PNP-8 awards officials, individuals during its founding anniversary
CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte- The regional office of the Philippine National Police joined in the celebration of the police force’s 119th Police Service Anniversary last Thursday (August 6).
Awards were given to police personnel, police station and offices and stakeholders lead by Police Regional office 8 Regional Director Brigadier Gen. Bernabe Balba.
Also present during the simple ceremony was Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, representing Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.
This year’s individual awardees were PCol Andre Dizon, Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration; Col. Jonathan Caval, Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for operations; Cpt. Antonio Angcay of Abuyog Municipal Police Station, Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration; LtCol Harry Sucayre, Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for operations; PSMS Ma. Alde Leuterio of Tacloban City Police Office, Best Senior PNCO for Administration, and PSSg Ulysses Son Estonio, Best Junior PNCO for Operations.
Also given award were Kristine Sayadi as Best Non-Uniformed Personnel (NUP) Supervisory level, and Joseph Pacquing, Best NUP Non-supervisory level.
For unit awardees, recipients were Leyte Police Provincial Office as Best Provincial Police Office, Ormoc City Police Office for Best City Police Office, Maasin City Police Station for Best City Police Station, Sogod Municipal Police Station for Best Municipal Police Station, 2nd Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company for Provincial Mobile Force Company, Ormoc City Mobile Force Company for City Mobile Force Company, 801st Maneuver Company for Best Maneuver Company, Regional Legal Office 8 and Regional Health Service 8 for Best Regional Administrative Support Unit, Criminal Investigation Detection Group Regional Field Unit 8 for Best Regional Operational Support Unit, Capul Municipal Police Station Women and Children Protection Desk as Best Women and Children Protection Desk, and Samar Provincial Police Strategy Management Unit as Best PSMU.
Special awards were also given to PMaj Edwin Oloan Jr, Patrol Francis; B/Gen Marvin Manuel Pepino; and PCol. Edwin Buenavista Wagan.
Among stakeholders, awardees were Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, 8th Infantry Division Commander MGen Pio Diñoso III, PB/Gen. Herminio Tadeo Jr;, Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez; Tingog party-list Representative Yedda Marie Romualdez; NICA Regional Director Eustacio Bacabac; Gov.Petilla; Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado; Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez; Palo Mayor Frances Ann Petilla; Department of Health Regional Director Minerva Molon; Northern Samar board member Florencio Batula Jr.; Tanauan Mayor Pelagio Tecson Jr.; Office of Civil Defense; Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Tacloban-Leyte; and Dominador Aguirre Jr., president of the Eastern Visayas State University, among others.
Vice Gov.Loreto, in his message, said that with the fast-changing times, he hopes that the police force will remain to become relevant especially now that the country is facing health crisis brought by the corona virus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic.
PGen. Archie Gamboa, through a simultaneous live video message to all regional police offices in the country, said that this year’s celebration focuses on the mandate and resiliency of the PNP at the time of pandemic.
“The COVID-19 crisis is already having and will continue to have devastating consequences for individuals and communities within our country and across the globe, which must not be underestimated. At the same time, the crisis also provides a critical opportunity for us to learn more about the essential principles underpinning large-scale transformative change and innovative solutions to survive the said pandemic. Together as a team, we will win this war,” Gamboa said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Mayor Agda closes private school for non-compliance of health protocols on COVID-19
In Borongan City
TACLOBAN CITY-A private college school based on Borongan City, Eastern Samar was ordered to stop its operation effective Tuesday (August 4) for its failure to follow health protocols on COVID-19.
The suspension of the Our Lady of Mercy College (OLMC) of its operation was ordered by the city government’s licensing and legal offices and approved by Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda.
The said school, which opened its classes last July 20, was said to have conducted face-to-face classes, non-wearing of face masks of both students and teachers while inside the campus; not practicing social distancing and allowing students to attend classes even without health certificates, among other alleged violations of the school.
All these were in clear violations on health protocol being enforced against coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), the city government said on its order suspending the business license of OLMC.
Based on the notice of suspension order of the city government, it said that OLMC did not deny its alleged violations but merely declared that they have ‘already’ followed the protocols.
“It appears, therefore, that your compliance of the health protocols was already after the fact of your violations thereof,” the order said, adding that it did not coordinate both the Commission on Higher Education and the city government before it started its face-to-face classes.
“Therefore, in view of your violations, your business permit is hereby suspended until August 31,2020 and you are hereby directed to stop operations in view of the said suspension,” it added.
Failure of the school management not to heed the order would force the city government to take legal and administrative actions against them and the revocation of its business permit, the city officials warned.
School president Diosdado Obligar, however, maintained that they are compliant of all the health protocols being implemented by the government on COVID-19.
For one, the wearing of face masks among students is strictly observed inside the campus.
“But when the city personnel inspected our school last Monday, they saw two students at our school stage who were not wearing their face masks properly. They pulled down their face masks. But we are really very strict on this. We have signages inside our campus reminding our students to strictly wear face masks and observe social distancing and other health protocols,”Obligar said through a mobile phone interview.
But he admitted that they did conducted face-to-face classes but stressed that they were observing social distancing with the students sitting two-meters apart.
Still, he chose not to contest the decision of the city government saying they were only doing their duties.
“I chose not to argue with them. I just followed. Anyway, they were only after the safety of the public,” Obligar, who is under quarantine as he just arrived from Manila this week, said.
He added that with this move of the city government, they would further intensify on the implementation of all health protocols.
Obligar also said that the almost one month loss of classes at OLMC due to the closure order would be recovered by extending their classes until December of this year.
The school, at present, has more than 350 enrolled students and set to celebrate its 25th founding anniversary on September 21 this year.
Based on its website, the OLMC offers several four-year courses like criminology, nursing, education and short courses like caregiver.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Leyeco II linemen recognized by NEA, Philreca for their hardwork and dedication
TACLOBAN CITY- Linemen from the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II) were recognized in appreciation of their service not only to the cooperative but among its member-consumers.
The giving of recognition to the 70 linemen of Leyeco II was initiated by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the Philippine Association of Rural Electric Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (Philreca).
The program was done through online last Monday (August 3) given the current situation due to the pandemic caused by coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).
Engr. Fernan Paul Tan, general manager of Leyeco II, said that the program recognizes the contribution of all line workers in fulfilling the sector’s advocacy of improving the quality of life of its member-consumer-owners by providing sustainable development thru rural electrification.
“The electric cooperative are striving to give importance to the services of linemen. They are the foundation upon which their pride and honor are built on,” he said.
NEA Administrator Edgardo Masongsong, in the same program, also highlighted the importance of the services that the linemen are providing to their agency in line of its total electrification program.
Coinciding with the NEA’s celebration of the National Electrification Awareness Month, the Linemen Appreciation Day celebration is one of the most important activities of NEA.
Masongsong thanked all the line workers for their day-to-day support to the sector, and for their perseverance to do their mandate despite the criticisms they are receiving whenever there are brownouts, even if they are not responsible for it.
Atty. Janeene Depay-Colingan, executive director and general manager of Philreca, expressed her gratitude for the years and decades of service of the line workers to the member-consumer-owners.
Without the linemen’s contributions and sacrifices, the sector would not be able to achieve its mission, she said.
On the side of the linemen, Alex Baldisco, president of the United Linemen’s Association of the Philippines (ULAP) thanked Philreca, NEA, and the Once EC-MCO Movement for appreciating their contributions.
He advised his fellow linemen to become better at what they do, to stay safe, and never to stop dreaming, improving, and aiming for more.
Meanwhile, Jaysob Wayet, Philippine Electric Cooperatives Association of Safety and Environmental Officers (Pecaseo) president, said that the works of the linemen is one of the most risky in the whole world.
“It is not a joke to be a lineman as their work is not easy. Every time they go to work, they put their life in danger,” he said.
Under the scorching heat of the sun, under the rain, or even late at night, the linemen are ever ready to serve the member-consumer-owners, Wayet added.
The party-lists Philreca, APEC, Ako Padayon and RECOBODA have filed a bill in Congress to officially recognize the first Monday of August as the Linemen Appreciation Day.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
2 busted over shabu in Southern Leyte
TACLOBAN CITY- Two alleged illegal drug pushers were caught in two separate buy-bust operations on Tuesday (August 4) in Southern Leyte province.
In Libagon town, police arrested Richie Supangan, 39, jobless, as undercover police agent bought three pieces of plastic sachets suspected to be shabu in consideration of P2,000.
The anti-drug operation was conducted by Libagon Municipal Police led by Lieutenant Vilsasar Coliao, officer- in-charge, together with Southern Leyte Provincial Police Office-Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit (SLPPO-PDEU) led by Lieutenant Maja Beringel and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the region.
In Maasin City, police also arrested Arwin Antoc, 27, jobless, and street level individual in the city.
Purchased from the suspect were four pieces of transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu, as subject of sale, in consideration of P3,000.
Confiscated from the suspect were six pieces heat-sealed plastic sachets containing suspected shabu wrapped with small transparent cellophane, one piece P1,000 used as buy-bust money and two pieces P1,000 boodle money, and a motorcycle.
The inventory of the confiscated items was done in the presence of the suspect and witnessed by barangay officials and media representatives, according to the report.
Lieutenant Colonel Mark Nalda, officer- in- charge of Maasin City Police Station, also conducted on-scene inspection.
The suspects were detained awaiting the filing of charges for violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
(RONALD O. REYES)
DOH confirms death of a 14-year old girl was COVID-19 related
TACLOBAN CITY- A 14-year old girl from Calbayog City is the latest to have died due to coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19).
This was confirmed by Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino, assistant regional director of the Department of Health (DOH), who said that the girl was first admitted at the Calbayog District Hospital last July 25 as she was suffering with fever, cough and vomiting and stayed at the health facility until August 1.
On that day, her family discharged the girl against the advice of the doctors. Hours later, she said to have suffered difficulty in breathing prompting her family to admit her at St. Camillus Hospital, also in Calbayog City.
And upon assessment, the family was advised to bring the girl to EVRMC on August 2 where swab sample was extracted from her.
Sabalberino said that the result came out that she was positive on the evening of August 3, or hours after she died on that day at about 8:30 am.
Her family brought back the remains of the girl on August 4 to Calbayog where she was buried immediately as mandated under the protocols on burying a dead person infected of the virus.
Sabalberino said that the girl has underlying or pre-existing diseases like tuberculosis.
She also said that the health personnel of Calbayog city government is now conducting their contact tracing and further investigation as to how the girl got the virus.
With the death of the 14-year old girl, deaths due to COVID-19 in Eastern Visayas has now rose to four. Previous deaths were reported from Tarangan, Samar province; Kananga in Leyte; and Kawayan in Biliran.
(RONALD O.REYES)