TACLOBAN CITY-Farmers in Eastern Visayas must have realized the importance of crop insurance after the devastation caused by supertyphoon “Yolanda” as more farmers are availing of government crop insurance. Data gathered from the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation(PCIC) regional office shows a huge increase in the number of farmers who have filed for indemnity for loss of crops before Yolanda and immediately after compared to last and current year. Records of PCIC-8 office shows 12,981 claims for loss have already been filed for the first semester of the current year. This is already higher than the 12,915 claims filed for the entire 2015. In 2013, only 4,234 farmers claimed for loss of crops and 4,797 in 2014. Indemnity paid to farmers has also shown a steady increase for the last three years- P18.89 million in 2013, P52.37 million in 2014, P55.19 million in 2015. And for the first semester of the year, its P64.93 million. Rice remains the top product among the seven insurance lines which also include corn, high-value commercial crops, livestock, fishery, non-crop agricultural asset and term insurance packages. Figures for this year show that of the 12,981 claims that were filed, 12,362 were for rice, 422 for high value crops, 141 for corn, 49 for livestock, and four term insurance packages. No claims were made for non-crop and fisheries. “Crop insurance is very important in building back and improving the productivity of our farmers,” says Dominico Digamon, PCIC regional manager.
“Farmers will be more motivated to plant if they know that they will at least recoup their investment in times of calamities. It boosts farmers’ resilience from climate change,” he added.
Crop insurance: Vital in building back agriculture economy of Eastern Visayas
DENR-8 asks public to help combat illegal possession, trade of wildlife
TACLOBAN CITY-The regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is calling on the public to help its intensified drive to stop the illegal possession and trade of wildlife in Eastern Visayas. DENR-8 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca made this call after 15 pythons were recovered at the house of Albuera Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa and his son Kerwin. The Espinosas were tagged by President Rodrigo Duterte to be in the illegal drug trade with Kerwin alleged as the region’s number drug lord. The beleaguered mayor, however, denied that he is into illegal drugs activity. Sibbaluca said that illegal trade and possession of wildlife is punishable under Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001 with imposed imprisonment and fines as determined by the judge. Sibbaluca said that he is appealing and encouraging the public to report to his office or to the field offices in the region regarding the collection, possession or selling of wildlife for rescue. The Espinosas, based on DENR record, have no permit to possess the animals. Sibbaluca said that the rescue was made possible when one anonymous caller called his office last August 12 regarding the pythons at the custody of the Espinosas. The rescued animals were brought to the DENR-8 Regional Wildlife Rescue Center in Palo, Leyte. They are to be release to any of the DENR-8 protected areas in the region, as their habitat, when their health already good enough to sustain in the wild as determined by the veterinarian. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)
House Speaker Alvarez to grace Leyeco III’s 37th AGMA
TUNGA, Leyte- This coming 27th of August, 2016 will mark a milestone in the history of Leyte III Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Leyeco III) as it holds its 37th Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA).
During last year’s AGMA, the coop’s made history for having President Rodrigo Duterte, who was then the mayor of Davao City that time, as its resource speaker.
The President then graciously attended Leyeco III’s 36th AGMA and spoke before a 5,000 awe-struck crowd. His presence during that AGMA was indeed an accomplishment that is hard to duplicate.
Not one to rest on its laurels, Leyeco III, this time, brings to the AGMA as its resource speaker no other than the fourth most powerful person in the country, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez.
General Manager Allan L. Laniba personally invited Speaker Alvarez day after the State of the Nation Address of President Duterte.
“He committed to come and visit Leyeco III, and he would also like to see what had happened to our region after supertyphoon Yolanda,” assured GM Laniba.
Mr. Alvarez represents the first district of Davao del Norte and was endorsed by the PDP-LABAN as the Speaker in the 17th Congress.
Last July 25, 2016, he was elected overwhelmingly as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Alvarez was voted by 251 out of 293 members of the House after being nominated by his predecessor, Quezon City 4th District Rep. Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. Congressmen from other political parties seconded Belmonte’s nomination.
“The presence of the House Speaker is a great blessing for Region 8 because he is very much close to the President, mag-kumpare yan sila. This would be a great opportunity to air our concerns and issues in the electric industry,” GM Laniba stressed during his announcement to his employees.
His statement pertains to the agenda of their AGMA, namely:
1. Request to abolish the 12% VAT in electricity
2. Request to convert Leyeco III calamity loan into subsidy
3. Request for appropriation of calamity fund for ECs
4. Approval of meter deposit as donated capital
5. Confirming Board Resolution Nos. 2016-05-79, 2016-07-113 and 2016-07-114
The registration for their AGMA will start on August 22, 2016 until August 27, 2016 at 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, at Leyeco III main office, Tunga, and its sub-offices under their coverage area.
Non-member-consumers of the coop are also welcome to witness the presence of the House Speaker during the AGMA. Indeed, this is an event worth looking forward. (PR)
Aiza Seguerra to promote welfare among LGBT members
CEBU CITY- The newly- appointed chairperson of the National Youth Commission(NYC) Aiza Seguerra will give focus in providing protection and information awareness among youth, giving special focus among members of the LGBT community. Seguerra clearly stated that gender sensitivity and awareness will be on the list of her priorties which also include the prevention of spreading of human immuno deficiency virus (HIV), mental health, unemployment of LGBT youth, the harassment, bullying of the youth and the empowerment of youth. Seguerra, who wanted to be addressed as “he,” said that no region including Eastern Visayas will be left out. “It is my goal, since our President is pushing for federalism, it will also be my priority making sure that no region will be left out when it comes to projects for the youth” he said. Seguerra acknowledged that the previous administration tend to overlook other regions and focus most of the projects in Manila. Seguerra is planning as early as now to visit all the regions in the country for him to see the problems the youths are facing now. “The real data will never be presented to you, it is best to go the ground and see for yourself the real deal” Seguerra said. In Eastern Visayas, Seguerra vowed to work with other national government agencies to address the problems after youth were devastated by supertyphoon “Yolanda.” “It’s what is good with NYC because we can always partner with other government agencies, such as the Department of Labor when it comes to unemployment and the Department of Social Welfare and Development when it comes to other concern,” he added. Seguerra is aware that previous chairman of the commission were not able to perform their job perfectly but for himself he vowed that in his term all programs and projects will be inclusive. Seguerra was the guest of honor of the recently concluded Pink Ink Training: Empowering Professional Media PR actioners to deal LGBT human rights issues last August 13 in Cebu where he discussed sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. He was joined by his wife, Liza Dino. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Former Samar mayor charged for malversation of funds by the Ombudsman
TACLOBAN CITY-For not remitting the town’s tax collections, the Office of Ombudsman ordered for the filing of malversation charge against a former mayor of San Sebastian in Samar. Recommended by the anti-graft court for the Sandiganbayan to prosecute for malversation of funds and violation of section 3 of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act 3019) was former mayor Arnold Abalos. The complaint against Abalos, who ended his second term as mayor of the town this year, stemmed from his failure to remit the tax collection of his town in the amount of P1,272,831.63 for the years 2008 and 2009. Also charged was municipal treasurer Virginia Uy. The failure of Abalos and Uy, both accountable officers for the funds of San Sebastian, to remit the tax collections gave rise to the presumption that respondents misappropriated the amount intended for the Bureau of International Revenue, the Ombudsman stated. (MEL CASPE/RYAN ARCENAS)
Police found checks issued by Kerwin to officials
To cover his illegal activities?
TACLOBAN CITY- Chief Inspector Jovie Espenido, police chief of Albuera, Leyte, revealed that names of several police and Army officials as well as elective officials and some media personalities appeared several times on the checks issued by alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa. The checks were discovered by the police authorities at the back of the barangay chapel in sitio Tinago, Barangay Binulho last August 15. Espenido, however, declined to provide the identities of those who reportedly received the checks issued by Espinosa who still remain at-large. The checks, which were returned checks which mean these were already withdrawn, were recovered by them after they received an information on the items, Espenido said.
The checks were issued from 2014 until June of this year amounting in all to around P500 million. “An informant called and informed me that checks placed in short brown envelope and in folder, were found at the back of the chapel in Binulho. The checks, of about 500 pieces, belong and issued by Kerwin,” he said. The money received by the recipients could have been used by the alleged drug lord to bribe them for him to continue his illegal drug activity, the police chief said. Espenido, however, was cautious in providing names and the amounts involved saying the checks would still be verified for “authenticity purposes.” “We will have all these 500 pieces of checks verified first by our crime laboratory,” he said.
The checks were forwarded at the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police at Camp Crame. Espenido said that he would welcome any one of those who reportedly received the checks to come to his office and cooperate on their investigation regarding this matter. Kerwin is the son of Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr., who reassumed his post last Tuesday (August 16) after he temporarily abandoned it on August 2. Meantime, Espenido said that he has not yet met Mayor Espinosa since his return. He admitted that he want to confront the embattled mayor over the issue against him. “But I assure him of police protection. But really my hands are itchy…” Espenido said. “He has been accused of peddling illegal drugs and yet he has still the gall to return here. Ang kapal ng mukha niya,” the town police chief said. (JOEY A. GABIETA)