In Maasin City

TACLOBAN CITY-The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) has issued a cease and desist order, suspending all activities affecting the 243-year-old watchtower within the campus of a private Catholic school in Maasin City.
“It has come to our attention that the proposed construction of buildings within the compound of Saint Joseph College will affect a Spanish-period watchtower,” said Dr. Rene Escalante, the NHCP chairman.
The letter, dated on February 27, was addressed to Bishop Precioso Cantillas of the Diocese of Maasin.
Escalante explained that since the watchtower is over 50 years old, it is considered to be an ‘important cultural property’ which is protected under Republic Act 10066 otherwise known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.
The watchtower was built in 1776 by the Augustinian priests.
NHCP also requested from the diocese development plans and site map, with respect to the said watchtower.
It also informed Bishop Cantillas on their next move after they received their requested documents.
The NHCP also furnished the same letter to Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado.
Mercado, who furnished Leyte Samar Daily Express a copy of the letter, said he is happy about NHCP’s action.
“Many Maasinhons are also opposing moves to demolish the said structure or plans to demolish to make way for a commercial building,” said the mayor.
Earlier, Mercado disclosed they received the diocese’s letter dated October 22, 2018, requesting permission to remove the structure to give way for the construction of the additional building to accommodate the school’s “growing population.”
While he is not in the authority to approve the plan, Mercado advised the diocese to write to NHCP.
He also asked his constituents to allow NHCP decide on the matter as it’s not within their jurisdiction.
Residents of this city have expressed their strong resentment on this plan of the management of Saint Joseph College calling for the preservation of the structure instead of demolishing it.
The school management want to build a school building where the structure is located.
“I hope that the diocese won’t pursue this. I hope they won’t request further. But rather, save it, take good care of it, and use it to teach this generation more about Maasin, its history and culture,” said Amelia Fe Mancera, a cultural worker from the city.
“My suggestion for the last watchtower in Maasin City is to make it a memorabilia building in the significance of its historical heritage,” posted Armando Gaviola on Facebook.
On February 13, a concerned citizen Adel Macaldo also wrote to the NHCP, asking the commission “to have an exhaustive investigation on the alleged demolition” of the tower.
(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Eastern Visayas has warned of potential red tide bloom as the El Niño phenomenon hits the region this year.
The extended dry season prompted the fisheries bureau to conduct active surveillance of bays and municipal waters previously hit by red tide phenomenon.
“From one sampling and testing of seawater and shellfish meat every two weeks, we have been doing it three times a week since February to ensure public safety,” said BFAR Regional Director Juan Albaladejo in an interview Thursday.
Conditions related to dry season such as low salinity, warm temperature, and sudden rains after sunny days can cause algal blooms. Red tide algae make potent natural toxins.
The active surveillance covers Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar, Irong-Irong Bay in Samar, Maqueda Bay in Samar, Villareal Bay in Samar; Carigara Bay in Leyte; Biliran waters in Biliran province, coastal waters of Daram, Samar, San Pedro Bay in Samar, and Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City.
Red tide alert is still up in San Pedro Bay and Cancabato Bay as of this week.
The bureau reiterates its public advisory to refrain from eating, harvesting, marketing, and buying bivalve marine products and Acetes sp. (small crustaceans) from these two bays until such time that the toxicity level has gone down below the regulatory level.
Fish, squid, shrimp, and crab are safe to eat “provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking,” according to BFAR.
Red tide is a term used to describe a phenomenon, where the water is discolored by high algal biomass or the concentration of algae. The discoloration may not necessarily be red in color, but it may also appear yellow, brown, green, blue or milky, depending on the organisms involved.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Eastern Visayas Basketball League (EVBL) do not only promote basketball but also tourism.
Thus said the group’s president and chief executive officer, Rey Evangelista, a former professional basketball player.
EVBL, the first amateur basketball association in Eastern Visayas which recently opened its second season dubbed as ‘Bells of Balangiga Cup’, a tribute and homage on the return of the historic bells to Balangiga, Eastern Samar province, by the American government after 117 years under their possession.
“We have this home-and-away format wherein each team will go to a particular place and of course if you go to that place, the players will have to stay there and eat in their establishments,” Evangelista said.
For this weekend, EVBL will brought the basketball teams to Abuyog, Leyte with teams Isabel Gold, Jaro Blades and Tacloban’s Birch Tree Fortified playing.
“Teams going to a particular place brings economic activities because they have to spend which provides income to the businesses in that place, and can also attract tourists,” Evangelista added.
Aside from promoting tourism, the EVBL is also a venue in promoting healthy living, he said.
Evangelista also felt grateful to An Waray party-list for their continued support to EVBL.The first season of EVBL last year was called An Waray Cup. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-A total of 798 police officers from the region are facing administrative cases since 2016 up until the first semester of this year following the internal cleansing program of the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8).
This was disclosed by Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, police regional director, who said that the police organization is serious on its campaign to make it more professional and free from scalawags.
“In our quest for genuine cleansing and transformation, we will go through challenges. Thus, we will more strict in implementing internal cleansing among our ranks,” Carlos said.
Carlos said that 494 administrative cases were filed against its personnel, 353 of these were filed before the Office of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division while the other 141 cases were filed before the Regional Internal Affairs Service 8.
The police regional director said the “strict implementation” of the program has led to the dismissal from the service of 99 police personnel; 172 suspended; 373 exonerated; 12 demoted; and 4 reprimanded for various offenses.
However, the other cases remain pending for resolution.
The top recorded cases filed against these errant police officers are Absence Without Official Leave (Awol), violations against revised penal code, conduct unbecoming of a police officer, loss of issued firearm, solicitation of political patronage, violations of police operational procedure, failure to prepare and submit report, and willful violation of office regulations, PRO-8 said in a statement.
The internal reforms of the Philippine National Police (PNP) is one of the thrusts under the leadership of Police General Oscar David Albayalde. (RONALD O. REYES)