TACLOBAN CITY – The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) here in the region has expressed concern over declining share of farming and fishery sector to the regional economy despite being a major source of income for majority of the region’s population. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that agriculture hunting, forestry and fishing (AHFF) sector had a share of 16.7 percent to the 2015 Gross Regional Domestic Product. Of the P152.21 billion generated from various economic activities last year, AHFF only contributed P25.41 billion to the total output. “Natural threats such as the effects of El Niño and the impact of typhoon Nona have aggravated the already fragile agricultural production of the region after the 2013 supertyphoon Yolanda,” said NEDA Regional Director Bonifacio Uy. The farming sector’s share to the regional economy further declined from 20.1 percent in 2013 and 18 percent in 2014, according to PSA. The two other sectors remained the top contributors to the 2015 GRDP – services (41.9 percent) and industry (41.4 percent). However, the region is still a predominantly agriculture region. At least 723,048 hectares out of the region’s total land area of 2.32 million hectares are devoted to farming. The region has 721,724 farmers as of 2014, according to the Department of Agriculture. Presuming that each farmer supports five family members, about 3.6 million of the more the four million population in the region depends on AHFF. “A lot of people here are supported by agriculture sector. Productivity must be improved because there is the potential to generate more income,” Uy said. The official also noted the worldwide trend that less young people are interested to venture into farming-related activities. For instance, in Leyte, the 2013 National Farmers Registry System (NFRS) revealed that 52 percent of farmers in the province are 50 years and above while 25 percent of the farming workforce are 40 to 49 years old. Farmers within the 30 to 39 age bracket accounts 17 percent of farm owners and workers. Those in the age of 20 to 29 are only six percent while those with age of 20 and younger comprise only less than one percent of the workforce. “There is a general observation that our young people see more income opportunities in other sectors. That is why our state universities and colleges are encouraging more students to enroll in agriculture courses by offering scholarships,” Uy added. The NEDA official is optimistic about the future of agricultural development with the commitment and budget support of the new administration and local government units.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)
Declining share of farming sector to Eastern Visayas’ economy worries officials
Former DDB official decries reassignment of policemen
Oaminal said that one of the most common reasons why the dismissal rate of anti-drug related cases were due to the non-appearance of police witnesses
TACLOBAN CITY- A former official of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) aired his concern over reports that some policemen who served as witnesses to drug-related cases were being transferred from their present assignments to other areas. Clarence Paul Oaminal, who served as DDB undersecretary for two years which ended in 2010, said that practice leads to more often than not, dismissal of the drug-related cases filed by the police against individuals who were tagged to be either drug users or pushers. Oaminal reminded police officials that they could not just reassign their men who are serving as witnesses out of their whims as there are guidelines issued by the DDB on this matter.
The former DDB official, who is a lawyer by profession, was referring to a board regulation issued on November 13, 2008 during the leadership of Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto who was then acting as the board chairman. Oaminal said that one of the most common reasons why the dismissal rate of anti-drug related cases were due to the non-appearance of police witnesses. In the event that the transfer or reassignment of prosecution witness is unavoidable or reassigned for compelling reasons, he/she or his immediate superior shall inform or notify the court and the prosecutor handling the case as well as the office of the city or provincial prosecutor where the case is pending of the order of transfer or re-assignment within 24 hours from its approval,” he said, quoting a provision of the DDB rule. Unfortunately, according to Oaminal, this DDB regulation has been ignored either consciously or unconsciously not only by the Philippine National Police but also by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). Personnel of the PNP and PDEA has been unceremoniously transferred without faithfully complying with the DDB guidelines, Oaminal said. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Catbalogan gov’t to partner with Europe-based company to construct waste treatment facility
CATBALOGAN CITY – The city government here is now in negotiation with Quantum International, a Europe-based company, for a possible establishment of a regional plasma waste treatment facility capable of processing and disposing municipal and even industrial solid wastes. City Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan said during her State of the City Address(Sona) on Monday(August 10),the proposed waste treatment facility well help address the worsening issue of solid waste disposal of the city and recycle them instead into reusable products.
Plasma gasification is an emerging technology which can process landfill waste to extract commodity recyclables and convert carbon-based materials into fuels. It can form an integral component in a system to achieve zero-waste and produce renewable fuels, whilst caring for the environment. Plasma arc processing has been used for years to treat hazardous waste, such as incinerator ash and chemical weapons, and convert them into non-hazardous slag. The value of the plasma technology is that it would address not only garbage disposal problems, but also power supply concerns. Processing of 1,000 tons of wastes could generate 1,000 megawatts of power. The plant could be used to produce not only electricity but also gasoline, kerosene and biofuels.
A plasma gasification plant can start commercial operations after 18 months of construction, it was learned. In a study in 2010 by the Samar State University, it was revealed that the city government of Catbalogan was having difficulties in developing management plans due to the lack of solid waste management baseline information and data related to the functional elements of solid waste management. The study further recommended that the Catbalogan city government to seriously undertake material resource recovery and recycling programs as well as provide technical facilities, intensive awareness campaign and strict implementation of the solid waste management law. “Finally, we are having concrete steps and tangible results in our efforts to address the waste problem in the city,” Tan said. Meanwhile, Tan announced that they are starting the implementation of a privatized garbage collection in the city.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)
DENR-8 continues reforestation in EV
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional office 8 (DENR 8) this city is planting over 120,000 hectares of forestlands in Eastern Visayas as part of the six year National Greening Program (NGP) of the national government. The reforestation program was started in 2011 and will conclude this year which targeted to plant over 100 million seedlings in a 121,023.8 hectares of forestlands in Region 8. “Thisnumber of hectares reforested shall serve as the share of Eastern Visayas to the total nationwide target of the NGP,” DENR 8 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said. Sibbaluca said the NGP, which is the banner program of the department, seeks to grow 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares nationwide within a period of six years. However, DENR-8 has established another 15,686.5-hectare of NGP site for planting with over 17.5 million seedlings of various species this 2016. Sibbaluca said that he is optimistic that DENR-8 will hit the target for this year or even surpass considering that as of this month of June his office has already attained an accomplishment of more than fifty percent of the target area for reforestation. Under the program, the DENR is mandated to spearhead the implementation of this massive greening program, report on the social mobilization as an effective strategy in accomplishing the region’s targets and in attaining NGP’s quad goals of food security, poverty reduction, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. DENR-8 likewise reported that different sectors of society has helped in the last five years in the successful establishment of NGP sitesthroughout the region which totals to an aggregate area of 105,337.3 hectareswhich surpassed the target of 103,204.1 hectares. This has been planted with almost 93 million seedlings from 2011- 2015. (RESTITUTO CAYUBIT)
Pusher killed during a buy-bust operation ; P470,000 worth shabu recovered
ORMOC CITY- An alleged top pusher of Isabel town was killed during a buy-bust operation with the anti-narcotics group seizing from the suspect shabu worth more than P470,000. Killed was Guillermo Sulibran, Jr., 33 and a resident of Barangay Sto Nino of said town during a sting operation on Saturday (July 30). SPO2 Kenneth Valley, chief investigator and sub leader of Investigation Detective Management Branch (IDMB) said that Sulibran was known as one of the top drug personalities in the area.
Valley said that during the buy-bust, the suspect allegedly noticed he was dealing with a cop acting as poseur-buyer and motioned to engage using his .38 caliber pistol.
But the police who was acting as buyer immediately drew his service firearm, hitting Sulibran on his chest which resulted to his death. At the hospital, the guard on-duty searched on the suspect’s belongings and found another 16 large sachets of illegal drugs including the P5,000 marked money. The PNP crime laboratory confirmed a total of 79.43 grams of illegal drugs yielded in his possession including one sachet that was subjected in the buy bust. The shabu found in Sulibran possession was estimated to have street value at P476,580. Sulibran who was known as “Onyot” in his town was categorized as high profile drug pusher. Although he lived in Isabel, his illegal trade flourished in various towns including in this city and takes supply in Cebu, Valley confirmed. (MEL CASPE/ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Ombudsman charged town mayor for dismissal of 3 employees
TACLOBAN CITY – The Office of Ombudsman found a former town mayor in Eastern Samar guilty for unlawfully dismissing three municipal employees. The ruling of the anti-graft court stemmed from the recommendation of the regional office of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to charge Conrado Nicart III, former mayor of San Policarpo town for violation of section 3(e) of Republic Act Number 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Said section sanctions a public officer or employee who, in the performance of his official duties, has acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith or inexcusable negligence, causing undue injury to any party, including the government, or has given any party unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference. The complaint against Nicart, son of Governor Conrado Nicart and is now sitting as vice mayor, stemmed from his refusal to reinstate three municipal employees. Nicart dismissed civil registrar Virginia Acol, agricultural technician Diosdado Cidro and budgeting aide Anita Moscosa in 2012. Acol ran and lost for mayor during the 2016 elections. The three regular employees challenged their dismissal from their respective posts before the CSC which ruled on their favor. The CSC ruled that Nicart denied due process to the employees when they were dismissed from the service and dropped from the rolls in January 2012. The CSC had directed Nicart to reinstate the three employees which he did not follow. Nicart could not be reached for his comment on this recommendation by the CSC. (RYAN GABRIEL ARCENAS)