TACLOBAN CITY- Two queens were crowned separately in glittering ceremonies on Friday (June 22) night as they are to serve as ambassadress of goodwill, respectively.
Julie Ann Tarrayo, who hails from Northern Samar, bested 11 candidates to win this year’s Miss Pintados during a glitzy ceremonies held at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo town.
“If I will be Miss Pintados, I will advocate and raise my voice to spread awareness about the children’s rights which under the Presidential Decree 603 or the Child and Youth Welfare Code, every child has the right for a balance diet, adequate clothing, sufficient shelter and proper medical attention. In the case of street children, if the parents can’t take care of them, the state can come to protect because every child has the right to live a normal life,” Tarrayo’s winning response on the final question when asked what would be her advocacy should she wins the crown.
Aside from the crown, Tarrayo also won a trip to Hong Kong and P60,000 cash prize. She also bagged the best in swimwear special award.
Angela Milvie Bucu of Tacloban City was hailed as the first runner-up winning cash prize worth P40,000 while Carissa Maynette Domingo of Tanauan, Leyte was declared second runner-up; Nana Typhoor Quilapo of Paranas, Samar was third runner-up and Mystymyles Jude Zaragoza of Palompon, Leyte was fourth runner-up.
During the same ceremonies, which was hosted by young actor Enzo Pineda and Miss World-Philippines 1st Princess 2017 Glyssa Perez, Amanda Rudi Cinco from Catbalogan City was named as this year’s Miss Teen Pintados. She won P60,000 and a trip to Hong Kong.
Meantime, Cassandra Marie Lee snared the Miss Tacloban 2018 crown, besting 11 other equally beautiful candidates.
The Miss Tacloban beauty and brain search was held at the Tacloban Convention Center which was hosted by concert queen Pops Fernandez.
The 24-year old Lee is an active member of the Tacloban City Rescue Unit (Tacru) and is now on her final year as a hotel and restaurant management student.
As Miss Tacloban, Lee received P50,000 cash prize and get to wear a newly-made crown designed by a noted Venezuelan crown maker.
Lee, who stands 5’5, also received some of the special awards like best in evening gown
Declared as her first runner-up was Ivy Mae de Mesa while Khristel Loirah Pulga, second runner-up; Marie Carmen Songalia, third runner-up and Kimberly Rose Ruedas, fourth runner-up.
The runners-up also received their trophies and cash prizes.
The Miss Tacloban is being organized by the Sangyaw Foundation in coordination with the city government of Tacloban while Miss Pintados is organized by the Pintados Foundation.
Both beauty searches are held as part of the annual city fiesta of Tacloban which honor its patron Senior Santo Niño.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA/GAY B. GASPAY)
This year’s Miss Tacloban, Miss Pintados crowned in separate glittering ceremonies
Officials from Zamboanga Peninsula sees EV tourism program as a model
Visited some of EV’s tourist attractions
INOPACAN, Leyte – A group of tourism and city officials from Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) visited some of the tourist attractions of the region and observed its best practices relative to tourism.
In particular, the visiting officials would like to know how the booming cruise tourism of the region could be replicated on their area.
Their visit to this town coincided with the arrival of an international cruise ship, M/S L’Austral, which had 200 foreign tourists on board last week.
Zamboanga Peninsula Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that just like Eastern Visayas, the Mindanao region could also cash in on cruise tourism.
Tiopes, who was once the regional tourism director of Eastern Visayas, said that Zamboanga Peninsula could be a good marketed for cruise tourism becuase of its rich historical, heritage and cultural diversity which tourists will truly love and enjoy.
“Zamboanga Peninsula is in Mindanao; medyo malalim lang ang kultura because we have a lot of indigenous peoples, the Muslim people. So actually we have three group of people who are living harmoniously,” she said.
“I said harmoniously because the conflict there are just a pocket conflict and we tend to look at the conflict more than what is really real which is people living together well and harmoniously,” Tiopes added.
For Svetlana Jalosjos of the Dakak Resort and Properties, said that they are excited to learn about the cruise tourism of the region saying that this could be replicated on their region.
“We always thought that it is possible but to see it in action is so empowering because it doesn’t take so much but just imagination and of course cooperation between the local government unit, the Department of Tourism, and the private sector and this is I think the perfect mix where we see it work hand-in-hand in a successful form,” she said.
“This is something that we envisioned for our place and aspire towards and now we see it is so much doable,” Jalosjos added.
Zamboanga Peninsula, while boosting several natural and historical attractions, is plague with security problems which is affecting its tourism industry.
“May tourist attractions naman tayo dun but due to martial law, Marawi siege, medyo nag-decline. But now it is recuperating slowly and we just have to come with new strategy that is why are here to learn what DOT in Region 8 is doing so we can duplicate it our place,” Dapitan City Councilor Danny Estacio said.
“You see ang tourism kasi is never ending yan.You have to learn it is a learning process and tourism now is a big industry we could give income to our local constituents, economic activity that could spur, improve their standard of living,” he added.
After witnessing how cruise tourism works, during their June 19 to 24 visit, the group went to Baybay City where they visited the 16,000 Blossoms at Linta-on Peak, Ormoc City; Biliran to benchmark on its farm-tourism, and Samar where they visit the towns of Paranas for the Olot Torpedo Boat Ride and the Sohoton Cave in Basey, both are model for community-based tourism in Eastern Visayas.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
DOE warns public on danger of using refilled butane gas cylinders
NAVAL,Biliran – The Department of Energy (DOE) has warned against the use of refilled butane gas cylinder saying it could prove to be a disaster.
Rey Maleza, chief science research specialist of the DOE-Visayas, said that as part of their campaign against the use of refilling butane gas cylinder, they will launch a massive information campaign in the country, to include in the region.
He said that portable camping stove should only be used outdoors and not indoors, because they are not compliant with the standards of LPG centers.
He noted that although butane gas is cheaper and handy to consumers, refilled butane canister is hazardous because its cylinder has a tendency to bulge than liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which uses heavy metal valve.
“It is very dangerous because when there is too much pressure due to reusing, the tendency is to expand, which causes leak in the canister that will lead to fire,” he explained.
Maleza said that they will not run after the retailers who are selling refilled cylinders but will apprehend the users and illegal refilling stations.
The DOE encourages consumers to report to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) illegal refilling stations and households patronizing refilled butane gas.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
RDC to monitor 188 Eastern Visayas projects
TACLOBAN CITY- At least 188 major projects have been listed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) as priority for monitoring this year in Eastern Visayas, citing its importance to the attainment of regional development goals and targets.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Bonifacio Uy, chair of the RDC’s Regional Project Monitoring Committee (RPMC), said there are only 188 projects picked by the body for monitoring given the “limited technical and logistical resources.”
“We prioritize programs and projects to be monitored by RPMC based on the reports submitted by the implementing agencies,” Uy said.
These projects include post-“Yolanda” reconstruction activities; resettlement sites in Tacloban City, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Biliran; livelihood projects; irrigations; social infrastructure; agriculture and fishery; road and bridges; roads leading to tourism destinations; roads in conflict-stricken areas; seaports; and airports.
Uy said the project monitoring initiative by RDC members both from government and private sector will help ensure timely implementation of programs and projects critical to the attainment of goals in the 2017-2022 Regional Development Plan.
The official said programs and projects with substantial negative slippage and problems in implementation have been the priority for field monitoring and problem solving sessions.
RDC Co-Chair Roy Bernard Fiel urged RPMC to link the NEDA Region 8 monitoring system with similar existing tools of implementing government agencies.
“Our proposal was to create a technical working group to study the possibility of harmonizing all monitoring systems of all agencies,” Fiel said in a separate interview.
The RPMC is RDC’s project monitoring arm responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of priority programs and projects implemented in the region, particularly those that are encountering implementation bottlenecks and projects that are worthy for replication.
The body forwards monitoring reports and recommendations generated during the problem-solving sessions to the council for information and appropriate action.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
DPWH’s 4th engineering district practices earthquake drill
ORMOC CITY- As part of the disaster and risk reduction management programs of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte Fourth District Engineering Office (DEO), the office conducted the second earthquake drill this year.
DPWH conducts earthquake drills every quarter to equip all employees with the proper skills and abilities to avoid any injuries in the event of an earthquake or fire. To help with this activity, the Bureau of Fire Protection assessed the performance of the DEO during the entire process to enable each one to further improve.
The drill started at the sound of a siren. Everyone, alert of the signal, immediately performed the drop, cover, and hold sequence.
As the sound ended, everyone continued to cover their heads with their hands or some hard material to protect them from any falling debris and proceeded outside the building. Everyone then counted themselves off to ensure no one was left behind. It was found out that there was a member missing.
Two members were then sent to check back on the missing member and check if there were still people inside the building. After seeing an injured member, the team hurried outside to fetch a stretcher which they used to carry the injured member outside and into the ambulance.
After the drill, the BFP informed the team that compared to the last time, the DEO improved. DE Gonzalez also congratulated the team and continued to remind each one about the importance of these drills. (PR)
Leyte’s best festivals to be showcased in Tacloban fiesta
TACLOBAN CITY -Leyte province will showcase its best cultural-religious celebrations in the upcoming Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.
Although only five contingents are joining the parade and ritual presentations on June 27, some of them were champions in previous competitions.
Joining this year’s festivals are the Tribu Buraburon of Burauen, Leyte; Heraite of Leyte, Leyte; Sanggutan of Barugo, Leyte; Tribu Pasaka of Tanauan, Leyte; and Solosogui of Balangiga, Eastern Samar.
Tribu Buraburon was last year’s grand champion of Pintados-Kasadyaan and the winner of Aliwan Fiesta 2018 in Pasay City.
Groups from the towns of Tanauan and Barugo were champions in the past province-wide competition.
Palo, Leyte Mayor Remedios Petilla, Pintados- Kasadyaan Festival executive committee chairperson, said some local government officials backed out of the contest due to budget constraints and lack of preparations.
“All contingents wanted to win. They don’t want to join the festival if they’re not well-prepared. For this year, dancers from these five festivals are ready to awe spectators,” Petilla told reporters during a press briefing at the RTR Plaza Friday afternoon.
The official is optimistic that showcasing local festivals is an effective way to attract tourists as it presents local culture and history through ritual dance, music, and merry-making.
“Towns with much improved festivals attract visitors during fiesta. People who are in Manila and abroad are proud of their festivals and share photos in their social media accounts,” Petilla said.
Now on its 23rd year, the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals brings together the diverse, vibrant and colorful festivals from the different towns in the province of Leyte and other participating festivals from its sister islands of Samar and Biliran, as well as other provinces in the Visayas.
It is one of the most awaited events of Tacloban City’s fiesta celebrations this month in honor of its patron, the Señor Sto. Niño de Tacloban.
Leyte’s festivals have brought fame and fortune to various champions, among them the Buyogan Festival of Abuyog, Burauen’s Buraburon, Tanauan’s Pasaka Festival and Lingganay Festival of Alang-alang, having bested other festivals in the country and emerged as champions in such prominent festivals as Sinulog of Cebu and the annual national Aliwan Fiesta – Battle of Festival champions in Manila.
On the other hand, the Pintados Festival was first celebrated on June 29, 1987 when a group of businessmen belonging to the Pintados Foundation, Inc. came up with this event to showcase Leyte and Samar’s early tattooed inhabitants called Pintados, and their rich cultural heritage and indigenous music and dance.
For Pintados, seven contingents are joining the smaller festival, mostly from this city and nearby towns.
In 1998, the Pintados and the Leyte Kasadyaan were merged into one big attraction called the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)