Angel Thoughts
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”—Aristotle
Food for thought for those who don’t think seriously about climate change…a trillion-ton ice cap broke off in Antarctica this week. Think how they will elevate ocean levels all over the world and affect global warming!
* * *
In observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month (July), senator Loren Legarda has renewed her call to heighten disaster preparedness, especially in local communities.
Legarda, UNISDR Global Champion for Resilience, said that proactive strategies and the involvement of citizens are needed in strengthening the country’s defenses against natural hazards and climate change.
“Most natural hazards turn into disasters because of the lack of preparedness. Disaster prevention starts long before a typhoon makes landfall, before an earthquake happens, or before a volcano erupts. Early warning and early action should be at the very heart of our efforts. Everyone should understand the risks we face and equip ourselves with preventive measures to lessen the impact of natural hazards,” she added that local government officials should lead the community in preparedness.
Community preparations for disaster should include regular pruning of trees, dredging of canals and esteros, and the practice of segregating garbage, among many others, and putting up warning systems and telling the communities about them.
When hazards such as typhoons are expected, barangay officials and volunteers can do mobile patrolling and use sirens to immediately alert people either to stay indoors or get ready to move to safer places. The regular conduct of earthquake and safety drills is also important, especially at schools and hospitals.
Citizens should help restore coastal mangrove forests and continuous tree-growing activities, which are simple yet effective defenses against several types of hazards.
July is National Disaster Consciousness Month, Senadora Loren notes. The theme for this year’s observance is, “Kamalayan sa Kahandaan, Katumbas ay Kaligtasan.”
It was with lots of excitement and pride that the popular classical-pop group, The Angelos collaborated with Dr. Eric Tayag, assistant secretary of the Department of Health (DOH), in promoting #Drugsnomore #Healthpamore, a musical initiative to promote the prevention of the use of illegal drugs among the Filipino youth, with “empowering health first” as its mission.
Dr. Eric Tayag together with The Angelos will launch three renditions of the original theme song composition by Jai Aisa from Las Vegas, Nevada, with choreography sometime next month. Tayag, of course, is well known for his unique and eye-catching way of delivering news and vital messages from the DOH.
The #Drugsnomore #Healthpamore initiative was done through Majella Villaroman, immediate past president of Rotary. The club offers five public high schools participation from Manila City School Division. George Sison-Tagle, founder and lead of the Angelos, claims, “this is an important mission that the Angelos support because we want to reach the hearts of our Filipino youth to take pride in being Filipinos.”
Dr. Tayag offers full DoH support to give compassionate health to all. The alliance is strengthened with the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd)’s cooperation as agreed on by Asec Umali, assuring the safety and wellbeing of 27.7 million Filipino school youth. #DRUGSNOMORE #HEALTHPAMORE #SCHOOLPAMORE is the new mantra, as George Tagle, founder of the award-winning group, The Angelos, stressed. The popular group donated their services to this important project and the young singers are just so pleased. George, also an accomplished painter, told us that thanks should go to the cooperation of Cheers Foundation PH and Emily Alvarez, president of the Congressional Wives, They have a program of absorption in schools nationwide.
Casa Cittadini Foundation, Inc. conducted a benefit concert with the Angelos recently to drum up interest in the health video. It was attended by the sponsors, CCFI Incorporators, friends, benefactors, and students from different Catholic Schools in Dumaguete City. The concert was well attended and the Angelos made the crowd swoon with their music. Their music was a mix of classic Filipino songs, modern songs, and old favorites touching all of the audience who were a mix of young adults and the elderly. Pinoy dream academy season two champion Laarni Lozada was a big hit with her awesome voice.
“We thank the Lord for a successful show.” the organizers chorused. Casacittadini Home for Girls Foundation helps many girl orphans.
* * *
Students who want to be academically prepared before embarking on a collegiate or university course can realize their goal with the opening of applications for a high school exchange program in the US, which is being offered by International Education Specialists (Inter-Ed).
Helen U. Bartholomew, Inter-Ed founder, explained that by crossing borders to pursue their ambitions, participants will have the opportunity to experience a big transformation in their personal lives and careers as they build bridges by studying and interacting with people of diverse colors, nationalities, and beliefs.
According to Bartholomew, Filipino high school students who participate in the exchange program return to the country with a dramatic transformation in their perspective and attitude—as mature, independent-minded individuals with an entirely different outlook in life. Participants in the program are usually in their senior year in high school.
Since it launched its high school exchange program in the 1980s, Inter-Ed, in cooperation with its partner-institutions in the US, has placed more than 80,000 Filipino students in various American high schools.
For more information on the US high school exchange program, applicants may contact Inter-Edat 02 819-1001 or 0918-9041282 or online atintl_edu_specialists@pldtdsl.net or log on to www.inter-ed.com. (mb.com)
