TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office VIII informs the public that assistance will be provided to the workers affected by the fire incident at Robinsons Place Tacloban last October 23, 2019.
In an interview with local media networks on October 28, 2019, DOLE RO VIII Assistant Regional Director Amable Ildefonso C. Roa informed that immediately the day after the fire incident, the DOLE Quick Response Team was deployed to the affected area to look into the incident particularly on the status of the tenants and workers affected.
“Since investigation was ongoing when our team visited Robinsons, we were not yet given the exact information as to the number of establishments directly affected by the incident. We have conducted interviews with the tenants and employees waiting outside the mall for us to have at least estimates”, said ARD Roa.
As a result of the interviews conducted, the DOLE-QRT was able to profile 1,137 workers from 101 establishments operating in the said mall.
As of Friday, October 25, 2019, the DOLE North Leyte Field Office has already provided orientation on the agency’s livelihood and emergency employment programs to 192 workers of the affected mall.
“We would like to call on other affected workers to visit our office within this week, if possible, so we can assist them. We have our DOLE Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP). They have the option to choose between the components of the program, livelihood assistance or emergency employment”, ARD Roa added.
Of the 192 workers, 98 signified to avail of emergency employment or Tulong Panghanapbuhay para sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced workers (TUPAD) while the remaining 57 wanted to have their own businesses through DOLE’s livelihood or Kabuhayan program.
Workers who will choose TUPAD program will work for fifteen (15) days and receive payment equivalent to 100% of the highest prevailing private minimum wage in the region.
Meanwhile, those who signified for Kabuhayan program can avail of the Starter Kit or Negosyo sa Kariton (Nego-Kart), up to a maximum assistance of P20,000, depending on the project requirement.
Aside from DILEEP, ARD Roa also mentioned some employment facilitation programs such as Job Fair and Skills Registry System which can be of help to the displaced workers.
(NORMA RAE S. COSTIMIANO/PR)

SULAT Eastern Samar – The Sangguniang Bayan of Sulat, Eastern Samar has declared the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) “persona non grata”.
The members of the town legislative council presided by Hon. Vice Mayor Amado A. Amigo passed Resolution No. 056 series of 2019 “Resolution Declaring the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) Persona Non Grata”, unanimously, last September 30, 2019.

The said declaration was in support to Memorandum Circular No. 211-2018 issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government with the subject, “Prohibition of Support to Left Wing Rebel Group” and President Duterte’s call for a whole-of-nation approach to fight insurgency through Executive Order No. 70 “An Act Institutionalizing the Whole-Nation Approach in Attaining Inclusive and Sustainable Peace, Creating a National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, and Directing the Adoption of a National Peace Framework.”
The council believes that this declaration of persona non grata should not be taken for granted for this will start economic improvement by maintaining peace and order in the community and suppressing lawless violence that creates havoc, fear and panic among the populace.
Sulat Municipal Police Station welcomed the move of the local government unit to denounce the atrocities of the communist terrorist group.
Police Lt. Antonio C. Docena, OIC, encourages the people of Sulat to join and stood up for the fight against terrorism for the lasting peace and in ending insurgency towards sustainable development. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY-Contrary to a report that the Tacloban City slaughterhouse is operating without a permit, the City Veterinary Office (CVO) clarified that the abattoir in Barangay Salvacion is not yet operational and is still undergoing a dry run.
In a statement, City Veterinarian Doctor Eunice Alcantara clarified that the machinery within the state-of-the-art slaughter is undergoing a run-through, but is not commercially operational.
The CVO has already revised and complied with requirements set by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) three weeks ago for accreditation such as good manufacturing manual, sanitary standard operating procedures and others, explained Alcantara.
“Oo nag-apply kita, but dire kita nago-operate (Yes, we have applied for the necessary permits, but we are not yet operational). Kun baga it masisiring it mga tawo nga nago-operate bisan waray permit, dire ito tinuod. Kun may-ada man didto yana nagamit an facility, it’s because nagda-dry run kita, (It is not true that we are operating without a permit, we are just conducting a dry run)” she said.
“Ine man gud kay para mahasa an tawo didto ha paggamit it equipment ngan mabaro an process han slaughtering procedure, (the dry run is being done to enhance the skills of staff on slaughtering procedure) “ Dr. Alcantara added.
The dry run is expected to end this December, according to the CVO.
Meantime, Alcantara assured that the facility will not operate without necessary permits required by the proper authority.
Categorized as ‘AAA’, the city abattoir is equipped with modern and state-of-the-art amenities and will be the first to be set up here in Region 8. (C. MERIN/CIO)

TACLOBAN CITY- Some 135 surviving families of the victims of the Inopacan purging of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the 1980s, from Baybay City, Mahaplag and Inopacan, all in Leyte, are the target of help from the various government agencies under Executive Order 70.
Twelve years after the exhumation of the mass grave on September 2, 2006, these surviving families will be the recipients of collective help from the government.
Dubbed “Special ELCAC Convergence Mission,” with the theme “Halad of Panaghiusa Alang sa Kalinaw ug Kalambuan,” the launching is set on October 29 in Baybay City with no less than National Task Force to End Communist Armed Conflict Vice-Chairperson Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Eastern Visayas Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario in attendance.
Before the launching, a series of dialogues and consultations with the beneficiaries were made by the military, TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority)-Leyte, the province of Leyte, and the local government units in order to know the felt needs of the families.
The services and programs that will be delivered by various agencies are the answers to the concerns of the surviving families.

During the launching, various government agencies and local government units like the province of Leyte, TESDA, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Philippine Information Agency (PIA) are expected to unveil their projects/programs for the surviving families.
The beneficiaries were organized into associations in order to get accreditation from the DOLE.
The DSWD will provide financial assistance in the amount of P5,000 cash assistance to each of the 135 surviving families.
TESDA Leyte will provide various livelihood training as requested by the beneficiaries.
The province of Leyte will conduct a medical and dental mission and will provide free reading glasses and agri services, free seeds, and lecture on preventive medicines.
TESDA will make available free manicure, pedicure, haircut for both men and women, and hilot wellness to the family-beneficiaries, during the convergence caravan.
The DOLE will accredit the associations of beneficiaries so that they can avail of livelihood funding by the agency.
Meanwhile, PIA will organize the beneficiaries into information volunteers network so that they will be empowered to communicate their concerns and the help given by the government. (PIA-8)