TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of Health (DOH) has expressed concern over 119 persons with untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Eastern Visayas, saying they are at risk of spreading this sexually-transmitted disease.
Roderick Boyd Cerro, chief of DOH regional epidemiology and surveillance unit, said they got the report about “lost to follow” cases from their central office last month.
“We came up with the data by subtracting the number of those under treatment from the total number of screened patients that turned out positive of the virus,” Cerro told PNA.
The official said majority of these people are aware of their health status, but some have no knowledge that they are infected. “Some came for screening, but never came back to get the result.”
“The best that we can do is to warn the public not to engage in unprotected sex to prevent HIV transmission,” Cerro added.
The regional office does not keep personal profiles of untreated patients.
The health department has reported 528 HIV cases from 1984 to the present in the region. With an estimate of 20 new detected cases every month, the DOH expects the number to rise to more than 600 at the end of 2017.
Eastern Visayas ranks eighth in the nationwide tally, contributing two percent of the total 38,872 cases in the country as of last year.
Similar to the national level, 79 percent of cases were transmitted due to male-to-male sexual contact.
To detect and treat HIV cases in the region, DOH will establish treatment hubs in every province and city in the region for HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) affected individuals.
The DOH will also open a social-hygiene clinic in strategic areas as part of the services provided by the HIV/AIDS treatment hub.
At present, the region has only one operating treatment hub for the disease – the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Tacloban City.
“HIV has no cure, but treatment can manage the infection, help an infected person live longer, healthier and reduce the risk of transmission,” Cerro added.
The DOH targets that by 2022, some 90 percent of all persons with HIV would be aware of their health status and would be undergoing treatment.
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. If untreated, a person’s immune system will eventually be completely destroyed, according to Avert, an organization based in the United Kingdom.
AIDS, on the other hand, refers to a set of symptoms and illnesses that occur at the very final stage of HIV infection.
Preventing the spread of HIV-AIDS is one of the targets under Goal 3 of the 17 goals of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals adopted by world leaders in September 2015. (SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

PALO, Leyte- The Department of Tourism (DOT) is eyeing the accreditation of 58 farms in Eastern Visayas as tourism sites under the “It’s More Fun in Philippine Farms” campaign.
DOT-Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said Tuesday (Dec.5) that there’s a huge potential for the predominantly agricultural region to develop its economy through farm tourism.
Currently, Canaan Hill Farms and Honey Garden in Caibiran town is the only accredited agri-tourism site in the region. The organic farm, situated in a seven-hectare land, is personally managed by a family of professionals.
“The development of farm tourism is not only aimed to attract visitors but also to help local farmers diversify and supplement their agriculture income. It serves as a medium to augment the business of farming,” Tiopes said during Regional Farm Tourism Consultative Workshop at the Oriental Hotel here.
The workshop aims to accredit more farms in the region to be officially listed as farm tourism sites.
Owners of agri-tourism sites aiming for accreditation need to submit to the DOT documentary requirements, which include a business permit, business name certificate and notarized list of names of all officials and employees.
Prospective farm tourism sites should be in safe and peaceful locations with roads, electricity, water; have sufficient facilities and amenities such as reception center, parking space, dining or multipurpose area, souvenir shops, accommodation and restaurants; and have trained tour guides.
The 58 potential farm tourism sites as listed by the Agriculture Training Institute are located in Javier, Merida, Bato, Alangalang, Babatngon, Baybay City, Palo, Hinunangan, Albuera, Isabel, Tacloban City, Merida, Ormoc City, Carigara, Jaro, Kananga, Mahaplag, and Capoocan, all in Leyte.
In other provinces, these farms are in Tomas Oppus, Macrohon, Bontoc, Sogod, Silago in Southern Leyte; Almeria and Caibiran in Biliran; Basey, Paranas, Sta Rita, Marabut, and Calbayog City in Samar; Lawaan, Mercedes, Quinapondan, and Borongan City in Eastern Samar; Palapag, Mondragon, and Catarman in Northern Samar.
Some cities and towns have more than one site. These farms produce rice, dairy, coconut, aquaculture, high value fruits and vegetables.
“The presence of these farm sites puts the region in a good position to develop distinct and complementing farm experiences, that can be more interesting because of unique and even heart-warming stories of the farm owners themselves,” Tiopes explained.
The government enacted Republic Act No. 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act on May 23, 2016, recognizing the value of farming in food productive and providing income.

The law defines farm tourism as a practice of attracting visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational, recreational, purposes which involves any agricultural or fishery-based operation or activity and may also provide a venue for outdoor recreation and accessible family outings.
The tourism department launched the “It’s More Fun in Philippine Farms” program on Oct. 23 recognizing that “a day in the farm is both relaxing and educational.”
Eastern Visayas region is a predominantly farming area where 45 percent or 976,415 hectares of its total land area is devoted to agriculture.
Of its agricultural lands, 70 percent is planted to coconut and 20 percent is planted to rice and corn. The rest is planted to other crops, used to raise livestock and poultry, or inland fishery products. (SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The provincial government of Leyte has extended cash incentives to the more than 1,000 day care workers across the province.
Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla told Leyte Samar Daily Express that his office released more than P2 million to give cash incentives to the 1,148 day care workers from Baybay City and the 40 towns of the province.
Petilla said that the cash incentive received by the day care workers depend on their length of service.
For those who served for 6 months to 9 years, they received P1,100; for the beneficiaries who served for 10 to 19 years they received P 1,500; those beneficiaries who served for 20 to 24 years received P2,200.
And for those who rendered service for 25 to 29 years, they received P 4,000 and those in service for 30 years and above got P5,000.
Day care worker municipal coordinators also received P1, 200.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

TACLOBAN CITY- Supporters convened on Tuesday (Dec.5) in Allen, Northern Samar and Ormoc City in Leyte for the “Biyayang Pagbabago” Caravan 2017, drumming up support for the Duterte administration’s poverty alleviation agenda.
In Allen, Northern Samar, Fr. Elmer Cajilig, Visayas co-convenor of Kilusang Pagbabago (KP), arrived at the town’s plaza to meet with a group of supporters.
Cajilig’s group arrived at the town’s port from Luzon Island for the Eastern Visayas leg of the caravan.
KP members signed a manifesto supporting President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-poverty program through the Office of the Participatory Governance dubbed as “Biyayang Pagbabago”, the Philippine Information Agency reported.
In Ormoc City, KP supporters gathered at the city’s plaza for the caravan Tuesday night.
“We believe that we need a firm leader like President Duterte to bring about positive change in the country,” said Enrico Oliveros, KSP Isabel, Leyte coordinator.
On December 1, the Office of the Cabinet Secretary, in partnership with 12 agencies under the Office of the President alongside Kilusang Pagbabago, initiated the “Biyayang Pagbabago Tungo sa Masagana at Matiwasay na Buhay Pilipino” (Biyayang Pagbabago) Program, which aims to provide better living conditions for Filipinos.
The nationwide caravan commenced in Luzon, starting from Ifugao province, all the way to Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Parañaque, Cavite, Batangas, Quezon, Marinduque, and Camarines Sur.
After which, selected participants proceeded to Northern Samar and Ormoc City on Tuesday.
On Wednesday (Dec.6), the group proceeded to Cebu City, Cagayan de Oro City and Bukidnon province in Mindanao.
The caravan will culminate in Davao City on December 9, where President Duterte is expected to formally launch the “Biyayang Pagbabago” program at the city’s Freedom Park.
Participating agencies for the “Biyayang Pagbabago” include the Cooperative Development Authority, Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council, National Anti-Poverty Commission, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos, National Food Authority, National Youth Commission, Presidential Action Center, Philippine Commission on Women, Philippine Coconut Authority, Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor, and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. (SARWELL Q. MENIANIO/JOSEPH PILAPIL/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the Department of Tourism (DOT) is upbeat of the tourism industry’s brighter future in Eastern Visayas with the easy access by air, sea, and land.
The region’s strategic location in the central Philippines makes it very accessible through different means of transportation, according to DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes.
“Tacloban is the region’s main gateway by air. It is served by three major airlines with a total of 96 flights per week from and to Manila, Cebu, Davao, and by next year, Clark. Accessibility is a primary consideration for visiting a place,” Tiopes said.
Tacloban’s Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport is ranked as the country’s 9th busiest airport in 2016 with 1.1 million inbound and outbound passengers.
In Calbayog City, eight flights per week serve the Calbayog-Manila and Calbayog-Cebu routes while the Ormoc City’s airport in the western part of Leyte has seven flights in a week to and from Cebu.
Catarman Airport in Northern Samar has four flights a week from and to Manila.
Air connectivity between Cebu and Naval in Biliran, and between Maasin City, Southern Leyte-Cebu and Tagbilaran is made possible through Air Juan.
From April to June 2017 alone, the region’s 10 airports recorded a passenger movement of 642,701, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines.
This is due to the onset of summer season and long holidays during Holy Week.
In terms of access by land, Eastern Visayas serves as the vital link that promotes connectivity between Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Land travel from north to south pass this route via the Maharlika Highway, using roll-on roll-off ports in Southern Leyte and Northern Samar.
“With seaports located in various localities in the region, sea travel between Luzon, other parts of Visayas and Mindanao is also convenient,” Tiopes said.
In 2016, the region ushered 1.22 million visitors, a significant increase from the measly 365,000 arrivals in 2011.
From a 6 percent to 7 percent annual growth target, stakeholders increased it to at least 20 percent annually for both domestic and foreign guest arrivals.
Of the 3.23 million projected arrivals after six years, 81,936 of them are foreign and 3.15 million of them are domestic.
Tourism stakeholders of the region are eyeing at least 1.31 million to 3.23 million annual tourists from 2017 to 2022 as outlined in the new development roadmap. (MELVA MAE C. MENIANO)

TACLOBAN CITY-Believing that this city has recovered from the onslaught of super typhoon ‘Yolanda,’ couple Mira and Sinclair Lucero has put up a business.
On November 11 of this year, the couple personally welcomed their customers at their newly-opened SOS (Save on Surplus) store, incidentally, the first branch of the said well-known store in Eastern Visayas.
The SOS Tacloban branch is located along Marasbaras district.
“We are just glad to open a branch here in Tacloban City and we know that our store will be patronized by its people and even those coming outside the city,” Mira Lucero said.
“We are optimistic that we will make good here considering that we are not only offering good service for our prospective customers but competitive prices for all the items that we sell here at SOS. We see an opportunity here in Tacloban,” she added.
According to Mira, she and her husband are loyal customers of SOS, franchise arm of HRM Philippines, Inc. reason why they decided to open its branch in Tacloban.
The Lucero couple is the franchise holder of SOS-Tacloban, becoming the 21st outlets of said company in the country.
By opening a branch in Tacloban, customers from the city and other parts of the region could now enjoy the “SOS-” type of service and products being sold,Mira said.
“It’s actually like giving back. The people here need not go to Cebu or Manila just to experience how to buy in an SOS store,” she said.
The opening of the SOS-Tacloban, which is occupying about 700 square meters of an old warehouse converted into a store, also generated employment to locals.
Teofila Brosas, executive secretary of Mayor Cristina Romualdez, said that the city government is happy for the opening of SOS in Tacloban City.
“This only affirms that business confidence has been restored after Tacloban City was devastated by Yolanda in 2013,” she said during an interview.
Katrina Tolentino, franchise manager of HMR, said that they are also glad that finally, their store is now serving the people of Tacloban and the region.
She guarantees to the public that aside from low prices, all the items that SOS is selling are of good quality, many were made from the United States and Australia.
“Our products are affordable. So it’s a destination store for all…” she said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)