Southern Leyte News

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Southern Leyte - Archived News

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.

TESDA -8 aims for ISO certification

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 25 (PIA) -- Out of the 16 regions across the country, the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Region 8 office, along with Region 3 and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) offices, has been busy these days to comply with the procedures and requirements to attain the ISO 2009-9001 certification. Rolando Juanillo, TESDA Director of Southern Leyte province, disclosed during the “Action Center” cable TV program Thursday that once their office would become ISO-certified, their services and programs can be delivered more efficiently, such as the processing of registration for technical-vocational skills training providers or for qualified private institutions. Quality of trainings, quality graduates produced, and institutions strengthened, were just some of the expected impact of having an ISO certification, Juanillo said. He added that his office right now was undergoing an internal audit as one of the requirements for attaining the ISO goal. Another positive effect was that those being assessed for specific skills competencies would no longer be delayed in the processing of their applications and in taking the assessment for a national TESDA certificate in an ISO-tagged agency, Juanillo added. With the TESDA chief as guest during this week’s edition of “Action Center” were two heads of private schools which were providers of TESDA-accredited vocational-technical courses. They were Armado Daque, Vice-President of Hinunangan Skills and Technological Center which opened just last year, and Emelyn Corollo, Executive Training Director at Saint Joseph College (SJC) Vocational Training Center (Voctrac), now on its 8th year of operation since 2003. Other private learning institutions in the province with TESDA-accredited programs included the College of Maasin, Systems Technology Institute (STI), Southern Leyte Business College (SLBC), St. James College in Padre Burgos, and St. Thomas Aquinas in Sogod. Meanwhile, Juanillo informed that his office is having an ongoing program, the National Synchronized competency assessment for specific technical-vocational courses, a program that began in August and will last until November this year. He said in Southern Leyte province, 170 slots were slated for free assessment on a first-come, first-served basis, and at present only 73 slots remained open. Those interested are advised to coordinate with the TESDA office to file their application before proceeding to the private provider for the competency assessment which, when one shall have passed it, would entitle him or her to have a National Certificate II (NC II), a document employers would usually ask. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)




Senator shares P 9.5 M PDAF for market, abbatoir development in 19 So. Leyte LGUs

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 23 (PIA) -- This city an 18 municipalities of Southern Leyte province received an equal share of financial aid given by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, taken from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). Each recipients got P 500,000.00 assistance for the development of their respective public markets and abbatoirs, said District Engineer Carlos Veloso of the Department of Public Works and Highways-Southern Leyte Engineering District (DPWH-SLED), the implementing agency tasked to handle these projects. The Senator’s total financial assistance on this matter totaled P 9.5 Million, and the money was already available at the DPWH Regional Office, Veloso remarked during the weekly “Media Forum” live Wednesday at dyDM where he was the guest. With Veloso in the radio program were three division chiefs, namely, Engr. Allan Eway for maintenance, Engr. Vincent Sy for Planning, and Engr. Letty Olarte, the Office-In-Charge for Construction. These projects were scheduled for bidding and for proceeding to actual work within the last quarter of this year, according to Engr. Sy in a follow-up interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) yesterday. Sy said that six towns out of the 18 were slated to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Regional Office very soon for them to undertake the project by administration. As for Maasin City, the assistance was included in the relocation sites for market stalls at the Combado reclamation area, where construction was in progress, said Sy. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

BIR clarifies action vs So Leyte's tax evading professionals

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 22(PIA) -- Mr. Carlos Tambal, Assistant District Revenue District Officer in Southern Leyte clarified that the legal team of the BIR Regional Office in Eastern Visayas was the entity in charge of filing the case against the tax evader-professional from Southern Leyte. The action made by the BIR in Southern Leyte was to refer the findings to the legal team at the BIR Regional Office, Mr. Tambal said in a phone patch with Philippine Information Agency. Mr. Tambal said his agency’s action was not the direct filing of a tax evasion charge but was a referral to their legal team at the BIR Regional Office recommending the filing of such a charge. Mr. Tambal was referring to the reported case of tax evasion filed by BIR against a lawyer based in Sogod, Southern Leyte. Said tax evader has not been paying the annual income tax, no monthly filing of income tax, no issuance of receipts and is not even registered with the BIR. It may be recalled that taking a cue from the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino, the Bureau of Internal Revenue has vowed to go after doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professionals who are not paying the right income taxes. The BIR is now collecting pertinent data from various agencies such as the Professional Regulation Commission which exercises supervision over all professionals such as accountants, nurses, teachers, engineers, among others. Aside from running after big time tax evaders, the agency will also go after professionals who under declare their income. (PIA 8 Southern Leyte)

Anti-smoking drive in Maasin City boosts tourism, says Mayor

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 21 (PIA) -- Prohibiting smokers in public places began as a program to keep the people healthy but it turned out to be a magnet for visitors to come into this city, to learn and study on how it was done. “It has become one of our tourism come-on, a tourist’s attraction,” said City Mayor Maloney Samaco in the bi-weekly radio program “Maasin City In Action” today. Samaco reported that right after the dyDM program he will be meeting a group of visitors coming from Butuan City, the Caraga Region composed of Doctors, Department of Health (DOH) personnel, and from the local government unit (LGU) who are scheduled to pay a courtesy call to him this morning at his office. He said last week, students from Dumaguete City doing theses on anti-smoking were also here for a deeper study on the subject, adding that their leader was a confessed chain smoker who wanted to quit smoking at least for the time being that they were in the city. The smoke-free advocacy has become a cause worth pursuing, not just for compliance so that the city can garner awards, Samaco said, stressing that his fulfillment has always been to see a smoker, either a visitor or a Maasinhon, change such an unhealthy lifestyle by quitting the habit, with the city anti-smoking program serving as the friendly inspiration. Samaco claimed the city has been known by other local government units across the country for its strict implementation of smoking ban as many LGUs had come already, and many are still wanting to come in the near or far future, a scenario that undoubtedly helped the tourism-related sectors in the city. Asked by host Zaldy Olita that the Butuan visitors will soon become Maasin’s rival in the coveted Red Orchid award of the DOH, Samaco said he would not mind if the visitors, upon learning in the city, would eventually be part of the competitors in a stiff competition for the DOH recognition. “The more important thing is that we can share with them, teach them just the same” the ways and strategies on how to implement a successful anti-smoking campaign, Samaco replied. (PIA-Southern Leyte/Bong)

PDC to tackle 2012 AIP with focus on food security

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 20 (PIA) -- The Provincial Planning and Development Office will present the 2012 Annual Investment Program (AIP) and the 6-year Provincial Development Investment Program (PDIP) for its discussion and approval by the Provincial Development Council (PDC). According to Provincial Planning and Development Officer Virginia Lim-Cruz, who is also the Provincial Development Council (PDC) Secretariat Head, the final annual investment plan shall be deliberated during the meeting of the PDC on September 29, 2011. Cruz said, so far, the biggest share that the AIP will appropriate every year usually is biased for the agricultural development wherein the food security of the province is at stake. She expects that the PDC will give consideration for the food security of the province for this year, as well. She said that the presence of foreign organizations who are spearheading for agricultural development pouring down interventions in the province of Southern Leyte , however, the need for the counterpart of the province has to be considered in the AIP. Cruz further disclosed that the 6-year PDIP shall be anchored on the major thrusts on Tourism, Environment and Agriculture (T-E-A) development of the province, in addition to the basic social services of the provincial government. Another factor that has to be well thought of in the plans is the looming reduction of Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA) of the province , Cruz added. Cruz added that PDC is composed of the Office of the Reprsentative, local government units, all SP chair on finance and non-government organizations to include local media, all based in the province.### (PIA SoLeyte/esg)

SoLeyte LGU releases P2.7 M for irrigation repair in Barangay Nava

by Erna S. Gorne


SOUTHERN LEYTE, Sept. 19 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Southern Leyte led by Provincial Governor Damian G. Mercado turned-over P2.75 Million - worth irrigation repair project, Nava Communal Irrigation Improvement Project to Obong Farmer’s Association thru its President Ricardo T. Burlaza to boost the palay production in the province. Governor Damian G. Mercado turned-over in a simple ceremony last Sept 13, 2011at Tuburan, Hinunangan, So. Leyte the P2.75 M Nava Communal Irrigation Improvement Project undertaken by the Provincial Agricultural Services Office (PAgSO) to benefit at least 79 direct local rice farmers, PAgSO staff Feliciano Malaki, Jr reported to PIA Southern Leyte. The 79 members – beneficiary of the mentioned irrigation repair will cover 80 hectares rice fields which will soon betprovide better irrigation water distribution needed to boost palay production, Malaki said. Malaki added that Ricardo “Titing” Burlaza and fellow 79 members were very thankful for the concerted approach of all the concerned government officials who have collaborated towards the realization of their dream to improve the decade old facilities to alleviate their plight. Also present with Gov. Mercado were Mayor Romeo M. Gomez of Hinunangan LGU, the four (4) Sanguniang Panlalawigan members from the 2nd District (Hon. Junby Fernandez, Hon. Berting Lagumbay, Hon. Daisy Gamale and Hon. Almario), the barangay Captains of Nava and Tuburan, Hinunangan, he said. Gov. Mercado stressed to demonstrate under the “Aksyon, Solusyon, Inisyatibo” we are serious in improving the efficiency of support services to the farmers who are our partners in the thrust of “food security,” that is why “we included these in our Annual Investment Plan.” Malaki added. On the other hand, Hon. Junby Fernandez, the SP Committee Chairman on Agriculture expressed hope that after the turn-over, these will be managed and maintained by the recipient Obong Farmer-Members and could be passed thru their respective successors. In this way, we will be able to address similar needs or purposes in the future, Malaki said. While, OIC Provincial Agriculturist Marina E. Gador also said, “ with the cooperation of the farmers here, you have your Palayamanan Project here and we should also be able to contribute to the goal of increasing the present level of palay production per hectare. We should likewise work on producing vegetables and corn for local demand.” ### (PIA SoLeyte/esg)

DTI presents major investment projects to promote So Leyte tourism

by R.G. Cadavos


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 16 (PIA) -– There were at least five (5) major tourism investment projects that were presented by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during the Provincial Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Development Action Planning held at the Ampil Pensione here, September 15-16, 2011. Ma. Delia M. Corsiga, Division Chief from DTI-Regional Office 8 said that the major investment in tourism industry in Southern Leyte were identified as follows: Danao Forest Park where an investor is proposing to establish a zoo, the Agas-Agas Adventure complex which includes not only the zipline but also bungee jumping ang probably the installation of cable cars, different dive sites throughout the province, the Limasawa destination package and Silago Forest canopy walk. “Statistics show that Southern Leyte business sector mostly operates in small business enterprises, while Eastern Visayas rank 4th in terms of having number of SME operators,” Corsiga pointed out in her presentation. By investing in these projects, employment will increase and the gross domestic product contributions will also rise, she added. The government sector will just support what business to be installed while the private sector will be the one to put up the business, she added. Corsiga while presenting the SME Development Plan for 2011-2016 nationwide is grateful for the support and eagerness of the business sector led by Southern Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SLCCI) President Robert Castañares, who was also one of the participants, to include the different stakeholders throughout the province. Probable challenges that maybe encountered in investing a project/business were also discussed by Corsiga such as the business environment, access to finance, access to markets, productivity and efficiency, and the like, while how to address these challenges at the local level will be validated during the workplan. The MSME Development Plan for 2011-2016 aims to create a business environment that will center on a culture of government that will foster the establishment, development, sustainability and competitiveness of small and medium enterprises not only in Southern Leyte but throughout the country. It also seeks to improve productivity and the delivery of competitive, standard, compliant and equipment-friendly products and services. The two-day planning workshop is in close coordination with the German International Cooperation (GIZ).

Barangay Kagawads urged to enrol their children in SUCs to avail of scholarships

bby Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 15 (PIA) -- Barangay officials here were challenged during the recent gathering Monday to make use of scholarship opportunities at state colleges and universities by virtue of their position as village leaders, in which up to four children were allowed to avail of this privilege. The moment their children can pass the college admission test as required by the state schools, they will be qualified to become scholars and exempted from paying the regular school fees like tuition, according to Jani Arnaiz, a Kagawad of barangay Mantahan here who is also a Correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) and President of the Associated Media of Southern Leyte (AMSL). In the weekly Media Forum program live over dyDM yesterday, Arnaiz called on his colleagues, especially those who have children due for tertiary education, to maximize the chance afforded by their being village leaders as duly discussed by National Vice President Crisanto Ramos during their Monday conference. In Southern Leyte province, the government-funded institution of learning is the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) which has four campuses in different locations. Monching Buyer, another local journalist who is also a Kagawad of barangay Mambajao, affirmed that many of their fellow village officials did take heed on this opportunity, adding that this was also the policy implemented by Mayor Maloney Samaco for Maasin City College (MCC), a city organized school. In prodding his co-councilors at the barangay to ponder on the scholarship, Arnaiz put emphasis on the courses on agriculture, agricultural entrepreneurship, or short-term vocational-technical studies that are in-demand these days, especially with a certificate from the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA). The forum tackled the growing economic boom now experienced by the city of Maasin, a situation others feared would not be sustained in the long run. The discussion, however, took into consideration the risk these investors underwent, and that they will not be doing so without accurate conduct of a feasibility study. Among the suggestions aired for the sustainability of the “Maasin boom” was the development in the field of agriculture, in which it was noted that many wealthy Maasinhons would rather kept their money in a bank rather than invest in agri-business, a circumstance the media practitioners dreamed of reversing. They called on the moneyed individuals to consider putting their money in agri-business ventures like cash crops, livestock, fisheries so rural folks can be employed and have income, and also to arrest the declining trend of farmers, whose children go to other places seeking jobs rather than tilling their farms. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

AFP conducts battery of tests for Soldier Course in Maasin City, Sogod

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 14 (PIA) -- Over a hundred applicants mostly criminology students and ROTC cadets from Maasin City and Sogod, Southern Leyte took the first battery of tests for Candidate Soldier Course (CSC) and Officer Candidate Course (OCC) held in the province. “ The said battery of tests were usually conducted in Manila and Cebu City. This is the first time ever held in the provinces, ” TSG Marcos Maquelabit, Operations Non-Commissioned Officer of 805 CDC, Reserve Command (ARESCOM) based in Maasin City said in an interview with PIA Southern Leyte. That the Army Recruitment Center (ARC) is located in Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Maquelabit said. Once the examinees passed the exams, it would qualify them to the CSC and OCC and eventually as an army officer, he added. Mostly of the criminology fourth year students and ROTC cadets from the Saint Joseph College (SJC) in Maasin City took the exams in the morning and the fourth year students of Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) in Sogod, Southern Leyte later in the afternoon of the same day, he added. While the said army reserve command were able to enlist 460 Enlisted Personnel (EP) with 16 reserve officers, with the highest rank of Major being given to Governor Damian Mercado and another Major rank to Vice Governor Miguel Maamo. Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco’s rank as Major is now on the process and the Municipal Mayors rank will be Captains, he added. The enlisted personnel also includes barangay officials where barangay captains and councilors were ranked as I Lt. and II Lt., respectively, Maquelabit added. He said these people are the military reserves based in the province that could be immediately pulled out in times of emergencies to include natural threats to the national security. ### (PIA SoLeyte/esg)

PNRC So Leyte has 200 blood bags deposited at SOYMPH Blood Bank

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 13 (PIA) - The Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) has now in position 200 blood bags of 450 cubic centimetres which are deposited at the Salvacion Yniquez Oppus Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) blood bank for all the needed blood purposes in the province. “For the first time in the history of PNRC Southern Leyte, this is the biggest collection of blood, so far.” PRNC Officer in Charge Noli Casas disclosed to PIA SoLeyte interview over the phone today. Casas said he intend to distribute the blood collected to other public hospitals within the province, namely the Sogod District Hospital and Anahawan District Hospital, so that the people need not to travel to Maasin City just to get blood. However, in Sogod Distrist Hospital the blood refrigerator is still undergoing repair while he need to know if the Anahawan District Hospital is licensed to stock blood in their hospital and if they have a medical technician trained for the blood banking processing yet, Casas added. He reported that last Saturday the religious group, Dating Daan, conducted (4) blood donation activities simultaneously in Hinundayan, Sogod, Maasin City and Hilongos that resulted to the collection of 55 blood bags of 450 cc. Casas further said that aggressive blood collection is not only intended for dengue patients needing blood but in preparation also for any disaster that might strike the province. He said, “It should be remembered that Southern Leyte is prone to disaster and one of the best way to be prepared is to increase the level of awareness of the community in donating blood especially in times of emergencies, disasters.” He remembered during the Guisaugon landslide disaster that there were those rescued from the disaster that were not given the needed blood due to the absence of blood donors despite the presence thousands of people in the area who refused to be taken blood inorder to save the lives of the survivors. Casas also disclosed that another of blood donation has been scheduled by the Liga nga Barangay this coming Sep- tember 17, 2011., however due to the present ample supply of blood, they only requires one blood donation from each of the seventy barangays in Maasin City.(PIA SoLeyte/esg)

So Leyte solon to DOST: Demonstrate anti-dengue traps

by Bong Pedalino

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 12 (PIA) -- Representative Roger Mercado on Saturday requested the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) provincial office through its staff, Daphne Santiago, to hold video showing and actual demonstration on how the DOST’s ovicidal trap will be used in households as a preventive measure against dengue. Mercado made the request during a block-time radio program “Serbisyo Publiko” live at dyDM with host Digo Credo and Santiago as guest. He said that during the anti-dengue clean-up drive last Friday at barangay Asuncion, the second in a series which the lone Southern Leyteno lawmaker initiated, DOST was ready to show and teach people about the mosquito trap in the brief ceremonies, but since it was still past 1 pm and the Asuncion gym was open, the showing was cancelled as it cannot be clearly seen in broad daylight. This week, the DOST was urged to catch up by doing a film showing in the evening in the two barangays where the cleanliness campaign was already undertaken, at barangays Combado and Asuncion, and be with the cleaning warriors in the next rounds of the activity so by the evening of that day the video showing and actual demonstration can be made immediately, Cong. Mercado appealed. Santiago said her office is very much willing to support the advocacy of Cong. Mercado in his efforts to spare the city and province from the dengue outbreak by holding a weekly volunteer clean-up drive in the city’s central barangays for a start, spreading later on to other barangays and other towns of the province. Last Friday’s clean-up activity at barangay Asuncion saw Cong. Mercado leading the pack of provincial and city hall employees numbering over a thousand let open a stagnant water choked by blocking sands with the help of a payloader, picking thrash and debris in the beach, and sweeping the highways and every nook and corner around the barangay. This coming Friday’s next stop will be barangay Abgao, the home barangay of the Mercado’s, it was learned. Santiago, who brought a sample of the DOST-invented mosquito trap, explained that any housewife can easily operate the ovitrap, which looks like a middle-sized black glass with a cardboard stick look-alike dipped in halfway water. The water will be diluted with a packaged pellet, stirred, then placed in specific points inside or just outside the house where mosquitoes are known to converge. After one week, the eggs of the mosquitoes will be trapped in the rugged cardboard surface, unable to propagate. The water will be replaced, another pellet added, and the contraption will be used again for another one week. Asked if the concoction would not be dangerous for babies or house pets to play around, Santiago said the trap was loaded with chemical that’s why it should be placed in inaccessible areas around the house to spare it from sight of small children and animals to avoid unexpected complications. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

St. Bernard MDRRMC vies for regional Gawad Kalasag award

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 8 (PIA) -- The St. Bernard Municipal Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) will undergo validation being one of the nominees in the Gawad Kalasag award for its best practices particularly in forewarning the local communities in times of disaster through the maximize use of Early Warning System (EWS). According to Cherelyn Lubang, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) representative during the Southern Leyte PDRRMC meeting held recently, announced that a team representing the national offices of OCD, DSWD and DILG will validate the St. Bernard MDRRMC this week. Lubang further said that St. Bernard MDRRMC has adopted effectively the early warning system with the recent heavy rains experienced in the municipality that induced flashfloods and floodings and saved the lives of the communities and eventually arrived with zero casualty. St. Bernard MDRRMC also has been identified by some foreign assisted non-government organizations (NGOs) such as CARE –ACCORD, among others for its effective use of early warning system which has saved lives and some properties of the victims since they were already evacuated before the any calamity strikes. CARE ACCORD Project, a pilot project on disaster preparedness and mitigation, covers only 5 out of the 30 barangays, to address concerns at disaster hazard areas in St. Bernard, it was learned. Gawad Kalasag promotes the Filipino inherent spirit of bayanihan, volunteerism and spontaneous cooperation in times of major problems like responding to disasters and emergencies. Meanwhile, PDRRMC wanted to include the purchase of rubber boats in the Disaster Annual Investment Plan for next year. The local disaster council also would like to purchase and install VHF radio repeaters for Limasawa Island and Pacific Towns areas in the said disaster investment plan.### (PIA SoLeyte/esg)

Cebuano news: So. Leyte DENR works double time to attain 2011 NGP target

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 7 (PIA) -- The provincial office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is working double time to reach its target of reforesting 1,800 hectares of timberland areas in the province this year, according to Ricardo Tomol, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO). In a casual chat with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on the sidelines of a meeting held at Rep. Roger Mercado’s office Monday, PENRO Tomol said his office will be doing a double time in coordination with various government agencies as they are expected to cover all bases for the remaining months of the year. In July, Cong. Mercado led the launching of the National Greening Program (NGP) in the province, during which the sites to be planted, also called NGP sites, were duly identified, with the challenge that these areas should be planted based on the timeline specified under the nationwide reforestation program. Last month, the DENR coverage under CENRO-Maasin were able to plant 20 hectares of the NGP site at barangay Lonoy with the help of high school students, while at CENRO-San Juan, some 4o hectares were already accomplished. CENRO refers to Community Environment and Natural Resources Office, a subdivision of the provincial DENR, with CENRO-Maasin comprising the areas from Maasin to Sogod, while CENRO-San Juan comprising the rest of the towns in the pacific and Panaon island, including Libagon. For the NGP, CENRO-Maasin was assigned 800 hectares, and CENRO-San Juan, 1,000 hectares, Tomol said. He told the heads of offices present during the meeting at Congressman’s office that he will soon provide them with their respective schedules for the NGP-led tree-planting activity, as it was already understood that under NGP every employee was committed to plant ten trees per year until 2016. For the two CENROs, the strategy now would be to plant more than 300 hundred hectares per month until December to accomplish the goal of 1,800 hectares, Tomol said. Aside from closely coordinating with the Department of Education (DepEd), Tomol said he will also go around to the various local government units in the province and the different People’s Organizations to step up the pace. The NGP will go on until 2016, with an expected increase in hectare coverage every year, it was learned. The national target was to plant 1.5 billion tree and fruit-tree seedlings in 1.5 million hectares. Whereas the reforestation programs in the past 25 years covered only some 200 hectares, the NGP, in a matter of six years raised it almost a thousand times, Tomol intimated. The other difference is that while past reforestation programs relied only on human monitoring, the NGP uses satellite technology in tracking planted sites, so everything has to be feed into the computer, the internet, Tomol added. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

“Takbo Laban sa Krimen” highlights Crime Prevention Week in Maasin City

by R.G. Cadavos


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte Sep 6 (PIA) -- As the nation celebrates National Crime Prevention Week, September 1-7, 2011, a fun run dubbed as “Takbo Laban sa Krimen” is one of the highlights of the week-long activity. In a report sent by PSupt. Hector F. Enage to Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Maasin, the fun run to be conducted this afternoon at 3:00 will be participated by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) family such as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and oither uniformed personnel and identified non-government organizations. The “Takbo Laban saKrimen” is closely coordinated by the city government led by Mayor Maloney Samaco, the source informed. Earlier, the city ploice force participated in the blood letting activity organized by the PIA-Maasin staff last Friday, Sept. 2, which was also one of their activities lined-up for the nationwide celebration of crime prevention. Other activities prepared were the Crime Prevention Symposium held last 3rd of September that tackled topics like Rules of the Community in Criminal Justice System with CInsp. Euterio Ortiz of BJMP as the speaker and Crime Prevention discussed by PSupt. Enage. On September 4, the police authorities conducted a barangay visitation at Barangays Tawid and San Agustin, while September 5 was the destruction of handmade gas guns conducted in front of the city hall grounds and was followed by a motorcade around the city. The city PNP and the Southern Leyte Provincial Police Office will be also guesting at the” Action Center” Kapihan aired at Maasin Cable TV at Senior Citizens building here hosted by PIA Infocen Manager Erna Sy Gorne and Bong Pedalino. And to culminate the week-long celebration, a program will be held at the Maasin Police Station in the morning of September 7 with DILG City Local Government Operations Officer Elsa Tingcoy as the guest speaker. (rgc/PIA-SoLeyte)

8 barangays in Saint Bernard conduct simultaneous disaster drills

by Bong Pedalino


SAINT BERNARD, Southern Leyte, Sept. 5 (PIA) -- Residents in eight (8) calamity-prone villages in this municipality on Saturday held simultaneous community drills on various disaster scenarios to test the capacity of the people for quick response during bad weather, and to practice efficient coordination among disaster bodies in the barangays concerned, the Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (BDRRMC) along with their town counterpart, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC). Barangays Nueva Esperanza, Ayahag, and Sug-angon, which are located along the foot of Mount Kan-abag like the ill-fated Guinsaugon (in fact, next to Sug-angon is the buried Guinsaugon) were given a landslide scenario with selected victims on fatalities and injuries, while the five other barangays -- Tambis 1, Tambis 2, Himbangan, Panian, and San Isidro -- were given flooding situations being high-risk flood areas, along with injured and dead victims as well. The activity, the third in a row since 2008, was organized and fully backed-up by a non-government organization that focused its advocacies on empowering localities that are vulnerable to disasters, in cooperation with the municipal and barangay local government units. The first two drills were held under ACCORD, or “Strengthening Assets and Capacities of Communities and Local Governments for Resilience to Disasters”, while the one on Saturday was under ASCEND, for “Advancing Safer Communities and Environments against Disasters.” According to its literature, ASCEND is a community-based disaster preparedness and mitigation project with activities in eleven (11) municipalities implemented in Jomalig (Quezon), Marinduque, Rapu-rapu (Albay), Calabanga (Camarines Sur), Maragusan (Compostela Valley), and in Saint Bernard. ASCEND was funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department (ECHO) for 2010-2011. A hand-held radio communication between the MDRRMC base and the eight Punong Barangays set the mood of the drill that began past eight in the morning until past lunch time. As soon as the “message” of bad weather following three days of incessant rains was heard on the two-way radio, the Punong Barangays called all the committees of the BDRRMC to mobilize their respective committees and prepare for a pre-empted evacuation to avert a tragedy, which was already “ongoing”. The “batingaw” was pounded, first in slow pounding, to alert people for a possible evacuation and another, much faster pounding was made later to signal that people go to designated pick-up points immediately. An exchange of calls between the village leaders and the MDRRMC base made possible the arrival of dump trucks to ferry people to the evacuation sites, Police personnel for crowd control, ambulances and rescue personnel from the Saint Bernard Emergency Rescue Unite (SBERO) to carry the “wounded” and the “dead” victims. At the relocation site, several scenarios had to be attended, like a complaining evacuee who wanted to transfer to another room, trouble inside the evacuation center, and another set of “wounded” and “dead” at the relocation site. Overall, the conduct of the drills was successful, even as during the assessment after lunch, there were some deficiencies noted, such as cranking communication system for lack of charged batteries, duplication of orders among the BDRRMC committee heads, and a lot of laughing participants as the activity itself was no laughing matter. The second community drill held last October 3, 2009 was more real as it was raining the whole day due to a low pressure area, while last Saturday it was sunny. Among the observers were residents of neighboring barangays and from Silago, including Marichu Tan of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD), and the local media.

First blood-letting at PIA-So. Leyte nets 12 bags

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Sept. 4 (PIA) -- At the end of the day, the provincial chapter of the Red Cross here went home with 12 bags of fresh blood donated by donors in a blood-letting activity held at the provincial office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Friday, this city. The activity represented a 50% increase from the expected donors of eight individuals. Among those who gave blood were three employees from the neighboring office of City Agriculture, five Policemen from the City Police Station, a walk-in student from Maasin City College (MCC), an employee from the city local government unit, Angie Book, correspondent of the local weekly Southern Leyte Times (SLT) and this writer. The city’s Police elements were informed on the spot, yet P/Supt. Hector Enage, the city’s police chief, responded immediately, sending his men and documenting the process as part of their celebration of Crime Prevention Week, it was learned. The blood-letting began 9 in the morning and ended at 3 in the afternoon. Actually, more than ten other prospective donors who were willing to donate blood were also denied for various reasons by the attending medical officers of the Red Cross. Some had high blood, asthma, and recent tooth extractions. The successful conduct of the activity was attended and supervised by Dr. Nadine Sy of the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital, along with her two nurses. Infocen Manager Gorne said the next round of the same event Friday next week will be held at the spacious function hall of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), although this has yet to be coordinated with District Engineer Carlos Veloso. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

Feature: PIA-So. Leyte office becomes 'blood-letting clinic

by Bong Pedalino


The Southern Leyte office of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) was transformed into a channel for blood donors to shed a fraction of the life-giving liquid so that others may live. On short notice, what was normally a routine office appearance was altered to become an eerie sight of three lined cots for the blood-letting process, the tables and chairs neatly arranged to resemble a functional albeit improvised medical facility. In a little while, as doctors and nurses from the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH), along with volunteers from the local Red Cross arrive, the smell of alcohol together with the presence of other paraphernalia such as the one for measuring blood pressure, the office has transformed into PIA Clinic, at least for today. The activity was in line with the instruction from PIA Director-General Jose Fabia for the field offices to coordinate in their respective localities with the media, private groups, non-government organizations, health personnel, and local government units to conduct a simultaneous blood-letting every Friday until the need persists, so the collected blood be given to areas in other parts of the country that are still lingering from the dengue outbreak. On deck at the “PIA-So. Leyte Clinic” today to lay down in the prepared cots are at least eight volunteer blood donors whom Infocen Manager Erna Gorne approached to share their precious blood, including employees from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) and the Office of the City Agriculture Services (OCAS), PIA’s neighbor offices. Jani Arnaiz, President of the local media group Associated Media of Southern Leyte (AMSL) who is also a correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, had indicated also to give blood -- his very first attempt if ever this try would materialize. Marichu Tan, the lone personnel of the Office of Civil Defense here, also listed her name in the donors’ list.(PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

Southern Leyte media to join PIA in blood letting activities

by R.G. Cadavos


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte Sep 1 (PIA) – The Associated Media of Southern Leyte will join the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in the blood letting activities to help dengue-stricken areas throughout the country to prevent the spread of virus. In a media forum aired regularly at radio station DyDM every Wednesday, media practitioners who faciliated the radio program such as the PIA, DyDM reporters, among other private correspondents here committed to join the blood donation activities as directed by PIA Director General Atty. Jose Fabia through Region 8 Director Olive P. Tiu . The AMSL has been regularly supporting in every program the PIA initiated. During the forum, Southern Leyte Provincial Information Center Manager Erna Gorne disclosed in a phone patch interview that “ PIA is asking your support and hopeful that the media will also be one of the donors of the voluntary blood donation.” The PIA is now coordinating with the Philippine National Red Cross- Southern Leyte Chapter to facilitate the blood letting activity, “we are suggesting to the PNRC that it will be held at the PIA Office at Barangay Combado here,” she added. On the other hand, one of the hosts, Ramon Buyser of DyDM, a Kagawad of Barangay Mambajao disclosed that “Barangay officials here initiated already the blood donation every 4 months, held at the barangay hall and conducted by the Red Cross,” adding that “the activity started last year yet, he added. The blood letting activity was in response to a memorandum from Atty. Fabia “to conduct a voluntary blood donation day as dengue cases in many parts of the country is increasing.” The bloodletting activity in Eastern Visayas started last August 26, Friday at the PIA 8 Regional Office in coordination with the AGIO-8, KBP Eastern Visayas, REAL and the Philippine National Red Cross Leyte Chapter to mobilize people in the blood letting activity. (rgc/PIA-SoLeyte)

700 Maasin seniors get medical, dental services thru LIDEF mission

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Aug. 30 (PIA) -- About 700 senior citizens in Maasin City got medical and dental services as the Office of the Senior Citizens Association (OSCA) thru the initiatives of Senior Citizens Federation President Willie J. Justimbaste in close coordination with the Limasawa Development Foundation (LIDEF) and Congressman Roger Mercado conducted a medical and dental mission today. The aging citizens needing medical and dental services swelled into 700 warm bodies as the organizers prepared for only 500 indigent senior citizens, Engr. Esperanza Samaco, LIDEF President disclosed to PIA Southern Leyte in an interview this morning. City Social Wefare and Development Officer Fe Sta Cruz noted that only 500 indigent senior citizens were listed for their preparations but it was found out that there are those barangays who were not able to submit their lists to CSWDO earlier. Most of those who went to the mission were suffering from cough, hyper tension, needing vitamins, problems with eye sight, diabetes, among others, while a number of the senior citizens were have their decaying teeth extracted, Engr. Samaco said. Samaco further said the foundation were preparing for the medicines both for medical and dental needs to include the honoraria of the medical doctors, dentists, nurses and dental aides who assisted during the conduct of the mission, preparations for the snacks and meals to include the senior citizens availing the services. Meanwhile, Congressman Mercado who turned to 60 years old today received his senior citizen’s card and purchase slips from the OSCA officers and witnessed by the Federation of Senior Citizens Associations in Maasin City and the CSWDO Fe Sta. Cruz. Later in the afternoon, Congressman Mercado also gave a birthday offering for the indigent children aging from four to seven years old exclusively from Barangay Abgao, his resident barangay, it was learned.### (PIA Southern Leyte/ esg)

'Sunken' roads in So. Leyte are the effects of 12 daily tremors - DPWH

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Aug 29 (PIA) -- Citing a study done by a geologist, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) District Engineer Carlos Veloso disclosed that certain sections of the national highway in this province are always damaged due to a dozen daily movements of the ground. In an interaction with local media Tuesday, Veloso, head of the Southern Leyte Engineering District (SLED), identified these perennially destructed sections as the one along Bato, Leyte, to Bontoc road and the other at barangay Hindag-an, Saint Bernard. A technical explanation of these seemingly “sunk” sections was the presence of underground water that over time eventually loosened the soil coupled with the everyday dose of the natural earth-shaking move which is not strong enough to be noticed. The damaged road sections also fell along the fault line that traverses the province, Veloso said. Assistant District Engineer Manolo Rojas said they had installed gabions in these areas, saying this kind of structure was permeable, or allows the passage of water through piles of stones hitched with tie wires. Meanwhile, another problematic road portion which is the steep saddle road in Pintuyan, will be re-engineered to cut across a mountainside to lower its elevation. Veloso said his office has already complied with the program of works for an initial budget of P 50 Million asked by the DPWH Central office for a 700-meter alternate road to divert the saddle, adding that the instruction was the result of a resolution submitted by the provincial government to Malacanang. Several motorists suffered accidents in the past while negotiating this uphill, winding road, and its imminent change in design is timely considering that a new Ferry terminal in Benit, San Ricardo, was already in operation. Both Veloso and Rojas were optimistic the development of the much lower saddle road will be made part of the regular budget of the agency, saying that DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson’s timetable was that all primary roads would be paved by 2013. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)

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