CATBALOGAN CITY– Calbayog City Mayor and newly-named chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) attended the culmination program of the Peace Month celebration last September 26 at the Camp Vicente Lukban, headquarters of the 8th Infantry Division, this city. His visit to the Army camp was his first since he was named as RPOC chairman by President Aquino last month.
Mayor Aquino was welcomed by Major General Jet Velarmino, commanding general of the 8th ID.

During his visit, a presentation on the peace and order situation of the region was made by Lt.Col. Angel Madarang, representing the Army, and Supt.Norberto Tuazon, representing the Philippine National Police.
The new RPOC chairman also delivered his peace message during the “Lighting of Candle for Peace Ceremony” held at 8ID’s grandstand area. In his message, Aquino reminded the public to bear in mind the reason why peace month is being observed. “That every Filipino has an important role in government’s efforts towards lasting peace in our country,” he said. RPOC chair Aquino joined the soldiers, police and other peace advocates in the region in their candle-lighting activity as his gesture of support to the ongoing peace process in the country. Doves, symbolizing peace and hope, were released during the occasion.

Aquino vowed his commitment in promoting peace and order in the region still battling with insurgency problem, particularly in Samar Island. Presidential Proclamation No. 675, series of 2004, declared the month of September as the month of National Peace Consciousness Month with this year’s theme as “Nagkakaisang Bayan Para sa Kapayapaan.” (AIMEE A. CATALAN/PR)

ORMOC CITY-Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Regional Director Cleta Omega said that the new and well-trained skilled workers who graduated at the Keitech (Kananga-EDC (Energy Development Corp.) will help augment the region’s current work force. Omega said that she was scheduled to meet the contractors in the region and introduce the 105 new skilled workers that were trained by Keitech. She announced this during Keitech recent foundation’s commencement exercise involving the 105 graduates who finished a two-month skills training. The skills training is an extension program designed for Electrical and Installation Maintenance (EIM), Plumbing and Carpentry with National Certificate II offered by EDC as part of its corporate social responsibility extension program to poor but deserving students of no age limit among residents in Leyte’s 4th district. Foundation president Paul Aquino said they temporarily suspended their regular program that started in 2009 to focus its target of responding in the demand of skilled workers for Leyte rehabilitation program devastated by super typhoon “Yolanda”.  It is set to produce 1,000 highly trained workers until 2016 under its extension program. Aquino stressed the 11-month regular program for metals and engineering that was temporarily deferred after the typhoon due to the absence of electricity will continue this month but the shorter program continues. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

BOBON, Northern Samar- Mayor Reny Celespara of this town attended the “1st International Conference on Integrative Risk Reduction Management” held at the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) in Borongan City. Mayor Celespara was joined by municipal disaster risk reduction management council head Jose Esquillo during the gathering held from September 3 to 5. The three-day gathering was participated by 250 representatives from various local government units, provincial and municipal risk reduction chiefs, colleges and universities representatives and even from the Mindanao region discussed on good governance in crisis situation as well as the monitoring of reconstruction efforts of local and international community. Both Mayor Celespara and Esquillo talked on their expertise on environmental and risk reduction management issues aside from the relief operations through humanitarian and emergency aids. Given emphasis during the gathering was on the climate change and disaster application of lessons during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda. Also discussed which was anchored on five specific priorities were making risk reduction a priority; improving risk information and early warning; building a culture of safety and resilience; reducing risks in the key sector, and as well strengthening preparedness for response. On the last day of the conference, an “on-site planning workshop” was conducted, visiting communities in Eastern Samar that were badly hit by Yolanda’s wrath. Participants of the conference signed a “pledge of commitment” on Mother Earth and the involvement of the Catholic relief operations. (PETER D.PAREDES)

TACLOBAN CITY- All the 400 strong members of the Tacloban police will be on duty during the visit of Pope Francis to this city early next year. This was disclosed by city police director, Senior Superintendent Domingo Cabillan, who added that augmentation forces coming from the provincial and regional headquarters are also expected to help secure the Holy Father during his Tacloban visit.

The whole city of Tacloban is generally peaceful and there are petty crime was happened but this is manageable confirm before typhoon Yolanda, This was disclosed by SSUPT. Domingo Cabillan, City Director of Tacloban City Police Office.

Col. Cabillan disclosed that the entire city police force was directed by Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent Henry Losañes to take charge of Task Force Tacloban in preparation for the visit of the Pope.
Cabillan said that the security measure being laid down for the visit of the Pope is in close coordination with their national headquarters and Church officials. He added that policemen will also be assigned in the downtown areas of Tacloban to ensure that the millions of pilgrims expected to descend Tacloban will be secure from unscrupulous individuals. Cabillan disclosed that they have so far arrested 28 notorious snatchers in the city since August as part of their security preparations. Appropriate cases were filed against the suspects. (LITO A. BAGUNAS)

TACLOBAN CITY – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) admitted that their campaign to reduce the malnutrition prevalence in the region may not be attain, citing low coverage and failure of typhoon-affected areas to submit accurate reports. NNC regional nutrition program coordinator Catalino Dotollo said that the reduction of malnutrition prevalence to 11.31% last year from 13.72% in 2012 is not accurate with only 66% coverage of Operation Timbang (OPT) in 2013.

The 66 % coverage is lower than the acceptable 85% coverage.  “Actually we cannot determine whether the malnutrition rate has gone down, precisely because in 2013, OPT coverage is low particularly in the Yolanda affected areas because they do not have records,” Dotollo said. “The reason is valid based on the result of our field evaluation because they cannot retrieve anymore the OPT data, but we want to see a more accurate picture of the local nutrition situation,” he added. About 455,116 pre-school children (zero to five years old) were weigh in 2013, representing only 66 percent of the region’s estimated 692,644 pre-school population. Of the number of children weighed, 51,485 were found suffering moderate to acute malnutrition.

In contrast, of the 741,662 estimated preschoolers in 2012, at least 530,626 were included in the OPT or a coverage of 71.55 percent. OPT is the annual weighing of all preschoolers or below six years old in a community to identify and locate the malnourished children. Dotollo, however, remain positive that there could be some reduction in malnutrition rate after supertyphoon Yolanda due to the intensified effort of the nutrition cluster partners in disseminating the activities particularly Infant and Young Child Feeding Program (IYCF).

All areas recorded below the 85% weighing coverage – Biliran (82.68%), Eastern Samar (80.15%), Leyte (48.17%), Northern Samar (80.49%), Samar (74.32%) and Southern Leyte (77.23%). In terms of malnutrition prevalence, Samar posted the highest prevalence with 19.34%; Northern Samar with 13.87%; Leyte,13.79%; Biliran,12.83%; Eastern Samar with 10.87% and Southern Leyte,9.63%. The 2012 weighing result placed the six provinces in the same rank. Samar had the highest malnutrition prevalence at 17.88% followed by Northern Samar (15.80%), Leyte (15.12%), Biliran (12.38%), Eastern Samar (10.82%), and Southern Leyte (7.82%). (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)