2 dead as lightning strikes passenger boat in Samar

CALBAYOG City, Samar, June 1 --Two persons died on the spot as lightning struck a passenger motorboat docketed at the city port here Thursday noon.

Police identified the victims as Reynaldo Delabajan, 28, an operator of the National Power Corp. (Napocor) and a resident of Sto. Niño town, Samar; and Pedro Alimoot, 26, fisherman and a resident of Costa Rica village, also in Sto. Niño.

According to the police, the lightning struck the middle post of the motorboat as the victims were sitting below.

Napocor chartered the boat to transport fuel for the generator in Sto. Niño.

Strong lightning and thunder also injured two people at the Calbayog port. (JSA/PNA)

Gov’t breaks ground for Korean-funded Samar Pacific Coastal Road

PALAPAG, Northern Samar, June 1 -- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the South Korean government held a groundbreaking of the nearly PHP1-billion Samar Pacific Coastal Road and Simora-Palapag Road project.

DPWH Secretary Mark Villar and South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man led the ceremony Thursday afternoon. Joining them were local officials of Northern Samar.

The PHP997.50-million road project, funded through a loan from the South Korean government, will open an 11.6-km. two-lane road and build three bridges. The Korean contractor aims to complete the project by March 2020.

Han, in his message, recalled the sacrifices of Filipino soldiers during the Korean War in defending the people of South Korea from the invading forces of communist soldiers from North Korea and China.

“The government of Korea will remain to fulfill its commitment and will continue to pay our debts. This groundbreaking is a symbol of our strong partnership and friendship,” Han said. “This project is also to show our commitment to end poverty and promote regional economic growth in the Philippines.”

Han added that once the project is completed, it will significantly reduce transportation costs, improve the movement of people, enhance services, and alleviate poverty in Northern Samar.

Villar promised that under the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, the DPWH will complete all infrastructure projects being implemented and funded by the national government.

The department will shoulder the cost of road right-of-way acquisitions.

“This project is an example of what will happen to the Build, Build, Build project of the national government. I am confident that this road construction will succeed because we are united,” Villar said.

Mapanas Mayor Francis John Tejano said that finally, the Simora-Palapag road is no longer just a dream, but is about to become a reality.

“We are thankful to President Duterte, to our district representative, and the governor who pushed for this road project that will connect our town to Catarman,” Tejano said.

Palapag Mayor Marlo Agno, whose area would be the first to benefit from the project, was also thankful to the President for being instrumental in the fulfillment of the road project.

To reach the capital town of Catarman, residents of Palapag and three other Pacific towns -- Mapanas, Gamay, and Lapinig -- need to cross the river twice through a pump boat ride.

From the port in Pangpang village in Palapag, travelers need to cross the river to Calomotan village of Laoang, then take a boat ride to the port in the town center and ride another pump boat to cross the river going to Rawis village.

“That mode of transportation is very costly, that is why prices of goods here are high,” Agno shared.

“Once the project is completed, this will help ease the lives of people here. The road will connect us to our provincial center and will also result in us having better access to the services the government is providing,” the mayor added.

The construction of the Simora-Palapag road would be a big improvement to the entire province of Northern Samar, which will soon become connected after decades of waiting, said Governor Ong.

“This will not only bring economic development but will also help improve our security and peace and order situation and address the insurgency problem,” Ong told reporters.

The road project will also help promote the tourism potentials of the four Pacific Coastal towns that are blessed with beaches, rock formations, waterfalls and caves, he said.

Last year, the DPWH pushed for the extension of the validity of a Korean-funded loan for the Samar Pacific Coastal Road due to pre-construction delays.

The National Economic and Development Authority-Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee approved last Dec. 6, 2017 the loan validity extension of the foreign-funded project from Jan. 18, 2018 to Jan. 17, 2020.

The extension of the implementation from September 2017-July 2019 to January 2018-December 2019 was also approved.

The project has been delayed due to security issues, bidding failures, concerns on hiring of consulting services, and late submission of deliverable bidding documents.

The Korea Export-Import Bank-Economic Development Cooperation Fund Loan No. Phl-14 was signed on Aug. 19, 2013 and took effect on Jan. 17, 2014, with the original closing date set on Jan. 16, 2018.

The DPWH completed the detailed engineering design last Oct. 8, 2015. Pre-procurement conference for a selection of contractors was held Jan. 11, 2017, followed by pre-bid conference on Feb. 7 and submission of technical and financial proposal on February 28. (RTA/JB/PNA)

Korean envoy vows to bring in more tourists to PH

LAOANG, Northern Samar, June 1  -- South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man said they are committed to bring more tourists to the country despite the closure of Boracay, one of the most preferred destinations of Koreans.

Han said during the road project groundbreaking here Thursday that they will bring at least two million Korean tourists to the Philippines this year to visit world-class sites and increase their contribution to the economy.

“I promised him to bring two million tourists to the Philippines every year and increase tourist receipts from USD15 billion to USD20 billion,” Han said.

South Koreans were the top visitors of the country in 2017 based on Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Bureau of Immigration records.

Around 1.6 Korean tourists visited the country in 2017 with Boracay and Cebu as their favourite destinations. Trailing behind are Chinese and Japanese tourists.

The DOT is targeting to achieve 7.4 million tourist arrivals this year, higher than the 6.5 million target in 2017. The country welcomed 6.6 million tourists in 2017, higher than the 5.97 million in 2016.

According to Han, they will continue to strengthen the relationship between his country and the Philippines by improving the business climate in the country as well.

“Every time I met Korean businessmen I always tell them to invest, invest, invest in the Philippines to support President Duterte’s Build! Build! Build! program,” Han added.

“I always tell them that this is the right time to repay the Philippines for what the country did to our country by helping us during the great Korean War.” (RTA/PNA)

P716-M Tacloban terminal project to proceed: DOTr

TACLOBAN CITY, May 31  -- The long-aspired PHP716-million Tacloban Airport terminal building construction project will proceed this year, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) assured local officials here Thursday.

DOTr Project Management Service Director Eduardo Mangalili said their office will bid out soon the contract for coming up with detailed engineering design to make the facility at par with global standards.

“The project will push through. It’s already in the General Appropriations Act. The budget intended for Tacloban Airport will not be used for other airports,” Mangalili told members of the Regional Development Council’s infrastructure and utilities development committee.

The official said they’re looking at joining the contract for design and construction to ensure obligation of budget within the year.

Under the DOTr’s original timetable, the terminal building construction is up for bidding in June this year.

The target is to complete the full development of the city’s airport within the term of President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The transportation department backed the development of the city’s airport, considering that it is the seventh busiest airport in the country with 1.2 million passengers last year.

To complement the building of new permanent terminal building, the government had set aside in 2014 some PHP142.56 million for the relocation of affected families. The relocation activity is 48.58 percent complete and the target completion is July 2018, according to Mangalili.

Last year, the DOTr released PHP264.93 million to finance asphalt overlays, a newly designed parking area, shore protection, and site development for the new terminal building, including the construction of a perimeter fence.

For 2019, the proposed budget is PHP50 million to support the multi-year implementation of control tower and operation building construction.

Early this year, the government unveiled the PHP17 million expanded terminal building for use, pending the completion of the permanent terminal building.

The expansion increased the total floor area to 1,100 sq. meters and added 275 seats to the 360-seater departure area before the extension.

The central government conceptualized the upgrading of Tacloban Airport as early as May 1996 when the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) carried out a master plan on the development of the airports of Tacloban, Bacolod, Iloilo, and Legazpi.

This is in support of the Philippine government’s thrust to modernize transportation infrastructure and facilities and promote exports by air in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan ‎(1993-1998).

The project has faced several setbacks for two decades, including the government’s inability to provide a counterpart budget to the JICA-funded project during the administration of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

In November 2012, former president Benigno Aquino III approved the PHP2.12 billion Tacloban Airport Development Project supposedly for implementation between 2013 and 2016.

The concreting of the new apron and taxiway were completed in 2014.

However, the terminal building construction failed to push through with the diversion of the PHP718.75-million fund for the Tacloban Airport to the Disbursement Acceleration Program. (SQM/PNA)

San Juanico Bridge lighting completion date moved to April 2019

TACLOBAN CITY, May 31  -- The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has pushed back the completion date for the PHP80 million San Juanico Bridge lighting project from November 2018 to April 2019.

Regional Development Council’s infrastructure and utilities development committee vice chair Oliver Cam said TIEZA and other stakeholders agreed that completing the project on or before November 2018 is not realistic.

“There are lots of basic paper works to be done to get to the point where it is ready for implementation. There’s a need to come up with technical details, engineering design, and scope of work of the project,” Cam said.

The RDC official who represents the business sector, said TIEZA is closely coordinating with the project proponent, the Samar provincial government to carry out the project. A management board with various agencies and local government units as members, will be organized to manage the new tourism attraction.

Brett de los Santos, Samar provincial investment and trade promotions office chief said the new target completion date is April 2019. The plan is to light up the entire 2.16-kilometer structure.

“Once the project is complete, there would be a 10-minute light show six times nightly that may include water, light, and laser aspects. Every night, there would be six-hour park mode or static mode lights with subtle movement of lights,” de los Santos said.

The project will use light-emitting diode, one of today's most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.

Just like other shows, its colors will be in support of various events throughout the year, the lighting will also be programmed to celebrate special occasions, Tan said.

Samar’s provincial government will also build a boardwalk for a perfect view of the show and provide music. Tan encourages investors to put up shops nearby.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan shared the idea on illuminating the iconic bridge to Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez, Regional Development Council chairperson, in an effort to add vibrancy and interest to nighttime tourism.

At present, tourists can enjoy daytime activities at the San Juanico Bridge through the tour packages offered by private operator, Aquamomentum.

The bridge’s transformation would be a new attraction under the Spark Samar, a branding campaign initially launched in 2015.

Once called the Marcos Bridge, the San Juanico Bridge was built in August 1969 over the San Juanico Strait, the narrowest navigational strait in the world that separates Samar and Leyte Islands and was completed in December 1972.

The bridge that spans 2.162 km. was built as part of the Pan-Philippine Highway now called the Maharlika Highway, a network of roads, bridges, and sea routes that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao. (SQM/PNA)