CARIGARA, Leyte- Over 1,000 poor people from this town benefited the free giving of reading glasses extended by the family of Mayor Eduardo Ong.
During the activity, held at the municipal hall building on Tuesday (March 21), 60 people also underwent cataract operations.
Ong said that the giving of glasses and the free operation was an activity supported by his family especially that his wife, Rea, is a family friend of Dr. Erivert Almonte, an eye doctor who finished his medical course at Harvard University.
Prior to the giving of reading glasses, a screening was first conducted last March 10 to ensure that they would get the correct eye grades.
A total of 750 individuals were given free eye glasses on that day alone.
A patient, who asked not to be named, said that he was thankful that the family of Mayor Ong made the initiative of free operation for cataract patients like him.
According to the patient, he has been suffering the eye problem for years now but could not see a doctor due to financial constraints. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Town mayor extends assistance to people suffering from poor sight
Pres. Duterte gets support from the country’s ‘eagles
TACLOBAN CITY- One of the country’s biggest socio-civic organizations has expressed its support and commitment to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In so doing, they are rejecting the calls by some sectors for the President be impeached from office, said Louie Ceniza, national president of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Ceniza was in the city last March 17 to led the induction of the new officials and members of the organization’s chapter in Tacloban known as “SirakWaraynon” Eagles Club held at the Leyte Park Hotel.
Among those inducted were Leyte Samar Daily Express publisher Dalmacio “Massey” Grafil and lawyer Leo Giron, president of the city chapter.
“We have supported the President when he ran for office and we still continue to support him and we believe that the impeachment being pushed will not prosper,” Ceniza said.
Ceniza said that their organization with about 300,000 members across the country, supported the presidential bid of Mr. Duterte who was then the mayor of Davao City.
Mr. Duterte, who assumed the post on June 30,2016, is facing an impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives largely due to his controversial anti-drug war campaign.
Incidentally, some members of the organization also supported the vice presidential bid of Leni Robredo, herself facing a possible impeachment complaint.
Meanwhile, Ceniza said that he is happy that finally, after 38 years in existence in the country, they have now a chapter in Tacloban City.
At present, there are 30 members of its chapter in the city.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles is the first born fraternal socio- civic organization in the country wherein its members, addressed as “kuya” and “ate,” belong to various field of professions.
Ceniza said that when super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ pummeled Tacloban City on 2013, their group extended assistance to the victims.
He said that their group would continue to provide assistance to those who are in need.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
P12 B ‘Yolanda’ rehab fund still untouched
Just for 2016
TACLOBAN CITY – Funds worth at least P12 billion intended for the rehabilitation of areas devastated by super typhoon “Yolanda” in the Visayas remain unutilized by national government agencies, nine months before these budget allocations will expire, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) reported.
Citing reports from their main office, Bonifacio Uy, NEDA regional director, disclosed that as of last month, majority of funds under the 2016 General Appropriations Acts (GAA) for Yolanda Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (YRRP) remain untouched.
The 2016 GAA had set aside P18.89 billion for YRRP coursed through the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) for recovery activities proposed by various agencies in 2015.
“Concerned agencies should follow up with their respective central offices to fast track the process of releasing the money. Our worry is that the budget will not be used anymore after Dec. 31, 2017,” Uy said on Monday (March 13).
Contributing to the delay, according to NEDA, is the validation process, a major step to ensure that there would be no duplication of projects.
NEDA was tasked to monitor government-led post-Yolanda rehabilitation projects after the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery completed their job early in 2015.
Eastern Visayas, the badly-hit region by the 2013 monster typhoon, will get a big chunk of the unspent outlay for six typhoon-wrecked regions in the country, according to Uy.
“Everybody is interested to use the funds. The regional offices should work with their respective main offices since affected areas are not only Eastern Visayas,” he pointed out.
The YRRP fund was meant to build back better infrastructure, livelihood support, resettlement and social services.
It is part of the P38.9-billion National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund, a special purpose fund in the 2016 budget, according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Prior to disbursements, agencies are required to submit documents for evaluation of the Office of the Civil Defense, the NDRRMC secretariat.
After the council’s approval, it will be forwarded to the Office of the President, which is tasked to order the DBM to download the money.
YRRP is the government’s blueprint to help Yolanda-hit communities recover from the country’s deadliest typhoon, which killed at least 6,300 people on Nov. 8, 2013.
It is the strongest storm recorded at landfall with Tacloban City considered as ground zero. (PNA) By: SARWELL Q. MENIANO
234 inmates released from Abuyog Penal Colony
For good behavior and for not escaping during Yolanda’s onslaught
ABUYOG, Leyte- Aware of the strong anti-drug war campaign being waged by the administration of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, Victor Lagman promised to “never touch shabu,” a methamphetamine commonly used by illegal drug users in the country.
After all, the 58- year old from Manila has just been released from the penal colony, based in Barangay Cagbolo, this town, along with 233 other inmates.
Lagman was incarcerated for nine years at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa until he was transferred at the Abuyog Penal Colony six years ago for illegal drug pushing.
“I’m done with it. I was given another chance to live like a normal human being. All I want now is to be with my family and my grandchildren and perhaps, try a small business,” he said.
“I don’t want to return here. I feel alone here. But now, I feel happy that I am to be released from prison,” Lagman, who was to serve his sentence until 2020, said.
No member of his family was present during a simple ceremony held at the compound of the penal colony-home to 1,993 inmates- but said he would immediately take the first transit bus available on that day to return to Manila.
He was given P1,500 for him to use on his return to home.
The 234 prisoners, or called as persons deprived with their liberty by the United Nations, were given their release paper on Friday by no less than Bureau of Corrections Director General Benjamin de los Santos.
They were released on grounds of good behavior or good time credit and for not attempting to escape when the facility was damaged when super typhoon “Yolanda” pummeled Leyte on November 8, 2013.
Penal chief, Supt. Gerardo Aro, said that the release of the prisoners could help decongest the facility.
“This will address decongestion. The ideal capacity of the facility is just 800 but as of today, we have close to 2,000 inmates,” Aro said.
De los Santos, in his message to the inmates, including those who were released, issued an appeal to them not to engage in the illegal drugs trade being waged by the current administration.
“So behave boys so you will not return here,” he said.
The BuCor chief said that despite of the intensified campaign by the government, illegal drug still finds their way in jail facilities across the country.
And this activity, de los Santos said, has to stop.
The controversial, if not brutal, drug war being waged by the Duterte administration is being heavily criticized by human rights groups, both local and abroad, as well as by foreign nations and organizations like the United Nations. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
3 jailed for illegal gambling in N. Samar town
SAN ISIDRO, Northern Samar – A man and two women were arrested by the police of this town due to illegal gambling.
Arrested on March 10 were Lorenzo Mote, 65; Estrella Patilano, 47, and Zenaida Sabayo, 64, all residents of Barangay Palanit, this town.
They were arrested by virtue of a warrant for violation of Section 1 of PD 1602 (illegal gambling) issued by Judge Nilo Dela Cruz.
The court has issued P10,000 for the temporary liberty of the three suspects.
In his dedication to the entire organization, S/Supt. Ceasar Tannagan, acting provincial director, reminded the police personnel across the province to perform their mandated job against all wanted felons and aim for a peaceful province of Northern Samar. (PR)
Toe the line or else….!
Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of the House of Representatives acts as if Congress is just an organization of men and women in some ordinary civic clubs where members are not given a chance to say their piece on issues confronting that organization. Obey and you don’t have to think deep but toe the line on what leadership desires is their cardinal rule.
The issue on the restoration of the death penalty is a very serious topic for discussion for approval. It involves human beings – citizens of the republic our very own brother Filipinos, so that a normal, honest and right thinking congressmen cannot simply agree when his thoughts and convictions about the issue run counter to what the leadership desires.
In fact it was impossible for all the 292 members of the lower house to just give a nod with not an honest effort and shamelessly agreeing in complete surrender to the desires of leadership.
The members who votedfor its restoration was a great majority with just over 20 or a little more voting NO, an insignificant and not a disturbing number minority vote. And yet Speaker Alvarez manipulated the ouster as chairpersons of the committees who voted against the death penalty restoration.It is by any and all standards a slap on the basic principle of freedom of choice in a democracy. This is a fearful signal of what may happen in the future in this present law-making body. It appears that by now it is just a stamping pad of this administration.
We congratulate former President and now Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo et al, in being brave and responsible enough by seeking and agreeing to the dictates of their conscience in defying such an inhuman legislation.
Death penalty is not the effective solution to the drug menace happening in the country, if only our leaders and people in government will use their God-given intellect on how to solve such problem. They should have obeyed God’s law “Thou shalt not kill”!