TACLOBAN CITY-The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has also declared the coastal waters of Daram Island in Samar positive of red tide toxin.
According to the shellfish advisory released by the bureau, on August 25, shellfish samples collected from the area were found positive of red tide toxin.
The toxin found in the shell fish meat samples reached 185 μgSTXeq/100g, exceeding the regulatory limit of 60 ugSTXeq/100g of shellfish meat.
This is now the fourth area in Samar and the sixth in the region to be found positive for the toxin in just one month.
Meanwhile, shellfish products from Irong-Irong, Maqueda, and Villareal Bays in Samar, Carigara Bay in Leyte, and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar remains positive of red tide toxins.
The areas were declared positive about a week prior to the latest shellfish bulletin.
BFAR continues to inform the public that consuming shellfish products harvested from these areas are still prohibited. (MARWAH JAILANI, LNU Student)

TACLOBAN CITY – Two major bridge projects are now underway along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road in line with the national government’s vision of a “golden age of infrastructure”.
These are the ongoing widening of the Pinamitinan Bridge in Capoocan town and Jugaban Bridge in Carigara town, which according to Second Leyte District Engineer Carlos Veloso will significantly boost growth and raise economic productivity and competitiveness along these areas.
The Pinamitinan Bridge is costing the national coffers P 21.46 million in fund to cover its widening to 3.05 meters in width and 23.4 meters in length.
The bridge will likewise have four lanes with grouted riprap and asphalt an overlay with thermal plastic. The bridge’s widening started on July 3, 2017 and is expected to finish in December 2017.
Meanwhile, its counterpart in Carigara town, the Jugaban Bridge is under a P 4.606 million funding to span the length of 12.66 meters. The Jugaban Bridge also has a December target month of completion.
Both of this bridge widening projects are to complement the road widening also being undertaken by the DPWH all over the area while both bridges have been a two-lane bridge for many years now and are in need of a good repair.
The Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road is one of Leyte’s major and busiest highway linking two major cities in the Eastern Visayas region, Tacloban and Ormoc. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte-The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Regional Office 8 participated in the 2017 PH-EITI Roadshow covering Cluster 5 composed of Regions 6, 7 and 8 in Cebu City on August 16-17, 2017.
With the theme, “Extracting Value in Transparency: A Forum on Promoting Local Development through Sustained Disclosure and Dialogue”, this year’s roadshow highlighted the 3rd Report while focusing on how the EITI process, through continued disclosure and dialogue among stakeholders can help strengthen natural resource governance at the subnational level and ensure that extractive activities benefit local communities in a sustainable way.
The roadshow consisted on a multi-stakeholder forum on the first day, and on the second day, a workshop on the following topics: Using the PH-EITI Report as a tool for local development and EITI implementation at the subnational level.
The workshop basically highlighted priority issues and recommendations and action plan in the respective topics assigned.
“Before CSOs don’t trust the industry, the industry doesn’t trust the CSOs, and everybody thinks that the government is not doing anything, but with the advent of PH-EITI, all that has changed. Now, we are all in this together!” Atty. Ron Recidoro, MSG-Industry, during the panel discussion, said.
Representatives from government agencies, local government units, extractive companies/businesses, and civil society organizations and the media, attended the forum and participated in a lively discussion that surfaced issues and suggestions in attaining transparency in the mining, oil and gas, and coal industries.
The PH-EITI roadshow nationwide aims to promote transparency and good governance in the Philippines’ extractives sector. The Cebu Leg was the fifth of six fora to be held in key cities across the country. (CELESTE FAITH B.DE LA CRUZ/PR)

Gov. Nicart went on medical leave

TACLOBAN CITY- Eastern Samar Vice Governor Marcelo Ferdinand Picardal has assumed the post of Governor Conrado Nicart as the latter took a leave of indefinite leave due to health reason.
Picardal, who is serving on his third and last term as vice governor, assumed the post as acting governor August 25.
The acting governor assured the people of Eastern Samar that the temporary change of leadership at the provincial government will not hamper the delivery of basic services, particularly on health.
He said that the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital, based in Borongan City, will be stuffed with enough supply of medicines to ensure that those who will need them, particularly the poor, could immediately be provided.
As acting governor, Picardal also said that he would also push for further development of the province’s tourism industry and find employment opportunities for those who are looking for jobs.
He also issued a guarantee for all employees of the provincial government that their salaries and benefits will be released on time. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

MAASIN CITY- From a satellite office, the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina) located in Barangay Abgao, is bent on becoming an extension entity to better serve its clientele, the boat owners and seamen.
Engr. Delfin Calapre, Jr., Marina specialist II, in a phone patch interview with Infocen Manager Erna Gorne during the DyDM Kapihan sa PIA live Friday, on the sidelines of a maritime forum and consultative meeting with various stakeholders held at Jaimee’s Hotel in Brgy. Ibarra explained that as a satellite status, the office can only receive papers for registration and licensing and then forward these papers to the regional office, but as a Marina extension office there will be no need of forwarding for it can already be capable of registering or issuing licenses and franchises.
Calapre likened the function of his office to that of the Land Transportation Authority (LTO) which issues registration for motorized bancas and motorboats for fishing ventures, and professional licenses for seamen.
In addition, Calapre said Marina is also like the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) that gives franchise for passenger boats to operate in specific routes within their area of coverage, from Baybay City and the whole of Southern Leyte province.
Calapre hoped that as early as next year their office will be converted from satellite to extension, considering the continued increase in the number of sea-faring operators and individuals and the wide coverage area, so that processing of papers will be done at their level.
For this year, their office has facilitated the issuance of seaman’s book to about 700 seafarers, and provided registration and issuance of franchises to over 100 ship/boat operators, Calapre further said. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)

More than 250,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) residing in the western provinces of Canada may now visit the newly opened Social Security System (SSS) foreign extension office located at the office of the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary to inquire, file, or avail themselves of the services offered by the pension fund.
The SSS Calgary foreign extension office, the second in Canada, was opened last June in line with the Calgary PCG’s celebration of Philippine Independence Day.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said the newly-opened extension office will serve about 270,000 Filipinos located in Alberta, British Columbia, and other western provinces of Canada.
“We are expecting to reach more Filipinos for their continuing social security coverage under our programs with the opening of the new extension office in Calgary. Considering that the Filipino population in Canada now stands at more than 660,000 based on its latest census data, the newly-opened office will cater to the SSS needs of around 40 percent of our kababayans in the area. We are very thankful to the Consulate for sharing an office space for our operations,” Dooc said.
The remaining 60 percent of Filipinos in the eastern provinces of Canada will continue to be served by the SSS Toronto foreign representative office.
A memorandum of agreement between SSS and the PCG was signed, providing the pension fund an office space consisting of a service counter and a staff room inside the Calgary PCG premises.
“Our Calgary office started its operations last month, initially as an extension office under the supervision of our representative in SSS Toronto. To date, we already have 23 SSS foreign offices in top destination countries, with offices located at the Philippine Embassy/Consulate General/Overseas Labor Offices,” Dooc said.
The launching ceremony was highlighted by a ceremonial ribbon cutting, led by Social Security Commissioners Gonzalo Duque and Anita Quitain, with SSS Account Management Group Senior Vice President and International Operations Group Concurrent OIC Judy Frances See, and PCG Consul General Julius Torres.
SSS program briefing and onsite services for the Filipino communities in Alberta and British Columbia were also conducted by the SSS management team during their visit in Canada in order to encourage active SSS membership and also promote the new SSS Calgary extension office.
The services cater to Filipino migrant workers and overseas Filipinos, including former Filipinos who are now Canadian citizens, with or without dual-citizenship.(PR)