PALO, Leyte- It’s Leyte’s turn to drumbeat its destinations to tourists.
The campaign, dubbed as “Pasyada ha Leyte,” was formally launched last April 28 at the Pag-Ibig Plaza attended by Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico “Mic” Petilla and Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla. During the said launching, the province-wide program aims to boost Leyte’s agriculture sector still reeling from the aftermath of supertyphoon “Yolanda” was also rolled out known as the “More Income in the Countryside” or MIC. The “Pasyada ha Leyte” is part of a campaign of the Department of Tourism to entice tourists to visit Leyte, particularly to destinations of the province that are slowly becoming favorite among tourists.
Among the tourist attractions that were included in the package were the Kalanggaman Island, known for its white beach and sand bar located in Palompon; the geothermal plant and pineapple plantation in Ormoc City; the century-old houses in Baybay City as well as the Palo Cathedral, the Archbishop Palace and the MacArthur National Shrine, all in Palo, among others. Palo town Mayor Petilla said that the “Pasyada ha Leyte” signifies that the province is now back to business, ready to welcome tourists expected to flock to its various tourist destinations.
Petilla, who was once the chair of the Regional Tourism Council when she was the governor of Leyte, said that after the province was pummeled by Yolanda, it’s about time that it rose again with tourism among the engines towards recovery. She added that through the program, prospective tourists could see for themselves the beauty of Leyte.
Meantime, during the same gathering, Gov.Petilla led in the launching of the MIC agri- fair. According to him, the agri- fair will be a good showcase of the resiliency of the Leyteños getting back to their feet after their harrowing experienced due to Yolanda, considered the world’s strongest typhoon to make landfall.
Petilla said that the province’ agriculture sector need to be provided ample assistance considering that it was the most devastated sector. Leyte, he said, was one of the country’s top agricultural provinces before it was struck by Yolanda. Petilla recalled that when a representative from the World Food Program (WFP) visited the command center in Palo five days after the massive storm, two things came into his mind, the rice and coconut industry of the province.
So by the end of November 2013, the different government agencies and WFP pooled their resources together to buy 63,000 sacks of rice seeds for the farmers. By May, 2014, the Department of Agriculture reported a bumper harvest which was very unusual but which was most welcomed by the province. “We also go into compact farming, from 38 farmers before Yolanda, now we have trained 2,500 farmers in high-valued crops,” Petilla said. “We continue to train until the 1,394 barangays in Leyte will be included, which is one way of getting our people out of poverty,” he added. (VICKY C.ARNAIZ)
Effective on May 7, big jets could now land and take off at the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport, three days ahead of an earlier date set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines for the normalization of the operations at the said facility. CAAP, which runs and manages the operations of the region’s biggest airport, earlier, said that big jets could be accommodated at the airport’s runway on May 10. The airport’s runway undergo a major repair after it was damaged when seawater brought by the storm surge generated by supertyphoon “Yolanda” hit the airport located in San Jose district.
More than 600 meters out of the 2,140 meter-length of the airport’s runway need to be repaved for it to accommodate again big airplanes. The 1,400 meters of the runway allowed by the CAAP to be used was only enough to accommodate turbo propeller airplanes. But after 23 days repair, big jets could now again use the runway, said CAAP-Tacloban general area manager Antonio Alfonso. The limited operations at the DZR irked not only ordinary travellers as the air fare more than double from previous fare but the business sector is saying that it resulted economic losses on their part.
But these criticisms were brushed aside by Alfonso saying that they are only after the convenience of the travellers adding that the restriction also resulted to a decrease income for the CAAP. Antonio said that the government also lost close to P220,000 daily from terminal fees and airline charges or roughly P5 million during the 23 days that only small planes were using the airport.
Before the restrictions, the airport handles 14 daily flights to Manila and Cebu with airbuses in full operations. However, with limited runway, the daily flights decreased to just seven times a day. An airbus plane could accommodate 170 passengers while the turbo propeller planes could only hold 72 passengers. The initial announcement for the restriction of operation at the DZR Airport was for 16 days from April 15-30 but the contractor, BM Marketing, requested for an extension up to May 10.
The contractor, however, could be fined because the contract of the repairs of the 338 meters is up to May 30, 2015. Last year, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) closed the airport for airbuses flights due to massive repairs on the runway. The repair last year was halted twice to accommodate the influx of passengers for the holiday season and the historic visit of Pope Francis to Leyte on January 17 that attracted close to 200,000 visitors. (VICKY C. ARNAIZ)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will distribute 274 weighing scales in all the six cities and selected towns in the region to protect consumers’ welfare by ensuring that they get their money’s worth. DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras said the government will complete the distribution of “timbangan ng bayan” in the region within the year. The project is funded by the House of Representatives. “With these calibrated weighing scales, consumers will now have the means to check the weight of goods they are buying and protect them from any manipulation,” Nierras said. New weighing scales have already been shipped to the region, but the DTI is still waiting for the delivery of steel cages to kick off the distribution. “It is free from manipulations by vendors since only the market superintendent can open the cage. This will eradicate the problem of short-selling or short-weighing of some vendors,” Nierras added. The region has 143 cities and towns, but the DTI will distribute 274 sets since there are areas with bigger trading centers and more than one public market. (SARWELL Q. MENIANO)
TACLOBAN CITY- The Persons with Disabilities Affairs Office (PWDAO) of this city is tracking down persons with disabilities not on their data bank for them to be given necessary assistance.
This was disclosed by the office head, Donato Soledad, who said that there are an estimated 1,700 PWDs in Tacloban. However, based on their data bank, there are only 300 PWDs who are registered with their office, Soledad said. According to Soledad, aside from establishing a data bank of PWD’s in the city, there is a need to strengthen the implementation of disability development programs of their office like education, health, employment, livelihood, accessibility, among others.
Soledad said that they are conducting their visits to the 138 barangays of the city to ensure that the PWDs in the villages would be accorded what are due to them.
Meanwhile, Soledad has called for the inclusion of the PWDs in the city disaster risk reduction and management programs. “PWDs and the elderlies should be involved in disaster resilience efforts as they are vulnerable during disasters and they are most in need of help against disasters,” Soledad said. Soledad stressed that despite of their physical infirmities, the PWDs could still be useful members of the society and could be tapped during a disaster. (JAZMIN BONIFACIO)
CARIGARA, Leyte – The Leyte 2nd Engineering District (LED) of Department of Public Works and Highways is proposing a new road project that will serve as an alternative route from Tacloban to Ormoc and down to the southern part of Leyte.
Engr. Carlos Veloso, head of the 2nd LED district, revealed that they may propose the road opening from Barangay Villa Consuelo in Jaro, to Ormoc City as a prime alternative route to the existing Palo-Carigara-Ormoc road. “Aside from reinforcing our existing road networks, we need to have alternative routes because our highways cater not only to ordinary vehicles but also heavy ones which take their toll in our existing roads. And the changing climate that has set a new normal for storms is also affecting much of our road facilities,” Veloso said. The 2nd LED is planning to propose the Jaro-Ormoc road for next year’s funding.
Opening a new road network here is seen to lessen travel time from Jaro to Ormoc by 45 minutes and address insurgency problem along these areas. Jaro is located at the Carigara-Jaro-Burauen complex, one of the two known areas in the province of Leyte that are considered by military to be under the influence of insurgents due to its unexplored vast forest and mountainous areas. Linking the province’s towns and districts have been in the works for years now, providing better access for agricultural produce to be transported from the farms to the market and provide easier transportation and shorter travel time for passengers.
Villa Consuelo is located at the boundary of Jaro in Leyte’s second district and the mountain range of Ormoc. It was learned that aside from Jaro’s agricultural produce such as coconut, corn and other root crops, the village of Villa Consuelo is also home to one of Leyte’s untouched falls- the Duka Falls. The whole village nestles on a slope within the Amandiwing Mountain Range with breathtaking view of mountains, forests and the profusion of tropical flora and fauna. Leyte’s second and fourth districts are seeing the full completion of the Burauen-Albuera road that would connect the province’s east and western part. (AHLETTE C. REYES)
Through the Kalahi-CIDSS Program and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Cahayagan, an island barangay of Laoang was able to construct a two-unit school building and a day care center which still stand proud after the coming of Yolanda, Glenda and Ruby.When asked if the residents were afraid that their project would get destroyed during the onslaught of the typhoons that hit Eastern Visayas, they confidently said “No” because they constructed it themselves.
Through the Kalahi-CIDSS Program and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Cahayagan, an island barangay of Laoang was able to construct a two-unit school building and a day care center which still stand proud after the coming of Yolanda, Glenda and Ruby.When asked if the residents were afraid that their project would get destroyed during the onslaught of the typhoons that hit Eastern Visayas, they confidently said “No” because they constructed it themselves.
LAOANG, Northern Samar- Geographically speaking, Laoang is composed of barangays from the mainland and two islands facing the Pacific and is located at the eastern side of the province of Northern Samar that makes the area vulnerable to typhoons and strong monsoons.
But Laoang is not just a constant target of storms. Like any other towns in the Philippines, it is also stormed by unvarying poverty. This is the main reason why Laoang is one of the early recipients of the Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapit-Bisig sa Kahirapan–Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services- a poverty alleviation program implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas.
Laoang started its Kalahi-CIDSS implementation in November 12, 2006 completing three cycles as a partner implementer of Kalahi-CIDSS: Kapangyarihan at Kaunlaran sa Barangay until 2010. This was followed by Kalahi-CIDSS Makamasang Tugon Community-Driven Development (CDD) Local Policy Planning and Harmonization Project from 2010 until 2012. The Makamasang Tugon is another Kalahi-CIDSS modality wherein good performing LGUs implementing the said program are given incentives to institutionalize the CDD mechanism and were granted additional funds for the purpose.
An additional grant project was also given to Laoang from the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAid) now dubbed as the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) grant in 2013 up to this year. With the implementation of Kalahi-CIDSS, sub-projects like farm-to-market roads, bridges, water supply systems, drainage canals, school buildings, and day care centers were successfully constructed in the municipality, answering the most pressing needs of its residents.
Carmelita Notarte, a day care worker in Barangay Sto. Niño, describes the program as a champion. Because of the grant received from the AusAID, the community has already a center for little kids ready for pre-elementary learning. “Now, learning with children is a lot easier because of the more conducive classroom. The enrollment rate is higher than the usual because more kids want a day care center with complete facilities,” Notarte said.
The municipal government of Laoang has developed and institutionalized the framework of the municipal implementation plan of Kalahi-CIDSS through Municipal Ordinance no. 130 in 2010 creating the Community-Driven Development Center under the Office of the Municipal Mayor. It is competently managed by the municipal coordinating team.
According to Mayor Madeleine Ong, the CDD institutionalization is their way of bridging leadership for citizens’ meaningful participation in local governance and development. “For us, this means strengthening the roles and functions of the municipal and barangay officials in tandem with civil society organizations (NGOs, People’s and Community-based organizations) in applying the principles of broader participation, greater transparency and public accountability in local development planning, budgeting, implementation and performance monitoring and evaluation,” she said.
With the CDD institutionalization, the local government of Laoang has also reconstituted the Expanded Municipal Development Council (E-MDC), making the Kalahi-CIDSS’ barangay project management committee chairpersons as voting members along with their barangay chairmen. Likewise, the Expanded Barangay Development Councils (E-BDCs) was reconstructed designating the Kalahi-CIDSS’ BSPMC chairpersons as vice chairpersons of the barangay chairmen.
The municipality has also reformed the Expanded Local Poverty Reduction Action Team (LPRAT) with voting representations from the Kalahi-CIDSS’ BSPMC, parent-leaders of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, basic sector organizations and civil society organizations. “The trajectory of Laoang’s governance and development work is towards building self-reliant and self-propelling families and communities,” Mayor Ong said.
Cahayagan, an island barangay of Laoang, is a proof that CDD could be a tool against catastrophes.
“Since people are already used to assemblies, it was not difficult to convene them for an urgent meeting before the typhoon hits. When you tell them to evacuate, they will evacuate immediately, no more arguments]”, BSPMC chairperson Vivian Serbito explained. Through the Kalahi-CIDSS, Cahayagan was able to construct a two-unit school building and a day care center which still stand proud after the coming of super typhoons. When asked if they were afraid that their project would get destroyed during the onslaught of the series of typhoons that hit Eastern Visayas, Vivian proudly answered, “We were very confident that the school would not get destroyed because we constructed it. We all helped during the planning stage. In fact, the school building was designed not to face the strong winds during rainy seasons. That is why it is unharmed”.
Cahayagan’s sub-project is a national awardee in 2012 on Best Practice in Social and Environment Safeguard under the grant of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) In her speech during the awarding ceremony of the 1st Bayani Ka! Awards, Mayor Ong emphasized that the local government unit of Laoang has always been directed by the time-honored dictum that Public Office is a Public Trust. “The people of Laoang have been guided by this primordial leadership principle which is anchored on the servant-leadership notion inspired by Jesus Christ’s declaration I come to serve and not to be served.”
The Bayani Ka! Award is a recognition given by the DSWD through Kalahi-CIDSS for the hard work and dedication done by program supporters including LGUs for their active role in promoting CDD. Laoang bagged the award for improved local governance besting other LGUs across the county. According to Ong, if there is one lesson the people of Laoang learned, it is the power of community-spirit and solidarity among different people that can weather any storm or tragedy. Clearly, any circumstance is bearable when people work together and this has always been instilled in the hearts and minds of the locals.
“As a servant-leader, we have crafted a catchy banner called ‘Magburublig Kita!’ or Let us work together! This has been an inspiring and encompassing covenant in reaching out to our people. This is our own way of mobilizing our people into sharing whatever they have to the least, the last and the lost”, Mayor Ong gloriously declared.
With the scaling up of Kalahi-CIDSS into NCDDP or National Community-Driven and Development Program, the program is covering 136 municipalities in Eastern Visayas with a target of 2, 176 sub-projects focusing on rehabilitation to be implemented this year. In 2014 alone, Laoang received P 23.4 million for community infrastructure that will provide basic social services to the public. DFAT and Kalahi-CIDSS on the other hand, is currently implementing 24 sub-projects in Northern Samar which are mostly day care centers and school buildings.
(JENN CASPE PAA)
