25.3 C
Tacloban City
July 06, 2025 - Sunday | 9:48 PM
Home Blog Page 1650

Though the region needs P23.85 billion RDC endorses P8.4 billion to repair damaged infra in EV

By
Web Master
-
0

TACLOBAN CITY – The Regional Development Council (RDC) recently endorsed some P8.40 billion worth of infrastructure projects in Eastern Visayas as part of the post-Yolanda rehabilitation and recovery plan. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Director Rolando Asis, head of the RDC’s infrastructure committee, said the amount represent the unfunded projects of 15 national government agencies.

The region needs P23.85 billion to rebuild infrastructures damaged during the massive typhoon. About P15.45 billion have been funded so far by the government as of June. “The amount will cover the rebuilding of agricultural and environmental facilities, administrative buildings and public facilities. Reconstruction of public infrastructure is badly needed to fully prop up the local economy,” Asis said. Of the total funding needs, the Department of Education has the highest requirement with P2.29 billion for repair of schools; Department of Transportation and Communication, P1.37 billion for airports and seaports rehabilitation; DPWH, P1.66 billion for national roads and bridges; Department of Agriculture, P1.02 billion for farm-to-market roads and other farm support infrastructures.

Meantime, the Department of Energy needs P864.17 million for full power restoration; Department of Labor and Employment, P503.38 million for repair of offices and livelihood support infrastructure; Commission on Higher Education, P92.78 million for reconstruction of damaged state universities and colleges. Department of Environment and Natural Resources with P86.98 million for repair of nurseries; Department of Science and Technology P74.70 million for repair of weather monitoring facilities; and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority with P60.40 million for rebuilding of vocational schools. Department of Trade and Industry with P35 million for repair of its office; Department of Finance with P22 million for repair of office, and National Telecommunications Commission with P1.77 million for repair of facilities.

“Respective agencies are now waiting for funding to start the project. It will be forwarded by their central office for prioritization in the reconstruction activities. Funds are ready for these projects. We are just waiting for the allotment,” Asis added. By SARWELL Q.MENIANO

Samar police chief shot dead in Tacloban

By
Web Master
-
0

TACLOBAN CITY – The police chief of Paranas town in Samar was shot dead early morning of July 22 while conducting surveillance in the city’s downtown area. Tacloban police chief Senior Supt. Domingo Cabillan identified the victim as Sr. Insp. Lucino Lopido, 49, the new chief of police of Paranas town, some 68 kilometers north of this city.

Lopido, who was just assigned to Paranas on June 23, suffered four fatal gunshot wounds in his arms and chest when fired five times by unidentified suspect using a caliber 9 mm pistol.

The incident took place in front of Dino’s Restobar along P. Gomez St., around 12:45 a.m. of July 22. “He was about to leave the place when he saw a guy wearing black jacket with a bull cap. He approached the man and introduced himself as a police. The suspect suddenly fired shots and ran away,” Cabillan told reporters.

Frightened, the victim’s five companions inside the car were not able to fire back, he said. Lopido was immediately brought to the Divine Word Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival by physicians. The suspect left his motorcycle in the crime and is now under the custody of authorities for further investigation. “We will find out who’s the owner of the motorcycle,” Cabillan added.

The Tacloban police chief theorized that the two just happened to met at the scene of the crime. “I think they were here to conduct surveillance, but they did not inform us about their activity,” Cabillan said. The police have yet to establish the motive of Lopido’s killing. Cabillan claimed that the case is isolated and the typhoon-ravaged city is generally peaceful despite of the latest incident. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO).

Over 5 million Yolanda victims in the Visayas still needs food assistance, group said

By
Web Master
-
0

TACLOBAN CITY – The Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC) reported that 5.6 million people in the Visayas regions affected by supertyphoon Yolanda are in need of life-saving food aid and support to prevent hunger in the future, while waiting for the full recovery of farming and fishing activities. The FSAC disclosed that about 250,000 small coconut farmers should be prioritized in alternative livelihood such as intercropping, crop diversification, and livestock or poultry-raising activities.

“Major gaps in funding for food and agricultural livelihood recovery activities targeting coconut farmers stand in the way of meaningful recovery. Small scale coconut farmers are among the most severely affected are poorest communities in the Philippines and need urgent support,” It said. Also classified in the most vulnerable groups are rice and corn farmers in cultivating in rain-fed and upland areas, where provision of seeds and fertilizers are badly needed. “In terms of food assistance, the emergency relief phase has phased out and operations have transitioned into targeted and conditional assistance to reach the most vulnerable groups,” the report said. Nearly 759,000 people have been targeted for unconditional cash transfer,” the FSAC said. As of end of June, the government and international relief organizations have already reached 3.65 million displaced people through the distribution of immediate food assistance.

The cluster, led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and World Food Programme, claimed that there had been a positive impact of well-coordinated response. Sufficient household food consumption increased from 68 percent in December to 77 percent in the second quarter of 2014. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

TESDA urges workers to take competency for better jobs opportunities

By
Web Master
-
0

TACLOBAN CITY- The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) encourages its workers to avail of their free competency assessment under their National Technical Vocational Educational and Training Competency Assessment and Certification (NATCAC) program. Either self or wage employed, a TESDA worker can have the competency assessment and must demonstrate the competency of the skill they work and pass the assessment in order to be issued of the national certificate (NC).

Imelda Malatbalat, officer-in-charge of the regional operations division of TESDA-8, said that most employers nowadays require the NC before workers can go abroad.
“After undergoing training, workers must take competency assessment save for massage therapy, household and care giving,” Malatbalat said. As of June 2014, TESDA-8 has certified 61% of the 25,800 total target for the first semester of this year. TESDA also reported 31% accomplishment rate of their employment target which is 23,401.
It was also learned that the enrollment was only 34.38% or about 14,416 out of its target of 41,937.

And of this number, only 12,246 finished the six month courses offered by TESDA. High targets, damages to facilities and training centers caused by the supertyphoon Yolanda were the reasons cited for the decline of enrollment. (NIZA APRIL M. PORTEZA, LNU Intern)

NMP receives learning resource donations from PLAI

By
Web Master
-
0

TACLOBAN CITY– The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) was one of the recipients of donations of books and maps from the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc. (PLAI) during the PLAI-EVRLC turn-over ceremony held last July 12, 2014 at the St. Scholastica’s College located at Sta. Cruz St., this City. The turn-over ceremony was attended by librarians from different academic training institutions and representatives of recipient institutions of the donations from the region.

ESSU librarian Florita Cabato, outgoing president of PLAI-Eastern Visayas Regional Librarians Council (EVRLC), gave the welcome remarks, while PLAI-EVRLC president Chona B. Rama imparted a visual presentation of the affected libraries in Eastern Visayas entitled “Flashback Yolanda.” The affair was graced by PLAI national president Elizabeth Peralejo who gave an inspirational message and thereafter personally distributed maps as part of the donations.

The program closed with a message from Sr. Josefina Nepomuceno, OSB, principal of the High School Department of St. Scholastica’s College in behalf of the College President, Sr. Julia C. Yap, OSB. Atty. Forter G. Puguon, Sr., OIC executive director of the National Maritime Polytechnic personally received the maps and three (3) boxes of books and library materials from PLAI National President Beth Peralejo.

The NMP is the only government owned and run maritime training center in the country. It was established pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 1369 issued on May 1, 1978, with the mandate of providing maritime training and research that measure up to the international standards and respond to the needs of the Filipino seafarers and the maritime industry.

When super typhoon Yolanda struck last November 8, 2013, NMP was one of the government agencies which have been greatly affected, with its 17 buildings destroyed or damaged, its equipment and simulators ravaged and submerged in the sea surge, and its library containing expensive maritime books, videotels and various technical materials destroyed or heavily damaged.

This outreach project was undertaken under the corporate social responsibility of PLAI, in coordination with the PLAI-Eastern Visayas Librarians Council. It was launched with the theme “One Million and Counting: Books for Libraries, Victims of Calamities,” to assist and help the libraries and librarians of Eastern Visayas rise up again after the destruction brought about by the supertyphoon Yolanda.

The donation was made possible through their strong linkages and partnerships with the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), United Nation’s World Bank and the Philippine Army. They also had the strong support of other PLAI regional councils in the country.
At the close of the turn-over ceremony, Atty. Puguon, in behalf of the Board of Trustees chaired by DOLE Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz and the Undersecretary Rey de luz Conferido, head of the DOLE Employment Facilitation and Manpower Development Cluster to which NMP belongs, and of the officers and employees of NMP, personally expressed his sincerest gratitude to PLAI National President Beth Peralejo and PLAI-EVLC Regional President Chona B. Rama for including NMP among the recipients of the maps and book donations. He said the donations will be a big help in NMP’s urgent efforts to rebuild its library.(PR)

Alfred appoints new disaster council chief

By
Web Master
-
0

TACLOBAN CITY- City Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo Yaokasin said that he was glad that finally the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) has a new and permanent chairman.

Yaokasin said that having a permanent chair of the CDRRMC is important considering that the occurrence of typhoons in Tacloban has become frequent. Recently, City Mayor Alfred Romualdez appointed Edilbrando Bernadas as the chair of the CDRRMC, replacing Derek Anido, Jr., who left for abroad. Bernadas was once the chief of the City General Services and ran but lost during the 2013 elections as councilor. Vice Mayor Yaokasin also urged the Executive Department to put up a permanent office for the CDRRMC as well as a hotline wherein the public could call during a disaster. At present, the CDRRMC holds office in a tent at the Kanhuraw Hill.

”We have to institutionalize ito.This is to give the constituents a number to call in times of disasters, emergencies and if in need of assistance” Yaokasin said. Meanwhile, the vice mayor said that he was glad that the people of the city appeared to have learned their experiences during the supertyphoon Yolanda. He said that when Tacloban felt tropical storm Glenda, the people especially those living in tents and bunkhouses voluntarily went to the evacuation centers identified by the city government without being directed.

“I just hope that this will continue in terms of disaster awareness and preparedness for the city of Tacloban “Yaokasin said. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

1...1,6491,6501,651...1,735Page 1,650 of 1,735

Recent Posts

DALMACIO C. GRAFIL
PUBLISHER

ALMA GRAFIL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ROMEO CEBREROS
OFFICE IN-CHARGE

OFFICE
BRGY. SONGCO, BORONGAN CITY

CONTACT NUMBERS
(055) 261 – 3319 | 0955 251 1533 | 0917 771 0320 | 0915 897 7439 | 0921 511 0010

DALMACIO C. GRAFIL
PUBLISHER

RICKY J. BAUTISTA
EDITOR

ALMA GRAFIL
BUS. MANAGER

OFFICE
RIZAL AVENUE, CATBALOGAN
(INFRONT OF FIRE DEPARTMENT, NEAR CITY HALL)

CONTACT NUMBERS
0917 771 0320 | 0915 897 7439 | 0921 511 0010

EMAIL
lsdaily2@yahoo.com

WEBSITE
www.issuu.com/samarweeklyexpress