Kuwaiti organization turns over houses to Yolanda victims in Samar

MARABUT, Samar, Jan. 30  – The Kuwait Red Crescent Society has turned over 297 permanent houses to residents of two coastal villages in Marabut, Samar as part of their post-Yolanda humanitarian assistance in central Philippines.

Leading the turnover late Monday afternoon were Kuwait Red Crescent Society deputy president Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer and Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh, to Samar Vice Governor Stephen James Tan, and Marabut Mayor Elizabeth Ortillo.

Of the 297 housing units, 138 are located at the hilltop of Amambucale village while 159 are situated in the interior part of Legaspi village.

The housing project of Kuwaiti Red Crescent is part of the USD9-million donation of Kuwaiti government to Yolanda victims, acting on the request of then Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon Soliman in 2014, Al-Sayer recalled.

“Kuwait has always been a good friend to the Philippines that is why the Red Crescent immediately came and supervised the construction of 297 units of houses to help the people of the Philippines,” Al-Sayer said during the ceremony.

Lene Grefil, one of the project recipients from Amambucale village, said the location of housing above the hill was very ideal since it was safe from threats of big waves, but close to fishing grounds.

“It is important that the house is in a higher ground, but not very far from the sea because that is where the source of our livelihood is,” shared Grefil, a mother of two.

Dionisio Ragut, a father of nine from Legaspi village, said that they would no longer need to evacuate during typhoons because their new house was sturdier than their old makeshift house.

“We don’t have to worry anymore if there are heavy rains, typhoons, and tsunami warnings,” Ragut said.

For his part, Vice Governor Tan said the construction of housing units for Yolanda victims was a manifestation of the growing relationship between the Kuwaiti and Philippine governments.

“Even though our place was not highlighted in the media after super typhoon Yolanda, you still noticed us. For us that is very much important and we really appreciate that,” he said.

Tan is proposing the inclusion of the housing units among tourism sites showing the best post-disaster recovery projects in Samar province.

Meanwhile, the Kuwait Red Crescent Society will also build concrete houses in Logero village, also in Marabut town.

Aside from the housing project, the organization also sent food and non-food items as relief goods, and constructed several school buildings to help the recovery of the education sector in Yolanda-hit Eastern Samar and Samar provinces. (RTA/PNA)

Palace hands off on Leyte water district power struggle

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 30  – Malacañang Palace will not intervene in the ongoing power struggle at the Leyte Metropolitan Water District, Presidential Adviser for Special Concerns Wendel Avisado said.

During his visit to the LMWD office here Monday afternoon, Avisado said it’s not the job of President Rodrigo Duterte to decide who among the local government units have the legal mandate to appoint the governing board of the water district.

The Chief Executive, according to Avisado, has no details about the issue that may affect the water district’s nearly 34,000 water consumers in the city and nearby seven towns.

“The President is not fully aware of the issue in the water district. We will make sure that we will not intervene because both camps have legal arguments. Since the matter has been brought up to the court, let the court decide,” Avisado told reporters.

The Palace official came to the city to inspect post-disaster housing projects as the official tasked by Duterte to oversee rehabilitation projects for super typhoon Yolanda survivors.

The official, however, stressed the need for the Local Water Utilities Administration to come in and help settle the issue since it’s their mandate to promote and oversee the development of water supply systems in cities and municipalities outside the National Capital Region.

Last week, LMWD acting general manager Pastor Homeres wrote a letter to the President exposing the corruption committed by the old board of directors in the implementation of projects such as office building constructions, pipeline projects, and purchase of vehicle.

On Dec. 11, 2017, Romualdez appointed a new set of officers for LMWD after the Supreme Court handed down a decision declaring Presidential Decree (PD) 198 unconstitutional.

Such a decree mandated that a local government which has 75 percent of water consumers of a water district has the authority to appoint board of directors.

The mayor said that her decision to appoint the board of directors stemmed from the case of Cebu Mayor Michael Rama, Metropolitan Cebu Water District et. al. vs. Home Gilbert Moises.

"It states that the mayor of highly urbanized city (such as Tacloban), having the mere majority (instead of the 75 percent requirement), of the total active water service connections of the local water district which are within the boundary of such city, should be the person empowered the members of the board directors of such local water district," Romualdez reiterated in a press statement issued Monday.

The city government said that based on the 2014 LMWD report, 67.5 percent of the water district’s consumers is in the regional capital.

The city-appointed officials filed an application for temporary restraining order on Dec. 14, 2017 with the Regional Trial Court to claim authority over the water district. The court denied the application after five days and the motion for reconsideration on Jan. 9, 2018.

On Jan. 17, the board of directors appointed by Romualdez entered the LMWD office in Nula Tula village. Majority of employees supported them as they promised to release the benefits under the Collective Negotiation Agreement.

Since then, the board of directors appointed by Leyte Governor Dominico Petilla has been prevented from entering the premises of the water district.

They recalled the June 6, 2006 appointment of Homeres as manager and appointed Adolfo Olaya, a retired police officer to manage the water district.

The provincial government-backed officials and 22 employees set up a temporary office at the Leyte Academic Center.

“We, the legitimate LMWD board of directors, would like to ensure customers, employees, and the general public, that amid the chaos and confusion caused by the fake directors, we will continue to fulfil our mandate and serve the best interest of the people,” the group of Petilla said in a statement.

Provincial Board Resolution No. 52 adopted on February 19, 1975 creates the LMWD by merging the then Leyte Metropolitan Water Supply System and the Tolosa Waterworks System.

LMWD initially served 3,365 water concessionaires covering the municipalities of Dagami, Tolosa, Tanauan, Palo, and this city. As of December 2016, the total active number of service connections was pegged at 33,832 to include the towns of Tabon-Tabon, Sta. Fe and Pastrana.

Approximately 60,000 cubic meters of potable water is delivered to the LMWD service areas every day with the main bulk of supply coming from Dagami and Pastrana towns.

Petilla admitted that the action might  affect the improving working relations between Tacloban City and Leyte province.

The Romualdezes and Petillas have political rift over several issues, including the proposed transfer of airport out the city, local festivals, and conversion of Tacloban as highly urbanized city in 2008. 

The reclassification took away the administrative control of the provincial government of Leyte of the regional capital. (SQM/PNA)

Kuwait pledges aid for Mayon victims

MARABUT, Samar, Jan. 30  -– The Kuwaiti Red Crescent Society will send assistance to affected residents of Mayon Volcano eruption, a top official of the organization confirmed.

Dr. Hilal Al-Sayer, deputy president of the Kuwait Red Crescent Society, announced on Monday the USD200,000 assistance for thousands of displaced families in response to the request of the Philippine Red Cross.

“I am pleased to inform you that as soon as we go back to Kuwait, we will take urgent action to address the situation and we put aside USD200,000 to help the people in need,” Al-Sayer said during the turnover of housing project in this town.

Al-Sayer made the announcement in the presence of Kuwaiti Ambassador to the Philippines Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh and local officials in Samar province.

As of Jan. 29, around 84,000 residents from the province of Albay were evacuated due to the volcanic eruption since January 13.

Mayon is still under Alert Level 4, which means that there is imminent danger or high possibility of a bigger eruption. (RTA/PNA)

Eastern Visayas farmers launch camote-based products

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 26  -- Farmers in Leyte and Samar provinces launched on Friday various sweet potato-based food products in the bid to bring root crops by-products to supermarket.

The Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City and Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) brought 12 farmers’ groups to the city’s Robinsons Place for the business launch and exhibit.

Edilberto Hinay, Jr., president of 37 sweet potato planters in Salvacion village in Dulag, Leyte, said he never thought of bringing their products to a mall.

In the past two years, the group raised PHP12,000 bank assets from selling root crops.

“Back in a day, we just shared camote to our neighbors and if we have more harvest, we sell this on roadsides and in vegetable market anywhere. Experts helped us put more value to our products,” Hinay said.

Camote, the local name for sweet potato, commonly cultivated in backyards, has been processed into fries, chips, juice, jam, ketchup, dessert wine, pasta, cookies, fried noodles, among others.

Jose Bacusmo, VSU director for research, said they hope to link local producers to more consumers and even institutional buyers.

The event, according to the official, is the first market exposure of these farmers in the regional capital.

“We hope to train a number of them to specialize on single product to develop their export potential. We will work with other concern government agencies and local government units,” Bacusmo told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

He said they prioritized camote farmers in this type of assistance since almost all of them are extremely poor.

Jocelyn Eusebio, PCAARRD crops research division director, said the multi-year project got PHP24 million funding from the central government to support research, production, processing, labelling, packaging, and marketing in Leyte, Samar, Tarlac, and Albay provinces.

“We have to complete and establish the value chain. We hope this will serve as a model in the country as we work to make camote as main commodity,” Eusebio said.

DOST assistant regional director Ernesto Granada said they are committed to continue to extend help to camote-based food producers.

“Our office sees the need to provide chippers and slicers and teach them good manufacturing practices. This is to help them enter the export market,” Granada said.

The VSU and DOST have stepped up the promotion of sweet potato considering that the crop is affordable and high in nutritional value.

According to DOST, camote and other root crops is an excellent source of dietary fiber. The food can prevent the re-absorption of bile acids in the liver. Bile acids are converted to cholesterol in the liver and goes to the arteries. (SQM/PNA)

Calbayog City ready for regional sports meet

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, Jan. 26  --The city government here is now on the last phase of preparation for the hosting of this year’s school-based Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet.

The region’s yearly athletic event will be on February 4 to 10, 2018. About 8,000 coaches, assistants, sports officials and athletes are expected to arrive in the city starting January 30.

Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino ordered on Friday a massive clean-up drive in schools, playing venues and the entire community days before the arrival of 12 delegations coming from seven cities and six provinces of the region.

Aquino told Philippine News Agency (PNA) that the local government allocated PHP35 million for the city’s hosting of the regional athletic event. “The sports event is very helpful to boost the economic situation in the city.”

A team composed of the members of the Philippine National Police, health, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Calbayog Public Order and Safety Office will be assigned in every identified billeting schools to ensure the safety of the delegation.

Department of Education (DepEd) city division office chief Raul Agban appealed for the support of city residents in the upcoming activity.

“The hosting is not only under the DepEd and the LGU, but for the entire city. That is why we are asking for the support of everyone to make this event successful,” Agban added.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Revsee Escobedo will be the guest of honor during the opening ceremonies on February 4 while Secretary Leonor Briones is expected to grace the closing program on February 9.

Aside from sports event, the city government has prepared a grandiose activities to entertain athletes and guests.

A four-day Tourism Expo showcasing the tourist destination in very participating city and provinces will be opened on February 5.

The Christ the King College Symphony Orchestra will hold a concert on February 7. A grand EVRAA Street Party after the closing ceremony will be held.

This year’s sports meet theme is “Sports, Culture, and Environment: Bridging the Gap, Shaping the Future.” The last time Calbayog hosted the regional sports event was in 2011.

Calbayog is a first class city in Samar province, with a population of 183,851 in 157 villages. It is the third largest city in terms of land and water areas in the Philippines. (JSA/PNA)

13 Leyte bridges up for repair, widening

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 25  -- Thirteen bridges up for widening, strengthening and repair with a cost of PHP254.22 million are lined up for this year by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in central Leyte province.

The continuous widening and strengthening of bridges has been identified by the DPWH 2nd Leyte engineering district as its top priority considering that some of these are there for decades and need immediate rehabilitation to be more resilient to the changing climate and extreme weather conditions.

Hibucawan Bridge and Cabungaan Bridge in Jaro town; Lemon Bridge, Masalago Bridge, Pinamopoan Bridge, Atipolo Bridge, Candulman Bridge and Domiri Bridge in Capoocan; Jugaban Bridge in Carigara; Talisayan Bridge along Daang Maharlika are included in the widening projects.

These projects run a total of 178.55 linear meters.

These bridges also run along the busy Palo-Carigara-Ormoc road and are being widened to complement the ongoing road widening along this route.

Once completed, the widened bridges will provide a safe and convenient travel to the public plying this major thoroughfare.

Meanwhile, the Cabayongan Bridge along the Jaro-Dagami road and the Jugaban Bridge along the Barugo-Carigara road are lined up for retrofitting and strengthening at a cost of PHP33 million.

The two bridges will run a total length of 117.45 linear meters.

The Carigara Bridge in Carigara town, on the other hand, continues its repair works with a budget of PHP45 million this year. It is more or less 121.35 linear meters.

District Engineer Carlos Veloso thanked DPWH Secretary Mark Villar for the department’s support to construction of the vital bridges in Leyte’s second district. The widening project is part of the district’s DPWH multi-year program. (ACR/PNA)

P20-M emergency job program up for storm-hit Biliran

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 25  -- The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will implement PHP20-million emergency employment program for workers displaced by tropical storm Urduja in Biliran province.

DOLE Regional Director Joel Gonzales said on Wednesday they expected to start the post-disaster program next week covering eight towns and majority of Biliran’s 117 villages.

“We submitted the urgent proposal few days after the storm. Last week, we got the advice of allotment and we hope to receive the budget soon so we can start the program next week,” Gonzales said.

At least 4,000 displaced workers will be hired for 10 days. Each one will get PHP285 daily pay for helping in clearing of debris, repair houses, reconstruct basic infrastructures and facilities in the affected areas, and recover their livelihood and other basic needs through the income derived from the said program.

“We hope that the said emergency employment will be an immediate source of income for the victims, in order for them to buy food, medicines and other necessities,” he added.

The DOLE has tied up with local government units to select beneficiaries and identify sites for emergency works.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported that landslides and flooding brought by the tropical storm killed 54 people. The weather disturbance has displaced 22,535 families or 90,000 persons in Biliran province alone.

Biliran is one of the country's smallest provinces with a land area of 536 square kilometers and a population of 171,612 as of 2015. Formerly a sub-province of Leyte, it became an independent province in 1992. (SQM/PNA)

CSC calls for more ready career service examinees

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 25  -- The Civil Service Commission (CSC) regional office here has called on aspiring government workers to seriously prepare for eligibility examinations, noting the very low passing rate last year.

CSC assistant regional director Rowin Riños reiterated the call on Thursday as their central office recently released the computerized examination (COMEX) schedule for Career Service Examination nationwide.

Citing results of the August 2017 traditional paper and pencil tests, only 594 out of 7,723 actual takers passed in Eastern Visayas. The number represents only 7.69 percent of the total number of examinees for professional level.

For the sub-professional level, the CSC said a passing rate of 7.85 percent with only 49 passers out of 624 takers.

Riños said questions in the examinations had been discussed from elementary to college and applicants just needed to review their notes to answer and pass the test.

“Ability of the examinee is the main reason. There’s no more educational attainment to qualify to take the examination for as long as you are 18 years old,” Rinos told PNA.

The CSC confers to successful examinees the career service eligibility, one of the basic requirements for permanent appointment to technical and clerical positions in the government.

The agency announced the conduct of COMEX professional level examinations in participating CSC regional offices on February 8 and 15, April 12, 19, and 26, May 17 and 24, and June 7, 21, and 28. The sub-professional level will be conducted on May 31.

The COMEX is on top of paper and pencil tests held twice a year. The first one is scheduled on March 18 with January 31 as the deadline for filing of applications.

Interested applicants must create an account through the COMEX website and reserve a slot six days prior to their desired exam date.  (SQM/PNA)

RTWPB sets review of TRAIN impact on workers’ pay in E. Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 24  -- The Eastern Visayas Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) will initiate a wage review as prices of goods and services surged due to implementation of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law.

The body would evaluate the impact of TRAIN Law to minimum wage earners by mid-February, which was also the first month of the law’s enforcement, said RTWPB chairman and Department of Labor and Employment regional director Joel Gonzales.

The review is timely since the existing wage order will be a year-old by February 13.

Under the law, a wage order could not be superseded by a new one within a year, said Gonzales on Wednesday.

Board members will also agree on schedules of wage consultations for workers and employers, he added.

“There’s an understanding for the need to review. We would like to be more constructive and objective in doing the process. We need initial information as basis of decision on what to do next,” he told PNA.

Consultations, which will run early of March, will be held in Tacloban and Ormoc in Leyte, Catbalogan in Samar, Borongan in Eastern Samar, and Catarman in Northern Samar.

The review will check the economic conditions, adjustment of prices of basic goods and services, and impact of wage adjustment to both workers and business owners.

“I am confident that the board will agree to the wage adjustment proposal this early and come up with the decision late March or early April,” Gonzales said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Dec. 19, 2017 signed the TRAIN law, which imposes higher taxes on fuel, cars, coal, tobacco, mining, and some sugar-sweetened beverages.

The measure exempts those earning an annual taxable income of PHP250,000 and below from paying personal income tax.

The official believes that excise tax in petroleum products will result to fare increase and adjustment of prices of basic goods and services.

Wage Order No. 19, which took effect in 2017, has raised the daily pay of minimum wage earners in Eastern Visayas between PHP10 to PHP25. (SQM/PNA)

Over 1K Samar store owners complete training

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 24  -- More than 1,000 small community store owners in Samar Island completed a series of seminars meant to help grow their business and establish a resilient supply chain after destructive calamities.

In a caravan held Tuesday at the City Convention Center here, women entrepreneurs from three Samar provinces joined the event designed to encourage linkages among key players to support the establishment of resilient supply chain.

Microventures Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ann Juliet Go said when super typhoon Yolanda struck the region, many small community shops known as “sari-sari” stores shutdown and owners didn’t know where to go to replenish their stocks.

Included in the seven-month training is to map out plans on where to source out supplies after extreme weather events.

“The training aims to equip and empower micro-entrepreneurs as they move forward in creating resilient and sustainable businesses to further improve their economic well-being,” Go said.

Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines John Holmes said their government contributed about PHP800 million for the five-year project in Yolanda-hit communities.

“We have not just provided humanitarian assistance, but also long-term recovery projects. We developed women micro-entrepreneurs to manage their business and help them recover quickly. It’s so important to re-establish the economy in affected areas not just through the help of responders, but by getting small businesses back up and running,” Holmes told reporters.

The training is part of the Bagong Araw (New Day) Philippines project, which seeks to help over 1,600 sari-sari store owners in Yolanda-hit Leyte and Samar provinces through capacity building, linkage to additional capital, and access to micro-insurance products.

It is also in partnership with Hapinoy, a social enterprise that has been engaging more than 11,000 small store owners in Luzon and Visayas.

The initiative is also backed by Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada, Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, Inc., and the Micro-Insurance MBA Association of the Philippines. (SQM/PNA)

Northern Samar rebel returnees optimistic of new life

CATARMAN, Northern Samar, Jan. 23  -- Former rebels in this province are upbeat about starting a new life after years of armed struggle that they consider as wasted years.

The nine former rebels faced the members of the Regional Peace and Order Council during the body’s first quarter meeting at the Northern Samar provincial capitol on Tuesday.

The former rebels signed up as recipients of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) and Local Social Integration Program (LSIP) of the province meant for rebel returnees.

Under the program, surrenderers receive livelihood and cash assistance.

They were given PHP15,000 immediate cash aid on top of the PHP50,000 livelihood assistance and varied amount depending on the type of firearms surrendered.

Prior to the release of assistance, they are trained on how to manage livelihood activities and manage finances.

Nido and his wife Sally (not their real names) were among the nine rebels presented during the council meeting. The couple has 10 children.

The father was a member of Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) in his hometown in Northern Samar when he received death threats from the New People’s Army (NPA).

He recalled that decades back, the NPA came to their house and offered him only two choices -- to die or leave his hometown. He chose the latter and his family settled in Manila for a year.

With very unstable income to sustain their daily needs, they went back to his hometown in Northern Samar. His childhood friend convinced him and his wife to join the organization.

Out of fear, he agreed to join the organization tasked to help communist rebels raise revolutionary taxes while his wife prepares food for the armed rebels.

“They don’t have regular schedule to visit us. When they did, I am obliged to cook and feed them. Many time, I even borrowed money to buy food for them,” Sally said.

After several years of being a member of the NPA, the couple decided to turn themselves in and avail of the government’s CLIP and LSIP.

“This is a very good decision that we made because unlike the NPA who gave use false hope and promises, the government is sincere to help us. They are giving us chances to change our life and start a new life by providing us means to run a livelihood,” Sally said.

Boy (not his real name), 34, was convinced by the NPA to join the organization after they promised to send him to school, but he ended up doing errands for the group.

For staying six months in NPA camps, Boy said joined clashes against government forces.

“I was afraid when I was still with them,” Boy shared. “I made the decision to leave the group because I know my life was in danger.”

He is optimistic to go back to school as a Grade 4 student now that he’s back to normal life away from rebellion.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Northern Samar provincial director Valente Bajet said that those who availed of CLIP and LSIP are guaranteed safety by the military and the Philippine National Police.

Since the provincial government implemented LSIP, Bajet said they had already processed the assistance for three batches of rebel surrenderers.

RPOC held a meeting in Northern Samar to showcase the good practices of the province in dealing with insurgency problem by implementing the LSIP, according to DILG Regional Director Maribel Sacerdoncillo.

The body will hold its second quarter meeting in Leyte province. (RTA/PNA)

DOTr launches PUV modernization program in Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 23  -- The Department of Transportation (DOTr) launched here on Tuesday the public utility vehicles (PUV) Modernization Program, an initiative that seeks to “overhaul” the country’s public transportation system.

The program has initially deployed 45 solar-powered jeepneys supplied by the Star8 Green Technology Corp.

The jeepneys cover the Tacloban-Palanog route intended to improve accessibility to resettlement sites occupied by thousands of super typhoon Yolanda.

“This is the program that we cannot give up on. Many administrations have tried, but never got the first base because this is a large scale transformation. We are not just making repairs, we are overhauling the fleet, the system, the industry and the institution,” Assistant Secretary Mark Richmund de Leon said.

The solar jeepneys, designed to replace the aging combustion engine fleet, have been operating in the city since mid-December.

Each unit can carry 20 passengers with free WiFi onboard, overhead electric fan per passenger, and USB power port per passenger to charge their devices.

It has a capacity to travel approximately 100 kilometers on a full battery charge, and adding another 10-15km from the solar production during daylight hours.

“Dignified commuting experience is what we want to achieve. We want our drivers to be proud of their job and commuters to be happy and safe in their riding experience,” said de Leon during the launch at the Rizal Park here.

The e-jeepney will address the serious problem of air pollution in urban areas largely caused by dilapidated jeepneys, said the DOTr official.

“The PUV Modernization Program is long overdue. Past administrations have long wanted to modernize transportation, but every time people wave flags saying that the program is anti-poor, we take a step back. Hence, the present sorry state of our road transportation. This has to stop,” de Leon said.

The Development Bank of the Philippines earlier announced a PHP1.5 billion loan to finance the acquisition of new PUVs to qualified prospective borrowers.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chairman Martin Delgra III said the program will address the public transportation system concern in the city’s relocation sites where thousands of people have to wait for hours to get to the commercial district from their new homes.

“After we heard the mobility concerns of relocated families, we thought of piloting the environment-friendly public transportation system in this city,” Delgra said.

More than 8,000 families have been moved from danger zones to relocation sites in the northern part of the city, creating huge demand for public transportation. (SQM/PNA)

High-tech teaching creates unlimited learning chances

SAN MIGUEL, Leyte, Jan. 22  -- A more modern approach to teaching using higher technology is keeping students in school and is boosting attendance and participation in classes in this sleepy town.

The alternative learning board, also termed “AlBoard”, first introduced in 2016 at the San Miguel Central School here, has helped children increase their knowledge absorption, attendance rate and earn higher grades in their subject classes.

Kenneth Bagangan, a science teacher of the school, said pupils have become more interested in learning the daily lessons, especially science, through the interactive board that provides more visual presentation of the topics being presented.

“It has always been hard to capture the children’s imagination especially in science when you have nothing to show, but the alternative learning board, the visual element of the approach helped a lot in making the lesson more fun and more interactive,” Bagangan said.

An alternative learning board allows computer images to be displayed onto a board using a digital projector. The teacher can then manipulate the elements on the board by using his finger as a mouse, directly on the screen. Items can be dragged, clicked and copied and the lecturer can handwrite notes, which can be transformed into text and saved.

The AlBoard has become a powerful tool in the classroom adding interactivity and collaboration, allowing the integration of media content into the lecture and supporting collaborative learning. Used innovatively they create a wide range of learning opportunities.

For San Miguel Central School, the AlBoard was given by the Betty Bantug Benitez Foundation Inc. and Pass It Forward Foundation, an Israeli non-government organization, and the Playtech Corporation through Negros Occidental (3rd District) Rep. Alfredo Benitez.

Benitez, who recently visited San Miguel to assess the effectiveness of the modern teaching approach said he has expanded the AlBoard project to other areas in the Visayas to improve the delivery of quality education emphasizing on the need for modern technology in terms of teaching-learning process.

He extended the project to other areas being head of the Visayan bloc in House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Mayor Cheeryl Enrica Esperas pushes for more interactive learning boards to be installed in other schools in her municipality.

“Since the use of the interactive boards has boosted pupils’ attendance and participation, we can perhaps duplicate this project in other schools to achieve the same enthusiasm and interest among our students,” Esperas said.

It was learned that one alternative learning board package which consist of a large interactive white board, computer set and projector cost around PHP200,000. (ACR/PNA)

Leyte water district standoff continues

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 22  -- Employees of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) have officially expressed their support to the newly-appointed board of directors as old officials refused to let go of their posts in a month-long power struggle.

LMWD acting general manager Pastor Homeres recognized in a press briefing on Sunday the new set of board of directors picked by Tacloban Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez and withdraw his support to the officials chosen by Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.

“Anchored on the recently decided case of the Supreme Court, Romualdez exercised her mandate and appointed a new set of board of directors for LMWD which has assumed their duties and functions and such, and was given due recognition and full support of the employees and the undersign,” said Homeres surrounded by majority of 300 employees.

The manager issued the statement two weeks after he officially refused the appointment of five new board members.

Citing legal issues, the old officials refused to vacate their posts, which triggered series of protests outside the LMWD office from supporters of new officers. The new board of directors camped at the LMWD compound.

On Friday, the old board of directors held an urgent meeting and recalled the appointment of Homeres as manager of the public water utility after some employees denied the entry of officials appointed by the governor to the LMWD premises.

“With the insistence of the old board appointed by the Leyte governor to still be legitimate officials, peace and order have continued to be disrupted,” Homeres added.

The manager called for an investigation of corruption committed by the old board of directors in the implementation of projects such as office building constructions, pipeline projects, and purchase of vehicle.

“For years, I kept mum on the dark side of the office, but now that more than the majority of the employees of LMWD have withdrawn support from the Board of Directors appointed by the Leyte governor, I now have the courage to tell the public the pressing concern of the office,” Homeres said.

The LMWD employees association said they withdrew their support to the officials picked by the governor as the latter refused to implement the Collective Negotiation Agreement entered into by the management and workers in 2006.

Aldin Surpia, one of those appointed by the governor, said in a radio interview on Monday they will continue to function as legitimate officials of the water district.

“Our lawyers have taken legal actions since the court has not yet make a final ruling on the management issue. We are still the legal and legitimate board of directors, but we cannot function because we are denied to enter the LMWD premises,” Surpia said. 

Surpia and other director set up a temporary office at the Leyte Academic Center in nearby Palo town with the new manager and some employees loyal to the old governing board.

Last December 11, Romualdez appointed a new set of officers for LMWD after the Supreme Court handed down a decision declaring Presidential Decree (PD) 198 unconstitutional.

Such a decree mandated that a local government which has 75 percent of water consumers of a water district has the authority to manage the agency.

The city government said that based on the 2014 LMWD report, 67.5 percent of the water district’s consumers is in the regional capital.

“Having the majority of the total active water service connections of the local water district, which are within the boundary of such city, should be the person empowered to appoint the members of the board of directors of such local water district,” Romualdez said.

As of December 2016, the total active number of service connections is pegged at 33,832 to include the towns of Tabon-Tabon, Sta. Fe and Pastrana.

Approximately 60,000 cubic meter of potable water is delivered to the LMWD service areas every day with the main bulk of supply coming from Jaro and Pastrana towns. (SQM/PNA)

Leyte town gets new rescue gears

SAN MIGUEL, Leyte, Jan. 20  -- The town’s rescue group is more capable of responding to emergencies after receiving new sets of equipment.

“We want to better equip the rescue volunteers of this town in order to save lives. The equipment will also benefit other nearby towns in times of calamities,” Negros Occidental 3rd district Rep. Alfred Benitez said as he delivered sets of headgear and flashlights for the use of local rescuers on Friday.

At the height of Typhoons Urduja and Vinta last December, the entire town of San Miguel, Leyte was placed under a state of calamity due to widespread flooding. The 16 out of its 21 villages were submerged in raging floodwaters.

Five of the town’s coastal villages are susceptible to threats of big waves.

“I see our volunteer rescue team is getting more ready and they are more dedicated to serve now that they got new equipment,” said San Miguel Mayor Cherryl Enrica Esperas.

Next week, the San Miguel alert response team will undergo water search and rescue training to enhance their skills in responding to future emergencies.

The activity provides training from personal safety and survival to basic lifesaving to rubber boat assembly and engine operation, as well as navigation and maneuver rules.

Esperas stressed the need to empower communities through lifesaving skills, considering that the town is prone to different types of disasters. (JB/PNA)

Hot spring tour site to rise in Leyte

BURAUEN, Leyte, Jan. 20  -- The local government here is eyeing a hot spring within a natural park as a new tourism destination in Eastern Visayas.

Burauen town tourism officer, Carmela Corazon Crebillo, said Friday they had already drawn up plans to develop the Calor Hot Spring, but were awaiting further comments from concerned national government agencies.

The hot spring is inside the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park, while the park is nestled on a 635-hectare forestland that surrounds the pristine Mahagnao Lake and has an elevation of 860 meters.

“We are ready to develop the destination with available funding and recent hiring of consultants to supervise the site development activities. We hope to complete the project within 2018,” Crebillo said.

The site development will use a PHP3-million budget for local eco-tourism.
Among the proposed tourism activities are sight-seeing, storytelling, educational tours, and nature trek.

The local tourism office will train community-based tour guides who will share stories of Mahagnao’s volcanic eruption and natural wonders in the area.

“They will talk about the history of Mahagnao, like when did the volcano last erupt and so on and so forth, so that when people leave the place, they will not just be awed by nature’s beauty, but will be full of information as well,” she added.

Mahagnao Volcano reportedly erupted in 1895, but no further details are available, according to the Global Volcanism Program.

Crebillo assured the public that the local government is concerned with preserving the hot spring’s natural beauty. Instead of putting concrete structures, the project will only use wood to build the view deck.

“No shed will be made to cover the view deck since the main goal of the site is for the tourists to appreciate the view of the place. In other words, it will be an open space with the hot spring and natural wonders around,” Crebillo told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To make the site more tourist-friendly, the local government will also improve the access pathway by piling up stones and wooden rails for more convenient climbing, not only for young hikers, but for senior citizens as well.
The development of the Calor hot spring is just the first step to fully develop the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park into a top eco-tourism site in Eastern Visayas.

Proclaimed as a national park in 1937, the site is endowed with other natural attractions – a lake, falls, multi-colored mud, virgin forests, and lagoon.

Mahagnao is 18 km. away from the town center of Burauen. The town in central Leyte is about 50 km. from Tacloban City, the regional capital.

From Tacloban, where the airport is located, the site is one hour and 30 minutes by bus. At the town center, visitors without a 4x4 vehicle can hire a motorcycle to get to Mahagnao, passing through seven villages. (SQM/With reports from Madelene B. Perez, OJT/PNA)

DepEd Region 8 steps up learning program for PWDs

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 20  -- The Department of Education (DepEd) regional office here has renewed its commitment to strengthen special education for persons with disabilities (PWDs), backing the inclusive education for all strategy.

DepEd Regional Director Ramir Uytico said on Friday a growing number of public school teachers had been trained to provide quality education for PWDs.

He added that more state-run and private schools had been offering special education programs in the region.

“We initiated several activities to encourage PWDs to come to school. We have to tell people that we need to take care of them. For us, they are not persons with disabilities, but they are already persons with determinations,” Uytico told Philippine News Agency.

The regional office has no record on the number of handicapped learners in the region. Nationwide, there are around 250,000 enrollees with certain exceptionalities at the elementary level and around 100,000 at the high school level in school year ‎2015-2016.

Uytico urged parents or guardians of learners with certain disabilities to contact principals or guidance counselors of schools where they wish to enroll their children. This is to determine the necessary instructional program that their children need best.

“Gone are the days when we say that PWDs are considered as someone who has no role in this world. Even if they have disabilities, they can pursue their dreams,” Uytico added.  (SQM/PNA)

Reds continue drive to retake Leyte’s upland areas: Army

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 19  -- The Department of Health (DOH) here has warned the public against the threat of leptospirosis as flooding continues to plague many areas in Eastern Visayas region due to heavy rains.

DOH regional chief of epidemiology and surveillance unit Roderick Boyd Cerro told the public to avoid wading in floodwaters.

Heavy rains caused an abrupt rise in rivers and other waterways, inundating heavily populated communities in Leyte and Samar provinces. The situation has raised the health department’s concern that people may develop leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is a disease contracted when floodwaters, vegetation, or moist soil are contaminated with the bacteria called leptospira, commonly spread through infected urine or feces of rats.

“We are reminding people not to wade in floodwaters. But if it cannot be avoided, one should wear protective gear such as boots and gloves,” Cerro said.

The official also asked the public to drain potentially contaminated water when possible, control rats in the household by using traps or poison, and maintain cleanliness in the house.

In 2017, at least 11 people died due to leptospirosis in the region, according to DOH. Fatalities were recorded during rainy seasons last year.

Symptoms include fever, chills, red eyes, jaundice, muscle pain, severe headache and little urine production.

“We have prepositioned antibiotics in rural health units for flood-prone communities and local health workers are trained on what kind of medicines are needed for different categories of exposure,” Cerro added.

People who developed fever two days after wading in floodwaters are advised to immediately go to the nearest health center or consult a doctor to avoid complications. (SQM/PNA)