PALO, Leyte—Alarmed of the increasing incidence of teenage pregnancies in the Philippines, the Commission on Population (POPCOM) in Eastern Visayas will launch hrough a road show an educational caravan giving Filipino youth critical information on how to delay sexual debut, prevent teen pregnancy and avoid sexually ransmitted infections (STI). Called U4U Teen Trail, the program aims to deliver critical information to Filipino teens aged 10-19 to prevent teen pregnancy and reduce the prevalence of STI through online and mobile platforms.

POPCOM-8 Regional Director Elnora R. Pulma said the U4U will be part of the Department of Health (DOH) on Wheels: Kalusugan Pangkalahatan or KP Road show which aims to bring health care advocacies to every corner of the country by 2016. The KP Road show will be held on July 1 at the Schistosomiasis Research and Training Center in Palo, Leyte and on July 2 at the Tacloban City Convention Center in Tacloban City.

Pulma added that the U4U was first launched in Albay in January 2014, and following that successful event is to bring the initiative to various parts of the country with the hope to engage more young Filipinos to avail of adolescent-friendly services. “It will focus on promoting public health while providing services and information to women and children, adolescents, fathers, and senior citizens of every community,” Pulma said.

The initiative comes as the country’s stakeholders work double time to achieve Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5—the reduction of child mortality and the improvement of maternal health in the Philippines. Supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and DOH, POPCOM plans to bring the U4U Teen Trail to as many schools and barangays as possible nationwide.

Pulma said the caravan features an interactive exhibit called #bakasBukas, managed by teen facilitators. She added that participants can journey through the exhibit to learn about puberty, self-image, relationships, preventing pregnancy and gender-based violence, and youth advocacy.

Through structured learning exercises, participants also learned about myths and misconceptions on sex and sexuality. Conceptualized by POPCOM, the U4U Teen Trail caravan also serves as a promotion vehicle to introduce teens to online and mobile tools. A dynamic website named u4u.ph was also designed. It also set up an interactive voice response system (IVRS), a mobile platform that provides automated information to a mobile phone texter. The U4U is the second major adolescent health and youth development advocacy campaign after the success of “Crossroads,” an adolescent youth and development film. (REYAN ARINTO,POPCOM-8 Information Management & Communications Unit)

KANANGA, Leyte- The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) formally turned over on June 11 the concreted 3.8 kilometer farm-to-market road in Barangay Masarayao to the Kananga municipal government. DAR Regional Director Sheila Enciso, the project, which connects to the national highway extending up to sitio Toril, is the second project implemented under the second phase of the Agrarian Reform Community Project (ARCP-2) turned over by her office for the LGU’s maintenance. The first one was the farm-to market road in Javier which was turned over last year. With a total project cost of P21.2-million, 30 percent of the project or P6.3-million was loaned from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), while 45 percent of which equivalent to P9.5-million came from the LGU as the latter’s equity. The 25 percent or P5.3-million was shouldered by the Office of President thru the National Government Assistance to LGUs (NGALGU).

Mayor Elmer Codilla reminisced in his acceptance message how their municipality nearly missed this project due to the very high equity asked from them. Originally, the LGU was supposed to shoulder the 70 percent of the project cost. But thanked to NGALGU, their share was reduced, Codilla narrated Meanwhile, barangay chairwoman Clarita Cuizon said in her message that hauling of their products for trading has become easier now that their road has been concreted. Transportation cost likewise was lessened, Cuizon added. According to her, fare from the center of their barangay to Ormoc City, where their products, mostly pineapple, are sold was reduced by P20.

Before, when the road was not concreted yet, they paid a fare of P60 for a distance of 19 kilometers, Cuizon narrated. Now that public utility jeeps (PUJ) ply the area, the P60 fare was reduced to P40, she added. Some 2,711 residents in the area, where 737 are agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) according to Leyte Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer (PARPO) Melecia Ong, are expected to benefit directly from this project. Residents from the interior barangays of Ormoc also prefer to pass by this route as they find it more comfortable traveling through this concreted road. Director Enciso said that there are 81 approved infrastructure projects being implemented under ARCP-2 within the 44 agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in 46 municipalities in the provinces of Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar that are believed to augment agricultural production as well as increase household income of the farmers particularly the ARBs in these areas. (JOSE ALSMITH L.SORIA/PR)

ORMOC CITY-The government troops’ continuous efforts for peace and economic advancement resulted to a clash against around 20 members of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels identified as “Pingkoy Platoon” and confiscation of mines and combat items inside a camp at Sitio Nabunturan, Patag village, this city last week. Lt. Col. Nedy Espulgar, commanding officer of 19th Infantry Battalion based in Aguiting, Kananga, Leyte said the presence of the rebels in the area were tipped off by the villagers which resulted to a 30 minutes fire fight.

The government troops recovered three unexploded claymore mines, magazines with ammunitions and back packs with personal belongings and subversive documents inside the rebels’ camp.

The temporary camp occupied by the “Pingkoy Platoon” operating in western Leyte particularly in Ormoc, Burauen and Jaro can be reached by two-hour hike from the village proper that was said made of tents. It is believed to have been established after “Yolanda” that was not visible by aerial view.
Espulgar said “there will be no let-up in our support to the development programs that were introduced in the hinterland barangays of Ormoc, despite the Tuesday incident. We will pursue with our development efforts, especially in our advocacy on Land Bank’s sustainable integrated natural and organic mini farm program. But our troops are always ready should similar eventuality arises”, he went on. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

Allen, Northern Samar – Students who failed to give voluntary contributions last school year should not be forced to pay upon enrolment and it should not be used by teachers and school heads as reason for not releasing the school forms necessary for enrolment. This was clearly stated by Northern Samar Schools Superintendent Cristito Eco in his speech during the flag raising ceremony last June 2 in Cabacungan Elementary and High Schools, here. Very early in the morning, Eco travelled from Catarman town to these two remote public schools in Allen just to attend the flag raising ceremony which officially signaled the opening of classes. Teachers and school dministrators were surprised upon seeing the superintendent. It was the first time that a schools division superintendent supervised them in the opening of classes.

Eco also made it clear to everybody who attended the flag ceremony that the DepEd is strictly imposing the “no collection policy” upon enrolment. He also warmly welcomed the students and told them to encourage their classmates who were absent to report to school. He was also happy to see some parents cleaning the school campus.

Eco personally inspected all the classrooms and the schools’ premises to determine their readiness in accommodating the pupils and students. In his speech during the flag ceremony, he said that he observed that not all classrooms were ready. He was also dismayed to see pupils and students cleaning the classrooms and school campus. Eco reminded the teachers and school heads of the two schools that cleaning should have been done during the School’s Maintenance Week or Brigada Eskwela so that everything would be ready upon the opening of classes. (GARY A.VACUNAWA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Despite of the massive destruction wrought by supertyphoon Yolanda to this city and large part of Leyte, the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals will still be stage on June 28.

The festivals served as one of the highlights of Tacloban’s annual fiesta. The launching of the twin-bill festival was announced in a press conference last June 20 held at the RTR Plaza by Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla and Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla, honorary chair and founder of the Kasadyaan Festival respectively and Eugene Tan, president of the Pintados Festival.

According to them, despite of what happened to Tacloban and parts of the province, the staging of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals has to continue. “The holding of the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals has to go on despite of what we have experienced due to Yolanda. This will serve as our thanksgiving to our patron saint that we survived Yolanda,” Mayor Petilla said.

Tan, however, said that contrary to years’ past, this year’s celebration of the festivals will be low key. For this year, the participating contingents will come from outside Leyte save for the Buyugan Festival of Abuyog, Leyte. The participating contingents are the Kawayan-Banigan Festival of Basey, Samar; Masskara Festival of Bacolod City; Uway Festival of Talalora, Samar; Tribu Lumad Basakanon of Cebu.

Gov. Petilla said that the provincial government has allocated P300,000 for each contingent covering their transportation and accommodation. The contingents are to stay at the Leyte State University and the Eastern Visayas State University. While there are five contingents participating the Pintados Festival. And unlike before, there will be no competition among the participating contingents, the organizers said. (DESSA MAE CASTRO/KAYE ANNE ORALLER, LNU-Intern)