Incoming Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Eduardo M. Año vows to be the “conductor who will lead towards a clear vision” while relentlessly waging a war against illegal drugs, corruption, communist insurgency, and violent extremism in the turnover ceremony held on Tuesday afternoon.
Facing the officials and employees of DILG, OIC Año laid the blueprint of his leadership focusing on illegal drugs citing that “with the collective efforts of the employees and DILG-attached agencies, greater tasks will be accomplished in the service of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s administration”.
“Under my watch, the DILG will relentlessly and resolutely wage a campaign to rid the country of illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption. The threats of communism and violent extremism will also be met head-on,” says Año.
“I will strongly uphold our primary mandate to ‘promote peace and order, ensure public safety and further strengthen local government capability aimed towards the effective delivery of basic services to the citizenry’” he adds.
To realize the said endeavor, Año says that existing local institutions that deal with peace and order and public safety such as the Peace and Order Councils (POCs), Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADAC), and People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) shall be strengthened.
He also says that the engagement of the citizens and other sectors of society in this effort or a whole-of-nation approach is essential to this crusade.
The DILG OIC declares as well that under his leadership, ranks of local and police officials shall be “cleansed” to “separate the bad eggs from within the ranks”.
“As for local and police officials, and all engaged in crime groups, you will be held accountable and will be dealt with uncompromisingly for violating our laws,” says Año. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- They will continue their protest actions until the current management of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) will heed on their plea.
Thus said Noel Tabao, president of the Tacloban Union of Barangay Officials (TUBO) which is among the groups that is leading protest rallies against the plan of the current LMWD management to privatize said water company.
“We will not stop our protest rally, rain or shine, until they will listen to us and stop their plan to privatize the LMWD,” Noel said.
Noel was referring to the plan of the LMWD management to have a joint venture agreement with a Manila-based company that will eventually run and operate the LMWD.
According to Tabao, the plan of the current management to enter such agreement is suspicious considering that the member-consumers are not being consulted.
“There should be public consultation on this regards considering its impact to us, member-consumers. Just like any privately-managed corporations, its immediate impact to us is a higher water rate,” the TUBO president said.
Any hike on water rate will be an additional burden to LMWD member-consumers, he said, adding that the current LMWD management should better focus its effort to provide water to the families now living at the northern part of the city, the resettlement sites of families whose houses were totally destroyed when Tacloban City was devastated by supertyphoon ‘Yolanda’ in 2013.
“Until now, there is no water supply in the northern part of the city. They have been crying out loud for LMWD to supply them water,” Tabao said.
There are more than 9,000 families now residing at the different resettlement sites at the northern part of Tacloban City who depend on water ration.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

NAVAL, Biliran-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Biliran District Engineering Office (BDEO) informs the general public that effective January 11, 2018 at 8 am, Caraycaray Bridge will be open to traffic.
However, the bridge will only be open to 4-wheel type light vehicles.
In an interview made by Biliranisland.com to Engr. Alfredo L. Bollido, assistant district engineer, he said that for vehicle vans, the passengers will have to alight before the vehicle crosses the bridge. Bags and cargoes are also unloaded before the vehicle crosses.
He further informed that if Pagasa issues a heavy rainfall warning, and the water rises, the bridge will automatically be off-limits to vehicles and pedestrians.
According to Bollido, total replacement is recommended for the Caraycaray Bridge as both of its approaches were washed out by continuous heavy rains brought by tropical storm ‘Urduja’ on December 15-16.
Both approaches of the Caraycaray Bridge undergone backfilling and embankment to serve as a temporary passage for the public.
It was opened to traffic for motorcycles and tricycles on January 9, 2018 and to light vehicles on January 11, 2018.
DPWH-BDEO advised the travelling public especially the drivers, tricycles and motorcycle riders to be careful when crossing the bridge and to follow the traffic rules and regulations set by BDEO. It is the topmost priority of the district office to ensure the safety of the public.
The Caraycaray Bridge is an essential bridge because it is the only access in going to the mainland of Leyte.
DPWH-BDEO is now preparing for the request of the calamity fund to be used to rehabilitate the damaged National infrastructure facilities in Biliran.
(CHELSEA QUIJANO-SALLOMAN/PR)