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DPWH completes new multipurpose building facilities in Las Navas Agro-Industrial School

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NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, N. Samar – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (NSSDEO) has completed two new multipurpose building in Las Navas Agro-Industrial School located in Las Navas, Northern Samar.

These multi-purpose building projects are the construction of 20m x 12m under contract with S20 Civil Engineering Construction and has a Contract ID No. 23II0042 with a budget appropriation of P8 million, and Contract ID No. 23II0052 with an allocated amount of P7 million intended for the construction of 20m x 10m under contract with J Square Builders & Construction Supply. The said facilities were under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2023 with a total allocated amount of P15 million and it was completed last December 2023.

Both projects have the scope of works of reinforced concrete works, finishing works which includes masonry, plastering, floor finishing, roofing works, carpentry and joinery works, complete with electrical and plumbing works.

Furthermore, these vertical projects have reached 100% completion through the work implementation of DPWH-NSSDEO spearheaded by District Engineer Charlito S. Carlobos and Assistant District Engineer Atty. Arthur Eric L. Sabong with direct monitoring and consistent supervision of Project Engineer Arturo C. Corocoto, Jr.

Multipurpose building projects have great significance to the end-users as it will provide additional facilities to the school, enhance the educational environment for students, and cater during various events.

Yolanda A. Pajenado, MAME, a Vocational School Administrator II of Las Navas Agro-Industrial School, expressed the significant impact of the project to their learners.
“The institution, the Las Navas Agro-Industrial School, caters the 2nd District of Northern Samar. So, we have many learners and beneficiaries. We cater all of them in our humble institution. With the many learners, our school has only three buildings and we lack workshops before, but now with these two workshops granted and constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways, we will be able to cater many learners as we can.”
(RONEL L. GALUPO, PIO STAFF/PR)

Alfred opposes ELCAC abolition

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YES TO ELCAC. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said that he opposes any move to scrap the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), saying the counter-insurgency task force of the government has contributed to the weakening of the insurgency problem of the country. Photo shows Romualdez(right) receiving a token from Police Regional Director, Brigadier General Reynaldo Pawid, during the 33rd founding anniversary of the PNP on Monday (Feb. 12). (PRO-8)

In the wake of UN rep call

YES TO ELCAC. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez said that he opposes any move to scrap the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), saying the counter-insurgency task force of the government has contributed to the weakening of the insurgency problem of the country. Photo shows Romualdez(right) receiving a token from Police Regional Director, Brigadier General Reynaldo Pawid, during the 33rd founding anniversary of the PNP on Monday (Feb. 12). (PRO-8)

TACLOBAN CITY– The mayor of this city, Alfred Romualdez, who also acts as the chairman of the Regional Peace and Order Council for Eastern Visayas, is not in favor of a call of a United Nations representative to abolish a counter-insurgency task force of the government.

Romualdez said that since the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which has its local counterparts, the problem of insurgency in the country, including Eastern Visayas, has been considerably weakened.

Earlier, during her visit to the country, UN rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan called for the abolition of the ELCAC saying it is already ‘outdated’ as it was created during the previous administration of Rodrigo Duterte.

“That has to be studied but initially, let us look at the accomplishments of the ELCAC. Nakita naman natin na malaki naman ang nabawas sa insurgency,” he said Monday (Feb.12) in an interview during the 33rd foundation anniversary program of the Philippine National Police held at the Camp Ruperto Kangleon,Palo,Leyte where he was the guest of honor.

The city mayor, however, suggested that instead of seeking its abolition, NTF-ELCAC could be improved by further strengthening and involving other government institutions like the Office of Ombudsman.

“Maybe we can make some changes but not to totally abolish it. I don’t think that would be wise. I suggest, maybe even the Office of the Ombudsman should be involved because it is also a guidance principle for good governance,” Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr., said.

He said that the implementation of ELCAC in Eastern Visayas contributed a lot to why its insurgency problem has considerably weakened.

“I think, it is working in the region. Malaki ang nabawas ng insurgency ng region,” Romualdez said.

The ELCAC is considered to be a banner program of the government, initiated during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, in its fight against insurgency and is being enforced by the current Marcos administration.

Army officials in the region earlier said that apart from the cooperation of the locals and the surrender of members of the New People’s Army, the implementation of ELCAC contributed to the reduction of the insurgency problem in Eastern Visayas.

The ELCAC, involving multiple government agencies created under Executive Order 70, offers projects in villages considered to be under the influence of the communist group, thereby, losing their mass base and supporters.

JOEY A. GABIETA

20 LGUs in EV have no comprehensive land use plan

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Document is considered to be crucial for LGUs

TACLOBAN CITY – About 20 local government units in the region have no existing Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), majority of them are in Samar province.
This was disclosed by an official of the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development (DHSUD) regional office during a media forum.

Anna Marie Camille Bantaculo, environment, land use and urban planning and development chief of the DHSUD-8, said that CLUP is one of the two documents mandated by Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code of the Philippines that local government units must prepare.

The CLUP is the primary basis and framework for the future use of land resources of a local government unit.

Bantaculo said that among the issues why some LGUs have failed to formulate their CLUP is their lack of technical capacity, lack of personnel and budget.

To address this concern, DHSUD provides technical assistance to LGUs like trainings, mentoring, and coaching activities for formulating, data gathering, writing, and analyzing of data for CLUP formulation.

“CLUP is not an ordinary document that can be finished or completed in one month. Prior to formulating it, you need to conduct hazard assessment, risk assessment, sectoral studies like health services, commercial areas, agricultural areas, water and forest use,” Bantaculo said during the ‘Kapihan ha PIA,” a regular media forum under the auspices of the Philippine Information Office.

“Since this is a 10-year development plan, we also assist LGUs in their development framework, land use plan, then on its translation to a zoning ordinance,” she added.
In Samar, the municipal governments of Tagapul-an, Matuguinao, San Jose de Buan, Santo Niño, Pagsanghan, Talalora, Zumarraga, and Almagro, have yet to formulate their own CLUP.

Other LGUs with no CLUP are San Ricardo and San Francisco in Southern Leyte; Mayorga in Leyte; General Macarthur, Giporlos, and Jipapad, all in Eastern Samar; and Mapanas, Silvino Lobos, Capul, and San Antonio, in Northern Samar.

Bantaculo said that of the 143 LGUs in the region, a total of 123 have their CLUPs, of which only 58 are updated.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Oceana to aid N. Samar’s marine preservation efforts

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TACLOBAN CITY – Environmental group Oceana pledged to help Northern Samar province preserve its marine ecosystem in four island towns.

In a meeting Thursday, key officials of Oceana and the provincial government agreed to generate baseline data to “unravel the intricacies of the province’s fisheries sector.”
Funded by Oceana through the Center for Sustainable Aquaculture and Agri-based Innovations (CENSAAI), baseline data will be gathered in key areas, among them fishery abundance, post-harvest practices, losses, and fish consumption.

“We convey optimism about the great potential of the province’s fishery sector. The unexplored opportunities for sustainable aquaculture and responsible fishing practices stand out, presenting a promising avenue to enhance food security and bolster the local economy,” the provincial government stated.

CENSAAI has begun data gathering in Northern Samar. Specifically, they looked into post-harvest fish losses and fish consumption in coastal towns.

The target is to establish the baseline data before the end of March this year.

The Balicuatro Islands are a group of 18 small islands situated about 11 km. northeast of Balicuatro Point, the northwestern tip of Samar Island.

These islands are within the boundaries of the towns of Biri, Capul, San Antonio, and San Vicente.

The major marine product within the island group is sardines, with catches traded in Luzon.
Oceana earlier attributed the deterioration of sardine stocks in Northern Samar to overfishing, harmful fishing practices, and weak implementation of the National Sardines Management Plan (NSMP).

A study by Oceana, which monitored the movement of sardine stock in the waters off Bulan, Sorsogon and the Samar Sea, found an exploitation rate of 0.8 for sardines in the area, which meant the stock was already over-exploited.

PSA data show that the catch of sardine species significantly declined from 442,045.75 metric tons in 2010 to 325,226.20 metric tons, or 26.4 percent, in 2019.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO/PNA)

Samar provincial gov’t ties up with Catbalogan city gov’t on bamboo planting

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BAMBOO PLANTING. The provincial government of Samar and the city government of Catbalogan are to conduct bamboo-planting program that will not only provide job opportunities to villagers but more so, serve as protection against flooding. (PHOTO COURTESY)

TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Catbalogan and the provincial government of Samar will be partnering in the implementation of a bamboo production livelihood project.
The undertaking is a brainchild of Governor Sharee Ann Tan which aims to promote the growth of giant bamboo for sustainable livelihoods in several barangays across the province.

BAMBOO PLANTING. The provincial government of Samar and the city government of Catbalogan are to conduct bamboo-planting program that will not only provide job opportunities to villagers but more so, serve as protection against flooding. (PHOTO COURTESY)

The project, to be implemented within five years, is expected to bring socio-economic impact to the community as this would augment their income and provide them employment.

In Catbalogan City, the project is targeted to be implemented in the villages of Totoringon, Lobo, Libas, Albalate, and Cagutian.

A meeting between the city government, represented by Vice Mayor Coefredo Uy, and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Management Officer Wilfredo Lacambra was held last week where they presented the project to the city government officials who were accompanied by City Administrator Atty. Dennis Cosmod, City Agriculturist Rafael Llauderes, and City Environment and Natural Resources Officer Edgardo M. Guya.

Lacambra informed Uy that a total of 210 individuals from the city will benefit the project providing them sustainable livelihood opportunities and at the same will also enhance the environmental management of the city.

About 200 of the beneficiaries will be assigned to plant bamboo, while 10 are going to be assigned as geotaggers who will be responsible for documenting and monitoring the progress of the planted bamboo samplings, Lacambra said.

He added that each beneficiary will receive a daily allowance during the project’s clearing, preparation, and planting stages.

The city government of Catbalogan welcomes this project as this supports two development agendas of the city namely which are #KalibunganKatbalogan for Environmental Protection and Management and #KasiguraduhanKatbalogan for Food Security and Agricultural Development.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

2 NPA members killed in an encounter in Albuera

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ORMOC CITY– Two alleged members of the communist group, the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in an armed encounter with government troops in a hinterland village of Tinag-an, Albuera in Leyte Saturday (Feb.10).

The alleged rebels, identified as Crispolo Agunos, Jr., and Rolando Caballera, died during a 15-minute firefight, B/Gen. Noel Vestuir, the commanding officer of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, said on Saturday.

The soldiers, belonging to the 93rd Infantry Battalion based in Kananga, Leyte, also recovered two Caliber 5.56 M16 rifles, and one Cal.45 pistol.

According to Vestuir, the soldiers were in the area at about 7:23 am to respond report on the presence of a group of armed men, conducting extortion activity to the villagers.
This resulted in the armed fight with the companions of the two dead rebels leaving them behind, the Army officer said.

Vestuir disclosed that the dead rebels belong to the executive committee of the IC-Levox of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

Caballera, who carried the alias of ‘Chow/Brooks’ had 15 standing warrants of arrest as he was behind on the series of killing incidents involving rebels who surrendered to the government, Vestuir said.

“The death of these two notorious NPA terrorists is a result of the firm resolve and commitment of our people to prevent the recovery efforts of the remnants of IC-Levox in their community,” Vestuir said.

“Through the timely information provided by some residents, we have pinpointed the area where these terrorists hide. Indeed, we attain the situation that the people are inhospitable to these NPA terrorists,” he added.

The remains of the two were brought to the rural health unit of Kananga for their families to collect and give them a proper burial.

Their identities were known through information from the villagers and their former members.(ROBERT DEJON)

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