Calbiga town undergoes ‘economic’ workshop

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
April 30, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Calbiga LGU officials led by Mayor Melchor Nacario and wife Board Member Luzviminda Nacario participated in the Local and Regional Economic Development (LRED) Sensitizing Workshop on Monday at Calbiga’s Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) Park or SPARK Visitors Center.

The workshop to last until April 30, is part of the implementation of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development for Sustainable Employment Promotion (SMEDSEP) Program.

DTI in partnership with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) sponsored the workshop.

Mayor Nacario gathered all his officials and barangay leaders to participate.

DTI Regional Director Cynthia Nierras informed the participants that DTI believes in the potential of Calbiga as an emerging growth area in this part of Samar.

Added to this, she said is the presence of tourist destinations that could compare to prime tourist destinations in the country. Nierras mentioned trekking to the Calbiga caves and Lulugayan falls branded by foreigners as ‘mini Niagara’ because it is fifty meters wide and cascades down 14-kilometer rapids from the source at Lake Kalidongan.

Nierras alo mentioned the thriving business of Calbiga’s delicacy potentials used as ‘pasalubong’ by Balikbayans.

DTI Samar said that among the Samar municipalities, it was Calbiga LGU that showed interest in the social marketing done by DTI.

The LRED approach is patterned among the more successful implementations in other LGUs in the region like Ormoc City, Palompon, Carigara, Baybay City and Palo in Leyte province.

Calbiga, aside from the economic and tourism potentials also has a supportive LGU, with an organization proven with a fine track record like Currents, and other considerations that Calbiga seem to have.

The group is expected to have a rapid economic assessment wherein DTI and GTZ will facilitate.

Calbiga is the 10th LGU in the region that has undergone the LRED workshop.

After Calbiga’s turn, Catbalogan City will be next in line to attend this one of a kind workshop geared towards development.

Nierras said that implementation of the incoming projects to boost the economy should be done from 6 months to one year.

The implementation of this project aims to provide better living conditions for its constituents and at the same time be ecologically sustainable, added the DTI family.

Diaz vs. Pacquiao a dream match in lightweight division, says Santillan

By Alex P. Vidal / PNS
April 30, 2008

ILOILO CITY, Philippines  –  Former Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) welterweight champion Rev "Gentle Giant" Santillan said the Manny Pacquiao-David Diaz showdown for Diaz's World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight belt "is a dream match in the lightweight division."

"They are saying that Pacquiao will find it hard to deal with a natural lightweight, but I tell you that this fight is a dream match in the lightweight division because both fighters will slug it out in a non-stop action," Santillan said in Hiligaynon dialect during the recent baptism of his four-month old daughter, Reanne, in Jaro, Iloilo City.

Santillan, who was deposed as OPBF 147-lb king by Motaki Sasaki via 6th round technical knockout (TKO) in Tokyo last February 16, described Diaz as a "receiver" who will not run away from his Filipino challenger.

Being the receiver does not mean that Diaz will no longer connect with his own bombs, averred Santillan, who started punching mitts as a lightweight during his checkered amateur days in the 90's.

"This time, one of them will go down," predicted the 30-year-old Santillan (24-4, 17 KOs), who disclosed a plan to resume his sagging career with a 10-round non-title fight in July in Tokyo against a rated Japanese banger before facing Motaki in a rematch sometime in September this year.

Meanwhile, the 5 feet and 11 inches Santillan said retirement is still far from his mind saying he plans to regain the title from Motaki. He was supposed to face junior middleweight terror Julio Caesar Chavez, Jr. in Queretaro, Mexico last April 27 (Philippine time) but was scrapped from the card after a disastrous defeat to unheralded Motaki.

Chavez, Jr., son of the legendary Chavez, Sr., tortured Italian boxer Tobia Guiseppe Loriga, the man who replaced Santillan in the card, en route to a ninth round TKO to preserve his unbeaten record.

Santillan said despite Chavez's reputation, he was unfazed with the 21-year-old Mexican's notoriety.

If he will regain his regional belt vs Motaki, Santillan said he is ready to face Chavez "bisan medyo taas sia diutay sa akon (even if he is taller than me)."

Gov. Mercado mulls construction of new provincial hospital

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
April 28, 2008

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  The existing provincial hospital needs expansion, but limited space in its present location has constrained any move to expand it any further, and so this necessitates the creation of a new one.

This plan to put up a new health facility was revealed by Gov. Damian Mercado during the Governor’s Time in the Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting held at the RK Kanleon Function House, this city, last Friday, April 25.

In fact, this item was listed number one in the other matters portion of the agenda for that day’s PDC meeting.

Gov. Mercado noted that the provincial hospital, which had undergone two name changes in its more than forty years of life – first as Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), and lately since last year Salvacion Oppus Yñiguez Memorial Provincial Hospital (SOYMPH) – has always been subsidized in its operations by the provincial local government unit.

But he added that he was amused on learning that on its own, the SOYMPH generated P5.5 million in revenues for the first quarter of 2008 alone, with the able leadership management of its head, Dr. Joselito Trumata, the provincial Health Officer.

A vacant, spacious lot in barangay Dongon which was owned by the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) was recently purchased by Rep. Roger Mercado, and this site will soon house the new provincial hospital if plans push through, said Gov. Mercado.

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will soon be signed between the city government, the province, and the Congressman for the utilization of the lot when the proper time comes, he added.

As this developed, a resolution was passed in the PDC requesting financial assistance from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the construction of the said hospital at barangay Dongon.

No specific amount was mentioned in the PDC resolution which was approved unanimously.

The new Dongon hospital will be equipped with modern equipment and facilities for the health needs and care of Southern Leyteños and others, Gov. Mercado stressed.

Fishing village rescues long snouted bottle-nose dolphin

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
April 27, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Villagers of the fishing village of Jiaan, Jiabong were mystified by the big sea mammal that ‘kumpadres’ Rolando Cupido and Pido Jabonero were towing to shore.

Rolly narrated that it was only on TV that he sees dolphins, nothing prepared him for the real big mammal that he saw weakly swimming near his fishpens.

He then asked the help of Pade Pido and the duo decided to inform the barangay officials what should be done. “We were worried that the dolphin may end up in the wrong hands and might be butchered instead“, said Cupido.

One teen-ager said he noticed the dolphin shedding tears. The tears were real as the poor sea-mammal was whimpering. Lola Rebecca Jabien, 70, said it was the first time she has seen a dolphin.

The villagers informed agricultural technicians Sidney Uy and Glicerio Meniano from Jiabong town who came immediately and in turn informed the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Catbalogan City.

Mr. Juan Meniano, a fishery expert from the Samar Provincial Agriculture called on PIA-Samar to document the rescue efforts of the villagers. Together with BFAR and OPA, PIA mobiled to Barangay Jiaan.

The villagers especially the children enjoyed the spectacle the dolphin showed. It juggled the fish given by the villagers and flipped and flipped giving them a real but free show.

The dolphin measured eight feet in length and estimated to weigh some 70 kilos. It has a deep gray color. Meniano said that the dolphin could be two years old or more. He added that the dolphin maybe a little sick and was just looking for less salty water. That was when the fishermen spotted him. Dolphins, said Meniano can heal by themselves; they just have to be away from the playful children in the village that may cause the dolphin stress.

To recall, on April 26, 2007, some fishermen from Payao, Catbalogan were charged with violations of RA 8550, otherwise known as Fishery Act, the fishermen butchered and cooked the meat of two dolphins they caught from Samar Sea.

The fishermen from Jiaan are a different lot, they are aware that the dolphin is one of the endangered species and that they should be left alone. One teen-ager said he knows from the TV programs that dolphins are mammals and should be conserved.

Meniano gave a short lecture on the beach and instructed the fisherfolks assisted by the two ATs to tow the dolphin off shore and free it in the deeper Samar Sea.

With the ATs on board Jiabong Fishery Law Enforcement Team motorboat, they led the dolphin to its freedom while scores of Jiaan folks sadly waved to the sea-mammal whose company they enjoyed for a few hours.

Southern Leyte province to develop more ricefields

By BONG PEDALINO (PIA Southern Leyte)
April 27, 2008

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  In the face of widespread clamor to devote additional areas for planting hybrid varieties of rice to increase production, the provincial government will face the challenge by doing exactly what has been widely suggested to be done to address the problem, that is, by developing other lands to be planted with the staple food.

Thus declared Gov. Damian Mercado on Friday, April 25, at the start of the Provincial Development Council (PDC) meeting held at the RK Kangleon Function House, this city.

Speaking during the Governor’s Time at the PDC meeting, Gov. Mercado said farmers in the province can expect all-out support in terms of farm inputs like fertilizers and hybrid seeds, among others, to encourage planting.

Citing a recent meeting with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap where the issue on increased rice yield and the plight of farmers were intensively discussed, the Governor acknowledged that the cooperation of the local government units in the fields is crucial to the success of the latest initiative.

“The LGUs will be the frontline in finding solutions to the rice price crisis,” he added, even as he stressed that the problem is not just felt in the Philippines but a global phenomenon.

He also allayed fears of a shortage in rice supply in the province and other parts of the country, while he quoted news reports seen on TV of rice hoarders that were responsible in the soaring of rice prices.

He said the province would take advantage of the many projects now made available through the Department of Agriculture (DA), one of which was for the acquisition of a mechanical mobile dryer, a post-harvest facility, where 200 cavans of palay can be dried at one setting.

Because it can be transferable, the dryer can be moved from one place to another so that wastage and damage in the traditional process of drying the palay can be eliminated.

A lack of space for dying newly-harvested palay has been one of the concerns of the farmers in the province, and this caused the streets to be used as drying spaces where passing vehicles simply passed through, Gov. Mercado observed.

Bigasan sa Parokya in Samar, hits the box office!

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE (PIA Samar)
April 27, 2008

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar  –  Bigasan sa Parokya in poor Samar hits the box office!

Poor parishioners from the Immaculate Concepcion Parish of Motiong and St. James in Talalora are grateful that their parishes have become outlets for the NFA rice.

Fr. Gil Cabujat of Immaculate Concepcion Parish of Motiong said that they are given rice allocation of 10 sacks per week, this easily sells like hotcake, said Fr. Gil.

The priest said that a religious affairs department of Malacañang has given the parish some P15, 000 as capital to procure rice from NFA to be re sold to their poor parishioners. To increase the number of bags bought at NFA, the parish council loaned some P6,000 and now some 16 bags are bought on Tuesdays. Each family is sold three kilos.

Just the news that NFA rice will be sold brings out bigger crowd and before the day ends, all bags are ‘sold out’!

In remote Talalora, Parish priest Fr. Romy Manzanero said, the Bigasan sa Parokya somehow has helped the parishioners of St. James. However, Fr. Romy said that although this is one strategy to help the poor, the government must design concrete programs to address poverty in general. He also suggested that close monitoring should be done to discouraged hoarding and overpricing.

Unverified rumors reaching him say that the bags of cheap rice allotted to some barangays end up in urban Catbalogan where retailers are said to have contacts. The rice, he said end up in the wrong hands.

Fr. Manzanero also shared the feedback, like Fr. Cabujat that some bags of rice when delivered to them weigh less than the supposed weight which is 50 kilos.

As PIA made the representations to NFA about the weight difference, Rosario Cadiz, NFA economist advised that the parokya should write to the NFA manager about their complaint.

On the brighter side, Fr. Gil said that more parishes now have expressed enthusiasm to join the Bigasan sa Parokya, whereas before there were only five interested applicant-parishes, today, Fr. Cesar Aculan of the Calbayog Diocese is being swarmed with additional requests.

NFA earlier said that depending upon positive feedback on the trustworthiness of the parishes, all parishes in poor Samar could be given the license to operate “Bigasan sa Parokya”.

Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival to be staged on June 27

Press Release
By Provincial Media Relations Center (PMRC Leyte)
April 26, 2008

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  The provincial government of Leyte is showing its full support to the conduct of this Leyte Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival which would be staged on June 27, two days earlier than what has been practiced for the last several years.

Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla in his recent interview over the province’s weekly radio program Hingyap Han Leyteño, he assured this year’s Kasadyaan would be as grand, even more so than with the previous years with about 21 contingents from different towns in the province signifying their intention to join the Kasadyaan Festival.

He said holding of the yearly festival is not for anything else but to “pay homage” to Senior Santo Niño, who is also the province’s patron saint.

He likewise disclosed part of the provincial government’s thrust is to develop the province’s many cultural richness through the formation of these festivals, which he also acknowledged as one of the province’s plus factor in increasing tourism in this part of the country.

Meanwhile, former Leyte Representative and now vice chairman of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation Remedios “Matin” Petilla who also heads the executive committee of the Kasadyaan Festival promises this year’s festivities would be as grand and colorful as before.

“All would be the same. Only the date of the parade is changed from June 29 it would now be on June 27,” she said.

Petilla also personally attended to the invitations for Leyte municipalities to join the Kasadyaan, while disclosing choreographers can be sent to the municipalities to help them in forming their own festivals and guide and train them through rehearsals.

“I have talked to the mayors and a number of them signified they would join this year,” Petilla disclosed.

Last year’s winners in the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival, the Buyugon Festival of Abuyog and the Alikaraw Festival of Hilongos would be among the 24 contingents to the prestigious Aliwan Festival in Manila during the first week of May.

Congressman Chong bares educational assistance to Biliranons

By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA (PIA Biliran)
April 26, 2008

NAVAL, Biliran  –  When classes for the school year 2008-2009 open in June this year,  parents of pupils and students in the elementary, secondary and tertiary levels in the province of Biliran have something to rejoice with as Rep. Glenn A. Chong bares many educational assistance that would mean a lot of help in reducing the financial burden of sending their children to school.

In an interview with Representative Chong, the young Biliran solon informed that he will apportion some 12,000 backpack type of schoolbags to elementary pupils from grades 2 to 6 in the entire province of Biliran to an estimated 24,000 elementary enrollees this school year.

He said that he allocated P1.5 million from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) this year for this purpose.

Likewise, Rep. Chong revealed that he will coordinate with a non-government entity for the provision of school supplies aside from the school bags to the elementary pupils.

The representative of the Lone District of Biliran disclosed that he allocated another P9.5 million from his PDAF for the procurement of seven 55-seaters school buses at one each for the municipalities of Almeria, Biliran, Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, Naval and another two L300 panel type bus will be given to the island municipality of Maripipi.

He informed that these transportation facilities will provide free ride to elementary pupils and secondary students in the eight municipalities including college students in municipalities where there is a tertiary school.

“These buses will ferry pupils and students from their respective homes to their schools and vice-versa when classes start this year. This would be a big help to our parents who will bear the financial burden of high transportation cost in sending their children to school,” Rep. Chong said.

According to Rep. Chong, these school buses have the same features with the tourist buses in Japan complete with air conditioning and television units and soft reclining chairs in order to provide convenience and comfort to the students.

He will allocate P1 million per year for the salaries of drivers to include the maintenance and operation expenses of these buses.

The provision of school buses in the eight municipalities in the province of Biliran is one of the campaign promises of Representative Chong in the May 14, 2007 elections.

Aside from the provision of school bags and buses, Rep. Chong revealed that he allocated P1 million from his PDAF for the 200 scholarship slots at P5,000 per qualified college student this school year.

For the 2nd semester of school year 2007-2008, Rep. Chong was able to get 55 slots from the 7th batch of scholars from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). He was able also to get scholarship funds for 69 college students for the second semester of school year 2007-2008 from Congressman Neptali Gonzales, Jr. who represents a congressional district in the city of Mandaluyong.

On top of this, he said that he got another P5 million from CHED for this school year to accommodate some 1,000 scholars to bring in a total of 1,324 scholarship slots in all since he assumed as representative of the lone district of Biliran in July 2007.

For the Biliranons who want to take vocational-technical courses, Rep. Chong disclosed that there are 1,200 to 1,500 available slots in the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Biliran. He said those who are willing to avail of the scholarship slots, they may visit TESDA-Biliran for additional information and assistance.

With his commitment to further upgrade the equipment of the lone TESDA accredited vocational-technical tertiary school in the province of Biliran, he gave P.5 million to the Cabucgayan National School of Arts and Trades (CNSAT) for the purchase of welding machine, chiller and other important equipment needed by the school.

As a lawmaker with a passion to further improve the educational status of the Biliranons, he filed House Bill No. 1927 converting Naval Institute of Technology (NIT) into a university.

He said that he will work hard for the conversion of NIT into a university within his term which was not materialized during the term of the previous representatives in the district.

He also sponsored a bill for the creation of three high schools with specific field of studies. These high schools are to be established in Barangay Tamarindo in the municipality of Almeria to focus in the study of arts and culture; another one in the municipality of Caibiran as the center of study in information and communication technology and another high school in the municipality of Biliran to specialize in science and technology.

At present, Representative Chong is in the process of consultation with the Local Chief Executives of these towns since the establishment and operation of these high schools entail big amount of money.

“All of these things are geared towards providing the Biliranons the right kind of direction in education in order to prepare them for the greater and bigger opportunities not only in Biliran but anywhere in the Philippines and throughout the world,” Rep Chong said referring to the different education-related assistance he is working for the benefit of the people in his district.

He said he will work hard in order to provide of what is good and beneficial for the people in Biliran province who have given their full trust and confidence as their representative.

“I may not be able to please everybody but I will try my best to attend and answer the needs of the majority of my constituents,” Representative Chong said.