TACLOBAN CITY — Tacloban city government launched a city-wide alert system for delivering emergency alerts and warning to the public.
Dubbed “Community Climate Guide and Response (CCGR)”, this project is a centralized pre-disaster alert system that monitors and operates 24/7.
The CCGR text alert system “offers text blasting advisories most ideal for DRRM and emergency situations through two major mobile networks in the Philippines — Globe and Smart,” according to a press release issued by the City Hall.
Among the critical information disseminated through text blasting include weather updates, classes, typhoon, flood, tsunami, evacuation centers by barangay, among others.
“The system also allows resident of Tacloban City to directly text selected offices during emergency situations, to include the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Bureau if Fire, Tacloban City Police Office, and the Tacloban Rescue Unit,” it added.
The CCGR text alert system also include daily information needs like basic services and facts like flight schedules, banking services, hotels, movies, and transportation.
“The main advantage in using CCGR is that it is text-based. SMS can be used to send a message to a larger number of people at a time, either from a list of contacts or to all the users within a particular area at a given time,” says City Mayor Cristina Romualdez during the launching held last Friday (August 26).
“This service is called broadcasting and is used to contact residents of a local government unit to distribute news and other information to subscribers,” she said.
“Residents will always almost have their cellphones with them. The chances that residents will receive and read the message in the cellphone is very high compared to the internet, of other forms of broadcast communication,” she added.
(ELMER RECUERDO)
Tacloban City launched SMS-based disaster alert system
City launches program on disaster text alert system
To lessen impacts of a disaster
TACLOBAN CITY- Residents of this city who wanted to be updated on weather system or where to go in case of a disaster only have to do is dial certain numbers activated by the city government for these purposes.
The text alert system, dubbed as “Community Climate Guide and Response (CCGR),” was formally launched on Friday (August 23) with Mayor Cristina Gonzales Romualdez expressing her hope that the residents will make use of the program when the need arises.
Romualdez led in the launching of the program held at the grounds of the City Hall attended by members of the city council led by Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin and Councilor Aimee Grafil, department heads, city response groups, barangay officials and students.
Rey Gozon, assistant regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, represented Defense Sec. Delfin Lorenzana, national chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council.
Mayor Romualdez said that it is high time that the city should have a program like this to help avert any possible losses of lives and properties in case a disaster strikes Tacloban.
Tacloban was the ground zero of supertyphoon “Yolanda” considered to be the world’s strongest typhoon to hit inland.
The 2013 massive catastrophe resulted for the deaths of more than 2,200 people in the city with damaged to properties reaching over P10 billion.
According to the city mayor, the CCGR will help the residents be updated on the current weather situation and where are the identified evacuation centers across the city if the need arises.
For one to get the needed information, one has to register (REG<SPACE>) FULL NAME<SPACE> COMPLETE ADDRESS and send to 09209000911 or 09778080911 or through hotline number 8880911.
Meantime, Mayor Romualdez called for voluntarism among the public especially during a disaster response.
“After all, disaster preparedness is everybody’s responsibility and should start at homes,” the city mayor said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Selling fake cigarettes punishable by law
TACLOBAN CITY- A leading cigarette manufacturer in the country has found fake cigarettes bearing their company brands to have been sold in this city.
A team from the Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Inc. (PMFTC Inc.) reported the presence of counterfeits in a number of retail stores in this city after surprise visits by the PMFTC team.
The stores were selling fake cigarettes carrying the brands of Marlboro, Fortune and Jackpot.
PMFTC Inc. is the manufacturer of Marlboro, Fortune and Jackpot and other cigarettes brands.
Philip Morris Philippines had been in the country since 1955 when it entered into a licensing agreement with La Suerte Cigar and Cigarette factory to manufacture and sell Marlboro.
Eventually, the company handled all sales and marketing aspects related to the Marlboro and Philip Morris brands in 1995.
In 2010, Philip Morris Philippines and Fortune Tobacco Corporation entered into an agreement to combine their business operations in a new company, PMFTC Inc.
The company has two manufacturing plants – in Tanauan, Batangas and Marikina.
PMFTC has different facilities in the country and 42 sales offices. It has a stemmery in Ilocos, an international warehouse hub in Subic Bay Freeport Zone and a fresh leaf buying and curing facility in Claveria, Misamis Oriental.
It has almost 5,000 direct contracted farmers planting tobacco in Northern Luzon, Mindoro and Misamis Oriental and employs about 5,000 personnel.
The members of the PMFTC team conducted surprise purchases of the cigarettes in some stores in this city to find out if the cigarettes carrying the brand names manufactured by their company are genuine.
“To our surprise, fake cigarettes carrying the brands of Marlboro, Fortune and Jackpot are sold in some stores in this city,” they said.
The PMFTC source informed reporters that the stores in this city found to be selling fake Marlboro, Fortune and Jackpot brand cigarettes were located in front of the Tacloban Public Market.
The source said the concerned stores were served warning letters by PMFTC to cease and desist from selling of those fake cigarettes with brand names of Marlboro, Fortune, and Jackpot indicating unlawful distribution and sale of counterfeit cigarette brands.
It was learned that other PMFTC teams are also checking other stores or outlets not only in this city but also in other areas in Eastern Visayas and all other provinces in the country including Metro Manila for fake cigarettes carrying their company brands.
PMFTC has alerted local authorities to the growing problem of counterfeit cigarettes which are of very poor quality and deny the government Sin Tax revenues.
It was also learned that manufacturing and selling of counterfeit of fake products, like the fake cigarettes carrying the brands of Marlboro, Fortune, and Jackpot sold in this city are punishable by law.
Such acts are in violations of Republic Act 8293, otherwise known as the “Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines”, a criminal penalty of imprisonment from 2 to 5 years and a fine ranging from P50,000 to P200,000 may be imposed upon anyone caught committing the aforesaid unlawful act, in addition to any civil and administrative sanctions imposed by law for the same offense.
Furthermore, the traders are warned because fake PMFTC products bear fake BIR excise tax stamps, sellers also commit tax offenses punishable under the National Internal Revenue Code.
The Leyte Samar Daily Express learned that PMFTC had been working closely with law enforcement in pursuing traders and store owners who are involved with the illegal sale of fake items.
Mayor Cristina thanks President Duterte for accepting letters stating concerns of the city
TACLOBAN CITY- Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez of this highly urbanized city of Tacloban, concerned of her children’s recent plight, acted recently by seeing President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacañang together with then Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, to personally hand over two letters on the water problem of the northern barangays where most permanent shelters are located and the overdue rehabilitation of the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, this city.
In an interview, Mayor Cristina disclosed that the President warmly welcomed them and accepted the two letters.
Accordingly, the City Mayor personally thanked the President for receiving them and looking into the two recent plights of Taclobanons which was obviously was neglected and politicized by the previous administration
“Thank you Mr. President for receiving our letters for our constituents and for accepting us”, Mayor Romualdez said.
Mayor Cristina elaborated that the need to rehabilitate the DZR Airport is a must for the growing market in region 8, thou it was rehabilitated after it was greatly affected by supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’, the rehabilitation does not suffice the demand of the growing market, considering Tacloban is the economic hub of Region 8.
The airport ranked 10th among the busiest in the country serving 6 provinces, several cities and municipalities of Eastern Visayas with millions of passengers annually flying in and out of the region using DZR airport.
Taclobanon took note of how the previous administration diverted the 718 million pesos budget allocation intended for the rehabilitation of said airport.
Meanwhile, water problem affects survivors living in permanent shelters in the northern barangays of the city which until now no water connection were installed to service its constituents, some areas near the City would have drips of water 1am.
This causes a big problem to the city’s internally displaced persons affected by the 2013 supertyphoon Yolanda totaling to some 14,000 families without water connection.
Together with the people of Tacloban, Mayor Romualdez hopes that an immediate action to its request will be highly appreciated. (GAY GASPAY)
Espinosa executes affidavit; names alleged protectors
TACLOBAN CITY-The revelations made by beleaguered Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., contained in an affidavit he signed, was described by police officials as “gold” and “substantive” which could result to possible arrests and charges filed against those personalities mentioned by the town official.
On Wednesday (August 24) afternoon, Espinosa, accompanied by Police Regional Director, Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, Leyte provincial director, S/Supt.Franco Simborio and Albuera police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, went to the Leyte prosecutor’s office to submit his affidavit narrating his involvement in the illegal drug trade and those he dealt with.
“We can use the revelations. Its gold,” Espenido said, describing the value and importance of the affidavit signed by Espinosa and subscribed by Prosecutor Arlene Cordovez.
The affidavit submitted by Espinosa was so voluminous that it took more than three hours just to prepare and signed by the embattled mayor.
The entire process was held in the morning of that day at the provincial police headquarters in San Jose district, this city, before they proceeded to the provincial prosecutor’s office at around 4 pm.
Espinosa arrived at the provincial prosecutor’s office with his face covered “malong” guarded closely by police escorts.
Beltejar said that the affidavit executed by Espinosa was substantial that could possibly result to the filing of charges and arrest those named by the mayor.
The police regional director said that in his affidavit, Espinosa mentioned names ranging from police and politicians that served as his and son Kerwin protectors for them to continue their illegal drug activity.
He, however, declined to identify the names mentioned by Espinosa except to say that there were police officials as high as a general who were not mentioned before that the town mayor mentioned in his affidavit.
He also confirmed that there were “new names” that were mentioned by Espinosa in his affidavit.
“But for tactical and security reasons, please, di ko muna sasabihin. Pero may mga bago,”Beltejar said.
Asked if the move of Espinosa could qualify him to become a possible state witness, Beltejar said it’s up to the Department of Justice to decide.
Beltejar added that the affidavit executed by Espinosa could be used as basis in launching police operations and eventually, in filing charges against them.
“With this, we can strengthen in the filing of cases and launching of police operations against these connections of Kerwin,” the police official said.
“This will substantiate doon sa mga lead diagrams sa mga drug syndicates operating sa area natin at neighboring regions like Region 7. Mapi-pinpoint natin ang ibang galamay, ibat-ibang members’ ang drug syndicates,” Beltejar added, referring to the value of the Espinosa affidavit.
According to Beltejar, Espinosa was not coerced in signing the affidavit saying it was he who made the move in exchange of police protection. “Wala din itong kapalit,” he said.
Espinosa, he said, is under threat by “external” forces whom Beltejar declined to mention reason why he decided to ask to surrender and seek police protection.
“Takot na takot siya. Maraming threats na natatanggap niya at nararamdaman niya na delikado siya,” the police regional director said.
However, the request of protective police security sought by the embattled mayor goes with it certain condition which does not involve dropping of charges filed against him.
The conditions set by the police include that he would stay and hold office at the Albuera police station and that he if so decides to go out, he could not be given police escorts.
Otherwise, they will be violating the pronouncements of President Duterte not to give police escort to those so-called narco politicians, Beltejar said.
Espenido said that he is willing to provide protection to the embattled mayor.
“Kaibigan natin siya ngayon. Kasama na natin siya ngayon.So sayang kung hindi natin siya maproteksiyunan kasi yung kalaban niya yung mnga kasamahaan nila,” the Albuera police chief said.
Cordovez, for her part, confirmed that whatever Espinosa narrated in his affidavit would not affect the string of cases filed against him.
Espinosa was charged for illegal possession of illegal drugs, possession of firearms and explosives before the provincial prosecutor’s office.
“Our job was just to subscribe his affidavit and the cases filed against him will still continue,” Cordovez said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
Oriental Hotel in Leyte sets reopening this October
Among major facilities destroyed by ‘Yolanda’
TACLOBAN CITY – After it was completely shut down in the aftermath of supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’, Oriental Hotel Leyte located in the historic town of Palo is targeting to reopen this October, just in time for the 72nd commemoration of the Leyte Gulf Landings. Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla disclosed that the rehabilitation of the devastated hotel is now in full swing but the October target is only for the partial opening of its facilities.
“It’s not for the full hotel yet as all of its facilities took a big setback after it was lashed with the typhoon and the storm surge in 2013,” Petilla said. The main building, which houses its offices, restaurants and function hall, are among the priority for the immediate reopening this October. Petilla said that it may have taken a while for LKY Resorts and Hotels to rebuild the whole facility. It was learned that P300 million will be needed to repair the facility. However, its reopening this year is a welcome one which provides a bright hope in the restoring tourism in the locality, the governor added. The Oriental Hotel Leyte, formerly the MacArthur Park Hotel, in Palo, totally stopped operation after the November 8, 2013 typhoon as huge waves from a storm surge damaged all of its 110 hotel rooms.
When it stopped its operation,international relief organization Samaritan’s Purse, converted a portion of the facility’s function rooms into a warehouse. Petilla admitted that when the hotel stopped its operation, it affected the tourism not only of Palo but the province as well economic and livelihood opportunities for the locals nearby.
The Oriental’s convention hall, which can accommodate up to 1,000 people, was already functioning in full and was a venue of national conventions and other gathering before it got totally wasted. The governor, meanwhile, added that the province may provide the hotel’s owner and developer a reprieve considering the additional amount they have to put into its rehabilitation.
The hotel is owned by LKY which was granted a 25 years under the built-operate transfer scheme. The provincial government, the former owner of the property, awarded 25-year contract to LKY in 2009. The hotel sits on a 5-hectare property within the historic Macarthur Landing Memorial, a major historical landmark in Leyte.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)