ORMOC CITY– The Leyte fourth district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (4th DEO-DPWH) posted an 84 percent accomplishments of its various projects.
This was disclosed by assistant district engineer (ADE) Irwin Antonio during a recently-held press conference.
According to ADE Antonio, as of October 15, 2018, the Leyte Fourth DEO posted 84% accomplishments for CY 2018 Projects.
“We are now on the last quarter of the year and out of 108 projects, 80 were already completed and 28 projects are nearing completion. We have a positive slippage in terms of actual accomplishments as compared to the planned project accomplishments target,” he said during the interview.
Projects implemented by the Leyte Fourth DEO includes network development – road widening of primary roads, construction of by-pass and diversion roads, construction/improvement of access roads leading to declared tourist destinations, flood management program, local infrastructure program – roads and bridges, buildings and other structures, among others.
Leyte fourth DEO will continue to render its service by implementing quality standards projects all throughout the 4th district of Leyte. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA-8) conducted a scholar’s orientation and held a memorandum of agreement signing to the newly-admitted scholars for Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP), and Education and Livelihood Assistance Program for the School Year 2018-2019.
A total of 130 scholars – 95 ODSP scholars, 15 EDSP scholars and 20 ELAP scholars – gathered at Ritz Tower de Leyte last October 29, 2018 for the said activities along with their parents and guardians.
The orientation and MOA signing was conducted in two batches due to the large numbers of newly admitted scholars for this school year, ODSP scholars from the provinces of Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar joined the first batch of the orientation in the morning whilst ODSP scholars from Leyte, the EDSP scholars and ELAP scholars were the one present in the afternoon session.
OIC Regional Director, Juliet Z. Tan, delivered the opening remarks to welcome and congratulate the present scholars and parents.
She gave encouraging words to the students and prompted them to always strive to reach their goal – to finish their studies.
She assured them that OWWA will be at their side in their journey of reaching this goal. Finally, she encourage them to listen carefully in the orientation and not to hesitate to raise their concerns and clarifications during the orientation.
Salient points contained in the scholarship agreement were discussed during the orientation.
The activity concluded with the signing of the memorandum of agreement between OWWA, the scholar and the parent.
EDSP scholars receive P60,000 financial assistance per school year, while ODSP scholars receive P20,000 and ELAP scholars receive P10,000 for college students, P8,000 for high school students and P5,000 for elementary pupils. OWWA accepts application for the different scholarship program two months prior the start of every school year.
(KATRINA D.OBEJERA/PR)

BORONGAN CITY- Some 5,000 Arteche residents and emergency rescue teams (ERTs) joined the 4th quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) in Arteche town as the world marked Tsunami Awareness Day on November 5.
Office of the Civil Defense (OCD)-8 Regional Director Henry Anthony Torres led the team from Tacloban City and some ERTs coming from Palapag, Northern Samar, Catbalogan and nearby towns like Dolores, Jipapad, Oras and DepEd personnel from other schools meaning to observe the drill.
Mayor Roland Evardone said that the drill is a big help to his people as Arteche town faces the vast Pacific Ocean, and is prone to tsunami.
At 8 a.m., the siren wailed off and as the public was instructed to ‘duck, cover and hold’ they obeyed so, and as the siren stopped, people rushed to their designated evacuation center with their emergency kits, the LGU had assigned five evacuation centers on higher grounds.
Maria Jenny Dagal, who owns a meat shop in town, showed her emergency kit with flashlight, biscuits, canned goods and a whistle.
“Kinahanglan an silbato kay bangin ako mawara, masilbato ako basi matad-an ak rescuers.” (I need the whistle to signal to rescuers that I am alive.)
Dagal said that her people were victims of Typhoon Ruby and that they are aware of disaster preparedness and get better each drill.
The NSED aims to test the efficiency and usefulness of the preparedness, response and recovery plans, systems and policies developed in various localities and offices.
In the aftermath, rescue of people injured, victims being ‘downloaded ‘ from second floor houses and the town hall were shown.
The covered gym became the incident command system, where Evardone serving as the incident commander was busy orchestrating the assessment and rescue efforts with ERTs along with Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Officer Natalio Operario, Jr.
In the evaluation, Eliot Lopez of Catbalogan City’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office suggested that Arteche acquire better equipment that can help rescue. He urged his counterpart to request the needed equipment.
Engr. Leonilo Jumagdao of the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways urged the OCD to perform the drill in other areas until everyone in Eastern Visayas has practiced the drill.
Sgt. Edwin Madeja of the 8th Infantry Division was impressed that people were rushing to higher grounds on their own, that they did not need any prodding except the disaster to push them to the evacuation centers.
Director Torres said he was impressed with the outcome of the drill and that the LGU though needing some fine tuning in their disaster preparedness have noted all observations and will act on it as promised by their youthful Mayor Evardone. (PIA 8-EASTERN SAMAR)

TACLOBAN CITY- The alliance between Hugpong ng Pagbabago and Tingog Sinirangan will bring more development in Eastern Visayas and uplift it from being the country’s second poorest region.
Leyte Rep.Yedda Marie Romualdez (1st district), the first nominee of Tingog Siniragan, said this following the brand of leadership of Hugpong founder and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.
“Mayor Duterte has the political ascendancy and credibility to lead other regional political parties towards the direction of regional development based on federalism, internal self-determination and inclusive economic growth, the political ideals to which both our two political parties strongly adhere,” she said.
“With this goal in mind, Tingog is committed to foster a strong partnership with Hugpong ng Pagbabago in pursuing the agenda of positive social change, economic growth, peace and order and security, and overall national development,” added Romualdez.
Duterte said that she formed Hugpong ng Pagbabago “to pursue the ideals of what we all want, a strong region, a secure life for our constituents, good governance and effective leadership of the members of the party.”
As a regional political party, Hugpong has a constituency that is spread over the present geographical territory of Region XI (Davao Region).
According to Rep. Romualdez, Tingog is willing to support “in whatever possible role that our party may undertake that would further the aims and mission of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, so that together we can be an effective voice that will serve the best interests of the people.”
Hugpong and Tingog along with Lakas-CMD national party headed by former Leyte First District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the husband of Rep. Romualdez, formally signed their alliance agreement on November 7 in Tacloban City.
A regional political party based in Eastern Visayas, Tingog “aims to be a champion for regional development.”
(RONALD O.REYES)

As he seeks for a second term

PALO, Leyte- Call it Machiavellian.
Thus, in essence, what Leyte Rep. Henry Ong describes the mayors in the district who expressed his support on his reelection bid but apparently now gravitated towards his opponent, Karen Javier.
When he filed his certificate of candidacy (CoC) on October 11, Ong confidently said that he has the support of the 14 mayors in the second district of Leyte.
But this apparently changed when Javier, wife of the president of the mayors’ league in the province, Leonardo Javier, filed her CoC, these mayors were also around to express their support on her congressional bid.
“Life goes on. I don’t know what are their plans. I will put my trust to the people they will decide eventually for the leaders who will serve them,” Ong, who is seeking for a second term, said.
He admitted that he was shocked on this turn-around of the mayors in the district though he was anticipating such acts of the mayors.
Among the most prominent on the congressional bid of Javier is Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla whose family helped Ong get elected in 2016, ending the dominance of the family of former congressman Sergio Apostol.
“It’s their call, ethically, morally. I don’t know what are their reasons; my trust is with the people who was behind me, since day one” Ong said, stressing that it’s the people of the district who will help him carry his congressional bid.
Rep. Ong said that despite of the political event in the district, he would not be distracted on his work for the benefit of the people.
“It’s heartwarming that I have been receiving messages of support from people whom I don’t really know personally expressing their support on me, especially after they learned on what the mayors did to me,” Ong, who chairs the committee on banks and financial intermediaries at the Lower House, said.
He also expressed his gratitude that his former nemeses, Sergio Apostol, appears to supporting on his reelection bid.
“I am thankful with the report. He is a good statesman. I welcome the day that we will talk and be friends with him” Ong said. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)