end-goal, we continue to inspire others to help us win the Battle for Manila Bay,” she added.

 

Source: Pop News Philippines