CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte- Retiring regional police director, Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, said that 30 percent of 4,390 barangays of the region have been cleared from illegal drugs proliferation.
Beltejar, who is to retire at the end of this month, said that the proliferation of illegal drugs, particularly methamphatime hydrochloride or shabu, is one of his top priorities when he assumed his post in 2016.
“During my incumbency, Eastern Visayas was peaceful (and) village officials and even teachers can attest to the safety of the region and the great effect of the war on drugs in terms of peace and order situation in the region,” Beltejar said during a farewell get-together party with the members of the local media held last Friday (August 4).
“More or less, we were able to clear about 30 percent of the drug-affected villages in the whole region” he added.
The police regional director also said that it was during his watch that several high-profile drug personalities in the region were arrested.
He particularly mentioned the Espinosa Drug Group which was believed to be controlled by murdered Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa, Sr. and his son, Kerwin.
But in an earlier interview, Beltejar disclosed that there some individuals who are trying to build their strength with the hope of supplanting the Espinosas in the illicit drug activity in the region.
Beltejar admitted that illegal drug continues to enter various parts of the region coming from Manila or Cebu reason why security at seaports in the region are being strengthened.
Beltejar added that aside from addressing illegal drugs, he also campaigned against illegal gambling, arrest of individuals who are considered wanted and ensuring the peace and order situation of Eastern Visayas.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Beltejar: 30 percent of EV’s barangays are now drug-free
Drug surrenderees receive financial assistance from city gov’t, DSWD
(TIM CANES/CMO)
Town hopeful return of Balangiga Bells
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
By: JOEY A. GABIETA
TACLOBAN CITY- Music to the ears and hearts.
This was how the officials and residents of Balangiga town in Eastern Samar reacted on the demand of President Rodrigo Duterte for the United States return the bells taken by them 116 years ago.
Mayor Randy Graza said that they are grateful that the church bells would finally find themselves restored back at their old church now that President Duterte signified his desire for their return to the country.
“We were really grateful and ecstatic that he mentioned for the return of the bells during his Sona,” Graza, in a phone interview, said.
“We just don’t consider the bells as mere part of our heritage but a symbol of the sacrifices made by our forebears (fighting against a foreign power),” the town mayor said.
“We are proud what our forebears did… offering their own lives for our sake,” Graza added.
During his State of the Nation Address (Sona), Mr.Duterte called on the US government to return the bells they carted away on September 28, 1901, as war trophies.
Mayor Graza said that when he heard the President sought for the return of the bells during his Sona, he became emotional.
“I was heartened when I heard him seeking for the return of our bells.It is very heartening that he made it while he was delivering his Sona,” Graza said.
Former provincial board member Enerio Sabulao, who authored a resolution for the return of the bells when he was a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in 2007, said that they are thankful for the President to ask the US government for the return of the bells.
He, however, appealed to the President to at least slow down his tirades against the American government now that the government needs their help on this particular issue.
“It’s a give and take thing,” he said.
Meantime, a great granddaughter of one of the heroes of the Balangiga Encounter also expressed her elation on this announcement of Pres. Duterte.
“Wow. Just wow! When we heard it from the President, we all rejoice! There were shouts of joy!” said Ma. Aida Addellia Elaba, who works as the secretary of the Sangguniang Bayan.
“Hopefully, this time, it will be for real,” she added.
Elaba’s mother, Constancia, is the granddaughter of local hero Valeriano Abanador who was among the leaders of the uprising against the Americans in 1901.
Her mother always serves as a narrator during the reenactment of the Balangiga Encounter every September 28.
Her father, Cresencio, served as the town mayor from 1988 up to 1992.
The residents of the sleepy town of Balangiga have been clamoring for the return of the bells that were taken by the Americans who could not take the defeat they suffered in the hands of the locals in 1901.
Balangiga is the site of the single biggest defeat suffered by the Americans in the Philippines. At least 54 American soldiers were killed while 18 others were wounded in what is now called the Balangiga Encounter of Sept. 28, 1901.
An outraged General Jacob Smith deployed 180 soldiers on Sept. 29, 1901, and ordered them to turn the town into a “howling wilderness.” He commanded that every Filipino male at least 11 years old and capable of carrying firearms should be shot dead.
The soldiers also burned down the communities. Not contended with the death of thousands of Filipinos, the Americans took the Balangiga bells as war booty.
The bells were used by Filipino resistance fighters to signal the attack on the American detachment in Balangiga. One church bell is at the 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Cloud, South Korea.
The two bronze bells are on a former base of the 11th Infantry Regiment at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. There have been efforts by the Philippine government but nothing happened.
Former President Fidel Ramos wrote a personal letter to then President Bill Clinton, for the bells to be return to Balangiga but it was not heeded.
The statement of the President rekindled the residents’ hope that had diminished over the years.
“This time, we see a glimmer of hope that the Balangiga Bells, which we consider as part of our history, will be returned to us,” said Elaba.
Fe Campanero, another Balangiga resident, also expressed her happiness on this declaration of Mr. Duterte.
“We Balangiganons are glad by the President’s pronouncement regarding our bells. I hope it does not end here. I hope he will help our present efforts to have our bells back,” said Campanero, niece of Vicente Candilosas, one of the Filipinos who fought in Balangiga Encounter.
“For so many years we have been promised that these will be given back to us. This time, this present administration will turn our hopes into reality. When that day comes we can say, our efforts did not go to waste,” she added.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
Power now fully restored in 3 quake-hit Visayas provinces
The Department of Energy (DOE) reported that power has been fully restored in the three provinces of Leyte, Samar and Bohol hit recently by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi commended all those in the energy department and industry participants who contributed to attaining this achievement four days earlier than the 31 July deadline.
“I congratulate and thank the hardworking people, especially those on the ground, for attaining 100% restoration of power in Leyte, Samar, and Bohol, “ Cusi said.
“The task to build a stronger and more resilient energy system lies ahead. Our hosting of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue in Bohol next week will help us learn more and do more,” Cusi added.
The System Operator, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, reported to the DOE that the newly transferred 150Mva Transformer 2 at the Ormoc Substation was successfully energized at around 2140H on Wednesday (July 27) and is loading electricity today (July 28).
This means that another 135 MW can be delivered to Leyte, Samar, and Bohol (LSB).
The total potential of 330 MW in the three islands to address its projected peak demand of 291 MW is broken down as follows: (1) 135 MW traversing the Ormoc Substation; (2) 40 MW from Tongonan Geothermal Power Plant; (3) around 20 MW from various embedded generation sources; and (4) an additional 135 MW through the Ormoc Substation.
The projected peak demand for LSB is 291 MW is broken down as follows: 210 MW for Leyte and Samar and 81 MW for Bohol. (PR)
Updates on the on-going drainage projects of Tacloban
By: Alvin Gz. Arpon
Flooding has been a disturbing phenomenon in urban centers in our country – even in foreign lands. This primarily is caused by the irresponsible denudation of our forests. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has a standing order to those who cut trees for business ventures. Unfortunately, replanting activities in areas where trees are felled are not done by those responsible for this logging activity.
And the worst destruction of our environment is irresponsibly done by mining explorations that have accumulated wealth among those engaged in mining.
A nauseating irony is, as these logging and mining capitalists earn bloated deposits in banks through their activities, towns and urban centers have become paradise lost because of homes flooded river banks are wrecked and carried away by these floods, had destroyed roads and bridges and murky waters settle in communities.
Local government units have to immediately respond to this irksome problem. They must appropriate funds to lessen the impact on the lives of the citizenry by implementing infrastructure projects to solve floodings.
The highly urbanized city of Tacloban has effectively mobilized its resources to lessen the flooding problems in the city. Aside from infrastructure projects like the construction of modern and sturdy office buildings that line the City Hall compound, roads for inter- barangay connections, paved road towards its modern bus terminal, drainage improvements and constructions have been effected. There is a newly undergoing construction of canals along the V&G ‘talipapa’ towards Robinsons Place. Undergoing construction are also being undertaken in all main thoroughfares in the city. Other canals are being built along the Mangonbangon creek, Tanghas near ImeldaVillage, Mahayahay and at Villa Dolina.
Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez who is just in her first year in office and impressively accomplished several projects in the city and the drainage systems will continue to be one of her concerns.
All of the above information were gathered at the City Engineer’s Office thru Eng. Felipe “Boy” Picardal, asstistant city engineer.
Residents await tolls of Balangiga Bells
After 116 years of waiting
By: VICKY C. ARNAIZ
BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar- President Rodrigo Duterte revived the century-old fight for the return of the historic Balangiga Bells seized by the United States (US) during the Philippine- American war.
He called on the US government to return the Church bells which was taken by American soldiers on September 29, 1901.
“Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage,” Duterte said amid applause from the audience when he delivered his second State of the Nation Address on July 24 at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
“Isauli naman ninyo. Masakit yun sa amin, (Return them to us, it is painful for us)” Duterte said.
Balangiga is the site of the single biggest defeat suffered by the Americans in the Philippines. At least 54 US soldiers were killed while 18 others were wounded in what is now called the Balangiga Encounter of September 28, 1901.
An outraged General Jacob Smith deployed 180 soldiers on September 29, 1901, to turn the town into a “howling wilderness.”
He commanded that every Filipino male at least 11 years old and capable of carrying firearms should be shot dead.
The soldiers also burned down the communities.
Balangiga Mayor Randy Graza in an interview with the Leyte Samar Daily Express said he is thankful to President Duterte not only for bringing the issue of Balangiga Bells to the national and international arena, “but for also being with us in passionately believing that those bells should be returned as they rightfully belong to the people of Balangiga but to the Filipino nation as well.”
Balangiga is a sleepy town in Eastern Samar with 14,085 population spread among its 14 barangays.
Karina Rosa Santiago Tiopes, tourism regional director, said that she was “truly happy” that no less than the President has called and urged for the return of the bells of Balangiga.
“These bells are not just ordinary relics of our past. These bells are a symbol of the bravery of our ancestors. It serves as a reminder to all Filipinos of how we can unite as one and fight oppression and aggressors,” Tiopes said.
“In the past, initiatives were made in pursuit of the return of these bells. Sad to say these moves did not have positive results. Today, with the President himself making this call, we have high hopes of seeing these bells returned to their rightful home in Balangiga,” the tourism regional director added.
Not contented with the deaths of the thousands of Filipinos, the Americans took the Balangiga bells and a 400-year-old British Falcon cannon in the plaza as war booties.
The bells were used by Filipino resistance fighters to signal the attack on the American detachment in Balangiga.
One church bell is at the 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Cloud, South Korea. The two bronze bells are on a former base of the 11th Infantry Regiment at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Balangiga Bells now St. Lawrence Bells
The Balangiga Bells, which is also called as St. Lawrence Bells (or San Lorenzo Bells) in honor of the town’s parish St. Lawrence the Martyr Church according to Fr. Serafin Tybaco, parish priest.
“We have sent out letters to Wyoming and to the United States Bishop Conference of Catholic Bishops (USBCCB). It would be easier for the US government to return the historic bells since it sounds apolitical,” Fr. Tybaco said.
Two years ago, during the renovation of the church, the workers found human remains and the priest related it as those of American soldiers who died during the Philippine-American war.
The bones were big, including skulls, he said.
There were forensic experts who examined the bones, but to this day no results have been made yet.
Historic church
In the meantime, Fe Campanero, 55, the tourism officer of Balangiga and niece of Vicente Candilosas, one of the Filipinos who fought against the Americans.
“I hope it does not end here. I hope he will help our present efforts to have our bells back,” she added.
She and the other residents had not lost hope that their bells would be returned to the St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish Church.
The historic church, she pointed out, was a recipient of financial assistance from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The donation was used to restore the church which was damaged when super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ hit the town on Nov. 8, 2013.
The financial assistance was coursed through their local counterpart, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines.
A business firm based in Olongapo City and owned by an American also helped in the repair of the town public market and municipal hall which were damaged by Yolanda, Campanero said.
She considered the assistance provided by the Americans as a “peace offering.”
“This gesture will be completed if they return the bells just like what they did in La Union,” Campanero said.
Last May 2016, the United States returned a bell taken from a church in La Union in 1901, the same year that the American forces took the Balangiga Bells after they suffered their worst defeat at the hands of the Filipino guerrillas.