With just 80 days before the balloting, Banac assures of a peaceful, secure EV polls
TACLOBAN CITY- Police Regional Director Brigadier General Bernard Banac, this early, assures that Eastern Visayas will have a peaceful and orderly conduct of elections.
The police regional director issued this assurance during the launching of the Kasimbayanan or Kawani, Simbahan at Pamayanan, a multi-agency partnership that aims of a ‘secure, accurate, free and fair May 9, 2022 elections.’
“The launch of Kasimbayanan is our holistic and dynamic approach to include the Church and the Community into this central activity of the country. The Philippine National Police believes that the election is not only a concern of few sectors in the government; it is the general public’s inherent moral obligation to contribute to its safe and peaceful conduct,” Banac said.
As they aim to double their efforts in the forthcoming elections, the police regional office maintained that the activity will strengthen public engagement “by encouraging the communities and religious sectors to be involved in different safe-keeping programs and activities.”
“This may be a daunting task, but I am certain that we are more than capable of carrying it out. Let us bear in mind that the success of the elections lies in our hands,” Banac said.
The launch of Kasimbayan on February 18, 2022 saw the convergence of partner agencies and sectors, such as Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Commission on Elections, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, and religious and community leaders.
The stakeholders also declared their pledge of commitment for non-partisan and peaceful elections.
(RONALD O. REYES)
Farmers produce organic products amid the COVID-19 pandemic
PALO, Leyte – The farmers in one of the Leyte towns are now producing organic agricultural products amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a report from the Office of the Governor said.
Leyte Governor Petilla said that his office has extended financial assistance to a group of 27 farmers in Barangay Cambinoy, Palompon town five years ago who were into organic vegetable production.
Petilla added that his office has also extended training, technical assistance, and agricultural supplies to the association like vegetable seeds and organic fertilizers, a flagships program of the Leyte province for countryside economic development.
He also said that his office has extended assistance to the association register in any registering agency of the government to attain the juridical personality of the association and be able to transact legally with any government and private entity.
The governor further said that the group of farmers are now selling their products in the nearby communities and even to Tacloban City.
Petilla is encouraging farmers to engage in organic farming considering that organically produce products have high demand and command a better price. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
PH gains $600 million worth of investments from UAE, says DPWH Sec. Mercado
MAASIN CITY- The country stands to access a wide array of foreign investments following a top level trade visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week, Sec. Roger Mercado of the Department of Public Works and Highways reported.
“There were negotiations for Investment Promotions Protection Agreement (IPPA) worth about $600 million,” Mercado said at a press conference with local media Sunday, February 20, at Kinamot Restaurant, Maasin City.
Mercado shared that he was part of the group that went to Dubai for an official visit in which one of the highlights was the holding of bilateral trade talks with top UAE officials for a comprehensive economic agreement deal.
Aside from the DPWH secretary, the Philippine delegation also included Trade and Industry Sec. Ramon Lopez, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Agriculture Sec. William Dar, and PCOO Sec. Martin Andanar, among others.
Another fruit of the Dubai visit was that foreign contractors can come in and pursue infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build program of the current administration, as well as agribusiness, tourism-related ventures, and other high-end investments in key industry sectors, Mercado said. (MMP)
acloban PESO to open SPES application on Feb. 22
TACLOBAN CITY-The local government of Tacloban, under Mayor Alfred Romualdez, through its Public Employment Service Office (PESO) will start receiving applications for the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) this February 22, 2022, on a first-come, first-served basis.
According to PESO, for this year, there are only 161 slots for summer employment, although they will accept up to 200 registrants for validation and screening. However, applicants to be registered from numbers 162-200 will be considered as waitlisted, the office clarified.
Qualifications for the summer job program are as follows:
• must be 15 to 30 years old
• a resident of Tacloban City
• Enrolled; with outstanding/passing grades
• Combined net income after tax of parents does not exceed the latest annual poverty threshold level for a family of six (6) which is P 149, 874.00
• Non-4P’s beneficiary
Registration will start at 8:30 A.M at the City Engineer’s Gymnasium. Applicants are advised to bring their own pen, follow strict health protocols, wear proper facemask and practice social distancing.
SPES is a youth employment-bridging program which aims to provide temporary employment to poor but deserving students during summer and/or Christmas vacation or any time of the year to augment the family’s income to help ensure that beneficiaries are able to pursue their education.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
407 schools in EV start in-person classes
As DOH reports declining COVID-19 cases
TACLOBAN CITY- Students from 407 public schools here in Eastern Visayas trooped back on Monday(Feb.21) to their respective schools to attend the resumption of the face-to-face classes, albeit limited.
Jasmin Calzita, regional information officer of the Department of Education (DepEd), said of the 407 schools participating in the limited in-person classes, 157 of them are in Samar, including the cities of Catbalogan and Calbayog; 155 in Eastern Samar including Borongan City; 77 are in Leyte which include the cities of Baybay, Ormoc and Tacloban; Southern Leyte with 13; and Northern Samar, with five schools.
The conduct of the in-person classes came at a time as Eastern Visayas’ was categorized by Malacanang as under Alert Level 2 for the rest of the month due to decreasing number of its coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Eastern Visayas’ active COVID-19 cases are now at 207 with only 13 new cases as reported by the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday (Feb. 21).
Gary Mosquito, principal of the Cabarasan Daku Elementary School in Palo, Leyte, said that both parents and the students were excited for the resumption of face-to-face classes in their school.
He said that out of the school’s 215 enrolled students,60 are participating who are enrolled at Kindergarten up to Grade 3.
“We are very happy that our opening of this expanded limited face-to-face classes was very successful. We don’t have any issues and concerns nor challenges experienced. It was very organized and health protocols were observed upon entry from the school gate,” Mosquito said.
He said that a nurse, assisted by a member of the barangay health emergency response team (BHERT), mans the school gate, adding that all of the school’s teachers are already fully vaccinated.
The same excitement was also observed among students of the Cabacungan National High School in Allen town, Northern Samar as all of its around 80 students enrolled at Grades 11 and 12 are to attend the in-person classes for at least two months period.
Gary Vacunawa, the school principal, said that these students are to attend their classes only in the morning for four hours and 30 minutes.
He also said that 40 students are to attend the first week of the resumption of in-person classes with the other half to attend their classes in school next week.
All the participating students and the school’s 20 teachers are already fully vaccinated, Vacunawa said.