City mayor orders suspension of new traffic scheme

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines, Oct 25 -- Mayor Alfred Romualdez on Friday ordered the deferment of the implementation of the proposed traffic scheme here amid questions of its effectiveness due to lack of an in-depth study.

The Traffic Operation Management Enforcement and Control Office (TOMECO) is supposed to implement its new traffic scheme at the city proper this month.

TOMECO proposed for the reversal of the current traffic system in the city. The one-way street will now be two-way while the two-way street will be reverted to one-way traffic.

This was pushed by the TOMECO to ease traffic congestion in the city before the Christmas season.

Prior to its postponement, the Sangguniang Panlungsod already recommended for traffic officials to undertake a month-long study of their proposal and to submit a report to the council.

Vice-Mayor Jerry Yaokasin welcomed the move as he stressed for a traffic expert to conduct a study to avoid the possibility of a trial and error in implementing the scheme.

The vice-mayor added that it should not only be re-routing that should be implemented but including regulating the number of vehicles entering the city.

“There are many ways to ease traffic congestion but the best way is to let experts handle the problems,” said Yaokasin.

Aside from the re-routing scheme, Yaokasin said that TOMECO has also a proposal for passenger vehicles plying outside the city to have its own terminal. Only vehicles plying city routes can enter the city proper.

This proposal is yet to be submitted to the city council, said Yaokasin. (PNA) 

PRO 8 to strictly implement liquor ban during Monday’s brgy polls

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo,Leyte, Philippines, Oct 25 -– The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) will strictly implement the ban on alcoholic beverages in connection with the barangay elections on October 28, said Eastern Visayas top cop Police Chief Supt. Elmer R. Soria.

According to the police official, the liquor ban will help quell tensions among candidates and their supporters and prevent occurrence of untoward incidents that may disrupt the electoral proceedings.

“The ban will prevent alcohol-induced crimes before and during the election day,” he said.

Soria informed that violators would face a penalty from one up to to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and disqualification from public office.

The police regional chief reminded the public that police units across the region will start implementing the liquor ban on the eve of the election and on the day of the barangay elections, as contained in Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 9715.

The resolution provides that it is unlawful for any person “who sells, furnishes, offers, buys, serves or takes intoxicating liquor” on the day before the election (Oct. 27) and on Election Day (Oct. 28).

In the same resolution, the giving or accepting of free transportation, food, drinks and things of value is also prohibited.

The police will also conduct operations against electoral fraud especially vote-buying, and will entrap vote-buyers and vote-sellers, Soria said.

He informed that civilians could also arrest, without a warrant, any person who in their presence “has committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit the election offense of vote-buying and selling.”

“This is under the principle of citizen’s arrest,” the police officer averred.

Apart from the liquor ban, police units in Eastern Visayas have been strictly enforcing the gun ban since its implementation last September 28.

“So far, we have arrested 46 violators, confiscated 22 assorted high-powered and low-powered firearms, 29 bladed weapons and 89 ammunitions in separate police operations across the region,” Soria added.(PNA)

 Region 8 business chamber to present 'wish list' in national confab

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines, Oct. 22 -- The Eastern Visayas Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EVCCI) will present two resolutions that would uplift the region’s “ailing economy” in this week’s 39th Philippine Business Conference.

The first resolution urgently requests the Department of Budget and Management to restore the budget for the development of Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport earlier realigned to finance the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

Another resolution calls the attention of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to assist the region’s ailing economy by sending more economic experts to the region.

EVCCI regional governor Roy Bernard Fiel said they are hopeful that the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry will consider these two resolutions for presentation to Aquino, the keynote speaker of the country’s main gathering of business leaders.

The 39th Philippine Business Conference this Oct 22 to 24 at Manila Hotel is anchored on the theme “One. Global. Filipino. “Unleashing the TIGER Economy” (Towards Integration, Growth and Economic Resiliency).

“The Philippine Business Conference is a good venue to present these resolutions to the President for appropriate actions. In the past national conferences, we have also passed resolutions related to DZR Airport Development,” Fiel said

The first resolution seeks to call the attention of the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the House Committee on Appropriations to restore the realigned funds.

The motion, approved by nine presidents of various business chambers in the region, got its approval in last week’s quarterly meeting.

Southern Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Robert Castañares, a former DOTC assistant secretary, presented the proposed resolution.

The business sector passed the resolution following media reports that Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya relayed to Leyte (1st District) Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez that P718.75 million was slashed from Tacloban Airport development budget and diverted to DAP.

The DOTC chief, however, assured the project is still on track given that the realignment was just temporary.

Development of the Tacloban Airport has been delayed as it was first included for funding under a Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) yen loan package in 1999, along with the Bacolod-Silay Airport.

The new Bacolod airport was completed in January 2008 while the Tacloban airport project was shelved in September 2008 for lack of funds and then revived under the Aquino administration.

In the second resolution, the region’s business community has expressed alarm on the negative 6.2 percent economic growth during the first semester of 2012. Eastern Visayas was the only area in the country that posted economic growth decline.

“Region 8’s economy falls behind even far from the ailing regions of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (1.12 percent) and Cordillera Autonomous Region (1 percent) with the country enjoying 6.8 percent growth in Gross Domestic Product,” the resolution stated.(PNA)

Rep. Romulo underscores gallantry of Filipinos

PALO, Leyte, Philippines, Oct. 21 -- Pasig City lone district Representative Roman Romulo has underscored the gallantry of Filipino fighters and civilians who fought side by side with Allied Forces in liberating the country from invaders during World War II.

Romulo, who was one of the guests during Sunday's commemoration of the 69th anniversary of the Leyte Gulf Landing, said that they too shall be remembered and honored.

"Without our Filipino fighters and civilians, the battle would not be easy for the Allied Forces and the Leyte Landing will never happen," Romulo said.

"Their help had made it easier for our allies to re-claim our nation from the hands of our enemies, and they should be given honor so that our children and our future generation would make them as their inspiration," he added.

Romulo represented his grandfather, Carlos P. Romulo, who was with Gen. Douglas McArthur when they set foot in the soil of Leyte at the start of the liberation campaign against Japanese Imperial Forces.

He added that the sacrifices made by the Filipino soldiers during the Second World War should not only be written in history books and be forgotten but rather be observed in the daily lives of Filipinos.

The congressman said their sacrifices had also made us strong amidst trials, tragedies and calamities and controversies in our government.

Romulo, who was personally invited by Leyte Vice Governor Carlo Loreto, was with his wife TV personality Shalani Soledad-Romulo when he attended the 69th Leyte Gulf Landing.

Both have promised to visit Leyte again next year for the 70th year of the Leyte Gulf Landing. (PNA) 

Earthquake causes minor damage in several establishments in S. Leyte

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines, Oct. 15 -- Minor cracks were reported in two establishments in Southern Leyte following an earthquake that affected portions of Eastern Visayas around 8:12 a.m. Tuesday.

Reports reaching the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) here revealed that minor cracks were monitored at the Novo Department Store and at Cindy’s establishment in Maasin City.

The Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is still in the process of plotting the magnitude of the quake that hit Southern Leyte’s capital city.

Bhenlie Linde, OCD operations officer, said that there is a continuing assessment of possible damages by their personnel together with local disaster council officers in various provinces.

Meanwhile, the quake in Abuyog town, Leyte was placed at Intensity 5; Intensity 4 at the municipality of Bato and cities of Ormoc and Baybay in Leyte, Tacloban City and Hinunangan, Southern Leyte and Intensity 3 in Borongan City of Eastern Samar.

There was no declared tsunami alert because the earthquake was tectonic in origin, Linde added.

Meanwhile, Linde urged local government units (LGUs) to capacitate their stakeholders, especially on what to do during and after the earthquake. He underscored that earthquake unlike any disasters has no early signs.

He added that the government through the OCD and Phivolcs has many activities that could assist LGUs and communities in their preparations in case of disasters. (PNA) 

Mayor Melchor F. Nacario (left) takes his oath of office before Judge Madonna C. Echiverri of RTC Branch 81, Quezon City around 5 p.m. of Oct. 14. (Photo: Facebook) 

Nacario sworn in as mayor of Calbiga

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines, Oct. 14 – Melchor F. Nacario was finally sworn in as mayor of Calbiga, Samar after about a year of legal skirmishes.

Nacario took his oath of office before Judge Madonna C. Echiverri, presiding judge of Branch 81 of the Regional Trial Court in Quezon City, around 5 p.m. today.

Hours earlier, Comelec officials proclaimed Nacario as winner in the Calbiga, Samar mayoral race during the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections, at the Comelec Session Hall in Intramuros, Manila.

Nacario was accompanied to the Comelec central office by his wife, Samar Board Member Luzviminda Nacario, and some of his close supporters, among them was Santiago Abelido, a registered voter and resident of Calbiga, Samar.

It was Abelido who first filed a case against Nicasio L. Abaigar, Nacario's opponent in the last election.

On Oct. 12, 2012, Abelido petitioned the Comelec “to deny due course or cancel” the certificate of candidacy filed earlier by Abaigar, questioning,among others,the latter's citizenship.

In its decision, the Comelec said it believed that Abaigar underwent naturalization process in the United States, “Based on current jurisprudence, Abaigar abandoned his Filipino citizenship and divested his domicile in the Philippines when he was naturalized,” it said.

The Comelec thus canceled Abaigar's COC for mayor of Calbiga, Samar. Abaigar then filed a motion for reconsideration, but this was denied by the Comelec en banc for lack of merit.

However, the name of Abaigar still appeared on the ballot during the elections.

A day prior to the May 13 polls, Abelido sought from the Comelec en banc an “omnibus motion (A) not to count/canvass the votes and/or suspend proclamation.”

Despite the protests, the voting went with Abaigar's name still on the ballot.

Abaigar, who garnered 5,804 votes or 27 votes higher than Nacario's, was proclaimed by the local board of canvassers as the winner in the mayoral race in Calbiga.

Nacario then filed at the Comelec a petition to annul the proclamation of Abaigar as mayor-elect of Calbiga town. He stressed that Abaigar was no longer a candidate at the time of election, the Comelec en banc having denied with finality his motion for reconsideration of the cancellation of Abaigar's COC.

A canceled COC cannot give rise to a valid candidacy, much less to valid votes,” Nacario argued, adding that he being the only eligible and qualified candidate who got the highest number of votes should have been proclaimed.

In the end, the Comelec issued on Oct. 4, 2013 an order directing the Special Municipal Board of Canvassers (SMBOC) of Calbiga “to convene on Oct. 14, 2013...and proclaim Melchor F. Nacario...as the duly elected mayor of Calbiga, Samar in the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections.”

On Oct.11, 2013, the Comelec also denied a motion to suspend the convening of the SMBOC and the proclamation of Nacario. Instead, it ordered the SMBOC to proceed with the proclamation of Nacario. (VEN LABRO) 

Southern Leyte's Maasin City is NNC's CROWN awardee again

MAASIN CITY, Philippines, Oct 14 – The City of Maasin is honored as recipient of the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Maintenance award this year.

The National Nutrition Council (NCC) conferred the CROWN award to a town, city or province that has been adjudged by the inter-agency regional nutrition evaluation team as outstanding in the region in the implementation of its nutrition action plan for three consecutive years.

“We at the nutrition council, hopes that many will follow the example of Maasin City and will have many implementers and awardees in the years to come,” said Segundina Delota-Dilao, regional program nutrition coordinator of NNC Eastern Visayas.

The awarding of this year’s national grand awards from the Department of Health and NNC will be in November 5.

“We want to eradicate hunger in our city and we are almost there. We are happy for the national award and will go for the highest nutrition award next year, the Nutrition Honor Award of Hall of Fame," Maasin Mayor Maloney Samaco said.

The city won the Green Banner Award for three years. Maasin LGU is the only CROWN awardee last year and this year from the region.

“This is a big challenge for us to repeat the feat of Limasawa as the honor nutrition awardee, the highest award in nutrition. We want to bring down our malnutrition rate to one percent," Samaco, who also chairs the Maasin Nutrition Committee said.

He said the city is investing considerable amount for nutrition programs to support the needs of its 86,000 population.

"We work hard not for the awards, but for the future of our children and the city,” Samaco added. (PNA)