ORMOC CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office (DEO) recently conducted a computer proficiency exam (CPE) for 37 endorsed examinees through a remote session, hosted by the DPWH Central Office in Manila, with assistance from the DEO’s Information and Communication Technology Unit.
The exam, designed to evaluate computer knowledge, aims to assess the technological capabilities and skills of the examinees in alignment with the demands of their roles within the DPWH.
Passing the CPE is a requirement for the renewal of a contract of service as well as for appointment or promotion to entry-level positions.
The results of the CPE will contribute to the continuous improvement of the DEO’s workforce, ensuring that employees are well-equipped with the necessary skills to navigate the evolving landscape of technology in their professional roles. (PR)
The city government of Borongan made a promise to its young athletes who will join in next year’s EVRAA Meet of their full support and commitment. Part of the promise is to provide better sports equipment and bigger funding for sports development. (Photo: Borongan City Information Office)
The city government of Borongan made a promise to its young athletes who will join in next year’s EVRAA Meet of their full support and commitment. Part of the promise is to provide better sports equipment and bigger funding for sports development. (Photo: Borongan City Information Office)
TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Borongan has vowed its full support to all student-athletes who will represent the city in next year’s Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA).
The city government vowed to provide more and better sports equipment for their training and will push for bigger funds and ensure the officials’ presence for the duration of the event to be held in Ormoc City in April 2024.
This was declared by city administrator, lawyer Celestino Cabato during the closing of the three-week-long Dukwag Sports Festival city meet last December 7 which was used as the basis for the selection of the representatives for the regional sports event.
“The city government will always support sports activities of the Borongan City division. It is our mandate also at the LGU (local government unit) that we must support sports activities of the Department of Education,” he said, representing Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda and Vice Mayor Emmanuel Tiu Sonco.
“We will lobby for a higher budget allocation for our athletes who will participate in the EVRAA. I have witnessed the EVRAA meet in some places throughout Eastern Visayas and their officials are there to support and give due recognition and moral, financial and other support for athletes. By 2024, we must see to it that our city officials must join,” added Cabato.
The city in next year’s EVRAA will be represented by 138 elementary student-athletes who will compete in sports such as arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, chess, football, gymnastics, sepak takraw, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.
A total of 252 high school student-athletes will also represent the city in the secondary division competing in archery, arnis, athletics, badminton, baseball, basketball, basketball 3×3, billiards, chess, dance sport, football, futsal, gymnastics, sepak takraw, softball, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, wushu and volleyball.
These athletes were gold medalists during the Dukwag City Meet. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS. Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado delivered his State of the Province Address on Monday (Dec.4) where he made several commitments which include food sufficiency in the province in five years’time.
(PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF SOUTHERN LEYTE)
STATE OF THE PROVINCE ADDRESS. Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado delivered his State of the Province Address on Monday (Dec.4) where he made several commitments which include food sufficiency in the province in five years’time. (PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF SOUTHERN LEYTE)
MAASIN CITY– Governor Damian Mercado of the province of Southern Leyte expressed his full desire for the province to become self-sufficient in terms of producing enough food for its people within the next decade, in the near future.
In his State of the Province Address (SOP) on Monday, December 4, at the provincial gym, Mercado let out a vision of a province that can stand on its own food supply by the year 2025 or by 2030, and some possible strategies to make it happen.
He emphasized that even if other neighboring provinces have a scarcity of their own food due to various causes, such as the spread of a contagious disease like the Asian Swine Fever (ASF), the province will not be affected.
“In our agricultural sector, our goals for this year mainly include the production increase of essential agricultural goods in the province and the establishment of a multi-species hatchery and tilapia fry dispersal,” the governor said.
He zeroed in on the multi-species fish hatchery, whose completion will certainly boost the production of many kinds of fishes along the stretch of the Sogod Bay sea, not just limited to bangus.
Aside from that, he mentioned continuing efforts at fortifying livestock supply such as the dispersal of broiler and native chickens along with the distribution of feeds, and the establishment of a Swine Multiplier Techno Demo Farm through the provincial veterinary office, for a steady, quality supply of meat and related products.
Individual hog raisers may access good breed of sows from the techno demo farm through the dispersal program, and be assured of healthy piglets, it was learned.
On rice production, Mercado said rice farmers especially in the pacific area, the rice granary of the province, will have continued support of certified seeds with accompanying fertilizers.
In addition to pitching a vision of a food-sufficient province, Mercado highlighted in his speech major projects, programs, and activities, particularly in the areas of finance, real properties management, infrastructure, social services, agriculture, veterinary services, environmental management, tourism, peace and order, education, health, disaster risk reduction and management, and local governance. (MMP/PIA8-Southern Leyte)
PUBLIC SAFETY. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez presided the joint 4th quarterly meeting of the peace and order, anti-drug council, and the city task force to end local communist armed conflict held at the Mayor’s Office on Wednesday (Dec.6). Among the issues discussed during the meeting were the peace and order situation of the city, public safety, and anti-illegal drugs campaign. (ALFRED ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
PUBLIC SAFETY. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez presided the joint 4th quarterly meeting of the peace and order, anti-drug council, and the city task force to end local communist armed conflict held at the Mayor’s Office on Wednesday (Dec.6). Among the issues discussed during the meeting were the peace and order situation of the city, public safety, and anti-illegal drugs campaign. (ALFRED ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
As it gears up for Holiday season
TACLOBAN CITY-At least 15 municipalities in the region does not have their own fire stations.
This was disclosed by Fire S/Supt. Randy Mendaros, assistant regional director of the Bureau of Fire and Protection (BFP) in a media interview as their office prepares activities aimed at making the celebration of Christmas and New Year fire incident-free in the region.
Mendaros, however, said that if there are fire incidents in these areas where there are no fire stations and fire equipment, the nearest fire station is to help put out the fire.
These are Maripipi, Biliran; Almagro, Daram, Sto. Nino, Tagapul-an, Talalora, and Zumarraga, all in Samar; Biri, Lapinig, Rosario, San Vicente, and Victoria, all in Northern Samar; Llorente, MacArthur, and Mercedes, all in Eastern Samar.
Eastern Visayas has 136 municipalities and seven cities.
The BFP in the region is gearing up for the Christmas and New Year to help prevent any fire incidents during these occasions.
Mendaros said that the reason why the 15 municipalities do not have their own fire station was due to lack of area where these facilities are to be constructed.
In most cases, it is the concerned local government unit that provides the lot.
“And if they are willing to donate a lot, it turned out the lot is a hazard-prone area,” the BFP official said during the ‘Kapihan sa PIA” held last Tuesday (Dec.5).
Among these LGUs that have donated or agreed to donate a lot where a fire station would be constructed are Maripipi, Daram, Lapinig, Rosario, Victoria, and Llorente.
Mendaros also disclosed that there are only 248 firetrucks across the region of which 27 are not serviceable or under maintenance.
And out of the 769 fire hydrants in the region, he said, 168 of them are not functioning.
Meantime, the BFP in the region is gearing up to ensure that the forthcoming Christmas and New Year celebrations will be free from any fire incidents just like last year.
Among the lined-up activities include information dissemination which involve a house-house campaign, especially in areas considered as ‘red zones’ or where houses mostly made of light materials are located and situated near each other.
Fire trucks will also roam around the streets reminding the public not to use any prohibitive firecrackers that could ignite a fire incident or cause injury to the people.
The move to establish the Panaon Island into a protected seascape area is getting closer with the approval on third and final reading by the House of Representatives on Nov.29. The Senate has yet to approve a similar measure.(Oceana)
The move to establish the Panaon Island into a protected seascape area is getting closer with the approval on third and final reading by the House of Representatives on Nov.29. The Senate has yet to approve a similar measure.(Oceana)
TACLOBAN CITY– The House of Representatives has approved a measure declaring Panaon Island in Southern Leyte as a protected seascape under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.
The measure, authored by both Southern Leyte Reps. Luz Mercado and Christopherson Yap of the first and second congressional district of the province respectively, was approved on its third and final reading by 247 members of the Lower House on November 29.
The declaration to make the 60,000 hectares of waters surrounding the Panaon Island got also the backing of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, representing Leyte’s first congressional district.
In a statement, Rep. Mercado said that she is happy that the measure was supported and passed into third and final reading by her colleagues, knowing fully well of its impacts not only on the ecosystem but also to the people living around the Panaon Island.
“Panaon Island is known for its rich marine ecosystem that provides both food and livelihood opportunities for its residents. By promoting sustainable fishing practices, we can protect this fragile environment while ensuring economic viability,” she said in a statement.
In an earlier statement, Rep. Yap underscored the importance of establishing Panaon Island as a protected seascape.
“The establishment of the Panaon Island Protected Seascape is a testament to our commitment to protect and conserve our national heritage while providing a platform for sustainable economic growth and climate resilience. It is a beacon of hope for the residents of Panaon Island, the whole of Southern Leyte, and all those who cherish the beauty of our coastal ecosystem,” the solon said.
Oceana, the largest international advocacy organization on ocean conservation and among those pushing for the declaration of the island as a protected seascape, said that once enacted into law, comprehensive protection measures for the diverse ecosystems on the island would be instituted such as the formulation of a management plan and strengthened regulations to prevent overfishing, illegal fishing, habitat destruction, and other activities detrimental to the marine environment.
“The declaration of Panaon Island Protected Seascape sets the framework that will ensure sustainable ecotourism and livelihood activities that balance socio-economic development with conservation efforts,” it said in a statement on Thursday (Dec.7).
The Panaon Island Protected Seascape covers the municipalities of Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, and San Ricardo, all in Southern Leyte.
Oceana said that it has coral reefs with up to 60% of very good coral cover, way above the national average of around 20%, and is home to endangered species listed under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species like whale sharks and sea turtles.
“The passage of the bill at the House of Representatives is a testament that through collaborative efforts we can achieve more in protecting our vital marine ecosystems for the present and future generations. We are looking forward to the passage of the counterpart bill on Panaon Island in the Senate,” Gloria Estenzo Ramos, Oceana vice president, said.
At the Senate, the same measure is being sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Villar who chairs the committee on environment, natural resources, and climate change.
Villar had earlier said that she is optimistic that her bill will also get the support of the majority of the senators, adding that she sees the measure getting approved during the current 19th Congress. (JOEY A. GABIETA/ROEL T. AMAZONA)
ORMOC CITY– Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez expressed her gratitude to the management of a shopping mall operating in the city for its cooperation in responding for a possible disaster that would strike the city.
Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez
On Thursday (Dec.7), Gomez, representing the city government, signed an agreement with the Robinsons Land Corporation for the establishment of a temporary evacuation site and a triage center located at the mall’s parking area.
“This partnership gives us assurance knowing that we are prepared and will survive should hard times come,” the city mayor said in her message after the signing of the agreement.
Under the agreement, the management of the shopping mall committed to designate 1,690 square meters of its parking lot for the setting up of temporary evacuation sites, a command center, and a triage area in the immediate aftermath of destructive calamity.
“We stand to support the development of the city in recognizing that disaster risk reduction and management is everyone’s responsibility,” Allan Anthony Armamento, operations director of the giant shopping mall, said.
A simulation exercise was conducted after the signing of the agreement participated by security personnel and a rescue team from the city government.
The simulation drill involved how to ‘rescue’ a bus carrying 34 student-athletes who attended a sports competition in Tacloban City and met a vehicular accident while it was on its way to Ormoc.
Responding to the accident, the rescue team has set up their command center at the parking space of the mall including tri-age, and medical response facility.
Meantime, Mayor Torres Gomez said that the city government is doing its best to address any possible disaster, especially cause by climate change, and secure the lives of its people, in particular.
“Here in Ormoc we will do all that we can, use all the resources that we have, with the skills set that we have, we will make sure that should the day come at least we know we won’t just surrender without given a fight,” she said.
One of the responses that the city government implement to protect its constituents against the effect of natural disasters and calamities is by ensuring that communities along danger zone are relocated in safer areas.
“We are in the process of identifying those who are located in the no-build zones and clearing up the no-build zones and then also making sure that they have resettlement areas,” Mayor Gomez added.
She also said a master plan identifying flood-prone areas across the city is now being conducted with the assistance of a Japanese entity with the output expected to be completed early this year.
Ormoc City has faced several natural calamities like the massive flooding in 1991 that killed at least 4,000 residents with about 2,500 reported missing, the super typhoon Yolanda in Nov 2013, and the magnitude 6.5 earthquake in July 2017. (ROEL T. AMAZONA, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
