TACLOBAN CITY- Amid the rubbles of supertyphoon Yolanda, the tourism industry of this city and the rest of the region is not dead. In fact, it is just the “beginning of a re-birth.” Thus said the secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Taleb Rifai, who visited this city, considered the ground zero of Yolanda, last May 17.  “I have been all over the world. I’ve seen much. I see so many places from America to Europe to Asia to Africa, but I will tell you, this was the devastated episode, but one of the most bright episode of courage, “Rifai said in his speech before provincial and tourism officials held at the Governor’s Hall of the provincial capitol building. “I was struck by the amount of devastation but at the same time, at the same moment, what came to my mind was how courageous these people are. You are still smiling. It is wonderful. It is beautiful,” Rifai said. Amid the scale of destruction left by Yolanda, Rifai said he “see exactly the other way around.” “It is the beginning of the rebirth, the future of development,” Rifai said on what to expect from the impact of the storm. Rifai added that the opportunities after the typhoon include the “the opportunity to learn about mistakes.” “Now that we are reflecting on it, we can do it right. Second, we have learned how important this (tourism) industry. We have seen the industry lost so much. We have seen the loopholes that existed during this challenge. Do it better, make sure that the tourism and travel industry will respond to that,” Rifai said. Asked on the percentage of tourism businesses that prepared against climate change, Rifai maintained “it is difficult to put it on number, to quantify this.” “But we can be sure that every day, we have more businesses committing themselves not only because the business is correct but because the consumers, the travelers in this world are demanding that. The travelers today would like to go to the place where they feel good with what they are doing. They do not go to a place that doesn’t respect the environment.” Rifai said that they are mobilizing to inject more funds in the affected areas to recover its tourism potentials. “We have been injecting (funds), and now we are establishing and working on some technical assistance.” “Don’t give up. Because if you will do, you will send wrong message to the world. Tell the world you are ready,”came Rifai’s appeal, adding tourism “is very stubborn” kind of industry, emphasizing on over a billion tourists travelling around the world. Karina Rosa Tiopes, regional director of the Department of Tourism, expressed her gratitude for the visit of Rifai saying that this will send a message to the world’s travelers that Tacloban and the rest of the region remains to be a safe haven for them and we have much to offer to them. (RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), the premier government owned maritime training center of the Philippines, now offers Ship Security Awareness Training and Seafarers with Designated Security Duties (SSAT and SDSD) Course starting April 24, 2014, for a training fee of P1,200 at the NMP Training Complex, Cabalawan, Tacloban City. This SSAT and SDSD course will provide seafarers with the standard of competence to contribute to the enhancement of maritime security through heightened awareness, recognition of security threats and knowledge of how to respond appropriately and enabling them to undertake their assigned duties under the Ship Security Plan (SSP). This one (1) day course covers theory and practical exercises in compliance with the requirements of the 2010 Manila Amendments to the STCW Convention, particularly of Regulation VI/6 (Mandatory minimum requirements for security related training and instruction for all seafarers), of Section A-VI/6, paragraphs 4-8, Tables A-VI/6-1 and A-VI/6-2 of the STCW Code and as prescribed in MARINA Circular No. 2013-11 Series of 2013, which mandated Maritime Education and Training Institutions (METIS), among others to adopt the Course for Ship Security Awareness and Seafarers with Designated Security Duties. The course was pilot-tested last April 14 & 15, 2014 with Twenty-Two (22) seafarer-trainee participants in accordance with the Agency’s Quality Management System. The course would further enhance the global competitiveness and employability of Filipino seafarers in the international shipping. For inquiries and reservation you may contact NMP with these mobile numbers 09194361409/09296881740/09165429675.

BOBON, Northern Samar- Power consumers of this province who will provide information involving illegal acts are assured to receive a free mobile phone load. This reward system introduced by the Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco) was meant to help reduce the systems loss being experienced by the power cooperative which runs into millions of pesos, said its general manager Hector Tabilisima. The scheme, which is under its newly-launched program “Kilusan ng Sambayanan sa Pagnanakaw ng Kuryente (Kislap Kuryente), is dubbed as “I text ang magnanakaw, load mo libre” at their numbers 09991877876 or 09152924990. The Norsamelco has been suffering a systems loss for months now that reaches up to P2.5 million. Tabilisima, who assumed his post last August, 2013, disclosed in an interview that all information will be treated as confidential. He added, any information which pertains to their erring employees or those with connivance; series(flying)connections; those with direct connections/by pass; and also if you have found a consumer with tampered meters as well as those tilted or inverted meters are the most common causes of our coops systems loss. Further, Tabilisima also said that in order to avail of a “free pasaload worth P100”, after a consumer have texted, the cooperative will acknowledge the text message and an inspection will be conducted right away to verify the information. And once verified to be true, they will at once send the load to the texter or informant.

(PETER D.PAREDES)

TACLOBAN CITY-As rehabilitation remains apparently slow six months after supertyphoon Yolanda hit Eastern Visayas, storm victims asked rehabilitation and reconstruction czar Panfilo Lacson to resign from his post. “We don’t see Lacson at all to be worthy of his post. First, he is incompetent. His and the national government’s nonexistent rehabilitation is the complete reflection of such. Second, he’s got no proper qualification for the post,” Mark Simbajon, one of the convenors of the People Surge, a broad coalition of Yolanda typhoon victims. “Consequently that proves us that rehabilitation is not something the national government really wanted,” Simbajon added. Earlier, Senator Francis Escudero also expressed his frustration over the slow pace in government rehabilitation program claiming that only P4 billion of the P100 billion allotted in the 2014 budget has been released for it. Commenting on this, Simbajon said that “it is a reflection of Lacson’s incompetence and the pseudo rehabilitation Pres. Benigno Aquino III is pushing for.” “(The national gover4nment) is only using the names of Yolanda victims as capital, just like a commodity being sold in the national market,” Simbajon added. The People Surge, which counts of more than 10,000 typhoon victims as members, demanded the government of P40,000 cash assistance to help them rebuild their homes; continued food assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the stop the implementation of the no build zone which prohibits dwellers within 40 meters from the coastline. Meanwhile, Simbajon reported that some of People Surge’s members have experienced harassment by alleged military men under a supposed “new mandate.” “Yes there are happenings of such harassment. At this point, as advised by our legal counsel, we cannot speak much detail yet. Sorry. But we are tightening security measures because of such,” Simbajon said. (RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY-Inflation rate in the province of Leyte slightly went up to 5.1 percent in March 2014, indicating a minimal increase of 0.1 percentage point compared to the 5.0 percent inflation rate in the previous month. The 5.1 percent inflation rate indicates that the general price levels of goods and services in Leyte were higher by 5.1 percent in March 2014 compared to the price levels during the same period the previous year. All of the eleven major commodity groups contributed to the 5.1 percent overall inflation rate. However, the major commodity groups that contributed considerably to the provincial inflation rate were the following: alcoholic beverages and tobacco (14.8 percent); education (12.4 percent) and food and non-alcoholic beverages (7.5 percent). Moreover, five major commodity groups recorded increment on its inflation rate. The highest increase was the 2.9 percentage points increment on the inflation rate of alcoholic beverages and tobacco. Other major commodity groups that likewise recorded increment on its year-on-year rate of price change from February to March 2014 were the following: furnishing, household equipment and routine maintenance of the house (0.3 percentage point); food and non-alcoholic beverages (0.2 percentage point); recreation and culture (0.1 percentage point); and restaurant and miscellaneous goods and services (0.1 percentage point). From December 2013 to March 2014, Leyte’s purchasing power of the peso remained at 68 centavos. For more inquiries, please visit our office at Leyte SR Bldg., Artemio Mate Extension, Brgy. Abucay, Tacloban City. (PR)