The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in Eastern Visayas recently held the cascading of the revised guidelines on Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project and aims to parcelize 206,436 hectares of agriculture lands.
The SPLIT project aims to fast-track land subdivision/parcelization of collective certificates of land ownership award (CCLOAs) and eventually issue individual land titles to agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) who were previously awarded with lands and collective CLOAs under the CARP.
DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations Office Elmer Distor told the field implementers of the region, during the “Policy Orientation on the Revised Guidelines and Procedures on the Parcelization of Landholdings with Collective CLOAs,” that  parcelization of landholdings covered by CCLOAs is expected now to move fast and smooth.
“Various problems, particularly legal issues and concerns, arose during the initial implementation of SPLIT project and now we are addressing them so that we know what to do when we encounter them these coming days,” Distor said.
Assistant Secretary and SPLIT National Project Director, Rene Colocar, disclosed that this project seeks to subdivide more than 1.3 million hectares of lands nationwide covered by more than 134,000 collective titles and eventually issue individual CLOAs to about 1,140,735 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) until the year 2023.
About 129,000 ARBs from the Eastern Visayas region awarded with CCLOAs with a combined area of 206,436 hectares are expected to benefit upon the completion of the project in 2023.
Regional Director Robert Anthony Yu said that for this year the region has a target of about 1,878 CCLOAs covering a combined area of 29,176 hectares for parcelization.
“Around 15,310 ARBs in Region-8 are expected to benefit this year by receiving their individual titles by yearend,” he said.
This P 24-billion SPLIT project is funded by the World Bank wherein 78 percent comprise the loan proceeds, while 22 percent serves as government counterpart. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Visayas received on Wednesday 5,000 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Visayas Disaster Resource Center as augmentation for the region.
The augmentation from Cebu City will raise the region’s capability to respond to the needs of local government units especially during typhoon season this quarter, said Abelardo Bibat, DSWD Eastern Visayas regional information officer in a phone interview.
“Currently, we have 15,296 food packs stored at the DSWD Regional Resource Operations Section in Palo, Leyte, and in our warehouses established in strategic locations in the region,” Bibat said.
Identified as strategic locations are those areas near the shoreline and low-lying communities, he said.
Of the 15,296 food packs, some 10,446 are stored at the DSWD regional warehouse in Palo town; 3,650 in Northern Samar; 1,000 in Samar; and 200 in Eastern Samar.
Each food pack consists of rice, canned goods, and coffee, packed in a small box for one family.
Storing food packs in different strategic locations before a calamity will allow the DSWD to immediately respond to requests of local government units.
Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the local governments are the first responders and the DSWD is tasked to augment the response efforts after disasters.
Typhoons and frequent rains are expected to prevail every last quarter in the region, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Meanwhile, in an advisory issued Wednesday, PAGASA identified several rivers in six provinces that would likely be affected by the downpour brought about by a low-pressure area affecting several areas in the Visayas.
These rivers are Sangputan, Palo, Solano, Daguitan, Marabong, Cadacan, Bongquirogon, Salug, Pagbanagaran, Pagsangahan, and Binahaan in Leyte; Catarman, Bugko, Pambujan, Catubig, Palapag, Mano, and Gamay in Northern Samar.
Other rivers include Oras, Dolores, Ulot, Taft, Borongan, Suribao, Llorente, Balangiga, and Sulat in Eastern Samar; Basey, Silaga, Calbiga, and Jibatan in Samar; Bisay, Himbangan, and Pandan in Southern Leyte; and all river systems in Biliran.
People living in low-lying areas near these river systems have been advised to stay alert for possible flash floods.
Those residing near mountain slopes have been told to watch out for signs of landslides.
This is the second day in a row that the state weather bureau issued a flood alert for the region.
On Tuesday, Pagasa issued a general flood advisory due to the tail end of a cold front.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

Just one vote needed to win

TACLOBAN CITY-Reelectionist Biliran Rep. Gerardo Espina, Jr. is sure of another term as he is running unopposed in next year’s elections.
Espina, who is on his first term in office, is among the candidates in Biliran province who are running without an opponent.
The congressman’s nephew, Gerard, is only to vote for himself for him to get his third and last term as mayor of Naval, the provincial capital.
Also without opponent is his running-mate, incumbent Vice Mayor Vicente Curso, Jr.
The mayor’s father, Rogelio, has to contend an opponent whom he defeated during the 2019 elections as he is seeking for his own second term as governor.
The incumbent vice governor, Brigido Caneja, Jr., however, is sure to win again as he is without a rival for the post.
Among the mayoralty race in the province, Mayor Rhodessa Revita of Caibiran town, also just need a single vote for her to get her second term.
Other interesting races in the province include the couple Manolo Rubi and Jessica Rubi, who are both running for mayor of Kawayan town.
Manolo is the incumbent president of the provincial Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC).
The incumbent mayor, Rodolfo Espina, twin brother of Gov. Espina, is not in the running as he is on his third and last term.
In Culaba town, former mayor Lorenzo Reveldez, Jr. has his sister, Melba David, as running-mate.
The siblings are squaring off with reelectionists mayor, Humphrey Olimba, and vice mayor, Enrico Uyvico. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

Vaccination for 12-17 years old begins Friday

TACLOBAN CITY- As the vaccination among 12 to 17 years olds started on Friday (Nov.5), Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued anew an appeal for the non-vaccinated residents to get the jabs against coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Mayor Romualdez admitted that he still finds the number of vaccinated in the city a little bit lower reason why he is pushing that those who have yet to receive the vaccine to visit  the different vaccination sites in the city.
The city mayor  was seen visiting the vaccination centers in the city like the Tacloban City Convention Center, the shopping malls, and recently at the city public terminal to see for himself the progress of the vaccination campaign.
“We have more than enough supplies of vaccines. I am appealing, encouraging everyone to get vaccinated…for us to achieve herd immunity and in the process, open our city, our economy,” Mayor Romualdez said.
He also warned that the vaccines supply of Tacloban may be distributed to other areas if the city will continue to register low vaccination rate.
Mayor Romualdez, however, remain hopeful that if Tacloban will attain its targeted immunity population early, the residents may enjoy a Merry Christmas.
“I know our people are already tired of these restrictions. But once we get the herd immunity, we can lift all these restrictions,” Romualdez said.
As of Wednesday, 92,901 Taclobanons have received their first dose of which 78,680 of them are considered fully vaccinated.
The number of vaccinated people is still far cry from the targeted 185,000 people for Tacloban to achieve herd immunity from the virus.
On Friday, the city has started its vaccination campaign for 12 to 17 years of age.
Dr. Gloria Fabrigas, city health officer, said that they are targeting 26,563 of this age group.
The vaccination will cover both those with comorbidities and the rest of the pediatric population (ROPT).
For the first rollout of the pediatric vaccination, 1,240 slots will be available at the Tacloban Convention Center while 167 slots at the Tacloban City Hospital and 168 at the City Health Office.
Fabrigas said that those who will avail the vaccination targeting the young population need to present their birth certificate to determine if they really belong to the 12 to 17 age bracket; consent for the parents or guardians and assent for teeners who will be inoculated; and medical certificate for those who are suffering with illnesses.
“There will be no walk-ins they have to register in our safe city (application),” she said.
The city health officer said that out of the more than 6,000 COVID-19 cases of the city since the pandemic started more than a year ago, three percent of it involved this age group.
Mayor Romualdez, meantime, suggested that if the companions of these children are not yet vaccinated, they could get the shots.
He added that if all the younger population of the city will get the vaccine, schools could now conduct face-to-face classes.
While Romualdez noted that COVID-19 cases of the city is now on a drop, he reminded his constituents to continue to observe the mandatory health protocols  like the wearing of face mask and face shield and social distancing.
Currently, Tacloban has 109 active cases of COVID-19.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)