Samar mayor urges constituents to rally behind army and police for peace and development

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
February 13, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  San Jorge Mayor Nancy Grey urged her constituents to join forces with peace keeping agencies in the fight against insurgency in Samar.

Addressing some 500 barangay folks organized by the army as Civilian Volunteers Organizations (CVO), Grey urged them to help the army and police as she said peacekeeping is everyone’s responsibility.

The barangay offcials and some CVOs attended the seminar for CVO awareness on February 8-9 at the San Jorge covered gym.

Talking in flawless waray-waray, Grey encouraged her constituents to report those who oppose the national goal of keeping peace and development in their barangay.

She added that the deterrent to development in Samar is the peace and order situation which drives out investors interested to invest in the area.

She said, the Samareños are always confronted with fear and is unable to move because he is prevented by fear to venture into his own environment for livelihood.

“Mahinungdanon an papel han CVO ha pagpatuman han kamurayaw ha aton mga lugar,” (The role of the CVO is relevant to ensure that peace prevail in our lands), the mayor reiterated.

As the populace lives in fear, development is compromised and people remain poor and undeveloped, the mayor shared, obviously saddened by this realization.

She urged them to be responsible in maintaining peace in their barangay and join the army and police for their peacekeeping effort as the local government unit share the same vision: that of maintaining peace and order for eventual development to stay.

LtCol. Bonifacio Cebrian, Commanding Officer of the 46th IB commended the woman-mayor for her commitment and cooperation with the peace keeping initiatives in his battalion.

46IB launches Project “Kasangkayan”

By Maj. ARMAND F. RICO, (CAV) PA
February 12, 2008

BARANGAY ERENAS, San Jorge, Samar  –  Project “Kasangkayan” was launched in coordination and supports with the Local Chief Executives of 13 Municipal towns covered by the unit, at the Municipal town of San Jorge, Samar for two day duration last February 8, 2008.

Lt. Col. Bonifacio Cebrian Jr., the new 46^th Infantry Battalion chief, also facilitates the activation of Integrated Area/Community Public Safety Plan (IA/CPSP) pursuant to section 51 of the Republic Act 6975 which provides that the Municipal/City Mayors shall develop, establish, and oversee the implementation of the security, crime prevention, fire prevention, health and sanitation, disaster and relief operation, and development of their communities through the concerted effort of concerned government agencies.

According Lt. Col. Cebrian, Project “Kasangkayan”, is a Security Awareness Program for Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO) giving emphasizes on their active role as an integral part of the Integrated Territorial Defense System (ITDS) that provides the first line security in defense in the barangay against all kinds of threats in order for the people to live peacefully. Considering the vital role of the CVO’s, there is a need to re-educate them on security and other related matters that will prepare them to undertake the active role.

The Project “KASANGKAYAN” will reflect on the other adjacent municipalities within the Area of Operation to strengthen the ITDS of the communities. The activity was jointly undertaken by 46IB and local executives headed by Hon. Nancy B. Grey, Municipal Mayor of San Jorge, Samar who provided the unwavering support and utmost cooperation in the success of the activity and participated by 41 Barangays with 500 plus participants.

Jaro mayor commends ICOT Caravan’s services

By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
February 12, 2008

JARO, Leyte  –  The local chief executive of this town has lauded the relevance of the services being delivered by the provincial government of Leyte to its municipalities through the Inter-Community Operation Tambulig or ICOT-Caravan program.

Jaro Mayor Rolando Celebre said the ICOT Caravan that visited his town last Friday (February 8) was just timely in that many of his residents, especially those underprivileged ones, are in dire need of the sought after services it brings.

The ICOT Caravan is posing as an extended health program of the provincial government of Leyte which is primarily aimed towards providing preventive medicine or medical care to the province’s underprivileged folks.

Among the services being provided by the ICOT Caravan are medical, dental, veterinary, Philhealth coverage for the indigents, personal grooming, and other services including the nutritional feeding program.

More than 2,000 residents of Jaro town benefited from these services last Friday prompting Mayor Celebre to personally thank Gov. Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla for bringing the caravan to his town.

“The holding of ICOT Caravan in our town has proven to be a big help as we can see that this is one of the most needed programs of my people,” Celebre said.

Celebre said he is glad that Gov. Petilla brought complete line of services especially the free medicines that most of his people needed.

“We the people of Jaro sincerely extend our gratitude to Gov. Petilla because of this,” Mayor Celebre said.

He assured that he will support whatever development programs that Gov. Petilla would push and implement in the province of Leyte.

Meantime, Gov. Petilla also handed over a total P890,000 financial assistance to the different barangays of Jaro to support the various development projects in the villages like water system, road concreting, drainage, school fencing, and improvement of barangay hall, among others.

CSC-8 bares civil service reforms institutionalized by outgoing chairperson David

By GIGI P. MONTEJO (PIA 8)
February 12, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The Civil Service Commission (CSC) Region 8 bared the numerous reforms institutionalized during her seven-year stewardship by its outgoing chairperson Karina Constantino-David who retired last January 31, 2008.

These reforms were publicly presented when she delivered a speech at the Public Lectures on Constitutional Bodies held at the National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG), University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

According to CSC-8, the Civil Service Commission through David had implemented stricter policies, installed new systems and enhanced existing mechanisms within the civil service to ensure a professional bureaucracy.

In her efforts to seek fair wage and to make salaries of civil servants be more competitive with private sectors, the CSC in partnership with the World Bank proposed a Government Compensation and Classification Act after having conducted a two-year study on compensation structure, classification structure and the process of compensation management in government.

The CSC ensured strict adherence to qualification standards in the recruitment of job applicants to guarantee merit and fitness in the career service.

CSC-8 reported further that all government agencies were compelled to implement the performance management system – a tool that measures collective as well as individual outputs of civil servants to ensure their performance-based tenure.

Since the civil servants are accountable to the people, David enhanced the Mamamayan Muna Program aimed at promoting integrity, efficiency and effectiveness in the civil service by establishing the TEXTCSC wherein any person can send their complaints, feedbacks and queries via short messaging service to 0917-TEXTCSC (0917-8398272).

Aside from TEXTCSC, the Commission launched the Public Service Delivery Audit (PASADA) Program with the assistance of the Association of Schools of Public Administration in the Philippines and the NCPAG. Under this program, undercover volunteers are deployed to frontline service units to evaluate the quality of service rendered to their clients.

The CSC envisioned a civil service that is insulated from politics thus it restricted appointments made by outgoing officials to prevent midnight appointments, imposed stricter eligibility requirements for non-presidential appointees, police officials and unified the third level by creating the Career Executive Officer System.

14th IB troops discovered NPA abandoned camp

By Maj. ARMAND F. RICO, (CAV) PA
February 10, 2008

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City  –  A New Peoples Army abandoned camp was discovered by operating troops of 14th Infantry Battalion at Sitio Lunoy, Brgy. Tawagan, Arteche, Eastern Samar at 2:45 p.m. on February 8, 2008.

A team led by 2Lt. Lagunero of Alpha Company of 14IB was conducting combat operation in the area of Maslog and Arteche both of Eastern Samar, discovered NPA abandoned camp composed of 15 bunkers that can accommodate 50 Communist Terrorist, three guard posts and one comfort room.

Recovered from said camp were one Battle Dress Attire (BDA) Uniform, one black suit, one fatigue T-shirt, one flash light, one boot “buta”, water container and pentil pen inks.

Same troop encounters NPA communist terrorist (CT’s) armed with M16 Armalite rifle and home made shotgun believed to be members of third squad, platoon Rado, Eastern Samar Provincial Party Committee at Sitio Hitalinga, Brgy. Tawagan same municipality at around 10:40 a.m. on Feb 9, 2008. Firefight ensued for about one minute that resulted to the recovery of one home made shotgun with extra barrel and personal belongings containing letter and Larab (NPA’s local publication). No casualty was reported on both sides.

Maj. Gen. Armando Cunanan, 8ID chief, extends his appreciation to the people of Eastern Samar for their support and cooperation extended to the operating troops of the 14th IB. The encounter is a result of accurate intelligence information provided by the local populace, who are against the CT’s extortion activities, a clear manifestation that they yearns peace and development in their locality Cunanan said.

Government troops are conducting pursuit operations to locate and intercept the withdrawing terrorists.

Kiko urges church groups to create legal defense and protection fund for Lozada and family, urges lawyers to volunteer pro bono services

Press Release
By Office of Majority Leader Kiko Pangilinan
February 9, 2008

“We will not allow harassment to get in the way of truth!” – Kiko

PASAY CITY, Philippines  –  With controversial NBN ZTE witness and Philippine Forrest Corp. president Jun Lozada’s explosive testimony before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee linking Malacañang directly to the anomalous deal, Senate Majority Leader and Independent senator Kiko Pangilinan on Friday urged La Salle Brothers, other religious groups and people’s organizations now aiding  Lozada to help establish a Legal Defense and Protection Fund.

“We urge concerned groups and individuals to come together and help put up a Legal Defense and Protection Fund for Lozada as we anticipate various forms of further intimidation to be thrown at him such as the filling of various cases against him. We know how financially draining this is, and the fund aims to ease this difficulty one way or another,” Kiko asserted.

“We cannot be mere spectators to this alarming issue. Lozada’s case is a danger sign to all of us, it tells us that this country has reached the situation where just about anyone can be kidnapped and terrorized in broad daylight, right before the eyes of the public and the media! It tells us that the truth in this country has become so costly that powerful forces are willing to commit illegal acts to stifle it,” Kiko lamented.

“We cannot allow foul play to obstruct the truth and justice. If we allow this to happen, the chilling effect would prevent would-be whistleblowers from coming forward. We will all turn a blind eye on the possible excesses in government, and before we know it, we would wake up chained and enslaved under a tyranny,” Kiko ended.

Jinggoy wants RP to seal labor pacts with Saudi, other OFW host-countries

Press Release
By Office of Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
February 9, 2008

MANILA, Philippines  –  Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Wednesday urged the government to negotiate for bilateral labor agreements with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries hosting overseas Filipino workers to ensure their welfare and protection, adding that “the miserable fate of the 111 Filipinos stranded since last year under a bridge at the Kandara District in Jeddah, KSA, could have been prevented by such a labor pact.”

“Having bilateral labor agreements is the best way to keep our OFWs from abuses and ill-fate. We have to aggressively negotiate for these agreements now not only with the KSA, but with all other OFW destination-countries as well,” said Estrada, concurrent chair of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment and Human Resources Development and of the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment.

The senator noted the labor pact of the Philippines with Qatar signed in 1997, as a result of negotiations by the then RP Labor Attache Rustico dela Fuente and Labor Secretary Leonardo Quisumbing.

Qatar is the first in only 13 from out of the 197 countries hosting Filipino workers that the Philippines has successfully negotiated for labor agreements with, as the OFW support group Kanlungan Center reported. The 12 other countries are Norway, United Kingdom, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Taiwan, Switzerland, Libya, Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Indonesia.

Estrada said a meeting between him and KSA Ambassador to the Philippines Mohammed Ameen Wali could pave the way for discussions on the proposed labor pact between the Saudi Ministry of Labor and dela Fuente, who is now the labor attaché in Riyadh, together with Philippine Ambassador to KSA Tony Villamor.

“I am optimistic that KSA’s King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud would be receptive to our proposed bilateral labor pact, especially since the KSA is now a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In September last year, Estrada conducted initial discussions with Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Tony Hely for a similar labor pact between the two countries.

"Practically everyday, we hear of Filipino workers being abused and maltreated by their employers abroad, especially in countries that our government does not have bilateral labor agreements with. Such agreements could prevent these misfortunes by laying down the necessary guidelines and provisions for the protection of our workers," Estrada said.

Reference: Buboy Aure, 09187938242

Journalists bring home skills for news reportage

By MYRA M. TAMBOR
February 8, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Selected journalists from all over the country goes home with added skills as they finished the closing workshop for the Probe Media Foundation Fellowship Training for Children and Disasters held at Cebu City last February 1-4, 2008.

Bringing home new information and latest strategies on news reportage, the journalists aired enthusiasm over the fellowship training.  They lauded the organizer headed by Ms. Yasmin Tang, Executive Director of Probe Media Foundation and her team, the evaluators headed by UP Professor Mel S. Estonilo and former PCIJ Training Director Yvonne Chua.

October of 2007 when PMFI identified 20 media practitioners for the UNICEF funded Media Fellowship training.  According to Tang, they have announced and posted the invitations seeking for journalists to apply for the said fellowship training.  Tang added that the response to their postings was overflowing.  Hence a more profound guidelines on screening was implemented.

From Eastern Visayas Region, only 2 among the many applicants was able to get in to the fellowship.  The participants include broadcast journalists for Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and correspondents from the TV networks based in Manila.

The participants presented their output after the October 2007 Opening Workshop.  It was evaluated by fellow journalists and a panel of reactors.  Most of the output focuses on the issue of children facing disasters.

“This is a realization that issues like this can mean good stories that will elicit LGUs commitment and push them to act on it”. Yasmin Dormido of ABS-CBN Bacolod said.

Meanwhile, Professor Mel S. Estonilo of the College of Broadcast Communications University of the Phils., Diliman said that she is just so happy to note that this kind of stories especially news features has actually find its space on radio.  She hopes that journalists who was able to attend the said fellowship training will be able to sustain such kind of reportage.

While former PCIJ Training Director Yvonne Chua for her part said “that the comments of the journalists every end of a training really inspired me to do more especially for the community journalists.  This validates my advocacy on training this persons who does much at the community level in terms of quality journalism”.

Confirming the need of more trainings for media, PMFI said that there will be more of this kind from many media NGO’s in the country who seeks for capability building and workshop trainings to enhance the skills of community journalists.

Samar observes civil registration month

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
February 8, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  San Jorge LGU will be conducting a mass wedding and mobile registration stints to some clustered barangays in observance of the civil registration month this February.

This was bared by Ms. Florita Barrilleaux, Local Civil Registar (LCR) of San Jorge, Samar in an interview with PIA.

The lady-registrar said that the mass wedding will be officiated by Mayor Nancy Grey on February 18 at the Municipal Hall of San Jorge.

As for mobile registration, she added that some barangays will be clustered to accommodate registrants from the 41 barangays of San Jorge. The mobile registration draws a big crowd because it is free, Barrilleaux said.

Aside form the two mentioned activities, San Jorge would also conduct symposium on civil registration awareness in the different high schools in town. This symposium is their preparation for the slated civil registration quiz (provincial level) on February 21, 2008.

Provincial Statistics Officer (PSO) Letecia Chu offered that the Regional civil registration quiz will be held on February 27, at the Sabin Resort Hotel in Ormoc City.

NSO Administrator and Civil Registrar General will be then the Guest of Honor.

Chu added that the reigning champion of the civil registry quiz is Samar.

Meanwhile, as the different LGUs are very busy celebrating through activities like the ones mentioned above, Ms. Chu reiterated her call to the public to be aware of the importance of civil registration.

Aside from San Jorge, Catbalogan City and Pinabacdao, Chu also commended Basey Mayor Wilfredo Estorninos for his support to the cause of civil registration in his area.