TACLOBAN CITY- The Leyte provincial government has extended P2.7 million assistance for housing and community projects in Inopacan and San Miguel. Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said that for the housing project, his office has disbursed P.251 million as the provincial counterpart for the modified core shelter assistance program in Inopacan.
The said housing project has 251 families as beneficiaries. These are from the from Barangay Apid with 29 families; Cabulisan, 6; Caminto, 3;, Cauangay, 5; Conalum, 28; Esperanza, 34;Guadalupe, 5; Hinabay, 12; Jubasan,1; Linao, 26; Maljo, 5; Marao, 1; Tinago, 25; Poblacion, 32; Tao-taon, 29 and Tahud 10.
The beneficiaries have lost their houses after Leyte was pummeled by supertyphoon “Yolanda” in 2013. Petilla said that another P200,000 was disbursed for two barangays in San Miguel town wherein Barangay Canap got P100,000 for the construction of open drainage canal while Barangay Cayare was P100,000 for purchase of office equipment. He added that his office has also distributed 300 bags of food packs to the constituents in Brgy. Cabatianuhan, and another 1,010 food packs in Brgy. Cabuenan, both in San Miguel.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
P2.4 BILLION. The modernization of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, located in Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban, will be given a new push with the approval of P2.4 billion funding. The EVRMC modernization program is one of the big ticket projects under the Duterte administration. (TOTO DELMONTE)
Among big ticket projects of the Duterte administration
P2.4 BILLION. The modernization of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, located in Brgy. Cabalawan, Tacloban, will be given a new push with the approval of P2.4 billion funding. The EVRMC modernization program is one of the big ticket projects under the Duterte administration. (TOTO DELMONTE)
TACLOBAN CITY – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) here in the region is optimistic that the country’s premier coordinating body will approve the P2.4 billion modernization of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC).
NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy said the NEDA Board, chaired by President Rodrigo Duterte, will convene soon to approve the 10 projects worth P300 billion endorsed on Aug. 4 by the Cabinet-level Investment Coordination Committee (ICC).
Among these projects is the P2.4-billion modernization of EVRMC, the region’s biggest government-run hospital.
NEDA records show that the funding for the P2.4 billion project will be sourced out from the national government for P1.79 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency grant of P350 million and Bloomberry Cultural Foundation, Inc. donation of P250 million.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of May 2017.
“The project has been favorably evaluated and endorsed by the NEDA regional and central offices. This is one of the proposed interventions under the post-Yolanda rehabilitation and reconstruction plan to build back better the health facilities in Eastern Visayas,” Uy said.
The NEDA board is composed of the President as chairman, the Secretary of socio-economic planning and NEDA Director-General as vice-chairman, and the following as members – the executive secretary and the secretaries of finance, trade and industry, agriculture, environment and natural resources, public works and highways, budget and management, labor and employment, and interior and local government.
“As regional referral center, modernizing EVRMC will improve quality health services to the people of Region 8, ensure resiliency in times of disasters, enhance health outcomes, and achieve equity in healthcare in the region,” Uy added.
Part of the EVRMC modernization program is to transfer the entire facility from the city center to a storm surge-safe area in Barangay Cabalawan. The transfer has started this year and will be completed in 2018.
Its new site, which is about 10 kilometers from Tacloban city proper, is situated along the national highway and close to San Juanico Bridge — making it more accessible to the three Samar provinces.
There is an ongoing construction of a new 6-storey hospital and ancillary building in a new site. It has a total floor area of 30,000 square meters with 420-bed service wards and 180-bed private rooms.
The modernization program is expected to enhance the quality of services of the medical center, improve health outcomes, and achieve equity in access to healthcare in the region. By: SARWELL Q. MENIANO
Kerwin’s snake. A Burmese python, big enough to swallow a child, was among the 15 snakes recovered and rescued by the team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR) at the house of alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa in Albuera, Leyte last Saturday. In photo is DENR-8 Director Leonardo Sibbaluca. (DENR photo)
Kerwin’s snake. A Burmese python, big enough to swallow a child, was among the 15 snakes recovered and rescued by the team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR) at the house of alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa in Albuera, Leyte last Saturday. In photo is DENR-8 Director Leonardo Sibbaluca. (DENR photo)
TACLOBAN CITY- Alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa will be facing a new complaint.
And this time, it’s due to his possession of pythons inside his house in sitio Tinago, Barangay Binulho in Albuera, Leyte.
Last Saturday (August 13), a team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and local police team went to the house of Espinosa, who remains at-large, to rescue 15 pythons.
“Our legal team is now readying the filing of a case against him for violation of Republic Act 9147 for possession of wildlife without permit,” DENR-8 Executive Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said.
If found guilty, Espinosa could be imprisoned for 4 years at the maximum with a penalty of P300,000.
Crisostomo Badeo, chief of the conservation and development division of the DENR-8, said that they would ask veterinarians to check the condition of these animals which are considered as among the endangered.
“Based in our record, we did not receive any application from him seeking permission to keep these animals,” he said, referring to Espinosa.
Thus, the alleged drug lord could be charged for violation of Republic Act 9147 or the conservation and protection of wildlife resources, Badeo said.
Espinosa has been charged for illegal possession of prohibited drugs but were dismissed on grounds of technicality and lack of witnesses.
His father, Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. has already been charged for possession of illegal drugs by the local police before the Leyte prosecutor’s office last Thursday.
According to Sibbaluca, they learned about the presence of these animals at the house of Espinosa through an informant who called him last Friday(August 12).
Immediately, he formed a team composed from the provincial environment and natural resources (PENRO), community environment and natural resources (CENRO) of Albuera and the local police and rescued the animals Saturday morning.
“I have to act immediately kasi kawawa na ang mga animals. They have been left without food for weeks now. They were already weak and hungry,” Sibbaluca said.
Of the 15 recovered pythons inside the house of Espinosa were 4 Burmese python, one green tree python and 10 reticulated pythons.
Each of the pythons, the biggest was four meters in length, were placed inside a cage located just at the entrance of the abandoned house of Espinosa.
The pythons could eat a young child if they could escape from their cages, Sibbaluca said.
The animals were immediately brought to the animal welfare center in Palo, Leyte where the Penro office is located.
These will be later release at the wildlife conservation park located at Mt. Mahagnao, Burauen town, also in Leyte.
The house of Espinosa has been abandoned after the August 3 gun battle between the alleged armed group and local police. (JOEY A.GABIETA/RESTY CAYUBIT)
TACLOBAN CITY- Albuera Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. has been charged for illegal possession of prohibited drugs before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday (August 11) by the Philippine National Police.
The complaint filed against the embattled mayor was in connection to the discovery and confiscation of methamphetamine hydrochloride inside his house in sitio Tinago II, Binulho of the said town last August 10 during a raid.
Provincial Prosecutor Arlene Cordovez said that her office has received the complaint on Thursday with the Leyte provincial and municipal police of Albuera as the main complainants against Espinosa.
The Leyte police office is headed by S/Supt.Franco Simborio while the municipal police is under Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido.
The complaint filed against the Albuera mayor was for violation of section 11 of Republic Act 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Act of 2002.
The section refers on possession of illegal drugs.
During the August 10 raid, the police authorities recovered 11 packs of shabu estimated to be worth P88 million, the biggest haul of shabu in the region.
“What I can confirm is that there was a complaint filed before our office late Thursday afternoon against the mayor for possession of illegal drugs,” Cordovez said.
She said that after her office received the complaint, she formed a three-member panel who will study the complaint.
Cordovez, for security reason, declined to identify the composition of the three-member panel.
The Leyte prosecutor added that considering that the case involving Espinosa is a high profile, it will be given a “priority.”
“But it does not mean that we will all focus on this case as we have also other equally important cases to resolve,” she said.
Mayor Espinosa will also be issued a subpoena for him to answer the allegation against him.
Asked where the subpoena will be address, Cordovez said that it would be at the “last known address” of Espinosa which is the municipal hall or in Brgy. Binulho.
The case is expected to be resolve by the three-member panel within 60 days as required under our law.
Espinosa, together with his son Kerwin is considered to be Eastern Visayas’ top drug lords. The elder Espinosa, however, denied the allegation.
President Rodrigo Duterte named Espinosa, who gone on leave officially on August 2, as among the mayors in the country who are in the illegal drugs activity.(JOEY A. GABIETA)
ORMOC CITY- A 14-year old girl who was raped by her two cousins and a foster father finally got her justice.
Last Saturday (August 13), one of the suspects, John Michael Palomo, was arrested by the city police inside his house.
However, his arrest was in relation to illegal possession of firearm charged against him, said Chief Inspector Castor Cabilogan, station commander of Police Station I.
The police recovered from the suspect a 38 caliber gun loaded with live ammunitions hidden at his bed in his room.
Also recovered from the 26-year old suspect, who work as a bar tender, was a small axe he also hid.
Palomo, who wore a rosary necklace when arrested, preferred not to comment on the allegations as he instead uttered “Only God knows” in vernacular.
Palomo has a pending arrest for raping his 14-year old cousin who was adopted by his mother who now works abroad.
Also charged for rape were Palomo’s brother and her foster father who were not identified by Cabilogan.
Both suspects remain at-large. The victim and the three suspects live in one house.
“The girl sketched the two firearms attached in our request for the issuance of a search warrant at the suspect’s house,” Cabilogan said.
“Upon verification at firearms and explosives office in Camp Crame, we learned that Palomo is not a licensed gun holder, in which we also attached in our application for a search warrant”, he continued.
The search warrant was issued by Judge Clinton Nuevo, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 12 of this city.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
TACLOBAN CITY – Businessmen from the region are to meet with Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade to persuade him not to pursue plans to divert all Tacloban-Manila flights to Clark International Airport in Pampanga.
This was disclosed by Oliver Cam, a member of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Eastern Visayas chapter which registered its opposition to the rerouting plan.
Cam, a hotel owner, said that he had a meeting with Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino last Thursday (August 11) to air their opposition to rerouting plans.
“Dino spoke with DOTr Arthur Tugade and relayed the good news in our meeting at Cebu Country Club. We are looking forward to the consultation meeting with Tugade once Dino is able to confirm the schedule and venue,” Cam said.
Sec.Tugade had assured them that “any rerouting to decongest must have a win-win solution and if implemented should only affect up to 50 percent of flights with passengers to be offered a choice to fly via Manila or Clark,” Cam added.
“Tacloban should not be singled out but all other Visayas routes should also be part of the decongestion solution,” Cam, who sits as the private sector representative to the Regional Development Council (RDC) representing PCCI, stressed.
Various groups here in the region aired their concerns after Tugade announced in a Senate hearing Wednesday that the three airlines – Cebu Pacific, Philippine Airlines, and Air Asia – agreed to transfer all Tacloban-Manila flights to Clark.
The DOTr initially planned to make Tacloban-Manila flights as pilot for rerouting to curb congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
After the DOTr’s pronouncement, netizens have expressed their protest against the plan by using the hashtag #NoToClarkForTaclobanFlights on social media.
The opposition claimed that the transfer would be an additional burden to passengers, both in time and cost.
The Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport, one of the country’s busiest, is a gateway to the different parts of the region.
In the first quarter of 2016, the airport had 311,944 inbound and outbound passengers or a 12 percent growth than last year.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)
