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Listen to voice of the people, Evardone
appeals to the senators
By
Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
10, 2005
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– “ I am appealing to the Senators to listen to the voice of the people on
the issue of Charter Change. After all the voice of the people is the voice
of God.”
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Governor Evardone
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This was the appeal of
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone who is also the secretary general of the
Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, as a reaction to the
opposition of the Senators to his plan of mounting a people’s initiative and
gathering five million signatures in support of Charter change.
Governor Evardone said that
the Senators will be isolated and the people’s perception that it is
becoming irrelevant will be bolstered if they will try to block the dreams
and the aspirations of the Filipino people, especially those in the
countryside.
He added that the opposition
of a few Senators to the Charter Change is meaningless because the ultimate
decision on the issue rests in the hands of the people. Once the people have
spoken, the opposition Senators will have no other recourse but to abide by
the will of the people.
Governor Evardone stressed
that contrary to the allegations of the opposition Senators, the Chacha is
not designed to benefit one person or a particular group. It is intended to
overhaul the country’s entire economic and political system to address the
demands of the 21st century under a new world order. If we will not address
the fundamental defects of our system, Governor Evardone said, we will
continue to lag behind our neighbors in terms of development.
The governor made it clear
that he welcomes the opposition to people’s initiatives because it will
spark more debates on the issue of Chacha. He believes that all sectors of
society should actively participate to the enrichment of the national debate
on Chacha.
He reiterated his statement
that there should be no individual, however influential he may be, or any
group, for that matter that would dictate on what they want regarding the
issue of charter change.
In this fast changing world,
the country’s political and economic framework and structures should be
attuned to the times, Governor Evardone concluded.
Region 8 leaders advocate
ConCom proposals
By
Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 9, 2005
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – Various leaders in Eastern Visayas openly advocates the approval of the
Constitutional Commission proposals. They all agree that the Concom
proposals are mere recommendations which will still be deliberated and
discussed in Congress. The last say will be that of the people, whether or
not the people will check yes when the proposals are presented to them for
approval through a referendum.
Governor Ben Evardone,
spokesperson of the ULAP, stressed that Chacha was not designed to benefit
one person or particular groups. It is intended to overhaul the country’s
political and economic system to address the 21st century under a new world
order. If the country will continue not to address the faults of the present
system, the country will continue to lag behind its neighbors in terms of
development.
Congresswoman Remedios
Petilla of the first district of Leyte, in a gathering of the elective
officials of the first district, explained that the Concom proposals are
mere recommendations which Congress will deliberate when the session
reopens. In the end, it will be the people who will decide whether or not
they will approve the proposals, through a referendum, the lady solon said.
It is therefore, imperative that the local government officials help in
educating the people on the Concom proposals so that the people will be able
to have an enlightened decision.
Southern Leyte Governor
Rosette Lerias, chairperson of the Regional Development Council of Eastern
Visayas expressed support to the Concom proposals, so do, the other local
government executives in the province. The lady governor asserted that the
No-el recommendation will ensure an unimpeded local governance and project
implementation without the thought of a political campaign coming very soon.
The League of Municipalities
Leyte Chapter president Mayor Carlos Cari of Baybay revealed, that majority
of the members of the league are agreeable to the proposals of Concom.
Saying that the presidential form of government has lost its effectiveness,
Mayor Cari said it is time the country adopts a form of government that will
meet the challenges of the 21st century. The question is not whether or not
the proposal will favor a person or a group, but whether or not the
proposals will answer the needs of the country for a more vibrant and more
effective form of government.
In a television interview,
Mayor Gerardo S. Espina Sr. of Naval who was the proponent of the No-El
proposal of the Constitutional Commission, said that even when he was still
a congressman, he was already proposing that the elections be synchronized
to minimize the government’s election expense. He clarified that the
proposal was not meant to favor a person or any group but to put a
transition period so that there will be no disruption in government
bureaucracy. He said, this will even affect him personally because instead
of being able to run as a congressman soon, he will have to remain as mere
mayor until 2010.
Search is on for models of Fil excellence and
values overseas
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 8, 2006
The Commission on Filipinos
Overseas announced the formal opening of the search for the 2006
Presidential Awards for Filipino Individuals and Organizations Overseas.
The Presidential Award is a
biennial search for overseas-based individuals and organizations who have
given form and substance to Filipino excellence and time honored values of
pakikipagkapwa, pagtutulungan and bayanihan, by their exceptional
achievements and humanitarian efforts.
The Presidential Awards have
four categories, the Lingkod sa Kapwa Filipino Award, the Banaag Award, the
Kaanib ng Bayan Award and the Pamana ng Filipino Award.
The Lingkod sa Kapwa
Filipino Award is conferred on Filipino associations or individuals for
their exceptional or significant contribution to reconstruction, progress
and development of the Philippines.
The Banaag Award is
conferred on Filipino individuals or associations for their contributions
which have significantly benefited a sector or community in the Philippines,
or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities.
The Kaanib ng Bayan Award is
conferred on foreign individuals or organizations for their exceptional or
significant contribution to Philippine reconstruction, progress and
development, or have significantly benefited a sector or community in the
Philippines, or advanced the cause of overseas Filipino communities.
The Pamana ng Pilipino Award
is conferred on Filipinos overseas, who, in exemplifying the talent and
industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honor and recognition
through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or
profession.
Since its inception in 1991
through Executive Order No. 498, the Presidential Awards have so far been
conferred on 235 Filipino and foreign individuals and organizations overseas
based in 36 countries.
Nominations to the awards
are first coursed through and evaluated by the Philippine Embassy or
Consulate nearest the place of residence or base of operations of the
nominee. Nominees endorsed by Philippine Embassies and Consulates must then
be transmitted to the CFO Awards Secretariat on or before 15 May 2006.
Nominations sent by mail must be postmarked not later than the date of the
deadline.
Nominees who have
successfully passed the screening of the technical and executive committees
and the Office of the President shall be conferred the 2006 Presidential
Awards by the President of the Republic of the Philippines during the
Awarding Ceremonies to be held in December 2006 at Malacañan Palace, Manila.
2 more bills establishing schools in Samar
pass House fund deliberations
By RICKY J. BAUTISTA
January 8, 2006
CATBALOGAN, Samar – Two more
bills on the establishment of national high schools in the province of Samar
had passed the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, a
report from the congressional office of Rep. Catalino “Cata” Figueroa said
Thursday.
The two bills, known as
House Bill 3450 (Establishment of San Fernando High School in Basey) and
House Bill 4003 (Establishment of Plaridel National High School in Villareal)
were approved by Congress in its first reading last December 2005, and
committee reports are now being readied for these two bills to have their
second and third readings in the plenary, it was learned.
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Congressman Figueroa
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Earlier, Rep. Figueroa has
submitted six education-related bills that were also passed in the
Congress’s Committee on Appropriations. These were HB 2503 (Conversion of
the Osmeña National High School into Osmeña Agro-Industrial High School in
Marabut), HB 2506 (Conversion of the Calapi National High School into Calapi
National Agricultural High School in Motiong), HB 3151 (Establishment of the
Catbalogan National Comprehensive High School), HB 3153 (Conversion of the
Magdawat Primary School into Magdawat Elementary School in Pinabacdao), HB
3211 (Establishment of the Silanga National High School in Catbalogan) and
HB 3406 otherwise known as the establishment of the Zumarraga National High
School in Zumarraga, Samar.
In an exclusive interview,
Rep. Figueroa said these bills will benefit most of his constituents in the
second district, most especially if funding for these schools will be
approved and released to the Department of Education in Samar Division.
“Being a Vice-Chairman of
the House Committee on Appropriations, I will do my very best to get the
approval of the funding of these bills, which I authored, because I know
these will benefit my poor constituents, especially those who cannot afford
the cost of education,” the solon said.
Having been a former teacher
and advocate of good education before he turned to politics, Rep. Figueroa
said the establishment or conversion of these schools in Samar is a big
boast to his constituents, especially the young ones.
“I give importance to
education because I know it is a tool to build great citizen in our present
generations,” he added.
The solon reiterated that
several schools in Samar and other provinces in the region were declared
“topnotch” among other schools in the country during the 2005 NSAT
examinations.
“It is high time that the
government give schools in
Samar province
the boost that they deserve. (It is by) providing and establishing more
schools will augment this good performance of our provincial students,” the
solon further said.
Armed men raid Albuera
police station
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January 7, 2006
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – In
the middle of a brownout, heavily armed men suspected to be members of the
NPA entered the Albuera Police Station at about 7:00 o’clock in the evening
of January 6, hogtied the two policemen on duty, ransacked the office and
lockers and carted away 21 pieces M16 rifles and 8 pieces caliber 38
revolvers and confidential documents.
In an interview with Col.
Blando, chief of operation of the Provincial Philippine National Police and
Police Senior Inspector Rodolfo Lomot of the Albuera Police Station, PIA 8
learned that the Albuera town was experiencing brown out when armed men
aboard two close vans and one multicab entered the police station surprising
the two policemen on duty and the three other policemen who were at the
kitchen having dinner. The two policemen who were at the office were hogtied
and made to lie down on the floor. The three policemen were made to lie face
down on the floor.
Captain Lomot revealed that
some men who were on foot conducted blocking force on both sides of the road
going to Baybay and Ormoc. He said that the exact number of the armed men
cannot be determined but estimated the raiding men to be about 100, saying
that they were heavily armed with M14, M16 and three M60 machine guns.
After getting the police
ammunitions and confidential documents, the men fled in the dark. The
Albuera police immediately coordinated with the army troopers of the 19th IB
based in Kananga and the 43rd IB based in Baybay who are now conducting
massive manhunt operations.
PNP Leyte Provincial
Director William Valencia when reached, just flew in from Manila where he
attended a conference and was on his way to Albuera direct from the Tacloban
airport. True enough, he was conducting a conference with Captain Lomot when
re-contacted.
Captain Lomot confirmed the
increase in the incidence of insurgency in Albuera especially in the
mountain barangays of Sherwood, Salvacion, Tinag-an and Mahayahay which are
four of the sixteen barangays of the municipality of Albuera, the town next
to the city of Ormoc.
Captain Lomot, however,
allayed the fears of the constituents saying that the PNP and the military
are closely coordinating to ensure the safety of the people.
DPWH: P734-M worth of Samar
Maharlika highway project underway
By RICKY J. BAUTISTA
January 7, 2006
CATBALOGAN, Samar – The
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 2nd Engineering District has
announced that the most awaited construction and rehabilitation of the
Maharlika Highway in Samar, which was the subject of regular commentaries
among commuters passing this road section, is now finally underway.
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 District Engineer Pablo Aragon (right) of DPWH
Samar 2nd Engineering District giving details to media on the
Calbiga-Tizon (Tarangnan) road section rehabilitation project during the
weekly CCATMAN Media Forum on January 4, 2005 at Cocina de Cabral in
Ubanon, Catbalogan, Samar.
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In a weekly media forum
sponsored by the Catbalogan Cable TV Media Advocates Nucleus (CCATMAN) on
January 4, DPWH Samar 2nd district Engineer Pablo Aragon said that the
Calbiga-Tizon (Tarangnan) road section rehabilitation project has already
been awarded and is expected to commence construction in the first quarter
of 2006.
According to him, the budget
for this rehabilitation road project covering a total of 59.53 kilometers,
is said to be worth P734 million.
“The bidding of this project
has been recently done, and this was funded by the Philippine government
with counterpart funding with some foreign government through the efforts of
the congressional office of Rep. (Catalino) Figueroa,” Aragon said.
To recall, Rep. Figueroa
earlier announced that the funding for this project has already been
approved in the House of Representatives through his efforts and his buddy
in the first district Rep. Reynaldo S. Uy.
The 2 Samar solons earlier
told reporters here that because of the “bad” condition of these roads, it
often discouraged the potential investors and tourists to visit our place
despite the fact that we have here the best tourists’ attraction and
destinations to offer.
As this developed the solons
also said several complaints coming from the commuters and the bus operators
hounded their offices as to the “bad road” condition of the Maharlika
highway here.
On top of this, “many
Manila-based bus companies also wrote letters of complaints to us citing the
increase of highway incidents, which they said, majority happened only here
Samar,” Rep. Figueroa said.
“It is high time that the
rehabilitation should start the soonest possible time, and that is very
sure, this first quarter of 2006,” the solon added.
Meanwhile, because of the
incessant rains that recently occurred in the region, many road section of
the Maharlika highway in this province suffered “road slips” which damage
was estimated by the DPWH to be worth millions of pesos.
In Samar, for example, the
Pisak road approaches has collapsed in the Wright-Taft road and was earlier
declared by the department impassable to all kinds of heavy vehicles.
“Passing through the 40-50 meter stretch is deemed dangerous because of
continuous erosion to due to heavy rains,” Engr. Aragon said. He described
that this pavement is between a high mountain and a deep embankment on the
other side.
Aragon added that the
regional office has declared a travel advisory closing the road to vehicular
traffic but this was not followed by some of the commuters.
This prompted the department
to make an improvised passage on the shoulder but only for light vehicles.
Aragon said heavy vehicles were directed to take the Basey-Lawaan coastal
road route.
Public utility jeeps and
buses, however, been allowed as long as they unload their passengers first,
when passing the perilous site.
Of this situation, Aragon
said he has already submitted a report and a recommendation on how much will
be needed to restore the “damaged” road slips along the Maharlika highway
and the Pisak road approaches.
“We need at least P10
million that include the cutting of the upper mountain, trees, and
constructing walls or structures to contain the soil,” he said.
The District Engineer
forecasted to finish the project within the year along with other damaged
road slips in the region which now reached more than P60 million.
Odon Sabarre pays tribute to Chief Justice
Davide
By RICKY J. BAUTISTA
January 7, 2005
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Chief Justice Hilario Davide
Jr. is flanked by Pearly Dawn & Odon Sabarre, Atty. Gemma Leticia F.
Tablate and Amb. Raul I. Goco.
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CATBALOGAN, Samar – The
number one ballet and jazz dancing king in the region Mr. Odon S. Sabarre
along with equally talented former beauty queen Pearly Dawn gave tribute to
the outgoing Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., this was learned recently.
In a brief interview with
SamarNews, the only famous artist-in-residence in Eastern Visayas said they
performed several impressive dance numbers which were later applauded by
majority of the guests, most of them, prominent country’s justices and
judges.
According to Sabarre, he was
elated when most of the guests during the affair knew him by name including
Mr. and Mrs. Chief Justice Davide Jr.
“They were all extending
praises to me and my daughter Pearly Dawn, a former Mutya han Samar beauty
titlist, especially when she performed a Hawaiian dance interpretation” says
Odon.
It was learned that, during
the evening affair, lawyer Gemma Letecia F. Tablate, the over-all
chairperson of the affair performed a “special number” Kuratsa Dance paired
with Odon.
Other performers were
Justice Magdangal De Leon who performed an impressive vocal-solo number and
the Supreme Court Choir who rendered a series of musical rendition.
Meanwhile, the affair was
sponsored by the World Jurist Association Philippine Chapter headed by
Justice Tablate in their tribute to the outgoing Chief Justice Davide Jr.,
who according to them, retired with honor and pride.
The tribute was held on
December 2, 2005 at the Court of Appeals Auditorium, Centennial Building,
Manila.
It was participated in by
his fellow workers at the Supreme Court and some friends in the society such
as Ambassador Raul Goco, Supreme Court Justices Angelina Gutierrez, Conchita
Morales, Reynaldo Quisumbing, Court of Appeals Justices Estela Bernabe,
Magdangal De Leon, Mariano Del Castillo, Eliezer Delos Santos, Portia
Hormachuelos, Eugenio Labitoria, Delilah Magtolis, Jose Sabio, Monina
Zeñaroza, Vicente Yap, CA acting presiding justice Godardo Jacinto, Retired
Bennie Dela Cruz, among others.
Odon disclosed that after
the said affair, Chief Justice Davide narrated in his message that he was
happy and able to retire with full honor and pride as he done so much
accomplishments towards the Filipino people.
“He was indeed contented
with what he has done to the Filipinos. Let me also take this opportunity to
say thank you Chief Justice, May your tribe increase, mabuhay po kayo, Sir,”
Odon wholeheartedly said.
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