Call me a feminist in reverse. Many women I know are struggling to
"free" themselves from the bondage of housekeeping, mothering and other
traditional women's roles. They want to join the working force, okay,
have a career outside of the house.

 These women have  been complaining about having to keep the
house clean, feed the children, keep them clean and healthy, discipline them
wash the clothes, iron the clothes, cook food three times or five times a day, feed
the dogs and the cats.

Read more

Some groups may dismiss beauty contests as exploitative of women, but Limgas na Dayat  (sea maiden) 2006 Jamile Ann Aggabao said winning the contest enabled her to help her father seek medical attention.

The Limgas na Dayat beauty tilt is one of the main features of annual Pista’y Dayat (sea festival) celebration being managed by the provincial government. Aggabao was crowned by Governor Victor Agbayani and Mutya ng Pilipinas 2003 Jamie Liz Castillo on April 30.

Aggabao, 20, said she joined the contest thinking that if she won the top prize of P75,000, she will use the money for the medical needs of her father who had been suffering from a stomach ailment for  years. Read more

Alarmed by the growing number of charcoal makers who contribute to the depletion of forest trees in eastern Pangasinan towns, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Urdaneta City launched a program to wean them from the forests.

The Sagipin ang Puno, Mag-ipon ng Diaryo aims to collect old newspapers and used papers from local government and private offices to be sold for recycling, and the money be used to initially fund the establishment of socialized fuel wood plantations.

“This project will provide alternative livelihood source for charcoal makers while saving our forests,” said Leduina Co, Cenro of Eastern Pangasinan, said.

Co explained that while charcoal-making is illegal, many poor people depend on it for a living. Through the newly-launched project, the Cenro will identify charcoal makers who will be tapped to plant seedlings in the socialized fuel wood plantations in the different towns.

They will also be organized and be the ones who will harvest the mature branches of the trees once matured, Co said. The trees to be planted are ipil-ipil and madre cacao which are known to be good charcoal materials.

Several government offices, banks and civic organizations pledged their commitment to the project during the launching.

Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr., saying it may take long to come up with the needed amount, pledged P20,000 as initial fund. He lauded the project, recalling the days of his youth when the city was full of trees and clear water flowed from the irrigation system called Tangal Amerikano.

“The project is very much needed now,” Perez said.

Co said a ten-hectare fuel wood plantation would cost P230,000 to establish in three years. We need 46 kilos of newspapers (at P5 a kilo) to come up with the amount.”

Aside from unabated charcoal making, the other problems confronting the forests of eastern Pangasinan are overpopulation, illegal occupancy,  clearing for agricultural purposes, poverty, timber poaching, forest fire, erosion and others.

“We are bringing to you the problems. It may be embarrassing to admit it but the DENR cannot solve these problems on its own,” Co said.
 

One night, as we were about to hit the sack, my son asked me: Mommy, why are my armpits emanating a metallic smell?

He's almost 14, that age when many bodily changes take place. I plunged into a lecture about growing up, puberty, hormones, the works. When I finished, his only comment was: "How do I get rid of this smell?

Again, a lecture about cleanliness and using deodorants or the always reliable tawas.

Son: HOw many days will I be using deodorants before the smell's finally gone?

Me: Maybe forever.

Son: But I have been scrubbing my entire body each time I take a bath.

(He takes a bath at least twice a day. He also rubs alcohol on his armpits, his way of getting rid of the metallic smell).

Me: It's not enough. You still need deodorants.

(He finally slept)

I think we're never free from those lotions or sprays or whatever so as to not emit that "metallic smell." 

Wonder what our forefathers use when deodorants were not in vogue yet.

Mango and bamboo, which rhyme and exist together to propel this city’s economy, were “honored” by the residents during the Mango and Bamboo Festival on April 29.

This city (pop: 170,000) is known as the biggest producer of mango in Pangasinan, the number one province in the production of the national fruit in the country, said Mayor Julian Resuello.

About 2,200 hectares of land in the city are planted to mango with an estimated 200,000 trees, with about 150,000 already fruit-bearing.

But aside from producing the sweet fruit, San Carlos is also known as a trading center of mango, Resuello said.  “Only 20 percent of mangoes traded in the city are produced here, while 80 percent are from other towns of the province.”

Many city residents have mastered the technology of mango production and are hired in other provinces for their skills. “They know the technology starting from growing mango trees to flower induction to marketing the fruits,” Resuello said.

Mango producers from the city are scattered to over 13 provinces with mango orchards, he added.

However, the city has no processing plant for mango and the fruit is sold fresh locally and internationally.

Bamboo is another gift of nature to this city with about 150 kilometers of rivers and creeks crisscrossing it. “The banks are planted to bamboo which the residents turn into furniture like sala sets and beds, decors and bahay-kubo,” Resuello said.

The city has a market exclusively for bamboo products and traders usually come to buy wholesale. The idea of  building transferable bahay-kubo actually came from a city resident.

The city grows bamboo known locally as “kawayan tua” and “kawayan bayog.”

At least 17 barangays are involved in bamboo crafts, Resuello said.