Mayor Analiza Kwan
sent a message that the fishermen arrived at Guiuan at about 2:00
o’clock in the afternoon. From Guiuan, the fishermen, at
3:00 o’clock in the afternoon, took a three hours boat ride to
their homes at
Suluan Island.
It will indeed be a
happy event when the fishermen Reynaldo Ramos, Julito Cuyos, Anacleto
Estanio, Marcelo Loyola, Boy Latina, Philip Latina, Jovi Macawile,
Jessie Macawile, Gerard Marquito and Nesty Bencion, reach the safety
of their own homes and back to their respective families.
The fishermen arrived
at Tacloban City at about 9:00 o’clock in the evening of January 21.
They were escorted to the Department of Health Regional Office 8
Dormitory where they spent the night.
At 7:00 o’clock, the
fishermen had breakfast with PA Cynthia Nierras and several members of
the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council 8 and several members of
the tri-media.
The fishermen were all
okay except for some abrasions and one who suffered a cut on his brow.
They underwent medical check up and debriefing by the doctors of the
Department of Health Region 8 before they went home to Guiuan.
They narrated their
harrowing experience at high seas, resorting to eating wet uncooked
rice just to appease their complaining stomach. For water, they sip
the rainwater on their wet shirts so that they will not be dehydrated.
On January 19, they
were rescued 50 miles away from
Tandag City,
by kind fishermen who took them in their boat. They were brought to
the barangay and to the Philippine Coast Guard at the PPA in Tandag.
They said that they had to be given clothings because what they were
wearing were all wet.
Mayor Kwan and the
fishermen thanked profusely, Governor Alexander Pimentel of Surigao
del Sur, who they said even gave the group P3,300 pocket money for
their trip home, Tandag City Mayor Ike Pimentel, Vice Mayor Charie
Dumagan, City Administrator Johnny Pimentel, City Councilor Fredo
Cantalejo, TMO Tandag Terminal Division manager Antonio Ruiz.
The fishermen also
thanked Lipata Terminal Manager Wilfredo Cinco, Surigao Port Manager
Dodong Loyola; TMO Liloan Terminal Division Manager Rudy Morano and
PO2 Mario D. Panganiban of the Tandag Coast Guard.
Four police stations
in Biliran receive new service vehicles
By RODRIGO S. VICTORIA (PIA Biliran)
January
23, 2009
NAVAL, Biliran –
Four of the eight towns in the province of Biliran who have no
service vehicles for a long time finally received their respective
Philippine National Police (PNP) service cars.
In a simple turn-over
ceremony held at the Biliran Police Provincial Office (BPPO) Grounds
on Wednesday, the municipal police stations of Almeria, Cabucgayan,
Caibiran and Culaba were each given a Toyota Hilux PNP service
vehicle.
The mock key
symbolizing the formal turn-over of the vehicles to the recipient
municipal police stations was handed by Police Senior Superintendent
Leonardo M. Cesneros, the newly-installed Provincial Director of BPPO
to Mayor Arnelito S. Garing of Cabucgayan, Mayor Enrico B. Uyvico of
Culaba, Police Inspector Ma. Bella Rentuaya, Chief of Almeria Police
Station representing Mayor Rolando E. Ty and Engr. Teofilo Gervacio,
the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator in Caibiran who
represented Mayor Floresca S. Delante.
PSSupt. Cesneros in
his message after the turn-over ceremony informed that the police cars
are part of the facilities and communication development component of
the Integrated Transformation Program of the PNP.
“The service vehicles
will provide police stations capability, effectiveness and efficiency
in doing their respective mandate, functions and duties and there is
no reason why they could not dispense their duties”, PSSupt. Cesneros
frankly said.
The Chief of BPPO who
turned 45 years old on
January 16, 2009
also asked the support of the local chief executives and their
representatives to help in the maintenance of the service vehicles and
in the provision of diesel fuels.
For his part, Mayor
Garing said that to have a PNP service vehicle in his town before his
term ends in 2010 is a dream come true. He thanked the PNP and
promised to support the program of the agency under his
administration.
On the other hand,
Mayor Uyvico stressed that the vehicle will uplift in maintaining
peace and order and will help much in going after illegal activities
in his town.
Likewise, Engr.
Gervacio who represented Mayor Delante of Caibiran emphasized that the
vehicle will greatly help in reducing crime rate in Caibiran town
while P/Insp. Rentuaya who received the police car in behalf of Mayor
Ty of Almeria stressed that the vehicle will be a big help in
implementing the PNP programs in the town where she serves as chief of
police.
Provincial
Administrator Avelino Hernandez, who stood in behalf of Governor
Rogelio J. Espina during the turn-over ceremony assured the BPPO
chief, the two local chief executives present and the representatives
of Mayor Delante and Mayor Ty that the provincial government will
support the PNP through the provision of diesel fuels to the four new
service vehicles and even told the upcoming rice allowance that will
be given to the BPPO.
Sec. Bacani graces
kickoff ceremony for Leyte-hosted Palarong Pambansa 2009
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
23, 2009
TACLOBAN
CITY – No less than Department of Education
Undersecretary Ramon Bacani will grace the kickoff ceremony for the
Palarong Pambansa 2009 on January 27.
DepEd Region 8
Director Sol F. Matugas informed that the kickoff activity will start
with a short parade which will start at the Provincial Capitol Grounds
at 3:00 o’clock in the afternoon and will end at the RTR Plaza.
The Kick-Off Ceremony
will start at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon, Director Matugas said.
In this activity which
will mark the start of the countdown for the Palarong Pambansa 2009
which is hosted by the province of Leyte, Governor Carlos Jericho
Petilla is set to unveil its own official mascot that would carry the
figure for the 2009 national summer games.
Having mascots in the
Palarong Pambansa has already become a tradition, Director Matugas
said. Last year, the Palaro was held in
Palawan and the host city of
Puerto Princesa used
the peacock as their official mascot.
Aside from Secretary
Bacani and Governor Petilla, expected to attend the Kick Off Ceremony
are Presidential Assistant for Eastern Visayas Cynthia Nierras, Leyte
government officials, the regional directors of the various government
agencies, other local government officials and the DepEd Regional and
Provincial officials.
After the Kick-Off
Ceremony, a press conference will be conducted at the RTR Gazebo with
USec Bacani, Governor Petilla, and Director Matugas as the resource
persons.
The province of Leyte
and the Department of Education are preparing a grand opening ceremony
for the Palarong Pambansa 2009 which will be held from April 26 to May
2, 2009.
Director Matugas
expressed optimism that the Palarong Pambansa hosted by
Leyte will be a very successful one with the support and
cooperation of all the sectors of society.
10 Suluan fishermen
found drifting at Tandag seas
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
22, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – Ten
fishermen from Suluan Island in Guiuan, Eastern Samar are now at the
custody of the Tandag, Surigao del Sur Philippine Coast Guard after
they were rescued in the morning of January 19 by fishermen at
Barangay Bungtod, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.
Guiuan Mayor Analiza
Kwan said that she was contacted by the Philippine Coast Guard Tuesday
morning to inform her about the rescue.
The ten fishermen were
identified as Reynaldo Ramos, Julito Cuyos, Anacleto Estanio, Marcelo
Loyola, Boy Latina, Philip Latina, Jovi Macawile, Jessie Macawile,
Gerard Marquito and Nesty Bencion.
The ten fishermen were
reported to be the crew of fishing boat Xyril John who left Suluan on
January 8 to fish. Mayor Kwan said that the owner of the fishing boat
thought all the time that all is well with the crew and so he was
shocked when he learned about the rescue.
The rescued Guiuan
fishermen informed that on January 15, at about 1:00 o’clock in the
afternoon, the fishing boat was capsized because of turbulent waves.
The ten fishermen tied themselves together and rode on top of the boat
which has turned down. The fishermen drifted for four days until they
were found by the Tandag fishermen yesterday.
When rescued, the
fishermen were still tied together and were atop the capsized boat.
PO2 Mario D.
Panganiban of the Philippine Coast Guard Detachment at the Philippine
Ports Authority in Tandag, the ten fishermen were brought to them on
Monday at 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, by Barangay Chairman Merlita
Alba.
PO2 Panganiban said
that the fishermen were brought to the Adela Sera Pe Memorial Hospital
on Tuesday for check up. He said that the fishermen have some
scratches and one had a small wound in his eyebrows, otherwise, they
are all well.
The barangay and the
City Government under the leadership of Mayor Alexander Pimentel are
taking care of the subsistence of the ten fishermen, PO2 Panganiban
said.
On Tuesday morning,
Barangay Chairman Alba again accompanied the ten fishermen to the
hospital, he added.
The Regional Disaster
Coordinating Council Operations Center of Eastern Visayas through Mr.
Rey Gozon, is already coordinating with the RDCC of Caraga for
possible assistance in bringing back the ten rescued fishermen to
Suluan in Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
Region 8 Festivals
lord Sinulog Festival 2009
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
22, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – The
festival contingents from Region 8 reigned over the 28 participants in
the free interpretation category of the recently concluded Sinulog
Festival 2009, Department of Tourism Region 8 Regional Director Karen
Tiopes informed the Philippine Information Agency.
The Buyugan Festival
of Abuyog, Leyte with its environmental theme, won the first place
stealing the award from the current champion the Lumad Basakon of
Basak San Nicolas,
Cebu which settled for the second place in this year’s Sinulog
Festival.
The Buyugan Festival
dancers wowed the thousands of spectators at the Cebu Sports Complex
and the thousands of people who lined up the Cebu City main
thoroughfares, with the mastery and fluidity of their steps and
execution, the clear storyline and the spectacular props which
provided drama to the total wonderful presentation.
The Buyugan Festival
was also adjudged as third placer in the street dancing category which
was won by the Sinundalay Cultural Group from Tangub City.
Another contingent
from Leyte, the Karatong Festival of Dulag, won the fifth place,
showing the entire country and the whole world that Leyte is a
province to watch when it comes to festivals and cultural
presentations. The Karatong Festival muse also won as the first runner
up in the Miss Sinulog 2009.
The festival
contingents from Leyte was headed by PAGCOR Vice President Honorable
Remedios ‘Matin’ Loreto Petilla who is the chairperson of the Leyte
Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival, the municipal mayors and other officials
of the competing festivals.
The 200-man Tribu
Kabatuk of Tacloban City headed by Mayor Alfred Romualdez and City
Councilor Cristina Romualdez, also participated in the Sinulog 2009
and performed well. Its muse won as the best in production number in
the Search for Miss Sinulog 2009, it was learned.
Another competing
festival from Region 8, is the Karakas performing arts guild from
Eastern Samar State University, which by the standards of the Sinulog
Festival also gave a very good presentation.
As Director Tiopes
said, all the participating festival contingents from Region 8
performed well and have done great to improve the lot of
Eastern Visayas in the tourism map.
The other winners in
the free interpretation category are one of the most applauded Sinulog
Tribe from Carmen, Cebu, third place; and the festival of Lanao del
Norte, fourth place, which was headed by no less than the provincial
governor.
For the Sinulog-based
category, the winners are the Sinandaloy Cultural Group from Tangub
City, first place; Don Sergio Sr. Memorial National High School,
second place; Silaw Culture and Arts representing
Carcar City,
while Siloy Festival of Alcoy and Pakol Festival of Sta. Catalina in
Negros Oriental were fourth and fifth, respectively.
The first prize
winners for the Sinulog-based and Free Interpretation will receive
P500,000. Second placers will get P300,000 each and third placers will
go home with P200,000. Fourth and fifth placer will receive P150,000
and P100,000 respectively.
Winners in the
Street Dancing will receive the same prizes as those of the two major
categories.
Guiuan Mayor lauds
govt’s quick response to hunger-stricken families at isolated island
brgys
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
21, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – Guiuan
Mayor Analiza Kwan commended the concerned government agencies for the
quick response to the call for help for the hunger stricken families
in nine barangays at the isolated islands of Homonhon and Suluan in
Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
It is heartwarming to
note that one call to a government agency is enough to make the ball
rolling, Mayor Kwan said, recalling how she called for help on
Saturday and the next thing she knew, the national government offices
already know about the predicament of her constituents at islands
which were isolated by the continuous heavy rains.
In the evening of
January 17, family gift packs and 50 sacks of rice arrived at Guiuan.
Another 50 sacks of rice were withdrawn from the National Food
Authority office in Guiuan.
On January 18,
motorized bancas were able to bring relief goods to the isolated
barangays when the weather improved. However, not all the barangays
were reached because it took two hours to reach Homonhon while Suluan
could be reached in three hours.
On January 19, all the
barangay in the isolated
Homonhon
Island,
Suluan Island and Manicani Island were reached, with the improved
weather and with the help of the Philippine Air Force Technical
Operations Group chopper which transported the relief goods to the
barangays which were not reached by the motorboats on January 18.
Mayor Kwan, who led
the distribution sorties, expressed satisfaction and gratitude that
all the isolated barangays in the islands of Suluan and Homonhon and
Manicani, have been finally served.
Mayor Kwan was
specially worried over the fact that the babies no longer have milk to
drink, the reason why she included milk in the relief goods for the
isolated barangays.
The Department of
Social Welfare and Development Regional Office 8 thru Director Letecia
Corillo prepared 1,500 family food packs while the local government of
Guiuan prepared 1,000 family food packs which were distributed to the
starving people at barangays Bitaugan, Cagusu-an, Casugoran, Canawayon,
Culasi, Habag, Inapulangan, and Pagbabangnan at Homonhon Island, the
island barangay of Suluan and the island barangay of Manicani.
The work is not yet
over, Mayor Kwan said. She will continue to coordinate with government
agencies for the rehabilitation and alternative livelihood for the
families in the islands. There is really a need for every barangay,
especially those in the hinterlands, to be food productive and food
sufficient, the mayor added.
Leyte’s contingents
big winners in Sinulog ‘09
By
Provincial
Media Relations Center
January 20, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – Leyte’s
two festival contingents to the recently concluded Sinulog Festival in
Cebu City came out as big winners, grabbing the grand prize spot and
fifth place in the Free Interpretation (FI) category in the mardi gras
dubbed as the Mother of all Festivals in the country.
Tribu Buyuganon of
Abuyog, Leyte, with its interpretation of the “bees” and how they were
converted to the faith of the Holy Child, got them the grand prize,
frustrating defending champion Lumad Basakanon, of Brgy. Basak, San
Nicolas, Cebu which took second place.
Buyuganon also
captured the third prize in the streetdancing category. The Abuyog
tribe’s bounty in the Sinulog 2009 amounts to at least P600,000 by
winning in the presentation and streetdancing.
Dulag's Karatong
Festival, a newbie in the Sinulog Fest placed fifth over-all in the
Free Interpretation Category and whose presentation was participated
buy no less than the town local chief executive Mayor Manuel Sia Que.
They were awarded a
cash prize of P100, 000.
Karatong’s lead dancer
also won as first runner up in the search for Sinulog Festival Queen
including other awards in the same search.
Reportedly, Sinulog’s
Board of Judges for this year were looking for something more than the
usual from the contingents.
Cultural Center of the
Philippines President Nestor Jardin, who was chairman of the board of
judges in the free interpretation category was quoted to say they
found Buyoganon’s presentation “exciting and engaging” through its
scene interpretation and choreography.
Buyoganon’s
presentation started with dancers as “bees” in a beehive that two boys
hit with a slingshot. The bees went after the boys, one of whom got
stung several times and was lying unconscious and twitching on the
ground before he was healed through the intercession of the Holy
Child. The contingent used a thick forest and the blazing yellow and
red colors of a sunset as backdrop, five-petal flowers that showed the
face of the Sto. Niño when flipped, and twirling violet flowers that
wowed the applauding crowd.
Meanwhile, Leyte
Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla extended his congratulations to the
Leyte contingent saying this is truly a victory in the province’s
quest to promote Leyte and its towns for its various economic and
tourism potentials.
He told the two mayors
from Abuyog and Dulag towns in a meeting before they left for Cebu
last week that he has high hopes the contingents would place
significantly following their good showing in last year’s Leyte
Pintados Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.
Aside from Leyte’s
contingents, the Eastern Visayas region were also represented by the
Karakas Festival of Borongan,
Eastern Samar and the Tribu Kabatuk of
Tacloban City which
won the Best in Projection/Production Design.
Leyte’s contingents
to the Sinulog Festival held Sunday January 18 were supported with
their respective local officials including Abuyog Mayor Octavio Traya,
Dulag Mayor Manuel Sia Que, DOT-8 Dir. Tiopes, PAGCOR Vice-chairman
Remedios Petilla who also sits as chairman of the executive committee
of the Leyte Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.
Continuous rains in
East Visayas leave 11 dead, 2 injured, 8 missing, 75000 affected
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
20, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – The
continuous pouring of heavy rains in Eastern Visayas since December
has left 11 persons dead, 2 injured, 8 still missing and about 75,000
people affected, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council Operations
Center, informed.
Most affected is the
province of Northern Samar where a landslide at Lavezares town killed
an entire young family of six, and injured two others.
Flooding in at least 7
towns of Northern Samar caused the death of four people and affected
about 74,847 people or about 15,869 families, caused the total
destruction of 6 houses and partial destruction to one.
The continuous rains
caused rough seas in Eastern Samar causing at least six motor boats
from Guiuan town, with about 20 passengers to be missing. One of the
missing persons was killed, seven are still missing while the
remaining 12 were found and alive at Homonhon Island, also in Guiuan,
Eastern Samar.
On January 10, 2009,
thirteen fishermen from Guiuan went fishing in five different small
fishing boats. When the sea condition became rough, the fishermen were
unable to go back to their respective homes and were declared missing.
On January 13, the
Barangay Captains of Barangays Cagusuan and Bitaugon, both of Guiuan
town, reported that eleven fishermen were drifted to their barangays.
The fishermen of boat 3 were separated from the group, one was found
dead and the other one has returned home alive.
Meanwhile, on the same
fateful day of January 10, one passenger motorized boat, M/B Rogin,
with seven passengers, left Guiuan proper, at 3:00 o’clock in the
afternoon, bound for Suluan Island in Guiuan, but until January 18,
they have not returned home.
Search and rescue
operations were conducted amid inclement weather, but the missing
passengers and the boat were not found.
Moreover, in the
province of Leyte, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council
Operations Center informed that after three days at sea, the two
reported missing fishermen from Barangay San Roque of Tolosa town,
were rescued by a passing F/B Abando at 4:00 o’clock in the afternoon
of January 12, at the sea vicinity of Abuyog,
Leyte.
The fishermen were
brought to the municipal hall of Tolosa and were immediately given
food assistance by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office
and then sent home to their respective families.
Government allocates P40 M to fund PGMA
promised infra projects in Silvino Lobos
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
20, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – In
fulfillment of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s promise when she
visited Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar at the end of September 2008,
about P40 Million has been allocated for the construction of three
bailey bridges and road projects in the said hinterland municipality.
The Department of
Public Works and Highways Region 8 Assistant Regional Director Danilo
E. Dequito informed the Philippine Information Agency and PA Cynthia
Nierras that Director Twaño has already made instructions to the
construction division headed by Engr. Pacita Gavan, to prepare the
program of work and other pre-construction activities for the said
projects.
ARD Dequito informed
that about P30 Million has been allotted for the three bailey bridges
and another P10 Million for the road project at Silvino Lobos, for the
year 2009.
ARD Dequito said that
P30,000,000, however, is not enough to finish the three bailey bridges
as the total funding requirement is P170 Million.
What the DPWH will do
is to allot the first trance of funding to construct one bailey bridge
and when the additional funding comes, the other two will be
constructed also.
Pending the receipt of
the SARO for the projects, Director Twaño has already made
instructions to prepare the needed paper works.
Meanwhile, ARD Dequito
informed that the Laoang portion of the Arteche-Lapinig-Laoang road
project, is ongoing. The weather condition makes it difficult to
continue construction works so perhaps in March which is already
summer time in the Philippines, the construction of the project will
be fasttracked.
The San Policarpo to
Arteche rehabilitation and road widening with exemption, is also
ongoing, ARD Dequito said. This project which is Taft-Oras-San
Policarp-Arteche project has a funding of about P111 Million.
Furthermore, the
Maydolong-Basey road project which will connect Eastern Samar to Samar,
has also been allotted P140 Million in 2009. The program of work is
now being prepared and bidding short of awards will also be conducted
soon.
Guiuan’s 5 isolated
island barangays receive needed relief
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
19, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – Five
of the nine island barangays of Guiuan, Eastern Samar which were
isolated because of rough seas brought about by inclement weather were
given Family Food Packs from the national government thru the
Department of Social Welfare and Development and the local government
of Guiuan.
Mayor Analiza Kwan
informed the Philippine Information Agency that early in the morning
of Sunday, when the weather was better, she immediately deployed motor
bancas with relief goods to the islands of Homonhon and Suluan.
Mayor Kwan said that
four of the eight barangays at
Homonhon
Island were given relief goods that would last the families for
several days. This will assure the people in the isolated barangays
that the government is not turning its back on them, Mayor Kwan said
remembering here helplessness the day before.
Mayor Kwan also
deployed motor bancas to
Suluan Island which
could be reached in three hours by boat, farther than Homonhon from
Guiuan, which could be reached in about two hours.
The helicopter from
the Philippine Air Force arrived in Guiuan but the weather condition
prevented it from pursuing its relief operations to the two islands,
Mayor Kwan informed. The pilot decided to come back on Monday when the
weather is better.
The Department of
Social Welfare and Development through the Regional Disaster
Coordinating Council, brought 50 sacks of rice and 700 family packs to
Guiuan on January 17, after Mayor Kwan reported that the people in the
nine barangays of Homonhon and Suluan Islands, have no more food after
being isolated from the mainland for more than one week.
Mayor Kwan expressed
gratitude to the government agencies which promptly answered her call
for help, the Regional Offices as well as the National Offices of the
Department of Social Work and Development, the Office of Civil
Defense, the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council, the National
Disaster Coordinating Council, the Philippine National Police, the
Philippine Information Agency and the Office of the Presidential
Assistant.
Mayor Kwan also
thanked sincerely the staff of the local government of Guiuan for
working even on Saturdays and Sundays, just so the needs of the
constituents will be met.
The relief
operations will continue, Mayor Kwan said, as well as the Search and
Rescue Operations for the still missing seven passengers of M/B Rogen
4.
Search and rescue
operations in Guiuan fail to locate missing M/B Rogen and 7 passengers
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
19, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Search and rescue operation conducted in the morning of January 17
failed to locate M/B Rogin with its seven passengers which have been
missing since January 10, Mayor Analiza Kwan of Guiuan, Eastern Samar
informed.
Mayor Kwan said that
the municipal Bantay Dagat together with another motorboat went on a
search and rescue operation Saturday morning when the rains stopped
but the team was unable to locate any sign or debris of the motorized
passenger banca.
Reports coming from
the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council Operations Center showed
that per information provided by the Tacloban Coast Guard, the Guiuan
Coast Guard and the Guiuan Bantay Dagat conducted a Search and Rescue
Operations on Saturday based on the coordinates provided by the Aerial
Search team on January 16.
Because of unfavorable
sea condition, the request of the Naval Station in Tacloban to the
Naval Forces Central, in Cebu City for the use of sea vessel was not
allowed.
On January 16, the
Office of Civil Defense 8, the operating arm of the Regional Disaster
Coordinating Council, the Tactical Operations Group 8 of the
Philippine Air Force Central Command and ABS-CBN Tacloban, conducted
an aerial search operation using a Nomad Plane.
As the search plane
flew through the pattern designed by the pilot, a floating boat that
possesses some of the descriptions of the missing motor banca, full of
water but still floating, was seen near the vicinity of Manicane
Island.
It was not verified
whether it was the M/B Rogen 4 due to very poor visibility with low
lying dark clouds, even if the altitude of the plane was only at 1000
feet above sea level.
During the second
attempt to verify whether it was really M/B Rogen 4, there were two
motorized banca sighted with coordinates of N 11 degrees, 04.519' E 12
degrees 20.749' and N 11 degrees 02.3' E 125 degrees 20.97'.
Due to worsening
weather condition, the team was not able to take a close look and a
clear picture. The team then decided to go back to station.
Meanwhile, Mayor Kwan
said that the Bantay Dagat was not able to proceed to Homonhon to get
the survivors and to bring food to the island because the Guiuan
Philippine Coast Guard did not allow it to venture into sea because of
rough seas and very poor weather condition.
Continuous rains
render several North Samar roads hardly passable
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
18, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – The
continuous rains being experienced in
Eastern Visayas
since December 2008 rendered several sections of the
Palapag-Mapanas-Gamay-Lapinig Road
hardly passable.
Reports received by
the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council Operations Center from the
Northern Samar Provincial Disaster Management Unit showed that the
Palapag-Mapanas section at Barangays Nipa, Maragano and Ginpandayan,
is hardly passable to traffic due to washed out surfacing materials.
The Barangay Magtaon
to Barangay Mamhot section is also hardly passable due to settlement
of roadway.
Furthermore, along
Mapanas-Gamay Road, the Barangays Lipatan, San Antonio, Libertad and
Poblacion section in Gamay town, is also hardly passable to traffic
due to settlement of roadway.
The Regional Disaster
Coordinating Council Operations Center is continuously monitoring the
landslide incident and also the effects of the continuous heavy rains
in the province of Northern Samar, RDCC 8 Executive Officer and OCD 8
Regional Director Angel D. Gaviola said.
On January 10, 2009,
heavy rains caused a landslide at Lavezares, Northern Samar killing an
entire young family of six, from the father and mother to the four
children ages 1 year and four months to five years of age.
The continuous heavy
rains also left four persons dead, 2 persons injured, 1 person
missing.
It also caused
flooding in at least seven towns of Northern Samar namely, Bobon,
Catarman, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Mondragon, Palapag and San Roque,
affecting at least 15,869 families or 74,847 persons.
At least 82 barangays
were affected, 6 houses were totally damaged while another one was
partially destroyed.
The National
Disaster Coordinating Council has released 1000 sacks of rice as
assistance to Northern Samar, on December 6 and January 6, 2009; and
850 sacks of rice to Eastern Samar on two dates, December 12 and
December 18, as augmentation to the conduct of relief operations in
the affected provinces, Director Gaviola said.
Guiuan Mayor cries for
help, no more food in island barangays
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
January
17, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte
– Mayor Analiza Kwan of Guiuan, Eastern Samar expressed fear that
because of heavy rains, the people at Homonhon Island which is
composed of eight barangays and at one at Suluan Island are running
out of food commodities.
Mayor Kwan called up
the Philippine Information Agency early morning today saying that
people from the two islands of Guiuan have been texting her that
stores have no more food commodities and rice to sell because they
rely on the mainland to supply them with food.
"Good noon kuya,
ginpapahibaro ko la an aton mayor nga nag-aaro kami hit bulig didi ha
Barangay Canawayon Homonhon na waray na kami pinangangaon didi kay
waray man makakakadto ha Guiuan kay dagko man it balod. Pinangugutom
na it amon mga anak. Salamat," one text message goes. (Good
noon, Kuya, we
just want to inform our mayor that we at Barangay Canawayon Homonhon
are asking for help. We have no more food to eat here because we are
unable to go to Guiuan due to giant waves. Our children are already
hungry," one text message goes.
What is making me very
worried is that babies have no more milk to drink, Mayor Kwan
lamented.
Because of the
continuous heavy rains and rough seas, the people in these islands are
unable to go to Guiuan to buy goods and the suppliers of food in
Guiuan are unable to send food stock to the islands.
Even the National Food
Authority informed that there are rice for the islands but these are
still in Guiuan because inaccessibility due to rough seas and
inclement weather conditions.
The Philippine
Information Agency relayed the message to the Regional Disaster
Coordinating Council Chairman in the person of PRO 8 Director Abner
Cabalquinto, to Mr. Rey Gozon of the RDCC Operations Center at the
Office of Civil Defense, to Presidential Assistant for the Visayas
Cynthia Nierras and to PIA Secretary Conrado Limcaoco who immediately
caused the message to be relayed to the National Disaster Coordinating
Council.
Mayor Kwan was
requesting for a chopper that would transport the food stock which are
available in Guiuan. However, the chopper which was facilitated by 8ID
Commanding Officer, MGen. Art Tabaquero will be available on Sunday
morning yet.
In the meantime, PA
Nierras coordinated with Director Letecia Corillo of the Department of
Social Welfare and Development for additional food for the people in
the two islands in Guiuan.
Director Corillo is
causing 700 Family Food Packs and five sacks of rice for the people of
the island barangays. RDCC Chairman Abner Cabalquinto is lending a
truck that would transport the relief goods to Guiuan.
There are more than
2,000 people at Suluan Island while the population of Homonhon Island
is more than 5,000 people.
Province pours in
all-out support to two Leyte festival contingents to Sinulog ‘09
By
Provincial
Media Relations Center
January 17, 2009
TACLOBAN CITY – The
provincial government of
Leyte through Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla is throwing its full
support to Leyte’s two
festival contingents to the Sinulog 2009 Festival this January 18.
Gov. Petilla met early
this week with the local chief executives of the towns of Abuyog and
Dulag to discuss their participation in one of the country’s premiere
cultural event.
The governor said this
is one grand opportunity for the two towns from
Leyte and for the province itself to promote its cultural
richness, tourism potentials and economic prospects.
Leyte’s Buyogan
Festival of Abuyog and Karatong Festival of Dulag would represent the
province in the Sinulog Festival grand mardi gras which is considered
as the country’s biggest pageantry of sights, sounds and colors as it
honors and pays homage to the patron saint of Cebu, the Senior Sto.
Niño.
The two Leyte
contingents were the first and second winners in last year’s Leyte
Pintados Kasadyaan Festival held during the Tacloban City fiesta, and
have earned themselves the spot to represent the province to compete
with at least 40 other contingents from other parts of the country.
For Leyte having three
contingents is one good exposure for the province itself, the governor
said, considering that the provincial government’s thrust is to
further tourism and economic activities in the province.
“It is really an
opportunity for the town to make themselves known. You see before,
nobody recognizes the town of Hilongos. Ever since its Alikaraw
Festival started winning in national festival competitions, they
suddenly recognized here is a town in the
province
of Leyte called Hilongos,” the governor explained.
Alikaraw Festival of
Hilongos is one of the province’s multi-awarded festival which
participated national festival competition and earned awards for the
past years.
Then several other
opportunities follow, the governor added.
There are already 45
contingents from various cities and provinces which confirmed they
will be participating in this Sinulog Grand Parade.
The Sinulog website
reports aside from Leyte’s contigents, other participants include
Tacloban
City’s
Sangyaw Festival. Four contingents also from Negros (Pintaflores of
San Carlos City, Jimalalud de Sinulog, Sta Catalina, Negros Oriental
and Bais City), three contingents from Mindanao (Cabadbaran City,
Tangub City and Lanao Del Norte) are set to showcase their prowess in
Sinulog dancing.
For the first time, a
contingent from Placer, Masbate in Bicol Region is also expected to
perform in Sunday’s Sinulog Grand Parade.
Sinulog comes from the
Cebuano word “sulog” which is “like current movement and proficient
describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog Dance. The
festival competition has now been classified into Sinulog-Base, Free
Interpretation and recently a Latin category.
This cultural event
has evolved into a cultural attraction held every third Sunday of
January.
