TACLOBAN CITY-House Speaker Martin Romualdez hailed the signing into law of a measure that will condone debts of the country’s farmers.
President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., cousin of the Leyte solon, signed the New Agrarian Emancipation Act as contained under Republic Act (RA) 11953 last July 7.
“Through this law, it has eliminated the more than P57.56 billion in debt of 610,054 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) which paves the way for them to be finally awarded 1.173 million hectares of land,” Romualdez said in a statement.
“By helping our farmers, we are also helping their families and our consumers. Our freeing our farmers from indebtedness will lead to more harvest and income for our countrymen in the agricultural sector,” he added.
Meantime, the Task Force Mapalad (TFM), a nationwide federation of farmers and farm workers, also lauded Pres. Marcos for the signing of RA 11953.
“Napakaganda po nitong batas na ito kasi mababawasan ang pasanin ng mga magsasaka na naging benepesyaryo ng programan repormang agraryo. Mailalagay ang pera na pambayad sa amortisasyon ng lupa sa ibang pangangailangan ng pamilya,” said Teresita Tarlac, president of TFM Negros and a certificate of land ownership award (CLOA) holder in Hacienda San Luis, Barangay Purisima, Manapla, Negros Occidental.
While it welcomed the law’s passage, the group also urged the national government for a “strong commitment and real implementation to provide the necessary support services in order for the farmers to strengthen their hold on the awarded lands.”
“Without these support services, there will be less incentive for them to till the soil and make it productive. With the local government units taking over agricultural extension, farmers will have less support from technicians of the Department of Agriculture (DA) that the President himself leads,” TFM said. (RONALD O. REYES)
ORMOC CITY-An American national and his companion sustained injuries after hitting a stray dog about at 8:40 am Sunday(July 9) along the national highway in Barangay Bontoc, Hindang, Leyte.
The victims were identified as John Lieberman, 55, and his companion, Aimie Belmonte, 36. Both are residing in Brgy. Kilim, Baybay City.
Case investigator Police Staff Sergeant Alberto Patindol Jr. said that the victims were riding a single motorcycle from Baybay going to Southern Leyte when the accident happened.
And while traversing the national highway, a stray dog suddenly crossed the national road which resulted in the bumping of the motorcycle to the dog.
The impact caused the driver to lose control of the steering wheel that caused the two victims to crash onto the concrete road.
Patindol added that the two riders were fortunate that their speed was slow and they only sustained bruises and abrasions.
The victims were immediately brought to Baptist Hospital in Hilongos for medical treatment. (ROBERT DEJON)
TACLOBAN CITY– Larry Portillo, one of this city’s veteran broadcasters, succumbed to a lingering illness on Sunday (July 9) while confined in a hospital.
Portillo, 37, was the station manager of Brigada before his death.
The death of Portillo, who ran during the 2019 elections for councilor of Tacloban, shocked his media colleagues and friends alike.
“Usa ka han pinakaboutan nga sikat nga media ha Region 8, nga akon nakilala, salit idol ko ikaw. Happy ako nga nakilala ko ikaw, ngan diri ko hinangangalimtan an imo ka humble,” Rene Castino, a radio broadcaster at MSFM 105.3 in Catbalogan City, said on his post.
“Today, the Eastern Visayas media mourns the demise of one of its best media personalities, Larry Portillo. He was my college instructor, a friend, and my tatay. My heartfelt sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the whole Portillo family,” said RMN Tacloban broadcaster Justine Traya.
Liza Baoy, the former regional information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-Eastern Visayas, recalled her professional and personal friendship with Portillo.
“Those were the days when all you needed was a call and I’d be the guest you didn’t have but will rush up wherever and whenever…Rest easy, Larry. Thank you for the assistance you gave me and Regional Office 8 during those early days,” Baoy wrote online.
Portillo was also elected as councilor in Barangay 76 Fatima and was previously employed at Bombo Radyo and PRTV Tacloban.
His remains now lie at St. Peter Funeral Home with his internment scheduled on July 16. (RONALD O. REYES)
CATARACT PATIENTS. At least 70 individuals, mostly poor and elderly, who are suffering from eye cataracts were served during a medical mission conducted by the An Taclobanon Association of Southern California Surgical Team at the Tacloban City Hospital on July 3-4. The said medical mission was in cooperation with the Tacloban city government. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
CATARACT PATIENTS. At least 70 individuals, mostly poor and elderly, who are suffering from eye cataracts were served during a medical mission conducted by the An Taclobanon Association of Southern California Surgical Team at the Tacloban City Hospital on July 3-4. The said medical mission was in cooperation with the Tacloban city government. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
Solon claims Onate violates environmental laws
TACLOBAN CITY– Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez continues his criticisms against a town mayor for his alleged disregard of the environmental laws.
Gomez, representing Leyte’s fourth district, said that Mayor Ramon Oñate appears not to heed the appeal of his people for an environment and healthy-friendly operations of his poultry in Palompon town.
According to the solon, this is the reason why he called for a congressional investigation on the alleged environmental violations being committed by Oñate due to the operations of his poultry farm.
He said that the poultry farm of the town mayor has been in operation for the past 20 years now where its wastes go directly to a protected watershed.
“I only learned about these environmental violations of Mayor Oñate when I became a congressman because I received numerous complaints from the people of Palompon,” Gomez said on Wednesday.
He said that he immediately took a probe on this alleged violation of the mayor for the sake of the people of Palompon and other municipalities of the district, including Ormoc City which shares the watershed.
“I am very passionate about this environmental problem in our district because if this violation will not be acted accordingly, what will happen to our environment, especially in the fourth district of Leyte?’ Gomez said.
“That is why, I am here, standing up against this environmental violator,” he added.
He also accused the town mayor of ‘adjusting’ their comprehensive land use plan to ensure that the location of his poultry farm will not be included in the area identified as protected like the watershed.
Violeta Gumbang, a resident of Barangay San Joaquin, where the breeding farm in question is located, said that they are affected due to the operation of the said facility.
“Flies are all over. We cannot eat properly because of these flies. Our health is also affected due to the bad odor emitting from the plant,” she said.
Gomez clarified that he has nothing against Oñate and even said that if he will make the necessary measures not to harm the watershed due to the operations of his poultry farm, he will not question it.
The Leyte solon has earlier sought a congressional inquiry on this matter.
Oñate had earlier insisted that he did not commit any environmental violations as a result of the operation of his poultry farm located in Barangay San Joaquin.
He had said that he has all the documents secured from concerned government agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources showing that it following environmental protection and laws.
The town mayor also said that contrary to the claim of the solon, the watershed is not affected due to the operation of their breeding farm as it is located over a kilometer away from their designated soil conditioner containment area.
Ana Morillo, 73, is all smiles in her graduation photo, as she is to march on July 11 for finishing her senior high education at the Don Juan F. Avalon National High School, San Roque town in Northern Samar. (Photo Courtesy,Rodnie Morillo)
TACLOBAN CITY– At 73-years old, Ana Morillo is all set to graduate from her senior high or Grade 12 at the Don Juan F. Avalon National High School (DJFANHS) in San Roque town, Northern Samar this July 11.
Ana Morillo, 73, is all smiles in her graduation photo, as she is to march on July 11 for finishing her senior high education at the Don Juan F. Avalon National High School, San Roque town in Northern Samar. (Photo Courtesy,Rodnie Morillo)
It took her 58 long years since she graduated her elementary and for her to continue her studies via the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Morillo is a widow for three years now with three children and seven grandchildren. She is also the eldest of her eight siblings, of which only one managed to finish college.
“I am happy that slowly, my dream to finish my studies and earn a college degree is now being realized,” she said in a phone interview on Wednesday (June 28).
She said she wants to take accountancy in college at the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) in Catarman, about 28 kms away from their town of San Roque.
Morillo took the ALS at the age of 71 which she finished in 2021, the height of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, and finished it this year, with the impacts of pandemic is receding.
ALS is a program of the DepEd that provides opportunities for out-of-school youth and adult learners for them to complete the basic education.
According to Morillo, while she was able to graduate her elementary in 1963, she was not able to continue her studies due to sheer poverty.
“We were so poor. Both my parents were farmers and at that time, education was not being considered as a priority, especially for women like me,” she said.
Her parents, both deceased, only reached elementary levels.
And while Morillo was out of school, she busied herself attending the household chores and tended the needs of her younger siblings.
And when she got married in 1974 at the age of 24, her dream to earn education took a backseat as she was preoccupied attending to the needs of her children and later, even some of her grandchildren.
“But all this time, I never gave up on my dream to earn an education,” she said.
And in 2021, her dream to finish at least secondary education was realized as she enrolled under the ALS in an elementary school located in their village of Ginagdan.
She took accountancy, business and management (ABM) strand, saying she find math subject ‘easy.’
“At that time, I felt it was the right time for me to continue my studies and enrolled under the ALS. In fact, I even encouraged some seniors in our village to return to school but no one listened to me saying they are old already,” she said.
She admitted that when she returned to school, she found herself ‘rusty’ and had to adjust to the demands of being a student.
“I was out of school for so long, 1963 to be exact, and since then, there were several changes in our education system. I was also preoccupied attending to my family and tending our small sari-sari store,” she said.
She also did not mind that her classmates were much younger than her. And out of the 11 ALS students enrolled, only three of them managed to finish it, Morillo said.
And it was her youngest son, Rodnie, 32, who helped her in her studies and some of her school works.
Rodnie is now on his second year taking up Bachelor of Science in community development at UEP. He himself has to stop several times due to health reason.
“I am proud of my mother. She is really serious in earning an education despite of the challenges, hardships, and even bullying due to her old age,” he said.
It was Rodnie who submitted the school works and modules of his mother to the school during the pandemic as she was not allowed to go out at that time, being already a senior.
His two siblings have their own families now.
Morillo’s school adviser, Jigs Roncesvalles, said that he is proud of her perseverance to acquire education at her ripe age.
“Just proud of her, given her age, she pursued her studies, proving to everyone that age is never a barrier in continuing one’s education,” he said.
Roncesvalles described Morillo as ‘very diligent, hands-on, and she takes responsibility of her own learning.’
According to him, since the DJFANHS was founded 55 years ago, Morillo is the oldest to graduate from the said school.
She is among the 528 students of the school that will take their diplomas and finish senior high in this year’s school term.
Morillo said that while she is determined to finish her college degree, she is realistic enough that she could not land a job either in the government or private company due to her old age.
“That’s how our country treats our seniors, which is so sad. Still, I am determined to fulfill my lifelong dream which is to earn a degree. That despite my age, I can proudly say that I was able to earn an education,” Morillo said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
TACLOBAN CITY– As part of its development program for the youth sector of the city, the Tacloban City local government deployed on Tuesday, July 4, 8 beneficiaries for the second semester of the Government Internship Program (GIP) to different city government offices.
According to the Public Employment Service Office (PESO), which facilitated the deployment, the grantees will work for six months until December of this year and will receive a remuneration equal to the job order workers of the city government, or about P 375 per day.
For the first semester of this year, covering the months of January to June, 10 grantees availed of the program and were “absorbed” into the workforce of the local government.
The GIP is a special employment program that aims to provide young workers, particularly poor or indigent young workers ages 18–30, with an opportunity to work in the government service.
For those interested in applying to the program, the PESO enumerated the following requirements: High school applicants must provide a copy of their Form 137 or report card, live birth, and employment clearance from their Barangay, while college-level or graduate applicants must present a copy of their TOR, live birth, and barangay employment clearance.
Applications are accepted at the PESO, located on the ground floor of the USAID Building at Kanhuraw Hill. The next deployment under the program will be held next year.
Meanwhile, the PESO updated that slots for the TUPAD and Jobstart programs have already been filled out and will start deployment soon. The TUPAD has 257 beneficiaries, while Jobstart has 100. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
