February 24-March 2, 2014 Layout

8/12/2019 February 24-March 2, 2014 Layout

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VOL. 15 NO. 05 ORMOC CITY P 15.00 at the newsstands FEB. 24- MAR. 2, 2014

Website address: www.evmailnews.com For feedback/inquiries: e-mail [email protected]

BYLALAINEM. JIMENEA

NEW OFFICE ADDRESS:

HERMOSILLA DRIVE, ORMOC CITYLandlines: 832-0704 (PLDT); 561-

0809 (Globe)0916-493-8704 (Elvie); 0921-211-9603 (Rosenda); 0918-923-4408

(Lalaine).Email: [email protected] and

[email protected]

No more hiring of contractorsby LEYECO V consumers - NEA

SEE FIRE P. 3

SEE NEA P. 8

ORMOCS SUGAR FARMERS TAKE MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. Initially forgotten by the City

Government t to be made part of the ofcial Damage and Needs Assessment report, Ormocs sugar farmers continue their

ght to recover from Yolandas damage, with or without the help of government. Here, sugar farmers take delivery of 10

Kubota tractors, thanks to a very discounted offer from supplier Engr. Ely P. Bagtasus and an innovative nancing scheme

from Chinabank. In the picture are (left to right) Leyte Cane Planter Asso. president Herme Seraca, Anthony Baba

Herrera of PAL Group of Companies, Atty. Roy Bernard Fiel of the Ormoc-Kananga Milling District, OSPA president Atty.

Iaki Larrazabal, Engr. Ely P. Bagtasus, Chinabank Ormoc manager Warren del Valle and Danny Torrevillas.

ORMOC CITY Three nightsbefore Fire Prevention Monthstarted, a re gutted an old com-mercial district in the city on Feb-ruary 25 which started at around

6:45 PM, causing damage to anestimated P 1.2-million worth ofproperties in the area and injur-ing one person.

Nine business establishmentsin the commercial-residential areaalong Real-Burgos Streets went upin ames in a re that started atthe Dayka Bakeshop. Injured with2nd degree burns to his arms wasRetchie Castantes, the duty bakerof Dayka.

The baker said they werebaking bread when they heard

Fire guts

9 stores in

Ormoc City

Lucy gets 2,000 addl shelter kits from LDS

Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, together with Richard, present Elder Brent Nielson, Philippines Area President of the

Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, a plaque of appreciation for their donation of shelter kits. ,

MANILA - A chance meeting

at the Cebu airport led to apartnership with LDS Chari-ties and Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez.

Gomez was on her wayfrom Ormoc to Manila whenshe and Benson Misalucha,Area Welfare Director of TheChurch of Jesus Christ of Lat-ter-day Saints, happened tobe at the same security check-point.

Misalucha was overseeingemergency response initiativesin Tacloban and his team wasconstantly doing assessmentson the ground to address theneeds of survivors. Days prior

to the chance meeting, he readher Love Lucy column in ThePhilippines Star and noted Go-mezs appeal for shelter kits forher constituents in the fourthdistrict of Leyte.

A conversation ensued asthey shared notes on how tohelp Yolanda survivors, and ar-rangements were made on howthe shelter kits can be provided.

We were so happy whenwe got the call that the shelterkits had been approved, said

Gomez. It was hard not to do thehappy dance, she added.

The approval was for 2,000shelter kits at PHP 3,000 each.Every day I would pray DearGod, please send me the rightpeople. The chance meeting at theairport was an answer to a prayer.We are very, very thankful, she

further said.Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, to-

gether with husband Richard Go-mez, presented a framed certi-cate of appreciation to Elder BrentNielson, Philippines Area Presi-dent of the Church, penned in herown words: For wholeheartedlyextending invaluable help to the

survivors of the super-typhoonYolanda in the fourth district ofLeyte, which includes OrmocCity and the Municipalitiesof Albuera, Kananga, Merida,Isabel, Palompon, and Matag-ob. Your kindness and com-

SEE LUCY P. 8

ORMOC CITY The NationalElectrification Administration(NEA) has ordered LEYECO V

here to stop the practice of al-lowing member-consumers todirectly hire contractors to repairtheir posts and lines, and to re-fund these consumers who canshow proof that they engaged theservices of these contractors.

This was the informationrelayed by Max Torcinde, in-formation ofcer of LEYECO V,to the city council on Thursday(February 27).

He said NEA has made itclear that it should be the electriccooperative (EC) that should hirethese contractors as additionalworkforce since it was the obliga-tion of the EC to repair fallen posts

and broken power lines.NEA, he added, already re-leased P 100-million to LEYECOV to hasten line rehab and re -pair and that they were given adeadline to fully energize Leytedistricts 4 and 3. The deadline isMarch 31, he said.

NEA has committed to re-lease P 602-million to LEYECOV as subsidy but its release isstaggered based on the rate ofaccomplishment of the EC. Tor-


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2 NEWSFeb. 24 - Mar. 2, 2014

44 Albuera residents oppose road wideningContractors coming over tonish rubberized oval

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ALBUERA 44 residents of

this town are opposing the

nationally-mandated widen-

ing of Calle Real here thattraverses the towns pobla-

cion area.

In a petition vehemently

opposing the road widening,

the residents claim that the said

widening was conscatory in

nature and unconstitutional,

it was not beneficial to the

people but rather destructive,

and because it was destruc-

tive, previous administrations

opted not to implement it.

The petition was addressed

to Vice Mayor Norman Mesina

of this town and the Sangguni-

ang Bayan.

Among the signatories

are scions of old families inthe area. In expounding their

arguments, they said the road

widening would destroy the

towns landmarks, among

them the old Fian Residence

which is a destination of archi-

tectural eld trips; the Calabia

and Pore houses which are ne

examples of old-style Filipino

houses.

They also argued that

widening the road at Calle

Real would endanger students

at the Albuera Elementary

School because vehicles pass-

ing through would feel free to

run at 80 kilometers per hour

because it is now a highway.They added that Albuera

is a small town and widening

the road would reduce its land

area, pushing up the price of

real properties.

The Sangguniang Bayan

has since endorsed the peti-

tion letter to the ofce of Pub-

lic Works Secretary Rogelio

Singson and Leyte Governor

Dominic Petilla. Mayor Ra-

mon dela Cerno reportedly did

not sign the resolution, saying

to directly submit the resolu-

tion to Singson.

It was learned that prior

to endorsing the petition for

Singsons attention on Febru-ary 17, the SB had a meeting

with District Engineer Lino

Gonzales to be enlightened

about the project.

Gonzales informed the SB

that the road widening is based

on an old Executive Order is-

sued in 1955 yet. The edict has

seen few amendments over the

years and it is the basis of the

road-widening projects that

are being implemented nation-

wide, not only in Albuera.

Gonzales explained that

as population has grown, road

trafc has also increased hence

the need to widen highways.

The surveys of these highwayshave been done long ago and

residents themselves know this

for a long time now.

Meanwhile, a public con-

sultation on the matter was

held on February 27. The

complainants and municipal

ofcials were in attendance,

including the DPWH ofcials.

It was agreed to wait for

whatever action the governors

office or Secretary Singson

will do on the residents peti-

EDCs Leyte and Mindanao geothermal projects get DENR Seal of Approval. The Tongonan power

plant and Mindanao geothermal project (MAGP) in Leyte and North Cotabato, respectively,

received the Seal of Approval from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

for exemplary performance in environmental management and protection. The two projects

were each given the Philippine Environment Partnership Program (PEPP) Seal of Approval

for Track 1 industries after passing a ser ies of evaluations. Track 1 industries are recognized

for their initiatives that go beyond compliance, and are driven to improve their performancewith competitiveness, image and supply chain requirements. The award entitles recipients to

relaxed submission requirements of reports, longer validity permits, and simplied requirements

in securing an Environmental Compliance Certicate (ECC) for expansion projects. The 112.5-

MW Tongonan power plant is operated by Green Core Geothermal, Inc. (GCGI), a subsidiary of

EDC. Receiving the awards are (from left to right): MAGP pollution control ofcer Willie Loyola,

DENR EMB Director Atty. Juan Miguel Cuna, DENR Undersecretary Demetrio Ignacio Jr., EDC

environmental manager Regina Victoria Pascual, GCGI Tongonan pollution control ofcer Jane

Penaranda and safety ofcer Dominador Balagon Jr.

ORMOC CITY - Chilean Ambassador

Roberto R. Mayorga once more visited the

Leyte Schools for Excellence (SFE) in Tongo-

nan, this city and in Kananga to donate 4,000

books to be distributed to the 18 partner

schools of Energy Development Corporation

(EDC) in the province.

The Chilean delegation also included

dentists who conducted a 3-day dental mis-

sion for the SFE pupils and the Ambassadors

son, Roberto Mayorga, Jr., who came to form

youth soccer teams in the area. Mrs. PaulinaMayorga, wife of Amb. Mayorga, also helped

in distributing the books.

The SFE is one of the corporate social re-

sponsibility (CSR) projects of EDC in Leyte.

It was established to improve the access of

children to basic educational facilities and

supplies; to increase the number of students

nishing elementary education with improved

educational standards; to enhance the capability

of public school teachers to effectively deliver

educational programs; and to strengthen par-

ents/community involvement. Aside from the

SFE, EDC is supporting 18 other schools in

Tongonan, Ormoc City and Kananga.

Chile, EDC continue linkage to bringrelief and support to Leyteos

Chilean Amb. Roberto Mayorga, wife Paulina and son Roberto Mayorga Jr. led the distribution

of 4,000 childrens books for EDCs Schools of Excellence recently.

In his message, Amb. Mayorga spoke of

how grateful he was to have an opportunity to

give back to the Philippines by reaching out to

the youth in EDCs host communities in Leyte

after Typhoon Yolanda struck the Philippines

last year. EDC and the Chilean government,

through its Embassy in Manila, have previously

worked together to promote Chilean culture and

art in the Philippines. EDC has also been granted

geothermal exploration concessions in Chile.

Amb. Mayorga said the government of Chile

chose programs that would benet the youthbecause based on their experience with disasters

in their home country, the needs of children tend

to be neglected as people focus on infrastructure

reconstruction and providing basic needs such

as food and water. While those were important,

he said that we must not neglect the need of a

child to feel secure which can be achieved in

part by strengthening their school environment,

meeting their physical needs, and by allowing

them to play and have healthy interactions with

their peers.

By partnering with EDC, Chile is able to

SEE CHILE P. 8

ORMOC CITY 4th Leyte Engineering District EngineerLino Gonzales has good news to joggers and runningenthusiasts in the city.

He said the Chinese contractors who would be work-

ing on the rubberized oval at the Ormoc City CentralSchool here were arriving this week, to nally nish thelong awaited project.

Now that the weather is ne, Gonzales said, we seeno reason why it would not be nished already.

The Chinese contractors were already in Ormoc Cityin November. On November 4, 2013, they even held apress conference to announce that they would start workon rubberizing the oval, once they get the desired drynessand humidity.

They explained that if they start working on the ovalwithout achieving the desired humidity, they cannotguarantee a 5-year warranty on their work that is why itwas important that the weather is fair and dry for severaldays before the start.

Unfortunately, Yolanda slammed into the region byNovember 8, causing the Chinese contractors to go home.

It was also learned that some of the materials for rub-berizing the oval which were already stocked on site weredamaged by the typhoon. Gonzales, however, is condentthat it was only minimal and will not affect its completion.

He is sure that the Chinese contractors would havebrought more than what was enough considering thedistance with which to source the supply was far away.

LBP farming program to

benet former rebelsKANANGA, Leyte- Lt. Col. Nedy Espulgar, commanding

ofcer of the 19th Infantry Battalion, commends the prime

movers of LANDBANK Countryside Development Founda-

tion Inc. and said its program will benet former rebels in

Leyte.

This he said after attending the follow up workshop on

Sustainable Integrated Organic and Natural Mini Farm Pro-

gram held at Blanco Farm,

So. Marag-ing, Brgy. Lemon,

Capoocan, Leyte on Friday,February 28.

Lt. Col. Espulgar was

among the 81 participants of

the workshop, to include the 15

former rebels which the mili-

tary had been assisting since

they returned to the folds of

the law. The workshop provides

opportunities to the participants

to learn more organic farming

techniques, especially to the

ex-rebels who have been used

to primitive farming methods.

The workshop was facili-

tated by Mr. Gil Carandang, the

countrys Father of Organic

Farming and Land Bank Di-

rector Domingo Diaz.

Mr. Carandang said organicfarming will free small farm-

ers from the burden of rising

prices of basic commoditi es.

Small farmers can even utilize

their backyards in this farming

method., he said.

The military is hopeful that

the program will last so as to

benet not just the farmers but

also the former rebels who had

long denounced the bloody

armed struggle.PR


3/14

3Feb. 24 - Mar. 2, 2014 NEWS

Save the Children has res ponded almost imme diately after t he November 8-9 Typhoon Yolanda hit. To date, the YolandaResponse Team has reached over 300,000 beneciaries affec ting over 180,000 children in a variety of ways. Our workincludes: Non Food Items Distribution,Child Protection / Child Friendly Space initiatives,Education in Emergencies,Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, Shelter and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). We have ofcesin Estancia, Tacloban and Ormoc elded by over 300 new staff. We have raised funds i ntended for further work throughemergency response, recovery and rehabilitation phases .Our work has begun and we are inspired to go further.We knowthat the lives of children remain at risk.

Save the Children continues to hire for national staff on an immediate basis for a xed term of varying periods. Actualdeployment is determined during the recruit ment period. C ome join us and do amazing work.

(1) Human Resources Manager Ormoc

Job Grade - 3

Role purpose:

Responsible for overseei ng the full human resources management of staff of the Ormoc Program Ofce. Ensures eff ectiveand efcient end-to-end recruitment including sourcing,selectio n,reference checking, and on-boarding;implement an effec-tive induction and staff monitoring and deployment plan; maintain employee database, benets and salary administration,child safeguarding policy, and employee resilience support while ensuring compliance with Save the Children policies andprocedures and Philippine Labor Laws. Formulate, update and recommend possible changes to the existing process thatwill lead to a successful administ ration of the policies and procedures during the humanitarian response. Obtain on-goingsupport from the National Ofce Human Resources as may be required.

Qualications guide: 5years experience in general HR work,with subst antial exposure in emergency organizatio n oremergency setting;results-oriented with a bias for action;High level of self-initiative and can work independently; col-laborative leadership style; procient in local dialects of Cebuano, Ilonggo and/or Waray. Familiarity in Ormoc of beingor having been born and raised or worked in Ormoc. Highl y organized; excellent relations hip building skills in orderto deal tactfully and sensi tively with a wide range of people in a large organizatio n and at a distance; good verbal andwritten communication; high sensitivity and responsiveness for staff well-being and project team dynamics and building;exible and initiative-taki ng attitude with the ability to manage and prioritize an unpredictable workload; proven analytic aland problem solving skills in order to understand the range and content of the emergency program work and providepractical solutions to operational challe nges; ability to work effectively and calmly in a high-pressure environment and toprioritize and effecti vely manage assignments in a timely fashion. Abl e to visit various sites of the Ormoc program ofcefor eld staff support as may be required.

(1) Finance Assistant Ormoc

Job Grade - 5

Role purpose:The nance assistant is responsible for preparing journals for all check disbursements,allocate cost of telephone and mobilecharges, review the statement of account of fuel charges and assist nance in the month end closing.

Qualications guide: Accounting graduate; Two (2) year work experience in nance department of a national orinternational organizatio n;U nderstanding of nancial systems and procedures; Knowledge in the use of accounting pack-ages like SUN and Agresso systems;Strong communication and interpersonal skills;Ability to perform multitasking andability to work on tight schedules; Ability to work in multicultural /cross cultural environment; Knowledgeable in Microsoftword and excel application; Can tolerate working under ambiguous circumstances and sometimes difcult situations.

(1) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Ofcer Ormoc

Job Grade - 5

Role purpose:Responsible for maintaining and supporting ICT systems at Save the Children, Estancia ofce, ensuring a smooth internetand email communications. S/he will provide users rst line support on all IT related queries, troubleshoot hardware &software problems and provide capacity building of staff as required.

Qualications guide: Degree in Information Technology or relevant/speci c eld.M inimum two years of professionalworking experience in system administration and providing hardware and software support. Practical experience andknowledge in administering and supporting Microsof t Windows server 2008/2012,Windows 7/ and Ofce 2010.Goodunderstanding and experience of Router/Firewall conguration, VPN and remote access.Technological awareness, up-to-date knowledge and skills on latest development in the eld of information technology. Strong client focus skills. Strongcommunication skills including procient English language ability.Prove n team working ability.Comm itment to and under-standings of Save the Childrens aims,values and principles.Use of initiative in problem solving and solves problems withappropriate upward referral. Learns/follows SCI polic ies and (technical) procedures to do the job.Sugges ts new ways toimprove the work process. Contributes to team building.

(1) Monitoring and Evaluation Ofcer - Ormoc

Job Grade 4

Role purpose:Ensure quality and accountability standards are integrated into the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning(MEAL) of the emergency response in the eld site. Responsible for establishing and maintaining the systems that willensure gathering and processing of data on program results and impact which can generate and institutionalize programlearning.Work includes developing and establishing data collection and building and using assessment tools to plan, moni-tor and evaluate the impact of the project. Carry out regular eld monitoring of program interventions. Facilitate datatriangulation and provide technical backstopping for free data recording.Establish, manage,and strengthen accountabilit y tobeneciaries. Identify key compliance/quality questions based on checklists and minimum standards for monitoring project

performance.Facilitate baseline surveys,evaluation exercises and impact assessments when needed.

Qualications guide: Experience of working in planning,M&E, audits or a similar eld preferably in an emergency or-ganisation or setting with practical experience on impact assessment systems and undertaking evaluations. Demonst ratedunderstanding of M&E and accountability initiati ves in humanitarian sector. Proven analytical and problem solving skill s inorder to understand range and content of humanitarian work and provide practical solutions to operational challenges .Strong planning skills. Experience in managing large amounts of information,and to be able to triangulate information quickly.

(1) Logistics Ofcer Ormoc

Job Grade - 4

Role purpose:The Logistics Ofcer is overall responsible for administrative concerns/matt ers leading to the successful storage, account-ing, disbursement and procurement of materials, equipment and goods needed for the Emergency Response Program.

Qualications guide: College degree;Work experience in non-prot / grant project / voluntary sector experience anadvantage;experience and knowledge in procurement processes;strong communication and interpersonal skills;can domulti-tasking and meet tight deadlines; Knowledgeable in Microsoft word and excel application; Ability to think and actfast; Can tolerate working under ambiguous circumstances and sometimes difcult situations.

(1) Procurement Ofcer Ormoc

Job Grade - 4

Role purpose:Supporting the PC in procurement activities and procedures, including maintenance and management of services andworks procurement; Direct market assessment, track the procurement demands from out Ormoc cities (Tacloban,Manila, Cebu); Ensuring that programme purchases are made in a timely and transparent manner,t hat Save the Childrenprocurement policies and procedures are followed at an optimal quality/price, and that all procurement procedures areproperly implemented;Implementi ng effective procurement management and administration systems, thoroughly monitoringstock levels, market capacity and advising on appropriate stocking and replenishment to meet project demands timely;Supporting and participating in effective training of national staff responsible for the maintenance and efcient running ofprocurement and suppliers relations;Ensuring Procurement management complies with SC standards through appropriateallocation; Provide support in preparation of a monthly Procurement Report for the PC,detailing all procurement activitiesincluding fuel and procurement,and stock reporting,asset register updates,staff issues, and other relevant information;

Communicating procurement procedures effectively so they are understood and strictly adhered to throughout theprogramme and so that brieng, communication and other systems are developed in support of programme outputs; andAdvising and sharing ideas on evolving procurement situations to adapt activities accordingly and ensure new emergencyoperations are effectively supported;

Qualications guide: A Diploma in Procurement and Supplies management (CIPS) or relevant area;Mi nimum 3 yearsrelevant experience of logistics support,including procurement,warehousing and stock control,goods distribution,andtransportation and vehicle eet management in large international non-governmental organisation or other internationalrelief/developme nt body;Track record of training, managing and developing staff in logistics and administrati ve systems;Excellent planning,coordination,and reporting skills,with the ability to organise a substantial workload comprised ofcomplex,diverse tasks and responsibilities;Strong communication,people management and interpersonal skills in English,with experience in leading multicultural,multi location,values driven teams; and Commitment to Save the Children values.

(1) Warehouse Assistant Ormoc

Job Grade - 5

Role purpose:

Responsible for stock control consis tent with SCUK protocols and procedures for all assigned stores; Ensure that anyincoming programme supplies match the waybill and advise Log of any exceptions and to issue Goods Received Notes(GRNs) for any items received; Ensure each item is stored in the appropriate manner (medical items to be kept cooland out of direct sunlight), is easy to access and has an updated stock card /Bin Card including minimum reorder level(including expiry dates for medical items); Maintain a complete ling system to include all warehouse documentatione.g.GRNS, inventories,way bills, packing lists,Stock reports,GIK Distribution Reports etc; Ensure that program suppliesreceived are prepared, packed and ready for dispatch to the eld in a timely fashion including preparation of all the ap-propriate paperwork (Waybills, Packing lists, Delivery order schedules); Assist in loading and off loading goods on vehiclefrom or to the warehouse and to organize casual workers when required at the warehouse; Ensure the stores are keptin good reparative order,are kept locke d and are clean and tidy;To be the holder of the keys to the store during workinghours within the store (limit access to store to authorised personnel).A spare set of keys shall be kept in a secure placewithin the ofce and shall only be used in the event of an emergency in the absence of the storekeeper. At the end ofeach working day the storekeeper must leave the keys with the logistics ofcer;Will be responsible for any shortages ordiscrepancies in the stock records;Work with the Warehouse Ofcer to ensure minimum stock levels are maintained at alltimes complete SRs as necessary; To make periodic checks, (including physical counting on a monthly basis), and reporton any faultnding;To produce weekly transit stock report, delivery order schedule and stock reports of all movementsof stock in and out of the store using the appropriate form;and Produce monthly Stock report, GIK distribution reportand Truck movement report by the 3rd of each month.

Qualications guide: Strong knowledge of store keeping;Go od communication skills; Previous experience in storekeep-ing with NGO with at least two years; Diploma holder in supplies management or store management a plus; Fluent inEnglish;Ability to keep clear and concise records;Computer literate;Diplomacy,tact and negotiating skills;Team-workingskills; Flexibility under pressure and in response to changing needs; and Attention to detail and excellent numeric accuracy.

(3) Infrastructure Project Engineers Ormoc

Job Grade - 5

Role purpose:

Planning and maintaining schedules of work, individually and for those they are responsible for.This will incl ude setting andworking to targets and deadlines; Maintaining daily all assigned project records and providing weekly reports and otherreports as required by the infrastructure manager;To be responsible for the accuracy of the building surveys to ensurethat all information and measures are correct;The diligent production of Plans of Works,S pecications, Bills of Quantities,Cost Estimates, and Drawings;To be responsible for providing all information required for the procurement of contractedworks; and To be responsible for ensuring rigorous supervi sion of all contracted and grant funded works.

Qualications guide:Construction related experience and degree level qualication; Structural engineering experienceand degree level qualication;Organisation,management and negotiation skills. Good communication skills;Able to workwith minimum level of supervision;Good English speaking and writing;Prepared to work under pressure;Experiencedin AutoCAD;Must be experienced in Microsoft Ofce Excel,Word,Powerpoint;At least 2 years previous experiencemanaging people; Previous experience working with humanitarian organizations; and Knowledge of the area of operation.

(2) Infrastructure Foremen Ormoc

Job Grade - 6

Role purpose:Support the reconstruction of houses through technical guidance and quality checking. Form working relationships withlocal craftsmen, to provide and receive technical assistance .Work closely with Community committees to provide thelink between them and Save the Children.Provi de eld level information about opportunitie s and threats to the project.

Qualications guide: Knowledge of construction techniques;Eng lish,Tagalog and Hiligaynon language skills, both spokenand written;Abil ity to communicate with other construction professional s;A bility to communicate with and teach nonconstruction professionals;Fit healthy and able to work in the eld 6 days a week, 7am to 7pm workday;Experience ofconstruction supervision; Understanding of engineering principles; Experience of project management; Previous experi-ence of NGO work;and Knowledge of DRR principles,the ability to apply them in practice and share them with others.

(1) FSL Coordinator Ormoc

Job Grade - 4

Role purpose:The FSL Coordinator will be responsible for assuring efcient and high quality implementation of food security andlivelihoods programming in the Philippines Typhoon Yolanda response.They will work closely with the FSL Manager andAdvisor to develop detailed implementation plans for project activities, developing appropriate implementation tools totrack progress and monitor the context.They will also build capacity,and identify capacity needs,of eld staff to ensure theyare able to implement activities to a high standard.They will also liaise with other actors to ensure effective coordination.

Qualications guide: Bachelors Degree;Organisation,management and negotiation skills; Good communication skills;Previous experience in humanitarian setting;Prepared to work under pressure; Honest and motivated;Knowled ge of Leyteor Iloilo provinces,as appropriat e;At least 4 years previous experience in a management role;Prev ious experience workingwith humanitarian organizations; Previous experience in project management,traini ng and capacity building of staff;Able touse Microsoft Ofce (Excel,Word etc);Underst anding of monitoring and evaluation in humanitarian contexts;e xperienceworking on cash,voucher or food distribut ions or other food security programming; able to work with minimum level ofsupervision;and good English speaking and writing.

(1) FSL Project Ofcer Ormoc

Job Grade - 4

Role purpose:

Responsible for FSL activity implement ation in a specic geographical area (based in Ormoc);Responsible for compilati on ofproject information and sharing regular reports and updates to FSL Coordinator based in Ormoc;Ensure correct beneciaryselection procedure and criteria are followed by FS community mobilisers; Ensure any feedback from beneciaries or targetcommunities shared by community mobilisers are responded to appropriately or raised with FSL Coordinator,Advisor orManager if needed;Suppor t community mobilisers to prevent overlap of beneciaries with other actors;Over see regular

market monitoring in key target locations,compile and report information to FSL staff in Ormoc for timely decision-making;Coordinate with FSL Coordinators to ensure FSL and Finance team in Ormoc know exact distribution timetable andbeneciary numbers so that cash/vouchers are available in the required locations at the required times;C oordinate withnance staff and security focal points in eld ofces for timely distributions in line with security policies and procedures;Ensure community mobilisers understand post-distribution monitoring and market price monitoring tools and processesand check the quality of information collected. Compile data and share with relevant staff in a timely manner; and Worksclosely with implementing partners to oversee quality of work and provide technical support

Qualications guide: Bachelors Degree;Organisation,management and negotiation skills; Good communication skills;Previous experience in humanitarian setting;Prepared to work under pressure; Honest and motivated;Knowledge ofLeyte Province implementation areas;At leas t 2 years previous experience managing people; Previous experience workingwith humanitarian organizations;Able to use Microsoft Ofce (Excel,Word etc); Experience working on cash,voucheror food distributions or other food security programming;A ble to work with minimum level of supervision; and GoodEnglish speaking and writing.

(1) FSL Finance Ofcer Ormoc

Job Grade - 4

Role purpose:

The Finance Ofcer is responsible for ensuring that the Program Ofce effectively meets the nancial management standardsand reporting requirements of Save the Children, the project, and the funding agency.

Qualications guide: At least college graduate on accountancy;With at least 3 years work experience in accounting;Understanding of save the Childrens vision and mission and a commitment to its objectives; willing to adopt Save theChildren methodology and framework in program implementation; abide by and implement Save the Childrens Eight;Experience of working in planning, monitoring and evaluation, audits or a similar eld in an emergency organisatio n oremergency setting with practical experience of developing impact assessment systems and also undertaking evaluations;Demonstrate understanding of monitoring,evaluation and accountability initiatives in the humanitarian sector;Excellentverbal and written communication and relationship building skills in order to deal tactfully and sensitively with a wide rangeof people in a large organisation and at a distance; A exible and initiative-taking attitud e with the ability to manage andprioritise an unpredictable workload; Proven analytical and problem solving skills in order to understand the range andcontent of the emergency programmes work and provide practical solutions to operational challenges ;Abi lity to workeffectively and calmly in a high-pressure environment and to prioritize and effectively manage assignments in a timely fashion;Must be highly motivated and must possess initiative ,d iscipline and a clear work ethic;S trong sense of urgency and workethic;Understands and believes in Save the Childrens mission and vision; commits to its objectives and willing to adopt

Save the Childrens methodology and framework; and Working knowledge of Agresso an advantage.

(6) FSL Community Mobilizers Ormoc

Job Grade - 6

Role purpose:Ensure that projects are according to communities needs and that project activities are implemented with high quality.Thisrole will be the main point of contact with community members at the eld level and will lead on beneciary identicationand verication, monitoring and data collection and distribution of assistance.

Qualications guide: Bachelors Degree;Organisation,management and negotiation skills; Good communication skills;Previous experience in humanitarian setting;Prepared to work under pressure; Honest and motivated;Knowled ge of Idliband Aleppo areas;exper ience with humanitarian organizations;ex perience working on cash, voucher or food distributi onsor other food security programming;able to work with minimum level of supervision; and good English speaking and writing.

(1) SHELTER Project Coordinator Ormoc

Job Grade - 4

Role purpose:The post holder is responsible for the delivery of community based approaches to shelter reconstruction projects whichfocuses on creating an enabling environment to provide appropriate resources to achieve quality reconstruction in particularfocusing on the main theme of risk reduction against future disasters.Qualications guide: A minimum of 5 years relevant work experience in community based construction projects; andQualications within the elds of community development with technical programming components.

(2) SHELTER Project Ofcers Ormoc

Job Grade - 5

Role purpose:

The post holder is responsible for the eld implementation of the shelter project which follows in line with communitybased approaches to shelter reconstruction.The main focus of the project is to insure more disaster resilient constructionis provided to better withstand future natural disaster which will include a component of material provision or nancialsupport to families affected in addition to a skills and knowledge transfer component of building back safer techniquesprovided to local trades people and communities.

Qualications guide: Civil / Structural Engineering or Architectural Degree; Strong knowledge of local constructiontechniques; Experience of construction management; Thorough understanding of engineering principles; Ability to com-municate with other construction professionals;Ability to communicate with and build the capacity of non-constructionprofessionals ;Ability to manage a team;Knowledge of DRR principles, the ability to apply them in practice and share themwith others;Previ ous experience of working on Shelter projects post natural disasters ;and Previous experience of workingon community based approaches to implementing shelter projects.

(2) SHELTER Carpentry Skills Trainer Ormoc

Job Grade - 5

Role purpose:The carpentry skills trainer will facilitate training programmes across multiple municipalities at barangay level across westernLeyte.Training focus will be on up-skilling exis ting carpenters to impart principl es and techniques for improved wooden houseconstruction in particular framing techniques to improve resistance to high wind events and seismic hazards.The role willalso require facilitating community training sessions sensitizing households to the principles of safer shelter construction.

Qualications guide:Hold a BSIC majoring in carpentry and / or Certied TESDA Carpentry Trainer;Experience offacilitating carpentry training to skilled and unskilled audiences; Experience in development of training curriculums to suitlocal construction practices;Thorough understanding of engineering principles and risk reduction construction principlesfor non engineered buildings; Knowledge of construction Disaster Risk Reduction principles for high wind and seismicevents; Demonstrate practica l yet innovative approaches to developing training modalities to cater for illiterate audiences;Excellent communication and facilitation skills; Fluent written and verbal English language skills; Local dialect language skills;Excellent computer skills including Microsoft packages;TESDA Certied carpentry assessor

For all positions:

Has a healthy sense of urgency and work ethic;proactive and results-oriented. High exibility. Commitment to andunderstanding of child rights, the aims and principles of SC, and humanitarian standards such as the Sphere Charter andthe Code of Conduct. In particular,a good underst anding of the SC mandate and child focus and an ability to ensure thiscontinues to underpin our support

Save the Children Values include Accountability. Ambition: Collaboration: Creativity: Integrity:

Child Safeguarding Our commitment to protect the interests and well-being of children includes our commitmentto safeguard children with whom we are in contact. The situation of all chil dren must be improved through the promo-tion of their rights. This includes the right to freedom from abuse and exploitation. Child abuse is never acceptable.Our safeguards starts as early as the recruitment process where we observe interview procedures, reference checks,verication, NBI and employment clearance

Experience with a humanitarian organization will be an advantage;can tolerate working under ambiguouscircumstances and sometimes difcult situation.

IMMEDIATE HIRING for Ormoc Field Ofce

Humanitarian Response due to Super Typhoon Yolanda

Preferably residents of Leyte, Cebu, or Iloilo. Cebuano-, Waray- and

Hiligaynon- speaking an advantage. For Filipino Nationals only.

Send resumes by email: [email protected]

Please place in subject heading: Position (complete). PROVINCE. Your Surname. First name.Example: Program Ofcer Child Protection. ORMOC . Castro Bing

Screened applications will receive a Statement of Interest (SOI) form to be accomplished. Processing willcommence immediately.

We will not be able to respond to follow up or questions except when we communicate or shortlist.

Recruitment procedures and checks reect our commitment to protect children including referencechecks on child safeguarding.

Applicants are expected to commit to Save the Childrens mission, vision and to understanding ourmethodology.

Save the Children is an equal opportunities employer.

Please note that job posting for jobs in the Philippines are also posted at facebook accounts:

Save the Children Philippine Country Ofce page https://www.facebook.com/SavetheChil-

drenPH

the Development Sector Jobs - Philippines https://www.facebook.com/

groups/159675867428915/

Ormoc sugar farmersstart mechanizing opsORMOC CITY Unfazed by Yolanda and the stiff compe-

tition they are expected to face with trade liberalization on

2015, this citys sugar farmers received the rst deliveries of

Kubota tractors on February 25, Tuesday, which would pavethe way to mechanization of their farms.

That afternoon, the sugar farmers, the tractor supplier and

Chinabank, had a ceremonial turnover of payment and the 10

tractors to its owners. Also on display was a unit that the H.

Seraca and Sons Corp. owns that was already modied with a

roof and welded shell to protect the operator from the sun and

other elements.

The turnover was held at the OSPA Training Center, just

nearby the OSPA-Farmers Medical Center that the sugar farmers

established for their workers.

Atty. Iaki Larrazabal Jr., president of the Ormoc Sugar

Planters Association or OSPA, said the Kubota tractors, with

various accessories, could be used for plowing, harrowing the

soil of their sugar farms, clearing it of grass and fertilizing in a

shorter time and less cost than using human labor.

Its the only way to make us competitive with the world

market, Atty. Larrazabal said. However, he added, they will

ensure that their displaced workers are not neglected. They willbe re-tooled and taught new livelihood skills, which is the

purpose of their putting up the training center.

Engr. Ely P. Bagtasus, supplier and president of the Iloilo

New Agri-Industrial Marketing and General Services, Inc., said

the Kubota tractors are of Japanese make and known for their

sturdiness. It is also fuel efcient, consuming only 3.6 liters of

diesel per hour.

The model of the tractors he delivered is the Kubota B2420

which are 105.1 cm. wide and 241 cm. long. It can also be used

on rice elds, liberating the farmers from the backbreaking work

of plowing with a carabao.

He said that the tractors, which cost P 450,000.00 each, would

also make a good business investment for those who would go

into rentals. Aside from selling tractors, he also has his own

equipment rental business in Negros which proved lucrative.

Present also during the ceremonial turnover were Engr.

Herme Seraca, president of the Leyte Cane Planters Association

and Atty. Roy Bernard Fiel, chairman of the Ormoc-KanangaMilling District and board directors of the sugar associations.

Warren del Valle, manager of Chinabank, also handed to Bag-

tasus the check payment for the tractors. The nancing scheme

is an innovation of the bank akin to that of their car loans, with

the sugar farmers putting up 30% equity.

a hissing sound from theirLPG pipeline, followed bya sudden ery explosion. Toescape the re that threat-ened to trap him, he de-stroyed their imsy ceilingand went out through theroof. His other co-workerswere able to escape un-

harmed, too.The other business estab-

lishments were Ace of Dia-

mond Internet Caf, Chooks

to Go, Breeders Agrivet, Dias

Eatery, Nios Carenderia,

Borinagas Barbecue, and the

Perez Nipa Center which is

also the residence of District 2

barangay chairman Napoleon

Perez.

The ofcial re investiga-

tion report states that they

received the re call at 6:48

PM. Seven fire trucks were

immediately dispatched but

upon arrival to the scene of

the re, the remen assessed it

as a conagration already. Alevel 3 alarm was called by re

marshall Charlie M. Gerzon

which entailed calling for as-

sistance of re stations nearby.

Two re trucks from Bay-

bay City and one each from

Philphos and the LGUs of

Albuera, Kananga and Tongo-

nan arrived to help put out the

re which was declared under

control by 8:05 in the evening,

a little more than one hour after

it broke out.

There were complaints

about the re department re-

sponding late but eyewitnesses

contradict the observation.

Retchie Castantes, the baker

on duty, told investigators that

the fire immediately spread

considering the buildings in

the area were old. It was also

noted that it came on a par-

ticularly hot day, and it has notrained for days now. The re

was contained from spreading

further by two rewalls, one on

the side of Bing Ming Depart-

ment Store and the other, at a

paint store.

Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo

J. Locsin and city councilors

were also at the scene to help

out. First to arrive was Atty.

Bennet Pongos Jr.. Meanwhile,

councilor Vincent Rama, dur-

ing the councils caucus on

Thursday, lauded the Ormoc

policemen for their excellent

crowd control. It was the

rst re that I experienced in

this city that people kept to a

distance, he noted.

Meanwhile, it was also

learned that another re hap-

pen ed on Feb ruary 24, the

day before. A miki factory

at Brgy. Linao was razed at

around 8:00 PM but was im-

mediately contained by the re

department.

The miki factory is owned

by Nellie Elloso and Arlene

Casas. Their estimated loss

was pegged by the BFP at P

100,000.00. with reports from

LMJ and Paul Libres

FIRE ... from P. 1


4/14

4 Feb. 24 - Mar. 2, 2014

Resting whileworking

LALAINE MARCOS-JIMENEAPublisher/Editor-in-Chief

JOSE SANRO C. JIMENEABusiness Manager

Correspondents/ Columnists:

PAUL LIBRES, MUTYA COLLANDER, JHAY GASPAR, TED MARCOS, IVY CONG-SON, DR. MANUEL K. PALOMAR, Ph.D., VICKY C. ARNAIZ, JUAN MERCADO, JTDELOS ANGELES, ATTY. BEULAH COELI FIEL, RICARDO MARTINEZ, JR., FR.ROY CIMAGALA,, ATTY. CARLO LORETO, ATTY. EMMANUEL GOLO, ADELINACARRENO, IIGO LARRAZABAL, YONG ROM, PROF. EDITHA CAGASAN

KEN ENECIO

Section Editor

with MAI-MAI T. VELASQUEZ,GILBERT ABAO, EMIE CHU, DR. GERRY

PENSERGA, NIKKI TABUCANON SIA

Cartoonist:HARRY TEROWebsite address:http://www.evmailnews.comemail: [email protected] [email protected]

The EASTERN VISAYAS MAIL is published weekly with Editorial and Business Ofces at

Hermosilla Drive, Ormoc City, Leyte

Telefax Nos: 561-8580; 255-5746; e-mail: [email protected]

ENTERED AS 2ND CLASS MAIL MATTER AT THE ORMOC CITY POST OFFICE ON 14 MAY 2003

TACLOBAN BRANCH: P. ZAMORA ST. (in front of DBP) (053) 530-3366

Other contact numbers: (053) 500-9389 (Biliran); (055) 560-9670 (Borongan)

Administrative AssistantsELVIRA MARTINITO

& ROSENDA CELIZ (Ormoc Ofce)

Authorized Representatives:

ARSENIA BENDO (Calbayog City) EMILY ABAD/AIREEN ARONDAIN(Biliran) KAREN ANN H. SABIO

(Balangiga, E. Samar) MARITESSMASENDO (Hilongos) CHARISA

ECHAUZ (Guiuan, E. Samar)NILO BORDIOS(Borongan City)

Marketing Representative in Manila:RURAL PRESS COMMUNICATORS REP. INC.

3055 Tolentino St., cor. Balabac St., Pinagkaisahan, Makati CityTelephone Numbers: (02)8823978 / (02)8823205 Fax No. (02)8823223Email Address: [email protected]; [email protected]

Marketing Assistants: VICKY ARNAIZ, TED MARCOS

a member of

PHIL. PRESSINSTITUTE

Legacy

Attn: Taclobantrafc cops & LTFRB

SEE FR. ROY P. 5SEEVIEW FROM ORMOC

P. 8

SEE MERCADO P. 8

LETS GO back again to those beautiful

words of Christ about rest, relishing them

and deepening our understanding of them

if only to develop the proper and relevant

attitudes, skills and practices, so helpful to

us who are often harassed by a lot of work,

pressures and concerns.

Gone now are the days of relative peace and

tranquility, of innocence and ease, what with all

the galloping pace of development in practically

all aspects of our lifepersonal, familial, social,

economic, political, technological, etc.

These developments can either simplify or

complicate our life, depending on which turn

we take. They too can have both effects, but,

of course, taken in different senses.

Thus, it is most important, especially these

days, that we know where the source of true rest

is and how we can refresh and renew ourselves

even in the middle of our work.

Come to me, all you that labor and are

burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my

yoke and learn of me, because I am meek and

humble of heart. And you shall nd rest to your

souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden

light. (Mt 11,28-30)

These words were already presaged in the

Book of Isaiah: They that hope in the Lord

shall renew their strength, they shall take wings

as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they

shall walk and not faint. (40,31)

These are words that have to be taken with

faith. As such, they require us to trust God and

to believe in him. They ask us to make some

kind of a leap in the dark despite what we can

immediately see, feel and understand around

us. Thats because these words can sound too

sweet or too good to be true.

The fact is that we have enough miracles in

the gospel, especially that tremendous resur-

rection of Christ from the dead, that should

lend credibility to his words in the absence of

immediate and concrete proofs of their veracity.

We need to hold on to this knowledge to keep

our faith alive particularly when we are heavily

tested in life.

Christ clearly invites us to go to him when

we are working and are burdened. Our main

problem is that we tend to ignore him when we

work. We only go to him when we meet some

difculty in our work. We tend to believe that

we can just rely on our own resources.

We have to correct this dangerous attitude.

Though we may be endowed with great physical

and intellectual powers and many other talents

and privileges, we should always realize that we

need God always when we use them.

Our powers are nite and often choosy.

When we reach their limits, then we have no

means to keep on going, especially in the face

of darkness, tiredness, trials, failures. Even the

usual daily work routine can lead us only to

boredom.

We have to realize that God, being the

creator and author of everything, including our

very own life, is the unfailing source of joy

and peace, of perfect communion with him and

among ourselves, which are the very substance

of rest.

STASH THE baloney. The rising shrillness

today, on the political front, is not about

ideals, let alone government of integrity that

Filipinos have a right to.

The din comes from political pygmies

scrambling to hijack a 2016 transition of power.

Once again, a President will do the unthinkable:

heed the constitutional edict and willingly step

down after one term.

Corazon Aquino did just that. She hand-

picked Fidel Ramos who scraped up a budget

surplus in 1997, even as other Asian countries

reeled from the worldwide economic meltdown.

But Cory shot down in 1998, President Ramoss

less-than-coy bid to pry loose the constitutional

lid on single terms.Three years later, she helped oust Joseph

Estradas corrupt regime. Erap and cronies

swigged P90,000-a-bottle Petrus wine by the

caseful in until-cockcrow carousing at Malaca-

ang. To Palace courtiers, Estrada would dis-

play a special watch. It counted down the days

remaining of his four-year term. Did he chuck

that into the Pasig River as he scrammed from

Malacaang in People Power Two?

Starting in 2005, Cory called for Gloria-

Macapagal Arroyo to step down for corruption,

symbolized in Hello Garci vote-rigging and

the NTE-ZTE scam. Sadly, history shows how

a bad leader or two can set the Philippines back

by years.

No legacy is so rich, as honesty, Shake-

speare once wrote. Graft never tainted Corazon

Aquino. Her son is trounced for his balding pateto being a Torquemada. But lching from the

taxpayers till has never been one of his aws.

Corys 1986-1992 presidency evokes pow-

erful memories for Filipinos. The Aquino family

declined a state funeral. That contrasts sharply

with the Marcoses who insist, up to today, on

a Libingan Ng Mga Bayani grave for the late

dictators embalmed corpse.

Corys funeral procession, from the Cathe-

dral to the Manila Memorial Park in Paraaque,

lasted for over eight hours. Black and yellow-

clad mourners jammed the route, ashing the

Laban sign. Her grave is next to that of her

murdered husband, Beningo Ninoy Aquino,

Jr.. The markers are identical: name, nickname,

plus dates of birth and death inscribed in black.

Any shortcomings in Corazon Aquinos

governing skills were made up for with heartand dogged perseverance, writes Bloombergs

William Pesek. Nostalgia for that time inspired

the masses to urge her son to run for president

-- an ofce he never coveted.

Aquino confounded the skeptics. Increas-

ing tax revenues; going after graft; defying

a powerful Catholic Church on population-

control efforts; attracting more foreign capital;

and investing in infrastructure and education to

reduce poverty.

Much more needs to be done. Aquinos ad-

ministration concedes that the Philippines will

miss its 2015 Millennium Development Goal

on poverty reduction. We will fall short of the

MDG of reducing poverty to 16.6 percent next

year, reports Economic Planning SecretaryArsenio Balisacan.

The Philippines poverty rate in 2012

remained one of the highest in Asia, (Yet) the

country registered an economic growth rate of

6.8 percent, one of the fastest in Asia. New mea-

sures being cobbled now into place should trim

todays poverty incidence of 23 to 25 percent to

18 to 20 percent, --- when Aquino accompanies

his successor to the Luneta for oa th-taking.

The country has won investment-grade

status. If public perception were the sole

judge, democracy (here) is in very good shape,

reports Social Weather Stations. The present

administration outperformed the past regimes.

Net satisfaction rating of President Aquino is

very good as it garnered scores far higher

than his predecessors, even that of his mother.

The unsolved Maguindanao massacre caseremains a sore point. The survey found that 73

percent of Yolanda victims were satised with

government response. Peace talks between the

Philippine government and the Moro Islamic

Liberation Front were deemed sign of persis-

tent hope for peace, much more so among Mus-

lims. Over 59 percent of Muslims expressed

hope thered be peace between the military and

Moro rebels.

Estrada and Arroyo left Aquino with a

much bigger mess to clean up, amid a less for-

giving global environment. Nonetheless, his

reform team, spearheaded by women, is making

a dent. These include Ombudsman Conchita

Carpio Morales, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima

and Commission on Audit Grace Pulido-Tan.

He ignored the rigid seniority rule to name a

woman, Ma. Lourdes Sereno, as Supreme Court

LAST FRIDAY, February 21, on request of

PhilStar, I had to be in Tacloban to cover the

visit of 8 US Congressmen to a World Food

Programme activity. On the way to the site,

unfortunately, our car had an accident. While

making a turn to the right, a Sarao or PUJ

disregarded our signal light and rammed our

vehicles side.

I could not accompany my better half to the

police station to have the matter recorded but

already noticed that the registration papers did

not match the PUJs make. It was registered to a

woman and what I immediately noticed was that

it was for a Mitsubishi Space Wagon which

denitely is not a Sarao. I pointed that out to

the Tacloban enforcer who assisted us, who in

turn said it could have been the wrong papers.

I did not make a fuss because the WFP

service vehicle sent to fetch me arrived and I

thought it would be corrected at the police

station. Since the accident happened at Corner

Real Independencia, we were told it was under

the jurisdiction of the station at Brgy. San Jose.

The car and the PUJ were escorted there

and my hubby was told to pay City Hall the

corresponding fee to get an extract of the blotter.

We returned to the station by 3:00 PM before

returning to Ormoc. We were told that PO2 Jose

Rogie Sudario was not available and he was

the only one who could release us the extract. I

began smelling something shy then.

Nonetheless, since we have an ofce staff

who goes to Tacloban every Tuesday, we de-

cided to leave and let her just pick it up. Surely,

PO2 Jose Rogie Sudario should be around or if

not, at least have the common sense of leaving

the extract behind. The police station is an ofce

and there are ofcers on desk duty. It is not a

turtle that brings around its house.

Unfortunately, PO2 Sudario again was not

around on Tuesday and my staff was told he had

not left them the blotter extract. Hmmm it was

really getting shier. So, last Friday, we went

back to Tacloban to get it ourselves.

It was just as good that on our way there, I

called up a nephew who was once assigned to

the Tacloban police station to help us out. My

nephew, a police superintendent (equivalent to

a colonel in the army) knew the deputy ofcer

there, Insp. Jabiar.

Insp. Jabiar was so kind and gracious to ac-

commodate our request to facilitate the release

of the blotter extract and we picked it up from

his ofce. Since we were in a hurry to get home,

we just even stayed in the car when the papers

arrived and were driving away already when I

noticed the grossly erroneous entries.

The entries of the blotter extract showed that

instead of a PUJ, a Mitsubishi Space Wagon

bearing plate no. UMN-674 and owned by a

Lorelei A. Barbin of Osmea Street in Makati

City was the vehicle on record.

The drivers name was Jose Certez Jr. y

Sumayod of Brgy. 62-A, Sagkahan, Tacloban

City and holder of Professional Drivers Li -

cence HO2-88-022450 valid until 2016-04-07.

I would not be surprised if the driver and his

license would not match also, considering that


5/14

The Gospel on Sunday

MARCH 9, 2014

1st Sunday of Lent

5Feb. 24 - Mar. 2, 2014

Education online

The state of affairs

in the once famous

PMA

FR. ROY ... from P. 4

GETTING A COLLEGE education is expen-

sive. With high tuition and other fees making

higher education increasingly unaffordablefor many families, colleges and universities

are being pressured to shift to innovative

learning tools that can make getting a degree

far cheaper.

A four-year bachelors degree is still consid-

ered an essential requirement into a competitive

job market. But experts agree that colleges

have little choice except to adapt to changing

technological and economic realities.

For some colleges, the future include open

online courses (OOCs) that can cater to work-

ing students and also reach a greater number

of learners. Other institutions reject the digital

approach altogether, stressing hands-on experi-

ence over more theoretical coursework.

It is not suggested that either online or ex-

periential learning should completely replace

the on campus experience, which still providesstudents important opportunities for socializa-

tion and collaboration.

According to experts, the goal is for colleges

to blend important elements of the campus ex-

perience with new approaches, trying to capture

the best of both worlds for students increasingly

economically cut out by the cost of a traditional

four-year degree.

Under the OOC system, the classroom will

be a place to come for tutorials and one-on-one

instruction rather than a place to be lectured at

by a professor. The student would be responsible

for watching the videos at home and doing the

online quizzes. The classroom time can be used

for students to practice with the material.

OOCs offer college students several cost-

saving advantages. And they can also reduce

the trafc in Manila and other big cities if morestudents opt to study via this scheme.

Students can watch lectures on their owntime rather than attend a class that meets at a

specic time and day. They can also take OOCs

over a summer, getting enough credits to reduce

the number of years or semesters they need to

stay in college.

It must be emphasized that the role of the

traditional university classroom has evolved

over time, with a greater emphasis placed on

content mastery than content delivery, being

less professor-centric, but more student-centric.

Theres the worry that OOCs could make

smaller, less prestigious institutions dependent

on the U.P. professors of the world. A growing

demand for big-name lecturers through cheap

online courses could diminish wages and job

security for less established instructors across

the country.

As OOCs allow anyone to access lecturesfrom top-notch professors, some smaller

schools are trying to make themselves irreplace-

able by moving away from the lecture model

altogether. These schools are offering hands-on,

practical learning that they say you cant get

from watching an online lecture and taking a

multiple-choice test.

With online teaching, traditional departmen-

tal distinctions can be removed in an effort to

encourage collaboration among elds. But the

school can maintain disciplinary groupings

of faculty to help students achieve accredited

degrees.

Just an obvious downside to online teach-

ing: An internet connection is required for it to

work. Typhoon Yolanda took care of that and

until now internet connection is still very weak

(if not absent) in many areas in Eastern Visayasincluding VSU in Baybay.

IT IS indeed very lamentable about the

state of affairs in the Philippine Military

Academy (PMA), otherwise known as theBaguio Cadets. Back in the late 40s up to the

early 50s, anyone who plans to join the Ba-

guio cadets must face a rigorous preliminary

exam. First of all, you must be endorsed by a

Congressman because it will entail the use of

public funds. You must be physically t with

a minimum height of no less than 56. You

must also pass a written exam and you must

be morally upright and present clearances

from your school, any court of justice. This

corner was once an applicant. There were

two of us from the USJ-R (former CSJ-R) in

Cebu City. I cannot name the other because

I do not have prior clearance. We passed all

the requirements. We represented the whole

Visayas region then. Sad to say, we ended up

in tears when we were eventually disqualied

for having some personal defects. My eyeswere then defective. When I asked how come

there were ofcers with eyeglasses, I was told

it was alright after having passed inside the

academy; not before, as in my case. The other

one had adenoid in his nostril. He was also

disqualied.

The recent case of a cadet that appeared in

the newspapers who was a candidate to be the

class salutatorian but who was made to resign

because of a violation of the long standing

tradition of the Honor Code. The Honor Code

and the Honor System are supposed to help

the cadet to be upright leaders of tomorrow.

Even if somebody is not looking, they must

live up to the creed of do not cheat, lie and

steal or tolerate those who do in and outside

of the academy. Presidential Assistant on Reha-

bilitation and Reconstruction, Panlo Lacson,a former graduate of the PMA, was once their

guest speaker. He exhorted the cavaliers

(graduates) to maintain the honor system in

the academy and to put premium on the living

tradition of courage, integrity and loyalty.

This same appeal is being put up by the BCBP

(Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and

Professionals) under the heading of honesty.Their placards are even found in most schools

and public places.

There was a time when the military man was

held in the highest esteem. With the advent of

the martial law, that esteem was on its steepes t

dive. Marcos had to play ball with the military

and make them very happy by placing them on

the pedestal. We all know that martial law can

only be successful if there is the military as

back up. Look at what happened to those gener-

als that were investigated for having acquired

wealth far and beyond what they receive and up

to what they get on retirement. What happened

to the General who absconded with the money

entrusted to him (was it Garcia?); how about the

famous Gen. Angelo Reyes who was a member

of the baritone singers that regaled the crowd

with their voices: Reyes, Joey Lina, et al. Heended up taking his life by putting a bullet to

his heart. He was scheduled to be investigated

by the Senate. The practice was for the retiring

generals to be given P50 million as incentive?

Wow!! How about what the ofcers did to the

leftists that were rounded up and jailed for being

leftists. Most, if not all of the women, were mo-

lested and even raped. Where did the ofcers get

their sense of values? Moral turpitude seemed

to be up high in the sky.

It concerned the case of graduating Cadet

Aldrin Jeff Cudia who hails from Arayat,

Pampanga. He is said to have been late in class

for 2 minutes and was meted the penalty of 11

demerits plus 13 hours of touring or running

around the school campus. He was the number

1 pick to join the Navy. He was given a chance

to face the investigating committee composedmostly of his classmates. Development of

character and integrity are the paramount con-

siderations of a cadet. He was dismissed from

the service after his case was reviewed by higher

authorities. This corner considers his case very

lamentable and sad.

Matthew 4: 1 - 11

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit intothe wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

And he fasted forty days and forty nights,

and afterward he was hungry.And the tempter came and said to him,If you are the Son of God, command thesestones to become loaves of bread. Buthe answered, It is written, `Man shall notlive by bread alone, but by every word thatproceeds from the mouth of God.

Then the devil took him to the holy city,and set him on the pinnacle of the temple,

and said to him, If you are the Son ofGod, throw yourself down; for it is written,`He will give his angels charge of you, and`On their hands they will bear you up, lestyou strike your foot against a stone.

Jesus said to him, Again it is written,`You shall not tempt the Lord your God.

Again, the devil took him to a very highmountain, and showed him all the kingdomsof the world and the glory of them; and hesaid to him, All these I will give you, if youwill fall down and worship me.

Then Jesus said to him, Begone,Satan! for it is written, `You shall worshipthe Lord your God and him only shall youserve. Then the devil left him, and behold,angels came and ministered to him.

To be sure, rest is not only a physical affair.

The whole man, body and soul, needs to rest

and to continually revitalize himself as he goes

on working and expending his energy. What

sustains him is much more than just physical

or biological elements. It is God, his grace, his

light and strength.

Remember what St. Paul once said, I know

both how to be brought low and I know how to

aboundboth to be full and to be hungry, both

to abound and to suffer need. I can do all these

things in him who strengthens me. (Phil 4,12)

The spiritual impulses when one is vitally

united to Christ are even palpable. One sees

greater light, feels a sense of meaning and

purpose, experiences an indescribable sense of

peace and joy.

Though the body gets tired, the spirit contin-

ues to be vibrant, reecting what Christ himself

said: The spirit is willing but the esh is weak.

(Mt 26,41) Thats why asked his apostles, and

us, to watch and pray.

This is the secret of finding rest while

working, of continually refreshing and renew-

ing ourselves even as we expend our energies.

It is to watch and pray. We should never be

entirely dependent on our human powers, for

if they are not empowered by grace, they can

only go so far.

This good news should reach all, especially

those who are working. Email: roycimagala@

gmail.com

Challenges are what makelife interesting and over-

coming them is what makeslife meaningful.- Joshua J. Marine


6/14

PEOPLE, PLACE6

Nursing stude grabsMs WLC 2014 title

Anjela Faith Rodriguez, 4th runner-up; Liera Marie Aligway, 2nd runner-up; Ms. WLC 2014 Carla Menesis; Ms. WLC 2013 Alexa Marie

Matuguina; Trixie Ann Medalla, 1st runner-up, and Cyrelle Corpus, 3rd runner-up. Photo by Ja

BYJHAYGASPAR

TALENTNIGHTPHOTOSBYTALOYNOVAL

Ms Carla Meneses was also hailed Ms Talent, wowing the crowd and judges with her

playing the violin. Photo at left shows her with WLC ofcers and the judges.

WESTERN LEYTE COL-LEGE of Ormoc show-cased 10 lovely candi-dates from its differentCollege departments inthe search for Ms. WLC2014 held at the WLCGymnasium on Febru-ary 28.

The WLC Gymnasiumwas lled with thrill andexcitement as the gorgeousladies competed with theirbeauties and talents. Ninedistinct judges chaired byOrmoc City Vice-mayorHon. Leo Carmelo LocsinJr. scrutinized the candi-dates in their ProductionNumber, Philippine Terno,Swimsuit attire, and Ques-tion and Answer portion.On the other hand, the Top5 for Best in Talent havealready been chosen in apre-pageant talent nightlast February 26.

The pageant also fea-tures the Westernians tal-ents through intermissionnumbers in between seg-

ments. ABS-CBN star BryanTermulos appearance andsinging performance alsobecame a highlight of thenight.

In the moment of truth,reigning Ms. WLC 2014Alexa Marie Matuguina

turned over the Crownto the Carla Meneses, aB.S. Nursing student rep-resenting the College ofNursing and Allied HealthSciences.#

Named 1st runner-upwas Trixie Ann Medalla;2nd runner-up Liera Ma-rie Aligway; 3rd runner-up Cyrelle Corpus; and,Anjela Faith Rodriguez, 4thrunner-up.

Minor Awards:

Ms. Congeniality CarlaMeneses, CONAHS

Ms. Photogenic - CarlaMeneses, CONAHS

Ms. Philippine Terno -Carla Meneses, CONAHS

Ms. SUN Cellular TrixieAnn Medalla, College ofEducation

Ms. Ormoc Olympic Fit-ness Alma Hermoso,

Accounting Technology

Best in Production num-ber - Trixie Ann Medalla,College of Education

Best in Swimsuit LieraMarie Aligway, College of

Accountancy

Best in Talent JadeDestacamento, Collegeof Business HRDM

Rosie Larrazabalturns

84SOME WOMEN just grow old, but some womengrow old gracefully. Apparently, belong-ing to the latter is the ever-endearing RosieEnriquez-Larrazabal. This year, she held herbirthday bash at their hotels Rose GrandBallroom. And I swear she havent aged ayear since her last birthday. Happy Birthday,Mana Rosie!!!

The celebrant (seated, middle) is anked by husband Sabin

and Ormoc parish priest Fr. Gilbert Urbina. Standing from

left to right are some of her esteemed guests: Caren and

councilor Vincent Rama, former congresspeople Carmelo

and Vicky Locsin, daughter-in-law Evelyn, longtime friend

Corsini Avellana and incumbent Ormoc Vice-Mayor Leo

Carmelo Toto Locsin Jr. Other pictures are of family and

friends who were present.


7/14

& Happenings 7


8/14

8 NEWSFeb. 24 - Mar. 2, 2014

chief justice.

He has two years left to cement his legacy. Reforms he

championed have to be institutionalized: strengthening the ju-

diciary to clamping down on rampant smuggling a t the Bureau

of Customs, better schools and power grids. He must focus on

laying a foundation that those who follow him can build upon,

adds Bloomberg.

Aquinos biggest challenge may be to prevent backsliding

after hes gone. The president would be wise to begin groom-

ing a successor who represents continuity. (Thatd) ensure that

Aquinonomics isnt undone by whoever comes next. Leaving

presidential succession to chance would imperil the virtuous

cycle Aquino unleashed.

Imelda, 83, the shoe-loving widow of Ferdinand, sits in

Congress. Her son is a senator and her daughter a provincial

governor. Arroyo also has a congressional seat, while Estrada

left prison only to be elected mayor of Manila.

Women are good for the bedroom, scoffed President Fer-

dinand Marcos after Corazon Aquino launched her 1986 snap

election bid. Marcos chomped on that sneer in exile. In 2016,

could history replay by sweeping aside men like Binay, Roxas

and Marcos Jr. and see a woman president emerge?

MERCADO ... from P. 4

Mr. Pulis PO2 Jose Rogie T. Sudario could not even distinguishthe difference between a Sarao and a Mitsubishi Space Wagon.

Anyway, we again left for Ormoc without the blotter extract.

It was also a good thing that we took pictures and videos of the

accident because Trafc Chief Insp. Bernardito Gabral Verallo

saw for himself that it was a Sarao and not a space wagon.

Verallo gave his promise that the correct information would

be re-entered and that we would get the correct blotter extract

by next Tuesday. Well, I hope so. PO2 Sudario, in the rst place,

should have impounded the Sarao for driving around Tacloban

City without registration papers.

While we just bantered about Sudarios mistake, saying that

he could still be suffering shock from Yolanda, I just get this b it

of suspicion that the delay in releasing us the extract was quite

deliberate. Maybe, he wanted us to lose interest and just let it

pass. I would, however, like to remind PO2 Sudario that he has

inconvenienced us three times already and my staffs returning

there on Tuesday will be the fourth time. Is that what he swore

to when he became a policeman, to inconvenience civilians?How many people has he done this already?

This last bit is for the LTFRB: The PUJs route was Tacloban

to San Jose. Its yellow plate number was HVP 257. I hope there

are records as to who the real operator of this PUJ is, because we

also noted that its braking system was less to be desired. When

the accident happened, the PUJ could not brake well. It could

become a road menace.

VIEW FROM ORMOC ... from P. 4

Capangihan in Tolosa, all in

Leyte province.

In the province of Eastern

Samar, the areas are in Ba-

rangay Coticot in Giporlos;

Barangay Bulusao in Lawa-

an; Barangay Sta. Rosa in

Balangiga; Barangay Labtic

in Quinapondan; and Barangay

Siguinon in Salcedo.

Castillo said that the CRS

readily responded to their call

to include ARCs in their as-

sistance operations.

However, it was empha-

sized by CRS Operations Man-

ager Terry Tuazon that they

will only be assisting farmers

in coconut areas to avoid dupli-

cation of similar aid extended

by other organizations to rice

farmers.

Tuazon explained that in

order for these farmers start

rehabilitating their farms,

CRS will provide financial

assistance to clear the debris

brought by the typhoon.

The farmers are required to

form into groups of 15 and help

one another clear (and plant if

seeds/seedlings are available)

15 lots in 15 days.

Each farmer will be paid

P3,900 for the 15-day work at

P260 per day.

In addition, Tuazon said,

each farmer will also get

P1,000 worth of voucher that

could be used in procuring

farm tools, seeds/seedlings and

fertilizers at accredited stores.

Earlier, Castillo said, PCA

has committed coconut seed-

lings and camote cuttings for

the rehabilitation of typhoon-

ravaged areas. But Tuazon said

that farmers could also plant

vegetables as intercrops for

additional income.

Meanwhile, DARs Bureau

of Agrarian Reform Benecia-

ries Development (BARBD)

Assistant Director Ma. Elena

Cabaes introduced vermicul-

ture to the ARB organizations

as additional livelihood for

them. The gathered debris can

be used as feeds for the worms

with a shredding machine.

If the farmers are inter-

ested, DAR will provide 30

kilos of worms for every ARC

and facilitate the sourcing out

of the shredding machine from

an international organization.

PR/By Jose Alsmith Soria

CRS ... from P. 14

cinde said the NEA subsidyshould not impact on theireffective rate as distribu-tion utility because it wasa subsidy.

Torcinde, however, wasvague on the procedure

on how to refund the con-sumers who directly hiredcontractors. He also ad-mitted these contractors didnot have business permits,hence did not have ofcialreceipts.

To get their services,LEYECO V inked Memo-randum of Agreementswith them.

He said these contrac-tors are retired LEYECOV personnel and have theskills to help them has-ten up repair work. Theirrates are NEA-approvedand based on what work

is demanded like replacinga post or just straighteningit up. To discourage alle-gations of over-charging,NEA stepped in and saidit should be LEYECO V tohire these contractors andnot leave them to negoti-ate directly with member-consumers.

The news is good newsfor those who shelled outhuge sums just to restorepower to their homes andbusinesses. Some subdivi-sion owners chipped in P

1,500.00 to P 2,000.00 each.Doris Lam, on her Face-book post, said they paid P2,000.00 each for their threehouses. A P 6,000.00 refundwould be very welcome.

He also informed the

council that repair and re-hab of the power lines isexpected to gain momen-tum in the next few days.NEA has sent 14 ECs tohelp out in the line repairsand rehab. As of that after-noon, he said, they alreadyhad teams from LEYECOIV and Bohol helping out.More teams were expectedto arrive soon.

He added that as of thatafternoon, Ormoc City andAlbuera which has a loaddemand of 30 MW werealready consuming 12 MW.They also prioritized the

large load users because itwould help the cooperativerecoup its expenses faster.

Vice Mayor Leo Car-melo Toto Locsin Jr. saidthe news of LEYECO Vreimbursing those who paidcontractors was welcomenews. Their familys busi-nesses had to pay a heftysum just to have powerback. He was also happyfor the member-consumerswho will be getting backtheir hard-earned money.

NEA ... from P. 1

passion sparked a ame ofhope, one that glowed everso gently yet so brightlyat a time when even thatseemed improbable. Forthat we thank you so deep-ly. We will not forget.

Latter-day Saint Chari-ties (LDSC), the social armof The Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints,is an application of the ad-monition of Jesus Christ tohelp others in need. LDS

Charities sponsors reliefand development projectsin 167 countries. This as-sistance is rendered withoutregard to race, religiousaffiliation, or nationalityand is based on the coreprinciples of personal re-sponsibility, communitysupport, selfreliance, andsustainability.

On the other hand, the2,000 additional shelter kitsfrom LDS Charities adds up

to the 8,000 shelter kits thatshe was earlier able to raisefrom donations coursedthrough her initiative.

After Yolanda hit herdistrict, the congresswomancampaigned for relief do-nations, among them shel-ter kits. From the moneydonations that she raised,she was able to buy 3,000shelter kits. The Sultanateof Oman donated another5,000 shelter kits.

Now, aside from raisingdonations for shelter kits,the congresswoman is inthe thick of a campaign tobuild 6,200 motorboats fordistribution to fishermenin her district. She has alsoappealed for donations ofseeds and various plantingmaterials to help farmersin the district re-crop theirdamaged fields. With apress release from the LDSCharities

LUCY ... from P. 1

reach communities in Leyte

that have received less at-

tention from international

aid agencies than Tacloban

City and its surrounding areas

which suffered the greatest ca-

sualties. Information provided

by EDCs Community Part-

nerships Department in Leyte

enabled them to identify the

needs of their target benecia-

ries and match them with the

Embassys capabilities.

The 4,000 schoolbooks

cover a variety of subjects for

elementary school students

and follow global education

standards.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ignacio

Rippes Silva and Dr. Natalia

Vodopic, treated the cavities

of 150 students and educated

them on dental health care.

Teachers at the two Schools

for Excellence expressed

their gratitude to the dentists,

explaining that most of the

students would not have had

access to a dentist without the

dental mission.

Roberto Mayorga, Jr. met

with school principals in the

area to discuss the formation

of youth soccer teams. He

A Chilean dentist checks the teeth of a pupil.

also met with members of the

Ormoc soccer club to recruit

volunteers who could train the

children. Mayorga hopes that

they can nd children who can

be developed into future soccer

stars of the country.

Amb. Mayorga said,

Sports bring intangible ben-

efits to children. It teaches

them discipline and teamwork,

promotes healthy competition,

and being able to play allows

them to just enjoy and be

happy.

EDC assisted the Chilean

mission to Leyte by provid-

ing logistical and networking

support. Manny Paete, Vice

President of EDCs Leyte

Geothermal Production Field,

said, When typhoon Yolanda

struck the Philippines and

devastated much of Leyte, in-

cluding our EDC host commu-

nities, many countries jumped

to our aid, among them Chile

led by His Excellency, Ambas-

sador Roberto L. Mayorga.

EDC has been engaged

in extensive relief and re-

construction efforts for both

employees and community

residents.

CHILE ... from P. 2

DOLE Secretary orders release of 2014 DILP A.S.A.PMANILA - Labor Secretary

Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz

ordered all regional direc-

tors and program managers

of the Department of Labor

and Employment to fast-

track the release of DOLEIntegrated Livelihood Assis-

tance Program (DILP) funds

to enable survivors to earn

decent incomes and quickly

recover from the effects of

the calamities that recently

visited the country.

My instruction during our

DOLE-wide planning exercise

was to already roll out in the

rst month of 2014 the DILP

funds given us by Congress,

either for our regular programs

or for rebuilding after Typhoon

Yolanda. February is almost

over, and March is coming, so

I expect that our livelihood as-

sistance to calamity survivors

will already be making head-

way, said Baldoz in a press

statement, as she expressed

concern over the seemingly

snail-paced move of program

managers to implement pro-

grams.Baldoz said DOLE targets

100,000 emergency and live-

lihood program beneciaries

this 2014 under a regular

budget of P609.8 million and

102,011 beneficiaries under

Yolanda projects with a budget

of P883.98 million for the full

year. We have targets to meet,

or even surpass, so we better be

prepared and be fast, she said.

Baldoz said all DOLE

regional directors have the

responsibilityand are ac-

countable to herfor the im-

plementation of the DILP in

convergence wi

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