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How to Determine if the Chicken You are Eating is Safe (Bird Flu)

August 24, 2017 By proudbrown

Recently, the Department of Agriculture confirmed about the bird flu outbreak particularly in San Luis, Pampanga. Due to the outbreak, the province was placed under a state of calamity and approximately 40,000 poultry heads were culled.

In August 12, DOH Asst. Secretary Eric Tayag encouraged the public specifically the poultry farm owners to report cases of dead or sick chickens suspected to be inflicted with bird flu to the authorities. Likewise, the authorities prompted the consumers to be extra careful from eating chicken if they don’t know where it came from.

To prevent the disease from spreading to other parts of the country, the Department of Agriculture has banned the shipments of fowls. In the same manner, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources also issued a warning to the public to stay away from migratory birds. Poaching or killing of migratory birds may just worsen the situation.

In spite of the prevailing outbreak, authorities said that consumers can still eat chicken meat, and eggs, and other poultry products provided that they are properly and well-cooked. The temperature when cooking chicken should be more than 70° Celsius. Such temperature is enough to kill the bird flu virus.

To ensure the safety of the public, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health is closely observing the situation in Pampanga. They will provide protective equipment and flu vaccinations to poultry responders and handlers.

Another preventive measure implemented by the government is putting nearby towns of San Luis under quarantine. Chicken, quails, and ducks raised within the 1-kilometer radius will be culled as mandated by the Department of Agriculture to control the outbreak.

In addition, Tayag urged chicken farmers to practice biosecurity and ensure that the quarters are clean and the chickens are contained and should not be allowed to mingle with other animals.

How to Change your Marital Status in Government IDs and Documents After Marriage

July 1, 2017 By proudbrown

For us Filipinos, getting married is something that is sacred, something that is valuable and worth cherishing. That is because we value family. Getting married and becoming united with another person is a huge change to the lives of the two people involved in the relationship, and it entails a whole lot of other major changes – including their marital status and the last name of the bride.

After the wedding, the newlyweds have a whole bunch of things to take care of and that includes updating their IDs and other government and public documents.

Most women also feel the need to change their last name from their maiden name to the last name of their husband. While this is not really required, it has been a tradition that most Filipino women adhere to after getting married.

This can be a pretty daunting and tedious task that newlyweds have to go through, but here are some steps to guide you.

• Bank records. Bank records are one of the most important things you need to update, but all you need to submit is the copy of your PSA Marriage Certificate. Also have your valid IDs ready, but it will also be better if your IDs indicate your new last name already. Most of the time, banks do not charge customer for updates or making changes on the account information.

• You can go to any Philhealth office near you, just bring the original and photocopy of your PSA Marriage Certificate, and you will be asked to accomplish a form. You will be issued a new ID and this should be free of charge.

• To make it hassle-free, book your DFA appointment online. Check for the requirements online and make sure to bring it on your visit to the office. Download a copy of the form and accomplish it in the DFA office in the presence of a DFA personnel.

• Pag-Ibig. Go to the Pag-Ibig branch near you and submit the original and photocopy of your PSA Marriage Certificate, together with your valid IDs. You will be given a form to fill out and the update can be immediately done while you wait.

• For employed members, you need to inform your employer that you will be updating your SSS information and secure an authorization to the company so that your HR can process it on your behalf. You will have to submit a photocopy of your PSA Marriage Certificate, valid ID and SSS. If you wish to have a new UMID ID, you will have to be charged for 300 pesos.

10 Water Saving Tricks you can do at Home

June 25, 2017 By proudbrown

Saving water tricks – In many places in the world, drought is becoming a bigger problem, and the Philippines is no exception. There are times in a year when we experience water shortage because of drought, and because of this, conserving water is more important than ever.

Water conservation is not only important because we want to reduce our water bill, but more significantly, we need to know how to care for our natural resources.

Here are some helpful water saving tricks you can try at home.

1. Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth. Many people have this bad habit of keeping the tap water running all the time when brushing their teeth. If you also have this habit, it is better to use a glass when brushing.

2. Turn off the tap when washing your hands. If you are only cleaning your hand with soap, you can turn off the tap for a while and just turn it back on when rinsing.

3. Check pipes for leaks. One possible reason behind your big water consumption is the leaks so make sure to check your pipes and have them fixed if they are leaking.

4. Take a shorter shower. If you are used to spending 30 minutes taking a shower, you might want to cut it shorter and make it 10 to 15 minutes to better save water.

5. Do not make your toilet a wastebasket. Avoid flushing a cigarette or tissue in your toilet because it consumes more gallons of water than you think.

6. Install a water meter. A water meter will help you monitor the exact amount of water that you are using.

7. Do your laundry and dishes at once. Avoid stalling your laundry and dishes and do them all together at once so that you won’t have to do unnecessary washes in between.

8. Take your car to a carwash. Taking your car to a car wash will help you save more water than doing it at home with a hose.

9. Re-use laundry water for cleaning. Do not throw away water you used for rinsing your laundry. You might still be able to use it for cleaning the floors.

10. Don’t keep the water running when washing the dishes. When you are washing your plates with dishwasher, make sure to turn the tap off.

How to Apply for New Zealand’s Waived Visa Application Fee

June 24, 2017 By proudbrown

The latest news about the waiving of application fee for travelling in New Zealand had raised the interest of many people.

If there’s one country that is very interesting to visit or migrate, that would be New Zealand. But, just like any other countries, any foreign nationalities need to secure visa before he or she is allowed to visit there.

How-to-Apply-for-New-Zealand’s-Waived-Visa-Application-Fee — image : rustic nomad

The good news is that New Zealand is giving privilege to those who want to visit the country not exceeding to 60 days. The visa application fee is being waived and that includes Philippine-passport holders.

Documents required

Valid passport
2 pieces of acceptable visa photos attached on the visa application form
Bank statements showing that you are financial capable to support your finances and expenses while staying in New Zealand
Certificate of employment (for employed applicants)
Business permits, bank certificates and SEC doc (for business owners)

Make sure to have all the documents photocopied because the visa processing office will not return the documents submitted. The processing of application will take about 3 weeks. Applicants may also secure travel insurance though it’s not required, but for peace of mind.

How to Apply

The applicants can submit the completed application form at the New Zealand Visa Application Center in Manila from 8 am to 4 pm or in Cebu office from 8 am to 2 pm, during weekdays but except public holidays.

The VFS Global Service Fee and Visa Fees are applicable for each application and can be paid individually or together according to the requirements of the applicant. Only Philippine currency is accepted for payment.

But, due to the waiver, Philippine-passport holders need not pay the Php6,260 visa application fee provided that the applicant will stay in New Zealand within 2 months and not exceeding thereafter.

Other fees related to the application such as application lodgement, courier return, passport handling-online application and SMS can be paid either cash or through bank transfer or credit card.

Even those Philippine-passport holders who aren’t living in the Philippines are qualified for such privilege. Successful applicants are granted one-year multiple entry to New Zealand as tourists.

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