TACLOBAN CITY- Vote wisely.
This was the advice of Rep. Henry Ong to voters relative to the forthcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Ong, representing Leyte’s second congressional district, also asked the voters to resist any vote-buying that some candidates may resort just to win in the May 14 balloting.
“I call on my constituents to be wise in voting candidates who will truly give the best service. After all, three years is a long period when you put the wrong officials in office,” the solon said.
Ong said that candidates should not resort to any scheme like vote-buying that could thwart their rights to vote the candidates they believe would advance the interest of the barangays.
“I wish the candidates in the second district of Leyte the best of luck; may the best man and woman win. (But) please allow your constituents to decide for your fate on election day. I hope that you avoid mudslinging and character assassination,” Ong said.
“I am hoping for a clean, fair, honest and decisive barangay and SK elections come May 14,” he added.
Earlier, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on the electorate to vote candidates who will not resort to vote-buying but vote those who serve them well.
Voters are to elect a barangay chairman and seven members of the barangay council, same number for members of the Sangguniang Kabataan.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

BORONGAN CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (ESDEO) procured 3-unit high end surveying instruments amounting P3 million to improve planning and surveying capabilities of the district.
The district is now using the one unit Topcon Real Time Kinematic (RTK) and two units Total Stations which will fast track the preparation of plans during pre-detailed engineering activities.
Eastern Samar DEO is one of the districts in region VIII which is implementing high volume of projects amounting to billions of pesos, hence modern technology is highly needed to implement infra projects on time schedule and done it with accuracy.
Real Time Kinematic (RTK) position is a satellite navigation technique used to enhance the precision derived from satellite Systems (Global Navigation Satellites, GNSS) such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and the Total Station instrument is used to measure distances, angles and coordinates.
According to Nessy Jade P. Geroy, the DPWH-ESDEO geodetic engineer, the new RTK will improve the efficiency and accuracy of survey works, decrease the manpower needed and reduces the working days in the field.
Furthermore, the new surveying instrument will make quality projects designs and layout, said Arturo C. Apura, the planning and design section chief.
Meanwhile, District Engineer Manolo A. Rojas is very satisfied in procuring this new technology.
“Eastern Samar District Engineering Office is committed to implement quality infra projects. With this new technology, we can say that we can now compete globally in terms of planning services,” Rojas added.
The Planning and Design Section of Eastern Samar DEO got very satisfactory (VS) rating on design audit for two consecutive years, year 2016 and 2017.
With the help of the new procured surveying instrument, Eastern Samar DEO will enhance more its infrastructure development process to better serve the interest of stakeholders. (JAYSON G.ESPESO, Engineer II/PIO-Designate)

Be among the first to experience the Summit Hotel Tacloban brand of service and amenities at a special advance purchase rate of P3,777 net for Super Rooms!
As an initial treat to locals and foreign visitors, Summit Hotel Tacloban, the fifth property under the Summit Hotels and Resorts brand, is offering the special room rate, which includes a sumptuous breakfast by Patron Casual Dining restaurant.
The Summit Hotel Tacloban, strategically located just right next to the Robinsons Place Tacloban, serves as a portal to the rest of the Eastern Visayas. The Summit Hotels and Resorts, which had its soft opening last April 25, is a tribute to the resiliency, strength and beauty of the place and its people.
“We are proud to open our doors and set a new milestone for Tacloban as a leisure and corporate meeting destination,” says Robinsons Hotels and Resorts Business Unit General Manager Elizabeth D. Gregorio. “The sun is continuously shining bright in the city of Tacloban and it’s our pleasure to take part in letting the world know the beauty that awaits them here,” she adds.
The 138-room Summit Hotel Tacloban is the Summit Hotels and Resorts contribution to Tacloban’s thrust of “building back better” as it features design concepts and finishes that are unique to the region to achieve a tropical Filipino look with a luxurious and contemporary yet warm and welcoming vibe.
“The design takes inspiratiom from Region Eight’s colorful history [and is] a commemoration of the promising future brought about by the abundance of its natural resources and the warmth of its people despite past trials,” says the property’s architect, Albert Yu.
Yu adds that natural wood and neutral hues will be the main motif of the property, with interesting details from native stone surfaces, pretty latticework and elegant light fixtures.
Wooden arches, symbolic of Tacloban being a gateway to the region, will greet guests at the reception area. Basket-weave, coconut-leaf patterns and patterned glass will give depth and texture to various areas of the hotel, while pops of color will add a hint of fun and playfulness to the design.
The Summit Hotel Tacloban will feature six guest suites in three different designs that echo a celebration held in the region — the Sangyaw Suite, with its bold floral patterns and metallic accents, is named after the Sangyaw Festival, a local religious and socio-cultural event revived by the city government in 2008; the Lubi-Lubi Suite, with its bold leaf patterns and a variety of textures and colors, is named after the sayawlubi-lubi (coconut dance), an indigenous street parade that celebrates peace, love and unity among the city’s barangays using coco plants and materials for their costumes and props; the Pintados Suite, which will be marked by modernized symbolic tattoo patterns, is named after the Pintados Festival, a commemoration of the first inhabitants of the Visayas whose bodies were covered with tattoos.
King and Twin Super rooms, meanwhile, will feature native woodwork patterns that are reminiscent of indigenous bamboo floors of the traditional bahaykubo. All rooms, as well as communal spaces, will be furnished with mid-century modern pieces to balance the more traditional design elements.
Summit Hotels and Resorts represent the new powerful collection of unique boutique hotels with a distinct aesthetic and functional design that that are strategically located at the country’s prime business and tourism spots. Every Summit Hotel and Resort property offers unique and top-quality amenities, well-appointed guest rooms, winning brand tie-ups, and a personable brand of service from our passionate hotel teams.
The Advance Purchase Rate of P3,777 net is valid for bookings via call, website,and front desk reservations. The rate includes 31 to 35% discounts on published rates. For more information and to make a reservation, contact (02) 398-8788 / 0998-888-7788 / 0917-888-7788 or visit www.summithotels.ph. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- Members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the region conducted separate buy-bust operations on Monday (April 23) which resulted to the arrest of three alleged drug peddlers and the seizure of shabu with combined value of P165, 000.
First to fall of these sting operations was Kent Ronquillo,33, in Barangay 6 of Sto. Niño Extension wherein he was caught in possession of seven sachets of shabu weighing 30 grams with a street value of P150,000.
Second to be arrested was Jimuel Figueroa, 38 at his village in Brgy.91, Abucay District at about 8:30 pm wherein members of the anti-drug agency seized from him five sachets of shabu weighing 1.5 grams with a value of P7,500.
The last to be arrested on that same day of operation was Alemar Miraflor,34, in Brgy.39, Calvary Hill.
Seized from the suspect were seven sachets of shabu weighing 1.5 grams and with street value of P7,500. His companion, Ricky Bandilla,23, managed to elude the arrest.
All three jobless suspects are now detained at the detention facility of the PDEA and charged for sale and possession of illegal drugs. (PR)

CALBAYOG CITY-As part of strengthening the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH), and Samar First District Engineering Office is subjected to management operations audit and Internal Quality Audit (IQA) by auditors from Internal Audit Service Central Office on April 4-14, 2018.
The audit team was led by Melinda B. Tan with Veronica A. Delas Llagas, Ronaldo D. Velano, and Rowena R. Sulla comprising the rest of the team.
In the Internal Audit process, prior to the start of each audit, the audit team sought the advice of District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio on specific issues of concern and matters that could further strengthen the internal control system within the office or the operational activities.
The audit focused on systems and procedures as well as operations covering mainly from the year 2017 and up to present transactions.
The audit team’s objective is to appraise whether internal control components are well designed and properly implemented and evaluate the control effectiveness of operating system and support systems for a specific period or date.
This is to ensure continual implementation and determine effectiveness of the processes and mandatory procedures in Quality Management Systems (QMS) in conformance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.
(BON JOSEPH N. ASTILLA/PIO Staff)

TACLOBAN CITY- The region’s economy registered a measly 1.8 percent growth in 2017, a huge slump compared to the 12.4 percent growth rate in 2016.
This was announced by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)’s regional director Wilma Perante on Thursday (April 26) who said that the decline was mainly due to the sluggish performance of the industry sector.
The 1.8 percent growth of the region was the lowest among the country’s 17 regions.
The industry sector, which contributed 42.6 percent to the regional economy, only recorded a growth rate of 1.7 percent.
The figure was far from the 2016 growth rate of 19.5 percent which was partly due to the poor performance of industries located at the Leyte Industrial Development Estate, the only economic zone of the region located in Isabel, Leyte.
Also pulling down the region’s economic growth was the construction sector which only posted a 21.0 percent growth rate which was lower compared to the 2016 record of 42.4 percent.
The construction sector, which falls on the industry category, was partly driven by projects relative to the rehabilitation program of the government on areas hit by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ like housing projects.
The region’s growth rate was far from the projected 5.2 to 5.7 percent made by the Regional Development Plan 2017-2022.
“We should still be happy because our economy in Eastern Visayas is growing though not that fast compare to 2016,” Perante said.
The massive 6.5 magnitude earthquake that hit Leyte on July 6 and the series of typhoons experienced by the region during the same period were also cited as the reasons why the economy contracted.
For one, the earthquake resulted in the economic loss to the power sector pegged at P37.8 million by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).
However, the tremor, which resulted power shutdown all over the region for close to three weeks, was estimated to result to a daily economic loss of P300 million to various industries.
“We have yet to recover from the adverse effects of these 2017 disasters. Even from Yolanda, some projects are still due for completion, especially resettlement,” NEDA Assistant Regional Director Meylene Rosales, reading the message of her director, Bonifacio Uy.
She added that 2016 saw the ‘peak’ of the Yolanda-related rehabilitation projects, notably the resettlement projects reason why the region’s economic growth reached to 12.4 percent.
“The delayed implementation of government Yolanda resettlement projects contributed to the decline in public construction,” Rosales said.
Meantime, the agriculture and fishing sector, posted a 0.1 percent growth rate, a decline of 2.3 percent from the 2016 record; services sector recorded a 6.2 percent growth which was lower compare to the 8.4 percent of 2016.
Other services which include hotels and restaurants industry, also posted a negative growth rate of 0.9 percent.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)