Duterte visits quake-hit Ormoc

ORMOC CITY, Leyte, July 13 -- President Rodrigo R. Duterte on Thursday declared here that the government is by far on top of the situation in the aftermath of the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that struck the Visayas area on July 6.

The President, who was briefed of the parallel response being done by the various agencies during his visit in this quake-hit city, said he is satisfied by the actions taken by his Cabinet, seven days after the quake jolted a number of provinces in Eastern Visayas.

Primary response presented was on the restoration of power supply in the Eastern Visayas region which has resulted in total blackout in several areas in Leyte. 

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said that he just secured a signed commitment on Thursday by the power generator Energy Development Corporation (EDC) and transmission facility National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to fully restore power by the July 31 deadline set by DOE.

Cusi added that power restoration will come in staggered phase, the first on July 16 for 40 megawatts, another 90 megawatts on July 19 for a full restoration on July 31.

Meanwhile, the trade and industry department assured they were continuously monitoring prices of commodities in the area and said it has been the same so far.

However, DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said during the briefing, with the continued power outage, this may affect prices of commodities, particularly among stores and establishments that operate using generator sets.

The quake’s economic impact estimates a PHP105 million daily loss and is feared to hit billions if the power outage will continue in the next 20 days.

It is feared the power outage may likewise affect the double digit growth achieved by the region in the past year.

Meanwhile, damage to irrigation is pegged at PHP31.79 million, to which the National Irrigation Administration assured they have available funds for the immediate repair of these facilities.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretarty Mark Villar said the agency will be needing PHP256 million, mostly to repair damaged schools, roads and affected village facilities in Kananga and Ormoc City.

A total of 14 villages are affected in Ormoc City, three villages in Kananga and a village in Carigara town.

The July 6 quake caused two deaths and 351 injured. A total of 8, 957 families were affected. (Ahlette C. Reyes/PNA)

Tacloban village execs asked to assist PNP to secure peace and order

TACLOBAN CITY, July 12 -- The city government of Tacloban had asked help from village officials to help them in maintaining peace and order in the city amid the ongoing black-out.

City Administrator Lawyer Irene Chu had asked the Office of Barangay Affairs to instruct village chiefs to activate their Barangay Peace Keeping Force locally known as Barangay Tanod to help local policemen in ensuring peace and order.

“The Philippine National Police will need help of auxiliary peace keeping force in Tacloban to maintain peace and order while waiting for electricity to restore,” Chu said.

Tacloban City has a total of 322 police personnel securing the more than 250,000 population of the city.

“We need to activate all our barangay tanod and our volunteer groups especially at night,” was Atty Chu’s instructions to the Office of Barangay Affairs personnel.

If possible instead of doing patrol and duty at day time, barangay peacekeeping force will do it at night time to augment police personnel in securing villages in the city.

Criminal elements may take advantage at the current situation of the city which has been plunged in darkness due to failure of power generation companies to supply the power needs of Eastern Visayas after the 6.5 earthquake in July 6 and 5.4 magnitude earthquake in July 10.

The ongoing power outage had resulted for some establishments in the city to limit their business hours operation to reduce cost on fuel they used to electrify their businesses.

Among those that shortened their operations are the Tacloban Banker’s Association that had passed a resolution shortening their operation from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Roel T. Amazona)

Fire razes 7 houses in black-out hit Tacloban

TACLOBAN CITY, July 12 -- The Bureau of the Fire Department (BFP) in this city reminded residents to take extra caution in using candles now that Tacloban is in total black-out.

Early Wednesday at 5:00 a.m., seven houses at the Siren District of this city were razed by fire due to a unattended lit candle.Six of the houses were made from light materials while one was a concrete two-story house.

The BFP estimated the worth of damage to more than PHP400, 000. No major injuries or death was reported due to the fire.

Fire Senior Inspector Leonell Aurella said that this is the first fire incident reported in Tacloban after the total power outage following the 6.4 magnitude earthquake in July 6 and the 5.4 magnitude aftershock in July 10.

“When using candle, they must be conscious or they should use solar lamps or rechargeable lights to avoid fire incidents,” said Aurella.

Some of the affected residents of the fire are now temporarily staying with their relatives.

The city government of Tacloban in a meeting Wednesday morning presided by City Administrator Lawyer Irene Chu instructed the City Social Welfare and Development Office and the City Disaster Risk Reduction Council to assist all victims and provide financial assistance to the affected families.

The city government also made a commitment to BFP Tacloban that they will regularly supply water to help the fire department of their needs in responding to fire alarm.

Personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development had also visited the site to check the three families who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program. (PNA/Roel T. Amazona)

Leyte business chamber calls on govt help to restore power

TACLOBAN CITY, July 12 -- The business chamber in Leyte has called on the government to intervene in fast tracking the solution to restore power in the province and the whole Eastern Visayas region.

This following the announcement that testing of temporary power on Monday and Tuesday failed after it was found out that both power generating plants and transmission lines were destroyed by the 6.5 magnitude earthquake which struck Leyte on Jly 6. 

Wilson Uy, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Leyte, Inc., said the current power situation is causing the business sector to shoulder additional costs in their daily operation.

"This additional costs will be passed on to consumers eventually. In the end, it will be the people who would bear the brunt of increasing prices," Uy said

He added that with the magnitude of the destruction to the power source and the transmission facilities, the solution cannot be provided by the power companies alone.

In the meantime, Uy said that a number of businesses in Tacloban and in nearby Palo town are taking the power outage as an advantage.

Businesses selling generator sets and other alternative power are "in" for now.

However, Uy added there are other businesses which have opted to close down for the last six days following the region-wide blackout.

While some are planning to cut short store hours to save on fuel powering their generator sets.

Meanwhile, banks in Tacloban are shortening their service hours from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Uy likewise called on the business sector to "persevere in the current situation" and to cooperate in any way power will be restored soon.

"We underwent more than this during Typhoon Yolanda. We will surely survive this as well," Uy said. (Ahlette Reyes/PNA)

Healthy diet underscored in Tacloban's Nutrition Month kick off activity

TACLOBAN CITY, July 5 -- With the theme “Healthy Diet, Gawing Habit for Life,” this year’s celebration of the National Nutrition Month kicked off in Tacloban City today, Wednesday, at the City Engineering gymnasium.

Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. regional nutrition program coordinator for National Nutrition Council (NNC) in Region 8, said that eating in moderation the three key food groups boosts the immune system and adds more years to one's life.

“We should not only be concerned of the quality, nutritious but also safe food. Eating healthy and being fit should not only be an individual advocacy but also a global advocacy,” Dotollo said in his speech.

The NNC leads the observance of the National Nutrition Month, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 491, the Nutrition Act of the Philippines.

Dotollo said the agency has a lot of programs to contribute to the achievement of the country's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN). The PPAN is the country’s response to nutrition situation and provides the framework for improving the nutritional status of Filipinos.

According to Datollo, the different local government units and their local nutrition committees in Eastern Visayas launched the National Nutrition Month and campaign for healthy meals in the community. They also have Nutri-Food Bazaar like the one set-up in Balyuan Grounds, Tacloban City.

Felecita Borata, regional dietician and nutritionist of the Department of Health (DOH), said that eating healthy meals will reduce malnutrition and non-communicable diseases.

She said healthy diet should be safe from bacteria and other contamination. Each individual’s needs should be addressed like those of pregnant and nursing women, elderly and babies. Having nutrition options will lessen obesity and under-nourishment.

“Your food should have less salt, sugar and oil,” Borata said.

The NNC also encouraged backyard gardening and promotes eating of fruits and vegetables.

Pinky Horca, city hall official who represented Mayor Cristina Romualdez, said that the city has sustained the program of being fit by holding zumba sessions in city hall grounds and in the Tacloban Astrodome grounds which is open to the public.

Eating nutritious food is an advocacy of Mayor Romualdez and she encouraged everyone to eat healthy food and be fit.

The activity also aims to promote the “10 Kumainments” and “Pinggang Pinoy” programs, as well as pushes strict implementation of Department of Education Order No. 8 series 2017 entitled “Revised Implementing Guidelines on the Operation and Management of School Canteens in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools” that bans selling of junk food and soft drinks in school canteens. (Vicky C. Arnaiz/PNA)