TACLOBAN CITY—Army Major Arturo Dumalagan and his fellow soldiers are off on another mission, this time armed with hundreds of pair of slippers.
“We try to win the hearts and minds of the community where ambush and landmines frequently happened,” Dumalagan, who is assigned to the Office of Civil Military Operations of the 8th Infantry Division based in Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City, said.
Dumalagan, who has been in the service for 17 years, said that he is looking forward to reaching a milestone of giving 5,000 pairs of slippers or more for the children who are living in poor and conflict areas through their “Tsinelas Para sa Kapayapaan (Slippers for Peace)” initiative.
The gift-giving of slippers started on November 8, 2016, in Patikul, Sulu after they were ambushed by the notorious terror group Abu Sayyaf where he was previously assigned, Dumalagan said.
Since then, their outreach project has already distributed 4,081 pairs of slippers, the Army official said.
“The slippers we give are just a part of our motivation for the children to study hard and finish their schooling. It is not a simple gift but a ribbon tied on your finger,” said the 43-year-old military officer who also came from a poor family and eventually worked his way out from hardship by finishing his studies as a working student.
“I am a living proof that poverty is not a hindrance for our dream but a challenge for all of us to overcome,” Dumalagan, father to two children, said.
Dumalagan rose from his military career through hard work and determination.
For their next outreach project, he said they have two schools in Mindanao area that are waiting for their gifts–the slippers.
He said they welcome donation for their outreach project either in cash or in kind.
“Tsinelas Para sa Kapayapaan goes no boundaries as long as our sponsors are able to provide we can accommodate all who ask for their share and of course we prioritize the poorest of the poor school children in the far flung areas.”
Last July 8 of this year, Dumalagan’s advocacy was recognized during the Regional Youth Summit in Ormoc City.
Dumalagan said that “Tsinelas Para sa Kapayapaan” also received an award for uplifting the morale of youth in Sulu Peninsula by giving them sports equipment that greatly changes their way of life.
According to him, the support they give has led the youths away from the use of illegal drugs.
It has also eased their “sorrow” as they struggle to survive amid the armed conflict in their area, Dumalagan said.
“Our advocacy for the young children who will become a new breed of a young generation in the near future will bridge us to the path of an everlasting peace in ‘Land of Promise’ where souls and blood of our fellow countrymen lie in agony of unending war on terrorism,” Dumalagan said.
(RONALD O. REYES)

PALO, Leyte-The Philippine National Police (PNP) is eyeing a more effective drive against illegal drugs and terrorism with the Japanese donation of 45 hybrid patrol cars in Eastern Visayas.
Police Director Jose Ma. Victor Ramos, chief of PNP logistics, said the donation from the Japanese government was very timely as it would augment mobility assets of the police regional office here.
“This will be used to serve the people. This will capacitate policemen to win the fight against illegal drugs and terrorism. (The) government will save a lot with the fuel cost,” Ramos said.
Takuei Nakayama, First Secretary of Japan Embassy in Manila, said the donation further strengthened diplomatic ties between Philippines and Japan.
“We saw the extent of damage caused by super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in this region same as the destruction wrought by tsunami in Japan. These cars will be used not just against criminality, but also during emergency situations,” Takuei said.
“The Japanese government sincerely hopes that these patrol cars will have a great help in the region.”
The 45 cars comprise the second batch of Toyota hybrid cars donated by Japan to the country. Last February 18, the foreign government distributed 32 units to national government agencies in the National Capital Region and Eastern Visayas.
Still up for distribution are 11 hybrid cars meant for national offices of government agencies in Manila.
Of the 45 units, 20 are for Leyte police provincial office; eight for Eastern Samar; eight for regional office; three for Tacloban City; two for Ormoc City; and one each for Samar, Biliran, Northern Samar, and the police regional public safety battalion.
Department of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary Benito Ranque said the donation is part of the promotion of hybrid cars to attain sustainable energy consumption.
“The Philippine government has increasingly recognized that technology and innovation are the key components for the socio-economic developments and resiliency,” Ranque said.
PNP Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar thanked the DOE for prioritizing the police regional office here.
The new vehicles are meant to replace police cars damaged by “Yolanda” in 2013.
“For the entrusted officers, I want all provincial chiefs, city head, and directors to be responsible of proper maintenance of these patrol cars,” Beltejar said.
The Japanese government and the energy department provide maintenance fund of P200,000 per year for five years.
The hybrid cars are powered using electricity and fuel.
The Japanese government provided to the Philippine government 500-million-yen (about P250 million) grant for the procurement and delivery of the hybrid vehicles under the Japan Non-Project Grant Aid.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

ORMOC CITY- The local government unit of this city will make Lake Danao as the source of potable or drinking water for the residents.
City Mayor Richard Gomez, in an interview, said that the decision to switch to Lake Danao as the new source of water for the city is based on the present condition of the current source of water of this city that is already turbid due to the series of landslides that hit the city last July 6.
He added that the water system of the city has been damaged by the 6.5 magnitude quake.
“We have to find a new source of water which is Lake Danao,” Mayor Gomez said.
Mayor Gomez said that the whole Barangay Danao, which is near the lake, will be relocated considering also that the barangay is within the fault line.
He added that those who will not cooperate in the relocation of the barangay will be forcibly evacuated.
This is because the lake will be used as a new source of water for the city residents.
The mayor said that based on their findings, the water in the lake is more than enough to provide the needed water for the city even though at present the lake is also one of the major sources of water for Tacloban City and seven other towns in Leyte.
Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office 8 (DENR 8), said that the water in the guitar-shaped Lake Danao is potable and one of the tourist attractions of Ormoc City and one of the major sources of water of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District that provides water to this city and seven other towns of Leyte.
Director Sibbaluca said that the decision of Mayor Gomez not to allow any more human habitation near the lake is favorable to the environmental conservation and protection of the protected area.
He added that his office is exerting efforts in the protection and preservation of the unique and fragile ecosystem of Lake Danao Natural Park which is home to a diverse species of plants and animals.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Office 8 is activating its Regional Avian Influenza Protection Program Task Force to conduct surveillance and monitoring activities as well as monitoring of prices of poultry commodities.
The activation of the task force was in reaction to the outbreak of avian flu in the province of Pampanga which is now under a state of calamity because of the outbreak Dr. Andrew Rodolfo T. Orais, DA’s assistant director for operations, said.
Orais also announced that there is a temporary ban of movement and transfer of live domestic and wild birds and their products and by- products from Luzon to the Visayas and Mindanao regions and closely coordinating with the Veterinary Quarantine personnel.
As of press time, there is no report of bird to human contamination.
Malacañang released a statement on the outbreak in Pampanga and asked the public to remain calm but be extra vigilant.
A heightened surveillance is in effect for flu-like symptoms in Pampanga within a 7 km radius of the affected farms in Barangay San Luis, Pampanga.
Orais added that the agency is conducting series of meetings with regional veterinarians and getting updates/situationer as well as instructions from the regional office.
This week the Regional Advisory Committee on Animal
Disease Control and Emergency (RAC-ADCE) convened to discuss further the activities based on avian influenza protection program.
(VICKY C. ARNAIZ)

TACLOBAN CITY- They too will join the political party of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan together with her younger brother, Vice Governor Stephen James Tan, provincial board members and 19 mayors of the province are slated to take their oath as new recruits of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
The governor’s mother, Samar Rep. Milagrosa Tan (2nd district) was the first to become a member of the current ruling party.
The governor, who is on her third and last term, is affiliated with the NPC (Nationalist People’s Coalition) while her vice governor brother belonged to the Nacionalista Party.
A total of 19 mayors will be joining Gov. Tan together with all members of the provincial board during their oath-taking as new members of the PDP-Laban next week.
There are 24 town mayors and two city mayors, namely, Calbayog Mayor Ronald Aquino and Catbalogan Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan, wife of Vice Gov. Tan.
Asked why she and other officials of the province will abandon their previous political party, Gov. Tan said that this shows their support to the administration of Pres. Duterte.
“The President is very supportive to the province and there is no reason for us to go against him and not support him,” Tan explained.
Except for Northern Samar Governor Jose Ong and Eastern Samar Gov. Conrado Nicart, all governors of the region now counts as PDP-Laban members. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)