In his visit the
governor also gave calamity aid to different municipalities from the
provincial government that amounted to P.6 million.
This as P150,000 in
financial assistance were given to Capoocan Mayor Federico Carolino,
Leyte Mayor Armando Ysidoro, Calubian Mayor Hazel Po and San Isidro
Mayor Allan Ang.
Meanwhile, Gov.
Petilla personally saw to the plight of residents in barangays of
Talairan in Capoocan, Culasi in Leyte town, Jubay in Calubian and
Taglawigan in
San Isidro,
who were relief goods of rice, noodles and canned goods and some
financial assistance to repair damaged infrastructures.
Barangay Taglawigan in
San Isidro is considered one of Leyte’s most remote barangays which
can only accessed through sea travel via Biliran. Land access to this
barangay cost around P250 in one single motorcycle ride.
During the governor’s
visit, it was learned, that electricity to the area has yet to be
restored.
Families from these
four coastal barangays consist the more or less 26,447 families
affected by typhoon Frank as reported by the Regional Disaster and
Coordinating Council, it was learned.
Already, the governor
has ordered relief and help teams to these areas to immediately
rehabilitate damaged infrastructures.
The Provincial
Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) earlier reported many damages
caused by the storm last June 20-21, 2008 especially in the towns of
Babatngon, Palo, Tanauan, San Miguel, Merida, Tacloban City, Tolosa,
Matag-ob, Villaba, Barugo, Dulag, Carigara, Mac-Arthur, Mayorga, Tunga,
Jaro, Albuera, Bato and Ormoc City.
Cebu province to help
Southern Leyte in setting new tourism directions, says Gov. Garcia
By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern
Leyte)
July 3, 2008
MAASIN CITY, Southern
Leyte – The tourism program in the province of Southern Leyte has
found an ally in Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, the first lady chief
executive from the renowned queen city and province of the south.
“Count us in setting
new tourism directions for the province,” the lady Governor intoned in
her keynote address here Tuesday at the anniversary program
highlighting the 48th founding day celebration of the province.
Noting that the
anniversary theme revolves around “destination
Southern Leyte: Setting new directions,” Gov. Garcia drew parallel
circumstances when she first assumed the post in 2004.
She said the first
thing she did was to transform the
Cebu tourism
program from the familiar and usual sights to involving the various
municipalities, and so the “Suroy-Suroy sa Sugbu” program was born.
From then on, she had
made it a point that every town should have their own festival, said
Garcia.
She added that this
coming August 9 there will be a showdown of 47 various festivals of
Cebu which they called “Pasigarbo sa Sugbu”.
Gov. Garcia was
already here last Monday night as one of the guests who crowned the
new Miss Southern Leyte 2008, Marie Ann G. Maraon, 18, from Macrohon
town.
Her extended presence
was widely understood as a last-minute replacement for the supposed
guest, Bayani Fernando of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA),
who came early on Saturday to beg to be absent for a Cabinet meeting
with President Arroyo at Ilo-ilo on Tuesday.
But presidential
assistant for Region 8 Vic Domingo, who was publicly acknowledged as
the person to take the place of Fernando, also came, albeit a bit
late, and so he was also given time to speak.
The anniversary rites
was preceded by a long parade from the public plaza to the capitol
grounds here, and was actively participated by students, public
officials from the various municipalities, NGOs, the private sector,
and some visiting Directors from the regional offices.
Place the DPWH road
maintenance fund under the management of LGEs, Eastern Samar LGEs
clamor
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
July
3, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– The sorry state of the National Road going to Borongan prompted
Governor Evardone and the municipal mayors who were present in the
recently held Food and Energy Security Forum, to clamor that the road
maintenance fund of the DPWH be instead placed under the management of
the local government units.
Claimed to be one of
the worst roads in the country, the
Eastern Samar national road used to be one of the first with asphalt
overlay. However, neglect over the years caused the road to be
jokingly known as "the thousand lakes tourist spot" in
Eastern Samar.
The local chief
executives complained about the slow and delayed road repair program
of the DPWH which has caused commuters too much inconvenience.
Governor Evardone said
that he learned that so much has been allocated for the road
maintenance in Eastern Samar but he does not know where it has gone.
The local government
executives said they support devolving or transferring the road
maintenance fund to the local government units to fast track the
repair of the roads in their respective areas of responsibility.
We (local chief
executives) are blamed for the sorry state of roads and yet the funds
go to the DPWH, one mayor quipped.
The Department of
Public Works and Highways is responsible for the 28,000 kilometers or
14% of the nearly 200,000 kilometers of roads in the Philippines. The
14% represent the national roads and main trunkline system connecting
the major population centers.
The remaining 172,000
kilometers are designated as local roads categorized under the Local
Government Code as provincial roads, city roads, municipal roads and
barangay roads which are under the local government executives.
Of the P10.5
billion spent annually on construction and maintenance of local roads
(excluding city roads), 50 percent is administered by DPWH (including
an average of P3.8 billion through congressional initiatives), 25
percent by four other NGAs, and 25 percent directly by LGUs.
Pinabacdao receives
P2.5M ANESVAD grant
By EMY C. BONIFACIO
July
2, 2008
PINABACDAO, Samar –
A P2.5 million newly constructed rural health center at Barangay
Dolores, this municipality, was formally inaugurated last June 26,
2008. The construction of the health edifice, which is a legacy of the
Culion Foundation, Inc. (CFI) to the people of the Pinabacdao, was
granted by the Fundacion ANESVAD of Spain. It is the only
infrastructure component of the CFI’s project on “Control of prevalent
Communicable and Infectious Diseases” in selected provinces in
Eastern Visayas.
This is in partnership with the Department of Health Region 8, Samar
Provincial Government and the Municipal Government of Pinabacdao, this
province.
ANESVAD, a
non-government organization under its new management, is based in
Spain. It has CFI as its Philippine counterpart. ANESVAD projects are
already under its final assessment stage since it is expected to end
by July, according to CFI Executive Director, Mr. Antonio Imperial.
With her gracing the said inauguration, is Ms. Indira Villegas, the
project manager of ANESVAD.
Fortunately, Ms.
Villegas was also here in the
Philippines
to conduct an evaluation of all the ANESVAD projects implemented in
Southeast Asia. Their evaluation outputs will also serve as the basis
for new strategic plans and programs to be implemented. “Now is your
turn to guarantee the sustainability of the project. If the project is
not here, there is no reason for us to be here”, was Ms. Villegas’
final challenge to everyone when she delivered her message.
On the other hand,
Dir. Imperial of Culion Foundation Inc., congratulated all
Pinabacdaoanons for having a very supportive and health conscious
chief executive. He encouraged everyone to make use of the facility.
He was happy to know that the center was provided with a Blood
Chemistry Machine sourced from the local government funds.
In return, he
announced various programs like the provision of free drugs and travel
allowances to RHU personnel who will be conducting outreach regular
medical check-ups to strategic barangays for possible identification
of leprosy, tuberculosis and other cases. CFI will also be sponsoring
capability building seminars to Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and
doctors in eight (8) municipalities in Samar including the cities of
Calbayog and Catbalogan.
Meanwhile, the
municipality was also assured by the DOH8 Director, Dr. Teogenes F.
Baluma, with one physician who will be required to report effective
July 01, 2008. This development came after hearing that it has long
been a dream of the populace to have a doctor who will be permanently
assigned in the center. He also expressed his desire that the RHU
services will not be mainly on the curative aspects, but should focus
on the preventive and rehabilitation measures. Furthermore, he
appreciated the local government’s efforts to add more enrollees to
the PhilHealth program and encouraged the extension of out patient and
maternity packages which will guarantee the sustainability of the
unit.
On that same
occasion, Hon. Sharee Ann Tan, 2nd District Representative of Samar,
thanked ANESVAD and CFI for the assistance, Mayor Mario Quijano for
the untiring support and the constituents for the cooperation.
Likewise, being a pharmacist in profession, she envisions a
comprehensive local health plan. She encouraged everyone by saying,
“Magburublig kita kay deri puwede nga it aton la mga officials an
magkiwa. Ha akon nga bahin, akon tatalinguhaon nga mapadangat an
kaangayan nga serbisyo para han panahon nga nakanhi ak, mahinumdum
kamo nga mayda ako ginhimo. This was made after a lengthy narration of
the many educational, health and agricultural programs that her office
is presently implementing.
Buyogan wows crowd,
wins crown in Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival ‘08
By
Provincial
Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
June 30, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– The Buyogan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte wowed the crowd in the
recently held Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals and
successfully defended its crown this year as they again managed to
grab the top spot as the grand festival champion.
Already a crowd
favorite even during the parade, Abuyog’s mystical bees, fairies,
colorful dancers and lively tune bested 18 other contingents who
participated this year’s top-rated festival.
Buyogon took home P.5
million as cash prize and trophy and another P50,000 for winning the
Best in Festival Music award.
Where Abuyog was the
crowd-favorite, the surprise winner was the Karatong Festival of Dulag,
Leyte, which has not been joining the yearly festival in the previous
years but grabbed the second spot this year.
“We really wanted to
win as this is a good opportunity for our town of Dulag to be known
and promoted in other parts of the country,” said Dulag Mayor Manuel
Sia Que.
Sia Que did not join
the festival as a supportive spectator of his festival, but was
himself a part of the performing contingent.
Karatong earned
P300,000 for gaining the second spot and another P100,000 for being
adjudged as the Best in Street Dance Performance.
Meanwhile, coming in
third place was the Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos,
Leyte, a spot which was a notch lower that their previous year
finish after dominating the Kasadyaan Festival in the previous years.
They received P250,000
in cash prize and trophy.
The Alikaraw, to
recall, finished fourth in the prestigious Aliwan Festival last May,
where Buyogan placed sixth in the same event.
DYVL Aksiyon Radyo,
the Manila Broadcasting Company’s (MBC) Tacloban-based station,
announced after the competition, that the top two in this year’s
Kasadyaan Festival would join the Aliwan Festival again in
Manila
next year representing Leyte province.
Both Buyogan and
Karatong earned the said spot.
Other winning
contingents were the Bato-Balani Festival of Bato,
Leyte for fourth place, the Pamilig Festival of Sta. Fe,
Leyte for the fifth
place and Pasaka Festival of Tanauan,
Leyte for the
sixth place.
They received
P200,000, P100,000 and P50,000 in cash prizes respectively.
The other delegations
came from the Sinuog Festival of Isabel, Indang Festival of Hindang,
Tabon Festival of Tabon Tabon, Lantawan Festival of Capoocan,
Buling-Buling Festival of Tabango, Kaplag Festival of Mahaplag,
Viajedores of Lapaz, Binaybayon Festival of Baybay City, Sanggutan
Festival of Barugo, Karukatik Festival of Burauen, Lingganay Festival
of Alangalang, Haru Festival of Jaro and Tambula Festival of Babatngon.
Meanwhile, PAGCOR
Vice-chairman Remedios “Matin” Petilla, who is the executive
chairperson of the festival, said that she herself was awed with the
presentations made by all the 19 participating and competing
contingents.
“It was really a
grandiose presentation by all the participating delegates,” Petilla
said.
She said that as
part of improving more the contingents to organize all the
choreographers in the province so they could improve more their
performances in next year’s festival.
GenSan fishermen
rescued off Suluan island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
June
30, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– Seven fishermen from
General Santos City
were rescued by fishermen in the vicinity of
Suluan Island
in Guiuan, Eastern Samar on June 24, 2008.
This was learned from
the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council of Region 8 in its update
on Typhoon Frank in the afternoon of June 28.
The seven fishermen
are now currently confined at the
Leyte Provincial
Hospital at Pawing, Palo,
Leyte, Police Regional Office 8 Director Abner Cabalquinto
informed.
It was learned that
the fishing boat departed from General Santos heading for Tacloban
City on June 9, 2008 with ten fishermen onboard. On June 20, the
fishing boat capsized and seven of its crew were rescued by the good
hearted fishermen in the vicinity of Suluan Island.
The survivors were
brought to the Leyte Provincial Hospital where they were treated and
taken cared of.
Three of the ten crew
did not survive the accident and are still unaccounted for. Mr. Rommel
Sumbilon, one of the survivors said that the three are already dead.
The survivors who are
now confined at the
Leyte Provincial
Hospital are Rommel Sumbilon, Joseph Tambugoy, Daniel Sumbilon, Noel
Moreno, Emi Sabalaon, Dondon Serail, and Efren Dehilio. Their
companions who are missing are a certain Rene, a certain Junvie and
another male crew whom they described to be about 50-55 years old.
There is no idea
whether the families of the survivors have been informed about their
whereabouts.
Meanwhile, a passenger
vessel from Bato, Leyte bound for Cebu City and vice versa capsized at
Bato seaport at the height of typhoon Frank. No person was reported
injured.
Another fishing boat
FB Simeon, owned by a Taclobanon, capsized off Dio Island in Tacloban
City at the height of the typhoon. One of the crew died in the
accident.
"Frank" leaves 14
dead, 21 missing, 25 injured, 707,375 persons affected, latest RDCC
update reveals
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
June 30, 2008
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– The latest update released by the Regional Disaster Coordinating
Council at 5:00 o'clock in the afternoon of June 28 disclosed that 14
persons have been confirmed dead, 21 remains missing, 25 injured and
about 707,375 persons in Region 8 were affected, due to the onslaught
of typhoon Frank on June 20, 2008.
Police Regional Office
8 Director, General Abner Cabalquinto who is the chairman of RDCC in
Region 8 said that typhoon Frank affected about 164,611 families in
the Region, left 33,556 houses totally destroyed and 131,033 houses
partially damaged.
All those who died due
to typhoon Frank were from the
province
of Leyte which appeared to be the most hardly hit in the Region. Among
those confirmed dead were three persons from Barangay Kambungan,
Baybay City;
three from Barangay Imelda, Matag-ob town; two from
Leyte town; one from Barangay Libertad,
Kananga town; one from
Olot, Tolosa; one from Barangay Guindapunan, Palo; one from Tacloban
City; and one from Baybay City.
Most of the casualties
died because of drowning due to flooding. One of the victims died of
electrocution at the height of the typhoon while another one died
while crossing a swollen river.
The 21 persons who
remain missing eight days after Typhoon Frank hit the Region are 10
from Tacloban City; 2 from Hernani, Eastern Samar; 2 from Abuyog,
Leyte; 2 from Liloan, Southern Leyte; 2 from Malitbog, Southern Leyte;
1 from Kananga and 1 from Tomas Oppos, Southern Leyte.
Most of those injured
are from Eastern Samar with 15; Biliran province with 6; Catbalogan
with 3 and Abuyog had one injured person.
In terms of the number
of persons affected, Tacloban City had the biggest with 69,335;
Carigara, Leyte got the second biggest number of persons affected with
42,840; Guiuan, Eastern Samar with 32,935; and Merida, Leyte and Basey,
Samar, each of which have about 30,000 persons affected.
The respective
local government units and the concerned government agencies continue
to take care of the immediate needs of the affected families in their
respective areas of jurisdiction.
790 upland folks flee
villages, town’s dad rescues
By ALICE NICART (PIA Eastern
Samar)
June 29, 2008
BORONGAN CITY, Eastern
Samar – More or less 790 persons ran for their lives to the General
MacArthur poblacion this province last Monday, June 23 due to alleged
military abuses within their upland neighborhood which are reachable
thru foot trails.
The affected persons
were all coming from the seven barangays: Roxas, Alang-alang, San
Isidro, Osmeña, Tandang Sora and Pinggan, all of this town and all
sought for Mayor Jaime Ty’s refuge.
