Old site declared as prone to landslide by MGB

Tag-abaca Elementary School (TES) is a multigrade school located in the far-flung barangay of Tag-abaca in the municipality of Leyte, Leyte.
In the year 2014 after the typhoon ‘Henry’, the school grounds and buildings developed some cracked and erosions due to heavy rains.
The school head requested the local government unit and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to conduct ocular inspection of the said school.
Based upon the findings of the MGB, the school site of TES is prone to landslide. The MGB with the implementation of the 2nd phase of the National Geohazard Mapping and Assessment Program aimed at disaster risk reduction had conducted field assessment for landslide and flood hazard sometimes June 18-26, 2014.
Field assessment showed that Brgy. Tag-abaca is one of the villages in Leyte town that are prone to landslides reason for the immediate transfer of the school to safer location.
Consequently, after a month of survey by the MGB, heavy rains occurred which resulted to major ground cracks evidently observed at the site of the school which affected the structural integrity of its buildings.
Presidential Decree 1096 otherwise known as the National Building Code of the Philippine specifically under section 215 provides that when any building or structure found to be dangerous, building officials shall order its repair, vacation, or demolition, depending upon the degree of danger to life, health or safety.
In the case of structures within the school of TES in Brgy. Tag-abaca declared by Municipal Engr. May Wen Beth P. Sabite that buildings to be unsafe for occupancy and immediate transfer of the structures was highly recommended.
The teacher-in-charge of TES, Mrs. Marilou N. Go, initiated in looking/soliciting land donor for the new site for the school for its immediate relocation.
Fortunately, the heirs of Muertegui families donated one hectare for the new school site of TES last 2015.
Finally, last January 2015, TES transferred/relocated to the new site with the help of barangay officials.
At present, TES has a total of 167 pupils, offering Kinder to Grade 6 respectively. The government has a mission to deliver quality and equitable basic education to all Filipino children.
But this government’s vision could not be realized due to lack of conducive classroom buildings for the learners as there are still schools which uses makeshift classrooms.
This shortage of classrooms could be addressed by seeking donations either from government agencies like the Department of Education, local government unit or nongovernment organization.
In the case of TES, the AGAPP Foundation donated one unit two-classrooms and school supplies of the learners.
At the moment, TES has an ongoing two-storey with classroom school building from the Department of Education.
TES is the first recipient school of a two-storey building in the municipality of Leyte.
(Note: The author is he teacher-in-charge of the Tag-abaca Elementary School in Leyte, Leyte)

BY: MARILOU N. GO

BORONGAN CITY- The Department of Education (DepEd) has allotted P35 million for the repair of damaged school buildings in San Julian town, Easter Samar.
It can be recalled that on April 23, 2019, a strong earthquake with 6.5 magnitude rocked Eastern Visayas with San Julian town as the epicenter.
Engineers noticed cracks in some bridges and roads right after the quake.
Personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways immediately repaired the roads.
In the schools, a team of DepEd engineers assessed the school buildings.
They have identified classrooms in San Julian Central School, San Julian National High School, Libas Elementary School, Pagbabangnan Elementary School, and Nena National High School as defective and needed repair.
As to the start of the repair, Montallana said, “Repairs will be done immediately once the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) comes in, I think this June.”
(NBQ/PIA 8-E Samar)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the region’s inflation rate last month stood at 2 percent.
The latest inflation rate is relatively lower compared to previous month’s 2.1 percent inflation rate, Wilma Perante, PSA regional director said.
The decline of the regional inflation rate was due to the decrease of prices of basic commodities like rice, she added.
The April inflation rate of Eastern Visayas is said to be the third lowest among the country’s regions.
Among the provinces, Leyte posted the fastest increase on prices of goods and services at 3.5 percent, followed by Southern Leyte, 2.0 percent, Eastern Samar, 1.8 percent and Northern Samar at 1.6 percent.
Inflation rate refers to the increase of prices of goods and services over a period of time. (APRIL Q. UYKIENG, STUDENT INTERN – ASIAN DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION COLLEGE)

ABUYOG, Leyte-Many years ago no one even imagine that a one-stop shop Technology Management and Demo Center that will feature various farm equipment and machineries (of all sizes and shapes) could be set up right here in Eastern Visayas or Region 8.
But today, local farmers here couldn’t believe that the impossible suddenly became possible. All because something very significant happened inside the Abuyog Experiment Station in Balinsasayao, Abuyog, Leyte.
Unknown to many, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Dev’t and Mechanization (PhilMech), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, was silently constructing its own satellite office inside the DA Research Station in this part of Region 8.
In close collaboration with DA-RFO 8, PhilMech started a big leap by way of building a P3 million-worth of Technology Management and Demonstration Center fully furnished and equipped with various kinds of farm machineries that any progressive farmer right away wants to possess or use as his or her own.
Earlier today, said infrastructure project, including a wide range of farm machineries have been inaugurated or launch as part of the annual observance of Farmers’ and Fisherfolk’s Month Celebration.
The launch has been spearheaded by a team of agricultural engineers of PhilMech led by its Deputy Director Raul R. Paz, who incidentally hails from Carigara, Leyte.
Accordingly, said facility will afford farmers the opportunity to gain access to information and technology services, with the ultimate end of commercializing PhilMech-invented postharvest and farm processing equipment or machineries.
On the part of the DA-RFO8, Farmer Director Inocencio Morallos who was introduced by Dr. Andrew Orais, Chief, Field Operations Division, stood in as the Keynote messenger.
Morallos lauded PhilMech for the realization of this project which is one of the top priorities aggressively pushed by DA Secretary Manny Piñol amidst the issues/challenges with the enactment of the Rice Tarrification Law this year.
“We, the farmers in the region, are very grateful to the gov’t thru Secretary Piñol for the sincerity and dedicated services being accorded to us farmers in Region 8,” the Farmer Director addressed these words to the PhilMech staff who had helped put up the said facility.
Meanwhile, Board Member Emmanuel Gacis of 5th District of Leyte, representing Governor Mic Petilla, also gave thanks to DA and PhilRice in bringing the farm technologies closer to home. “We will continue to support projects that could help push the level of food production, productivity and income of our farmers which are also in accord with the provincial thrusts and priorities,” gushed BM Gacis.
(FRANCIS ROSAROSO/PR)

MAASIN CITY – The infrastructure project intended for the celebration of the 500 years of the First Easter Mass in Asia will need around P200 million.
This was disclosed by Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado who said that the funding will come from the national government,particularly from the Department of Tourism.
“The provincial government will have a counterpart of P30 million or 15 percent of the budget,” Gov. Mercado said.
The 500th year of the First Mass will be held in 2021.
Infrastructure projects for the 500 years celebration includes the construction of 30 feet cross overlooking Limasawa Island that will have restaurant and a café, a shrine and a chapel.
“Some residents are to be relocated because their houses are located in the area where these projects are to be built,” Mercado said.
“The provincial government had already bought a lot where they will be relocated and we also bought the properties within the project site so that when it begins the national government will not face any problem,” Mercado added.
The province bought the property for P7 million.
Last week, the provincial government with DOT8 Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes, Limasawa Mayor Melchor Petracorta, Diocese of Maasin as represented by Fr. Dennis Cagantas and the event technical team met to talk for updates for this monumental event in Philippine history and to Christian faith.
“Most of our discussion was focused on the updates,” Mercado said.
DOT8 heads the committee for the fifth centennial celebration of the First Mass, with the provincial government as co-chair, while members were the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the local government unit of Limasawa.
In its earlier full council meeting in June this year, the RDC issued Resolution No. 32 which endorsed the request for support and funding requirements of the 500th celebration to concerned agencies.
Aside from the DOT, the Department of Transportation also implemented a project in Limasawa Island to ease travel of tourists and guest who will be visiting the town in 2021 by constructing a new port in the eastern part of the island closer to Barangay Magallanes where the major activities are to be held.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)