City gov't, military conduct medical mission in remote community in Samar

photo from: Facebook page LGU Calbayog Bulletin

[Aug. 25] CALBAYOG CITY, Samar –- The city government in partnership with the Philippine Army has joined efforts to provide access to health services to far-flung communities.

In line with this, hundre
ds of underprivileged patients in Macatingog village, one of the most remote community along the city’s Oquendo Left River benefited from a medical and dental mission conducted by the two offices over the weekend.

Village chairman Melchor Loberiano thanked the government for bringing health services to their village.

“This really brings us relief as we have no regular access here to health facilities and medical services due to distance and poverty," Loberiano said

Meanwhile, Mayor Ronaldo Aquino assured village officials that the city government will continue working with them in the realization of the city’s future development initiatives for the village.

With this, the official assured infrastructure development projects for the community, which include the rehabilitation of Bayo-Dawo-Macatingog Road section worth PHP11,000,000.

For his part, Lt. Col. Carmelito Pangatungan said the activity is part of bringing their mission to disadvantaged communities within their area of responsibility through team activities. The initiative is aimed at protecting residents of remote areas from the deceptive activities of lawless elements.

Macatingog was once categorized by the military as a New People’s Army (NPA)-controlled area. This means there has been the presence of a significant numbers of rebels residing in the village.

Army reports said the NPA even had the capacity to even supersede the village council by force and protests the presence of soldiers in the community.

However, the increased visibility of military personnel in the village made the villagers aware of the real intention of the bandits which is to ruin the people's strong desire for peace and development. (PNA)

FFC/BNB/SQM/AIMEE C. QUERUBIN

DepEd picks Calbayog as center of arts for K to 12 senior high

from: LGU Calbayog Bulletin Facebook Page

[Feb. 24] CALBAYOG CITY -- The Department of Education (DepEd) has picked this city as the center of arts and design for the full implementation of kindergarten and 12 years of basic education (K to 12) in 2016.

In an interview, education program supervisor Noel Sagayap of DepEd Calbayog City division, said that the department has chosen the city as the center for said field of study since the area is known as haven of famous artists not only in the region, but as well as across the nation.

He added that Calbayog is the only city in Eastern Visayas with an active and established City Arts and Culture Office. The city is as well known for its colorful and festive cultural activities, famous in dance and choral performances and different arts competitions.

Meanwhile, Arnold Jaraba, DepEd Calbayog City division focal person for K to 12 program said that DepEd will establish a separate campus for the said field of study, aside from the existing national high schools that will offer senior high school programs.

The Regional High School for Arts and Design will be constructed in a lot donated by the city government in Tomalon Estate. A dormitory will also be constructed and will be available for students coming from different places in the region.

According to Jaraba, all students from different parts of Eastern Visayas who has interest in arts will enroll in the said school, but only limited to at least 160 students.

Calbayog City Mayor Ronald Aquino meets with DepEd

Calbayog regarding the construction of  the school.

from: LGU Calbayog Bulletin Facebook Page

The official has been visiting different schools in the city as part of the program’s advocacy campaign, and explain to parents and students the context of the program.

The DepEd began the enhanced basic education program by launching universal kindergarten in school year 2011-2012, followed by a new curriculum for Grade 7 in school year 2012-2013. School year 2016-2017 will mark the formal implementation of the Grade 11 curriculum, to be followed by the Grade 12 curriculum in school year 2017-2018. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/JENNIFER S. ALLEGADO/EDS

Samar towns urged to prepare tourist destinations

from: www.pinoyadventurista.com

CATBALOGAN CITY -- The Department of Tourism (DOT) has called on local government units (LGUs) in Samar to prepare their tourist attractions for development and promotion.

DOT Regional Executive Director Karina Tiopes said that if a town wants to be promoted by the national government, the local government should be prepared in terms of accessibility and tourism assets.

"We need to assess on what their tourism assets are. If it’s a waterfall, what makes it unique? Almost all towns have waterfalls. Tourists want a unique destination,” said Tiopes.

The official admitted that several towns has been questioning the DOT for not getting funds for local eco-tourism development. Tiopes explained that the regional office only gets a PHP9 million budget every year, which limits the DOT’s capability to assist all local government units.

Some local officials also failed to submit project proposals for tourism development, which is a basic requirement for funding support.

“The slow development of an eco-tourism is not always our fault. You need to help yourself. We will help, if you are willing to help yourselves,” Tiopes added.

In the past years, the tourism department has been financing capability trainings for tourist-ready destinations in Samar provice.

Among this is the training of snorkeling guides and reef ranges diving sites at Daraga Islet, Isla Pawikan, and Kinawan Reef in Calbayog City.

In addition, investment campaign will be launched to encourage tour guide operators to promote the site.

Samar province has more than 40 major tourist attractions composed of forests, reefs, waves, waterfalls, and beaches. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/REDNAXELA MAE ALCOBER

Calbayog police still facing a blank wall on recent violence

[JULY 27] CALBAYOG CITY,  --The city police office is struggling to solve killings and shooting incidents in the city, citing the non-cooperation of witnesses.

Calbayog City police chief Supt. Ernesto Tagle said authorities are facing a blank wall on the recent shooting incident that seriously injured two men, as probers failed to win the cooperation of witnesses who are anxious of their personal safety.

On July 15, two farmers who were on their way to Villahermosa village simultaneously shot by unidentified gunmen along the highway in Langoyon village of the city.

The police identified the victims as Arnel Doinog, who suffered gunshot wounds on his right leg and Marlou Regulacion having been hit on his right hand.

However, initial reports disclosed that the two are not really farmers, but members of private-armed-groups (PAGS), who were ambushed by rival PAGS, also operating in the city.

Tagle said this is the first time that two rival PAGS, the Jimmy Managaysay group and the group of Doinog and Regulacion are involved in an encounter.

Aside from cooperation from witnesses, the lack of policemen personnel also hinders crimes resolution in the city, according to Tagle.

Police visibility and check-points have been intensified, but only in the city center. Augmentation force from the police regional mobile patrol group and members of the Philippine Army have been deployed to the city to man checkpoints in strategic areas.

Calbayog City has 81 police personnel protecting to safeguard about 200,000 residents in 157 villages. Of the total number of villages, 25 are urban and 132 are rural.

Last month, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas ordered the relief of 81 policemen in the city, including their city police chief and transfer them to the Samar provincial office.

The order stemmed from the killing of two village officials in just one incident. (PNA)

BFAR lifts shellfish ban in 2 Samar bays; alert up in 2 areas

TACLOBAN CITY -- Two Samar bays are now free of red tide toxins, but the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) found the algal bloom in two other bays in the region this week.

In a shellfish bulletin issued Friday afternoon, BFAR lifted the shellfish ban in Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City in Samar and Cambatutay Bay in nearby Tarangnan town.

Regulators found the presence of paralytic shellfish poison in the two bays on June 25. Since then, BFAR prohibited the gathering, trading and consumption of shellfish in affected areas.

Although the two bays are not major sources of shellfish in Samar province, the phenomenon has affected the livelihood of fishermen in Samar’s capital and nearby towns.

After more than two weeks, waters of Carigara Bay were tested positive of red tide toxins. The microorganisms remain in the area until today, according to the latest advisory.

The bay covers coastal waters of Carigara, San Miguel, Barugo, Capoocan, and Babatngon in Leyte.

Red tide phenomenon recurred in Eastern Samar’s Matarinao Bay this week affecting coastal communities in the towns of Salcedo, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Gen. MacArthur.

Bays previously hit by red tide that are now free of toxins are Cancabato Bay (Tacloban City in Leyte); San Pedro Bay (Palo and Tanauan in Leyte); Ormoc Bay (Ormoc City, Albuera and Merida in Leyte); Sogod Bay (Sogod, Southern Leyte); Villareal Bay (Villareal, Samar), and Maqueda Bay (Jiabong, Samar).

Fishes caught in this area are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh, washed and cooked thoroughly, according to BFAR’s advisory.

The fisheries bureau has stepped up water sampling activities in affected areas to ensure safety of shellfish consumers. (PNA)

JBP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

Catbalogan City seeks airport upgrade

from: http:www.skyscrapercity.com

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar--City government of Catbalogan is pushing for the rehabilitation of the Catbalogan airport in the city’s Buri Island.

Catbalogan City Mayor Stephanie Uy-Tan said opening the airport to commercial flights will unlock economic and tourism potentials of Samar's provincial capital.

"The rehabilitation of the airport is a project of the national and provincial government. On our part, we never stopped asking assistance from the people whom I know that can help," Uy-Tan told reporters.

The mayor said that Department of Transportation and Communication's planning and project director Deo Leo Manalo will visit the city next week to discuss prospects of facility upgrade with local government officials.

Uy-Tan also added that foreign and Manila-based investors want this project to be fully realized as well.

"Tourism is vitally important for all people in Samar and that is no more than evident right here in Catbalogan. It will make our transportation network stronger and it will help further improve our already strong economy," Uy-Tan said.

The mayor claimed the city government already got commitments from airline officials to launch the Manila-Catbalogan or Cebu-Catbalogan routes.

Back in 1995 the national government approved PHP57 million for building the Catbalogan airport though it remained incomplete after three years of implementation.

In 2010, the Samar provincial government allocated PHP30 million for the repair of apron and runway extension of the said airport, however, after learning that it is the national government’s responsibility, they stopped putting up new budget for the facility. (PNA)

JBP/SQM/JAZMIN BONIFACIO & REDNAXELA MAE ALCOBER, LNU INTERN

Samar gov’t turns over 125 safety gears to river guides

PARANAS, Samar, -- The Samar provincial government has turned over 125 safety gears to Tenani Boat Operators for River Protection and Environmental Development Organization, Incorporated (Torpedo, Inc.) on Monday.

The PHP200,000 worth of gears include throw bags, rash guard, personal floatation device, knee and elbow padding, booties, and helmet, which can be used for the boat-riding activity along Ulot River.

“We needed to revitalize the activity because we know that it has so much potential,” said Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director Karina Tiopes during the turn over ceremony.
Number of visitors in the river has reached up to 200 during rainy season and 500 tourists during summer days.

“We cannot deny the fact that the eco-tourism is one of the potentials that we have here in Samar,” said Governor Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos.

Concrete road, trail, and hanging bridge will be constructed in 2016 to make the river more accessible and tourist-friendly.

“We are very thankful for this project because it helped divert our livelihood from transporting illegal logs,” said one of the river guides.

In the past, the Ulot River was the nautical highway for transporting people and illegally cut logs. (PNA)
FFC/RCK/SQM/REDNAXELA MAE ALCOBER

BFAR bans harvesting Cambatutay Bay in Western Samar and other areas

BFAR LOGO

MANILA -- The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has banned the harvesting, selling and eating of shellfishes collected in Balita Bay in Davao Oriental, Irong-Irong Bay and Cambatutay Bay in Western Samar, and the coastal waters of Dauis in Bohol and in Milagros in Masbate.

According to the latest bulletin from BFAR, shellfishes collected from these areas were still found to be positive of paralytic shellfish poison that is beyond the regulatory limit.

BFAR said all types of shellfish, including "alamang" harvested from the identified areas, are not safe for human consumption.

However, fish, squids and crabs are safe to eat provided they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are removed before cooking, it said.

On the other hand, BFAR said the following areas continue to be free from toxic red tides: coastal waters of Cavite, Las Pinas, Paranaque, Navotas, Bulacan and Bataan (Mariveles, Limay, Orion, Pilar, Balanga, Orani, Abucay and Samal) in Manila Bay; coastal waters of Bolinao, Anda, Alaminos, Sual and Wawa, Bani in Pangasinan; Masinloc Bay in Zambales;

Coastal waters of Mandaon in Masbate; Juag Lagoon in Matnog, and Sorsogon Bay in Sorsogon; Honda and Puerto Bays in Puerto Princesa City, and Inner Malampaya Sound in Taytay, Palawan; coastal waters of Pilar, President Roxas, Panay, Roxas City, Ivisan, and Sapian in Capiz; Batan Bay in Aklan; coastal waters of E.B. Magalona, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, Valladolid, Talisay City, Silay City, Bacolod City, Hinigaran, Cadiz City, Victorias City, Bago City, Binalbagan and San Enrique in Negros Occidental;

Coastal waters of Gigantes Islands in Carles, Iloilo; Maqueda Bay, Villareal Bay, and coastal waters of Calbayog City in Western Samar; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; Ormoc, San Pedro, Cancabato and Carigara Bays in Leyte; Biliran waters in Biliran Province; Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Tantanang Bay in Zamboanga Sibugay; Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental; Hinatuan, Bislig and Lianga Bays in Surigao del Sur; and Taguines Lagoon in Beboni Mahinog, Camiguin Island. (PNA)
SCS/LGI

DENR reiterates warning vs. catching pawikans after infamous 'selfie' in Samar

From FB account of: Rey Anthony Abarquez Rosalado

PARANAS, Samar -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reiterated its warning to fishermen not to catch sea turtles following the capture of the reptile last week in Marabut town.

DENR Regional Director Leonardo Sibbaluca issued a directive to field personnel to step up watch in coastal areas to ensure that people do not catch and slaughter endangered species like sea turtles locally known as pawikan.

“It’s good that someone informed our forester who advised locals to release the captured pawikan back to the sea. Fishermen would have slaughtered the reptile if authorities were not informed,” Sibbaluca told reporters on the sidelines of equipment turnover in this town.

On August 5, Jessy Amora, a fisherman of Pinamitinan village in Marabut town caught a leatherback sea turtle. The reptile was released back at sea after 10 hours, according to Sibbaluca.

Shirley Galaza, Marabut town agriculture officer and DENR personnel witnessed the release around 11:00 a.m. on the same day.

According to a spot report submitted by the DENR-Community Environment and Natural Resources Office at nearby Sta. Rita village in Marabut, the turtle known as “pawikan” was caught in a fish net by Amora at 1:30 in the morning one-kilometer offshore of Pinamitinan village.

The leatherback turtle (Dermocheleys Coriacea) categorized an endangered specie measures six feet in length, 34 inches in width of carapace and 18 inches thickness. The weight was unknown.

The photo of the pawikan tied to a bamboo post and showed a man sitting on top of it was posted in Facebook (FB) social media by a certain Jose Lastimado became viral. Netizens and environmentalists reacted furiously including the group, Marine Watch of the Philippines.

DENR Bureau of Management Biodiversity (BMB) Theresa Mundita S. Lim alerted the DENR regional office to take appropriate action.

It is called leatherback turtle because of its leathery and rubbery shell that is a distinct characteristic from the common hard bony turle shells.

The DENR will conduct an investigation through the local chief executive and the Environment Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) lawyers.

Under sections 27 and 28 of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Act, penalty will be imposed by the DENR to the person who was pictured riding, sitting and tying it in the post.

The DENR has been campaigning for the protection of the environment and deputized Wildlife Environment Officers. It also conducted trainings on Environmental law Enforcement in Coastal and Marine Areas in partnership with Tanggol Kalikasan lawyers Ronely Sheen and Genee Mislang with ELAC lawyer Ronnan Christian Reposar.

The DENR is intensifying efforts for the protection of pawikans under the Pawikan Conservation Project. Mere possession and killing of this species under Wildlife Act is punishable under the law. (PNA)
LAM/SARWELL Q. MENIANO & VICKY C. ARNAIZ

Festival, governor’s report to highlight Samar Day celebration

Samar Governor Sharee Tan (photo from Province
 of Samar -Aksyon Padayon! Facebook Page)

TACLOBAN CITY-- Samar province will celebrate on Tuesday its Samar Day Celebration highlighted by two major events - the Tandaya Festivals of Festivals Grand Showdown competition at the capitol ground in the morning and State of the Provincial Address in the afternoon.

Tandaya Festival of Festivals, formerly dubbed as Samar Day Festivals of Festivals is on its third year this 2015. The provincial government introduced Tandaya to support local tourism.

Tandaya is the ancient name of the province, the term being used by the local government in their tourism promotion under Spark Samar campaign.

Previous winners of the festival competition like the Mayaw-mayaw Festival of Pinabacdao (2014 grand champion) and Carabao Festival of Gandara (2013 grand champion) are expected to join the competition on Tuesday.

In the afternoon, Governor Sharee Ann Tan-de los Santos will deliver her third State of the Provincial Address or the Governor’s Report at the provincial capitol covered court. It will be attended by village officials, mayors and national government agency officials in the province.

Fireworks display and street party in the evening will culminate the Samar Day celebration in Catbalogan City with a simultaneous concert of True Faith band in Calbayog City for the culmination of the celebration.

Samar Day was earlier celebrated every November 10 to commemorate the election of the first officials of the province. During Martial law era, the celebration was moved to August 23.

In the late 1970s, officials change the date to August 11 to honor the day when Queen Isabel of Spain signed the royal decree that established Samar as a separate province from Leyte. (PNA)
CTB/SQM/ROEL T. AMAZONA/EGR

DepEd Eastern Visayas trains more campus journalism mentors

TACLOBAN CITY, Aug. 10 (PNA) -- Another 400 campus paper advisers from elementary schools in Eastern Visayas joined the second batch of the four-day regional training of division mentors on school paper advising that concluded Saturday at Leyte National High School gymnasium.

“Your challenge is to be fruitful with this encounter,” said Dr. Alejandrito L. Yman, chief of Curriculum and Learning Management Division, as he hoped that the region will have 10 “winnable” school papers for both elementary and secondary levels in next year’s National Schools Press Conference in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

With the combined training of more than 400 high school campus paper advisers in the first batch and 400 elementary advisers in the second batch, Yman said he expects 8,000 trained student writers in Eastern Visayas, doubling or tripling the effect from the two trainings.

“Journalism contests have elements to consider unlike ordinary essay writing contest so advisers have to be equipped...This is the forum to unify concepts, ideas, and knowledge with particular journalism field so that writers will now have to compete and are at par with theothers,” added Yman.

Journalistic skills introduced during the training include news writing, copy reading and headline writing, feature writing, science and technology writing, editorial writing, sports writing, photojournalism, editorial cartooning, on-line collaborative publishing, and script and radio broadcasting.

Topics on plagiarism, editorial staff management, lay-outing and new trends in campus journalism were also discussed by different resource speakers from the region who were earlier trained in the national training of trainers on campus journalism in Davao City.

Yman added that after the training, participants will serve as new pool of trainers in their respective division and school level.

Harold Naputo of Tacloban division and an outstanding campus paper adviser in the region, who helped introduced collaborative and online publishing during the training, said that online journalism is “empowering.”

“In online writing, we introduce our school paper advisers twitter, instagram, facebook, you tube and wordpress. These social media platforms are to be learned and ultimately be utilized both for recreation and perfecting the craft in e-journalism,” Naputo said.

“By the end of the training, with advisers empowered, we would have taught our pupils or students an alternative to the use of the social media, more than 'selfies' and 'cyber-liking' which leads to bullying, but on how information and opinion-empowering effect these platforms can make,” he added.

In the recently-held NSPC in Taguig City, the region only bagged 21 major awards in various journalistic competitions, with “The Cradle” publication of Palo National High School in Palo, Leyte as the sole winner in school paper category in science and technology.

However, journalism officials in the region vowed to make a better comeback in next year’s nationwide journalistic competition. (PNA)
FFC/SQM/RONALD O. REYES

Samar province gains from summer tourism campaign

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar -– More than three months after the launch of the campaign “Summer sa Samar,” Gov. Sharee Ann Tan said it helped boost the province’s tourism and was proven to be effective.

Following the launching and endorsement of the campaign now popularly known as the Tandaya Trail, there has been an increase in the income and the number of tourists in Sohoton Cave, one of the destinations promoted under the campaign.

“When there is an increase of income, they become conscious of the trainings and services needed to be improved,” said Tan.
She added that the provincial government will continue supporting them, especially now that they are in need of help in some technical aspects.

Moreover, the governor said that after it was launched, the Ulot River in Paranas, one of the towns in Samar, has bloomed.

“There were two weeks that they didn’t accept guest bookings because they were fully-booked. We hope that this coming Samar Day and Catbalogan fiesta, there will be more tourists and they earn more income,” Tan said.

The campaign, which involves tourism activities such as the Ulot Torpedo Boat Adventure, rolling tours in San Juanico Bridge and Yolanda Memorial Park in Sta. Rita, cultural and religious tours in Basey, trips to Sohoton Natural Bridge National Park, and island-hopping in Marabut, kicked off together with “Spark Samar” last April.

These campaigns are initiatives of the provincial government led by Tan and the Department of Tourism Regional Director Katrina Rosa Tiopes.

“Summer sa Samar” and “Spark Samar” aim to set the province as one of the must-see tourist destinations in the country. (PNA)
SCS/SQM/KIMBERLY MAE I. ORTEGO, LNU-INTERN


Visit the Facebook Page of Spark Samar: www.facebook.com/sparksamar