ORMOC CITY- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte Fourth District Engineering Office (DEO) ordered all contractors to use the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Law (TRAIN) logo in all signages they will be placing at all types of projects.
This includes warning signages and project billboards. This is to promote the Build, Build, Build Program of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte which aims to provide Filipinos more high-quality infrastructures to ultimately raise the Philippine economic standing.
This year the Leyte Fourth DEO is implementing 87 projects amounting to almost P4 billion. Currently, 27 are already completed, while others are speeding up and are expected all be completed this year. (PR)

PALAPAG, Northern Samar – The tourism stakeholders in the four Pacific Coastal towns of Northern Samar had requested the Department of Tourism (DOT) to conduct accreditation of their tourism facilities.
This was disclosed by Paul Go, tourism-designate of this town who said that getting accreditation from the DOT is important, both on their policy-making and in inviting tourists to visit their towns.
“Accreditation from the DOT is very important for the tourism facility operators because it will make the tourists feel more comfortable staying in the establishments and they will be assured of good services,”Go said.
Part of the training they want is for the DOT to teach them on gathering data on the number of tourists visiting their towns as this could help them in crafting their policies related to tourism promotion.
Go said that although Palapag is rich in natural wonders like beaches, rock formations and waterfalls, the local government unit wants to position the town as the accommodation capital of the four Pacific Coastal towns.
Aside from Palapag, the other coastal towns of Northern Samar are Mapanas, Gamay and Lapinig.
He added that aside from positioning as a place for accommodation, they will focus more in promoting the rich history of the town.
Palapag, which is one of the oldest towns in the region, is the birthplace of Agustin Sumuroy, a prominent figure in revolutionary movement in Samar Island against Spanish colonizers.
Sumuroy led a revolt in 1649-1650 in this town against the Spaniards which eventually spread to Luzon, and some parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
The town was also part of the galleon trade during Spanish period where some of its men were sent to force labor.
“We need to consider of taking away the competition between municipalities which is why we want to focus in this aspect of tourism, on historical, culture and heritage,” Go explained.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- This year’s Miss Tacloban will become the first to wear a crown designed by a Venezuelan crown maker.
This was revealed by beauty pageant crown donor Richard White who said that the crown was made exclusively for Miss Tacloban 2018 and her successors.
The crown was made by famous Venezuelan pageant crown maker George Wittels.
The whimsical and bohemian inspired flower wreath crown was drawn from nature by Wittels with an intricate intertwining of lily flowers, leaves and branches gives this contour crown a total splendor.
The crown is a perfect homage to mother earth, White said.
The Ms. Tacloban crown symbolizes power, legitimacy, victory, triumph, honor, glory and righteousness and also represents the advocacies of the organization, therefore must be treated with utmost care, he added.
The crown is the official Miss Tacloban crown and must be worn by title holders only in public and private occasions and should be used only on coronations, parades and other official functions of Ms. Tacloban, White added.
An official crown keeper assigned by the donor will take good care of the crown in times that is not being worn by the titleholder.
Wittels, the designer of Miss Tacloban crown, according to White, is a Venezuelan jewelry designer, who designed and created jeweler collections for many famous fashion designers and retail outlets in his native country.
His designs and creations are exceptionally hand crafted with special attention to details. Most of his pieces are made of a variety of combinations of unusual materials like brass, tin, silver, gold, bone, wood, vintage glasses and beads and precious stones.
His name and pieces appeared in Fashion Week New York in 1999 and Paris pet a Porter fashion Week in 2004. Since 1999, the crown designer has created crowns for many beauty pageant titleholders from Venezuela, Bahamas, Spain, Poland’s Ms. Teen and Ms. World; Dominican Republic’s Ms. World & Ms. International; El Salvador’s Ms. Universe, Ms. International, Ms. Tourism & Ms. Earth; Ms. Caracao Universe and Ms. Teen Aruba International among others.
Twelve ladies will compete for the 2018 crown come June 22, 2018 coronation night at the Tacloban City Convention Center.
The candidates are Angel Raquel Gregorio; Ruth Marie “Pippay” Gavane; Pauline Clarisse “Pau” Carisma; Patricia Pauline “Patty” Labugin; Cassandra Marie “Cassy” Lee; Ivy Mae de Mesa; Christine Jane “Jin-Jin” Jara; Khristel Loirah “Jel” Pulga; Ashley “Ash” Ponce; Kimberley Rose “Kim” Ruedas; Marie Carmen “Carmen” Songalia and Dulcinea Yobhel “Bhel” Labanta.(GAY GASPAY, TISAT)

Part of the 11th year cityhood anniversary

CATBALOGAN CITY – The mayor of this city, Stephany Uy-Tan, expressed her gratitude for the successful holding of a jobs fair recently held to mark its 11th year as a city.
The jobs fair, held last June 16, was in partnership with Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and coordinated by the City Public Employment Services Office (PESO) and the City Tourism, Culture, Arts and Information Office (CTCIAO).
About 5,996 vacant positions were offered during the jobs fair from 23 participating offices where eight were government agencies.
Of the offered jobs, 907 were offered by local companies and agencies while 5,011 were for overseas employment.
Almost 200 job applicants were hired-on-the-spot according to Mayor Uy-Tan.
“I am so glad that we were able to offer again job opportunities again to our fellow Catbaloganons in this year’s celebration of our 11th Charter Day. Being a developing city as we are, we also strive to develop our people because both should go hand in hand,” Mayor Uy-Tan said.
Aside from the jobs fair, a simultaneous caravan was also held in City Plaza, Barangay Bunuanan Covered Court and Barangay Pupua Covered Court offering services from the City Health Office, City Civil Registrar Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Veterinary Office, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Agriculture’s Office and City Environment and Natural Resources Office.
Catbalogan City is one of the three cities in the region that celebrated its cityhood status last June 16 (Saturday). The other two cities were Baybay and Borongan.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The national government has released about P52 million in the past seven years to improve the capability of local government units in the region to comply with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) regional coordinator for the solid waste management program, Maribel Munsayac, said financial assistance has been provided to cities and towns in the region whose officials are more committed to comply with the environmental law.
“With the very limited resources, we prioritize those areas with initiative to manage their solid waste. Since the fund is already handed to them, there’s no reason they won’t close open dumpsites,” Munsayac said on Wednesday.
About P26 million has been released since 2012 for the establishment of the materials recovery facility (MRF) of three cities and 58 towns in the region’s six provinces.
The MRF receives waste for final sorting, according to its type for composting and recycling. It is designed to receive, sort, process and store compostable and recyclable material efficiently.
Of the P52 million, P20.29 million was given to six local governments for the closure of open dumpsites.
These were Tacloban City; Palo, Leyte; Lavezares, Northern Samar; Laoang, Northern Samar; Abuyog, Leyte; and Motiong, Samar.
Most of the funds were released in the past two months.
Republic Act (RA) No. 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act prohibits the continued use of open and controlled dumpsites and requires that they must be closed and rehabilitated.
“The degradation of the waste layers takes a long time even as these continue to generate leachate and methane gases. It is necessary to manage the dumpsite properly after the operations and to manage the post closure land use in order to protect public health and preserve the environment,” Munsayac explained.
Some funds were also poured for the provision of shredder machines for biodegradable wastes (P3.42 million), solid waste management in public markets (P1.8 million), school-based eco-savers program (P450,000), and informal waste sector (P100,000).
These funds are primarily sourced from the office of Senator Loren Legarda, the principal author of RA 9003, which was signed in 2001.

By: Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA

TACLOBAN CITY – Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez on Thursday (June 14) led the mass oath-taking of 1,112 newly-elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials.
The mass oath-taking ceremony, held at the Tacloban City Convention Center, was attended by barangay and SK officials from the city’s 138 barangays who won during the May 14 polls.
Mayor Romualdez urged the officials to work for the common good and focus on pressing issues in the barangays such as drugs and the environment.
“We need good and dedicated leaders, willing to work and sacrifice for the common good,” she added.
The chief executive also assured the officials of city government support in barangay projects, especially on health, public service and infrastructures.
Meanwhile, Atty. Darwin Bibar, city local operations officer, asked the officials to support the Department of Interior and Local Government’s anti-corruption campaign Bantay-Kaagapay and do away with politics.
“Your cooperation in the various programs and projects of the city government will ensure (your) barangay and the city’s success,” he told the village officials.
As for the unfilled SK positions in some barangays, Bibar said that they are still waiting for guidelines from the central office on how to resolve the issue.
Prior to assuming their duties on June 30, the newly-elected barangay officials will attend an orientation on June 20 that will be organized by the local DILG.
Vice Mayor Jerry Yaokasin and Association of Barangay Chairmen (ABC) president Eden Chua-Pineda also witnessed the mass oath-taking ceremony. (HENRY JAMES G.ROCA/CIO)