This is the group’s description posted in their Friendster group account:

“BARASENYO THEATRE ARTS GROUP (BTAG), a performing artists’ development and management ceneter of TEATRO BARASENYO, commits to the task of striving for youth involvement in communal activities, building strong relationships, make the youth fully cognizant and responsive to a cluster with a family spirit and most of all, develop their talent and skills through workshops and trainings for performing arts. BTAG is enthusiastic to produce stage plays, theatre shows and other artistic performances for talented Barasenians to emerge, promote tourism, and offer educational entertainment and in any form.”

The photo above shows BTAG’s performance in the boxing bout last June 12. Councilor Jovita Cawicaan likewise filed a proposed ordinance institutionalizing the said organization.

A sprawling 368-hectare police camp will rise in Barangay Pinugay, Baras, Rizal site to the new General Headquarters and Training Base of SAF. The same camp is also the site of the Pulis Kalinga – SAF Quartering Project, one of the five major quartering projects approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

The Chief Executive issued Proclamation No. 1355 in August 2007, awarding the 368-hectare land to the PNP.

On December 2007, President Arroyo approved the funding of P300-million for three of the five PNP quartering projects, P100-million of which is allotted for the Baras, Rizal quartering project. Two other quartering projects in Bicutan, Taguig City and San Miguel, Bulacan were allotted P100-million each.

DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E Ebdane Jr. and PNP Chief, Director General Avelino I Razon Jr. will sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) today (Monday, 04 Aug) in Camp Crame to jumpstart development of the on-base housing and training facility in Baras, Rizal. Both Ebdane and Razon are former commanders of SAF.

PNP Spokesman, Chief Supt. Nicanor A Bartolome said the MOA formalizes the transfer of funds allocated for the project from the PNP to DPWH for implementation of infrastructure development.

The transfer of funds is in accordance with Commission on Audit Circular No. 94-013 on Rules and Regulations in Grant Utilization and Liquidation of Funds Transfer to Implementing Agencies, Bartolome explained.

According to Bartolome, aside from being an ideal location for on-base housing, the terrain and environment in the Baras property is a suitable training base for SAF and other PNP units to simulate field conditions and operational settings.

Earlier, the DILG and DND signed a MOA for the transfer of some 1,600 hectares AFP property to the PNP.

___________________________
P N P News Release No. 08-0801
Authority : P/ CHIEF SUPT NICANOR A BARTOLOME PNP
Public Information Office, Camp Crame, Quezon City
Tel: +6327253179 Fax: +6327255115 pio@pnp.gov.ph
Date : Friday, 01 August 2008

The Regional Office IV of the Department of Interior and Local Government recently recognized the Municipality of Baras, Rizal as a “model LGU” with good practices for its organic farming project.

In a memorandum sent to the Office of the Mayor last July 3, Baras is one of the two towns in the province that was “identified as areas of destination and replication for other LGUs seeking laudable practices at the local level.” The town of Teresa is also a participant for this program after having their Integrated Solid Waste Management Facility.

This project of DILG, Godo Practices in Local Governance: Facility for Adapataion and Replication (GO-FAR), aims to promote replication of good practices to other LGUs. They define “good practice” as a project or policy initiated by the local government that has an impact on the lives of the people and imporvement of the delivery of basic services.


In a letter, Mayor Wilfredo Robles thanked the past and present officials of the Sangguniang Bayan for its support to his projects. “For such an honor and distinction never befor garnered by any previous administration, I wish to extende my sincere congratulations to the Honorable getlemen of the 2004 Sangguniang Bayan and the present one, for its innovative public policy initiative expressed through various ordinances and resolutions which now bears the legislative hallmark sought to be replicated in many LGUs in other parts of the country,” the mayor said.

The 2004 officials of the Sangguniang Bayan with Mayor Wilfredo Robles.

It could be remembered that the SB in 2004 passed Resolution 138 which effectively made Baras as the first organic town in the country.

Members of the SB are likewise happy with the recognition. “Ako’y natutuwa dahil bilang tayo’y mga taga Baras, tayo ang napili ng DILG. Karangalan ng bayan ng Baras. Natutuwa naman ang SB sa nangyaring pagkilala,” Vice Mayor Armingol Pilapil Jr. said.

“Malaking karangalan para sa bumubuo ng SB dahil sa dinami-dami ng mga local government, isa kami sa mga napili na bigyan ng parangal. Malaking karangalan iyon, at ito ay habambuhay na aming dadalhin. Maipagmamamalaki namin ito lalo na sa mga anak namin,” said Councilor Emmanuel Olaño.

Councilor Ramon Matignas Jr. on the other hand answered the criticism that organic farming is merely a “tarpaulin based” project. “Lagi naman nilang magiging sabi dyan eh pang-tarpaulin lang yan. Ang tingnan mo dyan ay ang public policy-making. Malaki ang in-improve ng local governance ng Baras,” Matignas said.

• GMANews.tv reported that the Court of Appeaks has denied the appeal of Milestone Farms to be exempted from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. According to CA, “Since the evidence clearly showed that the 162-hectare portion is no longer used as a livestock farm, the reason for the exemption no longer exists.  Read the stories here:
  CA denies Baras, Rizal landowner plea for CARP exemption
  Rizal lot placed under land reform

• Sun Star Manila reported on July 1 that the Makati City will appropriate P 10 million of assistance to be extended to its sister cities and towns. Baras became a sister town of Makati in 1995. The local Sangguniang Bayan also approved a resolution asking for assistance for the devastation created by typhoon Frank. A councilor even quipped: Laway lang ang puhunan. Read the stories here:  Erap flies to Iloilo to help typhoon victims, Makati City allocates P10M to assist typhoon-affected areas

• Lastly, actor Gabby Concepcion went to his mom’s school, Concepcion Montessori which coincidentally is in Barangay Concepcion. But in an interview with the Inquirer, he mentioned: “…the first time was when I went to Baras in Tanay, Rizal.” After being out of the country for 13 years, he might want to review geography. Read the story here: The perfect normal life, according to Gabby Concepcion

Finally, after three and a half months of waiting, the local government’s flagship project of “organic farming” gets featured in the country’s leading newspaper the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It was written by Dulce Festin-Baybay and appears in the Metro section today, Aug. 3. You can download a PDF copy here (2.01MB).

Read the article here:

Organic farming is alive and well in Baras
At that time, newly elected Mayor Wilfredo C. Robles and Councilor Ramon A. Matignas Jr. were concerned about the low income of farmers in the town, which was ironic since it was considered an ideal area for farming.

The interview took after the opening of the inter-barangay sportsfest last April 19. The Inquirer reporter and photographer were brought in by Andrea Ynares, wife of Gov. Casimiro Ynares III.

Ynares, the Inquirer team and officials of the local government visited a farm in Barangay Santiago which is ran by “Bahay Aurora,” an orphanage for the abandoned children. Ynares herself tasted an okra right from its stem. They then went to Barangay San Jose to see how the organic rice are grown. A sumptous lunch of tilapia, kare-kare, mangoes, pineapple and brown rice followed in Barangay Mabini. The refreshment was an organic juice.

Here are some of the photos of that visit.

Municipal Agriculture office Mel Llagas and Andrea Bautista pick some okra.

After taking some, Bautista offered a piece to Mayor Wilfredo Robles.

Municipal Administrator Agerico Valdez on the left side.

Interviewing a Kakasa official.

Ynares talked with some orphans.

A part of the field where organic rice are grown.

No rice shortage?

Photographing a photographer.

The Inquirer reporter interviewing the mayor.

Blesilda Calub of UPLB’s College of Agriculture in the extreme left. Beside her is Dr. Ramon Matignas.

Some members of Kakasa sharing a good laugh with Ynares.

After attending the flag raising ceremony, Ynares symbolically gave the key to Mayor Wilfredo Robles. In his speech, the young Ynares said that this is just one of the assistance the provincial government will provide to the town. He stressed the importance of clean environment and its effects on tourism and economy.

Robles also thanked the governor in pledging to beautify the municipal grounds.

After the program, the son of the former governor Casimiro Ynares Jr. went to the Office of the Mayor to talk to other officials.

In a series of training held in the old municipal hall, men and women from different barangays were taught of different methods of therapeutic massage and the different types of lubricant they can use. The training was held from June 24-July 11.

Tesda trainer Delma Lambino said that getting a massage is beneficial to one’s body. “Masarap yan sa mga nai-stress, kapag masakit ang katawan mo. Kapalit ito ng exercise. Kapag wala kayong time na i-excerice ang katawan nyo, sila ang gagawa,” she said.

Some municipal councilors also dropped by to take advantage of the free massage.

Teresita Bendaña of the Mayor’s Office oversaw the project.

Dear friend,

Hope you enjoy this stuff, and I hope you try to do your best with what you have and that you achieve all your goals in life. I want to help by giving you the equipment to help you do that, because you can be whatever you want to be. I hope you achieve all your goals and go far in life. So remember, stay in school and try to do your best.

Sincerely,
Lavender
St. Gerard School

What you have just read is one of the letters contained in the hundreds of school supplies given by St. Gerard School in Canada to the students of Santiago Elementary School. Aptly called Project Love, it aims to give educational materials to Third World Countries, including the Philippines.

The school supplies, which were delivered to the school last July 7, is composed of pad papers, pens, notebooks, pencils, rulers and erasers.

More details to follow.

Santiago Elementary School principal Benilda Cawicaan looks on the package.

If you would remember, I posted about the missing portrait of former Mayor Dionisio Donato “Dindo” Garciano in February. After four months, his portrait appeared in the municipal building.

You would notice, however, that leaves of palmera partly hide the name and the image itself. This is the worm’s eye view, followed by the top and side views.

Looking at the picture, it seems that the portrait was made by the same person who did the Robert Ferrera image.

According to Susan Mendoza, head of the General Services Office, the image was brought up by the Dindo camp about three weeks ago. She did not specify who gave the image.

I find nothing wrong with it. This is a free country, and having studied in the University of the Philippines (Happy 100th Anniversary!), I know how valuable freedom of expression is. Baras Rizal Online is currently a blog, so it’s supposed to attract comments. This is an avenue for the anonymous to air what they feel about the town, whether they are here or outside of the country.

But being a venue for political war never came in my hindsight when I registered this website. I was a correspondent for Manila East Watch, a weekly newspaper published by Avelino Zapanta (former president of Philippine Airlines). When it folded up, I was asked by several municipal officials to produce Baras Balita as a development communication medium. People are uninformed, or worst, misinformed on what’s happening around them, and being an activist by heart, I have to take action. I make Baras Balita apolitical as much as possible. Baras Balita sets the record straight.

What I find odd, however in this website is that people have been pushing for changes and avoid politics, yet, their comments are geared towards politicking. I would not say who they are because their comments are very much accessible.

My original plan in this website is to make Barasenios proud of themselves. How often do encounter people asking, “Saan yung Baras?” when you tell them where you live, or where your roots are. It’s near Antipolo, or beside Tanay, I often tell my classmates then. Most people in Metro Manila only know Cainta, Taytay, Angono and Antipolo, but not Baras.

It is, basically a search for the Barasenian identity.Who we are as a community? In the first place, does the community even exists? What can be proud of? If there’s really nothing that we can boast to other people, we need at least suggestions on how we can improve our lives, and that’s why I need inputs from the visitors of this site.

In the 16 months of existence of this blog, I think we are slowly achieving that goal. Municipal officers, particularly councilors Mario Mendoza and Ramon Matignas Jr. frequently visit this site and read the comments. Even Fr. Rico Hilario, when I covered the arrival of the image of Antipolo, knows about this website. My brother who’s in Canada knows this website, and so as others in Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, and United States. Even my relatives whom I do not know is aware of this site and asks my parents if they know Herbert Carigma.

I want to end this post with the famous “12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do to Help Our Country” by Alexander Lacson.

1. Follow traffic laws. Follow the law.

2. Whenever you buy or pay for anything, always ask for an official receipt.

3. Don’t buy smuggled goods. Buy local. Buy Filipino.

4. When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively about us and our country.

5. Respect your traffic officers, policemen and soldiers.

6. Do not litter, dispose your garbage properly. Segregate. Recycle. Conserve.

7. Support your church.

8. During elections, do your solemn duty.

9. Pay your employees well.

10. Pay your taxes.

11. Adopt a scholar or a poor child.

12. Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and to love our country.