TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is eyeing to turn over completed community-based monitoring system (CBMS) data to all 91 towns of Eastern Visayas before the year ends.

Zonia Salazar, assistant chief of the PSA regional statistical operation and coordination division, said on Thursday the enumeration in all areas has been completed while analysis and validation are ongoing for half of the covered areas.

“We have already turned over completed CBMS data to 42 towns as of this week. The target is to turn over all data before 2024,” Salazar said in a phone interview.

The data provides the region’s local government units with a tool for a more improved governance and greater transparency and accountability in resource allocation.

“The CBMS is a diagnostic tool to assess poverty at the village, municipal, city, and provincial level. It provides policymakers and program implementers with a good information base for tracking the impacts of macroeconomic reforms,” PSA 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director Wilma Perante, said in a statement.

In the past few days, the PSA has turned over data to the towns of Almagro, Hinabangan, Jiabong, Marabut, Motiong, San Jose de Buan, Santa Rita, Talalora, Tarangnan, Villareal, Zumarraga, Tagapul-an, San Jorge, and Pagsanghan in Samar.

Other areas are Hindang, Julita, La Paz, MacArthur, Mayorga, Merida, Pastrana, Sta. Fe, Tabontabon, Tolosa, and Tunga in Leyte; Balangkayan, Gen. MacArthur, Hernani, Jipapad, Maslog, and Quinapondan in Eastern Samar; Liloan, Macrohon, Silago, and Sogod in Southern Leyte; and Biliran, Almeria, Culaba, Caibiran, Cabucgayan, Maripipi, and Kawayan in Biliran province.

Turnover has been delayed in Northern Samar due to recent flooding that affected several areas in the province.

CBMS refers to an organized technology-based system of collecting, processing, and validating necessary disaggregated data that may be used for planning, program implementation, and impact monitoring at the local level while empowering communities to participate in the process.

The system, mandated under Republic Act 11315, involves the generation of data at the local level, which serves as the basis for targeting households in the planning, budgeting, and implementation of government programs geared toward poverty alleviation and economic development.

“The CBMS entails a census of households using accelerated poverty profiling systems in the data. Data generated from CBMS will serve as the compendium of localized facts, figures, and maps on the different dimensions of poverty,” Perante added.

These dimensions include health, nutrition, water, sanitation, shelter, education, income, employment, security, and participation.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

ORMOC CITY-A security guard of a known package courier yielded five sachets containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu during a buy-bust operation conducted by local police in Malitbog, Southern Leyte on Wednesday (Dec.13).

Police identified the suspect as Nelson Ongcada Jr., 29, married, security guard of the guard J&T Malitbog and a resident of Tomas Oppus, Southern Leyte.

He was arrested in a sting operation at about 5:59 pm in Barangay San Vicente, Malitbog.
Recovered from his possession were five sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P5,000.

A case of violation of section 5 (selling prohibited drugs) of Art. II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002 was filed at the Provincial Prosecutors Office against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Malitbog municipal police station. (ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– A man who was earlier imprisoned due to illegal drugs was arrested again in Naval, Biliran on Tuesday (Dec. 2).

The suspect, only identified as Jerico,24, was arrested in a buy-bust operation on that day in Barangay Atipolo, Naval at about 6:48 pm, local police said.

Recovered from his possession were four sachets containing suspected shabu.

The suspect is now detained at the detention facility of the naval municipal station and was charged for possession and selling of illegal drugs.
(ROBERT DEJON)

Culaba, Biliran-One of the most wanted persons of Culaba, Biliran was arrested by the police on Monday (Dec.11).

The accused, ranked number five in the list of most wanted, was arrested in Barangay Virginia of the said town at about 3 pm, the police said.

He was charged for child abuse.

The court, however, recommended P200,000 for the temporary liberty of the accused who was only identified as ‘Mosco.’(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – Lara Samar, Kadiwata Rock Island Experience, and Uswag Artesano were recognized in the first Philippines Creative Tourism Awards 2023, the three-day inaugural edition of the Philippine Creative Tourism Congress (PCTC).

The three were nominated via the Creative Tourism Network website in two of the six categories of the Philippines Creative Tourism Awards 2023.

Kandiwata placed 2nd in the Best Creative Destination category while Lara and Uswag placed sixth place under the Best Creative Experience.

Created by the Creative Tourism Network®, the Philippines Creative Tourism Awards 2023 recognizes initiatives and destinations worldwide that promote innovative and sustainable tourism practices.

Celebrating authenticity, creativity, and the involvement of locals and tourists in co-creating exceptional experiences.

Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco handed the recognition to the winners during the event held in Bacolod City last December 6.

Sec. Frasco, in her message, hailed ‘Creative Tourism’ as the catalyst for a new era in travel, saying it is an innovative approach involving tourists and local communities in crafting unique and immersive travel experiences – a concept centered on co-creation noting that the first PCTC is aligned with the administration of Pres. Marcos, Jr.’s vision for the tourism sector to play an invaluable role in the promotion of the Filipino brand.

She added that the PCTC 2023 represents a cornerstone in the DOT’s commitment in amplifying the cultural richness and creative prowess of the Philippines on the global stage.
The holding of the event is in keeping of Republic Act 11904, also known as the Philippine Creative Industries Act of 2022 (PCIDA), which advocates for the establishment of the Philippine Creative Industries Development Council (PCIDC) where DOT seats as an ex-officio member of this council.

The law stands as a beacon for fostering the creative industries and mandates the safeguarding and fortification of the rights and capacities of creative firms, creators, and stakeholders in the country. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)