TACLOBAN CITY– Southern Leyte Rep.Luz Mercado (1st district) has filed a bill at the House of Representatives proposing the creation of a sports academy in the province.
Southern Leyte Rep. Luz Mercado files a bill seeking for the establishment of a sports academy in the province aim to produce world-class athletes.(Photo Courtesy)
The bill, contained under House Bill Number 2374, seeks to establish a sports complex in Maasin City that will be called the Southern Leyte Sports Academy and will be the primary sports and athletic development and training center for athletes, coaches, and other sports personnel in the province.
Under the bill, the provincial government, together with the city of Maasin, in coordination with the Philippine Sports Commission(PSC), shall take necessary steps to upgrade, improve, and modernize existing equipment and personnel, and shall also create a training program and appropriate tournaments and competitions.
The construction of facilities, including their maintenance, should be funded by the provincial government and the city government of Maasin, including its management.
The PSC and Office of the President may also provide additional funding for the construction of the sports facility.
The bill, which was filed last year and at a committee level, also states that grants and endowments for the sports facility may also be obtained from local and foreign sources. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
The Bureau of Customs in Tacloban City started to deliver balikbayan boxes to consignees who have relatives working abroad beginning Dec.27, free of charge as per the directive of Pres. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.(BoC-Tacloban)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Customs (BoC) here in the city released balikbayan boxes whose consignees have members of their loved ones who are working abroad.
The release of the balikbayan boxes was in consonance on the directive of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. to deliver them to the families of Filipino overseas workers (OFWs) free of charge, Francis Tolibas, the district collector, said in a statement.
BOC-Tacloban received 70 balikbayan boxes on December 27 last year bound to OFW families who were victims of unscrupulous consolidators.
The boxes are part of the abandoned packages consigned to Dubai-based ALL Win Cargo LLC, the consolidator, and Cargoflex Haulers Corporation, the deconsolidator.
These two are among the lists of consolidators and deconsolidators that were complained to have abandoned balikbayan boxes intended for OFW families from 2021 to 2022.
The balikbayan boxes are bound to 19 OFW families in Leyte; six each in Southern Leyte and Northern Samar; four in Tacloban City; three in Samar; and one in Eastern Samar.
“Of the 70 balikbayan boxes delivered to the (BoC) Tacloban, 39 were successfully claimed by its consignees,” Tolibas said.
Those who have not claimed their balikbayan packages may visit their office during office hours and from Monday to Friday.
For the sender or consignee of the balikbayan boxes, they need to present a proof of shipping, two valid government- issued identification cards, and a photocopy of the sender’s passport.
For authorized representatives, they need to present an authorization letter, proof of shipping documents, two valid IDs of authorized representatives, and a photocopy of sender’s passport. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
ORMOC CITY-An intoxicated man who created a disturbance inside a billiard hall who hacked its owner was shot dead by a responding policeman in an incident in Barugo, Leyte on New Year’s Day.
Major Alexander Alfonzo, the town chief of police, identified the victim as Emilio Diloy, 74, while the suspect was identified as Jaime Raagas, 49, both residents of Sta. Rosa village.
Initial investigation conducted by local police disclosed that prior to the incident, the suspect who was obviously under the influence of intoxicating liquor, caused disturbance at the billiard place owned by the victim.
The owner tried to pacify the suspect he was disturbing the people playing billiards at that moment.
However, the suspect got irked who went home. However, he returned again armed with a long-bladed weapon and hacked the victim several times.
Meanwhile, Pat. Rafael Maglinte, also a resident of the village, heard the commotion outside his house prompting him to go out and witness the suspect hacking the victim several times.
He tried to intervene only for the suspect to attack him, prompting the police officer to shot the suspect, hitting him on his abdomen.
Raagas was brought to the Carigara district hospital where he was declared as dead on arrival by the attending physician.
Pat. Maglente was brought to the Barugo police station proper disposition, and his service firearm was temporarily surrendered to the local police.
The police also brought to the police station the long-bladed weapon used by the suspect which was recovered at the crime scene. (ROBERT DEJON)
TACLOBAN CITY– The annual business renewal and payment of regulatory fees, which runs through January 20, 2023, attracts real estate and business taxpayers to the Business One Stop Shop (BOSS), this city.
According to the Business Permits and Licenses Division (BPLD), if all conditions are met, the expedited business renewal process just needs a few hours.
Through the City Government’s Electronic Payment Portal (EPP) System, business permits, real estate taxes, and transportation taxes can also be renewed and paid online.
The city government website at www.tacloban.gov.ph provides access to the EPP.
Meanwhile, the BLPD OIC Gemafiel Gaspay also announced that registration sites in Robinsons Marasbaras (Lingkod Pinoy), Robinsons North (Front of Robinsons Bank), and Gaisano Real were also set up to provide ease to taxpayers.
Business renewal applications are accepted at the Business One Stop Shop from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, while the satellite registration sites are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Late applications will be assessed a 25 percent surcharge and 2 percent interest.
Here are the basic requirements for business renewal and transport permit:
Requirements for business renewal
* barangay clearance (Original-where the business is located); Mayor’s Business Permit; Mayor’s Business Plate (photocopy); and filled up application form for business permit.
Requirements for Transport Permit(Operator)-previous business permit; residence certificate (photocopy); barangay clearance; police clearance • TOMECO clearance
•LTO O.R/C.R (photocopy); LTFRB franchise (PUJ/PUV);
• authorization letter; and filled up application for business permit. And for driver-residence certificate(photocopy); barangay clearance; police clearance; TOMECO clearance; health card; and driver’s license (Photocopy).
(HJ ROCA/CIO)
TACLOBAN CITY– Eight persons were injured during the Christmas and New Year celebrations in the region.
Jelyn Lopez, the regional information officer of the Department of Health (DOH), said that this year’s cases of firecracker-related injuries were higher by 60 percent compared to the same period of last year which had only five cases.
“The increase is not alarming. Although our cases are 60% higher than last year, we are one of the regions with fireworks-related injuries,” she said.
It was learned that Friday (Jan.6) was the last day of monitoring and reporting of the DOH on firecracker-related injuries. The period of monitoring started on Dec.22, 2022.
According to Lopez, the increase in cases could be attributed to the lesser restrictions and increased gatherings this year.
Lopez said that despite of the increased cases, the region did not record any death related to the revelries.
Based on their monitoring, the eight cases were from Tanauan, Hilongos, all in Leyte; Zumarraga, Catubig, and Catbalogan City, all in Samar; Pambujan and Catubig in Northern Samar; and Oras, Eastern Samar.
The DOH said that the oldest blast victim was from Catbalogan City involving a 45-year-old man whose right index finger had to be amputated after the ‘kwitis’ exploded while he was to throw it.
The youngest, meantime, involved a 10-year-old boy from Zumarraga town whose right eye was hit by a ‘lantaka’, an improvised cannon. (JOEY A. GABIETA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
LANDSLIDE. Torrential rains pounded across Eastern Visayas this week which resulted in flooding and landslide incidents. Among the areas hit by the landslide was a resettlement site in Salcedo, Eastern Samar on Wednesday (Jan. 4) which resulted in the damage of a waste facility and a portion of a pathway in the said area. Gov. Ben Evardone vowed to help the affected villages of Salcedo Ville. (Gov. Ben Evardone Facebook)
TACLOBAN CITY– The low-pressure area (LPA)-induced rains have resulted in flooding and landslide incidents across the region Wednesday (Jan. 4).
In Salcedo town, Eastern Samar, a landslide that hit a ‘Yolanda’ resettlement in Barangay Tagbacan early morning destroyed a structure that served as a material recovery facility.
Linus Deguito, the information officer of the municipal government of Salcedo, said that the landslide could happen around 4 am with no persons injured due to the incident.
“The (resettlement site) is located in an elevated portion. No one was injured due to the landslide because the structure was unoccupied at that time,” he said in a phone interview.
Still, he said, the more than 100 families that now occupies at the said resettlement site which has over 300 housing units, especially those located near the landslide area, were ordered to be evacuated by the local government unit.
At least 47 families whose houses are located near the landslide area were evacuated to other houses still within the Salcedo Ville.
Deguito also said that several villages of the town have also been flooded due to the incessant rains spawned by the LPA.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone visited the site and promised to help the affected families, adding that he will inform the private entity that helped built the Salcedo Ville where families whose houses were damaged when Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ hit the area eight years ago.
Several local government units across the region suspended work and classes on Wednesday due to the continuous rains.
Here in Tacloban City, Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued an executive order at about 12 noon declaring the suspension of work.
Classes across the city were suspended by the school officials.
In Leyte, among the towns that also suspended work and classes were Palo, Abuyog, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Babatngon, Tolosa, Tanauan, Barugo, and the city of Ormoc.
A minor landslide was reported in Brgy. Tadoc, Abuyog town.
In Samar province, the municipalities of Basey, Calbiga and Paras likewise suspended works and classes while in Eastern Samar, the same order also took effect in Salcedo, Guiuan, Balangkayan, Balangiga, and Giporlos.
In Biliran, classes and work were also suspended in Naval town due to the continuous rains it experiences.
In Northern Samar, flooding incidents were reported in the towns of San Roque and San Isidro resulting in the suspension of classes.
A gale warning was also raised by the local Pagasa office reminding fishermen who are using small sea crafts, in particular, not to venture to the seas amid the turbulent weather.
To recall, during the massive and continuous rains experienced in Northern Samar during the Christmas, several fishermen were reported missing.
At least two fishermen from the province died while seven others remain to be missing.
In Eastern Samar, a landslide was reported in Barangay Siha, Borongan City due to the uninterrupted rain as flooding was also reported in the town of Quinapondan, particularly in the villages within the town proper.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said that the entire Eastern Visayas region will be experiencing heavy rainfall that could result to flooding and landslide incidents.
