TACLOBAN CITY– About P11.25 billion of government funds meant for rehabilitation projects for areas ravaged by super typhoon “Yolanda” nearly four years ago remain untouched as of first half of 2017.
The National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) said the latest Yolanda progress report showed that only P20.94 billion of the P32.19 billion had been disbursed to implementing government agencies.
Of the total funds released, the social services cluster got the highest share of P8.71 billion, followed by resettlement (P6.09 billion), infrastructure (P4.28 billion), and livelihood (P1.86 billion).
“More than three years after Yolanda struck the region, there are still issues and concerns that impede the smooth and fast implementation of programs and projects in Region 8,” NEDA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Bonifacio Uy told PNA.
The report also identified five major issues in carrying out post-disaster projects, all related to relocation efforts.
These are: delay in the construction of permanent housing projects in this city and other typhoon-hit areas; substandard housing units; poor access to water and power in resettlement sites; livelihood assistance to newly-transferred families; and absence of permanent school building near housing sites.
Citing reports from the National Housing Authority, NEDA revealed that only 15,422 houses out of the 56,140 target for Eastern Visayas have been built.
Among the major setbacks are unavailable lots, land acquisition issues, procurement concerns, and lack of qualified contractors.
Uy said the national government and regional officials have been working closely to complete all ongoing projects within three years.
Last week, key regional officials held a meeting among members of an inter-agency task force for the unified implementation and monitoring of post-”Yolanda” rehabilitation and recovery projects.
The formation of the task force is in compliance with Administrative Order No. 5 issued on Aug. 8, 2017 by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The task force is chaired by Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco with Presidential Assistants for the Visayas Michael Dino and for Special Concerns Wendel Avisado as co-chairs. Avisado is also the Presidential Assistant for “Yolanda” Rehabilitation.
The directive has listed 17 government agencies as members.
“There are some issues that can be better addressed and decided quickly at the highest level. We’re very hopeful that this administrative order will help address the remaining works,” Uy added.
The super typhoon, which struck the central Philippines on November 8, 2013, is the deadliest typhoon in the country on record, killing at least 6,300 people. This city is considered as its ground zero. (PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Science of Technology (DOST) is eyeing at least 6,000 applicants of 2018 scholarship programs in Eastern Visayas as the country expects to see the first batch of graduates from senior high school program next year.
DOST regional information officer Ramil Uy said they had stepped up their information drive for secondary students to avail scholarship meant for poor and deserving learners.
“Our campaign had been intensified since it has been two years that we don’t have new high schools graduates,” Uy said.
The DOST accepted applications until Aug. 25 and examination will be done on Oct. 15 this year.
Qualified students will enroll in state universities and colleges and Commission on Higher Education center of excellence schools.
Those who will qualify must pursue priority fields of study in the basic sciences, engineering, other applied sciences, and science and mathematics teaching.
For next year, the DOST added new courses in the priority list – Aeronautical Engineering, Nutrition and Dietetics, Pharmacy, Packaging Engineering, Psychology, among others.
“This newly-identified priority courses are due to the transformation of our industry landscape and integration of the different requirement of our society,” Uy added.
The government through the DOST offers two scholarship programs – Republic Act No. 7687 and Merit Scholarship Program.
Republic Act No. 7687, also known as the “Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994”, provides a scholarship to talented and deserving students whose families’ socio-economic status does not exceed the set cut-off values of certain indicators.
The DOST Merit Scholarship Program is awarded to students with high aptitude in science and mathematics and are willing to pursue careers in the fields of science and technology. (MELVA MAE C. MENIANO)

NAVAL, Biliran-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Biliran District Engineering Office (BDEO) has completed 36 out of 57 lined-up projects for this year with a total allotment budget of P940.730 million.
Engr. Salvador G. Regis, Jr., chief of Construction Section, said that they are fast-tracking the completion of 18 ongoing projects to attain the target date of completion of each project.
Biliran DEO’s FY 2017 Infra Program consists of twenty projects under the National Road Network Services; five under the Flood Management Services, one project under the Maintenance and Construction Services of other Infrastructure; and 31 projects under the Local Infrastructure Program with a total of 57 projects based on General Appropriations Act.
As of July 31, 2017, the Biliran District Engineering Office posts 35.30% with only three projects not-yet-started (NYS).
According to Engr. Regis, these NYS projects have just bid out and undergoing post qualification while one is for revision and approval under the District Engineer’s authority.
BDEO’s major projects for 2017 include the P128.667 million concrete/ reconstruction of Maripipi Circumferential Road, P61 million slope protection project along Naval- Caibiran Cross Country Road, and P54.939 million rehabilitation including drainage and right-of-way(ROW) acquisition of access road leading to Naval Port, Naval, Biliran.
Another major project prioritized for FY 2017 is the road widening including drainage of Biliran Circumferential Road of road sections in Brgy. Tucdao, Kawayan, Brgy. Virginia, Culaba, Brgy. Bool, Culaba, Sto.Riverside to Sto. Sagrada, Naval, Brgy. Burabod, Biliran, and Brgy. Balaquid Cabucgayan, Biliran costing P172.192 million with a total length of 5.940km and another P125.588 million road widening project of road sections in Brgy. Lumbia, Biliran, Brgy. Burabod, Kawayan, Brgy. Mapuyo, Kawayan, Brgy.Tucdao, Kawayan, and Brgy. Kaulangohan, Caibiran, Biliran with a total length of 4.281km.
Engr. Regis said that the P172.192 million and P125.588 million widening project along BCR have just started in the month of July and now being closely monitored along with other on-going projects.
The big amount projects were started late due to late approval of the “request to bid and implement” at the Central Office, Manila. (PR)

CARIGARA, Leyte- One of the country’s leading grocery chains is set to open its branch here.
And this early, town Mayor Eduardo Ong allayed the fears of local businessmen that the operation of Puregold will not kill their businesses.
The Puregold branch in this town is expected to open its business on October with the construction of its space has already started.
It is located at the ground floor of a six-story commercial building located at the town’s commercial district.
Ong allayed the fears among local businessmen that the opening of Puregold here may affect their operations.
The mayor said that this could instead result to a healthy competition among business operators and create a more competitive business atmosphere that will enable small and medium businesses to grow.
Also, the opening of Puregold will generate additional employment opportunities and stir the local economy as a whole, Ong said.
Ong said he is happy that investors are considering Carigara town as ripe for such a nationwide grocery-store and favorably considers the economic footprint of the place.
Meanwhile, the mayor disclosed that more locators are interested to open new branches and businesses in his town.

He, however, admitted that lack and viable space may prove to be a challenge for these prospective locators.
“We continue to help them search for a good location if only to boost their interest and eventually help them locate in the town,” Ong said.
Puregold now has two branches in Tacloban City and another in Borongan City. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

Out of the 47 brgys endorsed by TCPO

TACLOBAN CITY- About 47 barangays of this city have been endorsed by the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and be declared as drug-free.
But out of this number, only two villages have been approved by the PDEA, Inspector Jessica Ortega, city police information officer, said.
Meantime, the good performance by the TCPO under the leadership of city police director Supt. Rolando Bade was commended by Bernardita “Bering” Valenzuela, information officer of the Tacloban city government.
Valenzuela said that the awards received by TCPO during the 116th anniversary celebration of the Philippine National Police were indication that the city police force are performing well.
The TCPO was adjudged as the best city police station and best police strategy management station in the region during the August 22 event attended by Police Director General Ronald ‘Bato’ de la Rosa.
“Of course, we are proud of the awards received by the Tacloban City Police Office headed by Supt. Bade,” Valenzuela said.
The city official added that because of the relentless campaign of the TCPO under Supt. Bade to rid criminalities particularly on the proliferation of illegal drugs, Tacloban could easily rank as one of the most peaceful areas in the country.
Inspector Ortega said that the two villages that were declared as drug-free by PDEA are Barangay 77 in Marasbaras area and Brgy.44 in Quarry district.
Of the 138 barangays of Tacloban, 11 of them were considered as ‘non-affected’ or where drug proliferations are considered negligible.
Ortega said that initially they target 80 percent of all the villages of Tacloban to be declared as drug free.
Earlier City Mayor Cristina Romualdez said that she would like to see Tacloban as drug-free by next year.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)