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Coca Cola plant reopens in Tacloban

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Coke Cola Plant (photo from Google)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Coca Cola plant, based this city, is now back to operations. And their decision to resume operations in the region is a strong testament of their commitment to help revive the economy of Eastern Visayas still reeling from the aftermath of supertyphoon Yolanda, said its officials.

The plant, which sustained severe damages due to the storm surges generated by Yolanda, had its reopening on September 10 attended by its top officials led by chief executive officer Juan Ramon Felix and Juan Dominguez, human resources and corporate director. For city officials, the resumption of operations of the world’s leading soft drink in Tacloban would not only mean generation of employment but also as big source of revenue. Felix said that their decision to return to full operations would mean exactly as mentioned by the local officials.
He said that with their operations, they would help “restore the (local) economy again.” Coca-Cola FEMSA Tacloban is the regional hub of the soft drinks company which employs around 200 workers and is one of the top ten taxpayers of Tacloban. The plant sustained damages valued at $15 million (or over P640 million).

Dominguez said that despite of the huge loss and the destructions they suffered during the onslaught of Yolanda, they chose to resume their operations and rebuild their plant to show their gratitude to the people of Eastern Visayas, described by him as one of their biggest markets in the country. He said that of the more than 20 million daily production of Coca-Cola, around five million cases of soft drinks are consumed by their loyal customers in the region. “Leyte, Samar is one of our strongholds,” he said.

Marlon Ventulan, human resource officer of the Coca-Cola Tacloban, said that with their resumption, the soft drinks needs of the region could now be at least stabilized. It was disclosed by Ventulan that of the estimated 100,000 cases a day consumption of the region, they get supply from Cebu, Cagayan and Manila. He, however, admitted that they could not still meet the daily need as they could only produce 6,000 to 10,000 cases as they are only using one line. Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, Tacloban Vice Mayor Jerry “Sambo” Yaokasin and Bernardita “Bering” Valenzuela, spokesperson of Mayor Alfred Romualdez, expressed their gratitude to the soft drinks officials for resuming their operations. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

Calbayog mayor to focus tourism and agriculture to boost city economy

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CALBAYOG CITY- Mayor Ronald Aquino said that he will give focus of the city’s tourism and agriculture as among his priorities to help boost Calbayog’s economy and provide employment to its people.

In a press conference, Aquino said that as part of his desire to attract tourists to the city, road concreting is being done to areas where tourist sites are located. Calbayog boasts several waterfalls that could be its top tourist attractions. But lack of access roads leading to these sites hinder for tourists to visit them. “I believe that through the development of tourism, many of my constituents will be employed,” said Aquino. While in agriculture, Aquino informed that trainings and seminars were made available for the farmers in the city. The city government also made available the continued support it can offer such as the distribution of equipment for the farmers to augment their income. Aquino said hundred units of fishing boats from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) are to be distributed to the marginalized fishermen in the city. The city was also able to received P1 million as counterpart from the BFAR. The amount will be added to the city own funds for the fishing gears to be distributed to fishermen, Aquino said.

Meantime, Mayor Aquino said that they are doing their best to attract investors to the city. For one, they grant a 5-year incentive to those who will invest in the city. Second, they also give available lots to some government agencies for their district offices to be situated in the city such as Bureau of Internal Revenue and Procurement. The city government also offered an office space for PAG-IBIG and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) which allots P80, 000 daily for the indigents of the city.  Mayor Aquino said that their city is still IRA (internal revenue allotment) dependent and that whatever meager resources are used to fund project necessary for the development of the city and the improvement of lives of the people. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

500 Guiuan farmers received seedlings from PCA for replanting

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GUIUAN, Eastern Samar – The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) reported that 500 farmers in this typhoon-ravaged town have already received seedlings for replacement of damaged coconut trees. Since farming is one of the primary livelihoods in the town, the PCA implements programs such as planting and replanting, inter-cropping, coconut fertilization, and clearing operations.

The planting and replanting program is an effort of the PCA to deliver coconut seedlings to local farmers. Around 500 farmers have already received seedlings since May. For inland areas, they were given 100 seedlings per hectare while the coastal and upland were given 192 seedlings, following the triangular method. Farmers were also given P3,000 per hectare planted under the cash-for-work scheme. “Based on our guidelines, there is what you call cash-for-work. We encourage the farmers especially the land owners to plant immediately,” said Ena Macasusi, municipal coconut development officer.

Macasusi informed that they do not limit on the number of beneficiaries for the program as long as they personally participate as she encourages all land owners and tenants, with the consent of their land owners, to avail the project. Farmers from Banahao, Timala, Bagua, Hagna, Surok, Sapao, Tagpuro, Barbo, Pagnamitan, Cagdara-o, Alingarog, Bucao, Cantahay, and the islands of Tubabao and Homonhon already received these seedlings.

Until now, PCA continues to deliver seedlings to red soil areas. These seedlings come from other parts of Eastern Samar that were not affected by the super typhoon. “There are so many who have already planted the seedlings. It is better to plant during rainy season because the soil is moist and there is a source of water,” Macasusi informed. The PCA team checks the status of the planting and replanting of farmers twice weekly. She hopes that the number of beneficiaries will increase soon as the national government provides more support. (REINALORE P.GUIMBAOLIBOT, LNU Intern)

Construction of new Guiuan Church to start in October

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Guiuan Church

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar – Through the efforts of the parish ministry, a new church is soon to be constructed this town ravaged by supertyphoon Yolanda. Msgr. Lope Robredillo, parish priest, is determined to build a church since the town’s 16th century Immaculate Conception Church were badly ruined by the super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).

Robredillo personally sketched the construction plan for the new church that will be called Church of the Most Holy Rosary. The cost of the construction of the new church was placed at P25 million of which P6 million is already available. “The new church will be much bigger and longer than the church in Sulangan (one of the villages in Guiuan),” Robredillo said. He shared that it will be 40 meters in width and 35 meters in length. This will be built on the lot of the former Guimbaolibot Memorial School, located across the old church. “I’m planning to build the church in October for as long as the weather allows us,” Robredillo said. Robredillo plans to build the church right after the town fiesta which is on the first Sunday of October.

However, he has to wait for the release of funding from Europe and from an agency in the Philippines. “I am just waiting for the funding from Europe and another agency here, but it is sure that they’ll donate,” Robredillo assured. Meanwhile, the restoration of the 16th century church is no longer handled by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts as the National Museum of the Philippines took over the responsibility of its restoration since it is considered a national treasure. “We already signed a contract on January and we started clearing operations on June for two weeks. Another batch will be coming to continue their work probably on September or October,”Robredillo said.

Since January, people in Guiuan attend masses on a temporary structure built in front of the convent since. The temporary place for worship cost P400,000 from the donations of the town folks and other friends abroad. Likewise, the convent was badly damaged and is now under renovation amounting nearly P2 million. “The people of Guiuan should not worry that the church was destroyed. What is important is their unwavering faith because the church is the people,” Robredillo stressed. The parish priest refused to convert the old church into an evacuation center during the super typhoon since it was also damaged during the earthquake on August 2012. (REINALORE P.GUIMBAOLIBOT, LNU Intern)

My appointment as RPOC chair surprised me – Mayor Aquino

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TACLOBAN CITY – Calbayog City Mayor Ronaldo Aquino admitted that he was caught by surprised over his appointment as chair of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) for Eastern Visayas. Aquino took his oath of office for the said post before President Aquino last August 26 though he has yet to receive his appointment papers. He replaced former Northern Samar governor Paul Daza who lost on his reelection bid during the 2013 elections. Both Aquino and Daza are political allies of the President.

The Calbayog city mayor admitted that he was surprised over his appointment as RPOC chair. Thus, Aquino said, he would talk with his immediate predecessor and discuss with him the functions and responsibilities attached to the post and get tips how to address concerns of the region regarding its peace and order situation. “I was caught off-guard with the position. The immediate thing to do now is to convene the RPOC but I still need to know my duty,” Aquino said. RPOC serves as a coordinating body to provide a forum for dialogue and deliberation of issues and problems affecting the peace and order; recommend measures which will improve or enhance peace and order and public safety and measures to converge and orchestrate internal security operational operations efforts of civil authorities.(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

BFAR released P76 million to restore fish cages in Leyte, Samar

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TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) released P76 million that will be used to repair the various fish cages in the region destroyed during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda. Juan Albaladejo, BFAR regional director, said that the P76 million is a chunk from the P1.06 billion fund allocated for the rehabilitation of aquaculture in the region. The amount will be distributed to different areas in Leyte and Samar whose fish cages were destroyed when Yolanda hit the region on November 8, 2013.

Tacloban City was given the biggest amount at P25 million to produce 250 cages; Basey (Samar), P20 million to build 200 cages; Sta. Rita (Samar), Babatngon and Merida, both in Leyte, received P15 million to construct 70 cages. “Right now, we already started making the cages,” Albaladejo said. BFAR seek assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to make the designs for the submersible fish cages so that in times of typhoons cages will be just submerged to prevent from being damaged. “What is also good about this is that the cages that we are making now are not made of bamboos; they will be made out of high density polyethinine plastic which could last for about 20 years,” Albaladejo added.
The size of the fish cages that the BFAR is making is 9X6 meters. (LUEDITA RAPADA, LNU Intern)

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