PALO, Leyte – A health team called “health economics” of the Leyte Provincial Health Office (LPHO) that renders health services exclusively to farmers in this province has a budget of P2.5 million for this year, a report from the LPHO, based here, said.
Health officer Dr. Edgardo Daya told Leyte Samar in an interview that the “health economics” is in support to the Leyte Economics which is the convergence program of Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla started in 2015 for poverty alleviation and economic development in the countryside.
Daya explained that the health economics is a separate and distinct with the usual medical caravan of the province.
It is a team of 15 members divided into two groups headed by a doctor and the members are nurses, dentists, nutritionist and technical staff with own tasks during the provision of health services to Leyte farmers.
“This is not the usual medical caravan of the governor that render health services to the people of Leyte,” Daya said.
Daya further explained that the team renders health services solely to farmers, including their immediate family members, with memberships of the associations in the barangays.
The health team visits the identified farmer associations trained by the Provincial Agriculture Office in particular barangays in the 41 towns and 1 city in Leyte province, Daya said.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
Leyte Provincial Office forms groups to address health needs of farmers
Four arrested over selling ‘fake’ medicines
TACLOBAN CITY-Police nabbed four persons for allegedly selling fake medicines here in the city Saturday (August 10).
The arrested suspects were identified as Gwen Aroa, 26; James Patric Perez, 23; Josan Enos Perez, 25; and Santiago Perez, 52.
The suspects, composed of sales agents and sales leader, were from Bulacan and Cavite, police said.
They were asked to present legal permits in relation to selling medicines but failed to present the documents.
The suspects will be facing charges in violation of RA 3720 as Amended by RA 9711 (Food and Drug Administration Act).
(RONALD O. REYES)
Cafgu wounded in an attack by NPA rebels in N. Samar
TACLOBAN CITY- A member of a Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) was hurt after their detachment in Las Navas, Northern Samar was attacked by alleged members of the New People’s Army on Sunday (August 11) evening.
Wounded during the 9:30 pm attack was Rolando Obiado, Sr., who was hit at his foot during the firefight, reports reaching the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police (PNP) based in Palo, Leyte.
Reports have indicated that the gun battle ensued after alleged NPA members attacked the Cafgu detachment in Barangay Poponton, Las Navas town.
The Cafgu members managed to fight back which resulted to a five-minute fire fight.
The rebel members, who were positioned 150 meters away from the detachment, fled after the fire fight.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Hybrid rice farmer in Leyte rises
Born and raised in the rural area of Barangay Cabangkalan, Sta. Fe, Leyte and getting to grips with manual and conventional rice production was initially a “toxic job” for 51-year old Lorenzo C. Caca, Jr.
He used to hate the life his parents had brought them up as young kids.
Planting rice was no fun and life in the farm was difficult, especially since their one-hectare farm only produced 30 cavans. His father was a practitioner of conventional farming technology that “was a waste of time, money and effort”, recalls Lorenzo.
But he was not discouraged. Instead of leaving the farm, his sense of optimism provided hope that someday there would be change. He held on to his firm belief that someday he would learn better technology to improve his harvest with lesser efforts.
“As a child, I saw my father’s contentment even with just a 30-bag harvest from our one-hectare rice area,” Lorenzo muses. “I just came to realize that what we’ve been doing couldn’t provide any decent income to the family due to our very low harvests,” he disclosed.
One of every farmer’s biggest problems in rice production, is capital. Thus, when the Leyte government launched the MIC Rice (More Income in the Countryside thru Rural Infrastructure and Community Empowerment project, Lorenzo repeatedly borrowed money to defray the production cost for over four cropping seasons.
“This had helped me a lot in expanding my production area to ten hectares. These areas are family-owned, some are from my parents and the rest are on lease. These are situated in Brgys. Cabangkalan, Pilit and San Isidro all in the municipality of Sta. Fe,” he said.
Lorenzo, a father of two, is quite popular among fellow farmers in Leyte particularly in his hometown and nearby municipalities of Alangalang, Palo, Dagami, Burauen, Pastrana, Baybay and other towns in the first and second congressional districts.
Lorenzo has become a hybrid rice farmer producing more than 200 bags per hectare. He also diversified to other farm crops such as high-value vegetables and bananas, besides raising carabaos and swine.
He also became a licensed fertilizer and pesticide distributor, venturing into agri-supply business primarily to have ready access to agricultural inputs.
This self-made farmer owns Eleven Jay Fox Agri Supply in Sta. Fe. To cap his achievements in rice farming, he was adjudged as Most Outstanding Regional Hybrid Rice Farmer during the 2017 Gawad Saka Search conducted by the Department of Agriculture Regional Office 8 (Francis C. Rosaroso, RAFIS Chief)
Palo Councilor Uy elected as prexy of PCL-Leyte Chapter
(Photo Courtesy)
TACLOBAN CITY- The more than 400 members Philippine Councilors League (PCL)-Leyte chapter elected a neophyte councilor from Palo town.
Elected unanimously by the members was Chiqui Ruth Uy, who is serving her first term as a councilor of Palo and is the wife of former PCL president, Wilson Uy, who was the president of the organization from 2004 until June 30,2019.
Uy was elected unopposed during the PCL elections held last August 9 at the Leyte Academic Center, Palo.
The PCL-Leyte has 412 members but only 336 of them managed to attend the event which was also graced by Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla.
The new provincial PCL president was a former barangay chairwoman of Barangay Pawing, one of the most important villages of Palo town as it is here where the Government Center and the historic MacArthur Landing National Memorial Park are located.
She served as a barangay chairwoman for nine years and also served the Palo Sangguniang Bayan as an ex-officio member being the municipal president of the Association of Barangay Chairmen for five years.
Uy expressed her gratitude to the PCL members in Leyte for giving them their trust and mandate on her as their new president whose term is to expire on 2022.
“I am thankful for the heartfelt support of my co-councilors and for the trust for choosing me as their leader. I would also thank Governor Petilla for his support as well as my husband,” she said as she called her colleagues to give their full support and cooperation on her and other newly-elected officials of the group.
Uy also vowed to listen to her colleagues, especially those who have more experiences compare to her.
According to her, she intend to accomplish several projects and programs that are all aim in improving the capabilities of the councilors of the province.
Among these are continuous trainings and seminars for all councilors to make them more competent in discharging their functions to the benefits of their respective constituents.
Also elected were Hilongos Councilor Edwin Faller, vice president; Tolosa Councilor Manny Martinez, secretary- general; Tanauan Councilor Bianito Fiel, treasurer; Burauen Councilor Vincent Enerlan, auditor; Leyte-Leyte Councilor Pedro Panis, PRO; and Kananga Councilor Resurection Capanas, business manager.
Elected as members of the board of directors were the following: Rosary Pearl Catudo (Babatngon) and Rodolfo Cabaluna Jr. (Alangalang) representing first district; Othello Crisostomo (Carigara) and Victor Cadyong (Dulag), for the second district; Carmichael Villarino (San Isidro), for third district; Adam Fuentes (Isabel) for fourth district; and Arnulfo Allera (Abuyog) and Rogelio Pua Jr. (Inopacan) for the fifth district. (JOEY A. GABIETA/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Even only for a night, cops turned performers during this year’s ‘Pulis Got Talent’ contest
TACLOBAN CITY – The jampacked crowd at the Tacloban Convention Center or astrodome had a field night as they watched with glee and amusement policemen from the region strutting their not-so-hidden talents, both in dancing, singing, and even comedic skits.
The policemen-turned performers entertained their audience headed by their regional director, Brigadier General Dionardo Carlos, and guests during the ‘Pulis Got Talent’ contest held Friday night.
And this year’s winner of the Pulis Got Talent contest, now on its fifth year, was the contingent from Eastern Samar Provincial Police Office.
Their performance involved a breath-taking aerial stunts that wowed the crowd.
The group, who dubbed themselves as ‘Tears of the East Movers’, centered their sing and dance performance on men’s relationship with nature.
The Leyte Police Provincial Office contingent, who presented a hip-hop dance, bagged the second place while the Biliran Provincial Police Office that presented a combination of hip-hop and comedic act was awarded the third place.
“We are doing this as a way to say thank you to the people of Eastern Visayas and to show to the people that policemen are also talented,” Carlos said.
The police regional director said that the ticket sales and even donations generated out of the more than three-hour event will be donated to a selected school which also include procurement of a service vehicle for the students of said school.
Carlos also expressed his gratitude to the individuals, organizations and his fellow regional police chiefs that helped the PRO8 made the event successful
For the past four years, the Pulis Got Talent search was held at the RTR Plaza as part of the annual activity for the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals nightly activities.
But for its fifth years, the Police Regional Police Office 8 decided to just do a teaser presentation at the RTR Plaza during the PNP Night and have a bigger event at the Astrodome.
“It took us six months of brainstorming and conceptualizing just to give these performances,” Carlos said.
The Pulis Got Talent 5th Season was supposed to be held in July but was reschedule to August.
During the presentation, the police regional director presented a Hall of Fame award to the Regional Police Mobile Battalion whose dance group was the perennial winner since the contest was started four years ago.
Aside from the performances of police personnel from eight PNP offices, actor Matteo Guidicelli made a special appearance and serenaded the audience. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)