TACLOBAN CITY- In the light of President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to release the P5,000 financial assistance to the survivors of supertyphoon “Yolanda”, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is coming up with a clean list – checking on the spelling of names, ensuring no double entry and the recipients have not received any housing assistance and the emergency cash assistance (ESA) earlier given to the survivors.
According to Vina Aquino, DSWD regional information officer, DSWD Director Marita Pimentel Field Operations Officer under Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, visited Tacloban City to explain the criteria and the mechanics in facilitating the validation of some 62,196 claimants from the region.
The President has released P2 billion to the DSWD after the third commemoration of the Yolanda tragedy last November 8, 2016.
On his visit last January 25, he reminded Taguiwalo why the new cash assistance of P5,000 has not been released to the survivors.
Pimentel said the final list will be submitted to the Office of the President on February 10 of this year.
She, however, emphasized that there would be no additional lists submitted beyond the Yolanda’s third anniversary anniversary where Pres. Duterte made the pronouncement.
She said that the last count is 194,000, with over 61,000 claimants coming from Eastern Visayas.
Pimentel said that those who will have access to the grant are those from the list submitted by non-governmental organizations and people’s organizations, the list of unfunded ESA beneficiaries submitted to the Department of Budget and Management, and those grievances validated by the DSWD.
Those identified for shelter assistance from the government or have already acquired housing, will be excluded from the benefit, Pimentel pointed out.
Families who totally lost their houses received P30,000 as their ESA while those whose houses sustained damages received P10,000.
Pimentel said the DSWD is also finalizing on the mechanism, adding that the funds from the Office of the President will be coursed to the DSWD and then go direct to Land Bank of the Philippines.
She also stated that for Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries who are included in the list, there would be no problem as they have already the cash card.
The beneficiaries of the new cash grant will come from the Yolanda corridors or the provinces affected from Eastern Visayas, Panay, Cebu and Palawan.
(VICKY C. ARNAIZ)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) leads this year’s Civil Registration Month (CRM) celebration with the theme “Pilipinong Rehistradao, Matatag na Kinabukasan ay Sigurado”, in consonance with the global advocacy of getting everyone registered and of promoting awareness on the importance of civil registration in the lives of every Filipino.
The 2017 CRM celebration in the region will kick-off with a caravan last Friday 2.
This will be participated in by PSA Regional Statistics Services Office 8 (RSSO 8), PSA – Provincial Statistical Offices (PSOs), and Local Civil Registry personnel in the region. This will be followed by a Program hosted by LGU-Burauen at the Burauen Gymnasium.
In the provinces, the CRM will be launched consecutively from February 1-7 with a mass, motorcade and a short program.
PSA lined up activities to highlight the month-long celebration. Among them are symposia, data dissemination seminars, trainings, exhibits, slogan and poster making contests, tree planting, information and education campaign such as press conference, media interviews, and hanging of CRM streamers and tarpaulins.
Provincial Civil Registration Quiz among secondary schools will be conducted by the respective PSOs in preparation for the Regional Civil Registration Quiz which will be held early in March.
Other activities related to the CRM celebration initiated by the different Local Civil Registry Offices (LCROs) in coordination with PSA are mass weddings, mobile registrations and free issuance of certifications. For more details on these activities, please contact or visit the respective LCROs.
The CRM is celebrated in February of every year pursuant to Proclamation 682 issued on January 28, 1991 and signed by then President Corazon C. Aquino. (PR)

CATBALOGAN CITY-The medical-dental plus serbisyo caravan in Barangay Canbaguio, Villareal, Samar served some 500 people coming from four barangays on Wednesday (January 25).
The elderlies lined up for the medical corner where nurses, doctors and other health workers attended to their medical needs.
Children had the time of their lives as the group Soldiers Wives and Girlfriends (SWAG) distributed school supplies.
Others though preferred pampering with a team of TESDA (Technical Education Skills and Development Authority) trained masseurs, manicurists and hairstylists from Sta Rita town who offered their services free of charge.
Primo Regis, TESDA’s assistant provincial director, said that the Sta Rita team enjoys joining the Army’s Barangayan Serbisyo Caravan as they are able to fulfill the dreams of their fellowmen, to be pampered for free.
Younger boys submitted to circumcision.
It was the first time, said village chairperson Lourdes Gabiana that they received so many visitors which delivered goods and services.
Jun Arceno of PIA-Samar distributed MASA tabloids to those waiting in line to be served.
Mayor Marilou dela Torre welcomed the caravan folks led by Lt Col Miguel Ceballos of the 87th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army, based in Calbiga town.
Last week, Ceballos and his team of the Barangay Service Caravan were in New San Agustin, Basey where they provided the same services to the Basaynons. (PIA-SAMAR)

CALBAYOG CITY- Wanted: students who will take agriculture-related courses.
Those who will take the offer are not only sure of free education but employment.
Mayor Ronaldo Aquino of this city said that he is offering 10 slots while another 10 slots will be offered by the office of Rep. Edgar Mary Sarmiento for scholarships for students who will take agriculture-related courses.
In the region, agriculture-related courses are being offered by the Visayas State University in Baybay City and at the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar.
The Calbayog city mayor lamented that only very few students from the city or other parts of the province are taking agriculture-related courses which he find it ironic considering that Samar is known to be depended so much on agriculture.
“The reason why I came up with this program is that we already lack of people who are experts in agriculture, those who have technical know-how in the said field,” Aquino said.
He pointed out as an example the posts of farm technicians for the city government remains vacant up to now because of lack of takers who are qualified for the vacant posts.
Mayor Aquino said that those who will avail of the scholarship program will have no worry except to concentrate on their studies.
As a sweetener, they will be right away absorbed by the city government under its work force, the city mayor added.
“They will work with the LGU for five years after they graduate. If there is an item available related to their course they will be the priority.If there is none, they will work as a contractual employee,” Aquino said.
Rep. Sarmiento supports the proposal of Aquino.
He said that Samar as an agricultural province need to have enough experts in the said sector.
“We want these students will have really a passion on farming; that he believes that there is a good fortune in farming,” Sarmiento said.
Mayor Aquino, meantime, also asked Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan to also offer the same scholarship program.
“I also ask our good Governor Sharee Ann Tan to do the same for the province to have scholars enrolled in an agriculture course because we lack of students who are inclined in agriculture,” he said. (JENNIFER SUMAGANG-ALLEGADO)