NAVAL, Biliran-The chief of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Biliran province is encouraging the millennials who are not yet registered and wanted to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming May 11, 2020 Synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections to register through iRehistro, an online registration system of the Comelec.
“What you need to do is to visit the Comelec website (www.comelec.gov.ph) and click iRehistro to do the online registration,” said lawyer Karen C. Cajipo, provincial election supervisor during the Pulong-Pulong ng Bayan of PIA Biliran at Radyo Natin-Naval recently.
Cajipo said that once the online registration is done, printout in three copies has to be submitted to their office through the Comelec staff in-charge of the registration.
According to Cajipo, the online registration provides comfort and convenience not only to the new voter-registrants but also to those who will be applying for transfer, updating of records, and reactivation.
In its efforts also to bring services closer to the people of Biliran, the Comelec has scheduled satellite registration in barangays to accommodate more registrants especially for those who does not have enough time to visit the Comelec office, she said.
Aside from the ongoing campaign for registration, Cajipo also encouraged women to actively participate in the upcoming elections as part of the agency’s drive for a gender-responsive electoral process.
“The Comelec wanted more women to become community leaders,” Cajipo said.
Comelec has been conducting Women in Election Seminar (WES) to the women sector as a way of empowering them and to exercise their right of suffrage.
The Comelec has resumed its voter registration since August 1, 2019 and will run until September 30, 2019 inclusive of Saturdays and holidays.
(LDL/RSV/PIA-8, Biliran)
Comelec-Biliran chief tells millennials to register at ‘iRehistro’
Thousands joins the city-wide anti-dengue campaign of the Tacloban city government
TACLOBAN CITY- City government employees and Health workers from the City Health Office (CHO) made the rounds of the city’s barangays on Saturday (August 24) for the search and destroy drive against dengue.
The “Binalaybalay nga Panlimpyo Kontra Dengue activity was organized by the city government through the leadership of Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez to abate the rise of dengue cases in the city which has now reached 1,785 with 10 deaths.
Earlier, Mayor Romualdez has ordered a city-wide cleanup drive as an answer to the spike of dengue cases in Tacloban.
More than a thousand employees and officials from 41 offices of the city government participated the simultaneous city-wide activity against the mosquito-causing ailment.
The simultaneous clean-up activity was held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in seven clustered areas around the city.
The activity was also intended to get the support of the community in cleaning up their surroundings highlighting the “4’o clock habit” to prevent the spread of the disease, particularly in the 60 barangays that were observed with clustering of dengue cases.
Among the barangays with a significant number of dengue cases are Barangays 83, 106, 91, 97, 105, 100, 94, 99, 68, 71 and 74.
City Health Officer Dr. Gloria Fabrigas encouraged all the households that are within the 60 barangays with clustering of dengue cases to participate in the search and clean-up operations to destroy the breeding places of ‘Aedes aegypti’ and remove the receptacles containing stagnant water such as used tires, vases, and bottles among others.
“Kada balay magkakaroon tayo ng paglilimpyo and we’ll participate in a 4’o clock habit. We need to know na ang lamok ay gusto sa moist area —yung parang naglulumot lumot, diyan dumadami ang kiti-kiti,” Dr. Fabrigas explained.
“Kaya paghuwad, dapat limpyuhan talaga iton para hindi mabuhay ang lamok,” she added.
(C. MERIN AND H.J.ROCA/CIO)
Ecodesign takes center stage in 1st interDependence day in Eastern Visayas
TACLOBAN CITY-At least 14 competing entries from students and five showcase entries made by local upcyclers took center stage during the first interDependence’s Ecodesign Design challenge in Eastern Visayas held in Tacloban City Friday(August 23).
“This event is called interDependence Day. This is happening simultaneously around the world. I am part of the agency’s Global Climate Change Challenge Programme, a climate leadership program that the agency is running,” said Jacques Palami, event organizer.
“InterDependence is a newly-established UK (United Kingdom) agency that is looking to work on the interdependence blueprint — a plan to fund and scale up climate solutions, local renewable energy, and sustainable food production infrastructure,” added Palami, who studied social innovation in France.
As the only delegate from the Philippines, Palami said he decided to hold the same event in Tacloban, believing that “in the fight against climate change, representation and diversity is crucial.”
“The closest interDependence Day events are in Singapore and Australia. Each event is different, the organizers have the freedom to set up an activity to his or her liking. The Ecodesign Competition is just one aspect of the interdependence Day here—we also have representatives from different social enterprises and NGOs in the region—Greenpeace, Waste 360, BeenGo Farm, CocoAsenso, Green Collectiv,” Palami said.
“We also have partners outside of Eastern Visayas–Plastic Tides PH from Manila, Cleaner Earth from Germany,” he added.
Students from Leyte National High School bagged the first place with their entry “Haribon,” followed by Sagkahan National High School with their “Multi-Purpose Table” and Samar College Inc. with their ecodesign “Pitaka ni Jackie.”
The People’s Choice went to St. Therese Educational Foundation of Tacloban, Inc. (STEFTI) with their entry “Chroma.”
“Local initiatives like Ecodesign Design challenge by interDependence promote public discourse towards climate solutions and best practices, especially among the youth. Tacloban being at the frontlines of climate impacts like Yolanda, has always been an active voice in the fight for climate justice. This sends a powerful statement to the global community in the midst of a climate emergency,” said Joanna Sustento of Greenpeace Philippines and a known climate warrior based in Tacloban.
During the event, participants were also treated to a series of mini-workshops and sessions on climate change, sustainable development, and individual waste auditing, among other topics.
The competition was co-organized by the Department of Education (DepEd) Tacloban City Division and Yellow Doors Xchange.
(RONALD O. REYES)
Leyte board member Abellanosa aims chairmanship of PBMLP regional chapter
TACLOBAN CITY-Leyte board member Ranulfo ‘Bob’ Abellanosa is seeking the chairmanship of the Provincial Board Members League of the Philippines (PBMLP) – Eastern Visayas chapter.
And Abellanosa, who is representing Leyte’s first district, appears to have clinched the post as he is running unopposed.
The region’s 73 provincial board members are to hold their election next month in Cebu City.
The current regional president of the PBMLP is Leyte board member Trinidad ‘Ebbie’ Apostol of the second district.
Apostol was named to the post as interim regional president after the regularly elected president, Edgar Igano of Biliran province, was earlier named as the national secretary-general.
The conduct of elections of the provincial board members is pursuant to memorandum circular issued by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued by Sec. Eduardo Año.
It was learned that among Abellanosa’s line up include Apostol, nominated as among the regional directors.
Abellanosa is now serving his third and last term as board member covering Leyte’s first district which covers the towns of Palo, Babatngon, Tanauan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Tolosa.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
South Korean company Global OBLA showcases products at the Visayas Area Business Conference
From foods to incinerators
PALO, Leyte-A South Korea-based company is introducing its various products to the Filipino market.
And these products ranges from food, beauty and skin care products to heavy products like LED lights and incinerators.
The Global Ocean Best Leader Associates Inc. (Global OBLA) manufactured products were showcased during the two-day 28th Visayas Area Business Conference held this town that concluded last Saturday (August 24).
Lawyer Baek Wang Kee, president OBL Associates (OBLA), said that they are happy to showcase their products which he describes not only of ‘very high quality’ but with ‘good prices.’
“(Our products) are of high quality and lasts long. We would like to supply all South Korean products (in the Philippines) with good prices…from small products to big products. We can handle them,” he said.
The Global OBLA was able to join the Business Area conference through the invitation of the Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry and was facilitated by Billy Roseño, South Korean investors’ coordinator.
Aside from Baek, top officials of the Global Obla joined in the roadshow: Song In Pyoung, president; and Hyojeong Kwon, general manager.
Baek said that Global OBLA, which established its trading company in 2015, is very excited in introducing their products to the Filipino market considering that they have products that of good quality but are also not harmful to the environment like the incinerator.
According to him, the incinerator that they have manufactured conform to the standard set by the Philippine government, thereby, making it safe to use.
It describes its incinerator as that completely incinerates all pollutants with a swirl flame.
Thus, no particle of pollutants reaches the environment, making it a ‘green incinerator.’
Baek said that they are encouraging their prospective clients to use their manufactured incinerator as it is pollution-free.
While the Philippines has banned the use of incinerators due to its adverse effects to the environment, the government still allows the use of certain types of incinerators.
Thus, Baek said that they are confident that their manufactured incinerator will passed to the standards of the Philippine.
In fact, he said, they will be working with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) so they could get the necessary permit to sell their products in the Philippines.
Meantime, Baek said that their company is also very keen in entering in the copra production, particularly in the production of coconut sugar which he said is getting attention from South Koreans.
He said that with the region teeming with coconut trees, it could address the high demand of coconut-derived products like copra sugar.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Northern Samar town now enjoys water supply
ROSARIO, Northern Samar – Residents of this coastal town are happy now that they have a source of potable water.
Although the water system already existed in the town, it is still just considered as Level II as the water distribution had not reach houses but through a tap stand, strategically installed in specific places of the villages.
The water system uses ground water as a source and being pump to the treatment facility funded under the program of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Residents in the town proper are using the water for laundry, cooking, cleaning chores and for taking a bath.
“We are allowed to fetch at least six containers of water a day. That is already enough for our daily needs,” Matilde Pestaño, a resident of Barangay Poblacion, said.
Her family uses the water for taking bath and cooking. For drinking, they buy water at the refilling stations.
“Since it is not enough for our daily needs, the water we used in bathing is also used for the comfort room,” Pestaño shares.
She added that for washing clothes, this has to be done once a week to conserve water.
Her fellow resident, Rosa Opilanda, shares the same feeling with Pestaño.
“Unlike before that we need to walk to another village to fetch water, now it’s almost within our doorstep,” she said.
“But this will be better if the water system reaches each house because we no longer need to queue to fetch water,” Opilanda added.
The operation of the water system is from one to two hours a day and residents have to pay for P1 per water container. They are also encouraged to help in securing and protecting the water system project.
The water system project in Rosario worth P9 million is funded by the DILG under the program Assistance to Disadvantaged Municipalities (ADM).
The ADM program provides a “catch-up mechanism” to assist municipal governments in increasing citizens’ access to basic facilities and ensures participation of civil society organizations (CSOs) in local governance. Project types funded by ADM program are water system, evacuation facility, local access roads, small water impounding, and sanitation and health facilities.
The DILG is one of the 28 agencies involved in the water sector with the implementation of national programs such as the Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig Para sa Lahat (Salintubig), Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB)- Water Supply, Assistance to Municipalities (AM)- Water Supply, and Local Government Support Fund (LGSF)- Water.
“Prior to the implementation of the project, one of the requirements was to come up with a barangay assembly to mobilize community participation especially in the protection of the project,” Director Danny Laguitan, provincial local operations officer, said.
The implementation of the water system project by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) requires local government units to gets a permit or approval from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
“We realized, especially if the LGU is located along coastal area, that there could be in the future water incursion. When much ground water is pump, salt water comes in that increases the salinity affecting water potability and also destroying plants,” DILG Regional Director Artemio Caneja said.
“That is the requirement. Without the permit from DENR, we will not implement the project. If they say that we cannot get the source of water in this area, the LGU must look for another place for their source of water,” he added.
Caneja added that implementing a water system project is not that easy because there are municipalities and villages that do not have sources of water.
The DILG regional chief pointed out his experience while he was still the provincial director of DILG in Leyte where it took them four years to finished the project because they to look for a source of water since the town beneficiary is really waterless.
He added that one of the requirements of the project is for the beneficiaries awarded with a Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG).
The SGLG originated from the Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) which is DILG’s response to the clamor of the people for integrity and performance in public service. It challenges local governments to continue good governance practices while providing better public services.
SGLG awardees are given opportunity to have a share at the Performance Challenge Fund, multimillion-peso incentive for local development projects.
“But for those that are not SGLG passers, they can still benefit the project but the DILG does not download it to the LGU but to the provincial government to implement the project,” Caneja explained.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)