CALBAYOG CITY – The Road Engineering Association of the Philippines (REAP) conducted its 2-day Region VIII Chapter Seminar and Induction Seminar at DPWH Region VIII Multi-Purpose Hall in Tacloban, Leyte.
DPWH – SFDEO’s District Engineer Alvin Ignacio, Assistant District Engineer Denis Cagomoc, technical section chiefs, and select planning and maintenance engineers attended the event.
The seminar with the theme: “Disaster Mitigation” involved discussions on alternative materials used for disaster-mitigating structures – flood control and slope protection.
Polyvinyl Chloride “PVC” Sheet Piles and Synthetic Fiber Reinforcement Concrete were introduced as possible replacements for traditional steel sheet piles and steel concrete reinforcement.
The conference ended with the induction of Region VIII Executive Officers and Board of Directors and the oath-taking of new members. (MAE ANGELICA R.COMOTA,PIO STAFF/PR)
REAP holds Region VIII chapter seminar in DPWH Tacloban
Young Philippine eagle found in Eastern Samar forests
TACLOBAN CITY- A young Philippine eagle was rescued last month in Maslog, Eastern Samar and is now under the care of the Philippine Eagle Foundation Center in Davao City to determine its physical condition.
The Philippine eagle, believed to be just three year old, was found inside a chicken trap in a deep forest in Barangay Carayacay, Maslog town on June 17 of this year, the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said.
On that same day, Maslog Vice Mayor Septemio Santiago reported the discovery of the Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) based at the nearby town of Dolores, also in Eastern Samar.
Immediately, upon learning on the rescued eagle, a team from the regional DENR office went to Dolores to conduct initial assessment on the eagle, which they named as ‘Maslog E.S.,’ referencing the town and the province where it was recovered.
“Sightings of the Philippine eagle is extremely rare and protecting them is a challenge,” Crizaldy Barcelo, DENR regional executive director, said.
The rescued Philippine eagle, while said to be in good condition, was brought to the Davao City-based Philippine Eagle Foundation Center on June 26 for further examination.
Maslog E.S will be released back to its natural habitat in the forests of Maslog town, a remote town in Eastern Samar, once it’s declared to be in complete good physical condition.
Barcelo said that the discovery of the said eagle confirms the ‘presence of this critically endangered species in Eastern Samar.’
“Its presence in our region is a testament that we still have healthy forests which we need to sustainably manage and protect,” he said.
A Philippine eagle was last seen in the forests of Calbiga, Samar and Taft, Eastern Samar in September 2014.
In 2013, a Philippine eagle was spotted near the boundaries of Baybay City, Burauen and Albuera, all in Leyte province and Silago, Southern Leyte, months before super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ struck the region.
Hunting of the Philippine eagle is strictly prohibited under the Philippine Wildlife Conservation Act of 2001 (Republic Act 9147) with penalties of up to 12 years imprisonment and a fine of up to P1 million.
The Philippine eagle was officially declared as the country’s national bird in 1995 by President Fidel V. Ramos.
It is endemic to the Philippines and can be found in the islands of Eastern Luzon, Samar, Leyte and Mindanao.
The Philippine eagle is one of the DENR’s priority threatened species for conservation and is listed as “critically endangered” per DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-15 on the list of terrestrial threatened species and their categories and under the International Union for Conservation (IUCN). (PR)
Couple hit in their heads in a shooting incident in Leyte town
TACLOBAN CITY- Four people, two of them were children, were shot by still unidentified armed men while they were on board a vehicle on Sunday (July 21) at about 6 pm in Jaro, Leyte.
Two of the victims, Leopoldo Po, 44 and said to be a businessman, and his wife Ailen, 40 and a teacher by profession, are now in critical conditions after they were hit in their heads, Captain Arnel Saremgumba, police chief of Jaro town, said.
The other victims, Estrella Geraldo, 62 and a village chairwoman of San Pedro, Tunga town, also in Leyte, and Rachel Cuña, 27, were hit at the lower back of their bodies but are now in stable conditions.
Geraldo’s husband, Wilfredo, 62, and Cuña’s children, Estefanie, 6, and Sheena, 4, were unharmed.
Capt. Saregumba, in a phone interview, said that the victims, on board a Suzuki Ertega, were heading to Tacloban City from their village of San Pedro, Tunga town.
And while cruising Barangay Hibucawan, two kms away from Jaro town proper, they were chased by the still unidentified suspects who were also on board a vehicle and shot them several times.
This resulted for the vehicle, driven by Leopoldo Po, to fell on a bridge, as he lost control of the steering wheel.
The Po couple were hit on their heads while Geraldo and Cuña were hit at the lower back of their bodies. Both are said on stable conditions.
The rescuers of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) who responded to the scene brought all the victims to the hospital at the region’s capital.
Saremguba said that they have yet to unmask the suspects and their motive.
“We are still conducting our probe on the incident,” he said.
Recovered from the crime scene were two deformed fired cartridge cases that were turned over to regional police headquarters for ballistic examination.(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Groups stage protests on ‘failure’ of the Duterte administration
In time of the President’s 4th Sona
TACLOBAN CITY- Various progressive groups based in the city staged their protest rally against President Rodrigo Duterte who delivered his 4th State of the Nation Address (Sona) Monday.
Serving as the highlight of the protest, attended by about 500,000 rallyists as estimated by the organizers, was the burning of the effigy of Mr. Duterte placed in a cartoon-made boat, representing the issue surrounding the dispute between the Philippines and China on the South China Sea.
The protest rally started at 1 pm at Noblejas Junction, named after a popular local radio commentator Ramon ‘Monching’ Noblejas who was gunned down on October 4, 1987, and ended along P. Rizal Avenue.
Speakers after speakers denounced the Duterte administration claiming its failure to deliver ‘genuine and pro-poor’ programs.
“The rice tarrification, for example, only rendered the poor farmers poorer as rice traders now choose to buy imported rice, leaving behind the local farmers,” Jun Berino, secretary-general of Sagupa(Samahan han Gugti na Parauma)-Sinirangan Bisayas said, citing one of the laws passed under the Duterte administration which they called as among the anti-poor measures.
Berino also cited the modernization of public transportation as anti-poor measure and the administration’s failure to fully enforce its anti-contractualization.
“Poverty incidence in Eastern Visayas remain to be widespread,” he said.
Meantime, a full alert status was declared by the Philippine National Police (PNP) across the region on Monday as part of the security preparations as the Pres. Duterte delivered his 4th Sona.
Police Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, said that 900 policemen were deployed as part of the security measures.
Carlos told reporters that in line with the declaration of full alert status, all personnel were required in attendance and be ready for any maximum deployment as Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF).
Police Provincial Offices (PPOs), City Police Offices (CPOs) and Regional Mobile Force Battalion were directed to intensify simultaneous checkpoint operations in all strategic areas especially to vehicles transporting significant number of persons without clear purpose.
Police Colonel Warren de Leon, force commander of Regional Force Battalion 8 said that their unit was ready for the deployment of personnel.
“We provided standby civil disturbance management platoon led by a Police Commissioned Officer and our companies are already conducting checkpoints in their respective area of responsibilities,” he added.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT/JOEY A. GABIETA)
Leyte residents complain on the operation of poultry farm
CAPOOCAN, Leyte – Residents of a village in this town are complaining on the operations of a poultry farm saying it’s becoming a health hazard to them.
The residents of Barangay San Joaquin claimed that they have made their complaint against the owner of the A&E Farm but to no avail.
Antonio Aragon, a resident of the village whose house is located few meters away from the poultry farm, said that their health are now affected.
“It poses health risk to us. We can’t eat well during harvest time because of flies swarming our houses and our food,” he said.
His neighbor, Danilo Malicabul, added that the flies are even infesting his farm located in adjacent mountain.
He added that the waste water of the poultry farm pollutes the creek down the mountain that is used by residents for bathing.
The residents said that they felt that they were deceived because when the poultry farm was being constructed two years ago, they were told by the workers that were constructing a hospital.
The owner of the said poultry farm is said to be a well-known political figure in the province reason why their complaints are not being acted upon, the residents said.
An employee of the poultry farm, who did not gave his name, asked for an appointment from Leyte Samar Daily Express before they could answer any questions relative to the complaints of the residents.
Rosie Quilarto, village chairwoman, said that she already visited the poultry farm twice after they received complaints from the residents and were shown some mitigation measures purportedly put in place by the management, mainly to stop the fly infestation.
But obviously, the measures did not help contain the problem as the village continue to be swarm with fly infestation, especially during harvest time.
Quilarto added that the council cannot make any action against the problem because they had not yet received a formal complaint from any of the residents.
Leyte Board Member Raissa Villasin, who represents the 2nd district of Leyte where Capoocan town is included, asked the residents that if the barangay leaders failed to take action on their problem, they should elevate their complaint to the municipal level before they in the provincial board can take action and conduct any possible investigation.
“The board cannot just supersede the power of the barangay and the mayor. That is why, the residents should file their complaint first in the barangay level and in the municipal level before we can take action by conducting an investigation in the provincial board if the two offices cannot make action,” she said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
CSWDO spearheads forum on rights of PWDs
TACLOBAN CITY- Around 200 participants attended the forum on Rights and Benefits of Person With Disability (PWDs) at the Tacloban City Training Center on Friday, July 19.
Spearheaded by the Local Government of Tacloban through the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), the forum was held as part of the 41st National Disability Prevention & Rehabilitation (NDPR) Week Celebration.
Maria Lourdes Sabate, PWD Welfare Focal Person, said that the event is special for it is in respect to the rights and privileges, as well as the programs and services that the City Government can offer to the PWDs.
Representatives from PhilHealth, Commission on Human Rights, City Cooperative Development & Livelihood Assistance Office, Public Employment Service Office and EVRMC attended the forum to discuss the programs and services available to the marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society.
Also present during the event was the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 8 Focal Person Ben Calzado.
This year’s theme is “Lokal na Pamahalaan: Kabalikat sa Pagtupad ng Karapatan ng mga Taong May Kapansanan.”(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)