BY: EURICA CONCEPCION A. VILLANUEVA

BURAUEN, Leyte – The Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park is preparing to open its doors to nature-loving tourists in the future under the new normal.
Although unsure on the exact date of reopening, the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park Ecotourism Association (MVNPEA) has been setting up measure to observe the minimum health standards.
The Burauen local government unit reported through its Facebook post that a hand washing area for visitors has been set up. The Burauen Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism (BEST) project also turned over on July 16 two thermal scanners to members of MVNPEA.
“This is to help the organization in its preparations so it would be ready once the Covid-19 pandemic is over. The organization, however, does not accept visitors yet as part of the town’s measures against the spread of the virus,” the local government said in a statement.
Proclaimed as a national park in 1937, the site near the volcano is endowed with other natural attractions — a lake, falls, multi-colored mud, hot springs, virgin forests, and lagoon.
Mahagnao Volcano is about 50 kilometers south of Tacloban City and 18 kilometers away from the town center of Burauen.
Although the volcano has been inactive, it is classified as potentially active due to the active thermal features of the mountain. The summit of the volcano is a steep-walled heavily forested crater that opens to the south with a peak elevation of 860 meters.
(Note: The writer is a teacher of Burauen Comprehensive National High School)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Budget and Management has released on Friday(July 17) the budget circular that will finally implement the Salary Grade 15 entry-level salary of nurses working in the government.
An Waray Rep.Florencio Noel said that it is important that the compensation of the health workers are adjusted for them to live based on the current economic situation.
“It is important that we now adjust the compensation of our health care workers” the lawmaker said.
Noel informed that the DBM Budget Circular No. 2020-4 entitled Upgrading the Entry Level Nurse Positions was issued to prescribe the rules and regulations on the upgrading of the entry-level nurse positions to SG15 as well as to highlight the administrative procedure in view of the consequential modification in the position attributes of the nurse items.
“This is a good start with our nurses in government service. During these difficult times, our nurses play a vital role in preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),”added Noel.
With the release of the circular, the government nurses in Nurse I positions get 4 SGs upgrade, from SG 11 to SG 15. Under the current Salary Standardization Law which took effect January of this year, SG15 is at P32, 053.
The upgrade of salary covers all nurse positions, whether regular, casual, or contractual in nature, full-time or part-time, now existing or hereafter created in the national government agencies (NGAs), including SUCs and GOCCs, and in LGUs.
The adjustment was made in compliance with the Supreme Court decision upholding the Republic Act 9173 or The Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 which says that government nurses must receive minimum base pay of not lower than SG15.
Congress supported the decision of the Supreme Court by earmarking P3 billion in the General Appropriation Act of 2020 or the national budget, for its implementation.
In the Circular, DBM orders the head of agencies and local chief executives to implement the salary adjustment. The circular shall take effect immediately.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Troops from the Philippine Army’s 43rd Infantry Battalion discovered another remains of an alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Bobon, Northern Samar Friday, July 17.
Lieutenant Colonel Raymundo Picut Jr., commanding officer of 43rd IB, extended his sympathy to the family and friends of those NPA rebels who were abandoned by their comrades while struggling for their lives.
“Your government forces will continue its commitment to serve justice to the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-Terrorist victims so as to attain peace and development in Northern Samar,” the Army official said in a statement.
The skeletal remains were found in the vicinity of Barangay E. Duran of Bobon town at 7 a.m. Friday.
After documentation, the remains were turned over to the Scene-of-the-Crime Operative (Soco) of the Philippine National Police in Catarman, Northern Samar for proper disposition.
The remains belonged to an alleged NPA rebel who was killed during the series of encounters by the 43rd IB in Brgy. Cag-amesarag, Lope de Vega, also in Northern Samar last August 3 and 4, 2019, according to Captain Allan Jay Buerano, civil-military operations officer of the 43rd IB.
On July 10, the remains of a one alleged NPA rebel, who died in an encounter sometime in 2009, were also found in Barangay E. Duran.
Eastern Visayas, particularly the Samar Island, remains a hotbed of insurgency with the continued presence of NPA.
(RONALD O. REYES)

BY: GLADYS L. RIZAGA

San Roque Elementary School is the biggest non-central elementary school in Tolosa District.
For SY 2019-2020, its Grade VI pupils were 99. With the concerted efforts of the School Head, the General PTA and Barangay LGU, the proposed Grade 7 Extension Class was born.
On Sept. 3, 2019, Sir Raul Salaño, Education Program Supervisor (EPS) of Leyte Division, visited San Roque Elementary School, for ocular inspection. Barangay chairman, Hon. Tito Amboy Villarino and Gladys L. Rizaga appreciated the visit of EPS Raul Salaño.
Last March, EPS Salaño, Public Schools District Supervisor, Lolita P. Legaspi, Tolosa National High School, Principal II, Flora M. Pica and Gladys L. Rizaga, School Principal II of San Roque Elementary School, attended Barangay Council session to discuss matters for the proposed Tolosa National High School Grade 7 Extension Classes.
As of the moment, the School Head of San Roque Elementary School, together with Hon. Raul Cesista and Hon. Aquilina L. Canonigo are copying with the submission of the documents to EPS Salaño, so that Grade 7 Extension Classes for SY 2020-2021 will come to reality.
(Note: The author is the school head of the San Roque Elementary School, Tolosa, Leyte)