DAR Eastern Visayas launches second farm business school

BONTOC, Southern Leyte, April 30 (PNA) – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) has launched its second farm business school in Eastern Visayas in the bid to prepare agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) to be globally competitive.

DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso said this project, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Agricultural Training Institute, the local government unit and the concerned ARBO, is among the various support services extended to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).

The initiative is under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) aimed not only at increasing farmers' income, but will also contribute to food security.

Enciso said Buenavista-Pamahawan ARBs Multi-Purpose Cooperative is fortunate to be included in the 15 ARBOs identified nationwide to be trained in farm business school this year.

The government provided a funding of PHP150,000 to each of the 15 identified sites for the conduct of the 25 sessions.

The “school” is an on-site training where the farmers will not only learn about high value crops production, but marketing strategies as well.

In farm business school, the farmers are being groomed to be agricultural entrepreneurs, she stressed.

Forty members of the Buenavista-Pamahawan ARBs Multi-Purpose Cooperative have been identified to participate in this training that will run for 25 sessions wherein the participants and the facilitators agreed to meet every Thursday.

During the launching, authorized representatives from the DAR, local government unit, village council and the concerned ARBO signed a memorandum of agreement in support of the project.

Meanwhile, the recipient of the first farm business school in Region-8 that was implemented last year, the Hantag Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative, Inc. in Hantag village in Maasin City is now waiting for the El Niño to end before planting. (PNA)

ZST/SQM/DAR-PR/EGR

Employers offer 16,000 jobs on Labor Day in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, April 30 (PNA) – More than 16,000 overseas and local jobs are up for grabs during Sunday’s Labor Day celebration in Eastern Visayas, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)? regional office here reported.

With the theme: “Kinabukasan Sigurado Sa Disenteng Trabaho”, job seekers are encouraged to take part in the jobs and livelihood fairs where there are 470 job vacancies for local employment and 15,641 for overseas employment available for applicants from the region.

DOLE Regional Director Elias Cayanong said the region will have two jobs and livelihood fair which will be held simultaneously at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo, Leyte and Ormoc Superdome in Ormoc City.

“As for the livelihood fair, the grantees and associations from different provinces will partake to advertise and exhibit their respective products. With this regard, applicants may also inquire on the foregoing if they are interested to seek livelihood assistance,” Cayanong said.

In the said event, there will be a one stop shop of government agencies such as Social Security System, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, Home Development Mutual Fund, National Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Internal Revenue to assist for the applicants’ concern on clearances and social welfare benefits.

Prior to the Labor Day celebration, the DOLE has already conducted orientation on Occupational Safety and Health Standards, Employees Compensation Commission’s program to labor and management groups, and conduct of learning session to educate labor and management on relevant labor laws and social legislations.

Likewise, the DOLE has been conducting a career fair, which is aimed at assisting the youth and students in their career decisions.

The career fair will showcase key sectors and industries that would generate employment in the next seven to 10 years. (PNA)

ZST/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

NEDA Region 8 inaugurates reconstructed typhoon-wrecked building

PALO, Leyte, April 29 (PNA) -– The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) has inaugurated on Friday its newly-rehabilitated office building destroyed by the 2013 monster typhoon.

Government officials and NEDA employees gathered to witness the building marker, ribbon cutting, blessing of the entire building, commemorative tree planting, and inaugural program held at the regional office compound at this town’s government center.

NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy said the 2013 continuing appropriations amounting to PHP29.54 million funded the initial reconstruction efforts as approved by then NEDA Director-General Arsenio Balisacan.

“The initial funds were allocated for land improvements, building reconstruction, repair and purchase of office and information technology equipments totally wrecked by super typhoon Yolanda,” Uy said.

The NEDA central office also approved PHP5.5 million under the 2015 allocation to improve and complete the remaining reconstruction works of the building.

“We are here today without a single trace of Yolanda. This is has been much improved as a testimony to the resiliency of the people who worked in this place,” Uy added.

The newly reconstructed building also houses the Philippines Government - Asian Development Bank (ADB) - Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) Yolanda project management office, and the Regional Development Council (RDC) office.

Leading the inauguration were NEDA Director General Emmanuel Esguerra, ADB Philippines Country Director Richard Bolt, Leyte Governor and RDC Chairman Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, and Palo town Mayor Remedios Petilla.

“For the staff to be able to deliver effectively on its task there should be a good working environment provided and that has always been the concern,” Esguerra said.

The government constructed the office building in 1978 to house the NEDA Eastern Visayas regional office.

On November 8, 2013, super typhoon Yolanda’s fierce winds had blown the building’s roof and 3.6-meter storm surges inundated the ground floor, rendering the building totally damaged. (PNA)
FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

NEDA chief hopes sustained post-Yolanda rehab in next admin

PALO, Leyte, April 29 (PNA) -- The chief of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) is hoping that the next administration will continue the rehabilitation of areas ravaged by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013.

During his visit to this town on Friday, Socio-economic Planning Secretary Emmanuel Esguerra said all projects in central Philippines are now ongoing and “proceeding well.”

“I cannot speak for the next government. We hope it will continue because there’s still work to be done,” Esguerra told reporters in a brief interview on the sidelines of NEDA regional office building inauguration here.

The official emphasized the need to focus on addressing gaps in housing projects.

“There are some challenges with respect to identifying housing sites that are both safe to dwell on as well as conducive for other family activities,” Esguerra said.

“Reconstruction is very challenging and will take time, but the focus is on improving the lives of survivors and building resilient communities,” he added.

The Department of Budget and Management reported that Php140.07 billion funds have been allocated for Yolanda-hit communities as of end of last year.

Of the total, Php26.74 billion have been allotted for 2013, Php36.72 billion for 2014, Php30.41 billion for 2015 and proposed Php46.2 billion for this year.

In April 2015, President Benigno S. Aquino III, through Memorandum Order No. 79, transferred the coordination, monitoring, and evaluation of all disaster-related projects from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery to NEDA.

Aquino approved in October 2014 the P167.9-billion Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP), consolidating the government’s commitment to rebuild typhoon-hit areas.

The plan outlines the government’s commitment to implement more than 25,000 specific rehabilitation and recovery plans and programs and activities worth Php167.9 billion.

It was envisioned to facilitate the recovery of the 171 affected cities and municipalities in 14 provinces and six regions. (PNA)

LDV/SQM

DTI to hold ‘Diskwento Caravan’ in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, April 29 (PNA) -– The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Leyte provincial office will conduct a Diskwento Caravan (discount caravan) Balik Eskwela (back to school) edition on May 18 to 20 at the Rizal Park, this city.

School supplies, school shoes and uniforms, including basic goods and prime commodities will be sold to consumers at discounted prices.

Among the local distributors that will join in this three-day sale are Hanz Graphics, National Bookstore, Unitop, 578 Resources, Fast Distribution Corporation, Dranix Distribution, River Valley Distribution Inc., The Bee Trading and Sheridan Marketing.

DTI will also set up a consumer welfare desk and provide information materials to increase the awareness of consumers of their rights and responsibilities.

DTI Leyte provincial director Desiderio P. Belas Jr. is inviting everyone to take this opportunity to come and visit this Diskwento Caravan “Balik Eskwela Edition” which will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and get the best value of their money. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/PR/EGR

Sumilao farmers conclude Region 8 march for Robredo, head for Luzon

CATBALOGAN CITY, April 28 (PNA) -- Sumilao farmers from Bukidnon who are marching to drumbeat and call for support to the candidacy of Liberal Party vice presidential bet Leni Robredo are now moving toward Luzon after crossing Eastern Visayas.

Noland Peñas, spokesperson of the Sumilao farmers, said that they are pleased to meet farmers and members from the under privilege sectors in the region, exchange ideas with them and share experiences.

“We are here to tell the farmers in the region that there is a hope for us. We came here to tell them that Leni Robredo is the right person to vote for the vice-presidential post,” said Peñas.

On Wednesday, the group made their last stop in Calbayog City. Before Calbayog, the farmers visited Catbalogan where they held a candle light parade around the city center and a program at the Catbalogan City Plaza.

They also visited the Borongan City and towns of Hernani and Guiuan in Eastern Samar. In Leyte province, they made a stop in Ormoc City, Palo and McArthur towns.

“Response that we get from farmers to support Leni is positive. This we want to show that our strength is strong to support somebody who can help those who are under privileged,” Peñas added.

Even if vice presidential bet Sen. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. considers the region as his bailiwick, Peñas said they’re able to get support from residents of the region to promote Robredo’s candidacy. Marcos’ mother, former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos is a native of Leyte.

“Not all people in Eastern Visayas will actually vote for Marcos. That encouraged us to step up our campaign for Robredo in the region,” he added.

Liberal Party Youth Organization Samar President Francis Joseph Grey who welcomed the Sumilao farmers in Calbayog said that they are overwhelmed and honored to welcome the group to the city.

After their stop in Eastern Visayas, the group will continue their 23-day march-caravan to Metro Manila stopping in different provinces.

The group is aiming to finish their caravan by May 7 and head back to Bukidnon before election day. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

Limasawa, Southern Leyte sustains nutrition drive

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte, April 28 (PNA) -– Five years after receiving the country’s highest nutrition award, this tiny island town sustained its nutrition program, unmindful of any future recognition.

Mayor Melchor Petracorta said they’re able to bring down the malnutrition rate to less than one percent this year from 2.4 percent when they received the Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) in 2011.

“Of the more than 1,000 school children, only four are malnourished. We all know them and we have been converging our efforts to save these children from under nutrition,” Petracorta said.

The local chief executive said that they have been exerting efforts to fight malnutrition as they believe that this is the best strategy to ensure the brighter future of children in their island town.

“If they are well nourished, children will perform better in schools, protected from sickness, and become productive citizens in the future, thus, addressing many concerns that a local government normally encounters,” Petracorta told PNA.

According to him, the sustained nutrition program can be attributed to innovative programs in the locality such as vegetable gardening in all households, provision of seeds and organic fertilizer, model garden maintained by local government employees, deploying town officials to monitor status of children, and active parents participation in arresting malnutrition.

“We have a regular consultative meeting with parents of malnourished children. We taught them how to take care of their children. We acknowledge their role in ending malnutrition because government’s effort is just limited to implementation of support system,” he added.

The official said that government intervention in their areas starts during pregnancy by monitoring the health status of pregnant women and providing vitamins.

“Now that we have remarkably address nutrition-related concerns, we are moving to achieve universal education. We even converted our waiting sheds into alternative learning centers,” Petracorta said.

Limasawa received the Green Banner Award in 2006 and managed to improve their performance in the past years paving the way to be considered the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) before receiving the NHA in 2011.

The island of Limasawa was the site of the First Mass in the Philippines when Portuguese world explorer Ferdinand Magellan ended in the beautiful island looking for spices.

On Easter Sunday of March 31, 1521, Magellan ordered the expedition’s chaplain Fray Pedro de Valderrama to say the mass.

The event was seen to be the start of the Roman Catholicism in the Philippines. (PNA)

PGL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Leyte Island's massive forest degradation alarms DENR

BURAUEN, Leyte, April 28 (PNA) -– The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has expressed concern over massive forest degradation in Leyte Island.

About 15 percent of forest cover in Leyte Island has been damaged between 2007 to 2010 as a result of satellite imagery survey done by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

This forest reduction is alarming considering that 15 percent represent 41,060 hectares, said DENR assistant division chief for conservation and development division Crisostomo Badeo.

Among the dominant species affected by the forest degradation are the red and white lawaan and other members of pterocarpus, a pantropical genus of trees.

Tagged as major culprit is timber poaching and slash-and-burn farming technique. Leyte Island has no reported cases of illegal logging, according to Badeo.

The devastation wrought by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 was not included in the report.

In Leyte Island, among areas that suffer from forest degradation is the forest that covers the Mahagnao Volcano and National Park in the towns of Burauen and La Paz.

In protected areas, among the interventions to curb timber poaching are the deployment of community-based forest guards to complement DENR efforts.

Eco-tourism will also help in stopping illegal activities in forest as it will provide alternative income to locals.

“Since the main reason why they are involve in timber poaching is for sustenance, for income, we are addressing this by involving them to other sustainable economic activities,” Badeo said. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RTA/EGR

UN tags Tacloban as post-disaster recovery model

TACLOBAN CITY, April 28 (PNA) -- United Nations (UN) put Tacloban as the template of one of the most successful recoveries in a disaster the world has to see.

According to City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, former US Vice President Al Gore and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon agreed that what happened in the city was a wakeup call for the world.

Romualdez attended a gathering dubbed as “An Annotated Programme: Taking Climate Action to the Next Level (Realizing the Vision of the Paris Agreement)” sponsored by the UN at their Headquarters in New York City on April 22.

“How we performed, how we reacted and how we handled the situation was critical and I’m quite happy when I heard the feedback from many head of states and how proud they are as how the people of Tacloban stood together,” Romualdez said.

In the four thematic sessions, Romualdez emphasized the importance of national and sub-national collaboration.

“Since cities are often on the frontline of dealing with the impacts of climate change, national responses to building climate change resilience must ensure effective collaboration between national and sub-national levels if they are to be efficient and effective,” he said.

Romualdez was the only Asian and the only city mayor who joined the gathering. Specifically, he spoke on “strengthening resilience to climate impacts to protect the most vulnerable.”

Meanwhile, Romualdez said that despite the rigors of campaign, he will remain focused, do things rights, and help people towards full recovery after the 2013 super typhoon battered the city. The mayor will end his nine-year term as city’s chief executive on June 30, 2016.

He’s not running for any elective position, but actively campaigning for his wife as the next mayor and other members of the Romualdez clan, seeking senatorial and congressional posts.

“As a father of Tacloban, I will continue to serve and be loyal to the memories of those who perished during super typhoon Yolanda, to give meaning to their death and be an inspiration to the next generation,” he added. (PNA)

PGL/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

Sen. Marcos claims Region 8 officials jumping ship to support his VP bid

TACLOBAN CITY, April 27 (PNA) – Vice presidential bet Sen. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. claimed that some Liberal Party stalwarts in Eastern Visayas are jumping ships to back his candidacy.

Marcos said he is overwhelmed with the support not only by ordinary citizens in the region, but by local politicians who belong to the ruling party as well.

The senator claimed that some incumbent key officials have already endorsed his vice-presidential bid during his tour in Eastern Visayas that concluded on Tuesday.

“This is the most productive sortie that I ever had. I am thankful to my fellow Waray whom I had met in my two and a half days visit for their overwhelming support, not only to the residents in this region, but also to the political leadership, governors who cross political lines and left their political party for us,” Marcos told reporters.

Among those who jumped ships to support him, according to Marcos are Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado, Southern Leyte lone district Rep. Roger Mercado, Eastern Samar Governor Conrado Nicart, Borongan City Mayor Fe Abunda and Ormoc City Mayor Edward Codilla.

All officials are members of the ruling party whose bets are Mar Roxas for president and Rep. Leni Robredo for vice president.

However, in a statement released by the Liberal Party Southern Leyte Chapter, they clarified that the reception they did to Marcos was “merely a matter of courtesy and civility,” they normally extend to visiting officials and public servants.

“This should not be construed to the shift of loyalty and political endorsement.”

“The Liberal Party Southern Leyte remains united towards progress and development for our beloved province,” the statement added.

Marcos said that they expect to receive more help in the region to promote his vice-presidential bid considering that his mother, Former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos is a native of Leyte province. (PNA)
RMA/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA

Region 8 poll body, security agencies step up election day preparations

TACLOBAN CITY, April 27 (PNA) -– The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and security agencies are stepping up preparations for the May 9 elections with just less than two weeks away before the polls.

Comelec Eastern Visayas Regional Director Dennis Ausan said they have just completed all trainings needed for election officers and 17,262 members of the Board of Election Inspectors in the region.

“In our final coordination conference with other agencies last Monday, we’re able to discuss all details and iron out all issues and concerns,” Ausan said.

Next week, the Comelec regional office will start the delivery of 5,754 vote counting machines, ballots, and all accountable forms to the voting centers in preparation for the final testing and sealing.

Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander Gen. Jet Velarmino said the region has already finalized all security preparations. “We’re done with all conferences and resolve all concerns related to the conduct of the May 9 elections.”

The Army, according to Velarmino is also coordinating with the Power Task Force Elections to guide them in the deployment of troops for the security of vital power installations in the region.

On the part of the Philippine National Police, Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said that although there are shooting incidents during election period in Samar province, no single case is confirmed as election-related.

The police has also intensified the implementation of gun ban and running after private armed groups in Samar province.

“We are closely watching private armies because they were involved in intimidating voters in the past elections. On May 9, we want people to be free to choose their preferred candidates,” Villacorte said.

Samar, one of the country’s election hotspots, has 100 private armies thriving in the first legislative district of the province.

Eastern Visayas region has 2,698,880 registered voters with Leyte having the most number of voters among the six provinces at 1,151,497.

The remaining voters are in Samar (490,421), Northern Samar (386,163), Eastern Samar (300,818), Southern Leyte (261,418), and Biliran (108,833).

Voters will troop to polling centers on May 9 to fill in the 1,454 seats being aspired by 3,436 candidates. (PNA)
FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Ormoc gov’t inaugurates PHP45-M post-Yolanda rehab projects

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, April 27 (PNA) -– The city government here inaugurated the 29 infrastructure projects in 15 villages with a total cost of more than PHP45 million. Most of the projects consist of rehabilitation of facilities damaged by super typhoon Yolanda.

These include 14 covered basketball courts (PHP26.7 million), two buildings (PHP1.8 million) and a footbridge. The rest are 13 road concreting works with a total cost of PHP14.29 million and length of 2,102.84 meters, and a road opening.

The covered courts that were restored after having the roofs blown off by Yolanda are located in Naungan village (PHP1 million), Linao village(PHP4.84 million), Punta village (PHP1.26 million), Alegria village (PHP3.3 million), Cogon village (PHP2.35 million), Tambulilid village (PHP1.85 million), Lao village (PHP935,000), and Libertad village (PHP2.2 million).

The rest are in Lilo-an village (PHP1.27 million), Margen village (PHP1.89 million), Curva village (PHP835,000), Simangan village (PHP1.83 million), Concepcion village (PHP1.02 million) and Nasunogan village (PHP2.11 million).

The rehabilitation includes the repair of comfort rooms and kitchens as well as the installation of halogen lamps.

Roads concreted are in Punta village (Zone Bougainville, 145 meters, PHP700,000 and Gumamela, 114.50 meters, PHP1.62 million); Government Center in Cogon, 114.34 meters, PHP2.37 million; Zone 5, Lao, 200 meters, PHP1.32 million; and Lilo-an, 146 meters, PHP975,208.77.

The others are in Zone 5, Margen, 350 meters, PHP1.68 million; Simangan Urban Poor village, 33 meters, PHP617,343.70; SSS Village, 200 meters, PHP1.28 million; Zone 7, Dayhagan, 300 meters, 

PHP1.05 million; Zones 2 and 5 in Nasunogan each measuring 100 meters in length with a combined cost of PHP1.35 million; and Manto Mercones sub-village in Hibunaon, 200 meters, PHP1.32 million.

Other projects are the repair of a footbridge in Lao village, PHP1.18 million; village hall in Concepcion, PHP411,000; and district health center in Simangan, PHP1.32 million as well as the opening of an 800-meter road in upper Coob, Libertad worth PHP1.16 million.

Mayor Edward Codilla talked about his goal of linking far-flung villages like Dayhagan to Milagro and Nasunogan to Catmon. “Two kilometers more of concreting and this road will reach Milagro as a shortcut for students to Eastern Visayas State University,” he said, referring to the road project in Dayhagan. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/FNC/EGR

SM Foundation builds new classrooms near Tacloban relocation sites

TACLOBAN CITY, April 26 (PNA) –- The SM Foundation has completed the construction of a two-storey four-classroom building at the campus of Northern Tacloban City National High School to answer the demand for more learning rooms due to massive relocation of families from danger zones to the northern part of the city.

Officials of SM Foundation, Deutsche Bank, AG Manila, city government, and the Department of Education inaugurated the project on Monday.

The school, which has a population of 630 students, is expected to accommodate 900 learners in the next academic year as more families move to new houses.

“This is very timely since we expect more enrollees starting June 2016,” said school principal Delia Soria.

Most of these students are from the villages of New Kawayan, Old Kawayan, Sto. Niño, Tagpuro, Suhi, and Sta. Elena.

Now on its fifth year, the school stands on a parcel of land, which is part of the Eastern Visayas Growth Center. Its location serves as the catch basin of the six service areas in the northern villages.

The Northern Tacloban City National High School is the 13th building built through a partnership of SM Foundation and Deutsche Bank AG Manila. The donors have built 52 classrooms in different parts of the country. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA

Imelda counts on Eastern Visayas votes for son’s VP bid

TACLOBAN CITY, April 27 (PNA) -- Former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos is largely counting on votes from her town mates in Eastern Visayas for the successful vice presidential bid of her son, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

“I hope that just like the former president Ferdinand Marcos and me who was united by marriage, the solid north and Eastern Visayas will also be united in voting for my son, Bongbong for vice president,” Marcos said at press briefing here Tuesday.

Marcos was in the city to support his son’s bid for higher posts as well the candidacy of Romualdez clan– Rep. Martin for Senate, Yedda for representative of Leyte’s first district, and Cristina for Tacloban mayor. Yedda is Martin’s wife while Cristina, a former actress is Mayor Alfred’s wife.

Martin and Alfred, who ruled the first district and the regional capital, respectively for nearly a decade, are both Imelda’s nephew.

The former first lady also endorsed Tingog Sinirangan, a partylist based in Tacloban backed by the influential political clan.

The younger Marcos had his campaign in the region over the weekend that concluded through a grand rally Monday evening at the Balyuan Park in Tacloban.

Imelda said that this year’s election is a significant one considering that someone whose roots from Leyte will have the chance to run for the second highest office in the country as well as the chance to put another province mate in Senate.

“We should support our very own people from Eastern Visayas to help our region to be truly represented in the national level,” Marcos said.

The region has more than 2.6 million registered voters for the May 9, 2016 elections. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

St. Anthony of Padua relic tours Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, April 26 (PNA) – After 20-years, the relic of St. Anthony of Padua will tour again two churches in Eastern Visayas this week, bearing its name.

The relic was at the church in Tabontabon, Leyte under the Archdiocese of Palo on Monday. On Tuesday, the relic was brought to St. Anthony of Padua pilgrim church in Sulangan village in Guiuan, Eastern Samar and the St. Anthony de Padua of Friary, Dolores, Eastern Samar under the Diocese of Calbayog.

The welcome and veneration in Tabontabon was at the newly-built St. Anthony of Padua Church that has 1,000 seating capacity. The veneration starts at 8 a.m. and mass will be at 10 a.m. before it departs to the pilgrim church in Guiuan.

The relic first visited the Philippines in February 1996. One of the relic is a piece of his floating rib and is the same relic that Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, held as he led a procession in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2000 and was received by Sister Lucia, who was one of the children that received the message from Our Lady of Fatima.

Saint Anthony of Padua (born Fernando Martins de Bulhões (1195 – 13 June 1231), also known as Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order.

He was born and raised by a wealthy family in Lisbon and died in Padua, Italy.

He is especially invoked and venerated all over the world as the patron saint for the recovery of lost items, and is credited with many miracles involving curing sick people, lost people, lost things and even lost spiritual goods. He is also credited people’s success in taking difficult board examinations.

It has been 20 years since Saint Anthony’s relics have visited the Philippines. The last mass in the Philippines on May 2 will be in Mandaluyong City and is exclusive for the friars. (PNA)

RMA/SQM/VICKY C. ARNAIZ

872 indigent Ormoc senior citizens receive PHP1.3M-social pension

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, April 26 (PNA) -– The city treasurer’s office has concluded the release of PHP1.3-million social pension for indigent senior citizens.

The benefit covers the second quarter of 2015 but the implementing office, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), downloaded the amount only in the first quarter of 2016.

DSWD allocated a total of PHP1.65 million for 1,100 beneficiaries aged 80 years old and above identified by the National Housing Targeting System. Each beneficiary received PHP1,500 stipend to augment the daily subsistence and other medical needs of members from the aforementioned vulnerable sector.

However, only 872 beneficiaries claimed the benefit worth PHP1.3 million, leaving PHP342,000 unclaimed by 228 senior citizens who are believed to have been deceased. Except for the deceased, those already part of the list will be entitled to future pensions in succeeding years. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/FNC/EGR

Northwest Leyte 2015 allotment nearly complete

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, April 26 (PNA) -- Projects implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways-4th Leyte Engineering District (DPWH-4th LED) for 2015 are 98.47 percent complete, slightly ahead by its 98.44 percent target.

The remaining project for that year is the construction of a 60-meter footbridge in Naungan village here worth PHP12.5 million that will link Zone 7 and Quinto Limbo in said village.

District Engineer Lino Francisco Gonzales said they have finished with the tower at Abutment A. But the barge doing pile-driving at Abutment B is operating at a limited time as the pilot is having difficulty maneuvering during high tide. The contractor asked for a 30-day extension, pushing the target date of completion to May 31.

As for 2016 projects, these as 36.35 percent completed as of March 31. Some PHP700 million are to be implemented by the DPWH regional office and the same amount by 4th LED. Of the 63 projects this year, 29 have been completed, 30 are ongoing while four have yet to begin as of April 20.

These projects are construction of PHP10 million public market in neighboring Kananga town which the municipal government wants to implement; opening of Gaas-Quezon Jr. road in Ormoc worth PHP140 million which has been bid out but cannot commence due to the election ban. Being a mere road-opening, only two kilometers of the nine-kilometer stretch will be concreted.

Other projects are Widening of Anilao Bridge in Ormoc worth PHP60 million which scheduled for bidding on May 14, and a PHP10 million flood control dike along Pagsangaan River to protect a relocation housing project in Lilo-an, here from floods.

Engr. Gonzales reiterates his projection that projects will reach PHP1.8 billion in northwest Leyte this year with the contribution of other government offices. These include PHP50 million worth of Local Infrastructure Projects that will be broken down to PHP2 million for each beneficiary village mostly in the form of road concreting.

The education department has programmed PHP144 million for school buildings in the area while the Agriculture Department will allocate PHP30 million for farm-to-market roads. Engr. Gonzales also announces the construction of a PHP3.2 million footbridge in Monterico, here in Ormoc. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/FNC/EGR

DENR steps up sea turtle watch this summer

TACLOBAN CITY, April 24 (PNA) - The regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Eastern Visayas has reminded the public anew on the protection of endangered marine turtles.

DENR Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca, solicited support from the concerned government agencies, local government units, non-government and private organizations, stakeholders and the general public, to help in the protection and preservation of the endangered marine turtles.

Sibbaluca observed that the favorable fishing season this summer, fishermen can go fishing to deep sea there’s greater possibility that fishermen will encounter marine turtles.

He added that marine turtles are mostly captured by fishermen from March to September where there are no typhoons.

The DENR official said that his office is intensifying its campaign on the protection of the marine turtles by issuing directive to his field officers all over the region, especially in the coastal areas, to step up marine turtle protection drive.

Sibbaluca said that the intensified campaign is designed for better understanding and awareness of the public, especially those living in coastal areas, on the importance and preservation of the marine turtles.

Another objective, he added, is for the people to be aware of the law protecting the marine turtles and for them not to catch, hurt, kill or slaughter the endangered species.

Sibbaluca said that marine turtles are protected under Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as Wildlife Act of 2001 and the violators will be fined for PHP20,000-PHP50,000 and with imprisonment of three months to six months depending upon the discretion of the court.

The DENR urged the public to report to the authorities, or any community environment and natural resources office in their area, regarding caught marine turtles by fishermen for the marine reptile to tagged and be returned back to the sea. (PNA)
BNB/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

Task force assures stable power supply in Visayas for May 9 polls

PALO, Leyte, April 25 (PNA) -- The Power Task Force Election has assured that there will be no brownout during election day in the Visayas area, citing preparation activities, sufficient supply and available power reserves, officials said on Monday.

Based on the Department of Energy’s (DOE) outlook, there will be 120 to 245 megawatt (MW) power reserve in the three Visayas regions from May 8-10, on top of the 1,899 MW to 2,121 MW available capacity, and 1,678 MW to 1,876 MW system load.

“Since its holiday on May 9, the power demand will be lower. If there would be deficiency, the Luzon grid can provide us power since we are connected with them,” said Keelvin Dajao of the DOE Visayas field office.

The power sector presented their power situation and contingency plan during the final meeting of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Philippine National Police, and Philippine Army joint committee meeting.

Dajao said transmission maintenance firms and distribution facilities vowed not to implement any preventive maintenance activities one week before and after May 9 to ally public fears of possible brownouts.

A command post of the task force has been set up in Cebu province to monitor power supply and possible interruptions in central Philippines. Satellite posts have been set up in all provinces to respond to emergencies

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines Leyte-Samar area district head Lope Cañete said all maintenance activities in the region have been done as of Sunday or two weeks before the elections.

“We have conducted several maintenance activities in the first quarter of 2016 in preparation for the elections. There would be no power interruptions except in emergency cases,” Cañete told election, police and military officials on Monday.

Transmission line teams have been deployed in strategic areas. In the case of Eastern Visayas, these teams will be based in Bobon, Northern Samar; Borongan City, Eastern Samar; Calbayog City,

Catbalogan City, and Paranas in Samar; Babatngon, Carigara, Macathur, and Ormoc City in Leyte; Maasin City and Bontoc in Soutern Leyte.

Earlier, the Comelec has asked the DOE, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, NGCP, local electric cooperatives to ensure adequate, stable, and reliable power supply for the national and local elections on May 9.

The actions include carrying out strategic preventive maintenance of power facilities, deployment of technical manpower for emergency response, and security of vital power infrastructures. (PNA)
BNB/SQM

Comelec braces for delivery of vote machines to Region 8 poll centers

TACLOBAN CITY, April 25 (PNA) -– The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will start the delivery of 5,754 vote counting machines (VCMs) to polling places in Eastern Visayas next week.

Comelec Regional Director Dennis Ausan said almost all of the 5,754 have been delivered to hubs in Ormoc City and Tacloban City for delivery to all voting centers. Each clustered polling precinct has one VCM.

“The shipment of these equipments and accountable forms has been smooth from the point of origin in Sta. Rosa, Laguna to the region. The next stage is to deploy this to polling places that will come in the first week of May,” Ausan said.

Contractor 2GO Express and 2GO Logistics Philippines Inc. will dispatch these machines two to three days prior to final testing and sealing (FTS), prioritizing remote areas of the region. The firm assured that all machines will be in Tacloban and Ormoc hubs by Wednesday.

“Majority of the final testing and sealing will be done by May 5 and May 6,” Ausan said.

The region will also get contingency machines, but the regional office has yet to find out the allocation for the region after the Comelec en banc meeting on Wednesday.

The Comelec has stepped up coordination with the Philippine National Police and Philippine Army to implement security measures in the delivery of these machines especially in hotspot areas.

The FTS aims to check the completeness, security, and accuracy of the VCMs before they are used on Election Day. During the test, there will be actual voting using ballots, which will be fed to the VCMs.

The VCMs will then generate eight copies of the FTS results using the thermal papers. The FTS ballots will also be manually counted and verified by the Special Board of Election Inspectors.

The VCMs will be disconnected from the power cable with the election paraphernalia to be used set to be placed inside the ballot boxes. It will be sealed and be opened only on May 9. (PNA)
FFC/SQM

DPWH posts 43% infra dev’t accomplishment for Southern Leyte

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, April 24 (PNA) – Construction is now ongoing for 77 of the 82 regular 2016 infrastructure projects in the province as of mid-April, the Department of Public Works and Highways Southern Leyte Office (DPWH-SLDEO) reported.

District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia said the district posted a 43 percent accomplishment during the early part of 2016 as far as construction stage is concern. Of the 82 projects, five have been completed as of April 15, 2016 and only two projects have not yet started.

These completed projects are the PHP991,261 improvement of a multi-purpose gymnasium in Padre Burgos town, PHP1.95 million road concreting from Esperanza to Barangay Pinut-an in San Ricardo town, PHP2.89 million construction of dike in the town center of Liloan, and PHP1.95 million construction of dike in coastal areas of San Francisco town.

“For the first quarter, we’re able to award 81 of the 82 projects. This was done before the effectivity of the March 25 to May 8, 2016 public works in connection with the May 9 elections,” Junia said, adding that awarding was not pushed through for one project due to changes of design.

Of the 77 ongoing projects, 46 are bridges, which are up for major rehabilitation this year.

These are bridges of Liloan, Magaupas, Magkasag, Mayuga, Nahaong, Agogong, Biliran, Bonbon, Caaga, Calayugan, Calian, Candatag, Canlawis, Canlupao, Cantamuac, Canumay, Casao, Concepcion, Dinahugan, Higusoan, Hilogtogan, Hipgasan, Iniguihan.

Also up for rehabilitation are bridges of Lagiwliw, Looc, Mag-ata, Mahalo, Mapait, Maslog 1, Maslog 2, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan 1, Pintuyan 2, Sagbok, San Joaquin, San Jose, San Ricardo, San Roque, San Vicente, Sangaahon, Son-ok, Sta Cruz 1, Sta. Cruz 2, Subang Daku, Sudmon, Timba, and Villa Jacinta.

Under the 2016 infrastructure projects based on National Expenditure Program, the district office is tasked to implement PHP1 billion worth of projects.

These include rehabilitation, upgrading and construction of national highways, improvements and widening of national roads, construction of missing gaps, off-carriageway improvement, and million for construction and maintenance of bridges along national highways.

Also listed are construction and maintenance of flood mitigation structures and drainage systems, improvement of access road leading to tourist destinations, and million construction and repair of various infrastructure including local projects.

The DPWH field office rushed the bidding of these projects to ensure early start and completion.

This also allowed the government to award the project to contractor prior to the March 25 to May 8, 2016 public works ban.

Under the Omnibus Election Code, the construction of public works, delivery of materials for public works, and issuance of treasury warrant or similar devices for a future undertaking chargeable against public funds is prohibited.

Prior to this, SLDEO has already submitted the list of ongoing projects for exemption of the public works ban which took effect on March 25. (PNA)

BNB/SQM/DPWH-PR/EGR

DPWH Southern Leyte defends trending 'bridge without river' project

MAASIN CITY, April 24 (PNA) -- The Department of Public Works and Highways Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (DPWH-SLDEO) has called on netizens to be more responsible in posting government project photos as they defended a “bridge without a river” project that has gone viral on social media.

Reacting to a Facebook post of a certain Lito Quesada, District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia said the Pacu Bridge in Bontoc, Southern Leyte was built to protect the road section from a fault line and an underground water source.

“It has been a common knowledge for the residents in the area and for the usual motorists passing through this section that the numerous reblocking, embankment and slope protection projects implemented in this particular section in the past have been destroyed every time continuous heavy rains occur,” Junia said.

Junia confirmed that the slab bridge is a project of DPWH-SLDEO built three years ago in Pacu village. It was built to cross a fault line, “saving millions of pesos worth of road repair works and protecting lives and properties.”

The lady engineer asked social media users to really find out why the government had to push such projects instead of making conclusions at a glance and share it to millions of Facebook users.

Quesada posted the photo in his Facebook account with a caption “ito ang gawa ng Daang Matuwid” (this is the work of straight path) on April 15, referring to the slogan of President Benigno C. Aquino III.

“Please be informed that bridges are not constructed for rivers only... Please do not link to politics our infrastructure works without asking for facts,” Junia added.

The post, which was shared 418 times as of Saturday morning, was later removed from Facebook.

Personal blog Pinoy Trending News also published the post last week. (PNA)
BNB/SQM/DPWH-PR/EGR

Eastern Samar town mayor cites need to sustain Aquino dev’t programs

GIPORLOS, Eastern Samar, April 22 (PNA) -– The mayor in this economically-depressed town has expressed reservation over possibilities of discontinuing the good programs of the present administration by a next president not anointed by President Benigno C. Aquino III.

Mayor Mark Biong, who is seeking for re-election and running under Liberal Party, said that only Mar Roxas presidency, would ensure sustainability of what Aquino had started.

“What I’m afraid for is when the change of administration comes, they will discontinue the good programs of the present administration,” he added.

Among this is the bottom-up budgeting (BuB) program that encouraged community participation. Biong said that it helps their fifth class town given their meager budget internal revenue allotment (IRA) shares.

Giporlos, an agricultural and fishery town with more than 14,000 residents, gets PHP52 million IRA share from the national government every year.

Of the PHP52 million IRA, only 20 percent is being use to fund development projects.

"That amount is not even enough to fund infrastructure projects. The BuB really helped in the economic development of IRA dependent towns,” said Biong.

For 2016, the town has PHP16 million BUB funds for construction of farm-to-market roads.

Aside from BuB, the mayor also lauded the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), a community-driven development program of Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The town received PHP10 million worth of Kalahi-CIDSS projects for 18 villages. The local government unit provides 10 percent share as counterpart to the projects identified by the community.

Biong added that people who are tagging these projects as an strategy to sway voters, should understand that it is government’s job to help local government units to attain development. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RTA

PNP chief seeks enhanced coordination for peaceful polls

PALO, Leyte, April 22 (PNA) -– Police Director General Ricardo Marquez emphasized during his latest visit to the police regional command here Thursday that ensuring the peaceful conduct of the May 9 elections is not just under the scope of responsibility of the police but also of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

This, through a joint guideline agreed to by the three agencies this month to supervise peace and security efforts for the May 9 elections.

These same guidelines, Marquez said, was among the directives he reiterated with police officials in the region during the meeting, particularly in creating and implementing a joint security plan in the area, for all facets of the elections.

“Together with the Comelec and AFP, we would like to emphasize that this is not only PNP. We are once again giving more life and power to this partnership with this joint letter directive as we join forces in securing the communities with the conduct of this national exercise," Marquez said in a press briefing with the local media.

Under the AFP-PNP Joint Operational Guidelines, Joint Security Control Centers (JSCC) in all regions will be activated to oversee internal security and counter-terrorism operations by both agencies.

The public may also report violations of election laws, such as the firearm ban, through text messages to their respective JSCCs.

Police and military forces are also expected to establish joint checkpoints with Comelec and organize a task group dedicated to the dismantling of identified Private Armed Groups (PAGs).

The guidelines also define the decorum expected of AFP and PNP personnel during the election period.

Meanwhile, the police chief downplayed reports that killings are rampant in Samar province, particularly in the City of Calbayog.

Marquez said that contrary to claims that killings happen "everyday" in the city, thus earning for it the monicker “Killbayog”, there has only been a number of killings disproving that shooting and killing spree occur on a daily basis.

“The figure does not say it happens that way. Di naman araw-araw. It would be unfair to say that for Calbayog and for the rest of the province,” Marquez said.

He, however, assures, together with the local leadership of the PNP-8 that there are enough security forces deployed to Samar province to ensure the peaceful conduct of the May 9 polls.

The province, particularly towns in the first district, have earlier been identified as elections area of concern. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR

Eastern Samar towns get marine biodiversity conservation aid

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, April 21 (PNA) -- The Global Environmental Facility (GEF) of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) offers hope for the fisherfolks in this province.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Eastern Visayas regional project deputy director Jenny Lyn Almeria said Eastern Visayas is lucky to included in the priority regions to be supported under the GEF.

In particular, it covers Guiuan coast which involves the marine protected areas of the municipalities of Guiuan, Mercedes Salcedo, Quinapondan and Lawaan.

“The listing of areas to be covered largely depended on the results of the overall assessment conducted by the World Bank and the commitment of the LGUs (local government units) and other stakeholders to support the project. Of course, topmost of the several parameters considered was degree of availability of coastal and marine resources,” she said.

The GEF is part of the package under PRDP aimed at protecting coastal and marine resource base in the targeted priority areas by preserving biodiversity and promoting fisheries resource management.

The GEF is backed by a financial grant from the World Bank in the amount of USD7 million, or around Php300 million.

On April 18-20, the DA regional project coordination office spearheaded the conduct of the GEF Initiatives Implementation Review Planning and Direction -setting for Eastern Samar Marine Protected Areas in Marabut, Samar.

Highlights during the two-day activity include the following: re-orientation on PRDP–GEF; PRDP implementation arrangement with different components and partner agencies; importance of coastal and marine ecosystems management using marine spatial planning, and marine protected areas Budget and plan preparation. (PNA)
LDV/SQM/DA-PR/egr 

Evacuation center rises in Eastern Samar

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, April 20 (PNA) - The first community evacuation center in Eastern Visayas called “Sirungan (shelter) ha Guiuan” has formally opened for families vulnerable to impacts of natural calamities.

The multi-purpose evacuation center will not only provide safe shelter for 350 people during times of disasters, but can also be used as place for gathering, seminars and skills and livelihood training.

The project was built through a partnership by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nation Children’s Fund, Department of Social Welfare and Development and the local government of Guiuan. Japanese television station, Fuji TV, funded the construction of the center.

Meagan Genat, IOM evacuation program manager and the one who designed the building said that it could withstand category 5 typhoons and magnitude 8 earthquakes. It took six months to come up with the building design.

Super typhoon Yolanda that devastated the region on Nov. 8, 2013 made its first landfall in this town. Its location facing the Pacific Ocean makes the town a constant victims of typhoon landfall in the country.

The building’s shape is octagonal, a much stronger design than the usual shape of building in the country, and much cheaper than the cylindrical shape of building that is more sturdy to disasters.

“It’s still a very resilient shape. Its shape has both aerodynamic activities that can mitigate the impact of the wind, but also has strong symmetry to mitigate the seismic activity,” said Genat. “Its basic requirement is to be very resilient to strong wind and seismic activity.”

Genat said the project complied with the Philippine National Building Code.

Unicef Philippines representative Lotta Sylwander described the evacuation center as a new testament “to a new start and better prepared communities.”

“This building is a testament of a new start and for better and safe communities was you can prepare them for any calamities. This symbolizes the resilience of Guiuan,” Sylwander said.

The official added that they hoped for other local government units to replicate the evacuation center project to ensure that studies of students would not be interrupted after calamities.

Sylwander noted that in most cases classrooms or schools in the country were used as evacuation center during times of disasters and calamities that affected the schooling of children.

IOM Philippines Chief of Mission Marco Boasso said that the collective effort of everyone was the key of the success in building the evacuation center.

“Today we are here to recognize the strong partnership of the whole community, which led to this multipurpose center. IOM Philippines is enormously proud of this DRR preparedness at the local level supported by both national and local government as well as their international partners,” said Boasso.

“I am very pleased that we are behind this beautiful structure that has the capacity to host people in the event of calamity especially children who are vulnerable during times of catastrophe,” he added.

Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzalez said the project was a good example of public and private partnership.

“Good cooperation leads us to the successful implementation of this project that is also useful during good times,” Gonzalez said.

Aside from Guiuan, the IOM will also build another community evacuation center in Borongan City, the provincial capital. (PNA)

RMA/SQM/Roel T Amazona 

Court junks land row between Ormoc gov’t and Parilla clan

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, April 20 (PNA) - The Regional Trial Court branch 35 here dismissed the case filed by a clan over a 1.7-hectare property being claimed by the city government.

The case pertains to the prayer for Cancelation of Annotations, Damages and Attorney’s Fees with Prayer for Preliminary Injunction sought by the heirs of sps. Agaton and Anecita Parilla.

The property in contest is almost 1.5 hectare property and another lot with a size of 2,109 square meter located at Dalindingan St. at the government center right across city hall.

The adjacent lots were expropriated and made part of the government center on Jan. 26, 1965 for which the court issued an order of condemnation and writ of possession in favor of the city.

Feeling aggrieved, Parilla elevated the case to the Court of Appeals (CA) which affirmed the decision of the Court of First Instance, making it final and executory on June 20, 1979. The CA pronounced that the lots had long been acquired by the city government by virtue of a decree of expropriation.

Despite the finality of judgment, the heirs of Agaton Parilla refused to give up ownership of the lots years after. They claim they were not given just compensation. This was belied by the city government, saying the compensation was deposited at Philippine National Bank and the Court of First Instance.

The heirs also contend that ownership over the property did not pass to the city government due to its failure to assert its right to possess and as such, the family continues possession thereof. A settlement continues to occupy the subject lots up to this day.

But Judge Girlie M. Borrel-Yu said her court no longer has jurisdiction over the case considering that the dispute over the lots had long been settled by the appropriate courts.

She cited several jurisprudence demanding “that the parties ought not to be permitted to litigate the same issue more than once, that when a right or fact has been judicially tried and determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, or an opportunity for such trial has been given, the judgment of the court, so long as it remains unreversed, should be conclusive upon the parties…”

The judge also described as “highly improbable” plaintiffs’ claim that they were not paid just compensation. If such was the case, “plaintiff’s recourse is to claim this compensation with the depository bank,” the seven-page decision dated March 29, 2016 also read.

Yu further reprimanded the plaintiffs for violating the rule against forum shopping. “Going back to the case at bar, while a certification against non-forum shopping was attached to the instant complaint, the same is not a truthful certification as there was no statement on the filing and judgments in two previous cases, for this alone the court can even dismiss the instant case,” the decision said.

Finally, Yu wrote that “Every litigation must come to an end once a judgment becomes final, executory and unappealable … To frustrate it by dilatory schemes on the part of the losing party is to frustrate all the efforts, time and expenditure of the courts.” (PNA)
RMA/SQM/Felix N. Codilla III 

President Aquino campaigns anew for Mar-Leni tandem in Leyte

BAYBAY CITY, April 19 (PNA) – President Benigno S. Aquino III made a campaign pitch for the ruling party’s presidential and vice presidential candidates during his visit to Leyte province on Monday afternoon.

“For me the only tandem that has integrity and competence that will put the country above self is none other than the tandem of Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo,” the President told a huge crowd at the city gymnasium.

The administration’s gains could only be sustained if the right leaders are elected into office, he said, adding that "all the hard work we had will vanish if the country’s next leaders will implement crooked governance."

“So it’s up to you if we will continue and expand the good things we have started,” President Aquino said.

The President highlighted the gains of his administration from infrastructure, social services, health, education, peace initiatives and tourism that spur jobs in the countryside and his economic development.

He said only the team of Roxas and Robredo and Liberal Party senatorial slate will continue the Daang Matuwid he worked hard for the people.

In the inaugural drive of the national government road project, President Aquino was accompanied by Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson and Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Sarmiento.

The road was completed in December 2015 with a total length of 5.154 kilometers at a total cost of Php370 million.

“The road will decongest traffic and spur economic development in the area. Many investors like the Gaisano group of companies have expressed their interest to invest in the area. The downtown area is already congested and buzzing with activities and this diversion road is a relief,” said Baybay Mayor Carmen Cari.

The mayor also vowed to campaign hard for the Roxas-Robredo tandem because she believes that the team can deliver. (PNA)
SCS/SQM/Vicky C. Arnaiz/egr 

Leyte’s vote-rich district to deliver votes for Mar-Leni

BAYBAY CITY, April 19 (PNA) - Leyte’s vote-rich fifth district vowed they would deliver the votes for Liberal Party standard bearer Mar Roxas and running mate Rep. Leni Robredo.

Baybay City Mayor Carmen Cari said their LP camp in Baybay and the nearby towns of Leyte’s fifth district will give Mar’s win a boost for the highest seat of the land.

Baybay City is Leyte’s biggest city in population, while the whole fifth district, remains to be Leyte’s vote-rich district.

The fifth district, which also includes the big town of Abuyog, Javier, Mahaplag, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato and Matalom, is represented by Congressman Carlos Cari, Carmen’s son, who vowed similar support for Roxas, citing the district’s gains under President Aquino’s “Daang Matuwid”.

Meanwhile, Cari said that the district has helped bring standard bearers in previous elections into office, even while they did not fare that well in pre-election surveys.

“We have helped Gloria Arroyo during her presidential bid, and also Pres. Aquino before. We were able to crunch the numbers for them which helped boost their bids,” Mayor Cari said.

She likewise said surveys should not be the sole basis to determine possible winners in the elections but vowed to deliver votes for the administration candidates.

President Benigno Aquino III was in Baybay himself to inaugurate the 5-kilometer Baybay City Diversion road, a vital highway that would decongest traffic in the city proper and create a secondary growth area.

In his speech, Aquino made a pitch for Mar’s presidential bid and cited the danger of voters getting swayed by political advertisements and social media as well as the current trend in surveys.

“We have come far in treading the straight path. There are left turns and right turns along the way, but what would be most difficult is a “U-turn” where we will go back to where we were before, and that will not be good for us,” President Aquino said.

We don’t know for certain that if we stray from Mar and Leni, those who will replace them will have the same principles,” Aquino told the crowd.

The President said only Roxas and Robredo and the rest of Team Daang Matuwid could guarantee that all their efforts would not be reversed.(PNA)
RMA/SQM/Ahlette C. Reyes/egr 

DPWH bares infra development in Leyte Island

BAYBAY CITY, Leyte, April 19 (PNA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported the national government has poured in a total of Php 28.7 billion in funds for the infrastructure program in Leyte Island from 2011 to 2016.

DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson made this report on Monday during a visit in Baybay City together with President Benigno S. Aquino III, and cited, among others, infrastructure programs made by the department particularly in improving road conditions in the five districts of Leyte and the engineering districts of Tacloban City and Southern Leyte.

For public highways, a total of Php 22.5 billion have been delivered by the national government, Php 5 billion for flood control and another Php 1.1 billion for other infrastructure projects.

In the whole island, a total of 1,250 kilometers of roads have already been paved by the DPWH since the Aquino administration started in 2010.

Singson said Southern Leyte province posted 100 percent rating in paved highways while Leyte’s third district remained to have the bigger percentage for unpaved roads at 88 percent.

The DPWH is targeting to pave more roads and improve more infrastructures in the island before Aquino administration ends.

He likewise disclosed that the multi-million tide embankment project to protect the seashores from Tacloban City to Tanauan town will start this year.

This 27.3-kilometer project stretches from Diit village in Tacloban to Cabuynan village in Tanauan town. Sections 1 to 3 are in Tacloban, section 4 are coastal villages of Tacloban and Palo, section 5 are some areas in Palo and Tanauan, and section 6 in Tanauan town.

However, according to Singson, the tide embankment project will first be started in the Palo area as resettlement of bayside settlers have already been resolved.

The four-meter high structure, designed to shield coastal communities from big waves, was pushed through by the President after the 2013 storm surges wiped out neigborhood in Leyte province.

The Php 7.9 billion “Great Wall” project include civil works and right of way acquisition broken down in four years – Php1.46 billion for 2016, Php 1.19 billion for 2017, Php 2.64 billion for 2018, and Php 2.64 for 2019.

RMA/SQM/Ahlette C. Reyes/egr 

Last section of new Leyte road up for bid in May

CARIGARA, Leyte, April 18 (PNA) -- Bidding for the last 1.5 kilometer road section of the Burauen-Albuera road is up this May, according to the Second Leyte Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-2nd LED).

District Engineer Carlos Veloso said bidding for the concreting of this road section is among the two remaining major projects of the district for 2016.

Veloso said that concreting works of this last road section will immediately follow after the bidding as the Burauen-Albuera road faces full project completion this year.

Veloso expressed confidence that the project, at least, the Burauen side, will be completed.

Many see the project to be long overdue since it was started in 2008 during the term of President Gloria Arroyo. The 36.22-kilometer road opening project cuts through rebel-influenced villages between Western and Northern Leyte and has been on the planning board since the time of the late President Ferdinand Marcos, Sr.

If totally opened and concreted, travelers coming from the capital city of Tacloban to Ormoc City, a gateway to Central Visayas, will now only have to travel 89 kilometers instead of 107 kilometers.

Aside from shortened travel time, the new road will facilitate transport of farm produce from the previously hard-to-reach upland areas to major business hubs in Leyte. With the enhanced accessibility, the new road is envisioned to improve the peace and order and economic situation of the people where the road cuts through.

The Leyte side of the project has been continuous so far, except for the delays it faced when some parts of the roads and bridges were damaged during the typhoon Ruby and Senyang in 2014.

However, Veloso said all repairs have been completed in 2015 and this year the only focus is to finish the remaining 1.5 kilometer road section, then the Burauen side will be declared complete.

Meanwhile, residents of Albuera and Burauen is positive the road will improve the economic and trade aspects of the towns. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/Ahlette C. Reyes/egr

SM builds 400 houses for Tacloban ‘Yolanda’ survivors

TACLOBAN CITY, April 18 (PNA) -- SM Foundation has turned over on Saturday 400 newly-built houses for super typhoon Yolanda survivors, the biggest housing project of the country’s giant property developer.

The village is called Pope Francis CFC ANCOP Canada community-SM Cares Village. The village is the biggest of all four SM cares housing projects since other sites have only 200 houses.

The housing project in Kawayan Village is the third batch of the 1,000 houses committed by SM Foundation for Yolanda survivors.

SM Prime officials headed by SM prime president Hans T. Sy led the turn over ceremony accompanied by Tacloban City Mayor Alfred s. Romualdez and Yedda Romualdez, representing her husband, Leyte 1st district Rep. Ferdinand Romualdez.

Palo archbishop John F. Du graced the event and thanked all the donors for their contributions to the successful completion of the project.

The 400 houses were turned over to selected beneficiaries for free. Aside from the houses the SM Cares Village has amenities such as basketball court, street lamps, sewage treatment plant, materials recovery facility, rain catchment system and provisions for water and electricity.

SM Cares, a division of SM Foundation and corporate social responsibility arm of the SM Prime Holdings, Inc. launched the disaster-resilient housing project shortly after the onslaught of super typhoon Yolanda in November 2013.

The first housing village in Bogo in Cebu was turned over in November 2014 while the second village in Iloilo city was unveiled in October 2015. The fourth and the last site in Ormoc City will be turned over in July this year.

The project is funded by SM Foundation with the support of business partners, tenants and other stakeholders. The group was able to raise PHP300 million needed to build 1,000 houses.

Some of the donors for the SM Cares Village in Tacloban include Zonta Club, Duty Free Philippines, Forever 21, ANCOP, Philippine Daily Inquirer and Sultan 900.

All the houses are disaster resilient and have roofs made of concrete slab. To ensure sustainability of the project, community programs have been put in place to make the change work for all the beneficiaries.

For Tacloban housing project, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Palo (RCAP) and the Couples for Christ ANCOP (CFC-ANCOP) were the partners in charge of selecting the beneficiaries training, livelihood and values formation to enable the residents start a new life in the community. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/Lizbeth Ann A. Abella/egr

Samar’s Tribu Katbaluagan retains Aliwan Fiesta crown

TACLOBAN CITY, April 18 (PNA) -- Tribu Katbalaugan of Catbalogan City in Samar successfully defended their title during the Aliwan Fiesta in Pasay City on Saturday night.

Tribu Kabalaugan’s toughest contender was Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival, a hall famer of Aliwan Festival.

Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan said that their winning was the product of the dedicated performers who worked hard to achieve their goal of bringing home the title once again.

Tribu Katbalaugan is composed of more than 400 dancers and props men from various schools in Catbalogan.

Still a newbie in national competitions, Tribu Katbalaugan made its first appearance in the national scene of festival competition in 2015 when it joined Sinulog Festival, garnering the 4th place. In the same year, the group also bagged the top prize in the Aliwan Fiesta.

“It was a challenge to have won last year's championship more so with this year's win. But because of everyone's continued support, we have made another history for us all,” Uy-Tan said.

The lady mayor dedicated their achievement to St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of Catbalogan.

She added that winning Aliwan Festival this year is an early present for their parish that will celebrate its 400 year in August.

The festival contingent, the sole representative of Eastern Visayas to the Aliwan Festival also won best costume and best music while their festival queen Lou Dominique Piczon was 2nd runner-up for Miss Aliwan.

Dinagyang Festival’s Tribu Salognon bagged the 2nd place while Meguyaya Festival from Upi, Maguindanao ranked 3rd; Sagayang Festival from Datu Piang, Maguindanao was 4th place; and Niyogyugan Festival of Quezon Province was the 5th place.

“Their victory brings pride and joy to the people of Catbalogan City, Samar province and Eastern Visayas. It also reinforces our claim that Eastern Visayas is the national home ground of national festival competition champions,” said Department of Tourism Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes.

Buyugan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte and Lingganay Festival of Alang-alang, Leyte are some of the top festival contingents in the region that had bagged top awards in various national festival competitions like Sinulog Festival and Aliwan Festival.

“The DOT takes its hats off to Catbalogan for bagging the top award at Aliwan. After seeing their performance we are confident that they would retain the their title as champion, their choreography, smooth transition, precision and dazzling performance vibrant costumes, highlight use of props and the dynamic musical accompaniment spelled their victory,” Tiopes added.

Organized by the Manila Broadcasting Company, Aliwan Fiesta is an annual event that gathers different cultural festivals of the Philippines in Star City Complex in Pasay City wherein contingents compete in dance parade and float competitions, as well as in a beauty pageant. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RTA/egr 

Framework set for RH implementation in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, April 16 (PNA) -- To ensure implementation of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH) Law in the region, the Commission on Population presented a framework for the harmonization of work and financial plans, planning, monitoring and evaluation guide.

Commission on Population (PopCom) regional director Elnora R. Pulma, who sits as Regional Implementation Team (RIT)co-chair and head of the secretariat, said the framework addresses the need for a decision support system in undertaking policy and strategy reviews and improvements to accelerate the delivery of and access to reproductive health care services and information.

Pulma added the framework lays down detailed processes to guide member agencies of the RIT in crafting a unified annual work and financial plan for the implementation of the RPRH Law.

She added it could also be used in operationalizing a monitoring system that is able to regularly generate up-to-date and reliable information on the overall implementation status of programs, projects and activities set in the work and financial plan.

Apart from the presentation of the implementation framework, discussed in the meeting was to endorse to the local government units the creation of provincial and city implementation teams to further strengthen RPRH Law implementation at the local level.

Also agreed in the meeting was the designation of permanent representatives from member agencies to the RIT. (PNA)

PGL/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR

Landmark bill on youth in DRRM pushed

TACLOBAN CITY, April 16 (PNA) –- Leyte’s ordinance mandating the youth’s participation and representation in disaster risk reduction and management is hope to be fully passed this year, according to Leyte Vice-Governor Carlo P. Loreto.

This as Youth Participation Ordinance of 2015 is slated for a third and final reading at the provincial board. The youth sector is a dynamic human resource that, when enhanced and properly utilized, could serve as a dynamic force necessary to bring into fruition any developmental goals, Loreto said.

The ordinance recognizes that while the youth are one of the most vulnerable and marginalized sectors in times of calamities, they are also potential and necessary partners in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.

“When a community lacks the active involvement of the youth at the local levels, addressing the problem during times of disasters will be uncoordinated, especially in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters,” Loreto said,

He added that the legislation would also ensure that there is proper youth representation and mainstreaming of youth participation in disaster risk reduction and management, including climate change adaptation in the province of Leyte.

Leyte LGUs would also then be expected to engage the youth sector as a legitimate member of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) in their community.

The youth group will represent the civil society organization in the LDRRMC to help the LGUs in disaster preparedness and other post-disaster activities including counseling of victims of tragedies.

If it fully passes through into law, it will be a landmark legislation for the province, Loreto added. (PNA)
PGL/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR