CALBAYOG CITY-As National Disaster Consciousness Month opens, Calbayog City has lined up activities highlighting recognition of individuals and groups who, without reservation, volunteered themselves in the city’s quick response after Yolanda’s devastation in Tacloban November 8, and lately, in Barangay Binaliw, this city, on June 26. In a simple ceremony held on July 8 at the city hall stage, Mayor Ronaldo P. Aquino led the distribution of certificates of recognition to the barangay rescue volunteers called SALVAR (Saving lives by volunteers and active rescuers) for their valuable and untiring support to the city government of Calbayog through City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

SALVAR is known to be ever ready to respond in the rescue, search and relief operations of the city during calamities and disasters. CDRRM head Estanislao Cortado, in his message, stressed that it is everyone’s responsibility to lessen the impact of a hazard or any disaster, and likewise, minimize the loss of lives.

To recall, early morning of June 26 at exactly 3:30 a.m. a tornado hit Barangay Binaliw, 20 kilometers away from the city proper, which resulted to the destruction of 92 houses, rendering 501 residents’ homeless and 8 injured. The tornado also destroyed 8 motorized and 3 non-motorized pump boats. (AIMEE CATALAN/PR)

CALBAYOG CITY-Mayor Ronaldo P. Aquino of this city personally turned over the “duo” farm equipment (tractor and thresher) to the Farmers’ Association of Barangay Bontay (an agricultural village located in Calbayog’s 2nd district) during a simple ceremony held on July 11. Said farm equipment was funded by the national government through the modernization and farm mechanization program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) with only a meager 15% counterpart from the recipient barangay amounting only to P35, 475.00 from its total amount of P200, 000.

This barangay counterpart was shouldered by the city government through Mayor Aquino with a condition that the Bontay Farmers’ Association will fund back said amount within three years for their own future use to procure additional farm equipment. In his message, Mayor Aquino stressed that what he’s only asking from the farmers is their diligence to farm that in return the city government will compensate through alleviating their conditions and raising their agricultural production.
For his part, Ronaldo Layaong, chairman of Bontay Farmers’ Association, called on the members’ support and cooperation especially in keeping custody of the farm equipment given to them.

This turnover of farm equipment to Bontay was also made possible by the City Agriculture Office headed by Adela Ocenar. Aside from the tractor and thresher, other farm interventions that Bontay is also set to receive from DA and the city government are shredder and a flat-bed dryer. The Bontay Farmers Association is composed of 28 members and is now a registered farmers’ cooperative with the Department of Labor and Employment. (AIMEE CATALAN/PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that more than 5,000 families were affected when typhoon “Glenda” hit Eastern Visayas last week.

Vina Aquino, regional information officer of the DSWD-8, said that these families were assisted by their office during the typhoon. She said that at least nine towns, to include Tacloban City, were considered to have been most affected by Glenda, the strongest typhoon to hit Eastern Visayas after it was pummeled by supertyphoon Yolanda eight months ago.

Aquino said that based on their records, as of July 16, 2014, there were 5,337 families who stayed at the evacuation centers identified by the local government units
The most affected town in the region in terms of number of families affected was Calbiga in Samar with 1,299 displaced families; Catarman, Northern Samar, 1,053 families and the city of Tacloban, 997 families.

There were 181 totally damaged houses and 44 partially damaged houses in the whole region and the most affected town was San Policarpio in Eastern Samar which has 96 totally damaged houses while the town of Jiabong, Samar has 85 totally damaged houses due to Glenda, said Aquino. There were 2,000 food packs that were delivered to Northern Samar which was the most affected area in the region while the city government of Tacloban gave 500 food packs, 2,500 bottled water and 500 blankets for those who stayed at the evacuation centers like the astrodome. (AIRYLL A. YAPOC- LNU-Intern)

TACLOBAN CITY— Businessmen who were affected by supertyphoon Yolanda’s fury are now slowly getting back on their feet. Out of their hard work and perseverance and not because they are being given the needed financial assistance by the government, said Jack Uy, president of the Tacloban-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Uy said despite that the apparent lack of government support, he and his group of about 140 members continue to thrive and help rebuild the city. “We are now 80 to 90 percent back in the business. The remaining 10 to 20 percent are reluctant to comeback, either because of trauma or still looking for fresh capital, while some have opened their businesses in other places. But we keep on working,” Uy said in an interview. As national government’s financial assistance remains dim for the business sector in the Yolanda-devastated areas, Uy said they just rely on each other and to their friends for help.

“We need help, but the question is they (the government) are not helping us. There are some commercial banks responded, but not all of them. They don’t extend so much loans to businessmen because they got existing loan. We are asking to extend the loan longer than we have before and give us easier term in repayment,” said Uy, adding that more than 50 percent of the local businessmen were rendered bankrupt after Yolanda.

Uy said that the massive looting incident that took place a day after Yolanda pummeled Tacloban compounded their problem.  “We have been left behind. The Department of Trade and Industry is extending loan but in a selective method. The way they offer it, I think, they only have a limit of P1.5 million. The businessmen need more than that. Today, what is P1.5 million?” Uy asked.According to Uy, the amount they extend is not enough for restart their operations. “If you have an old building, you will use the amount to repair it, and you will have nothing anymore for the capital.” Uy cited his own rice mill whose entire building collapsed and all the machineries destroyed. “To recover, you have to build warehouse which will cost P15 million and the machinery cost millions also.” After the building, Uy said they need capital to buy “palay” or rice and hire workers which is getting difficult to find in Tacloban now as some of them have moved to other places.

“At present and the most important part is to extend loan to the businessmen. If only the government or the international organizations can extend loan to the business sector, it is most welcome,” Uy stressed. (RONALD O.REYES)