ORMOC CITY-The government troops’ continuous efforts for peace and economic advancement resulted to a clash against around 20 members of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels identified as “Pingkoy Platoon” and confiscation of mines and combat items inside a camp at Sitio Nabunturan, Patag village, this city last week. Lt. Col. Nedy Espulgar, commanding officer of 19th Infantry Battalion based in Aguiting, Kananga, Leyte said the presence of the rebels in the area were tipped off by the villagers which resulted to a 30 minutes fire fight.

The government troops recovered three unexploded claymore mines, magazines with ammunitions and back packs with personal belongings and subversive documents inside the rebels’ camp.

The temporary camp occupied by the “Pingkoy Platoon” operating in western Leyte particularly in Ormoc, Burauen and Jaro can be reached by two-hour hike from the village proper that was said made of tents. It is believed to have been established after “Yolanda” that was not visible by aerial view.
Espulgar said “there will be no let-up in our support to the development programs that were introduced in the hinterland barangays of Ormoc, despite the Tuesday incident. We will pursue with our development efforts, especially in our advocacy on Land Bank’s sustainable integrated natural and organic mini farm program. But our troops are always ready should similar eventuality arises”, he went on. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

Allen, Northern Samar – Students who failed to give voluntary contributions last school year should not be forced to pay upon enrolment and it should not be used by teachers and school heads as reason for not releasing the school forms necessary for enrolment. This was clearly stated by Northern Samar Schools Superintendent Cristito Eco in his speech during the flag raising ceremony last June 2 in Cabacungan Elementary and High Schools, here. Very early in the morning, Eco travelled from Catarman town to these two remote public schools in Allen just to attend the flag raising ceremony which officially signaled the opening of classes. Teachers and school dministrators were surprised upon seeing the superintendent. It was the first time that a schools division superintendent supervised them in the opening of classes.

Eco also made it clear to everybody who attended the flag ceremony that the DepEd is strictly imposing the “no collection policy” upon enrolment. He also warmly welcomed the students and told them to encourage their classmates who were absent to report to school. He was also happy to see some parents cleaning the school campus.

Eco personally inspected all the classrooms and the schools’ premises to determine their readiness in accommodating the pupils and students. In his speech during the flag ceremony, he said that he observed that not all classrooms were ready. He was also dismayed to see pupils and students cleaning the classrooms and school campus. Eco reminded the teachers and school heads of the two schools that cleaning should have been done during the School’s Maintenance Week or Brigada Eskwela so that everything would be ready upon the opening of classes. (GARY A.VACUNAWA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Despite of the massive destruction wrought by supertyphoon Yolanda to this city and large part of Leyte, the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals will still be stage on June 28.

The festivals served as one of the highlights of Tacloban’s annual fiesta. The launching of the twin-bill festival was announced in a press conference last June 20 held at the RTR Plaza by Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla, honorary chair and founder of the Kasadyaan Festival respectively and Eugene Tan, president of the Pintados Festival.

According to them, despite of what happened to Tacloban and parts of the province, the staging of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals has to continue. “The holding of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals has to go on despite of what we have experienced due to Yolanda. This will serve as our thanksgiving to our patron saint that we survived Yolanda,” Mayor Petilla said.

Tan, however, said that contrary to years’ past, this year’s celebration of the festivals will be low key. For this year, the participating contingents will come from outside Leyte save for the Buyugan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte. The participating contingents are the Kawayan-Banigan Festival of Basey, Samar; Masskara Festival of Bacolod City; Uway Festival of Talalora, Samar; Tribu Lumad Basakanon of Cebu.

Gov. Petilla said that the provincial government has allocated P300,000 for each contingent covering their transportation and accommodation. The contingents are to stay at the Leyte State University and the Eastern Visayas State University. While there are five contingents participating the Pintados Festival. And unlike before, there will be no competition among the participating contingents, the organizers said. (DESSA MAE CASTRO/KAYE ANNE ORALLER, LNU-Intern)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has enforced precautionary measures in Samar coastal waters after laboratory test results show that red tide presence has intensified in Irong-Irong Bay. The government strictly imposed shellfish ban in Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City, Samar last week after both water and shellfish meat were tested positive of red tide toxins.

“We are worried that red tide toxins will spread to nearby Cambatutay Bay, Maqueda Bay, and Calbayog City waters. These areas have histories of red tide presence in the past,” said BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo. Irong-Irong Bay, one of the collecting areas for mussel in Samar, drains its water to Cambatutay, a bay hit by red tide phenomenon last year. Cambatutay, which has been showing signs of red tide recurrence, in turn, drains to Calbayog Waters. BFAR detected cyst formation in nearby Maqueda Bay, an area known for commercial mussel production. “The presence of cyst indicates that red tide organisms may bloom anytime,” Albaladejo added.

“There’s a big possibility that we will issue a shellfish ban for Cambatutay Bay this week. Since last week, mussel traders in Maqueda Bay have been asked to secure health certificate from BFAR before shipping mussels to Davao and Mania as a precautionary measure,” Albaladejo said. Fishes caught in affected areas are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh, washed and cooked thoroughly, the BFAR regional director said. From 1,120 cells per liter of toxins in water last week, the reading in Irong-Irong Bay rose to up to 2,074 cells per liter, way high than the 10 cells per liter of toxins in a normal situation.

Red tide was found in 117 micro grams of every 100 grams of shellfish meat, or nearly double than the 60 micro grams per 100 grams in normal level. “This is very alarming because when two persons in Cambatutay Bay died of toxins last year, the reading was only 20 micro grams per 100 grams of meat,” the BFAR official recalled.

Authorities test coastal waters in Samar twice a week to monitor the possible presence of red tide. “The prolong sunny weather since May followed by heavy downpour in the past few days may trigger red tide bloom due to discharge of waste water from mountains and residential areas,” he added.

Red tide is a term used to describe all phenomena which the water is discolored by high algal biomass or concentration of algae. The discoloration may not necessarily be red in color, but it may also appear yellow, brown, green, blue or milky, depending on the organisms involved. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

TACLOBAN CITY-To empower the marginalized farmers with updated agricultural farm technology on high value crops so that they can produce a bountiful harvest even on a limited space, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) commits to continue the Kabalikat sa Kabuhayan Farmers Training (KSK-FT) that the SM Foundation has implemented in Tanauan, Leyte. The DSWD committed that they will continue what they have started in Tanauan using their own module under their livelihood program, Neny Regino of the SM Foundation said.

She also said that the livelihood program of the DSWD has a module on social preparation which includes teaching the farmers on how to sell their products and handle their money. The DSWD has helped the SM Foundation to enhance their livelihood programs such as the social preparation in the farmers training. Before, The SM Foundation does not have any partnership with the DSWD but now that they joined the foundation in this endeavor. “We have realized that the social preparation is a big help to the program” Regino said.

She emphasized that without the DSWD, the social preparation will not be included in their program. “The farmers must know not just the proper way of planting but also the right way of selling their production and handling their money,” Regino said. With the module on social preparation of the DSWD, Regino said that their farmer- beneficiaries under the KSK-TF has become more interested for they will know many things not just planting and harvesting. On the other hand, the SM Foundation has coordinated with the local government unit of Tanauan to help the 108 farmer-beneficiaries under the program in finding business establishment that will buy their agricultural products that they will produce. The KSK-FT is a program the will provides farmers with more effective ways of producing high yielding fruits and vegetables. The program is much like backyard farming, only it is enhanced by new technology to produce better results. It is a 12-step program that teaches farmers seed culture and propagation, irrigation and fertilizer application, among other skills. The KSK-FT is a joint undertaking of SM Foundation with the private sector and government agencies. (RYAN GABRIEL LLOSA ARCENAS)