TACLOBAN CITY- Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto expressed hope that the modern farming technology used by Israel will also be applied in the country.
Loreto, representing Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, was on a five- day visit to Israel on the invitation of the Israeli government.
One advanced technology of Israel that impressed him most was its ability to plant and produce crops in the desert where people need to dig a kilometer deep down up to Earth’s crust to get water.
The province, Loreto said, could learn how the Israelis know how to maximize the use of water and technology and how they can enhance the environment.
“We can use their practices and discipline in all our areas,” he said noting the poor production in farms because of lack of irrigation.
Leyte, which frequently experiences rains, has abundant supply of water which only needs to be enhanced for more productive farming, Loreto said.
The vice governor noted that years back, several students from the then Visayas State College of Agriculture (VISCA) in Baybay City were trained and schooled as scholars in Israel and eventually found job abroad.
“These scholars, after training in Israel, found jobs abroad because the province of Leyte could not absorb them for their livelihood,” Loreto disclosed regretful that the province failed to tap the capabilities and technical know-how of the on-the-job trainees in Israel in the aspect of agriculture and economics.
Loreto disclosed of a plan to invite Israeli experts on agriculture and economics to the province although details of it are still being worked out.
In 1947, the Philippines was the only nation which voted for the statehood of Israel during the deliberation in the United Nations.
(EILEEN N. BALLESTEROS)

TACLOBAN CITY- Police authorities in Southern Leyte and Northern Samar confiscated illegally sawn lumbers with combined value of about P32,000.
In Liloan, Southern Leyte, police authorities led by Senior Inspector Joselito Amistoso arrested seven individuals who were on board a cargo truck loaded with 113 pieces of sawn coconut trees valued at P30,000.
Arrested on February 21 at about 9:30 pm at Barangay Candayuman of said town were Robert Olaguer, driver of the vehicle and his companions, Feliciano Cabero, Francisco Cabero, Mario Daban, Johnny Albert, Jaime Balintong and Teofilo Siega.
In a similar incident in Rosario town, Northern Samar, local police led by Senior Inspector Serato Soteraña, arrested Igmedio Escala while he was transporting eight pieces of flitches of lumber loaded at his motorcycle along Guindaulan road of said town on Feb.17 at about 7:30 pm.
The 104 board feet seized illegally cut lumbers from the suspect was worth P2,600.
All suspects were detained at the local police stations in Liloan and Rosario respectively and are facing appropriate charges. (PR) a

TACLOBAN CITY- The region remains to be generally peaceful with no intelligence information yet that the rebel group, the New People’s Army, plan to stage their attack against government forces or vital installations.
Thus said Major General Raul Farnacio, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division whose headquarter is based in Catbalogan City.
Farnacio, however, said that they are still on alert for any possible attack from the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Armed attack coming from the rebel group is anticipated as the peace talks between the CPP-National Democratic Front and the national government broke down.
Thus, all soldiers in the region are on alert and vital installations like the geothermal plants in Barangay Tongonan, which straddles between Kananga and Ormoc City, is being secured.
But Farnacio remain positive that unlike in other parts of the country, he believes that the rebel group in the region is still open for a possible peace talks.
“Fr. Santiago Salas adheres to the NDF panel and there is a big chance that they are really pursuing peace, once and for all,” Farnacio said, referring to the spokesperson of the NDF in the region.
The Army general said that Salas is aware of the consequences what turmoil brings, particularly on the aspect of economy.
Because of the continued armed battle between the government and the rebel group, the three provinces in Samar Island are among the 10 poorest provinces in the country, Farnacio said.
He said that the military would like to contribute economic development to the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar by achieving peace on these areas.
Development, he stressed, could not be achieved if problem on security remains on these three Samar provinces.
Farnacio also expressed his support to both Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan and Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez who chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council and the Regional Development Council, respectively.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Sangyaw Foundation Inc. officials recently met to plan and discuss events for this year, in support to the socio- cultural programs of Mayor Cristina Romualdez.
Sangyaw Foundation is the socio-cultural arm of the city government.
Discussed during the February 17 meeting involved the short and long term plans of the foundation which include, among others, on the forthcoming June 29-30 city fiesta and events that would support to the clean and green program of the city government under Mayor Romualdez.
The Sangyaw Foundation has been supporting in recognizing artists and talents from the city and honored through Sangyaw Awards which is among the highlights of Tacloban annual fiesta.
(GAY B.GASPAY)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park (MVNP) is attracting more tourists nowadays.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla in an interview said that an increase in the number of tourists has been noted for the last few years.
He cited that in 2015, more than 5,000 tourists visited the park and increased by 50 percent the following year.
Governor Petilla said that MVNP, located in the boundaries of Burauen and La Paz towns, is another promising tourism attraction which his administration is promoting.
Petilla said that they projects that more tourists will visit the park upon the completion of the concreting of the road leading to the MVNP in the middle of this year.
Meantime, Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, regional office 8 (DENR-8) said in an interview that recognizing the tourism potentials of MVNP, his office has spearheaded the Second Mahagnao Volcano Natural Park (MVNP) Outdoor Festival, February 3, 2017 with the aim of promoting environmental protection and conservation and ecotourism.
More than 1,000 people attended the festival, he added.
Sibbaluca said that the volcano with its visible crater has its natural wonders and attractions to include multi-colored mud, hot springs, waterfalls and a diversity of flora and fauna. He also added that the park has twin volcanic crater lakes – Lake Mahagnao and Lake Malagsum.
Sibbaluca said that the park has the prevailing cool or temperate environmental conditions.
He added that Mahagnao Volcano with an elevation of 860 meters (or 2,820 feet) from the sea level and which is the focal point of the natural park, is classified as a dormant volcano by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) with last eruption reported in 1865.
Proclamation no. 184 dated August 27, 1937 created Mahagnao Volcano National Park with an area of 635 hectares (1,570 acres) and was renamed under its present name under Proclamation no. 1157 dated February 3, 1998.
(RESTITUTO CAYUBIT)