Southern Leyte Province News January 2012

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NFA pushes for i-Rice consumption in Southern Leyte

by PIA Press Release


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan 30 (PIA) -- The National Food Authority – Southern Leyte Office is encouraging every concerned official throughout Southern Leyte province to support government programs, particularly the iron-fortified rice, known as the “i-Rice”. NFA information officer Elisa E. Almacin in her report disclosed that the agency’s ultimate goal in the “i-Rice” advocacy is to squarely face the problem of micronutrient malnutrition of the populace She revealed that micronutrient malnutrition is, “one of the country’s utmost problems because of lack of micronutrients which include iron, iodine, and vitamin A.” In response to the study which put the Philippines as one of the countries that suffer from nutritional disorder, NFA is emphasizing the importance of “i-rice” to help the country fight this battle towards good nutrition and a well balance diet, Almacin disclosed to PIA-Maasin. It was learned that the nationwide launching of i-Rice was held last March 2011. It aims to promote the NFA’s program that supports the fortification of products based on Republic Act 8976 or the Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000 Almacin said that the food department’s main concern is rice, which is the main staple of the country, “we highly advocate the i-Rice program” for your support as an outward extension to the people, referring to the different agencies concerned. “Health is wealth, let the i-Rice program be part of the daily dietary intake of our people,” she said while hoping that the agencies concerned will be part in disseminating this information drive for the welfare of each one towards a journey for a healthy people in a healthy country,” Almacinbared. (PIA-8/Southern Leyte)





Nutrition plan

by Tarra Quismundo

Philippine Daily Inquirer


The local government of Limasawa, a poor Southern Leyte municipality but enshrined in Philippine history books as the site of the first Catholic Mass, implemented an “innovative nutrition plan” to reduce malnutrition, which often kept children away from school. Between 2004 and 2009, malnutrition rates dropped from 8.8 to 2.61 percent among preschoolers and from 6 to 2.17 percent among grade schoolers. In Mindanao, Sarangani province launched the Justice Enhancement and Empowered Program (JEEP), deploying a mobile court to its municipalities to speed up the resolution of cases involving poor litigants. Since its launch six years ago, the program has trimmed the number of detainees at the local jail from 600 to 286. The town of Upi in Maguindanao started an information technology (IT) project that has been a model for neighboring municipalities. Established in 2004, the Community e-Center (CeC) project “remains the only fully operational center” in Maguindanao providing IT and even broadcast capability to locals, Galing Pook said.





Leyte eyes ‘ulang’ production hike

by Marvyn N. Benaning


A farmer in Southern Leyte has taught his colleagues a lesson in entrepreneurship by making money on an enterprise based on freshwater prawn, also known as “ulang.” Benjamin G. Gerona Jr. has trailblazed the culture of “ulang” along tilapia culture and vegetables in his town, which is hardly the base for such an enterprise. By doing so using an investment of P34,400, Gerona had a return of 32 percent. This has encouraged officials of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte, to find out if “ulang” production could be increased exponentially by putting up more hatcheries to remove one of the most critical hurdles in the expansion of prawn yield. The target is actually the Japan market, which spends $2 billion annually in prawn exports, and hopefully win a bigger market share for the Philippines, which used to be a big prawn producer until viral diseases ruined the industry. Thailand now supplies bulk of prawns for the Japanese market while the country bids to match its 7 percent share of the market in the 1990s. Thailand supplies 20 percent of the global prawn market. VSU developed a technology for increased production of prawn and other commodities using Gerona’s system, consistent with the multicommodity enterprise as a development strategy promoted by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR).





Four public elementary schools now use DPWH’s rainwater collection project

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 24 (PIA) -- Four barangays of this city, each one with an elementary school, stood as living beneficiaries of an innovative water impounding project built by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) provincial engineering district here. “These rainwater collection structures were already finished in the first quarter last year, and since then it has been used by the school children, faculty and other personnel for their washing needs,” said District Engr. Carlos Veloso of the Southern Leyte Engineering District (SLED) in a press conference at his office on Tuesday. Veloso identified the recipient schools as Batuan Elementary School, Tomoy-Tomoy Elementary School, Bilibol Elementary School, and Panan-awan Elementary School, all of Maasin City. Except for barangay Panan-awan, which is located along the national highway, barangays Batuan and Tomoy-Tomoy are located in the interior, upland section of the city, while barangay Bilibol lies along the coast near the boundary with Matalom. Scarcity of water for daily use like watering the garden and for general cleaning was one of the needs of these schools that were addressed by the water collection project, Veloso said, quoting one teacher who expressed appreciation for the initiative. The structure looks like an elevated water tank with collection vessels linked to the school building’s roof gutters. Veloso said the four rainwater collection system has an appropriation of P191,065, and was put up by the contractor in 60 days. Of the entire engineering district in Region 8, it was only SLED which finished the project in time for President Benigno Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in July last year. It was also referred to as a SONA project, while all the other districts completed the same by the last quarter of the year, Veloso also said. (PIA-8)





DepEd – 8 first regional education summit draws stakeholders’ support

by PIA Press Release


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 22 (PIA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Office in Eastern Visayas got the support of various stakeholders in the implementation of the K to 12 basic education program during its first regional education summit today. According to DepEd Undersecretary for Programs and Projects USEC Yolanda S. Quijano, the graduates of K to 12 will be holistically-developed young Filipinos armed with 21st century skills as the program will enable the students to be emotionally mature, to acquire mastery of basic competencies and legally employable with potential for better earnings. Quijano said 200 stakeholders coming from the local government units, media sector, parents- teachers associations, teachers’ coalitions, student leaders and the association of private schools in its effort to strengthen the quality basic education thru the “K to 12” program starting this year. After the message of Quijano, a series of messages of support from the mentioned stakeholders were pledged by the different representatives such as Hon. Mayor Remedios L. Petilla, president of the Leyte League of Mayors, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 8 Regional Director Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu, representing the media sector, Assistant Regional Director Arnel Agabi of DILG, Regional Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) Federation president, Teachers Dignity Coalition regional coordinator Edilberto U. Sumapig and Executive Director Sonia C. Palami of the Eastern Visayas Association of Private Schools. She revealed the four phases in their preparations for its full implementation. Phase one is the laying of the foundations from October 2010 to May 2012 which is Universal Kinder Implementation and enhancement of universal kindergarten law. Phase two includes modeling and Initial migration from June 2012 to May 2016 which includes the migration of Grades 1 and 7 roll forward, Senior High School (SHS) modeling and enactment of K to 12 basic education law. For phase three, it will be the SHS roll-out from June 2012 up to May 2018 where the Grades 11 and 12 implementation in public schools starts and complete migration to new elementary curriculum including Grades 5 and 6. The fourth phase is the completion of the reform which is covered from June 2018 to May 2023 wherein the K to 12 basic education curriculum will completely be migrated already. The K to 12 is Kindergarten and 12 years of basic education are sort out as follows. Kindergarten students should at least be 5 years old. Six years of elementary will follow with a grade 1 student required to be at least 6 years old. Four years of junior high school will follow with grade 7 student should at least be 12 years old. Two years of senior high school shall be next, with a grade 11 student must be 16 years old at least. In other words, it’s kindergarten-6-4-2, the K to 12 basic education program, she added. (PIA8 – SoLeyte)





Search for Maasin City smoke–free barangay is on

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan 20 (PIA) -- The search for a smoke –free barangay otherwise known as Red Orchid Award Barangay in Maasin City is on. This development came as the barangay captains of the 70 strong- barangays in the city underwent an orientation conducted by the Healthy City Initiatives (HCI) this week, so disclosed Maasin City In Action anchorman Zaldy Olita during its weekly program over DyDM radio station in Maasin City. Olita reported that Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco wanted that the achievement of the city as a Red Orchid Awardee replicated down to the barangay level. “This is not only for the sake of getting an award but it would also be beneficial for the health of the whole barangay, “ Samaco was noted. Olita said the barangays were encouraged to come up with their own information dissemination activities such as setting up of posters and tarpaulins that depict the dangers of smoking. The city government of Maasin bagged the “Red Orchid” award for the second straight time in 2011, Olita added. He revealed that the city government will give incentives to the first five winners of the search for the smoke-free barangays with the following cash awards: First prize – P 30,000; second prize – P 20,000; third prize – P 10,000; fourth prize – P 7,000; and fifth prize – P 5,000. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)





Disaster management office eyes barangay covered courts as evacuation centers

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan 19 (PIA) -- The barangay covered courts constructed in the locality have been eyed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) headed by provincial governor as among the evacuation centers in the province. According to PDRRMO consultant Jason Calva, Governor Damian G. Mercado said during the Action Center Kapihan, that using the barangay halls as evacuation centers is not convenient to both the barangay officials and evacuees since this will be disrupting official functions. In Maasin City alone, 40 out of the 70 barangays have steel-covered courts which Governor Mercado considers improving with toilets, and sleeping quarters, Calva added. Meanwhile, Congressman Roger Mercado of Southern Leyte, had been leading massive tree planting for years. This had contributed to a cooler Southern Leyte in the midst of global warming. (PIA8 - SoLeyte)





2012 funds for R8 for release this month -- DPWH

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 18 (PIA) -- At the beginning of this year, the District Engineering Office of Southern Leyte will get its entire 2012 funding, the first time it will happen, because in previous years, funding would be released after six months. This is a nationwide strategy designed to pump-prime the economy as money will circulate nationwide with the implementation of various public works projects, Carlos Veloso, district engineer, said during a press conference. Last year, critics assailed DPWH for not releasing enough infra funds that could have stimulated the economy. This year, DPWH will reverse that picture by releasing funds early, right on the first month of the year, Veloso explained. He said that a total of P 145,432,000 is due for release anytime this month for the Southern Leyte Engineering District's (SLED), specific infra projects. The amount is for five projects, four of which had already been bid out, like the widening of the national road Tomas Oppus street in Maasin City for P 5.456 million, San Ricardo-Bil-atan road for P 5 million, and improvements along Daang Mahalika road for P 10,976,000. Slated to be bid next month will be the completion of Subang Daku bridge in Sogod for P124,000,000. Should there be any excess amount, it would be used to improve three old bridges in barangays Combado and Tunga-tunga in Maasin City, and one in San Roque, Macrohon. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)





LGU-SoLeyte provides cash assistance to 777 distressed persons

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) -- A total of 777 distressed persons availed of the Assistance for Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) of the local government of Southern Leyte; this is designed to provide relief to needy individuals and their families particularly in times of crises. Together with the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of the Southern Leyte Congressional District and the PAGCOR, the assistance for individuals in crisis situations totaled P 1.294 million, Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) Social Welfare assistant Amelia Malazarte reported to PIA. Malazarte said the provincial government gave P 956,800; PDAF P 290,500; and PAGCOR P 47,300 for its social services last year. She added that said cash assistance are intended for the purchase of medicines, burial assistance, educational assistance, transportation needs, emergency food, laboratory examinations, CT scan, confirmatory test, vitamins, heart examinations, among other needs. Meanwhile a relief augmentation in the amount of P720,000 was released to at least 1,000 families in the municipalities of Hinundayan, Sogod, St. Bernard, and Bontoc who were evacuated in early 2011 due to flooding. The assistance came in the form of rice, canned goods, and mineral waters, she added. (PIA SoLeyte/esg)





Agri-tourism-coop summit in the province now on

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 16 (PIA) -- The first agri-tourism coop summit as a vehicle to the vision for the province to become an agricultural exporter in 2012 is now on. In close coordination with the office of the provincial agriculturist, the summit shall the venue for the sharing of insights and knowledge in mapping out strategies for the realization for Southern Leyte to be no longer dependent of agricultural products from outside the province according to provincial agriculturist Marina Gador. Cong. Roger Mercado aimed that the agriculture development in the province will improve in tandem with tourism advancement, she said. That if the province will be able to turn out abundant supply of rice, coffee, banana, coconut, and even abaca products, it will eventually attract more tourists in the province, she added. Hence, the province will no longer buy agricultural products from outside the province sources for its food, she said. Mercado believes that the undertaking will eventually benefit the environment particularly in the proper cultivation of the land that, whatever development from the mountains, will not affect the reef resources, Gador explained. Municipal mayors, the Southern Leyte Chamber of Commerce, Inc. (SLCCI), municipal agricultural officers, municipal tourism officers, Philippine National Police (PNP), local media among other stakeholders of the vision will attend the summit. (PIA SoLeyte/esg)




PCA distributes salt fertilizers to coco farmers in Southern Leyte

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 13 (PIA) -- A total of 4,500 sacks of salt fertilizers were given free to at least 1,000 coconut farmers all over this province by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) provincial office. Each sack consisted of 50 kilos good for 25 coconut trees at two kilos per tree, said Carmelita Maturan, Coconut Development Officer in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA). Farmers with at least 50 fruit-bearing trees were given, although most recipients on average had at least 100 coconuts due for fertilization, Maturan said. This was the second round in a three-year consecutive fertilizer application as programmed by PCA, but Maturan said it cannot be helped that some farmers who wanted to partake of the fertilizers were accommodated as first-time applicants. Also, as programmed all the 18 municipalities were given an equal share of 226 sacks each, while Maasin City had 232 sacks. Out of the 70 barangays of the city, only two were not yet able to retrieve their fertilizers as of last week for lack of transportation, Maturan said. It was already established that duly fertilized coconuts increase yield by about 25 percent, while its effects in terms of copra production also rise by 20 to 25% during the first year, 50 to 100% on the second year. Aside from being cheapest and easy to apply, the benefits of using salt fertilizer can increase thickness of coconut meat, increase number of nuts harvested, and can make the trees resistant to drought, pests, and diseases. And while the rains these days may pose as a danger especially in vulnerable areas, the occasion is the best time to fertilize the coconuts, as the PCA instructional pamphlet specified that field application must be done during the rainy season. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)





'Zipline' in Sogod engenders more business

by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan 11 (PIA) -- To the surprise of local businessmen, zipline, a locally based extreme sport destination in the municipality of Sogod has engendered a host of business opportunities for them. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Provincial Office spearheaded an investment and financing forum in the locality participated in by 28 local business giving priority to the tourism sector, DTI Trade and Industry Development specialist Sandra Alcober said. DTI provincial director Michael Nuṅez emphasized that the locality lacks facilities needed by tourists. He noted that there is a need for restaurants, night life entertaiments (bands, disco, etc), transportation facilities to ferry visitors from poblacion down to the Zipline area in Brgy. Kahupian, souvenir shops, Alcober said. It is also noted that even at the zipline area, there is no restaurant. One has to travel more 10 kilometers to get to the downtown area for food, she added. At the same time, the financing forum followed where government brought three banks; SB Corporation, Land bank, and Metro Bank, who offered local businessmen different financing programs, Alcober reported.(esg/PIA Southern Leyte)





Maasin City gets P20-M DILG support fund DILG

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 10 (PIA) -- The city local government unit here was a recipient of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) in the amount of P20 million. The city government received the said grant for having garnered numerous awards and citations, and which the DILG duly considered, said City Mayor Maloney Samaco a radio program this morning. Also considered in LGSF is an LGUs compliance with the full disclosure policy of the DILG, Samaco said in a follow-up phone interview by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA). This also showed that the city succeeded in clinching the Seal of Good Housekeeping as part of the full disclosure policy, Samaco added. On Friday, City Councilor Rene Hatayna told PIA that the P20 million grant can do much to cushion the impact of the expected decrease in this year's Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA), which was earlier estimated at around P47 million. Hatayna said among the project proposed in the use of funds were improvements of the Maasin Commercial Complex, roads, bridges, and a new slaughterhouse slated to be constructed around barangay Dongon-Bato I area. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)





So Leyte to embark on massive coconut replanting

by Erna Sy-Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan 9 (PIA8) -- The provincial government of Southern Leyte will embark on a massive coconut tree replanting in the province this year. More and more old trees are becoming unproductive; this, coupled with rampant and indiscriminate cutting of coconut trees into lumber had dwindled the number of coconut trees substantially, provincial agriculturist Marina Gador reported. Gador disclosed that with the recent directive of Governor Damian G. Mercado, the provincial agriculture office will be buying nuts from municipalities that will be planted after three to four months when these are already planting materials. Gador said that an initial 10,000 coconut trees will be replacing old coconut trees.(ESG-PIA SoLeyte)





Smoking ban stays during athletic meet in Maasin City

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 5 (PIA) -- Coaches and trainers from other school divisions in Region 8 who smoke tobacco or cigarettes better be warned: they should kick the habit -- at least while living in this city for the week-long duration of the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) January 29 – February 4. This was made clear by Fernando Salapi, Sports coordinator of the City Schools Division, Department of Education (DepEd). Aside from smoking, adult participants of the regional sports meet are also not allowed to be seen in public drinking alcoholic drinks, saying that sports requires discipline, Salapi said during the cable TV program “Action Center” yesterday. The strict regimen to preserve one’s health was in line with the theme for this year’s EVRAA, which is “School Sports: Foundation to a Healthy Lifestyle,” he added. Salapi said the ages of participating officials was limited at 55 and below as a matter of policy, to prevent any untoward incident with regards to the health of these delegates. During the first EVRAA in the city in 2005, one of the officials ended as a fatality after the opening parade, an incident the organizers do not want repeated. It was learned that some players, coaches and trainers, or staff of visiting delegations do smoke, but once in the city they will be forbidden under pain of being penalized once caught smoking in public places. The city local government did not tolerate smoking habits by visitors during their stay for certain events, like boy scouts on a jamboree, or any other gathering. City enforcers and police personnel were seen issuing citation tickets to strangers who violated the city’s anti-smoking ordinance. Meanwhile, Salapi also said that officiating officials for this year’s EVRAA will undergo a refresher course from January 25 to 28 so that they will be updated on current rules and regulations, including some policies that must be followed as the games progress. Non-attendance to this four-day course will disqualify an official to officiate in the games, Salapi added. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)





Maasin City ready to host EVRAA 2012

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 4 (PIA) -- With just twenty-four days to go, this city is now all set for Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) sports competition, scheduled to be held here January 29 to February 4. Everything has been laid out for the accommodations, from the billeting quarters of athletic delegates and officials to sports venues and other physical facilities, said City Sports Coordinator Dominador Rojas. On the part of the Department of Education (DepEd) City Division, all the teachers were already oriented on their specific roles to ensure a successful hosting of the annual sports tournament among elementary and secondary schools students all over Leyte and Samar, said Fernando Salapi, Division Sports Coordinator. Both Rojas and Salapi were the guests during this morning's edition of the cable TV program “Action Center." Rojas said the only problem he foresee is the weather suggesting that playing venues must have alternate sites to counter the ever changing climate. Games such as volleyball and basketball that are set to be played in open arenas of the provincial sports complex, or at the Tomas Oppus Pilot School (TOPS) oval, will be transferred to covered gyms when it rains, and for this purpose all the barangay gyms in the city may be used, said Rojas. City Mayor Maloney Samaco had said he wanted this year’s EVRAA hosting as a memorable experience for the visiting delegates, estimated at over 6,000 from ten school divisions around Region 8, even as he also wanted athletes of the home division to be the champion. This will be the second time Maasin City played host to the regional, annual sports meet, the first time was in the year 2005 where the city emerged overall champion, a feat Mayor Samaco wants repeated. A total of seventeen sporting events will be competed, and in all these games, except for Archery, the City Division has been training hard its players in close coordination with the city local government unit, said Salapi. As guests of honor during the opening ceremony, DepEd invited Assistant Secretary Tony Umali, while the city government invited Chito Loyzaga, Commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), but both have not yet confirmed their presence to date. This year’s EVRAA carries the theme, “School Sports: Foundation to a Healthy Lifestyle”, a message that jibes well with the city’s no-smoking policy, which will be strictly implemented as the games unfold, Salapi said. (PIA-Southern Leyte/bong)





DPWH – SoLeyte bags Best Engineering Office 2011 in Eastern Visayas

  • Source: DPWH – SoLeyte bags Best Engineering Office 2011 in Eastern Visayas
  • Tuesday, January 03, 2012
by ES Gorne


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 3 (PIA8) -- The Southern Leyte Engineering District (SLED) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been awarded as the Best Engineering Office in Region 8 for 2011. The award given last December 21, 2011 at the DPWH Regional Office was based on the collective performance of each section. The said engineering district has ranked first in both Materials and Quality Control and Maintenance Sections, according to SLED Administrative Officer Lilia Mulaan. The performance of the following sections such as Comptrollership (20%), Construction (20%), Materials and Quality Control (30%), and Maintenance (30%), Mulaan reported. While, District Engineer Carlos G. Veloso has been awarded also as the Best District Engineer in the region, she added. Mulaan also disclosed that Engineer Manolo Rojas is also awarded as the Best Assistant District Engineer, Engr. Allan Eway is the Best Maintenance Engineer and Engineer Leonides Olarte is the Best Materials Engineer, all of Southern Leyte Engineering District. The SLED office got the highest rank among the 13 district offices in the region, Mulaan reported. She added that SLED has consistently won the Best Maintenance award for three years. These awards are the department’s recognition of the district’s efforts under the PRAISE (Program on Awards and Incentives for Service Excellence) program to deserving officials and employees and offices in the region, she added. (PIA SoLeyte/esg)





Zero firecracker injury, one gunshot wound in So. Leyte

by Bong Pedalino


MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Jan. 2 (PIA) -- Except for the gunshot wound, it is a scorecard worth emulating. This province maintained its record for the second year of zero casualties reaching hospitals resulting in firecracker burns at the height of the usually boisterous New Year’s eve celebration. As of 8:00 a.m. yesterday, there was no firecracker-related cases registered at the Salvacion Oppus Yniguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) in this city and at Sogod District Hospital (SDH). The zero incidence of firecracker injury showed that the heightened advocacy campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) on “Aksyon Paputok Injury Reduction (APIR) was successful, even as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) also did their share in issuing public precautions for their “Iwas Paputok” campaign. At SDH, it was learned that one Rodel Renoblas, 21, single, resident of barangay Tampoong, Sogod, was rushed to the hospital a few minutes past midnight after he sustained a gunshot wound at the back. (PIA-Southern Leye/bong)

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