TACLOBAN CITY- Practically all houses located in the resettlement sites in this city have now power connection, beating the deadline set by Malacañang.
Engineer Fernan Paul Tan, general manager of the Leyte II Electric Cooperative (Leyeco II), announced that even houses who have no occupants have now power supply. Leyeco II provided power connections to around 11,000 houses at various resettlement sites in Tacloban.
“Leyeco II, being a resilient cooperative, and with the experience of the supertyphoon, was able to do our job. In two weeks’ time, a record breaker, we were able to finish energizing the houses with primary and secondary lines,” Tan said during the gathering of the members of the Multi-Sectoral Electrification Advisory Council (MSEAC) held last Sunday (December 18).
MSEAC is a group which serves as an advisory council to the officials of the Leyeco II with its members coming from various sectors within the coverage area of Leyeco II, Babatngon, Palo and Tacloban City.
Tan said that no less than President Rodrigo Duterte directed Leyeco II, together with concerned agencies like the Department of Public Works and Highways, Leyte Metropolitan Water District and National Housing Authority, issued a directive for them to address problems besetting the resettlement sites, located in the northern parts of Tacloban, intended for families who totally lost their houses due to supertyphoon “Yolanda” within this month.
Mr. Duterte issued the order during his November 8 visit in Tacloban coinciding the third year anniversary of Yolanda.
But Tan said that Leyeco II was able to finish their work by December 11.
Tan said that they were able to do their job with the help of linemen coming from other electric cooperatives from the region.
The electric cooperatives worked at the resettlement sites under “Task Force: Duterte Speed.”
Because of its sterling work, Leyeco II was given recognition by Malacañang, through Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Sec. Michael Lloyd Dino, along with other government agencies.
It was learned from Tan that all the permanent shelters were given an individual electric meter although the process could turn out to be disadvantageous to the power cooperative.
This is because, Tan said, not all of these houses have occupants who would pay the monthly electric consumption.
Tan also announced that Leyeco II has to recover the amount it spent to connect power supply to these houses at the resettlement sites. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Leyeco II: Houses at the resettlement sites have now power connections
Heavy rains resulted landslides in Samar provinces
TACLOBAN CITY – Incessant rains dumped over the weekend has caused landslide and flood incidents that rendered some roads impassable in Samar provinces until early morning Monday(December 19), the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported.
In a situationer report sent to media, the DPWH has monitored 11 landslides, rockslides and roadslips in three Samar provinces that blocked the highways.
Floodings in 13 sections of national roads have been reported, thus preventing traffic flow in some busy streets.
“The DPWH has been doing everything to clear the highway from landslide and rockslide debris in order to curb further disruption of traffic flow,” said DPWH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Edgar Tabacon.
Landslides, rockslides, and roadslips have been noted in road sections along Borongan to Guiuan, San Julian, Taft, Arteche to Taft in Eastern Samar; Calbayog-Allen, Calbayog-Catarman, Calbayog diversion road in Samar; Laoang-Catubig, Lapinig-Arteche, and Palapag-Mapanas-Gamay-Lapinig road in Northern Samar.
Highways submerged with floodwater were reported along road sections in Taft-Borongan in Eastern Samar; Calbayog City in Samar; Catarman-Calbayog, Lope de Vega, Catarman, Bobon, Mondragon, Laoang-Catarman, Laoang-Catubig-Las Navas, Laoang-Catubig, Lapinig-Arteche, and Palapag-Mapanas-Gamay-Lapinig in Northern Samar.
On Monday, the state weather bureau Pagasa has raised flood warning for rivers in Oras, Dolores, Ulot, Taft, Borongan, Suribao, Llorento, Balangiga and Sulat, all in in Eastern Samar, due to northeast monsoon that will bring light to moderate rains
Other affected water courses are Catarman, Bugko, Pambujan, Catubig, Palapag, and Gamay in Northern Samar; Sangputan, Palo, Salano, Daguitan, Marabong, Cadacan, Bongquirogon, Salug, Pagbanagaran, Pagsangahan and Binahaan in Leyte; Bisay, Himbangan and Pandan in Southern Leyte; and Basey, Silaga, Calbiga, and Jibatan rivers in Samar.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO)
Tacloban city government celebrates 8th HUC Anniversary
TACLOBAN CITY– Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez led the celebration of the 8th Anniversary of Tacloban’s conversion into a highly urbanized city (HUC) last December 18-19, 2016.
The celebration highlighted with an HUC Run organized by the City Sports Office (CSO).
Joel Bugho, CSO chief, the event dubbed HUC Commemorative Run 2016 was the single big event of the HUC Day celebration.
The fun run started at 2:00 am at the City Hall Grounds which included four categories for men and women: 42 K, 22 K, 10 k, and 3 k.
Participants who registered received singlet, loot bags, and finisher t-shirts; while winners received cash prizes and medals.
Sponsors for the event include Leyte 1st district Representative Yedda K. Romualdez, QRJ and USAID.
TOMECO, ACCESS 5, BFP, TACRU, Red Cross Delta, ACCESS 5, Basketball Association of the Philippines served as marshals during the event.
Bugho said the city government plans to make the fun run a regular event during HUC Day.
A citywide clean-up drive participated by City Hall employees preceded by a Thanksgiving Mass at the Sto. Niño Church at 9:30 am on Sunday.
Other activities held for the 8th year of Tacloban’s declaration as an HUC included a recognition program for the top 10 real property and business taxpayers of the city and the distribution of food packs worth P1,500 to 100 indigent senior citizens wait-listed for the social pension program of the City Social Welfare and Development Office on Monday, (December 19).
For the eight years that Tacloban has been an HUC, the city has received numerous national and regional awards and citations recognizing its exemplary performance and programs.
Economic progress has likewise become evident in the city in the past years with the influx of various businesses and improved infrastructures, despite of Tacloban’s suffering from the devastation of the world’s strongest typhoon, supertyphoon “Yolanda” that hit the city on November 8,2013.
Former Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez worked for the conversion of Tacloban as an HUC during his first term as Chief Executive.
Tacloban became an HUC after an overwhelming number of Taclobanons voted for its conversion in a plebiscite held December 18, 2008. (HENRY JAMEZ G. ROCA/CIO)
Beltejar assures no tolerance of police abuses
PALO, Leyte – Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar reiterated once again his earlier stance against abuses perpetrated by his men.
“We will not tolerate abuses of our men,” Beltejar emphatically stated at the Christmas party of the PNP Press Corps on Friday (December 16) held at the Matapat Hall in Campetic, this town.
He asked members of the media to inform him of any abuses committed by police officers that reach their knowledge so he can do something like filing administrative cases against erring cops.
Alleged police abuses came into light as the national government under President Rodrigo Duterte wages a relentless if not brutal campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs.
Some human rights groups claimed that some of the so-called extrajudicial killings were perpetrated by the police themselves.
Recognizing the time-honored role of the media as watchdog of the society, Beltejar told newsmen not to hesitate to report to him cops that “ that went out of bounds or did not follow the standard operating procedures,” adding that these are acts that his leadership cannot tolerate.
According to Beltejar, in his talk with the PNP Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, the latter assured him that if it would be found out that the operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) who served search warrants at the Leyte subprovincial jail in Baybay City on November 5 this year really erred, their acts will not be tolerated.
The operation of the CIDG at very early dawn that day led to the death of former Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., father of the alleged drug lord of the region, Kerwin Espinosa.
Another inmate, Raul Yap, was killed during same operation, whom the CIDG team head C Insp. Leo Larraga claimed placed his man’s life in danger.
The untimely death of the older Espinosa and Yap prompted the National Bureau of Investigation to conduct its own probe.
The investigation found the operation of the CIDG operatives positive for failure to follow the proper procedures which turned out to be a rub out.
Beltejar commended the media for taking a very active stance on the issue about the Espinosa drug group which helped in giving information used during an inquiry conducted by the Senate.
Meantime, PRO8 Regional Police Community Relations Division chief S/Supt. Elizar Egloso, like Beltejar, expressed confidence in the new set of officers of the PNP Press Corps.
Vicky Arnaiz, president of the PNP press corps, assured that the newsmen who are members of the organization will maintain a neutral stance amidst issues confronting the PNP. (EILEEN NAZARENO-
BALLESTEROS)
Truce on drug war this Christmas?
In the data obtained by Rappler.com a total number 6,095 of people were killed in Pres. Rody Duterte’s war on drugs since July 1, 2012 suspected drug personalities killed in police operations, as of December 14; and 3,993victims of extrajudicial or vigilante-style killings, as of December 12. This unprecedented number which never had occurred in the country’s history is a pride of the Duterte administration, an indicator of success of its all out war against drugs. The public however could not contain their angst over the spate of killings spurred by the current administration’s program.
While the leadership of the Philippine National Police constantly denounces police brutality and abuse, the death toll keeps hiking in all time high. This creates the inevitable imprint in the mind of the people that the Philippines is in open season on killing. Police authorities and unidentified assailants including the so-called “Davao Death Squad” are in apparent murder spree over particular “targets”. Again, utilizing the reasons and leeway so boldly articulated by PRRD, the killers enjoy the elusive impunity.
The Catholic Church is strongly opposed to death penalty, much more to the extra-judicial killings going on across the archipelago in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs. In this season of love and gift-giving, can it be possible that like a ceasefire between rebel troops in Mindanao and the government forces, there will also a truce on war on drugs this month? At least this time, life which is the most important gift to humanity, will be given worth. The dictum “Save the user, jail the pusher” can by then be given practical application.
Sec.Sueno directed BJMP to clean facilities, personnel of illegal drug
TACLOBAN CITY- Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno issued a stern warning to all jail officials and personnel to clean their facilities from the illegal drugs or face sanctions.
Sueno made this warning during his visit to Tacloban last December 14 wherein he said that illegal drugs continue to the discovered in jail facilities, citing in particular those in Metro Manila.
“I received reports that some BJMP (Bureau of Jail Management and Penology) personnel are involved in the illegal drug trade,” Sueno said.
He said that he will personally check on this matter and find out how many BJMP are involved in the illegal drug either as users or as protectors.
In the region, BJMP regional director, Senior Supt. Efren Nemenio, said that he could assure the Interior Secretary that the jails in the region are free from illegal drug and his personnel are not into engaged in the illicit business.
He, however, said that there are few personnel who are under their monitoring to “validate” reports that they are into illegal drug.
“We have also list of BJMP personnel who are into illegal drugs and (similar list) based from the PNP (Philippine National Police) and PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) also,” Nemenio said.
There are 46 jail facilities in the region that are under the supervision of the BJMP which has 401 personnel.
Recently, a BJMP member assigned in Tacloban City, was arrested in a buy-bust operation last December 13.
Arrested was Ronelda Calamayan,52, together with one Teddy Magpili,44, both residents of Barangay 83-C, Taguiktik, San Jose district, this city.
At least 28 sachets of methamphetamine (shabu) were confiscated from the suspects who are now detained at the Tacloban City lock-up facility. (JOEY A. GABIETA)