TOLOSA, Leyte– Thousands of Leyteños benefited from the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ Serbisyo Fair held in this town last Saturday (Sept. 23).

The launching of the Bagong Pilipinas caravan, the brand of governance of the Marcos administration, was led by House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez(1st district) and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla.

Rep. Jude Acidre of the Tingog party-list group, Leyte Vice Gov. Leonardo ‘Sandy’ Javier, and his wife, Rep. Lolita Javier (2nd dist.) and Tolosa Mayor Edwin Ocaña, and representatives from various national line government agencies were also present during the whole-day event.

In his message, Gov.Petilla was thankful for bringing the serbisyo fair to Leyte which would benefit ordinary Leyteños.

Speaker Romualdez, for his part, said that the caravan will also be brought to other parts of the region.

“This is gift of the President sa lahat ng mga mamamayan sa buong Pilipinas. Itong Serbisyo Fair ay iikot para makita talaga ng taong bayan kung gaano ka importante ang serbisyo ng gobyerno para sa inyo,” Romualdez said.

Among government agencies that participated and rendered services during the two-day caravan were the Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) which gave pay-out to 1,800 beneficiaries of Tulong Pangkabuhayahn para sa mga Disadvantage/Displaced Worker(TUPAD) from the towns of Alangalang, Tanauan, and Tolosa; pay-out to Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) for 18 beneficiaries from Tolosa, and for the 196 beneficiaries for the Government Internship Program; and awarding of checks to the beneficiaries under its Integrated Livelihood Projects from Pastrana town.

The Department of Science and Technology released funds handed to the beneficiaries under its Grants-in-Aid project funding to farmers associations from the towns of Sta. Fe, Matag-ob, and San Isidro, and to the Department of Tourism -8 for the establishment of the Science and Tourism Initiative (STI) in the province.

They also turned over assistance for the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrade Program (SETUP) at a total amount of P3.33 million.

For the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a total of 7,000 beneficiaries received assistance under its assistance for individuals in crisis situations, and 104 beneficiaries for the sustainable livelihood program.

Five beneficiaries also received P40,000 each from the Department of Migrant Workers under its livelihood program for OFW reintegration.

The Department of Agrarian Reform, meanwhile, turned over certificates of land ownership award to five beneficiaries. They also turned over farm machineries and equipment to 10 beneficiaries, and livelihood support to five beneficiaries.

These agencies are among the more than 40 government offices that participated in the two-day event in Tolosa town and simultaneously held in other local government units in the different parts of the country.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Slain leader was a rebel returnee

ORMOC CITY– The brutal killing of a village chairman in Paranas, Samar was condemned by the police saying it would do its best to hunt down the perpetrators said to be members of the communist rebel group, the New People’s Army.

Tito Llamado,59, incumbent chairman of Barangay Anagasi, was gunned down by the suspects while was doing his farm work in their village on Sept.18 at about 8:30 am.
His wife, Remedios, was not hurt during the attack.

The regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that Llamado, who is seeking for a new term in the forthcoming October 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, was a rebel returnee.

It added that the slain barangay leader, since returning to the fold of the law, has been an active advocate against the rebel armed movement and encouraged those still active in the communist group to surrender to the government.

“We assure the public that the sacrifice and courage of the victim to return and embrace a legitimate government shall not be placed in complete ruin and desolation, as we will maintain and intensify our anti-insurgency and peace-keeping efforts,” the PNP-8 said in a statement.

“The fear of the communist terrorist group’s return of control in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs) shall strengthen our resolve to end the communist terrorism by bringing the remnants of the NPA into the folds of law,” it added.

Brgy. Anagasi is an upland barangay which is about 30 kms away from the town proper of Paranas. (ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– An 83-year-old woman and her 25-grandson died after their house was burned down in Borongan City, Eastern Samar on Sunday early morning.

Based on the report of the local city fire office, the fatalities, Lourdes Abobo and her grandson Lloyd Alec Legion, were asleep inside their house located in Barangay Tamoso, when the fire broke out at about 3:05 am.

The house was already on fire when they rose from their sleep and failed to get out, the city fire office said.

The cause of the fire incident is still being investigated by the fire office but initially indicated that it could be due to an ‘overheated appliances.’

“The incident is still under investigation but we are looking at overheated appliances like an electric fan and a mobile phone charger,” chief afire investigator Franklin Marzon said in a phone interview.

The two died due to suffocation, based on the result of the examination conducted by the members of the scene of the crime operatives (Soco), he added.

The fire was declared as over at 4:15 am with the damage cost placed at about P700,000.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROBERT DEJON)