Opening of McDonald’s will generate employment to the locals

PALO, Leyte- Sitting on a 1,650 square meters lot, McDonald’s Palo will start to open its doors to its customers of this booming town and nearby areas on Wednesday (September 27).
And to further enliven its grand opening, one of the country’s hottest actors, Alden Richards, will help welcome McDonald’s Palo customers.
Caroline Lee Andrade, owner and proprietor, said that she is happy that McDonald’s, one of the world’s leading fastfood chains, will finally sit its foot on this historic town.
The construction of the McDonald’s Palo, which has a sitting capacity of 200, started April of this year and was completed just days before its opening on Wednesday.
“We are glad that McDonald’s will now be in Palo. Not only, in our little way, we can help contribute its (booming) economy through the taxes we’ll be paying but also help generate employment among its locals,” Andrade said.
Andrade added that aside from being a popular brand, she expects that McDonald’s Palo will also do well just like their two outlets in Tacloban City.
“We have a very popular brand and we offer the best quality of foods and all-out service to our customers,” she added.
For its operations in Palo, 17 kms away from the regional capital of Tacloban City and where regional government offices are located, about 100 people have gained employment.
“We have to hire the locals for their own convenience. They will no longer have to worry if they will have to go home late at night or report for work early in the morning. In fact, some of our employees who were assigned in our Tacloban branches were assigned in Palo,” Andrade added.
A drive-thru is also available for customers to right away have their orders.
Among the guests for its opening are Kenneth S. Yang, president and CEO; Margot B. Torres, deputy managing director; Melon L. Salazar, senior vice president, business development group; Rebecca Roselada, assistant vice president for franchising and field service and Meryl Adiel Timbol, corporations/PR manager and president of PANA(Philippine Association of National Advertisers).
Local officials led by Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla and Palo Archbishop John Du will join during the blessing on Tuesday(Sept.26).
During its first day of opening, popular actor Alden Richards will be there to entertain the customers as they enjoy the all-time favorite foods being offered by McDonald’s.
Richards will also have a motorcade around the town’s main streets.
McDonald’s Palo will formally open its doors to its customers at about 7:15 am and from thereon, there will be hourly raffles for customers to enjoy.
In the evening, there will be live band performances; a ‘McSaragyaw’ dance contest and a fireworks display to cap the celebration.
The following day, Sept. 28, a live band showdown will be staged at 7 pm. while a variety show with the ‘On the Spot’ band to perform on the night of Sept.29.
The celebration relative to the McDonald’s Palo opening will have the ‘McSaragyaw’ kids dance contest.
Andrade first opened the McDonalds branch in Tacloban City in 2002 along Rizal Avenue and followed by another outlet along Real Street last year.

By: Joey Gabieta

Assured of their safety and protection

TACLOBAN CITY— Members of the media were taught the basic principles on shooting sponsored by the Philippine National Police (PNP) here in the region.
And whatever lessons they have learned during the one-day training dubbed as ‘media security and safety training,’ could be applied if they chose to join their operations, Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, police regional director, said.
The activity was held at the shooting range at the provincial headquarters of the Leyte police headquarters at San Jose district, this city.
About 50 media practitioners coming from Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar and the cities of Tacloban, Calbayog, Catbalogan, Borongan, and Ormoc attended the shooting practice held Sunday(September 24).
Cruz said that they were happy that media practitioners of the region attended the activity, his first encounter with members of the media coming from different areas of the region since he assumed the post on August 30.
According to the police regional director, the members of the media could join on their police operations and will be given protection like providing them bulletproof vests and Kevlar to ensure their safety and protection.
With the media joining their operations, particularly those on illegal drugs, they could see for themselves that police operatives are doing their acts within their sworn duty and that they are not engaging in any illegal activities, like planting of evidence or resorting to extrajudicial killing, Cruz said.
“We’re not expecting for media to always join us in our police operations. We are doing this to let them know on what they should do and what they need to do when they join police operations,” Cruz said.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte opened the idea for media practitioners join police operations amid allegations of extrajudicial killings as he continues his controversial fight on illegal drugs.
During the simulation exercise, the media participants were made to watch where they should stay on an actual police operation.
“The position is very important to ensure your safety on a deadly assault,” Cruz stressed.
Prior to the simulation exercise, the media practitioners were first taught on proper gun handling and firing and to remember every single detail when joining police operations as they may be called to appear before the court to stand as witnesses.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

As directed by Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Eastern Visayas has netted 277 wanted persons with warrants of arrest in a record-breaking one-week operation that started on September 17.
Among those arrested during their massive operations were 20 of the most wanted persons in the region, Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, police regional director, said.
Cruz said that he issued an order to arrest those with outstanding warrants as he noticed that when he assumed his post on August 30, a huge number of wanted persons across the region still remain at large.
The arrested suspects were involved in various crimes ranging from murder, drug-related cases, rape, and robbery, among others.
About 36 were arrested for theft; 32 for murder; 29 for homicide; 18 for rape; 13 for robbery 13 and 11 physical injuries.
Meanwhile, 130 wanted persons were arrested for violations of special laws or non-index crimes.
The Leyte Police Provincial Office got the highest number of arrests at 97 followed by Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office with 38 and Samar Police Provincial Office with 33 arrests.
In the municipal level, Dulag, Leyte netted seven persons, the highest in the municipal and city level.
Cruz showed appreciation to the informants for their courage and cooperation with the police leading the arrests of these wanted persons and put them behind bars.
The arrest is remarkable and showed a 500% increase from those combined arrested between January 2017 to August 2017, Cruz said.
(VICKY C. ARNAIZ)