PAMANA lauds organic farming project in Samar military camp

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 31 (PNA) -- The strategy of the Philippine Army to implement organic farming as an anti-insurgency strategy in the province of Samar has been lauded by an official of the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA), a flagship project of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

PAMANA Samar area manager Imelda Calagos lauded the initiative of Army’s 52nd Infantry Battalion (IB) commander Col. Nedy Espulgar, noting that it is “highly recommended to replicate the project in other areas."

The battalion is based in Caticugan village in Sta. Rita, Samar. The army launched its organic farming activity in August 2015.

"Camps were transformed into friendly recreation camps that can be good venues for educational tours and food sufficiency showcase," Calagos said.

She added that this will greatly help the soldiers’ families living in camps and nearby communities to raise their income.

This also shows that army camps can be turned into a skills training area which will open opportunities for civilians and government troops for a more productive engagement, according to Calagos.

The PAMANA official added that they are now looking for possible funding partner in developing a model farm that would be replicated in other military detachments.

The project promotes “people-centered” integrated organic farming that aims to help uplift the social and economic well-being of soldiers, militiamen, and their dependents.

The official launching of the project is tentatively set on the second week of February.

Espulgar is the former commander of 19th Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte where he pushed for a unique approach to peace and development through sustainable agriculture.

Farmers’organizations, youth and women sectors in upland villages in Leyte province were clustered to become organic food producers and farmers.

As a result, the battalion established closer ties with the community which has become a top site for educational tours and agri-tourism.

He also made a significant role in the integration of former rebels into the mainstream society through extensive in-house trainings and seminars on farming.

Known as Peace Advocacy for Collaboration and Empowerment, the project has provided livelihood opportunities and extra income for the growing number of former rebels.

The project involves the production of high-value crops (fruits and ornamental plants) such as eggplant, lettuce, potato, upland spinach, bitter gourd, bell pepper, herbal plants, and different varieties of ornamental plants.

The project also expands to livestock raising, poultry production, and aquaculture farming. (PNA)

BNB/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

Power shutdown hits 3 Leyte towns

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 31 (PNA) -- Three towns in northwestern Leyte have experienced a 12-hour power shutdown on Sunday due to the annual preventive maintenance of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP).

In a media advisory, the NGCP said affected areas are towns supplied by their substation in Tambis village, Tabango town. These are the towns of Tabango, Villaba, and San Isidro.

The annual preventive maintenance is concentrated on the 10-megavolt ampere transformer. Power was cut from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

“NGCP is exerting all efforts to restore the line as scheduled or earlier,” the NGCP said.

These areas are being served by the Leyte V Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Leyeco V) based in Ormoc City. It is the fifth electric cooperative organized in Leyte province, formally registered and 

incorporated with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) on December 21, 1977.

Leyeco V has 110,609 connections as of September 2015 in 414 villages in the northwestern part of Leyte. (PNA)

BNB/SQM

Southern Leyte politicians vow landslide win for Roxas-Robredo tandem

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 29 (PNA) -– Local officials in this province assured a landslide victory for Liberal Party presidential bet Manuel “Mar” Roxas and vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo in Southern Leyte.

Governor Roger Mercado, a candidate for congressman in the upcoming elections, said his assurance is anchored on the Southern Leyte Mayors’ manifesto lead by its president, Anahawan town Mayor Roberto Loquinte.

In the manifesto, all the 19 mayors in the province have favorably endorsed Roxas and Robredo as their candidates this coming elections. 

“All the incumbent mayors could well-convinced their respective constituents in their bailiwicks to also support Liberal Party standard bearer and his running mate,” Mercado said. 

At the city gym last week, Roxas made his speech before a thick crowd of supporters and friends comprising of town mayors, vice mayors, provincial and town legislators, village chiefs, and youth organizations.

Mercado, whose brother is a congressman, has been gaining solid support from Southern Leyte voters. In the 2010 elections, then presidential candidate Gilbert Teodoro earned a big win in the province as promised by local chief executives.

Southern Leyte, a third class province has 261,418 registered voters for the May 9, 2016 polls, according to the Commission on Elections. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/QUIRICO M. GORPIDO JR.

Calbayog athletes join 2016 regional athletic event

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Jan. 29 (PNA) – At least 245 student athletes representing this city’s Department of Education (DepEd) division will join this year’s Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) meet that will kick off on Sunday in Ormoc City.

Athletic manager Ubaldo Diomangay said that at least 116 and 119 athletes from elementary and secondary categories, respectively will compete in 14 out of 17 sports events in the regional sports event.

These events are athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

Diomangay added that they have decided to shorten the list of athletes and chose only those who are competitive and with a high chance of bringing home a medal.

“We have decided to send only those athletes that are competitive and trim down to 14 out of 17 sports events. We will only participate in those events that our athletes are good enough to compete.” Diomangay said.

The official admitted that Calbayog City division was not as good as other divisions and was in the lowest ranking in last year’s athletic events. 

“But despite said result, we are not losing hope. We are positive and confident that our athletes will have an outstanding performance this year,” he added.

Aside from players, 159 delegation officials, officiating officials, coaches, trainers and assistant coaches joined the delegation that left for Ormoc City on Wednesday. 

The local government unit of Calbayog has allocated Php 1.5 million for the team. Bulk of said amount was used for the uniform, foods and vitamins of athletes. 

Meanwhile, Diomangay reminded teachers to give special consideration to pupils and students participating in the regional athletic event. 

He cited DepEd’s Regional Memorandum No. 62 issued in 1992 on giving opportunity/chance and consideration to athletes for lost academic opportunities during sports meets and trainings.

Diomangay said that learning participating in higher sports events are excused from attending classes and exempted from accomplishing required projects.

“We already informed the teachers about this matter, I hope they will give the students/pupils consideration, because by doing that we can also help these children develop as individual and their right to sports as embodied in the 1972 UNESCO charter.” Diomangay stressed.

The memorandum also states that “giving a failing grade to athletes as a consequence to their attendance in meets and trainings without giving them chance and the necessary consideration is a gross violation of his rights as mandated by the constitution.” (PNA)

RMA/SQM/JENNIFER S. ALLEGADO/EGR

Army to recruit 180 soldiers in Eastern Visayas

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, Jan. 29 (PNA) -- The Philippine Army 8th Infantry Division (8ID) will start accepting applicants for Candidate Soldier Course (CSC) on February 1.

The next batch of trainees will be composed of 18 females and 162 male applicants. The 8th Division Training School will be in charge of the overall training requirements to effectively hone them to be topnotch soldiers, loved and appreciated by the people.

An applicant must be a natural-born Filipino citizen; with 72 units in college, or with any certification of vocational courses and should be at least 18 to 26 years old; at least 5 feet tall; single and without child; and of good moral character.

He or she should have taken the Armed Forces of the Philippines Service Aptitude Test (AFPSAT) with a score of at least 45 or Philippine Army Aptitude Test Battery with a score of at least 80 and passed the pre-qualifying physical fitness test and physical medical exam; and must be physically and mentally fit for military training.

Aspirants must bring the following documents: Transcript of Records (Original Copy); College or High School Diploma (Original Copy); Birth Certificate (NSO Copy) with original receipt; Marriage Contract of Parents (NSO Copy) with original receipt; AFPSAT result with dry seal (If possible attach code number).

Interested applicants may visit the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel, G1 here with Hotline number 09778033918 or visit 8th Division Public Affairs Facebook account (Dpao stormtroopers) with hotline number 09067689682. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/PR

60 Samar farmers receive certificates of land ownership

TARANGNAN, Samar, Jan. 29 (PNA) -– Sixty farmers in this town became landowners as they received land titles from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on Friday.

DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director Sheila Enciso handed the 62 certificates of landownership award (CLOAs) covering a combined total area of 119.3 hectares to the 60 recipient farmers at the town hall.

After receiving their titles, Enciso encouraged the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to be members also of ARB organizations (ARBOs) in their respective areas to avail of the various support services extended by the DAR to its beneficiaries.

Support services such as farm machineries, credit facilities, livelihood trainings and many others, are coursed through the ARBOs, Enciso explained.

Samar provincial agrarian reform adjudicator Nellie Canillas further explained to the new landowners the obligations attached to being an ARB emphasizing the prohibition of selling their newly acquired land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) within a period of 10 years.

The lands, according to municipal agrarian reform program officer Linda Agbon, were situated in the villages of Pajo, Bangon Gote, Cambatutay Viejo, Bahay, Dapdap, Palencia, Bonga, Cambatutay Nuevo and Majacob.

For this year, Samar provincial agrarian reform program officer Leovigildo Monge disclosed that his office is tasked to distribute 623 hectares of agricultural lands throughout the province.

Meanwhile, Mayor Danilo Tan told the ARBs of the value of the land.

According to him, there is much money in farming, thus his family shifted livelihood from fishing to farming. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/PR

Tacloban city council okays PHP391-M bank loan

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 29 (PNA) –- The city council has approved the plan of the city government to secure a PHP391-million loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines. 

This is the first time that the city government under the administration of Mayor Alfred Romualdez would get a loan after their first attempt in 2012 was disapproved by city councilors.

“For the benefit of Tacloban and to address the old-aged problem of the city, we are supporting the plan of the city government to apply for a loan,” said Councilor Neil Glova, whose running for mayor against the mayor’s wife Cristina, a city councilor.

The amount will be used in the implementation of infrastructure projects like the rehabilitation of slaughterhouse, improve the drainage system and construct the sanitary landfill.

A total of PHP113 million will be allocated for slaughterhouse rehabilitation, PHP192 million for drainage system and PHP86 million for the construction of sanitary landfill.

Once the loan is approved, the city government will only pay the interest of 4.5 percent per year. 

The amount borrowed for slaughter house will be paid for 10 years while the loan for sanitary landfill and drainage will be paid for 15 years.

Next week, officials from the city engineer’s office are expected to present drainage master plan of the city that will be used in the implementation of the project.

“If I will to decide, I want that this loan to be approved in the next administration, but since the majority favors this, I support the plan. It’s better that they are now presenting solutions to the problem, but people should be vigilant when the project starts,” Glova said.

Some groups have expressed reservation over the loan proposal since the loan is being secured within the election period. The mayor’s term will expire on June 30, 2016.

“After super typhoon Yolanda, we need more help that could uplift the lives of everybody, especially on these three projects. Flooding is affecting everybody, especially now with the effect of climate change. We need to be prepared,” Councilor Romualdez explained during the council’s session on Wednesday.

The lady councilor added that aside from these three projects, the city is also experiencing a water shortage problem, especially in relocation sites, which is being taken care of now by the city government with the commitment of private investors.

Romualdez said that banks would allow the city government to acquire a loan if they do not see that the local has a stable fiscal economy.

Citing the present situation of the city as assessed by the bank, the local government has the capacity to loan up to more than PHP500 million.

Opposition Councilor Jerry Uy said that once these projects are done, this will be an income-generating asset for the city like the slaughter house. The abattoir will be classified as triple A.

The construction of a sanitary landfill is a good move by the city government while waiting for the private investors to construct a waste-to-energy plant in the city, according to Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin.

About three waste-to-energy companies have already signified their intention to construct said plants in the city.

“If I am to choose, I want the solution of these companies are proposing for the garbage of the city, but since they have not yet started, the best option now is for the city to construct a sanitary landfill,” Yaokasin added. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA

Leyte town mayor adjudged as one of PHL’s best

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- The local chief executive of a super typhoon Yolanda-ravaged town in Leyte has emerged as one of the five most outstanding mayors in the Philippines.

Tanauan, Leyte Mayor Pelagio Tecson, Jr. and other four local chief executives were awarded Wedenesday night at the historic Club Filipino in Greenhill, San Juan. 

The University of the Philippines National College of Administration and Governance, the Jesse Robredo Foundation, Freidrich Naumann Foundation, and San Miguel Corporation conferred the award.

Other mayors who earned the same recognition were Leoncio Evasco Jr. of Maribojoc, Bohol; Hubbert Dolor of Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro; Ramon Piang of Datu Upi, Maguindanao, and Carolyn Fariñas of San Felipe, Zambales.

The search for outstanding town mayors, dubbed as Tsinelas Leadership Awards 2015 is a search for outstanding mayor embodying former Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse M. Robredo’s leadership to more than 1,400 mayors in the country.

Tecson’s wife, Penelope and children were with him in receiving the award as well as Leyte Vice Governor Carlo P. Loreto.

“I am really honored for the recognition given to Tanauan and to me. This award is dedicated to my beloved people, this is for them, in fact this encourages me to do more for the people of Tanauan” Tecson said.

The search started last August 2015 and was launched during the 3rd death anniversary of the late DILG chief.

From more than 1,400 mayors, the organizers shortlisted the numbers to 60 mayors and later chose five as finalists, the organizers conducted research, validation and actual visit to the places of the finalist.

“Although the award is pure recognition and no remuneration involved, the recognition is more than enough for him to work harder for the people of Tanauan,” Tecson added. (PNA)
PGL/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

DPWH clears Southern Leyte highway from rockslides

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 28 (PNA) -– Maintenance workers have cleared three road sections from minor rockslides on Wednesday after days of heavy downpour in the province this week.

Flow of traffic was not interrupted by rockslides since debris only blocked half of the road, said Department of Public Works and Highways–Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (DPWH-SLDEO) District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia.

“Our maintenance team immediately cleared the road from debris with the prepositioning of heavy equipment in strategic areas,” Junia said.

The heavy rains have triggered rockslide and mudslides in Barangay Kahupian, Sogod town; boundary of Barangays Amaga and Tabugon in Liloan town; and Barangay Camang, San Ricardo town.

These road sections are vital link from Leyte to Mindanao as part of the nautical highway’s eastern seaboard route. The DPWH has completed all clearing operations around 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

SLDEO Maintenance Section Chief Gideon Sacro said the district office is stepping up its monitoring of landslide prone areas from Sogod town to San Ricardo town during rainy days. There are 40 workers assigned in vulnerable sections.

“We have prepositioned some of our equipment since December 2015 in anticipation of possible rainfall-induced landslides,” Sacro said

Prepositioned near Agas-Agas Bridge in Sogod town are back hoe, bulldozer and two dump trucks. In Barangay Himbangan, Saint Bernard town, the district office has deployed a pay loader and two dump trucks for response in Pacific towns and Panaon Island.

With the recent rockslides, the SLDEO reiterated its proposal to pilot a project that would completely prevent rock falls and soil erosion, utilizing Swiss technology.

The province would be the first in Eastern Visayas to pilot road slope stabilization control system developed by Swiss firm, Geobrugg.

Junia said they are proposing to pilot a section in Barangay Kahupian in Sogod town for the stabilization control project in the most critical section, which has an ascending roadway and multiple blind curves.

The technology, according to Junia, has been used as permanent solution to geohazards in other parts of the country under the Technical Cooperation Projects of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). (PNA)

PGL/SQM/PR/EGR

PHP395-M diversion road solves traffic congestion in Baybay City

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) -- Traffic congestion is now solved in Baybay City after the completion of the PHP395 million diversion road, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported.

The Baybay Diversion Road is a national road that serves as the trunk line and the fundamental component of the road network of Baybay City from Maasin City to Tacloban City and Maasin City to Ormoc City.

The road, which was completed on December 2015, serves also as an access in going to and from the roll-on roll-off ports of the city with a total length of 5.154 kilometers.

“The project has minimized traffic congestions in the city proper by diverting vehicular traffic to the new diversion road, thereby reducing convergence in the busy streets,” said DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Rolando Asis.

Other benefits include reduced travel time, dust and air pollution.

This will also lead to increased commercial activities and job opportunities for the locals.

In the long run, this will ultimately improve the socio-economic condition of Baybay City, according to the DPWH official.

Of the PHP395 million, PHP100 million was released in 2013, PHP150 million in 2014, and PHP100 million in 2015.

The DPWH is proposing additional budget of PHP4.95 million for slope protection this year.

The road stretches at junction Ormoc-Baybay Road in Candadam village, passing through Cogon and Can-ipa villages, then crossing the Tacloban-Baybay South Road in Gaas village and ends at junction Baybay-Maasin Road in Hipusngo village. (PNA)

ZST/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

BFAR to establish 5,000 shellfish farms in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 28 (PNA) – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will establish 5,000 shellfish farms in Eastern Visayas this year, introducing environment-friendly methods.

BFAR Regional Director Juan D. Albaladejo said new farms will be established in Maqueda Bay in Samar, Carigara Bay in Leyte, and some parts of Biliran Strait in Biliran province.

“We will introduce long line methods using ropes to replace bamboo sticking method, which is still very common in many areas in the region,” he said.

The project will engage and train local fishermen in the long-line method, wherein shellfish grow along ropes suspended in the water column. The technology has been applied in many countries.

According to BFAR, sticking method triggers red tide bloom and marine pollution in the past few years. The use of bamboo poles to attract spats to settle leads to increased siltation and prevent adequate water circulation within the mussel area

“Prior to the implementation of this new project, we will advocate to local government units to pass an ordinance prohibiting the sticking method. Fishermen have to follow the rules if they want to avail this project,” Albaladejo said.

Sticking method has been widely practiced until this year in Jiabong and Villareal towns in Samar.

The project, which will raise output of green mussel and oyster, will prioritize Maqueda Bay, a major shellfish-producing area in Samar with about 700 producers, with an annual production of about 10,000 metric tons (MT).

Through the establishment of new farms, priority areas will hit the 40,000 MT production target by the end of the year.

BFAR will kick off the project on the second quarter of this year. (PNA)

FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO