Town rendered isolated due to ‘Samuel’; people faces hunger
In Eastern Samar
TACLOBAN CITY-A town in Eastern Samar was rendered isolated after a landslide due to tropical depression ‘Samuel’ hit in the village that served as its entry point to a nearby town.
Compounding the misery of the residents of Jipapad town was the relief food supplies that the municipal government prepared at its municipal building were soaked by rain water after the town was hit by Samuel on Tuesday(Nov.20).
Creonto Mato, town’s disaster risk reduction and management officer, said that the flooding spawned by Samuel was the ‘worst’ to hit the town since 2006.
“We are asking for food relief. The people are now hungry. Its ok if it’s only the clothes that were wet as these could be dried. We really need foods. We don’t have food supplies for our people as our town was rendered isolated after a landslide occurred in Barangay Roxas,” Mato said.
Brgy. Roxas is the town’s entry point in going to the nearby town of Arteche, which was also hit by a massive flooding.
He also said a landslide reportedly occurred in Brgy.Catumsan, Arteche and is just adjacent to Brgy.Roxas.
Mato also said that aside from food supplies, the town also immediately need medicines as various diseases may affect its residents due to flooding.
He added that practically all the 13 barangays of the town, populated with 2,556 families or more than 15,500 people, experienced flooding that even two-storey houses were submerged by rain water.
He said Jipapad easily experienced massive flooding whenever there is a continuous rains as it served as a ‘catch basin’ from water coming from Oras and Binuwangan Rivers.
“We really need help. Our power and communication lines are still down,” Mato said.
He added that flood water have receded on several villages of the town but there are still areas in the town where flood water remain.
The Leyte Samar Daily Express was able to reach Mato as he happened to be in Oras town when he was sought for a phone interview on the situation of their town, 155 kms away from the provincial capitol of Borongan City.
According to him, he learned on the situation of their town through radio messages from members of the town’s Kabalikat Civicom.
He said that based on the initial assessment of their Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, about 35 houses were washed out due to Samuel.
Chief Supt. Carlos confirms return of controversial cop Espenido to the region
TACLOBAN CITY- The return of controversial police officer Jovie Espenido to the region was confirmed by Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director.
Carlos said that he received an order from their national headquarters stating that Espenido would be detailed back to the region.
Espenido was assigned as chief of police of Albuera, Leyte where he led the crackdown of illegal drug activity in the said town known to be base of alleged drug lord, Kerwin Espinosa and his late father, former mayor Rolando Espinosa.
It was during his stint as mayor of Albuera that the elder Espinosa surrendered and later jailed and killed at the Leyte sub-provincial jail in Baybay City on November 5,2016 reportedly in a shootout with members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.
Espenido served as Albuera’s chief of police from July 18,2016 until his relief on December 8 of the same year.
He is currently the chief of police of Virac, Catanduanes.
“There was an order for the assignment of Espenido to Region 8,” Carlos said.
Asked where he will be assigned once Espinosa return to the return, Carlos said that he has no idea at this time where he would be assign.
“We will wait for the directive. If it’s within at my level, then I will make a decision where I can place him where he can best serve the region. I will see where he will best fit, looking at his background,” the police regional director said.
Asked what could be the reason why he would be reassign back to the region, Chief Supt. Carlos said that as personnel of the Philippine National Police could be assign anywhere in the country.
“We can be assigned (anywhere) in the Philippines. There’s nothing wrong there,” Carlos said.
Still, as a police officer, Chief Supt. Carlos said that he expect that Espenido would carry out all the police functions and duties expected of him.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA,JOEY A.GABIETA)
President Duterte places Samar under state of ‘lawlessness violence
TACLOBAN CITY- President Rodrigo Duterte has issued a directive for the deployment of additional troops to the region in order to ‘suppress and prevent’ the alleged occurrence of its lawlessness violence situation.
And on the basis of Mr. Duterte’s order, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued Memorandum Order 32 on Thursday (Nov.22) calling for the assignment of additional troops to Samar as well as Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, and Bicol Region.
The order is in line with an earlier memorandum issued in September 2016 that provided guidelines for the military and police under Proclamation 55 issued by Pres.Duterte.
The proclamation declared a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence in Mindanao.
Under the said order, state forces shall suppress lawless violence and acts of terror.
“Whereas, there is a need to reinforce the directive of the President in order to prevent further loss of lives and destruction of property and bring the whole country back to a state of complete normalcy as quick as possible,” part of the memorandum order states.
Captain Francis Agno, spokesperson of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, said that there was nothing surprising on the directive of the President as there is an ongoing recruitment for new state soldiers for the region.
“The personnel of the 46th Infantry Battalion are also back from Eastern Mindanao and we are still waiting for the return of the 34th IB and 19th IB to the region. But there is still no exact date yet if when the remaining troops in Mindanao will come back to Eastern Visayas,” he said.
During the Visayas Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council held, Monday, November 19 in Tacloban City, Major General Raul Farnacio, commanding officer of the 8TH ID, said that the shooting incidents that happened in Samar were indications that lawless elements are starting to operate in the province.
Last November 18, the former mayor of Matuguinao, Allan Boller, escaped from a slay try on him while former mayor of San Jose de Buan was also ambushed on October 8. He later died while being treated at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, this city.
Harassment targeting supporters of certain politicians were also reported in Matuguinao and Calbayog City.
“These are the things that are traditionally happening in Samar province which we are looking into to address by making security preparation,” Farnacio said.
Both the military and the Philippine National Police and the military are monitoring presence of private armed groups and members of the New People’s Army that could affect the security and peace and order in the province. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
DSWD extends aid to Tacloban fire victims
TACLOBAN CITY- Recently, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided assistance to the victims of two fire incidents in Tacloban City.
On November 13 at around 3:06 am, a fire broke out at Barangay 46, Juan Luna Street. According to initial investigation, the cause of the fire was electrical in nature.
The fire resulted in 5 totally and 5 partially damaged houses, based on the same investigation. It affected 10 families (155 individuals, 96 of whom were boarders). The fire was put out at around 4:40 am. The estimated cost of damages is P4.5 million.
Only a few days later, another fire broke out on November 16 at around 9:35 pm. Based on initial investigation, the fire was caused by an unattended candle at a boarding house at Brgy. 42, downtown.
The fire also spread to Brgy. 39. Over-all, the fire resulted in 17 totally and 2 partially damaged houses. Over-all 31 families (133 individuals) were affected.
DSWD promptly responded to these incidents. DSWD staff from the Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD) conducted an onsite evaluation and coordinated with the City Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO) to assess the needs of the fire victims.
The Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) focal person gathered data and in coordination with CSWDO and the DRMD project development officer, while the Regional Resource Operation Section (RROS) was also alerted to ensure the readiness of relief items for dispatch.
Initially, the fire victims in Brgy. 46 were provided with family food packs, pots and pans, plates, bowls, tumblers and kitchen utensils.
Over-all, DSWD and the CSWDO provided P32,784 in assistance to Brgy. 46. The survivors at Brgy. 39 and 42 were also provided with family food packs, pots and pans, plates, bowls, tumblers and kitchen utensils, as well as plastic mats, mosquito nets, malongs, hygiene kits and blankets. Over-all, DSWD and the CSWDO provided a total of P70,587 in assistance to these barangays. (PR)
Second year of ‘Saving Race’ a resounding success, says An Waray party-list group
Part of ‘Yolanda’ anniversary
TACLOBAN CITY – The second edition of the An Waray party-list sponsored ‘Saving Race 2’ was a resounding success.
The Saving Race, patterned after the popular Amazing Race, was held as part of the An Waray party-list activities relative to the observance of the anniversary on the onslaught of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ that pummeled the region on November 8, 2013, said former congressman Florencio ‘Bem’ Noel, the party-list number one nominee for next year’s elections.
Saving Race, as designed by the An Waray party-list group, is a competition that challenges the teams’ mental resilience and physical strength during a disaster or emergency situation.
All tasks or challenges are related to disaster management and preparedness.
They move around the city’s main streets or areas where clues are being provided or for the competing teams are to perform a certain task, either as a group or by a single member of the group.
This year’s winners were the following: first prize Tribu Harbat of Tacloban city, Agnes E. Cablao (Captain), Kenth Ralph Abolon, and Thomas Oliver G. Corduwa; 2nd prize La Familia Roos of Tacloban City, Klint Andrew G. Tan (Captain), Sharmaigne Callosa and Melchor Bustillo; 3rd place Triskellion of San Jose, Tacloban City, Eric De Veyra Jr. (Captain), Hannah T. Dioquino and John Gerez; 4th prize of Palo Skim Club of Palo Leyte, Williambill P. Teraza (Captain), Kendy T. Castro, and Justine Vinze Enriquez; and 5th prize SMART 235 (San Miguel Alert and Rescue Team) of San Miguel, Leyte, Zoilmar C. Tabalanza (Captain), Jesy B. Babula, and Vincent Balida.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)