TACLOBAN CITY- The mayor of Tanauan town here in Leyte is the latest elected official to acquire the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
Mayor Pelagio Tecson, Jr. confirmed that he was tested positive of the virus as he designated his vice mayor, Ronald Flores, to temporarily discharge the functions of the office while he is in isolation.
Tecson,53 and now serving on his last term as mayor, disclosed of his current health situation through a post at the Facebook account of the municipal government on Tuesday (Jan.26).
“My dear Tanauanons, I would like you to know that I have been tested positive for COVID-19. I have manifested symptoms over the past few days. All close contacts have been identified already and will undergo testing by today (Tuesday),” he said.
The town mayor, however, did not say how he possibly acquired the virus except to say that everyone could get it.
“Upon reflection, this only shows that this pandemic is still around us. There will always be occasions where it can hit us,” he said.
Tecson said that it is now more than ever that the residents should be mindful against the virus by strictly following all the health protocols especially that the new variant of COVID-19 has been confirmed to exist in the country.
“I appeal that you heed this call,” he said.
Tecson’s media affairs consultant, Roy Moraleta, said that Tanauan is the first local government unit in Leyte to come up measures like setting up quarantine facilities and providing food aids during the quarantine period, and livelihood assistance to the people.
Tecson is the sixth mayor in the region to have acquired COVID-19.
One of them, Manuel Aoyang of Palapag town in Northern Samar, died on Nov.6 last year.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA/JOEY A. GABIETA)
Tanauan mayor tested positive of COVID-19
Gov. Petilla directs health officers to come up with a survey form as province mulls to inoculate 100,000 Leyteños of the anti-COVID vaccines
TACLOBAN CITY – Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla has directed health officers in the province to come up with their survey forms intended for the vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) here.
Petilla also said that he projects that at least 100,000 people of the province will receive the vaccine. With the exception of Tacloban City, a highly-urbanized city, Leyte has more than 1.7 million populations.
The governor said that the survey form is necessary so that they could identified those who should first receive the shots.
Petilla noted that while all the 40 towns and Baybay City have confirmed COVID-19 cases, there are villages in the province which remain without any case.
He suggested that the home address and the place of work of the individual should be included in the survey form.
“If this person lives in a village that had never recorded any COVIDd-19 cases and work in a place which also have no cases, maybe we can exclude them on the list of our priority for vaccination,” Petilla explained.
Petilla added that the prioritization will also depends of what kind of vaccine the province will procure noting that there are vaccines which are not suitable for those 16 years and below, senior citizens who are 85-year old and above, pregnant women, and those with comorbidities.
“This is voluntary. We cannot coerce them to be vaccinated but the mayors may talk to them and explain the importance of getting vaccinated,” he said.
The governor added that from his earlier announcement of procuring 20,000 thousand to 30,000 doses of vaccines, he had order the provincial accountant and the provincial budget officer to look for funds so that the province could increase the number of vaccines to be procured.
The governor said that the new target of the province is to vaccinate around 100,000 residents which means they need to procure 200,000 vaccines for two doses.
With this number, the province will be needing more than 60 million, he said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Jipapad the only area in EV without COVID case
Since start of the pandemic
TACLOBAN CITY-The town of Jipapad in Eastern Samar province remains to be the only area in the region to report a zero case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
And they hope to maintain their clean record even until vaccines against the ailment would be available, Neil Norambaba, local disaster risk reduction management officer, said.
“We really hope that we can maintain our status as a COVID-free area, especially that we don’t have the capacity to buy our own vaccine,” he said in a phone interview.
The town, which has a population of more than 9,000 spread on its 13 barangays, is considered to be a fifth class with P71 million in income.
According to Norambaba, one possible factor why Jipapad has no COVID-19 case since the start of the pandemic last March, could be its geographical location.
Jipapad is among the far-flung towns in Eastern Samar-16 kms away from its nearest town of Arteche, also in Eastern Samar, and around 10 kms away from its neighboring town of Lapinig in Northern Samar.
It is also more than 40 kms away from the provincial capital of Borongan City.
The nearest the town, which has more than 9,000 population spread on its 13 barangays, could have been infected of the dreaded virus was when one its residents who works in Hernani town, also in Eastern Samar, was tested positive.
The town is more than 140 kms away from the provincial capital of Borongan City.
“But he was considered to be case of Hernani still his family members here in Jipapad were swabbed and they all turned negative,”Norambaba said.
Norambaba said that aside from its remote location, discipline among its people could also be considered as a factor as they follow strictly the health protocols like the wearing of face masks and face shields and the implementation of curfew hours starting from 10 pm until 5 am.
Returning locally stranded individuals (LSIs), around 200 of them have returned so far, are immediately quarantine for 14 days inside their quarantine facilities and another 10 days at their respective homes.
“We don’t allow any merchants coming from other areas to roam around in our town. They can peddle their merchandise at our checkpoint or border to minimize contacts,” Norambaba said.
Outsiders allowed to enter the town like classified as APORs (authorized persons outside of residence) have to present their health certificate and their movements monitored.
Coral conservation group stops operation in Southern Leyte due to continued threat of COVID-19
TACLOBAN CITY – A coral reef conservation program in Southern Leyte is sure after a United Kingdom-based coral conservatory group said that it would shut down its operation in the province amid the raging coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
In a statement, Alistair Cole, chief executive officer of the Coral Cay Conservation, said that the organization while it was a difficult decision, they have no other recourse but to close down its Southern Leyte Coral Reef Conservation Project (LRCP) due to COVID-19 pandemic that continues to disrupt international travel and cause strain on resources and finances that demand critical action.
“This closure will be with immediate effect concerning our activities in-country and we will now instigate an exit strategy that will focus on the efficacious transfer of project deliverables to necessary parties. We will cease to accept volunteer bookings over this period for the project,” Cole said.
“This was not an easy decision to make. After several months of deliberating, internal reviews on the project’s timeframe, and the forecast of the COVID-19 pandemic proving uncertain, we have come to this decision. We aim to ensure that the achievements of the project, made possible by the support of volunteers, scholars and committed staff, over the past 20 years, are sustainable and that local stakeholders and government units can continue receiving the benefits of the project,” he added.
The group expressed their gratitude to the thousands of volunteers who had helped them in their projects, training of scholars and teams that have brought conservation and coral reefs to the forefront of hundreds of classrooms, inspiring the next generation of environmental advocates.
“Over the past 18 years, the rich biodiversity of Sogod Bay has been mapped, countless Marine Protected Areas have been established and even the smallest of conservation efforts have proved vital; all of which would not be possible without the support of the Coral Cay Conservation community,” he added.
“I would like to express my absolute gratitude for all of the support that each and every volunteer, scholar, staff member, project partner and local stakeholder has provided to the project over the years,” Cole statement ended.
The SLRCP was founded in 2002 to secure the long-term benefits and services of coral reefs and associated systems; protecting food security and supporting livelihoods of the residents in the Southern Leyte province, according to the information at the website of Coral Cay.
It aims to enhance marine biodiversity and alleviate community poverty through the evaluation, protection and restoration of coral reefs, and associated ecosystems in the province.
The project is implemented into two phases; the LRCP Phase I was from 2002 to 2012 and was founded on under the objective of assisting the Provincial Government of Southern Leyte (PGSL) in the conservation of the coral reefs of Sogod Bay for the long-term benefit and food-security of the residents of the Province.
The LRCP Phase II was undertaken between 2013 and 2018, and was founded under the objective of developing local capacity and ensuring the long-term protection and sustainable use of marine resources, through the establishment, and monitoring, of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Southern Leyte.
The group had been present in the country for 25 years advocating for sustainable development and protecting some of the Philippines’ most valuable natural resources.
Since the project started, Coral Cay through LRCP have undertaken over 2,400 independent surveys, collecting critical ecological, environmental and anthropogenic data, allowing building detailed picture of the current status of the area and assessing any changes over time.(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
B/Gen. de Jesus honors gallantry of SAF 44 who died six years ago in Maguindanao
Six of them were from the region
TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine National Police (PNP) honored and remembered the six members of the Special Action Forces (SAF) from the region killed in 2015 by members of a terror group in Mindanao.
In a simple ceremony held at the regional headquarters of the PNP at the Camp Ruperto Kangleon in Palo town, Leyte, Police Major Israel Ephraim Dickson, director for personnel and records management (TDPRM), led in the laying of wreath at the ‘Bantayog ng Bayani ’monument located inside the said headquarters on Monday(Jan.25).
Of the 44 SAF members who were killed during an operation against terror group Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front at Tukanalipao, Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan.25,2015, six of them were from the region.
They were PO1 Mark Clemencio; PO2 Glenn Bedua; PO3 John Lloyd Sumbilla; PO2 Noel Balaca; PO2 Rodel Ramacula; and PO1 Joseph Sagonoy.
Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio presided a Eucharistic Mass in honor of the fallen SAF 44.
In his message, Police Regional Director B/Gen. Ronaldo de Jesus, gave his tribute to the SAF 44 as he instructed all the field unit of the PNP in the region to conduct public awareness to honor their gallantry.
“The story of the SAF 44 shall transcend time as it depicts the truest sense of heroism. The least that we can do now is to honor the sacrifice and memories of our fallen heroes who have died serving the country. May their respective families also find peace and healing,” he said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)