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--Fishermen who lost their source of income and up-keep in the aftermath of super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in the municipalities of Guiuan and Salcedo, in Eastern Samar, will receive bancas from Kabuhayan Para sa Kaun-laran (KAISA), a non-government organization, funded by the Chinese-Filipino community on Tuesday.

KAISA project coordinator Annabel Chua Lim said the project dubbed as “Bangkabuhayan” will distribute 25 fishing boats and implements in Salcedo and another 25 for Guiuan.

Teresita Ang See, chairman of KAISA will lead the turn-over ceremonies.

Lim said that this is just an initial support to the fisher-folks of Eastern Samar and Samar.

Sometime in August another 50 bancas will be turned over to Marabut, Samar and Giporlos, Eastern Samar.

-- The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing PHP298.44-million grant for the repair the Gui-uan Meteorological Radar System in Eastern Samar that was badly damaged by last year’s super typhoon.

The fresh grant will be used to replace equipment to make the doppler radar functional late next year.

“Presently, we are on the process of procuring equip-ment. Crafting will follow, which takes longer. Installation will be done on January 2015,” said Nakamura Hayato, JI-CA’s project formulation adviser on disaster management.

The ¥ 700 million or roughly PHP298.44-million fund is a component of JICA’s USD 46 million grant for the rebuild-ing of Yolanda-hit areas. Japanese experts completed the site assessment December last year, few weeks after the typhoon struck.

The reconstructed radar system is expected to start send-ing data to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) by Sep-tember 2015.

Guiuan, the first town where the storm made its first landfall on November 8, was chosen as the location of the radar project in 2009 as it faces the Pacific Ocean.

JICA gives P298-M for Guiuan radar system

NGO sets turnover of 50 fishingbancas to Eastern Samar towns

KAISA went to several municipalities in Yolanda disas-ter-hit provinces of Iloilo, Palawan and Leyte to distribute relief goods as well as tools and construction materials for repairs of houses and school buildings.

It is also during their relief distribution that KAISA made an assessment of the livelihood support it can give to the affected community.

Last March and April, KAISA turned-over 100 bancas in the municipality of Ajuy, Iloilo.

The “Bangkabuhayan” project is aimed to restore the capability of the affected fishermen to earn a living. Taking from the saying “Give man a fish and he eats for a day, but teach a man to fish, he will eat for a lifetime.”

As Tacloban is slowly making its way towards recovery, job op-portunities are not far behind. Series of job fairs have been held in the city providing pos-sible employment for workers who were displaced as an aftermath of Yolanda’s wrath.(LITO A. BAGU-NAS)

The Eastern Visayas Federation for Information Technology (EVFIT) Committee is proposing a P13.23 million rehabilita-tion project to restore the region’s shattered ICT industry in the next three years.

EVFIT chairman Edgardo Esperancilla, regional director of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), said they are lobbying for the inclusion of the region’s proposed ICT res-toration activities in the livelihood cluster rehabilitation funds.

“About 5,000 people working in the local ICT industry have lost their jobs due to damaged infrastructure. The impact of su-per typhoon Yolanda is a setback to our long-term plan to dou-ble the number of people employed in ICT,” Esperancilla told Leyte Samar Daily Express.

The region has more than a thousand workers in Expert Global Solutions (EGS), a call center firm with site in the Leyte ICT Park in Palo, Leyte.

There are about 4,000 people involved in non-voice business process outsourcing and online-based ICT jobs. EGS has not yet announced reopening plans.

“The ICT industry suffered a lot of losses due to damaged in-frastructure and unstable internet connectivity. The immediate needs are to repair buildings and restore internet speed, which

P13.23 million proposed to rehab ICT industry of

Eastern Visayas

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THANKSGIVING. The city government staged a rather low key fiesta celebration of Tacloban as a sign of respect to the victims of super typhoon Yolanda. Pictures shown on this page have dancers participating the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals and Sangyaw Festival dance their way giving homage to Senior Santo Niño. (LITO A. BAGUNAS)

NEWS2 Easter Samar Bulletin

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

EIGHTH (8TH) JUDI-CIAL REGION

CITY OF BORONGAN, EASTERN SAMAR

BRANCH 2IN THE MATTER OF CORRECTION

OF ENTRIES IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE

BIRTH OF JOEY A. ORTIGUESA,

JOEY A. ORTIGUESA,Petitioner,-versus-

THE CITY CIVIL REG-ISTRAR OF BORON-GAN CITY, EASTERN

SAMARRespondent,

SP. PROC. CASE NO. 164-14

x- - - - - - - - - - -xORDER

This is a verified amended petition for correction of en-tries in the record of birth filed by petitioner Joey A. Ortiguesa, through counsel. The petition-er alleged, among others, that there are several errors in the Certificate of live birth of the petitioner. His date of birth found in entry no. 3 is written as 30th May 1977 instead of 30th May 1975. In entry no. 6, the space allotted to moth-er’s maiden name, the entry is Pedro T. Ortiguesa instead of Filomena Rivera Agravante. Likewise in entry no. 9, the space allotted for the name of father, the entry is Filomena R. Agravante instead of Pedro Tomenio Ortiguesa; in entry no. 14, space for informant, the name in print is Filomena R. Agravante instead of Filomena R. Agravante-Ortiguesa; and the date of marriage of peti-tioner’s parents was entered as September 9, 1971 instead of September 11, 1971. The peti-tioner, therefore, prayed that

after due notice and hearing, a decision be rendered declar-ing that: (1) The petitioner was born on May 30, 1975; (2) the maiden name of petitioner’s mother is Filomena Rivera Agravante; (3) The complete name of petitioner’s father is Pedro Tomenio Ortiguesa; (4) The date of marriage of the parents of the petitioner is September 11, 1971; and (5) in item no. 14, the name in print of the informant is Filomena R. Agravante-Ortiguesa.

Finding the petition to be in due form and substance, set this case for hearing on October 8, 2014 at 9:00 in the morning, at the Session Hall of this Court. Any person having or claiming any interest under the entries in the record of birth the corrections of which are being sought may, within fifteen (15) days from notice of the petition or from the last date of publication of this Order, file his/her opposition thereto.

Let a copy of this Order

be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circu-lation and duly accredited to publish judicial or legal notic-es in the province of Eastern Samar at the expense of the petitioners.

Send a copy of this Or-der, together with a copy of the petition, to the Office of the Solicitor General, 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City and to the Local Civil Registrar of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, the Civil Registrar General, National Statistic Office, Manila and to the petitioner and his counsel.

SO ORDERED, In Chambers.

Borongan City, East-ern Samar

11 June 2014.(Sgd.) NATHANIEL E.

BALDONOPresiding Judge

ESB: June 15-21, 22-28, June 29- July 05, 2014

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

EIGHT (8TH) JUDI-CIAL REGION

CITY OF BORONGAN, EASTERN SAMAR

BRANCH 2IN THE MATTER OF JUDICIAL DECLARA-TION AS L.C. LASSIT-ER AND NOT JIMMY L.C. LASSITER THE REAL AND COM-

PLETE NAME OF THE PUTATIVE FATHER

OF THE HEREIN PETI-TIONER AND DECLA-RATION THAT JAIME

C. LASSITER AND JIMMY C. LASSITER IS ONE AND THE SAME

PERSONJAIME C. LASSITER,

Petitioner,SP. PROC. CASE NO.

165-14x- - - - - - - - - - - -

ORDERThis is a verified petition

for judicial declaration as L.C. Lassiter and not Jimmy L.C. Lassiter the real and complete name of the putative father of the herein petitioner and decla-ration that Jaime C. Lassiter and Jimmy C. Lassiter is one and the same person; filed by petitioner Jaime C. Lassiter through coun-sel. The petition alleged, among others, that sometime in 2004, the herein petitioner filed an

Special Proceeding case for Ju-dicial Declaration as Acknowl-edged Natural Child, docketed as SPL. Proc. Case No. 3887; that the petitioner made a mis-take in alleging in the petition that his putative father was Jim-my L.C. Lassiter since the real name of his putative father was actually L.C. Lassiter as indicat-ed in the Death Certificate of L.C. Lassiter (Annex “A”) and Enlisted Record and Report of Separation (Annex “B”); that a decision dated November 12, 2004 was issued by then Pre-siding Judge Arnulfo O. Bugtas favorably granting the petition filed by the petitioner; that said decision does not accurately and completely pronounce the complete name of the putative father of the petitioner since the complete name of the for-mer is only L.C. Lassiter and not Jimmy L.C. Lassiter; that this inaccuracy has proved difficulty on the part of the petitioner to prove the name of his father before American Embassy and in connecting his filial relationship to L.C. Las-siter, the petitioner’s putative father; that further, it is likewise prayed and requested that it be established and indicated in the decision, to avoid confusion and doubt that JAIME CAT-ALO LASSITER and JIMMY CATALO LASSITER is one and the same person. The petition-er, therefore, prayed that, after due proceedings, an order be issued judicially establishing as fact that the putative father of the herein petitioner is L.C. LASSITER and further be it

established as a fact that JAIME CATALO LASSITER and JIM-MY CATALO LASSITER is one and the same person.

Finding the petition to be in due form and substance, set this case for hearing on October 9, 2014 at 9:00 o’clock in the morn-ing, at the Session Hall of this Court. Any person having or claiming any interest under the corrections/modifications being sought may, within fifteen (15) days from notice of the petition or from the last date of publica-tion of this Order, file his/her opposition thereto.

Let a copy of this Order be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks in a news-paper of general circulation and duly accredited to publish judicial or legal notices in the province of Eastern Samar at the expense of the petitioner.

Send a copy of this Order, together with a copy of the pe-tition, to the Office of the So-licitor General, 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City and to the City Civil Registrar of Manila, the Civil Registrar Gen-eral, National Statistics Office, Manila and to the petitioner and his counsel,

SO ORDERED, In Chambers.

Borongan City, East-ern Samar,

13 June 2014.(Sgd.) NATHANIEL E.

BALDONOPresiding Judge

ESB: June 15-21, 22-28, June 29- July 05, 2014

JUNE 29- JULY 05, 2014

The national government will embark on a P2 billion modernization of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in the next two years, after it was dam-aged due to supertyphoon Yolanda.

The entire facility will be transferred to a storm surge-safe and government-owned 30,000 square meter lot in Barangay Cabalawan, a northern village of this city, said Department of Health Regional Director Jose Llacuna.

It will be a six-storey main hospital and ancillary build-ing with 420-bed service wards and 180-bed private rooms.

The national government officially approved the project in March 2014. It was followed by National Economic De-velopment Authority-Investment Coordination Commit-tee approval and hiring of project management consultant in April.

Bidding process is scheduled between August and Sep-tember of this year with the actual construction to start in October this year.

The new EVRMC is expected to be finished by June, 2016 or before President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino step down from office. The President led the groundbreaking of the new site in February.

The ground floor will house radiology and diagnostic, emergency room, outpatient complex, patient business services, pharmacy, and dietary services. Special areas, central supply, food court, and radiology department will be in second floor.

The third floor is devoted for operating rooms, inten-sive care complex, watcher’s area and counseling area. Ser-vice wards and private rooms are located in the fourth and fifth storeys of the building.

To be housed in the sixth floor are the administration offices, department offices, information technology room, training rooms, auditorium, and records section.

Of the P2 billion budget, P1.44 billion was set aside for

Construction of new EVRMC to start in October at a cost of P2 B

hospital construction, P72 million for design, P146.25 mil-lion for information technology and communications sys-tem, P45 million for project management, P90 million for site development, and P200 million for ware house.

Also a component of the hospital construction is the P350 million out-patient department building to be fund-ed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Companies like the International Container Terminal Ser-vices, Inc. (ICTSI) and Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. (BRHI) have donated funds for the project.

Director Llacuna said upgrading the EVRMC is crucial since the facility is a general hospital and an end-referral center in the region.

“Expanding the bed capacity of EVRMC will make pub-lic health services more accessible to poor families, which gives them better chances of recovery through improved quality of health services, facilities and expertise,” Llacuna said.

The existing EVRMC located along Magsaysay Boule-vard and was badly damaged by storm surges, has only a 325 bed capacity.

Its poor services results to 7% mortality rate, according to a project briefer presented by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).The new facility aims to bring down the hospital mortality rate to 4%.

Eastern Visayas, with a population of 4.2 million has only 2,700 hospital beds, which is 1,500 below the World Health Organization (WHO) standard of one hospital bed for every 1,000 population.

The project, with an initial funding released of P500 million, is expected to contribute to the reduction of 40% infant mortality rate, 92 maternal mortality per 100,000 deliveries, and 24% deaths associated with tuberculosis. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

The Department of Health (DOH) in coordination with the Philippine National AIDS Council urged the public es-pecially those engaged in risky sexual behaviors to under-go HIV testing at the nearest Regional Health Facility.

During the press conference with the DOH on Wheels: Kalusugan Pangkalahatan Program launching held recent-ly at the Schistosomiasis General Hospital in Palo Leyte, Dr. Chito Avelino, Executive Director of the Philippine National AIDS Council called the people of Eastern Vi-sayas to be tested with HIV as the cases went higher for the past ten (10) years.

Unexpectedly, the global AIDS report in 2012 disclosed that the Philippines is one of the nine countries in the world where cases of HIV/AIDS rapidly increased by 35% in the last 10 years covering the period 2001-2011.

In Eastern Visayas, there are 151 reported cases of which 121 are males and 30 are females.

Avelino further said that HIV infected persons are now getting younger. Previously, most Filipinos who are infect-ed with HIV are OFWs but now, professionals as young as 29 years old are reportedly infected with the virus.

HIV infection is transmitted through sexual inter-course, by blood transfusion and from an infected mother to her child.(GTT/CBA/PIA-8)

DOH EV calls the public with risky sexual behaviors

to undergo HIV testing

Republic of the Philip-pine

REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

8th Judicial RegionBranch 3

Guiuan, Eastern SamarIN RE: PETITION FOR

APPOINTMENT AS NOTARY PUBLIC FOR and IN THE PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR

ATTY. RAMON JAMER

DADULLA, JR.x- - - - - - - - - - - - -x

ORDERNotice is hereby given that

a Summary Hearing on the Peti-tion for Appointment as Notary Public for and in the Province of Eastern Samar of ATTY. RA-MON JAMER DADULLA, JR., is scheduled on July 17, 2014 at the Session Hall of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 3, Guiuan, Eastern Samar at 8:30 in the morning.

Any person who has any cause or reason to object to the

grant of the petition may file a verified written opposition thereto, received by the under-signed before the date of the summary hearing.

SO ORDERED in Chambers.

June 19, 2014Guiuan, Eastern Samar,

Philippines.(Sgd.) HON. ROLANDO

M. LACDO-OExecutive / Presiding JudgeESB: June 22-28, June 29- July 05, 6-12, 2014

The Guiuan Doppler Radar Station in Sapao village, adopts the new system developed by Japan Radio Co. using in-tegrated chips to transmit sound waves as far as 480 kilometers away to deter-mine wind velocity, rainfall intensity and speed, volume of rainfall and area cover-age.

“This is a JICA project that will uti-lize the highest level of technology. Japan is investing on improvement of the me-teorological radar system because many typhoons in Philippines also enter Japan. This is not just the first line of defense for Philippines but this will also send warn-ing to us,” Nakamura said.

Before the typhoon, the Guiuan proj-ect was almost complete and partly op-erational. In fact, JICA was scheduled to turn over the project on November 29, 2013.

The first of the three Japan technology doppler radars has been operational since March 2012 in Catanduanes.

The same facility, built for PHP560

JICA gives......from Page 1

million by the Japanese-Fil-ipino consortium was also installed in 2012 in Aparri, Cagayan.

“The reconstruction in Guiuan will highly consider building protective measures so it won’t be damaged easily by future typhoon. It is de-signed in such a way that it can be repaired by PAGASA after turnover,” Nakamura told reporters.

With the dysfunctional Guiuan doppler radar facil-ity, the state weather bureau relies on a meteorological satellite in monitoring ty-phoon movement in Pacific Ocean, which only transmits hourly data.

“Doppler radar can ob-serve the occurrence, move-ment, distribution and amount of rainfall and wind speed over a large area in real time,” he said.

On November 13, 2009, officials signed the grant agreement for the construc-tion of three doppler radars amounting to PHP1.7 billion under the official develop-ment assistance of the Japa-nese government.

The project will also pro-vide equipment for the Ta-cloban Airport. The eleva-tion system will be adopted to protect buildings from future storm surges and pos-sible tsunamis. (PNA) JBP/PGL/SQM/EGR

NGO sets......from Page 1

“We want to include an-other line where you help the fishermen fish and the whole community gets to eat,” Lim said.

The group also targeted the fishermen of Aklan and Cebu to avail of Bangka-buhayan with another 100 fishing boats.

KAISA also partnered with Health Futures Foun-dation, Inc. (HFFI) which is headed by Dr. Jaime Z. Gal-vez Tan, that will choose the beneficiaries, monitor their activities and provide tech-nical support in installing the motor to the banca and on its maintenance side for the next two years.

A signing of the Mem-orandum of Agreement (MOA) will take place during the turnover with the LGU chief executive, KAISA, HFFI and the ben-eficiaries.

The fishing boats do-nation cannot be sold, pawned, dismantled and bartered. The beneficiaries are also obliged not to en-gage in illegal fishing activ-ities.

Lim added that seven big groups in the Chinese Filipino community have

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OPINION 3

COMMENTARY:By Fr Roy Cimagala

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

EDITORIAL

Easter Samar Bulletin

Dalmacio C. GrafilPublisher

Romeo CebrerosOIC

EASTERN SAMAR

Brgy. Songco, Borongan City Eastern Samar

(055) 261-3319

Aljim Denver M. ArcuenoEditor-in-Chief

JUNE 29- JULY 05, 2014

I WOULD say that when temptations come, the first thing we have to do is to immediately go to God, to run to him, to stick to him as closely as possible. That’s simply because God is our rock and fortress, the ultimate source of strength. Missing this reaction, we open ourselves to a long, tortuous episode that can end badly.

Missing this reaction is actually a common thing to happen because in the first place our relation with God is not strong. If ever there is some relation, it is more on the theoretical level and hardly on the practical, much less something that involves our feelings and instincts.

And so, we have to work hard in building up this rela-tion with God if we want to keep some safe distance away from temptations. If our love for God is hot, the devil will find it hard to get near us, just like a fly would not get close to a hot soup.

Our usual problem is that we tend to be by ourselves when temptations come, and to rely simply on our powers which actually are already heavily compromised since our wounded flesh is an ally of the enemies of our soul. We always have a Trojan horse in our personal lives.

Without God’s grace we simply cannot do anything ex-cept to fall, if not soon then later. It would just be a matter of time. But when we are with God, we get to see the whole picture, and can distinguish the poison embedded in the many good, beautiful, true and sweet things that tempta-tions come with.

From there we would know what strategy to take. Very often, what can be effective is simply to ignore the temp-tation and the pour scorn on the evil spirits behind the temptation. This is effective if in the first place our spiritu-al life is healthy, with faith and love for God and for souls vibrant and strong.

But then when such faith and love is not that strong, the temptations can gain some foothold in us. When we notice this, our reaction should be just to stay calm and not to dare to get overexcited. When there is a storm around, we usually would stay home or at a safe place to ride it out, and avoid going around.

The same with this particular case of temptations gain-ing some foothold in us. It simply means that God is al-lowing these temptations to come to show us where we are weak, and therefore where we should do something about.

This is when we have to spend time praying and of-fering sacrifices, for only in this way can we discern the proper tactics to take advantage of the temptations. Yes, temptations are not all that bad. They can be tremendous occasions to boost our spiritual growth. We all need to be tested.

Let’s always remember that everything that happens to us, including those that appear very bad, are at least al-lowed by God to happen. And if he allows them to happen it is because there will always be some good that can be derived from it.

Let’s remember St. Paul’s words: “Where sin has abounded, the grace of God has abounded even more.” (Rom 5,20) Let’s be quick to assume this reasoning when temptations come to avoid sinking in depressions.

Rather we should be quick to discern God’s ever wise, if mysterious and often painful ways of his providence that is meant to lead us to him through the drama of our life here on earth. That’s why he is full of mercy, and also wants us to be merciful to one another.

It is also good that we avail of whatever help we can get to tackle our temptations. In this, what is most recom-mended is frequent confession and regular spiritual direc-tion. That would mean that we are going to God and to a very reliable person to ask for help.

The story of Christ being tempted by the devil after his forty days of prayer and fasting in the desert is a model for us to follow. Like Christ, we should be steeped in prayer and fasting if we want to be prepared to face temptations

What to do with temptations

The Department of Health recently reported that the case prevalence of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and full blown Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have gone to an epidemic proportion in the current statistics the agency has gathered. Almost 5,000 cases were record-ed as of last year. Of the total number in the country, Region VIII registered a high prevalence rate, with Leyte having the most number of cases. Al-though the health agency assured of free medicines for HIV, it categorically pronounced that the same may not be enough to sustain a lifetime treat-ment of the disease.

At the DOH on Wheels Kalusugang Pangkalahatan Roadshow press con-ference held on July 1, Health Undersecretary Janette Loreto-Garin admitted the insufficiency of medicines that could be supplied for free to HIV patients across the country. This, she said, underscored the importance of preven-tion rather than cure, accentuating the need for intensified information dis-semination to the public, especially through the media, on avoiding being afflicted with HIV and AIDS. There are now 151 cases recorded in Eastern Visayas, 121 of them are male.

This number, she remarked, is certainly under-declared considering the popular habit of suspected patients in undergoing laboratory test only when the disease has become symptomatic. The symptoms would come out in 7 to 10 years after infection. She stressed that the people should realize that one person is affected of HIV every hour in the Philippines. Thus by math-ematical proportion the number of HIV patients could balloon to an even higher rate in the coming years.

Dr. Chito Avelino, executive director of Philippine National AIDS Council, while dismissing the chance of infection through saliva or mosquito bites, re-iterated that the disease is transmissible sex, intravenous or injectible drugs and multiple sexual partners. Albeit a feared disease, HIV could be treated but for a lifetime just to delay or prevent developing the HIV disease into AIDS. He said, TB is more dangerous and communicable than HIV in fact, but should be avoided.

For now, with the logistical and medical support from Global Fund, every HIV patient are afforded free medication but only until the supply lasts which is now available at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, according to Avelino. He however said that suspected patients in Eastern Visaya should first undergo screening at the Center for Health Development (CHD) unit at the DOH regional office in Candahug, Palo. USec Garin said the agency releases the free medicines monthly but patients need to be checked up before the medication is continued.

properly.Let’s not forget that temptations will always be packaged

very beautifully. In Christ’s case, even God’s words were cit-ed by the devil. But then again, if we are truly with God, we also would know where the lie is inserted and, like Christ, how we can remain unaffected by these temptations.

P13.23M......from Page 1

we are proposing for prioriti-zation in early reconstruction activities,” Esperancilla said.

Of the total proposed bud-get for recovery, P4.5 million is needed in 2014, P4.36 million in 2015, and P4.36 million in 2015.

The budget will main-ly be used for conduct of post-Yolanda baseline survey and ICT research, consulta-tions with stakeholders, de-veloping the ICT industry re-habilitation plan, conduct of boot camp for startups, search for ICT-enabled local small and medium enterprises for funding, production of pro-motional collaterals (website, brochures, exhibit, multimedia presentations, and media kits).

“After Yolanda, the situ-ation has changed. There are many questions that need an-swers. We need to have a pool of experts who will help us identify new priorities,” Espe-rancilla said.

The original ICT plan tar-

geted 13,000 direct employ-ment in the next five years with 8,000 in non-voice busi-ness processing outsourcing (BPO) and 5,000 in voice BPO. A total of 32,000 indirect jobs were projected in this sector by 2016.

DOST Leyte provincial di-rector John Glenn Ocaña said that before the storm struck, one of the strengths of the local is the linkage of national gov-ernment agencies, academe, and private sector in develop-ing strategies to promote East-ern Visayas as ICT hub. The industry has been identified as on the three priority sectors in the 2014-2016 Regional Devel-opment Plan.

“Unfortunately, as the re-gion was beginning to flap its new found wings in the ICT sector, Yolanda came and washed away the gains,” Ocaña said.

Leyte has two designated ICT parks - the 6.8-hectare Leyte ICT Park approved in 2005 and the 22-hectare Leyte Mikyu Economic Zone ap-proved in 2012. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

4 NEWSEaster Samar Bulletin

PANTALAN EATERY

“Come & Dine!”Brgy. Tiguib,

Pantalan,Oras Eastern Samar

JUNE 29- JULY 05, 2014

TACLOBAN CITY - Robinsons Place Tacloban is now back to its full operation close to eight months after super typhoon Yolanda that incurred the mall developer nearly P300 million losses.

The Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC) formally reopened its 38,000 square meter Tacloban mall on June 28, two months behind the target reopening timetable.

“We initially targeted to reopen April, but it was so hard for us to bring all construction materials. It was a logistical night-mare. However, it gave us more time to concentrate on total re-habilitation,” said Arlene Magtibay, RLC’s senior vice president and general manager for commercial centers division.

During its reopening, only 40 of the 180 tenants resumed their business, but RLC expects that most tenants will reopen their branch inside the mall by fourth quarter in time with the Christmas season.

“Rehabilitation of the mall is practically 100% complete. We are happy that majority of tenants committed that they will come back to Tacloban soon. In the next few weeks a lot more will open,” Magtibay added.

Robinsons Supermarket and Department Store reopened in a compressed area on December 19 last year or six weeks after the storm struck. The mall had very limited shopping hours and only

Robinsons in Tacloban now in full business

used generators until January when power distribution utilities restored the electricity

With its full operation, mall hours starts at 10 a.m. up to 9 p.m.

In its latest disclosure to the Securities and Exchange Com-mission, RLC reported P297.20 million losses due to the ty-phoon’s fierce winds, storm surges, and looting incidents. The calamity significantly contributed to the reduction of interest income by P89.5 million during the first quarter of 2014.

“When Yolanda struck, there’s a lot of uncertainty given the magnitude of destruction. However, with the encouragement of local government, we initially reopened, offering pre-typhoon level of prices despite high operating costs. This is our way of giving back to the city’s loyal patronage. We are here to stay,” Magtibay said.

Leading the reopening on June 28 were top RLC and Robin-sons Retail Holdings Inc. officials led by its President and Chief Operating Officer Robina Gokongwei-Pe wearing white shirts carrying an inspirational message “Tindog (stand up) Tacloban.”

Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez is optimistic that the full reopening of Robinsons will encourage other entrepreneurs to reopening their business. “This gives us hope that the city will rise up soon after the typhoon. Robinsons will spur economic activities.” (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

TACLOBAN CITY- The regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-8) has reported that more than 32,000 board feet of illegally cut lumber were confiscated by their office for the past six months of this year.

Leonardo Sibbaluca, executive director of the DENR-8, said that the confiscation of the illegally cut lumber and round timber was a result of their “intensified” campaign against illegal cutting in some parts of the region.

From January up to May of this year, DENR personnel have confiscated 32,426 board feet of lumber and round timber with total commercial value of more than P3.5 million.

Sibbaluca said that cases for violation of Presidential Decree 705, otherwise known as the Revised Forestry Code of the Phil-

Over 32,000 board feet of hot lumber seized, DENR reports

ippines, was filed against four suspects which he did not identified.

He also said four cargo trucks and four chain saws used in the illegal cutting of the forest products were also seized.

Sibbaluca said that as part of their intensified campaign on illegal logging, checkpoints were put up in strategic ar-eas in the region in coordination with the police, Army and other law enforcement agencies.

“We are maintaining and operating these checkpoints to deter those people who are into the illegal cutting of forest products,” he said.

He added: “Most of the confiscations made by our men in the field were made possible with the cooperation and infor-mation by the people in the communi-ties.” (RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

united as one, to respond to disastrous calamities.

Leading the donor groups that donated 300 boats to different beneficia-ries are the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Indus-try, Inc.; Federation of Fili-pino-Chinese Associations of the Philippines; World News Daily; Filipino-Chi-nese Amity Club, Overseas Chinese Alumni Associ-ation of the Philippines; Filipino-Chinese Shin Lian Association and the Philip-pine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PNA)

JBP/PGL/VCARNAIZ/EGR

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TACLOBAN CITY--KATIG Writers Inc., an organi-zation of writers in Eastern Visayas, and the Institute for Climate Change and Sustainable Cities (iCSC) on June 28 launched its book entitled “Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change” at the Multi-Purpose Building, University of the Philippine- Visayas Tacloban College.

“Agam reflects the confrontation between climate change and diverse cultures across the country. It com-bines original new works in prose, verse, and photo-graphs and depicts uncertainty–and tenacity–from the Filipino perspective,” said Janis Claire Salvacion, presi-dent of KATIG Writers, Inc.

The book is composed of creative narratives in eight languages–crafted by twenty-four writers representing a broad array of disciplines–poets, journalists, anthropol-ogists, the country’s godfather of climate science, and an indie erotic artist working with twenty-five images from the lens of the photojournalist Jose Enrique Soriano,” added Salvacion, who is also the regional coordinator of the National Committee on Literary Arts-National Com-mission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

In an emailed letter to reporters, Salvacion said the book launch in Tacloban “holds a special significance for all of us, who experienced firsthand the impacts of cli-mate change.”

This event becomes part of our reflection and rebuild-ing for a better community, added Salvacion.

iCSC, a non-profit group working on sustainable en-ergy solutions and fair climate policy, is the publisher of the book.

According to the organizers, the full price of the book is at P1,600 though it was offered at a discounted price of P1,200 during the launching.

Book on climate change launched in TaclobanProceeds of the book sales will be given to iCSC’s

RE-Charge Tacloban, wherein a fleet of electric jeepneys (e-jeepneys) will serve the commuters of Tacloban and will be powered by a solar photovoltaic (PV) facility, and combined with training programs for local drivers, dis-patchers, operators, administrators and technicians in the maintenance and servicing of operations, the orga-nizer said.

“As our community rebuilds after Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda, we seek to be more responsible to our environ-ment, and utilize a sustainable transport fleet composed of electric vehicles is significant response in that direc-tion while answering the needs of the public transport system,” added Salvacion.(RONALD O.REYES)