DOST Sec de la Pena graced the formal opening of Eastern Visayas Centrum

PALO, Leyte- An interactive science museum based here was formally opened with the hope that it would pave the way for this town to be known as a ‘science municipality.’
The facility, located at the second floor of the Leyte Academic Center (LAC), is a joint project of the provincial government and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
DOST Sec. Fortunato de la Peña, who graced the event, said that the establishment of the science centrum in Leyte will not only benefit children but even adults because of the problem of science literary in the country.
“Having a science centrum here is a good way to introduce children to science and this allows them to have interaction,” he said, adding that the facility in Leyte is the fifth science centrum in the country.
The secretary said that the facility will also lead to making the municipality not only as a science town but also an additional attraction that will increase tourist arrivals.
Featured at the science centrum are “gravity well”, “feel the shake”, “head on a platter”, “pendulum wave”, “pedal power”, trash timeline, plasma sphere, magic faucet, zoetrope, hazer harp, moving faces, among others.
Science books that students may read are also on display.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said that he is optimistic that the facility will truly serve its purposes-both for science-related information and as a tourist attraction.
“Once we start promoting this to other provinces, people will be coming here, especially students. Not only from Eastern Visayas but even from other regions as well that does not have this kind of facility yet,” he said.
Karina Rosa Tiopes, the regional director of the Department of Tourism, agreed with Gov. Petilla’s observation saying that a “knowledge tour” can be offered by the municipal government not only at the science centrum but may also include the solar farm facility in the town for students and even tourists.
“Palo has 4Ps tourism program, maybe we can add another P which is Pag-aram,” Tiopes said.
While the science centrum is temporarily housed at the LAC, former Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla said that they are planning to construct a building that is going to be a permanent home of the exhibit.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Eastern Visayas went on a house-to-house distribution of P100,000 cash gift and letter of felicitation from President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to seven centenarians in Samar province on March 22 – 23, 2022.
The centenarians are Prudencio Crisostomo and Macaria Pono from San Jorge; Prima Colles and Eugenio Aboga from Villareal; Amacio Bordallo from Pagsanghan; Marcial Villanueva from Sta. Rita and Cresencia Penachos from Tarangnan, all in Samar province.
Crisostomo, who is now 101 years old, said his secret to longevity is exercise and faith in God. He also expressed his gratitude to DSWD Eastern Visayas.
Meanwhile, Tarangnan Mayor Arnel Tan was present during the giving of cash gift to the lone centenarian of their town.
Signed into law in 2016, Republic Act 10868 grants all Filipinos, who have reached 100 years old whether residing in the Philippines or abroad shall be honored with a Letter of Felicitation from the President of the Philippines congratulating the celebrant for his or her longevity; and a Centenarian Gift in the amount of P100,000. (PR)

After SB blocked the needed funding requirement

TANAUAN, Leyte- Despite last week’s arbitrary and deliberate obstruction of some Sangguniang Bayan members on the proposed 10 kilos rice subsidy to the 17,500 identified recipient households from this town, the planned rice aid has finally proceeded as scheduled, this after mayoralty candidate Penny Tecson, wife of incumbent mayor Pel, shouldered a substantial amount of the lacking funding requirement.
In an interview, Tanauan Mayor Pelagio ‘Pel’ Tecson said his wife Penny paid the lacking amount needed in the rice purchase in the amount of P1.3 million.
Tecson said the local government unit (LGU) has only over P2 million appropriated and readily available funds which can be used for said purpose. Penny’s help, he said, will compensate for the lacking funding requirement.
The act of kindness will help assure the eventual realization of the food subsistence program, and all households identified recipients will be given 5 kilos of rice each.
It may be recalled that on March 9, during the regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan, Councilors Lauro Villero, Yepyep Merilo, and Quintin Octa succeeded in blocking the discussion and approval of Municipal Development Council MDC Resolution No. 10 – series of 2022, requesting for the inclusion of the project into the Annual Investment Plan AIP for CY 2022 of the Municipality entitled “Provision of Food Subsistence or Relief Goods to All Households affected by Disasters/Calamities…”
Consequently, the unsympathetic move contrived by the said SB members has denied the resolution of floor discussion in the plenary, effectively denying it the chance of approval, resulting in the effective stalling of the fund in the amount of P4.1 million supposedly intended for the said food subsistence program.
The stalled amount was sourced out by Mayor Tecson from the Department of Budget and Management DBM guided under local budget memorandum circular 140.
It only needs a concurring and approving resolution from the Sangguniang Bayan for it to be utilized for the said purpose, but this did not materialize during the March 9 session.
The March 9 session was the last day for the LGU to facilitate and pass the urgent legislation so they could procure the rice before the election ban period.