TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Leyte Second District Engineering Office (L2DEO) completed a road project in Barangay Sta. Cruz traversing Barangay Badiang Road in Jaro, Leyte.

The project has a total cost of P9.6 million and involves the concreting of 2.245 linear meters in a 5-meter width.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura said that the project will provide the local community with a better road network as residents will no longer endure the bad road conditions that pose danger to commuters and motorists.

“The department is constructing roads that connect rural areas to major thoroughfares in order to encourage local traders to boost local economic activity. Likewise, access to basic services, health care, educational facilities, and social welfare are possible regardless of the mode of travel on the newly concreted road,” Oppura said.

Delivery of agricultural produce and other products is now easily transported to the public market, and traders reduce their transportation expenses, thus increasing their income, he added.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, N. Samar– The Philippine Association for Government Budget Administration (PAGBA), Inc., led by Zenaida B. Chang, president and former assistant commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue conducted its 2nd quarterly seminar and meeting held at the Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City, last August 30, 2023 to September 2, 2023, with the theme: “Responding to the Continuing Challenges of Innovations & Technology to Public Financial Management,” where financial managers outlined a task on how to respond the structural reforms for digitalization and service responsiveness that require continuing information and professional development.

The objective for this year’s quarterly meeting is to sustain the provision and facilitation of capacity-building requirements relative to sound public financial management and good governance, including worthwhile information on work-life balance.

Hence, distinguished experts and resource speakers were invited to discuss the following topics: Digital Innovation and Transformation, Budget Execution and Accountability Reports, BEDS and BARs, Roles of Budget Officers, Accountants and Head of Agencies; Records Management and Disposal; Government Property Disposal and Accountability; Omnibus Rules on Appointments & Other Human Resource Actions (ORA-OHRA); GSIS Premiums, Benefits and Retirement Laws; Confidential, Intelligence Funds Difference, Inclusions and Exclusions; Work, Life Balance, Stress and Anger Management in the Work Place and Home; Tax Updates; Corporate Operating Budget (COB) Preparation, Process and Approval; and Procurement Process, Roles of BAC and RA 9184 Updates.

This meeting was attended by the country’s budget and financial officers, accountants, procurement officers, administrative officers, legal officers, personnel officers, cashiers, treasurers, comptrollers, planning and development officers, fiscal and school administrators, and officials and employees from the government and private sectors.
Furthermore, the quarterly seminar was attended by DPWH-NSSDEO personnel, Hazzel D. Balberan, Accountant II and Ma. Lourdes L. Sebanes, Administrative Officer IV (Budget Officer II) of Finance Section, as well as, Glea C. Gloton, Administrative Aide VI, staff of the Procurement Unit.(KRISTIN KALAYAAN R. FLORES, PIO ALTERNATE)

TACLOBAN CITY – Candidates of the October 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections from this city vowed to make the balloting free and orderly.

The more than 2,000 candidates attended a peace covenant on Friday (Sept.29) held at the Tacloban convention center, or astrodome, initiated by the city office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The morning event was also attended by the City Police Office, the City Prosecutor’s Office, military, and other stakeholders.

“This peace covenant signing is very important for us to have a peaceful, safe, orderly, credible, and most of all, successful barangay and SK elections,” lawyer Ma. Goretti Cañas, city elections officer, said during the event.

Tacloban City is placed under ‘Green category’ by the security and the Comelec.
Areas placed under the said category are considered not “areas of concern” or no recorded intense political rivalry, no presence of private armed groups and history of election related violence.

“We wish to maintain such category with the help of our candidates, their supporters, and the voters as well,” Cañas said, adding that their office would do everything to make sure that no political violence would erupt in Tacloban City comes the barangay and SK balloting.
City police director Col Michael Palermo, in his message during the covenant signing, assured of their commitment to ensuring that the forthcoming elections will be secure and orderly.

“Even the smallest and simplest deed will significantly contribute to our common goal…to ensure the voting populace that we are sincere in giving them our utmost respect for their right to vote without any intimidation and let them choose the leader that the city deserves,” he said.

After the covenant signing, a forum followed where Cañas informed the candidates to strictly follow the elections law for them not to be charged for any violation relative to the conduct of the balloting.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, N. Samar– The Department of Public Works and Highways-Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office(DPWH-NSSDEO) finance section personnel participated in the consultation meeting for the Full time Delivery Unit (FDU) of the Department of Budget and Management(DBM)– DPWH Region VIII Fiscal Year 2023 mid-year Agency Performance Review (APR) held last August 29, 2023 via Google Meet.

The meeting was organized by DBM-Regional Office VIII and attended by all DPWH-District Engineering Offices regionwide.

The proper meeting was graced by the welcome message of DBM Regional Director Imelda C. Laceras followed by a series of Agency Performance Review Reports for the 1st semester of the current year 2023, participated in by all DEOs.

On the other hand, Neuman N. Gallardo, Sr., BMS of DBM-RO8, discussed the FY 2022 DPWH performance and updates on DBM issuance and relevant policies; a summary of FY 2023 1st semester Budget and Financial Accountability Reports (BFARs) submission of Unified Reporting System (URS) was also discussed by Solie T. Dosado, senior BMS, DBM-RO8 and ways forward by Juvy A. Lobedica, chief BMS, DBM-RO8, followed by a closing message given by Assistant Regional Director Aleli N. Hernandez, DBM-RO8.

The aforementioned consultation meeting was attended by NSSDEO personnel of the Finance Section: Romeo C. Ramirez, administrative assistant I and Kristin Kalayaan R. Flores, administrative aide I.

In addition, Engr. Genaro C. Pinca Jr., Engineer II of Construction Section and Engr. Meryl E. Tendido, Engineer I of the Planning & Design Section were also present during the meeting.
(KRISTIN KALAYAAN R. FLORES, PIO STAFF/PR

Also as a way to decongest NAIA

ORMOC CITY– The Regional Development Council (RDC) endorsed a resolution urging airline companies to open and offer flights from the Tacloban’s Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport to the Clark International Airport in Pampanga.

Offering a flight from Tacloban DZR Airport to the Clark International Airport will help decongest the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), the resolution, passed during the council’s meeting held this city on Tuesday (Sept. 26) said.

Connecting DZR to Clark, it added, will also be an opportunity for the region to encourage more people to travel, thus, help promote the region’s tourism, and increase income for both the private establishments and the local government, it added.

“If we open this route, it will really open up more chances for people in that area in the north of Luzon to come and visit Eastern Visayas because it would be now more convenient for them to come,” Karina Rosa Tiopes, the regional director of the Department of Tourism, said.

“And that also will open both doors. It’s an opportunity for them and an opportunity for us and it’s what we are looking for in tourism hindi lang one way,” she added.

At present, there are 20 daily flights from DZR Airport to NAIA.

Prior to the pandemic, there was a flight connecting DZR Airport and Clark through AirAsia but this was canceled in 2020 because of the reduction of flights due to travel restrictions.
Since travel restriction was lifted and more flights were offered, DZR Airport was ranked 7th as the country’s busiest airport with 1,489,803 passenger movements.

Officials of the council added that the immediate completion of the improvement of the DZR Airport is also necessary to accommodate more passengers. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)