PALO, Leyte – The Philippine National Police (PNP) here in Eastern Visayas continue on their advocacy on anti-bullying in schools.
With the start of the school year on Monday(June 3), Police Regional Office 8 Deputy Regional Director for Administration Brigadier General Ariel Arcenas said that policemen are not only after ensuring that children are safe in going to their schools but are safe while staying inside their school campuses and classrooms.
Arcenas said that they are regularly conducting their information drive among students on the negative effects of bullying to victims and even to those who are behind the bullying.
“We are asking people, especially our students, to refrain bullying others because it is not good,” Arcenas said.
Under Section 2 of Republic Act 10627 or the “Anti-Bullying Act of 2013” it states that bullying refers to any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at school for the other student; infringes the rights of the other student at school; or materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
“We are recommending that the school authorities should act to it first then inform us so we can also react accordingly. If this involves underage children this should be take can by schools and our social welfare workers,” Arcenas said.
More than 1.27 million students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 returned back to their schools on Monday for school year 2019-2020, based on the record of the regional office of the Department of Education.
Of these number 301, 529 are learners who avail the early registration of DepEd conducted in January which targeted Kindergarten, Grade 1, 7, 11 and transferee.
There are 110, 845 learners are in kindergarten, 615,814 are in elementary, 405, 521 are in junior high school while 138, 540 are in senior high school, for his school year.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

MAASIN CITY – The construction of multi-million high-rise school building in Liloan National Technical Vocational High School is now up and running in a bid to address shortage of classrooms in Liloan, Southern Leyte, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) field office here reported.
The 3-storey school building currently being constructed will have 15 classrooms equip with comfort rooms, emergency exits, and fire protection facilities. It has an allocation of P46 million funded under last year’s Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF) of the Department of Education.
Based on the recent project inspection conducted by DPWH Southern Leyte engineers, ongoing works in the site include pouring of concrete for the tie beam as well as fabricating and placing of steel bars for the beams.
Liloan National Technical Vocational High School, with over 1,000 students, is one of the national high schools of the government carrying out the implementation of the K to 12 program.
“The school building granted to Liloan National Technical Vocational High School aims to cater the increasing number of enrollees here particularly in the Senior High School program. This new school building will be the venue for technical laboratory and workshops that would equip students with technical and vocational skills necessary for future employment,” said DPWH Southern Leyte District Engineer Ma. Margarita Junia.
Junia said the project started on December 3, 2018 and is targeted to be completed on February 3, 2020. She added, the DPWH has been regularly monitoring civil works and is optimistic that the school building will be finished earlier than the set completion date.
“The DepEd in a joint effort with the infrastructure agency will remain relentless in implementing school building projects necessary for educational development,” Junia said. (PR/FMMT)

BY: MARILOU N.GO

Higatangan Island is a part of Naval Municipality that is separated by a narrow channel located in the north west tip of Leyte.
The name Higatangan is derived from the word “atangan” meaning to wait for. Old folks say that the place was where the pirates ambush approaching ships laden with goods and also the place where the Moros lay in wait for their enemies going to Sumbul (Naval).
The island has several white beaches and blessed with exotic rock formations.
From the town of Mabini, which was named in memory of Apolinario Mabini, there is a 200-meter white sand bar that stretches out like a giant tongue. Because the current surrounding the sand bar is strong, some people lost their lives, some attribute this as “alay-buhay” to placate the gods.
The unnaturally beautiful rock formations along the south coast were said to be home to supernatural beings. There were cases that a sudden big wave or a gush of wind rock the boat when passengers were being noisy.
President Marcos temporarily took refuge during WWII on this little island, that’s why the highest point on the island (46m) is still called Marcos Hill to this day and a light house is erected on it to guide boat men.
It is said that this is where Marcos received his divine sign that he was destined to be a president of the Philippines.
The truth behind his stay is a source of controversy for the Biliranons. The long held belief was that it was Fidel Limpiado, member of a prominent clan who hid Marcos and his companions against the Japanese patrollers.
However, Professor Rolando Borrinaga, a known Philippine historian disproves that story. His long and arduous research give way to the fact that it was a simple skipper named Man Dising from Caray-Caray Biliran, who helped Marcos in hiding.
NOTE: The author is he teacher-in-charge of the Tag-abaca Elementary School in Leyte, Leyte)

The Kabit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi CIDSS) uses Community-Driven Development as an strategy wherein the people have direct control over the decisions and resources in their community.
It is through their involvement that they can become empowered citizens which leads to an improved local governance and poverty reduction.
In Barangay Poblacion 9, Llorente Eastern Samar, it has been the hope of community to lessen the unsafety the dark street brings.
According to Lisa Gade, a community volunteer, it poses fear and danger to the residents because of accounts of theft and violent incidents. Ms. Gade attested, “Before, the street was so dark that it invited theft, violence and accidents. And I have been a witness to those unfortunate situations.”
Aside from that, it is accounted that 40 per cent of the labor force in the barangay was affected due to this dim place. Affected were people which ’padyak’ was the source of income and those who sell barbeque and the like during night time. Only a few people patronized because they were afraid to go out at night due to theft and violent incidents in that place.
It is no doubt that the community identified a solar street light in the Kalahi CIDSS LGU-led implementation. Only 11 of all 33 barangays were prioritized during their Municipal Development Council-Participatory Resource Allocation (MDC-PRA) to use the Kalahi CIDSS pure grant of P7, 052, 150. Brgy.Poblacion Nine was not included in the prioritization as it ranked 13th.
But the LGU Llorente allocated a fund of P1 million to be shared by the remaining barangays. Only two Brgy Poblacion 9 and Brgy Poblacion 11 were able to avail it. Barangay Pob. 9 got the P294, 473 for their identified streetlight intervention project.
Though the fund is purely from the Local Government Unit, its preparation and implementation followed the Community-Driven Development (CDD) process.
The local government unit of Llorente believed so much in the CDD process because of the community from planning to implementation and maintenance.
Some 186 households are now enjoying the seven-unit solar street light which helps them have a safer place and better opportunities.
This only shows how DSWD Kalahi CIDSS heightened the partnership of community and local government unit in addressing the most pressing need of the community. (PR)

By: ANGELINA G. WING

Change has always been constant, with its new School Principal, the Burauen National High School plan the new teaching assignment designated to newly hired Teachers and non-Adviser teachers giving way to the newly promoted Master Teachers and Head Teachers.
There are five newly promoted Master Teachers. From the English Department Salve Renomeron, Paz Posion from the Science Department, Aurora Abud from the TLE Department, May Desabille from AP Department, and Analyn Naboya from the MAPEH Department. Adelfa Juan is promoted from Teacher III to Head Teacher I. Adelfa Juan will be in-charged for the Grade 9 and Grade 10 as well as the Senior High School Applied subjects.
Dr. Rosita Pantin-Abio, the new School Principal of Burauen National High School, designated new teacher assignment corresponding to its grade level they will be holding as well as the new room assignment and class advisory.
Among its 63 teaching staff, 32 of which are Teacher Advisers from Grade 7 – Grade 10 and the Senior High School.
There are 9 sections in the Grade 7, for the Grade 8 there are 7 sections, for the Grade 9 there are 6 sections, for the Grade 10 there are 6 sections, and for the Grade 11 there are 4 sections as well as the Grade 12 having 4 sections also.
Newly-hired teachers are designated as new teacher advisers in lieu for the newly promoted 6 Master Teachers and 2 Head Teachers.
Dr. Abio emphasized in her message during the First Teaching and Non-Teaching Staff meeting for the S.Y. 2019-2020, that each Teacher who is given new assignment should embrace change for the betterment of the student’s welfare and the school as a whole to cater their needs.
(Note: The author is a Teacher III of the Burauen National High School, Burauen,Leyte)

TACLOBAN CITY- A farmers association in Barangay Palanog and several rice retailers from the different barangays of Tacloban City were recipients on May 31, 2019, of the livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment Livelihood Assistance program in partnership with the city government through Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez.
The 34-member Palanog Coconut Farmers Association and 10 rice retailers received, respectively 2 coconut squeezers, 2 rice grinders, 100 pieces of coconut, 50 sacks of rice, 1 water tank (stainless) and 3 push carts. Present during the distribution of assistance were Councilor Evangeline Esperas, DOLE Representative Gemma Dela Cruz, PESO Manager Emilia Cruz and Miss Tacloban 2018 Cassandra Marie Lee. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)