TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released P19 million to the municipality of San Isidro in Leyte for the implementation of cash-for-work program.
This was revealed by San Isidro municipal administrator Levi Mabini who said that the program would benefit 5,300 people coming from the town’s 19 barangays.
The program started on March 17 and is to end on March 31 of this year. Those who will avail the program stand to receive P260 for a day’s work which would consist of clearing and cleaning operations.
The implementation of the cash-for-work program on their town was welcomed by its mayor, Susan Ang, as this would help the people still reeling from the aftermath of Yolanda, Mabini said.
Mabini said that their town continues to receive assistance from different organizations the latest of which was the Lion’s Club International.
The group donated water containers as the group also promised to donate housing units to all affected families who lost their houses, he added.
Meantime, town Councilor Rosalina Fajardo, chairman of the committee on social services, said that the municipal council passed a resolution addressed to various international organizations seeking assistance to help them rebuild houses for families.
It was learned from Fajardo that the Antonio Ang & Sons Foundation promised to donate one hectare of lot intended for the housing site for the Yolanda victims. (LITO A. BAGUNAS)

The New Zealand Embassy is once again inviting eligible students from the Philippines to apply for postgraduate development-related studies at a tertiary institution in New Zealand through the New Zealand ASEAN Scholarship program.
The New Zealand ASEAN Scholars (NZAS) awards are open to qualified candidates from the public, private, and civil society sectors who want to pursue further studies in the fields of agriculture, tourism, governance, public sector, trade, development, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, and renewable energy.
An indicative allocation of 18 scholarships is made available for Filipinos who desire to obtain a postgraduate degree in New Zealand commencing in 2015.
Applicants will be selected on merit, including the development benefits of their proposed course of study. Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate leadership qualities and potential for future leadership. Priority will also be given to applicants who have demonstrated high academic achievements especially in their undergraduate degree.
The program aims to empower individuals with the knowledge, skills and qualifications to contribute to the economic, social, and political development of the ASEAN region.
The scholarships are funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme for post-graduate study at New Zealand institutions in the subject areas most needed for the development of your country.
Applications for the 2014 scholarships close on 15 July 2014. Further information, including eligibility and application form, can be found at the New Zealand Embassy website
http://www.aid.govt.nz/funding-and-contracts/scholarships/eligible-countries/philippines
For further queries or clarifications, please contact Ms. Reina P. Lino, NZAS Programme Administrator of Bato Balani Foundation Inc. at (632) 8925462 or e-mail bbfi@diwamail.com.

TACLOBAN CITY- Over 1,000 people staged their protest rally on March 31, coinciding the end of food reliefs for typhoon victims.
The People Surge, composed of different groups, demanded for the “immediate resignation” of Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman whom they accused of incompetence and “end their agony.”
“Soliman and the Aquino government should be held liable on what happened to typhoon victims. We are not only thinking of today but also of the future generation. If they will not be stopped today, then their level of impunity will persist, and then we will be seeing more people suffering in the future calamities. We are going to ensure that this will not happen again in the future,” People Surge convenor Mark Simbajon told Leyte Samar Daily Express.
Asked if Soliman’s resignation will indeed solve the issue in the agency, Simbajon said that “we don’t believe it, but since she has not done something to solve the issue then, it’s better for her to resign.”
“It will worsen the issue if she continues in clinging to her post,” Simbajon added.
On April 8, the alliance will again stage a global protest in commemoration of the fifth month after typhoon Yolanda hit central Philippines killing over 8,000 people.
During the protest rally around the city, the alliance reiterated their demand for P40, 000 cash relief, lifting of no build zone and the extension of the distribution of relief goods.
DSWD Assistant Regional Director Virginia Idano, however, said that the giving of food aids to the victims would not be totally stopped as members of the so-called “vulnerable sectors” like senior citizens, pregnant mothers and persons suffering physical disabilities would continue to enjoy food assistance from the government. (RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has given business owners affected by the supertyphoon Yolanda to file their losses until March 31.
This announced by BIR Commissioner Nelson Caspe during his visit coinciding the launching of tax campaign on March 24.
The sworn declaration of loss should be filed in order to avoid penalties, Caspe said.
Earlier, Commissioner Kim Henares declared that businessmen who suffered economic losses due to Yolanda had to file their losses on December 23, 2013.
This order of Henares was met with strong opposition by the businessmen who are still reeling from the aftermath of Yolanda.
Business owners in Tacloban, in particular, claimed that they need some tax breaks considering of the losses they sustain during the typhoon, citing particularly the massive looting incident happened in the city’s business establishments.
The BIR, in its March 18, 2014 revenue memorandum circular, extended the deadline.
“Tension was felt when Commissioner Henares announced December 23, 2013 as deadline. Businessmen were practically demanding from Henares to extend the deadline as we were left with nothing after the supertyphoon followed by massive looting in all business establishments in the city.  With 143-day time frame, it gave the community enough time to prepare,” said Jackson Uy, president of the Tacloban Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
“We felt relieved when Commissioner Henares bend the decision for the businessmen. However, (we were) disappointed for no other tax perks for affected businesses (were given),” Uy said.
The businessmen also requested BIR last year to offer deferred payment terms without interest and penalties for late payments for income taxes.  Aspe however, emphasized that the deadline for payment of income taxes is still April 15.  While for those who want to divide their payments, may pay on April 15 and June 15. (VICKY C. ARNAIZ)