BAYBAY CITY- A rehabilitation center will soon to be operational in this city as part of its support to the national government campaign against illegal drugs.
“Our public library building, which is newly constructed and not yet utilized as library, will serve as day rehab for the next six months starting October 1” City Mayor Carmen Cari.
Cari said that the treatment will last for six months where those who surrendered will be given assignments, lessons, seminars, and counseling and be given food for the next six months.
The personnel from the City Health Office and the City Social Welfare and Development Office underwent training in Saving Lives on a Common ground (SALAG), a rehabilitation and treatment center in Dulag, Leyte, for two weeks to replicate their program, the city mayor added.
However, Cari informed that out of the 2,000 drug dependents, pushers and couriers who surrendered to city police, only 10 percent of the total number will be accommodated at the drug rehabilitation center.
“Our local government unit cannot accommodate them all because it entails a large expense thus only a number of surrenderees will be accommodated” she said.
Cari is hopeful that with the Rural Health Unit chief Dr.Norberto Oja and the city DSWD taking charge of the program, they could achieve their goal in making former drug dependents become more productive. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) has declared diarrhea outbreak in the town of Cabucgayan, Biliran after the water-borne disease has downed its 170 residents in the past few days.
The DOH tagged contaminated water as the source of the spread of the disease.
Water samples gathered from various sources, including a water refilling station, were found positive of coliform bacteria, commonly present in human and animal waste.
The local government of Cabucgayan immediately issued a closure order of the water refilling station, said DOH-8 Director Minerva Molon.
At least 21 residents have been admitted in hospitals, with only 11 still in confinement, Molon added.
“The good thing is that the local government has been very active. We really learned a lot from diarrhea outbreak experience in Samar,” she added.
It can be recalled that the recent spate of diarrhea outbreak has killed 81 people and afflicted 9,432 others across the region with most cases were reported in Samar province.
Molon suggested the regular monitoring of water sources by local sanitary inspectors and treat them when found unsafe for drinking.
The health department highly recommended education on the importance of safe and sanitary handling of foods, washing of foods before cooking, washing of hands before preparing foods, cooking foods well, and covering of foods.
Diarrhea is characterized by stomach pain, headache, body weakness and watery stools. The worst is dehydration that can cause death. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

TACLOBAN CITY-International aid organization Oxfam, Smart Communications and PayMaya Philippines, in collaboration with the city government of Tacloban, launched on Sunday (Sept. 11) a financial inclusion program aimed at making communities more resilient through mobile money and financial literacy training.
Through the Financial Inclusion for Tacloban Resettlement Integrated Program, the humanitarian project aims to build a culture of entrepreneurship and savings among an estimated 16,000 beneficiaries who are strengthening their communities.
Under the project, qualified beneficiaries will receive Smart Money prepaid cards–a mobile money product of PayMaya Philippines–that can be linked to their mobile phones where they are encouraged to place any amount (Php1 and above) through any Smart Padala Center in Tacloban.
“Since Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan hit Tacloban, Oxfam, in partnership with national NGOs, has been working at the forefront of relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts to support affected and displaced communities. We believe that equitable access to financial services is crucial for them to rebuild their lives and livelihoods. We are happy that Smart and PayMaya Philippines are working with us to help the LGU of Tacloban City rebuild the local economy by improving financial literacy and inclusion,” Justin Morgan, Oxfam country director, said.
“PayMaya Philippines is committed to creating a long-lasting impact on the development of communities through our financially inclusive innovations including Smart Money, which provides SIM-based mobile money services. With this project, we can help build more resilient communities in Tacloban City,” Benjie Fernandez, co-chief operating officer of PayMaya Philippines, said.
“At Smart, we believe in using technology for social good. Under our Smart Communities program, we are happy to provide the much needed financial literacy capability support to the thousands of beneficiaries of this program,” Ramon Isberto, public affairs group head of Smart, said.
Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales Romualdez expressed her gratitude on this program saying this will help Yolanda survivors as they continue to rebuild.
“We are filled with gratitude that partners from private and public entities have come together to support us in restoring Tacloban until today. The majority of the residents in Tacloban do not have easy access to traditional financial institutions such as banks. We thank Oxfam, Smart, and PayMaya Philippines for providing a simple, inclusive, and effective alternative that will not just encourage our citizens to embrace sustainable savings but to be more resilient through entrepreneurship so they can support themselves and their families in the years to come,” the city mayor said. (MEL CASPE)

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is prohibiting the charging and use of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices on board all its flights.
The flag carrier began implementing the prohibition since September 9, 2016 (Friday) in compliance with the directive of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The IATA directive stems from the recall order made on these products by Samsung Electronics Company Limited. Findings showed that the Galaxy Note 7 batteries and phone units have caught fire during charging prompting the manufacturer to recall all units sold worldwide.
Safety remains a cornerstone of PAL operations and as such, the flag carrier will be ensuring full compliance on board each flight and is seeking the full cooperation of its passengers.
In addition, these devices are not allowed as checked-in items, but may be hand carried for as long as these are switched off at all times.
All Samsung Galaxy Note 7 units – whether used or brand new – will not be accepted as PAL cargo shipment. (PR)

TOLOSA, Leyte- Heroism, discipline and dutifulness know no boundaries. They come in different persona and from anywhere.
People who possess them may be undistinguishable but you can spot them by watching closely how they respond to the call of duty.
On Friday (Sept.6), the Civil Service Commission (CSC) honored nine individuals, one group and one posthumously in a simple ceremony 6 at the Visayas State University – Tolosa Campus for the outstanding service they rendered to the government.
CSC Regional Director Victoria Esber said the awardees have proven their “passion and willingness to serve” in public service.
Two of the awardees were declared Presidential Lingkod Bayan regional winners – Arturo Juanico, the municipal agriculturist of Tabon-Tabon, Leyte and Jose Bacusmo, Jr., former president at Visayas State University in Baybay City.
During Bacusmo’s watch as president, VSU became the country’s first state university to be given a Level IV accreditation by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities of the Philippines.
Research and Development and Extension Programs was also at its peak during his administration; a total of 122 research projects, 10 extension projects and 4 special projects were conducted in comparison to 68 research projects only in 1982-2012.
Three individuals and one group were given PAGASA awards — Danilo Alura, university professor, Eastern Samar State University, Borongan City; Eva Abad, provincial government department head I, PENRMO, Maasin City; Ernani Fernandez, Jr., secondary school teacher III, Department of Education –Leyte division, Palo, Leyte; and the NSU-Journal of Society and Technology (JST) management team, Naval State University, Naval, Biliran.
Alura is an international award winner author of a study “Mangrove Forest and Sea grass Bed of Balangkayan, Eastern Samar: Extent of Damage by Typhoon Yolanda” which identified resilient varieties of mangroves created to produce ten hectares rehabilitated coastline of Balangkayan, Eastern Samar.
He is also involved in hog raising, livestock, seaweed processing and coconut production, and an active livelihood trainer.
Two teachers of Alternative Learning System in Catarman, Northern Samar were given Dangal ng Bayan awards – Jay Romulo Alaras and Ellen Joy Celajes.
Alaras and Celajes would take 7 kilometers hike and cross several rivers not to mention risked his life in the NPA area to reach the Mamanwas, an illiterate indigenous group, where they became their first teachers.
They taught 62 Mamanwas how to read and write and do simple mathematics.
The family of late Arnulfo Embog, an employee of CSC field office in Catbalogan City who received the Pamanang Lingkod Bayan, was awarded with a scholarship grant and a financial assistance of P100,000.
Leyte Samar Daily Express publisher Dalmacio Grafil acted as one of the members of the regional awards committee.
(ELMER V. RECUERDO)