Baguio street gangs/ Burnham Lake turns blue/ Birthing stations

CITY HALL BEAT

Aileen P. Refuerzo

BAGUIO CITY -- The worsening problem on vandalism and street gangs in this summer capital is worsening and city officials addressed this in inter-office meeting held Feb. 10 to intensify countermeasures.
    Baguio City Police Office director Col. Francisco Bulwayan Jr. said among measures discussed was creation of the Anti-Graffiti Task Force down to the police station level to intensify monitoring and facilitate action on reported incidents.
    Focal persons will be designated and reporting system will be enhanced.
    Interventions will also be done to strengthen coordination with line agencies, non-government organizations and the barangays.
    The group will update the list of the commonly vandalized areas that need to be protected and will establish a data base of personalities and groups who might have involvement in the graffiti and street gang issues in the city.
    The meeting was attended by Councilor Levy Lloyd Orcales, City Social.Welfare and Development Officer Liza Bulayungan and OCSWDO Child and Youth Focal Person Ellen Dayag, Child and youth focal person from CSWDO; and action officers of Police Stations 1-10, Tourist Police Unit and other operating units and BCPO staff.
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Ironic so it seems with blue denoting the dismal and depressing and recent Valentine’s Day symbolizing joy and romance.
    But to the organizers of the “BLUEming of Burnham Lake” project, that contrast was a blur as there was nothing gloomy about picturesque blue lake back-dropping lovers on the day of the hearts.
    The project which was ceremonially unveiled last Feb. 14 to the theme, “Let Love BLUEm!” aimed to aesthetically transform the lake water’s murky appearance into an enticing blue with the use of an organic water treatment biotechnology.
    Department head lawyer Rhenan Diwas of the City Environment and Parks Management Office which co-initiated the project with Greener Property and Leisure Management Services, Inc., Tourism Office, Dept. of Tourism, Mega Tower and the Baguio Tourism Council said the color transformation is an “aesthetic rendering on the surface of the lake.”
     “In the process of application, algal bloom is eliminated along with its obnoxious odor and turbid color caused by decayed algae. Water becomes clear,” he said.
     “This bacteria-based probiotics continuously enhanced the quality of water by improving its biological oxidation demand (BOD) levels to quality and regulation passing levels with its blue color providing an aesthetic value on the surface. “

Diwas said the blue tint was expected to last for a long time with regular maintenance and barring factors like dumping of food waste and debris and heavy rains that can cause floodwaters to drain into the lake with mud and dirt to boot.

 “Otherwise, the technology can be expected to do the job of cleaning and ‘blue-ing’ the lake for a long time with proper and regular maintenance,” Diwas said 

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Baguio City has three district health centers granted licenses to operate as birthing clinics and these are at Pinsao, Atok Trail and Irisan health centers.

Irisan and Atok Trail earned their birthing license in 2019 while Pinsao just secured its own last Nov. 14, 2022.

Clients may avail of the birthing services subject to guidelines.

For Irisan, pregnant clients should inform the midwife or staff two weeks before the expected date of delivery.

Those who are regularly availing of check-up at the center are given priority.

They also cater to clients who are having their second baby with no comorbidity and the first baby was delivered the normal way.

Patients should bring the following: (for the baby) baby blanket, mittens, socks, baby clothes long sleeves upper and plants, diaper, bonnet and baby wipes  and (for the mother) loose skirt and blouse, underwear, bathrobe, changing clothes, towels, comb, maternity napkin, 2 adult diapers, blanket, pillow, cotton buds, 70% isoprophyl alcohol, tissue, shampoo, soap, toothpaste and other toiletries and slippers; and food.

Mothers who gave birth at the facilities enjoyed complete package from pre-natal check-up to postpartum care including first immunizations at birth (BCG and Hepatitis B) and newborn screening as coordinated with other clinics with kits.

City Health Services Office Maternal Neonatal Child Nutrition Coordinator Medical Officer IV Dr. Maria Alice Torres said the city iw working out the licensing of more district health centers as part of the thrust to expand the services of the district health centers as primary health care providers in line with the Universal Health Care program.

The Pinsao health facility is under Dr. Elvira Belingon Irisan while Irisan and Atok Trail are headed by Dr. Vanessa Fagcangan and Dr. Kea Basbasan respectively.