Fil-Chinese biz group to build Ormoc drug rehab facility

ORMOC CITY, June 28 --City Mayor Richard Gomez has confirmed that the Manila-based business group, Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCCI), has given its commitments to help build a drug rehabilitation in this city. 

For now, the drug rehabilitation center by the Fil-Chinese business group is being planned to accommodate medium and high risk drug surrenderers in the city, Gomez said in an interview. 

Interventions for the identified moderate-and high-risk drug surrenderers, particularly facility-based rehabilitation program, have yet to start as the program implementors are still waiting for the construction of the facility.

The city’s drug rehab program are presently contained in their respective villages and caters to low risk drug surrenderers who are managed through community-based program and even residential-based program.

Gomez said the FCCCI had yet to provide them the amount, however, they would be meeting soon to identify the location for the drug rehab facility, as well as its design and program.

The city government itself has long ago prepared modules for a comprehensive drug rehab program while the police continue its documentation of drug surrenderers needing government intervention. 

Meanwhile, aside from the drug rehab facility, Ormoc is also set to receive five two-classroom school buildings donation from FCCCI. It is said that this will be the first for the city to receive such a donation from the Filipino-Chinese business group. (Ahlette C. Reyes/PNA))

DAR turns over third farm-to-market road in Daram

DARAM, Samar, June 28 -- As the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) commemorates this month the 29th year of implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP)said agency on Monday turned over to the local government unit its third and longest farm-to-market road project constructed in this island-municipality.

Undersecretary Sylvia Mallari led the turnover rite of the 12.4-kilometer all-weather road held in Barangay Birawan, some seven kilometers away from the town proper.

“This is in line with the President’s pronouncement, Build! Build! Build!” Mallari said referring to the road project. “Upang patuloy ang pag-unlad ng kabuhayan, at magkaroon ng kapayapaan sa kapaligiran” she added. 

In his acceptance message, Mayor Philip Martin Astorga stressed the benefits this project would bring to his town. According to him, this would serve a faster way to travel across the island, and further spur development through agriculture.

Residents of this municipality used to travel around the island by motorboat in the absence of a road.

Implemented under the second phase of the Agrarian Reform Communities Project (ARCP-II), this road, according to Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer Alfonso Jalalon, passes through seven barangays : Mabini, Ubo, Birawan, Astorga, Marupangdan, San Vicente and Bono-anon. 

The new road will benefit more than 5,600 residents in the area with 500 of them being agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Regional Director Sheila Enciso said the total cost of this project, where critical portions of five kilometers were concreted, reached PHP48.9-million being shared by the local government unit and a loan from the Asian Development Bank by the national government.

Thus, Enciso reminded the recipients to maintain it in good condition for 10 years. Otherwise the loan portion comprising 40 percent of the total cost will likewise be shouldered by the LGU.

Vice Mayor Lucia Astorga, who was the mayor during the planning stage, never forgot to mention in her welcome message former ARCP-II National Project Director Homer Tobias for considering this municipality and became a recipient of three farm-to-market roads making almost all barangays not only accessible, but opening livelihood opportunities as well.

According to her, the 40 percent share of the national government was of big help in the realization of this town’s dream of building road networks.

Meanwhile, aside from the convenience they now experience in hauling farm products for trading, Birawan Kagawad Leonardo Papawran enumerated other benefits to be enjoyed with the completion of this road.

He disclosed that the road provided many residents another source of livelihood as motorcycle drivers. 

It also serves as an alternate route during bad weather when not it is unsafe to travel on waters.

Papawran emphasized, the youth from other barangays would now be encouraged to enroll at the Birawan National High School. (DAR-PR/PNA)

Gov't Center in Palo to host more regional offices

TACLOBAN CITY, June 28 -– Regional government offices in Eastern Visayas will eventually find their homes at the Government Center in Palo, Leyte once their usufruct agreement with the provincial government of Leyte gets officially signed. 

Among those which have recently sought the permission of the provincial government to locate at the state-owned Government Center are the offices of the National Police Commission (Napolcom), Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Affairs Office (PVAO), and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP), Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto said in an interview on Wednesday.

FDA is seeking for a 2,000 square meter lot, Napolcom for 2,014 square meters, DSWD for 4,000 square meters, PVAO for 500 square meters and VFP for 1,163 square meters, based on the documents provided by Loreto. 

The lots being requested for usufruct is located near the Department of Education Leyte Division Office and the Radyo ng Bayan building.

Vice Governor Loreto said the provincial board had already approved a request from the office of the governor to enter into usufruct with some of these offices, while others were still pending for site inspection and comments by the provincial legal office.

For one, the DSWD has asked assistance to improve the access road to the proposed site. 

The site is where they will build their regional warehouse and puts heavy consideration that big delivery trucks will be utilizing the access road once the warehouse will be in full operation. 

The DSWD likewise noted the presence of informal settlers and requested the provincial government to help in informing them to vacate the area.

Meanwhile, for the Napolcom, it has chosen to settle at a lot in between the present DepEd-Leyte provincial office and a lot allotted for the Bureau of Treasury instead of a previous site initially allowed for them.

It was learned that the term of the usufruct, once signed, will be for 25 years and renewable for another 25 years subject to the arrangement of both parties.

The regional office or office can take possession of the property within one year from the signing of the usufruct and should undertake construction within two years from the execution of the contract. The usufruct further states that ownership of the building and all other alterations, improvements or additions on the property will remain with the provincial government at the end of the term or its renewal.

Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, for his part, said, entering into contract of usufruct with regional government agencies and other offices was part of a grand plan of the province to develop and fully utilize the government center property.

“Aside from government offices, there are areas allotted for sports development, business, tourism and recreation. The whole government center will be one big complete hub,” said Petilla.

The government center already hosts several government offices such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Civil Service Commission, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Health, Population Commission, Commission on Audit, Department of Education, Philippine Coconut Authority, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Public Works and Highways, DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau and CENRO-Leyte and Palo Office and the Bureau of Lands. 

It is home to the historic Mac Arthur Landing Memorial and the iconic Oriental Hotel. It also hosts the Philippine Science High School–Eastern Visayas and the Leyte Academic Center with the Leyte ICT Park and the LAC Gymnasium within. The growing Leyte Provincial Hospital and other offices of the provincial government is also located within the government center. (Ahlette C. Reyes/PNA)

Cockfighting: Still popular in Leyte

TACLOBAN CITY, June 28-- Cockfighting continues to be popular among Leytenos, said Leyte Vice-Governor Carlo Loreto, based on the number of municipal ordinances that pass through the provincial board for review.

Loreto, in an interview Wednesday, said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Leyte receives at least two ordinances in a month from Leyte towns asking for review of their local ordinance granting permit to hold cockfights in their respective area.

“We get considerable amount of ordinances for cockfighting, regulation, issuances of franchises, establishment of cockfarms, not only cockfighting and production,” Loreto said.

The recent cockfighting ordinance the provincial board reviewed and approved came from the town of Lapaz, about 48 kilometers from regional capital of Tacloban.

The vice governor also urged LGUs to strictly implement the law on cockfighting in order to prevent the proliferation of cockfighting operation in the entire province without franchise, and for franchise operators to strictly comply with the requirements of a cockpit operation.

Cockfighting is regulated by PD 449 or the Cockfighting Law of the Philippines to effectively control and regulate cockfighting towards its establishment as a national recreation, relaxation and source of entertainment; to provide additional revenue for our tourism program; and to remove and prevent excessive and unreasonable business operation and profit considerations in the management of cockpits and, instead preserve Philippine customs and traditions and thereby enhance our national identity.

Regulation has been devolved to local government units subject for review by the provincial sanggunian.

The vice governor otherwise urged LGUs to strictly implement the law on cockfighting in order to prevent the proliferation of cockfighting operation in the entire province without franchise, and for franchise operators to strictly comply with the requirements of a cockpit operation.

In the Philippines, the 6,000 year-old sport of cockfighting has been transformed into a fully-legal, billion dollar industry. Known locally as "sabong", it takes place in hundreds of dedicated stadiums across the country and kills an estimated 30 million roosters each year. (Ahlette C. Reyes/PNA)

Leyte awards 2 police officials

TACLOBAN CITY, June 24 --The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Leyte has awarded certificates of commendation to police regional director for operations Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar and former provincial director Franco Simborio for their performances in the campaign against illegal drugs and other criminalities.

Both Beltejar and Simborio, received their awards given to them by Vice Governor Carlo Loreto held at the provincial headquarters in San Jose district, Tacloban City on Wednesday.

Vice Gov. Loreto, in an interview on Thursday, said that the commendations to Beltejar and Simborio were in recognition of their “stellar performance as the provincial director of Leyte province as well as the PNP director respectively.”

During Simborio’s stint as provincial police director, Leyte received numerous awards and citations relative to peace and order management, said the vice governor.

Loreto said that both police officials played very crucial roles in many successful operations in the province of Leyte notably in resolving the Hilongos blast incident last December 28, 2016 that injured 32 people with the terror Maute Group as responsible for the explosion.

Their relentless campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs was also cited by the provincial government.

It was during the administration of Simborio that Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. was arrested and the proliferation of illegal drugs in the province was neutralized.

In his speech, Gen. Beltejar thanked the provincial board for recognizing their works saying it was his first time to receive such commendation from a provincial government in the region. (Lizbeth Ann A. Abella/PNA)

Army: No terror threat in Visayas

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 24-- The army commander of the 802nd Brigade based in the city stressed that despite presence of armed men in the Visayas, there was no director threat of terror attacks.

The whole of Visayas is still at Level 1 for terror alert which means it is not facing threat for any terror attack, said Brig. Gen. Francisco F. Mendoza, Jr. in a telephone interview on Friday.

“There are armed men, yes. NPAs (New People’s Army) are armed. But no threat for terrorism,” he pointed out.

Following the declaration of martial Law in Mindanao a month ago, various reports reached their office concerning presence of armed men in different areas pictured as similar to “terror attackers” in Marawi. Mendoza refuted these, saying all were hearsay.

“All information reaching our office that may pose imminent danger to peace and security are right away verified. So far, these are just hearsay”, Mendoza said.

“As we receive the information, we verify it. But up to now, no first-hand informant has ever drawn details. All of them could not give light to the information spreading around and cannot pinpoint who really met what they referred to as ‘armed’ men.” he added.

On the recent information spreading in social media saying armed men were sighted in Albuera, "it is now being verified," Mendoza said.

Aside from watching over insurgency issues, the army is currently working closely with the police, particularly for the nightly events at the city to celebrate its fiesta on June 29th.

City police director Senior Supt. Ramil L. Ramirez, in an talk with the media also on Friday, said he was personally supervising his men to conduct close watch at the city plaza where huge crowd would be joining the evening merriment.

Police cars are constantly roaming around even at the outskirts to check any suspicious personalities around and to respond immediately to emergency calls.

Ramirez assured the public for maximum security provided especially during the Bb. Ormoc coronation night.

“Remember, you are not viewers, you are here to keep watch for everyone’s safety”, he reminded to the more or less 30 police force to be assigned at the venue.(Elvie Roman Roa/PNA)

Construction of Biliran Diversion Road to resume

NAVAL, Biliran, June 23 --The PHP43 million construction of Biliran Diversion Road project will resume its construction activities after problem on Road-Right of-Way (RROW) has been settled.

This is revealed by Engr. David P. Adongay Jr., District Engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)- Biliran District Engineering Office (BDEO).

“We can now issue resume work order to the contractor because the permit to enter was signed by the affected landowner,” said Adongay.

According to Adongay, the construction of Biliran Diversion road was hindered to proceed with the implementation because one of the landowners affected in the road opening refused to sign the “Permit to Enter”.

Ms. Edwina N.Tan, RROW agent, said the problem on diversion road was settled by paying the affected landowner the exact amount as computed based on the assessed value of his lot.

Engr. Albert Cañete, project engineer, said that once the resume work orderwould be issued, contractor would be advised to render over time work 24/7.

“The construction of Biliran Diversion Road at Biliran, Biliran has accomplished 60 percent as of May 30, 2017 and if weather condition is good, hopefully we can finish it by August or September this year,” Cañete said.

The completion of the project will provide the traveling public coming from cities of Tacloban, Ormoc and Baybay and from other neighboring municipalities going to the northern and eastern part of Biliran Province and vice versa in a much safer and faster transport of goods and services and at a reduced travel time by 20 minutes. The population to be served by the road ranges from 120,000 to 135,000, seven Municipalities and 50 barangays. (DPWH/BDEO-PR/PNA)

'Yolanda' Museum eyed in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY June 23-- Tacloban is bent to put up a Yolanda Museum with the city's Astrodome being eyed as the location. 

Vice Mayor Jerry "Sambo" Yaokasin has told PNA that it would be the city's way of remembering it "devastating past", paying tribute to those who perished and those who survived, and likewise to remind people not to take lightly the effect of climate change. 

"All those destroyed structures and even those vessel found in Barangay Anibong is a testament and all those will be preserved in that museum to ensure the lives that were lost aren’t forgotten and so the stories of those who survived continue to be shared," Yaokasin said.

The vice mayor, however, did not state any date when to start the construction and the projected budget for the planned museum. 

Hotels and restaurants are rising in the city and both local and foreign tourists are increasingly visiting Tacloban to see the city that re-emerged from the rubble of typhoon "Yolanda" which struck on November 8, 2013, killing more than 6,000 people.

The Tacloban Astrodome, where the proposed museum will be be built, will not just be an arena for special occasions of the city, but also a museum and an evacuation center for future stronger typhoons.

The Tacloban Astrodome is the proposed site where the museum should be housed. The indoor arena will be a multi-purpose hall which will not just be an arena for special occasions of the city but also a museum and an evacuation center for future stronger typhoons.

The Astrodome provided a refuge for hundreds of "Yolanda" survivors coming from San Jose and Sagkahan areas in 2013.

Outside the Astrodome area is now a memorial park where engraved names of all those who perished during typhoon Yolanda were written.

"Tourists can go inside the Astrodome and wonder what it was like trying to cling to anything stable to survive the big waves of Yolanda," Yaokasin said.

According to Yaokasin, memorials including those photo galleries of the destruction and recovery will be collected and place inside the museum.

"We don’t have to sanitize it, just mixed it with photos of debris and rebuilding and all those images of human sufferings," Yaokasin said.

While all Yolanda sites in San Jose, Anibong and in Old Road Sagkahan are sober reminders of one of the worst natural disasters in modern history, according to Yaokasin visitors cannot help but feel the resilience of the people of Tacloban.

Flags of different countries that provided assistance will be place in the museum and such exhibits will explain how the community worked together to rebuild, Yaokasin said. (Jazmin Bonifacio/PNA)

Use of transparent bags urged during Tacloban festivals

TACLOBAN CITY, June 23 -- The Tacloban City Police Office is asking the cooperation of spectators who will be watching the parades for the celebrations of Tacloban City fiestas to solely use transparent bags for security reasons. 

Tacloban City Police Office spokesperson Senior Inspector Jessica Ortega said in an interview on Thursday afternoon that bags and backpacks would not be allowed during the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival and Tacloban Sangyaw Paarade. 

Every year, Tacloban City celebrates its annual fiestas this June 30 with two festivals. Only transparent bags will be allowed on June 27 for the whole-day Pintados-Kasadyaan and Sangyaw Parade of Lights on June 29, which is an evening event, said the police during Thursday's press conference for the festivals' security preparations. 

The Pintados-Kasadyaan is a whole day event while the Sangyaw Parade is an evening activity. 

Thousands are expected to be at the city to watch this annual event, which is why there is a need to have stricter and tight security measures, Ortega said.

“Instead of bringing back packs people should use transparent bags. We need to be security conscious,” she added.

Ortega also suggested that spectators especially women, should not wear pieces of valuable jewelry and also advised house owners to ensure doors and windows were properly locked when leaving the house. “Please don’t give them chance to victimize you, don’t wear any jewelry and ensure that your house before you leave is secured,” Ortega said.

A total of 633 combine personnel from the 78th Infantry Battalion and Military Intelligence Group and the Philippine National Police will guard the Tacloban City main roads on the 27th and 28th of June to ensure safety and security of city while people are enjoying watching the two festivals.

Reservists of the Philippine Army, students enrolled under the Reserve Officer Training Corps and personnel of the Traffic Operation Management Enforcement Control Office will augment the law enforcement operative to ensure a peaceful festival.

In the press conference last week, Pintados-Kasadyaan officials said that around 1,000 members from nine contingents from towns of Leyte and of Samar provinces and more than 500 members of the eight contingents for the Pintados Festival will arrive in Tacloban on June 27 to participate and compete for the street dancing and ritual competition.

This number excludes the officials and supporters of the contingents who will be at the Leyte Sports Complex to witness the presentations.

Sangyaw Festival officials has not released yet if how many participants will be joining the parade of lights in the evening of June 28. (Roel T. Amazona/PNA)

DTI rolls out P3 in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, June 21 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in this region has started the roll-out of the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Pag-asenso (P3), a program of the national government that will provide affordable micro-financing program for micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME).

DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras led the roll-out held recently at the Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City. 

Eight micro-finance institutions (MFI) became partners of the DTI and Small Business Corporation in the implementation of P3 in Eastern Visayas.

These are Samahang Pangkabuhayan ng Riverside MPC operating in the province of Biliran; Omaganhan Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative operating in the northern part of Leyte province and in Biliran; Fatima MPC operating in the provinces of Leyte and Biliran; Libercon MPC operating in the towns of Hindang, Bato, Inopacan and Matalom in Leyte province; Lanang MPC operating in Llorente, Eastern Samar; Zaragosa Agrarian Reform Cooperative operating in the city of Baybay and the town of Matalom; and two MFI with regional operation: the Taytay sa Kauswagan, Inc. and Radiowealth Finance Company.

Nierras said that they were hoping that more local MFI would partner with the DTI in the implementation of P3 in Eastern Visayas to reach more MSMEs that needs assistance from the government.

Nierras said reports received from the SBC on the initial borrowers of P3 when it was launched in Tacloban last February 9, showed that the 26 microenterprises, mostly operating at the Tacloban City Public Market, has an average of 114-percent repayment rate.

  “The SBC said that most of the borrowers would pay in advance, instead of paying daily, they would pay for one week that’s why we have very high repayment. I hope that this will be the same as we implement the program region wide,” said Nierras.

Radiowealth Finance Company Manager Wally Miralles confirmed the high repayment rate of Tacloban microbusinesses that borrowed money in their company through P3.

“Small businesses are the best loan payers. The minimal amount that we lend was PHP5, 000 while the biggest was PHP100, 000. All borrowers have good repayment records,” said Miralles.

Now that the program is available to all MSMEs in the region, Miralles said that the MFI operators hoped that small business owners would avail of the program and stop patronizing the “5-6” operators.

“The government is now helping us to avoid loan sharks, we should take care of this by paying the amount that we loan,” Miralles said.

A total of PHP1 billion was allocated by the government for the implementation of P3 for 2017 with the SBC creating the guidelines on how MSMEs operators can avail the program.

Borrowers will have to pay a maximum interest rate of 2.5 percent per month, with no collateral requirement which is lower if to compare with the 10-2 percent per month charged “5-6” operators. (Roel T. Amazona/PNA)