ORMOC CITY- Spending money from his own pocket, a former mayor here in Leyte spent millions of pesos just to fulfill his childhood dream to build a shrine intended for Catholic devotees.
Businessman Panfilo Go, 60,a long-time mayor of Hilongos town, said that his plan to construct a shrine started when he had a dream when he was just in Grade 5.
He said that an old lady appeared on his dream asking him to build a shrine where Catholic devotees could pray.
In 1978, he was able to convince a lot owner to sell his property to him located in Barangay Lunang where he built a small chapel.
April of 2017, Go, who had developed a devotion to Agnus Dei, constructed a shrine with the help of a Good Samaritan.
The shrine could accommodate about 1,000 people.
On March 30 of this year, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Most Reverend Gabrielle Giordano Caccia celebrated a Holy Mass at the shrine attended by 3,000 devotees and 20 priests from the Diocese of Maasin.
Inside the 6,000 square meters compound where the modern church was built, a two-story convent was also constructed with the papal nuncio leading its inauguration.
A huge gymnasium was also built with the public can use for free, Go said.
Fr. Chris Estreber, the church priest said, its feast is celebrated every 10th of October and churchgoers from various places come to celebrate.
Belonging to a fanatic religious family, Go said he does count on the money he will be spending for the church and in helping others who are in need.
“Political life is over for me. Three terms as mayor and one (term) as vice mayor are already enough. I have done what the Lord prepared for me in politics and this is my way of extending help to people”, he said. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Former Leyte mayor turns Catholic devotee; builds a shrine where faithful can pray
PNP in EV arrested 33 persons for illegal possession of firearms and other deadly weapons
Part of the campaign to make May 13 polls peaceful
TACLOBAN CITY- A total of 114 banned weapons were confiscated and 33 civilians arrested across the region covering an 11-day operations of the Philippine National Police (PNP) aimed in making the May 13 balloting peaceful and orderly.
The seized weapons were 52 ammunition, 27 bladed weapons, 13 units of firearms which includes 5 units of cal. 45 pistol, 4 units of cal. 38 revolver and 1 unit each for cal. 22 pistol and 5.56 revolver.
Also retrieved at various check points were improvised gun and homemade gun (deholen) and marbles used for ‘holen’ gun, four magazines, two units each for cartridge case and sling bag and one empty shell for cal. 45 pistol.
“I am thankful for the continued support we had received from the community. Let us continue helping one another to achieve a safer election this coming May 13,” said Police Brigadier Dionardo Carlos, the police regional director.
Of the 33 arrested civilians, 19 were from Leyte; four each from Northern Samar and Samar; two from Eastern Samar; and one each from Biliran, Southern Leyte, Tacloban and Ormoc.
The cases of the apprehended persons include violations of BP Blg. 6 (An Act Reducing the Penalty for Illegal possession of bladed, pointed or blunt weapons, and for other purposes), RA 10591 (Comprehensive firearms and ammunition regulation act), frustrated murder, alarm and scandal, violation of Sec. 261 of Paragraph Q of Omnibus Election Code (Carrying firearms oA total of 21,010 PNP personnel along with the Philippine Army conducted the operations across the region March 29 to April 8.
(RONALD O. REYES)
Residents of a remote village in Samar town fled out of fear
In the aftermath of shooting spree by armed men
CATBALOGAN CITY- Several families in a remote village of Gandara town, in Samar, have fled their homes after a group of armed men went into a shooting spree Saturday (April 13) afternoon.
The residents of Barangay San Antonio fled from their houses for fear of their lives after 20 armed men descended to their village at about 4 pm on that day and without any warning, trained their high-powered guns at various directions.
Village chairman Ramon Corocoto said that the fleeing families, composed of 40 persons, left the village to seek temporary shelter at the town center as they feared for their safety.
Corocoto said that the armed men, upon entering their village, shouted who were among them were ‘pula’ or red, alluding to the political color of the Nacionalista Party.
“When they entered the village, they kept on shouting that we are supporters of the red and they will kill us,” the village chairman said.
While the police authorities have yet to establish the motive of the armed men, Corocoto believed that the motive of the suspects were politics.
The shooting spree perpetrated by the suspects resulted to the ‘incidental’ killing of one of their own, identified as Zosimo Casaljay who was later identified to be a wanted person for murder.
Police authorities in Gandara identified the leader of the armed men as one Edmar Wahingon who fired upon at the houses of the villagers who stayed inside their houses during the entire incident.
More than 20 fired cartridges of different calibers and live ammunitions were recovered by the police authorities in the village.
The dead body of Casaljay, who bore a bullet wound at his head, was left behind by the armed group when they left the village.
His remains were brought at the Gandara District Hospital for post mortem examination.
Gandara is among areas in Samar considered to have a volatile peace and order situation during elections. (ROMMEL RUTOR)
Hyundai Tacloban is bullish on 2 brand new car releases
(RONALD O.REYES)
TACLOBAN CITY—Alexander Ray Belleza, branch manager of Hyundai Tacloban, is positive on the upcoming sales of their company’s two new model cars Hyundai Accent and Reina.
“Our target is to sell 50 units per month in Tacloban,” Belleza said during the unveiling of the two models at the Robinsons Mall in Abucay on Friday (April 12).
“Hyundai Tacloban never ceases to address the necessities of Region 8’s motorists to their satisfaction. Hyundai Tacloban effort to strive to be relevant in the automotive industry in the region continues,” the manager added.
According to Belleza, Hyundai has proven its constant relevance, given the barriers such as the rise of inflation rates and significant political and economic events faced by the entire automotive industry in 2018.
“Hopefully, the brand would be able to bounce back this year with its new car releases,” he said.
He disclosed that the auto industry’s performance was reduced by the advance purchases in the latter part of 2017 in preparation for the excise taxes hikes.
“2018’s decline comes after eight consecutive growth years for the Philippine automotive industry. While key model introductions managed to uplift the disposition,” Belleza said in a speech.
While Belleza said that the 2018 Philippine automotive sales stood high amidst a backdrop of uncertainty with higher excise taxes on fuel and vehicles, Hyundai manages to hang on comfortably to third spot with an 8.8 % market share.
“Sales figures often play a huge role in portraying the current relevance of a branch to its consumers. It is simply a variable that speaks in accordance with its numbers,” he said.
In 2018, Hyundai rendered a total of 35,401 units sold which was driven by car the models Kona, Tucson, Grand Starex, H-100, and Accent.
“The uncertainty faced in the automotive industry for the year, Hyundai has proven itself to weather the odds and exceed expectations. The economic landscape shows to be more optimistic, you can expect more from us in 2019,” said Belleza, quoting Ma. Fe Perez-Agudo, the Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI) president and chief executive officer.
A stylish subcompact sedan with practical features, Reina has 1.4-liter petrol engine with class-leading power at 95 PS for quicker maneuverability.
With its sleek and more solid design, the all-new Hyundai Accent has two engine options: the 1.4-liter gas engine making 100 PS and 132 Nm of torque and 1.6-liter CRDI making 128 PS and 260 Nm of torque.
(RONALD O. REYES/LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Residents of a remote village in Samar town fled out of fear
In the aftermath of shooting spree by armed men
CATBALOGAN CITY- Several families in a remote village of Gandara town, in Samar, have fled their homes after a group of armed men went into a shooting spree Saturday (April 13) afternoon.
The residents of Barangay San Antonio fled from their houses for fear of their lives after 20 armed men descended to their village at about 4 pm on that day and without any warning, trained their high-powered guns at various directions.
Village chairman Ramon Corocoto said that the fleeing families, composed of 40 persons, left the village to seek temporary shelter at the town center as they feared for their safety.
Corocoto said that the armed men, upon entering their village, shouted who were among them were ‘pula’ or red, alluding to the political color of the Nacionalista Party.
“When they entered the village, they kept on shouting that we are supporters of the red and they will kill us,” the village chairman said.
While the police authorities have yet to establish the motive of the armed men, Corocoto believed that the motive of the suspects were politics.
The shooting spree perpetrated by the suspects resulted to the ‘incidental’ killing of one of their own, identified as Zosimo Casaljay who was later identified to be a wanted person for murder.
Police authorities in Gandara identified the leader of the armed men as one Edmar Wahingon who fired upon at the houses of the villagers who stayed inside their houses during the entire incident.
More than 20 fired cartridges of different calibers and live ammunitions were recovered by the police authorities in the village.
The dead body of Casaljay, who bore a bullet wound at his head, was left behind by the armed group when they left the village.
His remains were brought at the Gandara District Hospital for post mortem examination.
Gandara is among areas in Samar considered to have a volatile peace and order situation during elections. (ROMMEL RUTOR)
Women candidates square off for mayoralty post; a first in the history of the town
In Biliran
CAIBIRAN, Biliran- This small and remote town could be setting an election record of sort.
For the first time on its political history, three women are running for the post of mayor, squaring off with a lone man candidate.
The women mayoralty candidates are the incumbent vice mayor, Rhodessa Delante; Yolanda Maderazo, the sister of outgoing mayor Eulalio Maderazo, who is her running-mate; and Judith Go, sister of former vice mayor Naricres Go.
The lone man candidate in the crowded mayoralty race is Eddie Visbal, a retired fire officer.
Wilson Ginagate, assistant elections officer of the town, said that this is the first time that more women are gunning for the top post of Caibiran, a fifth class town (annual income: P102 million) with a voting population of 16,625 registered voters.
“This year’s race is very interesting, if not (historical) as there are three women running for mayor and only one man,” Ginagate said.
Based on their record, there are 8,206 women in the town who are registered voters, lower by 213 with that of their male counterparts.
According to him, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has been encouraging more women to run for elective positions as they are also advocating GAD (gender and development) for women equality.
In Eastern Visayas, there are 836 women candidates who are seeking for elective posts up for grabs in the forthcoming May 13 elections.
The number, however, is comparatively small compare to the 2,555 men candidates in the region who are also running for posts for governor, congressman, board members, mayor, vice mayor and councilors.
For Vice Mayor Delante, she is glad that there are more women who are running for the mayor of their town.
She said that the women are now more aware that they could do what men could do, running the affair of a local government.
Delanate,34 and a mother to two young girls, said that she believes that she could get women’s votes, an observation shared by Maderazo.
And obviously, the women candidates are banking on the votes of women, saying they have programs intended for them like livelihood so they would not depend so much on their husbands, in particular.
“They knew that if a woman would lead them, they could be assured that they will be in good hands. They are more comfortable to have a woman leader, I guess,” Maderazo, a retired planning officer of the provincial government of Biliran, said.
Maderazo,60, is confident that it will be a woman who will emerge as the winner in the mayoralty race.
“I’m sure of that. (He) is a weak candidate,” she said, referring to Visbal.
For Vice Mayor Delante, she is also counting her young age to get the votes of young women of their town.
“I really hope to get their votes as I knew that they want to see a young leader like me who will lead our town to progress,” she said.
It was learned that the town has only produced two women mayors: Erlinda Reyes, who served during the remaining years of the Marcos dictatorship, and Floresca Delante, who served from 2007 to 2010.
Incidentally, both women are relatives to Vice Mayor Delante, a former beauty queen. Reyes is an aunt while Floresca is her mother.
For Janet Go, a registered voter, said that she does not really consider the gender of the candidate when she vote.
“It’s more on their programs and what they intend to do to help the people of the town,” the 30-year old woman said, declining to say who will receive her precious vote among the three women mayoralty candidate.
The other candidates, Go and Visbal, were not available for their comments. (JOEY A. GABIETA)