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Occupied housing
units in EV reaches 975,625
First quarter
fishery production in Eastern Visayas drops by 29.0%
DTI encourages
micro enterprises to avail of incentives under BMBE Law
Palm Grass Hotel to
screen a community-created short fiction film
NMP remains with
the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)
Eastern Visayas'
inflation rate accelerates further by 5.7% in March
Fishery production
in Eastern Visayas declines by 2.9% in 2017
Palay production in
Eastern Visayas declines by 1.0% in 2017
Innovators led by LtCol. Rizaldo N. Laurena stand at
attention as they were accorded a heroes' welcome at
Calbayog Airport on July 5, 2018 after two years of
deployment in Southern Mindanao, particularly in Jolo and
8ID Marawi heroes
welcomed back in Samar
July 6, 2018
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – The 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division yesterday, July
5, 2018 welcomed the 63rd Infantry (Innovator) Battalion, one of the
Philippine Army's fightingest units during the Marawi Siege at
Calbayog Airport at 12:30 P.M.
The Innovators led by Lt.
Col. Rizaldo N. Laurena were met with a hero's welcome by the 8ID
Command and General Staff, Local Chief Executive, Chief of Police,
Calbayog City, comrades, families, and loved ones upon arrival back
in Eastern Visayas on board C-130 planes of the Philippine Air
It can be recalled that on
August 31, 2016, the Innovators were deployed to Jolo, Sulu to
augment the military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf Group and
later to Marawi City to help in the fight against the Maute-ISIS
extremist group.
On behalf of Commander,
8ID, Brig. Gen. Eliezer L. Losañes, AFP stated, "We are very proud
and truly grateful that you have contributed immensely to combat the
threat groups in Southern Philippines. The time has come that
Eastern Visayas needed her sons to safeguard the peace and
tranquility to prepare her for further development in the Region. As
the focus of the campaign plan shifts to this Region, your service
will have an important role in this quest."
"Ang inyong pagbabalik ay
hindi nagpapahiwatig ng pagtatapos ng gulo sa Mindanao o pagdami ng
kalaban sa Silangang Kabisayaan. Ngunit ito ay nangangahulugang,
kinakailangan kayo para mas maitupad ng maayos ang ating isinusulong
para sa ikabubuti ng mga mamayan ng Samar," Losañes added.
PSA seeks support
for the July labor force survey and 2018 family income and
expenditure survey
July 6, 2018
TACLOBAN CITY – The
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) seeks support for the July
Labor Force Survey (LFS) and the 2018 Family Income and Expenditure
Survey (FIES) which will be conducted simultaneously starting July
9, 2018.
A total of 10,866
systematically and randomly selected sample households in Region
VIII were identified as respondents. Around 427 Hired Statistical
Researchers will be deployed across the region to conduct the
The LFS is a quarterly
nationwide survey of households which aims to gather data on the
demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the population,
and to provide a quantitative framework for the preparation of plans
and formulation of policies affecting the labor market.
Specifically, the LFS
serves as a tool in measuring the distribution of household
population 15 years old and over by employment status – employed,
unemployed or underemployed. It is also used to determine various
employment characteristics such as industry, class of worker, nature
of employment and basis of payment.
The 2018 FIES, meanwhile,
is a nationwide survey of households conducted every three years,
which aims to gather data on family income and expenditure, to
include among others, levels of consumption by item of expenditure
as well as sources of income in cash and in kind. The results of
FIES provide inputs in the estimation of poverty threshold and
incidence. It also determines the levels of living and disparities
in income of Filipino families, as well as their spending patterns.
The PSA appeals to the
public to cooperate and support the conduct of these surveys. The
office also assures that all information gathered will be held
strictly confidential and shall not be used as evidence in court for
purposes of taxation, regulation or investigation as provided for in
RA 10625.Data generated from these surveys will be disseminated in
statistical summaries without reference to any individual person or
Global peace
network seeks continuation of GRP-NDF talks amidst escalating
Duterte-Joma word war
Press Release
July 6, 2018
MANILA – "We urge
both the GRP and NDF to continue finding constructive ways to work
together in order to renew official negotiations and find joint
understanding of settling their differences at the table. To achieve
this, creating a more positive enabling environment to further the
process is essential. Negotiating parties must get over their
differences through efficient and programmatic confidence building
measures. Previously announced possible ceasefires by the respective
parties and amnesty of NDF members are positive signals that need to
be built upon."
Thus said, the Global
Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC), a
worldwide network of global peace advocates after it noted with
concern that the talks between the Government of the Republic of the
Philippines (GRP) and National Democratic Front (NDF) have again
been postponed.
Established in 2003, GPPAC
is a global civil society-led network which seeks to build an
international consensus on peacebuilding and the prevention of
violent conflict. It is composed of fifteen regional networks, each
of which has its own Regional Action Agenda and Work Plan and
participates in activities at the global level.
GPPAC added, "As a global
network of member organisations working on peacebuilding and
prevention, we know how conflicts rip apart the social, economic and
cultural fabric of people. Our members have first-hand experience of
tragedies in Syria, the war in Colombia, widespread violence in
Mexico and the fifty year guerilla war in the Philippines. We
therefore call on the Government of the Republic of the Philippines
and National Democratic Front to return to the negotiating table.
The national peace process is still the best option to move forward
the quest for just and lasting peace in the Philippines. We were
very much encouraged by the announcement of a new round of
negotiations that were planned to take place end of June in Norway.
Unfortunately those have been postponed again."
According to GPPAC
Foundation Manager for Knowledge, Policy and Advocacy Pascal
Richard, "In our experience inclusive peace talks bring about more
sustainable outcomes as they are then able to consider the needs of
a broad population. The input and potential participation of a wider
civilian component in the talks could therefore be considered. But
for us, as a global peacebuilding network, the first and most
important step right now, remains the resumption of the GRP-NDF
peace process. To us it provides an essential avenue to build a
sustainable future for the Philippines."
What is at stake?
Commenting on the current
impasse and the brewing tension between Philippine President Rodrigo
Duterte and Jose Maria Sison, the chief political consultant of the
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), Gus Miclat, the
regional initiator of GPPAC in Southeast Asia and the Executive
Director of Mindanao-based Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID)
said, "What is at stake is a genuinely peaceful, just and democratic
future we all desire as a nation. What is most at stake, again, are
the lives and security of thousands of affected communities, most of
them are non-combatants including thousands of vulnerable women and
Miclat stressed, "We urge
both parties to live up to their common vision of 'serving the
people'; of "getting from the masses and giving back to the masses"
by making this peace talks successful. We call upon them to settle
their differences at the negotiating table. After all, peace is not
exclusive to their respective interests. They are there to represent
the best interests of the people and we don't think this prolonged
word war between them will help the peace negotiation succeed.
Worse, it may jeopardize the previous gains of the talks."
According to GPPAC,
instead of engaging in a 'flimsy word war', both panels must invest
in "creating an enabling environment allowing all relevant actors,
including women and youth, to participate in an unhindered manner
including, among others, through the release of political prisoners,
avoiding classifying or calling out other parties in a detrimental
manner and the full commitment to and upholding of a ceasefire by
both parties is needed."
'Invest in Substantive
Miclat emphasized, "We are
all for principled and healthy debate and the clash of ideas that
would make the peace negotiation progress and become more
democratic. This can start with an open dialogue on the fundamental
roots of the conflict, and how both parties can jointly address
them. We note that both parties have started on a friendly,
conducive and even intimate note at the start of this administration
before the series of setbacks that led to this impasse. They can
collectively seek a viable peace formula to address the conflict.
Throwing accusations against each other is counter-productive."
The GPPAC-SEA initiator
concluded, "The most substantive agenda such as the Comprehensive
Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) tackles the roots
of this armed conflict. We believe that if all prior substantive
agreements of the talks will be implemented, this will bring us
closer to defeating the real enemy of this protracted war."
The GPPAC call was issued
also amidst impending deliberations of the Bangsamoro Basic Law
(BBL) at the Congressional bicameral committee of the other peace
process between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF). Philippine GPPAC members have been actively engaging this
speaker Ms. Ninfa Ilumida B. Quirante, Officer in Charge (OIC)
of Public Information Agency (PIA), Eastern Samar Provincial
Information Office gives some refresher course on news
writing to DPWH public IOs through workshop.
DPWH-Biliran DEO
information officers now warriors of fake news
Press Release
July 4, 2018
NAVAL, Biliran –
The Public Information Officers (IOs) of Biliran District
Engineering Office (DEO) are seriously taking up the challenge of
fighting fake news.
Public IOs Ms. Chelsea Q.
Salloman, Engr. Gene F. Delfin, and Mr. Penny Lloyd E. Batoto attend
Workshop under Communication Development Program (CommDev) of the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) on June 7-8, 2018.
The workshop was held during the 2nd Quarterly Meeting of DPWH
Region VIII Public IOs at Eastern Samar District Engineering Office
(ESDEO), Borongan City, Eastern Samar.
According to District
Engineer (DE) Manolo A. Rojas of ESDEO, the DPWH has been allocated
by the government with the biggest budget this year.
"With great power comes
great responsibility," DE Rojas said quoting the fictional character
Spiderman. "This is the reason why all eyes are focusing on our
performances," he added during his welcome remarks to public IOs.
"Because of the technology
and accessible social media, a lot of information are now displayed
on the internet and everything is only one click away, fake news is
very rampant," he said.
According to DE Rojas, the
public has to know the good news on what the DPWH is doing, that
they deserve to know the truth and that they are privileged.
"That is now the work of
Public Information Officers, and that is also the reason why you are
important," DE Rojas said.
"You are the voice of the
department, you are the warrior of fake news, and you are the
communicator of good news," he added.
Fake news/ disinformation
is an information that is false, and the person disseminating it
knows it is not true, therefore it is an intentional lie.
Resource speaker, Ms.
Ninfa Ilumida B. Quirante, Officer in Charge (OIC) of Public
Information Agency (PIA), Eastern Samar Provincial Information
Office gives some refresher course on news writing to DPWH public
IOs through workshop.
In fighting fake news,
public IOs of Biliran DEO together with other district IOs of DPWH
pledged to write only what is the truth, what is verifiable, and
what is accurate and timely.
TREE HUGGER. It was the first time for 16-year-old Angela
Anero to support the reforestation caravan with her mother,
a PBSP employee.
25,000 seedlings
planted as PBSP kicks off Cebu refo caravan
July 4, 2018
CEBU CITY – In an
effort to conserve and manage the watersheds of Cebu, over 200
employees from 20 companies and organizations joined Philippine
Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in kicking off its 27th
Cebu Hillylands reforestation caravan recently.
The Cebu Hillyland
reforestation caravan supports the rehabilitation of the
29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL), also called
the Cebu Hillylands. As the largest rainforest and only source of
potable water in Cebu, CCPL recharges the province's groundwater
reservoir and is home to several endemic and indigenous plant and
animal species.
Now on its 27th year, PBSP
aims to reforest 30 hectares of the Buhisan Watershed and Forest
Reserve (BWFR), by bringing the business sector to either adopt a
hectare for reforestation or mobilize tree planting volunteers. The
annual kickoff also aims to ensure 85 percent survival of the trees
by tapping partner communities to establish and maintain the adopted
reforestation sites.
For this kickoff, the
volunteers planted 25,000 seedlings within 10 hectares of the BWFR,
where Cebu's 106-year-old surface water dam is also located.
Certified Tree Huggers
It was the first time for
16-year-old Angela Anero to join the refo caravan kickoff with her
mother, who is a PBSP employee. While she is active in doing
community service in her school, planting for Cebu's watersheds was
a totally different experience for her.
"It is not just planting a
tree, but the right ones that will really help protect our water
reserves and other life forms. It is exciting when you learn that
you are planting for the future of our forest. I also feel proud to
be part of the advocacy that my mother's NGO works for," she said.
Ludo & Luym Corporation
Production and Operations Manager Nidal Bergado, on the other hand,
is no stranger to such activity as he has been volunteering his time
as a tree planter (hugger) since he was a child. His father, a
school principal, would always remind him on the importance of trees
and plants and would often bring him to the outdoors to plant trees.
His love for the environment continued as an employee volunteer for
the company in PBSP's annual reforestation caravans.
"I always volunteer to
plant trees whenever an opportunity arises because I know how
important a tree is. Since PBSP's reforestation caravan started in
1992, our company has always been supporting the cause by sending in
volunteers. We also adopted a hectare for reforestation," Bergado
30 hectares in one year
Since the launch of PBSP's
reforestation caravan some 27 years ago, the business-led NGO has
planted about 4.1 million tree seedlings in 1,640 hectares with help
from 16,361 volunteers. Through this, PBSP has successfully uplifted
the lives of more than 200 farmers in CCPL by tapping them as
partners of the program.
Participating companies of
the kickoff include AAI Worldwide Logistics, Inc., Asalus
Corporation (Intellicare), Certa RCube Technologies Corporation,
Connected Souls, Funai Electric Co., Ltd., Halsangz Plating Cebu
Corporation, Ludo & Luym Corporation, Philpacific Insurance Brokers
& Managers, Inc. Cebu (Philinsure), R.A. Mojica and Partners, San
Nicolas Elementary School Teachers and Employees Multipurpose
Cooperative, St. Theresa's College, Taiyo Yuden Employees
Multipurpose Cooperative, TMX Philippines, Inc., Vivant Corporation,
and Wellmade Motors and Development Corporation.
The kickoff is also in
partnership with the local government unit of Barangay Pamutan, the
Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation, Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Office, and the Bacsan Sapangdaku Farmers
exercises conducted during the Pilot Class on IMO MC 6.10 at
the engine simulator (left picture) and bridge simulator
(right picture).
NMP and MARINA
conduct pilot class on IMO Model Course 6.10
Press Release
July 2, 2018
TACLOBAN CITY – The
National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP) in convergence with the Maritime
Industry Authority (MARINA) conducted a Pilot Class on IMO Model
Course 6.10 (Train the Simulator Trainer and Assessor) on 18-22 June
2018 at the NMP Training Complex, Tacloban City.
As a preparatory move to
influence the desired output based on the required MARINA standards,
a series of workshops and conferences were undertaken by the MARINA
technical experts together with the different Maritime Training
Institutions (MTIs). As an offshoot of the said activity, NMP was
assigned as the course in-charge for the IMO Model Course 6.10,
tasked to review and validate its course package.
After all the preparatory
works and final run through of the documents, the pilot testing was
scheduled to: (a) validate the newly revised course which include
the course plan and its supporting materials and determine the areas
for improvement / refinement; (b) assess the effectiveness and
relevance of the newly revised course vis-à-vis the standard format
designed by MARINA; and (c) determine the acceptability and
marketability of the newly revised course.
The revised course covers
a training duration of forty (40) hours, enforcing a deviation from
the existing course timetable of thirty-two (32) hours. The duration
includes the validation and assessment of the instructors and the
course itself.
IMO Model Course 6.10
deals with the relevance of maritime training program associated
with the use of simulator. It also involves simulation exercises
involving role playing on the effective engine and bridge room
procedures, task solving and the conventional teaching and training
methods like the compliance with the applicable regulations set out
in the relevant provisions of the Standards of Training,
Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention as
amended in 2010.
The course is open to all
maritime instructors, faculty members of maritime higher education
institutions and merchant marine officers holding IMO Model Course
6.09 and 3.12 certificates.
The pilot class was
attended by fourteen (14) participants. Validators include Ms.
Presca Lee B. Lugo and Engr. Ronnie D. Gernato of MARINA and Capt.
Rodolfo A. Aspillaga of the Master and Mates Association of the
Philippines (MMAP).
Meanwhile, those
interested in NMP research undertakings may visit the NMP website (www.nm.gov.ph)
and access the e-Research Information System Portal which is
designed for gathering inputs for NMP's research, dissemination of
NMP completed researches and other articles pertaining to maritime
For more information about
NMP trainings viewers may visit the agency's facebook page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter)
where all related information on NMP trainings are available.
Rotary Club of
Calbayog welcomes Rotary New Year with a blast
July 2, 2018
CALBAYOG CITY – The
Rotary Club of Calbayog welcomes the district-wide celebration of
the Rotary New Year 2018-2019 with a blast by celebrating it with
the residents of five barangays namely San Jose, Langoyon,
Canjumadac, Canjumadac, Tanval and Gelino, all located in the
hinterland parts of Calbayog City, Samar on July 1, 2018. The
farthest recipient village amongst is 30.5 kilometers away from
Calbayog City proper.
With the Rotary
International's Year 2018-2019 theme, Be the Inspiration, and RI
District 3860's theme, One Rotary, One District, the Club initiated
a "4-in-1" Outreach Program – Dental Health Care Services initiated
by Rotarian Dentists, Dr. Ellery Daguman and Dr. Zandro Daguman,
Educational Assistance through distribution of 431 pairs of slippers
to recipient pupils of elementary schools of the said villages,
Livelihood Program from which 400 packs of vegetable seeds (okra and
eggplant) are distributed promoting backyard farming to the local
farmers, Mother and Child Program headed by Rotarian Midwife Vivian
Jumagdao by conducting check-up and providing vitamins to pregnant
women and feeding activity to more or less 700 people on site.
RC Calbayog tapped the
People's Outreach Program (POP), Kalipayan-Katitirok-Kasangkayan (KKK),
and Boleros Basketball Club in implementing the aforementioned
programs to promote involvement of other civic and non-profit
organizations in the community, inspire people to become ambassadors
of goodwill, and enliven the spirit of brotherhood. Present during
the activity to provide safety to the partakers are the men in
uniform of the Philippine Army (PA) and Philippine National Police
(PNP), and some teachers and school heads of the Department of
Education -Schools Division of Calbayog City.
Beneficiaries are
converged at LSJ Farm and Puno ng Buhay Eco-Farm, Brgy. San Jose,
Happy Valley, this city. San Jose is a 14 kilometer-village away
from the town.
The activity concluded
with the happy smiles of the children and parents as they bid
goodbye to the Rotarians and volunteers before they are transported
to the farthest concreted road at Sitio Tagungtong which is
approximately 2 kilometers away from the venue.
Rotary Club of Calbayog
facilitated the said activity to bring its services and programs to
the people in the hinterlands of Calbayog City and to inspire them
to get involved in the activities that will promote economic
development to their respective barangays by transporting their farm
produce to the city.
DPWH to complete
access roads to Leyte tourism spots
Press Release
June 28, 2018
CARIGARA, Leyte –
To preserve tourism activities in Leyte, the Department of Public
Works and Highways (DPWH) -Leyte Second District Engineering Office
poured out a total of P131 million to complete access roads to
tourism spots.
These two major projects
are the road leading to Villaconzoilo Agri and Eco Tourism Farm and
Silawa Falls in Jaro town worth P85 million, and the road leading to
Calabato Hot Spring in La Paz town worth P46 million.
"The road project is
vitally important for the dispersal of tourists beyond major
gateways and the facilitation of self-drive tourism," District
Engineer Carlos G. Veloso said.
Moreover, these tourism
spots would benefit tourists not just of their beauty but of the
high-value crops of Villaconzoilo and the relaxing views and fresh
waters of Silawa Falls and Calabato Hot Spring.
Veloso guarantees the
public to implement more infrastructure projects towards tourism and
livelihood for the development of the district.
The DPWH has secured to
get support from the national government in funding programs on
tourism, especially to help local communities, who are dependent on
tourism, to promote their livelihood and earn more income.
The construction of these
projects started last May 2018 and is expected to be completed later
of the same year.
DPWH-SFDEO Inspectorate Team conducts a final inspection of
the flood control structures along Binaliw River, Brgy.
Binaliw, Calbayog City.
DPWH constructs
P20-M worth of flood control structures in Samar
June 28, 2018
CALBAYOG CITY – The
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) -Samar First District
Engineering Office (SFDEO) completes two flood control projects in
Brgy. Binaliw, Calbayog City and Brgy. Cautod, Sta. Margarita.
The Binaliw flood control
project covers the construction of 96 meters of reinforced concrete
river protection works on steel sheet piles foundation while the
project in Brgy. Cautod covers the construction of 294 meter of
flood mitigating structures.
Each have an appropriation
of P10 million sourced out from the 2018 General Appropriations Act
(GAA) Fund.
"I'd like to extend my
warmest thanks to DPWH Calbayog for completing this flood control
project. With the rainy season coming up, we no longer have to worry
about the river overflowing. I am sure that my property and
livestock will be safe during the typhoon season," said Mr. Ricky
Calendatas, a chicken farmer living along Binaliw River.
from Biliran District Engineering Office (DEO) are all smile
after the parade during the first day celebration of DPWH
120th Anniversary and Sportsfest on June 21, 2018.
Biliran DEO joins
DPWH region 8 in celebration of 120th anniversary and sportsfest
NAVAL, Biliran –
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VIII
celebrates 120th anniversary and sportsfest in a two-day event on
June 21-22, 2018 simultaneously with other DPWH Offices nationwide.
"For 365 days, let us give
these two days for us to celebrate, giving thanks to God, giving
thanks to our officials, to ourselves, to each one of us, thank you
for your continuous support that is why we existed and it (DPWH) is
getting stronger," Edgar B. Tabacon, Regional Director said during
his welcome address.
Thirteen District
Engineering Offices of the region including Biliran District
Engineering Office (DEO) gather for the said occasion to have fun
and develop camaraderie and sportsmanship through sports activities.
The activity started with
a thanksgiving mass at the open field of the DPWH Regional Office,
Baras, Palo, Leyte at 8:00 in the morning officiated by Fr. Norman
Abolencia followed by a short parade around the Government Center of
The competition for the
Best in Muse highlights the morning event of the first day of
celebration. Photo exhibit contest also opens at the DPWH
multipurpose hall displaying completed/proposed high impact projects
of the 13 district engineering offices.
The start of the sports
activities at 1:00 in the afternoon, signals the commencement of the
sportsfest celebration. Sports competition includes basketball,
volleyball, badminton, table tennis, dart and chess but the
highlight of the celebration is the Search for Mr. DPWH Sportspoof
2018 in the evening. Fourteen straight men candidates representing
their engineering offices came out as lovely ladies vying for the
title. In the middle of the said competition, there was a Search for
DPWH Curatcha King and Queen.
The second day of the
celebration starts with the DPWH Unity Fun Run at 5:00 in the
morning competing for the 3k, 5k and 10k run. Participants who are
not playing any sports competition for this day are enjoying the
parlor games prepared by each district offices. The sports
championship games also continue on this day.
Due to unfinished game for
the sport badminton, Atty. Neil N. Re-oma, President of Rank and
File Employees Union (RFEU), Region VIII said that awarding ceremony
for the winners of the different competitions will be held during
the second Regional Quarters Meeting.
DPWH is celebrating 120
years anniversary with the theme "Bridging Modern Development". The
department started as the Department of War and Public Works in 1898
during the revolutionary government under the time of President
Emilio Aguinaldo. In 1987, after several revolutions, it became the
Department of Public Works and Highways, as it is known today.
DPWH celebrates
120 years of bridging modern development
June 28, 2018
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VIII kicks-off
its 120th anniversary and sportsfest on June 21-22, 2018 at Baras,
Palo, Leyte marking another milestone for the main engineering arm
of the government.
The festivity gathers more
than a hundred employees from different District Engineering Offices
(DEOs) regionwide with a civic parade of participants with their
muses opening the occasion on its first day.
DEOs are grouped into team
clusters namely: Cluster I - Regional Office, Leyte I and Tacloban
City DEO; Cluster II - Leyte II, Leyte III and Biliran DEO; Cluster
III - Leyte IV, Leyte V and Southern Leyte DEO; Cluster IV - Samar
I, Samar II, Northern Samar I, Northern Samar II and Eastern Samar
A showcase of the
different talents and skills of DPWH employees are also evident
during the two-day celebration through various ball games and parlor
games. Meanwhile, selected male candidates entertain the crowd in
the search for Miss DPWH Sports Spoof 2018.
Fierce competition can be
seen here and there but as the event concludes and participants
return to their respective DEOs, they are instilled with the
significance of teamwork. Working together is more productive than
working alone.
Palm Grass Hotel
to mark Leon Kilat birthday and KKK founding with poetry nights
CEBU CITY – This
July 2018, the 126th anniversary of the founding of the Katipunan
and Cebu Katipunan leader Leon Kilat's 145th birthday will be
celebrated by Palm Grass, the Cebu Heritage Hotel with "BAYAN, BALAK,
ALAK", a two-part poetry night.
On July 7, from 6PM to
9PM, the founding of the KKK by hero Andres Bonifacio will be
commemorated at the hotel's library restaurant, Kapihan ni Lumaya.
The second part of the
event will happen on July 31, from 6PM to 9PM, 4 days after Tres de
Abril hero Leon Kilat's birthday. It will be at Palm Grass' roofdeck
bar Hardin Dagami.
"BAYAN, BALAK, ALAK" is
open to both seasoned and contemporary Cebuano poets to share their
Filipino or Bisaya poems about our country and society.
On these nights, beer will
be 55% off for everyone at the venue, and those who will perform
shall be given a free drink.
On the anniversary of the
founding of KKK, all dishes and drinks named after Katipuneros will
be discounted at 20% off.
Lumaya's most affordable
combo meals, the "Kinabaratohang Kaon sa Kapihan" (KKK), offer
well-known and loved Cebuano main dishes with side dishes and iced
tea, which cost from P79.00 to P99.00 only for the whole year.
As the only heritage hotel
in Cebu, Palm Grass pays tribute to the legacy and sacrifice of
local heroes by naming floors, rooms, dishes and drinks after them.
The hotel also honors the
descendants of Cebuano Katipunero heroes with the Kaliwat Ko'g
Katipunero card (KKK) that gives special privileges and special room
accommodation rates to members.
The Katipunero descendant
must only present a valid ID or any supporting documents that
connect the bearer to a Cebuano Katipunero and shall pay an amount
of P200.00 for a lifetime membership.
Palm Grass aims to engage
all Cebuanos, especially the youth, to learn and explore about
Cebu's colorful and valiant heritage.
Battle rages
between Army Soldiers and NPA rebels in Ormoc City, Leyte
802nd Infantry Brigade
June 27, 2018
ORMOC CITY, Leyte –
An encounter with members of the lawless Communist Terrorist Group,
locally known as the Front Committee Leyte, New People's Army and
units under this command, took place in Brgy Mahayahay, Ormoc City,
Leyte wounding one (1) soldier, during the firefight on Tuesday
morning June 26, 2018.
First Lieutenant Sheenan
D. Kub-Aron, Platoon Leader of the Alpha Company, 93rd Infantry
Battalion, operationally under 802nd Brigade Philippine Army under
the command of Brigadier General Lope C. Dagoy, Armed Forces of the
During the encounter
troops of Lieutenant Kub-Aron responded to an information regarding
the presence of communist rebels in Brgy Mahayahay, Ormoc City,
Around 7 a.m. the NPA
members allegedly fired upon the approaching government troops.
During the exchange of fire, the communist rebels allegedly
detonated an improvised landmine wounding a soldier.
Following are the
recovered items during the encounter: One (1) M16A1 Rifle with SN
RPA 82287; Three (3) bandoleer; Twenty-eight (28) magazines with
ammo; Thirty (30) rounds of Cal .9mm ammo; One (1) Air gun; Four (4)
IEDs; Sixteen (16) blasting caps; One (1) laptop computer; Two (2)
USB drive; Two (2) card reader; One (1) tablet phone; Fourteen (14)
cellular phones; Two (2) transistor radios; One (1) solar charger;
One (1) tear gas; One (1) flash light; Five (5) sword (bolo); Three
(3) wrist watch; Subversive documents; Personal belongings; Assorted
can goods and rice; Two (2) cocking pot.
Medical equipment:
1-stethoscope, 1-blood pressure kit, 14-assorted medicine,
2-dextrose, 1-acupuncture kit.
Discovered enemy
encampment with the following description: Sixteen (16) bunkers, One
(1) Kitchen, and One (1) Comfort Room.
Ammunition Expenditures:
Two thousand six hundred six (2606) rounds caliber 5.56mm ball, Six
hundred thirty-seven (637) rounds caliber 5.56mm linked, and Twelve
(12) rounds .40mm grenade launcher.
Brigadier General Lope
Cellona Dagoy, 802nd Brigade Commander, expressed his concern on the
wounded soldier and vowed to continue to pursue the terrorist
communist elements in the area, and promise that more intense
operations will be conducted until the communist terrorist will
vanish in the Leyte and Biliran Islands.
"Meanwhile, we will
actively support the program of the government to peacefully resolve
all armed conflicts against peace loving people of Leyte and Biliran
Let us condemn those who advocate violence and use arms," he said.
Youth groups call
PDutz "disengaged from social reality" with his recent anti-tambay
Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan
June 25, 2018
QUEZON CITY – Youth
groups says that the verbal order of President Rodrigo Duterte to
crackdown on 'tambays' showed that he "disturbingly disengaged from
social reality" as he "continues to hallucinate of a vision of a
middle-class Philippines" when many remain living below the poverty
The Samahan ng
Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) claimed that President Duterte's
directive to arrest 'tambays' who are half-naked, loitering and
drinking in the streets, "can only be explained by his delusions of
grandeur and denial of widespread poverty in the country".
They claim that it is
ironic for Duterte to give an arrest order that is blatantly
anti-poor when in fact it is his administration and its policies the
reason why many of our countrymen have remained poor and are on
"stand-by" mode.
"His promise of change has
been exposed as an electoral stunt and all he has done is preserve
the status quo. No major economic policy reversals has been made to
uplift the poor in the past three years. Similar to his
predecessors, Duterte has condemned the poor to a neo-liberal
economic policies, buried us in foreign debt and bolstered the
export-oriented, import-dependent economic framework, explained Jade
Mata, spokesperson of SPARK.
"The poor have no
manicured gardens or club houses for rest and recreations. So why
assail them if their shanties and communities have no air
conditioning? The druglords, the gambling syndicates and human
traffickers do not live in these places. The real criminals are
those who underpay their employees, maintain their contractual work
and expose them to the most inhumane working conditions. The vilest
criminals wear suits," Mata added.
SPARK challenged Duterte
to make his illusions of a middle-class Philippines a reality by
repealing the TRAIN Law, instituting price control on all basic
commodities, increase wages to measure up to the cost of living and
abolish contractualization.
Meanwhile, youth group
based in University of the Philippines-Diliman, KAISA UP, connected
the issue to the violation of rights and civil liberties of people
living in congested areas.
"The crackdown is another
blow to our already failing democracy," Zaira Baniaga of KAISA UP
said. "The youth and the poor are the most vulnerable with these
kinds of attacks on civil liberties. We can't keep turning a blind
eye to how this administration maltreats the poor. We call all
freedom-loving citizens of the country and democratic groups to
condemn this injustice and march as one to confront Duterte's
KAISA UP fears that many
more injustices will follow if the Oplan Tambay remains unscraped.
Last week, Genesis 'Tisoy'
Argoncillo of Novaliches was found dead in jail, four days after
being arrested half-naked in the streets. The Oplan Tambay started
last June 13 and is reported to have arrested an estimate of 7,000
to 10,000 loiterers.
Both SPARK and KAISA UP
together with other youth groups are scheduled to mount mass actions
in the days to come.
Six cops perish
in Sta. Rita, Samar skirmish
June 25, 2018
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – Elements of the 1st Platoon, 805th Company, Regional
Mobile Force Battalion 8 of PNP and operating troops from 87th
Infantry (Hinirang) Battalion incidentally engaged in a firefight in
Sitio Lonoy, Barangay San Roque, Sta Rita, Samar around 09:20 this
morning that resulted to the untimely demise of six policemen.
Reports reaching this
headquarters said that one platoon minus led by 1Lt Casipit reported
that they encountered an armed group at vicinity Sitio Lonoy and the
firefight lasted for about 30 minutes. After the skirmishes, 1Lt
Casipit and his troops discovered that the unit involved in the
encounter belonged to the PNP unit under PCI Suspiñe who also
operated on the same location.
Aside from the six
fatalities there were nine (9) others Wounded In Action (WIA). There
was no casualty reported from 87IB. The wounded PNP personnel were
brought to the nearest hospital and dead bodies were recovered
jointly by the AFP and PNP.
"A joint, thorough and
impartial investigation is being conducted even as we assure the
public that your AFP and PNP is fully cooperating to shed light on
the incident" said MGen Raul M. Farnacio, Commander of 8ID who
directed his ground Commanders to make appropriate actions.
"The whole 8ID family
extend our condolences to the bereaved families of those who died in
the armed engagement. Rest assured that this unfortunate incident
will not hamper the working relation of your Army and PNP in the
region." Farnacio added.
amendments to the Human Security Act of 2007 a license for human
rights violations
June 24, 2018
BANGKOK, Thailand –
The proposed amendments to the Philippines' Human Security Act of
2007 (HSA) would, if adopted, give government authorities a license
to commit human rights violations, said the International Commission
of Jurists (ICJ) in its submission today to the House of
Representatives. The ICJ strongly urged the House of Representatives
to reconsider these proposed amendments and in the interim to allow
more time for full consultation and debate on revisions of the law.
In its submission to the
House of Representatives' joint Technical Working Group (TWG) of the
Committees of Public Order and Safety and National Defense and
Security, the ICJ stressed that certain proposed amendments to the
HSA are clearly incompatible with international human rights laws
and standards that prohibit unfettered surveillance power and
arbitrary deprivation of the right to liberty and protect the rights
to privacy, information, redress, and freedom of opinion and
expression. The ICJ also expressed deep concern that the law also
gives military personnel responsibility in countering terrorism,
specifically to conduct surveillance on, arrest, and detain persons
who are suspected of acts of terrorism.
"The proposed amendments
do not address the existing flaws of the HSA. For instance, the
definition of acts of terrorism under the HSA is vague and ambiguous
and the proposed changes do not in any way remedy that," said
Emerlynne Gil, a Senior International Legal Adviser of the ICJ.
The ICJ also pointed out
that the proposed amendments are likely to lead to violations of the
right to freedom of opinion and expression.
The proposed amendments
would also impermissibly lengthen to thirty (30) days the period
within which an individual may be detained without judicial warrant.
"This is clearly incompatible with the Philippines international
legal obligations and constitutes arbitrary deprivation of liberty,"
said Gil.
The ICJ proposes to reduce
the detention period to forty-eight (48) hours or less, in
compliance with international human rights laws and standards.
"The Philippine government
has the undeniable duty to protect people from acts of terrorism
committed by non-State actors, but it cannot use as a pretext the
serious nature of terrorist acts to avoid its obligations under
international human rights law," said Gil.
1 NPA killed in
Las Navas, Northern Samar
June 23, 2018
LAS NAVAS, Northern
Samar – One (1) unidentified Communist NPA Terrorist (CNTs) left
dead by his comrades after a 10 minutes firefight between elements
of 43rd Infantry (WE SEARCH) Battalion and Communist Terrorist Group
(CTG) at Brgy McArthur, Las Navas, Northern Samar on June 23, 2018.
Earlier that morning,
government forces responded to an anonymous tip from the residents
in the area and immediately deployed 43IB elements to verify the
veracity of the report. Few kilometers from the barangay proper,
said troops were fired upon by undetermined number of CNTs forcing
them to retaliate and firefight erupted. When fires subside, one (1)
lifeless CNT armed with his M653 rifle (baby armalite) were found in
the encounter site.
Col Ramil M. Bitong,
Commander of 803rd Brigade, said that this incident could have been
avoided if CNT heed to the call of the government to stop their
extortion activity and avail the Enhance Comprehensive Integration
Program (E-CLIP).
"This should serve as
stern warning to other member of the lawless CTG that the arm of the
law can reach you, no matter how long and far you can hide for evil
never triumph as long as good men stands for what is right." Col.
Bitong added.
1,000 of the most vulnerable displaced families in five
municipalities located in the southeastern part of Lanao del
Sur each received P8,000 from the ICRC as livelihood
support. (ICRC/Lany dela Cruz)
Livelihood support reaches 5,000 displaced people
June 22, 2018
MANILA – Displaced
for more than a year since the start of the five-month conflict in
Marawi City, many families in south-eastern parts of Lanao del Sur
province continue to struggle due to lack of food and other
necessities. The absence of a stable income and capital for small
businesses has forced many who were traders before the start of the
conflict to rely on farming and fishing.
To help 1,007 displaced
families in Butig, Lumbayanague, Lumbatan, Masiu and Poona-Bayabao
municipalities earn a livelihood, the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) distributed multipurpose cash grants amounting to
P8,000 per family from June 20 to June 22.
"Many displaced families
gained access to farmlands and basic tools with the help of
relatives. But insufficient funds to buy farm supplies forced them
to take loans at a higher interest rate," said Dragana Rankovic, who
heads the ICRC team on relief and livelihood assistance.
Grants amounting to P8
million were distributed during the three days, aiming to help the
most vulnerable displaced families. These included people with no or
low income, those in the evacuation centres, those with multiple
dependents especially young children, pregnant women, the elderly
and the sick.
One of the recipients,
Noronsalam Nasser, a mother of six from Datu Sa Dansalan village in
the most affected area in Marawi City, said, "When we fled to
Lumbatan, we took up fishing to provide for our families but the
income was barely enough to sustain us. With the cash grant, I will
set up a small business selling shoes and slippers. This cash
assistance will also allow us to send our children to school."
Ever since clashes broke
out in May 2017, the ICRC, along with the Philippine Red Cross (PRC),
has helped hundreds of thousands of people affected by the Marawi
crisis. The focus has shifted to the remaining displaced families in
Marawi and Lanao del Sur by improving their access to health care
and clean water, along with livelihood recovery.
The ICRC, a neutral,
impartial and independent humanitarian organization that assists and
protects victims of armed conflicts, also financially supported the
PRC's livelihood assistance for at least 1,500 conflict-affected
families within Marawi City.
Teachers to PDEA
Chief: Schools no playground for Tokhang
Press Release
June 21, 2018
Enraged mentors under the Alliance of Concerned Teachers condemned
PDEA Chief Aaron Aquino's proposal to subject pupils and teachers to
mandatory drug testing, saying that the Duterte regime's drug war
has no place in schools.
"The Duterte regime's
bloody drug war has gone beyond insane to intimate that any
9-year-old kid could be a drug suspect. We should not permit this to
happen. Schools are no playground for Tokhang," Raymond Basilio, ACT
Philippines Secretary-General said in reaction to Dir. Gen. Aquino's
statement that he would suggest to the Department of Education the
mandatory drug-testing of pupils from Grade 4 and up, as well as
Basilio said the
drug-testing will sow terror in schools, will disturbed the students
and will destroy the sanctity of schools as safe places for
learning. Mandatory drug testing is also a blatant violation of the
rights of children and teachers, he explained.
"The cited survey is not
enough justification to put the well-being and future of our
children in peril," Basilio argued.
Basilio said that the
government's line of thinking is very dangerous as apart from the
drug test of nine-year-olds, a bill to decrease the age of criminal
liability to the same level is pending in Congress.
"The State who has the
responsibility to protect our youth apparently wants to make
criminals out of them," said Basilio.
Basilio added that PDEA
Chief's proposal is a great insult to teachers.
"This government does not
run out of ideas to denigrate the integrity of the teaching
profession. First it suggested that we are brats for asking for
salary increase. Then they painted us as whiners for standing
against overwork. Now, they insinuate that we are drug addicts,"
Basilio said.
"This government should
disabuse itself of its belief that we are a nation of drug addicts.
What we are is a nation deep in economic crisis. It is where they
should focus." Basilio suggested.
Basilio that what the
teachers and the people need are the jobs, wage increase, scrapping
of regressive taxes and free and quality education and other social
"They will be wasting a
lot of people's money to test some 20 million pupils and 700,000
teachers for drug use. It should be dedicated instead to uplifting
the quality of education and upgrading teachers' salaries," Basilio
Work from home
scheme maybe good to employees but endangers workers' rights to
organize and bargain
Associated Labor Unions
June 21, 2018
QUEZON CITY – The
work from home flexible work arrangement may have good benefits to
some employees but workers' group Associated Labor Unions-Trade
Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) expressed concern that
it also threatens to deprive workers' rights to organize and
collective bargain for better wages and benefits.
Without diminution of
wages and benefits, House Bill 7402 or Telecommuting Act otherwise
known as the work from home proposal is attracting many young
workers in urbanized cities and municipalities to adopt the
arrangement due to the availability of the internet and the hazards
caused by traffic congestion and inadequate mass transport
It has passed the third
reading in the House of Representatives two weeks ago and now
pending in the Senate for its counterpart measure.
"While the flexible work
scheme may save urban workers from an average 2 to 4 hours daily
agony and disease-causing stress caused by commuting through traffic
jams and poor mass transport system, cut fuel, transport and parking
expenses and improve work-life balance, the arrangement may also
deprive workers of their right to organize themselves as a union and
to collective bargain for better wages and benefits," said Gerard
Seno, executive vice president of workers' group Associated Labor
Unions (ALU).
"It is very important,
therefore, for its tripartite-drafted implementing rules and
regulation (IRR) to be crafted by the Department of Labor and
Employment that guides employees and employers in the application of
the scheme at the same time to promote the right to organize and to
collectively bargain," Seno said.
Workers' social protection
insurance and exposure to occupational safety and health hazard
caused overwork and fatigue must also be addressed effectively in
the preparation of the IRR, Seno stressed.
Those affected by the
measure would be those enterprise-based workers who wanted to
perform tasks off-site and those independent or freelance
contractors who wanted to work at home.
Workers may also minimize
exposure to pollution during commute and hazards caused by floods
and typhoons while employers and business owners would be able to
reduce overhead and production costs.
More employment
opportunities for mothers, differently-abled and
persons-with-disability are other positive benefits once the working
at home bill is approved into law.
ALU spokesperson Alan
Tanjusay, for his part, said the off-site arrangement is not
applicable to some industries particularly those jobs that require
operating machines, rendering frontline services and doing
agricultural work.
However, work from home is
applicable to IT, business process management, business process
outsourcing, animation, journalist, writers, transcriber, social
media management, data entry, customer service, project management,
and web designer and developer, Tanjusay said.
Local terrorist
dead, pistols recovered in Carigara, Leyte
June 20, 2018
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – A CPP-NPA Terrorist (CNT) cadre was killed in a firefight
with troops from 78th Infantry (Warrior) Battalion on Saturday
afternoon in Carigara, Leyte.
The end result of
information sharing between the communities and authorities on the
presence of the terrorists conducting extortion activities, the
operation of 78IB led to the demise of the casualty known by his
pseudonym, Santoy/Padi was a political instructor and squad leader
of Baking Squad, Apoy Platoon of the Front Committee Leyte.
Recovered during the
encounter were the following: one cal. 9mm pistol Caspian made
loaded with four bullets and one cal. 9mm Colt MK IV cal. loaded
with 8 bullets, one fragmentation grenade, subversive documents,
medical paraphernalia, half sack of rice and personal belongings of
the fleeing terrorists.
Also apprehended was Mrs.
Cristita Q. Rendora, owner of the house which was occupied by the
CNTs during the firefight. Found in her possession was a
fragmentation grenade, thus, she was later turned over to the local
PNP for proper disposition and filing of charges.
"We extend our deepest
sympathy to the families and friends of the victim. It is tragic
that they have taken-up arms against the Filipino nation when the
Filipino people understand that only through peace we can achieve
development and social justice be attained," Brig. Gen. Lope C.
Dagoy, 802nd, Brigade Commander stated.
LGBTQ+ and allies
gather for SC oral arguments on marriage equality
Press Release
June 20, 2018
QUEZON CITY – In an
historic first, the right to marry of the LGBTQ+ community may
finally be recognized by the State, just like all heterosexual
couples. Their clamor has reached the chambers of the highest
tribunal in the country.
Outside, dozens of gay
couples and their supporters gathered and held program in solidarity
with the petitioners who spoke in behalf of marriage equality
The Supreme Court (SC)
held today its first oral arguments on the Petition for Certiorari
filed by gay lawyer Jesus Falcis III and petitioner-intervenors
Reverend Crescencio Agbayani Jr. and his partner, Marlon Felipe and
Maria Arlyn Ibanez and partner.
The petition filed three
years ago was only scheduled by the high court last March 6.
The petition seeks the SC
to nullify Articles 1, and 2 of Executive Order 209 or the 1987
Family Code. Petitioners claim that it deprives homosexuals of their
right to due process, equal protection, and the right to decisional
and marital privacy.
Consequently, Falcis also
petitioned the SC to invalidate portions of Article 46 (4) and 55
(6) of the same Code that cited lesbianism or homosexuality as
grounds for annulment and legal separation.
They insists that these
provisions of the Family Code as unconstitutional, for defining and
limiting marriage as between man and woman contrary to Article XV of
the 1987 Constitution.
With the
Anti-Discrimination Bill, also known as the SOGIE Equality Bill's
legislative status listed as pending for a second committee hearing
since December 2016, leaving many among the LGBTQ+ community
surprised that the petition has taken the driver seat over the
proposed bill.
"This nonetheless
strengthened our resolve to keep on pushing what is traditionally
accepted and the legal obstacles that hinders us from being accorded
the same rights and legal protections heterosexuals enjoy and be
recognized as well for our societal contributions wherever the front
lines the struggle for equality take us," declared gender activist
and former UP student leader, Vince Liban of UP Babaylan.
Celebrities such as Boy
Abunda, Sebastian Castro, and Juan Miguel Severo have openly
endorsed the petition for marriage equality in their social media
The petition for marriage
equality may have caught the LGBTQ+ community by surprise, leaving
many skeptical on whether to support it. But for Liban, he asserted
that "this should not hinder both organized and unorganized gays
from rallying behind the petition, much more divide us. We are all
in this because the community stands to benefit from the
nullification of these backward and discriminating laws".
The program of the
supporters was highlighted by a mass wedding and renewal of vows of
LGBTQ+ couples. The ceremonies were officiated by Metropolitan
Community Church.
Among the organizations
present were LAGABLAB LGBT Network, Philippine Network of
Metropolitan Community Church (other LGBT affirming churches), LGBT
student organizations UP Babaylan, PUP Kasarianlan, BulSU Bahaghari,
Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan and Kaisa UP.
A candle-lighting ceremony
of rainbow themed candles followed after their program wrapped up as
they awaited the oral arguments to conclude by 8pm.
The #WeAreFamilyToo
campaign was not only meant to rally support for the petition but to
heighten public awareness on the discrimination and bigotry the gay
community have endured in asserting their rights to equal protection
of laws.
Wanted CNT
arrested in Kananga, Leyte
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – A joint Law Enforcement Operation of 78th Infantry
(Warrior) Battalion and the Kananga Municipal Police conducted on
June 13, 2018 resulted in the arrest of a wanted member of the
CPP-NPA Terrorist in Kananga, Leyte.
Lt. Col. Danilo I. Dupiag,
Battalion Commander of 78IB identified the CNT as Ronnie Japag y
Llosa, 30 yrs. old, a member of the Special Operations Group, Front
Committee Leyte "LEVOX" operating in the areas of Carigara, Capoocan,
Barugo, Tunga and Kananga all of Leyte Province. He was arrested
inside his residence in Brgy. Mahawan, Kananga, Leyte. Llosa was
responsible for the death of PFC Alvie F. Felix and SSg Aldie Pama.
A warrant of arrest had been issued against the suspect for
frustrated murder issued by the Regional Trial Court of Carigara.
The arrested CNT was
turned over by the arresting team to the custody of Kananga
Municipal Police Station for booking procedure and proper
Maj. Gen. Raul M. Farnacio,
Commander, 8ID lauded the troops for a job well done and urged the
CNTs to return to the fold of the law and take advantage of the
Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program of the government
in order to live peacefully and to be of help again to the
government for the development of Eastern Visayas.
GRP and NDFP
representatives agree to continue peace negotiations and to overcome
obstacles and impediments
June 20, 2018
UTRECHT, The
Netherlands – Representatives of the NDFP Negotiating Panel
headed by Chairman Fidel V. Agcaoili and representatives of the GRP
headed by GRP Negotiating Panel Member Hernani A. Braganza met in
Utrecht, The Netherlands on June 18-20, 2018. The GRP
representatives sought to explain to the NDFP the decision of the
GRP to postpone the mutually approved schedule of the formal
meetings in the peace negotiations to take place in Oslo, Norway on
June 28-30, 2018.
Representatives of the
Royal Norwegian Government (RNG), including Special Envoy Idun Tvedt,
sat in the meetings in their role as Third Party Facilitator (TPF).
The meeting could not
start on time on June 18 because the GRP team had to seek
clarification from its Principal of the statement made by GRP
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque that the Third Party
Facilitator had been dismissed. With the role of the TPF clarified,
the meeting begun in the afternoon of the first day. The NDFP side
assured the other side that the NDFP principal took note of the
clarification. The role of the TPF is of key importance while there
is need to hold formal peace negotiations in a foreign neutral venue
in compliance with the pertinent provision in the Joint Agreement on
Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG).
The NDFP team listened to
the explanation of the GRP team on the reasons for postponing the
resumption of the formal talks and agreed that the peace
negotiations continue despite the cancellation of the scheduled
formal talks in Oslo on June 28 to 30. The agreements reached in the
four rounds of informal talks in March, April, May and June 2018,
remain valid and have the effect of continuing the peace
negotiations under the direction of the principals and reaffirmation
of previous agreements. In this regard, the two sides must comply
with JASIG and its provision for a foreign neutral venue, consistent
with the general practice of warring parties to negotiate peace
outside of their country or their respective territories.
In the meantime, both
sides expressed their intention to conduct separate unilateral
consultations and in due course bilateral consultations according to
their respective needs on the premise that the GRP and NDFP
Negotiating Panels are mandated by their respective principals in
accordance with existing agreements and that the GRP and NDFP are
mutually determined to overcome obstacles and impediments to the
peace negotiations.
The NDFP side will conduct
consultations on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic
Reforms (CASER) to review the remaining outstanding issues in the
sections on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (ARRD) and
National Industrialization and Economic Development (NIED), as well
as to polish its draft on Environmental Rehabilitation and
Compensation and Upholding People's Rights in order to prepare for
the continuation of negotiations on CASER. It will also hold
unilateral consultations with its working group on Political and
Constitutional Reforms (PCR).
Finally, the two sides
expressed their commitment to protect and preserve the gains that
had been achieved in the four rounds of informal talks that produced
documents containing important agreements to move the process
The NDFP delegation
expressed its gratitude to the Royal Norwegian Government for their
invaluable and unwavering support to the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations
in their role as Third Party Facilitator.
Women's group
launches campaign against Duterte admin 'economic violence' against
June 20, 2018
Hundreds of women held protest actions at the gates of executive
department offices as the symbolic launch of a women's campaign
against the supposed widespread 'economic violence' being committed
by the Duterte administration against Filipinos and Filipino women.
The campaign followed what
cross-sectoral women's group Oriang stated as a series of
'anti-poor' and 'anti-women' pronouncements and policies issued by
the country's executive department and cabinet offices, with the
most recent of them coming from the National Economic and
Development Authority (NEDA) and the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI).
"The Duterte
administration has unraveled itself to be both 'anti-women' and
'anti-masses' with its flagrant policies and patterns of behavior
that undermine the dignity of women as persons and Filipinos'
capacity to acquire basic necessities in order to live a decent
life," said Oriang National President Flora Asiddao Santos.
She cited what she claimed
to be the President's patterns of flagrant and very publicized
misogyny coupled with the administration's series of policies, such
as the TRAIN Law and its 'legitimization' of labor
contractualization, which have not only targeted the poor while
leaving rich corporations virtually untouched, but have also
compounded on the increasing inaccessibility of basic goods and
needs to Filipinos through 'promoting' insecure jobs, low wages, and
rising prices of goods.
"Clearly, this
administration is unapologetic in violating the basic rights of
Filipino women and Filipino masses to live with decency and
dignity," said Assidao Santos.
"We thus condemn it today
for forcing every Filipino to suffer with 'empty pots and gnawing
stomachs' (kalderong walang laman, sikmurang kumakalam) and fight
back against its unbridled affront against the most marginalized in
the country," she said.
The larger campaign of
PALAG NA, a campaign against government policies on continuing high
prices, joined the action through the participation of women from
the member-organizations Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and the
Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), calling for an end
to the misogyny and 'economic abuse' being propagated hand in hand
by the administration.
"For years, the majority
of Filipinos are suffering from hunger and poverty. But instead of
alleviating the conditions of the people, this government enacted
policies like the TRAIN Law, thereby making life more unbearable for
them," said PMCJ Food, Land, Water, and Climate Change campaigner
Jinky Esguerra.
According to Freedom from
Debt Coalition Women's Committee Chairperson Malou Nuera, poor
Filipino women, especially poor Filipino mothers, are at the
intersection and stand to suffer most from rising prices and the
rising affront of the administration against women.
"The negative effects of
today's economic policies, such as increasing hunger and poverty,
are experienced by Filipino mothers tenfold as the primary
caretakers of the family and managers of domestic life," said Nuera.
"In addition to this,
despite the very significant responsibilities they fulfill as women,
Filipinas are belittled and demeaned by this administration through
its tolerance and promotion of abusive deeds and language against
women," she added.
Jointly, Oriang, FDC, and
other organizations participating in the campaign demanded an end to
the administration's 'targeting of the poor and the women.'
"The Duterte
administration, with its 'anti-poor' policies and 'anti-women'
behavior, has outright neglected the marginalized whom it had
postured to serve. We march here today as Filipina masses to voice
our outrage and to call on every Filipino to fight back against the
continuing abuses of this government," said Oriang.
Highlights of
Eastern Visayas' export and import statistics: March 2018
June 19, 2018
TACLOBAN CITY – The
region's total trade in goods in March 2018 amounted to $96.9
million, an increase of 21.6% over the value of $79.7 million
registered in the same month last year. Total exports amounted to
$77.2 million, which was 3.2% lower compared with the $79.7 million
in March 2017. Total value of imports, meanwhile, was recorded at
$19.8 million from zero imports posted in the same period last year.
region reflected a surplus in the total balance of trade in goods (BoT-G)
amounting to $57.4 million in March 2018. This is 28.0% lower
compared with the $79.7 million surplus recorded in the same period
a year ago.
The region's total volume
of exports in March 2018 was at 73.8 million kilograms.
Copper and Articles
thereof was the major commodity group exported during the month with
total revenue of $66.2 million, accounting for more than four-fifths
or 85.8% of the region's total exports revenue in March 2018.
Animal or Vegetable Fats
and Oils and their Cleavage Products; Prepared Edible Fats; Animal
or Vegetable Waxes recorded $4.0 million export revenue, which
accounted for 5.2% of the total export revenue. Fertilizers earned
an export revenue of $3.3 million or 4.2% share of the total exports
revenue. Ores, Slag and Ash exports amounted to $2.9 million, which
shared 3.7% of the total exports. Inorganic Chemicals; Organic or
Inorganic Compounds of Precious Metals, of Rare-Earth, of
Radio-Active Elements or of Isotopes, meanwhile, recorded less than
a million exports revenue ($0.8) or 1.1% of the total export
Republic of China was the top export market destination with
recorded total exports revenue of $69.4 million or 89.9% of the
region's total exports. United States of America ranked second with
$4.0 million export revenue or 5.2% of the total exports in March
2018, followed by Vietnam with $3.3 million export receipts,
accounting for 4.2% of the region's total exports. India recorded
the least exports valued at $0.5millionor 0.7% of the total exports
of the region.
The region's total imports
amounted to $19.8 million in March 2018 with total gross weight of
136.4 million kilograms.
Chemicals; Organic or Inorganic Compounds of Precious Metals, of
Rare-Earth, of Radio-Active Elements or of Isotopes commodity group
and Mineral Fuels, Mineral Oils and Products of their Distillation;
Bituminous Substances; Mineral Waxes commodity group were the major
imports during the month, both with total revenue of $5.7 million,
each accounting for 28.7% of the region's total imports in March
The next largest imported
commodity group was Salt, Sulphur, Earths and Stone; Plastering
Materials, Lime and Cement, with imports value at $4.3 million,
comprising 21.8% of the total imports in March 2018. It was followed
by Miscellaneous Chemical Products with imports value of $2.6
million, 13.2% share to the total imports of the region.
The top import supplier of
the region was Vietnam, which recorded a total imports bill of $7.8
million or almost two-fifths (39.7%) of the region's total imports.
Indonesia ranked second with $4.6 million import bill or 23.1% of
the total imports for March. Singapore ranked third with total
imports valued at $2.4 million contributing 12.2% of the total
regional imports.
Eastern Visayas
registers 95.4% employment rate in April 2018
June 18, 2018
Employment Rate (ER) in Eastern Visayas in April 2018 was estimated
at 95.4%, ranking fourth among the regions with high employment rate
in the country (Table 1). This figure is lower than the 96.2% ER
recorded in April 2017. Employment rate is the proportion of
employed persons to total labor force.
Out of the estimated 3.2
million population 15 years old and over in April 2018, about 2.0
million were economically active or in the labor force. This number
translates to a Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of 63.2%. This
figure is 1.0 percentage point lower compared with the 64.2% LFPR in
the same period a year ago. Among the regions, Eastern Visayas
registered the fourth highest LFPR.
The underemployed persons
or those employed persons who express the desire to have additional
hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to
have a new job with longer working hours was estimated at 452
thousand. This is equal to an underemployment rate of 23.8%, lower
than the 24.0% recorded in the same period last year. The region had
the third highest underemployment rate in the country.
Meanwhile, about 92
thousand persons in the labor force were unemployed. This translates
to an unemployment rate of 4.6%, higher than the 3.8% rate recorded
in April 2017. Eastern Visayas ranked fourth among the regions with
low employment rate.
Data were based on the
preliminary estimates released by the Philippine Statistics
Authority from the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted in April 2018.
Eastern Visayas'
inflation rate up by 5.8% in May
TACLOBAN CITY – The
annual Inflation Rate (IR) of Eastern Visayas went up by 5.8% in May
2018. This IR was 0.4 percentage point higher compared with the 5.4
percent IR a month ago, and 2.2 percentage points higher than the
recorded 3.6 percent IR in the same period last year. The regional
inflation rate was 1.2 percentage points higher than the 4.6 percent
national average in May.
Four provinces in the
region – Biliran, Leyte, Samar and Southern Leyte posted higher
inflation rates in May with 1.2 percentage points, 0.1 percentage
point, 0.5 percentage point, and 0.6 percentage point increases,
respectively, compared with their figures in the previous month. On
the other hand, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar registered 0.3
percentage point and 0.1 percentage point decreases in IR,
respectively. Samar registered the highest IR at 7.5 percent, while
Southern Leyte posted the lowest IR at 1.3 percent (Table 1).
By major commodity groups,
Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels posted the highest
percent change in IR at 1.0 percentage point from April to May. Food
and Non-Alcoholic Beverages followed at 0.4 percentage point.
Annual price changes in
Transport, Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Health and Education
decreased from 3.6% in April to 3.5% in May.
Communication recorded
zero inflation rate during the reference month, while Restaurant and
Miscellaneous Goods and Services retained its previous month's rate
of 1.6%.
The Purchasing Power of
Peso (PPP) of the region was recorded at P0.81 in May 2018. This is
weaker compared with the P0.82 PPP registered in the previous month.
This PPP implies that goods and services worth 100 pesos in May 2018
only costs 81 pesos in 2012.
Biliran and Samar
registered a 0.01 centavo decrease in the PPP compared with their
figures in April. The rest of the provinces had sustained their PPP
from last month. Leyte and Southern Leyte recorded the strongest PPP
at P0.84. Biliran ranked second at P0.81, followed by Eastern Samar
at P0.80 and Northern Samar at P0.77. Samar, meanwhile, posted the
weakest PPP at P0.76. (Table 1).
241 Candidate
Soldiers took their oath
June 16, 2018
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – The Candidate Soldier Course Class 552 & 553-2018
composed of 241 new aspirants was officially opened at Headquarters
8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army, Brgy Maulong,
Catbalogan City, Samar with Maj. Gen. Raul M. Farnacio AFP,
Commander as the Keynote Speaker, this morning.
The majority of the new
selected batch of Candidate Soldiers came from Samar and Leyte
provinces. On their educational profile, one is license
professional; 51 of them are college graduates; 121 are college
level and 68 are high school graduates with skills training from
They will be honed for the
duration of four months in basic military training and tactics and
will serve as additional soldiers that will beef-up the personnel
strength of the Stormtroopers Division.
Maj. Gen. Raul M Farnacio
in his message, "To the 241 physically and mentally strong Candidate
Soldiers, muli kong pinapaalala na ngayong araw ang hudyat at simula
ng panibagong yugto ng inyong buhay. Sa inyong desisyon na pumasok
sa pagsusundalo, gabayan nawa kayo palagi ng Poong Maykapal. Huwag
ninyong bibiguin ang inyong mga magulang at lahat ng taong
nagmamahal at nagtitiwala sa inyo at umaasa na mapagtatagumpayan
ninyo ang hirap na ito. Kaya ninyong malagpasan ang lahat ng
pagsubok. Tiwala sa sarili, positibong asal at pag-iisip ang inyong
magiging puhunan at sandigan. Higit sa lahat, huwag na huwag ninyong
kakalimutan ang pagtawag sa Panginoon para sa gabay at patnubay. 241
kayong nagsimula, hangad ko na 241 din kayong magtatapos at maging
karapat dapat na tawaging STORMTROOPERS."
Immediately after the
program Enlistment Clothing Allowance were distributed to our new
recruits, the Army ensures that they have already their needed
equipment upon the start of their training.
Soldier pays the
ultimate sacrifice while on community service
June 15, 2018
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan
City – The people of Northern Samar strongly condemns the
terroristic attack of CPP-NPA at Brgy. Senonogan De Tubang, Silvino
Lobos, Northern Samar on June 14, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. while the troops
of 20th Infantry (We Lead) Battalion was conducting Community
Support Program that resulted to the loss of life of Private Jay C.
Aranzado (Inf) PA.
The fatality, Private
Aranzado is 21 years old and is a resident of Brgy Molopolo,
Macrohon, Southern Leyte who had a great passion to serve his fellow
Visayans in Northern Samar. He just graduated from Candidate Soldier
Class 463-2017. Sadly, because of blind ideologies of the said
terrorists, his life ended.
Major General Raul M.
Farnacio, Commander of the 8th Infantry Division, instructed the
troops to be more cautious while on duty and he also directed Lt.
Col. Noli F. Lapizar, Commanding Officer, 20IB in coordination with
other military units in the area to press on the pursuit operations
to put an end to the terroristic activities of CNTs against our
people within our Area of Operations.
"We extend our deepest
sympathies to the family and friends of Private Aranzado. He died
protecting the people of Northern Samar in pursuit of peace and
development." Farnacio added.
P. Adongay Jr. District Engineer of Biliran District
Engineering Office inspects on-going construction of
drainage along Naval-Caibiran Cross Country Road (NCCCR),
Naval, Biliran on May 31, 2018. This project is target to be
completed on September 2, 2018.
DEO's updates on 2018 project status
Press Release
June 13, 2018
NAVAL, Biliran –
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) –Biliran District
Engineering Office (DEO) continues progress for its 2018 project
implementation. As of May 31, 2018, the office has a total actual
accomplishment of 25.01% with a positive slippage of 0.39%.
P1.6B has been allotted to
Biliran DEO for the implementation of 60 infrastructure projects
based on the 2018 General Appropriation Act (GAA). Out of the 60
projects, 36 are on-going, six are completed and 18 are up for
David P. Adongay Jr.,
District Engineer accounted the delay of projects due to the damages
caused by tropical storm Urduja on December, 2017 resulting
inaccessibility to project sites.
Under preliminary and
detailed engineering activities, Engr. Rosario B. Rosete, Chief of
the Planning and Design Section reported that 57 were already
completed while only three are on-going with an accomplishment
96.54% as of May 31, 2018.
The purpose of preliminary
engineering is to gather the necessary data from the field as basis
in the preparation of plans. Activities under this phase includes
surveying, designing and programming.
For pre-construction
phase, out of the 60 projects, 49 are completed, eight are on-going
and three are Not-Yet-Started (NYS) with an accomplishment of 77.98%
as of May 31, 2018.
The district had already
advertised 57 and successfully bid out 56 out of 60 projects under
The office continues to
monitor and fast tracks these projects in order to deliver a safe
and quality assured infrastructures that will be beneficial to the
Regional Director Sheila Enciso (4th from left), Assistant
Regional Directors Ma Fe Malinao (4th from right) and Ismael
Aya-ay (3rd from left) cut the ceremonial ribbon to formally
open the mini-agraryo trade fair at the DAR Regional Office
compound. With them are DAR provincial officials (from left)
Teresita Alde (PARPO-I, Eastern Samar), Gilberto Apilado (PARPO-II,
Eastern Samar), Renato Badilla (PARPO-II, Leyte), Paulina
Canales (PARPO-I, Leyte) and Elisea Orapa (PARPO-II,
Southern Leyte.
DAR commemorates
30 years of CARP, opens agraryo-trade fair
June 13, 2018
mini-agraryo-trade fair was opened on Monday morning at the
Department of Agrarian Reform Regional Office compound in this city
as the said agency started a four-day celebration in commemoration
of the 30 years of implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP) in the county.
The trade fair highlights
the celebration showcasing the growth of the agrarian reform
beneficiaries (ARBs) from ordinary tillers to enterprising ARB
organizations (ARBOs).
All five DAR provincial
offices in Eastern Visayas were provided a booth for ARBOs products
ranging from agricultural to handicrafts and processed foods.
Regional Director Sheila
Enciso disclosed that DAR has provided more than 219,000 ARBs
throughout the region with certificates of land-ownership award (CLOAs),
while more than 413 ARBOs were organized into associations or
cooperatives during the 30 years of CARP implementation.
Meanwhile, Assistant
Regional Director for Program Beneficiaries Development (PBD) Ismael
Aya-ay likewise disclosed that DAR has provided ARBs through the
years with various support services such as infrastructures, common
service facilities, trainings and facilitate too in availing of
credit assistance.
He further disclosed that
four processed food products produced by ARBOs in Leyte, Samar and
Eastern Samar can now be sold on a larger scale after obtaining
recently a license to operate from the Food and Drug Administration
These are: "Banana Chips"
by Omaganhan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Tabango, Leyte;
"Imbotido" by LIBERCON Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Hilongos, Leyte;
"Pancit Canton" (squash and malunggay flavors) produced by San Roque
Farmers Association in Daram, Samar; and "Cassava Chips" (sweet
blend and garlic flavors) by ESEP ARC Cooperative in Salcedo,
Eastern Samar.
On June 10, 1988, then
President Corazon Aquino signed Republic Act No. 6657, otherwise
known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL) to look after
the welfare of the landless farmers and farmworkers to receive the
highest consideration to promote social justice and to move the
nation towards sound rural development and industrialization.
To commemorate the 30
years of implementation, DAR-8 kicked-off the four-day celebration
thru a motorcade around the city on Monday morning and will end on
Thursday by recognizing the support and contribution of various
government agencies and non-government organizations during the past
three decades.
This year's celebration
theme is "CARP@30: DARe2change Pagbabalik tanaw sa 3 dekada ng
repormang agraryo patungo sa ikalawang yugto ng pagbabago".
of Biliran Circumferential Road (Brgy. Pulang Bato Section)
is on-going with 70% accomplishment as of May 31, 2018 along
with the other sections in Bilwang - Burabod, Mapuyo and
Kaulanguhan. This project has a contract amount of P125M
under 2017 implementation. It is target to be completed on
June 30, 2018.
DEO's 2017 projects is on-going with 74.16% accomplishment
NAVAL, Biliran –
David P. Adongay Jr., District Engineer of Biliran District
Engineering Office is rushing for the completion of on-going 2017
As of May 31, 2018, the
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)- Biliran District
Engineering Office has an accomplishment of 74.16% for 57 total
projects under year 2017 infrastructure program.
Out of the 57 projects, 52
are completed while five projects with an allocation of P50M and
above are still on-going.
Spilled-over projects of
2017 includes widening projects, rehabilitation of access road
leading to Naval port, and Rehabilitations of Slope Protection
Having a negative slippage
of 5.73% as of May 31, 2018, Adongay orders project engineers to
closely monitor on the projects for fast completion.
"Hindi ibig sabihin na
pag'pinabibilis natin ang trabaho ay dapat ma compromise ang quality
ng project, dapat nandoon pa rin yung quality," Adongay said.
Meanwhile, Adongay informs
that starting 2019, the department will be implementing a
"cash-based appropriation" policy. This means that contractors'
payment can only be done within a 15-month period.
"From the year the project
was implemented and completed, contracts delivered at the end of the
year can be paid during the 3-month Extended Payment Period (EPP) or
from month of January to March only of the following year," Adongay
said. This is in contrast from the present policy of the DPWH which
is the "obligation-based appropriations" wherein the inspection,
verification, and payment for contractors will run 24 months and
"This year 2018 is the
transition period for contractors to be cognizant of the shift," he
According to Adongay, the
shift will ensure that agencies will focus on executing the budget
of the current year and not from prior years. This is part of
President Rodrigo Dutere's Build, Build, and Build Program.
On the
rehabilitation of Boracay
June 13, 2018
MANILA – The
National Democratic Front of the Philippines Reciprocal Working
Committee on Social and Economic Reforms (NDFP RWC-SER) said the
Government of the Philippines (GRP) promise to carry out agrarian
reform program in Boracay must start with free land distribution to
farmers and indigenous people in the island.
The free land distribution
component of a new agrarian reform program was agreed by both the
NDFP and GRP at the RWCs-SER in the previous rounds of the peace
After free land
distribution, Boracay farmers should be given sufficient support
services ranging from short to long-term assistance to aid them in
developing and making the land productive for the local and national
economy, the NDFP RWC-SER said, in response to President Duterte's
remark that Boracay natives should sell their lands to big
Agrarian reform imbued
with the spirit of social justice, indigenous peoples' rights, and
working people's rights is the Filipino people's demand. We
challenge the GRP to fast track the negotiations on CASER as when we
resume formal talks this month, said Julie de Lima, chairperson of
the NDFP RWC-SER.
Both parties must iron out
the few remaining contentious issues and come out with a common
draft for the Agrarian reform and Rural Development (ARRD) and
National Industrialization and Economic Development (NIED) of the
Comprehensive Agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms (CASER)," De Lima
She added that the Boracay
case falls squarely within the ambit of agrarian reform and rural
development because the GRP itself has classified a big bulk of
lands at issue either as agricultural or suitable for agriculture.
A new and truly
redistributive land reform program is necessary, as it would pave
the way for a truly just and equitable agrarian reform to benefit
the most qualified beneficiaries in Boracay "those who are actually
tilling the land, or ready to till it, or to work the land in other
productive ways such as agro-forestry, fishery, small-scale food
processing, and the like. The Ati community, including those that
have been displaced but willing to return, should be given priority.
De Lima also stated that the issue of environmental justice must be
served in implementing an agrarian reform program in Boracay.
In the last four decades,
the environmental situation of Boracay has immensely deteriorated.
The GRP agencies' aggressive and obsessive drive for tourist
revenues has resulted in grievous human rights violations such as
the displacement of its original occupants, the Ati community,
including the killing of tribal leader Dexter Condez.
De Lima noted that there
are various applicable provisions in the NDFP's CASER draft that the
GRP may find enlightening. The rehabilitation of Boracay can, in
fact, serve as a testing ground for the provisions of a signed
agreement on agrarian reform and rural development.
NUSP: Limited
slots, fees collection hound first year of free education
QUEZON CITY – The
National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), a nationwide
alliance of student councils, condemns the Duterte administration's
maneuvers to limit the beneficiaries of free higher education.
Limited slots, facilities
in public schools
"Not all Filipino youth
will benefit from free education because government policy pushes
state universities and colleges (SUCs) to limit the slots available
for enrollees. Worse, the Duterte administration does not intend to
improve campus facilities so that more students can be
accommodated," said NUSP National Spokesperson Mark VIncent Lim.
In Bulacan State
University, the country's third largest SUC, only 10,000 out of the
22,000 students who took the entrance exam will be accepted.
Students and their parents have trooped into student council offices
to seek for help regarding admission.
Last June 4, Cagayan State
University (CSU) released the result of its college admission test
held simultaneously in different campuses, and only about 4,750 out
of 10,523 takers will be admitted by the school. Students took to
the internet their grievances against the low passing rate in the
said exam.
An official of CSU said
that the "tough" entrance exam is required by law. "The government's
reluctance to provide free education has led school administrators
to impose stricter admission rules and reduce the number of
beneficiaries of free education. Instead of pitting students against
each other over the limited number of slots, the government must
ensure access to free education by as many students as possible,"
said Lim.
Tuition, fees collection
continue in several LUCs
NUSP also criticizes
continued collection of fees amid the free education law. According
to Lim, the collection of tuition and other school fees (OSF) from
students of local universities and colleges (LUCs) persist as only
78 of the 107 LUCs nationwide are providing free higher education
for A.Y. 2018-2019. "Many students still have to suffer from paying
exorbitant and dubious fees amidst the clamor of the youth that the
government immediately provide free education for all," said Lim.
In Metro Manila, students
enrolled in only two (2) LUCs – Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM)
and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Muntinlupa (PLMun) – out of 16 in the
region will be granted free education. This means that thousands of
students in LUCs still have to pay OSF this academic year. In the
case of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Marikina (PLMar), students who live
outside Marikina City are charged P17,000 upon enrollment.
Return Service System
Students who benefit from
free higher education are required to undergo a Return Service
System (RSS) wherein they are required to render pro bono service to
the university through student assistantship or socio-civic
"Free higher education is
a right and a state obligation. It should be provided without
preconditions. The government cannot understand that education must
already be free and must not be paid anymore. The RSS serves as
payment for the 'free education' that students are supposed to enjoy
by this time," said Lim.
"As an income-generating
scheme, RSS is compulsory such that students who will opt out of the
RSS will be forced to pay full tuition and OSF. As a cost-cutting
measure, RSS will give universities additional workforce from
students who will render unpaid, forced labor. In several schools,
free education beneficiaries must serve as student assistants in
offices or libraries," added Lim.
Rise for education
"Apparently, the fight for
free education for all continues. We call on the Duterte
administration to backpedal on neoliberal policies on education that
have kept millions of Filipinos out of school, and to fulfill its
constitutional obligation to ensure that quality education is
accessible at all levels," said Lim.
"On June 19, education
advocates – students, parents, teachers, administrators,
personalities, and public officials – will gather at the Rise for
Education National Summit in UP Diliman to discuss the updates and
prospects of our education campaign and to forge our plan of
actions," he ended.
Copy-Paste: A bad practice in OPTs
June 11, 2018
Copy-paste. This was the issue found and concern aired by the
Municipal Nutrition Action Officers (MNAOs) of Babatngon and
Capoocan, both of Leyte province, to media during the 2-day Media
Caravan conducted on June 7-8, 2018 by the Harmonized Initiative of
Media for the Spread of Good Nutrition in Region 8 (HIMSOG-8), a
media arm of the National Nutrition Council 8.
"We do not believe that we
are in the top rank of a municipality with a high prevalence of
malnutrition in the region. We see the 'copy-paste' practice of some
of our BNSs (Barangay Nutrition Scholars) as the culprit of this
erroneous result in the OPT (Operation Timbang)", lamented the MNAOs
during the open forum of the media visit.
The MNAOs argued that some
of their BNSs, because of the urgency to submit their Barangay OPT
result before the deadline, tend to copy the previous year's OPT
result, consequently providing a wrong data entry with a higher rate
of malnutrition.
When media asked that they
should tell their BNS to conduct the weighing and growth monitoring
activity with diligence, they claim that still some of their BNSs
needs more training to perform the task well. Capoocan MNAO admitted
that it is hard for her to demand better performance to her BNSs
because they only received a minimal amount of P100-P300 a month
honorarium from their barangay, and that her municipality cannot
provide them additional pay.
In the 2017 Prevalence of
Malnutrition result, Babatngon and Capoocan ranked 1 and 2 in the
prevalence of stunting rate, ranked 29 and 92 in the prevalence of
wasted and severely wasted, ranked 1 and 98 in the prevalence of
underweight and severely underweight, and ranked 25 and 6 in the
prevalence of overweight and obesity, all respectively from out of
134 municipalities in the region.
The HIMSOG-8 media caravan
is an annual activity of the regional media group to visit selected
municipalities in the region whose aim is to encourage LGUs to
invest more and enhance its programs on nutrition. It is also a
forum where issues of concern are discussed in detail, resolved or
referred to the concerned office or officials for an immediate
This year's caravan
centers more on eight (8) nutritionally depressed municipalities in
the region.
DPWH PIOs combat
fake news
June 11, 2018
CALBAYOG CITY – In
response to the proliferation of fake news, DPWH Public Information
Officers (PIOs) from all over Region VIII tackle countermeasures and
new media during their 2nd quarterly meeting cum workshop in
Borongan City, Eastern Samar on June 7-8, 2018.
Besides from the usual
news prints and radio broadcasts, there's a new media that is
changing the way people across the world are entertained and consume
information. These are blogs, virtual reality, online newspapers,
digital games and the most popular, social media.
With more than 4 billion people using the internet for an average of
6 hours per day, going digital has become an essential part of
everyday life for most. Unfortunately, this is also how fake news
easily spreads.
Two years ago, "fake news" was not a term many people used but as of
today, is seen as a threat. "Fake news is actually disinformation
wherein the information is false and the person who is disseminating
it knows it is false" said Mr. Randy Columbres, PIO staff of DPWH-Regional
Office. It is an intentional lie.
As part of the strategy, PIOs are tasked to curate content in the
dissemination of information. Curated content is searchable,
reader-friendly, and potentially engaging because it showcases
variety of thoughts and ideas melded into a central platform.
In this way, misinformation and disinformation will be avoided and
it will safeguard the truth.
Traffic survey:
aid for better road design
June 11, 2018
CALBAYOG CITY – The
Department of Public Works and Highways -Samar First District
Engineering Office with the Regional Office No. 8 - Road Traffic
Information Applications (RTIA) Coordinator conducted the Annual
Axle Load Survey along Daang Maharlika in Brgy. Cagsalaosao,
Calbayog City. The survey period started from June 3 to 9, 2018.
Axle load is the total
weight transmitted to the road by wheels connected to the axle of a
vehicle. The axle load survey establishes load distribution and
accurate forecast on traffic loading that a road will have to carry
over its entire design life.
Traffic flow in the
above-mentioned road section was normal as the load axle survey uses
a new weighing motion scale allowing loaded trucks to be weighed
without disrupting the motorists using the same road section.
A loaded truck rolls on
the weighing scale while the attached monitor records the truck's
gross weight and axle load. The survey team also takes note of the
truck's plate number, number of seats, and load capacity.
The raw data collected
will be submitted to the Regional Office for consolidation. Then,
the consolidated data will be sent to the Central Office to
determine the average axle load. If the average axle load is
determined to be higher than established parameters, the thickness
of the pavement will be revised to accommodate the change in axle
load experience by the road.
Currently, the nationwide
standard of thickness for pavement design is 28 centimeters.
"With Calbayog City's
recent economic developments, the infrastructure needs to keep up.
This survey comes at an opportune time as it will help us design and
build better roads for the public," said District Engineer Alvin
handlers/operators and fisherfolks participate in the Basic
Safety Training for MBHOF conducted by NMP in cooperation
with PCG, MARINA and the LGU of Abuyog, Leyte.
156 motorboat
handlers /operators /fisherfolks receive free training from NMP
Press Release
June 8, 2018
TACLOBAN CITY – The
National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), as part of its poverty-free
zone program thrust, conducted for free, the Basic Safety Training
for Motorboat Handlers /Operators /Fisher folks with Typhoon
Preparedness (MBHOF) to one hundred fifty-six (156) motorboat
handlers /operators /fisher folk's participants on 04-05 June 2018
at the Judgebar Restobar, Victory, Abuyog, Leyte. The training was
held in partnership with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the
Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) Regional Office VIII.
The training was conducted
taking in cognizant of the fact that maritime incidents and loss of
lives are sometimes attributed to accidents involving marginalized
vessels and motorboats, thus, the NMP, PCG, MARINA R.O VIII, and the
local government of Abuyog realized the need to optimize its
resources and harmonize its efforts to enhance the basic safety
skills of the residents of Abuyog – motorboat handlers /operators
and fisher folks to promote safety of life at sea.
The Basic Safety Training
for MBHOF is aimed at improving the basic safety skills of local
motorboat operators and fisher folks and expose them to new
techniques in Personal Survival, Fire Prevention and Firefighting,
Elementary First Aid and Personal Safety and Social Responsibility.
Other salient topics are Rules of the Road, Typhoon Awareness and
Marine Safety Requirements.
This was the first batch
of graduates produced by NMP on MBHOF this year. Coordination with
other LGUs in the region is currently being made for possible
collaboration, thereby expanding the reach of beneficiaries for this
The MBHOF training is in
conformity with the NMP Course Plan as approved by the Board of
Trustees on 19 March 2007.
Meanwhile, NMP continues
to upgrade its facilities and provide maritime trainings required
pursuant to the Standards of Training, Certification, and
Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) Convention as amended in 2010
including value-adding courses towards improving the qualifications
of Filipino seafarers for their employment acceptability and
enhanced competitiveness.
Those interested to take
NMP training programs may visit the NMP website (www.nm.gov.ph) and
its facebook page (www.facebook.com/nmptrainingcenter) where all
related information on NMP trainings are available.
Bridge along Biliran-Naval Road Section, Brgy. San Isidro,
Biliran, DPWH Biliran District Engineering Office (DEO) is
now preparing for the Program of Works (POW) for the
restoration not only of the Santol Bridge Abutment but also
of other bridges with damaged approaches and slope
P64.9M fund
allocated for the repair of damaged national roads and bridges in
Biliran caused by typhoon Urduja
Press Release
June 6, 2018
NAVAL, Biliran –
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)- Biliran District
Engineering Office (DEO) received P64.9M to repair/restore damaged
national roads and bridges in the province caused by typhoon Urduja.
David P. Adongay Jr.,
District Engineer said that the budget will be charged against the
Disaster-Related and Emergency Rehabilitation Fund including
National Bridges under the year 2018 General Appropriation Act (GAA),
Republic Act (R.A) 10964.
"P49.1M is allocated for
the repair/ restoration of 12 Bridge abutments and P15.8M for the
repair/ restoration of six slope protections along the national
road," said Adongay.
Biliran is one of the
severely hit areas in Eastern Visayas Region during the onslaught of
tropical storm Urduja on December 15-16, 2017 due to landslides and
According to Adongay,
preparation of Program of Works (POW) and Plans for the repair of
said typhoon-damaged infrastructures is now on-going.
Slope Protection Structure
subject for repair/ restoration are located at Sitio Cabradilla,
Brgy. Bato, Biliran, Biliran along Biliran Circumferential Road (BCR);
Slope protection along BCR, Brgy. Bato, Biliran, Biliran; Slope
Protection along Naval-Caibiran Cross Country Road (NCCR)
Cabadiangan Detour, Naval, Biliran; Slope Protection along NCCR,
Macalpe, Brgy. Cabibihan, Caibiran, Biliran; and two Slope
protections along BCR, Mokalbukal, Catmon, Naval, Biliran.
Subject for the repair/
restoration of bridge abutments are the Santol Bridge, Moog Bridge,
and Busali Bridge at Biliran, Biliran; Mapuyo Bridge, Madao Bridge,
Ungali Bridge and Tucdao Bridge at Kawayan, Biliran; Mapula Bridge
and Mainit Bridge at Caibiran, Biliran, Talibong Bridge and Balaquid
Bridge at Cabucgayan, Biliran and Bagongbong Bridge at Almeria,
Adongay revealed that
construction for the new CarayCaray Bridge and Catmon Bridge at
Naval, Biliran will be included in the district's 2019 project
It can be recalled that
said bridges were badly damaged during the onslaught of typhoon
Urduja. These are among the major bridges that connects the province
to mainland Leyte.
The Province of Biliran is
one of the country's smallest provinces with a land area of 536
square kilometers and a population of 171,612 as of 2015. Formerly a
sub-province of Leyte, it became an independent province in 1992.
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text:
Here are some class notes on these.
Here are some class notes on these.
thumbnails from the tiny sketchbook
From roving watercolor class today. I started with a bit of green at about the middle of my page and worked my way from there, one thing to the next. Below are a few of our sketches which I thought came out beautifully. The challenge is screening out the cacophony of information to see the whole, but express it through the parts…as always I am grateful to the intrepid participants for dealing with unexpected parking challenges. It was a gorgeous day, breezy under the trees and we were serenaded by Robbins . Once again I noticed what feels phenomenal-that the longer I sat sketching and looking at things, the more interested I became in them and the more affection I felt for them, the more I enjoyed myself. this is a screenshot from an app I am very god of called "WeCroak".
quick, on-the-spot sketches from this week's watercolor class at Loominous Rugs in Providence, RI
Looking through the former Paper Nautilus bookstore which is now a construction site, and into the old garden. (-Paper Nautilus is now at 19 South Angell St.)
in the tiny sketchbook (I included my thumb for scale). With the New York Review of Books on top. (That one always makes such a satisfying shape.)

subset: commoncrawl