DOH admits slow-paced assessment of 35K druggies in Region 8

TACLOBAN CITY, May 30  -- Only half of the 34,808 self-confessed drug users in Eastern Visayas have been assessed by the Department of Health (DOH) despite urgency to provide recovery interventions to former drug dependents.

DOH Assistant Regional Director Paula Paz Sydiongco said the assessment of drug surrenderers is moving slowly than expected due to lack of trained health professionals.

Of the 34,808 drug dependents who turned themselves in to authorities, 18,265 or 52 percent have been checked by health workers. The assessment aims to find out the kind of assistance needed by a drug user.

Through assessment, health authorities can determine whether the surrenderer will be referred to a community-based program, out-patient, or government rehabilitation.

Those found suffering serious drug addiction have been referred to the DOH-run Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Dulag, Leyte -- the only state-run facility meant for full recovery of drug users.

“We are concerned about the 48 percent who have not received any intervention from a health professional months or even years after they surrendered,” Sydiongco said on Thursday.

Even after training thousands of doctors, nurses, social workers, and other DOH personnel, their number is still not enough to reach out to all former drug users.

“Another strategy is to train our DOH representative assigned in clustered areas and even some village health workers on how to assess surrenderers. More local government units workers have been trained on rehabilitation process,” Sydiongco added.

The central government has been pushing for community-based rehabilitation.

Under its long-term plan, the DOH is proposing to build drug rehabilitation complexes in the cities of Tacloban, Baybay, and Ormoc in Leyte; Maasin in Southern Leyte; and, Catbalogan and Calbayog in Samar. The same facilities will rise in the capital towns of Naval in Biliran and Catarman in Northern Samar.

To prevent any relapse, the complex will house a re-entry center and aftercare building to facilitate the re-integration of patients to the community. (SQM/PNA)

No banks in 70% of Eastern Visayas towns: BSP

TACLOBAN CITY, May 30  -- At least 70 percent of towns in Eastern Visayas have no banks, making the region as one of the most unbanked areas in the country, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

As of end of last year, 95 out of 136 towns in six provinces have no banks, raising concern that people are deprived of access to and usage of formal financial products and services.

Of the 95 "unbanked" areas, 25 are in Leyte, 21 in Northern Samar, 18 in Samar, 13 in Eastern Samar, 12 in Southern Leyte, and six in Biliran province, the BSP revealed in its report posted on its website.

Northern Samar, the farthest province from the regional capital, is the most underbanked in the region with 21 out of 25 towns having no access to banking services.

Banking services is only limited in 41 towns, however, there’s an improvement than in 2016 where only 33 towns had operating banks. The BSP noted banking services expansion in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte.

Regional Development Council banking sector representative Francisco Barredo said more banks have opened branches in the region, but these are concentrated in provincial capitals and major commercial districts.

“High banking penetration is expected in cities than in rural areas because of large population,” Barredo said in a phone interview Wednesday.

In a statement, the BSP said that unbanked areas are being served by non-bank financial service providers such as mobile money agents, pawnshops, cooperatives, and microfinance non-government organizations.

The Central Bank earlier approved regulation allowing banks to put up “branch-lite” units to further expand the physical reach of banking services especially to unbanked and underserved LGUs.

The Monetary Board also approved a new circular in January setting out the framework for banks to offer a basic deposit account to promote account ownership among the unbanked.

The minimum key features of the basic deposit account include simplified know-your-customer requirements; an opening amount of less than PHP100; no minimum maintaining balance; and no dormancy charges.

Meanwhile, bank deposits in Eastern Visayas grew by 15.56 percent to PHP109.33 billion in 2017, higher than the PHP94.61 billion a year earlier, according to the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) report.

Bank deposits in the region managed to maintain its double-digit annual growth rate in the past five years despite impacts of the 2013 super typhoon Yolanda.

Last year’s growth is higher than the 11.23 percent recorded in 2016, but lower than the average of 20 percent growth recorded from 2013 to 2015.

The PDIC banking statistics, posted on its website, showed that total number of accounts grew by 8.44 percent from 868,080 in 2016 to 941,338 last year. (SQM/PNA)

Catbalogan City lines up Independence Day activities

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, May 29  -- This capital city of Samar province on Monday kicked off activities for the 120th Independence Day Celebration on June 12.

The city began the activities during the May 28 National Flag Day through a clean-up drive dubbed as “Pintakasi para kan Pepe”.

Pintakasi is a local term for collective effort to perform a task in the community while Pepe is the typical name of a male villager. Reigning local beauty queen, Mary Faith Voz Libres, led the clean-up event at the Rizal Monument.

“The Pintakasi for Pepe involves repainting of the Rizal Monument and cleaning of the city plaza as part of the city’s preparation for Independence Day,” said Ador Hurtado, chief of the city tourism, culture, arts and information office.

Catbalogan has a unique Rizal Monument erected at the city plaza and sculpted by local artist, Miguel Alcazar. The Rizal Monument has a bust of the national hero on top of his two famous novels, Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, being lifted by three men.

The city also conducted a simultaneous display of the Philippine Flag and encouraged residents of the city to do the same until Independence Day.

Displaying the Philippine flag from May 28 to June 12 is mandated under Presidential Proclamation No. 374 signed on March 6, 1965 to celebrate the victory of the Philippine Revolutionary Army against Spanish forces in the Battle of Alapan in Imus, Cavite where troops led by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo recaptured the province of Cavite.

Hurtado said that aside from the pintakasi, the city government of Catbalogan also organized a contest for its residents, particularly the youth, to rekindle the desire to celebrate Independence Day.

These contests include postcard-making dubbed, “Mga Hulagway ngan Siday tikang ha Catbalogan: A Literary Postcard-making Contest about Jose Rizal and the Philippine Independence” and the short video-making contest dubbed, “Katiglugaring: Vlogging Independence in 120 Seconds”.

These events are anchored on this year’s Independence Day theme, “Kalayaan 2018: Pagbabagong Ipinaglaban, Alay sa Masaganang Kinabukasan”, for amateur vloggers and videographers.

The contest will also honor the national hero Jose Rizal on its 157th birth anniversary on June 19. The city government has allocated cash prizes for the contest. Submission of entry is until June 10 at the city tourism, culture, arts and information office.

Catbalogan is 112 km. north of Tacloban City, the regional capital. Jesuit priests founded Catbalogan in 1616 and became the capital of the entire Samar Island. Today, the city is a major commercial area in Samar with a population of 103,879. (RTA/PNA)

Solar power plant seen to bring progress to historic Leyte island town

LIMASAWA, Southern Leyte, May 29  -- The construction of a solar power plant in this historic island town will bring more improvements to less developed communities endowed with picturesque beaches and historic sites.

Mayor Nilo Petracorta said on Monday the National Power Corporation (Napocor) held a ground breaking last March for the construction of PHP54 million 120-kilowatt (kW) solar power project awarded to Power Dimension Inc.

The island is currently powered by expensive diesel power plant operated by the Napocor, which runs 24 hours a day from the 18-hours operation last year.

The diesel power plant produces 700-kW, enough to meet the island’s power demand. The power plant serves 1,200 households in the island.

“Hopefully this will lower the electricity rates of Limasawa,” Petracorta said. “This is also environment-friendly since there is no carbon emission in solar power.”

Napocor targets to complete the solar power project by September or November this year, said Petracorta.

Aside from the solar power plant project, Limasawa will also receive within this year two units of 200-kW and two units of 300-kW generator sets as part of the Napocor’s capacity addition program.

The power firm will also build its own fuel oil storage tank to ensure continuous supply even during extreme weather conditions.

The town mayor said this power development project will attract more businessmen to invest in the island due to stable energy supply.

Limasawa is a 6th class island town in Southern Leyte. Most of the 6,000 residents are dependent on fishing for livelihood.

Tourism is an alternative source of income in the island known as the site of First Catholic Mass in the Orient held by the group of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.

Due to increasing number of tourist visiting the island, there’s a good number of lodging facilities and inn established by local investors to cater on tourist needs, resulting to the increase of electricity demand. (RTA/PNA)

Eastern Visayas posts 15.56% growth in bank deposits

TACLOBAN CITY, May 29  -- Bank deposits in Eastern Visayas grew by 15.56 percent to PHP109.33 billion in 2017 as construction boom continues despite slowdown of post-disaster recovery projects in the region.

Bank deposits in the region managed to maintain a double-digit annual growth rate in the past five years despite the impact of the 2013 super typhoon Yolanda, based on records of the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC).

Last year’s growth is higher than the 11.23 percent recorded in 2016, but lower than the average of 20 percent growth recorded from 2013 to 2015.

Regional Development Council banking sector representative Francisco Barredo said in a mobile phone interview Tuesday that consistent banking growth is largely driven by construction activities and business expansion.

“In the past, most construction activities were concentrated in Tacloban and other areas badly-hit by Yolanda. Last year, construction projects have spread out all over the region as government pours more investments on improving infrastructure,” Barredo told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

Deposit liabilities in 2017 stood at PHP109.33 billion, higher than the PHP94.61 billion a year earlier. Deposit liabilities refer to money placed by an individual or corporation into a banking institution for safekeeping.

The PDIC banking statistics, posted on its website, showed that the total number of accounts grew by 8.44 percent from 868,080 in 2016 to 941,338 last year.

The number of banks increased to 225 in 2017 from 206 in the previous year. All provinces also posted significant growth in both accounts and deposits.

“The expansion of existing banks and opening of new banks in the region helped provide easy transfer of money and encouraged businesses to expand their operation outside major commercial districts,” Barredo added.

More banks have opened branches in Leyte, Eastern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte, according to PDIC.

Data showed that of the total PHP109.33-billion deposit portfolio, PHP65.56 billion were in Leyte province, PHP11.88 billion in Southern Leyte, PHP11.95 billion in Samar, PHP9.59 billion in Northern Samar, PHP7.64 billion in Eastern Samar, and PHP2.67 billion in Biliran.
The remarkable growth in Leyte is largely driven by operation of 49 banks in Tacloban City. The regional capital had PHP41.67 billion deposits as of end of 2016, higher than the PHP36.74 billion in 2017.

The number of accounts in the city rose to 310,781 in 2017 from 284,884 in the previous year.

The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) is upbeat that banking growth will continue in the next years due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Build, Build, Build” Program and private sector investments.

“To enhance the region’s capacity and growth potential, infrastructure development must be pursued. The stalwart performance we had in 2016, which was largely due to the remarkable growth of the construction subsector, should encourage us to push for more construction investments in the region,” said NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy.

The official was referring to the 44.5 percent growth of construction subsector in 2016 due to the intensified implementation of public construction projects such as road widening and flood control projects, among others, on top of the remaining post-Yolanda reconstruction projects. (SQM/PNA)

Calbayog to welcome 55,000 school children

CALBAYOG CITY, Samar, May 29  -- The Department of Education (DepEd) in this city is set to welcome at least 55,000 school children as it opens the new school year on June 4.

The number of students is higher compared to last year’s 49,582 enrolled school children.

“The schools are now in preparation for the opening of classes, and we are expecting more children to go back to school,” said DepEd Calbayog Schools Division Superintendent Raul Agban.

The Brigada Eskwela 2018 kicked-off in this city Monday through a caravan from Carayman National High School, which ended at the Calbayog City Convention Center.

Agban encouraged parents and other stakeholders to continue supporting the education sector in the city.

“Let us all join hands and continue helping our schools for the end beneficiaries, our children,” Agban said.

In last school year’s Brigada Eskwela, the DepEd field office here generated PHP15.04 million and mobilized at least 32,518 volunteers to prepare for the school opening.

DepEd Calbayog office key officials and staff will also go to Mantaong Elementary School on May 30 to help paint, clean, and do some repairs of the classrooms and other facilities.

At least 64 new classrooms will greet learners in 26 school sites funded last year. For 2018, at least 100 classrooms will rise in 17 school sites.

The city government here will extend PHP5,000 cash assistance to all public elementary, junior and senior high schools this school year. (JSA/PNA)

NFA-Region 8 eyes 240,000 bags rice shipment

TACLOBAN CITY, May 25  -- The National Food Authority (NFA) in Eastern Visayas is expecting to receive 12,000 metric tons (MT) of imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand to arrive in the country starting June.

NFA Regional Director Henry Tristeza said the allocation will be coming from the 250,000 MT of rice purchased through government-to-government scheme. The 12,000 MT of rice is equivalent to 240,000 bags.

“The new shipment will ensure us enough rice supply for at least six days if NFA will be the only source of staple food. That is not the case because we have enough stocks from commercial traders and households,” Tristeza said on Friday.

The volume is only a small fraction of the 60-day buffer stocks target as ordered by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The incoming stocks is expected to bring down the price of commercial rice in the market with the availability of NFA rice at only PHP27 and PHP32 per kilogram (kg), said Tristeza.

The NFA regional chief admitted the absence of NFA rice in the market contributed to the increase in the price of commercial rice in the region from an average of PHP40 per kg to PHP45 per kg.

For Rebecca Sulibaga, 44, from Lunang village in the island town of Almagro, Samar, the higher prices of rice makes life difficult for their family of six supported by her husband’s PHP300 daily income from fishing.

“Now that rice is expensive, we have no choice, but to cut our budget for other food items, education, and fare. Another option is to borrow money from our friends and relatives,” Sulibaga said.

Pedicab driver Raul Piga, 35, from Youngfield village in this city said their hand-to-mouth existence has worsened as prices of basic food items such as rice went up.

“A big chunk of our budget goes to buying rice. Most of the time, our side dish is just lawlaw,” Piga said. Lawlaw is a kind of tiny sardine buried and preserved in salt, commonly eaten by impoverished families who have no other alternative to enhance the taste of rice.   

 The NFA has stopped selling rice in the six Eastern Visayas provinces last February due to dwindling stocks.

For the second batch of 250,000 MT of imported rice which was bid out through government-to-private (G2P) scheme this week, will bring another 12,000 mt of rice to the region. NFA will announce winning bidder before end of May.

The government attempted to replenish stocks through the import of 250,000 MT but bidding failed in the last week of April. The country reopened offers from the governments of Vietnam and Thailand early of May. 

The NFA is sticking to its target of having the rice imports in the country within June. (SQM/With reports from Princess Rosette Cabonegro and Chanda Mae Dialino, OJTs/PNA)

Landslide-hit S. Leyte highway to open after 2 months

TACLOBAN CITY, May 25  -- A section of a major road connecting Leyte Island to Mindanao that has been closed for more than two months due to landslides, will be opened next week, according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The DPWH Southern Leyte field office will reopen the road Monday, just few days after the scheduled closure of the alternative Abuyog-Silago Road.

The Abuyog-Silago Road, considered as alternate route from Leyte to Mindanao, was closed as major repair works of Cadac-an Bridge in Abuyog town started on Thursday.

“With the closure of this major highway in Abuyog, there will be no other access to the Pacific towns and Southern Leyte port, but the longer Mahaplag-Baybay Road route. We have to speed up the removal of landslide debris in Pancho Villa in Sogod town to make the highway open to traffic by next week,” said DPWH Southern Leyte district engineering office chief Ma. Margarita Junia in a mobile phone interview Friday.

On March 14, a major landslide occurred in Pancho Villa village damaging a part of the highway. The debris and signs of another landslide prompted the DPWH to close the Mahaplag-Sogod Road for the safety of motorists.

Maintenance personnel has been working overtime to remove the remaining clay materials within the 250-meter road section, said Junia.

The official clarified that Mahaplag-Sogod road will initially be opened to traffic for 45 days or during the early stage of Cadac-an bridge repair works.

“We were told that rehabilitation works of Cadac-an Bridge will take 195 days. We decided to open the road into three intervals. While rehabilitation works there are ongoing, Mahaplag-Sogod road will be open for 45 days to accommodate vehicles travelling to Southern Leyte and Benit Port,” Junia added.

Benit port in San Ricardo, Southern Leyte is the region’s exit point to Mindanao.

Junia said that after 45 days, the road will be closed again to traffic while the Abuyog-Silago road will be available for motorists within 30 days.

She added that this operation will continue even if there’s no major landslide in Pancho Villa village.

The road section in Pancho village will not be fully opened until ongoing intensive soil explorations and anti-landslide measures are done. (SQM/PNA)

FDA notes lack of pharmacists in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY, May 25  -- The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has cited the absence of license pharmacists as one of the major problems of drugstores operating in Eastern Visayas.

FDA Deputy Director General Emilio Polig Jr said they found this problem in the region when they inspected establishments selling medicines last year.

Republic Act No. 10918, or the Philippine Pharmacy Act of 2015, states that only licensed pharmacists have the exclusive right to dispense medicines inside a licensed establishment.

“But this is not exclusive to Eastern Visayas. Other regions also have this kind of problem,” Polig revealed during a forum with law enforcers and local government officials here Thursday.

“That is why the FDA needs the assistance of local government units at the local level law enforcement because the approval of licenses and business permits is in their hands,” he said.

The FDA inspected 727 drug stores, 269 establishments selling food supplements, 34 medical device traders, and 15 cosmetic stores.

Aside from the absence of licensed pharmacists, the FDA also found that some establishments have been selling unregistered health products, do not have a license to operate, or are operating with an expired license.

FDA Director General Nela Charade Galang-Puno attributed the lack of licensed pharmacists to low salary.

“Our pharmacists have been pirated by other countries. We are trying to come up with a plan to address this problem. It is important that we develop an appropriate technology for the creation of virtual pharmacy or tele-pharmacy if a store has no pharmacist available,” Puno said.

Meanwhile, she asked policemen and local chief executives in Eastern Visayas to help them enforce consumer protection laws.

Specifically, the FDA asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to lead the enforcement of laws related to health product regulations.

Earlier, the FDA and PNP created Task Force D-PUNCH (Destroy Products Unfit for the Consumption of Humans) in an effort to reduce, if not eliminate counterfeit, unregistered, adulterated and misbranded health products.

The official also urged mayors to ensure compliance with consumer protection laws before approving licenses and permits to establishments.

“FDA is not a barrier to trade. Our mission is to ensure the quality and safety of products and at the same time that the consumers are protected,” Puno said during a meeting at Hotel Estrella here.

The FDA has been regularly sending advisories to local government units to warn people of fake products in the market.

“I am looking forward (to) more collaboration and ensure public health and public safety. It is important that we are able to explain everything so that people will be aware of the consequences if they use unsafe health products,” Puno added. (RTA/PNA)

Eastern Visayas cops, officials tapped to enforce consumer laws

TACLOBAN CITY, May 25  -- Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Director General Nela Charade Galang-Puno on Thursday asked policemen and local chief executives in Eastern Visayas to help them enforce consumer protection laws.

The FDA chief met with all provincial police directors, city police directors, chapter presidents of the League of the Municipalities of the Philippines, and representatives of city mayors in Eastern Visayas to orient them on some laws.

Specifically, the FDA asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to be the lead agency in enforcing laws related to health product regulations.

Earlier, the FDA and PNP formed Task Force D-PUNCH (Destroy Products Unfit for the Consumption of Humans) with its mission to minimize, if not eradicate counterfeit, unregistered, adulterated and misbranded health products.

The officials also urged mayors to ensure compliance with consumer protection laws before approving licensing and permits to establishments.

“FDA is not a barrier to trade. Our mission is to ensure the quality and safety of products and at the same time, that the consumers are protected,” Puno said during a meeting at Hotel Estrella here.

The FDA has been regularly sending advisories to local government units for people to be warned about distribution of fake products in the market.

“I am looking forward (to) more collaboration and ensure public health and public safety. It is important that we are able to explain everything so that people will be aware of the consequences if they use unsafe health products,” Puno added.

The FDA, created by Republic Act No. 3720, regulates drugs, medical devices, food, cosmetics and toys, and Household/Urban Hazardous substances, aiming to guarantee the safety, quality, purity, efficacy of products to protect and promote the right to health of the general public.

One of the marching orders of President Rodrigo Duterte to FDA is to go against counterfeit products that pose harm to the health and safety of users; and file economic sabotage charges against manufacturers, Puno said. (RTA/PNA)

Samar tagged as priority for climate resilient farming

TACLOBAN CITY, May 24  -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) will introduce climate resilient technologies in three Samar provinces as part of an initiative to help alleviate farmers from poverty.

This is the first time that adaptation and mitigation initiative in agriculture (AMIA) will be implemented in Eastern Visayas targeting beneficiaries of Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD), a project that provides intervention to poor farmers not covered by regular programs.

“Through AMIA, we want farmers to mainstream climate resilient measures meant to reduce losses arising from natural calamities. This is very helpful because our region is very vulnerable to weather disturbances,” said DA Eastern Visayas assistant regional director for operations Andrew Orais in an interview on Thursday.

SAAD recipients will be provided with seeds varieties and other inputs tolerant to impacts of climate change. Farmers will also be taught on proven climate resilient practices in farming, said Orais.

A major component of the AMIA project is the national color-coded farming guide map, which identifies crops that are most suitable in agriculture parcels, and overlays soil properties, elevation, rainfall pattern, temperature, and more importantly, the projected climate-induced multi-hazards.

The DA is eyeing a PHP1.37-billion outlay to assist less privileged farmers in three Samar provinces under SAAD.

From 2016 to 2017, the department has already poured in nearly PHP20 million to poor farmers not covered in regular programs of the central government. The project focuses on improving production of rice, corn, vegetables, and livestock.

The DA regional office is proposing PHP898.74-million budget for SAAD projects for 2019 to 2022. The initiative aims to alleviate 37,669 farmers from extreme poverty, said Orais.

DA aims to reduce poverty in Samar provinces by 25 percent in the next three years from 55.4 percent in Eastern Samar, 43.5 percent in Northern Samar, and 43.5 percent in Samar. (SQM/PNA)

Ormoc festival highlights bountiful pineapple harvest

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, May 24  -- The city’s prime crop -- sweet pineapples -- will take center stage in the upcoming Piña Festival on June 24, a celebration that is seen to draw thousands of spectators.

Mayor Richard Gomez said this year’s festival will be merrier with colorful and lively street dancing festival, highlighting the city’s queen pineapple, which locals claim as the sweetest in the world.

“We’re always expecting a bigger crowd. We always want to surpass the number of visitors in the past festival. We get the different groups to work together to show the best presentation,” the actor-turned-mayor said during the press briefing at the new Robinsons Place Ormoc Wednesday night.

The second Piña festival, to be joined by at least 10 contingents, is one of the highlights of the city fiesta celebration. Each contingent, composed of hundreds of dancers and performers from different high schools and colleges, will awe the crowd both in ritual showdown and street dance.

Other main events are “Parade of Lights”, Miss Ormoc 2018 beauty pageant, and some religious activities.

The “Parade of Lights” will feature a combination of luminescent vehicles and illuminated costumes in the theme of top-grossing movies, such as Avengers, Moana, Cars, etc.

The city government has set aside PHP20 million for the fiesta-related activities, seen as key to attract thousands of visitors from other areas and promote queen pineapple.

“There’s a huge demand for our juicy, crunchy, and sweet pineapple, but we can only meet the requirement of Eastern Visayas and some establishments in Cebu,” Gomez told reporters.

At least 500 hectares of local agricultural land, primarily owned by three well-known families, are devoted to pineapple. More than 100 tons of pineapple are produced every year.

In between main events are fun-filled days, such as the Ormoc Food Bazaar at the plaza area, barangay (village) day, educator’s night, religious night, market vendor’s night, civic society organizations event, government employees talent show, business night, and Balikbayan congress.

Also scheduled are sporting events at the plaza, such as basketball tournaments, laser run, boxing and mixed martial arts bouts, fun races, and the first Ormoc Dragon Boat Mayor’s Cup organized by the Philippine Canoe and Kayak Foundation.

The festive month will be capped by a concert that will feature various artists on June 29.

Ormoc City is a first-class independent component city of Leyte province with a population of 215,031, making it the second most-populous city in the province after Tacloban, the regional capital. It is the economic, cultural, commercial and transportation hub of western Leyte. (SQM/PNA)

Ormoc seeks immediate release of P2-B for water system

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, May 24  -- The city government here is hoping for the release of the PHP2-billion comprehensive master plan of Ormoc’s waterworks system by 2019 in a bid to solve the decade-old water shortage here.

Since the endorsement of the project by the Regional Development Council (RDC) in September last year, there has been no feedback from the central government on the possibility of allocating funds for the system, said Mayor Richard Gomez in an interview Wednesday night.

“We badly need this project considering that during the earthquake last year, our water system was badly damaged. With the growing population, there’s really a need for a stable water supply,” Gomez told reporters.

The actor-turned-mayor admitted that without funding support from the central government, it would be “very difficult” for the city government to improve the water system due to limited resources.

“With a PHP1.3-billion Internal Revenue Allotment share every year, we are not capable of financing this project designed for 15 years. The worst case scenario, we’ll have to do it in phases using local funds,” he added.

The city government will continue to follow up the proposed funding support, especially during budget deliberation season by mid-year.

The Ormoc waterworks system will “completely overhaul, rehabilitate and expand the existing water system of the entire city of Ormoc into one system.”

The completion of the project will shut down the existing 26 pumping stations to serve as standby water source.

“The new water system will be operating 24/7 of continuous water service without interruptions,” according to its project description submitted to RDC last year.

The present water system is run by 26 pumping stations with low overhead water reservoir, resulting to very limited water pressure, depriving many of the residents of their needed water, said the city government.

“Operating these 26 pumping stations with all the valving systems which isolate the system makes the operation and maintenance complicated, not to mention the non-availability of pump spare parts during wear and tear,” the project briefer said.

Major components of the PHP2-billion water system project include development of a new water source from Lake Danao; construction of four concrete ground reservoirs that would serve as pressure breakers and water storage; and construction of 90,000 cubic meters per day water-treatment plants.

The project will also set up intake facilities, water treatment plants/facilities, water storage tanks, transmission and distribution pipelines, service connections, fire hydrants and other appurtenances.

Lake Danao, located 2,130 feet above sea level, will be the water source. The lake, one of the water sources for Tacloban City and nearby towns, covers 148 hectares within the Lake Danao Natural Park 18 km. northeast of the city’s downtown. (SQM/PNA)