VA official touts progress in providing benefits to veterans

DESPITE the challenges that the CNMI and the rest of the Pacific Islands are facing in availing themselves of health care benefits for  veterans, progress has been noted, according to Dr. James E. Hastings, director of the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System.

Tracey Betts, director of the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Honolulu Regional Office, updates veterans about the benefits they’re entitled to. Photo by Raquel C. Bagnol

He flew in yesterday from Hawaii for the first veterans appreciation and outreach program on island.

He said he is very pleased with the progress in providing benefits to the veterans in Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the CNMI.

Hastings has been serving  veterans for over 50 years and visiting the CNMI for the past six years to ensure the delivery of healthcare to the veterans here.

“We are on the right track to develop significant standards on how veterans should be taken care of,” he said.

Veterans Affairs, he added, was able to address two new concerns — the special needs of women veterans and the homeless.

Hastings noted that 15 percent of the armed forces are women.

Homelessness is another issue that the VA office is addressing, he said.

“Our goal is to end homelessness of veterans in the next three years — one tough assignment but we are making progress,” Hastings said.

In Hawaii, Hastings said about 40 percent of the homeless veterans have been housed and resources have been made available to give shelter to veterans on the streets and help them get back on track with their lives.

Hastings said the VA outreach has changed and evolved in many ways for the past 20 years.

“We have developed VA clinics in and gone out to smaller areas with lesser populations,” he added.

U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, in his message, said the VA clinic on Saipan is just  the first step to increase the base level of medical care for the veterans in the CNMI.

Acting Gov. Eloy S. Inos said the government recognizes the efforts of the VA clinic and the benefits provided to local veterans.

Tracey Betts, director of the Veterans Benefits Administration of the Honolulu regional office, said services have been improving for the veterans in the CNMI.

The veterans appreciation and outreach event was held yesterday at the MH2 Building in Puerto Rico.

(Published at the Marianas Variety)

Environmental group invites community to 5th PIC Palooza

THE Mariana Islands Nature Alliance is requesting members of the community to join the 5th Palooza at the Pacific Islands Club on Saturday, Aug. 25.

MINA executive director Sam Sablan, the guest speaker at the Rotary Club meeting on Tuesday, said  they are happy to be the recipient of this year’s Palooza, a fundraising event that start at 7 p.m. at the PIC Charley’s Bar. This year, it will carry the theme “Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“We are asking for your support for this fundraising event to help with our ongoing community projects in protecting the environment, and having fun at the same time,” Sablan said.

MINA is a non-profit organization that depends on donations for its education and outreach costs, accounting and other operational expenses.

Sablan said they rely on the generosity of businesses so they can implement programs that promote environmental stewardship.

PIC has helped raise funds for other organizations through it annual Palooza event in the past years, including Karidat, Beautify CNMI, Guma Esperansa and PAWS.

For this year, entrance costs $25 per person and it includes an eat-all you can buffet and drink-all-you-can soda, wine and beer.

Live entertainment will be provided by the PIC Clubmates, as well as fun games and exciting raffle prizes for lucky ticket holders.

For more information about the PIC Palooza, call 237-5101 or 5148.
(First published at the Marianas Variety) 

Online Pagan petition now has over 3,000 signatures

THE online petition that opposes using the island of Pagan as a dumpsite for Japan’s tsunami debris already has 3,161 signatures from supporters from Hawaii, Australia, the CNMI, Guam and the states.

The controversial proposal has apparently been abandoned already, but supporters of the petition are still aiming for 10,000 signatures.

The supporters of the petition said the remote volcanic island should be preserved to conserve its wilderness habitat for future generations.

They said Pagan is “sacred” and should not be desecrated with toxic debris.

“Land and soil to the people are precious and people have to protect their paradise,” they added.

They said the CNMI should “avoid the tragedy of Pagan falling into ruin” and that “no island should be turned into a dumpsite.”

The Facebook group “No to Dumping Trash on Pagan”  has already 4,446 members.

It states that Pagan has one of the best top soils in the Mariana chain and it should be used for agricultural purposes.

According to the petition, which is addressed to the commonwealth’s leaders,  the “uniqueness of the CNMI and its culture should be celebrated and protected, not desecrated with a wealthy country’s garbage.”

By signing the online petition, an individual shows that he/she supports protecting Pagan against the potential environmental impacts of leeching chemicals, loose debris, and sedimentation of the reefs and surrounding waters.

To sign the online petition or get more information, go to http://www.change.org/petitions/don-t-turn-pagan-island-into-a-garbage-dump or  http://savepaganisland.org.

To read comments and share your views or interact with other supporters, join the “No to Dumping Trash on Pagan” group on Facebook.
(First published at the Marianas Variety)

Macaraig will be a guest in premiere episode of ‘Usapang Pinoy Saipan’

PHILIPPINE Consul General Medardo Macaraig will be the first guest in the premiere episode of “Usapang Pinoy Saipan,” a talk and entertainment show for all Filipinos that will be launched in the second week of September.

The show is produced by Digital Motion under  production manager Edwin Sta. Theresa, and  will be hosted by Anna Mae Adaza and Michelle Villaraza.

Sta. Theresa said “Usapang Pinoy Saipan” will cover issues and concerns of Filipino guest workers not only on Saipan but the entire CNMI.

“The first episode is ready for airing with Consul General Macaraig as our guest,” Sta. Theresa said. The second episode will feature Overseas Workers Welfare Administration representative Julie Fabian.

“The talk show aims to give Filipinos an avenue to air their views about pressing matters like their status in the CNMI, and other concerns,” Sta. Theresa said.

He said the program also hopes to give inspiration and hope to Filipino workers facing an uncertain future.

Sta. Theresa said they have been working on the talk show for the past months.

“We encourage Filipinos here to give us feedback and send us suggestions  for upcoming episodes by logging on to our Facebook page (Usapang Pinoy Saipan),” Sta. Theresa said.

After the first few episodes, they are planning to go live so people can interact and call in to submit questions and suggestions.

“We are inviting you to watch the show as soon as it goes on air — and participate in the program to help our fellow Filipino workers,” Sta. Theresa said.

“Usapang Pinoy Saipan” will be aired from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays on Channel 14, the Weather Channel. (First published at the Marianas Variety)

Gone Fishing | TripAdvisor™

Gone Fishing 

Marianas Made opens at Thursday street market

First published at the Marianas Variety
THE community is invited to check out Marianas Made, a new consignment store displaying locally made products at the Garapan Fishing Base street market tonight.

Debra Kay, owner of Marianas Made, said the store “will specialize in locally made art and crafts as well as packaged specialty foods.”

Vendors have answered her call for products that were screened in Garapan on Tuesday afternoon. These included coconut oil, recycled goods, banuelos, necklaces and fashion jewelry from seashells and beads.

Kay said she came up with the idea of a consignment store because she saw the need for a place for vendors to showcase their products made in the Mariana islands.

The store will be a cross between an art gallery and a cultural gift shop, and will carry an assortment of prints, note cards, small stone and wood sculptures, beadwork, jewelry, candles, woven mats, coconut art, ceramics, wood carvings and music — all made in the Marianas.

“We will be displaying the products at the Thursday street market for the time being, until we find a suitable location for a permanent store,” Kay said.

She is encouraging other vendors and manufacturers of local products to contact her and have their products displayed at Marianas Made on a consignment basis.

She said Marianas Made will provide vendors a chance to introduce and sell their products and for consumers to buy them.

“It will be like a one-stop shop to create a link between vendors and buyers of local products,” Kay said.

In 2009, the Made in the Marianas festival was held at the CNMI Museum of Culture & History compound where entrepreneurs manufacturing local products showed up and sold local products to spectators including local wine, artwork, fashion jewelry, beads products, ceramics, preserved foods, and more.

For more information about Marianas Made, call 287-0772 or e-mail changebuilding@gmail.com

‘Geocaching’ may be NMI’s newest tourist attraction

(First published at the Marianas Variety)

HAVE you ever heard of the word “geocaching”? Marianas Trekking, Saipan’s adventure company says it may attract more tourists to the CNMI.

The Barracuda team composed of children who joined the Eco Camp poses at the entrance of Suicide Cliff before going on a geocaching adventure. Contributed photo

Geocaching, according to Marianas Trekking general manager Elly Stoilova, is a fun high-tech treasure hunt game in which participants use GPS to discover hidden caches.

“This game is a great motivation to get outdoors with family and friends and discover new places, as usually the caches are hidden in beautiful locations such as sightseeing spots or educational sites like those related to history, architecture, and more,” Stoilova said.

She said she has been doing research on how geocaching can boost tourism.

Stoilova said  geocaching is very popular in Japan, Korea and Guam. There are 8,424 hidden caches in Japan, 5,502 in Korea, 640 on Guam, 4 on Saipan, 3 on Tinian and 4 on Rota.

“There are close to 2 million caches hidden around the world  (1,851,666) and the total registered participants in this high-tech treasure hunting game have already reached over 5 million worldwide,” Stoilova said.

She said Marianas Trekking introduced geocaching last July 1 at Eco Camp.

Stoilova  earlier searched online for some new activities that would be interesting for children.

“I found ‘geocaching’ listed as activity in several camps and I was intrigued to learn more about it. As soon as I registered online and learned more, I was hooked to this fun idea,” Stoilova said.

She said her team, the Barracudas, searched for one of the only four hidden treasures on Saipan near Suicide Cliff and found it.

“It was our first geocaching and we were so excited about! I revisited the place where the cache is hidden and added a few bo-jo-bo dolls there for off-island visitors to take,” Stoilova said.

Mechanics

Stoilova said in geocaching, those who find the caches do not take them but just log that they have found them. This way each geocache can attract many hunters for years. She said  occasionally people leave tradable items there, which can be taken if replaced with other items of the same value.

One can find items in the cache that can be trackable.

“These items have their own unique number and a purpose to travel around the world, to which geocachers can contribute,” she said.

Stoilova cited as example the cache near Suicide Cliff where there is a trackable lucky clover and the goal is to visit a brewery in Dublin, Ireland, and to take picture there that shall be shared with the clover owner. She added that the family that sent this trackable around the world lives in Orange, Michigan. The trackable has travelled already over 12,000 kms.

Stoilova said that geocaching is not only for tourists but for locals too.

“Geocaching is for everyone. Tourists involved in the game will be happy to add to their logs to more caches in exotic destinations or places they haven’t been before while traveling for business or leisure. Local families can enjoy this activity as a fun outdoor activity for the entire family,” Stoilova said.

She said  she has been watching the Saipan caches and from the logs so far she saw that those finding them are Saipan tourists who have visited the island as tourists and for business purpose.

Behind the fun the treasure hunting can give to the participants, Stoilova said geocaching promotes eco-tourism and outdoor activities, educate people about nature and give them a reason to travel, explore and be happier.

Impact on Tourism

Stoilova said  geocaching is a new niche market and the CNMI is ideal for it: beautiful nature, caves, beaches, trail in the jungles, amazing sightseeing and historic spots.

“Having caches hidden in all these areas would be the next step. There are serious hunters out there looking for new places to visit. There are geocachers in Guam, Japan and Korea and I would be great to create more reasons for them to visit Saipan, Tinian and Rota,” Stoilova said.

She is planning to place a few new caches in the next months and cannot wait to see who will be the one to find them. She is also looking at presenting geocaching to the Marianas Visitors Authority if they will be interested to support geocaching tours and challenges.