TOLOSA, Leyte- Heroism, discipline and dutifulness know no boundaries. They come in different persona and from anywhere.
People who possess them may be undistinguishable but you can spot them by watching closely how they respond to the call of duty.
On Friday (Sept.6), the Civil Service Commission (CSC) honored nine individuals, one group and one posthumously in a simple ceremony 6 at the Visayas State University – Tolosa Campus for the outstanding service they rendered to the government.
CSC Regional Director Victoria Esber said the awardees have proven their “passion and willingness to serve” in public service.
Two of the awardees were declared Presidential Lingkod Bayan regional winners – Arturo Juanico, the municipal agriculturist of Tabon-Tabon, Leyte and Jose Bacusmo, Jr., former president at Visayas State University in Baybay City.
During Bacusmo’s watch as president, VSU became the country’s first state university to be given a Level IV accreditation by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines.
Research and Development and Extension Programs was also at its peak during his administration; a total of 122 research projects, 10 extension projects and 4 special projects were conducted in comparison to 68 research projects only in 1982-2012.
Three individuals and one group were given PAGASA awards — Danilo Alura, university professor, Eastern Samar State University, Borongan City; Eva Abad, provincial government department head I, PENRMO, Maasin City; Ernani Fernandez, Jr., secondary school teacher III, Department of Education –Leyte division, Palo, Leyte; and the NSU-Journal of Society and Technology (JST) management team, Naval State University, Naval, Biliran.
Alura is an international award winner author of a study “Mangrove Forest and Sea grass Bed of Balangkayan, Eastern Samar: Extent of Damage by Typhoon Yolanda” which identified resilient varieties of mangroves created to produce ten hectares rehabilitated coastline of Balangkayan, Eastern Samar.
He is also involved in hog raising, livestock, seaweed processing and coconut production, and an active livelihood trainer.
Two teachers of Alternative Learning System in Catarman, Northern Samar were given Dangal ng Bayan awards – Jay Romulo Alaras and Ellen Joy Celajes.
Alaras and Celajes would take 7 kilometers hike and cross several rivers not to mention risked his life in the NPA area to reach the Mamanwas, an illiterate indigenous group, where they became their first teachers.
They taught 62 Mamanwas how to read and write and do simple mathematics.
The family of late Arnulfo Embog, an employee of CSC field office in Catbalogan City who received the Pamanang Lingkod Bayan, was awarded with a scholarship grant and a financial assistance of P100,000.
Leyte Samar Daily Express publisher Dalmacio Grafil acted as one of the members of the regional awards committee.
(ELMER V. RECUERDO)
CSC awards outstanding government workers
PHILIPPINES’ PRIDE
(GINA P. GEREZ)
Raps mulled against Espinosa’s protectors
TACLOBAN CITY- Government and police officials named by embattled Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. in his affidavit are to be charged for administrative and criminal complaints before the Office of Ombudsman in Cebu.
This was confirmed by Leyte Prosecutor Arlene Cordovez who got the information from Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, police chief of Albuera.
Espenido was summoned by Cordovez at her office on Thursday (Sept.8) to submit certain documents needed on the charges they have filed earlier against Espinosa.
Cases for illegal possession and selling of illegal drugs and possession of firearms and explosives were filed on August 11 against Espinosa by the Albuera police, as represented by Espenido.
“May plano sila, the police of Albuera, to file administrative and criminal cases before the Ombudsman in Cebu,” Cordovez said.
She added that the affidavit executed by Espinosa and his witnesses will be used as basis in the filing of charges against some police officers and local officials by Espenido before the anti-graft court.
In his affidavit, Espinosa reportedly named several elected and police officials and even media personalities as his alleged protectors as he and son Kerwin alledegely engaged in their illegal activities.
Espinosa subscribed the affidavit on August 24 at the provincial prosecutor’s office accompanied by Regional Police Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, Leyte police director S/supt. Franco Simborio and Espenido himself.
Espinosa, serving on his first term as mayor of Albuera, is the father of Kerwin, tagged as the top drug lord in Eastern Visayas.
The town mayor is now under the protective police custody and stays at the Albuera police station while his son Kerwin remains at large.
A shoot to sight order was earlier issued by PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa against Kerwin.
Meantime, the camp of Espinosa had submitted their counter affidavits on the criminal complaints filed against him before the provincial prosecutor’s office.
The counter affidavits were received by Cordovez last Wednesday (Sept.7) afternoon sent through LBC by Espinosa’s lawyer, Lailani Villarino who is based in Cebu City.
The cases stemmed from the discovery of explosives and firearms and shabu at Espinosa’s house during police raids conducted last July 28 and August 10, respectively.
On the said raids, packs of shabu valued at P1.8 million and P88 million were separately discovered inside Espinosa’s house as well as more than 30 firearms and explosives. By: JOEY A. GABIETA
USAID turn over classrooms to four Leyte towns
TACLOBAN CITY- The United States government through its relief agency, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) formally turned over 24 classrooms on Wednesday (Sept.7) to four public schools in Leyte hit by supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013.
The 24 classrooms donated to the four schools were part of the 310 classrooms committed by the US government to the Philippines, particularly Leyte which was the hard-hit province when the world’s strongest typhoon to hit inland on November 8, 2013.
Of the promised number of classrooms, 253 have been turned over.
The remaining classrooms are expected to be completed and turn over by the USAID December this year.
The US government donated nearly $143 million to the country in the aftermath of Yolanda.
The new school buildings will benefit 1,783 students enrolled at the Salvador Elementary School (SES) in Tanauan town which has 275 students and received three classrooms; Alegria National High School (ANHS) in Julita town with 195 students and six classrooms donated; San Joaquin National High School (SJNHS) in Palo which has 615 students and received eight classrooms and Dagami South Central School (DSCS) in Dagami town which has 698 students and received seven classrooms.
Erica Rounsefell, USAID office of education deputy chief, led in the turnover of the 24 classrooms.
Principals of the beneficiaries accepted the donated classrooms joined by Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and provincial schools superintendent Ronilo Al Firmo.
In her speech during the turn over ceremony held at the DSCS, which has the biggest student population at 698 students among the four school beneficiaries, Rounsefell said that the donated classrooms was part of her government’s commitment for the country to recover from Yolanda and underscore the importance played by education in uplifting poverty.
“The priority we give to building classrooms underline the important role of education in reducing poverty. It affirms our conviction that education is a basic human rights to which everyone should have access,” Rounsefell said.
Nilda Tondo, principal of the DSCS, said that they feel “blessed and grateful” for the seven classrooms donated by the USAID.
“We will be forever grateful to the USAID for donating us these classrooms which will be used by Grades 5 and 6 pupils,” Tondo said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA with MEL CASPE)
DOT-8 projects high hopes under Duterte administration
TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of Tourism (DOT) here in the region is pushing to make Eastern Visayas a top tourism draw.
Karina Rosa Tiopes, DOT regional director, said they are encouraged on the high inquiries that they are receiving among potential tourists who want to visit the region.
“It has been observed that we have been receiving a lot of feedback even those from nearby regions expressed their awe that Eastern Visayas is so rich. The natural resources are so beautiful and the attractions are wonderful,” the tourism regional director said.
Tiopes said the region needs a little push from the national government under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
The DOT regional director, however, said that lack of necessary facilities and structures could hamper their campaign to attract more tourists to visit the region.
Tiopes cited the lack of airport in Maasin City saying tourists who want to see the beautiful diving sites in Southern Leyte mostly travel from Tacloban City which is about four hours away.
“The guests, who are mostly foreigners, have to travel by land for four hours before reaching Southern Leyte. They spend more time travelling than doing their activities there,” the DOT director said.
With the promise of the current administration to level the playing field and give opportunities for the regions who are less develop to grow, then it is high time that regions like Eastern Visayas, which has lots of potential, will be given attention in terms of promotions, Tiopes said.
“There is too much to offer in our region. We already have tourist-ready areas or products in our region. It’s just that we were not given that break to be included in international or even national promotions,” she said.
“If we are given the support by our head office, particularly by the tourism promotions board or finance or include us in the collaterals that they prepare, that could be a big push for Eastern Visayas,” Tiopes added. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
DTI gets P929-M fresh funding for ‘Yolanda’ rehab
TACLOBAN CITY – The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) has recommended the release of P928.91 million budget for projects of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in areas pummeled by supertyphoon “Yolanda”.
In a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte, Defense Secretary and NDRRMC chair Delfin Lorenzana said the funding is intended for the DTI-Small Business Corporation (SBC) as loan to affected micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), livelihood projects, and reconstruction of DTI Region 8 office building.
The SBC credit risk guarantee fund gets the biggest share of budget at P750 million. Livelihood projects and DTI office repair has an allotment of P143.91 million and P35 million, respectively.
“The implementation of said projects will significantly help in the rehabilitation and recovery of typhoon Yolanda-affected areas especially in terms of livelihood and socio-economic aspect as it will enable MSMEs to recover losses,” Lorenzana stated in his communication.
The fresh funding is under the 2016 Yolanda Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program prepared by then Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery together with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the agency tasked to monitory post-Yolanda recovery projects.
“This is positive news to accelerate assistance of Duterte administration on Yolanda reconstruction. We hope that the additional recovery projects of other projects would also be funded soon,” said Bonifacio Uy, regional director of the National Economic Development Authority.
The outlay is on top of the P110 million commitment of the national government to fund the medium term water supply project of the Tacloban north resettlement areas as well as the release of more than P500 million for the permanent water projects in the city. (SARWELL Q. MENIANO)