Bileco successfully held the blessing and the testing and commissioning of the Higatangan Microgrid System at Higatangan Island, Naval in Biliran spearheaded by Mayor Gerard Roger Espina, Bileco officials, barangay officials and a Korean team.
(Photo courtesy: BILECO)
Bileco successfully held the blessing and the testing and commissioning of the Higatangan Microgrid System at Higatangan Island, Naval in Biliran spearheaded by Mayor Gerard Roger Espina, Bileco officials, barangay officials and a Korean team. (Photo courtesy: BILECO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Biliran Electric Cooperative (Bileco) has tentatively set the operation of the Higatangan microgrid system on March 8.
This was disclosed by Bileco general manager Gerardo Oledan who said that the project will provide a 24-hour uninterrupted power supply from the previous 5-hours a day to this island that has two villages with more than 600 residents.
“Bileco has conducted the testing and commissioning of the microgrid system last January 24 and doing full observation with regards to stability,” Oledan said.
“The plant will undergo more testing and observation for a week to ensure reliability and stability of the plant before the formal inauguration tentatively scheduled on March 8,” the Bileco general manager added.
The inauguration is expected to be graced by local government officials of Naval, Department of Energy, National Electrification Administration and representatives from the South Korean government.
The electric cooperative also hopes that the project will bring more development to Higatangan Island.
The project started in October 27, 2017 after Bileco received the donation proposal from the ELT Co. Ltd and from the South Korean government.
Bileco then comply all the necessary documents for the project including the purchase of lot in the amount of P1.5 million as part of its counterpart for the project.
The donated micro-grid project has a total cost of P15.21 million consisting of the following equipment: 10-KW power solar panel photovoltaic, 50-KW power control system, 50-KV diesel generator, and 20-KWH plus 16-KWH extra energy storage system.
Higatangan Island is famous among tourists for its shifting sand bar. The island is surrounded with white sand beaches and its water is ideal for swimming snorkeling and diving. There is also portion of the island with rock formations and best site for cliff diving.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
DILG AWARDEES. All of the six provinces and seven cities of the region were recognized by the Department of Interior and Local Government(DILG) of its 2018 Good Financial Housekeeping. The recognition elated Eastern Samar acting Governor Ferdinand Marcelo Picardal(left) and his administrator, George Erroba. (Photo Courtesy)
DILG AWARDEES. All of the six provinces and seven cities of the region were recognized by the Department of Interior and Local Government(DILG) of its 2018 Good Financial Housekeeping. The recognition elated Eastern Samar acting Governor Ferdinand Marcelo Picardal(left) and his administrator, George Erroba. (Photo Courtesy)
TACLOBAN CITY- All six provinces of the region and its seven cities, to include Tacloban City, its only highly urbanized city, passed the 2018 Good Financial Housekeeping’ being bestowed by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) among local government units.
Meantime, 120 municipalities also received same recognition from the DILG.
Eastern Samar provincial administrator George Erroba said they are elated about the latest recognition from DILG, adding that the administration of acting Governor Marcelo “Dindo” Picardal is on the “right track” in pushing transparency and good governance under his banner program “Proyekto 25”.
“We want Eastern Samar to rise. For so long a time, we’ve been part of the list of poorest provinces in the country. It’s the challenge under our Gov. Picardal. This is the reason why he’s doing everything for the inclusive solution through ‘Proyekto 25’ for the province to be out from the list of poorest provinces,” said Erroba.
Under the administration of Picardal, Erroba said that province’s “Proyekto 25” focuses on the development of agri-fishery, tourism, health, and good governance to lower the poverty incidence of 46.3 percent of the province into 25 percent.
Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez also said he is pleased with the passing of Ormoc and congratulated Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo “Toto” Locsin, the councilors, and the city workers “for a job well done.”
According to the mayor, the city’s passing rate belied the claims of his detractors that Ormoc City Hall is mismanaged.
Meanwhile, Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado said that the recognition shows that the city government “is utilizing government resources for the benefit of the people.”
“Passing DILG’s good financial housekeeping shows that we’ve done the correct planning and implementation of our resources by following the proper process and procedures set by Commission on Audit (COA) on procurement,” Mercado said.
Other passers for the provincial level are Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, and Biliran provinces.
For the cities, the other passers are Borongan, Baybay, Tacloban, Calbayog, and Catbalogan.
The list of passers under the municipal level includes:
Biliran: Almeria, Biliran, Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, Maripipi, and Naval.
Northern Samar: Biri, Bobon, Capul, Catarman, Catubig, Gamay, Laoang, Lapinig, Las Navas, Lavezares, Mapanas, Mondragon, Palapag, Pambujan, Rosario, San Antonio, San Isidro, San Jose, San Roque, San Vicente, Silvino Lobos, Victoria, and Lope de Vega.
Samar: Almagro, Basey, Calbiga, Daram, Gandara, Hinabangan, Marabut, Motiong, Pinabacdao, San Sebastian, Sta. Margarita, Sta. Rita, Sto. Nino, Tarangan, Villareal, Paranas, San Jorge, and Pagsanghan.
Southern Leyte: Anahawan, Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Libagon, Liloan, Macrohon, Malitbog, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan, San Juan, San Ricardo, Silago, Sogod, Tomas Oppus, and Limasawa.
Eastern Samar: Arteche, Balangiga, Balangkayan, Can-avid, Dolores, General MacArthur, Giporlos, Guiuan, Hernani, Jipapad, Llorente, Maslog, Maydolong, Oras, Quinapondan, Salcedo, San Julian, San Policarpio, Sulat, and Taft.
Leyte: Abuyog, Alangalang, Albuera, Babatngon, Barugo, Bato, Burauen, Calubian, Capoocan, Carigara, Dagami, Dulag, Hilongos, Hindang, Inopacan, Jaro, Javier, Julita, Kananga, La Paz, Leyte, MacArthur, Mahaplag, Matag-ob, Matalom, Mayorga, Merida, Palo, Palompon, San Isidro, San Miguel, Tabango, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Tunga, and Villaba.
As of its January 25 report, DILG said only 86 percent of the LGUs in the country have passed the good financial housekeeping standards. Of the 1, 715 LGUs they assessed, only 1, 470 have passed their standards. (RONALD O.REYES)
FULL ALERT STATUS. Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, said that he has placed the entire region under a full alert status amidst the attack staged by terrorist group in Jolo, Sulu that killed 20 people. (Photo Courtesy)
FULL ALERT STATUS. Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, said that he has placed the entire region under a full alert status amidst the attack staged by terrorist group in Jolo, Sulu that killed 20 people. (Photo Courtesy)
In the wake of Jolo attack
TACLOBAN CITY- The terror attack in Jolo, Sulu has resulted for the Philippine National Police here in the region to raise into a full alert status.
Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, said that placing the entire region under full alert status could help deter unscrupulous individuals in carrying out their illegal or terroristic acts.
“The PNP (in the region) is in full alert status which means 100 percent presence of personnel, (especially) those in the fields,” Carlos said in a press conference Monday (Jan.28).
On Sunday (Jan.27), about 20 people were killed and 112 others were injured in a twin bombing incident in a church in Jolo with the terror group, the Islamic State group, claiming responsibility.
The police regional director said that public places like churches, terminals, shopping malls where most of the people converge to include vital installations in the region are be monitored with police visibility to be heightened.
Carlos also said that entry points of the region will also be monitored for any possible entry of individuals who plan to carry out their illicit and terroristic activities.
The region is considered to be a gateway to Luzon and Mindanao areas.
Intelligence gathering would also be intensified, Chief Supt. Carlos said.
Terror attack is something that the region had experienced in the past.
Last December 8,2016, a bomb explosion hit the town of Hilongos, Leyte which resulted to the injury of 32 people who were watching a boxing tournament at its public plaza.
The said incident was said to have been carried out by the Maute Group, a terror group operating in Mindanao.
The government has been waging war in Mindanao against members of the terror groups like the Abu Sayyaf and Maute groups.
On May 23,2017, the Maute Group attacked Marawi City which resulted to a firefight between the said group and government forces for a five-month armed battle.
The raid has also resulted for President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in entire Mindanao Island.
PALO, Leyte – A few years after Yolanda, a new day has indeed come for several thousand Leyte and Samar-based microentrepreneurs with the culmination of the Bagong Araw (New Day) Philippines PREMIUM project.
A three-year-long program backed by the Government of Canada and the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada, the Bagong Araw Philippines PREMIUM project sought to help sari-sari store owners in Yolanda-hit Leyte and Samar provinces through a series of seminars and workshops on basic business management, cashflow monitoring, product diversification, business continuity planning, and disaster preparedness, as well as access to additional capital and micro-insurance products.
According to social enterprise Microventures Foundation Inc. (Hapinoy), its partner Center for Agriculture and Rural Development, Inc. (CARD) has disbursed over P 35,150,000 to 2,415 program beneficiaries throughout its three-year run or 140% of its end project target. Additionally, program partner Micro-Insurance MBA Association of the Philippines (RIMANSI) says 1,200 beneficiaries have availed of the Sagip Negosyo microinsurance product.
In celebration of this achievement, 1,554 sari-sari store owners, officials from local government units, officers, and suppliers and distributors came together at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo, Leyte last Thursday, January 24, for the PREMIUM Caravan 2019.
Graced by the presence of several key personalities such as Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino IV who authored the GoNegosyo Bill, the said caravan is expected to initiate partnerships among key players in the two provinces, and in effect, facilitate the creation of a more resilient supply flow chain in the region. (PR)
Sari-sari store owners from Samar and Leyte underwent a series of training under Project: Premium to strengthen their business skills.
Sari-sari store owners from Samar and Leyte underwent a series of training under Project: Premium to strengthen their business skills.
PALO, Leyte- A caravan participated by owners of sari-sari stores who were beneficiaries of assistance from various groups in the aftermath of super typhoon’s Yolanda’s onslaught gathered at the Leyte Academic Center, this town on Thursday(January 24).
The gathering, attended by 1,537 participants from the different cities and municipalities in Samar and Leyte, was primarily initiated by Premium, a project funded by the Canadian government in partnership with the Cooperative Development Foundation of Canada, Hapinoy, CARD INC., and RIMANSI.
The groups’ effort is part of the Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) Recovery Assistance.
It aims to provide financial and technical assistance to micro-entrepreneurs specifically to sari-sari store owners in Samar and Leyte.
The beneficiaries of this project had undergone a series of training on business management and cash flow monitoring, product diversification and business continuity planning, which includes disaster preparedness from Hapinoy.
Hapinoy is a social enterprise that partners with the sari-sari store owners through training, linkage to micro-financing, enablement on technology, and new business opportunities.
Its heart is to help micro-entrepreneurs create opportunities for them, see them grow, and provide long term sustainability specifically to sari-sari stores because they believe that they play an important role in our society. Although there are existing grocery stores, they still choose to support sari-sari stores for they are iconic trademarks of the Filipino culture.
After completing the training, the members are now qualified to avail loan funds from CARD, Inc., a microfinance non-government organization whose mission is to offer start-up or seed loans to help generate additional income to the beneficiaries.
The beneficiaries are also given micro-insurance called Sagip Negosyo from RIMANSI, a technical service provider among association of mutual micro insurers.
Sagip Negosyo was constituted to develop and finalize a non-life calamity micro-insurance for stores.
John Rey Hecto from Dulag, Leyte has been a member of this project for about a year already.
As a person with disability, he is grateful for the assistance he was provided as it allowed him to gain income despite his disability.
Through this, he was able to have an idea on how to properly handle and grow a business.
“We have to save and not just keep on racking up debts,” Hecto said.
The true mission of this project is not solely to create opportunities for them, to learn and for them to grow, but to establish and maintain good relationships with the people whom they were able to extend their help to.
Although relationships are known to be a two-way process, the program doesn’t seek much in return as long as they witness improvements in the lives of the people they helped.
It’s not about what the beneficiaries can give in return, it is about the value that this program has placed on the table and instilled in the minds of these entrepreneurs. With that being said, this project forwards the micro-entrepreneurs to enlarge their business capacity towards a more resilient micro-enterprise. (KIRA ARABELLA ALER,THEA MENDOZA,AMIRA MAE MIRALLES, STUDENT INTERNS, ST. THERESE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION OF TACLOBAN, INC.)
