TOLOSA, Leyte – The American Chamber Foundation of the Philippines, Inc.(AmCham) donated 30 fishing boats made of fiber glass to fishermen coming from different coastal towns in Leyte. The donation of the 18 footer fishing boats was held last May 22 in Barangay Dona Brigida, this town, and led by AmCham’s president Rhick Jennings and its executive director Ebb Hinchcliffe. Also present were rehabilitation czar Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto and Mayors Remedios “Matin” Petilla of Palo; Pelagio Tecson of Tanauan and Erwin Ocana of this town. The beneficiaries of the fishing boats donated by the American business chamber came from the different coastal villages of the three towns which were among the hardest areas in Leyte during the onslaught of Yolanda last November 8, 2013. Hinchcliffe, in his message, said that the fishing boats donated by them were just part of their “overall effort” to help rebuild Leyte. “It may be in another set of boats for another set of recipients but surely more help will still come from us,” Hincliffe said. The boats, which were first tested in Bacoor, Cavite before they were brought here, were donated by different companies and individuals who are affiliated with AmCham. The donations were 18-footer fiberglass boats painted in red, white and blue. These include Arankada, Sc Johnson & Son, Ambassador Charles Salmon, Fair Isaac (ASPAC) Ltc., FICO, US Chamber Foundation, Time Depot, Harte-Hanks Philippines, New World Makati Hotel, Nu-Skin Enterprises, Inc., American Camber Foundation, Quezon Power Philippines, Inc., Rapha Health Institute, Mary Kay Philippines, Inc., Atty. Peter Yap, Manpower Group, FactSet, UHS Essential Health Philippines, Inc., Mr. Rhick Jennings, Del Monte Philippines and Del Monte Foundation. The AmCham founded on December 06, 1985 which acts as the socio civic arm of member companies of American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY—Bishops from the region issued an appeal to President Aquino to hasten the rehabilitation and recovery efforts in Yolanda-hit areas as they noticed that the effort was “a little bit slow,” close to seven months after Eastern Visayas was pummeled by supertyphoon Yolanda. The appeal was issued by Bishops Isabelo Abarquez of the diocese of Calbayog and Crispin Varquez of the diocese of Borongan during a media interview. The two bishops were in Tacloban to attend the “Livelihood Recovery Convergence in Samar Island” organized by the Asia Foundation and attended by different government agencies like Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and other non-governmental organizations like Tindog (Rise up) Samar held last May 26. “There seem to be lack of coordination, maybe there is lack of convergence. Those are important. Then when (BFAR national director Asis) Perez showed me a presentation this morning, it was found out that they have ‘convergence.’ So what is important is to integrate those suggestions made by the organizer,” Abarquez said. Abarquez, however, said that when he interviewed several mayors and even a governor, he was able to know on the issue of lack of funding. “I think the locals are just waiting,” he said. Abarquez’ area covers the entire province of Samar with the towns of Basey and Marabut the hardest areas. For his part, Bishop Varquez said that he is more concern of the housing needs in his areas. “On housing, still there is no concrete (solution). There is a plan, but still no concrete plan,” Varquez said. Varquez said that since they were able to get some funding from various private donors, they were doing their part for the construction of temporary shelters for the victims in Eastern Samar, particularly in the towns of Salcedo, Mercedes and Guiuan, considered to be the worst hit of Yolanda in the province. The bishop also voiced out on the problem of land acquisition for the permanent housing. Varquez maintained that there is still a chance for the region to recover quickly if everyone will work together. “The reason of our coming here is why we have this convergence. Practically, so that all sectors, whether from private, public, local, national and international, to help each other, to help survivors to rebuild their lives and become better persons. Eastern Visayas would not the same anymore, three years after Yolanda. I hope we can see that kind of goal, otherwise if nothing happens, we’ll go back to being poor, perhaps even more like before Yolanda,” he said. “That is our common vision. How we can make our place more productive three years from now. Otherwise we will miss the opportunity. We have to transcend ourselves. Yolanda must be transformative. Its destructive effect should transform us all,” Varquez added.

Meanwhile, BFAR national director Perez assured the public that they have doing their job, particularly in providing fishing boats for the fishermen in all affected areas.
He, however, admitted that with the extent of damage caused by Yolanda, the government was overwhelmed of its impact reason why the rehabilitation effort appears to be slower than expected.
Perez also said that their efforts are not being announced to the public as “this is part of our job.’
“It is part of our duty. It is our job,” he said.
Director Bernadette San Juan of the DA also maintained that rice farmers in the region continued to boost its productivity by giving the farmers certified seeds and fertilizers with the help of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).(RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY-The filing of applications for land titling will soon be made accessible and easier in two towns of Southern Leyte, after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8) signed a memorandum of partnership with the town officials for this purpose. With the signing of the memorandum, the Land Information Office was effectively created in the towns of Malitbog and Libagon to carry out the task of a faster land titling process, said DENR Executive Director Leonardo Sibbaluca. Sibbaluca informed reporters that the signing of the memorandum of partnership agreement (MOPA) with the DENR-8 between Mayor Oliver Ranque of Libagon and Mayor Allan Go of Malitbog was held at the DENR Provincial Office in Maasin City last April 2, 2014. Sibbaluca said that through the said MOPA, the LIO is established and operated in the respective municipalities. The LIO will be manned by DENR-8 personnel and LGU personnel who are to be trained on land titling procedures, he added. He said that the people from the two towns could now file their land title applications and have other land transactions with the LIO at their respective municipality instead of going to the DENR’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Offices to transact on land matters. “The DENR came up with this strategy to bring its services closer to the people. It would be easier for them to secure lot data, maps, and file land title application, thus saving time, money and effort,” Sibbaluca said. He further said that at present his office together with the LGUs of Libagon and Malitbog are mapping plans for the training of the DENR-8 and LGU personnel who will be assigned and operate the LIO offices in the respective municipalities. Sibbaluca said that the establishment of the LIOs in municipalities is mandated in Republic Act No. 10023, otherwise known as “An Act Authorizing the Issuance of Free Patents to Residential Lands”. This covers applications for free patents pertaining to untitled public alienable and disposable lands which have been zoned as residential. It shall also cover zoned residential areas in proclaimed town site reservations, he added. Sibbaluca further informed reporters that in 2011, DENR issued Department Administrative Order No. 2011-06 which prescribed the guidelines for the implementation of public land titling in partnership with the local government units. He said that his office is still looking at increased partnership pacts with other municipalities to boost not only residential but also other modes of titling activities of the region. (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

ORMOC CITY- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 25,000 families affected by supertyphoon Yolanda were assisted by them for the past six months now. There were 190,000 families in western Leyte, consisting of 16 towns and the cities of Baybay and Ormoc, which were affected by Yolanda that resulted to the destruction of their houses. Giano Libot, communication with communities officer for Western Leyte, disclosed that the IOM handed out non- food items (NFI) namely: solar lamp – 1,600 units; school bags with hygiene materials – 2,546 school children; hygiene kits – 2,500 families; kitchen sets – 1,067 families; mat and blanket – 15,008 families and NFIs from Rotary of Burwood-Austrialia – 494 families. IOM also distributed repair shelter kits (RSK), emergency shelter, shelter recovery and disaster-risk reduction (DRR) and carpentry trainings. “To date, IOM has given out emergency shelters which consisted of tarpaulin, fixing tools to 13,102 families across 14 municipalities, 42,262 RSK and DRR training to over 9 municipalities”, it said. The IOM Ormoc hub had also conducted camp management and camp coordination training to local government units’ representatives for women organizations and non-government organization (NGOs) in 16 municipalities and two cities in western Leyte in relation to its “keep them safe” campaign. Awareness campaigns battling human trafficking among displaced communities especially at the bunkhouses were likewise conducted being one of IOM’s core programs. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)