TACLOBAN CITY – The province of Leyte produced the high volume of palay in Eastern Visayas for the fourth quarter of 2018, a report from the regional office of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.
Wilma Perante, PSA regional director, told Leyte Samar Daily Express in an interview said that among the provinces, Leyte produced the highest volume of palay at 151,805 metric ton(MT) which comprised more than half (52.2 percent) of the total palay production in the region.
Eastern Samar, meanwhile, had the lowest volume of production (17,946 MT) accounting for only 6.2 percent.
Perante reported that the palay production of the region slightly decreased to 290,871 metric tons (MT) in the 4th quarter of 2018 from 293,419 MT in the 4th quarter of 2017, a decline by 0.9 percent.
“Decreases were observed among all provinces, except in Samar and Leyte, which posted increases at 17.0 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively. Northern Samar recorded the highest decrease in production by 35.8 percent, from 31,141 MT in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 20,000 MT in the 4th quarter of 2018,” Perante said.
The total area harvested for palay in the region went down by 1.2 percent, from 78,949 hectares in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 78,017 hectares in the 4th quarter of 2018. Northern Samar contributed largely to this decrease posting a drop of 36.7 percent, Perante added.
Leyte recorded almost half or 47.8 percent (37,298 hectares) of the total area harvested for palay during the quarter in review, while Eastern Samar contributed the least (4,931 hectares) accounting for only 6.3 percent, the source said.
Perante also reported that the yield per hectare for palay in the region slightly increased by 0.3 percent, from 3.72 MT per hectare in the 4th quarter of 2017 to 3.73 MT per hectare in the same quarter of 2018.
Among the provinces, Biliran posted the highest yield per hectare during the quarter in review at 4.44 MT per hectare, while Samar registered the lowest at 2.79 MT per hectare, she said.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

BORONGAN CITY- District Engineer Manolo A. Rojas of Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH-ESDEO) said that 107 projects will be implemented in Eastern Samar this 2019.
“Our total appropriation for this year 2019 once approved is worth P1.6 billion, this includes improvement of shoulders and drainage system, slope protections along landslide prone areas particularly in Llorente and Giporlos, flood control projects, roads leading to tourism destinations and other local infra projects,” district engineer Rojas said.
District engineer Rojas also revealed that the decrease of the budget allotment from P2.2 billion to P1.6 billion is due to prioritization of projects for the implementation of cash based budgeting wherein agency will complete the projects within a year.
Last year accomplishments, district engineer Rojas disclosed that DPWH ESDEO got 97.01% on the overall physical delivery rate of CY 2018 infrastructure projects.
DPWH ESDEO has accomplished the following: constructed and rehabilitated about 55.79 kilometers of secondary national road; rehabilitated and retrofitted 849.5 linear meter of bridges; undertook 20 flood control projects and completely constructed a total of 56 infrastructure projects like local roads, farm-to-market roads, water systems, multi-purpose buildings and tourism road.
Additionally, DPWH ESDEO also accomplished convergence projects of non-infrastructure agencies in which it built 2.698 kilometers of farm-to-market roads under Department of Agriculture, constructed 37 school building projects under the Department of Education’s Basic Education Facilities Fund and repaired 16 river landing projects under the Department of Transportation.
DPWH ESDEO is one of the top performing districts nationwide in year 2018, a consistent awardee of the monthly nationwide ranking of high absorptive capacity and an outright compliant of the DO 41 “Amending Policy on the Maintenance of National Roads and Bridges” for the three consecutive years.
“ESDEO will continue to give its best service to people of Eastern Samar through quality and safe infrastructure projects,” said district engineer Rojas. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here in the region is gearing up for the global celebration of International Day of the Forests (IDF) on Thursday (March 21).
DENR-8 Regional Executive Director Crizaldy Barcelo said that the department prioritizes forest protection and end of illegal logging operations this year.
Thus, DENR’s forest protection activities all relate to the objectives of the celebration of IDF which is to raise awareness on how sustainability managed forests contributes to the environment Barcelo added.
Barcelo disclosed that forest secure the soil and water resources, mitigate climate change, provide habitat for animals and livelihood for human; thus, its relevance could not be underestimated.
To enhance public awareness and strengthen forest protection in Eastern Visayas, Barcelo ordered DENR field officials to conduct massive information, education and communication campaigns, strictly monitor timber poaching activities in their areas of responsibility, and closely coordinate with apprehending authorities for the conduct of anti-timber poaching operations.
Their office has also intensify in the implementation of a biodiversity protection system using advanced technology called LAWIN Protection System.
Using mobile application called cyber tracker, users and patrollers from DENR report real-time environmental abuses from the site.
This system is used in identifying threats within forest conservation areas such as cutting, perennial farming, forest fires, and pests and diseases, as well as in recommending immediate action to identified threats during patrol works.
Barcelo vowed to run after individuals and groups destroying the forest of region 8.
“In instances of apprehension and confiscation of forest products, it is regrettable that trees were already cut, but the department is sending a strong message to the culprits that their action will not be left unpunished” the DENR regional executive director said.
Sanctions will be imposed to violators of forestry laws as a way of emphasizing to the public that forests are important.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar stressed anew that discussions on the country’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) is moot as Philippines has never been a party to the Hague-based tribunal and even if it were, ICC has no cause to intervene because the country has a capable and robust justice system.
In a phone patch interview on Monday with Magik Tacloban, Sec. Andanar reiterated the Palace’s position that Philippines was never a party to the Rome Statute, which created the ICC, because the treaty was never published in the Official Gazette or any newspaper of general circulation.
The treaty thereby failed to meet the publication requirement for a law to become effective in the country under the New Civil Code.
The PCOO Chief remarked, “Ignorance of the law excuses no one but only if the law is published and everyone was given the time to read the law. So kapag hindi mo na-publish, ibig sabihin hindi binigyan lahat ng pagkakataon na malaman kung ano ang nakasaad dito sa [Rome Statute]. Therefore, hindi po talaga tayo kasama sa ICC just like the US, China, Russia at napakarami pang bansang di kasali d’yan.”
“Naglabas po ng statement ang US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at sinabi nga po n’ya na kung sinuman ang mga ICC personnel na pumasok sa America para imbestigahan ang kanilang mga diumano’y war crime or human rights violations sa Afghanistan ay di po bibigyan ng visa,” he added.
The Communications Secretary also noted that ICC can only act if the state party is unwilling or incapable of dispensing justice. This is not the case, however, in the Philippines. He emphasized, “Ang ating justice system ay gumugulong…gumagana po. Lahat ng human rights violations ay kinakasuhan. Kita niyo naman, ‘yung pumatay kay Kian dito sa Caloocan ay kinasuhan na. Walang exempted sa batas dito sa ating bansa.”
A Caloocan court has already sentenced three cops for killing Kian Loyd delos Santos during one of the government’s anti-illegal drugs operations in the area.
The Philippines’ withdrawal from the Rome Statute became final on Sunday, a year after the country formally submitted its letter of withdrawal. As stated in its letter to the ICC, the Philippines decision to withdraw was a “principled stand against those who politicize and weaponize human rights.” (PR)