TACLOBAN CITY – An online portal containing information on locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas workers were launched on Monday by the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (RIATF).
The online portal, balik-otos.ph, also aim to make it easy in the contact tracing involving individuals who are infected with the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), the RIATFEID) said.
The portal will store information of returning LSIs and returning overseas workers.

The information will include what vehicles they used in returning to the region, their seat number, their permanent address and the quarantine facility where they will stay.
The portal was developed by the regional office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
Information which will be encoded in the portal will be screened by the DOST before it will be posted on the website, Engr. Ernesto Granada, officer-in-charge of the DOST, said.
Each agency will assign an encoder and approver. The information encoded will then forwarded to the DOST as the main administrator of the portal who will then upload it to the site.
Granada said that the names of the returning residents will not be posted on the website and only the agencies that submitted the names will have access to their personal information.
However, the public will be able to see the graphs and number of cases for each province or city.
“Yung makikita ng public, is more sa mapa lang at saka yung magnitude, kung gaano karami, para may data privacy po tayo, yung public hindi nila makikita kung sino ang dumating, kung ano ang pangalan, taga-saan, anong edad, etc., so may data privacy din yun,” Granada said.
Granada added that they will continue to improve the features of the portal which will include the online registration of returning residents and issuance of Quick Response (QR) code.
For the period from June 6 to June, 30, the Eastern Visayas Emergency Operation Center (EOC), which offices at the Leyte Park Hotel and is under the supervision of the Office of Civil Defense monitored a total of 5,217 LSIs, 631 OFWs and one Balik-Probinsya Program beneficiary.
These figures are provided to the EOC by local government units and government agencies like the Overseas Worker Welfare Administration.
As of July 17, Eastern Visayas has a total of 646 confirmed cases of COVID-19 of which, 607 of them have recovered and three COVID-19 related deaths.
Of these cases, 426 are LSIs, 52 are OFWs, 165 are local transmission and three are Balik Probinsya beneficiaries.
Of the six provinces in the region, Leyte has the most number of cases with 388, followed by Samar with 119, Southern Leyte with 88, Biliran with 26, Northern Samar with 22, and Eastern Samar with three cases.
(ROEL AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-A police officer and a health worker were among the latest individuals from Eastern Visayas who were infected by the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19), raising the region’s total cases to 646.
The police officer sickened by the virus is from San Sebastian town, Samar province while the health worker who was also infected by the coronavirus is from Maasin City, Southern Leyte.
They were among the 21 people who were reported by the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH) on Saturday to have been infected by COVID-19.
All the 21 COVID-19 patients are now in their local government units’ isolation facilities.
Still, most of the latest patients of the region were locally stranded individuals (LSIs).
In Leyte, the town of Bato has two new cases with municipalities of Jaro, Alangalang, Mahaplag, Inopacan, Bato, and Palo have one each case.
In Northern Samar, the town of Lavezares has a 14-year old girl who arrived from Paco, Manila as its latest patient while in San Jose town, also of the same province, a 60-year old man who came from Caloocan City was also infected by COVID-19.
In Samar province, aside from the police officer from San Sebastian town, the towns of San Jorge and Basey have one each new case, both LSIs.
In Biliran province, another LSI from Manila is the latest COVID-19 case of Kawayan town.
In Southern Leyte, aside from Maasin, the towns of Bontoc (with four cases) and Tomas Oppus, Pintuyan, and Hinunangan, with one each, have logged new COVID-19 cases. (JOEY A. GABIETA, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Disiplina Muna Advocacy Campaign was formally launched here in the region on Monday (July 13) which gives priority on all programs and policies of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The launching was held at the Camp Ruperto Kangleon Camp where the regional headquarter of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is based.
One of the highlights of the launching of the advocacy campaign was the signing of pledge of commitment led by DILG Regional Director Karl Caesar Rimando and Police B/Gen. Manuel Pepino, assistant regional director for administration.
Disiplina Muna Advocacy Campaign is a program of the DILG which promotes its programs, policies, and activities like road clearing, disaster risk reduction and management, anti-smoking, liquor ban, clean-up of tourism sites, ease of doing business, and anti-illegal drug campaign.
DILG Regional Director Caesar Rimando, in his speech during the launching, encouraged policemen to set a good example, not only in their workplace but also in their community by following laws and ensuring that their family members are not involved in vices like illegal drugs.
“Kapag ito ay nakita ng mga mamamayan, sisiguraduhin ko sa inyo na sila ay sasaludo.Sasaludo hindi lamang dahil ikaw ay miyembro ng PNP, kundi sasaluduhan ka nila dahil ikaw ay idolo ng kanilang pamayanan,” he said.
Rimando reminded the policemen that they must always do the right thing, follow all laws like wearing of helmet, and especially, protect the integrity of their institution.
“For people to continue to look at police as their protectors, each must strive to embody the concept of discipline, decorum, distinction, so as to properly represent the organization to the public. People must see the civilian side of the PNP that is disciplined uniformed personnel,” the DILG regional director said.
Since, Eastern Visayas region is prone to all kind of natural disaster and calamity, the DILG8 official also calls for policemen in the region to help in the disaster mitigation efforts and not only on preparedness.
Policemen can help the communities by training them on preparedness and what they should do and where to go when a disaster strikes.
The DILG official also reminded the police force in the region to strictly observed and follow all health protocols against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as ways to ensure limiting the spread of transmission of the virus as the world continue to battle against the disease that is until now has no vaccine.
Eastern Visayas has about 646 confirmed COVID-19 cases with three fatalities.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- At least 38 individuals involved in alleged illegal cockfighting activities were arrested in one-day police operations in the Eastern Visayas on July 5, following the order of police director Brigadier General Bernabe Balba to strengthen the anti-gambling campaign in the region.
“We will not tolerate any form of gambling in our area of responsibility. The people of Eastern Visayas deserve peace and security at all cost,” said Balba.
Leyte Police Provincial Office (LPPO) apprehended 18 individuals from the towns of Matalom, Kananga, Carigara, Villaba, Tabontabon, Barugo and Mahaplag.
Also confiscated from them were fighting cocks, gaffs and bet money amounting to P15,900.
In Eastern Samar, police arrested nine persons from MacArthur and Lawaan towns and confiscated from the alleged violators fighting cocks, gaffs and bet money with a total of P6,000.
Samar Police Provincial Office (SPPO) also arrested eight individuals from Catbalogan City and Pagsanghan.
Police confiscated from them fighting cocks, gaffs and bet money with a total of P8,000.
In Northern Samar, police nabbed three persons from Catubig town and confiscated from them one fighting cock with an estimated value of P500.
All arrested violators were brought to their respective police stations for documentation and for proper filing of charges in connection with Presidential Decree 449, or Illegal Cockfighting Law, as amended by Presidential Decree 1602, which prescribes stiffer penalties for illegal gambling.
(RONALD O. REYES)