TACLOBAN CITY- Series of anti-drug operations conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) resulted to the arrest of drug personalities, one was an employee of the Department of Health here in the region.
Arrested by the PDEA during the March 12 and 13 sting operations were five individuals which resulted to the seizure of methamphetamine or shabu of over P4,000.
Among the arrested drug personality was Caesar Jim Obillo,34, radiologic technologist connected at the Schistomiasis Center which is under the supervision of the DOH.
Confiscated from the suspect, together with his cohort Randy Borja,25, a pedicab driver, were two sachets of shabu valued at P4,000.
Also arrested by the PDEA during their operations were Melbert Labarda,35; Israel Manzanares,43 and Billy Celmar, all working as tricycle drivers in Tacloban City.
The five accused are to be charged for violation of Section 5 (Sale of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), Article II of RA 9165, while Borja will be charged for violation of Section 5 of R.A. 9165.
The suspects are now temporarily detained at PDEA Detention Facility while waiting for their confinement order. (PR)
5 men arrested in series of sting anti-drug operations
OWWA conducts info drive on membership promotion and organizes OFW Family Circle
TACLOBAN CITY- To strengthen the relation between the agency and the OFWs and their beneficiaries in the region and to uphold existing programs and services of the agency, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) – Regional Welfare Office VIII conducted an information caravan on membership promotion-cum -organizing activity in Libagon, Southern Leyte last February 24, 2017.
The activity was attended by 30 OFWs and beneficiaries coming from the different barangays of the municipality of Libagon.
Family Welfare Officer Rodah Cerna discussed the different programs and services that can be availed by active and non-active members of OWWA.
She also shared the importance of being an OWWA member and how beneficial it is to the OFWs as well as to their beneficiaries.
After the discussion, an open forum was facilitated by Cerna.
Participants were thankful that their queries about OWWA’s program were answered and clarified.
It was also raised during the open forum that the members of the association are hopeful that OWWA would offer a non-collateral loan program.
The participants were looking forward to avail the scholarship programs such as OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP), Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) and Skills for Employment Scholarship Program (SESP).
Aside from the scholarship programs, the newly organized association, Libagon OFWs and Beneficiaries Association (LOBA), is also planning to enroll in the free I.T. training that the agency also offers to qualified OFWs and beneficiaries.
Future activities of LOBA includes the conduct of financial literacy seminar and values re-orientation seminar this April 20117. (PR)
Albuera officials, residents struggle to shake off bad image
From being mecca of illegal drugs
ALBUERA, Leyte- For months, this sleepy but quaint town hogged the news headline. But not for good reason, as wryly admitted by its residents and local officials.
Albuera, with its more than 42,000 people, had been tagged by some as the mecca of illegal drugs in Eastern Visayas as Kerwin Espinosa, considered the biggest drug lord in the region and is now detained, is from this town.
And this label is not being taken lightly by the officials of the town saying the “bad image” has affected Albuera, particularly in encouraging investors.
While Albuera, whose original name was “Albujera” given by a Spanish priest which means fresh water and became a separate town from Ormoc on January 1, 1918, depends on fishing and agriculture as its main sources of income among its people, the administration of Mayor Rosa Meneses wants to invite its own share of investors.
Alan Samson, municipal planning, and development officer, said that the drug-related issue that hounded the town was really a big breakdown to them.
“That controversy may have resulted for our town to become known in the country, even the world, but its impact was so negative,” Samson said.
“The image that was projected was that our peace and order was so bad; that shabu is so rampant and you know that investors do not come in to an area where there is a problem on peace and order, drugs,” the town official added.
In fact, the problem so tainted the image of Albuera and its potential as an economic site that an investor pulled out its plan to come in, Engineer Armando Meneses, town administrator, said.
Meneses, who is a nephew of the new mayor after Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. was gunned down inside his cell at the Leyte sub-provincial jail in Baybay City on November 5,2016, was referring to a company that is on public sea transport business.
But slowly, the town is making efforts to “clean” its image, Meneses and Samson said.
On the aspect of drug-related issue, anti-drug council was activated in all of the 15 barangays of the town, ensuring that their campaign to eliminate the proliferation of illegal drugs in Albuera could be addressed.
“One of the actions taken by Mayor Meneses when she assumed the post, is to address that drugs in Albuera will be wiped out. She immediately established the municipal anti-drug council down to the barangays,” Samson said.
And so far, the campaign is paying off, said PO1 Harold Fernando, assistant investigator of the Albuera police station.
“We have been conducting our own operations against illegal drugs proliferation here in Albuera. So far, we have only arrested two individuals related to possession of illegal drugs,” Fernando said.
“What we have now are petty crimes like neighbors quarreling or illegal gambling,” the police officer said.
To ensure that peace and order of the town will not be affected, especially in the barangays, the town police regularly conduct their mobile patrols and heighten police visibility. The town has 22 police officers, including its chief of police, Senior Inspector John Rey Layog.
Town administrator Meneses said that electrification in barangay streets and public facilities like market and gymnasium is also a priority under the new administration.
“If our streets and market are well-lighted, our people would no longer be afraid to come out,” he said.
“We encourage our people to even play at night at our gymnasium as a way to show that we have a peaceful town now,” Meneses added.
Unlike before, people could still be seen roaming in the streets even past 12 midnight.
Samson said that now that their town is in the process of shaking off the bad image it unfortunately earned, they are making some moves to entice investors and even tourists.
For one, they are now in the finalization stage of their revised comprehensive development land use plan which will be used as a basis for identifying areas where potential investors could locate.
The village of Binolho, situated between the town and Ormoc City, has been identified as a possible investment site with about 50 hectares of land that could be offered to investors.
It was learned from Samson that a company is planning to put up its fuel depot at the proposed industrial site once it is available which could generate employment and income for the town.
At present, there are about 300 businesses operating in Albuera, mostly in the retail sector, generating around P30 million income for the town.
Aside from its local income, Albuera gets funding to finance its various programs and services from its share of its internal revenue allotment(IRA) of about P100 million.
Samson said that they have high hopes that Albuera will soon achieve its economic potentials, considering that it is located between the cities of Baybay and Ormoc, two areas in Leyte that are experiencing economic growth.(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Engr. Edgar B. Tabacon takes oath as full-fledged regional director of DPWH 8
MANILA- Regional Director Edgar B. Tabacon is taking the reins of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office VIII as full-fledged regional director after he formally took his oath of office before DPWH Secretary Mark Villar on March 7, 2017 at the DPWH Central Office, Manila. His current promotion is much deserved!
Long years of government engineering experience are a big advantage to Engr. Edgar Tabacon in handling his role as assistant regional director.
He brings with him a wealth of experience as he steps into another milestone of his career, being full-fledged RD.
Prior to his promotion, Engr. Tabacon was OIC assistant director for 19 months, and 4 years and 11 months as full-fledged Assistant Director of DPWH 8.
Engr. Tabacon rose thru the ranks. He started his government service as Clerk II position at BSRPMO-Iloilo City in October 1985.
After passing the board exam for civil engineers, his innate intelligence enabled him to move to different positions as: 1.) a Civil Engineer position at DPWH-Regional Office in Cebu City in June 1988; 2.) as Senior Civil Engineer to DPWH Region VI wherein he served as Engineer III for eight years, from January 2001 to July 2004, as Construction Section Chief at Negros IV Engineering District Office in Bago City; as District Engineer of Iloilo 1st District Engineering Office, a position he held for five years; until his appointment as OIC-Assistant Regional Director of DPWH Central Visayas Region (Region VII).
He was the assistant to the regional director in the supervision of the Eastern Visayas Region since September 2010 and was appointed full-fledged assistant regional director by the President on April 17, 2012.
Among his noteworthy awards received include: Most Outstanding Public Servant by the Manila Newswatch in CY 2007 & 2008, Most Outstanding Civil Engineer for Class 1985 by the University of San Jose Recoletos, and Most Outstanding Alumnus by the Abellana National School Alumni Federation.
He is an active member of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers in which he received the Presidential Award from the PICE National Board in CY 2011.
Engr. Tabacon was appointed to Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) Rank IV by the President on July 20, 2012, conferred with a Career Executive Officer (CEO) VI Rank in September 2007; and a Career Service Executive (CSE) eligible since 2002.
RD Tabacon passed the two promotional examinations given jointly by the Civil Service Commission and the DPWH in 1994 with an 84.5% rating and the CSC-DPWH Promotional Test (Third Level) in October 2011 with a rating of 115.
He completed his Masters in Public Administration degree from the University of San Agustin in 1995. He immediately passed the Civil Engineering Licensure Examination in 1986 after completing his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering at the University of San Jose Recoletos in 1985.
Tabacon intends to accelerate the performance of DPWH 8 following the order of Secretary Mark A. Villar when he set as benchmark the accomplishments of former Secretary Rogelio L. Singson. (PR)
Town mayor extends assistance to people suffering from poor sight
CARIGARA, Leyte- Over 1,000 poor people from this town benefited the free giving of reading glasses extended by the family of Mayor Eduardo Ong.
During the activity, held at the municipal hall building on Tuesday (March 21), 60 people also underwent cataract operations.
Ong said that the giving of glasses and the free operation was an activity supported by his family especially that his wife, Rea, is a family friend of Dr. Erivert Almonte, an eye doctor who finished his medical course at Harvard University.
Prior to the giving of reading glasses, a screening was first conducted last March 10 to ensure that they would get the correct eye grades.
A total of 750 individuals were given free eye glasses on that day alone.
A patient, who asked not to be named, said that he was thankful that the family of Mayor Ong made the initiative of free operation for cataract patients like him.
According to the patient, he has been suffering the eye problem for years now but could not see a doctor due to financial constraints. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Pres. Duterte gets support from the country’s ‘eagles
TACLOBAN CITY- One of the country’s biggest socio-civic organizations has expressed its support and commitment to the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
In so doing, they are rejecting the calls by some sectors for the President be impeached from office, said Louie Ceniza, national president of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
Ceniza was in the city last March 17 to led the induction of the new officials and members of the organization’s chapter in Tacloban known as “SirakWaraynon” Eagles Club held at the Leyte Park Hotel.
Among those inducted were Leyte Samar Daily Express publisher Dalmacio “Massey” Grafil and lawyer Leo Giron, president of the city chapter.
“We have supported the President when he ran for office and we still continue to support him and we believe that the impeachment being pushed will not prosper,” Ceniza said.
Ceniza said that their organization with about 300,000 members across the country, supported the presidential bid of Mr. Duterte who was then the mayor of Davao City.
Mr. Duterte, who assumed the post on June 30,2016, is facing an impeachment complaint at the House of Representatives largely due to his controversial anti-drug war campaign.
Incidentally, some members of the organization also supported the vice presidential bid of Leni Robredo, herself facing a possible impeachment complaint.
Meanwhile, Ceniza said that he is happy that finally, after 38 years in existence in the country, they have now a chapter in Tacloban City.
At present, there are 30 members of its chapter in the city.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles is the first born fraternal socio- civic organization in the country wherein its members, addressed as “kuya” and “ate,” belong to various field of professions.
Ceniza said that when super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ pummeled Tacloban City on 2013, their group extended assistance to the victims.
He said that their group would continue to provide assistance to those who are in need.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)