TACLOBAN CITY – The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in the region has reported a 96 percent compliance rate in the consolidation of public utility vehicles under the government’s modernization program.

According to their report, out of 3,563 registered public utility vehicles in the region, 3,378 units have been consolidated as of May 31. This information was shared by Gualberto Gualberto, the regional director of the LTFRB, during a media conference organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on Tuesday (June 4).

“I am happy to say that Region 8 is among the leading regions in the country in complying with the consolidation program,” he stated. “In fact, we have a 96 percent compliance rating, making us the number two region in the country in terms of program compliance,” Gualberto added.

Region 12 currently holds the highest rate of consolidation of public utility vehicles.
Gualberto expressed his satisfaction with the compliance of operators in the country, despite the program’s deadline having lapsed on April 30. He mentioned that drivers of public utility vehicles not enrolled by their operators under the program were provided assistance by the LTFRB as part of their social support initiative.

This assistance included enrolling drivers with TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to acquire skills beyond driving, such as entrepreneurship. Alternatively, they were helped to join transport groups or cooperatives that had agreed to consolidate.

“No one was left behind because the LTFRB’s program is really to help our drivers and operators,” Gualberto emphasized.

He also assured that the riding public in the region was not affected by the program due to the high compliance rate among transport owners. Furthermore, based on their monitoring, no public utility vehicles that were not included in the consolidation continued to operate on the streets.

Some drivers and operators in the region have expressed reservations about the program, noting that preparing the necessary documents and purchasing new and modern units would entail high costs.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY– Two sachets containing white crystalline substances weighing 6.46 grams with an estimated street value of P43,928 and a homemade S&W.357 caliber revolver were recovered by operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Team of Police Station 4 and the City Drug Enforcement Unit of Ormoc City Police Office during a buy-bust operation at about 1:40 am on Thursday (June 6) at CCF Compound in Barangay Linao, this city.

Police Station 4 chief, Captain Jason Mateo identified the suspect as Bienvenido Delgado Jr.31, married, who was in possession of one sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P5,000.

During the conduct of a body search done in the presence of an elected official and a representative from the local media, the cops recovered one more sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected shabu weighing 6.05 grams.

Moreover, the police recovered one unit .357 caliber revolver marked S&W with no serial number, loaded with 3 live ammunition.

The suspect admitted owning the illegal items recovered from him saying he has ventured into the illegal drugs recently but refused to divulge where he gets the prohibited drug.

Charges of violations of section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165 the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002 and RA 10591, the Comprehensive Law against illegal possession of Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosives were filed against Mateo who is now detained at the locked-up cell of Police Station 4.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture has extended cash assistance to more than 4,000 farmers in Northern Samar province under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers’ Financial Assistance (RCEF-RFFA) Program.

Recipients are farmers from 19 towns of Northern Samar, who got PHP5,000 each.

DA Eastern Visayas Regional Executive Director Andrew Orais said in an interview Wednesday the department held a distribution caravan of over P20 million cash aid in Northern Samar on May 15 to 17 and May 22-24, 2024.

Beneficiaries are from the towns of Catarman, Lope De Vega, San Jose, Bobo, Mapanas, – Gamay, Lapinig, Laoang, Capul, Biri, San Antonio, San Isidro, Victoria, Allen, Lavezares, Rosario, Mondragon, San Roque, Pambujan, and Las Navas.

“We have been encouraging farmer recipients to put to good use the said support as they cope with rising production costs and sustain productivity,” Orais said.

The RCEF-RFFA provides a P5,000 financial assistance to Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture-registered rice farmers tilling rice areas below two hectares.

This assistance is sourced from the additional funds received by the DA through the tariffs generated under Republic Act 11203, the Rice Tariffication Law.

The tariff automatically appropriates P5 billion for the provision of farm machinery and equipment, P3 billion for certified inbred seeds, P1 billion for credit, and P1 billion for training and extension, or a total of P10 billion.

The Rice Tariffication Law approved in February 2019 removed quantitative restrictions on rice imports and replaced them with a 35 percent import tariff.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO, PNA)