CATARMAN, Northern Samar– Personnel from the Department of Social Welfare Development (DSWD) Regional Office 8 assisted its local office during the five-day payout of social pension for the beneficiary senior citizens in this town on December 21.
The senior beneficiaries received a P500 monthly social pension covering the third and fourth quarters of the year or in the total amount of P3,000.
Municipal social welfare officer Irmina Delorino said the number of beneficiaries of the social pension from the 55 barangays of Catarman is now at 4,399 from the previous 3,999.
“We still have a lot of qualified senior citizens who are waiting to be included in the social pension. We ask them to be patient because we depend on the allocation from the national government. We already submitted their documents to the DSWD regional office,” she said.
Hilda Bivar, 66, a widow from Barangay McKinley, said that she is grateful that she has been receiving the pension for the past three years now.
She said that the money that she has received is used by her to buy her daily needs like medicines and food.
Ginpapalit ko man iton bugas, ngan bulong kay anaemic ak…nakakasuporta man gihapon labi kay nagsasayuan manla ak may kanya-kanya na pamilya an ak kabataan. (I use my pension to buy rice and medicine for my anemia… it supports me especially that I’m living alone now as my children have their own families), she said. (EUGENE M. ENANO)
Mobile leader Globe announces the readiness of its online SIM registration platform following the recent release of the SIM Registration Act’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) by the National Telecommunications Commission.
There are an estimated 87.9 million SIM users in the Globe network.
All Globe Prepaid, TM, Globe At Home Prepaid WiFi, Globe Mobile WiFi and Globe Business prepaid subscribers may register their SIMs at https://new.globe.com.ph/simreg beginning December 27, 2022. By January, customers will also be able to register through the New GlobeOne app. Globe and TM customers will continue to enjoy Globe services and may register until April 26, 2023 to avoid deactivation.
On the other hand, new SIM holders shall purchase deactivated SIMs starting December 27, 2022. Customers purchasing new Globe and TM SIMs must register them immediately to enjoy Globe services.
Globe understands that there are customers including senior citizens, persons with disability and pregnant individuals who may need help in registering their SIMs. To address this, the company, with the help of the government, will put in place assisted registration sites by February 2023 for those in need of help, without access to the internet or are using basic or feature phones.
All existing Globe Postpaid, Globe Platinum, and Globe Business postpaid customers will be pre-registered by Globe using the details provided in their initial application. Globe will get in touch with its customers should there be missing information needed in order to comply with the requirements of the law.
“We are committed to provide our customers with an easy-to-use, secure, and inclusive registration process. We encourage all our customers to plan their registration dates, prepare their valid government IDs with photos to enjoy the full benefits of our services and to protect their personal information,” said Ernest Cu, President and CEO of the Globe Group.
For information about the SIM registration process, customers may visit www.globe.com.ph/help/sim-registration-act.html.
The law is a significant step forward in fighting fraudsters taking advantage of SIM use anonymity in their illicit activities.
It provides customers with an added layer of security and protection and complements Globe’s long-standing fraud protection efforts, including investments in filtering systems, proactive blocking of scam and spam SMS, and data-sharing partnerships with banks and other financial institutions.
Globe will release more information about its SIM registration platform and procedure on its official channels in the coming days. (PR)
CALUBIAN, Leyte – Thirty-one agricultural tenants in an hacienda here received an early Christmas gift from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) when their individual land titles were handed to them making them now owners of the land they are tilling.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Maximo Castañeda Jr. distributed the 31 individual Certificates of Land ownership Award (CLOAs) to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in a simple ceremony in Barangay Enage where the subject landholding is situated on Dec.9. Castañeda disclosed that the CLOAs covered a combined area of 39.9546 hectares.
He further disclosed that the awarded lots are part of the 58-hectare hacienda owned by Caridad Enage covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program’s (CARP’s) Land Acquisition and Distribution component.
Widower Romeo Cuizon, 67, received the maximum three hectares an ARB could avail.
Cuizon shared that he started working in the said hacienda when he was only 15 years old helping his tenant-father until he himself became one of the tenants too.
According to him, “As gratitude for this blessing, I will donate 2,000 square-meter for our association’s office/hall.”
Presently the Enage Agrarian Reform Farmer Beneficiaries Association’s (EARFBA’s) center stands temporarily in a private lot which can be evicted anytime.
Edgardo Juntilla, 56, recipient of a 1.1812-hectare lot, shared that “I am happy, and I am aware of my obligation to pay tax.”
Widow, Maria Maloloy-on, 50, a mother of three and one of the six female- beneficiaries said that she became tenant of Enage in 1989, when she and her husband started working in the hacienda.
According to her, they did not believe when someone from DAR told them that they would soon own the lot they were tilling. “I was surprised when I was awarded with 1.0912 hectares,” Maloloy-on added.
It was learned from Castañeda that 10 of the 31 ARBs are former rebels. Providing land to the landless gives these former rebels the opportunity to livelihood, which is DAR’s contribution to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC), a whole-of-nation approach to address insurgency in our country, said Castañeda.
The beneficiaries applauded when Castañeda announced that per Executive Order No. 4 of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., payment of their land amortizations is suspended for one year.
They also cheered lauder when Castañeda disclosed that there is a priority bill of the Marcos Administration which, when approved, ARBs will no longer pay amortizations. (JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA/PR)
CAMP JORGES DOWNES, ORMOC CITY– On December 26, 2022, 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade, 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army celebrated Christmas with 34 former rebels or Friends Rescued (FRs) with their loved ones and families of still active Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs) at Camp Downes, Ormoc City, Leyte.
Former rebels have a blast as they enjoyed a Christmas party tendered to them by the 802nd IB headed by Col. Noel Vestuir last Dec. 26.(802nd IB)
The activity was graced by Colonel Noel A Vestuir, brigade commander with deputy brigade commander, Colonel Rico O Amaro; provincial director of TESDA-Leyte, Director Rolando Bade; and battalion commanders of 14th and 93rd Infantry Battalions.
Significant parts of the program were parlor games, fellowship lunch, gift-giving, stakeholders’ message of commitment, FR’s message of thanks, and Christmas message of Commander, 802nd Infantry Brigade.
The FRs are thankful and happy celebrating Christmas while their former colleagues especially their families and children are still suffering hardship in the hands of the terrorist CPP-NPA-NDF. The FRs denounced the 54-years of CPP futile ideology and terrorism that agonizes the lives of every Filipino.
Noticeable among FRs’ messages of thanks, encouragement and calling include that of Elmer Anota, former CPP party member and MAKABAYAN organizer who encouraged fellow urban area operators to stop deceiving and recruiting those from the vulnerable and indigent sectors.
Rufa Correa was thankful in her testimony for having availed the Alternative Leaning System (ALS) with her sister fellow FR, Realyn Correa Lombog. The Correa sisters also expressed their gratitude for the rescue from CTG detention of their ailing mother, FR Pacita Correa and her subsequent treatment of her blurring eyesight that could have led to her permanent blindness.
Pacita also gave thanked the military for the good treatment afforded to her rescued daughters and treatment of her damaged eyes. She further appealed for the surrender of her CNTs husband and sons to complete their family and live normal lives.
Jevelyn Aloba also called for surrender of her CNT husband Resty Opo assist her in raising their son and daughter together.
Couple Zaldy and Clarita Centino discouraged the public from enticement to CPP-NPA-NDF deceptions.
Jessica Darantinao also called for the surrender of her sister CNT Janeth Darantinao as her children suffer hardship with the recent death of their father that left them under the care of their ageing grandmother.
Gina De Veyra, a former organizer-recruiter for the GABRIELA Party List conveyed awareness on terrorists allied and/or supportive progressive organizations.
Helen Fuentes expressed happiness for the rescue of her son, Jannel Fuentes and called for the surrender of her daughter Realyn. In his message, Jannel Fuentes was also thankful for his safe rescue and called for the surrender of his sister, Realyn. Librado Tarong apologized to fellow FRs for deceiving and recruiting them that tormented their life while in CPP-NPA terrorist organization.
TESDA Provincial Director Rolando Bade committed to attend to the needs of all FRs by conducting skills training including the members of the Brigade-organized thirteen (13) Municipal/City Integrated Peace and Development Workers Associations (IPDWAs) in the Province of Leyte.
The activity was aimed to make our FRs happy and for them to feel that they are being cared for by the government especially that they are actively supporting the every Filipino’s desire of pursuing a just and lasting peace”. Colonel Vestuir said.
“We will continue this noble advocacy to save more victims of CPP-NPA-NDF and make them realize that despite of all wrong that has transpired when they joined the CTGs, – MARAMI PA RING NAGMAMAHAL SA KANILA!” Colonel Vestuir ended. (PR)
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez and his children Raymund and Sofia by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. during a Christmas party held in Malacañang Palace. (RAYMUND ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
In Northern Samar, workers receive gratuity pay of P5,000
TACLOBAN CITY – Few days before New Year fireworks vendors and “torotot” or party horns sellers are now displaying their products in the city streets here.
As of this time, sellers said that their products are now selling briskly unlike in previous years.
However, they are expecting that their sales will pick up beginning today (Dec.31) as Taclobanons set to welcome the New Year this midnight.
The Philippine National Police in the region issued an advisory to residents to buy firecrackers and fireworks only to authorized dealers and retailers.
The region had three authorized dealers all are located in Tacloban and 105 retailers.
Torotot sellers had mushroomed in the city’s downtown area in the hope that the public will heed the advisory from the police to only use safe firecrackers and other ‘noise makers’ during the New Year’s eve celebration.
Torotot costs P35 each or three for P100.
But be mindful of the fact that the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues to be a threat buyers are prohibited to try the torotot before they buy the item.
Torotot seller Sittie Ainnah Disumangcop said that it is a precautionary measure against possible spread of COVID-19.
“Ginagamit namin ito para ma prevent sa pag spread ng virus,” she said.
Moreover, the PNP in the region also deployed over 2,500 policemen assigned in places of convergence to ensure peace and order and security during holiday celebration.
Meantime, the more than 2,400 job order and contractual employees of the provincial government of Northern Samar have extra money to spend as they welcome the New Year.
This after the provincial board, upon the request of Governor Edwin Ongchuan, appropriated P12 million to give to the workers as their gratuity pay during their special session on Tuesday (Dec. 27).
The workers are to receive P5,000 each. Entitled to receive are those who have been in service for four months now.
The workers started to receive their gratuity pay beginning Wednesday (Dec. 28).
The granting of the gratuity pay is based on Administrative Order Number 3 issued by Pres. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Dec.23.(ROEL T.AMAZONA/JOEY A. GABIETA)
MASSIVE FLOODING. Eastern Visayas continues to experience continuous rains due to the effect of the shear line which resulted in massive flooding and even landslide incidents. Photo shows rain-induced water inundating a school gym in Llorente, Eastern Samar which was placed under a state of calamity by the local government unit on Christmas Day. (LGU LLORENTE)
TACLOBAN CITY-The number of deaths due to the massive rains in Eastern Visayas has risen to five with the discovery of a lifeless body of a fisherman from Laoang town, Northern Samar on Tuesday (Dec. 27) afternoon.
Report from the regional office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) based in Palo town, Leyte, said that the dead body of Melchor Villocero, 41, was found in the waters of Barangay Old Rizal in Catarman town.
The wife of the fisherman was the one who was able to identify him through the tattoo on his left hand.
The fatalities from the region due to the incessant rains brought by the shear line that continues to affect the region for days now has now reached to five.
Of this number, three were from Northern Samar and two from Southern Leyte.
As to the number of missing persons, the regional PNP headquarters reported of seven fishermen.
These missing fishermen are from the towns of Palapag (2) and one San Roque, all in Northern Samar; two from Sulat and one from Quinapondan towns, both in Eastern Samar; and one from San Francisco, Southern Leyte.
However, the municipality of Dolores, Eastern Samar reported of three fishermen still missing. They are Jerome Carrion, Rico Bula and Mario Abobo, all from Brgy. Tikling.
The three were last seen on Dec.22 and since then, have yet to return home.
Also, another fisherman from San Vicente, Northern Samar, only identified through his family name of Cabindoy was found drifting in the waters of sitio Malpal, Brgy. San Luis, Capul town, also in the same province, last Dec. 27 at about 2 am.
Meantime, the town of Llorente in Eastern Samar has declared a state of calamity on Dec.25 due to the massive flooding it experienced due to the shear line.
Its disaster risk reduction management office said that all of the town’s 33 barangays populated by more than 21,400 people were hit by the flooding which caused some destruction of houses and farm products.
It, however, did not provide details on the damages. With the declaration, the town could now use its calamity fund to buy essentials like food items.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region reported that the damage to palay and other agricultural products has reached as of Wednesday (Dec.28) to P2.82 million from the town of Jipapad, Eastern Samar alone.
About 11,562 families or 40, 773 persons from the various towns of Eastern Samar were also affected by the massive flooding.
