Under a cloud of being abused

TACLOBAN CITY- Starting this month, all the 138 barangays of this city would be required to install drop boxes wherein names of suspected drug dependents, among others, would be dropped in.
Lawyer Darwin Bibar, city local operations officer, said that the drop box is one of the mechanisms wherein names of individuals who are suspected for committing illegal acts could be charged accordingly.
He, however, said that barangay residents who have a complaint against their co-residents or officials, fearing their security, and whom they claimed to have committed crimes like corruption or abuse of authority, could also use the drop box.
“We are doing this with the consent of the barangays and we have requested the (barangay people) to report all kinds of crimes to include illegal drugs,” Bibar said.
Asked on the possibility that this mechanism could be abused, Bibar said that they have devised a scheme to verify the information.
“There is a safety measure because we are aware that this could be subjected to abuse. We will ensure that this report will undergo validation process and will be forwarded to the concerned agency like the city police or PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) or Office of the Ombudsman,” he said.
“We will not just act on them without undergoing a validation, considering this will be done anonymously,” Bibar added.
He also added that their office has trained personnel on intelligence gathering.
Their office will issue an envelope to the barangays which they will use in writing the names whom they suspect to be drug dependents, for example, Bibar said.
Bibar said that the putting up of the drop boxes in the villages is in consonance to a directive from their central office in the light of their campaign dubbed as ‘Masa Masid’ or ‘Mamamayan Ayaw sa Anomaliya, Mamamayan Ayaw sa Iligal na Droga.’
Ronnie Dayon, barangay chairman of Brgy.71, this city, said that while he would comply with this directive, he still has apprehension on the putting up of drop boxes.
“There is no doubt that this could be abused. One who has an axe to grind against his neighbor, for example, could write the name and place it in the drop box,” he said.
About 27 drug users of Dayan’s village voluntarily surrendered under the government’s ‘Oplan Tokhang.’
Bibar said that while their office is behind on this campaign, it is the barangay which will shoulder the cost in the making of the drop box.
According to Bibar, each drop box would cost P1,300 and should be made from a fiberglass and placed outside the barangay halls.
“The fund should be sourced from their Badac (barangay anti-drug council),” he said.
He added that they target to put up all the drop boxes by October 25.
Aside from the barangay halls, they also intend to put drop boxes at the City Hall and even Church.

‘Yolanda’ anniversary

TACLOBAN CITY- The Sangguniang Panlungsod of this city unanimously approved an ordinance declaring every November 8, the day Tacloban was devastated by super typhoon ‘Yolanda,’ as a day of remembrance and gratitude.
The measure, principally authored by Councilor Aurora Aimee Delgado-Grafil, was passed by the city council on September 20.
“November 8 of every year is hereby declared as ‘A Day of Remembrance and Gratitude’ in the city of Tacloban to pay tribute to the memory of all who died during the onslaught of (super) typhoon ‘Yolanda’, to the survivors whose resiliency inspired people around the globe, and to all volunteers and organizations who took part and contributed in the recovery and rehabilitation efforts of the city,” part of the ordinance said.
The same ordinance mandates that the Office of the City Mayor, through the City Tourism Office, as the lead agency to come up in the planning, implementation, and supervision of the annual activities with the coordination of non-government and government organizations.
The measure is deemed effective upon its approval by the city council.
A similar measure was earlier approved by the House of Representatives authored by Leyte Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez.
Under House Bill 4383, every Nov.8 should be ‘Yolanda Commemoration’ and special non-working holiday across the region.
Aside from Grafil, who chairs the committee on environmental protection and waste management, the measure was also authored by Councilors Gerry Uy, Evangeline Esperas, Raissa Villasin and Jose Mario Bagulaya with Councilor Maria Elvira Casal as co-sponsor.
Tacloban is considered the ground zero of Yolanda, considered the strongest typhoon to hit inland.
More than 2,200 people from the city died while about P10 billion worth of properties were destroyed when Yolanda barreled the city on November 8, 2013.
The recovery of Tacloban became fast and smooth as various governments and international organizations, to include those under the umbrella of the United Nations, came to the city to help recover its people.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- More than P7.6 billion worth of projects and programs have been approved by the Provincial Development Council(PDC) of Leyte for its annual investment program(AIP) for next year.
The funding of the AIP, which will serve as the basis for the annual budget of the province, will come from its P2 billion annual internal revenue(IRA) as well as funding from government agencies, to include rehabilitation funding due to super typhoon ‘Yolanda’ and projected foreign assistance.
The 2018 AIP was approved by the members of the PDC, which is chaired by Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, during their October 2 meeting.
Nex year’’s AIP is higher compare to the current P7.1 billion.
The P7,602,260,934 AIP will then be submitted to the provincial board for its approval.
Petilla said that next year’s AIP includes the required tagging tracking of the climate change expenditures of the programs, activities, and projects in the local budget.
The programs, activities, and projects on the AIP are categorized under the general public services, economic services, and social services.
Under the P7. 6 billion AIP for next year, economic services gets the huge chunk of the budget at P3.94 billion followed by general public services at P1.31 billion; and social services at P1.94 billion.
About P110.2 million has also been earmarked for the special education fund under the 2018 AIP. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Anti-drug elements of the regional Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Unit arrested a garbage collector from this city during a buy-bust operation.
Arrested by the operatives was Noel Balasabas, 31, married and a resident of Barangay 27, Seawall area in a buy-bust Wednesday (Sept.4) at about 9:30 pm in Barangay 66, Paseo de Legaspi.
Purchased and seized during the buy-bust operation were three pieces of a heat-sealed plastic transparent sachet containing suspected shabu weighing 0.3 gram with an estimated market value of P1,500.
Balasabas will be charged for violations of Section 5 (sale of dangerous drugs) and Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs), Article II of RA 9165.
The suspect is now temporarily detained at PDEA-8 detention facility while waiting for his commitment order. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY (CIO) – As part of its extensive anti-criminality campaign The City Government of Tacloban under the leadership of Mayor Cristina G. Romualdez is set install CCTV (Closed-circuit Television) Cameras in strategic areas around the City; this was announced by City Administrator Atty. Irene Chiu at a Media Conference held to coincide with the Local Government Code Month Celebration at the City DILG Conference Function Hall on Tuesday, October 5.
Representing Mayor Romualdez during the event, Chiu said that the CCTV Cameras , which are targeted to be installed this year, will be equipped with facial detection software that will be helpful in tracking lawless elements. A command and control center will be set up at the City Hall to maintain the operation of the Smart Cameras which will be connected through fiber optic technology.
The City Administrator also announced programs targeted at enhancing the delivery of front-line services of the City Government, such as the Electronic Payment Portal (EPP) – an online payment system for taxpayers and business operators that will be launched within the year.
The City Government is planning to secure an ISO Certification for its Business Permit and Licensing Processes at Kanhuraw Business Center. ISO or the International Standardization Organization is an international organization that promotes world propriety, industrial and commercial standards.
Chiu likewise disclosed that the City government-owned Tacloban City Hospital provides free hospitalization services through its Services Delivery Network (SDN) Program in partnership with the Office of Leyte 1st District Representative Yedda K. Romualdez who earmarked funds for the project.
The event was also attended by City Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Director Atty. Darwin Bibar, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director Edgardo Jubay and MIS Head Randy Calahi.
Meantime, Bibar said that the local government code was passed in 1991 to promote autonomy and empower local government units.
He added that it also seeks to highlight the best practices and achievement of LGUs that is worth replicating by other local governments units.
Among the “Best Practices” of the Tacloban LGU are the Tacloban City Rescue Unit (TACRU), the Community Climate Guide and Response (CCGR) and MASA MASID App Text Alert and reporting Systems, and the outpatient Drug Rehabilitation Program – New Beginnings – the first community-based drug rehab program implemented in Region 8 following President Rodrigo R. Duterte War on drugs.
Under Mayor Romualdez, the lone Highly Urbanized City (HUC) in Region 8 was recently named the Most Improved HUC in the country by the National Competitiveness Council. It was also shortlisted for the Presidential Seal for Child Friendly Local Governance and named a qualifier for the Seal of Good Local Governance.
Other activities slated for the month-long Local Government Code Month are the Skills Enhancement Training for Barangay Tanods (Oct 6); Synchronized Barangay Assembly Day (October 8); the Recognition Awards for Punong Barangays, ISO Orientation, and Partnership Forum (October 27). – Henry James G. Roca