TACLOBAN CITY – House Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps party-list Representative Marcelino Libanan hope that more members of Congress will support his resolution urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to integrate foreign language in the curriculum of the K to 12 program.

House Resolution 910, however, does not urge DepEd to make foreign language a mandatory subject but instead as an elective or optional for the students.
“English is not enough, we need to learn other foreign languages. In the tourism sector, it makes communication easier. It becomes an advantage in our tourism sector,” Libanan said.

The minority leader added that the present generation of Filipinos must emulate one of Jose Rizal’s, our national hero’s characteristics. His being a polymath, able to speak a total of 17 local and foreign languages, among them were Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, English, German, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Libanan added that learning other foreign languages increases the employability of the Filipinos in the international labor force.

Ask to comment on Libanan’s resolution, Department of Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that this is a laudable move “as this supplements and compliments technical vocation livelihood tracks of the DepEd K to 12 program.”

“Knowing a second language aside from English, will give our youth an edge and open up opportunities for better employment, especially in the tourism industry,” Tiopes said.
“Whether they will later be employed as a guide, hotel frontliners or engage in tourism livelihood/business, being able to speak a foreign language will then relate better to foreign guests,” Tiopes added.

Only a few schools in the region offer foreign language subjects to primary and secondary students in the region. Mostly Chinese private schools that teach the Chinese language.
In Tacloban City, foreign language subject is offered at the Leyte National High School since 2019 but only focusing on the Japanese language. Screening and interviews are conducted among Grade 7 students before they can be part of the program.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-As part of its ongoing efforts against African Swine Fever (ASF), a highly contagious viral hog disease, the City Government, through the City Veterinary Office (CVO), recently organized an orientation seminar on Ordinance No. 2023-15-04, which adopts the Bantay ASF sa Barangay Program.

Barangay officials from Areas 8 to 10 attended the 2-day activity, which will ultimately result in the adoption of mitigation measures on ASF, including the designation of barangay biosecurity officers to help in preemptive measures against the viral hog disease.

Under the City Ordinance, the Biosecurity Officers can conduct sample collection in their respective barangays with the coordination and supervision of the City Veterinarian or City Agriculturist and monitor and evaluate commercial and small-holding farms, among other responsibilities.

According to City Veterinarian Dr. Eunice Alcantara, the recently held activity is a requirement for the eventual reclassification of Tacloban City as an ASF-free area.

Meanwhile, Dr. Alcantara reported that Tacloban City currently has no new cases of ASF and has no total ban on pork meat and products, except in areas classified as “red zones.”

However, the entry of hog meat products from areas under the pink and yellow zones, or surveillance zones, is heavily regulated by the office, and dealers are required to secure a Certificate of Acceptance before their entry into the city.

Accordingly, the CVO processes an average of 10 to 11 acceptance letters daily.
Before a certificate of acceptance is granted, shippers of meat and processed meat products must provide the following documents: a business license, a certificate of product registration, a certificate of meat inspection, a certificate of registration or licensing of a transport carrier by NMIS and VQS, and a photograph of the transport carrier.

On the other hand, ASF-free status certification, farm registration, a veterinary health certificate, a livestock handlers permit from the DA, disinfection clearance, a certificate of vehicle registration from the DA, a picture of the transport carrier, a master list of recipients within Tacloban City, and registration of livestock and poultry transport carriers are necessary for dealers of live hogs.

The other preemptive measure being implemented by the veterinary office is the blood sampling of hogs; samples are sent to the Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for testing.
(HENRY JAMES ROCA/CIO)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) in the region will train various sectors in Biliran province on Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) as part of the preparation for their hosting of the La Routa adventure race in November, this year.

FBSE is a training provided by the DOT designed to promote exceptional services in all tourism-related establishments in the country.

The FBSE was rooted in the 7 M’s of core values that Filipinos are widely known which stand for ‘Malikhain’, ‘Makatao’, ‘Makakalikasan’, ‘Makabansa’’, Masayahin’, ‘’May Bayaniha’n, and May Pag-asa.’

“For Biliran, we will create that because we want to create a different brand of hospitality for Eastern Visayas,” DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said.

“We will ask all of you to participate in the Filipino Brand of Service excellence training. I hope that you will support the initiative of the province of Biliran, of the provincial tourism office, and the DOT because tourism is not solely a responsibility of the governor, mayors, tourism officers, and of DOT but it is a shared responsibility of all of us,” she added.

At least 40 teams or a total of 160 individuals are expected to arrive in Biliran this November for the La Routa Adventure Race which is the Asian qualifying round for the Adventure World Championship Series to be held in Ecuador next year.

The individual winners in the qualifying competitions held in the Philippines, India, Thailand, and Malaysia, Nepal. Two teams from Australia and New Zealand are also expected to arrive to compete in La Routa. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

MANILA – A massive fire hit the iconic Manila Post Office in Manila late Sunday night.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said the blaze reached the first alarm at 11:41 p.m. Sunday and reached general alarm shortly before 6 a.m. Monday.

It was declared fire under control as of 7:22 a.m., Manila Fire Department Fire Superintendent Christine Doctor-Cula said in a Facebook post.

The Manila city government headed by Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan is in talks with Philippine Post (PHLPost) Office through Postmaster General Luis Carlos for any assistance the city can provide to the national heritage site.

On the other hand, the PHLPost ordered nearby branches in Manila to assist its clients.
Carlos also expressed sadness over the unfortunate incident that gutted the Post Office which is an heritage site and frequently visited by people.

“We express grief and saddened on this unfortunate incident. We didn’t expect this to happen but we assured the public that all PHLPost branches is going business as usual. There is nearby post office in Manila and other parts in Metro Manila where the public can send their mails and packages,” he said in a statement.

“We are closely coordinating with the Bureau of Fire (Protection) on the possible cause of the fire,” the PHLPost official added.

He reported that they will look for temporary office and our letter carriers will be house at the nearby post office.

It was reported that fire started at the basement of the building and affected the rest of the structure.

A 43-year-old fire brigade volunteer was injured in the fire.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze.

Manila Central Post Office building has survived the month-long 1945 Battle of Manila.
Built in 1926 and designed by architects Juan M. Arellano and Tomas Mapua, the neoclassical Manila Central Post Office is a declared important cultural property by the National Museum. Its conservation management plan was completed last 2019, with its restoration allocated by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) at P150 million. (PNA)