TACLOBAN CITY- Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla expressed his support on the move to have the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) revived as mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte.
According to the governor, the planned revival of ROTC is timely as the country faces ‘threat’ not only from within but even from outside forces.
“The idea is good. The more that we need to with the ongoing threat,” Petilla said during the interview after he led the provincial ceremony of the 122th Philippine Independence Day held at the provincial capitol building, this city.
Petilla, who chairs the Provincial Peace and Order Council, made mention on the ongoing dispute between the Philippines and China on the West Philippine Sea as a reason why he supports the revival of the ROTC.
“Anyway, it’s only in case of emergency. Today is Independence Day, it’s better if we will show our love for our country,” he added.
Pres. Duterte had earlier certified a bill for the revival of the ROTC as urgent saying it is needed for the Filipino youth ‘to invigorate their sense of nationalism and patriotism necessary in defending the State and further promote their role in nation-building.’
Those who are required to take the ROTC are students who are in Grade 11 and Grade 12.
Petilla said that during his visit in the barangays, he asked the people if they are ‘willing’ to sacrifice for the country’s sake.
“I asked them if they are willing to sacrifice and they told me, that they were willing to fight. But the problem, they should be equipped. It’s really good if they are to undergo training, even at least how to handle a gun,” the governor added.
Petilla said that just like the case of South Korea where all its male citizens between 18 and 28 are to undergo military training for about two years, depending on the military branch.
He, however, acknowledge that parents may just raise their objection for this could cause additional cost for their students as those who will undergo ROTC classes will need to have a uniform.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Gov. Petilla supports Pres. Duterte’s move to revive ROTC in school
Gov. Mic OKs FM issue on 1 condition
On Speakership issue
TACLOBAN CITY- Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico ‘Mic’ Petilla is willing to support the speakership bid of Rep.Ferdinand Martin ‘FM” Romualdez on condition that he will espouse programs similar with those of his administration.
Rep. Romualdez (1st district) is considered to be among the leading contenders for the Speakership for the incoming 18th Congress, a post currently occupied by outgoing congresswoman, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The Petillas and the Romualdezes are not politically allies and though they have yet to contest in same post in Leyte, they have figured in a dummy political war by fielding their candidates for other elective posts like for mayor.
And of the five congressional representatives of Leyte, to include the party-list An Waray, only Romualdez is not within the camp of the Petillas.
Two of them are relatives of the governor, Vicente ‘Ching’ Veloso (3rd district), who is an uncle, and Carl Nicholas Cari (5th district), a nephew.
The two other congressional representatives of Leyte are reelected Rep. Lucy Torres Gomez (4th district) and Karen Javier, a neophyte politician who defeated incumbent congressman Henry Ong for the second district.
Gov. Petilla, who just won on his third and last term during the recently-concluded elections, said that he would support on the Speakership bid of Romualdez if all his programs would ‘align’ with his programs and that of President Rodrigo Duterte.
“It’s ok(for him to become Speaker) but he should have programs that are align with that of the administration of President Duterte like anti-insurgency and poverty alleviation, two programs that we in Leyte are also pushing,” Petilla said.
“I hope he will,” the governor added.
The governor said that during the May 13 elections, he supported the senatorial bid of Romualdez’ cousin, outgoing Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos.
“I supported Imee during the last elections who is a Waray-Waray who I’m sure will help us, to some extent,” he said.
Marcos placed third behind Senator Cynthia Villar and former special assistant to Pres. Duterte Christopher ‘Bong’ Go.
Gift-giving activity of GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc. in partnership with DepEd and 14IB in Eastern Samar
ORAS, Eastern Samar – The 14th Infantry (Avenger) Battalion, under the leadership of its commanding officer, LTC Jasper Justito M. Pecson INF (GSC) PA, participated in the conduct of gift-giving activity of GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc. with the theme “Unang Hakbang sa Kinabukasan 2019”spearheaded by Ms Amabelle Rusiana, Eastern Visayas coordinator of GMA Kapuso Foundation, Inc. with the Department of Education (DepEd) Eastern Samar last June 4 -8, 2019.
The four day gift-giving activity of GMA Kapuso Foundation is composed of complete school supplies with backpacks that were distributed to the kindergarten and Grade I pupils in the different barangays of the municipalities of Dolores, San Policarpo and Arteche, all of Eastern Samar.
About 3,300 children benefited from the said activity.
The said gift-giving activity recognizes the burden of less fortunate families in providing school supplies for their children.
It also creates an impact to the community in order for the people to support the government’s mandate in sustaining the promotion of peace and development of the community and at the same time to bring happiness to the people, making them feel that they are not forgotten.
It further encourage children to continue to go to school and learn for a better future.
The unit expressed its gratitude to the foundation in collaboration with the DepEd for the successful conduct of the gift-giving activity, which contributed to the sustainment of peace through the efforts of different stakeholders in the province of Eastern Samar. (PR)
DPWH E. Samar completes 54 school buildings
BORONGAN CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Eastern Samar completed 54 school buildings in time for the school opening on June 3.
According to District Engineer Manolo A. Rojas, these 54 completed school building projects have a total of 118 classrooms or workshops worth P301.4 billion.
Further, construction of 46 school building projects is still ongoing with a total of 149 classrooms or workshops and have an allocation of P408.9 billion under the Department of Education (DepEd) 2018 Basic Education Facilities Fund.
Rojas said the new school buildings will accommodate the growing student population in different schools in the province, reaching even to those in the far-flung barangays.
He also assured stakeholders that these school buildings were built observing the right quality and conforming to design and standards.
“I directed all my project engineers to monitor the construction of these school buildings because it is important that these buildings are with standard quality for they serve as the second home of our students,” Rojas said.
DPWH along with DepEd jointly conformed to the standard design for school infrastructure to be calamity-resilient, to withstand strong typhoons and major earthquakes and compliant with the National Structural Code of the Philippines.
Rojas said his office will remain steadfast in its commitment in delivering their basic services to the people specifically the DepEd programs by providing enough classrooms to cope with the shortage of classrooms. (NBQ/SDC/PIA-E. Samar)
Tacloban City to mark 66th cityhood anniversary, Independence Day celebrations on June 12
TACLOBAN CITY- Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez will lead the twin celebrations of the 66th Tacloban Charter Day Anniversary and the 121st Philippine Independence Day Celebrations in Tacloban on June 12, 2019.
The celebrations will highlight a Holy Mass and the traditional Flag Raising Ceremonies.
At 5:30 am on Wednesday, a Holy Mass will be celebrated at the Santo Niño Parish Church to be attended by City Hall officials and employees.
Following the Holy Mass, Mayor Romualdez will lead the Flag Raising Ceremony at the City Hall Grounds with members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod, regional directors, and representatives of civic and professional organizations and students.
Mayor Romualdez will deliver her Independence and Charter day messages during the program.
Meantime, coinciding with the twin celebrations an Independence Day Run will be held at the City Hall Grounds starting 5:00 until 6:00 AM.
Registration forms are available at the Human Resources Management and Development Office on the 2nd floor of the City Hall Building.
This year, Tacloban City is celebrating its 66th Cityhood Anniversary, having been proclaimed a Chartered City by virtue of Republic Act No. 760 on June 20, 1952. The law that took effect on June 12, 1953, was signed by then President Elpidio Quirino.
The late House Speaker Daniel Z. Romualdez (from which the Tacloban DZR Airport is named) sponsored the law that converted Tacloban into a chartered city.
In 2008, Tacloban was converted into a highly urbanized city after a successful plebiscite participated by a majority of Taclobanons.
Eleven years as a HUC, Tacloban is experiencing a business boom which is transforming the lone HUC in Eastern Visayas into one of the most viable Cities in the country today. The income of the City Government to date — the internal revenue allotment and the local revenue sources included currently amounts to more than a billion pesos.
(HENRY JAMES ROCA/CIO)
DSWD served more than 69,000 day care children in the region under its supplementary food program
TACLOBAN CITY – The regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-8) has served over 69,000 day care children (DCCh) beneficiaries in Eastern Visayas as part of its implementation of the supplementary feeding program (SFP).
Yvonne Abonales, DSWD-8 officer-in-charge, said that for the 8th cycle implementation of SFP in the region, DSWD-8 has a total of P125,497,800 fund downloaded to partner local government units (LGUs) from the fund allocation of P137,389,000 for last year.
Abonales reported that a total of 69,721 DCCh beneficiaries were served from the targeted children beneficiaries of 76,327 enrolled in 1,967 child development centers (CDCs) from 57 LGUs served by the program across the region.
Based on DSWD-8 record, Biliran with 62 CDCs has served a total of 4,019 day care children (DCCh) beneficiaries; Leyte with 834 CDCs has served a total of 28,711 DCCh ; Sothern Leyte with 54 CDCs has served 2,165 DCCh; Eastern Samar with 244 CDC has served 6,897 DCCh; Northern Samar with 347 CDCs has served 15,566 DCCh ; while (Western) Samar with 426 CDCs has served 12,363 DCCh.
SFP program refers to the provision of food in addition to the regular meals to children currently enrolled in the day care centers as part of the DSWD’s contribution to the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program of the government.
The food supplementation is in the form of hot meals being served during break/snack time in the morning session or during break/snack time in the afternoon session to children in Day Care Centers (DCCs), and Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP).
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)