TACLOBAN CITY – Vice President and Education Sec. Sara Duterte attended the ‘Brigada Pagbasa’ provincial summit on Wednesday (Nov.9), reiterating the importance of teachers in nation-building and maintain professionalism.
The summit, held at the gymnasium of St. Mary’s College in Borongan City, was attended by education officials and local government officials of the province, education stakeholders, and students.
“It is important that as teachers, as professionals, as public service providers, you protect your integrity and maintain your professionalism as students look up to you as role model,” the Vice President said.
As teachers, Duterte emphasized their power to influence their students to have better behavior and character that helps them in navigating their daily life challenges.
“When you swore to become a teacher you swore to become a role model to your students. You have the power to give education to our future workforce. With that power comes the responsibility to guide our students and help them develop into skilled, ethical, and socially responsible citizen,” she added.
Duterte also lauded the Eastern Samar DepEd Division including the provincial and various local government units of the province in helping the learning gaps, particularly during the height of the pandemic wherein students had suffered learning loss due to the absence of in-campus lessons. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY– The governors of Eastern Visayas have agreed to propose an ‘equalization fund’ as a way to help address the insurgency problem of the region.
This proposal was made during a meeting with regional civilian and security officials of the region with National Security Adviser, Sec. Clarita Carlos here in the city Friday (Nov.11).
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, who made the proposal, said that by having an equalization fund, ‘poorer’ provinces like much of Eastern Visayas would have more funds to bankroll their projects which aim, among others, to end the insurgency problem.
He said that the additional fund that could come from the proposed equalization fund could be used to build more roads in areas affected by the insurgency problem.
“The body has agreed to have the need of equalization funds to poor provinces, municipalities, and barangays…to help address the needs like roads and health centers,” he said.
“This will be a big push in our efforts to finally end the communist problem in our area,” Evardone added.
He, however, was quick to say that there must be what he called a ‘sunshine provision’ wherein the funding could be stopped or changed once the problem is addressed completely.
Evardone said that based on the current setup, rich local government units have more share of national tax while the poor ones get the smaller share.
The governor added that the funds could also be used to address climate change-related programs or activities.
For her part, Samar Gov. Sharee Ann Tan said that while the insurgency problem in her province is ‘becoming weak,’ there is still so much to be done to fully quell the problem.
“Our direction is now how to deal with the rebel returnees or surrenderees like providing them livelihood assistance,” she said.
Leyte Gov. Jericho Petilla said that while Leyte has been cleared of the insurgency problem, he agrees to the proposal saying there is still a need to ensure that the villages that were recovered from the control of the New People’s Army need to be maintained as insurgency-free.
“That is actually difficult to do,” he said.
Sec. Carlos said that she agree with the proposal of the governors though she said that this can be addressed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through realignment of funds or even an act of Congress.
Eastern Visayas, particularly the three provinces of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar continue to deal with insurgency problem.
During the gathering, Major Gen. Camilo Ligayo, the commanding officer of the 8th Infantry Division, said that they are targeting that before the end of the year, they could crush the insurgency problem of the region by clearing remaining villages considered under their control.
He said that out of the five existing guerilla fronts in the country, four are still in Northern Samar.
“We are in a better position compared to two years ago. We have reduced the number of guerilla fronts and cleared several influenced barangays. We are hoping that before the end of this year, we can clear (all the remaining barangays under the influence of the rebels),” he said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
TACLOBAN CITY – Vice President Sara Duterte urged the people of Eastern Samar to support the campaign of the government against communist insurgency and at the same time, always be prepared during a calamity.
Duterte, who is also the Secretary of Education, made this appeal during her visit to Borongan City on Wednesday (Nov.9) for the 57th founding anniversary of the province.
The Vice President lauded the resiliency of the people of Eastern Samar in facing challenges brought by natural disasters like what happened nine years ago when it was battered by Super Typhoon Yolanda.’
She said that it is imperative for areas like Eastern Samar, which is prone to typhoons, to be cognizant of the environmental hazard and security risks that threaten its people and hamper its growth.
“We intend to avoid deaths during natural disasters and reduce their destructive impact on our communities,” Duterte said.
“We need an advanced weather forecasting system and scientists dedicated to disaster management to achieve this,” VP Duterte added.
“But science alone will not prevent deaths, community awareness, disaster reduction, education in our school, disaster preparedness, and inefficient local warning system will help us become resilient to natural disasters in other words, collective action,” she further said.
Aside from problems with natural calamities, the province is also facing insurgency problem that affects development and destroys lives even among civilians.
“And may I call on everyone to protect the security and peace of your province against the local terrorist group,” she asked.
To succeed in the campaign against insurgency, the Vice President said that there should be cooperation between the government and its people. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
The night crept with chills when Summit Hotel Tacloban celebrated its appreciation night with “The Addams Family” as the theme to culminate fruitful collaborations and partnerships that have been instrumental to the success of SHT.
The hotel honored the TOP 5 partners who were crucial to its success this year on the horror-themed appreciation night. Ms. Joy De Mesa, director of sales and marketing for Robinsons Hotel and Resorts Group, and hotel senior sales executive Donna Doncillo presided over the awarding. They offered their congratulations to the recipients and said that this year’s appreciation night was SHT’s way of expressing its deepest gratitude to the group and a reaffirmation of a strengthened partnership.
“Tonight, we ought to appreciate all of you. The partnership that we have built through time with everyone in this room is a testament that we have the industry’s back and we are much stronger than ever. Our success is your success, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone! We couldn’t have gotten this far without you,” Miss Joy De Mesa said.
The top producers of SHT 2022 are the following:
Department of Education- Leyte Division
Department of Social Welfare and Development VIII
Department of the Interior and Local Government VIII
Environmental Management Bureau VIII
Plan International Inc., Philippines.ternational Inc., Philippines.
Survivors of ‘Yolanda’ marked the 9th year anniversary of its onslaught on Tuesday (Nov. 8) by offering candles and prayers.
TACLOBAN CITY– MARY Juliet Karen could still clearly recall the nearly six hours battle with the world’s strongest storm to hit land, ‘Yolanda’ when it leveled this city and killed over 6,000 people on November 8, 2013.
“Yolanda literally pounded us to the grounds,” said Karen, a cultural worker in the city.
“But it was the hours and days and weeks and eventually years after the typhoon that was the real struggle. The life of surviving, the mental struggles in between,” she said.
As the city commemorated the 9th year of Yolanda on Tuesday (November 8), Karen admitted that “we slowly heal and we continue to pray for guidance, healing and strength to those who needed closures.”
“Our stories are facts and perpetual. We may not be glorified, but we live for those who were perished and for others. That is our purpose,” added lawyer Aljim Denver Arcueno added, recalling his own experience during the onslaught of Yolanda.
In Borongan City, Bishop Crispin Varquez offered a prayer for those who died during the storm.
“For this commemoration, let us continue with binding hopefulness and solidarity in the face of so many challenges coming our way and be thankful to the Lord that we have risen from the horrible destruction that super typhoon Yolanda had brought…We also remember the lives that were spared that they may find comfort and strength in God to rebuild and move forward in their lives,” the bishop said.
In their initiative to continue the conversations on Yolanda, members of Katig Network Inc. held a night of poetry and story-telling to remember those who passed away on that day.
While the Eastern Visayas State University in Tacloban also had their last episode of their “Haiyan Conversations” on the role of media in a disaster, with the main speaker, Albert Mulles, the author of non-fiction novel “Typhoon Haiyan the Untold Story: A Story of Hope and Survival”.
“Yolanda was nine years ago. To some people, it’s long forgotten tragedy. But for those who are here and who lost their loved ones, it would take forever,” said Leyte Governor Jericho Petilla, as he led the provincial capitol employees in honoring the seven provincial government personnel who died during the storm.
“Commemoration is remembering those who perished and those who helped us. Most of all, it is telling the surviving members that we did not forget,” he said.
At the Holy Cross Memorial Garden in Tacloban, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintained that “it is important that we come to these commemorations because it is also a demonstration, a manifestation of the strength and the courage of Filipinos.”
“To remind ourselves that Filipinos are brave, that Filipinos are kind, and that Filipinos will conquer all, especially if it is for their community, for their families, and for the land that they love. And now to see Tacloban which has, in fact, we have been hearing this phrase for a long time: this build back better. Tacloban has built back better,” Marcos said in his speech during the city-led commemorative program dubbed “Pagdumdum.”
Aside from Mayor Alfred Romualdez, also present during the event were Leyte Rep. and House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, local officials, and other survivors.
Since 2013, the government has been implementing the Yolanda Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan and providing affected families with food assistance, cash-for-work programs, and Emergency Shelter Assistance, according to Malacañang.
Yolanda displaced more than 3 million families, destroyed more than 1.1 million homes and properties and recorded P90 billion in damages. (RONALD O. REYES)
Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla said it is important to hold a commemorative program the day the province was pummeled by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ not only to remember those who perished but also to express Leyteños gratitude for those who helped them during those times. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
PALO, Leyte– Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot” Petilla led in commemorating the 9th year anniversary of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ that pummeled the province on Tuesday (Nov.8).
The governor and other provincial officials and employees offered prayers and lit candles for the seven employees of the provincial government who died due to Yolanda.
In his message, Petilla said that it is important to commemorate Yolanda every year for people to remember and be thankful that they survived the strongest typhoon in modern times.
“Yolanda was nine years ago. To some people, it’s long forgotten tragedy. But for those who are here and who lost their loved ones, it would take forever,” the governor said during the program held at the new provincial capitol complex, this town.
He added that the commemoration is also a way of thanking people, organizations and countries that sent help to Yolanda-affected areas for their fast recovery and rebuilding.
Petilla emphasized that the disaster taught the people and the government to be ready all the time to any disaster situation.
“We can always be ready but we cannot always prepare enough,” he stressed.
The governor was joined by Vice Governor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier and his wife, Rep, Lolita Karen Javier of the 2nd district and board members Ronan Christian Reposar, Wilson Uy, Raissa Villasin, Maria Corazon Remandaban, and Kathryn “Chinggay” Veloso Kabigting, and provincial government employees.
In Tanauan, the commemoration started with wreath-laying ceremonies at the ‘Surge of Hope’ memorial where more than 300 bodies were buried, and at the mass grave at the town plaza where over 1,000 were buried.
The commemoration in Tanauan was headed by Mayor Gina Merilo with Philippine Information Agency Director General Mon Cualoping as the guest of honor.
In Palo town, the commemoration was highlighted with the episcopal coronation of the Our Lady of Hope of Palo led by Palo Archdiocese Archbishop John Du.
The Our Lady of Hope of Palo symbolizes the ray of hope that has been shed on the province of Leyte by the Virgin Mary and was blessed by Pope Francis during his papal visit to Tacloban and Palo on January 17, 2015. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
