Responding to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte to be more aggressive in its public campaign advocating a federal system of government, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Officer-in-Charge Catalino S. Cuy has designated a new administrator of the department’s Federalism and Constitutional Reform program.
Assistant Secretary Jonathan Malaya, formerly Executive Director of the PDP Laban Federalism Institute, has been designated the campaign’s new administrator replacing Asst. Secretary Epimaco Densing III.
Malaya was a former assistant secretary of the Department of Education and of the Office of the President prior to joining the DILG.
Cuy says Malaya’s vast experience as executive director of the federalism institute, as a government official, and his wide network in the academe and other sectors would enable the DILG to propel the federalism campaign to the grassroots level.
“As directed by President Duterte, the DILG needs to let the local governments and the ordinary people appreciate and understand how federalism will be able to change the course of our country and lead it towards development. And with Asec Malaya at the helm of the campaign, I am confident that we can make this happen,” he says.
For his part, Malaya says that starting 2018, the DILG will undertake a coordinated effort with other national government agencies and work with the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) to ensure that the entire government bureaucracy is part of the campaign.
“We have to have one voice and one messaging in the federalism campaign, otherwise, we would not be able to bring our message across to our countrymen on how a shift to federalism would impact on our country and our lives,” he says.
Malaya says that the DILG will also be working closely with the Senate and the House of Representatives in 2018. Recently, the lower house began plenary debates on a joint resolution calling for a Constituent Assembly to propose amendments to the Constitution.
In a speech during the PDP Laban’s Christmas Benefit Dinner for Marawi, Duterte urged members of Congress who are his party-mates to unite behind his proposal to amend the Constitution to address the Mindanao problem and to spur economic development across the country.(PR)

CARIGARA, Leyte- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)’s Leyte Second Engineering Office (2nd LED) announced that the bridge located along Sitio Ansubas, Barangay Lemon in Capoocan is now passable after a landslide occurred in the area in the aftermath of typhoon’s ‘Urduja’ wrath.
Half of the lane was covered with mud and debris when the slope protection along the historic Breakneck Ridge collapsed, followed by a landslide due to the heavy rains spawned by Urduja which hit Leyte on Saturday (December 16).
DPWH maintenance personnel immediately conducted clearing operations in the area and restored traffic along the said route in the afternoon of Sunday, (December 17) for vehicles plying along the Palo-Carigara- Ormoc road, one of the region’s vital highways.
The 2nd LED is still assessing the amount of damage to infrastructure along the area as of this writing.
To recall, a road section of the same spot collapsed in December 2014 after heavy rains pounded Leyte province brought by typhoon ‘Seniang’.
The collapsed road section marred traffic during one of the country’s busiest days. The district engineering office undertook a multi-million road reblocking and slope protection project in the area.
However, incessant rains brought by the slow-moving Urduja softened the soil in Sitio Ansubas resulting in a landslide.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- A convoy of Army personnel from the 20th Infantry Battalion were attacked by members of New People’s Army (NPA) in Catubig town, Northern Samar while they were on their way to help residents of a village of the said town hit by a flooding caused by typhoon ‘Urduja’.
Two soldiers, Corp. Yzael Laure and Private First Class Roland Gomez were wounded in the attacked by about 50 NPA members in Barangay Hinagoyonon on December 16.
Lt. Michelle Estares, information officer of the 20th IB, said that the soldiers were on their way to Hinagoyonon when they were waylaid and attacked by the rebels in Brgy. San Miguel.
“This resulted in a firefight that lasted for more than an hour,” Estares said.
Col. George Domingo, commanding officer of 20th IB strongly condemns the attack by NPA members to the military who were on their way to the area to rescue civilians affected by massive flooding in the town.
“This activity is a clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law and we call upon the people to act against these atrocities,” Col Domingo said.
A total of 7,500 families or 28, 900 individuals from 47 villages of the town were affected by widespread flooding due to heavy rain caused by Urduja.
The municipal council of Catubig has declared the town under state of calamity. (ROEL T.AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The city government of Catbalogan suspended classes in public and private schools from elementary, high school and tertiary level.
The suspension of classes was ordered by Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan as most classrooms in the city are still being used by evacuees displaced by typhoon ‘Urduja’.
The City’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) said that about 829 families or 3,157 individuals were evacuated to 18 evacuation centers, many were public schools.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) distributed relief goods to affected families of the city who sought refuge in the evacuation centers.
The CSWDO added that some residents went back to their homes after the flooding that their respective villages subsided.
Five barangays in the city were hit by landslides as the city’s commercial area experienced heavy flooding spawned by Urduja.
No casualty was recorded in Catbalogan due to the onslaught of the typhoon.
Mayor Uy-Tan was thankful for the cooperation of the residents by heeding their call to evacuate to safer grounds, especially those living in the danger zones.
The city council, upon the recommendation of Mayor Uy-Tan, placed Catbalogan under a state of calamity on December 15.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

2 of them women

TACLOBAN CITY- Five inmates, two of them women, were caught using shabu or methamphetamine hydrochloride inside the subprovincial jail in Abuyog, Leyte.
The inmates were caught in a ‘pot session’ inside the jail’s infirmary section of the jail facility on December 17 at around 9:40 pm.
In a report submitted to Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency(PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino, elements of PDEA RO8 and under Director Edgar T. Jubay identified the suspects as Mario Marmita,38, separated, and resident of Barangay Plaridel, Dagami Leyte; Noli Rinos,52, married, and a resident of Brgy. Inayupan, Javier, Leyte; Allan Sia,33, single, and a resident of Poblacion Zone 2, Mayorga, Leyte; Elvira Cuevas,38, with a live-in partner, and a resident of Poblacion Zone 2, Javier, Leyte; and Jonalyn Culaba,38, married, and a resident of Brgy. Barayong, Abuyog, Leyte.
Confiscated during the said incident was one piece partly opened transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu with a total weight of 0.5 gram with an estimated market value of P2,500; two strips aluminum foil containing suspected shabu; two pieces rolled tin foil used as improvised tooter, and two pieces disposable lighters.
Cases for violations of Section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs), Section 12 (possession of drug paraphernalia), and Section 15 (use of dangerous drugs), Article II of RA 9165 will be charged against the suspects.(PR)

Palo, Leyte. The Fraternal Order of Eagles – Philippine Eagles (TFOE-PE), the First Philippine-Born Socio-civic organization, adds another regional charter to its ranks with the chartering of the Eastern Visayas Region (EVR) last December 9, 2017 at the Department of Education Leyte Division Gym at Government Center, Candahug, Palo, Leyte.
One of the main components for the creation of a regional charter, is to have a minimum of six (6) chartered clubs. TFOE-PE in Eastern Visayas started with the Tacloban City Eagles Club (TCEC) chartered last November 19, 2016 followed by the Sirakwaraynon Eagles Club (SWEC) chartered last March 17, 2017, Kusog Sinirangan Eagles Club (KSEC) chartered last May 20, 2017, San Juanico Eagles Club (SJEC) chartered last August 26, 2017, Catbalogan Eagles Club chartered last September 20, 2017 and the Catarman Eagles Club chartered last September 27, 2017, completing the six-club pre-requisite.
Chartering of the Eastern Visayas Region Eagles was presided by the Philippine Eagles National President Lucio “Louie” F. Ceniza, already his fifth visit to the region, and the incoming 2018 Eagle Club Presidents: Mark Roa Gimenez (TCEC), Atty. Leo S. Giron (SWEC), Adel D.P. Bautista (KSEC), Atty. Jose Nick A. Mendros (SJEC), and Wilfredo Cuevas (CEC). Unfortunately, no one from Catbalogan Eagles Club attended. During the chartering, The Sirak Waraynon Eagles Club and the San Juanico Eagles Club also presented their Eagles Onsite, pre-selected honorary members of each club, Mr. Wezhaun Benson Shi, President of 578 Resources, Incorporated and Mr. Joseph V. Rejuso, President/CEO of VisPet Development Corporation.
The Induction of the Regional Officers for EVR commenced with the swearing in of the Charter Regional Governor Atty. Louis C. Sudario and Charter Regional Vice-Governor Atty. Jose Nick A. Mendros and all of the Charter Regional officials (see Annex 1: TFOE EVR Regional Charter Officers). Prior to his election as Regional Governor for EVR, Sudario was the Charter President of KSEC, one of the most active clubs in the region.
“My challenge to you, Governor Louis, is to unite all the clubs of your region. That will be your first marching order,” said Eagle National President Ceniza during his Opening Message. The EVR encompasses the Provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and the Highly Urbanized City of Tacloban.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles – Philippines Eagles was founded in 1979 in Quezon City, and one of the fastest growing socio-civic organizations in the country with 592 Clubs and 28 Regions and counting. Noted prominent Eagles who are currently holding government positions are Philippine President Rodrigo “Digong” R. Duterte, PNP Chief Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Senators Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson, Richard “Dick” J. Gordon, Aquilino “Koko” L. Pimentel III, Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, and Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao, Justice Chief Atty. Vitaliano N. Aguirre II, DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, MMDA Chair Danilo “Danny” D. Lim, and the late DILG Secretary Jesse M. Robredo. (PR)