The barangay treasurers are appointed by the barangay chairmen upon approval of the village council which their responsibilities include collecting and issuing official receipts for taxes or payments accruing to the barangay treasury, disbursing of funds and providing an inventory of all barangay assets.

TACLOBAN CITY – Barangay officials should be taught on how they could manage well their funds.
Thus said Regional Director Maribel Sacendoncillo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) before municipal treasurers of Leyte in a recent gathering.
According to Sacendoncillo, they should guide barangay officials, particularly the chairmen and their treasurers, on managing their funds to avoid falling to corruption practices.
“The treasurers should help capacitate the barangay treasurers, as simple as bookkeeping; they need to be taught on how to do it. Help them by teaching them how to do inventory of assets. You have that responsibility over the barangays,” she said.
The barangay treasurers are appointed by the barangay chairmen upon approval of the village council with their responsibilities include collecting and issuing official receipts for taxes or payments accruing to the barangay treasury, disbursing of funds and providing an inventory of all barangay assets.
“The fight for corruption should start in the lowest level which is the barangay and to prevent it from happening, we will need your help,” Sacendoncillo said.
Eastern Visayas has a total of 4,390 barangays from 136 municipalities and seven cities which needs to be taught on good financial management to ensure that the funds they received goes to the intended services, programs and projects, the DILG regional director stressed.
Aside from ensuring that the barangay officials are managing the finances of their barangays properly, the treasurers must also provide technical assistance to the newly -elected Sangguniang Kabataan officials to handle their finances as well, Sacendoncillo added.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

NAVAL, Biliran- To achieve a one star rating for the material testing laboratory of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Biliran District Engineering Office (DEO), District Engineer David P. Adongay Jr. requests for a reassessment from the Bureau of Research and Standards (BRS), DPWH Central Office.
The re-assessment was conducted by Cielito C. De Guzman, Engineer IV, RDD and Susana D. Faustino, statistician II, MTD on April 26-27, 2018 in pursuant to the Department Order No. 126 Series of 2016 (Amended to D.O. No.11) Series of 2013- Star Rating of DPWH Regional and District Materials Testing Laboratories.
Department Order No. 11, series of 2013 is being amended to emphasize that the star rating system for testing laboratories of the Regional and District Engineering Offices recognizes the need for capable laboratory technicians and materials engineers and complete and reliable testing apparatus/equipment.
The system classify testing laboratories into One-Star, Two-Star or Three-Star categories based on the following criteria: availability of testing equipment and apparatus, competence/accreditation of personnel, observance of health and safety standards, working area of the laboratory, calibration of apparatus/equipment, third-party certification.
All Regional and District Engineering Offices shall exert efforts to attain at least two-star and one-star rating, respectively.
All laboratories with no star rating yet or with only one-star certification shall work towards their accreditation and/or upgrading.
“DPWH-Biliran DEO is hoping for a successful reassessment and acquire a one star rating this time,” said Adongay.
The evaluation for upgrading of the star rating is conducted by the BRS only upon request by the concerned Regional/District Office and submission of proofs showing the improvements that warrant the upgrading. (PR)

MAASIN CITY-A total of 215 patients availed themselves of free medical services in a mission by a non-profit organization held recently in the municipality of Limasawa.
Worlds-Apart One-Heart Inc. (WAOH) is recognized by the International Revenue System which is managed by Rose Hankins, a Filipina who started the mission in 2005.
A volunteer attends to a patient during the Worlds-Apart-One-Heart (WAOH) medical mission in the municipality of Limasawa, Southern Leyte.
It empowers individuals and communities worldwide to improve access to health care in rural areas like the Philippines.
The organization forges partnerships with medical specialists to provide complex care in their respective areas of mission. It also provides lifesaving surgery, medicines and medical supplies at no cost.
In Southern Leyte, WAOH donated books and school supplies to one identified school in Sogod town.
The team also catered to 37 males for circumcision, 12 for minor surgeries, and 19 patients for dental surgery, among other medical consultations
WAOH medical mission in the municipality of Limasawa was in coordination with the Southern Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SLCCI) family through Mrs. Epifania Sy, Limasawa local officials led by Mayor Melchor Petracorta, Rural Health Unit staff and personnel, among others. (PIA-8, So. Leyte)

TACLOBAN CITY – In an effort to provide employment assistance to marginalized youths in Tacloban, the city government through Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez on Wednesday, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Department of Labor and Employment VIII for the implementation of the JobStart Program.
The MOA signing held at the CMO Boardroom was headed by Mayor Romualdez, DOLE VIII Regional Director Cyril Ticao, Leyte Employment Office Chief Bernardita Navarra and Tacloban PESO manager Emilia Cruz.
According to Director Ticao, the program aims to offer training and internship programs for youth-at-risk in Tacloban.
“Those who will be selected will undergo ten days of life skills training, up to three months of technical training and another three months of work experience with a “matched” employer/establishment,” said the DOLE regional director.
Mayor Romualdez welcomed the development and said that the program will be a big help to marginalized youths in Tacloban, especially those living in relocation sites.
Meanwhile, PESO Manager Cruz disclosed that 100 slots are available for Tacloban City.
“We will start accepting applicants this June as we still have ongoing talks with partner companies, said the PESO manager.
Recipients of the program are youths aged 18 to 24; at least a high-school graduate; not employed, studying, or undergoing training at the time of registration; and with less than one year, or no work, experience. A stipend of 200 pesos will be given those who will qualify throughout the duration of the training.
The program is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the government of Canada.
(HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO)

TACLOBAN CITY – As in previous years, this year’s Sangyaw Festival will highlight a number of socio-cultural and religious events.
In a meeting of the Sangyaw Festival Executive Committee held on Thursday, an initial list of the month-long festivities was presented.
The theme of this year’s Festival will center on the newly launched City Branding Campaign #TaclobantheHomeoftheHappiestPeopleintheWorld.
The June 2018 fiesta activities include nightly shows and concerts at the Plaza Rizal and Sangyawan Park (June 1- July 7), featuring local and guest bands from Manila.
Several local and national sporting events will also be held in the city, these include the Frisbee Competition (June 8-10), National Darts Competition (June 8-10), Sangyaw Mini X-Games (June 9-10), Sangyaw Adventure Race (June 23), Battle of Kankabato: 1st Sangyaw Airsoft Competition (June 9) and Jet Ski Tacloban Race (15-16).
On June 22, twelve home grown beauties will compete in the Miss Tacloban 2018 Pageant at the Tacloban City Convention Center.
Other beauty contests slated this June are the Mr. Sangyaw 2018 (June 15) and Sangyaw Queen (June 24) Mr. Sangyaw Tacloban 2018 (National Body Building Competition, June 28).
Meanwhile, LED floats and festival contingents will once again parade on the main streets of the city for the night time parade spectacle –Sangyaw Parade of Lights on June 29.
Religious activities include the Balyuan Rites which reenacts the historical exchange of Sto. Niño images between Tacloban and Basey on June 20. The religious event will signal the start of the nine-day novena mass for the 129th Annual Fiesta Celebration.
On the day of the fiesta, a Pontifical Mass will be held at the Sto. Niῆo Parish Church to be followed by the Fluvial and Land Processions in the afternoon.
The executive committee headed by Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez enjoins organizations and individuals to participate in the various religious and socio-civic activities related to the City’s upcoming Fiesta Celebration.
(HENRY JAMES G.ROCA/CIO)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is eyeing a P1.37 billion outlay to assist less privileged farmers in three Samar provinces under the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD).
From 2016 to 2017, the department has already poured in nearly P20 million to poor farmers not covered in regular programs of the central government.
“The implementation in the past two years was a bit delayed, but for 2018, we are already on track with 62 percent of the P126.67 million budget for the year has already been disbursed,” said DA assistant regional director for operations Andrew Orais.
The DA regional office is proposing P898.74 million budget for SAAD projects for 2019 to 2022. The initiative aims to alleviate 37,669 farmers from extreme poverty, said Orais.
“SAAD has no big infrastructure projects because our targets are small marginal farmers who are not regular beneficiaries of regular programs. These are meant for those who have not received interventions because they’re not capable of catching up with the requirements for beneficiaries,” Orais said.
The project focuses on improving production of rice, corn, vegetables, and livestock.
SAAD has two funding components. The first will be carried out by the provincial government through fund downloaded to the local government. The second component will be managed by the DA regional office.
It is a special program of the DA focusing on 10 top poorest provinces in the country, which include the three Samar provinces.
Activities are focused on social preparation and provision of agriculture and fishery-related livelihood interventions to address poverty in the 10 provinces.
DA aims to reduce poverty in Samar provinces by 25 percent in the next three years from 55.4 percent in Eastern Samar, 43.5 percent in Northern Samar, and 43.5 percent in Samar. (PNA)