GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 8 OIC Director Edgar B. Tabacon clarifies issues and concerns of Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) with the Community of Yolanda Survivors and Partners (CYSP).
OIC Director Tabacon asked Pascualito Ilagan, EVSU professor and Community of Yolanda Survivors & Partners (CYSP) spokesperson in a dialogue on Monday (December 12) within the premise of DPWH Multi-Purpose Hall to address the issues and concerns with affected “Yolanda” survivors who initiated the march-caravan and protested in front of the agency.
The dialogue was presided with OIC Director Tabacon.
Also present were Atty. Eulogio Laboga, DPWH legal consultant; CYSP spokesperson Ilagan; Danilo Carranza, CEC policy and advocacy lead person; DPWH Tide Embankment Working Group and 188 participants composed of Yolanda survivors, Urban Poor Association (UPA) members and Bakhawan Groups.
During the dialogue, among the concerns addressed were: no consultations done by the DPWH; massive transfer to relocation site is caused by the construction of tide embankment; the project is a loan from JICA; inland flooding were not answered; mangrove planting instead of tide embankment and DPWH are now constructing tide embankment alongside Tacloban areas.
OIC Director Tabacon reiterated that DPWH has not started yet the construction of tide embankment as he assured them that structures being constructed are not tide embankment.
The massive transfer of affected families to resettlement areas is due to the urgent instruction of President Duterte to answer the request of Yolanda survivors of their housing needs.
DPWH assisted the transfer of these victims to the relocation as well as the assistance to transfer of water tanks in response to the water shortage in these areas.
Tabacon further said that the project is not a loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) but the national government through the General Appropriation Act (GAA) funds the project.
Moreover, he said that construction of tide embankment along Cataisan and Magallanes will not push through anymore because of the reclamation project from the city of Tacloban. The families along these areas need not to worry.
Director Tabacon clarified that tide embankment is designed with the installation of flood river gate or flap gate and/or extra size culverts as the case may be to facilitate easy flow of flood waters or run-off.
These side canals and relief pipes with flap gates are carefully designed to effectively drain flood waters.
The four-meter high structure is designed to shield coastal communities from storm surges similar to that of Yolanda. (rbtc/arl/DPWH-8/PR)
DPWH-8 clarifies concerns on tide embankment project
5 passengers killed in a vehicular accident in Leyte town
ORMOC CITY- Five passengers on board a van-for-hire were killed after it collided with another passenger van in Villaba town, Leyte about 3 pm on Wednesday (December 14).
The vehicular accident took place along a national highway located in Barangay A. Tumamak of said town.
Police reports said that the two vehicles were coming from opposite directions, one was bound for Palompon from Tacloban City while the other vehicle was en route to Ormoc City.
The two vehicles were owned by Ephraim Requitillo Jr.
Themistocles Hortellano Jr., the driver of the van heading to Ormoc (Gee Rhaim), said the other van(ER Jr. van) was cruising fast which caused it to skid because the road was wet due to the heavy rain.
He said he already saw the van, zigzagging prompting him to stop but his van was still hit which led the van to head towards a nearby slope.
Four of the passengers, including the other driver identified as Boy Salvador, who were brought to the Villaba District Hospital in Villaba town were declared dead on arrival.
They were identified as Lenny Moe, Russel Alih, an American with Indian origin, a certain Umpad and Orlando Raagas, 43, a makeup artist.
One of the five passengers brought to the Ormoc District Hospital died while being treated.
It was learned that the owner of the vehicles provided assistance to the families of the fatalities as well as those who sustained injuries.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Jobless man in possesion of P30,000 worth of shabu arreasted
TACLOBAN CITY- A jobless man from this city was arrested in a buy-bust operation and discovered to be in possession of methamphetamine (shabu) valued at P30,000.
Arrested by the city operatives, led by Chief Inspector Steve Castillote III during a buy-bust operation on Wednesday (December 14) was Elias Perpiñan.
Perpiñan, 53, was arrested during the buy-bust at his residence at Barangay 95, Caibaan district, this city.
Recovered from the suspect were 18 pieces of sachets containing shabu valued at P30,000.
The poseur buyer bought from the suspect one piece heat-sealed transparent sachet containing suspected shabu.
The confiscated pieces of drug evidence were turned-over to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO8) for qualitative and quantitative analysis while the other pieces of non-drug evidence were turned-over to TCPO Evidence Custodian.
The suspect is now under the custody of the Tacloban City Police Office Custodial Facility while cases for violation of Sections 5 & 11, Article 2 of RA 9165 are being prepared for filing before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency-8 under the supervision of S/Supt. Rolando Bade, acting city director of Tacloban City Police Office. (PR)
Robinsons new wing generates new jobs
To open new hotel and another shopping mall in 2017
TACLOBAN CITY- Additional 800 people will gain employment as the Robinsons Place-Tacloban opens its additional wing on Thursday (December 8).
The opening of its new wing, connected with its main shopping mall was described by officials of the Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), operator of the Robinsons shopping malls, as a testament that Tacloban has now recovered after it was devastated by supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
The opening of the three-level “expanded Robinsons Place- Tacloban,” has now brought its gross floor area to 77,000 square meters.
The expanded area of the shopping mall sits on 15,000 square meters of which 85 percent of its 80 spaces are already occupied.
The opening of the additional section of the Robinsons Place- Tacloban has now brought to 230 outlets operating at the said shopping mall.
Known brands, food chains and restaurants, to include local-based, have opened their outlets at the expanded area of the Robinsons Place-Tacloban.
Among them are apparel brands like Giordano, Bayo and Vise Versa; food chains like Bonchon, Yellow Cab, Iceberg, Pancake House, Hap Chan, Bagnet & Beyond; and furniture store La Sedia.
Local establishments like Cosina Don Vicente, Shylear Sizzling Steak, Canto Fresco; Elke’s Breadhouse, and Miga Natives have put their outlets at the new wing of the shopping mall.
It has also two cinemas, an amusement area and a “Lingkod Pinoy Center” where the public could transact their businesses with the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth), Philippine Postal Corp. (Phil post) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
The opening of the new wing of the Robinsons Place Tacloban has resulted for an additional 800 employment on top of over 2,000 people currently employed.
Arlene Magtibay, Robinsons mall general manager, said the expansion of the shopping mall is an indication that the economy of Tacloban City and the rest of Leyte province has recovered after Yolanda’s devastation.
“The economy of Tacloban and other parts of Leyte has been growing very, very well that’s the reason why our sales is also doing well and improving,” Magtibay, who led the opening, said.
“We are really amazed of the resiliency of Tacloban and Leyte. This is a very auspicious occasion because it’s only been two and a half years and yet here we are opening the latest addition to the mall – the expansion wing of Robinsons Place Tacloban,” she added.
Magtibay also revealed that the new structure also features solar panels that could generate power equivalent to 1.44 million kilowatts.
City Mayor Cristina Romualdez said that she is happy that the RLC continues to expand its investment in Tacloban, three years after Yolanda.
“This will embolden us to invite more investors to the city,” she said.
Also present during the opening were Leyte Rep. Yedda Romualdez and Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and City Councilor Aimee Grafil, among others.
Magtibay also announced that its 380 room Summit Hotel, located adjacent to the shopping mall, will open on the first quarter of 2017 together with its another shopping mall located at the Tacloban New Bus Terminal in Abucay district to be known as Robinsons North Tacloban.
The current Robinsons Place-Tacloban is located along Marasbaras district.
Robinsons shopping mall first opened its branch in Tacloban City in 2009 and later added an annex section in 2012 coupled with its budget hotel, Go Hotel.
However, when Yolanda hit Tacloban, the shopping mall did not only sustain damages but was heavily looted.
It reopened on June, 2014.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO, VICKY C. ARNAIZ, LIZBETH ANN ABELLA and JOEY A. GABIETA)
Mayor Romualdez led lighting of Tacloban’s Christmas tree
TACLOBAN CITY- Christmas in this city formally starts with the lighting of the 70 feet Christmas tree by city officials led by Mayor Cristina Romualdez in Wednesday (December 7).
The giant Christmas tree is located inside Plaza Rizal which is just across the city’s main church, Santo Niño Church.
Mayor Romualdez was joined by Councilors Aimee Grafil, Elvie Casal and members of the Zonta Club in the ceremonial lighting of the 70 feet tall Christmas tree after a brief program.
This year’s Christmas tree is designed by local artists and inspired by the windows of Gothic Cathedrals – an enduring symbol of the Catholic faith characterized by the use of pointed arches, rib vaults and buttresses.
The stylized Christmas tree which stands at the center of the public plaza across Sto. Niño Church is dominantly decorated by Gothic designs mimicking colorful stained glass window and interspersed with Christmas décor.
At both ends of the plaza are colorful Christmas photo booths where visitors can have their pictures taken.
Light emitting-diode (LED) bulbs which include multicolored Strobe lights and Parabolic Aluminized Reflectors (PAR) placed at the base of the tree create the special effect and change its color from time to time.
In her message during the program Mayor Romualdez exhorted the crowd to contemplate on the true meaning of the season. (HENRY JAMES G.ROCA, CIO)
Only 2 out of 460 housing units are finished in a resettlement site in East Samar town
BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar- A resettlement sites intended for families of this town who totally lost their houses due to supertyphoon “Yolanda” remain unfinished until this time.
And out of the 460 housing units intended to be constructed, only two units were completed by the assigned contractor.
The resettlement site is located in Barangay Cansumangcay, three kilometers away from the town center.
Based on information, the construction of these housing units started June of this year with target completion February of next year.
Early this week, some of the recipients of the housing project visited the site but to their disappointment, the quality of the houses was found not of standard.
The cross beams of the houses were thin and some walls have poor foundations, they claimed.
Tessie Elascion, a resident of Brgy. Cag-ulango, lamented that it’s been three years after the onslaught of Yolanda yet they remain at their damaged houses.
Lito Cabardo, chairman of Brgy. 6, expressed his concern over the poor quality of the units build.
Over 160 families coming from his village are to be relocated to this resettlement site.
Cabardo asked the contractor of the housing units to improve the construction of the units before any family would be asked to relocate there for their own safety.
A personnel from the construction firm met with the beneficiaries assuring them that all the housing units would be completed as scheduled.
He also assured them the houses were of quality and are constructed following the standards set under the Building Code.
Bad weather, among others, was cited as the reason why the construction of the housing units is hampered. (ROEL T.AMAZONA)