published January 20, 2012 in BusinessWorld
SAN MIGUEL, LEYTE -- House Assistant Minority Leader and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez (1st district) said the opposition remains strong despite the resignation of Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman (1st district) over a minority post row.
In an interview late Thursday afternoon, an hour after Mr. Lagman’s resignation, Mr. Romualdez said the decision to replace the opposition leader was a consensus of the majority as stated in a term-sharing agreement for the House minority leadership.
Under the agreement, Mr. Lagman was to sit as minority leader for the period 2010-2011, while Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez would take the position for 2012-2013.
"The minority bloc remains solid. We are all behind whoever the minority leader is and we acknowledge him as spokesman of the minority bloc in the House," he told BusinesssWorld at the sidelines of a bridge inauguration project in this town.
"In my mind, Rep. Lagman will still remain a key player not just in the minority but in Congress. He’s one of the best lawmakers in terms of experience and expertise," he added.
Mr. Lagman resigned as minority leader after almost a month of infighting among members of the opposition bloc in the House of Representatives.
The Albay solon, likewise quit as chairman and member of Lakas-CMD and as vice-president of the Centrist Democrats International (CDI), a worldwide organization of Christian and Muslim Democratic parties, of which Lakas-CMD is a member.
Meanwhile, Mr. Romualdez denied Mr. Lagman’s accusation that Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo plotted his ouster as the House minority leader.
He said the term-sharing agreement has been in existence since the 15th Congress convened in 2010. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Recent calamities expected to affect MDGs
published January 6, 2012 in BusinessWorld
PALO, LEYTE -- An official of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) here said the calamities that recently hit the country will impact on government efforts to attain Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in poor regions like Eastern Visayas.
Buenaventura C. Go-Soco, Jr., NEDA Eastern Visayas regional director, said calamities cut crop production and thus, worsen poverty.
“These can also affect literacy because schoolbuildings and other infrastructure facilities are damaged. Health is also affected because of water supply problem,” Mr. Go-Soco said.
“Farmers should be resilient by cultivating alternative crops other than rice which is more prone to flooding,” he added.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that the recent flooding has caused damage estimated at P24 million in roads and bridges in the towns of Dulag, Dagami, Burauen, Mayorga, and Pastrana in Leyte.
“Repairing damages is competing for the same kind of budget that they have and it is hard for the government to rehabilitate all damages,” Mr. Go-Soco added.
In a November 2011 report released by the National Statistical Coordination Board, Region 8 showed low probability in attaining MDGs on poverty reduction, universal primary education, and combating diseases.
The report showed that 41.4% of the region’s population is living below the poverty threshold. The target is to reduce this to 22.6% by 2015.
Net enrollment in primary education was reported at 87% last year, lower than the 91% enrollment in 2000. The target is 100% enrollment in 2015. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
PALO, LEYTE -- An official of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) here said the calamities that recently hit the country will impact on government efforts to attain Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially in poor regions like Eastern Visayas.
Buenaventura C. Go-Soco, Jr., NEDA Eastern Visayas regional director, said calamities cut crop production and thus, worsen poverty.
“These can also affect literacy because schoolbuildings and other infrastructure facilities are damaged. Health is also affected because of water supply problem,” Mr. Go-Soco said.
“Farmers should be resilient by cultivating alternative crops other than rice which is more prone to flooding,” he added.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that the recent flooding has caused damage estimated at P24 million in roads and bridges in the towns of Dulag, Dagami, Burauen, Mayorga, and Pastrana in Leyte.
“Repairing damages is competing for the same kind of budget that they have and it is hard for the government to rehabilitate all damages,” Mr. Go-Soco added.
In a November 2011 report released by the National Statistical Coordination Board, Region 8 showed low probability in attaining MDGs on poverty reduction, universal primary education, and combating diseases.
The report showed that 41.4% of the region’s population is living below the poverty threshold. The target is to reduce this to 22.6% by 2015.
Net enrollment in primary education was reported at 87% last year, lower than the 91% enrollment in 2000. The target is 100% enrollment in 2015. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
Crop losses due to floods in Leyte now amount to P11.3M
published January 6, 2012 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY -- Rice farms in Leyte suffered losses amounting to P11.3 million due to flooding in the last week of December but the Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office assured that the 2011 production target will still be met.
Antonio G. Gerundio, DA regional executive director for Eastern Visayas, said a total of 4,630 hectares of rice fields were flooded and 11,518 metric tons of palay were lost.
Of the affected farms, 2,736 hectares were severely damaged and only 1,894 hectares have the chance to recover. About 3,000 farmers were affected.
Mr. Gerundio, however, said the damaged crops were still in vegetative stage and there is enough seed stock to replace them. The department is sticking to its 2011 production target of about one million metric tons. In 2010, the region harvested
964,000 metric tons of rice.
“The effect is only minimal and it won’t have significant impact on production targets considering that we immediately replaced seedlings that were washed away. Out of 11,000 seed stocks, only 2,000 bags were used for replacement for areas damaged by the recent flooding,” Mr. Gerundio said.
The incessant rains in late December flooded the farms in the towns of Palo, Tanauan, Burauen, Carigara, Capoocan, Dagami, Dulag, Jaro, Julita, La Paz, Macarthur, Mayorga, Tabontabon, Matag-ob, and Javier, all in Leyte.
Damaged rice farms were also recorded in the towns Silago, Sogod, and Saint Bernard in Southern Leyte. The region has around 155,000 hectares of land devoted to rice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gerundio said they were stepping up their information drive to increase awareness among farmers of the effects of climate change.
For the next cropping season, which normally starts in May, the farm department will encourage farmers to plant early. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY -- Rice farms in Leyte suffered losses amounting to P11.3 million due to flooding in the last week of December but the Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office assured that the 2011 production target will still be met.
Antonio G. Gerundio, DA regional executive director for Eastern Visayas, said a total of 4,630 hectares of rice fields were flooded and 11,518 metric tons of palay were lost.
Of the affected farms, 2,736 hectares were severely damaged and only 1,894 hectares have the chance to recover. About 3,000 farmers were affected.
Mr. Gerundio, however, said the damaged crops were still in vegetative stage and there is enough seed stock to replace them. The department is sticking to its 2011 production target of about one million metric tons. In 2010, the region harvested
964,000 metric tons of rice.
“The effect is only minimal and it won’t have significant impact on production targets considering that we immediately replaced seedlings that were washed away. Out of 11,000 seed stocks, only 2,000 bags were used for replacement for areas damaged by the recent flooding,” Mr. Gerundio said.
The incessant rains in late December flooded the farms in the towns of Palo, Tanauan, Burauen, Carigara, Capoocan, Dagami, Dulag, Jaro, Julita, La Paz, Macarthur, Mayorga, Tabontabon, Matag-ob, and Javier, all in Leyte.
Damaged rice farms were also recorded in the towns Silago, Sogod, and Saint Bernard in Southern Leyte. The region has around 155,000 hectares of land devoted to rice.
Meanwhile, Mr. Gerundio said they were stepping up their information drive to increase awareness among farmers of the effects of climate change.
For the next cropping season, which normally starts in May, the farm department will encourage farmers to plant early. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Strict monitoring of water supply urged
published November 12, 2011 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY -- The typhoid fever outbreak in Leyte has prompted renewed calls for the strict and regular monitoring of the quality of water sources.
On Thursday, the Department of Health said the number of affected residents has doubled to 407 in five Leyte towns namely, Carigara, Barugo, Capoocan, Tunga, and Jaro.
"Most of those reported this week are old cases but were not immediately recorded by local health authorities. There have been fewer confinements in hospitals in the past days," DoH regional sentinel nurse Roderick Boyd S. Cerro said in a telephone interview.
He said the outbreak could have been prevented had local sanitary inspectors included water sources in their regular monitoring activities. He lamented that the inspectors currently focus only on food establishments.
"The inspection of water quality should be prioritized because majority of the population depends on water districts for their drinking water supply," Mr. Cerro said.
Under the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, the local sanitary inspectors are mandated to check sites of water sources before their construction; delivery of water to consumers from new or recently repaired water systems; and certification of potability of drinking water.
Regular bacteriological examination of water sources every six months while a general systematic chemical examination every year should be conducted.
Mr. Cerro said majority of the cases were reported in the remote areas of Carigara and Barugo. All affected areas get their drinking water from the Metro Carigara Water District.
The utility, which has over 5,000 water concessionaires, sources its water supply from a river located in Barangay Macalpi, in Carigara town.
"We believe that the water district has applied residual chlorine to treat the water but the level is low that it may not have reached the end of distribution lines," Mr. Cerro told BusinessWorld.
The DoH is set to release next week the result of bacteriological examinations of the water sample provided by the utility.
In a radio interview, Dolores Bodo of the MCWD commercial division and customer service said they conduct a bacteriology test monthly.
"And if there are leakages from our water pipes, we immediately take action on it," Ms. Bodo said, adding that they have already deployed some personnel to check on the condition of those downed by typhoid fever. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
TACLOBAN CITY -- The typhoid fever outbreak in Leyte has prompted renewed calls for the strict and regular monitoring of the quality of water sources.
On Thursday, the Department of Health said the number of affected residents has doubled to 407 in five Leyte towns namely, Carigara, Barugo, Capoocan, Tunga, and Jaro.
"Most of those reported this week are old cases but were not immediately recorded by local health authorities. There have been fewer confinements in hospitals in the past days," DoH regional sentinel nurse Roderick Boyd S. Cerro said in a telephone interview.
He said the outbreak could have been prevented had local sanitary inspectors included water sources in their regular monitoring activities. He lamented that the inspectors currently focus only on food establishments.
"The inspection of water quality should be prioritized because majority of the population depends on water districts for their drinking water supply," Mr. Cerro said.
Under the Sanitation Code of the Philippines, the local sanitary inspectors are mandated to check sites of water sources before their construction; delivery of water to consumers from new or recently repaired water systems; and certification of potability of drinking water.
Regular bacteriological examination of water sources every six months while a general systematic chemical examination every year should be conducted.
Mr. Cerro said majority of the cases were reported in the remote areas of Carigara and Barugo. All affected areas get their drinking water from the Metro Carigara Water District.
The utility, which has over 5,000 water concessionaires, sources its water supply from a river located in Barangay Macalpi, in Carigara town.
"We believe that the water district has applied residual chlorine to treat the water but the level is low that it may not have reached the end of distribution lines," Mr. Cerro told BusinessWorld.
The DoH is set to release next week the result of bacteriological examinations of the water sample provided by the utility.
In a radio interview, Dolores Bodo of the MCWD commercial division and customer service said they conduct a bacteriology test monthly.
"And if there are leakages from our water pipes, we immediately take action on it," Ms. Bodo said, adding that they have already deployed some personnel to check on the condition of those downed by typhoid fever. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Typhoid fever outbreak downs residents in Leyte towns
published November 9, 2011 in BusinessWorld
TACLOBAN CITY -- A suspected typhoid fever outbreak believed to be caused by a contaminated water source has killed a three-year-old boy and afflicted over 200 others in four Leyte towns, the Department of Health (DoH) regional office said yesterday.
Roderick Boyd S. Cerro, DoH regional sentinel nurse, said in a telephone interview that patients with typhoid fever symptoms from the towns of Carigara, Capoocan, Tunga and Barugo have been admitted to various hospitals in the province since the second week of October.
“The water requirement of these four towns is being supplied by Metro Carigara Water District (MCWD). We believe there’s a problem with their water source. It’s the common denominator,” Mr. Cerro told BusinessWorld.
He said authorities were scheduled to obtain water samples from the utility this week for laboratory analysis. The utility serves 5,000 water concessionaires in the four towns. MCWD officials could not be reached for comment.
Margilda O. Espinosa, nurse supervisor at the Carigara District Hospital, said in a separate telephone interview that a three-year-old boy with fever died in their hospital on Nov. 4 after six hours of confinement.
The fatality was from Barangay Guindapunan East of Carigara town, 53 kilometers away from this city.
Ms. Espinosa said the hospital has continued receiving patients suffering from fever as of yesterday.
“We cannot confirm yet that it’s typhoid since we do not have a facility to test if they are positive of that illness but we have proceeded with treatment,” she said.
Other common symptoms that the patients showed were stomach pains, headache, loose bowel movement, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
As of yesterday, Mr. Cerro said 152 victims have been admitted to the Carigara District Hospital, 45 in Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City, and 14 in Divine Word University also in Tacloban City.
The DoH has distributed medicines to the affected communities. Health authorities also advised the public to boil water for drinking, clean their immediate surroundings, and wash their hands regularly.
Typhoid fever (Salmonella typhi) is an illness that is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food or water. (Sarwell Q. Meniano)
TACLOBAN CITY -- A suspected typhoid fever outbreak believed to be caused by a contaminated water source has killed a three-year-old boy and afflicted over 200 others in four Leyte towns, the Department of Health (DoH) regional office said yesterday.
Roderick Boyd S. Cerro, DoH regional sentinel nurse, said in a telephone interview that patients with typhoid fever symptoms from the towns of Carigara, Capoocan, Tunga and Barugo have been admitted to various hospitals in the province since the second week of October.
“The water requirement of these four towns is being supplied by Metro Carigara Water District (MCWD). We believe there’s a problem with their water source. It’s the common denominator,” Mr. Cerro told BusinessWorld.
He said authorities were scheduled to obtain water samples from the utility this week for laboratory analysis. The utility serves 5,000 water concessionaires in the four towns. MCWD officials could not be reached for comment.
Margilda O. Espinosa, nurse supervisor at the Carigara District Hospital, said in a separate telephone interview that a three-year-old boy with fever died in their hospital on Nov. 4 after six hours of confinement.
The fatality was from Barangay Guindapunan East of Carigara town, 53 kilometers away from this city.
Ms. Espinosa said the hospital has continued receiving patients suffering from fever as of yesterday.
“We cannot confirm yet that it’s typhoid since we do not have a facility to test if they are positive of that illness but we have proceeded with treatment,” she said.
Other common symptoms that the patients showed were stomach pains, headache, loose bowel movement, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
As of yesterday, Mr. Cerro said 152 victims have been admitted to the Carigara District Hospital, 45 in Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City, and 14 in Divine Word University also in Tacloban City.
The DoH has distributed medicines to the affected communities. Health authorities also advised the public to boil water for drinking, clean their immediate surroundings, and wash their hands regularly.
Typhoid fever (Salmonella typhi) is an illness that is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food or water. (Sarwell Q. Meniano)
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