CALBAYOG CITY- Newly-appointed Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said that he is ready to take charge of his new position in the government as he revealed that his brother will run to take his post as a congressman. Sarmiento was formally named by President Aquino on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to replace Mar Roxas as secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). Roxas is the standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party (LP) for next year’s elections. Sarmiento, currently the congressional representative of Samar’s first district, is the secretary-general of the LP. In his first interview as DILG Secretary just hours after Pres. Aquino formally announced his appointment, Sarmiento said he was humbled that he was chosen to replace Roxas.

But at the same time, he is ready to face all the challenges that go with his new position as the latest member of the Aquino Cabinet. Prior to his appointment, Sarmiento was already rumored to take place Roxas’ position, considered one of the most powerful Cabinet positions. As DILG chief, Sarmiento is also considered the head of the more than 150,000 members and officers of the Philippine National Police. “I am ready to accept any new challenge to be able to serve our people better and advance the cause of good governance and daang matuwid (straight path)” Sarmiento, one time mayor of Calbayog, said. The newly-appointed SILG thanked President Aquino for the trust, confidence and for the opportunity given to him to continue the reforms being implemented in the DILG. He added that when the position was offered to him, the President gave him enough time to decide and weigh in on what is best for his constituents in Samar and for the entire country.

“This is an honor given by the President as a Calbayognon, as a Samareño to serve the country. I can see that I will be much more effective in running the department and will serve best not only the first district of Samar but the nation as well,” Sarmiento said. He further said that he will continue to modernize PNP, the Bureau of Fire Protection, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, and other agencies under the DILG and will remain steadfast in the fight against corruption.

“We will continue the high standards of the institution in public service and guarantee that the national police and the entire uniformed service under the DILG will be neutral in ensuring a peaceful, honest, and orderly election in 2016.” Sarmiento further added. He likewise assured his constituents in the first district of Samar that services, programs and projects he initiated will continue despite his new assignment. “People in the district need not worry for the coming months, I will talk with House Speaker (Feliciano Belmonte) and most likely he will assign a caretaker to look into the needs of the district and the people will not be deprived of any services due to vacancy in the position of a representative,” Sarmiento said. During the interview, Sarmiento likewise announced that his elder brother Engr. Edgar Sarmiento will be the one to run as congressman in the district in next year’s elections. Sarmiento said that although his brother has not held any elective positions, he has been helping him in his various programs and projects in the district.

PALO, Leyte- Possibly another case of relief assistance gone to waste? About 500 units of wooden-made fishing boats have yet to be distributed to intended beneficiaries with its usefulness now in doubt. The fishing boats have been stockpiled at the front and near the office of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) located in Barangay Candahug, Palo in Leyte.

According to Ranulfo Arbiol, PENRO officer, these fishing boats, painted in yellow green, were donated by the David M. Consunji Incorporated (DMCI) to be distributed to fishermen who were affected by supertyphoon “Yolanda” close to two years now. Each of these boats costs P18,000 or close to P1 million in all. These were assembled December of last year with workers coming from Mindanao. These were turned over by DMCI through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to the regional office of the Department of Interior and Local Government June of this year.

However, the DILG has yet to distribute these outriggers to the intended beneficiaries, four months after these were turned over to them, Arbiol said. “I am afraid that these boats will no longer be of use because of too much exposure from weathering process,” he said. Arbiol lamented that these sea crafts, if distributed earlier, could have helped the fishermen recover from the onslaught of Yolanda. These fishing boats, made of plywood, are deposited outside the compound of the PENRO office without any coverings to protect them from elements. Many of these outriggers could no longer be used for fishing as their bows now have cracks and their paint started peeling off. Some parts appear to have dilated.

DILG Director Pedro Noval Jr., for his part, said that they have yet to receive the listing of the beneficiaries for the fishing boats, reason why up to now these remain undistributed. His office has asked a list of fishermen from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for the list. However, an official from the said office debunked the claim of Noval saying that they have provided them the list on April 6 of this year. (JAZMIN BONIFACIO)