BORONGAN CITY– The Department of Public Works and Highways – Eastern Samar District Engineering Office paved the road leading to Brgy. Baruk, an interior barangay that is more or less 14 kilometers away from the downtown area in the municipality of Can-avid.
Efren Alfon, a resident of Brgy. Baruk said that before the construction of this local road, residents of Brgy. Baruk used kangga, a cart pulled by a carabao, in travelling to the downtown area. He added that some even walk on foot just to get there.
“Ha pagkayana po nga mayda na namon kalsada, an amon pagde-deliver ngadto ha bungto han amon mga produkto. masayon na ngan kumbaga nakakapagbalikan na kami han sakob han usa ka adlaw di suga ba han una nga kon madulhog ka, ayaw paghuna-huna nga diretso ka makakabalik [But now that we already have this road, we can easily deliver our farm products to downtown. It is easier and we can now go back to our home on the same day, unlike before if you go downtown, expect that you can go back home the next day],” Alfon stressed.
Alfon also said that the new concrete road is a big help for them in accomplishing their daily work, such as farming and tending to their animals.
“Han una han wara pa kalsada, naabot po ngane an mauuran nga panahon, gikukurii an amon pag mala kadto panhalin han amon kakarabwan, ngadto panlukad han amon mga kalubian dara kay gilalagayi an amon kalsada [Before the concreting of this road, during rainy season, it is so hard for us to take care to our carabao and to go to our farm to get coconut copra because the road is very muddy],” said Alfon.
Efren Alfon then expressed his gratitude to DPWH and to the local government in working together to implement and accomplish this very important project.
The completion of the road project in Brgy. Baruk is one of the many infrastructure projects that DPWH Eastern Samar implements in the province which helps the locals improve their way of life.
The latest completed road in Brgy. Baruk, Can-avid, Eastern Samar has a total length of 1.35 kilometer with project cost amounting to P19,799,863.59 funded under General Appropriations Act of 2020. (IRMA A. BALLETE, PIO Staff/PR)
KOICA, World Vision, DOH, and LGU Sta. Fe representatives pose for photo opportunity in the newly constructed health facility in Sta. Fe, Leyte.
The Korea International Cooperation Agency and World Vision handed over the newly constructed and renovated Barangay Health Stations and Health Centers in Leyte and Eastern Samar as one of the commitments of the KOICA MNCH Project to upgrade the quality of maternal, newborn, and child health services in the project areas.
On November 25, 2022 in Leyte, the project handed-over newly renovated Barangay Health Station in Barangay Burak, Tolosa Leyte and newly constructed Barangay Health Center in Barangay Bulod, Sta. Fe. Present during the ceremony were KOICA Philippines Country Director Mr. Kim Eunsub, KOICA Philippines Assistant Country Director Ms. Ahrum Lee, World Vision Korea Vice President for International Ministry Soonyoung Choi, World Vision Philippines National Director Rommel V. Fuerte, Operations Director Ajab-Aram R. Macapagat, Finance Director Zuzee Sabare, Project Director Jihwan Jeon, and Project Manager Bonifacio M. Calapan.
The respective barangay and municipal officials of Tolosa and Sta. Fe in their message of acceptance expressed their great appreciation and gratitude to KOICA and World Vision for its generosity to their community, they pledged to take good care of the facility and ensure that the catchment barangays will benefit the services committed along with the improved health facility.
In Eastern Samar, the project handed-over newly renovated Barangay Health Stations to the Local Government Units of Taft and Quinapondan, and newly constructed WASH facility in Gen. Macarthur.
During the hand-over ceremony, the Project Director Jihwan Jeon and World Vision Philippines Finance Director Zuzee Sabare expressed their heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation for the partnership and deep commitment of the Local Government Units to partner with KOICA and World Vision in its mission to improve the maternal and child health care services in the partner municipalities.
Department of Health Region 8 representative Dr. Milagros Salvacion Bolito expressed her full support and willingness to partner with KOICA, World Vision, and Local Governments in its aim to improve and provide quality maternal services in Eastern Visayas Region.
Remained motivated and inspired to continuously serve their communities, the week-long ceremonies were to graced by barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, rural health unit medical workers, members of the communities, and local government units. Thirteen more health facilities are expected to be hand-over to the target beneficiaries targeted to be licensed as BEmONC facilities by Department of Health. (PR)
The Social Security System (SSS) announced on Thursday that its pensioners will be receiving their 13th month and December 2022 pensions as early as the first week of December 2022.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Michael G. Regino said the pension fund is set to release around P29.74 billion covering 3.36 million pensioners.
“This year, we have also pushed for the early crediting of the 13th month and December 2022 pensions so that our pensioners can withdraw them ahead of the holiday rush,” Regino said.
Today, December 1, 2022, the SSS will release the first batch of the said pensions covering pensioners with dates of contingency within the first to the 15th day of the month.
The second batch, on the other hand, is set to be released on December 4, 2022, covering pensioners with dates of contingency within the 16th up to the last day of the month.
Since December 4, 2022, falls on a Sunday, pensioners who are set to receive their pensions on the said date can expect that these will be credited to their account starting on the last working day before it, which is December 2, 2022.
Meanwhile, the SSS requested its accredited non-PESONet participating banks to release the said pensions to their SSS-pensioner clients no later than December 4, 2022. It has also requested the Philippine Postal Corporation to expedite the delivery of the checks of its pensioners who are receiving their pensions in this manner.
“Since December 1988, we have been granting our pensioners the 13th month pension, which is equivalent to their respective monthly pensions. This additional financial assistance or Christmas gift is our way of thanking them for their support to the SSS during their working years,” Regino said.
Pensioners who are qualified to receive the 13th month pension are SS retirement pensioners, and SS and Employees’ Compensation (EC) survivor, and total disability pensioners, including partial disability pensioners with pension duration of not less than 12 months. (PR)
Manila– To commemorate World AIDS Day, U.S. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson led the handover of 86,000 U.S. government-donated HIV viral load testing cartridges valued at P85 million ($1.5 million) to strengthen the Philippine government’s HIV treatment program.
“These laboratory tests are further proof that the U.S. government is committed to working alongside the Department of Health (DOH), the community of Filipinos living with HIV, and local governments like Manila City to ensure that people living with HIV in the country have equitable access to a viral load test,” Ambassador Carlson said at the turnover ceremony hosted by the Manila City government on December 1.
“With this donation, we aim to amplify the hopeful message of U equals U: that undetectable is indeed itransmittable.”
Senator Risa Hontiveros, Manila City Councilor for Health Dr. Louisito Chua, DOH Undersecretary Carolina Vidal-Taiño, and members of the people living with HIV (PLHIV) community were also present at the event.
Secured through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), these cartridges will be distributed to HIV treatment hubs and facilities across the Philippines and are expected to cover the country’s viral load testing requirements for all patients undergoing HIV treatment for one year.
“This donation of more than 86,000 viral load cartridges from the United States government will be pivotal to the country’s HIV treatment program,” said Department of Health (DOH) Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire.
“We are filled with so much hope that we will no longer have to lose our loved ones to HIV and that we will be able to carry on with our lives, free from worry and stigma,” Network Plus co-convenor Elena Felix said on behalf of the PLHIV community.
Since December 2020, the U.S. government has provided more than Php 1 billion ($18.2 million) to the Philippine government through PEPFAR to support HIV prevention, case finding, and treatment interventions. This includes a donation of more than 81,000 bottles of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an HIV-preventive drug that is being distributed by the DOH in more than 50 facilities across Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon. This donation, valued at Php 31.3 million ($552,996), was turned over to the Philippine government in June 2021.
These recent donations signify the U.S. government’s commitment to support the Philippines in addressing supply chain bottlenecks in the procurement of critical commodities in HIV detection and treatment and in achieving the country’s goal to end AIDS by 2030 through evidence-based strategies.(PR)
World Vision signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with partner provincial and municipal local government units(LGUs) in Northern Samar and Samar in implementation of the Korea International Cooperation Agency’s (KOICA) Maternal Newborn and Child Health Project in the region on November 24, 2022 in Oriental, Palo, Leyte.
MOA Signing – “MOA signing between provincial government of Samar represented by Vice Governor Arnold Tan and World Vision Philippines National Director Rommel Fuerte.
The MOA signing ceremony was participated by the provincial vice governor of Northern Samar, municipal mayors, vice mayors, municipal health officers, and public health nurses of the municipalities of Palapag, Laoang, Silvino Lubos, Pambujan, Matuguinao, San Jorge, Basey, and Marabut.
Present during the ceremony were KOICA Philippines Country Director Mr. Kim Eunsub, KOICA Philippines Assistant Country Director Ms. Ahrum Lee, World Vision Korea Vice President for International Ministry Soonyoung Choi, World Vision Philippines National Director Rommel V. Fuerte, Operations Director Ajab-Aram R. Macapagat, Finance Director Zuzee Sabare, Project Director Jihwan Jeon, and Project Manager Bonifacio M. Calapan.
In his message Mr. Kim Eunsub emphasized that the health sector remains one of the priority areas of the Korean government for its official development assistance (ODA) cooperation with the Philippines.
“Through this project, we reaffirm our commitment in providing support to our development health partners here in the country. We truly hope that this project will further improve the health of women, children and its other beneficiaries” he said.
Department of Health Region 8 representative Dr. Fidelita Dico and National Nutrition Council Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. re-affirms their support in the implementation of the project and to strengthen the partnership to reach the most vulnerable target beneficiaries.
Samar Vice Governor Arnold Tan likewise expressed his thanks and gratitude to KOICA and World Vision for the commitment to help and assist the province in the MNCH program being one of the priority areas of the provincial government.
The KOICA MNCH Project aims to Ensure Healthy Lives of Mothers and Infant/Child to Reduce Maternal Mortality Rate by improving maternal and child health service level through enhanced community MNCH service seeking behavior and strengthened community engagement, ensuring quality MNCH service provision to secure DOH facility certification, maximizing development effectiveness and maternal and child health outcomes, and enhancing awareness to increase possibility for expanding MNCH project.
The target beneficiaries of the project are pregnant and lactating women/adolescents, community health workers, RHU medical personnel, children under 5 years old, and caregivers and support the global goals on Good Health and Well-Being and Gender Equality.
Last December 2021, the same MOA was signed between World Vision and provincial local government units of Leyte and Eastern Samar covering the municipalities of Pastrana, Tabontabon, Tolosa, Santa. Fe and General Macarthur, Quinapondan, Taft, and Dolores.
The KOICA and World Vision handed over the newly- constructed and renovated barangay health stations and health centers in Leyte and Eastern Samar as one of the commitments of the KOICA MNCH Project to upgrade the quality of maternal, newborn, and child health services in the project areas.
On November 25, 2022 in Leyte, the project handed-over newly-renovated barangay health station in Barangay Burak, Tolosa and in Brgy.Bulod, Sta. Fe, both in Leyte.
Present during the ceremony were KOICA Philippines Country Director Mr. Kim Eunsub, KOICA Philippines Assistant Country Director Ms. Ahrum Lee, World Vision Korea Vice President for International Ministry Soonyoung Choi, World Vision Philippines National Director Rommel V. Fuerte, Operations Director Ajab-Aram R. Macapagat, Finance Director Zuzee Sabare, Project Director Jihwan Jeon, and Project Manager Bonifacio M. Calapan.
The respective barangay and municipal officials of Tolosa and Sta. Fe, in their message of acceptance, expressed their great appreciation and gratitude to KOICA and World Vision for their generosity to their community as they pledged to take good care of the facility and ensure that the catchment barangays will benefit the services committed along with the improved health facility.
In Eastern Samar, the project handed-over newly renovated barangay health stations to the LGUs of Taft and Quinapondan, and the newly-constructed WASH facility in Gen. Macarthur.
During the hand-over ceremony, the Project Director Jihwan Jeon and World Vision Philippines Finance Director Zuzee Sabare expressed their heartfelt thanks and sincere appreciation for the partnership and deep commitment of the LGUs to partner with KOICA and World Vision in its mission to improve the maternal and child health care services in the partner municipalities.
Department of Health (DOH) Region 8 representative Dr. Milagros Salvacion Bolito expressed her full support and willingness to partner with KOICA, World Vision, and LGUs in its aim to improve and provide quality maternal services in Eastern Visayas Region.
Remained motivated and inspired to continuously serve their communities, the week-long ceremonies were graced by barangay health workers, barangay nutrition scholars, rural health unit medical workers, members of the communities, and local government units.
At least 13 more health facilities are expected to be hand-over to the target beneficiaries targeted to be licensed as BEmONC facilities by DOH. (PR)
INTERNATIONAL BEAUTY QUEEN FROM EASTERN SAMAR.Meiji Cruz was crowned as this year’s Miss Cosmo World, besting 25 other candidates during a ceremony held in Malaysia on Nov.30. The mother of the 28-year-old beauty queen is from Oras, Eastern Samar. (PHOTO COURTESY)
Ligayo says deaths of NPA leaders prelude to victory
CATBALOGAN CITY– The series of successful military operations in Northern Samar by the government forces in the region is a major accomplishment not only for the 8th Infantry Division (ID) but also for the entire Armed Forces.
This was according to Major General Camilo Ligayo, the commanding officer of the 8th ID, who made the statement during the retirement ceremony and change of chief of assistant division commander at Camp Vicente Lukban in this city on Nov. 23.
“This is not only an accomplishment of the 8th ID but of the entire Philippine Army and the AFP because we were able to overrun a big camp, and recover several firearms and ammunition,” he said.
“This is the first time that we recovered a major camp of the EVRPC. This shows the strength of government forces,” Ligayo added.
Ligayo was referring to the Nov. 23 encounter in Barangay Imelda, Las Navas in Northern Samar where four of the five communist fronts are still operating.
The said one-hour encounter resulted in the deaths of six rebels who were later identified to be top officials of the communist armed group.
These top leaders were Helenita Pardales aka Elay or Selin, secretary of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC); alias Biboy or Orlan, head of the regional operations command.
Also killed were alias Mamoy, top leader of the regional security force; alias Caridad, who held the position as finance officer; alias Joshua, a team leader; and alias Boy, a team member.
Ligayo added that more operations will be conducted by the army to achieve the order from the higher headquarters to quell the communist armed group before the end of this year.
The region’s top military official had earlier said that they sees the end of the armed group in the region by the first quarter of next year.
Ligayo has called on the remaining combatants to give up their armed struggle and return to the folds of the law.
“I am appealing to the remaining members of the NPA to surrender and avail the program of the government especially that we have ELCAC wherein all government agencies are working together to provide the needs and solutions to the problem of communities mostly affected by insurgency,” he said.
Meantime, Capt. Valben Almirante, the civil military operations officer of the 803rd Infantry Battalion based in Catarman, said that the deaths of the top rebel leaders could result in the further ‘weakening’ of the armed group in the region.
“We expect that with the deaths of their top leaders will weaken their group and create a leadership vacuum and the surrender of their members or at least they will lie low,” he said in a phone interview.
“(But definitely), this is a big blow to them considering among those killed were their top leaders,” Almirante added.
Almirante also said that despite of the setback encountered by the rebels in the region, they are not putting their guards down.
“We are anticipating of their counter-offensives, especially that they will mark their anniversary on December 26,” he said.
The 8th ID said that the group were responsible in various attacks in Samar Island which resulted in the deaths of government forces and injured civilians, including children.
