TACLOBAN CITY- Mayor Cristina Romualdez confirmed that a new shopping mall is expected to open its branch in Tacloban, possibly the construction to start within the year.
Romualdez, however, declined to provide details saying she is not in the position to do so.
“But they have already secured an area somewhere along the Coca-Cola area,” the city mayor said.
The Coca- Cola area being referred by Romualdez is the bottling plant and offices of the world’s leading soft drink maker located along Fatima district here.
She added that aside from constructing a shopping mall, the company will also construct another hyper mart within the city.
Earlier, an official of the Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) which is behind the Robinsons shopping malls has divulged that the construction of its second shopping mall in Tacloban is expected to be finished within the year.
The second Robinsons Place in the city is located at the city bus terminal at Abucay district.
Its first one is along the Marasbaras district.
Mayor Romualdez said that she is happy that big ticket investments are coming in to Tacloban three years after its economy was devastated brought by supertyphoon “Yolanda.”
“I think, we are now recovering, at least in the aspect of our economy,” she said.
Romualdez also assured the local businesmen that the coming in of big players will not affect them.
“I don’t think they will be affected with the coming in of new investors. Tacloban does not only serve among its people but the entire region,” the city mayor stressed.
She added that inviting more investors is among her priorities for 2017 saying this could provide more employment for the people.
In fact, she said, a 13.4 hectare eco-tourism zone, located in the northern part of Tacloban, is to be formally open within the year where investors could put in their outlets.
But Romualdez insisted that transferring the families still living in areas declared as danger zones to their new homes at the relocation sites at the northern part of the city will also be prioritized. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

Commended by “Bato”

TACLOBAN CITY- For a “snappy performance” on Project Tokhang and New Year revelry, Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa extended his congratulations to the police personnel here in the region headed by Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar.
Beltejar received the warm message from de la Rosa through a text message on January 1.
The national director general of the Philippine National Police (PNP) texted Beltejar to congratulate him and the entire regional police force “for the successful and peaceful celebration of New Year and the supervision of Project Tokhang.”
Based on PNP national data, from December 9 to 31 last year, 8,104 drug personalities turned themselves in across the country.
In the region, more than 30,000 drug users and pushers voluntarily surrendered before law enforcers under “Oplan Tokhang.”
Bato also lauded the police for the generally peaceful situation in the communities while the people were gathered to welcome the New Year.
In the region, the PNP had zero incident of firecracker- related death.
However, about six individuals were injured.
A farmer, Antonio Linga, 33 and a resident of Barangay Uguis in Mahaplag, Leyte, was arrested after he fired his caliber 38 revolver during New Year’s Eve.
The suspect was immediately arrested and is now detained at the Mahaplag police station. He would be charged for indiscriminate firing.
Beltejar in appreciation of this praise from Chief PNP Bato, commended all the PNP personnel especially the chiefs of police for a job well done in the implementation of Ligtas Paskuhan which likewise recorded zero on victim of stray bullets.
As of 12:00 noon of January 1, the PNP Regional Office here recorded a total of 18 law enforcement operations conducted in line with the implementation of RA 7138 which regulates the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics and one joint inspection with concerned government and non-government agencies.
The police regional chief also extended his gratitude to the public for their support and cooperation to police officers attributing to it the effectiveness and efficiency of police work. (EILEEN NAZARENO-
BALLESTEROS)

CATBALOGAN CITY- The newly-finished fish landing facility is expected to boost the income of fishermen in the city.
City Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan, who led the turnover of the facility located in Barangay Silanga, said that its construction was funded by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), for P2.85 million.
The fish landing area will not only benefit the fishermen of Silanga but eight other coastal barangays whose residents are relying on fishing as their source of income.
“I urge you to take care of this project because your families are the main beneficiaries of this. This will help you gain more income to support the daily needs of your respective families,” Uy-Tan said during the December 31 turnover rites.
The BFAR donated two freezers for ice production that could help fishermen preserve the freshness of their catch.
Each chest freezer can produce up to 200 ice packs a day and could support the ice requirement of about 40 fishermen.
Mayor Uy-Tan added that part of the fish landing project is the strict implementation and enforcement of the fishery law that prohibits the illegal fishing activity.
“The strict implementation of the fishery law will be enforced by the city (government) to apprehend illegal fishermen and stop the illegal fishing activities (and) bring back the abundance of marine resources of our sea waters that provides income to the fishermen and helps our economy,” she said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

HILONGOS, Leyte- President Rodrigo Duterte assured the blast victims that justice would be served to them by arresting those behind the incident that rocked the town on the night of its fiesta on December 28.
The President, who arrived here on December 30, visited the victims confined at the Hilongos District Hospital wherein he personally gave cash assistance of P10,000 to each of them.
And one of them was John Reyneill Lamo,15, who also received a cellular phone from the President aside from the cash and food assistance.
“I am excited to have a new phone and this is actually my first cellphone. But at the same time, I am also happy to see our President personally. I only see him on television,” the Grade VI student said.
During the interview the teenager was tinkering his new gadget while his father, Ruel, 34, was grinning.
Lamo was sitting near the water tank where one of the two improvised explosive devises planted at the Rizal Park of the town exploded.
When the homemade bomb exploded, he unfortunately ran towards the stage where the second bomb was also planted by the suspects.
Still, he managed to return home to their village in Atabay, more than three kilometers away from the town center.
“He still managed to return home and told me that he was hit by a bomb with blood running down (in his body.)Then, he fainted. I immediately brought him to the hospital,” the father said.
The President, accompanied by Secretary Christopher Go, arrived in this town about 10:29 am and immediately proceeded to the hospital to see the blast victims.
He also meet with security officials led by Chief Supt Elmer Beltejar, police regional director, and Mayor Albert Villahermosa to brief on the incident.
Mr. Duterte left the hospital around 11:45 am where using a microphone while he was on his vehicle, addressed the big crowd waiting for his arrival outside the hospital.
He said that he was about to return to Davao City but decided to visit Hilongos after the incident rocked the town of more than 86,000 people on the night of their annual fiesta.
“Don’t lose hope because the security forces of the government are doing their job. Trust our police and the military. They are doing their work. They will protect you,”he said.
With this assurance coming from the President, they now feel confident and secure, said Mayor Villahermosa.
“While we are in the moment of grieving because on what happened to us here, (his visit) it add boosts to the people,”he said.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, who was among those who welcomed the President, assured the people of the province that the incidence in Hilongos was just an isolated case.
But still, he urged the security officials as well as the mayors and barangay officials to be vigilant “especially when we are in a crowded place.”
The incident is being seen by police officials as a work of a group involved in the illegal drug trade as a form or retaliation. Aside from this, they are also looking on a possible involvement of a syndicate engaged in the counterfeit money activity.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA/JOEY A. GABIETA)