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Completion of engineering plans seen to fast track 2017 projects in S. Leyte

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MAASIN CITY – Infrastructure projects in Southern Leyte are expected to kick off early next year with the completion of some pre-detailed engineering (PDE) activities for the P1.74 billion projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways Southern Leyte District Engineering Office (DPWH-SLDEO).
District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia said the PDE for 24 projects have been completed.
These projects are scheduled for bidding this month. They are optimistic to substantially complete the bidding process by the end of December 2016.
“As agreed in principle, we started the bidding process last month even without the final approval of the central office for the authority to bid and implement projects beyond our authority of P50 million,” Junia said.
The 2017 regular projects include bridges repair, flood control structures, road widening, road rehabilitation, tourism access roads, among others.
The district office closely coordinates with the office of Southern Leyte lone district Representative Roger Mercado to identify projects in line with the national government’s thrusts and local needs based on the lawmaker’s consultation.
Detailed engineering activities covered the setting of design standards, conduct of field surveys and investigations, preparation of design plans and design report, preparation of contract plans, determination of contract packages.
Included in the preparation are technical specifications, quantity estimates, cost estimates and approved budget for the contract.
Under the proposed 2017 infrastructure projects based on National Expenditure Program, the district office is tasked to implement P1.74 billion worth of projects, higher than this year’s P1.3 billion outlay.
The district office managed to pave all primary and secondary national roads before the deadline, which is the end of 2016.
The SLDEO is tasked to maintain 298.93 kilometers of national roads and 153 bridges, built in 18 towns and Maasin City, the provincial capital. (PR)

PNP provides security detail for Espinosa family

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TACLOBAN CITY-Security personnel have been provided to the family of murdered Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
This was disclosed by Chief Inspector Ma. Bella Rentuaya, regional information officer of the PNP, as clamored by of Espinosa.
Earlier, the relatives of Espinosa sought for their own security detail in the aftermath of the killing of Espinosa inside the Leyte subprovincial jail in Baybay City during an alleged shootout by the members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on November 5.
“Since Saturday, the family has been provided with security detail coming from the Leyte provincial police,” Rentuaya said.
Four policemen have been assigned to look after the security of the family. Rentuaya, however, declined to provide details on the security arrangement given to the family.
The family fears for their own security after Espinosa, 54, was gunned down. They claimed that Espinosa was “intentionally” killed. They, however, declined to say, who they suspect to be behind the murder of the former mayor.
A member of the family, who asked not to be named, said that without any police security, they could be an easy target coming from their “enemies.”
The family are still preoccupied with the wake of Espinosa at their residence in Barangay Binolho.
No internment has been scheduled by the family and where Espinosa would be burried.
While Espinosa served as mayor of Albuera, his siblings are either living in the United States or in Cebu where their father originally came from.
His mother is a native of Albuera.
The killing of Espinosa sparked a Senate inquiry by the committee on public order and dangerous drugs with Senate Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, who chairs the committee, as a case of extrajudicial killing (EJK).
Espinosa, prior to his imprisonment and death, executed an affidavit naming several high profile personalities whom he claimed to have provided them protectors for their illegal drug trade.
Among them were former Justice Secretary and now Senator Leila de Lima who denied the allegation.
Among Leyte officials named as alleged protectors were Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, Vice Gov. Carlo Loreto, Rep. Vicente Veloso and Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez.
All have denied the allegations with Gomez filing on Wednesday an administrative complaint before the National Police Commission for linking him on the illicit drug trade.
Gomez filed the case against Albuera police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, Inspector Leo Laraga of the CIDG who named during the Senate inquiry and PO3 Hydie Yutrago.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

Leyte 2nd LED to bid projects worth P632 million this December

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TACLOBAN CITY – The Second Leyte Engineering District of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is set to start the bidding of P 632 million worth of infrastructure projects for 2017.
These are projects to be undertaken by the district office under the P 1.7 billion regular infrastructure fund approved by the DPWH national office for the district engineering projects for 2017.
2nd LED District Engineer Carlos Veloso said a higher budget is allocated for 2017 compared to this year, thus, the district can expect more infrastructure projects to be started in the next coming months.
On November 27, scheduled to be bidded are 27 projects after its pre-detailed engineering was recently completed.
Meanwhile, the rest of the projects are still ongoing pre-detailed engineering and will be bidded out by December 5, 2017.
Veloso said that all projects of the district for 2017 are targeted to be all bidded out next month.
These projects consist mainly of widening, reblocking and flood control projects. Also, bridge widening projects are also set in 2017 and will target to expand the bridges to more than two lanes.
These bridges include Calbasag Bridge, Bocog Bridge, Balocawe Bridge, Bawon Bridge and Balire Bridge along the Maharlika Highway.

Ponong Bridge, Sagkahan Bridge, Tagak Bridge and Cocot Bridge along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road are also part of the bride widening project.
Meanwhile, a P 201 million Binahaan Bridge project will also be started along the Pastrana-Dagami-Burauen road. The project will be implemented by the regional office of the DPWH.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)

Mayor Romualdez enjoins Taclobanons to avail diskwento caravan

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TACLOBAN CITY-To avail of discounted commodities and Christmas products, Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez enjoined all Taclobanons to take advantage of the three-day diskwento caravan noche buena edition at the City Engineer’s gymnasium.
Food items enjoyed by families during Christmas are sold in the caravan as well as gift items, Christmas items and decor, souvenir items, local delicacies, among others at discounted prices, Mayor Romualdez said.
The caravan, which is a tie-up activity between the Department of Trade and Industry- Leyte and the city government of Tacloban, aims to help consumers avail items at lower prices during the Christmas holiday.
DTI-Leyte consumer welfare chief Araceli Larraga, in an interview, said that products sold at the diskwento caravan are 5 to 10% lower compared to the regular prices of the items sold in the business outlets.
Local distributors and entrepreneurs joined this diskwento caravan, Larraga said.
Free massage and haircuts are also available at the caravan courtesy of the CLEP (Cristina Learn & Earn Program), a comprehensive livelihood entrepreneurial program that addresses job employment of the city government. (GAY B. GASPAY, TISAT)

Leyte board seeks direct release of wealth tax to LGUs

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TACLOBAN CITY -Local government units (LGUs) should be given directly their share of taxes from national wealth.
This is being suggested by the members of the Leyte provincial board which recently unanimously approved an endorsement supporting four Senate bills namely 241, 427,827, 1085, which provides for mechanisms for national wealth taxes to be directly given to host local government units.
Vice Governor Carlo Loreto noted that the proposal can improve the collections of the LGUs share of the national wealth tax and at the same time fast track the process for the host provinces, cities and municipalities to get hold and utilize their excise taxes.
At present, the share of LGU in national wealth taxes has to be remitted first to the national government and will remain in government coffers for three years before it will finally be released to the concerned LGU.
“The proposed bill is good because, as it is, there is already a delay in getting the remitted taxes back to the LGUs,” Loreto said.
Out of the 45%, only 40% shares are being remitted back to LGUs which, according to Loreto, this causes delay to development projects the taxes are intended for.
The Local Government Code provides that in addition to the internal revenue allotment (IRA), LGUs shall have an equitable share in the proceeds derived from the utilization and development of the national wealth within their respective areas, including sharing the same with the inhabitants by way of direct benefits.
The amount of share is 40 percent of the gross collection derived by the national government from the preceding fiscal year from mining taxes, royalties, forestry and fishery charges, and such other taxes, fees, or charges, including related surcharges, interests, or fines, and from its share in any co-production, joint venture or production sharing agreement in the utilization and development of the national wealth within their territorial jurisdiction.
In June, the Department of Budget and Management released in a total of P863,722,833.48 from the total actual collection amounted to P2,158,194,583.76, as 40% share of LGU in the proceeds from petroleum, coal, geothermal, hydrothermal, and wind resources.
Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Central Visayas get the biggest allocation of shares in the amount of P724.84 million, P49.21 million, and P33.55 million, respectively.
Leyte hosts the largest geothermal field and a number of other mining explorations. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

Goma files complaint against Espenido at the Napolcom

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TACLOBAN CITY-Albuera, Leyte police chief, Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, downplayed the complaint filed against him by Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez before the National Police Commission (Napolcom).
Gomez on Wednesday (Nov.16) filed a seven-page complaint before the Napolcom-Manila for grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, dishonesty and conduct of unbecoming of a police officer against Espenido.
Also charged by Gomez were Inspector Leo Laraga of the regional office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and PO3 Hydie Yutrago of the Albuera police.
Laraga publicly named Gomez as one of the alleged protectors of the Espinosa drug group during a Senate inquiry while Yutrago was said to have “prepared” an affidavit where names of alleged drug protectors were mentioned.
“That is his right to file the complaint. As they say, we live in a democracy. I will just answer the complaint filed against me by the mayor,” Espenido said.
The Albuera police chief insisted that he never committed any wrongdoing on his campaign against illegal drugs in Albuera.
Espenido added that what he said was based on the affidavit executed by slain Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.
“He and the others who also executed their affidavits came to our station voluntarily. We never used force for them to execute and sign the affidavit and they were assisted by lawyers when they did that,” he said.
Gomez, in filing the complaint, claimed that he has never been a supporter nor received money from the Espinosas.
He also alleged that the affidavits containing names of alleged drug protectors of the Espinosas were “ready-made.”
Three witnesses who later retracted the affidavits they signed, namely, Max Miro, Gado Stephen Bobares and Brian Anthony Gates Zaldivar, were “ready-made.”
By dragging his name to the Espinosas, the three police officials should be “punished for their deplorable acts in order to preserve the stringent standard for police officers.”
“Their complete disregard of the laws and rights of the innocent individuals clearly make them unworthy to remain in the police force,” Gomez said in his complaint.
He asked for the Napolcom that the three police officers be placed under preventive suspension order amid his complaint.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

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