ORMOC CITY– The new chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC), Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez of this city, vows that no one will be left behind in the development of the region.

Gomez made this promise as she presided over the RDC meeting held on Dec.19 this city for the first time as its chairman.

The city mayor also urged her co-workers in the government for them to ‘bank’ the region’s strength as it marches towards development.

“So many times we compare our region to other regions and then we want to be this or that, and not really looking at our strengths. So I am hoping that in this term we will be able to bank on our strength because we have a lot of strength, and from these, we will be able to rise” Mayor Gomez said.

“We need not to be an urban jungle. We can be this beautiful countryside or beautiful coastal towns. We can be that tiny dot in the map that can make us shine,” the city mayor added.

Gomez said that as a newly-assumed chairperson of the regional policy-making body, she still needs more time to study the projects and programs submitted for her to study.
She insisted that Eastern Visayas has all the resources for it to achieve its potential and become economically-dependent region.

The last quarterly meeting of the RDC was attended by several regional heads of various government line agencies.

Among those present were RDC vice chair Leo Christian Lauzon, and vice chairman, regional director Meylene Rosales of the National Economic Development Authority; budget regional director Imelda Laceras

NEDA Regional Director Meylene C. Rosales Vice chair of RDC, Dir. Imelda Laceras of Dept. of Budget who chairs the development administration committee; tourism regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes who chairs the economic development committee; social welfare and development regional director who chair the social development committee; public works and highways director Edgar Tabacon who chair the infrastructure and utilities development committee; Judah Aliposa, who co-chair the DAC and private sector representative for disaster resiliency; and Imelda Angulo-Andales co-chairperson of IUDC and PSR for ICT.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Provincial employees from Northern and Eastern Samar are sure to have a merry Christmas with the release of additional bonuses through the granting of the service recognition incentives (SRI).

The provincial government of Northern Samar has approved an appropriation ordinance in the amount of P28.66 million upon the request of Governor Edwin Ongchuan during their session on Wednesday (Dec. 21).

The following day, all the 1, 433 regular and casual employees of the provincial government started to receive their extra bonuses in the amount of P20,000, provincial information officer John Allen Berbon.

Prior to the release of SRI, the regular and casual employees had already received P5,000 Productivity Enhancement Incentive.

The provincial board of Eastern Samar, meantime, also approved Appropriation Ordinance No. 17 containing the amount of P19.31 million which was a surplus from salary savings and benefits from different offices of the province.

The appropriation ordinance which was immediately approved by members of the provincial board headed by Vice Governor Maricar Sison-Goteesan was immediately forwarded to the office of Governor Ben Evardone who signed its approval.

Granting of SRI seeks to incentivize government employees for their unwavering commitment and dedication in their performance of their duties and responsibilities towards quality and responsive delivery of public services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and current socioeconomic challenges.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

CALBAYOG CITY – A flood control structure was built by Samar First District Engineering Office along Jibatang River in Barangay Nabang, Calbayog City.

The above-mentioned structure spans 254.6 meters in length and has an average height of 3-12 meters since some areas have existing flood control structure. Part of the scope of work includes the installation of 16 solar street lights every 20 meters along the structure. This will serve as a protection wall for residents of the said barangay.

The structure has a total revised contract amount of P43.61 million drawn from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2022.

Barangay Nabang is a low-lying area that is prone to flooding, particularly during typhoons and heavy rains. Flood control was built to reduce the effects of flood water or high-water levels in flood-prone communities.
(FLORSELISSA A. JUSAYAN, PIO STAFF)