February 19, 2014 1

“in pursuit of PIA’s commitment to provide a national mechanism for the free flow of timely, accurate and relevant information… “

VOL 2 ISSUE 41 Daily E-Newsletter of Philippine Information Agency - 8 February 19, 2014

DPWH turns over completed bunkhouses to DSWD, LGUs

I n i t s e f f o r t t o c o n s o l i d a t e a n d h a r m o n i z e t h e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n

a n d r e c o v e r y o f t y p h o o n Yo l a n d a h a r d e s t h i t a r e a s , t h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t h e r e i s c u r r e n t l y c o n d u c t i n g a t h r e e - d a y s t r a t e g i c p l a n n i n g w o r k s h o p o n t h e f o r m u l a t i o n o f t h e P r o v i n c i a l R e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d R e c o v e r y P l a n . A s r e p o r t e d b y M r. L e v i N i c a r t , P r o v i n c i a l D i s a s t e r R i s k R e d u c t i o n M a n a g e m e n t O f f i c e r ( P D R R M O ) , p a r t o f t h e p r o v i n c i a l p l a n a r e t h e m u n i c i p a l p l a n s o n t h e i r r e s p e c t i v e r e c o v e r y a n d r e h a b i l i t a t i o n , t h u s t h e a t t e n d a n c e o f t h e t e a m s f r o m t h e h a r d e s t h i t m u n i c i p a l i t i e s . W i t h t h e a s s i s t a n c e o f t h e t e a m f r o m t h e U N H a b i t a t , t h e w o r k s h o p a l s o a i m s t o a d d r e s s a n d i n t e g r a t e a l l t h e c o n c e r n s , n e e d s a n d p r o p o s e d i n t e r v e n t i o n s o f t y p h o o n a f f e c t e d m u n i c i p a l i t i e s , i n t o a c o m p r e h e n s i v e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n p l a n . T h e Te a m p a r t i c u l a r l y a s s i s t s t h e m u n i c i p a l a n d p r o v i n c i a l t e a m s i n f o r m u l a t i n g a m o r e h o l i s t i c a n d c o m p r e h e n s i v e d o c u m e n t t h a t

UNHabitat backs up rehabilitation, recovery planning workshop

I n l ine with the Nat ional Government ’s thrust to provide

temporar y shelter for the fami l ies displaced by Yolanda, the Depar tment of Publ ic Works and H ighways in Eastern Visayas sa id i t was scheduled to turn over a l l the completed bunk houses to the Depar tment and Socia l Welfare and Development and to the Local Government Units in the af ternoon of Februar y 18, 2014. Ass istant Regional Direc tor Edgar Tabacon said that the or iginal target was for the construc t ion of 222 bunk houses in the region. However, an addit ional 35 bunk houses were implemented. The total number of continued on page 5 continued on page 7

bunk houses to be turned over is 227 whi le the construc t ion of 20 bunk houses are st i l l ongoing. Those completed with toi let and baths numbers 189 whi le the total number of units with toi let and bath fac i l i t ies i s 135. I n Tacloban Cit y, of the total 53 bunk houses targeted, 53 have been completed. O f the 37 completed with toi let and baths, 30 have been turned over. I n Palo, Leyte, of the total targeted 50 bunk houses, 39 have been completed whi le 11 are ongoing construc t ion. O f the targeted 28 with toi let and bath, only 16 have been completed.

Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation (NVC) turned over on Saturday some 50 fishing boats to the beneficiaries of Brgys. 88, 89 and 94 in Tacloban City. The project dubbed as Peter Projects 2 provided motorized fishing boats to fisherfolks in the area whose livelihood were affected due to Super Typhoon Yolanda. A total of 1600 boats will be donated to the affected fishermen in Eastern Visayas. (Photo by Raul S. Tiozon/PIA-8)

BY: ALICE NICART

2 February 19, 2014

Foreign Medical Mission serves local poor

More or less 3,537 people were served and assisted during the 10th

Bulig Kablas Medical Mission (BKMM) on February 4-12, 2014 at the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital(ESPH), this city. According to Rev. Fr. Juderick Paul L. Calumpiano, Chairman, Diocesan Commission on Social Action-Justice and Peace, the BKMM Mission Output were: consultation-1,421, operation-275, medicine assistance-1,750, referral to higher center (adult & Pedia)-11, other assistance (O2, blood, medical supplies, transportation, food and accomodation)-50 and adopted patients-30. Calumpiano also said, that the big accomplishments of this BKMM were the major and minor surgical operations that were given to the patients. For surgeries included eye, nose and throat (ENT)- 32, general

surgery (SG)-78, pedia-11, Ob-gyne-26, minor operations-57 and Ophta-71 or a total of 275 operations done. Meanwhile, a father , who requested anonymity, was happy that he was operated of his Hernia, “without this mission, I can’t afford to have my operation. I am very thankful to the organizers”, he said. A team of doctors from Diocese of Joliet, Manila, Tacloban City and this province attended the patients. This BKMM is now on its tenth year of serving the people of Eastern Samar. This 10th BKMM is initiated by Diocese of Borongan with partnership of the Provincial Government of Eastern Samar and Partnership in Mission, the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, USA . (SDC/PIA-E. Samar)

BY: SAMMY D. CANDIDO

A team of doctors from Diocese of Joliet in Illinois, USA, Manila, Tacloban City and this province attended indigent patients during the Bulig Kablas Medical Mission from February 4 to 12, 2013. (Photo courtesy of Eden Cidro)

Business booms in Maasin City, local chief executive says

BY: MA. REBECCA CADAVOS

C i t y M a y o r M a l o n e y S a m a c o s p e l l e d o u t t h e g a i n s h i s

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a c h i e v e d l a s t y e a r i n t e r m s o f i n c r e a s e d r e v e n u e c o l l e c t i o n , h i g h p i l g r i m t o u r i s t a r r i v a l s , a n d s e r i e s o f s p o r t s h o s t i n g f o r b o t h n a t i o n a l a n d r e g i o n a l c o m p e t i t i o n s , i n a d d i t i o n t o g o v e r n a n c e t h r u s t s t h a t a l s o r e a p e d r e w a r d s . I n h i s a n n u a l S t a t e o f t h e C i t y A d d r e s s ( S O C A ) h e l d a t t h e c i t y g y m h e r e M o n d a y i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e r e g u l a r f l a g - r a i s i n g c e r e m o n y, M a y o r S a m a c o m e n t i o n e d t h e s t r o n g e s t s t o r m o n r e c o r d , Yo l a n d a , s a y i n g t h e c i t y e m e r g e d a s a “m i r a c l e c i t y ” f o r b e i n g r e l a t i v e l y u n h a r m e d . H e a l s o r e p o r t e d t h e e f f o r t s d o n e b y t h e c i t y l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t u n i t t o h e l p d i s t r e s s e d a r e a s b y s e n d i n g r e s c u e t e a m s t o h e l p r e t r i e v e d e a d b o d i e s , h e l p i n t h e c l e a r i n g o f d e b r i s , d i s t r i b u t e r e l i e f a s s i s t a n c e , a n d a s s i s t i n t h e r e p a c k a g i n g o f g o o d s . “O u r c i t y w a s t h e f i r s t LG U t o d e l i v e r r e l i e f g o o d s t o O r m o c i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h t h e G a w a d K a l i n g a t h r e e d a y s a f t e r Yo l a n d a h i t t h e c i t y. We a l s o s e n t o u r r e s c u e t e a m s t o h e l p i n t h e r e t r i e v a l o p e r a t i o n s o f c a d a v e r s i n Ta c l o b a n w h e r e t h e y w e r e a b l e t o r e t r i e v e 1 2 8 d e a d b o d i e s a n d p l a c e d i n s i d e b o d y b a g s . A n o t h e r t e a m a s s i s t e d D S W D i n p a c k i n g r e l i e f g o o d s . We a l s o l e t t h e m b o r r o w o u r w a t e r p u r i f i e r a n d o u r f i r e t r u c k ,” S a m a c o r e p o r t e d . H i s 1 3 - p a g e s p e e c h w a s d e l i v e r e d i n o n e h o u r a n d 2 2 m i n u t e s , a n d w a s i n t e r r u p t e d 8 3 t i m e s b y a p p l a u s e f r o m a n

continued on page5

February 19, 2014 3

Fishermen in 3 barangays of San Jose district beneficiaries of 50 fiberglass fishing boatsF ishermen f rom 3 barangays

of San Jose distr ic t one of the hardest h i t in Tacloban of the Super t yphoon Yolanda were benef ic iar ies of 50 f iberglass f i shing boats. According to Mel l ie K i layko, pres ident of Negrense Volunteers for Change which was responsible for the donat ion, the turn over last Saturday was under the Peter Projec t 2 program of the Organizat ion. K i layko sa id that the projec t was in i t ia l ly intended only for the res idents of Negros who wanted to become f isherman, but af ter the devastat ion of t yphoon Yolanda, they saw the need to help the f isher y sec tor in Eastern Visayas. With the help of their par tner- donors they decided to ex tend the projec t to include the provinces af fec ted by super t yphoon Yolanda in the three

regions of the Visayas. K i layko added that their organizat ion is p lanning to distr ibute addit ional 1 ,600 f iberglass f i shing boats to t yphoon af fec ted places. K i layko sa id the c i t ies of Tacloban and Ormoc, towns of Dulag and Javier, and some places in Samar is land are in their l i s t for a poss ible donat ion. Their group wi l l be back in March to distr ibute the second batch of f iberglass f i shing boats. K i layko added that a volunteer f rom their group is in charge of val idat ing the l i s t of the benef ic iar ies to make sure that they are not yet benef ic iar ies f rom other organizat ion or government agencies that a lso provide f ishing boats as ass istance to displaced f ishermen because of t yphoon Yolanda. (P IA 8 with L izbeth Ann A. Abel la)

Ms. Divine Bandola (with mic), World Food Programme Officer disclosed over PIA’s Power FM Tuesday their ongoing activities in Eastern Visayas particularly in food and cash assistance to Yolanda survivors in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Also in photo are (r-l) Cornelia Paetz, WFP information officer; Masanobu Horie, Head of Programme; and PIA host Sol Alarcon. (Neil Lopido/PIA-8)

Enterprises rehabilitation financing for Yolanda-affected SME's continues

T h e D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a d e a n d I n d u s t r y R e g i o n a l O f f i c e i n

E a s t e r n V i s a y a s i s n o w i n t h e p r o c e s s o f v a l i d a t i n g t h e 2 3 s m a l l a n d m e d i u m b u s i n e s s e n t e r p r i s e s l o a n a p p l i c a n t s f o r t h e s e c o n d b a t c h o f t h e o n - g o i n g E n t e r p r i s e s R e h a b i l i t a t i o n F i n a n c i n g F o r Yo l a n d a A f f e c t e d S M E S i n E a s t e r n V i s a y a s . E n t e r p r i s e s R e h a b i l i t a t i o n F i n a n c i n g f o r Yo l a n d a a f f e c t e d S M E S i s f u n d e d b y t h e S m a l l B u s i n e s s C o r p o r a t i o n , t h e f i n a n c i n g a r m o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f T r a d e a n d I n d u s t r y , w h i c h a i m s t o h e l p S M E s t h a t n e e d t o r e p a i r d a m a g e d b u i l d i n g s , m a c h i n e r i e s a n d e q u i p m e n t a n d o p e r a t i n g c a p i t a l t o i m m e d i a t e l y r e s u m e t h e i r b u s i n e s s o p e r a t i o n s a n d r e c o v e r l o s s e s f r o m T y p h o o n Yo l a n d a . A t t y . L e m u e l M o n t e s r e p r e s e n t i n g D T I - 8 R e g i o n a l D i r e c t o r C y n t h i a N i e r r a s , i n t h e w e e k l y R e g i o n a l D i s a s t e r R i s k R e d u c t i o n a n d M a n g a m e n t C o u n c i l M e e t i n g s a i d t h a t t h e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f c h e c k s f o r t h e s e c o n d b a t c h i s e i t h e r b y t h e e n d o f F e b r u a r y o r t h e f i r s t w e e k o f M a r c h . H e f u r t h e r i n f o r m e d t h a t t h e s e c o n d b a t c h a r e a l l f r o m Ta c l o b a n C i t y . ( P I A 8 w i t h L i z b e t h A n n A . A b e l l a )

4 February 19, 2014

P a r t i c i p a n t s o f t h e H u m a n i t a r i a n

B r o a d c a s t i n g T r a i n i n g i n t h e c i t y e x p r e s s e d t h e i r t h a n k s t o t h e e x p e r i e n c e d l e c t u r e r M r . J o h n T u c k e y f o r a n i m p r e s s i v e l e c t u r e o n t w o m o d u l e s h e l d r e c e n t l y a t t h e C o m m u n i t a i r e O f f i c e , B r g y . C a l a n i p a w a n , Ta c l o b a n C i t y .P a r t i c i p a n t s w h o c a m e f r o m v a r i o u s g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s w e r e v e r y t h a n k f u l t o T u c k e y a s t h e y g a i n e d m o r e k n o w l e d g e i n t h e t r a i n i n g . F o l l o w i n g Yo l a n d a ’s d e v a s t a t i o n i n E a s t e r n V i s a y a s , T u c k e y h a s b e e n w o r k i n g w i t h t h e C o m m u n i t a i r e i n G u i u a n E a s t e r n S a m a r , a n I n t e r n a t i o n a l N o n -G o v e r n m e n t a l O r g a n i z a t i o n ( N G O ) w h o s u p p o r t e d t h e o p e r a t i o n o f a l o c a l r a d i o s t a t i o n i n a n e f f o r t t o r e b u i l d t h e l i v e s o f t h e p e o p l e i n

s a i d t o w n , o n e r a v a g e d a r e a a f t e r b e i n g h i t b y t h e s u p e r t y p h o o n . T h e t r a i n i n g w a s b a s e d o n a p r e m i s e ” t o h e l p p e o p l e c h a n g e w h a t c a n b e c h a n g e d a n d c o p e w i t h w h a t c a n n o t b e c h a n g e d ”. T w o m o d u l e s w e r e d i s c u s s e d o n s e p a r a t e s c h e d u l e s b u t e a c h w a s i n t e r r e l a t e d w i t h t h e o t h e r . M o d u l e 1 e n t i t l e d “ S t a r t i n g f r o m t h e C o m m u n i t y ” h i g h l i g h t e d o n w h a t t h e r a d i o c a n d o a f t e r a d i s a s t e r . T h e i n c l u d e s h o w a r a d i o c a n r e s p o n d t h r o u g h i t s p r o g r a m s a n d e n c o u r a g e s t h e p e o p l e t o s l o w l y g e t b a c k i n t o n o r m a l c y . M o d u l e s 2 t a l k e d o n “ P s y c h o - s o c i a l s u p p o r t ” w h e r e t h e l e c t u r e r g a v e p o i n t e r s o n w h a t k i n d o f r a d i o p r o g r a m s n e e d e d t o h e l p p e o p l e e a s e

Foreign lecturer on Humanitarian Broadcasting impresses participants

t h e i r b a d f e e l i n g s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s a f t e r d i s a s t e r i n o r d e r t o r e g a i n t h e i r n o r m a l l i v e s . T u c k e y h a s e m p h a s i z e d h o w a r a d i o c a n e f f e c t i v e l y c o n v e y e d a m e s s a g e t o t h e c o m m u n i t y a n d i n f l u e n c e d p e o p l e ’s m i n d s , f e e l i n g s , e m o t i o n s , o p i n i o n s a n d o n e ’s p e r s p e c t i v e . O t h e r m o d u l e s w i l l b e d i s c u s s e d b y t h e l e c t u r e r w i t h i n t h i s w e e k . P a r t i c i p a n t s a r e e x p e c t e d t o l e a r n h o w t o g e t t h e i m m e d i a t e c o n c e r n s o f t h e c o m m u n i t y , h o w i t c a n b e c h a n n e l e d t o t h e a g e n c i e s c o n c e r n e d a n d h o w a c o m p l i c a t e d m e s s a g e b e c o n v e y e d i n a s i m p l e b u t u n d e r s t a n d a b l e w a y t o t h e l i s t e n e r . ( P I A - 8 )

BY: CONSUELO ALARCON

February 19, 2014 5DPWH turns over...from page 1

I n Ormoc Cit y, a l l the targeted 44 units have been completed and 22 toi let and bath have been turned over. I n Samar, a l l the 22 units of bunk houses in Basey and the 16 units in Marabut are a l ready completed with toi let and bath number to 19 and 11 respec t ively, a l ready turned over. For Eastern Samar, of the 70 targeted, 51 have been completed for the munic ipal i t ies of Guiuan, Hernani , Gipor los, Mercedes, Balangk ayan, Quinapondan, Maydolong, Borongan, Lawaan, Salcedo and Balangiga. About 37 of the targeted 45 toi let and bath have been completed and turned over, Direc tor Tabacon said. The completed 227 bunk houses wi l l be able to accommodate 5 ,448 fami l ies i f the or iginal p lan of one fami ly per unit wi l l be fo l lowed, ARD Tabacon said. As per repor t of the RDRRMC, there are 240,367 total ly damaged houses in Eastern Visayas. (P IA 8)

UNFPA gives more for women, children’s healthWith its continuing commitment

to support the province in its effort to promote women and children’s health care and services, especially this time after super typhoon “Yolanda”, the United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA) today handed over eight Tricycle Ambulances to the mayors of the eight most “Yolanda” affected municipalities here. Unlike ordinary tricycles that are usually seen plying the streets , the side-car of the Trike-Ambulance is made rather long, just enough for a pregnant woman to stretch her weary bones and legs while being brought to the nearest health facility to deliver her new born. “We all know that in the rush of trying to provide shelter, food and clean water when disasters occur, issues of reproductive health(RH) are relegated to the peripheral”, expressed Dr. Dorothy Nyasulu, UNFPA RH Coordinator, in her message. “Yet, as we all know, the affected population comprises of pregnant women who could either suffer miscarriage or deliver if they are due”, she added. According to her, in any affected population, it is estimated that about 4% of the total population will get pregnant, about 3.5% are lactating women, 15% are adolescents and about 16% will be subjected to gender based violence. Likewise, she said, that during disasters social support system affect the protection of young people who are left idle and on their own. UNFPA then comes in to ensure continued access to Reproductive Health information and services in order to reduce preventable mother and child illnesses, even deaths, the health coordinator on women and children concluded.

The mayors present in return expressed their endless thankfulness to the donor organization, and they also committed to maintain their support to the regular conduct of “Buntis Congress”, which are usually spearheaded by the fathers in the community. Other than the Trike-Ambulances, UNFPA also handed-over delivery and recovery beds and other medical equipment. Earlier, three ambulances were previously handed over to the hospitals of Balangiga, Guiuan and the Provincial Health Office. Present in the simple ceremony today who likewise tried the running condition of the specially-welded tricycles were Mayors Edgar Boco(Hernani), Allan Contado(Balangkayan) and Enrique Cabus(Mercedes). Other mayors were represented by their municipal health officers. The UNFPA credo stays, that “NO WOMAN SHOULD DIE IN GIVING LIFE”.(PIA- Eastern Samar/aen)

a u d i e n c e c o m p o s e d m o s t l y o f c i t y h a l l o f f i c i a l s a n d e m p l o y e e s , s t u d e n t s o f M a a s i n C i t y C o l l e g e , a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r, i n c l u d i n g t h e M u s l i m c o m m u n i t y. I n t h e S O C A , M a y o r S a m a c o t a s k e d t h e l o c a l c i t y c o u n c i l t o p a s s a n u m b e r o f o r d i n a n c e s a i m e d t o h e l p e a s e t h e g r o w i n g t r a f f i c i n t h e c i t y, a n o r d i n a n c e t h a t w o u l d c r e a t e t h e C i t y A n t i - S m o k i n g C o u n c i l , C i t y C o o p e r a t i v e D e v e l o p m e n t C o u n c i l , i n s t a l l a t i o n o f c l o s e c i r c u i t T V c a m e r a f o r b u s i n e s s e s w i t h g r o s s a n n u a l i n c o m e o f o n e m i l l i o n , a n d f o r n e w b u s i n e s s t o h a v e t h e i r o w n p a r k i n g s p a c e s . H e a l s o l a i d o u t a v i s i o n

Business booms...from page 2

o n w h a t h e w a n t e d f i n i s h e d i n b a r e l y t w o y e a r s ’ t i m e b e f o r e h i s t e r m e n d s i n 2 0 1 6 . T h e s e i n c l u d e d t h e e x p a n s i o n o f t h e r e c l a m a t i o n a r e a , i m p r o v e m e n t a n d b e a u t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e A n a t a l i o G a v i o l a P l a z a , e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a s w i m m i n g p o o l a n d b e a c h b e h i n d t h e c i t y h a l l , n e w s l a u g h t e r h o u s e , e c o p a r k a n d s a n i t a r y l a n d f i l l a t b a r a n g a y s L i b h u a n d B a c t u l 1 , m o r e c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g s i n t h e c i t y p r o p e r t h r o u g h Pu b l i c Pr i v a t e Pa r t n e r s h i p s , a n d c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e c i t y g y m . ( P I A 8 - S o u t h e r n Le y t e )

6 February 19, 2014

City Gov’t of Tacloban invites investors as it slowly recovering from Yolanda

The City Government of Tacloban is inviting businessmen to

open for more business as it slowly recovering the aftermath of super typhoon Yolanda. In the recently concluded Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Meeting held at Leyte Sports Development Center, this city, Tacloban’s City Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Officer Frederick Anido has admitted that the city is still far from the status it has before Yolanda wrought havoc in November followed by the rampant looting incidents in most business establishments, including Robinson’s mall and Gaisano Store. However, despite the vast destruction Yolanda had caused to the city, officials and residents are

optimistic that Tacloban, being the center of the region, will return to its previous status where businesses are booming. Anido claimed that ninety (90) percent of the people living in the city are businessmen and employees. Hence, the city’s income is more dependent on taxes from trade and businesses operating within the city. Of the 6,296 businesses operating before Yolanda struck the city, a close to only 20 percent or 1, 292 businesses have reopened. (PIA-8)

BY: CONSUELO B. ALARCON

February 19, 2014 7

UNHabitat...from page 1

m a y q u i c k l y w i n t h e a p p r o v a l o f O f f i c e o f P r e s i d e n t i a l A s s i s t a n c e o n R e l i e f a n d R e c o v e r y ( PA R R ) . “ I t i s v i t a l l y i m p o r t a n t t h a t a s s i s t a n c e c o m e s o o n t o t h e c a l a m i t y s t r i c k e n c o m m u n i t i e s , a n d c o m p l e t e t h e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n a n d r e c o v e r y a s s i s t a n c e f o r t h e v i c t i m s t o s t a r t l i v e l i h o o d a c t i v i t i e s , r e b u i l d h o m e s a n d r e u n i t e c h i l d r e n a n d f a m i l i e s t o b e g i n a n e w a n d n o r m a l l i f e ”, N i c a r t f u r t h e r s a i d . I n i t i a l d a t a p r e s e n t a t i o n s r e v e a l e d t h e m o s t c o n c e r n s f o r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e s , s h e l t e r s w i t h r e f e r e n c e t o M u n i c i p a l C o m p r e h e n s i v e L a n d U s e P l a n s , l i v e l i h o o d a n d c l i m a t e c h a n g e m i t i g a t i o n m e a s u r e s . ( P I A -E a s t e r n S a m a r )

City mayor spearheads MAASIN, INC for livelihood assistance

BY: MA. REBECCA G. CADAVOS

The city government of Maasin through Mayor Maloney Samaco

spearheaded the MASAM and Aksyon Solusyon Inisyatibo Network (MAASIN), Inc., a non-government organization to assist livelihood programs in the locality. MAASIN, Inc. is purely financed using private funds from contributors, City Mayor Maloney Samaco disclosed during his State of the City Address held Monday at the city gymnasium. “It will be engaged in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Program with the city government to provide livelihood to our deserving farmers,” the mayor said addressing the audience composed of city officials and employees, Maasin City College students, heads of different non-government organizations, the media,

among others concerned. He informed that the non-profit organization will not receive any PDAF or any other government finances. “It will spend on its own,” Samaco revealed. The local government unit will serve as a partner through providing technical assistance. The members of the MAASIN, Inc include representatives from the business sector, academe, banking institutions, among other sector. Congressman Damian G. Mercado act as the Honorary Chairman and the board of trustees are the following; Atty. Feorillo Demeterio, Jr., City Engr. Anecito Narit, City Agriculturist Amado Acasio, SP Chairman on Livelihood Rene Hatayna and Mayor Samaco. During the city address, Samaco announced the first ten recipients of the livelihood program which was properly screened and background were investigated. “They must be good borrowers, non-alcoholics, non-

smokers, non-drug users, non-gamblers, non-womanizers, must be industrious and team players. The named recipients will be provided with piglets, feeds, medicines and materials for the pig pens, Samaco stated. They will use cocopit technology of odorless pens, he added. The counterpart of the recipients is their hard work and half of the gains will be given to the NGO, which will also be used for the MCC scholars, Samaco disclosed further. The city mayor challenged other cooperatives, NGOs, civil society organizations and people’s organizations to engage on the same livestock raising ventures for the future that “we will not anymore buy hogs outside the locality.” The SOCA lasted more than an hour, and a short press conference followed thereafter hosted by Zaldy Olita. (PIA8-SoLeyte)

8 February 19, 2014

Maasin mayor delivers 7th State of City address

C i t y M a y o r M a l o n e y S a m a c o s p e l l e d o u t t h e g a i n s h i s

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n a c h i e v e d l a s t y e a r i n t e r m s o f i n c r e a s e d r e v e n u e c o l l e c t i o n , h i g h p i l g r i m t o u r i s t a r r i v a l s , a n d s e r i e s o f s p o r t s h o s t i n g f o r b o t h n a t i o n a l a n d r e g i o n a l c o m p e t i t i o n s , i n a d d i t i o n t o g o v e r n a n c e t h r u s t s t h a t a l s o r e a p e d r e w a r d s . I n h i s a n n u a l S t a t e o f t h e C i t y A d d r e s s ( S O C A ) h e l d a t t h e c i t y g y m h e r e M o n d a y i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r t h e r e g u l a r f l a g - r a i s i n g c e r e m o n y, M a y o r S a m a c o m e n t i o n e d t h e s t r o n g e s t s t o r m o n r e c o r d , Yo l a n d a , s a y i n g t h e c i t y e m e r g e d a s a “ m i r a c l e c i t y ” f o r b e i n g r e l a t i v e l y u n h a r m e d . H e a l s o r e p o r t e d t h e e f f o r t s d o n e b y t h e c i t y l o c a l g o v e r n m e n t u n i t t o h e l p d i s t r e s s e d a r e a s b y s e n d i n g r e s c u e t e a m s t o h e l p r e t r i e v e d e a d b o d i e s , h e l p i n t h e c l e a r i n g o f d e b r i s , d i s t r i b u t e r e l i e f a s s i s t a n c e , a n d a s s i s t i n t h e r e p a c k a g i n g o f g o o d s . “ O u r c i t y w a s t h e f i r s t LG U t o d e l i v e r r e l i e f g o o d s t o O r m o c i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h t h e G a w a d K a l i n g a t h r e e d a y s a f t e r Yo l a n d a h i t t h e c i t y . W e a l s o s e n t o u r r e s c u e t e a m s t o h e l p i n t h e r e t r i e v a l o p e r a t i o n s o f c a d a v e r s i n Ta c l o b a n w h e r e t h e y w e r e a b l e t o r e t r i e v e 1 2 8 d e a d b o d i e s a n d p l a c e d i n s i d e b o d y b a g s . A n o t h e r t e a m a s s i s t e d D S W D i n p a c k i n g r e l i e f g o o d s . W e a l s o l e t t h e m b o r r o w o u r w a t e r p u r i f i e r a n d o u r f i r e t r u c k ,” S a m a c o r e p o r t e d . H i s 1 3 - p a g e s p e e c h w a s d e l i v e r e d i n o n e h o u r a n d 2 2 m i n u t e s , a n d w a s i n t e r r u p t e d 8 3 t i m e s b y a p p l a u s e f r o m a n a u d i e n c e c o m p o s e d m o s t l y o f c i t y h a l l o f f i c i a l s a n d e m p l o y e e s , s t u d e n t s o f M a a s i n C i t y C o l l e g e ,

a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m t h e p r i v a t e s e c t o r, i n c l u d i n g t h e M u s l i m c o m m u n i t y . I n t h e S O C A , M a y o r S a m a c o t a s k e d t h e l o c a l c i t y c o u n c i l t o p a s s a n u m b e r o f o r d i n a n c e s a i m e d t o h e l p e a s e t h e g r o w i n g t r a f f i c i n t h e c i t y , a n o r d i n a n c e t h a t w o u l d c r e a t e t h e C i t y A n t i - S m o k i n g C o u n c i l , C i t y C o o p e r a t i v e D e v e l o p m e n t C o u n c i l , i n s t a l l a t i o n o f c l o s e c i r c u i t T V c a m e r a f o r b u s i n e s s e s w i t h g r o s s a n n u a l i n c o m e o f o n e m i l l i o n , a n d f o r n e w b u s i n e s s t o h a v e t h e i r o w n p a r k i n g s p a c e s . H e a l s o l a i d o u t a v i s i o n o n w h a t h e w a n t e d f i n i s h e d i n b a r e l y t w o y e a r s ’ t i m e b e f o r e h i s t e r m e n d s i n 2 0 1 6 . T h e s e i n c l u d e d t h e e x p a n s i o n o f t h e r e c l a m a t i o n a r e a , i m p r o v e m e n t a n d b e a u t i f i c a t i o n o f t h e A n a t a l i o G a v i o l a P l a z a , e s t a b l i s h m e n t

o f a s w i m m i n g p o o l a n d b e a c h b e h i n d t h e c i t y h a l l , n e w s l a u g h t e r h o u s e , e c o p a r k a n d s a n i t a r y l a n d f i l l a t b a r a n g a y s L i b h u a n d B a c t u l 1 , m o r e c o m m e r c i a l b u i l d i n g s i n t h e c i t y p r o p e r t h r o u g h P u b l i c P r i v a t e P a r t n e r s h i p s , a n d c o m p l e t i o n o f t h e c i t y g y m . ( P I A 8 - S o u t h e r n L e y t e )

BY: MARCELO PEDALINO

Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco answers question from the local media after his State of the City Address on February 17. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)