TACLOBAN CITY – The passage of a law establishing the Biliran Cultural Center and Museum will help promote the cultural heritage of the country’s fourth-smallest province, a solon said on Friday.
In a Facebook post, Biliran Lone District Rep. Gerardo Espina, Jr. said the House bill for Biliran Cultural Center and Museum has been approved and enacted into law known as Republic Act 11772 “An Act Establishing the Biliran Cultural Center and Museum in the Province of Biliran, Defining Its Purposes and Objectives, and Appropriating Funds Therefor.”
“This piece of legislation will protect and preserve our province’s unique cultural heritage and a legacy that shall be cherished for the years to come,” Espina added.
The establishment of the center in Biliran is among the three laws signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on May 25. Other cultural centers and museums are in Kalinga and Misamis Oriental.
Under the law, the cultural center and museum will serve as the institutional medium for the protection, preservation, presentation, and promotion of the cultural, artistic, archaeological, social, historical, religious, and philosophical heritage of Biliran Island, and its people given the richness of their legacies and their relevance to their contemporary and future aspirations.
The provincial government of Biliran must provide the land necessary for the construction or establishment, or both, of the main venue and ancillary offices and facilities of the three cultural centers and museums.
Espina said the center is badly needed in the province since historical artifacts and objects are scattered throughout different towns in their province.
The center is expected to compile the musical notes and lyrics of Biliran traditional songs, ballads, and contemporary music compositions, and to collect samples of musical instruments of Biliran origin; publish and disseminate Biliran literary works, epics, stories, and historical accounts; and compile Biliran literature, film or audio-visual recordings of cultural performances in music, dances, oral literature, and festival celebrations.
The Biliran Cultural Center and Museum is also tasked to gather and document Biliran religious practices and traditions, the background and origin of Biliran fiestas and festivals; and to compile photographs of and showcase Biliran landmarks, historical sites, and scenic views by appropriate exhibits.
Biliran lauds passage of law setting up cultural center, museum
Another is to gather specimens of archaeological findings, collect stones, rocks, and other geological materials; and preserve samples of flora and fauna indigenous to the province of Biliran. (PNA)
Banac urges cops manhunt against law violators
Over 2,000 persons arrested due to various offenses
TACLOBAN CITY – About 2,193 persons were arrested across the region on various operations conducted by the police authorities covering the period of February 1 to May 15.
The arrests of these persons, including 12 alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA), were by virtue of their ‘step up’ operations against those who have committed crimes, B/Gen. Bernard Banac, the police regional director, said.
“Let us continue to do well in our mandated tasks as law enforcers of the land,” the police regional director said, reminding police officers during a command conference held last May 27 attended by other top police officers in the region.
Based on the record from the regional police regional office, 180 who are listed on the top 10 most wanted persons in the region were arrested while 490 others who were considered as among the other most wanted in the provincial, city, or municipal levels were also arrested.
Also in the same period, 80 illegal gun owners were also arrested which resulted in the recovery of 790 unlicensed firearms.
The same report also disclosed that 129 individuals engaging in the illegal drug trade were also arrested who were found to be in possession of 25,310,64 grams of the illegal drug of shabu or marijuana with a total street value of P1.64 million.
It also disclosed that 330 individuals were also arrested in the same period who were engaging in the illegal fishing with fishing products with a total worth of P 16.07 million were confiscated from them.
Also, 150 individuals were also apprehended for illegal logging activities with P2.87 million worth of confiscated lumber/forest products.
In the campaign against illegal gambling, 834 were arrested with a total of P274, 431 bet money seized from them.
Meantime, the campaign against insurgency, the regional office recorded 29 NPA members voluntarily surrendered to the police authorities while 12 others were arrested.
About 36 firearms and explosives were also confiscated from these rebels.
The arrests of these persons, including 12 alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA), were by virtue of their ‘step up’ operations against those who have committed crimes, B/Gen. Bernard Banac, the police regional director, said.
“Let us continue to do well in our mandated tasks as law enforcers of the land,” the police regional director said, reminding police officers during a command conference held last May 27 attended by other top police officers in the region.
Based on the record from the regional police regional office, 180 who are listed on the top 10 most wanted persons in the region were arrested while 490 others who were considered as among the other most wanted in the provincial, city, or municipal levels were also arrested.
Also in the same period, 80 illegal gun owners were also arrested which resulted in the recovery of 790 unlicensed firearms.
The same report also disclosed that 129 individuals engaging in the illegal drug trade were also arrested who were found to be in possession of 25,310,64 grams of the illegal drug of shabu or marijuana with a total street value of P1.64 million.
It also disclosed that 330 individuals were also arrested in the same period who were engaging in the illegal fishing with fishing products with a total worth of P 16.07 million were confiscated from them.
Also, 150 individuals were also apprehended for illegal logging activities with P2.87 million worth of confiscated lumber/forest products.
In the campaign against illegal gambling, 834 were arrested with a total of P274, 431 bet money seized from them.
Meantime, the campaign against insurgency, the regional office recorded 29 NPA members voluntarily surrendered to the police authorities while 12 others were arrested.
About 36 firearms and explosives were also confiscated from these rebels.
DSWD pours in more aid for Leyte landslide victims
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social and Welfare and Development (DSWD) National Resource Operations Center (NROC) delivered on Thursday thousands of items for landslide victims in Leyte.
The DSWD regional office received 5,000 family food packs (FFPs), 1,000 sleeping kits, 2,900 kitchen kits, and 3,500 hygiene kits. These goods are intended for survivors in Baybay City and Abuyog town.
“These are intended to augment the resources of DSWD Eastern Visayas as it responds to the requests of local government units affected by the recent disaster,” DSWD regional information officer Joshua Kempis said in a phone interview Thursday.
As of April 20, the DSWD has already distributed 27,925 FFPs in different towns of Leyte province. The total value of released food packs is PHP17.86 million.
Each food pack for one family costing PHP500 contains six kilograms of rice, four cans of corned beef, two cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of energy drink.
Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the local governments are the first responders, and the DSWD is tasked to augment the response efforts after disasters.
Meanwhile, the DSWD has already released a total of PHP1.01 million to victims of Tropical Depression Agaton under its assistance to individuals in crisis situations program.
A PHP10,000 cash aid has been given to each of the 56 families whose members died due to a landslide, while PHP5,000 was released to 90 families whose houses were covered by the massive soil erosion.
The DSWD Eastern Visayas assured the public that it would continue to provide augmentation support to the affected local government units.(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
The DSWD regional office received 5,000 family food packs (FFPs), 1,000 sleeping kits, 2,900 kitchen kits, and 3,500 hygiene kits. These goods are intended for survivors in Baybay City and Abuyog town.
“These are intended to augment the resources of DSWD Eastern Visayas as it responds to the requests of local government units affected by the recent disaster,” DSWD regional information officer Joshua Kempis said in a phone interview Thursday.
As of April 20, the DSWD has already distributed 27,925 FFPs in different towns of Leyte province. The total value of released food packs is PHP17.86 million.
Each food pack for one family costing PHP500 contains six kilograms of rice, four cans of corned beef, two cans of tuna flakes, two cans of sardines, five sachets of coffee, and five sachets of energy drink.
Under the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, the local governments are the first responders, and the DSWD is tasked to augment the response efforts after disasters.
Meanwhile, the DSWD has already released a total of PHP1.01 million to victims of Tropical Depression Agaton under its assistance to individuals in crisis situations program.
A PHP10,000 cash aid has been given to each of the 56 families whose members died due to a landslide, while PHP5,000 was released to 90 families whose houses were covered by the massive soil erosion.
The DSWD Eastern Visayas assured the public that it would continue to provide augmentation support to the affected local government units.(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
Ormoc City hosts Filipino Food Month which showcases Leyte’s native delicacies
TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Ormoc is hosting a showcase of various local dishes in the fourth district of Leyte in line with the celebration of the Filipino Food Month.
Local delicacies from the towns of Albuera, Isabel, Kananga, Matag-ob, Merida, Palompon, and Ormoc City are displayed and being sold at the Food Bazaar: Love Lokal: Flavours at the Ormoc City Quadrangle
The food bazaar is open from 11 am to 11 pm every day until May 30.
Aside from local delicacies like bibingka, suman, kutsinta, puto, and pineapple tart, other products sold at the bazaar includes dried dangit, bahalina, coconut virgin oil, and cookies, among others.
Visitors may also buy food from stalls that offer an array of dishes from Filipino like lechon, pansit, barbeque, Korean, and Japanese.
“Let this be a fantastic food journey for each and every one,” Mayor Richard Gomez said during the opening ceremony.
April is the designated as the Filipino Food Month or ‘Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino’ which aims to appreciate, preserve, promote, and spread the Filipino culinary traditions to future generations through Presidential Proclamation No. 469 signed in April 2018.
This activity, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism, Department of Agriculture, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM), also aims to support not only the tourism industry but also to help farmers, and local producers to sell their produce.
Krsytel Morfe, NCCAs National Food Month project manager, lauded the Ormoc City for hosting the event.
“Let us continue to value our Filipino culinary heritage and traditions as one Filipino people with a strong sense of nationhood and respect for cultural heritage,” she said.
“We hope to bring forward greater awareness about the different issues on food security, food sufficiency, and the important of farm-to-plate or the food value chain approach in the economic and agriculture sector,” she added.
The event was also joined by the lead organizers of Food Bazaar: Love Lokal: Flavours of the 4th District of Leyte headed by Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez; Estrella Maria Pangilinan, president of Ormoc Festival and Cultural Foundation and Matag-ob Mayor Michael Torrevillas.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Local delicacies from the towns of Albuera, Isabel, Kananga, Matag-ob, Merida, Palompon, and Ormoc City are displayed and being sold at the Food Bazaar: Love Lokal: Flavours at the Ormoc City Quadrangle
The food bazaar is open from 11 am to 11 pm every day until May 30.
Aside from local delicacies like bibingka, suman, kutsinta, puto, and pineapple tart, other products sold at the bazaar includes dried dangit, bahalina, coconut virgin oil, and cookies, among others.
Visitors may also buy food from stalls that offer an array of dishes from Filipino like lechon, pansit, barbeque, Korean, and Japanese.
“Let this be a fantastic food journey for each and every one,” Mayor Richard Gomez said during the opening ceremony.
April is the designated as the Filipino Food Month or ‘Buwan ng Kalutong Pilipino’ which aims to appreciate, preserve, promote, and spread the Filipino culinary traditions to future generations through Presidential Proclamation No. 469 signed in April 2018.
This activity, spearheaded by the Department of Tourism, Department of Agriculture, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Philippine Culinary Heritage Movement (PCHM), also aims to support not only the tourism industry but also to help farmers, and local producers to sell their produce.
Krsytel Morfe, NCCAs National Food Month project manager, lauded the Ormoc City for hosting the event.
“Let us continue to value our Filipino culinary heritage and traditions as one Filipino people with a strong sense of nationhood and respect for cultural heritage,” she said.
“We hope to bring forward greater awareness about the different issues on food security, food sufficiency, and the important of farm-to-plate or the food value chain approach in the economic and agriculture sector,” she added.
The event was also joined by the lead organizers of Food Bazaar: Love Lokal: Flavours of the 4th District of Leyte headed by Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez; Estrella Maria Pangilinan, president of Ormoc Festival and Cultural Foundation and Matag-ob Mayor Michael Torrevillas.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Comelec to construct makeshift polling centers hit by landslides and typhoon ‘Odette’
TACLOBAN CITY-The regional Commission on Elections (Comelec)has assured voters in landslide-hit areas and those recently hit by typhoon ‘Odette’ could still exercise their right to vote relative to the May 9 elections.
Lawyer Felicisimo Embalsado, the assistant director of the Comelec, said makeshifts will be constructed in areas where affected voters could vote.
The polls official was referring to some areas in Southern Leyte where Odette struck last December and those hit by landslide incidents in Baybay City and Abuyog, both in Leyte.
“Makeshifts will be constructed that will serve as (polling) centers. We will find ways for voters of these areas could cast their right to vote as it is their constitutional right,” Embalsado said.
According to him, the construction of these makeshift polling precincts will start next week as their office is now in the process of buying needed materials like plywoods and tarpaulins.
At least P500,000 has been set aside by the commission to construct 30 makeshift polling precincts to serve around 10,000 registered voters.
Embalsado said that the makeshift polling centers will be constructed in safe areas, possibly in town the center.
He added that these polling precincts are to be constructed in the towns of Bontoc, Macrohon, Sogod, Bontoc, and San Ricardo, all in Southern Leyte which were hit by Odette last year.
The same facility will also be constructed in Abuyog and Baybay which were hit by deadly landslide incidents.
All these areas have seen their public schools, which served as their polling precincts, destroyed due to these natural calamities.
Meantime, Embalsado said that all the needed 6, 271 voting counting machines and ballot boxes, among others, have been deployed to the six provincial Comelec offices in the region beginning Thursday (April 21).
The official ballots, however, are expected to arrive at least three days before the May 9 balloting.
Eastern Visayas has more than 3.16 million registered voters.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)