JANUARY 24 - JANUARY 30, 2021 6


OPINION NURSE TALES


NENITA P. TAYKO ntayko@yahoo.com


five-year-old girl, a survivor of World War II. I saw for the first time American soldiers aboard a train as they passed by our town after the end of the war (through God’s grace, our family survived the war). We shouted excitedly, “Hi


M


y “love affair” with America dates back to 1945 when I was a


Joe!” and they threw candies and chewing gums to us. In 1945, I was a grade I pupil in a school in our hometown, Iwa, Pototan, Iloilo. We sang the Star Spangled Banner and recited the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, (before


singing the Philippine National Anthem and reciting the pledge), used American readers and used English as medium of instruction. However, history and our ancestors intervened, and we declared our independence from America in June 12, 1947. In March 1961 after


candidate, Joseph R. Biden, passionately (“murag Amerkanang hilaw”). And when the results were released, I and millions of people around the world rejoiced that Joe Biden won! Yes, it was a memorable moment for us and democracy! Congratulatory letters poured in from all over the world: one of them was “ Letter: A call for God’s blessings in America, by Beverley Tobin (The Berkshire Eagle, Jan. 13): She asked her readers to reflect on the lyrics of a patriotic song, God Bless America, in the face of eminent danger from terrorists groups before Joe Biden’s


I graduated in Si ll iman University and earned my license as a Registered Nurse in October, 1962, I applied in the Exchange Visitors Program of the America and was accepted. My mother was excited about the prospect of my going to America but she was so disappointed when I chose not to go.


Then last year, my “love affair” for America was again re-ignited when I rooted for the Democrat presidential


inauguration. She further said that, “We need to reflect on the message conveyed in the words of this song. We need to ask God to bless America, for it is the land that we all love. We need to ask God to stand beside America and guide our nation through the nights and days leading up to Joe Biden’s inauguration with His light from above.” She also implored faith leaders in Berkshire County to organize Zoom communal prayer service and come together in prayer to combat the anger and hatred of terrorists groups with the power of God’s grace. I am quoting below excerpts of God Bless America written by Irving Berlin, a Jewish who had arrived in America from Russia at five years old, revived it as a “peace song”


and was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast and was sung by Kate Smith on her radio show. Berlin made some changes “through the night” instead of “through the right” because the latter denoted a call to the political right. He also included an introduction, which is now rarely used but which Smith always used: “While the storm clouds gather far across the sea/Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free/ Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,/As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.” God bless America, land that I love, Stand beside her


God bless America and President Joe Biden


and guide her/Through the night with the light from above, from the mountains to the praises/To the oceans while with foam/God bless America, my home sweet home. As the world watched the


unprecedented inauguration of President Biden on Jan. 20, our fervent prayers go with him and his team as he leads America in the next four years and beyond. We have to pray for America’s leaders at the federal, state and local levels. May this bible verse guide all of us: “Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” 1 Timothy 2:1-2


METROPOST ENVIRONMENT....FROM P. 4


Of the 30 clam samples, microplastic density ranged from 4.1-6.1 particles/clam but did not differ significantly between sites. Microplastics in both sediment and clam samples were mainly composed of fibers. Using gas chromatography- mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) at Arizona State University, USA, through Dr. Beth Polidoro, a leading expert on environmental toxicology, 45 di fferent chemi c a l contaminants were identified in the mangrove sediment samples while 27 chemical contaminants in the marsh clam tissues. Among the sites, the concentration of PCBs and PAHs were highest in the mangroves in Bindoy while pesticides and phthalates were highest in the mangroves of Bais Bay, an urbanized area surrounded by extensive sugarcane plantations and proximate to industries. The concentration of


agents (carcinogens) while certain phthalates can mimic hormones such as estrogen, thereby causing other health problems. At the present time,


our team and collaborators continue gathering pertinent baseline data on microplastics as well as other pollutants, especially persistent organic pollutants. We also hope to include quantification of heavy metals, whenever possible, in the near future. In addition, we are also embarking on expanding our study to cover selected estuarine sites.


government units and concerned national agencies to conduct a widespread education campaign on the negative impacts of plastic pollution on the environment, aquatic organisms, and humans. We are also recommending


We are urging the local


phthalates, PAH, and pesticides were also highest in the clam samples from Bais and Tanjay cities while the concentration of PCBs was highest in Ayungon. It should be emphasized that these contaminants are hazardous to human health. For example, some


PAHs and pesticides are known as cancer-causing


SUCALIT....FROM P. 2


months. Alarcon, on the other hand, took over Lt. Col. Rayman Tolentin, who was in office for only two months. Tolentin took over Lt. Col. Gregorio Galsim who had only served six months.


Atanacio, who was the only City Police Chief to serve the prescribed two-year term. Dumaguete City Mayor Felipe Remollo was taken by surprise at Sucalit’s departure, describing it as “so kalit”.


GUIHULNGAN....FROM P. 2


although the firefights had already ended.


that local communities discourage the practices of eating or ingesting un- gutted small-sized fish and fermenting fish viscera (including guts) of siganids for the local delicacy called dayok because of the presence of microplastics in siganid guts, which could cause various human ailments, such as those mentioned in this paper and in our first article.


Trinidad is one of the priority barangays of the provincial and local Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict under President Duterte’s Whole-of-Nation Approach to attain inclusive and sustainable peace.


Jovito


Lt. Col. Jonathan Pineda, Galsim’s predecessor, had served for a year. Pineda replaced Lt. Col.


The provincial government has an ongoing road project in the area connecting Trinidad to Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental. (Judy F. Partlow/ PNA)


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Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Director General Usec. Ramon Cualoping III (L) and Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPAV) Asec. Jonji Gonzales (R) turn over one unit of television to Dumaguete Press Club represented by its president Choy Gallarde. The turnover of the said equipment was held on Jan. 22, 2021 at the Provincial Convention Center, Dumaguete City. (KAT/PIA7-NegOr)


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