Over 1,000 loose firearms turned over by PNP-8
These guns could be used for illegal acts, says Balba
BY: ROEL T. AMAZONA
CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte- More than 1,000 firearms where turned over by the regional office of the Philippine National Police(PNP) to the Regional Civil Security Unit (RCSU) 8 as the authorized repository of all loose firearms.
PNP8 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Bernabe Balba personally turned over these loose firearms to Police Major Bjon Revecho, officer-in-charge of RCSU8.
Among those who witnessed the turnover rites held on Monday (July 27) at the grounds of the regional headquarter of the PNP was Interior and Local Government Regional Director Karl Ceasar Rimando.
The 1, 145 loose firearms were either confiscated, captured, surrendered, deposited, abandoned or forfeited.
About 147 of these loose firearms were from the Leyte Police Provincial Office, 159 from Biliran Police Provincial Office, 149 from Southern Leyte Police Provincial Office, 142 from Ormoc City Police Office, 100 from Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, 77 from Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office, 51 from Samar Police Provincial Office and 40 from Tacloban City Police Office.
A total of 790 firearms have expired license, 309 subject for record, and 48 collected from courts with case fully adjudicated.
Among the turned over firearms were 515 pistols, 163 revolvers, 112 shotguns and 46 rifles.
“This shows our intensified program of Oplan Katok which aims to prevent loose and unlicensed firearms from being used in any criminal activities,” Balba said.
The police official also encourages gun owners with expired license and unrenewed firearms to renew their license to avoid inconvenience and criminal liability.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Burauen’s Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park braces for new normal
BY: EURICA CONCEPCION A. VILLANUEVA
BURAUEN, Leyte – The Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park is preparing to open its doors to nature-loving tourists in the future under the new normal.
Although unsure on the exact date of reopening, the Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park Ecotourism Association (MVNPEA) has been setting up measure to observe the minimum health standards.
The Burauen local government unit reported through its Facebook post that a hand washing area for visitors has been set up. The Burauen Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism (BEST) project also turned over on July 16 two thermal scanners to members of MVNPEA.
“This is to help the organization in its preparations so it would be ready once the Covid-19 pandemic is over. The organization, however, does not accept visitors yet as part of the town’s measures against the spread of the virus,” the local government said in a statement.
Proclaimed as a national park in 1937, the site near the volcano is endowed with other natural attractions — a lake, falls, multi-colored mud, hot springs, virgin forests, and lagoon.
Mahagnao Volcano is about 50 kilometers south of Tacloban City and 18 kilometers away from the town center of Burauen.
Although the volcano has been inactive, it is classified as potentially active due to the active thermal features of the mountain. The summit of the volcano is a steep-walled heavily forested crater that opens to the south with a peak elevation of 860 meters.
(Note: The writer is a teacher of Burauen Comprehensive National High School)
Rep. Noel welcomes the salary increase of nurses in the country
TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Budget and Management has released on Friday(July 17) the budget circular that will finally implement the Salary Grade 15 entry-level salary of nurses working in the government.
An Waray Rep.Florencio Noel said that it is important that the compensation of the health workers are adjusted for them to live based on the current economic situation.
“It is important that we now adjust the compensation of our health care workers” the lawmaker said.
Noel informed that the DBM Budget Circular No. 2020-4 entitled Upgrading the Entry Level Nurse Positions was issued to prescribe the rules and regulations on the upgrading of the entry-level nurse positions to SG15 as well as to highlight the administrative procedure in view of the consequential modification in the position attributes of the nurse items.
“This is a good start with our nurses in government service. During these difficult times, our nurses play a vital role in preventing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),”added Noel.
With the release of the circular, the government nurses in Nurse I positions get 4 SGs upgrade, from SG 11 to SG 15. Under the current Salary Standardization Law which took effect January of this year, SG15 is at P32, 053.
The upgrade of salary covers all nurse positions, whether regular, casual, or contractual in nature, full-time or part-time, now existing or hereafter created in the national government agencies (NGAs), including SUCs and GOCCs, and in LGUs.
The adjustment was made in compliance with the Supreme Court decision upholding the Republic Act 9173 or The Philippine Nursing Act of 2002 which says that government nurses must receive minimum base pay of not lower than SG15.
Congress supported the decision of the Supreme Court by earmarking P3 billion in the General Appropriation Act of 2020 or the national budget, for its implementation.
In the Circular, DBM orders the head of agencies and local chief executives to implement the salary adjustment. The circular shall take effect immediately.
(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)
Leyte Gov. Petilla donates computers to LPPO, police municipal stations intended against anti-COVID-19 campaign
PALO, Leyte – The provincial government of Leyte has purchased 51 units of computer sets to boost police equipment in the implementation of COVID-19 protocols in the fight against the disease.
Governor Leopoldo Dominico L. Petilla told reporters that the computer sets with printer has the total amount of P2 million.
He said that the computer sets will be used primarily to enhance the police operations against the fight on COVID-19(coronavirus disease 2019) in the province.
The governor added that equipment will augment the existing facilities of the police in the fight against COVID-19 in the province as these will be used mostly for reporting or documentations, virtual meetings and other related data gathering and analysis including for the presentations on the progress of the implementation of protocols in the fight against COVID-19 in the province.
Petilla disclosed that all the 51 units of the computer sets were donated to the Leyte Provincial Police Office (LPPO).
He reported that LPPO Director Police Colonel Rodelio Samson officially accepted the computer sets in a simple turn-over ceremony of the equipment at the Governor’s Office.
The turned over was witnessed by Vice Governor Carlo Loreto and the provincial administrator Edgardo Cordeño and other key provincial and police officials.
Petilla clarified that the 42 computer sets were intended for one each of the 42 police stations in one city and 41 towns of the province under its administrative jurisdiction.
On the other hand, the remaining computer sets were set aside for the other Leyte police provincial offices directly or indirectly implementing COVID-19 protocols in the province.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)