ORMOC CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways Leyte 4th District Engineering Office clarifies issues regarding the Construction of By-pass/Diversion Road in Brgy. San Juan going to Brgy. Naungan in Ormoc City.
On behalf of District Engineer Lino Francisco C. Gonzalez, and the entire Leyte 4th DEO, assistant district engineer Irwin L. Antonio acknowledged the invitation of KAUGOP radio station for an interview regarding some clarifications from the citizens about the San Juan – Lao – Naungan By-pass/Diversion road.
During the radio interview, ADE Antonio stated that this is a multi-year project funded by the national government and is co-implemented by the DPWH Regional Office and Leyte Fourth DEO.
This 4.2 km network development road project, comprised of 6 lanes will considerably minimize traffic congestion and drastically shorten the travel time by 20 minutes towards the city of Ormoc.
Citizens were highly concerned about the floodings in the area affected by the diversion road, as well as the mangrove area that serves as a natural habitat for some migratory birds and aquatic animals.
As such, Department of Environment and Natural Resources/Community Environment and Natural Resources Office and various agencies were involved in the preparation of the program of works prior to its completion. Public consultation was also conducted with the residents of affected nearby barangays.
Flood mitigating measures were also incorporated in the network development plan, such as the installation of 32-36 culverts – 3m x 3m x 25m box culverts at the entire stretch as well as the construction of bridges at the existing Lao, San Juan and Pagsangaan bridges which under the water flows.(PR)
DPWH Leyte 4th clarifies public concerns on diversion road project in Ormoc City
Over 260 families from coastal areas to transfer to their new homes funded by Church-based group
TACLOBAN CITY– Residents coming from 11 coastal villages of this city will finally be awarded with their permanent housing units funded by the Roman Catholic Church after almost three years of waiting.
A total of 263 units will be awarded on November 21 to families whose houses were totally washed out during the onslaught of super typhoon ’Yolanda.’
These families are residents of San Jose, Magallanes, Pampango and Old Road Sagkahan districts.
The beneficiaries are to be relocated to Pope Francis Village located in Barangay 99, Diit.
The 12-hectare resettlement site has about 566 housing units but only 262 units are to be awarded to the same number of families.
The Department of Public Works and Highways and the 546th Engineering Construction Battalion of the Philippine Army helped in the site development while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its core shelter program, allocated P38 million or P70,000 per housing unit.
The project is a product of a consortium of organizations called Francesco lead by the Canadian Catholic for Development and Peace, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines—National Secretariat for Social Action, the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Archdiocese of Palo through Caritas-Palo and the Urban Poor Associates.
“I never thought that I will own a house like this,” Yolanda Sembrero, a mother of four, said.
Sembrero’s family is from Brgy. 89 in San Jose which was one of the hardest-hit area when Yolanda pummeled this city on November 8,2013.
Part of the requirement for her family to become a beneficiary is to help in the construction of the housing project and they will shoulder the expenses on improving the interior of the house.
The concept allows them to check the progress of the construction and ensure that the specifications are followed.
“Our hope now is for other housing projects to replicate the process that we did. The community must have involvement to the project. The contractors should ask the beneficiaries through a dialogue if what kind of design and how their house should be build,” Sembrero said.
Also called as in-city relocation, the housing project is located five kilometers from the city proper unlike the housing projects of the National Housing Authority located more than 10 kilometers outside of the city center.
Fare to Pope Francis Village cost P9.00 unlike to the housing projects of NHA that cost from P13 to P20.
“This is a factor that was considered when this project was conceptualized because most of the beneficiaries comes from a fishing communities,” Joli Torella, Urban Poor Associates community organizer said.
“The beneficiaries must stay closer to the source of their livelihood so that their stay in their new houses will not be affected by problem on looking where to get the support they need for their daily survival,” Torella added.
The project was supposed to be completed in 2016 but was hampered due to funding problem.
The resettlement site has its own multi-purpose building, day care center, health center, school campus, material recovery facility, commercial building and park and playgrounds. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
OWWA-8 releases Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanap Buhay cash assistance
ORMOC CITY-Eight Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay (BPBH) Program beneficiaries from Ormoc City received their cash assistance worth P20,000 last October 19, 2018 at the City Hall of Ormoc City.
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez graced the activity as he personally gave the cash assistance to the beneficiaries together with the OIC, Regional Director of OWWA RWO 8, Mary Catherine O. Pastor and OIC, Chief, Programs and Services Division, Arlene F. Salloman.
BPBH is one of the agency’s thrusts in reintegrating back to the country OFWs who have been displaced from their jobs due to war/political conflicts in host countries or policy reforms controls and changes by the host government or are victims of illegal recruitment and/or human trafficking or other distressful situations.
The cash assistance given to the beneficiaries will be used as starting capital by way of self-employment or livelihood project as a means of income-generation for them and their families after their unsuccessful venture overseas.
Prior to the release, OIC RD Pastor gave a brief inputs about business management and discussed cash flow matrix which they will use in monitoring the progress of their respective businesses, among which are rice retailing, hog raising, online businesses, and expansion of existing sari-sari store.
Aside from the releases in Ormoc City, OWWA RWO 8 also scheduled BPBH releases every Friday of the week or twice a week depending on the volume of clients for the month at OWWA RWO 8 Office in Tacloban City.
As a practice, business counselling and business management is conducted prior to the release of the cash assistance.
(KATRINA D.OBEJERA/PR)
NSPPO: Undas observance in North Samar peaceful
CAMP CARLOS DELGADO, CATARMAN, Northern Samar-The observance of the All Saints’ and Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2, 2018 was held peacefully in the entire province of Northern Samar.
To ensure public’s safety during Undas 2018, the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office deployed a total of 538 personnel and established 57 police assistance desks to the different cemeteries of 24 municipalities in Northern Samar.
PS/Supt. Romeo P. Campomanes from Police Regional Office 8, the over-all supervisor of Northern Samar during undas, personally looked over the deployment of personnel to make sure that the public were given due assistance and security.
As a result, no untoward incidents were reported during the entire celebration.
Prior to this, all the municipal police stations in the province exerted efforts to remind the general public of the safety tips during undas by means of posting on social media accounts, distribution of flyers and announcement on radio program.
The peaceful Undas 2018 in the province is a result of collaborative efforts of the local police, force multipliers and the public. With this, the NSPPO will continue its commitment in ensuring public safety for any significant event in the province. (POI JOHN RICKY M. BALANDAY/PR)
Tacloban city police nabs 2 wanted persons during the ‘Undas’ commemoration
TACLOBAN CITY- The Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) led by Supt. Lope Macauba, Jr., officer-in-charge, conducted successful arrests of two most wanted persons.
First to fall was Antonio Omawas, Jr. who was arrested in Barangay 88 Alimasag, San Jose, this city, on October 31 at about 6:35 am.
Omawas, 53, who is a native of Daram, Samar but currently resides in Barangay 106, North hill Arbours, is accused of frustrated homicide.
His arrest, which was by virtue of an alias warrant issued by Judge Alphinor C. Serrano, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 6, this city, was facilitated by the elements of the TCPO-CIB led by Senior Inspector Leonides C. Sydiongco and TCPO-CMFC led by its force commander, Supt. Michael Jude P. Dotingco.
Accused was brought to TCPO-INTEL branch for documentation and proper disposition prior turn-over to court of origin which set P24,000 bail for his temporary liberty.
And on November 1, at about 6 am, joint elements of TCPO-CIB led by PSI Sydiongco and PSI Roniel M. Perlas and Talalora municipal police station led by Senior Inspector Romualdo P. Doncillo, conducted a manhunt operation at Brgy. 89, Sitio Balanak, San Jose, this city, which led to the arrest of Jowelo Dignos, 37, farmer, and a resident of Brgy. Nabatas Guti, Sitio Cancorbinos, Talalora, Samar.
The arrest of the suspect was by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Tarcelo A. Sabarre, Jr., presiding judge of the RTC- Branch 30, Basey, Samar, dated December 28, 2017 for frustrated murder.
The accused was ranked 6th in the Top 10 most wanted person at Talalora Municipal Police Station.
He was then brought to TCPO-INTEL branch for documentation and proper disposition prior turn-over to court of origin.
The court put a P200,000 bail bond for the temporary release of the accused.
These notable accomplishments of this Office attributed to the commitment of the operating teams and the support and cooperation of responsible, active and concerned stakeholders in Tacloban City. (PR)
Leyte officials visit Germany to adopt its disaster management system
TACLOBAN CITY- Officials from Leyte provincial government visited Germany to learn on their disaster management system.
The visit of the provincial officials was sponsored by the International Search and Rescue (ISAR) of the German government.
According to Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, who spearheaded the team, their visit was aim to develop and implement a disaster management system for Leyte, which is prone to natural disaster.
“Through this workshop, we were able to learn crucial information that will help the province prepare for any natural disaster,” he said.
The Leyte delegation, during the workshop, shared its first-hand experience before, during and after the onslaught of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ which devastated the province.
The group also discussed how the province got back on its feet after Yolanda’s onslaught exactly five years ago.
Germany was among the foreign countries that provided assistance to the Philippine in the aftermath of Yolanda’s onslaught.
ISAR Germany has been doing a lot of humanitarian projects in Leyte which were focused on the reconstruction and the supply of rescue equipment like an ambulance or a rescue boat and providing education and training to rescuers and trainers with a focus on emergency aid.
Loreto said that ISAR Germany will apply for a research and development project for the promotion and implementation of a disaster management system for Leyte before the end of this year.
The said project will be a common scheme between the Philippines and Germany with run time of three years.
The BMBF is funding research and development projects within the International Disaster and Risk Management or IKARIM program. The goal of IKARIM is the common development and implementation of innovative and application-oriented solutions in the fields of disaster prevention, disaster management and restoration.
The program aims to strengthen the resilience of the partnering countries against natural and technical risks as well as the transfer of know-how and the form of international partnerships for disaster risk management.
As part of the project, several equipment will be provided to Leyte such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones, communications equipment, etc. Personnel from Leyte will also undergo actual trainings while developing actual solutions to actual challenges during calamities.
Aside from Loreto, other officials who went to Germany were board member Mesias Arevalo, police provincial director, S/Supt. Norberto Tuazon, fire chief Leonardo Bañago, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer Arvin Monge and Major Marvin Caspillo.
Also part of the delegation were Office of Civil Defense assistant regional director Rey Gozon and Director Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)