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.

Southern Leyte enjoins full participation of LGUs in Earth Hour power switch off

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, March 14 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Southern Leyte will closely coordinate with the 19 local government units in the province to assure full participation in the synchronized one hour electric power switch-off. Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENR) senior staff Eva Abad disclosed to PIA-Maasin about the switching off of electric power from 8:30 p.m. up to 9:30 p.m. of March 13, 2012 in observance of the Earth Hour simultaneously throughout the province. “The local chief executives were all advised formally through the issuance of a memorandum from Provincial Governor Damian Mercado’s office relative to the energy conservation measures which shall also be observed at the same time throughout the world,” Abad said. The memorandum further urged the provincial and city employees to participate as they were recommended to act as models in the community in the switch off of electricity during the designated schedule in their respective homes, she added. On the same day, the provincial government will also spearhead in the synchronized extraction of the crown of thorns starfish (COTS) throughout the province. Other simultaneous massive collection of COTS scheduled activities will be on March 15-22 during the World Water Way observation and the Earth Day celebration on April 22, she said. (PIA8 SoLeyte)





Leyte allocates P300K to combat crown of thorns starfish explosion

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, March 13 (PIA) -- The Southern Leyte Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRRMC) allocated P 300,000 for the acquisition of spear guns that would get rid of the crown of thorns starfish (COTS) multiplying out of control throughout the province.

“The provincial government considered the overpopulation of COTS as a natural disaster that threatens the marine life in the province,“ Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Management Office (PENRMO) - Coastal Fisheries Resource Management Office (CFRMO) Eva Abad reported to PIA.

“These equipment are needed to inject sodium bisulfate into the COTS located in the deep seas, to kill them,” she said.

On the other hand, COTS found along the shallow waters can be manually extracted with the use of bamboo sticks; however, it should be done with technical guidance, Abad said.

Abad reported that COTS teem in Padre Burgos where a number of divers extracted some 60,000 COTs at one time, while along the shorelines of Barangay Mantahan, Maasin City thousands of COTS were also exterminated.

Meanwhile, the provincial government will spearheaded at least three major initiatives of COTS massive extraction: on March 15-22 in time for the World Water Day celebration, on March 31 during the Earth Hour observation, and another synchronized COTS collection on April 22 throughout the province, Abad disclosed.

The Sogod Bay Sustainable Marine Management Alliance (SBSMMA) will work together in the combat of excessive growth of COTS to include the provision of reading materials for wider information dissemination about the problem, Abad said. (PIA8 SoLeyte)





Mt. Nacolod needs protection

by Sarwell Q. Meniano


TACLOBAN CITY – Southern Leyte’s Mt. Nacolod is being pushed as one of the new conservation areas in the country and there’s a need to protect of its 14,000 hectares forested terrain, believed to be home of several endangered birds.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional chief of the protected areas and wildlife division George Guillermo revealed that there’s an ongoing assessment in the area since last year to find out the biological and physical characteristics of wildlife as well as areas in the terrain occupied by people.

“This mountain range is critical to biodiversity conservation. This is categorized as New Conservation Areas Project in the Philippines (NewCAPP). Although it’s lower in category compared to existing protected areas, but not in terms of quality,” Guillermo told Leyte Samar Daily Express.

The official said they are hoping to complete the assessment this year and it will be declared as conservation area next year. The study and consultation is being carried out by DENR, German Agency for International Cooperation and several local government units and non-government organizations.

Basic activity under the project is the biodiversity assessment, to determine the extent of plant and animal species in the area for conservation and protection. The flora and fauna survey is being done by the Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and will be completed June 2012.

At 1,007 meters above sea level, Mt. Nacolod straddles the municipalities of Silago, Saint Bernard, Libagon and Hinunangan all in Southern Leyte, has been picked as one of the nine pilot sites in the country for the New CAPP.

NewCAPP aims to expand and strengthen the terrestrial protected areas system in the Philippines by developing a new protected area conservation model and build capacity for effective management of the system supported by improved systematic and institutional capacities.

The result of the survey, Guillermo said, can properly guide authorities in planning for appropriate conservation strategies in the area.

According to the DENR, several threatened and restricted-range species of the Mindanao and Eastern Visayas Endemic Bird Areas have been recorded in Southern Leyte, and are likely to occur in the remaining forests on Mt. Nacolod. These include the critically endangered Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi, Mindanao Bleeding-heart Gallicolumba crinigera, Philippine Eagle-owl Bubo philippensis, Silvery Kingfisher Alcedo argentata, Samar hornbill Penelopides samarensis, among others. Mt. Nacolod is a municipal watershed supplying water to the surrounding towns. The two significant forests on the mountain are the Buac Watershed Forest Reserve and the Hinabian-Lawigan Watershed Reservation. The mountain range originally covered 18,688 ha of forestland. It was declared a Forest Reserve on 25 November 1966 by Proclamation No. 121.

Crown-of-thorns starfish damages coral reefs

by sunstar.com.ph


THE infestation of poisonous crown-of-thorns starfish damaging corals reefs in Southern Leyte’s diving sites has raised alarm among authorities who are blaming climate change and over-collection of the pest predators as the culprit.

The regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is now making assessment report after four divers inspected the area last week to check the extent of damage wrought by “noxious” starfish.

Justerie Granali, acting BFAR Eastern Visayas director, said the infestation has been noted in Maasin City, and in the towns of Padre Burgos and Macrohon.

“We will provide technical assistance to affected local government units. We have been meeting with local officials to discuss ways on how to eliminate this starfish,” Granali said.

She said there are only two ways to stop the infestation – manual removal of the starfish and underwater injection of sodium bisulfate to the pest.

The official lamented that the growing population of crown-of-thorns has been noted when people overexploited the collection of triton trumpet, the only known predator of adult starfish.

“The sudden change of temperature also attributed to the overpopulation of the number of crown-of-thorns starfish,” Granali said.

In Barangay Mantahan, Maasin City, villagers have removed in their two-day extraction at least 10,000 poisonous starfishes, barangay councilor Jani Arnaiz said.

During last week’s launching ceremony of the Sogod Bay Sustainable Marine Management Alliance, Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado said the Provincial Government has allocated P600,000 for the procurement of spear guns, chemicals and finance information drive.

“We plan to add more funding as soon as the detailed assessment is completed by BFAR. We are scheduled to launch the community removal of damaging starfish on March 23,” Mercado said.

The governor said the infestation is a threat to the local tourism industry.

“Each stakeholder should show concern about the crown of thorns starfish situation,” he said.

According to Provincial Administrator Crispin Arong Jr., the infestation has affected the tourism industry and livelihood activities of fisherfolk.

The Southern Leyte provincial tourism office reported that the Sogod Bay has been drawing local and foreign tourists. The bay has four existing dive shops with each shop attracting an average of 200 visitors every month mostly Europeans.

Sogod Bay covers the municipal water of Padre Burgos, Limasawa, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Sogod, Libagon, Liloan, San Francisco, San Ricardo, and Pintuyan.

The crown-of-thorns starfishes eat the coral through sucking. A single starfish can eat five to six square meters of coral per year.

This starfish breeds around December to April and each female is capable of producing 60 million eggs per season. It has an average size of about 10 to 20 arms.

CSWDO–Maasin City kicks off Women’s Month celebration

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, March 7 (PIA) -- The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) – Maasin City will kickoff it’s two-day celebration with motorcade and seminar-orientations series on climate change tomorrow.

In line with this year's Women's Month theme, “Women Weathering Climate Change: Governance and Accountability, Everyone’s Responsibility,” CSWDO has prepared seminar- orientations focused on Climate Change on the first day for some 300 women in the locality, CSWD Officer Febe Maria Sta. Cruz said.

Sta. Cruz said on the second day , which is scheduled on March 22, they have lined up several free services for the women such as medical consultation, pedicure, manicure, massage, legal consultations and women showcases on successful livelihood programs.

She said different women groups coming from the 70 - barangay women councils, Day Care workers, Local Women Council officers and other women organizations are expected to join the lined up activities.

On the second scheduled day, the same group of women will be exposed to gender sensitivity issues, Sta Cruz added. (ldl/esg/PIA-8)

5 bridges to be constructed in two So. Leyte towns

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Mar. 6 (PIA) -- Five foreign-assisted bridges, Spanish-inspired structures, will be installed in three barangays in the municipality of Silago and two barangays for San Ricardo municipality within this year.

In a press conference with local media recently, Engr. Carlos Veloso, head of the Department of Public Works and Highways – Southern Leyte Engineering District (DPWH-SLED), identified the locations at barangays Hibatian, Lawa-an, and Bagacay in Silago, and barangays Pinut-an, and Bil-atan in San Ricardo.

But Veloso said implementation of these foreign-funded bridge projects will be undertaken by the DPWH central office, including the bidding procedures, which he reported as already in process.

Veloso cannot say how much was the overall costs of the five bridge projects, which were funded by Spain, saying only that as far as he knew, the Philippine government has put up a counterpart fund of around P 50 million.

Meanwhile, a groundbreaking ceremony has been scheduled on March 8, Thursday, for the four bridge projects funded out of the agency’s regular funds.

Starting last week, traffic in the city’s main road was re-routed as the widening of the said bridge was already in full blast, the project officially called “replacement of Tuburan Bridge” with an appropriation of P 10 million.

Widening of another old bridge in the city, in barangay Combado, will follow, as well as the one in barangay San Roque, Macrohon, while work for the completion of the Subang Daku bridge in Sogod is underway.

Replacement of Combado arch bridge has an outlay of P 8 million, while the construction of San Roque bridge, P 18.2 million. Subang Daku bridge in Sogod, which is expected to be finished within the year, was allotted P 48 million, and concreting on the approaches on both ends of the said bridge, P 40 million. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)

City trains reserve Army force for quick emergency response

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Mar. 5 (PIA) -- As an integral part of its action plan for disaster preparedness, the local government unit here organized its choice personnel as Army reservists and subjected them to a 30-day para-military training starting Mar 3 and 4, and every weekend thereafter. Selected to compose one company of 50 individuals were mostly city ordinance enforcers and those coming from the office of general services, usually the same frontline personnel on call during potential calamity situations, such as inclement weather. They will undergo Special Basic Citizens Military Training (SBCMT) Class 01-12 every Saturday and Sunday for the equivalent of one month at the Army Reserve Command Headquarters in barangay Canturing, this city. The opening ceremony for this batch was held at the city gym Friday,Mar 2, which also coincided with the pinning of rank to city Mayor Maloney Samaco as Major in the Philippine Army Reserve. Samaco, speaker in the occasion, said that the organization of a ready reserve was primarily intended for easy mobilization during calamities. The army reserve company in the city, once established, will also be utilized in the conduct of various activities on disaster preparedness, along with other socio-civic undertaking, like serving as a support group during the conduct of free medical-dental services in the city, Samaco also said. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)

Four island LGUs in Region 8 due for rabies-free recognition

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Mar. 4 (PIA) -- Three island municipalities and an island province in Eastern Visayas are leading the race to be declared places where the virus on rabies from dogs is practically non-existent. These are Limasawa island in Southern Leyte, Almagro island in Samar, Maripipi Island in Biliran, and the entire island-province of Biliran itself, said Dr. Norietta Orsua, Regional Rabies Prevention and Control Program Manager of the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional office. Speaking at the organizational meeting of the City Rabies Control Committee (CRCC) in this city last week, Orsua said the declaration as rabies-free places can be expected as soon as the central office shall have finished its final validation on the results of their assessment anytime soon. Orsua, who discussed the details of the law on the control and elimination of rabies, or Republic Act 9482, passed in 2007, said the four LGUs have actively complied with certain criteria for a place to be declared officially as rabies-free. Among these were a functional rabies control committee, a sustained information drive on caring of pets and to be responsible owners of these pets, and a high incidence of immunized dogs, with a minimum requirement of 70 percent compliance rate. For now, there is no problem on the availability of the vaccines for dogs as the Philippines was a recipient of a grant from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) for supplies until the year 2013, Orsua said. She added, however, that beyond 2013 it will be the challenge of the LGUs to maintain what was started and procure by themselves the vaccines for the dogs and for people accidentally bitten by dogs. She said RA 9482 specifically cited a penalty of P 7,000 for owners who refuse to have their dogs registered and immunized, and a separate penalty of P 10,000.00 for owners who refused to have their dogs, which had bitten someone, submit to a 14-day observation period. Still another penalty of P 25,000.00 will be slapped for non-complying owners for the 14-day mandatory observation period if they will refuse to shoulder expenses caused by their dog that had bitten a person, Orsua stressed. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)

22 out-of-school youths recruited to scouting movement

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 28 (PIA) -- At least 22 out-of-school youths (OSYs) were recruited to the Neighborhood Scouting program of the Boy Scout of the Philippines (BSP) based in Southern Leyte.

According to Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco these 22 OSYs from Barangay Asuncion in Maasin City were also known as “bakal boys” because they steal iron and steel and sell these at the junk shops in the locality for their livelihood.

Samaco said, however, only 16 of the OSYs passed the scouting trainings and joined provincial and national jamborees. These OSYs have already stopped their former ways and instead planted vegetable at the backyard of the BSP provincial office and earned money as well.

They were were enrolled in the Alternative Learning System of the Department of Education wherein they graduated last December 2011, he said.

“We are still hoping that some of these boys will get the Eagle Rank and become the first out-of-school youth in the whole Philippines to be advanced as Eagle Scouts.” Samaco added. (ESG-PIA SoLeyte)





DPWH, DOT, DA convergence in So. Leyte underway

by (PIA8-SouthernLeyte)


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 27 (PIA) -- Three national line agencies, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Tourism (DoT), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), are pooling their technical and financial resources to push for the development of tourism and boost agri-business here in this province. DPWH-SLED (Southern Leyte Engineering District) will work on key roads that promote tourism, especially those that directly lead to five specific tour sites in the province, while the DOT will provide the funding which, hopefully, will be available within the year, Carlos Veloso, engineer and head of SLED said. Among the sites considered for development under the DPWH-DOT convergence are the roads leading to barangay Danao in this city, the future site of the Maasin Nature and Wildlife Park; improvement of a trail leading to Cambaro cave in Macrohon; a road leading to the planned canopy walk in Silago; a road leading to a crater in San Juan; and completion of the circumferential road in Limasawa. All the five projects have an estimated appropriation of more than P20 million, Veloso said. Regarding the linkage with DA, Veloso said a P 6-million fund is currently available to continue the farm-to-market road connecting Maasin and Bontoc through the mountainous terrains of the two localities, from barangay Lunas in Maasin to barangay Pacu in Bontoc. When completed, this cross-country highway is seen as a big help in cutting travel time for passengers and motorists coming from the pacific and Panaon islands of the province who, at present, use the Bontoc-Bato,Leyte-Maasin route. Another P 10 million release for the same project was due to be disbursed this year 2012 so the Lunas-Pacu, Bontoc road can be fully operational and opened for traffic soonest, Veloso further said.





Padre Burgos LGU leads multi-sectoral crown of thorns massive collection

by (PIA8-Southern Leyte)


PADRE BURGOS, Southern Leyte, Feb. 23 (PIA) -- The local government is leading a campaign to rid the coastal areas here of a deadly specie of starfish that poses a threat to the town’s tourism industry and also to the livelihood of marginal fisher folk, Agriculturist Juliet Crisostomo said.

The crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS), a coral-eating underwater creature, has been blamed for destroying a partial stretch of coral reef in this dive destination. If the destruction is left unchecked, the number of divers who frequent the site is likely to diminish, affecting local tourism, he said.

Fishermen living along the coasts who depended on fishing as their main livelihood have already complained that fishes have migrated to other places as a result of the loss of coral material in the area, Crisostomo said.

The campaign has resulted in more than 3,000 COTS averaging 12 inches in diameter being collected before noon Wednesday and later buried across the street. Called “Dap-ag Lanay” locally, COTS are differentiated from normal starfishes, which are star-shaped, in that the former have thorny projections resembling a crown.

Their proliferation is reported to have resulted from the absence of natural predators such as oysters and some species of fish that feed on them. Overfishing and climate change have played in part in the imbalance, by reducing the population of the COTS natural enemies.

Divers from private dive businesses, fisher folk from the neighboring barangays, and several personnel from the Coral Cay Conservation (CCC), a non-government organization from Britain stationed at Barangay Napantao, San Francisco, helped in collecting the COTS from the sea floor, Crisostomo said.

Over the past month, seven out of 10 coastal barangays of Padre Burgos have already collected more than 50,000 pieces of COTS. Three other barangays have separate schedules of COTS collection in March, he added.





DPWH-SLED infra projects in full swing

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 22 (PIA) -- At least eight major infrastructure projects programmed by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Southern Leyte Engineering District (DPWH-SLED) for implementation this year were bidded out and started.

Projects with less than P20 million costs have expiry dates on or before June 30, while those with more than P20 million appropriations are targeted to be done by September 30 this year, Engr. Carlos Veloso, head of the provincial engineering district, said.

In a press conference at the DPWH function hall yesterday, Veloso identified five of the infrastructure projects with a combined budget of P124 million from the DPWH regular funds that were bidded out on Feb. 9, and as of press time winning contractors began preliminary works prior to actual start.

Among these were the final phase for the completion of the Subang Daku bridge along Daang Maharlika in Barangay San Miguel, Sogod and the accompanying construction/improvement of the same road up to the junction at Buac road.

The other three that were also bidded out Feb. 9 involved replacement or construction of old bridges, such as the one at Barangay San Roque, Macrohon, Tuburan Bridge at Barangay Abgao, Maasin, and another at Barangay Combado Arch Bridge, also in Maasin.

The two bridges at the city proper usually caused a bottleneck in the traffic for pedestrians and moving vehicles especially during rush hour of the day, and their widening is seen as a big relief for commuters, said Engr. Manolo Rojas, assistant district engineer.

Other projects that were already bidded out and were started last month included the widening and installation of drainage system along the new national highway Tomas Oppus street in Barangays Mantahan and Mambajao, Maasin City, and improvements in the San Ricardo-Bilatan road, and preventive maintenance along Daang Maharlika highway. (BP-PIA 8 Southern Leyte)





CENRO-Maasin City targets 300 hectares for greening program this year

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb 21 (PIA) -- The Community Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO) Maasin City of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) aim to cover 300 hectares of open spaces with forest trees on its second year of implementing the National Greening Program this year.

According to CENRO officer Pepe Mandras, the CENRO Maasin City, which covers the municipalities from Maasin City down to Libagon municipality will continue to be planted with forest trees.

The DENR in the province have two CENR offices, which are based in Maasin City and San Juan municipality. The CENRO – San Juan also covers the municipalities located from Sogod down to the Pacific towns and Pana-on areas, Mandras said.

Mandras said last year, CENRO Maasin City was able to plant successfully to 700 hectares of forest lands under the national tree planting program of President Benigno S. Aquino III.

He also revealed that 50 out of the 700 hectares were endorsed by Congressman Roger G. Mercado particularly located at the Barangay Bogo in Maasin City. That the said forest plantation is managed by the Bogo Women’s Assocation, he added.

Mandras further revealed that their office has designated the bald mountain ranges in Barangay Laboon, which is about 10 kilometers away from the main districts of Maasin City, for the convenience of those organizations who wish to join the national tree planting program. (PIA8- Southern Leyte)






P300-M Jackpot Winners Still No-Show

by EDD K. USMAN


MANILA, Philippines — The two winners of the P300-million jackpot of the February 15 draw of Grand Lotto 6/55, who placed their bets in Taytay, Rizal, and Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, have not yet claimed their winnings.

A check with the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) in Pasay City at noon Monday showed that so far only the winners of P150,000 each for getting five numbers correctly have started to claim their money.

Lawyer Lauro A. Patiag, manager of the Internal Audit Department (PCSO-IAD), told the Manila Bulletin that the two lucky lotto players have not yet shown up.

“We are waiting for them so they can get without hassle their prize money. It is totally tax-free, the PCSO pays the tax for jackpot prizes,” he said.

Five-number winners of 6/55 in the same February 15 draw are now claiming their money, he said. “It could mean even the two winners of the P300 million may still have not realized their lucky streak,” said Patiag.





DoT to build 32 feet sculpture depicting First Mass in Limasawa, Southern Leyte

by ROEL AMAZONA


TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DoT) will implement this year the project to build a sculpture depicting the First Mass in Limasawa, Southern Leyte by commissioning the service of well-known architect Nemesio “Nemi” Miranda who was creator of the famous People Power monument at Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Manila.

Miranda was tasked by the DoT to make an image of the First Mass with a height of 32 feet at the public plaza located in Barangay Magallanes. The perspective of the project was finished sometime last year.

The DoT set aside a budget of P7 million for this project which is expected to draw tourists who visit the historic island, especially every March 31.

Based on historical account, the First Mass in the Orient was held in March 31, 1521 when Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan under Spanish flag landed in the island celebrated he mass at Barangay Magallanes and planted a cross.

Based on the DoT tourist arrival records last year, the National Shrine in Limasawa was among the most visited tourism sites in the region last year.

Aside from the project to be implemented by the DoT, the provincial government of Southern Leyte, which included Limasawa under its tourism master plan, is also set to construct a 100-meter high cross in the island, equipped with elevator to reach the top portion where businesses like a coffee shop are to be put up.

The provincial government estimated that the project will cost about P80 million.

During last year’s 490th First Mass celebration, Bishop Precioso Cantillas of the diocese of Maasin launched the “Decade of Evangelization” that will culminate on March 31, 2021, the 500th year anniversary of the historic event.





City, Province entice investors in the BPO industry

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 17 (PIA) -- Mayor Maloney Samaco said Tuesday the government is willing to share the cost of training call center agents needed by call-center businesses investing in his locality.

In a press conference, Samaco said that investors in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry were willing to locate in the region if there was trained manpower capable of handling the job demands.


To entice these investors, “the city and province will share in the cost of training prospective and potential personnel as call center agents,” he said.


The demand for offshore call-centers has paced the private outsourcing agency’s promotion of foreign direct investments in the country.


Meanwhile, Samaco said a Cebu-based business consortium is being contracted to expand an existing reclamation area in the city with landfill from nearby hills. Talks with the consortium started last year under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement. The consortium would then convert the landfill area into a memorial park. (MMP/PIA8)





SoLeyte bares prevalence of malnutrition in East Visayas

by Rebecca S. Cadavos


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 16 (PIA) -- The Provincial Nutrition Council in a meeting held Tuesday bared how the region fares regarding the prevalence of malnutrition by municipality throughout Eastern Visayas Region.

Provincial nutritionist Nilda Rich disclosed in a meeting with the PNC-Technical Working Group that the municipality of Pintuyan, in Southern Leyte was at top 25, having 20.97 percent underweight from 68.1 percent total preschoolchildren (Operation Timbang coverage). Number 1 went to San Jorge from the province of Samar, with 30.50 percent underweight from the 64.74 percent conducted OPT.

While Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar have 29.72 percent from the weighted 43.50 percent and San Jose de Buan from Samar with 29.66 percent over the weighed pre-schoolers of 64.53 percent, second and third ranks respectively.

Rich reported that the municipality of Limasawa ranked the least at 137th place from the total municipalities throughout Eastern Visayas, with only 4.19 percent underweight pre-schoolers. Limasawa already won the Galing Pook Award for the implementation of nutrition program, it was learned.

Rich informed that all muncipalities from the provinces of Eastern Visayas region were ranked according to the number of malnourished pre-schoolers from the OPT coverage. “Leyte’s first municipality was at top 12 with Jaro having 25.75 percent from 84.99 percent OPT coverage; Biliran at 64th with Caibiran town having 16.48 percent out of 83.41 percent OPT coverage; and Eastern Samar with Gen,. McArthur as the first municipality that ranked 43rd with 18.69 percent out of 82.27 covered OPT,” she added.

The presentation was made by Rich as a feedback from the District Nutrition Provincial Coordinators’ meeting held from January 31-February 1, 2012 at Tacloban City hosted by the National Nutrition Council through Regional Nutrition Program coordinator Carina Z. Santiago.

On the other hand, Rich also expounded on the implementing rules and regulation of Republic Act No. 10028, or the promotion of breastfeeding and the establishment of rooming-in and breastfeeding practices, where any establishment, whether public or privately-run are encouraged to put-up a breastfeeding room for working mothers who breastfeed their babies

The meeting was attended by members of PNC-Technical Working Group such as the National Food Authority (NFA), Department of Interior and Local government (DILG), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Education (DepEd), among other member-provincial offices. (PIA 8-Southern Leyte)





OCD enhances knowledge of disaster-risk barangays in SoLeyte

by Rebecca S. Cadavos


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 15 (PIA) -- The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) conducted a hazard mapping orientation in 14 barangays in the municipality of Libagon to enhance knowledge on disaster-risk and vulnerabilities in their areas.

“At least 14 barangay chairmen from the 14 municipalities of Libagon attended the one-day hazard mapping orientation,” Civil Defense officer Marichu Tan disclosed to PIA-Maasin. It was also participated by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC) members headed by Libagon Mayor Oliver Ranque, she added.

The activity taught the barangay officials how to conduct hazard mapping, especially those barangay residents at risk in times of disaster, before, during and after any calamity, Tan said.

The hazard mapping orientation also aims to strengthen the disaster risk reduction council at the local level, especially the barangay DRRMC, since they will be the first to act in times of disaster,” Tan said. (PIA 8-Southern Leyte)






PNP – Maasin City initially plants 750 mangrove trees

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb 14 (PIA) --- The police here has already started planting at least 750 mangrove seedlings to strongly support the nationwide tree planting campaign, in compliance with the President's National Greening Program.

Superintendent Hector Enage disclosed that each of the 52 organic police officers and staff in the police station are required to plant at least six trees every month for a year. Enage said earlier this month they were able to plant 500 mangrove trees in Barangay Pasay mangrove in Maasin City in close coordination with the barangay officials, who also contributed their share of mangrove seedlings to the tree planting. On February 11, Saturday, the Maasin City PNP conducted the second tree planting in Barangay Manhilo mangrove area and planted another 250 seedlings, Enage added.

Enage said the will further coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and barangay councils in the city for the rest of the tree planting activities particularly in their need for tree planting materials and planting areas. The tree planting activity of Maasin City Police Station is in consonance with the campaign of Police Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to plant 10 million trees for the same period and to PNoy's call to plant a billion trees to mitigate climate change.(PIA8- Southern Leyte)





Solon offers scholarship to students taking up Agriculture course

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 13 (PIA) -- Graduating high school students here and anywhere in the province who belong to the top five of the graduating class were challenged by the province's representative to avail of his scholarship program for the coming school year, 2012-2013. But one pre-requisite condition should be met, and that is, that the student take up an agriculture course at a government school here in the province, referring to the Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) or the Maasin City College (MCC). According to Aida Morsen Moralde of Cong. Roger Mercado’s district office, there were students in the past who availed of the lawmaker’s initiative, as agriculture was one of the courses listed under the Congressman’s scholarship program. So far, however, someone has yet to graduate from this course, as the tendency was to shift to other courses, it was learned. In a recent meeting with heads of national line agencies, Mercado announced his desire to help graduating students continue college schooling, even as he singled Agriculture as the preferred course to be taken up. He appealed on the students to spread the word to those interested to pursue an agriculture degree, especially if he or she belongs to the upper level of the graduating class. Last month, Mercado rallied concerned stakeholders in his vision of a Southern Leyte province that will become a producer, no longer a consumer, of agriculture products, to reverse the trend nowadays that virtually anything agricultural sold in the market either came from Cebu or Mindanao. The province should be producing these staples so that it can be self-reliant and can even sell to other places of the country, Mercado said. During the Agriculture-Tourism summit last month, Mercado had linked up with the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the people’s organizations, and the Mayors of the different local government units in the province to start mapping a roadmap or blueprint for the province’s full-speed agricultural development. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)





TESDA-So. Leyte is now ISO certified

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 12 (PIA) -- The Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA) provincial office here has undergone the necessary processes required by an audit-qualifying body for it to pass the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

In previous interviews with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), TESDA Provincial Director Rolando Juanillo has intimated that his office was subjected to a rigorous scrutiny assessing its quality services, along with provincial offices of Samar and Leyte.

Aside from the TESDA Central Office, Region 8 was part of the three regions initially selected to undergo the ISO certification, the two others were Regions 3 and the Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), Juanillo had revealed.

On February 10, Friday, the mentioned areas were scheduled to receive the ISO 9001-2008 certification for having complied the requirements on quality procedures among others, Juanillo told PIA over the phone Wednesday.

An agency granted with the ISO mark usually enhances its reputation as a globally competitive office recognized to deliver quality product and services to its clientele, in an atmosphere of improved efficiency and at least cost, it was learned.

Juanillo said that as of now all other TESDA provincial offices in the region will also be undergoing a similar process.(PIA8-Southern Leyte)





31 sitios in So. Leyte awaits NEA lighting project

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 10 (PIA) -- Residents in 31 remote sitios all over this province can expect to avail the services of the local power firm Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO) anytime this year because of the rural electricity program of the National Electrification Administration (NEA). Benson Mindajao, Member Development Officer of SOLECO, told Philippine Information Agency (PIA) yesterday that the list was already submitted to NEA before Christmas last year for implementation which he hoped to be undertaken sooner. Last year, also before Christmas, two sitios were energized, Sitio Mangmang and Bagong Silang, all of Macrohon town, with a total cost of P 1.2 million mostly subsidized by the electrification agency, benefiting more than the minimum limit of 30 household connections, Mindajao said. For this year 2012, the total cost for energizing the 31 sitios or Puroks amounted to P 12,165,382.80 with SOLECO shouldering the labor component, among others, while the materials costing more than P 9 million was handled by NEA, Mindajao disclosed. This will be under its Subsidiary Electric Program or the Barangay Line Enhancement Program that was pushed aggressively for lighting all far-flung sitios nationwide as one of the pet priorities of President Benigno Aquino III, he added. Mindajao also said that four out of the 31 sitios were located in Maasin City, the rest distributed in the 18 other towns of the province. These were Sitio Gawad Kalinga in barangay Combado, Sitio Alpha in San Rafael, Purok Anahawan in barangay Libhu, and Sitio Upper Kandiis, also of Libhu. In December, City Tourism Officer Royeno Segovia informed PIA that all farthest sitios were already reached by an electrification program initiated by the city government. When told about this, Mindajao said new sitios kept propping up every year which needed extension of their existing lines. In fact, for this year, aside from the 31 awaiting NEA’s go-signal, about 40 potential sitios are longing for power connectivity, and resolutions from barangays on this matter kept coming, Mindajao further said. (Marcelino Pedalino - PIA8 Southern Leyte)





National Greening Program gaining headway

by www.tempo.com.ph


Manila, Philippines – Eastern Visayas (Region was selected as pilot site for the 2012 national Greening Program (NGP), to highlight the region’s record of exceeding its targeted number of hectares with tree seedlings planted since the program was launched on May 2011. Eastern Visayas, consisting of six provinces – Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar and Southern Leyte – exceeded its 2011 NGP target. It produced 4,052,500 seedlings and planted 8,105 hectares with indigenous tree species and fruit-bearing trees. Eastern Visayas has been given a higher target of 12,365 hectares to be planted with trees this year. The Bicol Region (Region 5) also surpassed its 2011 target by 12 percent with 6,303 hectares of open and denuded forestland planted with close to 4 million tree seedlings. When the NGP was launched in Bicol in May last year, stakeholders in the region planted 3.9 million tree seedlings in 6,303 hectares of open and denunded forestland. Camarines Sur led with 2,102,578 tree seedlings planted in 3,005 hectares. The Department of National Defense (DND) allocated 12,000 hectares for the establishment of tree nursery sites in military reservations nationwide, including Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Kibaritan Military Reservation in Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur, Camp Peralta in Capiz, and Villaviciosa Military Reservation in Abra. In coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the Department of Agriculture (DA), the DND is also propagating bamboo plantations. The NGP targets the planting of 1.5 billion tree seedlings in 1.5 million hectares nationwide from 2011 to 2016. priority areas include mangrove and protected areas, ancestral domain, civil and military areas, and urban areas under the LGU greening plan. For 2012, the target is 200,000 hectares. The goal is a survival rate of 80 percent by tapping sound upland practices and confining identified planting sites to areas where there are communities that can maintain and ensure growth of the seedlings into mature trees. The overall objectives of the National Greening Program are poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and environment mitigation.





TESDA-So. Leyte offers three voc-tech courses scholarship training

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 8 (PIA) -- Interested and qualified youths in this city can avail of a scholarship training program for three vocational-technical courses at a private learning school here in partnership with the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

In a phone interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) this morning, TESDA provincial director Rolando Juanillo said the three voch-tech courses due to open at the Saint Joseph College (SJC) Vocational Training Center include Metal Arc Welding, Plumbing, and Electrical Wiring.

Juanillo said he already communicated this opportunity to the 70 barangays all over this city which is the priority area for this TESDA-initiated training, and many have already responded.

Still, TESDA will not start until all slots are covered. For metal arc welding, 43 slots were made available, and five slots are yet unfilled; so also with electrical wiring, where 41 slots were granted.Plumbing, which also has 43 slots, were just a little over half filled-up, Juanillo said.

The total of 127 slots for the three mentioned voc-tech courses scholarship training was part of a P 1 million fund set aside by TESDA Secretary Emmanuel Joel Villanueva as the city’s share for this particular project, Juanillo said.

On Saturday during a meeting with heads or representatives of national line agencies called by Rep. Roger Mercado, Josefina Corollo of the provincial TESDA office announced that the Congressman’s request for training was already approved as part of the current scholarship program.

uanillo said the three vocational-technical courses do not discriminate acceptance on whether the applicant is a male or female, as long as he or she is 18 years old and above, and a high school graduate at least.

Welding requires 304 hours or an equivalent of 38 days, plumbing 162 hours or 20 days, while electrical wiring 402 hours or 50 days. Students who take these courses will assessed for a National Certificate (NC) 2 level, Juanillos further said. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)





DOH conducts exit conference for RN-HEALS project in Southern Leyte

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Health (DOH) based in Southern Leyte conducted an exit conference for the Registered Nurses for Health Enhancement And Local Service (RN-HEALS) project through presentation of accomplishments at the Salvacion Oppus Yñiguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) conference hall, February 7. DOH Representative to the province, Dr. Feliciano John Matibag disclosed that Southern Leyte was allotted at least 77 registered nurses for the nationwide project, from February 2011 up to February of 2012. “DOH required them to present their accomplishment for evaluation since their contract will end on February 14, 2012,” he said, adding that another batch of nurses will be hired for the next RN-HEALS project. The conference was done in two batches, Matibag said. The first batch was held February 6 for Maasin City to Malitbog areas and February 7 for Sogod Bay to Panaon areas, discussing RN-HEALS accomplishment reports and the issues and concerns within their areas of jurisdiction.

Matibag informed PIA-Maasin this morning that there will be another RN-HEALS project, allotting Southern Leyte for at least 105 registered nurses to be distributed at the local government units such as Macrohon, Limasawa, Padre Burgos, Malitbog, Liloan, San Francisco, San Ricardo, Saint Bernard, Hinunangan, Silago and in Maasin City. A minimum of 7 nurses will be assigned in each area with an allowance of P8,000 a month coming from the DOH funds and a counterpart from the assigned LGU, depending on the LGUs availability of funds for at least P2,000 per month. Likewise, the LGU will supervise the nurses assigned and ensure their safety and security, Matibag added. He said that qualifying examination was already conducted for the applicants for the next batch of RN-HEALS last December 2011. “Though, those nurses with outstanding rating will be considered, but DOH will try to accommodate new but deserving nurses for the next set of RN-HEALS project,” he added. It was learned that RN HEALS is expected to address the shortage of skilled and experienced nurses in 1,221 rural and unserved or underserved communities for at least one year will prioritize those newly graduate nurses with license and who have no fixed income yet. (PIA 8-Southern Leyte)




SoLeyte dad grateful as 3,198 Southern Leytenos benefit from medical and dental mission

by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb 6 (PIA) -- Provincial Governor Damian G. Mercado extolled public and private partnership as he expressed deep gratitude to the Philippine Nurses Association in Metropolitan, D.C., USA (PNAMD) mission benefiting at least 3,198 Southern Leytenos with medical problems. “If left alone on the shoulders of the provincial government, it cannot affort the expenses to have all sick people healed," Governor Mercado disclosed during the closing ceremony honoring the 71-member mission team that conducted the weeklong medical, surgical, and dental mission in Maasin City last January 23- 27. Governor Mercado said that the voluntary acts of the private sector like the PNA from Metropolitan DC in USA, is a good example of government and private sector partnering for development and service delivery. According to PNAMD president Alice N. Andam, the dominantly Filipino volunteers composing the mission- team came all the way from United States of America were mostly medical practitioners such as surgeons, anestheologists, pediatricians, ob-gyn, operating room nurses, pharmacists, nurses, dentists, and some volunteers. Andam reported that 2,135 out-patients got medical treatment, 708 had their teeth extracted while, 90 patients underwent major operations, and 157, minor operations. All the patients also enjoyed free medicines. The 100 barangay tanods who assisted in securing peace and orderly crowd in three different venues for the medical, surgical, and dental locations were all given multivitamins, Andam said. The surgical team conducted operations on gall bladder stone extractions, myoma, cysts, breast mass, hernia, goiter, broken bones, cleft, eye cataract operations, among others, she reported. The mission team was also bolstered with three eye specialists coming from the local “Sagip sa Mata Foundation” based in Tacloban City and logistics from the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) headed by Dr. Paula Sydiongco, she said. According to Andam, this is the 10th medical, surgical, and dental mission they have conducted in the Philippines. (PIA8 –Southern Leyte)





Leyte delegation bags overall EVRAA 2012 championship crown

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 4 (PIA) -- Athletes from Leyte province hauled most of the gold medals in the 17) sporting events during the week-long conduct of the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) meet held here last week, making it the overall champion of the regional sportsfest. Out of 10 competing teams, Leyte garnered a total of 730.5 points -- 369 points from the elementary level, 361.5 points from the secondary level -- to grab the glory of being awarded the EVRAA 2012 champion in the closing ceremonies at the Southern Leyte Sports Complex yesterday afternoon. Landing at second place in overall tally was Eastern Samar for a total of 487 points -- 255 points from the elementary, and 232 points from high school. The host city, Maasin, got 206.5 points in the elementary level for third place, while the third placer for high school level went to Ormoc City with 203.17 points. Maasin landed fourth place in the secondary level, along with Tacloban City, for a tie at 161.5 points. Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco had expressed satisfaction on the efforts exerted by the home players, saying that even if the city failed to come out champion its performance showing improved over last year’s Calbayog EVRAA, where it finished fourth in elementary and number 8 in secondary. As for the hosting, it was learned that Regional Sports Coordinator Cesar Verunque rated the city “Excellent.” For special awards, Southern Leyte division was chosen the Cleanest and Most disciplined delegation, while best in athletic uniform was Leyte province. In yesterday’s closing rites, which was attended by Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and wife Cristina, City Councilor, Samaco rallied the winning players “to improve Eastern Visayas’ finish in the Palarong Pambansa slated at Lingayen, Pangasinan” this May. DepEd Regional Director Luisa Bautista Yu, who formally closed the EVRAA 2012 five days after she declared it open, expressed a similar hope with Samaco over the upcoming national meet. “May we have a higher rank in the Palarong Pambansa,” Director Yu said. More than 6,000 players, officials, and school personnel from the Department of Education (DepEd) family participated in the week-long EVRAA games games January 29-February 3, consisting of seven provinces and three cities around Region 8 clashing it out in a friendly sports competition. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)





Southern Leyte equips its constituents with skills trainings

  • Source: Southern Leyte equips its constituents with skills trainings
  • Friday 3rd of February 2012
by Erna S. Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb 3 (PIA) -- The provincial government of Southern Leyte is equipping its constituents with skills through trainings; these trainings would eventually prod them towards self employment. According to Cristina Aguelo of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), their office already conducted the first skills training on haircutting to 30 residents at Hinunangan Municipal Covered Court on January 16-22. This will be followed by manicure and pedicure training in Silago before February ends; massage therapy is scheduled for March while facial make-up training in Barangay Asuncion, Maasin City will be on April. Last year, the Barangay Asuncion in Maasin City provided skills trainings in partnership with the provincial government where manicure, pedicure, haircutting, and massage therapy skills trainings were held at the barangay hall, Aguelo said. Also last year, the provincial government was able to gainfully equip about 689 local constituents with varied skills such as massage theraphy, haircutting, manicure and pedicure, facial make-up, motorcyle repair and maintenance, food processing, among others, she added. (PIA8 / SoLeyte)






DENR chooses greening sites in Southern Leyte as national model

by Marcelo M. Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Feb. 1 (PIA) -- The central office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was so impressed with the panoramic view of two tree-planting sites here under the National Greening Program (NGP) that these were declared model NGP areas . According to Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer (PENRO) Ricardo Tomol, the NGP sites at barangays Bogo and Laboon, and another at barangay Lunas, caught the attention of the agency’s higher-ups, thus its selection as model sites.

Tomol said the one at barangay Bogo is supported by Cong. Roger Mercado; the one at Laboon, an accredited NGP site is managed by CENRO-Maasin, while the Lunas site is managed by a people’s organization (PO), in which their areas were enrolled as NGP sites as well.

Young Innovators for Sustainable Environment Development Association (YISEDA), the accredited PO based at Lunas, has been active in projects relating to environment conservation and preservation, and they have maintained their site, Tomol added.

Tomol also said that CENRO-San Juan emerged as number one in NGP implementation for the year 2011 in Region 8, having planted its target of 400 hectares from the congressional initiative and another 930 hectares from regular NGP.

For areas under CENRO-Maasin, Tomol said the targets of 930 hectares regular NGP plus 100 hectares from Cong. Mercado were also finished well ahead of time.

The DENR field coverage in Southern Leyte was divided in two, the CENRO-Maasin which covers Maasin city up to Sogod, and CENRO-San Juan, which covers Libagon, the four towns of Panaon island, and the six towns in the pacific area.

For the 2012 NGP targets, Tomol said he has yet to attend a national conference on the subject next month, even as he already had the proposed figures, definitely an increase from 2011 goals.

The NGP is a nationwide massive tree-planting activity spearheaded early last year by President Benigno Aquino III, involving government employees in all levels, including school children, where each individual is given a quota of 10 trees planted per year until 2016.

Overall, the NGP aspires to plant close to two million trees in millions of hectares of timberland areas around the Philippines to mitigate the ill effects of climate change. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)


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