ORMOC CITY- About 50,000 sacks of rice were donated by the Tzu Chi Foundation to victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda of this city. On June 6, the Taiwan-based foundation started the distribution of sacks of rice to 13 barangays of Ormoc. Alfredo Li, chief executive officer of the Tzu Chi Foundation, said that they have allocated 50,000 sacks of rice equivalent to 1 million tons for victims of typhoon in Ormoc. A family of five members is to receive a sack of rice while two sacks of rice are to be given to families which have more than five members. Each sack of rice weighs 23 kilograms. Glen Baguio, a 29 year old farmer from Cabulihan village, expressed his gratitude to the Tzu Chi Foundation for giving them sack of rice saying it would be a big help to his family. Virgilio Caballero, 67 and rice laborer Antonio Obida, 74 from Valencia and Guintigui-an villages respectively, said the sacks of rice they received were great help. They thanked Tzu Chi for considering their dire need. Li added the rice was donated by the Korean government and that the foundation did not spare any cost for the goods but said long preparations were made by the volunteers prior to reaching its recipients. Li acknowledged Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky” Soliman who helped them facilitate the immediate release of their sacks of rice at the Bureau of Customs and Engr. Violeta Codilla of Ormoc for offering their warehouse. He assured that their intention for bringing Taiwan rice to the country was purely for “love”, no political and religious motivations. He begged those well-off to refuse accepting the goods and offer them to the needy. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Mayor Balanquit extended financial assistance to towns in Eastern Samar hit by Yolanda
PAMBUJAN, Northern Samar- Mayor Lino Balanquit Sr. of this town led in the giving of financial assistance to towns in Eastern Samar that were severely hit by supertyphoon Yolanda. The towns of Hernani and General McArthur were the identified beneficiaries of the financial assistance by the municipal government of Pambujan. Each town received P100,000 as financial assistance as approved by the municipal disaster risk reduction management council (MDRRMC) of Pambujan during its meeting. Mayor Balanquit personally gave the amount to Mayor Jaime Ty of Gen. McArthur and to Mayor Edgar Boco of Hernani on March 26,2013. The financial assistance extended by the municipal government of Pambujan is expected to help victims of Yolanda of these towns, particularly concerning on food and medicines. (ROMMEL R. TEPACE)
PNoy has yet to name RDC chair for EV, NEDA chief said
PALO, Leyte – Nearly 10 months after submitting nominations, the Regional Development Council (RDC) in Eastern Visayas still wait for the appointment of a new RDC chair that will lead the region’s highest policy-making body until 2016. National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Bonifacio Uy, acting RDC chairman, is clueless as to when the appointment will be issued by the Malacanang. “We’re hoping that the decision will come out soon. I believe that the administration is working on it. It’s just difficult to speculate when,” Uy said. On August 22, 2013, the body nominated Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla, Baybay City Mayor Carmen Cari and Northern Samar Governor Jose Ong as possible chair of the RDC. Under Executive Order No. 325, qualified to head the RDC as chair and co-chair are the provincial governors, mayors of capital towns and cities, presidents of league of municipalities in six provinces, and private sector representatives (PSR). According to rules, Petilla is not legible to head the body considering that she’s not anymore the president of League of Municipalities in Leyte and Palo is not a capital town. However, the lady mayor, insisted in earlier interviews that the league permanently assigned her as the representative to the RDC after its president Javier, Leyte Mayor Leonardo Javier was elected as the league’s national president. The RDC chairmanship in Eastern Visayas has been vacated since November 2012 when President Aquino appointed then governor Carlos Jericho Petilla as Energy Secretary. RDC co-chairman Tiburcio Morales also resigned late 2012. On May 16, President Benigno Aquino appointed new RDC chairpersons Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo Del Rosario (Region 11), Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado (Region 3), Albay Gov. Joey Salceda (Region 5), Bohol Gov. Edgardo Chatto (Region 7) and Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas (Region 13). (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)
Defense Sec. Gazmin visit ROK camp base; award the group for their Yolanda effort
PALO, Leyte- Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin visited the Republic of Korea Joint Support Group a.k.a. “ARAW” Contingents on June 10, on their base camp, located in Brgy. Candahug, Palo, Leyte. Accompanying his visit were Executive Director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) – Alexander Pama, AFP Central Command Chief- Major General John Bonafos, 8th Infantry Division Commander- Jet Velarmino, The Korean Ambassador to the Philippines- Lee Hyuk, and other top officials from the Philippines. Sec.Gazmin arrived in Tacloban at around 8:30am, visited the different schools and buildings repaired by the ARAW troops, including the Leyte Provincial Hospital and the Department of Education Region 8 building. He expressed his satisfaction upon seeing the well- repaired structures. He also visited the ARAW Vocational School which was the ‘Heavy Equipment’ training program and was glad of the school’s progress. Sec.Gazmin’s purpose in visiting the ARAW troops was actually to give them an award in recognition of their rehabilitation efforts in Yolanda-battered areas. He presented them with the BaKas Parangal Award, an award given to the group for exhibiting exemplary dedication and selflessness in all the help they offered and inspiring the Filipinos. He expressed his gratitude during the ceremony following the speeches given by the ARAW Commander, Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, and the Korean Ambassador to the Philippines. The Philippines is really grateful to the South Korean government and most especially to the ARAW troops for their help and dedication. “Thank you for your noble service, exemplary heroism, and friendship,” Sec. Gazmin said. After the ceremony, the secretary was quickly interviewed by the local media then took a quick tour around the base camp. He also sponsored and enjoyed lunch together with the troops. (PR)
Fishermen in Leyte towns, Tacloban, received pump boats from Sen. Ejercito
TACLOBAN CITY- Finally, fisherman Castolo Holares could return to the sea to catch fish again, seven months after his fishing boat was destroyed during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda. On June 9, the 49 year old fisherman from Barangay Sta. Cruz, San Miguel in Leyte, was among the 20 fishermen who received their motorized pump boats from the office of Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito. “I could not catch fish using my own pump boat. It’s hard for me not to have a pump boat for I have to beg some of my friends to allow me to use their fishing boats or join them during their fishing just to earn a living,” Holares said. Aside from Holares, a father of two children whose house was totally destroyed due to Yolanda, 19 fishermen from the towns of Tolosa, Palo, Tanauan, San Miguel, Babatngon and the city of Tacloban, received their motorized pump boats. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin “FM” Romualdez, during the turn over held at the grounds of the Balyuan Convention Center, expressed his gratitude to Sen. Ejercito for his assistance to the fishermen who lost their pump boats during the onslaught of Yolanda. Romualdez said that with their new pump boats, the fishermen could now go back to fish and ensure income for their respective families. All the fishermen were from Leyte’s first congressional district of which Romualdez represents at the House of Representatives. The Leyte solon asked the fishermen to take good care of their fishing boats to show their gratitude to Sen. Ejercito’s generosity.
“You know, we don’t have PDAF (priority development assistance fund). Sen. Ejercito used his own personal money just to donate these pump boats to you. Hope you will take good care your pump boats for your livelihood,” Romualdez said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
Leyte SP enact budget after DBM corrections
TACLOBAN CITY- The provincial board of Leyte approved for the second time the annual budget for 2014 in the amount of P1.70 billion. Earlier, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) return the proposed budget due to failure to comply some required forms, Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, said. And on June 9, the provincial board approved anew the P1,701,210,844 budget after they complied the needed forms asked by the DBM. Vice Gov. Loreto said that they approved the budget October of last year but it was returned to them by the DBM for some corrections. The DBM reviews and approves annual budgets of provincial governments. Among the required forms that were not complied according to the manual of DBM included form of the local finance committee and form to be signed by Gov. Leopoldo Dominico Petilla. The budget was sent immediately by the provincial board after complying the corrections, Loreto said. Loreto said that the 2014 budget is 10% higher than the 2013 budget. The provincial government of Leyte programs, thrusts and priorities are information and communication technology, tourism development, livelihood for the youth with values formation, improved health care and nutrition, upgraded facilities and personnel services, infrastructure program. (LIZBETH ANN ABELLA)