GUIUAN, Eastern Samar-Several skeletal remains were recovered inside a church here that is undergoing repair works on January 1.
The skeletal remains, comprising of skulls and bones, were discovered by some construction workers, said Andy Egargo, parish priest of the Immaculate Conception Parish.
He said that the skeletal remains were found beneath the choir loft and the right side of the church’s wall which was being destroyed to give way for the repair of the church which sustained damage when the town was hit by supertyphoon “Yolanda” in 2013.
The priest claimed that the Spanish-era church could have its own catacomb where priests could have been buried there.
The discovered skeletal remains are to be buried at the Catholic cemetery.
(MEL CASPE)
EVACUATED. While typhoon “Nina” spared the region from its wrath, over 4,300 families from low-lying areas coming from different towns in Northern Samar were preemptively evacuated to evacuation centers for their safety as shown in the photo . (Photo Courtesy:VICENTE LUKBAN)
EVACUATED. While typhoon “Nina” spared the region from its wrath, over 4,300 families from low-lying areas coming from different towns in Northern Samar were preemptively evacuated to evacuation centers for their safety as shown in the photo . (Photo Courtesy:VICENTE LUKBAN)
Among PH strongest typhoons this year
TACLOBAN CITY – Contrary to the projection, typhoon “Nina” spared the region from its wrath though various local government units particularly in Northern Samar conducted preemptive evacuations of families living in coastal areas.
Nina, packing a maximum sustained wind of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 255 kph, is considered to be among the strongest typhoons to hit the country.
It battered the Bicol Region displacing more than 300,000 persons based on the report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC).
“The impact of heavy rains due to the tail end of a cold front last week in Samar Island was even more damaging as it caused flooding and rendered some roads and bridges impassable,” Edgar Posadas, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense and regional chair of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council(RDRRMC), said.
The widespread flooding, which displaced more than 72,000 families, has killed two persons each in Eastern Samar and Northern Samar and one from Samar.
Bridges and roads, to include a portion constructed under the MMC (Millennium Challenge Corp) of the United States, were damaged or destroyed due to heavy rains last week.
But while Nina spared the region, notably Northern Samar which was the area most likely to bore the brunt had it directly hit the region, local government units were in full alert for any possibility.
At least 4,317 residents in coastal communities in Northern Samar were preemptively evacuated to evacuation centers for their safety.
On Monday (December 26), they were directed to return to their respective houses after the storm signal was lifted.
Of the total affected individuals, 409 families were from Pambujan; 3,384 from Rosario; 124 from Laoang and 400 from the provincial capital of Catarman.
These individuals composed of 1,086 families, stayed in 16 designated evacuation centers meant for residents in low- lying communities.
“The local government units were very proactive. All affected families were supported by local resources although relief goods from the national government have been prepositioned,” Posadas said.
More than 1,800 Luzon-bound passengers resumed their travel after the Philippine Coast Guard lifted the sea travel ban since December 23 after storm signal was hoisted in Northern Samar and Sorsogon provinces.
Aside from passengers, the typhoon had also stranded 279 buses, trucks, and light cars as authorities imposed travel ban of five roll-on roll-off vessels docked in ports of Allen and San Isidro towns.
“Personnel from the local police and local government unit were assigned in ports to attend to the needs of stranded passengers who spent Christmas at port terminals,” Posadas said.
While sea travel resumed, the three airline companies – Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Asia – cancelled on Monday 10 Manila-Tacloban flights as the typhoon affected the National Capital Region and nearby provinces.
Also cancelled are Philippine Airline flights bound for Calbayog City in Samar and Catarman in Northern Samar from Metro Manila.
Friends Frances Anido (right) and Raven Bolino sold used clothings, popularly known as “ukay-ukay” they collected from their friends, family members and from their own closets, to sell and raise funds intended for the victims of civil war in Aleppo, Syria. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
Friends Frances Anido (right) and Raven Bolino sold used clothings, popularly known as “ukay-ukay” they collected from their friends, family members and from their own closets, to sell and raise funds intended for the victims of civil war in Aleppo, Syria. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
Giving back after world responded due to “Yolanda”
TACLOBAN CITY- Where is Aleppo?
To majority of us, Aleppo may sound unfamiliar but for a group of students of this city, the place is where they intend to give the money that they collected out of selling “ukay-ukay” or used clothings.
For three days, Frances Anido, 18 and her friends not only endured rains and dusts to sell the used clothings in a busy street along Marasbaras district that they have collected but also tried to explain to their buyers about Aleppo, a city in Syria that is besieged with civil war that resulted to deaths of thousands of men, women and children.
Anido, a second year nursing student at the RTR Medical Foundation, and her seven friends, put up a stall covered with a huge umbrella as they sell the used clothings to the public whom they say “are not also familiar with what is happening in Aleppo.”
“My friends decided to come up with this undertaking because what we see in TV in Aleppo breaks our heart, especially those involving innocent children,” she said.
“They should not suffer or experience this kind of horror at their young age,” Anido added.
In particular, they were touched and troubled on the video involving Omran Daqneesh, who was hit during an air strike.
His haunting photo, sitting in silence inside an ambulance, touched the hearts of the world as he was declared as the “face of Aleppo.”
By raising funds out of selling the used clothings that they collected from among themselves and their friends, they hope to help the victims, particularly the children displaced by the five-year civil war in Aleppo.
The group started collecting the used clothings early this month. “We were glad that some of friends and even friends of our friends, when we explained to them the purpose, immediately gave their share,” Anido said.
For three days, which they started on Wednesday(December 21), of selling used clothings, the group raised about P15,000.
“We will convert it into dollars and send it online to Save the Children,” Anido said, referring to an international humanitarian organization that primarily aims to help children affected by disaster, man-made or natural.
Incidentally, Save the Children was among the international humanitarian groups that responded when Tacloban City was pummeled when it was hit by supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
“The world helped us when we we’re hit by Yolanda and I guess, we should somehow extend help to those who are in dire need like Aleppo,” Anido said.
Her friend, Raven Bolino, 17 who is from Basey, Samar and taking physical therapist at the RTR School, put up a monitor wherein videos showing the war in Aleppo were shown.
“By showing the video to our buyers, they get to know what is happening in Aleppo. Admittedly, many of us are not aware on what is happening in Aleppo and where it is located,” Bolino said.
She said that they also explained to their buyers what is happening in Aleppo.
“Some of them buy our items because we sell them at lower price. But we explain to them why we are selling these used clothings. We explained to them what’s happening in Aleppo and we show them the video,” Bolino said.
They sold their items ranging from P20 up to P60.Evangeline Globioso,50, from Palo, Leyte, admitted that she is not aware that such a place exists or what’s happening there.“Glad to know that they are doing this for a cause. I am poor so I could only buy one item,” Globioso said. A man, who saw them selling used clothings and for what purpose, left a message to the group: “We need people like you.”
This simple message, Anido and Bolino said, “was unexpected but warms our hearts.” (JOEY A. GABIETA)
TACLOBAN CITY- Under the newly-introduced strategic performance management system (SPMS), all employees of the government will have to serve their respective positions in order to get at least a passing rate.
Supreme Court (SC) employees down to the first and second level trial courts are not exempted from the operation of the SPMS, a new scheme designed by the Civil Service Commission to ensure who will be qualified to receive the annual performance-based bonus (PBB).
This was stressed by Atty. Aristeo Franklin Garcia, chief of staff of SC Deputy Court Administrator Thelma Bahia, who led the regional roll-out of SPMS held at the Bulwagan ng Katarungan, this city, recently.
An employee could get the PBB equivalent to one-month salary if he gets the required rating prescribed by the SPMS.
In the SPMS, one can qualify to receive the PBB equivalent to one-month salary if the rate gets 130 percent of his target in the major final output (MFO).
Lower than that rate will correspondingly reduce the amount entitled.
The agency or office should likewise get an average outstanding rating to make its employees qualify after all the final ratings of each staff are all together computed.
“You can give additional function that refers to another item as long as that item is vacant, but the situation wherein the staff is complete but one cannot function in his position because he is incompetent to do so,” Garcia emphatically clarified.
“Under the SPMS, it is not anymore allowed. So now, the target that will be indicated in the form pertains to your own position,” he stressed.
This situation, although not necessarily happening in the judiciary, is known to happen in other government agencies such as the local government units.
He jokingly warned that, as intended by the SPMS, incompetent employees will have to sing “Let It Go,” a very popular song from the Disney movie “Frozen.”
Garcia likewise cautioned all lower court employees to strive to achieve the highest rate so as not to affect the rating of other co-workers in the agency.
Under the SPMS, the entitlement to a full amount demands an outstanding rate which is 130 percent of the total target.
A lower rate obtained by only one employee as against the perfect score of all others will pull down the general rating of the entire group of employees in one office or unit.
Holding multiple functions, however, will mitigate the negative effect on the employee’s being able to get perfect score in his major final outputs.
All the functions being held by the employee should be given MFOs including those in his own item or position in the office.
Garcia stressed that additional functions does not entitle the employee additional bonus but it will serve as mitigating factor in his favor.
“In the event that you cannot achieve your target for the original position, the fact that you are doing multiple or dual positions will provide a reason why the target for the original position has not been met,” he said.
Garcia disclosed that quite a number of promotions are pending approval yet with the Civil Service Commission without the SPMS results of applicants.
He encouraged all judges to create their respective performance management team in their individual salas.
This team will be the one responsible to rate all the employees. Any protest on the rating made will be elevated to the OCA-PMT for final resolution of the controversy.
He appealed to all court employees and judges to give the new SPMS to ultimately work for the improvement of the judiciary’s service to the public. (EILEEN NAZARENO-BALLESTEROS)
TACLOBAN CITY-Tacloban City Police Office led by its acting city director, S/Supt. Rolando V. Bade, accepted the support of Jack Uy, president the of Tacloban Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce, Incorporated (TFCCCI) and proprietor of Astra Mart, as the latter donated to the city police office three units of computer desk top, two units Centrix wall fan, one unit Sony digital camera and two units Dell laptops, to be utilized as an additional office equipment.
The turnover ceremony on December 20, 2016 at about 3:00 pm held at Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) multi-purpose hall, was formally started with the welcome remarks of Supt.Mateo Macale, deputy city director for administration, followed by the ceremonial turn-over of office equipment; the message of the S/Supt. Bade and finally, the response message of Uy.
The activity was also attended by the board of directors of TFCCCI, namely: Esteban Rendino, Marcos Aquino, Malcom Ching, Cocaine Go and Colan Go, representative from ABS-CBN Network Tacloban, Geron Ponferrada and ATV ha DOS and the TCPO commissioned officers (PCOs) and non-commissioned officers (PNCOs).(PR)
BOBON, N. SAMAR- Recipients of a core shelter project initiated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development(DSWD) received their respective units on December 16.
The core shelter project, sitting on a one-hectare lot donated by the municipal government and is located in Barangay Santa Clara, has 50 housing units intended for families who lost their houses due to natural calamities.
Town Mayor Reny Celespara accepted the P8 million worth core shelter project from DSWD Regional Director Restituto Macuto.
Florentino Llegos, who was among the 50 beneficiaries of the core shelter project, could not contain his happiness after receiving the certificate of ownership from Celespara and Macuto.
“Dako an ak pagpasalamat nga napili ako komo sayo san nakatagamtam, kay sadto an ak balay bisan la tala nga hangin-hangin dere kami talwas tungod nga nakadto kami sa gilid san baybayon naestar,” the 38- year father to two children said.
The construction of these houses, said to be resilient which has two-bed rooms, a comfort room and with water and power connections, were construction July of this year and were completed last month.
The core shelter project funded by the DSWD in this town is part of the social protection program of their agency aim to help “disadvantage families,” particularly those living in danger zone areas, Pauline Liza Nadera, head of the DSWD-LGU core shelter assistance project, said.
Also present during the turnover ceremony were Vice Mayor Elena Balite, provincial social welfare development officer Jenny Darish, town councilors and representatives of Governor Jose Ong and Rep. Raul Daza.
(PETER D. PAREDES)
