PRESS RELEASE

Department of Foreign Affairs

2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines             ▪               Tel. No. 834-4000             ▪            www.dfa.gov.ph

 

10 OFWS IN KANDAHAR HELICOPTER CRASH IDENTIFIED

21 July 2009 – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed the identities of the ten Filipino workers killed in the helicopter crash in Kandahar on July 19. 

The employer of the Filipino workers, US-based construction firm The AIM Group, Inc., furnished the names to the DFA after their families have been informed of the incident.

The Filipinos on board the aircraft which malfunctioned during takeoff and plunged to the ground were:

1.     Celso Q. Caralde (born in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental)
2.     Ely I. Cariño (Cabusao, Camarines Sur)
3.     Ernesto C. De Vega (Naic, Cavite)
4.     Manolito C. Hornilla (Taysan, Batangas)
5.     Leopoldo G. Jimenez, Jr. (Lubao, Pampanga)
6.     Mark Joseph C. Mariano (Floridablanca, Pampanga)
7.     Marvin P. Najera (San Fernando, Pampanga)
8.     Rene D. Taboclaon (Cagayan de Oro City)
9.     Recardo E. Vallejos (Bislig, Surigao del Sur)
10.     Noli M. Visda (Lubao, Pampanga)

The helicopter was reported to be carrying three crew members and 17 passengers of varying nationalities.  Sixteen of the passengers, including the Filipinos, were killed in the crash.

The company said the next of kin for each Filipino employee have been notified of the death of their family member.  After positive identification is made of the bodies in Kandahar, these will be sent to Kuwait and then repatriated to the Philippines. 

The DFA has dispatched a team from the Philippine Embassy in Islamabad to coordinate with local authorities for the repatriation.  

 “We have several representatives in the Philippines who will ensure that the bodies are repatriated to the families,” an official from AIM said.

“Each Filipino employee and his dependent family members will be eligible for payments under Defense Base Act Insurance and other policies that are in place,” the company said.  It added that it will process the insurance claims as soon as possible and submit these to the insurance company.

Meanwhile, the company official clarified that all 10 Filipino workers were already in Afghanistan when they started working for AIM.  

DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers’ Affairs Esteban B. Conejos, Jr. said the focus of the Philippine Government is to attend to immediate concerns which include the repatriation of the bodies and assistance that will be extended to the families.  

“Our priority now is to work closely with the employer and the relevant authorities to identify the remains and cause their repatriation and ensure that all benefits due the workers are paid to their families.  Thereafter, DFA will work with DOLE and POEA to find out how these workers ended up working in Afghanistan notwithstanding the deployment ban,” Undersecretary Conejos said.  ---END---

After Reading this, you will NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!

Bananas Contain three natural sugars -  sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit.  It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and  conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after  eating a banana.           This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a  type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you  relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel better.

PMS:
Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which  can affect your mood.

Anemia:
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia..

Blood Pressure:
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food  and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry  to  make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power:
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex  England ) school were helped through their exams  this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist  learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation:
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.        

Hangovers:
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to  make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood  sugar levels,  while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system..

Heartburn:
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness:           
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites:
Before  reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin.  Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves:
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the  nervous system.

Overweight and at work?        
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at  5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs.  The  report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood  sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers:
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft  texture and smoothness.  It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:        
Many other cultures see  bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical  and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand ,  for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder         (SAD):
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the  natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking:
Bananas can  also  help people trying to give up smoking.  The B6 and B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress:
Potassium is a vital mineral which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance.  When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.  These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes:
According to research in 'The New  England Journal of Medicine,' eating bananas as part of a  regular diet can cut the risk of death from strokes  by as much as 40%!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills.  When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods  around.  So maybe its time to change that well-known  phrase  so that we say, 'A banana a day keeps the doctor away!'        

Footnote:         
If your roses are covered with Aphids, drape banana skins over the branches,  I'ts amazing, but in a day or less, they are GONE!
I've tried it, and I couldn't believe it, no more aphids, as long as I save my banana   skins for the rose bushes!        

Impressed?        
Well then, PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS!        
Unzip a BANANA today!        

Kae-Sa-Luk, the unique Thai art of carving fruit and vegetables into intricate shapes, originated in Thailand in 1346. The purpose of fruit and vegetable carving is to make food more attractive, more appetizing, and also easier to eat. Usually prepared to entice the guests, fruits and vegetables carefully pared, seeded, and perhaps cut into bite-size slices depending on the type. Vegetables are first delicately carved, then cooked, and finally arranged attractively to decorate the dish which they are part of. With a more creative presentations, guests are greatly pleased.

Oh, the good old ballot boxes...
Don't worry, we will not be leaving you behind on 2010.  You'll still serve us a good use.

My good friend Karen Serra is asking me the steps in absentee voting. She is presently in the U.S. but she wants to participate in 2010 elections. If i'm not mistaken, this will be her first time to vote from abroad. She felt her vote would count especially that Filipinos will be voting for national posts. Under the Overseas Absentee Voting Law, registered voters will only be allowed to participate in elections for senators and party-list groups.

Here are some important part of the Republic Act No. 9189: Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003.

Section 11. Procedure for Application to Vote in Absentia