TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Visayas region needs at least P430 billion for priority activities under the draft CY 2017-2022 Regional Development Investment Program (RDIP).
The funding initially listed by officials from government and private sector is up for approval by the Regional Development Council (RDC) which is scheduled on their third quarter meeting on September 29.
The RDIP contains a list and brief profile of programs and projects of agency regional offices and state universities and colleges in support of strategies outlined in the Regional Development Plan (RDP).
It also includes a list of activities of the six provincial governments in the region which they proposed for Official Development Assistance funding and implementation by the national government.
“The projects and activities in the RDIP will concretize the strategies in the main RDP. It has 15 key strategies meant to reduce poverty and sustain economic growth,” said NEDA Eastern Visayas Regional Director Bonifacio Uy on Thursday (Sept.7).
The 15 plan of actions are science and technology innovations, reducing inequality in opportunities in human development, accelerating infrastructure development, promoting regional competitiveness, reaching for the demographic dividend, promoting Eastern Visayas culture and values formation expanding economic opportunities in farming and fisheries
Other strategies are enhancing peace, security, public order, and justice administration; enhancing disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation and mitigation; enhancing good governance; building resiliency of individuals and families; expanding economic opportunities in industry; maintaining ecological integrity and a clean and healthy environment; providing an enabling and supportive macroeconomic environment; and expanding economic opportunities in services.
The RDP, which serves as the blueprint of the region’s development direction, is anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Long-Term Vision of Filipinos or “Ambisyon Natin 2040” and President Duterte’s 0+10 Point Socioeconomic Agenda.
The RDC, the region’s highest policymaking body, approved the new RDP during its full council meeting on December 20, 2016.
Under the plan, the region aims to attain 5.2 percent to 5.7 percent economic growth in 2017.
For 2018 to 2022, the average target is 5.8 percent to 7 percent. In 2015, the region posted a remarkable growth of 3.9 percent in the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) due to massive post-Yolanda reconstruction activities.
The 2015 performance is a “significant turnaround” after the region incurred a 2.4 percent contraction in 2014, largely due to destruction of the monster typhoon.
The region suffered a big drop in GRDP in 2012 at negative 6.8 percent after a minimal 2.1 percent increase in 2011.
It was followed with a big leap to 4.6 percent in 2013 due to good economy before super typhoon “Yolanda” struck.
Last year, the region’s GRDP surged 12.4 percent, the highest among 17 regions in the country.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO/PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Leytes’ top Army official claimed that the members of the armed wing of the communist group are fast dwindling in numbers in the province.
And if there are still presence of New People’s Army in the province or if there are ambuscades reported in Leyte, they are mostly from Samar provinces, Brigadier General Francisco Mendoza, commanding officer of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, said.
“Rebel forces in Leyte are only more than 40 members but most of them are armed. The augmentation comes from Samar provinces like Northern Samar,” Mendoza, whose headquarters are in Ormoc City, said.
He also claimed that the recent ambushes staged by the NPA members in Leyte were just their “manifestation of their effort to regain their lost grounds” and should not be considered that they are gaining strength.
“The(y) are having a hard time to gather support, convincing and recruiting residents in Leyte to join the movement,” Mendoza said.
He said that people in the villages could no longer be convinced to join their outlawed armed group because the government is delivering services to them like infrastructure and health projects.
Mendoza added that this is also an indication that the military and the Philippine National Police in the Leyte are in full control of the security and peace and order situation.
“We intend to keep this until such time that we can declare Leyte as insurgency-free,” he added.
Brigadier General Mario Lacurom, commanding officer of the 803rd Infantry Brigade based in Catarman, Northern Samar, when asked to confirm on the statement of Mendoza, said that they also received information that rebel members in Samar are sending troops to Leyte as their augmentation force.
Lacurom said that based on the information they have gathered, there are about 150 rebel members operating in his area that covers the province of Northern Samar and the first district of Samar.
The military forces in Samar provinces are doing their share in addressing the problem but to totally end the insurgency, support and cooperation from the local government units is needed, he said.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

CARIGARA, Leyte-A total of P42.46 million has been earmarked by the Second Leyte Engineering District(2nd LED) of the Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH) for its water pipeline installation project here to expand water distribution and to ensure a better water supply service.
The project is under the Tourism Water Infrastructure (TouWa) Program which is a joint project of the DPWH, Department of Tourism, Local Water Utilities Administration, and the National Anti-Poverty Commission with support from the United States Agency for International Development, seeking to facilitate tourism and economic growth in identified priority development areas in the Philippines.
The installation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes will run along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc national highway covering the barangays of Tagak, Barugohay Central, Jugaban, San Mateo, Barugohay Norte in Carigara town up to the road leading to the next town of Barugo.
Engineer Carlos Veloso, head of the 2nd LED, said the installation and replacement of this distribution lines are also being undertaken to pave the way for the widening of bridges to four lanes located along these areas.
“We are expanding and rehabilitating old bridges and widening them to accommodate the burgeoning traffic along major routes in the district, and our water lines are likewise affected,” Veloso said.
Meanwhile, the Metro Carigara Water District (MCWD), the water utility in the area, pointed out this project is intended to address the vulnerability of the water main which has been installed more than 50 years ago.
MCWD noted increasing number of complaints such as “intermittent to no water supply, pressure fluctuation, and pipe leaks.”
(AHLETTE C. REYES)

BORONGAN CITY- The Sta. Fe National High School (SFNHS) of this city was able to defend its title as the grand prize winner in this year’s Padul-ong Festival, one of the highlights of the city’s annual fiesta.
The Padul-ong Festival, now on its 25th year, is being held Thursday (Sept.7)or a day before the annual city fiesta in honor of Blessed Virgin Mary.
SFNHS received P300,000 as their prize.
The Padul-ong festival depicts the legend of how the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary was mysteriously transported to Borongan from Portugal and how the enigmatic Lady in White who supposedly frequents the Hamorawan Spring located at the heart of the city gave the water its miraculous healing powers.

Unlike other festivals in the region where contingents wears ethnic costumes, Padul-ong guidelines specify the use of baro’t saya as costumes of their dancers and the use of live music in the ritual and dance presentation.
Aside from the Padul-ong Festival, another highlight of the city fiesta was Borongan City Native Pig Lechon Festival, now on its seventh year.
For this year, 12 entries competed for the cash prize with the entry of ‘Salabay Litson’ named as the best lechon and won P15, 000.
The entries of ‘Puya Litson’ bagged 2nd and 3rd place winning PP10, 000 and P7,000 respectively.
The Lechon Festival follows strict guidelines like entries must be cooked according to Boronganon standard which includes the spices used and mode of roasting and they must also include idea of a side dish that can be considered as best for the lechon.
Participants must also submit their entries to undergo the usual inspection with the veterinary office before they can be accepted as official entry in the competition.
Meanwhile, the 3rd ‘Aton Ini Pagkaon Paisan-isan’ that showcased the ingenuity of Borongan residents in creating dishes, the top winner was the ‘turon de cassava’ for the ‘kakanin’ category. They also won the People’s Choice Award.
For the veggie category, the ‘buco pansit’ dish won the grand prize.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)