ORMOC CITY-Eight Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanapbuhay (BPBH) Program beneficiaries from Ormoc City received their cash assistance worth P20,000 last October 19, 2018 at the City Hall of Ormoc City.
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez graced the activity as he personally gave the cash assistance to the beneficiaries together with the OIC, Regional Director of OWWA RWO 8, Mary Catherine O. Pastor and OIC, Chief, Programs and Services Division, Arlene F. Salloman.
BPBH is one of the agency’s thrusts in reintegrating back to the country OFWs who have been displaced from their jobs due to war/political conflicts in host countries or policy reforms controls and changes by the host government or are victims of illegal recruitment and/or human trafficking or other distressful situations.
The cash assistance given to the beneficiaries will be used as starting capital by way of self-employment or livelihood project as a means of income-generation for them and their families after their unsuccessful venture overseas.
Prior to the release, OIC RD Pastor gave a brief inputs about business management and discussed cash flow matrix which they will use in monitoring the progress of their respective businesses, among which are rice retailing, hog raising, online businesses, and expansion of existing sari-sari store.
Aside from the releases in Ormoc City, OWWA RWO 8 also scheduled BPBH releases every Friday of the week or twice a week depending on the volume of clients for the month at OWWA RWO 8 Office in Tacloban City.
As a practice, business counselling and business management is conducted prior to the release of the cash assistance.
(KATRINA D.OBEJERA/PR)
OWWA-8 releases Balik-Pinas, Balik-Hanap Buhay cash assistance
NSPPO: Undas observance in North Samar peaceful
CAMP CARLOS DELGADO, CATARMAN, Northern Samar-The observance of the All Saints’ and Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2, 2018 was held peacefully in the entire province of Northern Samar.
To ensure public’s safety during Undas 2018, the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office deployed a total of 538 personnel and established 57 police assistance desks to the different cemeteries of 24 municipalities in Northern Samar.
PS/Supt. Romeo P. Campomanes from Police Regional Office 8, the over-all supervisor of Northern Samar during undas, personally looked over the deployment of personnel to make sure that the public were given due assistance and security.
As a result, no untoward incidents were reported during the entire celebration.
Prior to this, all the municipal police stations in the province exerted efforts to remind the general public of the safety tips during undas by means of posting on social media accounts, distribution of flyers and announcement on radio program.
The peaceful Undas 2018 in the province is a result of collaborative efforts of the local police, force multipliers and the public. With this, the NSPPO will continue its commitment in ensuring public safety for any significant event in the province. (POI JOHN RICKY M. BALANDAY/PR)
Tacloban city police nabs 2 wanted persons during the ‘Undas’ commemoration
TACLOBAN CITY- The Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) led by Supt. Lope Macauba, Jr., officer-in-charge, conducted successful arrests of two most wanted persons.
First to fall was Antonio Omawas, Jr. who was arrested in Barangay 88 Alimasag, San Jose, this city, on October 31 at about 6:35 am.
Omawas, 53, who is a native of Daram, Samar but currently resides in Barangay 106, North hill Arbours, is accused of frustrated homicide.
His arrest, which was by virtue of an alias warrant issued by Judge Alphinor C. Serrano, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 6, this city, was facilitated by the elements of the TCPO-CIB led by Senior Inspector Leonides C. Sydiongco and TCPO-CMFC led by its force commander, Supt. Michael Jude P. Dotingco.
Accused was brought to TCPO-INTEL branch for documentation and proper disposition prior turn-over to court of origin which set P24,000 bail for his temporary liberty.
And on November 1, at about 6 am, joint elements of TCPO-CIB led by PSI Sydiongco and PSI Roniel M. Perlas and Talalora municipal police station led by Senior Inspector Romualdo P. Doncillo, conducted a manhunt operation at Brgy. 89, Sitio Balanak, San Jose, this city, which led to the arrest of Jowelo Dignos, 37, farmer, and a resident of Brgy. Nabatas Guti, Sitio Cancorbinos, Talalora, Samar.
The arrest of the suspect was by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Tarcelo A. Sabarre, Jr., presiding judge of the RTC- Branch 30, Basey, Samar, dated December 28, 2017 for frustrated murder.
The accused was ranked 6th in the Top 10 most wanted person at Talalora Municipal Police Station.
He was then brought to TCPO-INTEL branch for documentation and proper disposition prior turn-over to court of origin.
The court put a P200,000 bail bond for the temporary release of the accused.
These notable accomplishments of this Office attributed to the commitment of the operating teams and the support and cooperation of responsible, active and concerned stakeholders in Tacloban City. (PR)
Leyte officials visit Germany to adopt its disaster management system
TACLOBAN CITY- Officials from Leyte provincial government visited Germany to learn on their disaster management system.
The visit of the provincial officials was sponsored by the International Search and Rescue (ISAR) of the German government.
According to Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, who spearheaded the team, their visit was aim to develop and implement a disaster management system for Leyte, which is prone to natural disaster.
“Through this workshop, we were able to learn crucial information that will help the province prepare for any natural disaster,” he said.
The Leyte delegation, during the workshop, shared its first-hand experience before, during and after the onslaught of super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ which devastated the province.
The group also discussed how the province got back on its feet after Yolanda’s onslaught exactly five years ago.
Germany was among the foreign countries that provided assistance to the Philippine in the aftermath of Yolanda’s onslaught.
ISAR Germany has been doing a lot of humanitarian projects in Leyte which were focused on the reconstruction and the supply of rescue equipment like an ambulance or a rescue boat and providing education and training to rescuers and trainers with a focus on emergency aid.
Loreto said that ISAR Germany will apply for a research and development project for the promotion and implementation of a disaster management system for Leyte before the end of this year.
The said project will be a common scheme between the Philippines and Germany with run time of three years.
The BMBF is funding research and development projects within the International Disaster and Risk Management or IKARIM program. The goal of IKARIM is the common development and implementation of innovative and application-oriented solutions in the fields of disaster prevention, disaster management and restoration.
The program aims to strengthen the resilience of the partnering countries against natural and technical risks as well as the transfer of know-how and the form of international partnerships for disaster risk management.
As part of the project, several equipment will be provided to Leyte such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones, communications equipment, etc. Personnel from Leyte will also undergo actual trainings while developing actual solutions to actual challenges during calamities.
Aside from Loreto, other officials who went to Germany were board member Mesias Arevalo, police provincial director, S/Supt. Norberto Tuazon, fire chief Leonardo Bañago, provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer Arvin Monge and Major Marvin Caspillo.
Also part of the delegation were Office of Civil Defense assistant regional director Rey Gozon and Director Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan of the Bureau of Fire Protection.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Año: There will be no sacred cows against fight on PAGs
To ensure peaceful elections in 2019
TACLOBAN CITY- There will be no sacred cows in the dismantling of private armed groups (PAGs).
Thus said acting Interior Secretary Eduardo Año as he disclosed that he would ask the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)to initiate in the filing of appropriate charges against those behind in the operations of PAGs and the member themselves.
The presence of PAGs have been identified as one of the factors why orderly conduct of balloting during election times are affected or disturbed.
The Philippine National Police said that in the region,PAGs mostly operates in Samar.
“Our campaign against PAGs will continue and we will dismantle them. There will be no sacred cows (on this campaign),” Año said during his visit to the city Wednesday (Oct.24).
Aside from leading in the inauguration of the Peace and Resiliency Building at the regional office of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Interior Secretary also presided the closed door meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) held at Oriental Hotel, Palo town.
Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan, who is also the regional chair of the RPOC, said that she is giving her full support on this campaign of the DILG acting Secretary.
“We have been in support in the campaign against PAGs.It has been the clamor of the provincial government of Samar to dismantle the existence of PAGs in Samar,” Tan said.
The outgoing governor, who is seeking for a congressional seat in next year’s midterm elections, had previously said that she and her family does not operate any PAGs.
The presence of PAGs in Samar has always been used as basis of the PNP and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) why the province is always considered as a hot spot during elections.
According to her, by dismantling the operations of PAGs in the province, Samar would enjoy peace and order not only during election period.
Sec. Año said that he would direct the CIDG to file appropriate charges against those who are maintaining the existence of PAGs.
“We will use the CIDG to develop a case against those people. We will file charges against them like illegal possession of firearms and other appropriate charges,” the DILG chief said.
By: Joey A. Gabieta