TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued over 7, 000 land titles to qualified beneficiaries here in the region last year.
The issuance of the land titles was under its “Handog Titulo” program which is in compliance of Republic Act 10023 otherwise known as “Free Patent Act” as well as under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program of 2016.
“This law (RA 10023) aims to ease the requirements and procedures in the titling of residential lands. It legalizes a Filipino citizen’s rights over a parcel of land actually possessed for at least 10 years provided that the land applied for is not needed for public use or public service,” Leonardo Sibbaluca,DENR regional director, said in a press statement.
Sibbaluca said that the issuance of the free patents is part of the government’s program to reduce poverty and increasing the productivity of the people.
“We care about the economic growth and the total well-being of the people through an equitable access to land,” the DENR official said.
Sibbaluca said that their office, which is responsible in managing, disposing and recording, and administering the alienable and disposable kinds of the state, ensures to facilitate ownership of lands, especially to those who have less in life.
Sibbaluca urged land claimants to file their applicants for land titles at their nearest DENR office.
Aside from issuing free residential patents, the DENR regional office distributed 1, 888 agricultural patents last year, covering an aggregate area of 1, 484 hectares.
The issuance of agricultural patent is under the CARP that aims to alleviate poverty and to promote social equity among landless individuals.
The DENR regional office shows data that 5, 705 residential free patents covering an aggregate area of 91. 53 hectares were distributed to beneficiaries across the region last year. (PEDRO NOYA, EVSU Intern)

CAMP RUPERTO KANGLEON, PALO, Leyte-Police Regional Office 8 under the leadership of Chief Supt.Elmer C. Beltejar, police regional director, acknowledged in a formal rite a total of 290 police personnel who were promoted to the next higher rank during the flag raising ceremony at PRO8 Grandstand Monday (January 30).
During the activity, C/Supt. Beltejar together with Alicia Pardiñas and Arlyn Basas, Napolcom regional office 8 representatives, led the recognition of the newly promoted PNP personnel in the donning and pinning of ranks ceremony.
The event was witnessed by Police Senior Superintendent Allan Cuevillas, deputy regional director for operations; members of the Command Group and Directorial Staff, family, friends, relatives and partners of the promotees.
C/Supt. Beltejar said that out of the 290 promotees, 20 are Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs) and 270 are Police Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCOs).
He further noted that the promotees were composed of eight for the rank of police chief inspector, 10 for police senior inspector, two for police inspector, nine for senior police officer 4, nine for senior police officer 3, 25 for senior police officer 2, 11 for senior police officer 1, 42 for police officer 3 and 174 for police officer 2.
In his message, C/Supt.Beltejar said that the PNP always notes that rank and promotion are not a reward of what was done well but a recognition that each has the potential to do more.
”Your reward will be the exact proportion of your service,” he added.
Moreover, the donning and pinning of ranks is done simultaneously in all levels of command of the PNP to acknowledge the achievement of the promotees. (PR)

CARIGARA, Leyte- Belgian philanthropist Patrick Haghedooren based in Southern Leyte provided a new multi-million worth of hospital equipment for the hospital and health centers in this town.
Haghedooren came with a 40-foot cargo containing donations of 30 hospital beds, delivery tables, mattresses, chairs, tables, sofas, cabinets, hospital staff uniforms and several other medical instruments to equip the local hospital.
All the items were donations from different hospitals in Belgium and were shipped to Leyte via Cebu.
The Belgian national has previously donated similar hospital equipment in Camotes Island and in some towns in Southern Leyte province.
This time, Haghedooren chose to help the Carigara District Hospital (CDH) and some health centers.
“I have seen for myself how lacking in equipment, even beds, some of (the) hospitals here.Patients have to lie in worn-out mattresses and rusty hospital beds,” Haghedooren said.
“I really hope these (equipment) will help patients recover faster and help hospitals in their service,” he added.
The 30 electronic hospital beds alone cost P 6 million, it was learned. Haghedooren usually brings in the medical equipment from Belgium at his own expense.
Haghedooren also said that additional donations of wheel chairs for the town are to be delivered soon.
Town Mayor Eduardo Ong extended his gratitude to the Belgian national saying these equipment will go a long way in furnishing community health centers in the town.
Ong pointed out that with maternal delivery now only allowed in hospitals and birthing centers, the donated equipment can be put into good use.
Meanwhile, Engr. Roque Aguilar, a local philanthropist who has been soliciting donations for CDH, said that the arrival of the hospital equipment is timely considering that its new wing is to open increasing its current 75-bed capacity.
CDH has been undergoing face-lifting and expansion after most of its buildings were destroyed during the onslaught of supertyphoon “Yolanda” in 2013. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- “We should help bring in more investments in terms of agricultural infrastructures and livelihood, especially in areas severely hit by calamities. The opportunity is there under the project (PRDP).”
Thus said Director U-Nichols A. Manalo during the recent Philippine Rural Development Project(PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office 8 (RPCO) and LGU Management Implementation Units’ 1st Quarter Coordination Meeting held in separate sessions at the Department of Agriculture -8’s office building, in Kanhuraw Hill, here.
He pointed out that the usual occurrence of typhoons in the region poses a major challenge for the agriculture sector.
“There are still areas in our region which have not yet fully recovered from calamities. Some displaced farmers still need badly our assistance for them to find better income opportunities,” the DA-8 director said.
“We have more work to do this year. It is high time we push ourselves higher and work together as a team for a much better performance this year,” he added.
In particular, Director Manalo cited the need to fast track the completion of the value –chain analysis and correspondingly, the formulation of the commodity investment plans of the different provinces.
“We could not proceed with any proposed enterprise and infrastructure subprojects without complying with this basic requirement,” he stressed.
Under the project enterprise component, Region 8 has already a total of 45 subprojects submitted with a budgetary requirement of P59 million, 44 of which were approved and funded while 3 more are still subject for approval.
On the other hand, under its infrastructure component, out of 39 subprojects requiring P2.5 billion, 4 are already under ongoing implementation, 7 more had been approved, and 29 are still in the pipeline.
Last December 19-20, 2016, a conditional approval was made by the Regional Project Advisory Board for the concreting of Brgy. Conception to Sitio Morena, Hampangan farm-to- market road, in Hilongos, Leyte involving a total cost of P136.6 million.
The board also unanimously approved 9 micro-enterprise subprojects for the different farmers associations in the province of Northern Samar requiring a sum of P11.3 million.
The funding support under the project for micro-enterprise subprojects partake as part of the DA’s rehabilitation assistance for the farmers affected by typhoon Nona.
“The challenge goes even enormous for Region 8 this year as we will be hosting two important activities for the Visayas cluster. First, will be the World Bank implementation support mission to be held possibly in April and, the mid-term implementation review in November,” Director Manalo said. (PR)

CATBALOGAN CITY- The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) Regional Office VIII conducted a values re-orientation and financial management with simple book-keeping to the 29 members of Catbalogan Overseas Workers and Families Association (COWFA) last January 24, 2017 at SP Session Hall, here.
Director Meilou C. Macawile, provincial director of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Samar steered the morning activity with her talk about entrepreneurship and values re-orientation.
Director Macawile focused her discussion on the process of achieving self-mastery and on what it takes to be an entrepreneur.
Furthermore, she also advised the participants to have a positive outlook in life and to continue pursuing their dreams and start their own business.
After the inspirational talk of Director Macawile, Zeyric D. Tan, DTI-Samar technical assistant facilitated the conduct of the financial literacy Seminar.
The financial management, which as requested by the organization to be conducted, aims to help them be equipped with the proper knowledge in handling their organization’s resources.
Tan taught the OFC members on how to use cashbook for easy bookkeeping and gave them a basic understanding of the financial statement. After the short discussion the participants did a practical application of what they learned and made their own financial statements for the business they want to have in the future.
The COWFA, which was organized last October 17, 2017, is the 22nd OFW Family Circle organized by the RWO 8 in the province of Samar.
The organization was also awarded a certification of registration during the event, which was received by the OFW Family Circle president Hilda Samante.
Maila G. De Guia, Peso manager and OFW Help Desk Officer, also graced the occasion.
Future plans of the organization includes a counselling session with DTI-Samar this February 2017 and looking forward to avail of the free IT training offered by OWWA RWO VIII.(PR)

MANILA-To help fund the proposed pension hike, the Social Security System (SSS) will intensify its collection efforts and improve its collection efficiency by going after non-complying employers, this was disclosed by Social Security Commission (SSC) Chairman Dean Amado Valdez, recently.
“It can’t be denied that there are employers who fail to remit the contributions of their employees or who even fail to report their employees for coverage. I am warning them, we will employ the full force of the law in going after them. Either they pay their obligations including penalties or they go to jail,” Dean Valdez said.
As of December 2016, SSS has initiated legal actions such as issuance of demand letters and filing of cases against over 34,000 delinquent employers since 2010, bringing in almost P1.4 billion in collections to date.
The efforts of SSS also resulted in a total of 38 employer convictions since 2010, with a corresponding collectible delinquency of P61.66 million.
“The SS Commission will formulate policies and improve our monitoring systems to ensure that employers, regardless of its size, comply with their SSS obligations. We warn all erring employers to start changing their ways and start doing things right or face legal sanctions,” said Dean Valdez who added that this is a primary strategy of the agency to improve collections.
Another strategy to improve revenues is in the area of investments.
Dean Valdez reiterated SSS plans to diversify assets by directly investing in up to 25 percent ownership in a wide range of industries, including infrastructure projects like toll roads, real estate and even lotto operations.
“The return on SSS investments has an average of seven percent for 2016, and we hope to bring it up to 15 to 20 percent next year following the enhancements in investment practices and the new investing projects and activities we plan to carry out in the next several months,” Dean Valdez said.
On the issue of operating expenses, Dean Valdez said that SSS has cut down its operating expenses in its 2017 budget by P1 billion as it seeks measures to improve its performance and address the existing structural imbalance in funding. (PR)