ORMOC CITY-A driver of a passenger tricycle was injured while his two passengers were unhurt after a huge Gmelina tree fell on top of the tricycle they were board on Thursday (Nov. 17) along a national highway area in Barangay Libertad, Cabucgayan, Biliran.

Town police chief Lt. Eris John Salomon identified the wounded passengers as Junie Sanico, 60, married, tricycle driver, and passengers Samson Morales, 22, student, and Jessie Potot, 38.

Investigation conducted by the local police disclosed that the tricycle where the three victims were on board was on going to Brgy. Bunga, coming from the town proper at about 3 pm.

However, when the tricycle while moving along a national highway in Brgy. Libertad, a Gmelina Tree fell down, landing on the top portion of the tricycle.

The driver sustained abrasions on his head and wounds on his nose and was immediately brought to the town’s rural health unit for immediate medical treatment but later referred to Biliran Provincial Hospital, Naval, Biliran.

The two passengers were not hurt or injured during the incident.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY-Environmental advocates and other civil society groups in the country joined in another call for climate and economic justice as global leaders and policymakers met in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, and Bali, Indonesia for the COP27 climate summit and G20 summit.

“The majority of peoples and communities in Asia bear the brunt of the worsening climate crisis. This is on top of the multiple crises we face such as the food, social service, and health crises,” Lidy Nacpil, coordinator of the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD), said.

“We demand from COP 27 and the G20 summit the delivery of adequate, grants-based, and accessible climate finance, the establishment of a loss and damage fund, as well as reparations for the climate debt owed by rich countries to the Global South,” she added.
In a joint statement, Nacpil lamented the “failure of governments of rich countries to deliver climate finance.”

Lawyer Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas said world leaders gathered at COP 27 and the G20 summit “must deliver a commitment to rapid, just, and equitable transition to 100% democratic and renewable energy systems and low-carbon development.”

Based on the 2022 Adaptation Gap Report, which was released ahead of the COP27, annual adaptation needs are between $160 billion to $340 billion by the end of the decade, and up to $565 billion by 2050.

Ian Rivera, national coordinator of the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), urged the governments of rich countries, multilateral banks, and corporations “to immediately stop funding and supporting fossil fuel projects.”

“We really have to end fossil fuels now. There must be no more new oil, gas or coal if we are to save humanity. Shift those financing to clean energy,” he said.

Meanwhile, Leody de Guzman, national chairperson of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), called for “a wealth tax to cover the cost of climate change impacts and support the poor facing multiple crises and unjust taxation.”

“This is among the many necessary steps towards achieving economic redistribution, and eventually, the much-needed system change that prioritises people over profit,” he said. (RONALD O. REYES)

CALBIGA, Samar – Thirty-three farmer-members of the Calbiga Vegetable Growers Association (CVGA) were able to gain learnings on efficient, modern farming and marketing techniques to efficiently market and increase their production and income.

This was after they graduated from the Farm Business School (FBS) funded by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).

Thelma Alfaro, Program Beneficiaries Development chief of DAR-Samar, said the FBS aims to develop agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) to become agricultural entrepreneurs by instilling in their minds that farming is a business.

“Training farmers to become experts in scientific farming and transforming them into entrepreneurs are among the major objectives of Secretary Conrado Estrella III. All ARBs are encouraged to join this training for them to produce more from their awarded lands and ultimately manage their agri-business enterprise like a pro,” Alfaro said in a news release on Saturday.

Farmers used to sell their harvests without knowing if they have profited or not, she said, adding that they also lack a sustainable marketplace.

“The training re-framed the farmers’ production-focused practices towards more entrepreneurial and market-oriented farming operations. They will now definitely earn more income from these learnings,” Alfaro said.

The farmer-members of CVGA completed the 25 sessions of learning in seven months.
Hands-on tutoring was conducted on basic farm recording, bookkeeping, and accounting, as well as new farming techniques, starting from land preparation and planting to harvesting and marketing.

Ricky Antony Cardeno, one of the graduates from Barangay Macaalan, thanked the DAR for the opportunity to learn the different aspects of marketing their products.

For his active participation, dedication to his craft, and ability to provide solutions when problems arise, Cardeno was presented with the Mountain Mover Award during the graduation rites. (PNA)

ORMOC CITY-A courier service company in Hilongos, Leyte reported to the local police a parcel containing dried leaves suspected to be marijuana.

Hilongos chief of police, Lt Edwin Villarino, in his report to the regional office of the Philippine National Police based in Palo, Leyte, stated that a certain Tristan Gio Lorica, an employee of the J&T employee, personally came to their office about 11: 30 am and reported that of the parcel containing suspicious dried marijuana leaves.

The parcel reportedly came from a sender was from Tanza, Cavite sent to a recipient with addressed at Poblacion Central Brgy, Hilongos.

The local police immediately proceeded to J&T Delivery Hub to verify the said information in coordination with the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency together with Regional Special Enforcement Team.

Lt. Villarino said that the suspected marijuana leaves covered with a t-shirt and cellophane weighing 250 grams and with an estimated street value of P30,000 were inside the parcel.
A thorough investigation is being conducted by the local police about the recovered parcel and the identity of the alleged recipient. (ROBERT DEJON)

Sen. Go witnessed the turnover of assistance

BORONGAN CITY– About 328 former rebels and sympathizers of the communist group from various parts of Eastern Samar availed of a one-time cash assistance from the government on Thursday (Nov. 17).

Among them was a 76-year old man from Barangay Benowangan of this city who was an armed member of the communist group for 15 years.

“I get tired of fighting with our very own government. I realized it’s not worth my life and my family. Our government is willing to help us former rebels to start a new life,” he said.
The former rebel surrendered to the authorities sometime last year together with his 68-year old wife. He claimed that none of their eight children became members of the New People’s Army (NPA) nor been indoctrinated about the communist movement.

The septuagenarian received P15,000 cash from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) under its sustainable livelihood assistance program.

He said that he will use the cash assistance to start a small piggery business.
The DSWD released P4.9 billion for the cash assistance to the beneficiaries. It was not, however, indicated as to how many of them were former rebels and sympathizers who each received P15,000.

Senator Christopher ‘Bong’ Go, witnessed the turnover of the financial assistance to the former rebels and sympathizers, said that he hope that they will put into good use the money they received from the government.

“(And) to those who are still in the mountains, I appeal to you to have faith in our government which is ready to help you,” he said during a brief interview.

He also noted that the government appears to be winning the insurgency problem saying that it is now weakening.

“The insurgency problem is now weakening like in Mindanao and here in Eastern Samar. As a senator, I don’t like to see Filipinos killing each other that is why, I appeal to you to surrender to the government which is sincere in helping you,” Go said.

The senator was welcomed by Governor Ben Evardone who also vowed to eradicate the insurgency problem in his province with the help of soldiers and other government agencies.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

PALO, Leyte-The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tacloban-Leyte Inc. (PCCI- Tacloban-Leyte Inc.) staged a two-day business conference and exhibit with using ‘bouncing back better through sustainable technology and innovation’ as its theme.
Topics during the conferences centered on digital marketing, agricultural modernization, and the tourism industry.

PCCI-Tacloban-Leyte Inc. president Eugene Tan said that the activity is the first face-to-face business conference by the local PCCI chapter since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in March 2020.

In an interview, Tan said that digital marketing must be encouraged among local businesses.

He also admitted most of the members of the business group are still suffering from financial losses which he believed could be recovered in five year time.

However, the activity can be a start, he said, adding that they included agriculture in the discussion since they have been getting feedbacks from rice millers that the local farmers have been producing less rice due to high production cost.

Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla, the main speaker for the first day of the conference, said that digitalization is the key in the recent times.

When Petilla noticed that most of his audience were students he focused his presentation on courses being offered by schools, calling most of the current courses as ‘traditional’ like education and criminology.

“We have to change the way we think because we will be left behind. Our schools have to look into in-demand jobs in this digital age,” the governor, who owned a business processing outsourcing business, said.

“We need to change our curriculum to adapt to the signs of the times,” he added.
Coders, ethical hackers, online merchandisers, electronic gamers, and application developers are among the most in-demand jobs in the world at present, according to Petilla.

He also informed that the provincial government of Leyte is working on to fully digitalize all the services and transactions in their offices for the benefit of the general populace. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)