TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8) rallies public support for climate change mitigation and adaptation advocacy campaign.

DENR-8 Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca in an interview said that he is optimistic on the support of the public on the climate change mitigation and adaptation advocacy campaign in the region which is spearheaded by his office in partnership with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA-8). “We commit ourselves to participate in the climate change mitigation and adaptation advocacy campaign in Eastern Visayas which aims to achieve environmental stability by planting trees, proper solid waste management as well as other environment related activities,” Sibbaluca said.

Sibbaluca said that around 300 participants from various national government agencies, international and local non-government organizations, private and civic groups, local government units, community-based organizations and stakeholders in Eastern Visayas gathered together to pledge their support during the launching of the advocacy campaign held recently in Candahug, Palo, Leyte.

He added that during the launching, 800 Talisay tree seedlings were planted by the participants covering an area of one half hectare. Sibbaluca said that one of the highlights of the event was the pledge of commitment which was sealed with the signing of an agreement by the various sectors with the DENR for the Adopt-a-Mangrove Forest Program, Sibbaluca said.

“This is aimed at establishing a tree plantation at identified mangrove areas to rehabilitate the damaged mangrove stands and increase the mangrove forest cover in the region,” he said. Sibbaluca added that mangrove rehabilitation and establishment of beach forests is currently being pursued by his office particularly in areas ravaged by supertyphoon Yolanda. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

TACLOBAN CITY- Constituents from at least seven municipalities in Eastern Visayas may soon benefit from good road networks once the farm-to-market road (FMR) projects get funded this year under the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP).

Department of Agriculture-8’s Regional Executive Director Bernadette F. San Juan disclosed that these sub-projects have just undergone pre-evaluation on July 24-25, 2014. This is in preparation for the upcoming evaluation to be conducted by the Regional Program Advisory Board (RPAB) tentatively scheduled on August 11, 2014, for their subsequent endorsement to the National Program Coordination Office (NPCO) or WorldBank.

“Putting more investments in rural infrastructures such as farm-to-market roads is important if we aim at propelling agricultural production and uplifting the living condition of our people living in the countryside. With a good road network for instance, poverty incidence is expected to be reduced because farmers will have increased potential for attaining much higher farm productivity. Also, transport cost and services are expected to improve,” Director San Juan said.
She added, “This is why we are saying that whenever we open up a road, we open up windows of opportunity.”

The FMR sub-project proposals lined up for funding this year consist of 19.4 kilometres project in Lilo-an and 3.980 km in Sogod, both in Southern Leyte; 12.6 km in Basey and 4.1 km in Sta. Rita, both in Samar; 2.128 km for Maydolong and 4.571km in Balangkayan, Eastern Samar and; 8.36 km in San Roque, Northern Samar.
Dir. San Juan lauded the key officials of the concerned local government units for selflessly taking extra mile to make sure that they are able to avail of the full benefits of the program for the benefit of their constituents, particularly the farmers. “Complying with the requirements and sourcing out for possible counterpart funds could be quite burdensome. And, we feel glad that these LGUs responded positively,” she pointed out.

She urges local government units to propose more infra subprojects under the program considering the bulk of its available funds allocated for rural infrastructure. Infrastructure projects that may be funded under the program consist of farm- to-market roads, bridges, communal irrigation systems, potable water system, fishery-related infrastructure, postharvest and other rural infrastructures such as, production facilities, tramlines, green houses, solar driers, watch towers, nursery watch towers and slope stabilization works, cold storage facilities and trading posts.

The total funding support for the PRDP amounts to P27.5 billion which US$500 million is a loan from World Bank, P3.579 billion and P3.118 billion counterpart funds from the national government and local government units, respectively and a US$ 7 million grant from the Global Environment Fund (GEF). Of the total funds under the program, P18.5 billion or 67.4 percent is allocated for infrastructure development, P6.9 billion or 25.2 percent for agro-industrial development and the remaining amount is allocated for planning and other support services of the program. (RODEL G.MACAPANAS/PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) is getting the pulse of workers and employers on possible wage adjustment more than eight months after supertyphoon Yolanda struck Eastern Visayas. Exequiel Sarcauga, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional director and RTWPB chairman said, that teams have been deployed this month to establishments and workplaces to find out the economic conditions of both management and laborers.

“The deferment of wage consultation is still in effect. There’s no timetable for this because we are dependent on how the region will recover in terms of economic activity but we can’t wait until everything is restored to decide,” Sarcauga said. Last December 2013, the DOLE suspended wage consultation citing economic impacts of the disaster. Result of the survey, which will be up next month, will be tackled in monthly meeting of RTWPB members, composed of regional heads of DOLE, National Economic Development Authority, Department of Trade and Industry, and representatives from labor and management sectors. Sarcauga said they initiated the survey after the National Wages and Productivity Board ordered the RTWPB office here to tackle wage issues after the super typhoon. “We will try to balance the needs of both management and worker sectors,” he added.

Before the super typhoon on November 8, the wage body planned series of consultation scheduled on November and December 2013, but was cancelled due to devastation, forcing at least 2,290 major business establishments to shut down, affecting more than 19,000 workers. Under Wage Order No. 17 that took effect October 16, 2012, the wage body raised the workers daily pay from P253 to P260. The RTWPB decided to initiate consultations since it’s been more than a year since the latest pay adjustment.
Since the typhoon struck, there has been no petition for wage filed by a worker’s group despite skyrocketing increase of prices of basic goods due to lack of supply coupled with logistical constraints during the first few weeks after the calamity. Eastern Visayas and Central Luzon have the oldest wage orders in the country, both approved October 2012. SARWELL Q. MENIANO

PALO, Leyte- The Philippine Red Cross Leyte chapter conducted its blood donation activity at Robinsons Place Tacloban Annex last July 26, 2014, an annual activity which is conducted every July, marked as the Blood Donors Month.

Edwin Pamonag, Philippine Red Cross Leyte administrator/OIC, said that they are encouraging individuals to donate and share their blood to those who are in need.
“I am encouraging everybody to donate blood. This is actually a good practice especially for young people,” Pamonag said. A blood donor must be at least 18 years old , weighing 55 kilos for new donors, with 120/80 blood pressure, and must be of good health. All blood donors were given a card for certification.

“Once you submit yourself for blood donation, a doctor will conduct a physical examination on you. You can only undergo the proper donation once you passed the exam. It is necessary that after getting the blood, the patient must rest first for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, it will be okay,” said Pamonag. Pamonag stressed that donating blood is helpful because every four months, our blood dies naturally in our body so we have to donate for our bone marrow to again work. This means that a person can donate his blood after every 3 months.

“Anyone interested to donate their blood regularly for every three months must visit our office at Leyte Park Hotel and it is open to everybody who is willing to donate their blood,” he said.

Pamonag estimated that they need at least 3,000 units of blood for the whole year. Aside from blood donation, Red Cross had also conducted blood typing in order for the people to know their blood type so they can somehow help to those in need of blood that has the same blood type of them. (Jul V. Grabillo-LNU-INTERN)