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Eyed as alternate to DZR Airport P800 million set aside for expansion of Calbayog Airport

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CALBAYOG CITY- The national government has allocated about P800 million for the expansion of the Calbayog Airport, considered to be a possible alternate airport to the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport in Tacloban City. Of this amount, P120 million was already released to fund the expansion, said Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento of Samar first congressional district. The Calbayog Airport is classified as class 2 principal airport wherein only light planes could land of its 1,650 meter runway. It has a thrice a week flight serving the Calbayog-Manila route.

The expansion and improvement of the Calbayog Airport is part of the plan to make the airport as the alternate airport to DZR Airport in Tacloban, explained by Sarmiento.
According to Sarmiento, a close political ally of President Benigno Aquino, aside from P120 million released last August, the remaining P680 million will be available in 2015.
The Calbayog Airport, according to the Samar solon, is ideal to be made as an alternate airport due to its location that is not facing the eastern section of the country which is prone to natural calamities like tsunami and storm surges like what happened to DZR Airport during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda last year. “Calbayog Airport is located in the western part of Samar, while Guiuan Airport, DZR Airport and Catarman Airport are all located in the eastern part which is facing the Philippine trench and is prone to hazards like tsunami and storm surge,” said Sarmiento.

As part of the improvement of the Calbayog Airport, its runway will be lengthened to 2.1 kilometers for it to accommodate bigger planes like Airbus or Boeing type of aircrafts.
Also, its width will be increased to 15 meters and additional 4 meters of asphalt to meet the thickness requirements under the International Aviation Organization standard and will be equipped with navigational facilities to enable to have a night flights, Sarmiento said. The Samar solon said with the Calbayog Airport having the same capacity with that of the Tacloban Airport, considered the premier airport of the region, could result to easy transport of people and even goods. The Tacloban Airport is undergoing major repair with a portion of its more than 2,100 meters runway being repair. The repair work could take about six months but with the arrival of Pope Francis next year, the officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines will double work to ensure its fast repair. With the repair ongoing, only turbo propeller type of aircrafts is allowed to land at the Tacloban Airport. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Tacloban officials said Coca Cola reopening a proof of their confidence of city’s economy

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TACLOBAN CITY –The reopening of the Coca Cola plant in this city was roundly welcome by local officials saying this only shows that they still have confidence on Tacloban, still reeling from the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda.

City Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin said that while the Coca Cola plant sustained major damages during the onslaught of Yolanda ten months ago, the Coca Cola FEMSA chose to reopen again their operations. He said that personally, he was glad that the management decided to operate again as their plant, located along Fatima Area, is considered a part of Tacloban’s history and culture. And hours after the massive typhoon that destroyed the plant, the workers did their share in helping other victims of Yolanda, the vice mayor said.
“Coca-Cola was offering water outside but at the back, people are getting stuff from you. You are giving until you have nothing to give,” Yaokasin said. Speaking in behalf of Mayor Alfred Romualdez, his spokesperson Bernardita “Bering” Valenzuela echoed the sentiments of the vice mayor saying that with the Coca Cola back in business, not only its workers will benefit but the city government of Tacloban.

According to Valenzuela, Coca Cola Tacloban is one of the top ten taxpayers of the city government which in effect, help it to sustain its programs for its people. She added that the reopening of the Coca Cola is strong testament that they still believe in Tacloban as an area to do business. “Your re-opening is a message to other establishments, that Tacloban and Region 8 is still a region to invest,” Valenzuela. The reopening of the Coca-Cola Tacloban plant was graced by its chief executive officer Juan Ramon Felix, CEO; Juan Dominguez, human resources and corporate affairs director; Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla; Vice Gov. Carlo Loreto and other city officials. (JONA MAE ESTIL, LNU Intern)

DPWH to construct roads in Leyte’s tourist destinations

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TACLOBAN CITY – Two of the identified ‘tourism roads’ in Leyte are to get allocation next year. Engineer Carlos Veloso, chief of Leyte’s Second District Engineering Office, disclosed the road concreting project which leads to a skim boarding site in Brgy. Sabang, Dulag will get P25 million in fund while the road from La Paz to Calabato hot spring in Lapaz town was given fund allocation of P50 million. The road project is a joint initiative of the Department of Tourism and the Department of Public Works and Highways. Veloso said that road infrastructure is vitally important to attract tourists beyond major gateways and the facilitation of self-drive tourism requires an investment in road construction and other improvements.

The Calabato hot spring in lies deep within the quiet town of La Paz which remains untouched and still undeveloped, reason why only few venture to explore the rough terrains going to the spring. A regular trek usually takes some 4-6 hours starting from the town proper which deters tourist from coming. Paving the road is seen to increase tourists and visitors to enjoy Calabato’s natural beauty in all its roughness. While Tanauan town prides itself as the birth place of skim boarding in the Philippines, skim boarding enthusiasts has also explored waves in the nearby town of Dulag. A good skim boarding site has been discovered in Brgy. Sabang. However, road leading to the area needs the development. Meanwhile, continuation of concreting the Burauen-Mahagnao Road in Burauen, Leyte will get P40 million in funds in 2015. The road leads to the Mahagnao Volcano and National Park, an established national park since 1937. The volcano is dormant and has a huge crater that turned into a lake. Barangay Mahagnao also hosts multiple hot spring, a sulfur mountain, and waterfalls.

The destination is about 16 kilometers away from the existing Burauen-Lapaz Road. Six kilometers have already been paved while eight kilometers gravel road remains. Also identified as tourism road project within the 2nd LED is the P48 million concreting of road from Barangay Paglaum to Sitio Canbahian Falls in Carigara. No funding yet for this project in 2015. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

Escalona elected as new prexy of Rotary Club of Tacloban

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TACLOBAN CITY– Lawyer Joseph “Boboy” Escalona was recently inducted as president of the Rotary Club of Tacloban (RC Tacloban) for the ensuring year, during its 67th anniversary celebration at Leyte Park Resort Hotel recently.

Escalona said that he is happy for the trust and confidence the Rotarians have given him to lead the RC Tacloban, the mother of five clubs in the city. He replaced businessman Joel Caminade as the president of the club. “The club has a huge task ahead of helping our fellow survivors in the community better their lives after supertyphoon Yolanda even as the club members are still rebuilding our lives too after the devastation,” Escalona said in an interview.

Escalona added that “the five avenues of service of the Rotary will be my guide throughout my term.” Incoming district governor Salvador “Buddy” Estudillo of District 3860 was the inducting officer who heaped praises to the new club president. Estudillo said that Escalona will be a good president to lead the club adding that he has the high esteem and support of the members. The projects the club will undertake this year will be water and sanitation, computer literacy, infant food, schools rehabilitation and livelihood, Escalona said.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominic Petilla was the keynote speaker.

The past months have been very busy for the Rotary Club of Tacloban after Yolanda struck the city of Tacloban and the rest of Eastern Visayas. The club has completed the construction of a one-unit school building with two classrooms and toilets at Marabaras National High School in partnership with the Rotary Club (RC) Nara East, Japan District 2650.

Another partnership with RC Naga City District 3820 is for distribution of 15 pedicabs under its livelihood program intended for residents of Peerless Village, one of the hardest hit villages in Tacloban. Villages in San Jose district or V&G village are also to receive the same assistance from the club. Also elected were vice president Jop Cornelio; secretary Noli Beltran; treasurer Junn Cayubit; sergeant-at-arms Adel Bautista. Named as directors were Jose Julio for community service; Ben Gaspay for international service; Lito Yap for club administration and Eugene Tan for vocational service. ((VICKY C. ARNAIZ)

Mass vaccination on children gets Gov. Petilla’s support

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TACLOBAN CITY – Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said that the ongoing mass immunization on measles and polio would help reduce the two diseases that mostly inflict children.

The nationwide immunization on measles and polio for 0 to 5 years old is initiated by the Department of Health which started last September 1. Gov. Petilla said that the DOH has a strong history of conducting mass immunization which results to significant reduction of diseases such as measles and rubella transmission. Saving young lives from death or disability is part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) with includes as part of its goal help curb diseases that inflicts minor, the governor said. “By improving health, poverty is reduced as poor families are provided with vaccines which can be saved from the struggle to pay for the care of a sick child and could better afford to buy more nourishing food, or to provide their children with basic health care or an education,” Gov. Petilla said.

From 1983 to early 2013, the DOH has conducted measles immunization services nationwide that led to 94 percent reduction in the number of measles cases. However, measles outbreaks still occurred in many parts of the country in 2013 and early 2014. The DOH has allotted P 600 million for the vaccination campaign but this has been reduced to P 200 million as support from international partners in the form of donation that include Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccines, vaccines carrier and cold rooms.

Studies show that immunization averts an estimated 2.5 million deaths a year among under 5 years old. The mass immunization campaign dubbed as Measles Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Mass Immunization or MR OPV MI will address three preventable viral illnesses such as measles, German measles and polio which are all vaccine preventable.
DOH record showed that there are about 11 million children nationwide to be vaccinated while 13 million children will be given oral drops against polio. (AHLETTE REYES)

PWDs availed life skills training from NCFPWD

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TACLOBAN CITY- A two-day life skills training for physically challenged individuals were conducted by the National Federation Cooperative for Persons with Disabilities (NFCPWD) last September 8 and 9 in this city. The training, participated by more than 20 PWDs, involved various activities such as workshops on how to cope up with challenges after the devastation of the super typhoon, stress debriefing and counseling, and open forum where they voiced out their concerns and needs in their present state. The participants were also taught of different strategies for adaptive and positive behavior that will enable them to deal with the challenges of their lives. “This life skills training is a way of NFCPWD to help our members emotionally and at the same time, to respond to their essentials especially now that they have gone through a traumatic experience,” said Rose Carilla, human resource development officer of NCFPWD.

PWDs belonged to the group of victims who greatly struggled and suffered from the merciless supertyphoon that was Yolanda that struck the city. “They need us the most, that is why we give them priority and focus,” Carilla added. NCFPWD is a nationwide cooperative based in Cainta, Rizal that aims to strengthen livelihood and social integration of persons with disabilities. It is also funded by the Canadian Cooperative Association which establishes cooperatives, credit unions and community based organizations worldwide. (SHAIRA VALENZONA, LNU Intern)

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