Road opening brings hope to remote San Ricardo, Southern Leyte village

SAN RICARDO, Southern Leyte, June 30 (PNA) -– The ongoing road project in the far-flung village of Kinachawa here brings hope to locals, whose community has been isolated by bumpy and hilly farm-to-market road.

Coconut farm laborer Jeynel Ballispin, 24, is pleased to see people working in their village to widen the existing narrow provincial road into a national highway.

“This is something that we have been looking forward to. I am saving money now so I can buy a motorcycle to transport farm products to the town center someday,” said Ballispin.

The young father’s daily grind in the past decade is to harvest nuts in a farm he does not even own. He’s paid PHP200 for day-long hard work, just enough to sustain the basic needs of his wife and their child.

Ballispin is just one of the nearly 400 residents of Kinachawa village, who stand to benefit a road project that directly links San Ricardo town to more progressive Liloan town. The village is about 17 kilometers away from the town center.

This year, the Department of Public Works and Highways – Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (DPWH-SLDE) is currently implementing a PHP40 million opening of the alternative road.

District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia said that for the 2016 allocation, the project will open about 1.70 kilometers of gravel road. Other civil works include roadway excavation of hard rocks, installation of drainage system, and slope protection works.

“With the ongoing works, there are only less than two kilometers remaining to link the new road to existing provincial road in San Ramon village. In few months, the entire road stretch will be passable to single motorcycle,” Junia explained.

About PHP200 million is needed to finance the opening activities of an alternative Liloan-San Ricardo Road. The project is designed to cut travel time and skip road sections vulnerable to landslides and accidents.

The remaining PHP140 million funding requirement is expected for disbursement in the next two years – PHP88 million in 2017 and PHP72 million in 2018.

The construction of the circumferential road will reduce the distance from Liloan port to another exit point to Mindanao in San Ricardo town from more than 40 kilometers to only 20 kilometers.

“The road opening is needed to ensure that land transportation would not be disrupted with landslides, road slips, and accidents,” Junia said.

The project will convert an existing provincial road into a primary highway, unlocking economic activities in rural communities of two towns in the southernmost part of Southern Leyte Island.

Through the new road network, motorists can reach San Ricardo town from Liloan town without traversing the landslide-prone and accident-prone road sections in San Francisco and Pintuyan towns.

The DPWH pushed for safer alternative road to San Ricardo after noting that more buses and rolling cargoes use the Benit port in San Ricardo town instead of nearby Liloan port considering the former’s proximity to Surigao.

The route is being serviced by Montenegro Shipping Lines Inc. using a roll-on roll-off vessel, which makes four round trips daily.

Sea travel from San Ricardo to Lipata port in Surigao del Norte takes an hour, way shorter compared to more than three hours of travel time through Liloan port.

Although Benit port is closer to Surigao, some motorists prefer to take the Liloan port despite irregular trips, considering the difficulty in maneuvering along the “saddle road” in Pintuyan town. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/PR/EGR

New solon hopes Samar won’t be left behind under Duterte administration

TACLOBAN CITY, June 30 (PNA) -- A neophyte solon, who is a brother of Liberal Party stalwart in Samar province, has called on voters here to support the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Samar 1st district Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento said the new President deserves a chance to do his job without people criticizing him, but rather supporting his program.

“We should always support our Chief Executive, but I am loyal to Liberal Party. However, as member of the House of Representatives, I will support his priority bills,” said Sarmiento.

“I will stick with the Liberal Party, but we should support the good projects of the President that will be beneficial to the people,” Sarmiento added.

The solon is the brother of Mel Senen Sarmiento, who has served as Interior and Local Government Secretary from September 11, 2015 until Thursday.

Sarmiento hopes that the President will continue supporting Samar province although he has not emerged as a winner in the province in the May 9, 2016 elections.

“I’ll be pleading, though I belong to the Liberal Party, for President Duterte, coming from Mindanao to help Samar, which is one of the poorest provinces. I hope he will sustain the projects being implemented by the present administration because these are very vital for the development in Samar,” Sarmiento said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that Samar province ranks 14th poorest province in the country with poverty incidence of 49.5 percent as of last year.

Among government-funded projects implemented in Samar province is the on-going road network project of the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process, in partnership with national government agencies and local government units.

His major concern for the national government to continue funding the airport upgrading projects in Calbayog City.

“With a good airport, we can achieve the local government unit’s roadmap for tourism. I hope this will continue because there is no way for us to stand on ourselves,” he added. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/RTA/EGR

Tacloban celebrates Sangyaw Festival

TACLOBAN CITY, June 30 (PNA) –- Thousands of Tacloban residents were once again amazed on Wednesday night by the Sangyaw Parade of Lights, an annual event hosted by the city government of Tacloban in line with the 127th fiesta celebration of this city.

At least 10 villages competed in the street dancing category, 10 schools joined the festival category, and nine groups vied for the merry makers’ category.

Winning groups for the Festival Street Dancing Barangay (village) Category are Brgy. 77-Fatima (champion), Brgy. 92-Apitong (first place), and Brgy. 95-Caibaan (2nd place).

For school-based street dancing category, winners are the Asian Development Foundation College (champion), Sagkahan National High School (1st place), and Leyte Normal University (2nd place). They represented Earth, Fire and Water elements, respectively.

Winners for merrymakers are Jollibee group (champion), Taebo Jam (1st place), and Taebo and Zumba group (2nd place).

Sangyaw means 'to announce' is a festival organized by then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos. The celebration was suspended in 1986. It was revived on June 29, 2008 by her nephew, former Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

Sangyaw Festival had gone through several concept changes since its revival.

When it was reintroduced, organizers conceptualized it as a national-based festival competition. Later, they changed it to a regionwide festival and a city-based festival competition until it settled to its current format, the Parade of Lights. (PNA)

PGL/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

Tacloban City officials back Duterte’s first order on streamlined process in gov't

TACLOBAN CITY, June 30 (PNA) -- Local government officials lauded the first directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to streamline processes in all government agencies.

City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez lauded the Chief Executive’s first order since this will eliminate anomalous transactions.

She said that this will also allow the local government to implement projects without going through the lengthy and complicated process of securing documents from national government agencies.

“We will support this initiative. This is very good to cut red tape,” said Romualdez in a brief interview shortly after she took her oath as the city’s new mayor, replacing her husband, Alfred.

Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin said the directive reduce requirements in government agencies will contribute to the city’s government’s goal to become a more business-friendly city.

“Streamlined process will encourage more investors to open up business. If they open business, that means more jobs and better economy,” Yaokasin said.

San Miguel, Leyte Mayor Cheeryl Enrica L. Esperas said the directive will strengthen the enforcement of Republic Act No. 9485 or the “Anti-Red Tape Act of 2007”, which has been implemented over the past years.

The law aims to improve efficiency in the delivery of government service to the public by reducing bureaucratic red tape and prevent graft and corruption in government agencies and offices.

“We hope to be trained on the streamline process that the President wants to push,” said Esperas, who was at the city hall grounds to witness the oath taking of city officials.

Duterte, in his inaugural speech as President of the Republic of the Philippines, ordered his Cabinet members to remove “redundant requirements.”

“Compliance with one department or agency, shall be accepted as sufficient for all,” he said.

He asked all cabinet secretaries to streamline all transactions in government offices and remove redundant requirements.

“I direct all department secretaries and the heads of agencies to reduce requirements and the processing time of all applications, from the submission to release,” he said.

Duterte also warned his cabinet members against “changing and bending the rules of government contracts, transactions and projects already approved and awaiting implementation.” (PNA)

BNB/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Leyte school notes big drop in enrolment due to K to 12

TACLOBAN CITY, June 30 (PNA) -– State-run Leyte Normal University (LNU) noted a big drop in freshman enrolment this school year with the full implementation of senior high school (SHS) program, but its president said this is an opportunity for teachers to pursue further studies.

From the usual 2,000 freshman enrolment every year, the number dropped to only 100 this school year, said LNU President Jude Duarte.

LNU, a premier school in this city offering teacher education and other courses, is just one of the many schools in the country affected by the implementation of SHS, which covers the last two years of the Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education.

The school, with a population of 8,000 students, declined to offer Grades 11 and 12, according to Duarte since their mandate is to provide tertiary education.

“This is an opportunity for our faculty to finish their doctoral degrees. Imagine two years from now, almost all of us will be doctorate degree holders. At the end of the day, students will benefit from these faculty members, who are more qualified to teach,” Duarte said.

Currently, only 40 percent of the LNU’s teaching forces are doctors. After two years, the number is expected to double.

More than 20 faculty members have availed scholarships and were sent to top schools in Manila or Cebu for their studies.

LNU came into being in 1921 as the Provincial Normal School, a mere adjunct of the Leyte High School. It eventually outgrew its base becoming a two-year collegiate training institution in 1938.

It became a degree-granting four-year college complete with a training department in 1952. It was then known as Leyte Normal School.

On June 14, 1976, it was converted into the Leyte State College by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 944, signed by then Pres. Ferdinand Marcos.

On February 23, 1995, the college was converted into the Leyte Normal University though Republic Act 7910.

Sometime in April 1996, the university was proclaimed by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as the Center of Excellence for Teacher Education in Eastern Visayas from 1996 to 2001. Then in August 2008, CHED again awarded LNU as Center of Excellence for Teacher Education from 2008 to 2011.

Today, aside from teacher education, LNU also offers communication, tourism, hotel and restaurant, social work, entrepreneurship, and political science studies. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Group sees permanent closure of Manicani Island mining under new administration

TACLOBAN CITY, June 29 (PNA) –- The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) is optimistic that the incoming administration will be serious in enforcing the 2002 order suspending the operations of Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC) in Manicani Island, Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

The group issued the statement after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) allowed the HMC to ship the remaining one million metric tons of nickel ore stockpile in the island despite existing suspension order.

Larry Pascua, PMCJ Visayas coordinator, said with the strong advocacy of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte and DENR Secretary Gina Lopez against irresponsible mining, they are confident that the nearly three decades of HMC operation in the island will be totally stopped.

“I hope President Rodrigo Duterte will be true to his promise of 'change is coming' when he was still campaigning for the highest post,” Pascua said. “The incoming secretary, who is an anti-mining advocate, is also aware of the situation in Manicani after she visited the place in 2012,” Pascua said.

PMJC strongly backed the appeal of the Progressive Manicani Island Society, Inc. (Promisi) to fully implement the 2002 suspension order against HMC. The group filed the petition at the Court of Appeals in Cebu City on June 8.

Rebecca Destajo, Promisi spokesperson, asked the court to make top DENR and MGB national and regional officials accountable for the issuance of the transport permit despite suspension order.

“The damages and ill effects of mining to our island will never bring peace and harmony. That’s why we’re always calling for permanent closure and not allow any mining firm anymore to destroy our land,” Destajo said.

MGB Eastern Visayas Regional Director Nonita Caguioa said that their office issued the ore transport permit for HMC to be able to dispose the remaining low grade materials.

“There’s no actual mining operation is the island. They’re just disposing their stockpile of waste materials in Manicani. It took time since there was no buyer of waste materials with only two percent nickel content,” Caguioa said.

In 2014, MGB Director Leo Jasareno allowed the HMC to dispose of the nickel ore stockpile in Manicani Island for fear of siltation to the sea.

The presence of such a stockpile carries the risk of polluting surrounding waters, especially when there are heavy rains that can wash away the minerals into the sea.

The HMC, a Nickel Asia subsidiary, acquired the rights to the Manicani site in 1987, with the first recorded commercial shipments from the mine coming in 1992.

The firm stopped its operations in 1994 due to falling nickel prices. In 2001, mining operation resumed despite fierce local opposition. Its destructive activity prompted then DENR Secretary Heherson Alvarez to issue a suspension order on November 13, 2002.

Manicani is a small island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Its 3,000 residents live in four villages: San Jose, Banaag, Hamorawon and Buenavista.

During World War II, the US Navy transformed Manicani into a major naval repair facility, built to carry out maintenance and repairs to any of the ships in the fleet. (PNA)
LAP/SQM

DPWH Southern Leyte credits Singson for better roads

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, June 29 (PNA) –- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Southern Leyte District Engineering Office lauded outgoing Sec. Rogelio Singson for setting the timeline to pave all national roads within the year.

In the case of Southern Leyte, out of 299 kilometers national highways, only 2.5 kilometers is unpaved. This section within the Abuyog-Silago Road is up for concreting this year through a PHP53 million outlay.

“I am very thankful that during the stint of Secretary Singson, third class roads have been paved and critical sections have been upgraded. He has really guided us to the right path and set the standard on what we need to do,” said District Engineer Ma. Margarita Junia.

Earlier, Singson had set the deadline to concrete all primary highways by the end of 2014 and secondary national roads by 2016.

The remaining unpaved section in Southern Leyte, which is being implemented by the regional office, will be completed within the year.

Other than his vision to upgrade all national roads, Junia commended the outgoing secretary for transforming the department from being one of the perceived corrupt government agencies to being one of the stellar performers of the Aquino administration.

“Thank you for leading us to the right path and direction. In the past six years, you have raised the standards, transformed the department’s image, and achieve transparency through enforcement of 5Rs,” the SLDEO employees stated in their message to Secretary Singson during the latter’s visit to the regional office on June 20.

These 5Rs are Right Project, Right Cost, Right Quality, Right Time and Right People.

Junia said that in the past six years, Singson came up with a standard on costing of every project, quality, completion timeline, and hiring of engineers.

“He has done many measures to standardize the system, thus preventing conflicting opinions of DPWH field officials on different project implementation issues,” she added. (PNA)

JMC/SQM/PR/EGR

More Negosyo Centers to rise in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, June 29 (PNA) -- Eastern Visayas will conclude the year with 42 operating Negosyo Centers, a facility that will raise the capability of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to create more job opportunities.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported that since last year 18 Negosyo centers have been launched in different province of the region. Some 24 centers are up for opening in the second half of 2016, bringing the total to 42 by the end of the year.

“The centers will be responsible for promoting ease of doing business and facilitating access to services for MSMEs within its jurisdiction such as business registration assistance, business advisory services, business information and advocacy, and monitoring and evaluation,” said DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras.

Operating Negosyo Centers are located in Tacloban City, Ormoc City, Baybay City, Palo, Tanauan, Palompon, Abuyog, San Isidro, Hilongos, and Carigara; Borongan City and Guiuan in Eastern Samar; Catbalogan City and Calbayog City in Samar; Laoang and Catarman, Northern Samar; Maasin City, Southern Leyte; and Naval, Biliran.

Future centers will rise in more urbanized areas, especially in provinces outside Leyte, according to DTI.

Setting up of one stop shop business center is in compliance to Republic Act No. 10644 or the Go Negosyo Act. The law seeks to strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to create more job opportunities in the country.

President Benigno S. Aquino III signed the law on July 15, 2014, which took effect on Jan. 13, 2015.

The MSME Development Council though the DTI is the coordinating and supervising body for all the agencies involved in the establishment and operation of the Negosyo Centers. It performs oversight functions and assigns personnel to fulfill the functions of the center. (PNA)

FFC/SQM

Leyte guv asks local officials to do more for poor communities

PALO, Leyte, June 28 (PNA) –- Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla urged new and old local officials in the province to take extra steps to reach out far-flung and poor communities.

In his inaugural speech during the mass oath taking of elected officials from different parts of the province on Sunday, Petilla asked district representatives, provincial board members, mayors, vice mayors, and town councilors to ensure that needs of poor residents are being addressed.

“Perform your duty well and serve your constituency better. Ensure that all efforts are exerted for services of the government to reach even the farthest place in their constituency,” the governor told local officials packed at the Leyte Academic Center Gymnassium.

The re-elected governor was joined by his brother, former Leyte Governor and Department of Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho. Also present was his wife, Sharon, his father, former Leyte Governor Leopoldo and mother, Palo town Mayor Remedios, who also served as governor of Leyte for nine years.

Court of Appeals Associate Justice Edgardo Delos Santos administered the oath of office of Petilla.

Joining in the oath taking ceremony were newly-elected officials from the 40 towns of Leyte and Baybay, a chartered city of Leyte province.

The municipal and city officials took their oath of office to regional trial judges in RTC Branches in Leyte province.

Leyte Vice-Governor Carlo Loreto, along with the newly-elected provincial board members also took their oath administered by An Waray Party-list Representative Victoria Isabel Noel.

While the two newly-elected district representatives - Henry Ong (2nd district) and Vicente Veloso (3rd district) took their oath of office before Petilla.

Under his second term, Petilla promised to continue giving focus on agriculture industry severely hurt by super typhoon Yolanda in November 8, 2013 when he was just five months as governor.

To harness this opportunity, Petilla said that marketing of agriculture products in Leyte will be widened and production and competitiveness will be increased to achieve the target of his administration.

“Even if we will continue to invest in agriculture and infrastructure, we will not take our focus on education, social services and other initiatives to empower our farmers making them true productive and contributors to the continuing cycle of opportunity and progress,” he added. (PNA)
PGL/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

DOH turns over dental bus to Ormoc

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 28 (PNA) -– The Department of Health (DOH) turned over on Tuesday a mobile dental clinic (MDC) to enable the City Health Department (CHD) to provide dental services to depressed areas.

Manufactured in China, the airconditioned six-wheeler coaster was customized into a clinic equipped with two dental chairs, lavatory, hand instruments and other equipment.

Ormoc is reportedly included in the 100 localities provided with the MDC worth PHP3.95 million each. Other places in Eastern Visayas that received the dental bus are Northern Samar and Biliran provinces, Palo town, and the cities of Tacloban, Baybay and Maasin.

Donabel B. Lago, coordinator of CHD’s dental health program, said the MDC will prove useful during medical missions and the village visits of the mayor except in hard-to-reach areas.

Aside from the dental bus, the DOH also turned over 25 wheelchairs worth PHP3,225 each or a total of PHP80,639 (PNA)

FFC/SQM/FELIX N. CODILLA

PCA curbs coco seedlings smuggling from Leyte to China

TACLOBAN CITY, June 28 (PNA) -– The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) regional office here said the government has already curbed the alleged smuggling of coconut seedlings from Leyte Island to China.

PCA Eastern Visayas Regional Manager Joel Pilapil said with the coordination efforts with various government agencies, the rampant buying of partially de-husked coconuts has stopped in Leyte and Southern Leyte provinces.

“After we created a task force and stepped up our monitoring activities, Cebu-based brokers have stopped their trading activities in our place and farmers sell their produce to local processors,” Pilapil told reporters.

The PCA had sought the assistance of Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Customs, Philippine National Police and other enforcement agencies both in this region and in Central Visayas to intercept shipment of partially de-husked nuts.

“The activity is very suspicious because we only issue transport permits to totally de-husked coconuts,” Pilapil said.

Exporting unhusked and partially husked matured nuts is strictly prohibited under Executive Order 1016 issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1985.

De-husked coconuts are used by China as seedlings to grow their own coconut trees. The Gight Illicit Trade (Fight IT) Movement labelled this activity as violation of the law, but also an “act of economic sabotage.”

Citing reports, Fight IT said at least 200,000 coconuts from Leyte are shipped to Cebu daily in a given period early this year.

The de-husked coconuts are bought from farmers in Leyte for PHP12 to PHP13 per piece and shipped to Cebu in 10-wheeler trucks.

Monitoring has been intensified in Maasin, Liloan, and San Ricardo ports in Southern Leyte; Baybay, Ormoc, Tacloban, and Isabel ports in Leyte; Allen and San Isidro ports in Northern Samar; 

Catbalogan and Calbayog ports in Samar.

“There are Cebu-based traders that bring coconut seedlings to China since our local buyers have no capability to ship this product directly to China,” Pilapil said.

The PCA said that China is not known to be a coconut growing country with only Hainan province as the most suitable area for this crop. (PNA)

FFC/SQM

NEDA tags 39 priority projects in Eastern Visayas for regular monitoring

TACLOBAN CITY, June 28 (PNA) -– At least 39 individual and clustered government projects in Eastern Visayas have been identified by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) as priority for quarterly monitoring this year, citing its contribution to the attainment of the Regional Development Plan (RDP).

This locally-funded and foreign-backed projects have been picked by the NEDA-led Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC) given its high cost (PHP100 million and above), approval of the Investment Coordination Committee costing PHP1 billion and above, substantial negative slippage, and importance to post-disaster recovery.

“We have to ensure timely implementation of programs critical to the attainment of the regional development strategies and targets as spelled out in the RDP, regional development investment program, and results matrices,” said NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy.

“Considering the limited technical and logistical resources to monitor all programs and projects, we need to identify priorities.”

These projects consists of five post-disaster reconstruction, six irrigations and drainages, 10 roads and bridges, five tourism support infrastructure, road for conflict-stricken areas in Samar provinces, two airport development projects, two seaport upgrading, three health-related support projects, 

environment sector support, three anti-poverty projects, and conditional cash transfer.

For post-disaster projects, on the list are early recovery activities for poor towns, permanent housing for typhoon-hit families, Asian Development Bank-Assisted Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan, 

Roadmap to Address Impact of El Niño, and construction and rehabilitation of school buildings.

Irrigation projects listed for monitoring are Help for Catubig Agricultural Enhancement Project in Northern Samar, Hibulangan Small Reservoir in Leyte, Bantayan Irrigation in Northern Samar, Bugko Irrigation in Northern Samar, Sta. Rita Small Reservoir in Samar, and Calbiga Irrigation in Samar.

Foreign-funded roads are the Secondary National Roads Development Project linking Samar and Eastern Samar and Pacific Coastal Road connecting Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

Locally-funded roads are the Babatngon-San Miguel-Barugo-Carigara Road, Leyte-Calubian-San Isidro-Tabango-Villaba Road, Burauen-Albuera Road, and Ormoc Diversion Road in Leyte province; Catbalogan Diversion Road in Samar; Arteche-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig Road and Taft-Oras-San Policarpo-Arteche-Lapinig Road within the boundary of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

Tourism support projects include improvement of road leading to Llorente Closed Canopy Forest Area in Maydolong, Eastern Samar; access road to Lulugayan Falls in Calbiga, Samar; Higatangan Circumferential Road in Naval, Biliran; access road leading to Napantao Dive site in San Francisco, 

Southern Leyte; and road leading to Maasin City tourism loop in Southern Leyte.

Also listed are Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) projects of the Office of the Presidential on the Peace Process. These are roads leading to isolated, hard-to-reach, conflict-affected areas in three provinces of Samar Island.

For airports and seaports, these are Tacloban Airport Redevelopment Project in Leyte, Maasin Airport terminal building in Southern Leyte, Tacloban seaport improvement in Leyte, and Ormoc port pier widening also in Leyte.

For the health sector, the NEDA will regularly check the multi-million peso Health Facilities Enhancement Program in six provinces, foreign-funded strengthening maternal and child health services, and the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center Modernization Project.

Another major project is the National Greening Program under the environment sector.

The RPMC will also check three major poverty alleviation projects – Fish Coral, Philippine Rural Development Projects, Bottom-Up Budgeting, and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

The RPMC is the Regional Development Council’s project monitoring arm tasked to evaluate, formulate, and recommend on the implementation of development plans and programs in the region. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Fisher’s tribe, wine-making festival win Leyte’s Pintados-Kasadyaan crown

TACLOBAN CITY, June 27 -- The festivals honoring fishermen and the traditional way of making coconut wine are this year’s winner of Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival, a showcase of dances, music and cultural heritage in Leyte province.

Sanggutan Festival of Barugo, Leyte is the champion of the competition, bringing home the PHP750,000 grand prize.

Incoming Barugo Mayor Ma. Rosario Avestruz said that people in their town are happy with the achievement, especially that they gave their best as a way expressing gratitude to all the blessings their town has received.

“It is not that easy for us to defeat a hall of famer, however, I believe that in God’s perfect timing, each group has its time to shine,” said Avestruz, who will replace his husband, Alden in the local government.

Sanggutan Festival defeated the Buyogan Festival (3rd place) of Abuyog, Leyte, which was a champion for several years in the competition. Tolo-usa Festival of Tolosa town was adjudged as the second placer.

The festival is a dance of the drinkers, honoring the age-old process of making local coconut wine known as “tuba.” The interpretative dance is celebrated every May 18.

The second and third placers got PHP500,000 and PHP250,000 cash prizes, respectively. The winner will represent the region in the annual Aliwan Festival in Pasay City.

In the Pintados category, the champion is Mangirisda Festival of Tanauan, Leyte. The group got PHP100,000 cash reward.

Tribu Siete Quatro of Tacloban City is the second placer and earned the PHP60,000 prize while Tribu Mananguite from Basey, Samar is the third placer with a cash reward of PHP40,000.

Contingents held a parade around the city on Monday morning and returned to the Leyte Sports Development Center for the grand ritual presentation.

According to Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla, chairperson of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival this year, there were less participants this year since local government units officials were busy for the 2016 elections.

A grand merry making at the Leyte Sports Development Center followed after the announcement of the winners.

The Pintados Festival is a cultural-religious celebration in Tacloban based on the body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed "pintados" warriors.

In 1986, the Pintados Foundation, Inc. was formed to organize this festival in honor of Sr. Santo Niño. Years later, it was merged with the Kasadyaan Festival. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

Majority of Region 8 areas fail to draft La Niña plan - DILG

TACLOBAN CITY, June 27 (PNA) -– Only 62 out of 149 provinces, cities and towns in Eastern Visayas have met the deadline for the submission preparedness plan of La Niña that will likely hit the country in the second half of 2016, the Department of the Interior and Local Government reported.

The submission of the plan is part of DILG’s directive to all provincial governors, city and town mayors to take precautionary measures in their respective areas of responsibility.

Adrian Colasito, assistant chief of the DILG regional office local government monitoring and evaluation division, said they are stepping up efforts to follow up local government units (LGUs) to submit the plan.

“We’re trying to complete the gathering of plans of LGUs even after the deadline because we have to be ready before the peak of La Niña,” Colasito said.

Of the six provinces, only the provincial governments of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar have completed their plan for the abnormal rainy season.

Among seven cities in the region, only Tacloban and Ormoc in Leyte, Maasin in Southern Leyte, and Borongan in Eastern Samar came up with preparedness plan.

Of the 136 towns in the region, only 56 drafted their plan. These are Cabucgayan, Caibiran, 

Kawayan, Maripipi, and Naval in Biliran province; Arteche, Balangiga, Balangkayan, Can-avid, Gen. Macarthur, Giporlos, Guiuan, Hernani, Jipapad, Llorente, Maslog, Maydolong, Salcedo, San Julian, San Policarpo, Sulat, and Taft in Eastern Samar province.

Bato, Carigara, Hilongos, Javier, La Paz, Tabango, Tolosa, and Villaba in Leyte province; Allen, Bobon, Laoang, Las Navas, Lope de Vega, Mondragon, Palapag, San Jose, San Roque, San San Vicente, and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar province

Daram and Zumarraga in Samar province; Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Liloan, Limasawa, Macrohon, Malitbog, Pintuyan, St. Bernard, San Juan, Silago, Sogod, and Tomas Oppus in Southern Leyte province.

Office of the Civil Defense Regional Director Edgar Posadas emphasized the importance of coming up with La Niña preparedness plan.

“The local plan will guide national government agencies. We need know what are their strengths and weaknesses so we will know what kind of assistance they will need during disasters,” said Posadas, chairman of the Regional Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the current El Nino is already in its decaying stage and there is a possible rise of La Nina during the second half of 2016.

PAGASA particularly warned the provinces of Isabela, Quezon, Samar, Leyte, Surigao, Agusan and Bicol of the developing La Niña. (PNA)
FFC/SQM

Millionaire village in Leyte inaugurates public market

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 27 (PNA) -– The local government of Tongonan village here inaugurated on Monday the soon-to-be-finished public market.

Tongonan is the richest village in the city, earning an actual income of PHP44.05 million in 2014 for sitting on the 700 megawatt Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF).

Funding for the public market comes from Energy Regulation 1-94, the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 7638 section 5 (i) providing for a financial benefit to host communities of power generating facilities. The benefit will be used for the community’s livelihood development, among others.

The market was first developed at a cost of PHP3.18 million. The energy department released another PHP3.19 million for its rehabilitation after it was damaged by super typhoon Yolanda. The project’s scale considered huge for a village and is more apt for a municipality.

The exterior of the 804.97 sq.m building is complete but the interior remains hollow. Village chief Isagani Bañez intends put a modern airconditioned supermarket, hardware store and other establishments like a coffee bar, family KTV, computer store, water refilling station, laundry services, etc.

The public market will serve the needs of residents in Tongonan and nearby villages as well as employees involved in LGPF’s development. They will no longer need to go to the city proper 19.3 kilometers away. It is also expected to spur economic activities aside from providing local employment. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/FELIX N. CODILLA

Calbayog elected officials to take their oath

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, June 27 (PNA) -– Newly-elected officials in this city will take their oath of office on Tuesday at the seat of diocese of Calbayog.

City Tourism and Information Officer Ronald Ricafort said the occasion will be simple.

Representatives coming from different national and local agencies, non-government organizations, people’s organizations, village officials, representatives of different sectors, families and friends of elected officials are expected to witness the event.

The oath taking ceremony will also be heard live over government radio station Radyo ng Bayan Calbayog.

The event will start at 8 a.m. through a Thanksgiving Mass with Msgr. Francisco Cinco III as main celebrant.

The CKC Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform songs during the mass and the oath-taking ceremony program.

Newly elected officials of Samar’s first legislative district will also take their oath on the same gathering. They are Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento and provincial board members Regina Rabuya, Alfredo Serrano, Miguelito Ayong and Julius Mancol.

Members of the city council who will take their oath on Tuesday are Sylvan Josef Ayong, Abbie Joy Irigon, Billy Martires, Minda Pasacas, Jessie Jackson and Rosalia Chuca of the city’s Tinambacan and Oquendo Districts; Jeffrey Bernate, Aquilina Sabi, Cesar Sabenicio, Charlito Conejos, Alex Gelera and Rey James Uy of Calbayog District.

Incumbent Mayor Ronaldo Aquino and Vice Mayor Diego Rivera will take their oath for their second term.

Officers invited to administer the oath are trial court judges and village chiefs.

After the oath-taking ceremony, Sarmiento will deliver his message and it will be followed by the inaugural message of Aquino.

The mayor thanked residents for the support extended to him. He has called on everyone in the city to work together not only for the development of the city, but the entire province as well.

Aquino hopes that there will be good working relationship among newly elected officials, setting aside political differences. The police tagged Calbayog as election hotspot in the last polls. (PNA)

FFC/SQM

Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival dancers to dominate Tacloban streets

TACLOBAN CITY, June 27 (PNA) –- Nine contingents will join Monday’s Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in Tacloban as part of the city’s 127th fiesta celebration.

Performers from different villages of the city and town in Leyte province will showcase dances, music and cultural heritage along the city’s major thoroughfares.

The grand festival parade has started at 8 a.m. from the Leyte Sports Development Center, passing through the Sen. Ninoy Aquino Avenue, Paterno St., Sta. Cruz St., Juan Luna St., Avenida Veteranos, Real St., Justice Romualdez St., Rizal Avenue and back to Leyte Sports Development Center for the grand ritual presentation.

At least six contingents are joining the Pintados Festival - Kawayan, Siete Quadro, Kasirangan, Mangirisda, Manangete, and Bangan tribes.

While three festivals will compete for the Kasadyaan Festival - Buyogan of Abuyog town, Tulo-usa of Tolosa town and Sangutan of Barugo town.

The Manaragat Festival of Catbalogan City, Champion of Aliwan Festival 2015 and Sinulog Festival 2016 is the guest performer.

With only three participating Kasadyaan contingents, they are now assured to get the PHP750,000, PHP500,000 and PHP250,000 cash prizes for the champion and placers.

“There are less participants this year as they’re not able to prepare since local officials were busy during the election period,” said Palo town Mayor Remedios Petilla, chairperson of the Festival this year.

A grand merry-making is set after the announcement of the winners on Monday night.

The Pintados Festival is a cultural-religious celebration in Tacloban based on the body-painting traditions of the ancient tattooed "pintados" warriors. In 1986, the Pintados Foundation, Inc. was formed to organize this festival in honor of Sr. Santo Niño. Years later, it was merged with the Kasadyaan Festival.(PNA)
JMC/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

Calbayog eyes eco-tourism to spur dev't

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, June 26 (PNA) – The local government here will focus on eco-tourism projects to generate more jobs for locals.

Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, who got a fresh mandate to lead the city, said that different sectors will benefit from the ongoing development of potential tourism sites.

“Because there is money and job in tourism. Not only hotels and restaurants will benefit from the program, but pedicab or motorcab drivers, and village folks as well,” Aquino said.”

Just recently, the city has opened to the public the Calbayog Zipline and Malajog Ridge Nature Park, which gave alternative income to locals.

There is also ongoing development on Turtle Island, one of the city’s diving and snorkeling site near the nature park.

Other projects are the concreting of the road going to the Mapaso Spring in Rizal village and the road leading to the Bangon falls.

“These projects will surely have positive effects to the city’s economy, and will ultimately increase the economic activities of the city that will lead to improvement,” Aquino said.

“We all know that Calbayog has so many tourism potentials. We just have to develop and invest on it.”

According to the Department of Tourism regional office, Calbayog ranked second among the cities in the region in terms of tourist arrivals in 2015. The city received 99,987 local and foreign tourists.

From January to December 2015, the city has generated PHP757.78 million earnings from 99,987 visitors. This year the city is targeting 107,363 local and foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, Aquino revealed that more businesses and investments are coming to the city.

At least three commercial banks will soon open branches in Calbayog. Gaisano will also open a five-storey Grand Mall early next year.

Aquino also revealed that Jollibee Foods Corporation will also open another branch in the city.

Early this year, Metro Retail Store Group, opened its hypermarket store, wherein at least 80 percent of its workforce is locals.

“With businesses and investments coming into the city, people will not only enjoy the luxury and services these businesses will offer, but an opportunity for employment,” Aquino said.

According to the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) at least 2,140 permits were issued to new and old businesses in the city last year.

As of this week, BPLO has released 1,879 permits to old and new businesses since January this year, with a posted total assessment for business renewal of PHP3.9 billion and total assessment for new business of PHP83.1 million.

Aside from this, the Bureau of Internal Revenue in the province is set to open their new office in Calbayog this year.

Meanwhile, the city government plans to transfer the city hall and put up a government center in Tomalo Estate in Gadgaran village, four kilometers from the city center.

“The planned transfer of the city hall to Tomalon Estate is another opportunity for an expansion and further development of the city’s business activity.” Aquino said.

According to him, the plan will have a positive impact to the city’s economy since development will not only concentrate at the city proper, giving more rooms for investments.

Aquino said his administration will continue supporting further development of the Calbayog City
Arts and Design School of Eastern Visayas, the stand-alone senior high school for arts and design enthusiasts students not only coming from the city, but as well from other parts of the region.

The city has earlier allocated at least PHP60 million for the development of access road leading to the said regional senior high school.

The opening of the said regional senior high school is expected to contribute to the economic development of the city as students coming from different places in the region will come to the city for their senior high school studies.

“With all the development programs being implemented by the city government and the coming in of investors it is a proof that progress of the city continues and economic activity is alive,” he added. (PNA)
BNB/SQM/JENNIFER S. ALLEGADO/EGR

Tacloban council tags thrusts in 3 years

TACLOBAN CITY, June 24 (PNA) -- The city council here has listed investment and tourism-related legislations as priority in the next three years.

Vice Mayor Jerry T. Yaokasin said revising the city’s investment code will be a top priority to draw more job-generating businesses to the city.

“One of the biggest problems in the city is job creation. With new investments, this aspect may be addressed,” he said.

He also believed that tourism code should be crafted especially that the city is a gateway of the region and tourists usually stay in the city before heading north or south for tourism activities.

We have to capitalize on the growing interest of people about recovery efforts after super typhoon Yolanda in 2013,” Yaokasin added.

The city council is dominated by women members. Most of the new members are young, who will contribute fresh ideas and new solutions to old-aged concerns in the city, according to Yaokasin.

He is hopeful that the council will be more participative and more dynamic with the presence of women councilors.

The 13th city council is composed of re-electionists Lawyer Jerry Uy, Lawyer Edwin Chua, Lawyer Evangeline Esperas, Victor Emmanuel Domingo, Raissa Villasin, Edward Frederick Chua, and Jose Mario Bagulaya.

The newly elected councilors are Rachelle Erica Pineda, Elvira Casal and Aimee Grafil. Association of Barangay Chairman (ABC) Eden Chua Pineda is an ex-officio member.

“More meaningful discussion and dialogues are expected from the council especially that majority of the members belong to the administration,” Yaokasin added. Out of the 11 members, only three belong to opposition party. (PNA)

PGL/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

Northern Samar guv denies involvement in illegal drugs trade

TACLOBAN CITY, June 24 (PNA) -– Northern Samar Governor Jose L. Ong has dismissed claims of the New People’s Army (NPA) that their family is behind the illegal drugs trade in the impoverished province.

“I don’t know where the NPA got that information. It’s their practice to accuse anybody without any basis,” Ong told reporters here.

The armed rebel has raised question on its website why illicit drugs has proliferated since Ong became a governor in 2013.

“Why is it that under their watch the problem of illegal drugs has become so bad it is being sold even to elementary students and in remote towns where this was previously unknown?,” asked National Democratic Front (NDF) Eastern Visayas spokesman Fr. Santiago Salas.

NPA is NDF’s armed wing and has been present in some upland villages of Northern Samar province.

Ong said they’re not surprised with the rebel’s claim especially that his leadership is active in combating insurgency.

“Maybe they were disappointed that their candidate for governor lost in the May 2016,” said the governor, who ran against Catholic priest Walter Cerbito, reportedly backed by rebels in the last elections.

Although Northern Samar province has been tagged by the NPA as one of their strongholds, Ong believed that the armed rebels are losing its grip in some hinterland villages.

“I was surprised that I got more votes in known NPA-infested areas than my opponent,” he recalled.

However, the NPA said they are very active in the province through the presence of Rodante Urtal Command. In fact, they will launch a probe into the illegal drugs trade in the province and the possible role of the Ong clan.

“We call on the Ongs to support the NPA’s investigation and have themselves cleared. But if they refuse, and there is evidence they are indeed involved in the illegal drugs trade, the people’s court can order the Rodante Urtal Command to arrest them.”

The NPA also accused the governor’s brother, outgoing Northern Samar 2nd district Rep. Emil Ong, and Emil’s son Edwin, the congressman-elect.

“They have to show a proof because anybody can make allegations. I can issue a statement accusing them as protectors of drug pushers, but I don’t do that,” he added.

The official reiterated that he is completely against illegal drugs trade. Indeed, the provincial government will gather all stakeholders in a summit to discuss illegal drugs elimination strategies.

“The timing is right because anti-drugs campaign is the focus of the incoming administration,” Ong said.

Northern Samar, the farthest Eastern Visayas province from the regional capital, is the poorest among six provinces in 2015 with an incidence of 61.6 percent, which means that six out of every 10 people in the province are poor. (PNA)

PGL/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Guiuan town counts on new health center to attain zero, maternal, child mortalit

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, June 23 (PNA) -- The town health officer here has expressed optimism to achieve zero maternal and infant mortality with the rehabilitation of the rural health center.

Ma. Socorro Flores, the town’s health officer said the reconstructed facility will improve the health-seeking behavior of locals.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development reconstructed the health center under the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services or KALAHI-CIDSS, a poverty alleviation program of the national government funded by the Asian Development Bank and grant provided by Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction.

“They know that there is an existing rural health unit, there is a midwife, they should use this opportunity to seek medical assistance with the assistance of professional health workers,” Flores said.

Flores disclosed that in the past five years, Guiuan town had recorded only two maternal deaths. The first victim was a teenage girl, who hid her pregnancy that resulted to complications.

Although cases of maternal death is very rare in this town, the health official has expressed concern over rising cases of teenage pregnancy. Last year, Guiuan recorded 132 cases 14 years old as the youngest.

“We want to maintain the status of zero-maternal death. We want each pregnant woman to avail the services of this birthing center,” said Flores.

Flores told the PNA that aside from being a birthing facility, the health center will also provide full package of dental services, laboratory services such as hematology analyzer, service for mental health patients.

There is also a teen center that will serve as venue for teenagers to meet and discuss problems they are going through with their peer groups.

Common illnesses that the rural health unit receives from patients are pneumonia and respiratory infections. The rural health unit also noted an increase in the number of patients with non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RTA/EGR

Samar mayors urge military to secure rebel-free areas

MOTIONG, Samar, June 23 - Two outgoing mayors in Samar province concluded that declaration of insurgency-free of status is not a guarantee that an area is free from threats of New People’s Army (NPA).

Pinabacdao town Mayor Mario Quijano and Motiong town Mayor Francisco Langi recalled that NPA were active in supporting some candidates and harass voters in the past elections despite insurgency-free declarations.

“Many people in Samar province failed to exercise their rights to vote because of NPA threats,” recalled Quijano, who lost his re-election bid in the recent elections.

Langi, whose son lost in the mayoralty race, emphasized the need for the Philippine Army to maintain their presence in declared rebel-free areas.

The two officials said they never expected that threat from the members of the NPA would prevail in the 2016 elections.

Capt. Ian Fabellon, spokeperson of the Philippine Army’s 8th infantry division said that they could not be blamed since the town chief executives are signatories in the declaration as well.

Both officials believed that this matter should be taken in consideration with the formal peace talks between the incoming administration of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte and the national Democratic Front. (PNA)
BNB/SQM/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/EGR

Ormoc farmers now own lands after 20 years of struggle

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 23 (PNA) -- After two decades of waiting, farmers are more optimistic of what the future holds now that they are officially landowners.

“We don’t have to labor hard now like before. We are sure that our children can now go to school,” said Pablo Silva,” one of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) beneficiaries in Sumanga village, this city.

After 20 years of waiting, the government formally installed agricultural lands to 23 beneficiaries from Sumanga village and 11 recipients from Valencia village in Ormoc under the control of landlords from Larrazabal and Tan clans.

Around 300 residents and officials from Department of Agrarian Reform and Philippine National Police and advocacy groups witnessed the turnover on June 20.

A total of 35.56 hectares of the agricultural land owned by landlords in Leyte was distributed to farmer beneficiaries in 1996 through the awarding of the certificates of land ownership (CLOA).

However, farmers had been reportedly deprived of their rights to till the lands as the Potenciano and Aniceta Larrazabal Enterprise Corporation (PALEC) landholding continuously used the area for large-scale sugarcane farming.

The same thing went on for the 19.06 hectares of rice land previously owned by the Tan Landholdings – also a prominent family of Gerardo Tan in Valencia village.

"We feel reborn, we are better off and we know we now have enough resources to feed ourselves. We have land to live and grow food on," Silva said, a trained paralegal and leader of the Sumanga Farmers Association.

He worked as laborer to support his family. Sometimes, they ran out of food and had to borrow money to buy food. His children had to drop out of school to help their family earn money.

In the past two decades, there were 10 attempts to install the land to Sumanga and Valencia farmers, but it all failed due to resistance of landowners.

DAR was also reluctant to install the land for fear of violence.

Anthony Marzan, executive director of a non-government organization, KAISAHAN recalled that the June 2015 attempt failed due to the lack of police assistance, which is very important element of whole installation process.

The two recent installation attempts were on June 15-16, 2015 and Feb. 9-10, 2016.

Days prior to the most recent attempt of installation last Feb. 2016, Leyte Sheriff Joseph Catingub received a letter from the lawyers of Larrazabal and Tan landholdings stating about the case on erroneous coverage that is still pending at the DAR Adjudication Board (DARAB).

The letter further insists that the scheduled installation should be postponed due to the pending case.

As a result, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer (PARO) Renato Badilla recalled the writ of installation. In the PARO’s order, it was stated that the DAR finds it sound to resolve first the said issue to avoid bigger problems. An affidavit of third party claim was attached to the PARO’s order.

The incensed farmer beneficiaries, who are also trained paralegals, later filed a 13-page motion for reconsideration (MR) to DAR, asking PARO to review his decision. After a few days, Badilla recalled the PARO’s order.

A series of installation and security planning were held in the following months leading to the June 2016 installation. Many other planning issues came out during the said meetings that caused the installation schedule to be moved several times.

“It was an exhausting year for everyone especially to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs), but these incidents did not dampen the spirit of our farmers in fighting for their land rights,” said Claire Demaisip, legal officer of KAISAHAN, who has been assisting the ARBs.

“In fact, the past year challenged and empowered our trained paralegals at the same time. We hope that the events here in Sumanga will finally end the oppression of the remaining uninstalled ARBs in Leyte.”

It’s a familiar story for every farmers in the region, where land disputes have disrupted the lives and livelihood of a lot of farmers. Many of those affected are poor farmers who grow their own food.

“Without land, they no longer have the means to provide themselves with the basic requirements for a decent life,” Marzan said.

Many land feuds in Leyte begin on paper but lead to physical fights. The worst end in death, according to Marzan.

Farmers often protest against forced evictions, but they typically fail when faced with police or soldiers, he added.

Silva said that securing a land title is the first step toward the freedom to farm and feed themselves.

“The document might not solve all their problems but that piece of paper is the starting point for a legal fight to keep their property. Without it, Pablo Silva and the rest of all other poor farmers in Leyte has no security and no hope of ever getting it,” Marzan said. (PNA)

JMC/SQM/JAZMIN BONIFACIO/EGR

DPWH Southern Leyte braces for La Niña

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, June 23 (PNA) -– The Department of Public Works and Highways Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (DPWH-SLDEO) is stepping up preparations for the rainy season, especially that many areas in the province have been tagged as vulnerable to rockslides, landslides, and flooding.

On top of regular flood control projects, the DPWH-SLDEO has been cleaning up drainage system and desilt rivers and other waterways to prevent flood water surge.

“This is our regular activity, but we have intensified this in the past few weeks in anticipation of La Niña that will likely hit many parts of our country in the second half of this year,” said District Engineer Ma. Margarita Junia.

For 2016, the DPWH has set aside PHP50 million for slope protection in landslide-prone road sections, PHP20 million for drainage rehabilitation, and PHP27 million construction of flood control system in Maasin City.

The DPWH field office has also identified specific areas from Sogod town to San Ricardo town where they will preposition heavy equipment for road clearing in the event of rainfall-induced landslides and rockslides.

These road sections are vital link from Luzon to Mindanao as part of the nautical highway’s eastern seaboard route.

With the onset of rainy season, the SLDEO reiterated its PHP109 million budget 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.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has recently ranked Southern Leyte province as the seventh most vulnerable to heavy landslides in the Philippines. Based on MGB’s geohazard mapping and assessment, the province recorded a 78 percent landslide probability. (PNA)

JMC/SQM/PR/EGR

Classroom shortage stalls transfer of Tacloban families to resettlement sites

TACLOBAN CITY, June 23 (PNA) -- The city government here admitted that lack of classroom in northern relocation sites is a setback to their effort to move families to safer grounds.

Maria Lagman, city housing and community development office said that classroom shortage was the reason why many families remained in bunkhouses until summer this year.

“We will not be moving additional families unless there are needed amenities such as new classrooms for their children,” Lagman said.

The city government has moved 872 families from bunkhouses to resettlement sites between April to May this year. At least 32 temporary learning spaces have been constructed to accommodate about 1,200 school children.

The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier said that they could not proceed with the school building construction with the absence of deed of donations of lots from the National Housing Authority (NHA).

DepEd needs at least 43,374-square meter space to build 42,374 classrooms in relocation sites. This is on top of the 3,757-square meter required area for 40 classrooms within the existing campuses in the northern part of the city.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Bonifacio Uy said that NHA has no power at present to allocate spaces for school building construction since incomplete resettlement projects are still owned by contractors.

“Our proposal is for NHA to produce a letter of intent that they will donate some properties for learning facilities. This will allow DepEd to start the construction of new school buildings,” Uy said.

The city government and NEDA, the agency in-charge of post-Yolanda rehabilitation, are still waiting for reply from the education department on the proposal.

Classrooms shortage is the most recent resettlement-related concern that emerged in the process.

 Earlier, the government has tagged livelihood, water supply, electricity, and pollution as major setbacks.

Under its long term plan, the government will transfer 14,951 families or 74,755 individuals to northern relocation sites until 2018.

Currently, only about 2,000 families have been moved to their new homes, according to Lagman.

“This is a new city within a city that will transform Tacloban and be home for 40 percent of its population,” she said.

The city government also needs more funding support to build satellite city hall, market, trading post, bus station, police station, fire station, park, sports center, and retail center. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

DTI Eastern Visayas still awaits fund to rebuild Yolanda-hit building

PALO, Leyte, June 23 (PNA) –- Nearly three years after supertyphoon Yolanda struck, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is still unsure whether they will get funds within 2016 for the rehabilitation of their regional office here.

DTI Undersecretary for regional operations Zenaida Maglaya is hopeful for the disbursement of the PHP35 million for the office building reconstruction this year under the post-Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan (CRRP).

“We requested for funding under the CRRP. There were requirements and it took time to comply. Just in case it won’t get funding this year, we have already included the budget for the DTI regional office reconstruction in the 2017 General Appropriations,” Maglaya explained.

DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras said one of the requirements is the revision of design to make it more resilient to natural calamities.

But despite damaged office, Nierras said their operation has been normalized since early 2014. They currently rent a space at the Leyte Academic Center owned by the provincial government.

“Our operation has been normal since we are in a comfortable working place without images of destructions,” Nierras said.

The DTI regional office heavily damaged by the 2013 catastrophe is situated at the Government Center of this town, 12 kilometers away from Tacloban City. (PNA)
JMC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

DPWH Region 8 marks 118th anniversary

PALO, Leyte, June 22 (PNA) -- Various games and an exhibit of major projects highlighted the Department of Public Works and Highways' (DPWH) 118th anniversary celebration at the regional office here on Wednesday.

Hundreds of DPWH key officials and staff from the regional office and 13 district engineering offices joined the two-day celebration anchored on the theme “Kawaning Masaya, Serbisyong Masigla.”

DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon thanked all employees for their contribution to improve the image of the department during the six-year stint of Secretary Rogelio Singson.

“We’re not just building infrastructure, we’re building the nation,” Tabacon told DPWH employees who gathered at the regional office compound.

The DPWH kicked off the celebration through a parade. It was followed with an opening ceremony, presentation of muses, awarding of best muse, game ceremonial toss, and opening of the exhibit booth and food trade fair.

The exhibit showcased the best completed projects from each field office. The first day capped with the conduct of various traditional Philippine games and sports.

On Thursday, employees will join a unity fun run, championship games, thanksgiving mass, awarding, talent competition, and dance showdown.

The DPWH was established on June 23, 1898 when General Emilio Aguinaldo issued the first Organic Decree of the Philippine Revolutionary Government creating four departments in the government, one of which was the Department of War and Public Works.

The development of the DPWH into its present structure underwent a long process of evolution spanning a century of colorful and significant events in laying the groundwork for the physical foundation of the country. (PNA)

BNB/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Ormoc acquires heavy duty ambulance

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 22 (PNA) -– The city government here proves again it has the best and most equipped Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (LDRRMO) in Eastern Visayas when it acquired a custom-built heavy duty ambulance for tough road and environmental conditions.

Worth almost PHP2 million, the ambulance has military specification body frame. Its wide body allows the driver, nurse, three rescue personnel, the patient and a companion to fit in. The customized high ceiling provides the medical team enough room to treat the patient.

Dominic Eamiguel, LDRRM officer for administration and training, said the acquisition of the ambulance is part of their 24/7 emergency response to rural villages, considering that most of the medical emergencies they respond to late at night are obstetric-related.

Many of the patients they respond come from far-flung areas. In some cases, the crew had to walk almost a kilometer on rough roads that cannot be penetrated by an ordinary ambulance. There was also a time when the rescue unit necessitated a rescue operation after the ambulance got stuck in the mud.

The 4x4 reconditioned ambulance comes with off-road tires and power steering to enable it to drive through hard-to-reach areas. It can also negotiate through floodwaters with its high ground clearance.

 The all-terrain, four-wheel drive vehicle with turbo charged diesel engine can easily climb Ormoc’s upland villages like Gaas, Manlilinao, Liberty, Cabingtan, etc.

The ambulance is equipped with an oxygen tank, stretcher, spine board, surgical equipment, etc. 

Being multi-functional, it can also be used for other emergencies and rescue operations mainly for transporting people and equipment. Its other amenities are a built-in winch at the front, public address system, VHF base radio and siren.

Despite the vehicle’s muscular features, passengers can expect smooth travel on fine roads thanks to its fully independent, double wishbone suspension system. Being not too big, it is also ideal for use in areas where the Emergency Medical and Technical Rescue Truck cannot go in. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/FELIX N. CODILLA/EGR

Guiuan, Eastern Samar gets new health center

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar, June 22 (PNA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) turned over the newly-constructed rural health center to the local government here.

Funders rehabilitated the center through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services or KALAHI-CIDSS, a poverty alleviation program of the national government.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman, ADB Country Director Richard Bolt and Guiuan Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzalez lead the inauguration of the building on Tuesday.

The health center will serve 564 households and almost 50,000 residents of Guiuan town. It is also a birthing clinic for pregnant women living within the town center.

The facility costs about PhpP17.4 million through a grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction and Php1 million local counterparts.

Soliman characterized the center as the product of convergence of all concerned agencies nof the government led by the local government unit, the DSWD and their partner organization that provide as link in providing assistance to the people.

“Foremost reason why this happened is the testimonies of our volunteers saying that they need bigger, pleasant and effective health center. That is why convergence is important for us to deliver immediately what is needed by our people,” said Soliman.

Soliman added that with the local government ready to provide medical and health services needs of the people in Guiuan, this will strengthen the prevention illnesses.

She added that the government had always been listening to what the people needs and involve them in looking for solution to the problem like what the KALAHI-CIDSS has been doing.

“This is not a project of the government or of the DSWD or of the ADB or of the JFPR. This is a project of the people, of the community and we only act as link for its materialization,” Soliman stressed.

ADB Country Director Bolt described the successful implementation of the rehabilitation project as manifestation of strong commitment and spirit of Guiuan people.

“This project is implemented through community participation and we see the community active participation in post-disaster recovery not only in ensuring the completion by themselves, but it also shows the capacity of volunteer involve in ensuring credible financial process and correct implementation of the project,” Bolt said.

The challenge now, according to Bolt is for the local government unit to ensure the maintenance of the facility.

Gonzalez on his part, expressed his gratitude to the assistance that the DSWD has provided to his town from the relief to recovery works after the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda on November 8, 2013.

“The LGU cannot do this alone, but because of partnership with the national government and foreign partners, we are able to achieve the fulfillment of this project and we are able to recover faster than what we expected,” Gonzalez added.

On the same day, Soliman and Bolt also led the turnover of Php27 million worth of boat garage and Php12 million worth of classrooms also under KALAHI-CIDSS. (PNA)
PGL/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

Tacloban joins nationwide earthquake drill

TACLOBAN CITY, June 22 (PNA) -- Eastern Visayas region joined the nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill on Wednesday in this city as the pilot site.

The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) led the drill in partnership with the city government here, various rescue groups, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Air Force, Philippine Army and volunteer fire brigades.

Responders demonstrated their capability to handle the aftermath of a 7.2 magnitude ground shaking.

"Earthquake drill is very important for the region because we have some active faults, making us very vulnerable to this kind of disaster," said OCD Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Posadas.

“Participating in earthquake drill is important and should be taken seriously because life is at stake when calamity and disaster strikes,” he added.

The earthquake drill at the city hall ground was centered on coordination mechanisms among rescuers, according to Posadas.

"We did not rehearse this. We just meet each other here, but you can see this is effective and efficient," he said.

Coordination mechanism is important and vital in response mechanism after an earthquake.

"From this drill, we found out that response mechanism is already exemplary," said Posadas, citing how fast rescue units were able to organize their team to conduct search and rescue mission at the site.

He added that they chose Tacloban as cite for the earthquake drill being the center of the region with many mid-rise buildings that might be destroyed in the event a strong earthquake hit the region. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RTA/EGR

Baybay City opens new dialysis center

BAYBAY CITY, Leyte, June 21 (PNA) -- The city government here has opened on Monday their new dialysis center to ease the burden of traveling of patients with renal problem.

The construction of new building was pushed through with the coordination of the local government units and the national government, said Mayor Carmen Cari.

The dialysis center is a pet project of then city mayor and now Leyte 5th district Rep. Jose Carlos Cari in 1999, in the bid to bring health services closer to poor patients.

The national government funded the construction of the new building while the city government provided the seven dialysis machines.

The city government utilized the PHP10-million earning from their economic enterprise to acquire new health equipments.

“I was so afraid to start, but they pushed me and assured me that this would be a successful project. 

Now, we can help patients with renal problem not only those in Baybay, but also from other parts of Leyte,” said Mayor Cari.

“This is really a good project that we thought of because patients from Baybay who need dialysis need not go to Ormoc, Tacloban or Cebu,” she added.

Department of Health Regional Director Minerva Molon said that it is important for the local government to familiarize the functions of national government agencies for them to know where to seek assistance.

“It is important that we got to know each other, the people who we are working with, the agency that are involved, the private sector around us, and the key leaders in the community. If we know each other, half of the work is done,” Molon said.

Molon urged the management of Baybay dialysis center to work for their PhilHealth accreditation for patients to fully avail health insurance benefits.

Rodrigo Capahi, supervising chief of the Baybay dialysis center, said that with the operation of the center, this will lessen the patients of dialysis center in Ormoc City.

Ormoc City has two dialysis centers that provide medical assistance to more than 40 renal patients from Baybay City.

“Our slots in Ormoc Doctors and OSPA Farmers Medical Hospital are already full and we need to expand. Right now, we cannot accommodate all of them and the rest of the patients from the southern part of Leyte Island,” Capahi said.

Capahi also supervises the same facility in Ormoc City and Maasin City in Southern Leyte.

“When this position was offered to me by the mayor I accepted it because I wanted to help them,” Capahi added.

He added that renal problem is not yet a serious health concern in the region, but having a dialysis center in strategic places is good for people to know that the region has the capability to address the medical needs of people. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/RTA/EGR