The dead dolphin was
already buried when Aileen Jornales, Aquacultural Technician II of the
provincial government of Biliran came to the location.
Jornales instructed
the barangay tanods to unearth the corpse for examination.
Jornales then
dissected the abdomen part of the mammal for necropsy with Dr. Suzette
Apura, provincial veterinarian and at the same time chairman of the
Philippine Marine Mammals Stranding Network (PMMSN) – Biliran Chapter.
Aside from the bruises
and thin cuts on its skin, its left lung was found to be darkening.
Dr. Apura declared drowning as the cause of death of the dolphin.
The dolphin which was
found at around
6:00 o’clock in the morning yesterday in the shallow waters between Capiñahan and
Dalutan Islands
was brought back to the deeps for three times by bantay dagat members
and local fishermen of the municipality of Almeria. However, it kept
coming back to shore.
Since the dolphin was
found to be able to float and swim and of normal breathing except for
the thin cuts on its skin, it was released again but monitored by the
bantay dagat. Had it came back to the shores yesterday afternoon, it
would have been brought to VRC Resort in Brgy. Talahid in the
municipality of Almeria for a three-day rehabilitation and to undergo
medication.
The dolphin did not
return to the shores of
Almeria town proper but was stranded in the adjacent barangay of
Jamorawon where local fishermen brought it to the deeps.
At around 7:00 o’clock
this morning, the dolphin was found trapped in the rocks probably
during ebb tide which caused its death.
The dead body of the
dolphin was turned over to Mr. Sofronio Dacillo, Provincial
Environmental Management Specialist II of the
province of
Biliran,
where it was buried within the capitol compound.
In January 20, this
year, a bottlenosed dolphin of more than 2 meters long was reported
trapped in a local fisherman’s net and was already dead when noticed.
The local fisherman of Almeria caught the dolphin near the waters of
Sambawan Island
in Maripipi in Biliran province.
SDC conducts
consultation on budget of NGAs, SUCs
By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA, PIA 8
February 7, 2011
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Social Development Committee (SDC) of the Regional Development Council
(RDC) of Eastern Visayas conducted a consultation on Monday, February
7 on the budget of several national government agencies (NGAs) and
State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Region 8, in its first
committee meeting held at RDC Conference Room of NEDA 8.
The budget
consultation is in accordance with the provisions of Section VI of the
National Budget Memorandum Circular 107 entailing for the RDC to
conduct budget consultations with the NGAs, SUCs and LGUs for the
purpose of reconciling program thrusts of the agencies and evaluating
existing programs and projects and to secure feedback on the impact of
these programs and projects.
NGAs in the region
that have submitted their programs and projects’ budget subject for
consultation are those which belong to the Social Development
Committee. These include DOH, DepEd, DSWD, DOST, TESDA, NHA, CHED,
DOLE and DILG.
SUCs in the region
that have submitted their programs and projects’ budget subject for
consultation are the following: Leyte Normal University (LNU), Naval
State University (NSU), Samar State University (SSU), Eastern Samar
State University (ESSU), North West Samar State University (NWSSU) and
Southern Leyte State University (SLSU).
According to Mr.
Manuel Calero, Head of the SDC Secretariat, each member of the
committee can give feedback to the programs and projects’ budget of
each NGAs and SUCs as long as the member has firsthand knowledge,
official reports, perceived importance and has issues to be raised
related to the programs and projects.
Calero said that
feedback from each member is focused on the on-going programs and
projects of NGAs and SUCs in 2011, their programs and projects which
require funding allocation for 2012 and their programs and projects to
be implemented in 2012-2014.
He explained that each
SDC member will fill-up feedback forms, secretariat will summarize the
feedback of the programs and projects and the summarized feedback will
be presented to the RDC on February 18.
SDC will welcome all
comments from each SDC member and each respective NGAs and SUCs will
be given a copy of the feedback for their perusal, Calero said.
Meanwhile, DOLE
Regional Director Forter Puguon, SDC Chair, hoped for a fruitful and
meaningful first meeting of the SDC.
Director Puguon
emphasized that the activity is a paradigm shift in the usual budget
process in order to ensure that available public resources are
maximized for core vital government services with the greatest
beneficial impact on poverty reduction and equitable growth.
Army hails civilian’
cooperation in tracking insurgents
By PIA Eastern Samar
February 7, 2011
BORONGAN, Eastern Samar –
The army through the 8th Infantry Division (8th ID) hailed the
cooperation of civilians in tracking down the presence of rebels in
their communities.
Through the army’s
implementation of the Internal Peace and Security Plan “Bayanihan” (IPSP-Bayanihan),
they were able to achieve what they term as ‘tactical accomplishment’.
According to an army
official, it means that smaller troops have done successful combat
operations. One of those cited includes an incident where residents of
Barangay Salvacion, Can-avid, Eastern Samar reported the presence of
armed New Peoples Army in the said barangay to the troops of 14th
Infantry (Avenger) Battalion.
As the troops
responded, they encountered a group of more or less eight communist
rebels in the morning of February 6, 2011.
The firefight,
according to a report penned by Lt Col. Noel Vestuir lasted for almost
fifteen (15) minutes after which the rebels believed to be members of
the New People’s Army (NPA) withdrew towards different directions.
The army added that no
casualty was reported on the government side while undetermined on the
NPA side.
The troops of 14th IB
recovered one caliber 5.56 M16 armalite rifle with one magazine filled
with 20 rounds ammunition and one US rifle M1 carbine that were left
behind by the withdrawing NPAs.
In another part of
Samar, the 803rd Brigade (803rd Bde) encountered an undetermined
number of NPA’s near the boundaries of P. Rebadulla of Catubig and
Barangay San Jose of Mapanas both of Northern Samar.
Firefight ensued and
no casualty was reported on the government side. The troops recovered
personal belongings from the fleeing rebels.
The army believes that
the people have rallied behind the government troops in their support,
thus the influx of civilian tips when enemies of the state are around.
The 8th ID Commanding
General, Major General Mario F. Chan, expressed his appreciation for
the support of the people and also congratulated the troops for a job
well done.
“I am happy to note,
that as we implement the government’s Internal Peace and Security Plan
“Bayanihan” we gained positive responses from our people,” Chan said.
He emphasized that his
army can never accomplish the same without the people’s cooperation.
“With the timely
information, our troops have prevented whatever violent activities and
plans of the rebel groups that may have endangered the lives of our
people,” General Chan concluded.
Comelec En Banc
decides favorably to petitions for recall of Samar Governor and
Vice-Governor
By EMY C. BONIFACIO,
Samar News.com
February
7, 2011
CATBALOGAN, Samar –
Contrary to pronouncements from the Tan’s camp that the petition to
recall them from their present positions are premature and is a futile
exercise, the Comelec en Banc released a decision that favored the
petitioners and declares the petitions to be sufficient in form and
substance.
Samar News has been in
possession of an excerpt of the Minutes of the Regular en Banc Meeting
of the COMELEC held on January 12, 2011 that ordered its Deputy
Executive Director for Operations of the Commission to implement the
resolution that favorably considers the Petitions for Recall of
Governor Sharee Ann T. Tan and Vice Governor Stephen James T. Tan of
the province of Samar as sufficient.
The resolution was
signed by COMELEC Commissioners Rene V. Sarmiento, Nicodemo T. Ferrer,
Lucenito N. Tagle, Armando C. Velasco and Elias R. Yusoph.
Commissioner Gregorio Y. Larrazabal was on official business and
Chairman Jose A. R. Melo has already tendered his resignation during
such deliberation, thus their failure to affix their signatures.
The decision came as a
result of a manifestation and prayer made by Sardillo and Fong Law
Office, counsels for Mr. Aurelio A. Bardaje, Jr. and Ms. Elvira A.
Lopez. Bardaje and Lopez are the petitioners for recall of the two (2)
Tans.
A Certification signed
by Mariano A. Gabito, dated December 15, 2010, from the Bureau of
Local Government Supervision, DILG,
Quezon City,
has been made part of the Petition in lieu of a Certification of
Assumption to Duty which the DILG Provincial Office of Samar has
failed to issue.
Previously, in two (2)
separate memoranda, both dated December 13, 2010, Acting Executive
Director Sinocruz for Operations of the COMELEC recommended for a
resolution certifying that the petitions for recall against the Tans
are insufficient because of its inability to submit a certification
issued by the DILG on the assumption to duty by the local elective
officials sought to be recalled.
It has been on record
that the Provincial COMELEC’s Office headed by PES Atty. Corazon
Montallana received the two (2) petitions on December 3, 2010. Based
on Montallana’s determination, the petition for recall against Gov.
Tan complied with all requirements set forth. On the other hand, that
of Vice-Governor Tan was rendered insufficient in form and substance.
Moreover, PES
Montallana reports that the Samar DILG Director claimed to have not
received any document that would serve as basis for the Tans’ date of
assumption, thus their inability to issue such certification. However,
in lieu of such certification, the petitioners attached certified true
copies of two (2) memoranda dated July 15, 2010 and December 1, 2010
issued by Governor Sharee Ann T. Tan and Vice-Governor Stephen James
T. Tan to a certain Rondita A. Ordona and Laureano A. Aguilar,
respectively, which are indications that the Tans were performing
their duties on that particular date and created a presumption that
they have assumed their offices as Governor and Vice-Governor of Samar.
The COMELEC asserts
that the date of assumption must be proven with absolute certainty and
not by mere presumption. The date of assumption to office of the
official sought to be recalled is used to determine when the recall
election shall be conducted.
Section 3 of
Resolution No. 7505 provides that the recall election should be
conducted not earlier than one (1) year from the date of assumption to
office of the official sought to be recalled and not later than one
(1) year immediately preceding the next regular local election.
Finally, the DILG
Certification submitted by the counsel of petitioners was successful
in proving that the local officials sought for recall are duly elected
officials for the term July 01, 2010 up to
June 30, 2013. This document facilitated in the recent Resolution that
declares both petitions against the Tans to be sufficient in form and
substance.
Likewise, Section 12
of Resolution No. 7505 as amended requires the Provincial Election
Supervisor to determine whether the required percentage or total
number of signatories has been attained based on the certification on
voting population issued by the National Statistics Office (NSO) and
that all requirements prescribed in said resolution have been complied
with.
The petition was found
to have Seventy Three Thousand Eight Hundred Eighty Nine (73,889)
supporting petitioners which is 22.27% of the registered voters as of
May 10, 2010. The names and signatures were embodied in the Seven
Thousand Five Hundred Seventy Five (7,575) pages attached to the
petition.
Sec. 6 of the same
Resolution 7505 requires at least 10% of the 300,000 or more voting
population but not less than 45,000 is required. The petition have met
said requirement.
Furthermore, the
prescribed filing fee with a voting population of over 300,000
amounting to Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php50,000.00) pesos has also been
complied.
Ms. Elvira Lopez, one
of the petitioners, was so happy about the recent development. She
hopes that the Samarnons will be given the chance to decide for their
future. “We need that much needed change now. Now is the right time
for the Samarnons to work together for the interest of everyone” adds
Lopez.
Mayor Reynaldo S. Uy
of Calbayog City refused to comment on the legal implications of the
resolution during a brief interview. “I am not a lawyer… However, I am
so glad that this effort has been progressing. This is a welcome
development for all Samarnons. I am ready to accept this challenge and
I can see that people are now working together to topple down this
provincial administration that is so much tainted with corruption,
illegal and immoral transactions. I hope that people will soon realize
the need to improve our lives as Samarnons and develop
Samar. We need to do it now” was Mayor Uy’s comments on the issue.
Mayor Uy has been eyed
by most Samarnons as the only person who can run against the incumbent
governor. The support of the majority of the members of the League of
Mayors in the Province, the Philippine Councilor’s League, Liga ng mga
Barangay and the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation to Uy’s gubernatorial
bid, should the recall prosper, are positive signs for a change in
leadership in the next few months.
SN has yet to
solicit comments from Governor Sharee Ann T. Tan and Vice-Governor
Stephen James T. Tan regarding this report.
German government
partner to re-install stolen landslide censor in Saint Bernard
By BONG PEDALINO, PIA Southern
Leyte
February
7, 2011
SAINT BERNARD,
Southern Leyte – That this municipality has always been a periodic
place for a disaster-waiting-to-happen was bad enough.
Worse, an early
warning device installed just three months ago in a disaster-prone,
interior barangay that would have alerted authorities of an impending
earth movement was taken away.
In spite of this
discouraging fact, there is good news: the partner government
organization from Germany which installed the stolen gadget did not
“surrender” – it will be replaced and put up again not just in one
barangay but two, said Mayor Rico Rentuza.
The lost censor was
one of six installed at barangay Malinao sometime in November last
year, and it was carted January 4, a day after the local government
ordered a massive, pre-evacuation of all the residents in the area at
the height of the heavy rains.
In other words, the
device was spirited away during the time when no one in the barangay
was looking as everybody was evacuated, Mayor Rentuza explained.
The device had stored
about two months’ data at the time it was carried away, Rentuza mused.
He said the equipment
was a first-time testing tool of its kind that promised to record
ground-shaking as a way to predict possible occurrence of landslides
so people can be duly warned and so can act accordingly.
In an interview
Saturday on the sidelines of a relief goods distribution by Metrobank,
Rentuza said a technical team has been conducting a survey for the
re-installation of the vital device in two locations, at barangay
Bolod-bolod and at barangay Tambis II.
With the survey done
the soonest possible time, probably within this week, he hoped that
the early warning system can be put up again, so it can serve its
purpose well.
And he thanked the
German government organization, GTZ, for the undying support, for the
continuation of the project despite what happened.
As to the culprit
who stole the device, Rentuza said the Police already had a suspect,
and they are now closely monitoring this case.
DSWD eyes 26
municipalities in EV for Makamasang Tugon modality
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
February
4, 2011
TACLOBAN CITY –
Twenty six municipalities in
Eastern Visayas are being considered for the national government’s
Makamasang Tugon Project, the Department of Social Welfare and
Development in Region 8 informed.
Ms. Vina Aquino,
Regional Information Officer of the DSWD Region said that Makamasang
Tugon is a poverty alleviation initiative that capitalizes on human
resources as assets to do the planning, implementing, and managing the
processes in accordance with project guidelines.
The 26 municipalities,
which are from provinces of Leyte, Biliran and Samar, have implemented
the KALAHI-CIDSS Project and the local government units and community
volunteers are already knowledgeable on the KALAHI-CIDSS processes in
the different levels, provincial, municipal and barangay, DSWD
Assistant Regional Director Jaime Eclavea informed.
ARD Eclavea identified
the 26 municipalities as Bato, Capoocan, Javier, Julita, Kananga, La
Paz, Leyte, Mahaplag, Mayorga, San Isidro, Tabango and Tabon Tabon in
the province of Leyte; Paranas, PInabacdao, Sta. Margarita, Tarangnan,
and Villareal in the proviince of Samar; Can-avid, Jipapad, San
Policarpo and Sulat in Eastern Samar; Las Navas, Pambujan and Silvino
Lobos in the province of Northern Samar; and Naval and Cabucgayan in
the province of Biliran.
When implementing the
one-year Makamasang Tugon modality, the transition from KALAHI-CIDSS:
KKB modality to Makamasang Tugon will be smooth. This augers well for
the implementation of the new poverty-alleviation intervention should
these municipalities be ready for the project requirements on or
before the deadline of February 5, 2011.
These
municipalities should be ready with their 2009 Local Government
Planning and Management Systems, Status Report on Sustainability Plan,
and Status Report on Compliance with the KC Exit MOA, ARD Eclavea
said.
Procurement Officer,
Lt. Emerson Borja, disclosed that on February 2, 600 examinees trooped
to 8ID Camp Lukban, barangay Maulong to take the examination and on
the following day, 550 more took the test at Leyte Colleges, Tacloban.