The Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association, Inc. (PHILRECA) expressed its full support for the application of the franchises of Romblon Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ROMELCO) and Leyte II Electric Cooperative, Inc. (LEYECO II).

On Tuesday (March 5), the Senate Committee on Public Services headed by Senator Grace Poe gave its approval to House Bill No. 9154 and House Bill No. 6295.

House Bill No. 9154 seeks to grant a franchise to ROMELCO to construct, install, establish, operate, manage and maintain a distribution system in the Municipalities of Banton, Corcuera, and Concepcion in Romblon.

House Bill No. 6295, on the other hand, seeks to grant a franchise to LEYECO II to construct, install, establish, operate, manage and maintain a distribution system in the City of Tacloban and Municipalities of Babatngon and Palo in Leyte.

The two electric cooperatives are both rated Triple A by the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

The franchise applications of ROMELCO and LEYECO II were scrutinized during the Senate Committee on Public Services hearing.

Power Bloc Representatives Presley De Jesus (PhilRECA Party-list) and Sergio Dagooc (APEC Party-list) are among the principal authors of the two separate bills granting franchises to ROMELCO and LEYECO II.

TACLOBAN CITY – The 182 residents of two villages in Catarman, Northern Samar identified as among the town’s “no build zone” areas do not oppose the construction of a flood control.

This was disclosed by the municipal information office of the Catarman municipal government after a hearing on this purpose was conducted.

The affected villages are Narra and Ipil-Ipil, situated along the Maroyondoyon and Kaglangkoy creeks, respectively.

Of the 182 families to be affected by the construction of a flood control system, 161 of them were from Narra while the remaining 21 were from Ipil-Ipil, the information said.
The affected families voiced no opposition to the dredging and flood control project, acknowledging that the area where their houses stand does not belong to them, the information said.

Furthermore, the residents expressed their willingness to vacate the area promptly to facilitate the immediate commencement of the project, which promises town-wide benefits and potential lives saved.

To support the affected residents, Mayor Francisco Aurelio “Antet” Rosales III pledged to donate a property where the affected families can relocate their homes.

Maroyondoyon and Kaglangkoy Creeks traverse five villages – Casoy, Molave, Yakal, Narra, and Ipil-ipil – before draining their waters into the Catarman River.

It was also learned that the amphibious excavator of the Department of Public Work and Highways stands ready for the dredging activities.

However, the agency awaits the certificate of non-coverage (CNC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources before commencing operations.

Allocations of P100 million from the provincial government and P50 million from the office of the 1st District Representative Paul Daza have been earmarked for the construction of the flood control project, spanning a length of 1,835 meters, with construction scheduled to commence in October 2024.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

LLORENTE, Eastern Samar – The Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH ESDEO) and Department of Agriculture (DA) has completed the Farm-to-Market Road (FMR) of Sitio Kapatagan, Brgy. Antipolo, Llorente, Eastern Samar.

The project involved the construction of a two-lane concrete road with a length of 399 meters. The total appropriation for the project was Php 13,000,000.00 with a contract amount of Php 12,935,000.00 funded under DA FMR 2023.

The completion of the project has brought great relief to the residents of Sitio Kapatagan and nearby areas who were previously facing difficulties in transporting their products due to the lack of a proper road.

Edgardo Grafel, a resident farmer of Brgy. Antipolo, shared his thoughts on the impact of the project.

“Han una kay waray pa man kalsada dida hiton nga Sitio Kapatagan makuri an panara han mga produkto. Urog na adton mga humay nga gindadara nganhi han amon barangay pati ngadto han población makuri an kuan kay nagsusuhol ngan mahal an pag-aaro han mga nagho-howl [In the past, Sitio Kapatagan has no road, only a trail which made it difficult to transport our farm produce particularly rice, to our barangay and to the población. The hauling cost was expensive, making it challenging for the locals to transport their goods],” he said.

Grafel added that the project’s completion has not only eased transportation for the residents but has also improved the overall quality of life in the area.

“Maupay na iton mmga kamutangan hit parag-uma didto ha kapatagan kay dara nga mayda na kalsada, nagdederitso na it mga sakayan ngadto ngan yadto na it mga produkto dadad-a hiton ligid hit kalsada harani na iton pagdara ngan dire na madalunot iton dalan [Things have improved in Sitio Kapatagan since the road has been paved. Vehicles can now easily reach the area, and farm produce can be transported more efficiently. The road is no longer slippery, making it safer for people and vehicles to travel],” said Grafel.

Meanwhile, District Engineer Domcelio M. Natividad also said that the road will provide ease of transportation for the residents and contribute to the area’s economic growth.

“We are proud to have been a part of this initiative, and we hope that it will continue to benefit the people of Bgry. Antipolo and nearby areas for years to come,” said DE Natividad.

The FMR project was started on May 16, 2023, and stated to be completed on August 19, 2023. (PR)

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) was established by the government to focus on the activities of armed groups that want to overthrow the government, which has long been a problem for the country. The main objectives of the Task Force are to defeat armed communists and help develop and enrich the lives of people living in remote communities – areas that are often turned into communist strongholds. In partnership with various government agencies including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the NTF-ELCAC continues to launch development programs.

Since this is one of the main mandates that the AFP should have the important responsibility in carrying out government projects, the leaders of the AFP emphasized that they will be associated with the people in the development of the country because this is their sworn duty. In addition, compared to other government agencies that oversee the security and development of the country, the AFP is in a position to be a good partner with local government units and other related agencies to provide public services and carry out development projects.

Unbeknownst to many who say that the only duty of soldiers is to carry guns and fight, some of the soldiers are members of Congress and serve as department heads and secretaries from various government agencies, who in turn help in making policies and programs to strengthen security and development in every part of the country.

Since the armed forces play a major role in the implementation of the NTF-ELCAC’s activities and projects, it is appropriate to speed up the modernization of the AFP so that they can better meet their duties. he modernization of the AFP such as the continuous increase in the quality of military equipment and smarter weaponry is now the focus of the NTF-ELCAC to realize the long-standing goal of ending communism and promoting the peace and prosperity of the country.

Good governance, efficient delivery of basic services, and the creation of stable communities that prevent communist groups are what citizens need. This is what the armed forces did, is doing, and will continue to do in partnership with the NTF ELCAC for the people and for the country. (PR)