TACLOBAN CITY- The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (TFRB) in Region 8 in coordination with the City Government of Tacloban joined the nationwide simultaneous launching of the government’s “One Time, Big Time” PUJ Modernization Program held at the city hall grounds on July 11 in this city.
With the theme, “LTFRB and the NATION: One Direction towards PUJ Modernization,” some 35 public utility jeepneys were launched to ply the routes Tacloban – V & G areas and vice versa, and Robinson’s Mall in Marasbaras to Robinson’s North in Abucay, both in Tacloban City, and vice versa.
LTFRB Regional Director Gualberto Gualberto in his message said, “As modernization is one of the flagship programs of the President which envisions a modern, well-managed and environmentally- sustainable transport sector, Region 8 is on the right track. We are one with the nation’s vision of providing the riding public with safe and comfortable transport vehicles.”
The jeepneys are solar-powered with spacious and comfortable seats. They are equipped with modern facilities to include Automatic Fare Collection System (AFCS), Global Positioning System or GPS, Wifi, CCTVs and ceiling fans to ensure safety and comfort of the commuters.
Said vehicles that have adopted the Israeli and Australian technologies and supplied by Star 8, are not the first in Tacloban City.
In 2017, some 45 E-jeepney units were launched in the city which were followed by another 15 in 2018, with different transport destinations.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez expressed his gratitude to LTFRB and other stakeholders in bringing the technology to the city.
“I welcome this new technology. This is now part of the lives of the Taclobanons. This is practical and affordable and will give convenience as well as job opportunities to the people,” Mayor Romualdez said.
“Convenience is a priority in Tacloban because of the heavy traffic we are having now, which costs a lot of money, causes delay and discourages investors. Considering the big population in the city and it being the regional center with major universities and colleges, it is really important to provide convenience and mobility to the people so they could make the best of their transactions,” he added.
Relative to the formal launching, a motorcade around the city was conducted to make Taclobanons fully aware of the presence of the new vehicles. A one-day drivers’ training will likewise be held to further orient them on the new technology and inculcate in them the proper behavior in dealing with the riding public.
(LDL/GTT/PIA-8, Leyte)
LTFRB-8 launches modern vehicles in Tacloban
Leyte Rep. Javier faces HRET disqualification case
Ex-congressman Ong questions solon’s residency
BY: LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA
TACLOBAN CITY- In yet another campaign to unseat elected Leyte Rep. Lolita Karen Javier, her rival, former congressman Henry Ong filed another action against her before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) on Monday (July 15).
In his petition, Ong asked the HRET to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against her from discharging the functions and powers of being a Congress member.
The former congressman also wants the TRO to become ‘permanent.’
An aide of the congresswoman, who asked not to be named, said that they have yet to recieve a copy of the said complaint.
However, once they receive the copy, they will answer the complaint, she said.
“(The petitioner is seeking for the HRET) to restrain (Rep. Javier) from further exercising the powers and prerogatives attached to the position,” Ong said on his petition.
Ong also asked the HRET to declare Javier ‘ineligible to sit as a member of the House of Representatives for the second district of Leyte upon due hearing’ being not a resident of Jaro town.
The former solon said that Javier ‘abandoned’ her residency in Jaro in the second congressional district when she ‘relocated’ in Javier, a town which belongs to the fifth congressional district to join her husband, Leonardo Javier, who was then the town mayor.
This is the second time that Ong has filed a legal action against the congresswoman who trounced him during the May 13 midterm elections.
Earlier, Ong, who was then seeking for a possible second term, filed a case of falsification of public documents by private individual claiming that Javier falsified the entries of her certificate of candidacy, particularly on years of her being a resident of Jaro.
Rep.Javier, running for the first time under the banner of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, defeated Ong by more than 27,000 votes.
The newly-elected solon garnered 112,989 votes against Ong’s 88,995 votes.(with report JOEY A.GABIETA)
E. Visayas cops nab 7 most wanted, 210 other offenders in 12-day simultaneous ops
PALO, Leyte- Police in the region have arrested seven most wanted persons and 201 other offenders, including 16 illegal drug personalities and 94 illegal fishers, during a 12-day simultaneous operations from June 19-30, 2019.
This was reported by Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, police regional director.
“We are doing our best to keep Eastern Visayas a safe and secure place,” he said in a statement.
Leyte Police Provincial Office nabbed four most wanted persons for the crimes of rape; attempted murder; and violation of P.D. 449 or “Cockfighting Law.”
Another 49 wanted persons were also arrested in the province.
Southern Leyte police arrested one most wanted person for the crime of rape and 9 other wanted persons for various crimes.
At least one most wanted person and 11 other wanted persons were nabbed in Eastern Samar.
Northern Samar Police Provincial Office nabbed one for murder and 12 other wanted persons for the crimes of attempted homicide; frustrated murder; grave oral defamation; statutory rape; murder; and other violations.
In Samar, police arrested seven wanted persons facing the crimes of rape, estafa, attempted theft, statutory rape, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and serious physical injuries, for violation of RA 8550.
Four wanted persons were caught in Biliran, six in Tacloban City, and two in Ormoc City.
During the 12-day operations, police confiscated 89 pieces of heat-sealed plastic sachets suspected as “shabu” and a total of P8,000 marked money from 16 alleged illegal drug personalities.
A total of 94 illegal fishers were also arrested.
Confiscated from them were assorted fishes and fishing paraphernalia amounting to P5, 864,260. (RONALD O. REYES)
All set for San Juanico Bridge light and sound project
TACLOBAN CITY- The San Juanico Bridge light and sound project will finally start soon, after over a year of extensive review of technical details by the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).
Officials had set July 26 for the groundbreaking of the much-awaited project, the Department of Tourism (DOT) regional office here confirmed.
Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said works on illuminating the bridge is expected to be completed by December.
“This project is a tool to attract tourists to come to our place. If we have many tourists, it becomes an opportunity for people to invest in restaurants, cafes, souvenir shops, and create new tourism activities,” Tiopes told reporters.
The P80-million bridge lighting project, funded by the TIEZA, has been delayed due to lengthy technical review and 2019 election ban for government infrastructure work, Tiopes said.
It will use light-emitting diodes, one of today’s most energy-efficient and rapidly-developing lighting technologies.
It was proposed that there would be a 10-minute light show for six times nightly that may include water, light, and laser aspects. Every night, there would be six-hour park mode or static mode lights with the subtle movement of lights.
Just like other shows, its colors will be in support of various events throughout the year, the lighting will also be programmed to celebrate special occasions.
Last year, then-Samar governor Sharee Ann Tan shared the idea of illuminating the iconic bridge to then-Tacloban City mayor Cristina Romualdez, Regional Development Council chairperson, in an effort to add vibrancy and interest to night-time tourism.
At present, tourists can enjoy daytime activities at the San Juanico Bridge through the tour packages offered by a private operator, Aqua Momentum.
The bridge’s transformation would be a new attraction under the Spark Samar, a branding campaign initially launched in 2015.
Once called the Marcos Bridge, the San Juanico Bridge was built in August 1969 over the San Juanico Strait, the narrowest navigational strait in the world that separates Samar and Leyte Islands, and was completed in December 1972.
The bridge that spans 2.162-kilometer was built as part of the Pan-Philippine Highway now called the Maharlika Highway, a network of roads, bridges, and sea routes that connect the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao.(ROEL T. AMAZONA with PNA)
E. Visayas cops nab 7 most wanted, 210 other offenders in 12-day simultaneous ops
PALO, Leyte- Police in the region have arrested seven most wanted persons and 201 other offenders, including 16 illegal drug personalities and 94 illegal fishers, during a 12-day simultaneous operations from June 19-30, 2019.
This was reported by Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, police regional director.
“We are doing our best to keep Eastern Visayas a safe and secure place,” he said in a statement.
Leyte Police Provincial Office nabbed four most wanted persons for the crimes of rape; attempted murder; and violation of P.D. 449 or “Cockfighting Law.”
Another 49 wanted persons were also arrested in the province.
Southern Leyte police arrested one most wanted person for the crime of rape and 9 other wanted persons for various crimes.
At least one most wanted person and 11 other wanted persons were nabbed in Eastern Samar.
Northern Samar Police Provincial Office nabbed one for murder and 12 other wanted persons for the crimes of attempted homicide; frustrated murder; grave oral defamation; statutory rape; murder; and other violations.
In Samar, police arrested seven wanted persons facing the crimes of rape, estafa, attempted theft, statutory rape, reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and serious physical injuries, for violation of RA 8550.
Four wanted persons were caught in Biliran, six in Tacloban City, and two in Ormoc City.
During the 12-day operations, police confiscated 89 pieces of heat-sealed plastic sachets suspected as “shabu” and a total of P8,000 marked money from 16 alleged illegal drug personalities.
A total of 94 illegal fishers were also arrested.
Confiscated from them were assorted fishes and fishing paraphernalia amounting to P5, 864,260. (RONALD O. REYES)
Leyte SP defers appointments of two officials as they were directed to first appear before the body
TACLOBAN CITY – The appointments of two former Leyte mayors as provincial legal officer and provincial health officer were deferred by the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
The deferment on the appointments of Alden Avestruz as provincial legal officer and Dr. Lesmes Lumin as provincial health officer III was motioned by Board Member Trinidad Apostol during their regular session last week.
Apostol said that while she personally knew the two former mayors, she would still prefer to see them appear before the members of the provincial board before she agreed for their appointments be approved.
“I don’t have objection to their appointments but I would like first to see these people who are to be appointed. In fact, I knew them but at least we should see them first,” Apostol, who chairs the committee on appointments, said.
Avestruz is a former mayor of Barugo while Lumen was once the mayor of Lapaz.
Meantime, the provincial board members approved on the re-appointment of lawyer Edgardo Cordeño as provincial administrator.
Avestruz, in a text message he sent to Board Member Gina Merilo, said that he will personally appear before the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on July 22.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)