CATBALOGAN, Samar – To
show their concern for the people by ensuring an honest and
transparent government anchored on the principle of good governance,
some political leaders here launched an anti-corruption drive dubbed
as the "Crusade for Samar".
Samar’s 1st District
Congressman Reynaldo S. Uy, in a press conference late last week, said
this campaign is aimed to correct the alleged irregularities committed
by the top official of the province.
Congressman Uy,
however, clarified that he and the other government officials in the
province, including Congressman Catalino V. Figueroa and the majority
of the Provincial Board, were not happy about the issues involving
Governor Milagrosa T. Tan who is facing charges at the Sandiganbayan
for the alleged misuse of public funds.
According to Uy, they
were part of Gov. Tan’s victory in 2001 but stressed that since the
future of the Samarnons are at stake, they really have to side with
the people and back the charges against Tan.
"We do this because
our stomachs can no longer endure the grave irregularities committed
by the Governor," the congressman said. Uy claimed they possess
volumes of documents that can pin down the Governor.
To recall, the
Ombudsman earlier convicted Gov. Tan and six other employees of the
Capitol for purchasing relief goods amounting to some P16 million
without public bidding way back in 2000 and 2001. Tan, however, was
spared from the dismissal verdict but she is facing criminal charges
at the Sandiganbayan.
Lately, a case was
filed against Tan for violation of Section 3(a) of Republic Act 3019,
popularly known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, for
purchasing 176 units of electric fans amounting to P244,640.00 last
November 13-20, 2002 without conducting a public bidding.
Congressman Figueroa,
in an earlier interview, informed that this is in support of President
Arroyo’s anti-corruption campaign. This, he, said is a proof that the
government really means business in running after corrupt government
officials.
Residents conduct
Indignation Rally against CPP-NPA
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 26, 2006
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte –
An Indignation Rally was conducted Saturday by more than 5,000
residents from the affected municipalities of Baybay, Inopacan and
Mahaplag.
Lt. Col. Mario Lacurom,
commander of the 43rd Infantry Battalion based in Sogod, Southern
Leyte said that the Indignation Rally is an expression of the people’s
desire to seek for justice for the residents and relatives who died in
the hands of the CCP- NPA and to call for an end to the CCP-NPA’s
reign of terror in the area.
The Indignation Rally
started at 9:00 o’clock in the morning with an Indignation March with
some people holding placards calling on the people to be aware of the
true colors of the CCP-NPA and seeking justice for the CCP-NPA purging
victims. During the March, there was also a re-enactment of the
purging victims, hogtied and blind-folded escorted by participants
clad in CCP-NPA attire supposedly being led to the “Garden.”
The “Rallyists”
proceeded to the Municipal Plaza of Baybay,
Leyte where a
Mass was offered. This was followed by the program where NPA
surrenderees, former leaders of NPA delivered speeches expressing
their sentiments on the CPP-NPA and exhorting the people never to
support much less to join the terror group.
Main guest and speaker
during the Indignation Rally was Jun Alcover, national president of
the pro-democracy alliance ANAD (Alliance
for Nationalism and Democracy) Partylist. Mr. Alcover called on all
of the freedom-loving Filipino people to join forces and to remain
united in opposing the Maoist communist-terrorists CPP-NPA-NDF so that
they will not suffer the same fate of their relatives and friends who
had fallen into the trap webbed by the Godless communist terrorists.
Jun Alcover was among those recruited to establish the first NPA
groups in Eastern Visayas particularly in Hinunangan and St. Bernard,
Southern Leyte up to Mahaplag, Baybay, Ormoc in
Leyte and in
Samar.
A re-enactment on how
the CPP-NPA-NDF purging victims were tortured, stabbed to death (ihaw
in the local dialect) and buried, was presented.
The
effigies/caricatures of Joma Sison, Jalandoni and Satur Ocampo,
CCP-NPA-NDF leaders were buried before the rallyists proceeded to the
Municipal Cemetery of Baybay, Leyte to bury the clothes and other
belongings of the purging victims, recovered at the mass gravesite.
Military expects to
uncover more mass graves in Leyte
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 25, 2006
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte – After uncovering two more graves containing remains of alleged victims
of the purging conducted by the CPP-NPA-NDF in the 1980s, the military
in Leyte revealed they expect to unearth more mass graves based on to
tips it has been receiving from residents and former NPA leaders.
In an interview with
PIA, Lieutenant Colonel Mario Lacurom, the commander of the 43rd
Infantry Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army
based in Sogod, Southern Leyte said that two mass graves were
discovered last week in remote villages of Inopacan and Baybay towns.
Lt. Col. Lacurom
revealed that four skulls were unearthed on September 12 from a mass
grave in Sitio Bugang, Caulisihan (the same barangay where Sapang Daku
mass grave was located), Inopacan town while two skulls were uncovered
three days later, in a mass grave in the far-flung barangay Monterico
of Baybay town.
Monterico, Lt. Col.
Lacurom said is 79 kilometers away from the town proper of Baybay,
passing through Barangay San Juan in the town of Mahaplag. On the
other hand, Barangay Caulisihan could be reached by passing through
Barangay Monterico in the municipality of Baybay.
The discovery of more
mass graves in Monterico and Sitio Bugang confirms the earlier stories
of the residents and witnesses who said that while the purging victims
were being led to the “Garden” at Mt. Sapang Daku, some of them
couldn’t bear the torture and died along the way, Lt. Col. Lacurom
intimated.
Right now, the
military is working on the leads of a presence of a mass grave of
about 18 people in Sitio Mahangin, Barangay San Antonio in Hilongos,
Leyte, Lt. Col. Lacurom added. The military had earlier estimated
to about 300, the number of persons killed during the purging called
the Anti-Venereal Disease Campaign within the ranks of the CPP-NPA.
Lt. Col. Lacurom said
that since the discovery of the mass gravesite at Mt. Sapang Daku in
Barangay Caulisihan of the
municipality of
Inopacan
on August 30, the 43rd Infantry Battalion has maintained an advance
command post at Barangay Gumbang, Baybay, Leyte.
Lacurom said his
troops will remain indefinitely in Barangay Caulisihan and at the
advance command post at Barangay Gumbang on orders from Major General
Rodrigo Maclang, the commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division,
to search for more gravesites in the area.
Meanwhile, Col. Allan
Ragpala, the commander of the 802nd Infantry Division based in Burauen,
Leyte, said the military will not stop in its efforts to locate more
graves of the victims of rebel atrocities. “This is the only way, we
can give justice to the victims and peace of mind to their relatives,”
Col. Ragpala said.
RDC 8 commended DepEd
8 achievements in national exams
By Philippine Information Agency (PIA 8)
September 25, 2006
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte –
The Regional Development Council of Eastern Visayas (RDC 8), in its
special meeting on September 21, commended the achievements of the
Department of Education Regional Office 8 in topping National
Achievement Test.
Presidential Assistant
for Eastern Visayas, Secretary Victor A. Domingo said that the
commendation is in order because the superintendents, principals,
teachers and the Regional Director really worked hard in order to give
the best education to the young people of Region 8.
In suggesting that
Plaques of Recommendation be given to the Regional Director, Division
Superintendents and the principals of the top schools, Secretary
Domingo hopes that these will serve as an inspiration to the other
divisions and other schools in the Region to also try their best to
become achievers.
Earlier, Dr. Erlinda
Hipe of the Department of Education Regional Office 8 presented the
achievements of the different divisions in the First Year, Fourth Year
and Grade VI National Achievement Tests.
For the First Year
National Achievement Test, the
Rizal
National
High School
in Tomas Oppus, Southern Leyte topped the Exams. In the NAT fourth
Year Level, the
Calbayog
City High School
placed number one.
DepEd 8 also reported
that among the top ten divisions nationwide in the 2005-2006 National
Achievement Test, six are from Region 8. Topping the list are Southern
Leyte, Eastern Samar, Maasin as the first three divisons. Number five
is Samar, number 7 is Northern Samar and Calbayog is number 10.
The Regional
Development Council headed by Southern Leyte Governor Rosette Lerias
congratulated the Department of Health Regional Office 8 for the very
good performance of the various divisions in the Region and for
showing a tangible sign that the young people of Region 8 are really
getting the best quality education that the Arroyo administration
wants to bring to the young people of the country.
Philippine wind power potential highest in Southeast Asia
Greenpeace calls on RP to fast track
Renewable Energy Bill
By LEA GUERRERO, Greenpeace Southeast
Asia
September 24,
2006
MANILA, Philippines –
The Greenpeace on Thursday called on the Philippine government to fast
track the passage of a stronger Renewable Energy (RE) Bill which must
contain ambitious, legally-binding targets in order to effectively
make a difference in the fight against climate change. The call was
issued shortly after the launch of a new industry report, 'Global Wind
Energy Outlook 2006,' in Australia by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC)
and Greenpeace. The report, an analysis of how the uptake of wind
power worldwide is the key to stopping climate change, also cites how
the Philippines has the highest wind energy potential in Southeast
Asia.
"The report firmly
places wind power as one of the world’s most important energy sources
for the 21st century. The Philippines has the potential to become a
leading player in this field. But this requires political will on the
part of the government to set legally-binding renewable energy targets
in the RE Bill. Energy policies must also overcome institutional and
market biases in favor of coal and fossil fuels," says Greenpeace
Southeast Asia Climate and Energy campaigner Jasper Inventor.
"Greenpeace is calling
on the Philippine government to embrace a target that increases the
share of renewables to at least 10% of the country’s energy needs by
the year 2010. This is a win-win option for a developing country like
the Philippines which is most vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change, as well as to threats from rising fossil fuel prices," he
added.
At present less than
1% of the entire energy needs of the Philippines comes from renewable
sources such as wind, sun, and modern biomass. The RE bill being
deliberated in congress lacks definite targets which will trigger the
much-needed massive uptake of renewable energy in the country.
Based on a study by
the US-based National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Philippines’
wind energy potential of 70,000-MW can meet the country's current
energy demand seven times over. Currently, only one wind farm of 25
MW, in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, is installed in the Philippines. And
although early this week, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
secured a commitment from Denmark to help expand the facility, the
country is still a long way from effectively exploiting its
substantial wind energy potential, or even the government-set target
of a mere 417 MW from wind within ten years.
According to the
‘Global Wind Energy Outlook 2006’ report, one third of the world’s
electricity can be supplied by wind power. The report also highlights
the expansion of wind power worldwide as a key to stopping climate
change. Wind turbine capacity implemented on this scale would save 113
billion tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere by 2050.
"Wind power is the
most attractive solution to the world’s energy challenges. It is clean
and fuel-free. Moreover, wind is indigenous and enough wind blows
across the globe to cope with the ever increasing electricity demand.
This report demonstrates that wind technology is not a dream for the
future--it is real, it is mature, and it can be deployed on a large
scale," said Arthouros Zervos, GWEC´s Chairman. "The political choices
of the coming years will determine the world’s environmental and
economic situation for many decades to come."
"Wind power will
significantly reduce CO2 emissions, which is key in the fight against
dangerous climate change. Wind power will also address other
challenges crucial to developing countries like the
Philippines
such as security of energy supply and the increasing volatility of
fossil fuel prices," added Inventor.
