“Excited!”
This was how Yvette C. Bonavente, Information Officer II of the ECC regional Extension Unit 5, felt upon arriving in Makati last Monday to attend a workshop on news writing, organized and facilitated by the Lilac Center for Public Interest, a policy research, advocacy, and communication organization headed by former DOLE Undersecretary Nicon F. Fameronag.
The training was a follow-through of the writing workshop held in September last year, facilitated also by the Lilac Center for ECC’s information officers. The focus of the workshop was to know how to effectively write a news lead using the inverted pyramid framework for newswriting and an in-depth discussion on how to capitalize on social media platforms when it comes to writing news.
“News writing is part of our tasks as information officers. It is important for us to be continually updated with the methods and techniques of the trade. The workshop is a capability-building activity for all our information officers as it will improve their skills in developing leads for their news releases,” said Cecile E. Maulion, Chief of the Information and Public Assistance Division of the Employees Compensation Commission.
Part of ECC’s efforts to continuously increase public awareness about the Employees’ Compensation Program is to regularly conduct capability-building training and workshop to ensure that all its employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge the work requires.
“We, at ECC, including our Regional Extension Units across the country are constantly looking for ways to expand, enhance, and equalize our programs. The news writing workshop is one of the results of our desire to fully equip our regional personnel with the needed skills and knowledge for us to achieve our goal of serving the Filipino workers with utmost excellence and proficiency,” ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis explained. (Michelle Basal, Information Officer/PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- Anti-narcotics operatives scored on their campaign on the proliferation of illegal drugs in the city after they arrested in a separate buy-bust operation two suspects in possession of ‘shabu’ or methamphetamine hydrochloride with a combined worth of P512,200.
First to be arrested by the members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the anti-narcotics unit of the Tacloban City Police was Marc Neil Obias, 18, single and a resident of Barangay 88, Costa Brava in San Jose district.
Obias was arrested in a buy-bust operation at Brgy. 76,Fatima Village last Tuesday(May 22) at about 2:10 pm and in possession of one sachet of shabu weighing 1.5 grams with a market value of P10,200.
Further searched on him yielded six sachets of shabu weighing 50 grams with an estimated market value of P400,000.
And on that same day, at about 6 pm, the anti-narcotics agents nabbed Sojarto Montallana, 26 and a resident of Brgy.Campetic in Palo, Leyte, in another buy-bust operation in Brgy.77, Marasbaras District, this city.
Seized from his possession were four sachets of shabu weighing 16.5 grams with market value of P112,200.
Both are now detained at the Tacloban City lock-up facility and charged for selling and possession under Republic Act 9165, the comprehensive dangerous drugs act. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Leyte population officer is encouraging mothers in the province who are in risky pregnancies to give birth in the hospital.
Melchora Cawile, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Populations Office, aired her concern anew over the pregnant mothers in risky pregnancies by encouraging them to give birth in the hospital and not in their house or in a rural health unit (RHU).
Cawile informed Leyte Samar Daily Express that Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla requires the family planning officer and staff to visit the hinterland barangays as a way to encourage pregnant mothers, particularly those having difficulties in delivering their babies.
“Our office is conducting regular symposium even in the remote areas and we campaign to encourage pregnant mothers in risky pregnancies to give birth in the hospital,” she said.
Cawile claims that mothers in risky pregnancies “are required that they will give birth in the hospital and not in the house or RHU.”
She,however, admitted that there are mothers in the province in risky pregnancies who do not heed or pay attention to their advice to give birth in the hospital especially those in the hinterland areas.
Cawile said that risky pregnancy refers to early pregnancy of below 20 years old which is considered as teen-age pregnancy while the other risky pregnancy is the too old with the pregnant mother of more than 35 years old.
As much as possible these too old and too early pregnancies need more attention and they should undergo regular check-up with the medical practitioners, the population officer added.
Cawile said that young mothers are given more attention and are given family planning services after they give birth in the hospital.
On the other hand, Cawile said, mothers of more than 35 years must consult with doctors.
“We are encouraging them to have a regular pre-natal checkup if possible monthly consultation for the safety of the mother and the baby is healthy upon birth.”
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

TACLOBAN CITY-Fishery production in Eastern Visayas dropped by 29.0 percent from 37,607 metric tons (MT) in in the first quarter of 2017 to 26,704 MT in the first quarter of 2018.
All provinces registered decreases in fishery production, except Samar, the only province that recorded a significant increase of 24.5 percent, from 9,498 MT in the first quarter of 2017 to 11,822 MT in the same quarter in 2018. Leyte recorded the highest decrease of 68.4 percent, from 17,517 MT in the first quarter of 2017 to 5,527 MT during the quarter in review.
Among provinces, Samar produced the highest volume of fishery production at 11,822 MT, which comprised 44.3 percent of the total fishery production in the region. Leyte ranked second with 5,527 MT, which accounted for 20.7 percent of the region’s total fishery production. Southern Leyte, meanwhile registered the lowest volume of production with 4.7 percent share or 1,249 MT.
By subsector, volume of production in Aquaculture went down by 49.4 percent, from 16,291 MT in the first quarter of 2017 to 8,244 MT in the same period in 2018. All provinces registered decreases, except Samar, the only province that recorded an increase of 124.2 percent. Biliran recorded the highest decrease of 100.0 percent, from 5 MT in the first quarter of 2017 to zero during the quarter in review.
Similarly, volume of production in Municipal Fishing (marine and inland) registered a decrease of 16.4 percent, from 17,682 MT in the first quarter of 2017 to 14,776 MT in the same quarter in 2018. All provinces registered decreases, except Southern Leyte, the only province which posted an increase of 4.2 percent. Leyte registered the highest decrease in volume of production at 27.2 percent.
On the other hand, volume of production in Commercial Fishing increased by 1.4 percent, from 3,634 MT in the first quarter of 2017 to 3,684 MT in the same period in 2018. Among provinces, only Samar registered growth in production of 68.9 percent. This increase offset the decreases recorded by Biliran (44.3), Eastern Samar (0.3 percent), Leyte (39.0 percent), Northern Samar (10.2 percent) and Southern Leyte (45.3 percent).
More than half or 55.3 percent (14,776 MT) of the total fishery production in the region were from Municipal Fishing. Aquaculture contributed 30.9 percent (8,244 MT), while Commercial Fishing accounted for 13.8 percent (3,684 MT).
For inquiries and further information, please contact our office with telephone numbers (053) 321-8392 or (053) 321-5153, and email address psa_reg8@yahoo.com. (PR)

GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office VIII in Eastern Visayas has increased its absorptive capacity to 63% as of April 30, 2018, surpassing department’s monthly target of 57% for said month.
In a report released by the Finance Division, the DPWH offices has already surpassed six percent of the monthly target for obligating P22.8 billion of the P36.2 billion allocation for this year.
At least P8.01 billion has been disbursed or a rate of 22 percent or 2%, ahead of the 20% target for the month.
Of the 14 DPWH offices in the region, six of them met the absorptive capacity goal. The Leyte 4th District Engineering Office garnering the highest obligation ratio of 89%.
“This is in compliance to Secretary Mark Villar’s order for full implementation and full utilization of department’s budget,” said DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon.
The absorptive capacity is determined by dividing the total obligation incurred with the total net allotment.
It is measured by the ability to obligate the allotments received from DPWH Central Office and Department of Budget and Management.
Of the 961 projects for 2018, at least 1 have been completed, while 431 are ongoing, and 529 are not yet started. As of May 2018, the region posted 10.10 percent accomplishment.
This year, the DPWH shifted its focus to widening the country’s existing road network to address traffic congestion and for improved movement of goods and services.
Among the projects with huge funding include the construction of bypass roads and diversion roads, connecting gaps along national roads, and flood control projects. (PR)

Covering 1st quarter of ’17

TACLOBAN CITY – The province of Leyte has increased its corn production, balking the regional trend which saw the production of corn declining last year, report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported.
Wilma Perante, PSA-8 regional director, told Leyte Samar Daily Express that among the six provinces of the region, Leyte produced the highest volume of corn at 7,101 metric ton comprising about two-thirds or 67.4 percent of the total regional corn production.
Biliran, meanwhile, had the lowest volume of production or 118 metric ton accounting for only 1.1 percent.
Based on the PSA record, the regional corn production covering the first quarter of last year decreased by 9.6 percent from previous year of the same period of 11,649 MT.
Perante said that the total harvest area for corn in the region likewise decreased by 7.1 percent, from 8,081 hectares in the first quarter of 2017 to 7,507 hectares in the first quarter of 2018.
Contributing largely to this decrease is Northern Samar with a drop of 30.1 percent, she added.
Perante said that Leyte recorded almost three quarters or 74.3 percent (5,574 hectares) of the total corn area harvested during the quarter in review, while Eastern Samar contributed the least (70 hectares) accounting for only 0.9 percent.
Decreases were observed among all provinces, except in Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar, which posted increases of 7.0 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively, the director said.
Perante said that the yield per hectare for corn in the region remained at 1.4 metric tons per hectare.
She added that among the provinces, Eastern Samar posted the highest yield per hectare during the quarter in review at 2.0 MT per hectare. Biliran registered the lowest yield per hectare at 1.2 MT per hectare. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)