TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Health (DOH-8) recorded six cases of firecracker victims in the region since they started monitoring in December 21, 2017.
John Paul Roca, DOH-8 information officer, said that victims are from the towns of Dolores and Salcedo, both in Eastern Samar province, and one from Tacloban City.
“Worst of these victims is from Salcedo (Eastern Samar) who lost his index finger for using a whistle bomb,” Roca said.
Other victims of firecracker incidents used ‘lantaka’ or bamboo cannon and kwitis.
The six cases reported were far below from the 98 cases of firecracker victims last year from December 21 to January 10.
But the DOH expects the number could increase during the New Year’s revelry.
“Twenty-five to 30 percent cases of firecracker incidents happen on the evening of December 31, that is why we are continuously monitoring it,” Roca said.
“We are urging public if you see vendors of illegal firecrackers please report it to authorities,” he added.
Roca added that instead of using firecrackers individually, people should instead join the firework display in their respective locality or used the identified firecracker zone which police authorities will select.
No report on victims of stray bullet had been received by the DOH during the Christmas celebration.

Aside from the DOH, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also warns public not to sell illegal firecrackers.
“Those who is caught manufacturing, selling, distributing or using illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnics may be fined or imprisoned or suffer both penalties,” the DILG, in a statement, said.
Republic Act 7183 or An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnic Devices states that any person who manufactures, sells, distributes or uses firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices shall be fined from P20,000 to P30,000, or imprisoned between six months to one year, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court and their license and business permit of the manufacturers will be confiscated.
Included in the list of prohibited firecrackers are piccolo, pop pop, Goodbye Philippines or Crying Bading, Yolanda or Goodbye Napoles, Watusi, pla-pla, giant kwitis, watusi or “dancing firecrackers,” super lolo, atomic big trianggulo, mother rockets, lolo thunder, pillbox, boga, big Judah’s belt, big bawang, kwiton, Bin Laden, kabasi, atomic bomb, five star, Og, and giant whistle bombs.
Allowed firecrackers includes baby rocket, bawang, small triangle, pulling of strings, paper caps, el diablo, and sky rocket (kwitis), sparklers, luces, fountains, jumbo regular and special, mabuhay, Roman candle, trompillo, air wolf, whistle device, and butterfly.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Counting its blessings, year 2017 has been fruitful for resilient Tacloban which has just risen from the 2013 devastation brought by super typhoon ‘Yolanda.’
Under the administration of Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez, the Tacloban city government has garnered several awards and recognitions locally and nationally from various organizations and government agencies.
These awards, indeed, are testaments how effective and efficient the administration of Mayor Romualdez who assumed the post in 2016.
The national awards garnered by the city government and its different offices in 2017 are the following: The City Tourism Office (CTO) was the grand champion of the best float competition showcasing its Sta Cruzan de Mayo float during the Aliwan Fiesta 2017(float competition) held April 23, 2017 at Star City, Roxas Blvd. and the best booth award during the 28th Philippine Travel Mart held Sept. 1-3 at SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.
As a highly urbanized city (HUC), Tacloban got the 1st place as the most improved local government units in the HUC category in terms of tax collection during the 5th Regional Competitiveness Summit held August 16, 2017 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) CCP Complex, Pasay City.
For the month of October alone, Tacloban City got two awards: as a finalist to the 2017 Most Business Friendly LGU Award by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry, city level category and for having the country’s best cooperative office.
The Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) garnered awards during the 116th Philippine National Police (PNP) Police Service Anniversary held on August 22, 2017 at the Police Regional 8, Camp Ruperto Kangleon Palo, Leyte.
TCPO got the “best city police office award” for outstanding police administration and operations in Eastern Visayas; “best police strategy management unit” for its service and dedication, visionary guidance and stellar accomplishments in the effective execution of the PNP P.A.T.R.O.L Plan 2010 and “ best senior police non-commissioner officers for operations” received by SPO1 Anthony Amora.
Also, the TCPO also got several awards during the July 31, 2017 Police Community Relations (PCR) culmination program: ‘outstanding city police office in community relations and “outstanding junior police”
The city was among awarded the 2017 seal of good of local governance award by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Authority (PDEA) also declared Tacloban City as a drug-cleared city, the first HUC in the country to be named as such.
And among the most promising services to rescue human victims, the Tacloban Rescue Unit (TACRU) got the 1st Place Gawad Kalasag Award during the 19th Gawad Kalasag Search for Excellence in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Humanitarian assistance for 2017 for being the Best government emergency response management services (basic search and rescue) category given by the Office of Civil Defense Dec. 4, 2017.
Meanwhile, giving priority attention to a child-friendly environment assuring that all children of Tacloban enjoy their rights for survival, protection and participation, Tacloban City was awarded as the national finalist to the 2016 Presidential Award for Child-Friendly Municipalities/Cities given December 12, 2017 at Malacañang Palace.
During the 9th HUC anniversary held December 18, 2017 at the City Hall lobby, Mayor Romualdez congratulated and thanked all department heads and their respective personnel for bringing pride and honor to the city.
(GAY B. GASPAY, TISAT/KANHURAW MEDIA TEAM)

TANAUAN, Leyte – A gift of school supplies brought back the smile on Jonabel Garcelazo’s face after the recent flooding brought by tropical storm ‘Urduja’ soaked her most valued school materials.
Jonabel, whose dream is to become a lawyer, is very grateful for the Christmas gift she got on Thursday (December 28), knowing that her mother, Joan, has no means to buy her basic classroom needs.
“This is my first time to receive a gift like this. This really motivated me to study. I am aware that my mother has no budget for new school supplies,” said the Grade 6 student, who turned emotional as she grasped a plastic envelope filled with notebooks, pens, crayons, and papers.
Jonabel’s mother is separated from her husband for more than 10 years now and leaving her no choice but to support her three children as a farm laborer, earning only P200 daily from eight hours of difficult jobs usually done by men.
“I really want to become a lawyer and help those who are oppressed to fight for their rights,” said Jonabel, although uncertain of who will support her college education.
Jonabel is one of the 156 pupils of Sacme Elementary School who received school supplies through the “Light the World” campaign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) or commonly known as Mormon Church.
The campus is located in a flood-prone community of Sacme, a farming village in Tanauan, Leyte province.
Surrounded by rice fields, the school suspends classes many times in a year as floodwaters enter classrooms and swamp pathways during typhoons and rainy days.
Teacher Merriam Domael said this act of service is very timely as floodwaters caused by Urduja have soaked notebooks and papers.
“It breaks my heart seeing some children coming to school without a single piece of paper inside their bags. These gifts really means a lot to us,” Domael shared.
Local LDS church leader Rodel Almeria said churchgoers contributed money to buy school supplies for the Light the World campaign, now on its second year.
The LDS Church launched its global Christmas campaign on Nov. 26, 2017 with the goal to inspire individuals, families, and youth groups to be a light of the world by emulating the Savior’s example of service. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, the LDS Church has established congregations and built temples in six continents.
From the original six members when the Church was first formed in 1830, the restored Church of Jesus Christ has now grown to a membership of nearly 16 million people, according to its website. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO/PNA)

MAASIN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways field office here will pave roads leading to five tourism destinations in Southern Leyte next year.
Recently, the DPWH bidded out the more than P60 million worth of tourism road projects to ensure timely completion next year.
“Of the first seven 2018 projects bidded this month, five are tourism roads,” Junia said.
These road-access projects will lead to Bitoon beach in Liloan town, Buenavista dive site in Padre Burgos town, Calag-itan fish sanctuary and Doña Marta and Casa Isabel Cave in Hinunangan town, and Hindag-an falls in St. Bernard town.
“These roads are just few of our many projects next year in our effort to make the province more accessible to travellers and tourists,” Junia said.
Works for the concreting will include construction of covered canal and installation of slope protection.
The site for tourism access road project has been identified through a convergence between the DPWH and Department of Tourism in the bid to attract more tourists to less developed communities. (PR)

A day before New Year’s Eve, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warns that any person who is caught manufacturing, selling, distributing or using illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnics may be fined or imprisoned or suffer both penalties.
DILG Officer-in-Charge Catalino S. Cuy says the government is serious in regulating firecrackers and will deal with those who do not abide by the law and regulations.
“Taon-taon ay nag-aabiso tayo sa publiko tungkol sa pagbebenta at paggamit ng paputok. Kaya pasensyahan po tayo kung kayo ay mahuhuli at mapapatawan ng kaukulang parusa o makakaloboso,” says Cuy.
Republic Act 7183 or An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnic Devices states that any person who manufactures, sells, distributes or uses firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices in violation of the provisions of this Act shall be fined from P20,000 to P30,000, or imprisoned between six months to one year, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
The license and business permit of manufacturers of illegal firecrackers shall likewise be cancelled and their inventory and stock confiscated.
Cuy, however, says allowable consumer pyrotechnics or ‘pailaw’ may be used outside places of residence.
“Naglabas naman po tayo ng listahan ng mga firecrackers o pailaw na puwedeng gamitin. Huwag na po tayong gumamit ng bawal kung ayaw ninyong maperhuwisyo sa paglipas ng Bagong Taon,” he says.
According to the law, the manufacture, sale, and use of the following firecrackers are strictly prohibited: piccolo or “scratch bangers”, pop pop, Goodbye Philippines or Crying Bading, Yolanda or Goodbye Napoles, Watusi, Pla-pla, Giant Kuwitis, Watusi or “dancing firecrackers,” Super Lolo, Atomic Big Trianggulo, Mother Rockets, Lolo Thunder, Pillbox, Boga, Big Judah’s Belt, Big Bawang, Kwiton, Bin Laden, Kabasi, Atomic Bomb, Five Star, Og, and Giant Whistle Bombs.
All firecrackers with gunpowder exceeding two grams or 1.3 teaspoons is also banned.
Only the following firecrackers and pyrotechnics are allowed: baby rocket, bawang, small triangle, pulling of strings, paper caps, el diablo, and sky rocket (kwitis), sparklers, luces, fountains, jumbo regular and special, mabuhay, Roman candle, trompillo, airwolf, whistle device, and butterfly.(PR)

TACLOBAN CITY—Victoria “Vicky” Arnaiz, a correspondent of Leyte Samar Daily Express (LSDE) succumbed to a massive heart attack on Wednesday night. She was 54.
Arnaiz was survived by her seven siblings and four children—John Paul, Vanessa, James, and Joshua.
Prior to this, Arnaiz was confined at the RTR Hospital, this city, on Dec. 22.
She died at 5:40 p.m. on Dec.27.
Aside from being a correspondent of LSDE and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Arnaiz was also known for her other mostly humanitarian activities.
She was a board of director of the Philippine Red Cross-Leyte chapter and worked with the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry-Tacloban.
Arnaiz, a survivor of supertyphoon “Yolanda,” spoke before a world gathering on climate change in Istanbul, Turkey last May 23, 2016.
She was also the president of the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas (PRO-8) Press Corps and vice president of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Tacloban Chapter.
Arnaiz was the daughter of the late Agustin “Gus” Arnaiz, considered the “dean” of journalists in Eastern Visayas and founder of The Reporter, one of the first regional papers.
Her brother, Jani, now runs the online edition of The Reporter and is also a correspondent of Inquirer based in Maasin City.
Her body was brought to St. Peter’s Memorial on Real Street in Tacloban for an overnight vigil before she would be brought home to Maasin City, Southern Leyte, on Friday where she would be buried on Dec. 31.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)