ORMOC CITY– Two individuals, one of whom was a minor, lost their lives in a drowning incident while swimming at Gandara River in Barangay Burabod II, Gandara, Samar last Friday (Feb.23) at about 4:45 pm.
The victims were identified as “Nonoy,” 20 and, “Karkar,” aged 12 and a Grade VI pupil, both residents of Brgy. Burabod II.
Local authorities responded promptly to a call from concerned citizens reporting the drowning incident.
Upon arrival at the scene, they found the two victims undergoing resuscitation by local rescuers who were applying CPR. Subsequently, the victims were transported to the rural health unit for further medical attention.
Preliminary investigation conducted by responding police revealed that the two victims were swimming in the river when they encountered strong currents. Despite their attempts to reach the riverbank, they were unsuccessful.
Following a search and retrieval operation conducted by the Gandara Emergency Response Unit, the lifeless bodies of the victims were found approximately a kilometer away from their last known location.
At the request of their grieving family members, the bodies of the victims were brought back to their respective residences. (ROBERT DEJON)
The committee on committee on women, children and family relation chair Councilor Aurora Aimee Grafil conducted a hearing on the measure she authored granting more privileges to solo parents in the city. Also in photo are committee members, Councilors Elvira Casal and Jerry Uy. (TCIO)
The committee on committee on women, children and family relation chair Councilor Aurora Aimee Grafil conducted a hearing on the measure she authored granting more privileges to solo parents in the city. Also in photo are committee members, Councilors Elvira Casal and Jerry Uy. (TCIO)
TACLOBAN CITY– Ordinance sponsor and committee on women, children and family relation chair Councilor Aurora Aimee D. Grafil led a hearing on the proposed ordinance to be known as the “Solo Parent Welfare Ordinance of the City of Tacloban.”
The proposed ordinance is to adopt or localize the implementation of Republic Act 8972 or the Solo Parent Act of 2000.
Among the key provisions of the ordinance is the creation of the Solo Parent’s Division under the direct supervision of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), 10% discount and VAT exemption on some baby/children products, livelihood assistance, cash subsidy, and other benefits.
Dr. Elvira G. Casal, the committee vice-chair, and councilor Atty. Jerry S. Uy, Federation of Solo Parent President Aileen M. Grafil, representatives of CSWDO, CLO, CIO, and CBO were likewise in attendance during the committee hearing on Wednesday afternoon, February 21. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
Ormoc City – A fire erupted in a residential area in this city, the origin of which is currently under investigation by the local fire bureau.
The 7:35 pm fire incident in Purok Chrysanthemum of Barangay Cogon last Thursday (Feb. 22) displaced 43 households comprising 233 individuals, the city fire office said.
Allegedly ignited by lighted components falling from an electric post onto the roof of a nipa house, the fire quickly spread throughout the area.
Most of the residential structures in the vicinity were made of light materials, exacerbating the rapid spread of the flames.
The combination of light and concrete materials in some houses facilitated the fire’s swift engulfment of the 43 houses.
However, firefighters faced significant challenges due to the narrow passage leading to the fire site, which was only about one meter wide. This restricted access made it difficult for firefighters to enter the area, hindering their efforts to extinguish the blaze.
Many residents were unable to salvage their belongings due to the constrained passage.
To overcome these obstacles, firefighters and volunteers improvised by creating a hole in a concrete fence to allow water hoses to reach the fire. Additionally, some volunteers ascended ladders onto the roofs of nearby buildings to direct hoses towards the flames.
Multiple fire trucks from neighboring areas including Baybay City, Palompon, Matag-ob, Merida, Isabel, Albuera, Kananga, Tzu Chi, and PASAR from Isabel, joined the six firetrucks from the local fire bureau in combating the blaze, which escalated to the third alarm level.
Unfortunately, one resident, identified as Ivan Caliwan, sustained injuries while evacuating the area with personal belongings.
The fire was brought under control by approximately 9:34 pm and was completely extinguished by 10:25 pm.
The extent of the damage is yet to be determined though the local fire bureau initially estimated the damage at P774, 000. (ROBERT DEJON)
COMBATING FAKE NEWS: The national government, through its diverse media offices and platforms, spearheads the battle against the spread of fake news and misinformation through a campus caravan. This initiative reached Eastern Visayas, engaging students from Leyte Normal University and Eastern Visayas State University during the caravan held this week.
(PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-EASTERN VISAYAS)
COMBATING FAKE NEWS: The national government, through its diverse media offices and platforms, spearheads the battle against the spread of fake news and misinformation through a campus caravan. This initiative reached Eastern Visayas, engaging students from Leyte Normal University and Eastern Visayas State University during the caravan held this week. (PHILIPPINE INFORMATION AGENCY-EASTERN VISAYAS)
A first in Southeast Asia
TACLOBAN CITY – A remote island town in Northern Samar is set to become the home of the first tidal power facility not only in the Philippines but also in the entire Southeast Asia region.
The tidal power facility will be constructed in Capul town by Energies Ph Inc. through its affiliate, San Bernardino Ocean Power Corp., Jan Allen Berbon, head of the Provincial Economic and Development Investment Promotion Office, said on Saturday (Feb. 17).
“Tidal power in Northern Samar will not only generate jobs and benefit the environment but also contribute to energy stability and help reduce prices,” he said.
Tidal power harnesses energy from the natural rise and fall of tides, caused by the gravitational interaction between the Earth, the sun, and the moon. Tidal currents, which carry sufficient energy for harvesting, occur when water passes through a constriction, accelerating the flow.
Capul was selected as the pilot area for the tidal power project due to its strategic location along the San Bernardino Strait, known for its strong ocean currents, the primary source of tidal energy.
Energies Ph Inc. awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the one-megawatt project to the United Kingdom-based Inyanga Marine Energy Group.
Inyanga is renowned for its involvement in global offshore renewable projects and operates two divisions: tidal energy technology development with HydroWing and offshore engineering and installation with Inyanga Maritime.
Jean Christophe Allo, Inyanga’s commercial manager, stated that HydroWing tidal stream technology will be employed to generate tidal power, ensuring continuous power supply 24/7.
Currently, Capul, known for its significant role in the Galleon Trade during the Spanish era, relies on a 750-kilowatt diesel power plant operating for 16 hours a day, Berbon, who also serves as the provincial information officer, said.
Officials from Energies Ph Inc. are scheduled to meet with Governor Edwin Ongchuan next month to further discuss the project, which is expected to not only bolster the province’s power supply but also create job opportunities for locals.
Inyanga lauded tidal stream energy as the most predictable and reliable form of renewable energy, with its HydroWing technology representing the pinnacle of innovation, offering a cost-effective solution for harnessing ocean tides. HydroWing is currently Inyanga’s largest tidal stream development project in Wales, England.
In addition to the tidal power project, groundworks for the San Isidro On-Shore Wind project, led by Aboitiz Renewables Inc. and Vena Energy, have commenced, while the North Samar Offshore Wind Power Project by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) is in the pre-development phase, with ground investigations initiated earlier this year.
Northern Samar Electric Cooperative (Norsamelco), the main power cooperative of the province, gets its supply needs from Filinvest Development Corporation Misamis Power Corp. (FDCMPC) and WESM (Wholesale Electricity Spot Market) and with current customer connections of about 66,173.
SKILLS TRAINING. An agreement was entered by TESDA with Toyota Tacloban, Leyte Inc. which will help train 20 scholars of automotive. The scholars will undergo a two months training with them receiving certificate of competency.
SKILLS TRAINING. An agreement was entered by TESDA with Toyota Tacloban, Leyte Inc. which will help train 20 scholars of automotive. The scholars will undergo a two months training with them receiving certificate of competency.
TACLOBAN CITY-A memorandum of agreement (MOA) was recently executed between the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and a car dealer company with the primary objective of providing automotive training to 20 students.
The MOA was officially signed on February 15 by TESDA Regional Director Gamaliel Vicente, Jr., and Jimmy Yaokasin, chairman and president of Toyota Tacloban, Leyte, Inc.
Yaokasin expressed his satisfaction with the agreement, highlighting its potential to enhance the skills of scholars in the automotive field.
Under the terms of the agreement, both parties will sponsor 10 scholars each, who will undergo automotive skills training for a minimum duration of three months. During this period, scholars will receive a daily stipend of P160.
Yaokasin emphasized that the training program aims to improve the student’s skills, thus opening up job opportunities for them upon completion.
“This will upgrade their skills and provide them opportunities as they will be assured job opportunities,” he said.
Yaokasin said that the prospective scholars if they wish, could apply with their company or even apply for possible overseas opportunities.
Vicente echoed this sentiment, noting that this partnership marks TESDA’s inaugural collaboration with Toyota, specifically focusing on automotive skills training.
“This is the first partnership with Toyota with us which focuses on training prospective scholars on automotive skills,” he said.
Graduates are to receive certification of competency.
The agreement seeks to provide scholars with comprehensive training in automotive servicing skills, culminating in the attainment of certification of competency upon completion of the program.
Vicente underscored the timeliness of the initiative, citing the current high demand for individuals proficient in automotive servicing.
Vicente emphasized that the training will not only cover fundamental automotive servicing skills but will also incorporate the utilization of cutting-edge vehicles and equipment.
He encouraged interested individuals to apply, outlining eligibility criteria such as age (20 to 35 years old), non-receipt of other government educational scholarships or subsidies, and coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, among others.
Members of the field validation team (FVT) interview agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Leyte in preparation to the issuance of individual certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). (Photo courtesy of MARPO ROMUALDO MANUTA)
Members of the field validation team (FVT) interview agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Leyte in preparation to the issuance of individual certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). (Photo courtesy of MARPO ROMUALDO MANUTA)
TACLOBAN CITY – A field validation team (FVT) under the Department of Agrarian Reform’s (DAR) Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) project showed excellence in their work performance in the province of Leyte by documenting 200 hectares in just 18 days.
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II), Atty. Daniel Pen, who at the same time is the Provincial Project Manager of the SPLIT project in Leyte, congratulated the FVT who was supervised by Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Romualdo Manuta for accomplishing and documenting 200 hectares of targeted landholdings from January 22 to February 10 this year.
The FVT headed by lawyer May Delos Reyes, with members Ianly Lampayan, Aerose Cobacha, Arnel Comique, and AJ Avorque, successfully documented their targets in record time.
PARPO Pen credited their excellent performance to three factors. According to him, the team exerted more efforts in the documentation activities, they were already technically equipped and knowledgeable of their tasks, and good teamwork.
The team is tasked with the documentation of landholdings covered by a collective Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA), issued earlier by DAR, in preparation for the issuance of an individual title under the World Bank-funded SPLIT project.
PARPO Pen explained that among the benefits of the SPLIT project is to protect land tenure and strengthen property rights of the ARBs over their awarded lots. (JOHN COLASITO/PR)
