Region 8 KALAHI-CIDSS project wins 2 golds, citations for best practices

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 21, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The very good implementation of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s flagship poverty alleviation program, the KALAHI-CIDSS, in Region 8 was not left unnoticed as it won two golds and several citations for best practices, during the Project’s two-day year-end assessment held on December 13-14, DSWD Region 8 Director Letecia Corillo announced.

In a report prepared by Mr. Neil Moraleta, Social Marketing Officer of the Project in the Region, he said that Director Corillo informed that two KALAHI- CIDSS workers in the Region were named Best Kalahi-CIDSS Workers during the Assessment at Robinsdale Hotel in Quezon City.

Engr. Gerardo Peneda of the KALAHI Regional Offices was named Best Rural Infra Engineer while Melba Rondez, Javier Area Coordinating Team, won as Best Area Coordinator.

Both of them were cited for exemplary and outstanding performance that greatly contributed to the successful implementation of the project.

Aside from the two winners, KALAHI-CIDSS Regional Project Manager Celeste Madlos who was also present during the assessment informed that all seven entries of Region 8 for the Best Practices Category have been considered and presented during the conference.

The Region’ Best Practices entries involved cases of successful and effective strategies employed by the Kalahi-CIDSS area workers in addressing and resolving issues in project implementation. According to Madlos, these were drawn from "successful project experiences" in the areas of Javier, Kananga, Julita, Tabon and Bato in Leyte, Mondragon in Northern Samar, and Tarangnan in Samar.

Javier, Leyte’s "An Karigodigo han MIAC", is a best practice that focuses on the efforts of the area coordinating team at utilizing the Municipal Inter-Agency Committee (MIAC) meetings as learning venue of LGU officials on participatory and community-driven development.

Kananga, Leyte’s "Royalties" is a story of how community workers were able to access royalty taxes from industries operating in the municipality as a source of development investments. "The latter is a good example of how, potentially, national industries and local small businesses can be made to engage in development efforts," Ms. Madlos stressed.

Julita, Leyte’s "Harampang" is a practice that shows how informal community gatherings or "harampang" can be used as a venue to sensitize communities to development issues, build camaraderie and generate community support.

Tarangnan, Samar’s "Sogod to So Good" is a story that shows how the Kalahi workers in the area were able to win the trust of one community by respecting their distinct cultural and religious beliefs and how making the same community as host in project activities enabled it to overcome negative perceptions from neighboring barangays.

Also included in the Region’s best practices are Tabon-Tabon, Leyte’s "Pamalit na Kita"; Bato, Leyte’s "Pondo Niyo, Pondo Namon, Pondo Naton"; and Mondragon, Northern Samar’s Si Mayor, Si Bolunter at si KC-ACT".

The Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services Project better known as KALAHI-CIDSS, is a World Bank assisted poverty alleviation project that uses participatory and community-driven development approaches in identifying and implementing community projects.

The DSWD led President Arroyo flagship project aims to empower communities, improve local governance, and reduce poverty.

In Eastern Visayas, the Project is now on its phase four of implementation and has already covered over 800 barangays in thirty four municipalities.

The results of the year-end assessment show that the Project is achieving the reason for its being. This will indeed, inspire not only President Arroyo, the Funding Agency, the DSWD but the beneficiaries themselves, to continue to work together in the country’s fight against poverty, in empowering communities and in improving local governance.  (with report from Neil Moraleta)

Leyte SP ordinance bans burning of rice straws

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 21, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  In a giant move for the protection of the environment, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan ng Leyte recently passed and Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla approved, an ordinance prohibiting the burning of rice straws or hays and providing penalties to violators thereof.

So farmers, beware! Farmers who are still into burning the rice straw after the harvest season should think twice now. Burning the rice straw is not only harmful to the environment; it also wastes the natural fertilizer that is in the rice straw. Plus, if they are caught burning their rice straws, they will be penalized by the Provincial Government of Leyte.

Leyte Provincial Ordinance No. 07-05, authored by Hon. Rowil G. Batan and Hon. Evangeline Esperas and co-authored by Hon. Antonio Jabilles, Hon. Rolando Piamonte Sr., and Hon. Carlo Loreto, provides that the burning of rice straws or hays by any person after threshing is strictly prohibited.

In passing the Ordinance, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan took cognizance of the fact that rice straws or rice hays are classified as among the organic fertilizers which could add nutrients to the soil once left to rot and could contribute to more rice production and more income to the farmers.

Burning of rice straws is harmful to the environment. Unfortunately, it has been observed that the common practice of farmers is to burn the rice straws after threshing. The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Leyte therefore, found it a cogent need for some measures to be instituted in order to prevent further damage to the environment.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan members also believe that if the farmers will just leave the rice straws to rot in the fields, the use of commercial fertilizer input will be minimized and yet, income of farmers in terms of rice production will be increased.

In a previous interview with Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Director Leo Caneda, he said that whatever nutrients palay got from the soil, are the same nutrients that are present in the rice straw.

He said that through the Modified Rapid Composting method, the decomposition of the rice straw will be hastened to three to four weeks instead of the usual three to four months decomposition period.

Modified Rapid Composting, Director Caneda said, is one way of minimizing the use of commercial fertilizer with the use of decomposed rice straw. Every of inbred palay yields about two tons of rice straw while for every ton of hybrid rice, about one ton of rice straw is generated.

For every five tons of rice straw, the farmer needs four bottles of trichoderma, 500 kilos animal manure and plants which are rich in nitrogen. Trichoderma, according to Dir. Caneda, is a kind of fungus (amag) that hastens the decay of the compost. This is also called activator.

Trichoderma is available at the Regional and Provincial Soils Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture, Director Caneda revealed. For the techno-demo farms, the trichoderma will be given for free, Director Caneda added. The at-cost price for every bottle of trichoderma is P30.00.

By turning ten tons of rice straw into organic fertilizer right in the field, the farmer saved five and a half sacks of 14-14-14, five sacks of urea and 8 sacks of muriate of potash. Because of this, instead of putting 5 sacks of inorganic fertilizer for every hectare, the farmer will just use five sacks of chicken dung and two sacks of urea.

In so doing, the total cost of fertilizer per hectare, according to Director Caneda, will only be P4,700.00. instead of the usual P7,700.00. This will mean that the farmer will be able to save at the very least, P3,000.00 per hectare. The savings may already be used to send the farmer's children to school, he concluded.

Leyte province intends to make LPH the Leyte Medical Center

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
December 19, 2007

PALO, Leyte  –  The provincial government of Leyte is presently undertaking certain improvement works at the Leyte Provincial Hospital (LPH) here in an effort to convert the same facility into what is envisioned as the Leyte Medical Center in the near future.

Board Member Lesmes Lumen, the chairman of the committee on health of the provincial board and concurrently the coordinator of the Provincial Health Office, said it is Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla himself who ordered to upgrade or enhance the present amenities and services of the Leyte Provincial Hospital so as to meet the demands of the patients it serves and also provide the hospital a whole new much better look.

Lumen said the initial improvement works on the appearance of the hospital and the new facilities added to it has already brought significant positive changes to the overall operations of the medical facility.

“With the establishment of some private rooms at the Leyte Provincial Hospital (LPH), we are getting more paying patients now,” he said.

According to Lumen, ten more private rooms will be added to LPH so to further improved the quality of service of the said hospital.

“We have observed that more and more patients prefer to occupy the private rooms than stay in the wards that’s why we are increasing them,” Lumen said.

But he said an additional 25-bed ward also would be constructed at the Leyte Provincial Hospital to cater in more patients.

Aside from additional rooms, the hospital would soon also acquire new facilities or medical equipments such as X-ray machine, ultrasound and in the near future a CT scan, Lumen said.

He said the funds for this project would come from the provincial government of Leyte and some would be sourced from the income of the hospital.

Lumen said the LPH is now generating certain amount as income that can be attributed mainly to the new facilities it acquired through the efforts of the provincial government of Leyte.

“We are hoping that through the projects that are set to be implemented for the LPH, the quality of service it offers would be improved and the same medical facility would someday transform into what is eyed as the Leyte Medical Center,” Lumen said.

Youth leaders elect provincial federation officers

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
December 19, 2007

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  Nineteen Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation Presidents representing 18 municipalities and one city of Southern Leyte province met for the past two days at the Country Lodge Hotel here and elected their new set of officers on Monday, December 17, as the culmination of their two-day activity.

Elected President of the “Panlalawigang Pederasyon ng mga Sangguniang Kabataan (PPSK)” was Joyce Mejia, SK President of San Ricardo town, and daughter of incumbent San Ricardo Mayor Virginia Mejia.

By virtue of her election as the provincial SK head, the younger Mejia will sit as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan up to 2010, according to a press release from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) provincial office written by Loren Abrau Aniciete, the Information Officer.

The other elected officers of the provincial SK federation included the following: Vice-President - John Robei C. Lantog, from Malitbog; Secretary - Mavel A. Docdoc, from Tomas Oppus; Treasurer - Janice Portia Q. Uy, from Sogod; Auditor - Nheza May L. Loquinte, from Anahawan; PRO - Ronalyn A. Epis, from Maasin City; and Sgt.-at-Arms - Jade F. Alila, from Bontoc.

Earlier, the youth leaders attended the Integrated SK Organizational, Leadership and Reorientation Program - Basic Orientation Seminar (ISKOLAR-BOS), a program initiated by the DILG, said Info Officer Aniciete.

The youth leaders subsequently had an audience with Gov. Damian Mercado Monday afternoon, and the elected Officers took their oaths of office administered by the Governor.

Boat capsizes off Guiuan shores, 50 passengers safe

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 18, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  All the fifty passengers of MB Grace which capsized on December 16 off the shores of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, are safe.

This was learned from the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council of Eastern Visayas through OCD Director Salvador Estudillo who is the Executive Director of the Council.

Director Estudillo said that MB Grace is owned and operated by Heritage Mining Corporation of Homonhon. The boat was navigating en route to Guiuan from Homonhon, when at 8:00 o’clock in the morning, it capsized at the vicinity of Sulangan due to big waves caused by strong easterly wind.

All the passengers, Director Estudillo said, were rescued by the personnel of the Philippine Coastguard Clearing Outpost in Guiuan who immediately responded to the emergency situation.

Although all the passengers were rescued and all accounted for, however, Director Estudillo said that the damage to property has not yet been determined as of press time.

The Heritage Resources Mining Corporation engaged in chromite is the only mining firm now operating in Homonhon Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Sulangan is a barangay of Guiuan which is a favorite pilgrimage site because of its miraculous St. Anthony de Padua.

Located at the southernmost tip of the third largest island in the archipelago, the municipality of Guiuan is widely known for two significant events in history 423 years apart.

In 1521, Magellan set foot on Philippine soil in a small island southwest of the town.

On October 17, 1944, the landing of American Army Rangers in Suluan Island in Guiuan overrun a Japanese garrison in that island. This signaled the start of the liberation of the Philippines.

Guiuan is now being promoted as the major tourist destination of Eastern Visayas, its contribution to the Super Region program of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo which envisions Central Philippines as the Tourism Center of the country.

NPA leader and supporters renew pledge of allegiance to the government

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 18, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  One former NPA leader and about 1,500 mass supporters took their oath of loyalty to the government during the Peace and Development Forum held at San Isidro, Leyte on December 13, 2007.

The Forum was attended by Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla and Col. Raoul J. Reyes, commanding officer of the 802nd Brigade of the 8th Infantry Battalion and Lt. Col. Henry Bumiltac, commanding officer of the 19th Infantry (Commando) Battalion of the 8th ID.

First Lieutenant Dennis Almorato, Information Officer of the 19th Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte, informed that Governor Petilla, Col. Reyes and Lt. Col. Bumiltac turned-over a livelihood assistance amounting to one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000), assorted foodstuffs and three (3) piglets to former Communist Terrorist Leader Edwin Commendador y Pepito alias Wendyl/Delfin, a resident of Brgy. Tag-abaca, Leyte, Leyte, the Team Leader of Squad Abe, "NEPAL" Platoon, Mt. Amandewin Command, North Leyte Front.

It would be recalled that Comendador surrendered with three (3) M16 armalite rifles to the operating troops of 19th Infantry (Commando) Battalion, 8th Infantry Division at vicinity Sitio Cabariwan, Barangay Tapol, Leyte, Leyte last November 30, 2007.

Edwin Commendador received, from the government, a total of one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000) as livelihood assistance for high powered fire arms he surrendered. This is a part of the joint effort of the Province of Leyte and AFP to give cash rewards at twenty five thousand pesos (P25,000) per serviceable high powered fire arms surrendered in the area of operations.

This activity proved once again the sincerity of the government in providing assistance to all NPA leaders and members who return to the fold of the law and who surrender their high powered firearms.

The activity, likewise signify the continued victory of the government in eradicating the remnants of the beleaguered CPP NPA in the third district of the province of Leyte.

The Peace and Development Forum was attended by about 1,500 officers and members of the Samahan sa Mag-uuma sa Calubian (SAMACA) and Kahugpungang Mag-uuma sa San Isidro (KAMAS) under the umbrella of the Samahan sa Gudti nga Parag-uma (SAGUPA), a united front organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Leyte.

Related story: NPA leader in Leyte surrendered

Matin supports Icot’s intention to takeover management of MacArthur Hotel

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
December 17, 2007

PALO, Leyte  –  Former Leyte First District Rep. Remedios “Matin” Petilla supports the move of the Leyte Provincial Government under the leadership of Gov. Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla to acquire the MacArthur Resort Hotel.

Petilla, who is now a PAGCOR Vice Chairman for PGMA program for social development and also the chairman of the board of IBC-13, said Leyte province’s much-anticipated takeover of the management of MacArthur hotel is already in the offing.

In a recent interview, she disclosed that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo herself has already approved the desire of the province of Leyte to run the said hotel located in Palo town.

“The MacArthur Hotel will soon be turned over to Leyte province as the President already issued an Executive Order transferring the management of the hotel to the provincial government of Leyte,” Petilla said.

But she said some paper works and certain resolutions by designated agencies have yet to be completed before this transfer could be fully realized.

Tourism Regional Director Karen Tiopes, for her part, said the transfer would still need the concurrence of the members of the board of directors of the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) which incidentally is being chaired by Tourism Secretary Ace Durano.

But Petilla believes that the much-awaited turn over of the said hotel to Leyte province would occur sooner than expected. She said the turn over of the hotel would all the more improve the services of this facility and save it from the reported losing operations.

Petilla said the governor already has a prospective investor that would run the hotel by the time it is already transferred to the province of Leyte. She said the governor has tapped a consortium of foreign and local investors to operate the hotel.

Petilla disclosed that the structural and operational plan for the hotel was already formulated in preparation for the much-anticipated take over. According to her, the prospective investors are planning to convert the same facility into a four star or a five star hotel, eventually.

Along with the hotel development, Petilla disclosed that the governor is also planning to include the government center in the development initiatives of the province as it is located just near the MacArthur Hotel.

She disclosed that once the hotel is improved and developed, the remaining vacant areas of the government center will not also remain idle as the provincial government of Leyte is set to implement certain development initiatives in the place to further improve the economic and business activities in the place.

Region 8 conducts first Solid Waste Management summit

By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
December 17, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The First Eastern Visayas Regional Summit was conducted on December 14, at the SMED Center, Capitol Site, Tacloban City with local government chief executives, heads of Regional line agencies and non-government organizations from all over the Region in attendance.

The theme for the summit is "Enhancing Partnerships for Effective Solid Waste Management," a very appropriate theme according to many local government executives who are often blamed, even by the Environmental Management Bureau, for the non implementation of RA 9003.

The local chief executives said that instead of pointing fingers, all the stakeholders should rather help one another so that the local government units could come up with alternative solid waste management as the prescribed sanitary land fill which is too expensive, even cities could not afford to install it.

Present were Atty. Zoilo Andin, Jr. of the National Solid Waste Management Commission Secretariat, JICA Representatives Mr. Masashi Watanabe and Takashi Goto, Director Albert Magalang of the EMB Central Office and who was designated as National Representative to the Kyoto Protocol and EMB Region 6 Director Bienvenido Lipayon who is actually from Tanauan, Leyte, and who is the National Project Manager.

The State of the Philippine Solid Waste Management and DAO 9 on the closure and rehabilitation of existing dumpsites and DAO 10 on Categorized Disposal Facilities, was presented by Atty. Zoilo Andin Jr. The Clean Development Mechanism was presented by Mr. Albert Magalang, CDM Technical Evaluator of the DENR while the overview of the Solid Waste Management in Eastern Visayas was presented by EMB 8 Regional Director Letecia Maceda.

Engr. Jannet Y. Tagaza, Science Research Specialist Technical Staff of the National Solid Waste Management Commission, presented the Site Suitability Assessment Criteria for Sanitary land fill.

EMB Region 6 Director Bienvenido Lipayon, national project manager of the Solid Waste Management for LGUs Project with the GTZ presented an overview of the project while Engr. Ma. Victoria F. Ricania, deputy team leader, presented an overview of the GTZ-AHT SWM4LGUs Projects in the Visayas.

Calbayog City Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento presented a sharing of Local Authority Experiences and best practices on solid waste management strategy.