TACLOBAN CITY- The Leyte provincial board has approved a resolution seeking for all elected and appointed officials across the province to undergo a drug testing.
The mandatory drug testing, approved by the members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during their regular session Tuesday(Sept.6), covers all the mayors, vice mayors, councilors, barangay officials and provincial board members, Vice Governor Carlo Loreto said.
“The move is to check if the officials are negative or positive from drug use and if indeed positive of drug use, the case will be brought to the blue ribbon committee,” Loreto said.
If this will be carried out, all the 426 provincial, city (Baybay) and municipal officials in Leyte are to undergo the drug test and officials of the 1,393 barangays of the province.
The resolution was in line with the intensified campaign of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte on the existence of the illegal drugs in the country.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
SP passes resolution seeking drug testing for all Leyte officials
Tacloban tourism trade booth bagged 2nd place at the PH Travel Mart
TACLOBAN CITY- City Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez congratulates the team from the City Tourism Office for bagging 2nd runner up at the National Tourism Trade Booth competition during the 27th Philippine Travel Mart held Sept. 2-4, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center, Seashell Lane, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.
“I’m so proud of your achievement for bringing home the bacon, being the 2nd runner up tourism trade national booth placer next to Davao City (the Champion) is something we could be proud up. Congratulation!” the mayor said.
“We aim for the best next time, a better tourism trade showcase booth. We likewise wanted to show the country and the world, that the resilient Tacloban City is back on her toes from the rubbles of Yolanda’s wrath. Our tourism destinations are ready for our visiting tourists,” Mayor Romualdez added.
Tourism Officer Ruby Balayanto said that Tacloban’s booth had plenty of tourist stickers who personally graded Tacloban as best for them.
When asked what could have been the plus factor that ranked them as the 1st runner up best booth, Balayanto said “probably the way how Tacloban personnel entertained the booth guests”.
Tacloban City were among those 14 places in the country who joined the 27th Philippine Travel Mart, an annual Philippine Travel Trade exhibition which showcases the best of the country’s Tourism destinations, delicacies, aboriginal products, airway products, travel care services, its available resorts, transportation facilities and city tourism travel tour packages, which allows travelling consumers to book and buy promotional products holiday packages and accommodations.(GAY B.GASPAY,TISAT/
KANHURAW MEDIA TEAM)
Rep. Sarmiento asks public to be vigilant in the wake of Davao bombing incident
CALBAYOG CITY – Samar Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento (1st district) asked the public to be vigilant amid threat of terroristic activities.
Sarmiento made the appeal after the tragic incident in a night market in Davao City on Sept.2 that killed 14 people and injured 71 others.
“This is really hard. This was made by terrorists who do not spare anyone,” the Samar solon said.
“The government’s intelligence already reported, prior to the incident, that an incident something like this will happen either in Manila, Cebu, or Davao as a fall back mechanism against the government,” he added.
Sarmiento asked authorities especially in Samar to be watchful and strictly implement security procedures or protocol.
He even asked security officers of private and government offices to be attentive to their duties and be mindful as to what is happening at their respective premises.
“To the public be extra careful especially in public places, and to the Calbayognons, let’s pray that nothing will happen,” Sarmiento said.
Meanwhile, in his Facebook page, Sarmiento extended his condolences and sympathies to the families of the Davao blast victims.
“I, together with everyone in the first district of Samar, would like to extend our deepest and sincerest condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims of the tragic and reprehensible Roxas Night Market bombing in Davao City,” the Samar solon said.
“In this time of great uncertainty, we must all stand united and solidly behind the people of Davao as well as our President, police and military,” he added.
Sarmiento asked his fellow Samarnon to pray for the victims of the tragic incident in Davao City and to continue praying for the attainment of lasting peace in the entire country.
(JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO)
Officials ask public to cooperate with law enforcers
TACLOBAN CITY- Stay vigilant and cooperate with the authorities.
Thus said City Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin as police and Army personnel are seen in major streets and public places in the city.
The presence of police and soldiers in these areas are due to the implementation of the state of emergency on account of lawlessness violence issued by President Rodrigo Duterte.
The proclamation stemmed from a bombing attack at the night market in Davao City, where the President once served as its mayor, last September 2 that killed 14 people and injured 71 others.
“Public safety is paramount, and I want people to know that we are working with all local authorities; remain vigilant and take all necessary measures to keep Tacloban City safe,” Yaokasin said.
“The senseless attacks that struck the people of Davao have left us all stunned and heartbroken. However, as we have seen time and again, when we are united, terror has never prevailed and never will,” the vice mayor added.
Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto said that he also shares the grief of the people of Davao City saying the “injustice” committed by those responsible to the attack was also committed to the entire Filipino people.
“We reach out to the great people of Davao in this dark chapter of their history. This injustice against Davao is as much an injustice to Leyteños and Filipinos as well,” Loreto said.
Meanwhile, Army troops of 78th Infantry Battalion and Army’s Engineering Battalion joined the random vehicle checkpoints and street patrols of the police in the city streets of Tacloban.
Additional police force and military could also be seen at the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport, bus terminals, San Juanico Bridge and other public and crowded places.
Tacloban City police director, S/Supt Rolando Bade Jr. said that they will continue their patrol on these areas as “as long as necessary.”
He advised the motorists to carry identification cards with them at all times to ensure that encounters with law enforcement in the streets and at the vehicle checkpoints will proceed as quickly as possible.
“We have increased our security presence and patrol around the (DZR) airport. The safety of passengers and airport personnel is our absolute priority also,” he said. (JAZMIN BONIFACIO, VICKY C.ARNAIZ)
Leyte village offers farm tourism
JARO, Leyte- An upland village of this town is fast turning into a tourist site and a learning center for compact farming at the same time.
Villa Conzoilo, located seven kilometers away from the town proper of Jaro, has been designated as a learning site by the Agriculture Training Institute and as school for practical agriculture.
Compact farming has been introduced on this village (population: 360 based on the 2015 population survey) which nestles near the Alto Peak or Mr. Amandewing, considered the highest peak in Leyte.
Farmers are planting vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, radish, eggplants, tomatoes, carrots and cauliflower which they supply to nearby towns and shopping malls in Tacloban City.
Lately, they started cultivating grapes, asparagus, strawberry and onions, a first in the region.
The farmers, which formed a cooperative, now enjoys higher income. From their P1,000 capital, they now have an asset of nearly P23 million with almost P4 million cash in the bank.
Barangay chairman Alex Aborita hopes that they will succeed in the cultivation especially on strawberry to attract more people to visit at their village as they prepare their area for farm tourism.
The Department of Tourism trained the farmers of Villa Conzoilo on tourist guiding.
Tourists could enjoy three of the village glorious waterfalls, namely, Silawat Falls, Duka Falls and Kabagtan Falls.
For P100 as an entrance fee, tourists could visit and enjoy any of these nature’s wonders .
The lush mountains of the village are also inhabited with wildlife like Philippine Eagle, Philippine lemur, tarsiers and Philippine deer.
Aborito said that tourism has become a source of income among the residents.
According to him, they started to welcome tourists to their village May of this year.
Since then, around 500 tourists visited Villa Conzoilo to enjoy its beauty, generating an income of P26,000 from entrance fee and purchase of local products.
“We can now send our children to school,” Aborito said, citing a better income among village residents as a result of their tourism industry and at the same time, farm produce.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Mayor Goma: Ormoc opens for more investors
TACLOBAN CITY- Big business investors are coming to his city of Ormoc.
This was disclosed by Mayor Richard Gomez as the city will be hosting for the first time the 25th Visayas Business Area conference this month.
Gomez, an award-winning actor, said that among the big ticket investors that will do business in his city are SM, Ayala and the Gaisano companies.
The city, which has a population of more than 191,000, is soon to have its shopping mall as the construction of the Robinsons shopping mall is underway and is expected to be operational by October 2017.
“It will be a full shopping mall just like in Tacloban City with cinemas and a hotel,” Gomez said. The city’s Robinsons’ sits in a 11- hectare lot.
The mayor also said that he had already met with officials of the SM and Ayala companies who expressed their intention to put up investments in Ormoc.
Gomez said that for one, the SM will be putting its own hypermarket in the city.The planned hypermarket will sit at one hectare lot.
He, however, said that he has no idea when the construction of the SM hypermarket in Ormoc would start.
Meantime, Mayor Gomez also said that the Ayala group has also signified their desire to set foot in the city.
“But they are still scouting around for a location,” he said.
The Metro Gaisano, the mayor added, will also come in to the city.
“What I am doing is to make Ormoc a business-friendly city. We don’t demand anything from them. Wala kaming hinihingi na kutong. Ang sinasabi lang namin, pumasok kayo dito kasi this will be good for our people and anything good for our people will also be good for Ormoc City,” Gomez said.
He said that as part of his campaign to entice investors to come to Ormoc, he make sure that the city is not only clean but peaceful.
Meantime, Mayor Gomez said that he is excited with Ormoc hosting this year’s Visayas Business Area Conference slated next week.
The three-day conference will start on Sept.14 and will be attended by 2,500 businessmen from across Visayas.
He said that the conference will be a good event for businessmen to take a look on Ormoc’s potential as a business center.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)