CATBALOGAN CITY- While this city was already declared as “manageable conflict affected and development ready,” presence of soldiers would still be felt. This was announced by Brigadier General Wilson Leyva, commanding officer of the 801st Infantry Brigade, as Catbalogan became the latest area in the region to be declared as such. The declaration of Catbalogan, one of the three newest cities of Eastern Visayas and the provincial capital of Samar, as manageable conflict affected and development ready was formalized in a document signed by Leyva and Mayor Stephany Uy on July 28. But while Catbalogan was declared as such, Leyva assured its people that soldiers would continue to be seen. “The notion that once an area is declared as such, the Army will leave the area,” the Army official said. It is in Catbalogan where the main base of the Army, the 8th Infantry Division, is based. Leyva added that “good governance” is the real solution to the insurgency problem hounding a municipality. He said that since the mayor and other leaders are doing good governance, the issue on insurgency has been reduced and is now downgraded as police matter. “Please spread our peace advocacy; that problems and issues can be resolved through peaceful means and not necessarily by violence,”Leyva said. Mayor Uy, meantime, said that she consulted with all the 57 barangay officials of the city as well as other stakeholders like the business sector. “We struggled to reach the parameters that we are in now,” she stressed. (ROGER SORIA)
Ormoc employees undergo drug testing
ORMOC CITY- At least 20 employees of the city government were randomly selected to undergo a drug test to identify employees believed to be using the illegal drug. The employees, who included some casual workers, were selected after the flag-raising ceremony on August 4. The City Hall has 1,800 employees. Adelaida Biacolo, human resource management officer IV, said the random drug test was the first of a series to ensure of a drug-free work place. The first batch was chosen through a draw and the result is expected in a week. Biacolo added that those who found positive will be endorsed to the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) for recommendation of appropriate action. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
Farmers, fishermen in Samar towns received assistance from Sen. Villar, DA
MERCEDES, Eastern Samar- About 1,000 fishermen and farmers coming from five towns in Eastern Samar and two towns in Samar provinces were provided fishing and farm implements by Senator Cynthia Villar and Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala. The two officials visited the towns, all devastated by supertyphoon Yolanda, to help them recover from the losses they sustained after they were dislocated after they were hit by the worst storm in the country’s history.
The farmers that were provided assistance by Alcala and Villar, who chairs the food and agriculture committee at the Senate, were from the towns of Mercedes, Balangiga, Lawaan and Giporlos, all in Eastern Samar; and Marabut and Basey, both in Samar province. The distribution of the fishing and farm implements was done on July 31.
Villar said that the distribution of these implements is part of a continuing program of the government until farmers and the fishermen could fully recover after Yolanda’s devastation.
She said that almost nine months after Yolanda together with Sec. Alcala she is hopeful that they have created a high effect in the lives of the farmers in terms of recovery and rehabilitation as well as the agriculture industry in Yolanda stricken areas. Villar already visited 40 municipalities in the different parts of the country to help farmers and fishermen regain their livelihood after Yolanda.
Villar promised that the government will create ways and means to push for programs that will benefit the agriculture industry of the country. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Celebrity chef Logro visits Palo; cooked eggs in several ways
PALO, Leyte- One can cook eggs in so many ways.
This was proven by chef-turned-television host Boy Logro to personally demonstrate to the people of this Yolanda -stricken area the different ways in cooking eggs.
During his visit, Logro, who is a native of Biliran, Biliran, urged the victims present during his demonstration not to be affected by Yolanda but instead make an inspiration out of it to stand up and move forward. He also said that being poor is not an excuse for one to have a better future. Logro said that he came from a poor family but because of his sheer determination, he was able to live now comfortably.
During his antic-filled cooking demonstration, Logro dished out several ways to cook egg, all of his own creations. These included frittata, omelet rice, foo young egg, poach egg, egg pudding, stuffed devil egg, egg maki, egg buffet with culled chicken, baked Alaska and culled burger. Logro, before he started his cooking demonstration, talked his humble beginning as an overseas worker in Oman even he was just an elementary graduate.
He was the chef to Oman Sultan Qaboos bin Said al-Said which gave him the chance to prepare and serve foods to several international leaders and celebrities who included former American president George Bush, the late King Hussein bin Talal of Jordan, former president Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Princess Diana of Wales.
And when former President Fidel V. Ramos made a state visit to Oman, Logro also prepared and served foods to the visiting former leader. He regaled his audience that as a chef to Oman’s royalty, he was able to visit several countries like France and Switzerland. “It was very enriching experience,” said Logro.
“There is nothing wrong with being poor. There is nothing impossible in this world for as long as you work hard and asked guidance from God,” he added.
Currently, Logro is among the hosts of a morning variety show aired over GMA-7. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
CSC now accepts applications for career examinations this October
GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte-The Civil Service Commission (CSC) here in the region is targeting 6, 590 applicants to take the Career Service Examinations Paper and Pencil Test (CSE-PPT) slated on October 26, 2014.This was learned from CSC’s regional information officer Cristy Joy Macasil who said that the deadline for the submission of applications, both for professional and sub-professional, is on September 11.
The CSC started accepting the applications on April 7. Aside from their office, applications could also be submitted to the Robinsons Place in Tacloban every Saturday and Sunday. Applicants need to pay P500 to take the examinations which served as one of the requirements to enter government service. As of end of July, 973 applicants were already listed to take the examinations.
Macasil said that they expect to hit their target of number of applicants before the date of the examinations. “That’s why we put up some desk on Robinsons Mall of Tacloban to accept the applications during Saturdays and Sundays since there are lots of people there to inform them about the upcoming examination,” Macasil added. (ELIZABETH G. HUGO – LNU – Intern)
DSWD approved request beneficiaries of cash assistance coming from island villages of Guiuan
GUIUAN,Eastern Samar– The beneficiaries of a cash assistance provided by the United Nations Children’s Fund from the island villages of Homonhon and Suluan need not go to the town proper to get their money. This was agreed by officials of the town and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), which implements the unconditional cash assistance funded by the Unicef.
There are about 60 beneficiaries coming from the villages of Homonhon and Suluan. The decision to hold the pay out for the beneficiaries was formalized through a resolution approved by the municipal council of Guiuan. DSWD Regional Director Nestor Ramos said that the safety of the beneficiaries travelling to the town proper especially during bad weather was considered why they approved the request of the municipal government.
The move would mean that the beneficiaries need not go to the town center just to get their cash assistance. Under the unconditional cash transfer, the beneficiaries are to receive P4,400 within six months which started last month. As counterpart of the local government unit of Guiuan Mayor Christopher Sheen Gonzalez said that he had already instructed the local police of Guiuan to provide security to personnel of NATCO (National Confederation of Cooperatives, DSWD’s partner in the distribution of cash assistance to the beneficiaries. This new scheme of payout will also include the conditional cash assistance of the DSWD under its 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program). (ROEL T. AMAZONA)