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McDonalds now back in Tacloban

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TACLOBAN CITY- Finally, after almost a year, McDonalds is back in Tacloban!

Beginning on October 16, hard-core loyalists and even just ordinary customers can once again enjoy the various meals and even new menus offered by McDonalds Tacloban. The building of McDonalds Tacloban was damaged due to the storm surges generated by supertyphoon Yolanda on November 8,2013. This resulted a damage loss of P40 million. But despite of this, Caroline Andrade of the McCarol Ventures which is the franchisee of the one of the world’s well-loved and popular food chains, still chose to reopen McDonalds here in the city. “I have even heard that McDonalds will no longer open in Tacloban. But it’s not true of course. There is no reason why we will not open again. I am pretty confident we still have the market,” Andrade said. McDonalds Tacloban started its operations in the city on 2002.

She said that it took a while before they could start the repair of their building, located just at the back of the Tacloban port, due to difficulty in transporting materials and supplies. Repair of the McDonalds Tacloban begun last July. Andrade is proud to say that the current design of the building of McDonald Tacloban makes it as one of the best right now in the city. During the reopening, popular television and movie heartthrobs Xian Lim and Matteo Guidicelli will entertain the expected thousands customers for a possible “selfie” shots and autograph signing. And on serious note, no less than the chief operating officer of McDonalds Kenneth Yang and vice president for operation Melon Salazar will lead for the turn over of the “Bahay Bulilit,” a project of the McDonalds as part of it corporate social responsibility to the management of the San Jose Central School.

The “Bahay Bulilit” is actually a classroom intended for those enrolled at the day care center Andrade said that “libreng sakay” or free ride will be offered to their customers coming from outside the city proper on the night of the opening to ensure that they could still go home safe. McDonalds will be opened at 7 a.m. up to midnight. It’s close to 100 crew and staff will be ready to welcome their customers back after an absence of almost a year of McDonalds in Tacloban. More than half of the current crew and staff worked at the McDonalds, pre-Yolanda, Andrade said. (JAG)

Over P1.6 billion worth of infra projects in EV delayed completion-DPWH

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TACLOBAN CITY – At least 16 major government infrastructure projects here in the region worth P1.66 billion have been delayed for the past two years, citing poor performance of contractors, unfavorable weather and right of way acquisitions, as common grounds. In a report to the regional project monitoring committee, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) listed 10 bridges funded by the Spanish government and six locally-funded projects with negative slippage.

The most delayed project is the P75 million Antiao River control project in Catbalogan City which started in February 2013 and was supposed to be completed this month. However, its only 57 percent completed.
“The project is recommended for termination for failure of the contractor to finish the project despite issuance of notices,” said DPWH Regional Director Rolando Asis. Also in Catbalogan, the P180 million diversion road project is still incomplete. The P100 million segment, which started March 2012 and targeted for completion April 2014 is just 95% done. The other P80 million contract, is set to be finished next month, but it is just 18% done as mid-September.

In Ormoc City, categorized as delayed is the P92.7 million flood mitigation project. Civil works started on February 2013 and set for completion next week but only 80% of the total work has been accomplished.
“The delay is due to slow performance of the contractor caused by lack of major equipment and no simultaneous activities. We already sent a notice to the contractor,” Asis said. The P400 million diversion road in Ormoc has also been delayed since 2012. The first contract package (P100 million) is just 82% completed. The second segment (P150 million) was supposed to be done May 2014.But as of this month, the project is just 3% finished due to non-availability of specified materials for bridge construction. Still within the Ormoc diversion road, the DPWH recently sent a notice to the contractor of the P150 million segment for accomplishing only 75% since February 2013. The project is up for pavement by December this year.

“The major issue in the Ormoc diversion road construction is the refusal of some land owners to grant contractors the permit to enter the proposed project sites,” Asis said. The P250 million Libungao-Matag-ob-Palompon Road in western Leyte also encountered delays due to heavy downpour. The P100 million contract package is supposed to be completed mid-August this year, but as of September 15, the project is just 90% done. Scheduled for completion next month is the P150 million segment of the project, but as mid-September, the accomplishment rate is just 81%. The biggest project is the ongoing P422 million Burauen-Albuera Road, a road opening project that connects eastern and western Leyte traversing rivers and mountains. Of the five project segments, four are in progress. One contract package has not yet started pending the approval tree cutting permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Three ongoing projects along the new road section are up for completion in the second semester of 2014, but as of this month, accomplishment rate only ranges between 7% to 60%. Contractors blame bad weather as the major reason.

In the towns of Silago and San Ricardo in Southern Leyte, five bridges worth P134 million funded by Spanish government only recorded a combined accomplished work of only 59%. The project started in October 2012 and was targeted for completion March 20014. The DPWH issued a calibrated action for the contract and repeatedly instructed contractors to fast track the implementation, according to Asis. Although it is declared as “substantially completed” by the DPWH, the P113 million worth of bridge projects funded by Spain only posted a completion rate of 95%. These projects located in the towns of Leyte, Tabango and San Isidro were scheduled to be finished between last quarter of 2013 to early of 2014. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

ChildFund donated farm equipment to farmers from 2 Leyte towns

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TANAUAN, Leyte- ChildFund Philippines turned over farm equipment to farmers still reeling from the losses they sustained from supertyphoon Yolanda. The beneficiaries of the farm equipment, consisting of four rice threshers and six units of water pumps, were from the 10 farmers’ organizations from Dagami and this town. Although their focus is on child protection against cases of violence, child labor and human trafficking, they decided to provide assistance to families affected by Yolanda, Katherine Manic, ChildFund national director, said.

By extending assistance to the poor families, they could stop occurrence of human trafficking and child labor, she added. “You take care of this and you should not sell the farm equipment,” Manic said, addressing the beneficiaries. Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto and Tanauan Mayor Pelagio Tecson, Jr. witnessed the turn- over of the farm equipment. Tecson expressed his gratitude to the ChildFund in providing assistance to the farmers in his town saying the assistance could hasten their recovery. Loreto, for his part, said that the organization is not only helping protect children but also provides livelihood opportunities to families still reeling from the effects of Yolanda, particularly the farmers. Manic expressed her optimism that with the farm equipment provided by their organization, farmers could now improve their production output and in the process, help their respective families recovered. She added that they would continue to provide assistance to the farmers as she divulged that ChildFund partnered with the Department of Agriculture for their future projects. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Council deferred Alfred’s request for authority unless he provide them copy of agreement

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TACLOBAN CITY- The members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, this city, deferred the request of Mayor Alfred Romualdez for him to be granted the authority to enter agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on its livelihood assistance. According to the councilors, they would only accede to the request of the city mayor if he would provide them copies of contracts or agreements that he would enter with the DOLE whether involving cash or in kind. Romualdez had earlier sought for a resolution from the council members, dominated by opposition councilors, to allow him to enter into an agreement with the DOLE on its planned livelihood assistance in Tacloban. Councilor Jerry Uy, chairman of the committee on laws, emphasized during their regular session last October 2 that despite the fact that the city mayor can be given the authority to represent the city government to sign contract under its corporate powers provided by the Local Government Code, he has the responsibility to present the copy of contracts to the Sangguniang Panlungsod for them to effectively review the contracts and grant authority for him to enter contracts.

“Section 22 of the Local Government Code under corporate power provides that (a) Every local government unit, as a corporation, shall have the following powers: no. (5)To enter into contracts. And (c) Unless otherwise provided in this Code, no contract may be entered into by the local chief executive in behalf of the local government unit without prior authorization by the sanggunian concerned. A legible copy of such contract shall be posted at a conspicuous place in the provincial capitol or the city, municipal or barangay hall,” Uy said. Uy then motioned to ask the Mayor’s Office to transmit to the Sangguniang Panlungsod each and every contract of agreement that needs authorization as to grant authority to the mayor to enter into contract for and behalf of the city government of Tacloban as required by the Local Government Code.
Some members of the council expressed their concern as to the absence of the attached contract of the agreement.

Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin, presiding officer of the council, wanted to be clarified as to whether the chief executive is asking for a resolution to sign contract for the livelihood assistance provide by DOLE or is he was asking for a resolution for an authority to sign all contracts and agreements in the implementation of the said projects. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

PhilFIDA to provide plantlets, farming tools to abaca farmers in Eastern Visayas

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TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority 8 (PhilFIDA-8) here in the region is set to provide abaca plantlets and farming tools to support the needs of the abaca farmers recover from losses they sustained due to devastation caused by supertyphoon Yolanda. Aside from mainly helping the affected abaca farmers, the intervention by their office would help revive the industry itself, said Joseph Salas, officer-in-charge for technical assistance unit of PhilFIDA-8. The farming tools to be distributed to the abaca farmers will include sharp bolo, shovels and hoes. “Farmers are motivated to work when there are materials on hand and when they know that the government is ready to help and support them. We will procure these tools for them to push forward and go back to farming and plant more,” Salas said. PhilFIDA has allocated ten sets of farming tools for each municipality identified under the project that includes the city of Ormoc and the towns of Albuera, Kananga, Burauen, Hindang, Hilongos, Javier, Abuyog, and Inopacan in Leyte; Bontoc and St. Bernard in Southern Leyte; Victoria and Lavesarez in Northern Samar; and Dolores in Eastern Samar. Moreover, PhilFIDA already distributed a total of 14,805 tissue cultured abaca plantlets in 14 municipalities in the region as part of its rehabilitation activities. The said plantlets were released to the Eastern Visayas Fiber Regional Experiment Station and Seed Bank (EVERFESS) in Abuyog, Leyte. The cultured abaca plantlets or young plants were distributed to Bontoc, Southern Leyte; Abuyog, Jaro and MacArthur, Leyte; Marabut, Samar; Calbayog City and, Almeria, Biliran. Farmers were also provided with training by the PhilFIDA under the said project. Aside from distributing of farming tools, plantlets and providing trainings for farmers, PhilFIDA also continue to implement the Abaca Expansion Project to rehabilitate and restore nurseries for new abacas and provide technical assistance to farmers in establishing plant sale outlets. Eastern Visayas is considered as a major abaca-producing region in the country but its production decreased due to the incidence of pests and diseases and natural calamities like Yolanda. (JEFFREY DADO CONSULTADO, LNU Intern)

Mayor Avila nominated for this year’s CSC award for public service

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Mayor Conrado Avila, Sr.(right) congratulated by Ma. Natividad Costibolo, CSC Dir. II N. Samar Field Office after receiving his award as the sole hero “ANG PUBLIC SERVANT NOMINEE” during the Philippine Civil Service 114TH on Sept. 25, 2014. Governor Jose L. Ong(center) witnessed the event held at the lobby of the provincial capitol building in Catarman.

SAN ISIDRO,Nothern, Samar— The mayor of this town, Conrado Avila, Sr. was nominated for this year’s search conducted by the Civil Service Commission among public servants. Avila, who is serving out his third and last term as mayor, was nominated for the annual search for his being a dedicated public official which contributed to the improvement of the living conditions of his constituents.

His nomination for this year’s CSC search was made by Marilyn Anzano, a bookkeeper of the San Isidro National High School. “As a former educator for more than a decade before entering politics, first elected as SB member, vice mayor and mayor respectively now serving his last tenure of office,(Mayor Avila) have shaped the foundation and successful direction of this town,” Anzano said citing her reason why she nominated the 74-year old prestigious award. The town mayor received his nomination during this year’s anniversary of the CSC held at the lobby of the provincial capitol building in Catarman last September 25.
The said awards program is an annual undertaking of the CSC that recognizes government officials and employees who have outstanding work performance that aims to motivate or inspire government employees to improve the quality of performance and instill deeper involvement in public service.

Avila’s major achievements as a town mayor included making San Isidro 1st place in real property tax collection efficiency in 1994 in Northern Samar; Seal of Good Housekeeping by the Department of Interior and Local Government in 2011 and 2012; the only municipality in the entire province to be granted by the CSC the authority to take final action on appointments, under its agency accreditation program on Feb. 27, 2012; and Department of Education’s Division Pasidungog Award for their exemplary contribution and service for the successful implementation of programs and projects on Dec. 15, 2012, among others.
And during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda that devastated Yolanda, Mayor Avila extended assistance to Leyte, one of the hard-hit towns, by giving relief items worth P500,000.(PETER D. PAREDES)

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