Metro Manila Crime Hotspots: Where are the police?

Metro Manila is one of the areas with the highest number of crime cases in the Philippines. NCRPO identified top 5 Metro hotspots that are crime prone. Is one of those areas where you live at or you always pass by?  What are those areas and why it becomes a hotbed for criminal activities?

Crimes on streets turn out to be a common scenario for most Filipinos especially on busy and crowded areas of Metro Manila. In our days where crimes are rampant, is it still safe for you to walk along the streets of the city?

According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) statistics, Baclaran in Pasay city is on the top list of the most number of street crimes in Metro Manila particularly rape, robbery and theft because it is larger compared to other areas. Next to Baclaran is Cubao in Quezon City which is known to be always a busy area with thick crowd and rushing vehicles. On the third spot is the University Belt in Manila which is packed by different college students. And for the fourth and fifth spots are Monumento in Caloocan City and Kalentong in Mandaluyong City.

Salisi Gang and Budol-budol Gang are two of the top modus operandi of the most common crimes in Metro Manila according to Police Regional Office 9.  Where their most target are places where there are large amount of people and waiting for their target to be distracted.

Thick crowd is one of the factors most criminals considered because they can hardly be seen and distinguished. Another thing is places with business and school establishments. For them, students are very easy target because they barely much know about self-defense and they are usually techy with lots of gadgets. However, Volunteers against Graft and Corruption (VACC) believes that low bail for criminals must be also consider because they were able to pay and be free again. And last of all, is lack of police deployment.

As of February 2013, there were 4,984 crimes against person and property in Metro Manila.  These are only crimes that have been reported to police but how about some cases that haven’t been yet reported?

Some cases were not taken into account because some people don’t bother going to police and report their experience. Apparently because there were no police around and they find it quite hassle going to police station and many victims were discouraged by the tedious process of reporting their experience, following up their case and attending court hearings. The PNP Chief Police Director Purisima mentioned a survey done last year which estimated that about 70 per cent of street robberies and other crimes went unreported.

With the aim of NCRPO Regional Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. this year to reduce at least 50% of street crimes, they deployed additional police forces to identified hot spot area of Metro Manila. This is to improve crime prevention and solution and ensure quick response.

For unreported crimes, Garbo required all officers to be accurate in reporting statistics and make a review assessment and security plans every week to know the crime trends and make analysis that could be used to fight crime. According to him, the police often have to verify actual crime incidents with barangay officials since some law enforcers actually meddle with the police blotter to reduce the crime rate in their area.

They also believe the use of social media sites such as twitter and facebook as a medium for interaction with people who cannot report to police stations.

Hopingly, these police actions will be effective to reduce crimes in Metro Manila for people to be felt safe and secured without the anxiety of getting snatched, raped or kidnapped.

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Getting to Know Her

Adaptable, compassionate, energetic and an easygoing girl, Gina is her name. That’s how I knew her as a classmate, an average college student with an extraordinary personality. Her dark, long natural hair is one of her trademarks. She is a small person with a big heart.

Adaptability and compatibility are the great things she has that help her to easily get along with others. She is an easy-going girl that is always happily unworried but always gets the courage to do what is right in some tough situations.

She is the type of girl who does silly and naughty things. “When I accidentally lurch, I’ll wait for someone to notice me. LOL.” she said.

We all have fears as so as Gina. Beside from cockroaches, fear of ghosts is one of her weaknesses. She even experienced sleep paralysis thrice during college days. It is a temporarily experience of inability to move either when falling asleep or wakening. It happened to her after watching horror movies. Sounds creepy but true.

Failures also come to her life. She will never forget how her parents were disappointed because of her undisciplined behavior during her elementary days. This became a lesson learned for her to be more careful on her actions to avoid disappointments.

The happiest thing for her is when she celebrated Christmas Eve with her family complete at least once as they were never been complete because of siblings’ different jobs.

Family and loved ones motivates her to keep on and to have a big shot someday. “For the next 5 years, I see myself as a journalist. I want to do documentaries especially about kids, because I really love kids” she said.

Having the drive to keep going and having compassion will help us to reach what we want. This is what I learned from Gina. Strive hard and be happy.

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The Benefits of a Guava Leaf

Guava Leaf - Psidium guajava

Known for its' gastrointestinal and antispasmodic properties we use this oil in blends for acute and chronic diarrhea, inflammation, fungal conditions, and relieving pain. Guava Leaf is very useful during cold and flu season. The aroma is complex, smelling woodsy and exotic with a hint of almond.  

Guava leaves have many health benefits like, it can stop diarrhea. There are constituents in guava leaf that attack pathogens, anything that can produce disease. It’s antibacterial. Guava leaf can regulate blood glucose levels. It has beneficial effects on diabetic myocardium, the muscular tissue of the heart, a cardiac complication stemming from diabetes. Researchers in Nigeria have found that guava leaf, in combination with other herbs are useful for treating hypertension and other stroke-related maladies.

This leaves is an antioxidant that blocks enzymes that are responsible for building sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, the sugar that forms the cloudy white clusters that cause cataracts. Guava is also rich in folate which helps to fight bad breath that causes gum disease gingivitis.

It also controls the blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, battling diabetes, combating cancer and protecting prostrate. This is also a suggested natural cure for fever, diabetes, epilepsy, worms, and spams. Because the fresh leaves can be used for wound cleaning infections.

These leaves contain a number of beneficial substances, including antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids, or class of plant secondary metabolites, such as quercetin. Drinking a tea made by soaking guava leaves in hot water may be beneficial in treating diarrhea, lowering cholesterol and preventing diabetes.

Guava leaves are full of great antioxidants, antibacterial agents, anti-inflammatory agents, beneficial tannins and they also help with pain.

Many studies show that guava leaf tea has the ability to increase sperm production thus helping with conception.

Just like guava leaves, bark of this plant has antibacterial activity. Extracts from both parts of this plant are toxic in vitro against some bacteria that cause diarrhea, such as Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Shigella, Bacillus, Escherichia coli, Clostridium, and Pseudomonas.

Guava fruit is said to be very special because it has a high content of nutrients, such as vitamin C, potassium, and iron. In addition, it is also rich in non-nutritional substances such as dietary fiber, components carotenoids, or organic pigments that are found in the chloroplasts and chromoplasts of plants, and polyphenols, refers to a chemical structure formed. Guava fruit is free from saturated fatty acids and sodium, low fat and energy, but high in dietary fiber. 

Vitamin C content of guava fruit is about 87 mg, twice that than sweet orange (49 mg/100 g), five times higher than orange, as well as eight times, than lemon (10.5 mg/100 g). Compared guava, levels of vitamin C in guava is far greater, that is 17 times higher than water guava (5 mg/100 g).

This concludes that Guava Leaves have many medicinal use and can be upgraded through the help of technology that we have right now.



Source:

http://www.guavaleafextract.com/

http://babai79.hubpages.com/hub/greatguavaleaves

http://letsgohealthy.blogspot.com/2012/12/guava-health-benefits-and-nutrition-fact.html

http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/health-benefits-guava-leaf-tea-3347.html

http://villiansltd.hubpages.com/hub/the-benifits-of-guava-leaves

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"Ding ang Bato!"

“Ding ang Bato!” – The

famous catchphrase that hit the fans of Darna comics, movies and tv series since 1950.

Darna is a fictional character and Filipino comics super heroine created by Mars Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo. She is a deceased warrior from another planet manifesting herself through a girl from Earth, named Narda. She first appeared in Pilipino Komiks (Ace Publications, Inc.) #77 (May 13, 1950). A year later, they turned it to a film. The first film was released on May 31, 1951 by Royal films and was directed by Fernando Poe Sr. and Rosa del Rosario was the first actress who played Darna.

They say Darna was modeled after the US comics’ Wonder Woman. It is a strong fighting symbol of Filipino women, replacing the demurral baro’t saya. And her costume has a characteristic that is distinctly Pinoy.

Now let’s have some short trivia about Darna.

DID YOU KNOW THAT? :

• ·         Vilma Santos played Darna four times from the 70's up to the 80's.
• ·         Chiquito was the first Male Darna in " Terebol Dobol"
• ·         Dolphy was the second male Darna in " Darna Kuno"
• ·         Lorna Tolentino was the first actress to play Darna on a TV series in KBS 9 Darna ! ( February 1977)
• ·         The famous expression- " Ding, ang bato...Dali" Was originated in " Lipad, Darna, Lipad!". It did not come from the "Komiks".
• ·         Vilma Santos was the first actress to play both " Narda and Darna" starring with the movie "Lipad, Darna, Lipad"
• ·         Gina Pareno was the first actress to play both "Darna" and her second alter ego "Daria" young Gina Alajar played " Narda" in Darna at ang Planetman
• ·         In the original komiks, Narda did not have to remove the magic stone everytime she transformed from Darna back to Narda, when she first swallowed the magic stone, it has remained within her and all she needs to do is to say the magic words to transform.
• ·         "Lipad, Darna, Lipad" is considered the “Silver Age version of Darna.
• ·         Lorna Tolentino was the first actress to wear a one piece Darna costume.

Source: 

http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/80033/ding-ang-bato

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darna

http://triviamatters.blogspot.com/2005/05/ding-ang-bato-darna.html

http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/324602684?view_mode=2#skins

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BOTTLE CAPS: Cannot be recycled

Did you know that bottle caps in some places cannot be recycled?

Maybe most of us are not aware that bottle caps cannot be recycled. In some places in the U.S.A., they are taking steps to create bottle cap programs and others that do not accept caps for recycling.

Bottle caps are generally made out of a different type of plastic than the bottle themselves. On the bottom of the bottle, you will probably see a triangle with chasing arrows and a “1” on the inside. That means the bottle is polyethylene, a plastic generally accepted for recycling. On the other hand, the lid is composed of polypropylene, a type of plastic that is used to create strong plastics. It doesn’t have a number on it, or if it does, it’s a different number that some recyclers do not accept.

They cannot be recycled together as they have a difference in melting point of nearly 160 degrees Fahrenheit. If a cap gets mixed in with bottles, the entire consignment may be ruined because there is un-melted plastic in the mix. Even if you are able to recycle bottle caps, recycling is very inefficient and what you’re actually doing is downcycling or the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of lesser quality and reduced functionality.

Many people recycle bottle caps for DIY projects like creating soap bar holders, curtains and others. We can also do this to reduce chemical hazards and at the same time may improve our creativity and clean living.

Source:
http://blog.bayteccontainers.com/2012/04/weekly-trivia-on-plastic-plastic-bottle.html

http://eco18.com/what-is-one-to-do-with-plastic-bottle-caps/

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/plastic-bottle-cap-crafts.html

http://earth911.com/news/2009/01/07/want-to-know-where-to-recycle-your-bottle-caps/

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