PALO,Leyte- Eastern Visayas has posted a decline of 5.44 percent in crime volume as a result of an intensified police drive against all forms of criminality, said Police Regional Director B/Gen. Dionardo Carlos.
“I would like to extend my gratitude for the support and unwavering commitment to curb criminality in Eastern Visayas. Let us help one another in making our community a safe place to live in,” he said.
From August 2018 to July 2019, Eastern Visayas recorded a total of 8,869 incidents compared to 9,379 incidents of the same period of last year or a ‘substantial’ decline of 510 incidents, Carlos added.
The Police Regional Office (PRO)-Eastern Visayas has recorded 89.30 percent crime clearance efficiency and 74.17 percent in crime solution efficiency, according to Lieutenant Colonel Ma. Bella Rentuaya, the police regional spokesperson.
Rentuaya said that crime volume constitutes index crimes which refers to offenses that are serious in nature such as rape, murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, and theft.
The non-index crimes are mostly violations of the special laws like illegal fishing, logging, gambling, and others, she added.
Meanwhile, the police official said that the “notable decrease” in crimes is made possible by the combined efforts of the PRO-Eastern Visayas, other law enforcement agencies, local government units and the community.
(RONALD O.REYES)

CARIGARA, Leyte –Project implementation of the Department of Public Works and Highways- Leyte Second District Engineering Office is now on track to meet physical and financial targets for the fiscal year.
Based on the Project and Contract Management Application (PCMA), the district engineering office has reached 37.69%, surpassing the 25% target accomplishment for the month of August 2019.
“With the use of the new PCMA feature and through proper coordination between the office and the contractors, we are now able to monitor and fast-track our road, bridge, and flood mitigation projects,” said District Engineer Gerald Pacanan.
After awarding the notice to proceed, qualified bidders are registered to the award system in the Civil Works Application, and projects are then listed to the PCMA.
“We are currently working hastily to remain on schedule for the completion of our projects under the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the administration, and improve the infrastructures of Leyte’s second district,” added Pacanan.
The PCMA aims to improve transparency and accountability of physical and financial outcomes through the use of online geographic based status reporting and geo-tagged photos required to process the claims of contractors.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

PALO, Leyte- An 18-year old alleged drug personality along with two others were arrested in three separate buy-bust operations in Leyte and Samar on September 7.
Authorities nabbed the young suspect at about 6:45 p.m. Saturday in Palompon, Leyte.
Purchased from the said suspect was one small-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected “shabu”, according to the Palompon Municipal Police Station.
Also, in his possession and control were three pieces of small-sized heat-sealed transparent sachets of suspected shabu; cash money amounting to P127 in different denominations, one lighter, one cellular phone, one coin purse, and one piece of P500 bill used as marked money.
At about 2:00 p.m., joint elements of Calbayog City Police in Samar and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in the region arrested Louie Ola, 29, a casual government employee, and a high-value target.
Confiscated from his possession and control were one piece of heat-sealed plastic sachet containing suspected shabu which was subject of sale; three pieces small-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu; one piece P500 bill used as buy-bust money; one piece lighter; and cash amounting to P130 in different denomination.
Some 30 minutes after, police operatives also arrested Noel Cajuban, alias “B-B”, 36, jobless, and a resident of Calbayog.
Confiscated from his possession and control were one piece small-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu which was subject of sale; one piece of small-sized heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu; one P1,000 bill used as buy-bust money and one Honda XR 150 motorcycle, according to the police.
(RONALD O. REYES)

SAN JOSE, Northern Samar – The town’s evacuation center funded by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) will become a functional structure.
Thus said Mayor Clarence Dato who said that the two-storey facility will house the municipal government’s disaster risk reduction management office, municipal social welfare and development office, and a warehouse.
Dato said they need to make the building functional considering that it’s not every day that it would be occupied by evacuees as this could only be used during a disaster situation.
“This will address the needs of our town to have facility that will house our responders together with equipment and goods needed by evacuees,” the town mayor said.
Dato said that since they now have a structure where they can store relief goods, they could now ask from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for stock of relief supplies for the pre-positioning of goods.
The evacuation center, which can accommodate around 100 evacuees, was built by the DILG through its Local Government Support Fund- Assistance to Municipalities Program in the amount of P10.96 million.
Under the said program, municipalities are able to access government support funds that would help them implement as well as subsidize projects identified in their Local Development Investment Plans (LDIP) given that they are compliant with the requirements of the seal of good financial housekeeping, local development council functionality and public financial management system as requirement for fund access and allocation.
“We are very thankful to the DILG for being sensitive to the needs of every municipalities. This facility will make us ready whenever there is an impending disaster and this will help us in institutionalizing our disaster risk reduction and management office,” Mayor Dato said.
Dato added that the residents of the town, spread on its 16 villages, have a high level of awareness especially those living along areas identified as prone or susceptible to disasters.
“We are not only prepared for typhoons but we will also conducts regular earthquake drill,” Mayor Dato said.
Aside from the municipal level, seminar on disaster risk reduction is also conducted in the barangay level for the officials in the barangays to be able to formulate their barangay disaster risk reduction and management plans.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

CATBALOGAN CITY – Mayor Dexter Uy is confident that they will be able to clear major roads in this city before the deadline set by the Department of Interior and Local Government.
Mayor Uy said that he is thankful that all residents of the city are supporting the clearing operations, adding that there were even owners of houses or establishments affected by the campaign voluntarily cleared the encroachment.
“Though a deadline was set, it doesn’t necessarily mean that we will stop, the clearing operations will continue up to the secondary roads within the city” Mayor Uy said.
The city mayor added that the clearing operations will be enforced as ordered by the DILG.
It was learned that even the business establishment owned by the family of Uy was affected by the clearing operations.
Although the city government is strict in implementing the order to reclaim all city roads from encroachment, Mayor Uy said that he is glad that no one is complaining against the operations.
“It is an order from the President, maybe that’s the reason why no one is complaining,” he said.
Uy said that they hope to reach 90 percent of cleared roads before the month will be over.
The clearing operations in the city is being spearheaded by the City Engineering Office together with village officials.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año said that there is no extension to the 60 days deadline set by Pres. Rodrigo Duterte on this campaign to clear all roads from encroachments.
Sec. Año said that the DILG will review the LGUs accomplishment after the 60-day deadline and those who will fail to comply the President’s order will be penalized. The deadline is to end this Sept.29.
Mayor Uy said that the clearing operations in the city started when he assumed the post as the city’s chief executive but some residents asked him to temporary halt until after the August fiesta of the city.
Mayor Uy added that for the street vendors affected by the clearing operations, he has sought the help of the provincial government of Samar through Vice Governor Michael Tan to identify an area where they can relocate the vendors.
One of the identified relocation area for the street vendors is the along the Antiao River.
For the ambulant vendors, they are allowed to stay in one area for 2-hours only after that they have to leave to another place.
“We also have to understand their situation because they have to earn for their families,” Mayor Uy said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)