8ID renders
military honors to 3 newly promoted brigade commanders

By
DPAO, 8ID PA
January 23, 2023
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – Three newly promoted Brigade Commanders of this Command
were accorded military honors upon their arrival at Headquarters 8th
Infantry Division earlier today, January 23, 2023.
Arrival Honors was
accorded to Brigadier General Lenart R. Lelina, 801st Brigade
Commander, Brigadier General Noel A. Vestuir, 802nd Brigade
Commander, and Brigadier General Perfecto P. Peńaredondo, 803rd
Brigade Commander and subsequently rendered courtesy call to Major
General Camilo Z. Ligayo, Commander, 8ID.
The three Brigade
Commanders are members of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA)
“Sambisig” Class of 1991.
They were part of the 13
Generals donned with the new rank by the Commanding General
Philippine Army, Lieutenant General Romeo S. Brawner Jr. on January
20, 2023, at the Headquarters Philippine Army, Fort Bonifacio, Metro
Manila.
As Brigade Commanders,
they are instrumental in transforming the insurgency landscape of
Eastern Visayas for the better as it has always been regarded as a
communist “hotbed” and has been denied socio-economic growth despite
its huge potential due to insurgency.
Through their leadership,
front guerilla units of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee
(EVRPC) have gradually been degraded as a terrorist organization
with the neutralization of some of their key leaders, lost grounds
due to the surrender of their regular fighters and the withdrawal of
support from their so-called “mass base” thereby paving the way for
the development of conflict-affected communities in the region.
“I want to congratulate
you on your well-deserved promotions. Keep up the good work,” stated
Maj. Gen. Ligayo.
“A promotion entails new
responsibilities on your shoulders and comes with additional
responsibilities that call for greater sacrifice and dedication to
duties,” Maj. Gen. Ligayo concluded.

DAR gives P1.5M
for the establishment of greenhouse in Palo

Assistant
Regional Director Ismael Aya-ay of the Department of Agrarian
Reform in Eastern Visayas, representing Regional Director Robert
Anthony Yu, and Mayor Remedios Petilla sign a memorandum of
agreement for the implementation of DAR’s Sustainable and
Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs) program in the
municipality of Palo. |
By
JOSE ALMSITH L. SORIA
January 23, 2023
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) downloaded P1.5-Million to the
local government unit (LGU) of Palo in the province of Leyte for the
establishment of a greenhouse that will be managed by an agrarian
reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO).
DAR Eastern Visayas chief
of the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD), Melecia
Ong, disclosed that the said amount is taken from the Agrarian
Reform Fund (ARF) for the implementation of the Sustainable and
Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs) program.
She further disclosed that
the SANAG (San Agustin) Rice Farmers and Livelihood Association, a
DAR-assisted farmer organization within the Palo Agrarian Reform
Community (ARC), was pre-selected to be the recipient of the
greenhouse to help them expand their livelihood activities and
generate more income by undertaking the enterprise-based crop
nursery project, which is in line with the food security program of
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the nine primary goals of
Agrarian Reform Secretary Connrado Estrella III, particularly in the
provision of modern farm equipment to agrarian reform beneficiaries
(ARBs).
Ong added that the strong
support of Mayor Remedios Petilla made this municipality qualify for
the said project.
The collaboration between
DAR and the Palo LGU was sealed towards the end of December last
year when DAR Eastern Visayas Assistant Regional Director for
Administration and Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development
Sustainability Program, Ismael Aya-ay, representing Regional
Director Robert Anthony Yu, and Petilla signed the memorandum of
agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the said project.
The LGU will take the lead
in the implementation of this project including the engagement and
procurement of goods and items.
Petilla, expressed her
appreciation and thanks to DAR for choosing her municipality as the
recipient of the said project.
According to her, DAR is
very receptive. She assured DAR officials and other national
agencies of the LGU’s support to any agricultural projects.
“We hope we can put our
hearts and minds together to really come up with good agricultural
production areas in the province of Leyte, especially in the first
district,” Petilla added.
Aside from the benefits
the recipient ARBO will get, this project will provide the farmers
in the locality access to quality seeds and seedlings and ensure the
production of improved crop varieties and better quality of plant
materials.
Aya-ay and Petilla
likewise talked of intensifying production of herbs and flowers
which are also in demand in the markets.
Victims of NPA
exploitation in EV withdraw support from CPP, swear oath of
allegiance to the government

By
DPAO, 8ID PA
January 19, 2023
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – Ninety-three individuals from four mass organizations
under the Alang-alang Seksyon Komite (ASK), Regional White Area
Committee (RWAC), Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC)
withdraw their support to the communist terrorist group and take
their oath of allegiance to the government in the Municipality of
Alang-alang, Leyte last January 19, 2023.
The exploited individuals
bonded together to form the Alang-alang Integrated Peace and
Development Workers Association and abandoned their former CTG-led
organization.
Alang-alang Small Farmers
Association (ASFA), Salvacion Coconut Farmers Association (SALCOFA),
Alyansa han Gugti na Asosasyon han Parag uma han Tabanguhay (AGAPITA),
and Bigaa Samahan han Gugti nga Parag uma han Asosasyon ngan
Katirig-uban ha Alang-alang (BISAKA) have been organized to aid the
resource generation of the CTGs to sustain their atrocities in
Eastern Visayas.
Maj. Gen. Camilo Z. Ligayo
Commander of 8th Infantry Division together with Brig. Gen. Noel A.
Vestuir, Commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, and the local
government units of Alang-alang, Leyte, National Intelligence
Coordinating Agency (NICA) Regional Office 8, the Philippine
National Police (PNP), and other government agencies attended the
indignation rally wherein the victims condemned the exploitations
and deceptions of the CTG-led the group.
Likewise, Gov. Carlos
Jericho Petilla of Leyte led the local government officials and
Alang-alang Municipal Mayor Lovell Ann M. Yu in receiving the
returning former CTG mass members and supporters.
Other national government
agencies also including the DILG, DOLE, DENR, DSWD, OCD, TESDA, DA,
DTI, CDA, DAR and PSA graced the occasion to manifest their support
and willingness to help improve the lives of the former CTG
supporters.
The Technical Working
Group (TWG) of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed
Conflict (RTF8-ELCAC) is hands-on in leading the pursuit of the
whole-of-government approach and whole-of-nation participation
anchored in good governance in ending local communist armed
conflict.
Brig. Gen. Noel A. Vestuir,
802nd Brigade Commander, said that the success in compelling the
members of the CTG-affiliated Mass Organizations (CAMOs) was
achieved through the concerted efforts of the Leyte Provincial Task
Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PFT ELCAC), Alangalang
Municipal TF ELCAC, member agencies of the 12 clusters and the
members of Integrated Peace and Development Workers Association (IPDWA).
Maj. Gen. Camilo Z Ligayo
said "They are about to collapse; it is just a matter of time. Their
leaders have been captured, most of them surrendered, and others
have lie-low, the Chairman of the CPP-NPA, Jose Maria Sison, is
already dead. And of course, with the implementation of EO70 or the
whole-of-nation approach we are able to deliver the basic services
from the government.”
IBP supports
former DICT exec
Press Release
January 18, 2023
PASIG CITY – The
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) recently lauded the
performance and accomplishments of former Department of Information
and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Jose Vicente
Salazar in public service, saying he lived up to the ideals of the
organization in his various stints.
In a resolution, the IBP
cited Salazar’s commitment to the organization’s “pursuit of the
highest ideals of integrity and excellence in the service of the
Nation”. “He (Salazar) likewise espoused these ideals as he took on
several major appointive positions in government,” the IBP said.
The IBP issued the
resolution following Salazar’s irrevocable resignation from his post
as DITC Secretary in December last year to attend to urgent family
concerns. Salazar served as National President of the IBP for the
Term 2005-2007.
In the resolution, the IBP
also noted Salazar’s achievement at the helm of the organization.
“In the performance of
these and other roles in the IBP, Atty. Salazar has contributed
significantly to the advancement of the goals and ideals of the IBP,
particularly in promoting unity and camaraderie within its ranks; in
advancing professionalism and professional development among the
legal practitioners of the country; and in expanding the IBP’s
presence and role in the affairs of the government and society,” the
IBP said.
Salazar was key in the
formation of LENTE, a multi-sector movement spearheaded by the IBP
for the education of voters and for the conduct of clean and honest
elections.
“In the several decades of
his commitment to and involvement with the IBP, both at the national
and regional levels, Atty. Salazar has shown and proven that
transparency and integrity are the key hallmarks of his person and
character for which reason many members have looked up to him as a
role model,” the IBP added.
Meanwhile, lawyer and
constitutional law professor John Molo also cited Salazar’s
achievements and crusade for reforms. Molo, who is the current Chair
of the editorial board of the IBP Law Journal, said Salazar is
“warm, amiable and keenly aware of the plight of others”.
In a statement published
in the social media page of the Philippine Bar Association, Molo
said Salazar “does what he can to fix systemic defects”.
“This is, to some, a
failing for one who is in public service,” Molo explained, adding
that “I am yet to encounter someone who has personally dealt with
him call him a bad man”.
Salazar also spearheaded
the country’s fight against modern-day slavery as he served as head
of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and Justice
Undersecretary from 2007 to 2015.
NPA leaders and
members surrenders, 13 high powered firearms seize in EV

By
DPAO, 8ID PA
January 17, 2023
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – Thirteen New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered along with
their issued firearms to the 801st Infantry “Bantay at Gabay”
Brigade (801st IBde) of the 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division
(8ID), Philippine Army at Barangay Fatima, Hinabangan, Samar last
January 12, 2023.
The surrenderers were
members of Bugsok Platoon, Sub Regional Committee (SRC) Sesame,
Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) under the
leadership of Martin Colima alias Antos operating in the
tri-boundaries of Pinabacdao, Calbiga, and Basey all of Samar.
Their surrender was made
possible through the intervention of the Local Peace Engagement (LPE)
Cluster of the Provincial Task Force End Local Communist and Armed
Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) of Samar. The continued talks with their
families and relatives prompted them to return to the folds of the
law. According to the surrenderers, the hardships, longingness for
their families, and lack of support for the exploited masses are
some of the primary reasons that prompted them to leave the armed
struggle.
Together with his group,
Dino Bachicha alias Linoy the former NPA Terrorist Leader of the
Sentro De Grabidad, Bugsok Platoon, SRC Sesame, EVRPC handed over
ten M16 rifles, two Cal. 45 and one Glock 17 pistol as a symbol of
goodwill and willingness to be integrated back to the society. They
also revealed the locations of prohibited anti-personnel mines,
medical paraphernalia, and numerous ammunitions.
Meanwhile, Colonel Lenart
Lelina, Brigade Commander of the Army's 801st Bde said, “The
disintegration of the leaders and members of the EVRPC is a
manifestation that our efforts together with our stakeholders and
peacebuilders have made them realize that we are sincere to help
them.”
“I would like to extend my
deepest gratitude to the members of the PTF-ELCAC for the unending
help and effort in quest of attaining lasting peace in Samar.” Col
Lelina added.
Likewise, Major General
Camilo Z Ligayo the Commander of the 8ID said “The communist
terrorist groups are dwindling in numbers and are under pressure
with the loss of their forces and mass bases which urged them to
surrender to the government authority. Their surrender only proves
that they are fed up with the wrong ideologies of the NPA. Also,
this indicates that their trust and support are now shifted from the
CTG to the government. With this, rest assured that the Army will
assist them to avail the benefits under Enhanced Comprehensive and
Local Integration Program (ECLIP).”
“I hope that the continued
commitment of the Army and different stakeholders in implementing
the ECLIP will motivate the remaining members of the NPA to lay down
their arms and return to the folds of the law,” Maj Gen Ligayo
added.
Said surrenderees will
process their ECLIP benefits and privileges after their Medical and
Physical examination at Camp Lukban Station Hospital.

Soldier
sacrifices life during rescue ops in Northern Samar
By
DPAO, 8ID PA
January 12, 2023
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – The 8th Infantry "Stormtroopers" Division is saddened to
report the death of a soldier during Humanitarian Assistance and
Disaster Response (HADR) operations at Vicinity KM 6, Barangay Happy
Valley, San Isidro, Northern Samar last January 11, 2023.
Corporal Jerry Palacio of
the 43rd Infantry Battalion (43IB) assigned at Happy Valley Patrol
Base situated in Sitio KM7, Brgy. Happy Valley, San Isidro, Northern
Samar was on his way to Barangay Poblacion but was swept away by
overflowing water current while crossing the concrete bridge in
Sitio KM6. Corporal Palacio was dragged downstream and went missing
since January 09, 2023.
A joint search, rescue,
and retrieval operation were immediately conducted together with
43IB, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Coast Guard.
On January 11, 2023, at
8:30 in the morning the Search Rescue and Retrieval (SRR) operations
team together with civilian volunteers located the cadaver of
Corporal Palacio at Mauo River, Sitio Marasbaras, Happy Valley, San
Isidro, Northern Samar, 3-kilometers away from the incident area.
He was en route to the
Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) in
San Isidro to coordinate with the other agencies for the conduct of
HADR and to monitor the effects of the continuous rainfall when the
unfortunate incident happened.
In his statement, Major
General Camilo Z Ligayo, Commander, 8ID said, “Our thoughts and
prayers are with Corporal Palacio’s family and loved ones during
this difficult time, he died trying to save the people of Northern
Samar. The Philippine Army will provide appropriate support and
assistance to the bereaved family.”
"Despite the unfortunate
incident, the Army will continue to deliver its mandate of
performing HADR operations in affected areas to save lives", Maj Gen
Ligayo added.
The cadaver was brought to
the Municipal Health Office of San Isidro, Northern Samar for
postmortem examination prior to its transport and turnover to his
family in Brgy Chitongco, Mondragon, Northern Samar.
Former NPA Mass
Supporters reveals arms cache in Leyte; high powered firearms seized
By
DPAO, 8ID PA
January 5, 2023
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – The troops from 14th Infantry Battalion (14IB) of 8th
Infantry Division discover and seized an arms cache of four
high-powered firearms at the hinterlands of Barangay Maligaya,
Mahaplag, Leyte, January 05, 2023.
This is after the
revelation of former supporters of the Underground Mass Organization
(UGMO) in the said area.
The said arms cache
consists of one AK47 assault rifle, an M16 rifle, an M1 Garand
rifle, a 40mm M79 Grenade Launcher, and assorted magazines that
belongs to Platoon 1 of Sub-Regional Command-LEVOX, Eastern Visayas
Regional Party Committee (P1, SRC-LEVOX, EVRPC).
It was learned that the
firearms were buried by the group due to their inability to recruit
and recover former mass bases to fill in their ranks.
The series of engagements
with the populace and the continued delivery of basic services and
socio-economic development in the area have enlightened the populace
of the deceptive scheme of the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs).
The 14IB has immersed its
Community Support Program team in Barangay Maligaya of Mahaplag
Leyte and intensified government service through the implementation
of the Retooled Community Support Program. And this became an avenue
for the barangay to be a recipient of the Support to Barangay
Development Project last 2022.
The Commanding Officer of
the 14th Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Dela Rosa
expressed that indeed the propaganda of the terrorists on convincing
the local populace to support them is now futile because of the
efforts of the government.
“This achievement displays
the support of the civilian populace to the Philippine Army as they
no longer want the Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs) to regain their
influence and control in the communities, much more of stockpiling
food supplies and armaments,” Dela Rosa said.
Dela Rosa said that the
information and security awareness conducted among the civilians
have been one of the great tools to combat the terrorist’s
propaganda.
“Our Operation Plan “PAHIBALO”,
an information and security awareness program, equipped the
civilians with the right information to make them strong enough to
stand against the CTG exploitations and deceptions,” Dela Rosa
added.
Meanwhile, the Commander
of 802nd Infantry Brigade Colonel Noel Vestuir renewed his call on
the remaining NPA to surrender.
“I reiterate my call to
the remaining NPAs who are still hiding in the mountains in our area
of responsibility to surface and join their families in the
mainstream of our society. You are no longer welcomed by the people
in the communities since they are already with us in our efforts to
end this 54 years of local communist armed conflict. They are now
giving us the information on your whereabouts, the locations of your
pre-positioned foods in the area, and even your arms caches,”
Vestuir said.
The Commanding General of
the 8th Infantry Division Major General Camilo Ligayo lauded the
members of the Retooled Community Support Program of the
Municipality of Mahaplag for the effective implementation of
Whole-of-the-Nation Approach.
"The institutionalization
of the whole-of-nation approach is an effective tool to eradicate
the issues that the CTGs used to deceive our fellow countrymen. With
the convergence of Local Government units, national agencies, and
government forces, the services and programs for the people are
continuously being delivered and this addresses the issues being
exploited by the CTGs that pollute the minds of our countrymen,"
Ligayo said.
Ligayo also assures that
the 8ID will support the effort and ensure the implementation of the
Barangay Development Projects towards peace and development.
Utility workers
take centerstage during DAR Christmas celebration

By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
December 30, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – As
the whole world celebrates the holiday season in so many ways, the
regional office of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in
Eastern Visayas paid tribute to the ordinary workers during their
Christmas festivity which centered on the theme “Pagpupugay sa
karaniwang manggagawa.”
During the celebration
last week, the 14 utility workers, seven males and seven females,
took the centerstage in their shining, shimmering, splendid gowns
and suits as they vied for the male and female “Faces of the Night.”
Wearing a black evening
gown, Emilyn Fernando’s answer to the question, “Bilang isa sa mga
utility worker papano mo maibabahagi ang iyong kakayahan sa DAR,”
got the judges nod and emerged the female “Face of the Night.”
According to her, “Kahit
walang nakatingin, magtratrabaho ako at saka kahit lumampas po ang
oras ko sa trabaho, magtratrabaho din po ako. Bibigyan ko rin po ng
respeto lahat.”
For the male category, the
judges unanimously chose Menard Sabalza with his answer, “Kun ano
talaga an akon trabaho, amo an akon tratrabahu-on. Ngan kun ano an
akon mabubuhat ngan mabubulig, amo akon bubuhaton ngan ibubulig ko
ha iyo nga tanan.”
Meanwhile, everyone was
touched when Julie Ann Sanchez said “maraming-maraming salamat po sa
gabing ito. Kahit papano nakaranas kami ng magandang damit, magmake-up,
at hindi tagakuskus ng CR, taga-mop at tagalinis ng table.”
The different divisions
provided their needs making their total transformation a night to
remember. An experience they will forever cherish.
NMP reaches 179%
accomplishment in seafarers trained

By
National Maritime
Polytechnic
December 29, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – The
National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), the only government maritime
training and research center of the country achieved its annual
target in training seven thousand (7,000) trainees as stated under
its commitment on the Office Performance Commitment Review (OPCR) as
part of the agency’s major deliverables for the calendar year 2022.
As of 15 December 2022, the total number of trainees trained is
12,501 composed of trainees aspiring and active seafarers, maritime
instructors and assessors and/ or other allied personnel in the
maritime industry. This means an accomplishment of 179 % of the
7,000 target trainees to be trained for the year.
This is a notable performance considering the pandemic-related
restrictions implemented by NMP wherein its class intake was reduced
to 50%-70% from the previous maximum capacity until July 2022 to
effectively observe physical distancing. Likewise, NMP started
accepting enrollees from other regions only in May 2022.
As part of the NMP’s commitment to prompt service, 100% of trainees
received their certificates within seventy-two (72) hours from the
successful completion of all course’s requirements. Likewise, the
Agency achieved an average satisfaction rating of 94.66% on 8
service quality dimensions as of November 2022. These figures
reflect the NMP’s untiring endeavors to ensure the delivery of
quality services to its clients.
Moreover, two (2) additional Standards of Training, Certification,
and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) courses, namely: Safety
Training for Personnel Providing Direct Services to Passengers in
Passenger Spaces and Passenger Ship Crisis Management and Human
Behavior Training were accredited by the Maritime Industry Authority
(MARINA) and will soon be offered in 2023. This would mean
additional enrollees to be trained and certificated by end of next
year.
Meanwhile, NMP continues to upgrade its facilities and provide
maritime trainings required pursuant to the Standards of Training,
Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention as
amended in 2010 including value-adding courses towards improving the
qualifications of Filipino seafarers for their employment
acceptability and enhanced competitiveness. It also regularly
conducts maritime studies to come up with policies for the
improvement of the manpower sector of the industry.
Those interested to take NMP training programs may visit the Online
Registration System via reserve.nmp.gov.ph or the agency’s Facebook
page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter) where all updates and
relevant information on NMP programs are available. Likewise, for
information on NMP research undertakings please visit the NMP
website and access the e-Research Information System Portal (www.research.nmp.gov.ph)
which is designed to disseminate NMP completed researches, present
the Research Agenda, and engage the industry stakeholders to
collaborate in the research activities.
IBP congratulates
J. Eduardo Malaya on his election as president of the Administrative
Council of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for 2023-2024
Press Release
December 29, 2022
PASIG CITY – The
Integrated Bar of the Philippines congratulates the Philippine
Ambassador to The Netherlands, J. Eduardo Malaya, on his election as
president of the Administrative Council of the Permanent Court of
Arbitration (PCA) for 2023-2024.
His appointment is a recognition of his exemplary record in
diplomacy and government service, having served as undersecretary of
the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) from 2019 to 2022 and twice
served as Assistant Secretary (Director-General) for Treaties and
Legal Affairs from 2007 to 2011 and from 2017 to 2019. He was also
the Philippine ambassador to Malaysia from 2011 to 2017 and the DFA
spokesman from 2009 to 2011. Furthermore, he has led the Philippine
accession in 2010 to the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of
International Disputes, which paved the way for the country’s
membership in the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
As the first Filipino national to serve at the helm of the
Administrative Council of the PCA, the IBP and the Philippine legal
community expresses their pride and happiness in Ambassador Malaya’s
election. The IBP considers this as an opportunity to uphold its
commitment to advance all interests in the preservation of the rule
of law. In this regard, the IBP strives to safeguard the ideals of
achieving justice and peace through law.
Once again, the IBP congratulates Philippine Ambassador to The
Netherlands, J. Eduardo Malaya as he embarks on this endeavor and we
look forward to supporting and celebrating his achievements in his
new role as president of the Administrative Council of the Permanent
Court of Arbitration (PCA) for 2023-2024.
2nd tranche wage
increase in Region 8 to take effect on January 2, 2023
Press Release
December 28, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office 8 through the
Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) reminds
private employers in Eastern Visayas of the effectivity of the
second tranche wage increase under Wage Order No. RBVIII-22.
Starting January 2, 2023,
workers in the non-agriculture sector and retail/service
establishments employing 11 workers and above will be receiving a
daily minimum wage of P375.00.
Meanwhile, employers in
the cottage and handicraft industry, agriculture sector and
retail/service establishments employing 10 workers and below must
pay their workers not lower than P345.00 per day.
DOLE-8 Regional Director
and Chairman of the RTWPB VIII, Henry John S. Jalbuena, calls on all
employers in the region to adhere to the wage order.
“We at DOLE will be doing
our part in ensuring that our workers are receiving what's due
them”, said Jalbuena.
It can be recalled that
Wage Order No. RBVIII-22 took effect last June 27, 2022, providing
for a P50.00 increase to be implemented in two tranches.
Eastern Visayas
Youth condemns another year of CPP thru Peace Concert

By
DPAO, 8ID PA
December 27, 2022
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City - The 8th Infantry "Stormtroopers" Division, Philippine
Army supports the first-ever music festival for peace at Peoples
Center, Tacloban City last December 26, 2022.
The said activity is in
line with the strong condemnation of the youth for another year of
deceptive recruitment done by the Communist Party of the Philippines
- New People’s Army - National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
The Music Festival aims to
showcase the talents of various youth organizations all over the
Region that are dedicated to all youth and members of Peoples
Organization who have been victims of the CPP- NPA-NDF recruitment.
The activity also aims to
capacitate the youth to be active partners in pursuit of genuine and
lasting peace.
The participating
performers included are TacMusico, Hands Off Our Children Movement
Eastern Visayas Chapter, Istilo Poetry, KBOX, in active
participation of Tacloban City Police Office, Situational Awareness
and Knowledge Management Cluster, Bureau of Fire Protection and
Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
"We support different
sectors for a collaborative effort in nation-building particularly
to the youth to harness their potential as catalysts for Peace,
Growth, and agents of development," said by MGen Camilo Ligayo the
Commanding General of the 8th Infantry Division.
Calbayog City
Coastal Road: An update

By
GISSELLE G.PARUNGAO
December 23, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY –
Continuous construction of the Calbayog City coastal road is being
done since it started in 2018. This multi-year project will connect
Barangay Rawis to Barangay San Policarpo through Barangay Aguit-itan
allowing vehicles to by-pass Calbayog City Proper.
Calbayog City is now one
of the fast-expanding city and with it comes the heavy traffic which
is prevalent in the streets of the city proper. This coastal road
will serve as a detour to manage traffic congestion. Also, tourist
attractions are being developed since the city is blessed with
several natural attractions such as clean and wide beaches,
unexplored caves, waterfalls and hot spring which will eventually
add to the growing number of vehicles plying in and out of the city.
Since 2018 to 2020, much
has been accomplished on the coastal road in terms of embankment and
gravel road as well as concreting including its slope protection. A
total of 3.074 lane kilometers is embanked and 9,335.86 square
meters of slope protection is built in Barangay Rawis. Also, 3.073
lane kilometers is embanked and 9,333.31 square meters of slope
protection is constructed in Barangay Aguit-itan. Moreover, 3.286
lane kilometers and 9,952.70 square meters of its slope protection
is also built in Barangay San Policarpo. Likewise, part of the
embanked portion are now concreted in Barangay Rawis and Aguit-itan
for a total length of 3.08 lane kilometers.
However, the construction
of two bridges that is part of the 2019 (package A) and 2020
(package 2A) projects just recently started which will link to a
special bridge that will eventually connect to Barangay Aguit-itan.
In 2021, a total of 2.2366
lane kilometers of embankment are constructed along Barangay San
Policarpo consisting of three packages (package 5A, package 4A and
package 3A). Also, the scope includes 2,236.6-meter of slope
protection.
By 2022, two of the three
(3) packages are already completed. One of those is the concreting
of road from Brgy. San Policarpo to Brgy. Matobato (Package A). The
four-lane Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) spans 1.423 lane
kilometers with a width of 24.9 meters including the bike and
pedestrian lanes. Apart from it, roadway lightings of 168 single arm
and 28 double arm LED lights are installed including median island.
An extension of package A
(Package 6A) is also completed which consists of Portland Cement
Concrete Pavement (PCCP) with a length of 549.30 linear kilometers
(including the pedestrian lane) and an additional embankment of
262.3 linear kilometers as well as 262.3-meter slope protection is
also built. A median island is also part of the scope of work
including 99 LED lights that are installed in the middle part of the
road as well as on the side. Construction of the bridge which is the
third package for the year is suspended.
5 flood control
structures in Dagami nears completion

By
DPWH 2nd LED
December 23, 2022
DAGAMI, Leyte –
Ensuring protection against possible flooding, the Leyte Second
District Engineering Office (L2DEO) of the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) is now on its final phase for the
construction of the Binahaan Flood Control Structure and Drainage
System along the portion of the Binahaan River Basin in Dagami,
Leyte.
For the current year,
L2DEO has implemented five (5) flood control structure projects
stretching the Binahaan River Basin, located in the barangays of
Balilit (upstream and downstream), Cansamada, Digahungan, and Abre.
According to District
Engineer Leo Edward Oppura, the flood control structure being built
in Cansamada and upstream and downstream of Balilit will not only
reduce flooding but will also protect the Balilit bridge from
ravaging water surges as the river passes through the bridge.
Meanwhile, 440-linear
meters of revetment wall are constructed for the Digahungan flood
control and 328 linear meters of gabions are also installed located
in Barangay Abre as protection against strong currents and to
prevent riverbank erosion.
Flood control structures,
such as gabion barriers, are necessary for communities near the
Binahaan River to reduce erosion and scouring on river banks during
floods and high-velocity river streams, as well as to avoid further
damage to water-logged areas.
River banks will not be
compromised during sudden occurrence of rains and tropical storms,
thereby protecting the lives and property of those living nearby.
This project will ensure
safety and protect residents' livelihoods and properties once it is
fully completed in the first quarter of next year.
With funding sourced from
the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2022, these five (5) flood
control structures along the Binahaan River in Dagami town cost a
total of P235.05 Million.
KADIWA brings
noche buena goods and local products in Tacloban

By
DTI-Regional Operations
Group
December 22, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Leyte Provincial Office
joined the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 8 to conduct Kadiwa
ng Pasko through its Diskwento Caravan: Noche Buena Edition.
The Diskwento Caravan has
been a part of Kadiwa from November 16-18, 2022 in Rizal Plaza,
Tacloban City. Basic necessities, prime commodities, Noche Buena
products, and Christmas decorations from major distributors in the
region, as well as locally manufactured delicacies and handcrafted
items of assisted MSMEs were on display in this huge marketing
event.
After the three-day
selling event, Kadiwa ng Pasko continued to showcase basic goods,
farm fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, local delicacies and items
for five Sundays – November 20, November 27, December 4, December
11, and December 18, and will run before Christmas Day.
Through the Diskwento
Caravan, DTI invited and helped nine retail distributors and 32
DTI-assisted MSMEs to generate total cash and booked sales of P1.2M
over the course of 8 days.
This year's successful
edition of Kadiwa ng Pasko is a testament of the strong partnership
between DTI, DA, DILG, DOLE, DSWD, and Tingog Sinirangan.
DTI will continue to
establish strong local presence and partnership among government
enablers.
Flood control
structure built to protect residents of Brgy. Nabang

By
FLORSELISSA A. JUSAYAN
December 19, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY – A
flood control structure was built by Samar First District
Engineering Office along Jibatang River in Barangay Nabang, Calbayog
City.
The above-mentioned
structure spans 254.6 meters in length and has an average height of
3-12 meters since some areas have existing flood control structure.
Part of the scope of work includes the installation of 16 solar
street lights every 20 meters along the structure. This will serve
as a protection wall for residents of the said barangay.
The structure has a total
revised contract amount of P43.61 million drawn from the General
Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2022.
Barangay Nabang is a
low-lying area that is prone to flooding, particularly during
typhoons and heavy rains. Flood control was built to reduce the
effects of flood water or high-water levels in flood-prone
communities.
NPA in Northern
Samar use anti-personnel mines blatantly disregard IHL

By
DPAO, 8ID PA
December 18, 2022
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – Six members of the Army's 20th Infantry "We Lead"
Battalion (20IB) of the 8th Infantry "Stormtroopers" Division (8ID),
Philippine Army were wounded while providing Peace and Development
Program at Barangay Quirino, Las Navas, Northern Samar on December
18, 2022.
The Communist NPA
Terrorists (CNTs) used Anti-Personnel Mines (APMs) against the
Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Program (MCSSP) Teams of
the 20IB while securing the water system project.
The Commanding Officer of
20IB, Lieutenant Colonel Joemar Buban said that Barangay Quirino is
among the seven barangays in Las Navas, Northern Samar that are
recipients of the Support to Barangay Development Program 2022 as
part of the National Task Force-ELCAC Program. Barangay Quirino was
also set to receive a Level II Water System Project after the
groundbreaking ceremony at Brgy. Magsaysay on December 16, 2022.
"The 20IB has been doing
its best to help the former conflict-affected barangays through our
Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Program Teams to achieve
long-lasting peace and sustainable development in Northern Samar."
Lt Col Buban said.
Lt Col Buban also calls on
the Commission of Human Rights to investigate and make a statement
on these continuous inexcusable violations of the Ottawa Convention,
International Humanitarian Law, and RA9851 by communist NPA
terrorists in Northern Samar.
Major General Camilo
Ligayo, Commanding General of 8ID said " The continued use of
members of the terrorist NPAs of Anti-Personnel Mines that have been
banned is a blatant disregard of international humanitarian law. For
this, they deserve our highest level of condemnation."
The CTGs once again made a
serious violation of International Humanitarian Law in Northern
Samar. It can be recalled that last April 03, the CNTs used
Anti-Personnel Mines against CSP Teams of the 20IB at Barangay San
Miguel, Las Navas, Northern Samar which resulted in the death of two
PNP Personnel and injured four others. Another APM incident happened
at Barangay Magsaysay, Mapanas, Northern Samar last July 05,
wounding seven Army Personnel. Last July 19, a soldier was killed
and five others were wounded after a Communist Terrorist attack
using APMs in the remote Osang village in Catubig, Northern Samar.
IBP conducts
finance summit for chapter legal aid clerks
Press Release
December 19, 2022
PASIG CITY – The
Integrated Bar of the Philippines held its first-ever Finance Summit
on December 12, 2022, a three-day workshop on IBP Chapter Compliance
and Liquidation, designed to strengthen the chapters' capacity and
enhance reporting and liquidating processes by empowering chapter
legal aid clerks. To that end, the legal aid clerks of the IBP
chapters from all over the nation traveled to the IBP National
Office in Pasig, Metro Manila, where the National Office's Finance
Department provided a series of lectures and activities aimed at
enhancing and strengthening the legal aid programs and
administration of the chapters.
The Summit covered matters
such as peak season requirements, how to utilize the IBP's new
online payment options, and how to help members download and use the
myIBP app. The clerks were again reappraised on how to create
financial and liquidation reports and guarantee compliance with BIR
and SC requirements.
The National Center for
Legal Aid used the occasion to host the legal aid clerks' first-ever
physical Christmas party on the first day of the Finance Summit,
taking into account the fact that this was the first time they had
all been together at the National Office.
As a way of giving back
for the efforts that the legal aid clerks, as frontliners, have
exerted, National President Burt Estrada also informed the clerks
that the 25th Board of Governors has approved a performance-based
bonus, a Christmas cash allowance, and the provision of vacation and
sick leaves, in lieu of service incentive leaves for qualified
clerks, starting January 2023. Our clerks were likewise provided
health benefits through an HMO program negotiated by the IBP with
CareHealth Plus, with the coverage beginning immediately on 13
December 2022.
Lastly, in coordination
with Huawei and Radenta Technologies, Inc., the National Office,
through Director for Chapter Affairs, Atty. Manuel Joseph B. Ibańez
III was able to distribute laptops on the final day of the summit to
all the clerks for use in the legal aid programs of the chapters all
over the country.
Calubian farmers
receive CLOAs as early Christmas gift from DAR

Thirty-one
tenants in an hacienda in Barangay Engage in Calubian, Leyte
received individual Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs)
from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). |
By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
December 15, 2022
CALUBIAN, Leyte –
Thirty-one agricultural tenants in an hacienda here received an
early Christmas gift from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
when their individual land titles were handed to them on Friday
making them now owners of the land they are tilling.
Sixteen days before
Christmas, Municipal Agrarian Reform Program Officer (MARPO) Maximo
Castańeda Jr. distributed the 31 individual Certificates of Land
ownership Award (CLOAs) to the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs)
in a simple ceremony in Barangay Enage where the subject landholding
is situated.
Castańeda disclosed that
the CLOAs covered a combined area of 39.9546 hectares.
He further disclosed that
the awarded lots are part of the 58-hectare hacienda owned by
Caridad Enage covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform
Program’s (CARP’s) Land Acquisition and Distribution component.
Widower Romeo Cuizon, 67,
received the maximum three hectares an ARB could avail.
Cuizon shared that he
started working in the said hacienda when he was only 15 years old
helping his tenant-father until he himself became one of the tenants
too.
According to him, “As
gratitude for this blessing, I will donate 2,000 square-meter for
our association’s office/hall.”
Presently the Enage
Agrarian Reform Farmer Beneficiaries Association’s (EARFBA’s) center
stands temporarily in a private lot which can be evicted anytime.
Edgardo Juntilla, 56,
recipient of a 1.1812-hectare lot, shared that “I am happy, and I am
aware of my obligation to pay tax.”
Widow, Maria Maloloy-on,
50, a mother of three and one of the six female- beneficiaries
shared that she became tenant of Enage in 1989, when she and her
husband started working in the hacienda.
According to her, they did
not believe when someone from DAR told them that they would soon own
the lot they were tilling. “I was surprised when I was awarded with
1.0912 hectares,” Maloloy-on added.
It was learned from
Castańeda that 10 of the 31 ARBs are former rebels. Providing land
to the landless gives these former rebels the opportunity to
livelihood, which is DAR’s contribution to End Local Communist Armed
Conflict (ELCAC), a whole-of-nation approach to address insurgency
in our country, said Castańeda.
The beneficiaries
applauded when Castańeda announced that per Executive Order No. 4 of
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., payment of their land
amortizations is suspended for one year.
They applauded lauder when
Castańeda shared that there is a priority bill of the Marcos
Administration which, when approved, ARBs will no longer pay
amortizations.
DAR validates
Leyte farmer organizations as among potential recipients of the
P16-B assistance

The
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) validates the Brgy. Petrollo
Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Calubian, Leyte as
potential recipient of a package of support services under the
Sustainable and Resilient Agrarian Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs)
program. |
By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
December 13, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – Six
agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) from remote
villages in the province of Leyte are being considered as among the
potential recipients of a package of support services from the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) which aims to develop the rice
and corn as well as coconut producing areas in the country.
Melecia Ong, Chief of the
Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD) at the DAR
Regional Office, disclosed that ₱16-billion from the agrarian reform
fund (ARF) is earmarked for the Sustainable and Resilient Agrarian
Reform Communities (SuRe ARCs) program to develop areas under major
crops in support to the food security program of the Marcos
administration.
In Eastern Visayas, Ong
shared, we recommended areas planted to rice and corn, and coconut,
which are the dominant crops here.
Last week, staff from DAR
Central Office’s Bureau of Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Development
(BARBD) validated the rice producing Canmarating, Odiongan, Pagsang-an,
Sulpa Irrigators Association (COPS-IA) in Abuyog; Catoogan, Ulhay,
Lacdas Irrigators Association, Inc. (CUL-IA, Inc.), with members
from Abuyog and Javier; Sanulmaco Irrigators Association, Inc. in
Javier; and the coconut-based Brgy. Agutayan Farmers Association in
Hilongos; Enage Agrarian Reform Farmer Beneficiaries Association (EARFBA)
and the Brgy. Petrollo Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BPFMPC),
both in Calubian.
The said ARBOs were
validated based on the organization’s operation management, program
engagement, governance, farm mechanization, physical infrastructure,
and support from local partners and other agencies.
Ong further disclosed that
those who will qualify will receive a package of support services
which include farm inputs, machineries, trainings, and
infrastructure projects, in line with Agrarian Reform Secretary
Conrado Estrella III’s nine primary goals which include farm
mechanization and capacitating the ARBOs.
She added that DAR’s SuRe
ARCs program is seen to boost the agriculture sector which
eventually will bring an increased income to the farmers
particularly the agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) which will
benefit not only the recipient ARBOs, but the entire community as
well.
Ong also stressed that
this undertaking will likewise contribute to End Local Communist
Armed Conflict (ELCAC), a whole-of-nation approach to address
insurgency in the country.
DTI chief
partners with Google, provides scholarship for low-income students
By
DTI-OSEC-Public
Relations Unit
December 10, 2022
MANILA – Trade and
Industry Secretary Fred Pascual has initiated the partnership with
Google for 4,000 scholarships in the Google Career Certificate
Courses on IT support, project management, data analytics, and UX
design. This presents an opportunity for young entrepreneurs and
underserved communities, including low-income and vocational
students and college drop-outs, to participate in the digital
economy.
Earlier, on 11 November
2022, Secretary Pascual issued the IRR of Republic Act No. 11904 or
the Philippine Creative Industries Development Act. In May, DTI
released the Joint Department Circular for Cylinders Exchange,
Swapping, and Improvement Program, the IRR for Republic Act No.
11592 or the LPG Regulation Law.
Further, since his
appointment, Secretary Pascual raised about USD18 billion foreign
investment pledges during the presidential visits in Indonesia,
Singapore, and the United States, performing well as the country’s
chief marketing officer.
The Trade Secretary was
part of the Philippine delegation to the state and official visits
of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to attract investments in the
country. It is estimated that these pledges, once actualized, will
generate thousands of jobs.
“These investment pledges
are in industries of strategic importance, including the
establishment of data centers, digital connectivity, renewable
energy, textiles and garments, construction, among others",
Secretary Pascual boasted.
The Trade Chief has also
prioritized addressing the issue involving work-from-home (WFH)
arrangements of IT-BPM companies.
“The Fiscal Incentives
Review Board, in its meeting on 14 September 2022, decided on a
seamless transfer of registration from one Investment Promotion
Agency to another (from PEZA to BOI) to allow up to 100% WFH
arrangement without reduction on existing incentives. It is ensured
that the mechanism for this should be less burdensome for the
Registered Business Enterprises (RBEs) and be done expeditiously”,
Secretary Pascual said. He co-chairs the Fiscal Incentives Review
Board (FIRB) with Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno.
Moreover, between July 1
and October 8, the Board of Investments (BOI) has approved P125.9
billion worth of investments with potential to generate over 9,000
jobs.
During the initial stage
of his stint as DTI chief, Pascual also formulated the country’s
Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI)-driven Industrialization
Strategy 2022-2028, which serves as the framework for the Philippine
economic recovery initiatives with an aim of attaining a resilient,
sustainable, and inclusive economy by 2028.
The country’s
industrialization strategy focuses on handholding the biggest
majority of its constituents – the MSMEs as they navigate a rapidly
changing market and the consuming public.
According to DTI's report,
“MSMEs comprise the overwhelming majority of Philippine business. To
hasten the digital transformation of the backbone of the country’s
economy, DTI enabled 43,878 MSMEs to adopt e-commerce through online
transactions and cashless payments, onboarded 981 MSME sellers with
4,635 products to digital malls and marketplaces, and mainstreamed
413 MSMEs through the Go Lokal! Program".
Meanwhile, on the consumer
welfare front, Secretary Pascual has continued to work on
guaranteeing sufficient food supply at reasonable prices, safe and
quality products in the market, and efficient resolution of consumer
complaints.
From July to October, he
also monitored sugar prices that allowed consumers to have access to
affordable sugar. As of date, DTI has organized 7 runs of Diskwento
Caravan Balik Eskwela-Presyong Risonable Dapat (Frozen Meat Edition)
in 7 NCR cities, conducted 26 inspections and 63 factory audits,
issued 13 Show Cause Orders, and tested 726 samples.
Relative to consumer
protection, the Department has also issued Suggested Retail Price (SRP)
Bulletins for basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC) and a
Price Guide for Christmas staples, ensuring that Filipino consumers
will have access to reasonably-priced goods this holiday season.
Yu returns as DAR
Eastern Visayas head

Department
of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Eastern Visayas Regional Director
Reynaldo Anfone (left) formally turns over his post to
returning Regional Director Robert Anthony Yu (right). |
By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
December 2, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY –
Lawyer Robert Anthony Yu assumed office on Friday as returning
Regional Director of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in
Eastern Visayas after Engineer Reynaldo Anfone formally relinquished
his post.
Yu’s reassignment to
Region-8 was based on Special Order No. 682, series of 2022, issued
by Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III on November 15
this year.
Prior to his new
assignment, Yu had already served this region from August 2021 to
July this year, when he was recalled to DAR Central Office to serve
as the Director of the Bureau of Agrarian Legal Assistance (BALA).
Meanwhile, under the same
document, Anfone, who assumed office here on October 18 this year
only, is transferred to central office as Deputy Project Director
for Operations of the Support to Parcelization of Lands for
Individual Titling (SPLIT) project.
InfiniVAN
completes Boracay leg of largest, longest Philippine subsea cable
project

Press
Release
December 2, 2022
TAGUIG CITY – The
Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) – designed to
directly interconnect islands and provinces in the Luzon, Visayas
and Mindanao island groups to the internet – has finally touched
down in Boracay Island.
Representatives of the
project proponents and joint-build partners InfiniVAN, Eastern
Telecom, Globe Telecom, LGU officials, suppliers and community
members gathered in a ceremonial cable pulling event on November 25
at the Savoy Hotel in Boracay’s Newcoast.
The joint-build project is
regarded as a milestone because it will add a huge amount of
domestic data transmission bandwidth capacity and much needed
resiliency to the country's internet network infrastructure. When
completed, the PDSCN project will improve mobile and broadband
connectivity across the country, including far-flung islands and
other underserved areas. It is in line with the current
administration's goal to make the Philippines a digitally-advanced
nation that is in step with the advances and innovations going on in
the world. Cable installation began in July 2022 and was marked by a
kick-off event in Subic. Since then, cable pulling events similar to
the recently-held one in Boracay have been held in Mactan Island in
Cebu and Siargao Island in Surigao.
The Boracay cable pulling
event was graced by Aklan City Mayor Hon. Frolibar Bautista, Aklan
Provincial Administrator Atty. Selwyn Ibbareta, National
Telecommunications Commission Director Imelda Walcien, Board of
Investments Governor Atty. Marjorie Ramos-Samaniego and BOI Director
Atty. Elyjean DC Portoza.
InfiniVAN, Inc. Chief
Technology Officer Alberto “Abet” Espedido said that besides
connecting major islands in the country, the project will also help
boost tourism and commerce in more provinces. “We see this as an
opportunity to fulfill our objective of providing connectivity to
far flung areas and hope that the good communications infrastructure
will also pump-prime economies,” he said.
Espedido said the fiber
optic cable technology used in the country’s biggest and longest
submarine cable installation is “future-proof.” Unrepeatered fiber
cables used in the project can handle large data throughputs that
can be further expanded through advances in terminal equipment over
the next 20 to 25 years.
“As a new entrant in the
market, we are happy to work with well-established partners on a
project that will really create an impact on people and progress in
the next few years. It is heartwarming to have our so-called
industry competitors work with us on this gift to our countrymen and
the country as a whole. We look forward to the next phases of this
project,” Espedido added.
PH active participation
in 5th CIIE showcases strength of the Philippines’ food exports to
China

By
DTI-Foreign Trade Service Corps
November 28, 2022
SHANGHAI, China – The
Philippines once more showcased the strength of its food exports to
China through a highly successful participation in China’s largest
import-themed trade show – China International Import Expo (CIIE),
held in Shanghai on 5 to 10 November, 2022.
In his remarks during the
opening of the CIIE, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)
Secretary Fred Pascual stated that “The Philippines’ participation
in CIIE has become not only a practical response to opportunity, but
an imperative to expand our international market, cement the
Philippines’ reputation as a reliable sourcing destination for food,
and introduce more quality food products into China’s mainstream
markets.”
The Trade Chief further
mentioned that “The DTI’s Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) has also
provided the much-needed tools in upskilling our exporters to be
fully equipped to join this exposition. We have also partnered with
the private sector through Liwayway China, which carries the highly
renowned “Oishi” brand – a brand that is deeply cherished with fond
memories both in the Philippines and in China, and a testament that
quality products can truly be a bridge that connects our country,
and our people.”
The Country’s
participation is supported by the Philippine Trade and Investment
Center (PTIC) in Shanghai, Center for International Trade
Expositions and Missions (CITEM), Philippine Consulate General in
Shanghai, and in partnership with our Department of Agriculture’s
Office of the Agriculture Counsellor (OAC) in Beijing.
Additionally, the DTI,
through its Trade Promotions Group (TPG) and the EMB also formed
strategic linkages via signed cooperation intentions with 2 of
China’s largest food chambers – the Beijing based China Chamber of
Commerce of Foodstuffs and Native Produce (CFNA) and the Shanghai
Food Association (SFA). With both chambers having a combined number
of 7,500 member companies, these cooperation arrangements will be
vital to enhance cooperation between food exporters in the
Philippines and Chinese food companies in areas of business
matching, technical cooperation, and investments to boost capacities
in food production.
TPG OIC, Assistant
Secretary Glenn Peńaranda affirmed the importance of these
agreements and commented that “We value the partnership with CFNA
and SFA as we pursue increased collaboration in enhancing food
trade. We hope that this can progress to deeper collaboration in the
whole value chain in food production, processing, and marketing”.
Likewise, PTIC Shanghai
Head Mario C. Tani said, “The amount of products we export to China
has vastly increased in the past five to six years, and sales were
five times larger compared to the first time the Philippines has
participated in the 2018 CIIE."
For this year’s CIIE, due
to strict travel restrictions still in place related to China’s
Zero-Covid Policy approach, the official Philippine delegation was
physically led by the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai as
represented by Consul General Jose Ignacio. In the official pavilion
opening at Shanghai’s enormous 500,000 sqm National Exhibition and
Convention Center (NECC), CG Ignacio stressed in his message that
“What is constant is that the FOOD PHILIPPINES Pavilion’s central
message - “healthy and fresh”, as only food products from the
Philippines can offer, bar none, and as devoted and new buyers and
importers alike can strongly attest to.”
At the forefront of the
CIIE “FOOD PHILIPPINES” Pavilion design and conceptualization, CITEM
presented this year a unified one-country promotional approach
featuring three brands – “FOOD PHILIPPINES”, “COCONUT PHILIPPINES”,
and the famous “Oishi” brand by Liwayway China, with a single
storyline – a call to experience a “Festival of Island Flavors”.
For the first time,
several Philippine coconut products were on display at the Coconut
Philippines Pavilion. The Country is known worldwide to be a major
producer and supplier of coconut oil, and the exhibits did not only
showcase coconut oil in various forms, but also other innovative
products made from coconut – the tree of life.
A key partner for the CIIE, the Department of Agriculture (DA),
through the OAC in Beijing, also highlighted new and exciting
products featured in this year’s expo, namely Philippine specialty
coffee, and innovative coconut-based products.
Agriculture Counsellor Ana Abejuela reiterated the need to sustain
the good momentum of the Philippines' agricultural exports to China.
“The Philippines is already the top exporter of tropical fruits such
as bananas and pineapples to mainland China. We must sustain this
momentum by introducing even more innovative and exciting products
through the CIIE such as PH specialty coffee and where to introduce
this best but in the city known to be the coffee capital of
China – Shanghai, and at the largest import expo – CIIE.” The Philippine
specialty coffee brands were well received by coffee aficionados in
both offsite and onsite tasting events.
With a record high of 62 food and food-related exporting companies
from the Philippines, total sales recorded from this year’s
participation reached USD655.15 million (exact amount:
USD655,145,756.02), the highest yield recorded for a Philippine
country participation anywhere in the world for the year, and the
highest sales generated from the CIIE, since its inception in 2018.
Of this total amount, 97% came from onsite sales and bulk purchase
contracts, with 3% coming from online business matching activities.
In 2018, the CIIE was launched as one of China’s major trade
promotion initiatives and was supported by Chinese President Xi
Jinping who attended the first 2 editions in 2018 and 2019 in
Shanghai. The Philippines registered sales of USD128 million in 2018
and USD256 million in 2019. Despite the pandemic, increased sales
were generated both in 2020 and 2021.
Surf in the City
2022 pushes for gender equality in male-dominated surfing

Borongan
City Mayor Jose Ivan 'Dayan' Agda leads the breaking of the
ceremonial surfboard to officially signify the start of the Surf
in the City 2022. With him are Surf in the City Chairman Rupert
Ambil, UPSA representative Ralph Tecson, Congresswoman Fe
Abunda's representative Cora Basada, Governor Ben Evardone's
representative and Eastern Samar Board member Atty. PJ Evardone,
Surfrider’s Club of Eastern Samar President Atty. Bryan
Lassiter, and the Borongan City Councilors.
(Photo by BCIO) |
By
VEE TOLENTINO-GUMBAN
November 26, 2022
BORONGAN CITY –
Though sports have contributed significantly towards unifying
different races and nations in events like the Olympics, gender
inequality remains one of the most hotly-debated issues. Surfing,
for example, is still mostly dominated by men.
Surf in the City 2022 in
Borongan City, Eastern Samar has been making waves not only because
it will award the biggest prize money in surfing competition history
in the Philippines amounting to P1.1 million, but also for its aim
to close the gap between the prize money in the Men's and Women’s
Division. The competition will award the same amount to winners from
both categories.
In a press conference
after the opening ceremony, Surf in the City Chairperson Rupert
Ambil announced that more women athletes joined this year’s
competition. The equal prize money opportunity encourages these
females to further develop in the sport.
“If hindi mo kayang i-explain
kung bakit mas malaki ang prize money ng lalaki sa babae, eh,
fundamentally, mali iyon. Tayo dito naniniwala sa strength ng all
genders. It’s really a statement from all of us, not only the
surfing community but as representatives of Borongan City, Eastern
Samar,” Ambil said, citing gender equality and LGBTQ rights as
“values that a Boronganon respects.” (If you can’t explain why the
prize money for men is higher than for women, then there’s something
fundamentally wrong there. Here in Borongan, we believe in the
strength of all genders. It’s a statement from all of us, not only
as a surfing community but as representatives of Borongan City,
Eastern Samar.)
Meanwhile, John Carby
disclosed that the United Philippine Surfing Association (UPSA) will
not sanction a competition unless there is a counterpart male and
female in both categories. The organization is also trying to
include more women in their judging programs.
“We have a minimum
standard set for our prize ranges. Borongan has gone beyond that,
and also included an initiative to include equal opportunity for men
and women. We celebrate, acknowledge, and applaud the initiative
Borongan has done that nobody else has done. At this point, we hope
other regions see it and increase it and put it into practice,”
Carby noted.
Surf in the City 2022
officially opens
This is the third time
that Borongan City is hosting the event, which brings surfers from
across the Philippines to the capital of Eastern Samar. Almost 250
participants from the provinces of Siargao, La Union, Ilocos Sur,
Cebu, Eastern, Aurora, Sorsogon, Cebu, Catanduanes, Zambales,
Camarines Norte, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar are
registered to compete in this year’s Surf in the City.
During the opening
ceremony on Saturday, Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda said
the city plans to institutionalize the event, as part of the local
government’s bigger goals of raising local surf athlete champions.
“The City Government will
not just abandon this program. We intend to institutionalize this.
Yes, we will come in sponsorship but we will see to it that the
spirit of hosting the Surf in the City will not be compromised.
That’s the very purpose why we are holding a Sports Summit next year
- because we intend to institutionalize everything,” Mayor Agda
said.
He added: “If there is
really cooperation and unity politically, progress is what we can
expect. There is no division among us. That is the Estehanon way and
that is the Boronganon culture, we are united as one.”
Gender-sensitive city
For women athletes
participating in the competition, the equal prize money is a welcome
development in the sport.
“Happy ako, excited, kasi
hindi na bias. ‘Yung galing ng isang surfer hindi naka-base sa
gender, kumbaga pareho na yung tingin both male and female kasi same
prize na eh,” said Jessa Jundarino, a 21-year-old surfer from
Borongan. (I’m happy and excited because it’s not biased anymore. A
surfer’s skills are not based on their gender and it’s good that the
prize money now acknowledges this.)
The local government of
Borongan has also implemented other initiatives to make the city
more gender inclusive. It recently created several gender-sensitive
comfort rooms along Baybay Boulevard, where the surfing competition
is taking place.
The comfort rooms cover
four cubicles designated for males, females, gender-neutral, and
Persons with Disability (PWDs). Beach showers were also constructed
for locals and visitors who engage in water and beach sports
activities in the area.
San Jorge
Municipal Police Station Building ready for occupancy

By
GISSELLE G. PARUNGAO
November 25, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY – San
Jorge Municipal Police Station building is now ready for occupancy
by the Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel, says Samar First
District Engineering Office.
Phase I of the building
was also initiated by the office allowing the construction of the
structure. Moreover, phase II of said building is now completed with
a contract amount of P4.8 million under the Tatag ng Imprastrakura
para sa Kapayapaan at Seguridad (TIKAS) Program.
The project aims to
complete the necessary features of the building, thus, its scope of
work includes window security grilles, front desk and directory
board, tileworks and painting of the whole structure. In addition,
perimeter fence and steel gate was constructed as well as solar led
lights are installed.
The construction of the
PNP building will reinforce their operations in San Jorge, and will
boost the morale of the armed forces. This will also provide a more
spacious area to better serve the public.
PH national
surfing coaches train young surfers in Borongan

Mike
Breuker, Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Philippine
National Surfing Team, poses with the ‘Groms’ during the In and
Out of Water Training held in Baybay Boulevard, Borongan City,
Eastern Samar. (Photo by Borongan City Information Office) |
By
VEE TOLENTINO-GUMBAN
November 25, 2022
BORONGAN CITY –
Days before the biggest sporting event in Eastern Visayas, Surf in
the City 2022, more than sixty (60) local youth participated in the
Groms Grassroot Program for young surfers here from November 24-25.
“Malaking tulong ito sa
amin para matuto kami ng mga surfing techniques at disiplina sa
sarili na rin, tsaka syempre libre na ‘to kaya umattend talaga kami,”
said Kai, a young surfer from Bato, Borongan City. (This is a big
help for us to learn about surfing techniques and self-discipline.
Of course, we also attended because it’s free.)
Though most of the
participants will not join in the Surf in the City competition,
everyone was all ears as Philippine National Surfing Team Head Coach
John Carby encouraged the young surfers to become athletes through
discipline, goal planning, and passion.
“Start a small plan and
add discipline to your plan. Then use your passion to reach that
goal. If you already reach that goal, push it a little bit higher.
Let your passion be your flair,” stressed Carby during his talk.
Carby also shared that
surfing events such as Surf in the City in Borongan is a window of
opportunity for aspiring surfers to hone their skills and eventually
create a name in the surfing industry.
“You are the future of
surfing. You have permission to dream big. You have permission to be
who you want to be and to set the limit as high as you can when you
want to represent your country in an international competition. You
are the next generation of surfing,” said Carby.
Mike Breuker, strength and
conditioning coach of the Philippine National Surfing Team, then
conducted an In and Out of Water Training with the participants.
This was followed by a Surfing Techniques and Analysis Training on
the second day of the program.
"Kahit hindi kami lahat
mag-cocompete, umattend kami para matuto kami kung paano maging
mabuting surfer at makatulong sa community na pangalagaan ang
karagatan, kasi for awareness din ito," noted one Grom who refused
to be named. (Even though we won’t be able to compete, we attended
to learn how to become good surfers and how to help the community by
taking care of the sea. This is also for awareness.)
‘Grom’ is a shortened form
of the slang term ‘Grommet’ meaning a child. In surfing lingo, grom
refers to a child or an adolescent surfer.
The grassroots program of
the United Philippine Surfing Association (UPSA) focuses on training
youth or people under 18, and educating them on the values of
surfing at the grassroots levels, such as a healthy lifestyle,
discipline, and techniques or the athletic side of being a surfer
for the future of the Philippine National Surfing Team.
Farmer
organization from a remote Samar village receives farm equipment
from DAR

Samar
Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO II) Alfonso
Catorce turns over various farm equipment to the Panoypoy
Farmers Association in Calbayog City. |
By
JESSA LABAGALA
November 23, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY, Samar
– An agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO) from this
city’s far-flung village rejoiced as they received another set of
farm equipment from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
“We thank you DAR for
listening to our concerns, for granting us what you had committed,”
said Pedro Abajo, president of the Panoypoy Farmers Association (PFA),
as he expressed gratitude to DAR officials for fulfilling their
promise.
On October 21 this year,
DAR Samar provincial chief, Alfonso Catorce, formally turned over to
PFA a hand tractor with rotavator, a water pump with suction and
discharge hose, a grass cutter and several garden tools.
Catorce disclosed that the
said equipment, with a combined amount of P260,250.00 were funded
under DAR’s Climate Resilient Farm Productivity Support (CRFPS)
project.
According to him, the
distribution of common service facilities is in line with Agrarian
Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III’s nine primary goals which
include the provision of modern farm equipment.
PFA identified the above
mentioned common service facilities as what they badly need in their
daily farm activities, which DAR provided under CRFPS’ Sustainable
Livelihood Support to Disaster Affected Areas.
Abajo Shared that the
newly acquired equipment “will surely benefit our members.”
Thelma Alfaro, chief of
the Program Beneficiaries Development Division (PBDD) reminded the
recipient ARBO of their responsibility to maintain the equipment in
good condition and provide a secured storage facility.
Meanwhile City Councilor
Minda Pasacas, who is a resident of this village, and Barangay
Chairperson Maria Princess Montaner, both expressed their gratitude
to DAR for the never-ending support to the agrarian reform
beneficiaries (ARBs) here. “From providing them lands to till, to
livelihood assistance, to linking them to institutional buyers, and
now PFA receives another set of farm equipment from DAR,” said
Montaner.
Municipal Agrarian Reform
Program Officer (MARPO) Jose Arropo further shared that PFA is
composed of 113 members, where 69 of them are ARBs. PFA is into hog
raising and organic vegetable production, Arropo added.
DPWH-Biliran DEO
holds year-end contractors’ meeting

Press Release
November 22, 2022
NAVAL, Biliran –
With only a month away before the year ends, the Department of
Public Works and Highways (DPWH)- Biliran District Engineering
Office (DEO) urged the contractors to fast-track its project
implementation in a coordination meeting held on November 16, 2022.
Highlight of the said
meeting is the implementation on its Prior Year (PY) projects from
2017-2021 which should have been completed on December 31, 2022.
“We have a problem on our
PY projects that is why this meeting is called to address the
problem especially that we have limited time before end of the
year,” said OIC-District Engineer (DE) Alfredo L. Bollido.
OIC-DE Bollido said that
the district office failed to meet the 80% target on PY project
implementation, with only 44.42% accomplishment as of October 31,
2022.
According to OIC-DE
Bollido at least P381.6-M which is composed of 51 projects from year
2017 to 2021 are possible to be reverted to the National Treasury if
contractors cannot complete their projects by end of this year.
Engr. Rosario B. Rosete,
OIC-Assistant District Engineer (ADE) reported that of the 51
projects, 23 are still on-going on the construction, 25 are already
completed but on-going on some minor corrections on the projects
while three are now on the process for final billing.
Under Executive Order (E.O)
No. 91 series of 2019 or known as Cash-based Budgeting System,
contractors have only until a year to complete the construction of
their projects with a three-month extended period on the following
year to process payment.
According to OIC-DE
Bollido, contractors’ failure to finish their projects by end of the
year will not only loss profit but will also be blacklisted to
participate any bidding on DPWH projects nationwide for a year.
“Work double time and
avail the good weather condition so that you can complete the
projects by December 31, 2022,” OIC-DE Bollido said to the
contractors.
South Korea-based
church holds graduation ceremony for over 100,000 Bible students,
the largest in the world

Press Release
November 21, 2022
DAEGU, South Korea
– A graduation ceremony for Bible students from Zion Christian
Mission Center (ZCMC) Class 113 was held at Daegu Stadium on
November 20. With a total of 106,186 graduates from 79 countries
including the Philippines, it was the largest in the world for a
theological education institution.
ZCMC is the Bible
education institution operated by Shincheonji (New Heaven and New
Earth) Church of Jesus, a church based in South Korea. Their
students completed a 9-month theology course that covers the 66
books of the Bible.
This is their second
100,000-person graduation, after almost 3 years. When the pandemic
hit, the institution shifted to online learning and utilized the
virtual platform to make their theology lessons more accessible to
the public including pastors.
In a press conference held
before the ceremony, Chairman Lee Man-hee shared, "When this world
has become corrupt and is full of sin, God desires to carry out the
work of recreation. That one book [Revelation] is actually the
content of recreation... People have to become a new person,
completely changed."
Among the graduates, there
has been a significant increase in the number of pastors and
seminarians for a total of 522 pastors in Korea and overseas.
One of the pastors, Heo
Jeong-wook, presented his testimony at the graduation ceremony as a
representative of domestic graduates. After 20 years of ministry, he
said, “I only learned traditional theology at seminary, but I didn’t
know much about the Book of Revelation. I put aside the difficult
words and only taught the words that are easy to convey to the
congregation members. I repent that I was a sinner who added to and
subtracted from the word of God." He added, “I have let go of
everything I had and have come forward to the truth. I have
completed this course by learning the real theology that leads to
heaven, not human studies. I thank God for giving me a chance at
life.”
The organizers assured the
participants on security measures being observed in cooperation with
the local government, police and health officials, given the high
concern about safety issues in Korea recently. "Above all, in order
to hold the graduation ceremony safely, we prepared with safety as
the top priority above all else”, a church official said.
DAR-8 chief
orders resurvey of CARP awarded lots in Balangiga to correct errors

Protesting
farmers from Balangiga, Eastern Samar thanked officials from the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the fruitful
blended-mode dialogue which resulted to the resolution of their
issues. |
By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
November 20, 2022
BORONGAN CITY, Eastern
Samar – To correct the errors as the Department of Agrarian
Reform (DAR) in this province implemented the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP), Regional Director Reynaldo Anfone ordered to
re-survey the awarded lots in Balangiga town.
Anfone, who was at the
moment in Manila attending a planning conference, joined virtually
the dialogue with protesting farmers at the DAR Provincial Office in
this city on Thursday and ordered Provincial Agrarian Reform Program
Officer II (PARPO II), Lawyer Bryan Lassiter, to conduct the
re-survey of the subdivided lots under Lot No. 2230 in Barangay
Cag-olango in Balangiga to determine the correct area and assignment
of lots based on the actual tillage of the farmer beneficiaries.
The erroneous survey was
found out when the farmers complained that Simeona Bennet, a
recipient of an individual Certificate of Land Ownership Award (CLOA)
for Lot 2230-A, based on the approved survey plan (ASP), is not an
actual tiller; while Elena Balagasay, who is actually cultivating
the said lot, received her individual CLOA for Lot 2230-J.
Lassiter confirmed the
allegations of the farmers which conformed with the findings of the
DAR-Eastern Samar investigation team composed of the Chief of the
Legal Division, Atty. Jane Arra Promeda; Municipal Agrarian Reform
Program Officers (MARPOs) Ma. Flor Daganta and Glicerio Camenforte
Jr.; Geodetic Engineer Renan Cadiente and Cartographer Saldy Corado.
Aside from the issue
involving Bennet and Balagasay, other farmers within the 25-hectare
lot also complained of erroneous survey, prompting Anfone to order
the conduct of re-survey.
Further, Anfone likewise
ordered the simultaneous identification of qualified actual tillers
who will be awarded with individual CLOAs.
Furthermore, Anfone
ordered the filing of petition for the cancellation of the two CLOAs
issued to Bennet and Balagasay and issue CLOAs to the rightful
occupants in this 25-hectare government-owned land (GOL).
Anthony John Jumauay
thanked Anfone and the entire DAR workforce in behalf of the
protesting farmers for a fruitful blended-mode dialogue facilitated
by the Clientele Relations Service headed by Director Jayzon Collado.
Construction of
cross-country roads in progress

By
GISELLE G. PARUNGAO
November 16, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY – An
on-going construction of cross-country roads with a total contract
amount of P187.5 million from Oquendo to Northern Samar will connect
the northern portion of Samar, said OIC-District Engineer Raulito
Yangzon.
This is a multi-year road projects which are targeted to be
completed by 2024.
Phase I is an opening and gravel road which will start in Barangay
Macatingog and will connect to the Municipality of Bobon, Northern
Samar (Allen-Catarman Road).
Moreover, Phase II which is also a gravel road that will start from
Barangay Sigo, along Oquendo-Pilar road and will traverse the
isolated barangays of San Rufino and Cag-anahaw until it taps at
Barangay Tarabucan along Calbayog-Catarman Road.
Both projects will span 4.293 kilometers and a width of 20 meters
and each is allocated with P93.75 million.
Completing said road constructions will further develop those
far-flung barangays and eventually promote peace and order.
Furthermore, it will increase road network capacity and
interconnectivity in the Island of Samar which will bring faster and
more effective mobility from any parts of Samar.
New DAR-8 chief
pays courtesy visit to Samar governor, congressman

Newly
installed Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Eastern Visayas
regional director Reynaldo Anfone (left), pays a courtesy visit
to Samar governor Sharee Ann Tan and second district
representative Reynolds Michael Tan. |
By
JOSE ALSMITH L. SORIA
November 11, 2022
CATBALOGAN CITY –
Securing a clearance from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)
and conversion of agricultural lots to give way to the construction
of an airport in this city were among the issues discussed when DAR
Eastern Visayas Regional Director Engr. Reynaldo Anfone paid a
courtesy visit to Governor Sharee Ann Tan and her brother, Second
District Representative Reynolds Michael Tan on Friday, November 4
this year.
During his meeting with
the two Samar officials, Governor Tan consulted Anfone on how to go
through these requirements so the provincial government and the
Department of Transportation (DOTr) can proceed with the project.
Considering that the
construction of the airport is a priority project of the Marcos
administration, Anfone ordered Provincial Agrarian Reform Program
Officer II (PARPO II) Alfonso Catorce, who was also present, to
extend the necessary assistance to the local government unit (LGU).
Anfone, installed as the
new regional chief of DAR on October 18 this year, included courtesy
visits to local government officials to establish harmonious working
relationship with the different LGUs as he went around the region
the past two weeks.
Other issues discussed
during the two-hour meeting were about activities related to End
Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC) particularly at the
Calbiga-Pinabacdao Settlement, and funding for the construction of
the DAR Provincial Office.
Governor Tan assured
Anfone and Catorce the inclusion in the 2023 budget of the
provincial government the funding requirement for the construction
of the said DAR building.
Catorce disclosed that the
lot where the DAR provincial office will rise was also donated by
the provincial government.
According to him, at the
moment they are only renting office space along corner San Francisco
Street and Rizal Avenue here in this city.
Media groups
submit complaints to UN experts before PH human rights review
Press Release
November 11, 2022
GENEVA, Switzerland
– Media and academic groups submitted complaints to the office of
United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights
Defenders Mary Lawlor several days before the United Nations Human
Rights Council conducts its universal periodic review on the human
rights situation in the Philippines.
Pinoy Media Center (PMC),
publisher of Pinoy Weekly, reported that then National Security
Adviser Hermogenes Esperon has ordered the blocking of their website
and 27 other organizations, which is still inaccessible to the
public.
In its letter to Lawlor,
the independent media outfit also stated that its website have also
been subject to continuous cyber-attacks since 2018. The website
www.pinoyweekly.org had also been hacked between November 17 and 18,
2021, the PMC said.
“Enforcing restrictions to
access our website does not only violate our rights to freedom of
the press, speech and free expression, which are guaranteed under
the Philippine Constitution,” PMC, though its executive director
Angela Colmenares, said.
PMC added that copies of
Pinoy Weekly’s print editions have been confiscated and burned by
members of the Philippine Army and the Bulacan Philippine National
Police three times between September 5, 2019 and July 25, 2020 in
Pandi, San Jose del Monte City and Norzagaray.
Bulatlat.com, the
country’s longest running alternative media outfit, also complained
of its website’s blocking by the National Telecommunications
Commission last June 8 as well as incessant cyber-attacks using the
Department of Science and Technology infrastructure assigned to the
Philippine Army.
“Perpetrated by the state,
the attacks are tantamount to content-based prior restraint and
censorship,” Bulatlat managing editor Ronalyn Olea said.
The submissions were made
by the Philippine UPR (Universal Periodic Review) Watch, a network
of church and human rights organizations, that is currently in this
city to participate in the United Nations Human Rights Council
review on the human rights situation in the Philippines on November
14.
Justice secretary Jesus
Crispin Remulla is again expected to represent a high-level mission
to represent the Philippine government.
Philippine UPR Watch also
submitted to the UN experts a report on academic freedom
developments in the Philippines by the Scholars at Risk Network.
The report said attacks
and pressures on academic freedom escalated during the transition
between the Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos Jr. governments.
“These have included the
threat of red-tagging, anti-terrorism legislated, and censorship
that undermine academic freedom and freedom of expression,”
according to the report.
As both Pinoy Media Center
and Bulatlat, the academics said scholars and academic institutions
have been subjected to red-tagging, it adds.
The report also cited the
killing of two volunteer teachers of indigenous peoples’ schools in
February 2022 as well as former anti-insurgency task force
spokesperson Lorraine Badoy’s red-tagging of former Ateneo School of
Law Dean Antonio La Vina.
Threats to academic
freedom in the Philippines include the censorship of books in
libraries of state universities by the Commission on Higher
Education and the banning of the publication of books by the
Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, an attached agency of the Office of the
President.
Philippine UPR Watch said
that aside from Monday’s review of the Philippines, the submissions
are in anticipation of the official visit of UN Special Rapporteur
on freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan to the Philippines
next year.
Declining trend
in the number of registered births seen in EV
By
PSA-8
November 10, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY –
According to the latest Vital Statistics Report (January – December
2021) which was released on 13 August 2022, the number of registered
live births by place of occurrence in Eastern Visayas is 56,105.
This figure represents the total number of live births from the
provinces of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar,
Southern Leyte, and the highly urbanized City of Tacloban.

Figure 1 shows that there
is a declining trend in the number of registered live births in
Eastern Visayas from 2015 to 2021. The number of registered live
births in 2021 is lower by 2,542 (4.3%) from the registered live
births of 58,647 in 2020. Since 2015, the peak of the 10-year
period, the number of live births is declining by an average rate of
4.9 percent annually, except in 2019 when a brief period of an
upward spike occurred. The number of registered live births in 2021
is 29.0 percent lower than the 2015 record with 76,322 registered
live births. (see Table 1)

Among the six provinces
and one highly urbanized city, the province of Leyte had the
greatest number of registered live births by place of occurrence
from January to December 2021, with 22,929 or 40.9% of the total
registered live births in Region VIII. Leyte was followed by the
province of Samar, with 9,795 (17.5%) registered live births.
Northern Samar comes next, with 7,211 registered live births
(12.9%). Biliran has the least number of registered live births with
only 2,344 (4.2%), nearly 10 times fewer than Leyte’s figure. The
City of Tacloban, a highly urbanized city has registered live births
totaling 3,379 (6.0%). (Figure 2 and Table 2)


September recorded highest number
of registered births
Figure 3 shows that the
month of September had the highest number of live births in Eastern
Visayas, totaling to 5,527 live births in 2021. September was
followed by October, with 5,484 registered live births. The month of
February observed the least number of 3,520 registered live births.
(see Table 3)
More males born than females.


More males born than females
Eastern Visayas reported
2,165 (4.0%) more male registered live births than female live
births, after recording 29,135 male births and 26,970 female births
in 2021. This resulted to a sex ratio of 108 males per 100 female
births. (see Figure 4 and Table 2)

FAME+ Market Days 2022
releases new home, fashion, & lifestyle collection for int'l market

By
DTI-TPG-CITEM
November 8, 2022
PASAY CITY –
Emerging from the creative minds that continue to push the
boundaries of Filipino artisanship, a new collection of home,
fashion, and lifestyle pieces was unveiled at the digital sourcing
festival FAME+ Market Days last October 21-22, 2022 via the online
platform Hopin.
A total of 50 brands and manufacturers were able to develop more
than 500 original designs for this year.
The new collection is housed under Design Commune, the culmination
of the product development program by the Center for International
Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). Design Commune is a main
show feature at Manila FAME and a key section of its digital
sourcing and storytelling platform www.fameplus.com.
In collaboration with design specialists Rita Nazareno and Gabby
Lichauco, the collection this year revolved around the concept of
‘Stitch’. Sewing traditions and tools of various cultures was the
inspiration in crafting new indoor and outdoor pieces to showcase
the versatility of Philippine artistry through a contrast of design
disciplines.
The design specialists, in a talk on the first day of the event,
expounded the creative process of Design Commune. “Guided by the
sensibility of our personal universes, we are crafting grander
stories together. This is how we are weaving worlds through the art
of Stitch,” Lichauco shared.
Cultivating a worldwide community through the digital sourcing
festival
A total of 484 participants from different parts of the world
attended the second edition of FAME+ Market Days 2022.
Assistant Secretary Glenn G. Peńaranda of the Foreign Trade Service
Corps (FTSC) and OIC of Department of Trade and Industry-Trade
Promotions Group (DTI-TPG) spoke at the opening ceremony. He
highlighted that this edition is “geared to intensify
business-to-business (B2B) efforts and continuously cater to the
needs of buyers in different parts of the world.” He also encouraged
the attendees to support local businesses in their journey to the
global stage.
CITEM’s OIC Deputy Executive Director Ma. Lourdes D. Mediran, in her
welcome message, said that the digital event is a key component in
strengthening the FAME brand in the digital sphere. “The ultimate
goal in staging this year's FAME+ Market Days is to spur an in-depth
engagement with buyers as exhibitors present their design products,”
she added.
CITEM, the event’s organizer, facilitated more than 100
business-to-business meetings among trade buyers and exhibitors that
spanned for five days, from October 17 to 21. The trade buyers came
from various countries such as the United States, Australia, China,
Singapore, and India among others.
The two-day event augments the initiatives of FAME, the country’s
longest running export promotions program for MSMEs and artisan
communities in the home, fashion, and lifestyle sectors. The program
currently promotes 293 exhibitors and showcases 5,059 available
products on its online platform www.fameplus.com. A total of 2,300
unique trade buyers have registered since it went live in 2020. Last
year, the digital platform booked and negotiated USD635,119 export
sales and generated P21.49M domestic sales.
Manila FAME, its signature event component, has been running for 38
years. However, due to the pandemic, it has shifted to digital means
to reach international buyers. It is set to return onsite next year,
October 19-21, at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City,
Philippines.
Sourcing made convenient
To innovate the digital sourcing experience this year, FAME+ Market
Days introduced pitching rooms where exhibitors themselves shared
their brand stories, inspirations, and latest product offerings
through recorded videos.
These videos were made available on-demand during the event, giving
the attendees adequate time to find brands that match their sourcing
needs. Aside from the pitching rooms, the exhibitors were also able
to showcase their products through digital storefronts in the expo
section of the event. Trade buyers were then encouraged to set B2B
meetings with the brands and manufacturers of their choice.
A shared vision of quality craftsmanship, design, and innovation
Thought leaders on design and market trends were also invited to
share their knowledge with the participants.
Global trend ambassador Patti Carpenter talked about macro trends
that will impact markets for 2023. She shared that “conscious
consumerism” is on the rise, and that both longevity and
sustainability are given importance by buyers of home, fashion, and
lifestyle products.
Carpenter added that more and more individuals are opting for
carefully cultivated spaces with culture-rich interiors filled with
multi-functional, comfortable, and warm design concepts. “A myriad
of material mixes allow technology to coexist with fashionable
fibers and stylish silhouettes mixed with organic elemental
essentials. These are the components for a hearty and hospitable
habitat that finds us rooted in our retreats.”
Meanwhile, Jacqueline Wong, a global trend consultant of WGSN,
discussed consumer profiles and behaviors and their importance in
the product creation. She said that the pieces people buy impact the
spaces where they live, work, and play in.
Advising manufacturers and designers, Wong said, “Create an
emotional connection between your brand or your product and this
cohort of consumers. Support them in cherishing and curating their
keepsakes and memories with mindful design throughout the home.”
Trade chief reiterates e-commerce as important tool for economic development

By
DTI-OSEC-Public
Relations Unit
November 4, 2022
MANILA – The
Department of Trade and Industry, in partnership with the Philippine
Bar Association, held the 1st eCommerce Congress on 4 November 22 at
the Philippine International Convention Center. The event brought
together government officials, members of the business sector, civil
society organizations, and other stakeholders to pursue the
overarching goal of strengthening eCommerce industry in the country.
The eCommerce Congress
tackled the Internet Transactions Bill, a top legislative priority
of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., that aims to harness
the overwhelming potential of the eCommerce market.
Based on Google Temasek
Bain’s e-Conomy SEA 2022 report, the Philippines’ internet economy
continues its upward trend at 20% year-over-year to reach USD20
billion this year, with e-commerce propelling it to USD35 billion by
2025.
According to DTI, the
number of businesses on retail sales via the internet has increased,
while there has also been an increase in the number of consumer
complaints against online sellers. The time is thus ripe for a new,
relevant, and responsive eCommerce Law. In this light, DTI deems the
inputs of players in the internet economy as crucial to the
efficient crafting of legislative policies that respond to the
issues faced by the industry.
"We are grateful to the
DTI for our long-term partnership, founded on common goals. We
remain committed to supporting the eCommerce Road Map and regulatory
framework being built, and believe that together, we can help drive
the growth of the digital economy in the Philippines”, said Lazada
Philippines CEO Carlos Barrera.
Trade Secretary Alfredo
Pascual thanked the participants for their contribution to making
the eCommerce Congress possible to discuss the crucial policy
reforms to boost the e-commerce in the country. The event hoped to
promote a robust eCommerce environment in the Philippines, where
online businesses, especially small ones, can develop and compete
globally.
“We have all the
ingredients – the economic assets – to make this happen: a young and
digital native population, a growing middle class, available and
affordable technologies, and significant surpluses in the financial
sector. E-commerce is one of the most potent tools and fastest
routes in unlocking these economic assets toward sustained
accelerated economic development”, Secretary Pascual said.
Last year, DTI launched
the eCommerce Philippines 2022 Roadmap to employ strategies by the
government that will speed up and broaden internet transactions by
improving the digital infrastructure. The current administration is
bent on working on and enhancing this agenda to increase the
contribution of eCommerce to the Philippine economy with the
development of the eCommerce Philippines 2023-2025 Roadmap.
In closing, Secretary
Pascual mentioned that there are new laws and regulations related to
e-commerce that are currently being drafted, such as on privacy,
digital taxation, the gig economy, and pivoting to a cash-light
society.
“I hope that there will be
productive dialogues in these areas because we urgently need to
develop and improve our policies to create an enabling regulatory
environment for e-commerce to grow. With the brightest legal minds
of the country gathered here today, let me make a humble request and
professional challenge for all of us: Let these policy dialogues be
united by one purpose – better lives for all Filipino families, with a
target of a 9% poverty rate within six years”, he added.
Samar vegetable
growers thank DAR

Thirty-three
agrarian reform beneficiaries from Calbiga, Samar completed the
25 sessions Farm Business School (FBS) initiated by the
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). |
By
JESSA LABAGALA
November 3, 2022
CALBIGA, Samar – A
farmer from Barangay Macaalan in this town thanked the Department of
Agrarian Reform (DAR) for the opportunity to learn the different
aspects of marketing their produce such as planning, recording and
even in planting.
Ricky Antony Cardeno, a
leaseholder, was among the 33 agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB)
members of the Calbiga Vegetable Growers Association (CVGA) who
graduated recently from DAR’s Farm Business School (FBS) after
completing the 25 sessions in seven months.
Cardeno was chosen to
receive the Mountain Mover Award for his active participation,
dedication to his craft and the ability to provide solution when
problem arises.
During their graduation,
Thelma Alfaro, Chief of the Program Beneficiaries Development (PBD)
at the DAR Samar Provincial Office, encouraged the participants of
the FBS to apply what they have learned in order to increase their
income.
FBS, according to the
point person, Kimberly Morillo, is a sub-program under the
Enterprise Development and Economic Support (EDES) of the Agrarian
Reform Beneficiaries Development Sustainability Program (ARBDSP). It
is guided by the principle of learning by doing together, which aims
to improve market access and increase incomes of the farmers, she
added.
Meanwhile, Fe Ocasla,
barangay chairperson of Barangay Macaalan, emphasized to the FBS
graduates that “By sharing what you have learned here will also help
improve the lives of other farmers in our village.”
At the moment, Cardeno
disclosed, crops planted in their garden include eggplant, bell
pepper, hot pepper and bitter gourd (amplaya), as a result from the
market survey they have conducted, which was among the activities
they have learned in FBS.
Apayao governor’s
recent order encourages commission of extrajudicial killing, other
rights violations
By
KARAPATAN
November 1, 2022
QUEZON CITY – Human
rights group Karapatan slammed Apayao Provincial Governor Elias
Bulut, Jr. for issuing “an official order that may potentially be
used to drive and encourage the commission of extrajudicial
killings.”
In an executive order
dated September 30, 2022 Bulut offered reward money of P100,000 for
anyone who “captures, arrests or kills in a legitimate military
operation a member of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).” The
governor upped the bounty to P1,000,000 if the person arrested,
captured or killed is a “high-ranking CTG personality.”
This is a kill order, said
Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay. “It gives the
go-signal for anyone to arbitrarily attack and kill political
activists who have been repeatedly threatened and red-tagged, and be
paid handsomely for it.”
“Is it just a coincidence
that last October 25, Lorraine Badoy and the other talking heads of
NTF-ELCAC recited the names of members and community leaders of the
Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA) as ‘mga pangalan ng CPP-NPA’ on
their program aired over the SMNI network?” asked Palabay.
A Cordilleran governor
issues a hit order with bounty, then Badoy and her ilk come up with
a hit list comprised of Cordilleran activists, said Palabay.
“Following the pattern we have observed in other cases,” she said,
“it looks like CPA leaders and activists are being set up not only
for intensified threats, harassment and intimidation, but for
arrest, capture or murder.”
“With incessant
red-tagging and this latest bounty offer, the State has cranked up
its deadly campaign to suppress human rights defenders and other
activists working for people’s rights and welfare,” said Palabay.
“All freedom-loving
Filipinos must forge ranks to counter these virulent and stepped-up
attacks on our civil and political rights.”
Concreting from
Barangays Balud to Jasminez completed

By
GISSELLE G. PARUNGAO
October 28, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY –
Samar First District Engineering Office finished a newly concreted
road from Barangay Balud to Barangay Jasminez in Gandara, Samar.
The said project has a
total contract amount of P48.7 million drawn from the Local Program.
The road will connect the two barangays surpassing eight (8)
barangays if you will go through the normal route along Daang
Maharlika.
This road covers a total
length of 2,803.6 meters and a width of 6.1 meters. Part of its
scope of work is a stone masonry structure which provides for slope
protection along the road. The 60-linear meter stone masonry are
incorporated on the areas which are susceptible to soil erosion. In
this way, the slope will be stabilized, maintain the quality and
functional condition of the road construction by protecting the
surrounding structure from damage and people from injury.
Through the construction
of this road, socio-economic stability will be achieved. This will
provide easiness to employment, social, health and education
services, especially to residents in innermost barangays within the
district.
DTI warns against
establishments implementing a “No Return, No Exchange” policy;
explains to consumers the rule on return and exchange
By
DTI-Consumer Protection
and Advocacy Bureau
October 28, 2022
MAKATI CITY – The
DTI reiterates that the “No Return, No Exchange” policy is
prohibited because this is considered a deceptive sales act. Under
Republic Act No. 7394 (RA 7394) or the “Consumer Act of the
Philippines,” as well as its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the
words “No Return, No Exchange” or words to such effect shall not be
written into the contract of sale, receipt in a sales transaction,
in any document evidencing such sale or anywhere in a store or
business establishment.
The Consumer Act of the
Philippines specifies, “Sellers are obliged to honor their
warranties and grant corresponding remedies to consumers”. As such,
consumers should be allowed to return or exchange the goods, or
avail themselves of other remedies, in case of hidden faults or
defects, or any charge the buyer was not aware of the time of
purchase. In enforcing these remedies, however, consumers should
bear in mind to at least prove the sale transaction and show an
evidence such as the official receipt. In cases where the official
receipt is not available, the buyer may resort to any other
alternative proof.
In the case of medicines,
the seller is obliged to replace medicines that are adulterated,
misbranded, counterfeit or expired upon purchase. However, if the
product bought has no imperfection or defect, or if the medicine
purchased is not adulterated, misbranded, counterfeit or expired,
the seller may either refuse to replace or refund or, in the
exercise of goodwill towards their customers, may grant the
replacement or request for refund.
DTI Consumer Protection
Group (CPG) Assistant Secretary, Atty. Ann Claire C. Cabochan
emphasizes, “Consumers are entitled to the repair, replacement and
refund of products with defects. However, they are not entitled to
these because of a change of mind or a mistake on their part.”
“This is why the
Department constantly advises the consumers to examine the product
prior to purchase and ask about the seller's return and exchange
policies”, Assistant Secretary Cabochan explains.
For consumer-related
concerns and queries, send an email to ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph or
call the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline.
Caltex and AMCHAM
foundation donate roofing materials to victims of Super Typhoon
Odette in Southern Leyte

Residents
and government officials of Padre Burgos, Macrohon, and Maasin
Southern Leyte express their gratitude for the roofing materials
donated to their communities. |
Press Release
October 28, 2022
MAASIN CITY –
Caltex, marketed by Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI) in partnership
with American Chamber Foundation Philippines (AmCham Foundation),
provided roofing materials to 115 beneficiaries in Southern Leyte
who were impacted by Super Typhoon Odette
Months after Super Typhoon
Odette made landfall in the Philippines in December 2021, homes in
Southern Leyte province are still in need of repair. With the help
of PASAR Foundation who took charge of the distribution of the
construction materials, each family from the city of Padre Burgos,
Macrohon, and Maasin, received 10 corrugated zinc roof sheets and
2kg of roofing nails.
Distribution began on
August 31, 2022 by handing out the construction materials to 46
beneficiary families in Maasin City, 36 beneficiary families in
Padre Burgos and 33 beneficiary families in Macrohon. Residents of
each city attended the turnover ceremony and expressed their
gratitude for the donation to their communities.
“Typhoon recovery can be
challenging, which is why we are always ready to lend a helping hand
in any way we can. We are appreciative that we have partners like
AMCHAM Foundation that assist us in establishing connections with
the communities in need so that we can make these donations,” said
CPI Country Chairman Billy Liu.
Through the Caltex
Biyaheng Pagtulong fuel promo launched earlier this year, Caltex was
able to raise funds to help communities in five other provinces hit
hard by Super Typhoon Odette.
EV employment
rate up at 95.5% in July 2022

By
PSA-8
October 27, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Employment Rate (ER) in Eastern Visayas in July 2022 was estimated
at 95.5 percent. This translates to 2.01 million employed persons
out of the 2.11 million persons in the labor force. This was higher
by about 182 thousand employed persons than the 1.83 million
employed persons reported in April 2022. This was also higher by 2.1
percentage points compared with the 93.4 percent ER in July 2021.
The region registered a Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of
65.0 percent in July 2022. This placed the region’s labor force at
2.11 million persons who were either employed or unemployed out of
the estimated 3.24 million population 15 years old and over in July
2022. The 65.0 percent LFPR was higher by 5.0 percentage points than
the LFPR in April 2022 posted at 60.0 percent. This means that the
labor force in July 2022 was stronger by around 161 thousand persons
than the 1.95 million persons in the labor force in April 2022.
Moreover, the LFPR was higher by 4.5 percentage points compared with
the 60.5 LFPR in the same period in 2021.
Eastern Visayas’ unemployment rate has improved at 4.5 percent in
July 2022, lower by 1.5 percentage points compared with the 6.0
percent unemployment rate recorded in April 2022. This was
equivalent to around 96 thousand persons in the labor force who were
unemployed in July 2022, lower by 20 thousand unemployed persons
compared with the 116 thousand unemployed persons in April 2022. The
unemployment rate in July 2022 was also 2.1 percentage points lower
than the unemployment rate in July 2021 at 6.6 percent.
The underemployment rate in Eastern Visayas was posted at 16.0
percent or 322 thousand persons out of the 2.01 million employed
persons in July 2022. The latest underemployment rate has improved
compared with the underemployment rate in July 2021 posted at 27.3
percent. However, it is slightly higher by 1.2 percentage points
than the April 2022 underemployment rate of 14.8 percent.
NMP graces the
opening of EVMC medical facility for OFW and seafarers

Press Release
October 25, 2022
TACLOBAN CITY – The
National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) graced the Grand Opening and
Ribbon Cutting of the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) Medical
Facility for Overseas Filipino Workers and Seafarers last 19 October
2022 at the 3rd Floor OPD Building EVMC, Bagacay, Tacloban City.
The said project is a
great help especially for the OFWs and NMP stakeholders particularly
the Filipino seafarers in Region 8 as they no longer need to travel
to Cebu, Manila or to other regions just to undergo the
Pre-Employment Medical Examination (PEME) which is one of the
requirements to work abroad for both land-based and sea-based OFWs.
The services offered by
the said medical facility are the mandatory Pre-Employment Medical
Examinations such as: Physical Examination, Laboratory, Chest X-ray,
ECG, Drug test, Visual Acuity and Ishihara, Dental Examination,
Audiometry and Psychological Examination.
In her speech, NMP OIC-ED
Mayla N. Macadawan, commended the EVMC for the noble undertaking.
She expressed that NMP, as the only government maritime training and
research institution dedicated for the Filipino seafarers is
grateful for the said initiative. She also emphasized the advantages
of the said facility that aside from its strategic location, it is
owned by the government, thus, it offers services with affordable
rates and performed by competent medical professionals.
“Thank you for stepping
forward in behalf of the OFWs and seafarers of Region 8. This is a
substantial support specifically to our Filipino-seafarers who are
considered as “modern heroes” being at the forefront of delivering
goods and services in all parts of the world even in the midst of
global challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic,” OIC ED Macadawan
expressed.
The activity was also
attended by the EVMC Medical Chief Dr. Salvador Evardone, Dr.
Lilibeth Andrade of DOH-8, Atty. Mark Stephen Reyes of the Multi
Sectoral Governance Council and some representatives from DOLE,
MARINA and POEA.
Slope protection
structure built in Gandara, Samar

By
FLORSELISSA A. JUSAYAN
October 23, 2022
CALBAYOG CITY –
Samar First District Engineering Office has constructed a slope
protection structure along Barangay Pińaplata to Barangay Tawiran
Road in the Municipality of Gandara with a total revised contract
amount of P19.50 million drawn from the General Appropriations Act (GAA)
of 2022.
The slope protection
structure has a length of 82 linear meters with a height of six (6)
meters on its left area while on its right side, has a
70-linear-meter length with a 3-meter height. Part of the
structure’s scope of work is a Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP)
on both side of the road with a length 82 linear meters (left) and
70 linear meters (right). This road has a width of 3.35 meters on
each side.
The said project is
located along Gandara-Matuguinao Road which is being requested to be
converted into a national road, thus, widening is already
incorporated. Similarly, the surrounding area is a grassy field and
part of it has a stream of water which contributes to the scouring
of soil, that in turn damages the paved road.