NAVAL, Biliran- The Department of Education (DepEd)–Biliran Division recently launched five new public school districts in addition to its existing nine districts and installed officers in-charge.
Two new districts were added to the existing two districts of the municipality of Naval, and one new district to the municipalities of Cabucgayan, Caibiran, and Kawayan.
Newly-installed officers-in-charge were Luzviminda Flores, Elsie Tan, Aida Cabrera, Dr. Alma Atibula, and Dr. Armando Laude.
The entire DepEd-Division of Biliran is now composed of 14 districts with the corresponding district supervisors and schools covered: Naval Public School District I under Charita Bernardes covers Agpangi Elementary School (ES), Sabang Elementary School, Atipolo Elementary School, Sto. Nino Elementary School, Cornelio Limpiado Elementary School, Fidel Limpiado National High School, and Naval Central Sped as its center.
Naval Public School District II under Elsie Tan covers San Pablo Elementary School, Borac Elementary School, Anislagan Elementary School, Catmon Elementary School, Haguikhican Elementary School, Naval Night High School, Naval School of Fisheries, and Caraycaray Central School as center.
Naval Public School District III under Alma Cabrera covers Larrazabal Elemetary School, Cabungaan Elemenary School, VillacanejaEs, LibtongDaku Elementary School, LibtongGamay Elementary School, Naval National High School, and Calumpang Elementary School as center.
Naval Public School District IV under Dr. Armando Laude covers Naval National High School, P. S. Eamiguel Elementary School, Lico Elementary School, Capinahan Elementary School, Eden Elementary School, Villaconsuelo Elementary School, Imelda Elementary School, Talustusan Elementary School, and Lucsoon Elementary Sschool as center.
Cabucgayan Public School District I under Dr. Ronico Amistoso covers Cabucgayan National High School, Casiawan ES, Caanibongan Elementary Sschool, Looc Elementary School, Balaquid Elementary School, and Cabucgayan Central School as center.
Cabucgayan Public School District II under Florida Bunani covers Cabucgayan National School of Arts and Trades, Capayas Elementary School, JD Garcia Elementary School, Pawikan Elementary School, Talibong Elementary School, Salawad Elementary Sschool, Langgao Elementary School, and Bunga Elementary School as center.
Caibiran Public School District I under Marilyn Gervacio covers Asug Elementary School, Bariis Elementary School, Looc Elementary School, Manlabang Elementary School, Maurang Elementary School, Union Integrated School, Mainit Elementary School, Caibiran National High School, and Uson Elementary School as center.
Caibiran Public School District II under Dr. Alma Cabusor covers ICT High School, Katipunan Elementary School, Cabibihan Elementary School, Alegria Elementary School, Binohangan Elementary School, Kaulangohan Elementary School, Kawayanon Elementary School, PulangYuta Elementary School, Tomalistis Elementary School, and Caibiran Central Sped as center.
Kawayan Public School District I under Rocleo Plecerda covers Kawayan National High School, Masagongsong Elementary School, L. Atillo Elementary Sschool, Balacson Elementary School, Kansanoc Elementary School, TubigGuinoo Elementary School, Masagaosao Elementary School, Bulalacao Elementary School, Bilwang Elementary School, Burabod Elementary School, Mapuyo Elementary School, and Kawayan Central School as center.
Kawayan Public School District II under Dr. Alma Atibula covers Tucdao National High School, Inasuyan Integrated School, San Lorenzo Elementary School, Villa Cornejo Elementary School, Baganito Elemetary School, L. E. Gozon Elementary School, Ungale I Elementary School, Ungale II Elementary School, and Tucdao Elementary School as center.
The entire Almeria Public School District is now under Dr. Gerardo Paghid, Biliran Public School District under Francisco Corpin, Culaba Public School District under Luzviminda Flores, and Maripipi Public School District under Inocencio Malinog.
Ramir Uytico, DepEd regional director, said the splitting of populated districts is aimed at making management, monitoring, and transfer of information and technology easier.
The supervisors will also have more time in planning and making innovations with few schools and less population to manage in their areas of responsibility.
Uytico personally attended last June 29 at the Naval Gymnasium, the launching and installation, and presented the special orders to Rep.Rogelio Espina whom he called as “DepEd congressman” as a way of thanking him for his continuous support and all the good things he did to DepEd-Biliran. (PIA8-Biliran)

TACLOBAN CITY — The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) chaired by Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez have lined up several activities for the observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month. Several Disaster Drills in the City Barangays will be conducted for the whole month of July.
The CDRRMC will have the following activities on July 16 to 17, and July 18 to 19: orientation and simultaneous earthquake, fire, landslide and evacuations drills at Northern Tacloban City National High School (TCNHS), and Marasbaras Elementary School. Drills will also be conducted on July 30-31 and August 1 and 2 at Sagkahan National High School and Manlurip Elementary School.
From July 22 to 27 a Regional Rescue Jamboree will be hosted by the local government of Tacloban at Baluarte Beach Resort. Disaster Risk Reduction Councils from different local government units and disaster responders will participate in the event that will highlight the following training and activities: mountain search and rescue, water search and rescue, high angle search and rescue, mangrove tree planting and clean-up drives in selected areas in the city.
Meantime on Monday, July 9, the CDRRMC, along with other line offices of the city government participated in the pre-testing activity of the Revised Disaster Preparedness Manual at the Department of Interior and Local Government Conference Room organized by the Local Government Academy.
The manual aptly named “Operation Listo” was formulated in 2014 by the DILG and had its first rollout in 2016. The manual is intended for use by the local government units in the preparation of disaster preparedness plans.
Recently, the manual was enhanced to include a consolidated preparedness checklist.
A simulation exercise highlighted the pre-testing activity which was aimed at assessing the usability of the manual and gather feedback on how to improve its content and implementation strategies.
The activities are geared towards learned vigilance, people’s readiness, and community preparedness against any disaster contingency. The theme of this year’s observance is “Katatagan sa Kalamidad ay Makakamtan Kapag Sapat ang Kaalaman sa Kahandaan.” (CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)

TACLOBAN CITY- The National Electrification Administration (NEA) administrator Edgardo Masongsong is confident that the power rate in the region would reduce with all of its 11 electric cooperatives attaining a triple A category.
The NEA administrator assured that with the triple A categories of almost all electric cooperatives in the region, power rates is bound to reduce.
At present, the average power rate in the region is at P9.35 per kilowatt hour.
Masongsong said that except for the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco), all the electric cooperatives in the region are now categorized as triple A, the highest category being given by NEA to an electric cooperative in the country.
“It is the first time that almost all electric cooperatives in a region is categorized triple A except for one,” the NEA administrator said.
Masongsong explained that although Norsamelco is the lone electric cooperative who failed to achieve a triple A category, it has shown tremendous improvement for the past years now which could led for it to achieve a triple A rating.
Report of mismanagement has led Norsamelco, the electric cooperative which covers the entire Northern Samar province, for it to be declared in the brink of bankruptcy which resulted for the NEA to take over its management in 2013.
Masongsong added that performance is not only about achieving a triple A category but also by reducing the systems loss and achieving a 100 percent collection efficiency which could lead to a reduction of power rate.
The 11 electric cooperatives in the region have been consistently efficient on their financial, institutional, and technical areas of operation thus the category.
The performance rating is based on two criteria, namely, the Key Performance Standards or KPS (80 percent) and the electric cooperatives classification (ECC) (20 percent).
The KPS cover 32 financial, institutional, technical and reportorial compliances indicators and standards, while the ECC covers seven financially driven standards and parameters, including power accounts to the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines.
Using the KPS and ECC, corresponding ratings were given to scores garnered by ECs, as follows: 95-100 =AAA; 90-94=AA; 85-89=A; 75-84=B; 50-74=C; and 49 and below=D.
Masongsong attended the first ever regional Lumens Awards held in Calbayog City Friday giving recognition to the achievements of the electric cooperatives in the region.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

Killings of mayors

TACLOBAN CITY-While they are concerned on the killings involving mayors, Leyte mayors still considers the incidents as ‘isolated.’
This was disclosed by Barugo town Mayor Ma. Rosario Avestruz, spokesperson of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines-Leyte chapter.
Avestruz, in a phone interview Thursday (July 5), was reacting on the killings just days apart of Mayor Antonio Halili of Batangas City, Bataan, and Mayor Ferdinand Bote of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija.
The incidents, which are still under investigations by police authorities, raised fears among mayors of the country.
“While we are concerned on these incidents, we still consider them as isolated case(s). We don’t see them as really targeting the mayors,” Avestruz said.
The Barugo mayor, who is serving on her first term, said that their league will convene sometime next week to formally discuss the matter.
Avestruz added that all of the 41 town mayors of Leyte will continue to have their police security escorts.
“We continue to support all the programs of President Duterte,” she said.
About 10 mayors of the country have been killed under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte among them was the mayor of Albuera, Leyte in 2016.
Mayor Rolando Espinosa was gunned down inside his cell at the Leyte sub-provincial jail in Baybay City on November 5,2016 by members of the Criminal Investigation Group (CIDG) purportedly to serve a warrant for illegal possession of firearm.
Espinosa was tagged by Mr. Duterte as among the country’s mayors who are in the illegal drug trade.
His son, Kerwin, is now detained at Camp Crame due to his alleged drug-dealing activities which he is denying.
Meantime, Marjorie Jaramilla, regional president of Mr.Duterte’s political party, PDP-Laban,downplayed the killing incidents involving some of the country’s mayors.
Jaramilla said that it is not the policy of the administration of Mr. Duterte to kill mayors or any one.
“I think it is not fair to blame the President on these killings. He has nothing in mind but for the goodness of the country and the Filipino people,” she said in a separate interview.
She also assured the mayors, at least in the region, that they have the support of the President as they implement their respective programs and projects.
She disclosed that more than 90 percent of the region’s 143 city and town mayors are now aligned with the PDP-Laban.

BY: JOEY A. GABIETA

TACLOBAN CITY — Food gardening is seen as a strategy to combat malnutrition among children in Eastern Visayas, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) said as the country celebrates Nutrition Month.
Citing surveys, NNC regional program coordinator Catalino Dotollo said only 67 percent of households in the country have vegetable gardens, depriving families from consuming nutritious foods.
During the Nutrition Month launching in this city on Tuesday (July 3), Dotollo said non-consumption of vegetables due to absence of food garden contributed to high rates of stunting and underweight in Eastern Visayas.
In 2017, about 20.8 percent of children in Eastern Visayas suffered growth stunting while 9.8 percent of them are underweight. Most of these children are in poverty-stricken Samar provinces.
“Household food security is an essential measure of nutritional status and health. Data from the National Nutrition Surveys show that the percent of households with daily intake below the recommended 100 percent dietary energy requirement, actually increased from 57 percent in 2003 to 66.9 percent in 2008,” Dotollo explained.
The survey also revealed that 28.6 percent of mothers and caregivers experienced food insecurity. Among households, 72.7 percent were considered food insecure because they suffered anxiety that food may run out before they can get money to buy more, according to Dotollo.
The NNC has tied up with the Department of Agriculture and other agencies to promote the establishment of food gardens.
“Food gardens address food and nutrition security by providing direct access to a variety of nutritionally-rich foods, increase purchasing power from savings, and generate additional income,” Dotollo added.
The agri sector is encouraged to issue policies supportive of food gardens, provision of free seminars and trainings on gardening, provision of seeds and other planting materials, promotion of food gardening, promotion of urban gardening in cities and municipalities.
Other recommended activities include documentation of successful food gardens, local dietary supplementation programs to source ingredients from local food gardens, food gardening contests, organizing farmers’ markets to provide a venue to sell produce from food gardens, and conduct of village cooking contests using harvested produce.
Nutrition Month is a yearly campaign held every July to create greater awareness among Filipinos on the importance of nutrition. Presidential Decree 491 or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines mandates the NNC to lead and coordinate the nationwide campaign.
The chosen theme for this year is “Ugaliing magtanim, sapat an nutrisyon aanihin!”
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)