TACLOBAN CITY – Board Member Trinidad Apostol cushioned her colleagues at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to exercise diligence in approving a usufruct agreements for construction of offices at the Government Center in Palo town.
Apostol, who is a former congresswoman from Leyte’s second district, said that while she is not opposed with the provincial government entering usufruct agreements with other government offices, these should be given some serious considerations.
She said that considering that the Government Center, which houses several regional government offices, is fast becoming a prime economic property in Leyte, the provincial board should first take its “pros and cons.”
This call of Apostol amid approval of usufruct agreements entered by the provincial government under Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla with various government agencies.
The provincial government is set to enter usufruct agreements with the Regional Highway Patrol Unit-8, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Civil Defense.
Apostol said the provincial government has first to ensure that the stipulations agreed upon in the usufruct are met before Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and the provincial board approves such contract.
The usufruct agreement usually involves a 25-year term which is renewable by another 25 years.
Also, the regional office can take possession of the property within one year from the signing of the usufruct and should undertake construction within two years from the execution of the contract.
The usufruct further states that the ownership of the building and all other alterations, improvements or additions on the property will remain with the provincial government at the end of the term or during renewal.
Gov. Petilla earlier said that entering into contract of usufruct with regional government agencies and other offices is part of a grand plan of the province to develop and fully utilize the government center property.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)
Board member Apostol asks colleagues to examine first details on usufruct agreements before their approval
RDC okays P651.66-B investment program for Region 8
TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) has approved on Friday the P651.66 billion 2017-2022 Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP) after months of drafting and series of consultations.
The amount has increased significantly from the total P430 billion proposed prior to the RDC sector committee meetings three weeks ago.
“There was an adjustment because we included more infrastructure projects especially those aligned in the priority of the Duterte administration. We need to build, build, build to support the President’s priority programs,” said RDC Vice Chairman and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Bonifacio Uy.
The RDIP contains a list and brief profile of programs and projects of agency regional offices and state universities and colleges in support of strategies outlined in the Regional Development Plan (RDP).
It also includes a list of activities of the six provincial governments in the region proposed for official development assistance funding and implementation by the central government.
The RDC will proofread the approved investment program, print the document, and send to the NEDA main office by October.
“This is still subject to regular updating to see what the needed projects are every year. Projects that are deemed important and critical for the region to attain development plan,” Uy added.
The projects and activities in the RDIP concretize the strategies in the main RDP. It has 15 key strategies meant to reduce poverty and sustain economic growth.
The 15 plan of actions are science and technology innovations, reducing inequality in opportunities in human development, accelerating infrastructure development, promoting regional competitiveness, reaching for the demographic dividend, promoting Eastern Visayas culture and values formation expanding economic opportunities in farming and fisheries.
Other strategies are enhancing peace, security, public order, and justice administration; enhancing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation; enhancing good governance; building resiliency of individuals and families; expanding economic opportunities in industry; maintaining ecological integrity and a clean and healthy environment; providing an enabling and supportive macroeconomic environment; and expanding economic opportunities in services.
The RDP, which serves as the blueprint of the region’s development direction, is anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Long-Term Vision of Filipinos or “Ambisyon Natin 2040” and President Duterte’s 0+10 Point Socioeconomic Agenda.
The RDC, the region’s highest policymaking body, approved the new RDP during its full council meeting on December 20, 2016.
Under the plan, the region aims to attain 5.2 percent to 5.7 percent economic growth in 2017.
For 2018 to 2022, the average target is 5.8 percent to 7 percent. In 2015, the region posted a remarkable growth of 3.9 percent in the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) due to massive post-Yolanda reconstruction activities.
The 2015 performance is a “significant turnaround” after the region incurred a 2.4 percent contraction in 2014, largely due to the destruction of the monster typhoon.
The region suffered a big drop in GRDP in 2012 at negative 6.8 percent after a minimal 2.1 percent increase in 2011.
It was followed with a big leap to 4.6 percent in 2013 due to the good economy before super typhoon “Yolanda” struck.
Last year, the region’s GRDP surged 12.4 percent, the highest among 17 regions in the country.
(Sarwell Q. Meniano/PNA)
Tacloban observes maritime week celebration
TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine Ports Authority here joined the national maritime week with series of activities lined-up.
The holding of the said activity is in consonance of Proclamation 1094 issued by former President Fidel Ramos.
This year’s celebration has the theme, “Connecting ships, ports, and people”.
The week-long celebration kicked on Sunday (September 24) with a motorcade attended by various agencies followed by a mass.
Fire drills were done on the third day of the activity. Coastal clean-up, mangrove planting, feeding program and bloodletting were also held on Sept.27.
The week-long celebration ended on Friday (Sept.29) with a program held at the Leyte Park.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard ensured despite lack of its enforcers, the port area of Tacloban is secured from shipments of illegal drugs and that they are conducting maritime security patrol to prevent any entry of illegal drugs.(EMILY MONTALLANA, LNU STUDENT INTERN)
Tacloban gov’t designs mobile application to help deter commission of crimes
TACLOBAN CITY- Commission of crimes in the city could now be abetted with the help of a new mobile application designed by the city government.
Using the application dubbed as Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomaliya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Illegal na Droga Mobile Application (MASA MASID APP) was programmed for the sole purpose of addressing commission of crimes across the city, said Mayor Cristina Romualdez.
The program, developed by the City Management Information System Division, can be availed by the use of a cellphone.
One has just to download MASA-MASID APP at Tacloban.gov.ph, a fast communication reporting which serves as a hotline coursed thru the City’s CCGR (Community Climate Guide Response) Text Alert System.
The CCGR will process the information and immediately act in referring the report on illegal drugs to the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the city police.
“It was exclusively made for Tacloban to protect and secure the identity of the persons reporting the illegal activities in their respective barangays,” Mayor Romualdez said.
The program has devised a mechanism where individuals can report an incident without identifying themselves, she added.
The mobile application using the CCGR alert system is expected to save many lives during an emergency.
The public can avail of the service by registering their mobile number and will automatically receive daily update or alert warning.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA / GAY B. GASPAY, KANHURAW MEDIA TEAM)
Gov’t still open for the resumption of peace talks with the rebels – Sec. Dureza
CATBALOGAN CITY- Office Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Secretary Jesus Dureza said that they are still waiting instructions from President Rodrigo Duterte whether peace talks with the members of the National Democratic Front will resume or not.
Dureza, who was in the city on September 22 to attend a peace forum, said that he is also hopeful that the peace talks will resume for the country achieve a lasting peace.
“What the President wants is before we resume peace talks, there should be talks first on the implementation of a ceasefire,” he said.
The peace talks between the national government and the Communist Party of the Philippines-National Democratic Front were suspended on order of Pres. Duterte after series of ambuscades reportedly staged by the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the communist group, against government troops.
“(The) success of the peace talks can be achieved if only members of rebel groups will not attack government forces”, Dureza said.
“We are waiting for that opportunity and perhaps it will be soon and we will be working again for the resumption of the peace talks. Definitely, we will have to wait for the final go signal of the President,” he added.
Eastern Visayas, particularly the three provinces of Samar, and some parts of Leyte are still affected by insurgency problem.
Based on the information from the Philippine Army, a total of 23 areas in the region are still affected by the insurgency, majority of which are located in Samar Island.
To address the problem of insurgency in the region, the government through OPAPP implemented the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Pamana) focusing at the tri-boundary of Samar Island, the conflict-affected towns of Matuguinao and San Jose de Buan in Samar province, Maslog and Jipapad in Eastern Samar and Lope de Vega and Silvino Lobos in Northern Samar.
Pamana is the national government’s convergence program that extends development interventions to isolated, hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities, ensuring that they are not left behind.
The proposed budget for Pamana projects next year is P250 million, higher than almost P200 million budget for this year.
The P250 million proposed budget may still be increased once OPAPP includes the integrated development plan in conflict-affected areas that was formulated by the local government units and submitted to the President, Dureza said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Resounding success for the opening of McDonald’s Palo
By: JOEY A. GABIETA
Photos by: Rommel Cabrera
PALO, Leyte- The opening of the McDonald’s Palo was greeted with a bang and enthusiasm from its customers coming from this town and nearby areas.
No less than the president and CEO of McDonald’s, Kenneth Yang, and one of the country’s most popular actors, Alden Richards, were around to greet the first customers of McDonald’s when it opened on Wednesday(September 27).
Yang said that the opening of the McDonald’s Palo is now the 547th branch of one of the world’s most recognizable brands in the country as he expects more outlets to soon rise in Leyte and other parts of the region.
“We are just happy and very excited to be here in Palo as we provide the best service, good quality of our goods and great foods,” he said.
The McDonald’s president and CEO said that they are optimistic that its branch in Palo will also enjoy a stream of clients just like at their other branches in the country.
He also paid tribute to the resiliency of the people of Palo for their fast recovery when the town was devastated by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ November 8, 2013.
Meantime, Richards delighted the huge crowd who wanted to see him in flesh by accommodating their requests for photo opportunities and even for a hug.
At a certain point, the popular and handsome young actor also served as cashier to the much delight of the customers, young and old alike.
Richards also help promote the opening of the McDonald’s Palo by going around to the main streets of the town during a motorcade.
The store’s famous clown, Ronald McDonald was also all over the place entertaining and delighting the big crowd during the morning opening.
Caroline Lee-Andrade, owner and proprietor of the McDonald’s Palo, expressed her happiness to the people of the town and nearby areas for coming full force during the opening.
“We have a very successful opening and we believe that we can sustain the success considering that aside from having a known brand, we also offer great food and very good service to our customers,” Andrade said.
The McDonald’s Palo is located in Barangay Pawing, fast emerging as the commercial district of the town.
The structure, stuffed with colorful and uniquely-designed tables and chairs manned by 100 jolly and workaholic young staff, was constructed April of last year and was completed days before its Sept.26 grand opening.
It could accommodate 200 customers.
Before its first day of business, the store had its blessings with no less than Palo Archbishop John Du leading it and attended by local officials like Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and Mayor Remedios ‘Matin’ Petilla and some of the big names in the business and society hereabouts.
Nightly activities like dance and variety shows were also held. A fabulous fireworks display capped the opening of McDonald’s Palo.