ORMOC CITY- At least 20 employees of the city government were randomly selected to undergo a drug test to identify employees believed to be using the illegal drug. The employees, who included some casual workers, were selected after the flag-raising ceremony on August 4. The City Hall has 1,800 employees. Adelaida Biacolo, human resource management officer IV, said the random drug test was the first of a series to ensure of a drug-free work place. The first batch was chosen through a draw and the result is expected in a week. Biacolo added that those who found positive will be endorsed to the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) for recommendation of appropriate action. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Farmers, fishermen in Samar towns received assistance from Sen. Villar, DA
MERCEDES, Eastern Samar- About 1,000 fishermen and farmers coming from five towns in Eastern Samar and two towns in Samar provinces were provided fishing and farm implements by Senator Cynthia Villar and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala. The two officials visited the towns, all devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda, to help them recover from the losses they sustained after they were dislocated after they were hit by the worst storm in the country’s history.
The farmers that were provided assistance by Alcala and Villar, who chairs the food and agriculture committee at the Senate, were from the towns of Mercedes, Balangiga, Lawaan and Giporlos, all in Eastern Samar; and Marabut and Basey, both in Samar province. The distribution of the fishing and farm implements was done on July 31.
Villar said that the distribution of these implements is part of a continuing program of the government until farmers and the fishermen could fully recover after Yolanda’s devastation.
She said that almost nine months after Yolanda together with Sec. Alcala she is hopeful that they have created a high effect in the lives of the farmers in terms of recovery and rehabilitation as well as the agriculture industry in Yolanda stricken areas. Villar already visited 40 municipalities in the different parts of the country to help farmers and fishermen regain their livelihood after Yolanda.
Villar promised that the government will create ways and means to push for programs that will benefit the agriculture industry of the country. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Celebrity chef Logro visits Palo; cooked eggs in several ways
PALO, Leyte- One can cook eggs in so many ways.
This was proven by chef-turned-television host Boy Logro to personally demonstrate to the people of this Yolanda -stricken area the different ways in cooking eggs.
During his visit, Logro, who is a native of Biliran, Biliran, urged the victims present during his demonstration not to be affected by Yolanda but instead make an inspiration out of it to stand up and move forward. He also said that being poor is not an excuse for one to have a better future. Logro said that he came from a poor family but because of his sheer determination, he was able to live now comfortably.
During his antic-filled cooking demonstration, Logro dished out several ways to cook egg, all of his own creations. These included frittata, omelet rice, foo young egg, poach egg, egg pudding, stuffed devil egg, egg maki, egg buffet with culled chicken, baked Alaska and culled burger. Logro, before he started his cooking demonstration, talked his humble beginning as an overseas worker in Oman even he was just an elementary graduate.
He was the chef to Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said which gave him the chance to prepare and serve foods to several international leaders and celebrities who included former American president George Bush, the late King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan, former president Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Princess Diana of Wales.
And when former President Fidel V. Ramos made a state visit to Oman, Logro also prepared and served foods to the visiting former leader. He regaled his audience that as a chef to Oman’s royalty, he was able to visit several countries like France and Switzerland. “It was very enriching experience,” said Logro.
“There is nothing wrong with being poor. There is nothing impossible in this world for as long as you work hard and asked guidance from God,” he added.
Currently, Logro is among the hosts of a morning variety show aired over GMA-7. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
CSC now accepts applications for career examinations this October
GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte-The Civil Service Commission (CSC) here in the region is targeting 6, 590 applicants to take the Career Service Examinations Paper and Pencil Test (CSE-PPT) slated on October 26, 2014.This was learned from CSC’s regional information officer Cristy Joy Macasil who said that the deadline for the submission of applications, both for professional and sub-professional, is on September 11.
The CSC started accepting the applications on April 7. Aside from their office, applications could also be submitted to the Robinsons Place in Tacloban every Saturday and Sunday. Applicants need to pay P500 to take the examinations which served as one of the requirements to enter government service. As of end of July, 973 applicants were already listed to take the examinations.
Macasil said that they expect to hit their target of number of applicants before the date of the examinations. “That’s why we put up some desk on Robinsons Mall of Tacloban to accept the applications during Saturdays and Sundays since there are lots of people there to inform them about the upcoming examination,” Macasil added. (ELIZABETH G. HUGO – LNU – Intern)
DSWD approved request beneficiaries of cash assistance coming from island villages of Guiuan
GUIUAN,Eastern Samar– The beneficiaries of a cash assistance provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund from the island villages of Homonhon and Suluan need not go to the town proper to get their money. This was agreed by officials of the town and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which implements the unconditional cash assistance funded by the Unicef.
There are about 60 beneficiaries coming from the villages of Homonhon and Suluan. The decision to hold the pay out for the beneficiaries was formalized through a resolution approved by the municipal council of Guiuan. DSWD Regional Director Nestor Ramos said that the safety of the beneficiaries travelling to the town proper especially during bad weather was considered why they approved the request of the municipal government.
The move would mean that the beneficiaries need not go to the town center just to get their cash assistance. Under the unconditional cash transfer, the beneficiaries are to receive P4,400 within six months which started last month. As counterpart of the local government unit of Guiuan Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzalez said that he had already instructed the local police of Guiuan to provide security to personnel of NATCO (National Confederation of Cooperatives, DSWD’s partner in the distribution of cash assistance to the beneficiaries. This new scheme of payout will also include the conditional cash assistance of the DSWD under its 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Dengue fever cases up in Calbayog
CALBAYOG CITY- The epidemiology and surveillance unit of the City Health Office (CHO) of this city reported of an increase of number of dengue fever cases for the last seven months of the year compare to last year of the same period. Grace Campo of said office said that based on their monitoring, Calbayog has 166 dengue fever cases from the months of January up to July. Last year of the same period, the city had only 47 dengue fever cases.
Campo said that increase of mosquito bite ailment was noticeable during the months of June and July, considered the onset of rainy season. About 73 cases were reported during the month of June and 50 cases for the month of July. According to Campo, the 166 cases are only from those confined at the four hospitals in the city and not included those not admitted in the health facilities and patients directly brought to hospitals in Tacloban City or in Cebu City.
It was learned that out of the 157 barangays of Calbayog, 33 were reported with suspected dengue cases. These are cases an barangay Dagum with 18 cases; Obrero 14; Payahan 13; Hamorawon and Capoocan 11 cases each; Rawis and West Awang 9,; Trinidad, Nijaga and Carayman with 8 confined cases; Bagacay 7, East Awang and Matobato 6; Carmen and San Policarpo 5; Bagacay 4; Peña 3; Basud, Bontay, Dinagan, Gadgaran and Mag-ubay with 2 cases and one confined suspected dengue cases from barangays of Aguit-itan, Begaho, Cabatuan, Cagsalaosao, Cahumpan, Central, La Paz, Longsob, Lonoy, Navarro and San Joaquin.
Campo added that they still have to analyze the data clustering of the reported cases particularly in every sitio of the barangays with the high occurrence of the disease before they can declare an outbreak. She added that based on their initial assessment, declaration of an outbreak is not necessary since the situation of reported suspected dengue cases in the city is sporadic.
As of now, the city through the CHO has intensified their campaign against dengue in the barangay level and dengue vector surveillance is ongoing particularly in barangays with high incidence of the disease. The CHO likewise reminds the public to maintain the cleanliness of the community to avoid dengue and other diseases. (JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO)