DILG: No copy of Ombudsman’s decision vs mayor

THE Department of Interior and Local Government-Eastern Visayas (DILG) said they have not yet received the official copy of the Ombudsman’s decision amidst the one month suspension of Palompon, Leyte Mayor Ramon Oñate.

DILG legal counsel lawyer Cyrill Blanco said they have not yet received an official copy of the suspension of the mayor, but said they only had a photocopy of it brought to them by the complainant of the mayor.

Labor department conducts career coaching

THE Department of Labor and Employment, Southern Leyte Field Offices (DOLE-SLFO) has conducted a career coaching to address issues and problems on unemployment or underemployment.

Labor employment officer Neil Moraleta said that Dole has conducted various career coaching activities for graduating high school students in the province.

New cops told: Respect human rights

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – Eastern Visayas police regional director Elmer Ragadio Soria has directed the 75 new police recruits to respect human rights at all times as they entered their first day in the Philippine National Police.

“As you enter the early stage of your police career, develop a good character which will be your foundation. You have to start with a right indoctrination of the police service which is critical on how you will perform your job. Service first before self-interest”, Chief Superintendent Soria said.

4 Kananga landslide victims buried

FOUR of the workers who died in a landslide incident on March 1 at the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) geothermal complex in Upper Mahiao, Barangay Lim-ao, Kananga in Leyte province, were buried.

The death toll now reaches to seven when another body was pulled out from the rubble late Monday afternoon.

Leyte government to probe landslide

THE Provincial Government of Leyte will conduct an investigation into the cause of the landslide at the Lopez-led Energy Development Corp. (EDC) geothermal facility.

Another body identified as Uldarico Taburanza was recovered Monday, bringing the death toll to seven from the landslide in EDC’s pad 403 in Upper Mahiao, Barangay Lim-ao, in Kananga, Leyte.

Ombud suspends Oñate for ‘simple misconduct’

PALOMPON, Leyte Mayor Ramon Oñate will face a one-month suspension after the Office of the Ombudsman Visayas found substantial evidence against him for simple misconduct for closing down a complainant’s business, a severe penalty than that prescribed by an ordinance.

Complainant Warblitz Martinez, a businesswoman, charged Oñate and three others for illegally closing down her business for three months for alleged violation of a local anti-noise ordinance.

Tacloban tax bureau targets P6.05-billion collection

PALO, Leyte -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has announced a P6.05-billion tax collection target in 2013 for Eastern Visayas, which is 33 percent higher than 2012’s goal, prompting BIR to call for more cooperation from taxpayers.

BIR regional director Diosdado Mendoza admitted that the big jump of their goal is very challenging, but they are counting on voluntary compliance among business owners.

US-funded anti-poverty projects now in full swing

ALANGALANG, Leyte – The P237.15 million anti-poverty projects in Eastern Visayas funded by the United States government are now in full swing, an official of the Millennium Challenge Account–Philippines (MCA-P) said.

MCA-P managing director and chief executive officer Ma. Victoria Anonuevo said 527 of the 1,497 US-funded Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS) projects nationwide are being implemented in the region.

Ma grieves son’s death in landslide

ORMOC CITY -- Teresita de la Austria said she was still in a daze when she recovered the body of her son, Etchield, not only dead but also headless.

Etchield, 31, was one of the five workers of the EDC (Energy Development Corp.) buried alive in a landslide coupled with the bursting of a steam pipe which resulted to the victims suffering burns when they were retrieved from the mounds of debris.

US gives P3.8 million for human trafficking

PALO, Leyte – The United States government is granting P3.8 million to a partner non-government organization in curbing child trafficking in 15 municipalities of Samar and Eastern Samar covered by the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)-funded road project.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas and Marivic Anonuevo, managing director and chief executive officer of Millennium Challenge Account Philippine, signed a memorandum of agreement with Manila-based Philippines Against Child Trafficking (Pact) that will be their partner anti-trafficking drive.

Tacloban City hosts ‘America in 3D 2013’ road show

THE United States Embassy’s road show ‘America in 3D’ kicked-off in Tacloban City on Saturday.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. launched the road show in early 2011. It highlights the American Government’s diplomacy, development and defense efforts.

PCA supports plan to hike biodiesel blend

THE Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) in Eastern Visayas is supportive of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) plan to increase the required biodiesel blend to offset the softening market price of copra.

PCA regional manager Edilberto Nierva said increasing the mandatory blend for biodiesel will redound to more benefits for coconut farmers and increase the demand for coconut.

5 towns failed to submit documents for planning, budgeting

FIVE municipalities in Eastern Visayas failed to submit documents needed for the approval of the 2014 budget, an official said.

“In the absence of this, the municipalities will not receive funds allocated by the national fund for the LGU for the implementation of bottom-up planning and budgeting program that our office is implementing,” said Pedro Noval Jr., regional director of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Poll bets told: Don’t yield to NPA’s demands

CATARMAN, Northern Samar - The Army operating in Northern Samar is intensifying their campaign to convince the candidates not to yield to the demands of the New People’s Army (NPA) for the permit-to-campaign (PTC) and permit-to-win (PTW) fees, a military report said.

Colonel Rolando Malinao, 803rd brigade commander based here, told reporters in an interview that they convincing the candidates to decline to the PTC and PTW fees of the rebels for them to be able to campaign in the rural areas or possibly win in the hinterlands.

Leyte provincial jail showcases dancing inmates

PALO, Leyte - Dressed in tangerine t-shirts, the more than 150 inmates of the Leyte Provincial Jail (LPJ) here performed a festival dance which, according to a jail official, has boosted their morale.

LPJ Jail Warden Jose Repulda Jr. said dancing inmates is fast becoming a unique tourist attraction in the world. “The dancing inmates showed how the Filipinos value rehabilitation more than punishment,” he said.

Bets told: Withhold 5% tax of poll-related expenses

PALO, Leyte -- The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Eastern Visayas reiterated its call to candidates and their campaign contributors to withhold five percent tax of all election-related expenditures for the upcoming May 2013 polls.

In a tax campaign on Thursday, BIR Deputy Commissioner Nelson Aspe said they are stepping up the monitoring of compliance to the program “Oplan: Iboto Mo” imposing a five percent creditable withholding tax on all election campaign-related spending.

DTI warns vs pyramiding scam

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has issued a warning to the public against pyramid scams and other forms or acts that would dupe and divest people of their hard earned money.

Cops nab thieves, recover P1.2M in jewelries

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte -- Members of Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) arrested three persons and recovered more than P1 million worth in jewelries in a follow-up operation against suspected thieves in Catbalogan City on Wednesday afternoon.

Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria, PRO-Eastern Visayas director, identified the suspects as Edwardo Pacayra, 65, married, a barber; his son Darwin Pacayra, alias Daroy, 27, tricycle driver; and Darwin’s live-in-partner Mariton Cinco, 20, jobless, all from Pier 2 site, Barangay 4 in Catbalogan City.

Court junks Tacloban’s certiorari petition

THE Court of Appeals (CA) in the Cebu City has denied the petition for certiorari the Tacloban City Government filed against Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 8 presiding judge Salvador Apurillo and the Province of Leyte represented by Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla.

The four-page decision was signed by CA Associate Justice Edgardo delos Santos as chairperson and Associate Justices Ramon Paul Hernando and Marilyn Lagura-Yap as members of the CA 19th Division.

Nursing board exams reset

THE Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and Professional Regulatory Board of Nursing announced that the Nursing Licensure Exams (NLE) originally scheduled on July 6 and 7 and December 15 and 16 this year has been re-set.

In its Board Resolution 14 issued February 15, 2013, the Board of Nursing mentioned that although the commission can avail itself of public and private schools as examination venues, these have become less available for use on dates earlier specified due to classes in the same venue.

PDEA includes out-of-school youths in anti-drug symposiums

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will expand the coverage of its anti-drug symposium campaign not just in schools, barangays and offices but to include places of out-of-school youths (OSY) in Eastern Visayas.

Liza Baoy, PDEA-Eastern Visayas information officer, said there is a need to include out-of-school youths in the campaign against illegal drugs due to the fact that a high number of drug dealers in the region are out-of-school youths.

Deadline for eco-friendly schools search moved April 15

PALO, LEYTE - Schools all over the country still have a chance to submit their entries in the national search for sustainable and eco-friendly schools as the deadline for submission of entries has been moved from March 31, 2013 to April 15, 2013.

Maribel Munsayac, solid waste management regional coordinator for Eastern Visayas of the Environmental and Management Bureau (EMB), announced the schedule change.

Samelco I employees strike imminent

THE National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) in Eastern Visayas said the impending strike of workers of the Samar I Electric Cooperative (Samelco I) is imminent, citing persistent refusal of the management to bargain collectively.

NCMB regional conciliator-mediator Tomas Biboso said that the persistent refusal of the management for collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiation would result to strike, which is the worst case scenario.

Police nabs man selling stolen bancas, seized guns

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo - The Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Eastern Visayas arrested a man for selling a stolen motorized banca and for resisting arrest by firing his gun to police authorities.

Eastern Visayas top police official Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria identified the suspect as Vivencio Abasola alias Dagul, 31, married, fisherman, who was arrested in his hideout at Sitio Baras, Brgy. Cinco in Sierra Islands, a group of islands composed of seven barangays which is an hour motorboat ride northwest of Catbalogan City proper.

Migrante urges undocumented OFWs to apply for amnesty

MIGRANTS rights group Migrante on Tuesday called on all undocumented Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia to apply for its amnesty program.

Also expressing his elation to this development, Migrante Middle East spokesman John Leonard Monterona thanked the Saudi government for the “humanitarian act.

BFP: Fire incidents in Tacloban dipped

FIRE incidents recorded in Tacloban City has declined from 54 in 2011 to 24 cases in 2012, said Fire Marshall Adel de Paz Bautista.

Based on the data from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), it was found out that the effective campaign of the city’s fire department has been one of the reasons why there was a decrease in the number of fire incidence.

Archdiocese, no ‘hate list’ on pro-RH candidates

THE Archdiocese of Palo confirmed that it would not come up with a “hate list” as to whom the voters should not vote in the May 2013 elections, according to a church official.

However, media coordinator Father Amadeo Alvero said they would still support lay groups who would make their own list of candidates.

PDEA asks vigilance in escorting drug inmates

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) says utmost vigilance must be observed in the transit and escort of high profile detainees and prisoners, including drug personalities.

“We cannot afford to be lulled into complacency in the transit of prisoners,” said PDEA Director General Undersecretary Arturo G. Cacdac Jr.

Owwa offers scholarship to OFW dependents

THE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (Owwa) is offering OFW-Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) to legal dependents of active overseas Filipino workers whose monthly salary is below US $400.

The program offers financial assistance of P10,000 per semester or P20,000 per school year for those who would enroll in any 4-5 year baccalaureate course in any state colleges and universities or CHED-accredited schools.

Comelec reminds candidates on common poster area rules

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) reminded candidates of a provision that laid down the implementing rules and regulations pertaining to common poster areas.

Comelec-Eastern Visayas Director Dennis Ausan said Resolution 9615 provides that parties and independent candidates at, upon authority of the commission, through the city or municipal election officer concerned, erect at their expense common poster areas wherein they can post, display, or exhibit their election propaganda to announce or further their candidacy.