TACLOBAN CITY- The National Electrification Administration (NEA) has confirmed the appointment of Engineer Fernan Paul Tan as a full-pledged general manager of the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II).
NEA officially named Tan to the position on July 5 but he only received his appointment papers last July 25.
Tan said that he was humbled and grateful at the same time for NEA’s decision making him now a full-pledged general manager, about two years since he was named as Leyeco II’s officer-in-charge.
“I was surprised that our staff meeting was cut and it was announced that my confirmation was out. I am elated and at the same time preparing for the big task ahead of me,”Tan said.
But the Leyeco II general manager, whose been working at the said power cooperative for more than two decades starting as a clerk, said that while NEA confirmed him to the position, he was given a one-year probation period for them to review his performance.
“The process of confirmation is not easy. It is tedious and meticulous. When you are a general manager, you should have the passion and dedication for the position because during emergencies, we become the frontliners and this is our unique role in the service of our consumers,” Tan said.
Asked what would be his priorities as Leyeco II general manager, Tan said that he would work hard to ensure that the power rate within the coverage areas of the power cooperative will go down.
This way, not only its power-consumers would benefit a lower power rate but help attract more investors that could provide employment in the process.
Leyeco II provides electricity to the towns of Palo and Babatngon and Tacloban City with more than 60,000 consumers.
Tan also said that he would like to maintain Leyeco II’s close relationship and further strengthen its cooperation with all power cooperatives in the region.
“One thing I can boast with Leyeco II in my incumbency is its ability to have a good relationship with other electric cooperatives in the region (and) its willingness to help other cooperatives despite being hit by super typhoon(Yolanda) four years ago, in terms of service, knowledge, technology, and man power and good practices,” he said.
Tan also said that for him to accomplish what he intends to do as general manager of Leyeco II, he needs the full support and cooperation not only from the consumers but more so from its employees.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
NEA confirms Tan’s appointment as Leyeco II general manager
Incessant rains result to landslide in a major Samar highway
CATARMAN, N.Samar – Continuous rains brought about by the recent low pressure area caused a landslide in the hills along Daang Maharlika Highway in Barangay Caglanipao, Calbayog City Sunday (July 23) evening which forced to the closure of the San Isidro-Calbayog route for all kinds of vehicles.
After three days of joint clearing efforts by the Department of Public Works and Highways-Northern Samar First Engineering District Office (DPWH NSFEDO) and the Samar First District Engineering Office (SFEDO), only one lane of the 4-lane road has been cleared of fallen debris.
An estimated 15,000 cubic meter volume of sand and rock materials has eroded due to the landslide, according to DPWH NSFED.
Small erosions also occurred in the villages of Palanit and Mabuhay, both in San Isidro town that covered portions of the Maharlika Highway but these have been cleared immediately, according to the DPWH NSFED.
Vehicles and other motorists from Allen and Calbayog were advised to take the south road via the Calbayog- Lope De Vega highway.
Analiza Pabia, information officer of NSFEDO, said that the clearing operation is expected to be finished within this week in order to re-open the highway.
The San Isidro-Calbayog road is the regular route for vehicles plying from Leyte and Samar going to Luzon area via the roll on-roll off boats in Matnog, Sorsogon and in Allen and San Isidro seaports in Northern Samar.
(RACHEL V. ARNAIZ)
Cebuana Lhuillier, now the Philippines’ largest lending network with launch of loans line
Cebuana Lhuillier is now the largest lending network in the country with the nationwide launch of its loans offerings, which are now available in all of its more than 2,000 branches across the Philippines.
True to its goal of answering to the changing financial needs of many Filipinos, the company introduced collateralized and non-collateralized loan products obtainable with few requirements and an easy application process.
“For decades, Cebuana Lhuillier has been continuously innovating, upgrading, and adding new products and services to provide better options in response to the various microfinancial needs of Filipinos. With the nationwide launch of our microloans products with simplified terms, minimal requirements and basic qualifications, we hope that we will help more Filipinos and further promote financial inclusion in the country,” Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier said.
Ideal for both personal use and for business purposes, Cebuana Lhuillier’s loan products include: Pawn, Happy Loans, Gadget Loans, Easy Loans, and Lucky Loans, all of which are available in all Cebuana Lhuillier branches nationwide.
Cebuana Lhuillier clients facing emergency and unavoidable personal expenses like tuition and hospitalizations can avail of Happy Loans which offers loanable amounts from P5,000 to P15,000, with a term of three months. Meanwhile, Gadget Loans is perfect for clients who prefer investing in technology by buying premium gadgets, including smart phones, tablets and laptops. These high-end gadgets can be used as collateral to a loanable amount dependent on gadget type and with a term of one month.
In support of the government’s efforts to promote and encourage the growth in the SME industry, Cebuana Lhuillier has also introduced two micro loan programs specifically intended to provide financial assistance to budding and existing micro entrepreneurs. Easy Loans offers loanable amounts from P1,000 to P49,000, with loan terms up to 12 months, while Lucky Loans covers loans from P50,000 to P2,000,000, with loan terms of 6 to 24 months.
As an introductory promo, Cebuana Lhuillier clients stand a chance of winning cash prizes, a business package or gadgets for every approved Happy Loan or Gadget Loan application, which is equivalent to one e-raffle entry. The promo is offered in all Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop, Cebuana Lhuillier Pera Padala, and Cebuana Lhuillier Express branches nationwide and is offered up to August 23, 2017. (PR)
GSIS Maasin joins national protest to abolish PNOY’s created agency
(Photo courtesy of Ma. Crisel Q. Inocando)
TACLOBAN CITY—Employees of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) in Maasin City have called for the abolition of Governance Commission for Government-owned and Controlled Corporations (GCG), a policy making body created during the administration of then President Benigno Aquino.
Ma. Crisel Inocando, union chapter president of GSIS-Maasin City, said that the regulatory agency has “imperils the lives of all GOCC employees.”
“For the past seven years, GOCCs have been complaining about the additional impositions and requirements laid down by the GCG which hamper their day-to-day operations, thereby placing the GOCCs under their mercy. Consequently, the employees especially the rank-and-file had to suffer and bear with their inconsistencies,” Inocando said.
According to her, they have had enough of GCG’s control.
“It left us broke and helpless. GCG’s high control means low trust, high cost and low speed for employees,” she added.
Inocando believed that in the process of protecting the government’s ownership rights and institutionalizing transparency in corporate performance, the GCG became “another administrative layer in the already perplexed structure of checks and balances, which takes up valuable time and resources of the GOCCs.”
“The impact of GCG to the people and this country can be considered as revenue cost of this government for seven years now. The GCG has been using their power to put control over the rank-and-file employees’ rights for good life and bright future, instead of directing its power to the presidential appointees who have been enjoying lavishly in terms of compensation and benefits and has been untouchable since the enactment of RA 10149, as majority of the employees viewed during Aquino’s administration,” Inocando said.
Whereas, ordinary employees like her have not received any salary increase for the last eight years, she said.
“We’ve got a big difference in salary level. After the RA 10149 was promulgated, we don’t have step increment anymore. The increase is now based on commendable performance, where slots are also limited. Our salary is flat now,” Inocando stressed.
Accordingly, GCG is devising scorecards for GOCCs and GFIs where a performance-based incentive is only granted if breakthrough results are achieved by a certain agency, saying this will push employees “to go beyond their day-to-day operations and achieve outcomes that have a significant impact on their customers and stakeholders while maintaining financial viability.”
(RONALD O. REYES)
Rookie cop gets medal for fighting Samar private armies
TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recognized the bravery of a junior police officer who was wounded during a hot pursuit operation against alleged members of private armed groups in Sta. Margarita, Samar.
PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar pinned the medal to Police Officer 1 Ringy Boy Tomale assigned at the Provincial Public Safety Company based in Catbalogan City at his hospital room at the Divine Word Hospital Wednesday (July 26) night.
Tomale was wounded in his left arm while chasing alleged members of a private army on the night of July 23 in Barangay Lambao, Sta. Margarita town.
The lawless group was tagged as suspects in the killing of a farmer in Brgy. Bahay earlier on the same day.
“Although one of our police was injured, the hot pursuit operation killed a (member of a) private army and arrested two of his wounded companions,” Beltejar told reporters.
“This is a major breakthrough against private armed groups. The two arrested persons have vital information and we expect them to tell us about their handlers,” he added.
The police also recovered assorted firearms and ammunition during the operation.
Tomale, who joined the police in 2013, thanked the PNP for the wounded personnel medal.
“I am more determined to help in any effort to disband all members of private armed groups in Samar. I want my home province to be peaceful,” Tomale said.
Last year, the government launched a crackdown against private armies in Samar in its bid to end election-related violence. The group is being used by some politicians to harass their opponents, according to the police.
Recently, the PNP filed cases against large members of Deborbon private armed groups allegedly involved in the latest shooting incident.
Major follow up operations will be done by the Samar police provincial office to hunt down identified private armies.
(SARWEL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
Farm business school launched in Biliran
CAIBIRAN, Biliran – Not even a bad weather nor a 6.5 magnitude earthquake could stop the more than 30 farmer-members of three agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) from attending the launching of the first farm business school (FBS) established by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in this province, a day after a strong tremor was felt in Eastern Visayas.
Chief Agrarian Reform Program Office Engr. Francisco Diloy explained that FBS is a season-long training with emphasis on marketing of farmers’ products.
For this training, a demo farm will be established at the NAMACA Farm in Barangay Maurang in this town for the application of what the participants will learn, Diloy said.
Participants, according to him, will be obliged to attend 25 sessions that may last for six months. It’s just like attending a regular school. But in this case, DAR brings the school near to the farmers, he added.
FBS is in collaboration with the provincial and municipal agriculture offices, the local government unit and the interested ARBOs.
Provincial Agriculturist Jaime Casas disclosed that among the topics he will discuss in one of the sessions is “Good Agricultural Practices”.
Though farmers here are already producers of various crops, DAR still invited the East-West Seed Philippines to provide input on vegetable production to enhance
farming methods in the area.
Thelma Verutiao and Norma Verunque, both members of the Nagkakaisang Magsasaka ng Caibiran (NAMACA) Multi-Purpose Cooperative just brought with them their pre-school daughters to the said occasion as they were interested to learn how they could increase their income.
Verutiao disclosed that they are already producing okra and onions in their yard, but stressed that for their own consumption only. She added that she is interested to learn how they could earn from their garden for additional household income.
Other participants are members of the Bunga Agrarian Reform Cooperative and the Kapatagan Agrarian Reform Cooperative, based in adjacent towns, Cabucgayan and Culaba, respectively.
Lecturers from the DAR, provincial and municipal agriculture offices, East-West Seed Philippines and the farmer-participants agreed to meet every Friday for the sessions.
Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Noel Salloman said they are expecting more participants when they start the first session, as according to those present, some failed to attend due to the strong quake experienced throughout the region.
(JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA)