Miss World Philippines? Cristina Marie Corpina-Coloma, 2011 Miss Northern Samar, is vying the prestigious Miss World Philippines slated this Sunday (Sept.3).
Miss World Philippines? Cristina Marie Corpina-Coloma, 2011 Miss Northern Samar, is vying the prestigious Miss World Philippines slated this Sunday (Sept.3).
Bobon, Northern Samar – A former Miss Northern Samar is among the 35 candidates who will vie in this year’s Miss World Philippines.
Cristina Marie Carpina-Coloma won the Miss Northern Samar title in 2011. Her mother, Susan Carpina-Coloma, is the current municipal administrator.
Her father, Crisanto, is from Pangasinan.
The local beauty queen,26, said that she joined the Miss World-Philippines, to help “inspire” her provincemates and make them proud of her.
At present, Coloma works as entertainment manager Chaos Club at the City of Dreams in Manila.
The winner for this year’s Miss World Philippines will be crowned this Sunday (September 3) at Mall of Asia.
So far, the Philippines has only produced one Miss World winner in Meagan Young back in 2013.
“Tinay,” as Cristina fondly called by her family and close friends, stands at 5’ 8 with vital statistics at 35-24-35.
She is a graduate of AB Communication at the Assumption College and finished her secondary at the St. Scholastica, both in Manila.
Cristina’s mother is seeking help from not only from her province mates but the entire Eastern Visayas and Pangasinan to help her win the crown by supporting her through their text votes. (PETER D. PAREDES)
PALO LEYTE- The volunteer probation assistants (VPAs) continue to conduct community-based program and extension activities for paroles and probations within Region 8.
VPA is a localized and community-based program for paroles and probations or called “clients.”
At present, there are more than 100 VPAs serving over 2,000 clients.
VPAs are with the Parole and Probation Administration (PPA).
All parole and probation offices in the region conduct their own activities like tree planting, coastal clean-up, and brigade with the VPAs participating.
Here in the city, the VPAs initiates mass wedding, distribution of school bags with school supplies intended for their clients’ children, hydroponics and livelihood education.
(JESSICA A. OLEVO, LNU Student Intern)
TACLOBAN CITY- The Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) has conducted series of buy-bust operations last August 22 which resulted in the apprehension of five suspected drug pushers.
The operations, carried by Tacloban City Police Stations 1 and 2, resulted in the arrest of Marivic Millano Castro, 24; Antonio Bagaporo, 37; Luisito Dila, 40; Rickson Camacal, 37; and Richard Dichosa, 29.
All were caught in the act selling the prohibited methamphetamine or shabu to police assets.
Castro and Bagaporo were arrested during the operation in Barangay 62, Sagkahan, at around 12:00 midnight.
The suspects were caught with two heat-sealed sachets of suspected shabu with an estimated amount of P1,000 and a P300 marked money used during the operation.
This was followed by another operation in Brgy. 62-A, which is just a block away from the earlier mentioned barangay, early morning of that day.
Apprehended in this operation were Dila and Camacal, who were caught in the possession of three sachets of shabu which is estimated to amount P1,500 and a P500 marked money.
The Tacloban Police Station 2 also conducted a buy-bust operation that same day in Brgy. 66, Paseo de Legaspi at around 11:30 pm.
Caught in the act was Dichosa who was in possession of a sachet of shabu valued at P1,000 and a marked money amounting P500.
The suspects are now in custody of the police and will be charged for selling and possession of prohibited drugs. (MARWAH JAILANI, LNU Student Intern)
New evacuation center. Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Romualdez joined officials of the United Nations Development Programme for the turnover of an evacuation center located in Barangay Cabalawan. (MIKE ESPINA,CIO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Tacloban got another boost for its Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) initiatives on Friday, August 25, when it received a donation of a two-storey community evacuation center (CEC) from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
The ceremonial turnover of the building located at Barangay Cabalawan, approximately 14 kilometers from the city proper and directly accessible to a number of resettlement sites, was attended by Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, UNDP Resident Representative Ola Almgren, Deputy Country Director Enrico Caveglia and Eden Garde, program manager for UNDP and other officials of the city government.
Constructed on a lot owned by the city government, the building which has a total floor area of 814 square meters can accommodate approximately 100 families at 500 individuals.
The sturdy structure which can withstand a category 5 typhoon and intensity 9 earthquake, is energized by a 5,000 watts capacity solar panels attached to its roof.
Water and toilet facilities for men, women, and persons with disabilities are also available at the CEC.
Aside from functioning as an evacuation shelter during calamities, the building will also serve as multi-purpose facility for training and other disaster preparedness activities that will be conducted by Tacloban City Rescue Unit (TACRU) – the Emergency Response arm of the City Government.
The Tacloban CEC is the biggest among the 11 evacuation centers built by the UNDP for typhoon Yolanda stricken communities throughout Leyte province.
Mayor Romualdez thanked UNDP for the project and assured its maintenance and preservation, while expressing her wish for more partnerships with the UN agency.
Meantime, Almgren lauded the LGU’s steadfast support for projects related to disaster risk reduction management.
–HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO, Photos by Mike Espina/CIO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The construction of a boardwalk and viewing deck at the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) Campus is being planned to lure more tourists to iconic San Juanico Bridge, which connects the islands of Leyte and Samar.
On Thursday, August 24, Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, together with Leyte 1st district Representative Yedda K. Romualdez and representatives of the Department of Tourism conducted a site inspection of the NMP Campus in Cabalawan, this city, for the planned boardwalk and viewing deck project for tourists.
NMP Executive Director Romulo Vernardes toured the group and gave assurance to support the project.
The project, intended for tourists wanting to get a good view of iconic San Juanico Bridge, is an initiative cited under the Eastern Visayas Tourism Roadmap which is endorsed by the Regional Development Council chaired by Mayor Romualdez. It is also a component of the San Juanico Bridge Lighting Project.
A collaborative convergence of the city government of Tacloban, the congressional office of Rep. Romualdez, the province of Samar, the DOT and NMP, the project is intended to boost the tourism industry in Tacloban and nearby areas.
The iconic bridge was built during the term of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos and completed in 1972. Spanning some 2.162 kilometers, the arched truss bridge offers a picturesque view of San Juanico Strait.
The bridge also dubbed as the ‘Bridge of Love’ was dedicated by the late President Marcos to his wife former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos who is from the Leyte.
The project will commence after a technical working group is formed and upon approval of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority. –HENRY JAMES G. ROCA/CIO, Photos by Alex Alamos/CIO)
Heavy smoke of sulfur dioxide has been observed from a processing plant of Pasar(Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp.)
Heavy smoke of sulfur dioxide has been observed from a processing plant of Pasar(Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp.)
Pasar denies allegation
TACLOBAN CITY – Workers at the Leyte Development Industrial Estate (LIDE) in Isabel, Leyte has complained of what they claimed “foul odor” emitting from a processing plant owned by the Philippine Associated Smelting and Refining Corp. (Pasar).
Workers from other locators inside the industrial complex, particularly that of Philphos (Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corporation) claimed that the air coming from the Pasar plant has a “strong content of sulfur dioxide (SO2),” posing a health hazard to them and to the environment as well.
However, this allegation was strongly denied by the Pasar management saying they have been adhering to all environmental standards set by our government and their anti-pollution “protocols have been in place and working.”
The Philphos workers, in a press statement obtained by Leyte Samar Daily Express, alleged that “strong to very strong levels” of sulfur dioxide (SO2) are being emitted from the Pasar processing plant which causes the alleged ‘foul odor.’
They added that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Clean Air Act of the Philippines, has set 0.07 ppm allowable level for sulfur dioxide discharge.
But the workers, in their statement, claimed that the air readings at the area go as high as 6ppm.
The incident was said to have started since May of this year, they said.
Sulfur dioxide is a nonflammable colorless gas that has a strong and pungent odor causing irritation to the eyes, conjunctivitis and corneal burns.
Long exposure can cause irritation to the mucous membrane of the lungs and respiratory tract, bronchospasm, pulmonary edema, pneumonitis and acute airway obstruction can occur.
Moderate to high exposure can cause skin irritation, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
But in an email statement, lawyer Noli del Rosario, senior vice president for legal and corporate affairs of Pasar, denied the allegation.
He said that their company is complying with all environmental standards set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB).
“In the last month, some quarters have complained of SO2(sulfur dioxide) emissions coming from Pasar alleging that these are of “mild”, “strong” or “very strong” intensity,” he said.
“These complaints are couched in qualitative and subjective terms incapable of precise measurement. Pasar has in place continuous emissions monitoring system or CEMS which records SO2 emissions in real time. With regard to the qualitative complaints raised, Pasar has not exceeded the TWA (Time Weighted Average) taken over any eight hour period,” del Rosario added.
He also said that their company’s anti-pollution protocols are “in place and are working.”
The official also said that they will conduct an inspection of any possible leaks among their equipment on September 12 of this year as they will go on mandatory plant shutdown that will last for 15 days.
Pasar’s primary product is electrolytic copper cathodes which are the raw materials used in the manufacturing of electric cables, telecommunication wires, and copper-alloy products which are exported abroad.
