Army commander assures presence in Leyte despite troops’ deployment to Mindanao

HINABANGAN, Samar, June 7 (PNA) -– A top military official in Eastern Visayas assured the continuing Army presence in Leyte province despite the recent transfer of the 19th Infantry Battalion (IB) to North Cotabato.

Maj. Gen Velarmino, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City in Samar, said that the pull out of troops was in response to the order from higher officials to augment troops in conflict-stricken Mindanao provinces.

“Although we transferred them to Mindanao, that doesn’t mean that we will leave the northern part of Leyte. I assigned two units of reconnaissance team from Samar and Division Headquarters to occupy the vacated area of 19th IB,” Velarmino told reporters.

Velarmino assured insurgency situation in Leyte is manageable considering that most of the towns covered have been declared as rebel-free.

The absence of 19th IB will not also affect the on-going activity of the government to declare areas in Leyte as insurgency-free, according to the commander.

“It was only stopped due to election, but we will continue it again with the assessment of Leyte province,” he added.

Prior to the transfer, the Army has declared 17 towns under the jurisdiction of the unit as insurgency-free. These are the towns of Matag-ob, Merida, Palompon, Tabango, Barugo, Babatngon, San Miguel, Leyte, Pastrana, Tolosa, Dagami, Calubian, Sta. Fe, Alangalang, Tunga, Carigara and Palo.

The 19th IB based in Kananga town with 400 soldiers, including their officials left the province on May 29, 2016.

Sending the unit to Mindanao shows that Leyte insurgency situation is more manageable than in Samar provinces, according to Velarmino.

The battalion covers the northern part of Leyte and Biliran province. The southern part of Leyte is under the 78th Infantry Battalion stationed in Burauen, Leyte.

Velarmino added that sending troops to Mindanao is also part of their battalion retraining.

“If they were not pulled out they would be non-operational by August 1. They are currently undergoing battalion re-training in Carmen, North Cotabato before their assignment to the 6th Infantry Division,” Velarmino added.

The official is still unsure when the 19th IB will be re-assigned to Leyte again.

The battalion is the second unit of the 8th Infantry Division moved to Mindanao to help in the peacekeeping effort.

In 2009, top Army officials deployed the 46th Infantry Battalion from Samar province to Mindanao after the Maguindanao massacre. The battalion is now in Pantukan, Compostela Valley after its assignment in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

This is not the first time that the 19th IB was deployed in Mindanao. From 1974 to 1979, the unit was sent to Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. In 2001 to 2002, the battalion was assigned in Sulu and Zamboanga City. (PNA)

FFC/SQM/RTA/EGR

DA-Region 8 welcomes new farm tourism law

TACLOBAN CITY, June 7 (PNA) -– The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the region welcomes the formal institutionalization of farm tourism through the signing of Republic Act (RA) No. 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016.

DA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Leo Cañeda said the bill has been long overdue, and its signing by President Benigno Aquino on May 16, 2016, will formalize the establishment of linkages and maximize the benefits of agriculture and tourism by promoting environment-friendly and sustainable farm practices, providing alternative recreation facilities and farm tourism activities, and promoting health and wellness with high-quality farm-produced food.

Under RA 10816, farm tourism is defined as “the practice of attracting visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational and recreational purposes.

It involves any agricultural or fishery-based operation or activity that brings to a farm visitors, tourists, farmers and fisherfolk who want to be educated and trained on farming and its related activities, and provides a venue for outdoor recreation and accessible family outings.”

Cañeda said Eastern Visayas will benefit most from the newly-signed law as the region depend much on agriculture for its livelihood.

Farm tourism will become a tool to attract visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational and recreational purposes.

He added that farm tourism can help address the problem concerning urban migration by encouraging farmers to stay in their community instead of moving to the cities, thereby supporting rural development.

The bill provides for a Farm Tourism Strategic Action that would be integrated with the National Tourism Development Plan.

The action plan shall include investment promotion and financing, market research, trends, innovations, and information; accreditation of farm tourism camps, institution and human resource development, and infrastructure development.

Accreditation of farm tourism camps shall be on a voluntary basis and shall be valid for two years. However, accreditation may be suspended or revoked for any violation of the standards.

Under the new law, a Farm Tourism Development Board shall be composed of the Tourism Secretary as the chairperson; Agriculture Secretary as the vice chairperson while members include the Trade Secretary; the president of an educational institution providing farm tourism programs; the president of a national farm tourism organization; the president of a national inbound tour operations association and the president of a national federation of farmers cooperatives.

The Farm Tourism Development Board shall formulate plans and programs for the development and promotion of farm tourism in the country and shall set the overall direction for the implementation of the Farm Tourism Strategic Action Plan. (PNA)

LAP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES/EGR

Green groups urge court to immediately stop destructive mining projects

TACLOBAN CITY, June 7 (PNA) -- Eastern Samar province in Eastern Visayas - along with Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales, and Palawan - is now at the center of various anti-mining advocacies in the country as green groups have intensified their opposition towards mining projects that violated environmental laws and human rights of communities.

A coalition of anti-mining groups Green Thumb Coalition (GTC) called on President-elect Rodrigo Duterte for “green justice for all the violations caused by mining operations in the different provinces.”

In a statement, it said the affected communities explained a petition filed in the Supreme Court questioning the fiscal regime provided by the Mining Act of 1995 specifically Sections 80-81 that allows for inequitable sharing of wealth from our mineral resources contrary to the 1987 Constitution

.

“In Manicani island, Eastern Samar, mining-affected communities question how Hinatuan Mining Corporation was allowed to gather nickel ore stockpile in the past weeks despite the suspension of its operations since 2002. The mining operations were suspended by DENR due to environmental concerns yet mining companies are still issued ore transport permit to ship nickel ores for processing elsewhere.

“Tension grips the island as HMC pursues loading from its mineral stockpile while residents led by SAMAMO continue to hold a barricade against the hauling,” the group said in a statement on the occasion of the World Environment Day on Sunday.

According to the group, “in all the cases presented, environment and human rights advocates question the actions and inactions of government agencies that allow mining to continue on despite strong opposition and evidence of environmental and human rights violations.”

“The most immediate that we can demand is a moratorium on all mining operations in the country while the Duterte Administration review and address the loopholes in the current mining policy. We also expect a review and evaluation of all mining projects, and that erring mining firms will be suspended and sanctioned,” said Alyansa Tigil Mina national coordinator Jaybee Garganera.

The group is pushing for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995 and the enactment of the Alternative Minerals Management Bill. According to the group, the AMMB presents a sustainable, rational, needs-based minerals management policy geared towards effective utilization of mineral resources for an ecologically-sound national industrialization and modernization of agriculture.

GTC is a 10-million strong coalition challenging presidential, vice presidential and other political candidates to put socio-environmental issues in their electoral platforms. The group will "monitor the action agenda for the first 100 days of the elected officials and follow up on their commitments for the environment and Filipino communities."

Its member groups are Alyansa Tigil Mina, Save Manicani Movement, Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALKFI), Sanlakas,

Concerned Citizens of Sta Cruz Zambales, and Didipio Earth-Savers Multi-purpose Association, among others. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/RONALD O. REYES/EGR

Prov’l hospitals get incentives from Leyte guv

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, June 6 (PNA) -– Ormoc District Hospital (ODH) received the biggest amount from the Hospital Incentive Scheme of the provincial government. This was learned during the distribution of incentives to hospital personnel by Gov. Dominic L. Petilla.

ODH received almost PHP30 million representing income made from paying patients and reimbursements from Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) for the first quarter of 2016.

Of that amount, PHP3.5 million is allotted for incentives of hospital personnel consisting of 23 medical and 121 non-medical personnel.

The Hospital Incentive Scheme began during the term of former Governor Carlos Jericho L. Petilla to help improve the facilities and services provided by the 14 province-run hospitals. This is done by maximizing collections from PhilHealth and charging fees to patients who can afford to pay.

The revenues raised were used for the hospitals’ capital outlay, maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) and employees’ share to convince them to stay and render their service in government.

“Most of these revenues will go back to you,” the governor said. “Part of it will go to your incentives which is what we are distributing today. Another portion will go to repairs and your MOOE.”

Petilla described ODH as a top performer in terms of income and service delivery from among the 14 province-run hospitals.

The official also distributed incentives to personnel of Manuel B. Veloso Memorial Hospital (MBVMH) in Palompon town. The previous day it was at Leyte Provincial Hospital (LPH) in Palo town.

MBVMH earned PHP7.6 million while LPH made PHP3.2 million in the first quarter this year. “A higher revenue means more treated patients,” the governor said. “The more patients, the more revenue, most of which will be used to improve your operations.” (PNA)
FFC/SQM/FNC/EGR

Red tide alert up in 2 Samar bays

TACLOBAN CITY, June 6 (PNA) -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) warned that all types of shellfish taken from Cambatutay Bay and Irong Irong Bay in Samar province are positive of red tide contamination.

According to latest local red tide advisory, red tide toxins found in the seawaters of two bays are beyond the regulatory limit.

“All types of shellfish and Acetes sp. or alamang gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption,” said BFAR regional director Juan D. Albaladejo.

“Thus, the public is advised to refrain from eating, harvesting, marketing, and buying shellfishes and Acetes especially from Irong-irong Bay and Cambatutay Bay until such time that the shellfish toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level," he added.

The prolonged sunny weather since early this year, followed by sudden heavy rainfall in the past few weeks triggered the red tide bloom due to discharge of waste water from mountains and residential areas, according to BFAR.

Albaladejo has expressed concern that that red tide toxins may spread to nearby Cambatutay Bay, Maqueda Bay, and Calbayog City waters. These areas have histories of red tide contaminations.

Irong-Irong Bay, one of the collecting areas for mussel in Samar, drains its water to nearby Cambatutay Bay, which is close Calbayog City waters.

Fish, squid, shrimp and crab are safe to eat “provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” according to BFAR. (PNA)

BNB/SARWELL Q. MENIANO