PALO, Leyte–In its continuing assistance to help improve the lives of the Filipinos,especially those affected by supertyphoon “Yolanda,” the United States of America through its arm, the USAID(United States Agency for International Development)Rebuild Project, fully supported the Regional Cacao Industry Stakeholders’ Forum in this town.
Marc Barrera, Rebuild chief of party, gave a message in behalf of USAID.
Regional Executive Director Wilson Cerbito of the Department of Agriculture said that the cacao production is a sunrise industry of the region.
Working around the theme “Eastern Visayas Responding to 2022 Cacao Challenge,” the forum held last October 27 was attended by 400 participants from around the region.
Those who participated the summit were provided with needed tools to equip them in the production, processing and the post-harvest.
Agriculture Undersecretary Evelyn Laviña, who was the guest speaker of the occasion, emphasized the importance of program continuity for the success of the cacao industry.
After her speech, she traveled to Barangay Villaconziolo in Jaro, Leyte to talk to the member-farmers of the successful Leyte Compact Farming Agriculture Cooperative.
The cooperative has planted cacao in a six-hectare land area.
This support to the cacao industry is just part of the $143 million assistance provided by USAID to reconstruct and rehabilitate the areas damaged by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013. (VICKY C.ARNAIZ)

PALO, Leyte- Masses will be held in the entire Palo archdiocese, particularly in areas that suffered devastations due to the onslaught of supertyphoon “Yolanda”.
Thus said Archbishop John Du who said that he will personally lead a mass at a mass grave in Tanauan, one of hard-hit areas in Leyte when the world’s strongest typhoon hit Leyte exactly three years ago.
More than 1,000 people were killed in Tanauan and with an estimated damage of P1 billion in properties when it was pummeled by Yolanda.
“There will be masses for the victims (and) for those who died. We will pray for them” Du said.
Masses relative to the commemoration of the third anniversary of Yolanda will also be held in Palo and Tacloban City, considered the ground zero of Yolanda.
Meantime, Du challenged the people to move forward and start to live a normal life now that the horrendous disaster occurred three years ago.
Several activities have been lined up by various local government units in connection to the third anniversary of Yolanda.
Among these activities include the Yolanda Candlelight Memorial in Tacloban, covering 24 kilometer wherein the public are encourage to light a candle as a way of remembering those who perished due to Yolanda.
In Tanauan, one of the highlights of the commemorative program is the transfer of 258 families to their permanent shelters donated by a nongovernment organization.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Members of the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) arrested two men who were caught in a pot session using marijuana.
Arrested were identified as Remark Adolfo,20, jobless and a resident of Barangay 64,BLISS and Ray John Ramos,20 and a resident of Brgy.62-A, Kadungganan Village.
Another companion, Jomel Ventura, who was out of bail due to a robbery case, managed to escape from the police authorities.
The three were caught having a pot session at the back of a mausoleum at the Chinese Cemetery at around 1:20 pm on November 2, All Saint’s Day.
The police officer, assigned at the police assistance hub at the Chinese Cemetery who were conducting their foot patrol at that time, were alerted on the pot session of the three suspects by a concerned citizen.
Right away, the police personnel went to the area and managed to arrest Adolfo and Ramos. The third suspect, Ventura, managed to elude arrest by climbing over a concrete fence on his way to escape.
Confiscated from Adolfo was one piece heat sealed transparent sachet containing suspected dried marijuana leaves while confiscated from Ramos was one piece disposable lighter.
On the other hand, an improvised tooter was drop by Ventura on his way to escape.
Confiscated pieces of drug evidence were turned over to the Regional Crime Laboratory Office (RCLO8) for qualitative and quantitative analysis while the other pieces of non-drug evidence were turned-over to TCPO Evidence Custodian.
The suspects are now under the custody of TCPO Custodial Facility while cases for violation of Sections 11, 12, 13 & 15, Art 2 of RA 9165 are being prepared for filing before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
S/Supt. Rolando V. Bade, acting city police director, commended the duty personnel for a job well done. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY-Early initiation of breastfeeding is one of the core indicators of optimal feeding practices.
It is the proportion of children aged 0-24 months who are breastfed immediately or within one hour after delivery over the total number of 0-24 months old children born on the same period.
Breastfeeding within one hour after birth establishes breastfeeding and ensures that the child will receive its first “protection” from the immunoglobulin found in “colostrum”- the first form of milk produced by the mother’s breast.
It also protects the child from infectious and chronic diseases and promotes cognitive development. It also establishes mother-baby bonding and boosts the confidence of the mother to breastfeed.
A significant increase in the proportion of timely breastfeeding initiation was noted from 51.9% in 2011 to 77.1% in 2013, according to nutrition surveys by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST).
This may be partly due to the strengthened implementation of the Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Initiatives (MBFHI) in both public and private hospitals and clinics.
The MBFHI facilities follow the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding Statements published by the World Health Organization as follows:
Every facility providing maternity services and care for newborn infants should:
– Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
– Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy.
– Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
– Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within half an hour of birth.
– Show mothers how to breastfeed, and how to maintain lactation even if they should be separated from their infants.
– Give newborn infants no food or drink other than breast milk, unless medically indicated.
– Practise rooming-in – that is, allows mothers and infants to remain together – 24 hours a day.
– Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
– Give no artificial teats or pacifiers (also called dummies or soothers) to breastfeeding infants.
– Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.
How the child was taken cared of at birth and how was the baby was fed in particular, ultimately impact on health and survival. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- A barangay in Southern Leyte is protecting a Philippine Eagle and its habitat, a report from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 8 office (DENR-8) said.
DENR-8 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca said in an in an interview that the residents of Barangay Catmon in Silago are protecting voluntarily the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) and its habitat within the village.
Sibbaluca said that the barangay council has passed Barangay Resolution 103 last June of this year to provide conservation and protection measures of Philippine Eagle consistent with section 27 of the Republic Act 9147 otherwise known as the Wildlife Act of the Philippines.
The DENR official said that Brgy.Catmon is located within the Mount Nacolod range wherein the presence of the Philippine Eagle has been reported and a possible nesting site of the national bird.
Sibbaluca said that with the efforts of his office on the information, education and communication campaign, the barangay constituents attended a community-based awareness program activities conducted by DENR-8, instituting the protection and conservation measures of the Philippine Eagle within the barangay area of responsibility. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar- The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and provincial government of Northern Samar launched today (Nov.4) a community-based program for the prevention of corruption, illegal drugs and criminality in barangays.
Entitled Mamamayang Ayaw Sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa Ilegal na Droga or ‘MASA MASID,’ the program aims to encourage communities to take a proactive stance in the government’s fight against corruption, illegal drugs, and criminality.
Provincial information officer Rei Josiah Echano said that MASA MASID is an innovation of massively mobilizing the people against corruption and addiction is the perfect program that can curb these two social evils.
“Truly, with the MASA MASID, the Governor Jun Ong’s will as shown in his issuances and actions will not only have political support but will also have a muscle that will send tremors against the evils of corruption and illegal drug addiction,” Echano said.
DILG Provincial Director Valente Bajet said that the program has four main thrusts: information and education campaign in communities for government programs against corruption, illegal drugs and criminality; creation of a reporting mechanism on illegal drugs-related activities; formulation of community-based rehabilitation programs; and revive the spirit of volunteerism by creating a volunteer-friendly atmosphere for organizations that wishes to be partners for change
“I am urging the municipal mayors and their grass roots leaders to organize similar activities and organizations of Masa Masid so that we can enlist the widest possible participation of our people,” Bajet said.(PR)