Samar gov declares support for Roxas’ presidential bid

CATBALOGAN CITY -- Despite being a stalwart member of the Nacionalist People’s Coalition in Samar province, Governor Sharee Ann Tan said she will be supporting the candidacy of Liberal Party (LP) presidential bet Mar Roxas.

Her support stems from the massive support the province received during Roxas’ stint as secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The massive government assistance to this poor province came through distribution of police patrol jeepneys to poor towns, post-Yolanda reconstruction of local government-owned buildings, and water system projects for waterless communities.

“We saw for ourselves how Secretary Mar helped the province and we cannot just ignore the support he has given us,” Tan said.

In May 2015, 23 brand new units of multi-role patrol jeeps were issued by DILG to towns in Samar province. Roxas then said the patrol jeeps would help the local police force maintain the peace and order situation in Samar against communist rebels, who often clash with government troops in the area, causing violence, damages, and disruptions to daily life of innocent civilians.

In post Yolanda time, the province received Php16.52 million to fund special projects under the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY) phase 1 project of the DILG.

This went to the rehabilitation of municipal halls, public markets and civic centers. Samar still received a second tranche of the post typhoon fund through RAY phase 2 projects in the amount of Php82.43 million.

RAY 2 funds are for rehabilitation of identified village facilities. Under this, Samar has 138 special projects which some have already been completed before Typhoon Yolanda had its second commemoration earlier this month.

The Sagana at Ligtas na Tubig sa Lahat (Salintubig) Program, which started in 2011, has also been brought to Samar by Roxas, according to Tan.

Salintubig is designed to provide grant financing and capacity development programs to enhance/improve capacities of the LGUs and water service providers in planning, implementation and operation and management of water supply facilities in a sustainable manner and for the implementation of water supply projects in waterless towns.

It also covers poorest villages with high level of waterborne diseases; resettlement areas.

“It’s not hard to support him because he’s been truly helping us. What will that make of us if we were not to support him?” Tan said.

Meanwhile, Tan assured majority support from the local chief executives and municipalities for Roxas’ presidential bid.

The ruling Tan clan, which includes Samar Representative Milgrosa, the governor’s mother, and her brother Samar Vice Governor Stephen James, belong to the Nationalist People’s Coalition and Nacionalista Party, respectively.

However, Tan said their province never suffered discrimination during the Aquino administration. “And we will repay that with our support,” she added. (PNA)

Trooper killed, 3 others hurt in Northern Samar ambush

MANILA -- A trooper from the 63rd Infantry Battalion was killed while three others were hurt after an undetermined number of New People's Army (NPA) bandits ambushed them in Catarman town, Northern Samar on the afternoon of Nov. 24.

Reports forwarded Thursday by 8th Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Isagani Viernes said the unprovoked attack took place at 3: 28 p.m. in Barangay Washington, of the said locality.

The ambushed troops were aboard a KM-450 military truck, which was headed for their headquarters in Catarman, when fired upon by rebel forces.

A trooper was killed in the initial gunfire while three others were wounded.

Return fire from government forces drove away the NPAs, Viernes said.

Pursuit operations are still ongoing. (PNA)

Samar guv defends anew Php800-M bank loan application

CATBALOGAN CITY -- The provincial government will push through securing a Php800 million loan from the Landbank of the Philippines, as it would unlock economic opportunities in poverty-stricken communities.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan reaffirmed their plan to apply for loan after a provincial legislator and local civil society organization launched a two-week signature drive, opposing the move.

“We badly need this loan to finance the construction of farm-to-market roads since this would jump start livelihood projects, which we have been pushing through for years,” Tan said.

Part of the loan will be used as counterpart fund for the World Bank-funded farm-to-market roads construction under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP).

The Php804.76 million PRDP covers road construction in interior villages in the towns of Basey, Sta. Rita, San Sebastian, Pagsanghan, Motiong, and Villareal.

Under existing rules, recipient local government units are required to put up a 10 percent equity of the total cost of infrastructure projects.

Aside from counterpart of World Bank-funded projects, the local government will also use the loan to finance seven road constructions in Catbalogan City, Gandara, Jiabong, and San Jorge towns. The total cost is Php545 million.

About Php200 million of the loan will also be used in the construction of the first phase of the new Samar Provincial Hospital. Another Php100 million will be utilized to augment national government funds for infrastructure projects in rebel-infested areas.

Tan justified the need for a loan considering that all funds have already been allocated for the implementation of various programs.

“If someone would come and offer 90 percent of the project cost, why not put up 10 percent counterpart to realize the project?” the governor asked, referring to PRDP.

On fears that the loan might be used for election campaign, Tan assured that procurement activities are subject to existing regulations. For PRDP, she said the World Bank process is tedious.

“This is not intended for campaign since we have planned this project in the past long before the election period. Likewise, it is only this year that PRDP came in,” she explained.

The local government will be using the annual internal revenue allotment and of Php1 billion and provincial government properties as collateral. The loan is payable in 15 years, with an annual interest of five percent.

This week, various groups convened for a launching of two week signature drive, blocking the loan application. The target is to gather 600,000 signatures in 24 towns and two cities.

“It has begun. A signature campaign to petition the rejection of the governor's Php800 million loan with Landbank. I was the only one. Now we are many. The administration should hear the people's voice,” said Board Member Alma Uy-Lampasa, on her Facebook post.

Tan defended the loan application, saying that it was approved by majority of provincial legislators. The provincial government has detailed plans on how to spend the loan, she added.

Samar is one of the 10th poorest province in the country with a poverty incidence of 43.5 percent from 2006 to 2012, according to the National Anti-Poverty Commission. The poverty situation is expected to worsen after super typhoon Yolanda ravaged some parts of the province on Nov. 8, 2013. (PNA)

Samar governor dismayed by new Calbayog killing incident

Photo Courtesy of Facebook Pages:
NET25 Western Samar & Province of Samar (Aksyon Padayon!)

CATBALOGAN CITY -- Governor Sharee Ann Tan has expressed dismay over recent killing of their political supporter in Calbayog City even after the signing of peace pact.

Tan said the death of Ryan Cui, who was shot to death by unknown gunmen in Calbayog on Nov. 7, is a big loss to them especially that the victim is a close friend of Calbayog Councilor Raymund Uy.


Uy, an ally of Tan’s family, is running as district representative in the 2016 elections under the Nationalist People’s Coalition. Tan noted that some victims of recent killings are close allies of Uy.

The governor asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to conduct a thorough investigation on the case.

“I am calling not just the authorities, but the people as well as the cooperation of everyone, to remind them not to resort to violence and to respect the dignity of life,” Tan said.

Tan expressed her disappointment with the situation because it’s only been few weeks that politicians in the province signed a peace covenant to stop violence.

“When I heard that report, the question that immediately came into my mind was, what’s the use of signing the covenant if such violence continues to happen?” Tan said.

The official also asked the PNP to jail those with standing warrant of arrest as well as chase members of the private armed group and their handlers. (PNA)

LALAKI BINARIL PATAY HABANG NAKIKIPAG INUMAN SA CALBAYOG CITY, SAMAR Ayon sa imbestigasyon ng mga pulis, Nakilala...

Posted by NET25 Western Samar on Monday, November 9, 2015

OPAPP distributes 136 boats, nets to E. Samar fishermen

TACLOBAN CITY—The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) has distributed 136 boats and fishing nets as livelihood assistance to fisherfolks in eastern Samar.

The project is in partnership with Spain's Agencia Española de Cooperación International Para el Desarrollo (AECID)

Dubbed as Bangkapayapaan (boat for peace), the event was held in Hernani, Eastern Samar, led by Secretary Teresita Deles of OPPAP and Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Luis Antonio Calvo.

Mayors of the recipient towns, Edgar Boco of Hernani, James Ty of General MacArthur and Dinco Codoy Jr. of Llorente all expressed their appreciation of the assistance given to the locals.

AICED supports the OPAPP in mainstreaming peace and development in local governance in the Philippines thru the Mainstreaming Peace and Development in Local Governance Project (MPDLGP).

As one of AECID’s efforts for assistance, the boat and net livelihood project was crafted right after the destruction of supertyphoon "Yolanda" on Nov. 8 2013.

Communities chosen as beneficiaries for this project are situated in coastal areas, wherein their main source of income is fishing. The project provided the fishermen with their own boat with engines and a set of nets to augment their income.

The first turnover was held on March 25, 2014 at Balayuan Center in Tacloban City with recipients communities of Marabut, Sta. Rita and Villareal in Samar.

Of the 136 boats turned over, there were 72 for Hernani, 24 for Llorente and 40 for General MacArthur.

Calvo is hopeful that the partnership between the Philippines and Spain thru AICED will continue and that more beneficiaries will benefit from the project. (PNA)