TACLOBAN CITY-Police B/Gen Bernard Banac has cited the local media’s vital role in ensuring a peaceful and orderly conduct of elections in the region.
Banac made this remark in a speech during the meet and greet meeting of the members of the PRO-8 Press Corps on Thursday night attended by media practitioners from Southern Leyte, Samar, Ormoc, and this city.
Information officers of the various provincial and city offices, led by Lt.Col. Bella Rentuaya, the regional police information officer, were also present.
PRO-8 officers and members renewed their commitment to support the police in their efforts as May 9 election is fast approaching.
Banac said that as members of PNP-8 Press Corps, the media have rendered a commitment to deliver free and truthful press, highlighting the role and contribution of the PNP in the public.
“Your work today is more consequential than ever because of the speed that the information can reach the general public, yet you remain steadfast in your dedication to media integrity,” Banac said.
Banac added that they are sworn to serve and protect as law enforcers of the land and that they will ensure public safety and security.
He also said that the police is committed to give honest and fair public service at the same time asking the media for an impartial and up-to-date reporting, especially with the coming elections.
He also vowed to accord media the necessary measures to guarantee safety as they perform their duties.
The police regional director also assured the members of the press that Eastern Visayas will be a ‘safe haven’ for them as they continue to provide information to the people of the region.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
B/Gen. Banac assures media workers that EV will be a ‘safe haven’ for them as they carry out their duties
Over 200 cops to be deployed in Samar
To ensure a peaceful, safe balloting
TACLOBAN CITY-At least 230 policemen are to be deployed to Samar province for election-related duties and to ensure that the conduct of balloting there will be peaceful and orderly.
This was disclosed by B/Gen. Bernard Banac, the police regional director for Eastern Visayas, who said that the police force will be deployed beginning March 1 and until the election period is over.
“We will deploy an additional number of police in Samar just to ensure that the conduct of the national and local elections in Samar will be safe, orderly, and peaceful elections,” he said.
“So as much as possible, we don’t want any untoward incident that will take place between now and until the election period is over,” Banac added.
According to the regional police director, the presence of the additional police force, who will come from the police regional police headquarters and who just finished their police trainings, will serve as a deterrent for any possible untoward incident relative to the forthcoming May 9 elections.
While the Commission on Elections, together with the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army in the region, has yet to identify any areas of concern or ‘hot spot areas’ in connection with the elections, some parts of Samar province have always been identified in the said category in previous elections.
Among these areas are the town of Santa Margarita and Calbayog City, where the additional police force are to be temporarily headquartered.
Incidentally, several shooting and killing incidents have been reported in these areas in previous weeks though Banac said that based on their initial reports, these were ordinary cases of homicide and not yet classified as election-related.
Meantime, Banac said that they will support any peace initiatives or covenants among candidates and other stakeholders in Samar and the rest of the region as a way that the balloting will be peaceful and orderly.
“WE are ready to participate in any peace covenants between and among candidates and other stakeholders. For now, our situation in Region 8 remains to be calm and whatever incidents that were reported are just isolated cases,” he said.
As this developed, the Regional Special Operations Task Group(RSOTG)-Samar was reactivated with Col. Jonathan Cabal, assistant police regional director for operations.
The special task force will focus and monitor any election-related incidents that may take place in Samar.
With just 80 days before the balloting, Banac assures of a peaceful, secure EV polls
TACLOBAN CITY- Police Regional Director Brigadier General Bernard Banac, this early, assures that Eastern Visayas will have a peaceful and orderly conduct of elections.
The police regional director issued this assurance during the launching of the Kasimbayanan or Kawani, Simbahan at Pamayanan, a multi-agency partnership that aims of a ‘secure, accurate, free and fair May 9, 2022 elections.’
“The launch of Kasimbayanan is our holistic and dynamic approach to include the Church and the Community into this central activity of the country. The Philippine National Police believes that the election is not only a concern of few sectors in the government; it is the general public’s inherent moral obligation to contribute to its safe and peaceful conduct,” Banac said.
As they aim to double their efforts in the forthcoming elections, the police regional office maintained that the activity will strengthen public engagement “by encouraging the communities and religious sectors to be involved in different safe-keeping programs and activities.”
“This may be a daunting task, but I am certain that we are more than capable of carrying it out. Let us bear in mind that the success of the elections lies in our hands,” Banac said.
The launch of Kasimbayan on February 18, 2022 saw the convergence of partner agencies and sectors, such as Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, Commission on Elections, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, and religious and community leaders.
The stakeholders also declared their pledge of commitment for non-partisan and peaceful elections.
(RONALD O. REYES)
Farmers produce organic products amid the COVID-19 pandemic
PALO, Leyte – The farmers in one of the Leyte towns are now producing organic agricultural products amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, a report from the Office of the Governor said.
Leyte Governor Petilla said that his office has extended financial assistance to a group of 27 farmers in Barangay Cambinoy, Palompon town five years ago who were into organic vegetable production.
Petilla added that his office has also extended training, technical assistance, and agricultural supplies to the association like vegetable seeds and organic fertilizers, a flagships program of the Leyte province for countryside economic development.
He also said that his office has extended assistance to the association register in any registering agency of the government to attain the juridical personality of the association and be able to transact legally with any government and private entity.
The governor further said that the group of farmers are now selling their products in the nearby communities and even to Tacloban City.
Petilla is encouraging farmers to engage in organic farming considering that organically produce products have high demand and command a better price. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
PH gains $600 million worth of investments from UAE, says DPWH Sec. Mercado
MAASIN CITY- The country stands to access a wide array of foreign investments following a top level trade visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last week, Sec. Roger Mercado of the Department of Public Works and Highways reported.
“There were negotiations for Investment Promotions Protection Agreement (IPPA) worth about $600 million,” Mercado said at a press conference with local media Sunday, February 20, at Kinamot Restaurant, Maasin City.
Mercado shared that he was part of the group that went to Dubai for an official visit in which one of the highlights was the holding of bilateral trade talks with top UAE officials for a comprehensive economic agreement deal.
Aside from the DPWH secretary, the Philippine delegation also included Trade and Industry Sec. Ramon Lopez, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Agriculture Sec. William Dar, and PCOO Sec. Martin Andanar, among others.
Another fruit of the Dubai visit was that foreign contractors can come in and pursue infrastructure projects under the Build, Build, Build program of the current administration, as well as agribusiness, tourism-related ventures, and other high-end investments in key industry sectors, Mercado said. (MMP)