TACLOBAN CITY – At least 102 farmers from the five farmer associations in the northern barangays of this city recently received animals and agricultural machines from the City Veterinary Office (CVO).
The giving of animals and agricultural machines to the farmers is under the CVO’s livestock dispersal program
Of the 102 beneficiaries, 16 came from the farmers of Barangay. Bagacay; 16 from Brgy. Cabalawan; 17 from Brgy. New Kawayan; 37 from Brgy. Palanog; and 16 from Brgy. San Roque.
“The main purpose of the livestock dispersal program is to boost livestock production and increase inventory, while also addressing the fact that Tacloban is not typically considered an agricultural area and relies on neighboring regions for its food supply, ”Dr. Eunice Alcantara, the CVO head, said.
The dispersal program aims to provide farmers with additional livelihood opportunities and in the process, improved their standard of living.
“By providing sustainable livelihood opportunities through programs like the livestock dispersal program, we hope that farmers will take good care of the animals and appreciate the efforts of the city government since we all share the common goal of improving the quality of life in our community,” she said. (DEAN MARK YU, LNU Student Intern)
The 2021 Pilot Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) data turnover ceremony marks a significant milestone for the city of Baybay, according to Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias, Officer-in-Charge Deputy National Statistician.
The ceremony was conducted on 17 April 2023 at the Conference Room, Baybay City Hall.
DNS Esquivias highlighted the fact that government programs and policies are matters that indispensably shape the life, status, and development of the people, making the availability of CBMS data key component towards holistic governance.
PSA Leyte Chief Statistical Specialist Sheryl Ann A.Jamisola presented the 2021 Pilot CBMS Data of Baybay City which included data on peace, food security, health, sanitation, education, and employment. She said that there are still more data that can be generated from the CBMS results.
Baybay City Mayor Jose Carlos L. Cari, in his acceptance message, said that he is a believer of data. He narrated that when he was still a Barangay Chairperson, he already adopted the posting of CBMS Data Board in their barangay.
Now, that CBMS data for Baybay City is in their hands, they will use these as benchmark data from where they can base their development programs that alleviate the lives of Baybayanons.
In behalf of City Administrator, Atty. Florante, Cayunda, Jr., Marissa M. Cano, the city information officer, presented the plans and programs that will utilize CBMS data. She emphasized the relevance of CBMS data in the preparation of various plans being formulated by the city.
Meanwhile, Atty. Eliezer P. Ambatali, Director of the Legal Service of PSA discussed Data Security as provided in the Data Privacy Act of 2012 (RA 10173). He emphasized that with the data in their hands comes the responsibility as vigilant stewards of data.
CBMS is an organized technology-based system of collecting, processing and validating necessary disaggregated data that may be used for local planning, program implementation, and impact monitoring while empowering communities to participate the process. It involves the generation of data at the local level which serves as basis in targeting households for government programs geared towards poverty alleviation and economic development.
PSA Regional Statistical Services Office VIII (RSSO8) Regional Director Wilma A. Perante officially closed the ceremony with much gratitude to the City of Baybay for its full support, dedication and hard work. She also expressed her hope that the CBMS results be cascaded to the barangay local government units (BLGUs), the foreground implementers of government programs and projects of the city. (PR)
TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte Second District Engineering Office (L2DEO) is now working on the replacement of damaged concrete pavement and the application of an asphalt overlay project at the Bagahupi-Babatngon-Sta. Cruz- Barugo-Carigara Road.
The department, using its asset preservation program for preventive maintenance, has earmarked P17.51 million for this purpose which involved in the replacement of 1,632 lane kilometers of damaged pavements and the application of 7,092.97 square meters of asphalt overly with reflectorized thermoplastic markings.
District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura said that the preventive maintenance projects of the department aim to strengthen the existing pavement structure and improve pavement serviceability.
Roads are susceptible to damage when exposed to heavy loads, and the combined impacts of traffic loading and the environment will cause damage to the infrastructure, regardless of how well-designed and constructed it is. As a result, road maintenance is required to improve the road’s surface capability.
The Bagahupi-Babatngon-Sta.Cruz-Barugo-Carigara Road section is classified as a tertiary road, measuring 4.608 kilometers and sharing boundaries with Leyte First DEO. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
TACLOBAN CITY – Fire victims in Calbayog City received financial assistance from the provincial government and Rep. Stephen James Tan.
The fire victims lost their houses when a fierce fire hit the village of Carmen and part of Obrero on Tuesday early morning.
The fire office in the city, as of press time, has yet to determine the cause of the fire.
The fire victims received P20,000 on April 18 attended by Rep. Tan, City Mayor Raymund Uy, and a representative of Governor Sharee Ann Tan.
At least 215 families were left homeless during the fire that razed the villages of Carmen and Obrero.
“We always need to look at the brighter side, at least no one died during the fire. We always need to look forward. I hope that you will use this cash assistance for rebuilding your homes,” Rep. Tan said during the distribution.
The solon provided P10,000 cash assistance while the remaining amount of the P20,000 was provided by the provincial government.
In his message, Mayor Raymund Uy was thankful to all those who immediately provided assistance to the city government and to the fire victims themselves.
“We are thankful for all this help, and we hope this will give strength to our fire victims to recover fast and continue to go on with their life and live normally,” the city mayor said.
Mayor Uy also expressed his optimism that the cash assistance from the provincial government and Rep. Tan will help the victims a lot to start rebuilding their homes.
All fire victims are temporarily staying at the city’s sports convention center.
Mayor Uy disclosed Sen. Bato de la Rosa and the city government of Maasin also pledged to provide assistance to the fire victims.
He added that the city government is also planning to provide permanent houses to them.
“We wanted that if we relocate you, the lot where you will be staying will already be in your name, that you own it. A property that no one may use during election to threaten you. A property that you will pay for a certain amount and you can give as an inheritance to you children,” Mayor Uy added. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
People had been captivated by the techno fad of communications that most are frantic about being connected. The fastness of information had practically reduced the globe like one mote in a web. What used to be distant places across the globe are now too near akin to just on ones palm. Messages that used to travel across the miles over the months are not longer so as the miles today seem too short a traversable distance in a few ticks of the second. The communication cycle had truly been cut short and made of the clearest signal to rid of undesirable distortions. The advancement in communications technology is by and by a boon in many aspects. It had made life tremendously convenient as time is used to the optimum efficiency. The long wait for message transmission and feedback is now a matter of a click of a button.
Many are unwittingly unaware of the fundamental truth that we can never say no to communication. It is the means by which we are able to relate with our fellow beings and there is no way evading such means. Whether one makes a reply or not to a particular communication, there is always to the message sender a feedback that comes in many forms. Even if the recipient of a particular message purposely ignores the message or sends the same to the trash bin, the sender will in some way receive a feedback message. A no reply is not really so for to the sender such act of the receiver is reply in itself. It may mean to the sender that the receiver did not hear or receive the message or is too inutile and incapable of sending back a reply.
The unfortunate thing however is that the feedback out of a no reply often sends the wrong signals to the sender. Gut perception about the response is likely inaccurate and is just too good to be true. It is not unlike the situation when message sender formulates his own responses to fill the gap created. It is thus always the better option to make clear ones response so that there will be no miscommunication or worse, misunderstanding. Clear and express communication that bears the true message is still the best rather than keeping it hanging, distorted and confusing. This is not much on the technology but on the persons’ ability to make clear and true messages that promotes understanding.
One important point that communicators must never forget or even set aside is the fact that meanings are in people. It is misplaced connotation to consider dictionaries as containing meanings as what are found in it are definitions. Meanings vary depending on the individual’s experiences and perceptions. In this era of high technology communications, people must exercise prudence in sending messages that might sow misunderstanding instead of good relations. The tendency to be quick often led to unforced errors that sometimes result in destructive repercussions.
The challenge upon every person is to make communications a useful tool to promote peace, harmony and understanding. With the advance gadgets that afford quick communications, there is more reason to be extra cautious so that only what is good and what is true are sent across people across the globe. We must be responsible in choosing the information that we must spread to others. This is the only way that we can do our share in maintaining harmony and understanding, two essential elements to world peace and progress. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
THE story of the 2 disciples on their Emmaus (cfr. Lk 24,13-35) tells us that we can always count on God to help us, intervening in our lives in a most crucial way, whenever for one reason or another we find ourselves depressed and demoralized. We should never forget this truth of our faith, especially because in our life we will always have many occasions that can cause us frustration and sadness.
We need to trust in God’s providence and mercy. We have to learn to live a spirit of abandonment in the hands of God. Yes, if we have faith in God, in his wisdom and mercy, in his unfailing love for us, we know that everything will always work out for the good. If we are with God, we can always dominate whatever suffering can come our way in the same manner that Christ absorbed all his passion and death on the cross.
Let’s always remember that God, in his ineffable ways, can also talk to us through these crosses. In fact, he can convey precious messages and lessons through them. It would be good that we have a theological attitude toward them, and be wary of our tendency to react to them in a purely human way, based only on our senses and feelings and on worldly trends.
In all our affairs and situations in life, we should always go to God to ask for his help and guidance, and to trust his ways and his providence, even if the outcome of our prayers and petitions appears unanswered, if not, contradicted.
This should be the attitude to have. It’s an attitude that can only indicate our unconditional faith and love for God who is always in control of things, and at the same time can also leave us in peace and joy even in the worst of the possibilities.
Remember the Book of Ecclesiastes where it says that for everything there is a season, “a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal…” But everything is under God’s control.
We have to follow the example of the many characters in the gospel who, feeling helpless in the many predicaments they were in, earnestly rushed to Christ for some succor. They went to him unafraid and unashamed and they got what they wanted.
It may happen that we may not get what we want. And in this, we should not be too surprised or too worried. What is sure is that God always listens and gives us what is best for us.
In those situations, I believe we just have to allow ourselves to play in God’s game plan, in his abiding providence whose designs are beyond reckoning, or are way beyond our comprehension and appreciation.
In this life, we need to develop a sportsman’s attitude, since life is like a game. Yes, life is like a game, because we set out to pursue a goal, we have to follow certain rules, we are given some means, tools and instruments, we train and are primed to win and do our best, but defeats can always come, and yet, we just have to move on.
We need a sporting spirit because life’s true failure can come only when we choose not to have hope. That happens when our vision and understanding of things is narrow and limited, confined only to the here and now and ignorant of the transcendent reality of the spiritual and supernatural world.
