TACLOBAN CITY-The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and concerned local government units here in he region on Friday (Feb.28), raised a red tide alert in four bay areas in the region, following on their latest laboratory results.
The areas include Cancabato Bay – Tacloban City; Irong-irong Bay- Catbalogan, Samar; Carigara Bay- Carigara, Capoocan, San Miguel, Barugo, Babatngon; San Pedro Bay – Basey, Marabut and Samar area.
“Shellfishes collected from the following areas are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit,” the BFAR in the region said.
The agency also issued a Local Shellfish Advisory for Matarinao Bay (General MacArthur, Hernani, Quinapondan and Salcedo in Eastern Samar) “as a precautionary advice to the public to refrain from gathering, selling and eating all types of shellfishes and Acetes sp. or Alamang from the said area/s to avoid possible shellfish poisoning.” (RONALD O. REYES)
BFAR declares red tide alert in 4 Eastern Visayas waters
Samar mayor shocked on being charged of non-compliance on road clearing operation
TACLOBAN CITY- The mayor of the Samar town expressed his surprise over report that he would be charged by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for his failure on road clearing.
Motiong town Mayor Renato Cabael said that he has done his part to fully comply the mandate of the national government to clear the streets of obstructions.
“We have complied this as early as of October last year. While we may have not achieved a 100 percent compliance, we are compliant. In fact, as October of last year, we have achieved 85 percent compliance rate,” Cabael, in a phone interview, said.
He said that during their road clearing operation, they all removed all structures that obstruct the public road.
“We even removed a barangay hall and not just private houses,” the town mayor said.
According to him, they have submitted their reports on road clearing to both the provincial and regional offices of the DILG, but apparently, their papers could have not been submitted on time at their central office reason why they were cited for their allege failure to comply the order.
The town mayor admitted that during the first validation on their accomplishment on road clearing, they were only able to achieve a 65 percent compliance.
But on the succeeding monitoring, they were able to improve it, Cabael said.
“According to the DILG, both in the province and the region (offices), if there will ever be a summon, they will answer it for me so nothing to worry. It was just a case of miscommunication,” he said.
To recall, DILG Sec. Eduardo Ano could face administrative cases for gross neglect of duty and grave misconduct before the Office of the Ombudsman for their failure to meet the standard on road clearing campaign of the national government.
Aside from the town of Motiong, the other town cited by the DILG for supposed failure to meet the standard on national clearing national clearing operation was Boliney, Abra.
Motiong is a fourth class town in Samar having an annual income of over P98 million with a population of 16,000 people spread on its 30 barangays.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
5.7 quake rocks Eastern Visayas
Biliran town was hard-hit with school buildings damaged
(Maime Sabornido/Photo Courtesy)
TACLOBAN CITY- Several school buildings sustained damages and classes were suspended after several parts of the region were hit by a 5.7 magnitude quake on Monday morning.
The quake, which lasted for just less than a minute, has damaged several classrooms of the Biliran Science High School (BSHS) in the town of Biliran, province of Biliran.
Cracks were noticed in several classrooms while some ceilings fell down due to the tremor that occurred at 5:19 am with the epicenter traced in Capoocan town, Leyte province.
Voltaire Dagalea, school facilities coordinator of BSHS, said that four buildings consisting of eight classrooms were damaged due to the quake.
He said that these classrooms are being occupied by Grades 8,9,11, and 12 students. The buildings were constructed in 2017.
“According to the BFP personnel who conducted their assessment, we were advised not to occupy these buildings to ensure the safety of our students,” Dagalea, in a phone interview, said.
He said these affected students may just hold their daily classes at their computer rooms as well as at their library and stage.
The school, located in Barangay San Roque which is within the town proper, has about 407 students with 35 faculty members.
Biliran Mayor Grace Casil issued an order at around 9 am suspending all classes in the entire town to give way on the assessment of possible damages due to the quake.
Classes from elementary up to secondary were also suspended by the local government unit of Capoocan, the epicenter of the quake.
Rogel Sarigumba, disaster risk reduction management officer, said that the suspension of classes is to give way for the monitoring of their team together with the local engineer in the schools.
“We’ll conduct our inspection to all public schools, to include the day care centers if they have sustained damages due to the earthquake,” he said in a phone interview.
So far, they have not received any major damages due to the tremor, saying some houses reported to have sustained ‘minor cracks’ in the aftermath of the tremor.
Classes were also suspended in Carigara and Leyte-Leyte towns to ensure the safety of the students and for school administrators to check of any possible damage due to the quake.
Here in Tacloban City, which felt the tremor at Intensity V, there were no report of any damage due to the early morning quake, James Henry Roca of the City Information Office said.
The quake was also felt in Pastrana town, Leyte at Intensity V.
Based on the monitoring of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the quake was also felt in the towns of Palo, and Ormoc City, both in Leyte and Borongan City in Eastern Samar and Naval in Biliran province.
The tremor was also felt in Bago City at Intensity II and Masbate and Roxas cities at Intensity 1.
Peace
It came pleasant to hear the president declare his acceptance of the apology that ABS-CBN expressed through its Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak. The pronouncement was in response to the meek and humble statement offered by Katigbak during the senate hearing on the renewal of franchise by the media network. The humility of the statement drew positive reactions from the public despite some adverse comments from some sectors. The possibility of good communication between the president and the network came to light with the acceptance of wrong that may have caused the ire of the president.
Indeed, it is difficult to avoid conflict with both parties in animosity. The communication gap grew wider while the parties kept talking in different venues before different audiences. The talks reach each party differently as the message was distorted by various interest from both camps. Drawing near the expiration of the franchise, dark scenarios hovered many people who are affected by the resultant effect of the network’s closure. Fear of the workers losing their gainful employment was a primary concern as their families would suffer the economic consequences.
Another concern was on the aspect of press freedom should the network be closed. The deprivation of information is deemed an attack on the a democratic institution that is protected by the constitution. With the prospect of non-renewal of the franchise, the network is confronted with the risk of operating without the required franchise. So much confusion was lurking in the minds of the people who are at the receiving end of whatever outcome the conflict may end with.
When both parties opened their positions to acceptance of each other’s interest, the public saw a light at the end of a dark tunnel. This development paves the way towards a peaceful solution notwithstanding the pending action of the solicitor general and the lower house of congress.Somehow, the people saw an avenue to peace.
comments to alellema@yahoo.com
The EDSA Revolution
We recently marked the 34th Anniversary of the People Power revolt. A Filipino people celebrated the legacy of the country’s bloodless revolution that led to the restoration of democracy in our country.
After 34 years, we continue to face challenges because there are attempts to destroy the essence of the revolution. May the EDSA revolt serve as a warning to those who attempt to suppress our freedom with an iron first. The bloodless revolution is proof that Filipinos can stop abuses and corruption in our country.
It is very important to remind all of us to reject abuses and dictatorship. We have proven that Filipinos can work together and oppose abuses and dictatorship. It is important to reminisce about the lessons we have learned from the EDSA people power.
We have to learn from the lessons of people power and acknowledge that in the end, the strongest equalizer against abuses and tyranny are the people who act and stand up.
More than 3 decades since the EDSA revolt, our continuing duty is to remember. It is in remembering that we protect our country against all forms of human rights violations arising from authoritarian power.
We therefore honor the valiant heroes of EDSA and the countless others whose lives were touched by the bloodless uprising.
EDSA People Power was a catalyst for the restoration of our democratic institutions. The People Power Revolution remains one of the most remarkable events in our nation’s history. We have to defend and preserve the freedom we gained during the 1st EDSA People Power.
We pray that the legacy of EDSA will remain relevant in the years ahead.