Samar gov to cops: Act up, solve shooting incidents

MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR SHAREE ANN TAN RE SAMAR SHOOTING INCIDENTS
Posted by Samar Province on Wednesday, April 6, 2016

CATBALOGAN CITY-- Governor Sharee Ann Tan sternly called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region to act up and solve the recent spate of shooting incidents that occurred in Calbayog City.

Tan’s call came with a plea to implement law and order in the area without bias to existing political parties in the province. A number of the governor’s family members is vying for high posts in Samar province including the mayoralty seat in Calbayog City, under the banner of the Nacionalista Party.

Tan claimed that not only is the police yet to resolve the spate of killings, most of the victims of which are known supporters of the Tan family, but has also failed to fairly and equally implement law and order.

Among the recent incidents that occurred in Calbayog City involved Rogelio Salvame, 42, a Nacionalista Party organizer in Barangay Guimbauyan Norte, who survived a shooting spree on Sunday morning.

Salvame claimed he was able to identify the gunman who sprayed him with bullets. He said the gunman is on the top list of the police most wanted and is purportedly a supporter of a close rival of the Tans.

Meanwhile, Tan said that it is quite puzzling that most, if not all, of the victims of these shooting incidents are coming from their camp and the police have failed to resolve them.

Tan also asked the police not to allow themselves to be used by politicians and succumb to pressures by other high government officials and be hindered in their honest dispatch of duty.

“Campaign is only for a few weeks and the election is only for a period of time. It is not enough reason to allow themselves to be used for political ambitions,” Tan said.

She also slammed the police for allegedly downplaying the number of shooting incidents that recently occurred and accounting it instead to land disputes and personal motives.

A recent press briefing by the PNP regional office revealed a total of 18 shooting incidents happened in Samar province from January to March of this year. However, PNP-8 Regional Director Chief Supt. Jose Erwin Villacorte said this figure is “not alarming”.

Tan also expressed her disappointment with the spate of shooting incidents even when politicians have signed a peace covenant to stop violence and ensure a peaceful conduct of the election.

“I am calling on the police 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. (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

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)

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