Pisay Central’s Bentonite water filtration project wins in Hyundai New Thinkers Spotlight

As climate change causes water scarcity and contamination in most communities in the country, students from Philippine Science High School – Central Campus deviced a water filter system using a locally abundant material called Bentonite to source clean water from Abacan River for indigenous people.

 

With eutrophication and sedimentation prevailing in the Abacan River, Jan Louise Cabrera, Joshua Miguel Danac and mentor Karizz Anne Morante created a filtration system using Bentonite clay—a product of lahar erosion and an effective adsorbent of dirt—to benefit the Aeta community in Barangay Sapangbato in Angeles, City Pampanga.

 

The innovation earned the Best Bayanihan Project title at the Hyundai New Thinkers Spotlight recently held at the Hyundai Center for Green Innovation in Angat, Bulacan.

 

Their project entitled “Bentonite Absorbent as a Technological Improvement of Sapangbato Waters” bested 19 other climate change intervention projects and bagged medals, certificates, and a cash prize of P90,000 for the team. The students were also awarded college scholarship grants courtesy of Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) Foundation.

 

“Water scarcity is a serious problem that already affects more than 1.2 billion people in the world and climate change worsens this problem as excessive groundwater extraction causes land subsidence and increases vulnerability to flooding,” said Cabrera and Danac during their project defense. “With our project, we are able to make use of available resource such as Bentonite to provide a means in bringing clean water to the Aeta communities in Sapangbato.”

 

They said the filtration system can also serve as model for other communities to adopt as an alternative way to source potable water.

 

“With improvements to our prototype filter, we believe that this can be of value to many other communities faced with the same problem,” they added.

 

The Hyundai New Thinkers Spotlight is the culminating phase of the Hyundai New Thinkers Circuit (HNTC) Program—a collaborative program of HARI Foundation and the Department of Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), together with the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) and Marine Science Institute (MSI). The program aimed to develop students into becoming future climate scientists and leaders.

 

In the said Spotlight, 20 school teams showcased their innovative community development projects through exhibits and project presentations to compete for 20 scholarship slots. The Bayanihan projects were evaluated based on ingenuity, efficiency, sustainability, and the students’ overall participation in the HNTC cycle.

 

Emilio Bernabe High School’s Neal Renz Empleo, Sheena Coleen Labampa and coach Marites Banzon placed second with 90.1 points for their project “Motorized Boat Made of Junked Home Appliances as Alternate to Rubber Boat during Flood Rescue Operations”. They won medals, certificates, a cash prize of P75,000 and two scholarship slots.

 

Kasarinlan High School’s “Hydrocab”project, Philippine Science High School – Main Campus’ “Incorporation of Coir Geotextile, Aeration, and Rice Husk Filter into Localized Home Rainwater Harvesting”, and Sisters of Mary School’s “Electroschwartz Vertical Axis Wind Turbine” rounded up the top five.

 

Completing the top 10 are Marcelo H. Del Pilar National High School (rPLANT Project), Pateros National High School (Eco-Riders), Claro M. Recto Information and Communication Technology High School (5 E’s in Waste Segregation), Mariveles National High School (Biodegradable Tamarind Seed-Based Plastic: A Remedy for the Changing Climate), and Valenzuela City Science High School (H2O FLOOD).

 

Students from said schools comprised the 20 Hyundai New Thinkers Scholars. Their college studies shall be supported by HARI Foundation provided they choose a science course.

 

HARI Foundation President Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo congratulated the participants and encouraged them to be leaders in whichever field they choose in the future.

 

“We stand here with a dream to drive a new world of possibilities for our young people, the leaders and innovators of tomorrow,” said Agudo.

 

She also urged the Hyundai New Thinkers to be “part of the solution” as the answers could already be in front of them.

“You are more than brilliant scholars. You are a spark of hope for a better world,” disclosed Agudo.

 

Dr. Josette Biyo, the new Director of DOST-SEI, urged the students to continue to exemplify leadership in their own schools and communities even after the HNTC Program.

 

“Think of this event as a practice session for your would-be daily undertaking once you’ve become a scientist, engineer or a community leader,” Biyo said as she encouraged the participants to choose science courses in college.

 

The HNT Scholars, who will be required to take up S&T courses to avail of the scholarship, will be provided support in their tuition and other fees as well as a monthly stipend courtesy of HARI Foundation.  (30)

 

Contact person: Marco D. Melgar, SEI, Cell. No.: 0916-3485271, Tel. No.: 837-1925, 8372071 loc 2384

Domestic Work, Work Like Any Other

The Statement of Mr. Yoshiteru Uramoto

International Labour Organization - Regional Director for Asia and Pacific

on the occasion of the International Domestic Workers Day

16 June 2014

Two months ago, a 23-year old domestic worker from a little-known Indonesian city was named as one of Time's 100 Most Influential People. Ms Erwiana Sulistyaningsih was recognized alongside presidents and popstars for what she didn't do - Erwiana didn't stay silent.

Today is International Domestic Workers Day, and at the International Labour Organization we are reflecting on the contributions of women like Erwiana. Since she returned from Hong Kong to her home in Indonesia, Erwiana has been campaigning for the rights of domestic workers. During her eight months on the job in Hong Kong, Erwiana was violently abused by her employer, and when her injuries prevented her from continuing to work, she was sent home with just US$9 in her pocket. Erwiana began campaigning for domestic workers just like her, many of them migrant women, most of them still vulnerable in their workplaces across the globe.

There are over 20 million domestic workers in the Asia Pacific Region alone - that's the population of Sri Lanka - but because these workers are often hidden in private homes, in workplaces that remain unregulated, they are especially vulnerable to abuse. In many countries, domestic workers aren't protected by the general labour law, and are excluded from receiving the minimum wage. On average, domestic workers earn less than half of average wages; some earn less than a fifth.

Despite the risks, domestic work is a fast growing sector. There are 19 million more domestic workers today than there were in the mid-1990s - that's a thirty per cent increase in less than 20 years. Over eighty percent of these workers are women.

The Philippines is the first country to ratify the Domestic Workers Convention in the Asia Pacific region. In compliance with its obligations under C189, the Philippines introduced the Batas Kasambahay law in January 2013, bringing previously unprotected domestic workers into the formal sector. It is hoped that those protections be extended into agreements with countries that receive Filipina domestic workers.

Migrant domestic workers contribute significantly to their home communities and the larger society. They send remittances that are regularly spent on the education and health needs of the domestic worker's family, and increasing the GDP and development potential of their countries. Domestic workers enable members of the employer's household to go to work by reducing the time needed for cleaning, cooking, shopping and family tasks. 

We need to realize the benefits that domestic work, and migration into domestic work, can offer, and this can only be achieved if these women are in safe and profitable work. The International Labour Organization recently estimated that over US$8 billion dollars in profits are made each year from domestic workers in forced labour. These profits should rightfully go to the workers and their families, but instead line the pockets of fraudulent recruitment companies and exploitative employers.

This is in part because many people still see domestic work as a woman's unpaid familial duty, or a job for a lower class or caste of women, instead of as productive work for wages like any other. This misconception has slowed the process of recognizing domestic workers rights, in international law and in our own homes. On 16 June 2011, the first convention recognizing the rights of domestic workers was adopted.  Today, we commemorate that moment where the international community finally and positively stated that 'domestic work is work.'

So far, 14 countries have agreed to enshrine basic rights for domestic workers by ratifying ILO Convention No. 189. On the anniversary of its adoption, I call on all governments to consider ratification of the Convention and the inclusion of domestic workers in the general protections provided by the labour law.

But you don't need to wait for your government to act to improve the lives of domestic workers. If you employ a domestic worker, have a conversation with her about ways to implement the Convention in your own home. Recognize her right to a full day of rest each week, reasonable working hours, and fair wages in line with the minimum wage. Refuse to employ children under the minimum age for work and allow young workers to combine work and school. Encourage your domestic worker to join a network or association of domestic workers. Provide holiday and sick pay, freedom of movement, and payment in cash. Respect your domestic worker's right to privacy, and make sure she has a lockable bedroom if she lives in your home.

I admire Erwiana's courage. She stood up and fought for her rights and dignity as a human being, and for the rights of other domestic workers like her. Erwiana shouldn't stand alone. Stand with her by protecting the rights of domestic workers in your home and your community. Call on your government to ratify the Convention and ensure that women have safe and profitable access to these much-needed jobs. If we don't acknowledge domestic workers as the valuable members of society that they are and protect them fully under the law, how many more cases like Erwiana's will there be?

 Reference:

MINETTE RIMANDO, ILO-Manila

rimando@ilo.org / + 63 (2) 5809900 or 5809905 / +63 (917) 5353162

DOH looking for Surveillance Assistants

The National Epidemiology Center of the Department of Health is hiring Surveillance Assistants for the HIV & STI Surveillance and Strategic Information Unit. 

Application deadline has been moved to: June 20, 2014

Tentative date of interview: June 23, 2014 

Required Qualifications:

• Applicant must have a medical or allied medical degree; or have a social science degree with work experience in STI or HIV;
• Excellent in both written and spoken English;
• Proficiency in using MS Excel, MS Powerpoint and MS Publisher

Preferred Qualification:

• Knowledge on Epi Info, STATA and/or SPSS 

Interested applicants may submit their updated resume to hivepicenter@gmail.com or Rm 209, Bldg. 19, National Epidemiology Center, Department of Health, San Lazaro Compound, Quiricada St., Sta. Cruz, Manila

Kindly send to your contacts as well.

Thank you.

– 

Philippine HIV EpiCenter

National Epidemiology Center, Department of Health

2/F Bldg 19, San Lazaro Compound, Sta. Cruz, Manila

+632 4950513, +632 6517800 

World Day Against Child Labour 2014

Thousands of children and their families affected by Haiyan (Yolanda) along with government agencies, non-government organizations, international and humanitarian partners will march against child labour in Tacloban on 12 June (3-6pm) at the Balyuan Center near the DILG Office, Tacloban. (DETAILED ROUTE: From Balyuan Center to -> Real St.-> Avenida Veteranos -> Rizal Avenue ->Justice Romualdez St.-and culminate at the City Engineer’s Covered Court for the Programme)

The joint assessment of the Child Protection and Education Cluster (March-April 2014) in affected municipalities of Region VI and VII after Haiyan (Yolanda) revealed that 54 per cent of barangays reported that children are involved in child labour or in harsh and dangerous labour and 75 per cent of barangays reported that children who are working are not able to go to school. The joint assessment took place in 112 barangays and 125 schools and key informants included community leaders and head teachers.

In the Philippines, the 2011 Survey on Children by the National Statistics Office, conducted with the support of the International Labour Organization, revealed that there were 3 million child labourers (5-17 years old).

This year’s World Day against Child Labour (12 June) will focus on the global theme: “Extend social protection: combat child labour!” Poverty and shocks play a key role in driving children to work. Poor households are more likely to have to resort to child labour to meet basic needs and deal with uncertainty. Exposure to shocks, resulting in loss of family income, can have a similar effect on household decisions. For example, economic shocks, such an adult member of the family losing his/her job, health-related shocks like a serious illness or an employment injury, and agriculture-related shocks, such as drought, flood and crop failure, can dramatically reduce household incomes and cause children to drop out of school and go to work to contribute to the family income.

Social protection aims at providing support to poor families, and assistance to help them to weather various shocks. Social protection instruments which are most helpful in combatting child labour include:

Cash and in-kind transfer programmes that enhance income security for families and facilitate access to education and health care, conditional or not, help prevent child labour, and promote enrolling children into schools, taking children for health check-ups.

Public employment programmes, which provide jobs for adults to build and improve roads, schools, health centres and the like, helping to ensure that it is adults who are at work and not children.

Social health protection, which ensures access to health care and financial protection in case of sickness, and can stop households sending children to work when a member of the household falls ill.

Maternity benefits, that protect pregnant women and recent mothers and allow caring for new-born children, have a key impact on improving the health of mothers and children and avoid that older children have to work to replace the mothers’ lost income.

Social protection for people with disabilities and those who suffer from employment-related injuries or diseases, prevent households from resorting to child labour.

Income security in old age, providing pensions to older people helps protect younger generations by contributing to the economic security of the household as a whole.

Unemployment protection, which provides adults with at least partial income replacement, reduces the need to rely on the income of working children when facing job loss.

World Day against Child Labour (12 June) promotes awareness and action to tackle child labour globally. Support for the World Day grows every year. Join us and add your voice to the worldwide movement against child labour.

You can also add your voice against child labour by donating a Tweet, Facebook or Tumblr post for free at https://www.thunderclap.it/projects/11571-red-card-to-child-labour (Choose: Support with – Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr). At the global level, the International Labour Organization – the United Nations specialized agency for the world of work, will launch the 2014 edition of its Red Card to Child Labour Campaign as billions of people prepare for the opening of the 2014 FIFA Football World Cup in Brazil.

A new song, written by Grammy-nominated musician Mike Einziger and internationally acclaimed violinist, Ann Marie Simpson, will be released. It features several award-wining artists committed to the cause including Travis Barker, drummer from Blink-182; Minh Dang, activist and survivor of human trafficking; Dominic Lewis, composer; LIZ, R&B pop-artist; Pharrell Williams, Grammy award-winning singer/producer; and Hans Zimmer, Oscar award-winning film composer. Everyone who joins the Thunderclap Red Card to Child Labour campaign will be able to download the song.

The campaign’s launch will also feature an aerial art event in Rio de Janeiro with over 1,000 people coming together to form a giant human pinwheel (the symbol of the fight to end child labour), against the backdrop of the Sugar Loaf mountain. And in New York, the giant screens on Times Square will display the campaign’s messages throughout the day, inviting passers-by to join the fight against child labour.

For more information about the campaign: http://www.ilo.org/redcard.