TACLOBAN CITY- The mangrove rehabilitation project being initiated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is now in full swing, beginning in this city.
This was revealed by Leonardo Sibbaluca, executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8).
The mangrove rehabilitation program of the DENR in the city is located in Barangay Anibong covering an area of 1.67 hectares. The rehabilitation started last April 26, 2014.
It was learned from Sibbaluca that the DENR has allocated P1 billion for this project which is to be implemented in all areas hit by Yolanda.
This is on top of the P6.2 billion allotted for the implementation of the National Greening Program nationwide this year, which also includes the rehabilitation of denuded mangrove and beach forests.
Sibbaluca said that the DENR, under the leadership of Secretary Ramon Paje, is now implementing a massive rehabilitation of the mangroves which were badly affected during the onslaught of Yolanda last November 8, 2013.
He said that the present mangrove rehabilitation project which uses more scientific techniques in mangrove and beach forest development to enhance the region’s defense against calamities will restore the mangrove stand in the affected regions in the country which includes Eastern Visayas together with affected areas in Region 6, 7 and 4B.
Sibbaluca pointed out that it has been observed and proven that the mangroves serves as buffer zones and protection in the super typhoon-affected regions as communities with mangrove and beach forest covers were protected from the adverse impact of the storm surges compared to those hardly hit areas which have bare coastlines.
He told reporters that for Eastern Visayas, his office has already conducted on the four major mangrove rehabilitation project components which are the site assessment and selection, nursery establishment, community and partnership engagement, and planting and out planting activities. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

JAVIER, Leyte- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) through its chairman Richard Gordon pledged to donate houses and shelter kits for those who either lost their homes or sustained damages due to supertyphoon Yolanda.
Gordon, who was in this town last April 29 for the turn-over of 1,000 chairs to the Javier National High School, said that 1,000 houses would be constructed by the PRC in this town.
About 1,500 shelter kits consisting of corrugated sheets and plywoods would be donated to families who sustained damages of their houses due to Yolanda, Gordon said.
The PRC is to donate a total of 150,000 houses to all areas hit by Yolanda divided into 50,000 core housing worth P120,000 and a total of P100,000 is to be given as shelter support to those whose houses were partially destroyed.
Gordon said that with the calamities that struck our country, 5 million homes were affected and 15% or 150,000 of them are being addressed by the PRC.
Gordon said that while they are projecting that the housing project would last in three years, they would do what they can to hasten it to help victims rebuild their lives.
For his part, Javier Mayor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier was glad with the pledged donation made by the PRC saying that this would help address the shelter problem their town encountered as a result of the onslaught of Yolanda. (LIZBETH ANN ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Fishermen from Barangay 70 of this city were the biggest winners of the Banca Race 2014 held last April 27 organized by Help Direct Initiative(HDI) and Universal Sports Promotions in collaboration with the city government of Tacloban thru its Fishery Law Enforcement Team, led by Noel Ligtas.
“This is a victory for the fisher folks of Tacloban City. Together with our dedicated team, we are proud to be given the opportunity of producing and organizing this important event with the end view to destress survivors of the typhoon. They joined, they paddled and they smiled” Jane Salomon, founder of the HDI.
HDI is a social enterprise and public relations firm that aims to provide an alternative, effective platform to implement initiatives and directly advocate social change and provide solutions, through economic and social initiatives, and environment and cultural interventions, consistent with community benefit and public interest.
Jeffrey Amarilla and Francis Esperas garnered the top prize of P 10,000 and other consolation prizes. Brothers Nikki Comendador and Rey Comendador came in second with P7,000 prize and cousins Lawrence Amarilla and Limar Amarilla came in third with P5,000.
All are residents of Barangay 70, a coastal village in Anibong Area where ships washed inland during the supertyphoon Yolanda.
“We are so happy to win this banca race. Prayers, teamwork and focus helped us a lot. Actually, we were so exhausted already after the 500 meters and on the way back but we were so motivated to get the 10,000 pesos prize, which is a big amount of money to us already” Amarilla and Esperas said.
Wearing bright yellow t-shirt uniform, the top 3 winners bet the fisher folks wearing red shirts from Brgy 88, the other contingents who were able to join the semi finals.
Contestants from Brgy 71 wearing white t-shirts gave a good fight too, while Brgy. 66-A came with their orange team. Not to be outshined were the green team from Brgy. 68 and light blue team from Brgy. 67.
Six women from Brgys. 70 and 67 surprised the crowd as they competed against the muscled men.
Residents from nearby barangays cheered in front of their houses along the shores, while guests led by Councilor Vangie Esperas, Federico Anido who represented Mayor Alfred Romualdez, Engr. Danilo Morano from MARINA, P01 Alexander Rabuyo from Philippine Coast Guard, George and Tila Vacal from Vino De Coco, Hannie Avila of ABS-CBN, members of the JICA project team in Samar and Leyte and other foreigners and members of International Humanitarian Organizations, watched in amusement.
The competition, joined by 138 fishermen, was the first of its kind since Tacloban was pummeled by supertyphoon Yolanda.
Jollibee mascot also graced the event and danced to the delight of the excited crowd.
“This is just the beginning. We are happy with the result and together with our sponsors supporters and followers, we are positive and looking forward to Banca Race 2015”, Salomon concluded. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – The International Labour Organization (ILO) has started rolling out a low-cost enterprise development program for potential entrepreneurs in storm-ravaged communities as the humanitarian response group moves to livelihood recovery phase.
The ILO gathered last week hundreds of stakeholders from the United Nations – affiliated agencies, government, private sector and existing small and medium enterprises raise awareness on the Community-Based Enterprise Development (C-BED), a strategy applied in some countries in Asia and Pacific in the aftermath of a crisis.
“The starting point in C-BED is the identification of existing knowledge and capacities. From there, stakeholders build skills on basic principles of business development, such as costing and marketing,” said ILO Tacloban field office coordinator Ma. Cecilia Colarina.
The ILO said that the system is very suitable for storm-ravaged areas like Eastern Visayas considering that “even with very minimal capital, an individual can put up a business using most accessible tools in pursuing businesses.”
According to ILO website, “C-BED is a low-cost, easy to implement training programs for helping entrepreneurs and micro-business owners to plan and improve their businesses.”
“Carried out without external trainers or resources, C-BED has been specifically designed for use among poor, vulnerable and marginalized communities where funding and capacities are limited or communities are hard to reach due to social or geographical constraints,” the ILO said.
C-BED was developed by the ILO in an effort to make business development training an option in any community. The community-based methodology offers a new approach for non-formal training in contexts where there is low institutional capacity and in environments characterized by limited resources.
The system differs from other enterprise development programs of ILO since it has no quality control measures to regulate delivery organizations and associations; no training of trainers and no trainers; no certification of facilitators or qualification for graduates; materials are open source and free; and the training can be completed in 16 hours.
The business development strategy has been implemented by the ILO in poor communities in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal, Solomon Islands, and Kiribati. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

TACLOBAN CITY—As part of the initiatives to mobilize men as partners in women empowerment and gender equality, the Commission on Population (Popcom) in

Eastern Visayas has conducted a two-day training on “Mainstreaming MR GAD KATROPA in Gender and Development, and Maternal New Born and Child Health and Nutrition” on April 28-29, 2014 at Ritz Tower de Leyte.
Popcom Regional Director Elnora Pulma said the training focused on involving men in advocating and championing Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Nutrition (MNCHN) program thus contributing to the goal of reducing maternal deaths, and in promoting responsible parenting.
Pulma added that men, as partners of women, can do so much to nurture the health of the mothers and prevent unwanted deaths caused by pregnancy and childbirth.
She said men are powerful and potent partner in protecting and caring for women to ensure safe pregnancy and childbirth.
To highlight the role of men in promoting maternal and child health and responsible parenting, Popcom has been capacitating males (men and boys) as advocates for this concern through KAlalakihang Tumutugon sa Responsibilidad at Obligasyon PAra (KATROPA) sa Kalusugan ng Ina at Pamilya (Males Responsive to their Responsibilities and Obligations to a Healthy Mother and Family).
The term “katropa” connotes a group of male peers who have developed a sense of camaraderie. Taking off from this idea, it is believed that mobilizing men collectively for maternal health and responsible parenthood can make pregnancy and child birth a joyous moment for women as well as their male partners, instead of situations where women have to risk their lives from the risk of pregnancy and child birth.
During the training, participants were introduced to basic gender concepts and issues, including masculinity and patriarchy; understanding one’s sexuality; improving relationships with partner; role in MNCHN; protection from gender-based violence; and protection from sexually transmitted diseases.
After understanding and appreciating the roles of men in various aspects of caring for women’s, their and their family’s well-being, the participants made an action plan in promoting MNCHN and responsible parenting.
The inputs would also serve as guide for the participants in their various actions that could be undertaken to promote MNCHN and responsible parenting after the training. (Reyan L. Arinto, IO-I POPCOM-8/PR)