TACLOBAN CITY- Mayor Alfred Romualdez of this city suggested that motorcycle makers should be consulted first if they will allow a barrier be placed on the motorbikes.
This idea of Mayor Romualdez came on the heels as the government through the Inter-Agency Task Force(IATF) mandated that a barrier should be placed in between the motorcycle driver and his companion as a way to avoid of contracting the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The IATF approved motorcycle shields should be made of acrylic or any other similar material and not from glass to avoid accidents.
“Unang-una ang mahirap lang yun dapat namagsasabi kung pwedeng gawin yun, dapat magpa-alam sa manufacturer. Because if it will compromise the safety of the vehicle, then that is a problem. So dapat i-clear lang yun,” Mayor Romualdez said.
Romualdez added that even the government will make it mandatory, installing a shield should be done by the manufacturers and not by the motorcycle owners.
“Kung ako, kahit sabihin ng gobyerno na pwedeng maglagay nyan, itatanong natin sa Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, pwede bang lagyan, dapat sila na mismo ang gumawa para naman kasama sa pag-warranty yun, baka naman pagbili mo ng motor brand new kabitan mo nyan hindi na nila iwa-warranty yan kasi sasabihin nila hindi na safe,” he said.
The national government orders the Philippine National Police to enforce the said mandate and change the schedule of its enforcement from July 26 to July 30.
Putting a barrier in a motorcycle, however, was met with widespread criticisms among motorcycle owners and the public saying it would not help address the possible spread of COVID-19.
Police Regional Office 8 Regional Director Police B/Gen Bernabe Balba however advises the public to just obey the order.
“Mayroong binigay na diagram kung paano gagawin but sabi nga hindi naman pinipigilan ang iba na magagaling ding magdesign and present their suggestion and for approval from the NIATF,” Balba said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Adopting to the new normal due to COVID-19 pandemic

TACLOBAN CITY-Students in one of the universities here in this city might just be flash drives this school year.
This after an official of the Leyte Normal University (LNU) submitted his proposal before the regional office of the Commission on Higher Education (ChEd) and to the university president, Jude Duarte to use flash drives or USB sticks during this time of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) pandemic.
Clemelle Montallana, LNU’s director of the physical plant and facilities, said that under his proposals, students of the university would use flash drives where they can store their class works which they will submit to their respective instructors for review.
The use of flash drives is part of what Montallana described as ‘A-New Normal Project’ or Assistance to Normalistas in the Online Education of the New Learning Hub Project.
According to him, the use of flash drives is just one of the innovations that should be applied during this time of health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Montallana said that part of his proposal is the university providing computer sets to different local government units in areas where there are LNU enrolled students.
He said that these computers will be used by the students who does not own a computer where they can do their class assignments or activities which they will stored in the flash drives.
“I am positive that ChEd as well as our university president will approve my proposal considering that it’s not costly and is aimed for the safety of our students,” Montallana said.
The LNU official said that students need not go to school every day as online teaching will be applied during this school year.
“The students will only be required to come to school to deposit their flash drives where they stored their assignments or activities at the Guard House,” he said.
This will limit face-to-face contacts between the instructors and students, thus, avoid any possible spread of COVID-19 inside the university, Montallana said.
The instructors would then collect the flash drives of their students for review or checking. LNU has more than enough computer sets to adopt to the new method of teaching.
LNU has around 8,000 students enrolled for this school year to start on August 24.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

BY: EURICA CONCEPCION A. VILLANUEVA

BURAUEN, Leyte – The Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park is preparing to open its doors to nature-loving tourists in the future under the new normal.
Although unsure on the exact date of reopening, the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park Ecotourism Association (MVNPEA) has been setting up measure to observe the minimum health standards.
The Burauen local government unit reported through its Facebook post that a hand washing area for visitors has been set up. The Burauen Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism (BEST) project also turned over on July 16 two thermal scanners to members of MVNPEA.
“This is to help the organization in its preparations so it would be ready once the Covid-19 pandemic is over. The organization, however, does not accept visitors yet as part of the town’s measures against the spread of the virus,” the local government said in a statement.
Proclaimed as a national park in 1937, the site near the volcano is endowed with other natural attractions — a lake, falls, multi-colored mud, hot springs, virgin forests, and lagoon.
Mahagnao Volcano is about 50 kilometers south of Tacloban City and 18 kilometers away from the town center of Burauen.
Although the volcano has been inactive, it is classified as potentially active due to the active thermal features of the mountain. The summit of the volcano is a steep-walled heavily forested crater that opens to the south with a peak elevation of 860 meters.
(Note: The writer is a teacher of Burauen Comprehensive National High School)