PIO Biliran

Naval, Biliran – Governor Gerardo “Gerry Boy” Espina Jr. of this province conveys the Biliranon’s gratitude to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for approving his request for financial assistance for the purchase of medical equipments.

The PCSO approved a financial grant amounting to P15.870 million for the purchase of various medical equipments for the Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH). Formerly a small district hospital under the DOH before its devolution to the provincial government, the facility was improved by former Governor Rogelio Espina (now representative of the Lone District of Biliran) thru LGU-initiated loans and grants.

Governor Gerry Boy continued the efforts of rebuilding the provincial hospital, and was thankful to the support of PCSO under the management of Chairman Margarita Juico and GM Jose Ferdinand Rojas II. It is the only hospital serving the residents of Biliran province and those coming from the neighboring towns in Leyte.

Gov. Espina said that the PCSO’s continued support to the BPH in terms of medical equipments, ambulances and endowment funds have saved countless lives in the province.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas II (left) hands to Biliran Gov. Gerry Boy Espina (center) the check amounting to P15.870M for the purchase of medical equipment for the Biliran Provincial Hospital, January 20. Witnessing the event is Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO Fund Allocation Department Manager (right).

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By Michael Punongbayan, The Philippine Star
Posted at 01/28/2014 5:09 AM | Updated as of 01/28/2014 5:09 AM

MANILA, Philippines – At least P22.6 million in government funds were wasted on hand washing facilities that were barely used, according to state auditors.

In a report released last week, the Commission on Audit (COA) said the Department of Education (DepEd) spent P22,684,559.33 to build hand washing facilities in schools in Misamis Oriental, Navotas, Malabon and Biliran in 2012.

Records show that the construction of water and hand washing facilities was ordered in 2009 and 2011 in all schools for the prevention of Influenza A (H1N1) and other infectious diseases.

But inspections by COA representatives bared that the hand washing facilities were mostly not functional, not fully utilized, or could be unnecessary as management failed to consider the availability of water resources, among other factors.

In Misamis Oriental, each hand washing project in 25 schools cost around P45,000 to P50,000, but only four or 16 percent are functional. The remaining 84 percent were found useless because of lack of water supply, absence of electrical connection, destroyed faucets and pipes, destroyed hand washing counters and dirty facility and surroundings.

State auditors had the same observation for the facilities in Navotas, Malabon and Biliran, with lack of water supply as the primary problem.

The COA report noted that unnecessary expenditures are those “which could not pass the test of prudence or diligence of a good father of a family, thereby denoting non-responsiveness to the exigencies of the service or the incurrence of expenditure not dictated by the demand of good government.”

“It seemed that concerned officials did not consider the availability of water resources in the targeted schools and sanitation of the facilities pursuant to the above-cited DepEd order to ensure the sustainability of these facilities,” state auditors said.

“Had concerned officials exercised due diligence, schools with enough toilets and with water supply problem should not have been selected as beneficiaries and the funds could have been allocated to other projects,” the audit team added.

The COA report said DepEd should require the school heads and teachers to rehabilitate, clean and maintain the hand washing facilities of their schools.

State auditors said the water supply problem should also be addressed so that the facilities could be used.

The 2012 COA report also questioned DepEd for the school furniture delivered to various schools in Davao del Sur worth over P5 million found to be of poor quality, defective and with inconsistent delivery date.

Related Search Keywords:

• Davao

by: Rodrigo S. Victoria

NAVAL, Biliran – Naval, the capital town of the province of Biliran, will install close circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the town’s strategic areas this year.

This was learned from Naval Mayor Susan V.Parilla during the initial meeting this year of the members of the municipal peace and order council (MPOC) held at the Naval SB Session hall.

Parilla disclosed the installation of CCTV cameras this year when asked by Naval Councilor Eduardo Gaviola, chairman of the committee on public order and safety of the Sangguniang Bayan of Naval, about the status of the installation of CCTV cameras in the identified strategic places in the municipality.

The lady mayor informed that the budget for the procurement of CCTV cameras is included in the 2014 budget and will be implemented once the 2014 annual budget will be approved.

The CCTV cameras will be installed in identified strategic areas in Naval town like the bus terminal, public market, corner P.I. and Garcia streets and in the town’s entry and exit points from the south (Tacloban, Ormoc) east (cross country road) and north (Almeria and Kawayan towns), Parilla revealed.

She also encouraged owners of business establishments in the municipality to install CCTV cameras but it is the discretion of the owner to install CCTV camera or not.

CCTV camera is an electronic gadget that records the flow of activities on time and is a big help to law enforcement agencies in the prevention and curtailment of criminal activities.

by: Rodrigo S. Victoria

NAVAL, Biliran, – The top official of the Naval police station admitted to the members of the municipal peace and order council (MPOC) during the meeting of the council recently that illegal drug is considered a top problem of the capital town in the province of Biliran.

“This is a serious problem” PCInsp. Renencio Raquipo, chief of police of Naval police station informed MPOC members during the initial meeting of the council for the year 2014 at the Sangguniang Bayan session hall.

Based on the annual accomplishment report of the Naval police station presented by PCInsp. Raquipo during the MPOC meeting, there were recorded seven arrests of persons involved in illegal drugs , in most cases on metamphetamine hydrochloride known as shabu with an alleged lady drug pusher in the latest list.

He confided that the arrest of suspected persons involved in illegal drugs trade in the municipality is a tedious process where it involves lot of surveillance, test buy, examination of the test buy illegal drugs and the buy-bust operation.

Raquipo informed that the over-all operation leading to the arrest of suspected persons involved in the illegal drugs trade would cost up to P20,000.

He thanked the local government unit of Naval led by Naval Mayor Susan V. Parilla, who is also the chairman of the MPOC, for the financial support extended to PNP-Naval in the operation against persons involved in illegal drugs.

The chief of Naval police station asked the cooperation of the public leading to the arrest of suspected persons in the municipality who are engaged in the illegal drugs trade.

Meanwhile, Raquipo reported that the town’s criminality situation for the period covering January 7, 2013 to January 22, 2014 showed that the crime volume of 153 cases is composed of 50 index crimes and 103 non-index crimes

He also reported that 24.12% average monthly crime rate is composed of 7.84% average monthly index crime rate and 16.23% average monthly non-index crime rate with a crime solution efficiency of 59.54% and crime clearance efficiency of 95.68%.

by: Rodrigo S. Victoria

NAVAL, Biliran – “It is the primary duty of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to serve and protect the citizenry” said Marilyn D. Saboy, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in her message during the 23rd PNP foundation day celebration.

Saboy was the guest of honor during the traditional Monday flag raising ceremony on January 27, 2014 of the Biliran Police Provincial Office (BPPO)which also marked the 23rd PNP foundation day celebration held at the BPPO camp in Barangay Larrazabal, this town.

The lady DILG provincial director of Biliran emphasized the primary duty of the PNP to be the guiding principle of every member of the PNP “so that an ordinary Juan will look up to the PNP as their partners and protectors”.

She also stressed to the members of the BPPO to put in mind the quest for excellence in governance and translate it into tangible and concrete initiatives in achieving the ‘Daang Matuwid”, the battlecry of the Aquino administration.

“It is guaranteed that you can do much for the betterment of our country specifically for the province of Biliran” Saboy further said, despite facing challenges along the way.

She likewise called on to generate and harmonize the active participation of the local leaders and civil society and other government institutions where and when necessary for the betterment of the province.

Saboy congratulated the members of the BPPO led by PSSupt Felix Alberca Diloy, provincial director, for a job well done in maintaining peace and order in Biliran province.

Saboy together with PSSupt Diloy also gave a certificate of recognition to Ms. Lynn Jansen Mckeneley for her support to BPPO specifically for giving one unit brass cutter, one unit generator and by sponsoring the BPPO Christmas party on December 19, 2013.

by: Rodrigo S. Victoria

NAVAL, Biliran – The ten-member Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) national team is here in Biliran province for nine days to conduct a comprehensive assessment on the extent of the damages brought by super typhoon Yolanda on public infrastructures, agriculture, housing and other areas of concerns.

The PDNA national team in Biliran province that arrived on Monday, January 27, initially met and discussed with the members of the Biliran provincial disaster risk reduction and management council at the PDRRMC operation center on matters pertaining to the rationale and scope of the assessment.

The team will start the super typhoon damage assessment on Tuesday, January 28 in the municipality of Naval; Almeria-January 29; Cabucgayan-January 30; Caibiran-January 31; Culaba-February 1; Biliran-February 3 and an exit conference with a focus group discussions with the Biliran PDRRMC members on February 4 at the PDRRMC operation center.

Relan Jay Asuncion, one of the PDNA members from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) central office, said during the initial discussion with the Biliran PDDRRMC members that the damage assessment that will be extracted in the identified LGUs in the province of Biliran will serve as the basis of the “reconstruction and recovery” efforts of the national government.

Asuncion added that the national government specifically the Office of the President will not just rely on the rehabilitation plan submitted from LGUs but will base on the assessment to be conducted by the PDNA national team comprising of several representatives from different national government agencies.

“The assessment will also serve as basis of the support from the international donor agencies” Asuncion informed further stressing that reliability, accuracy and truthfulness are needed in the damage assessment.

He also urged the concerned local officials in the identified LGUs to be assessed in Biliran province to cooperate with the team members specially in the getting of relevant data and information which will help the team in coming up with a valid assessment report.

The conduct of the post disaster assessment of worst-hit areas in Eastern Visayas due to super typhoon Yolanda was the fifth to be conducted in the country since the PDNA team conducted the first post-disaster assessment on Typhoon Ondoy together with the United Nations representatives followed by typhoons Sendong, Pablo and the Zamboanga standoff incident Asuncion said.

Prof. Rolando Borrinaga
First Posted 12:36:00 01/29/2014
BiliranIsland.com

On January 25, on a quick trip to the hometown, I was privileged to be shown some relics, archival items and other items for the emerging Museum of the Diocese of Naval. It is being organized by Fr. Kenneth Hendricks, with whom I have discussed this dream project several times in the past.

The Diocesan Pastoral Center of the Diocese of Naval in Naval, Biliran on the corner of Padre Inocentes and Burgos Sts. The museum will be in the second floor of the building, facing the camera.

Fr. Kenneth Hendricks, still called in Naval and Biliran as Fr. Pius (his name when he was still Brother Pius, OFM), was assigned the task of organizing the museum for the Diocese of Naval.

The main corridor to the proposed museum area.

The old retablo, priest’s chair, and communion rails of the Naval Parish Church have been installed as the initial main display items of the museum. Religious services can be celebrated here.

The priest’s confessional chair at the old Naval church.

The old monstrance of the Naval Parish Church.

On the right, the old monstrance of the Biliran Parish Church, which dates back to 1821.

Some images of saints at the working office of Naval Bishop Filomeno G. Bactol.

A former sacristan and former Franciscan brother. The last time I had a picture taken with Fr. Kenneth Hendricks was about 44 years ago, when he was still a Franciscan brother newly assigned to Naval and I was with the group of sacristans he had recruited and organized.

The Negros Chronicle

Survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda seeking treatment can expect a more complete facility at the Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH) as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has donated P15.87 million for the purchase various medical equipment.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II and Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO assistant general manager for Charity Sector, turned over on Monday the donation.

Biliran Gov. Gerardo Espina, Jr. received the donation in the form of a check at the PCSO Headquarters, Secretariat Building, Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City.

A PCSO document detailed the hospital equipment to be purchased out of the P15.87 million donation, such as one digital XRay System (P9.79 million); one Doppler Ultrasound Machine (P2.7 million); one Blood Chemistry Analyzer (P480,000)’ one ECG Machine (P300,000); one Hematology Analyzer (P700,000); and one Anesthesia Machine (P1.9 million).

Rojas and Espina said the donation is really timely.

Rojas said the PCSO will continue to discharge its mandate, and help those in need, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao, which are now being hit by typhoons more often.

“Since many of those survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda are seeking hospitalization in nearby provinces, the donation will be a boost to the Biliran Provincial Hospital,” he said.

Espina confirmed this.

“After ‘Yolanda’ hit Eastern Visayas, people in the affected areas, such as Tacloban City, are going outside of their areas to seek medical treatment since their hospitals were damaged by the typhoon.”

Many of the victims are coming to Biliran for medical treatment, he said, as the governor thanked the PCSO for the donation.

Rojas said, PCSO allocates 30 percent from every peso of revenue to Charity Fund. (Joseph Muego) Survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda seeking treatment can expect a more complete facility at the Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH) as the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has donated P15.87 million for the purchase various medical equipment.

PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand M. Rojas II and Dr. Larry Cedro, PCSO assistant general manager for Charity Sector, turned over on Monday the donation.

Biliran Gov. Gerardo Espina, Jr. received the donation in the form of a check at the PCSO Headquarters, Secretariat Building, Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Pasay City.

A PCSO document detailed the hospital equipment to be purchased out of the P15.87 million donation, such as one digital XRay System (P9.79 million); one Doppler Ultrasound Machine (P2.7 million); one Blood Chemistry Analyzer (P480,000)’ one ECG Machine (P300,000); one Hematology Analyzer (P700,000); and one Anesthesia Machine (P1.9 million).

Rojas and Espina said the donation is really timely.

Rojas said the PCSO will continue to discharge its mandate, and help those in need, particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao, which are now being hit by typhoons more often.

“Since many of those survivors of Super Typhoon Yolanda are seeking hospitalization in nearby provinces, the donation will be a boost to the Biliran Provincial Hospital,” he said.

Espina confirmed this.

“After ‘Yolanda’ hit Eastern Visayas, people in the affected areas, such as Tacloban City, are going outside of their areas to seek medical treatment since their hospitals were damaged by the typhoon.”

Many of the victims are coming to Biliran for medical treatment, he said, as the governor thanked the PCSO for the donation.

Rojas said, PCSO allocates 30 percent from every peso of revenue to Charity Fund. (JOSEPH MUEGO)

by: Mary Lailani Tupaz

NAVAL, Biliran – The Biliran Provincial Employment Services Office (PESO) set a special recruitment activity (SRA) on February 24-25, 2014, at the Biliran provincial capitol compound.

In an interview with Lorena G. Dayagbil, Biliran Provincial PESO Manager, it was learned that Maanyag International Service Agency will come to Biliran on said dates to offer job opportunities within the country and abroad.

Dayagbil stressed that job seekers are assured of the legitimacy of the agency as it is actively registered with the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).

Job seekers are advised to prepare the necessary documents such as NSO generated certificate of live birth and marriage contract, NBI clearance, and passport.

Since the systems of these agencies in region 8 are down after the Typhoon Yolanda that hit Eastern Visayas last November 8, 2013, Dayagbil advised applicants to prepare said documentary requirements for immediate employment once found to be qualified for the job.

Dayagbil also informed that the provincial PESO is continuously accepting registration of job applicants ready for deployment once job opportunities become available. # (PIA 8 Biliran)

By Dona Z. Pazzibugan
Philippine Daily Inquirer
7:15 am | Monday, February 3rd, 2014

MANILA, Philippines—Apparently many students are still not washing their hands in school.

More than P22-million worth of hand washing facilities in some public schools had fallen into disrepair but were now being used again, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

Stung by criticism from the Commission on Audit (COA), the DepEd said it had ordered the school principals concerned to repair the faucets, sinks and pipes, and ask their local governments for a steady water supply.

In a report it issued last week, the COA said P22.6-million worth of hand-washing facilities in the public schools in two Metro Manila cities and two provinces had gone to waste since they had no water supply to begin with.

The facilities in the cities of Malabon and Navotas and the provinces of Biliran and Misamis Oriental were built in 2011 to promote good hygiene and prevent the spread of disease among students.

But when inspected in 2012, the COA found the facilities were mostly not working, had barely been used and many were useless since there was no water to begin with.

“The funds could have been allocated to other projects,” it said.

But the DepEd said the principal in Malabon City “had already addressed the water supply problem and all toilets are functioning.

It said the toilets in Navotas City were now operational, though one school has a problem due to low water pressure.
The school needs “only to apply for a new water meter to address the low water pressure,” the DepEd said.

“In Biliran, the lack of a water source has been addressed by the local government,” it said, pointing out that it was the local government that had asked for the hand-washing facilities.

The DepEd also said it had called the attention of the school principals in Misamis Oriental to fix their hand-washing facilities. Only four of 25 schools there had functioning facilities, according to the COA.

By Ronald Reyes
Manila Standard Today

NAVAL, Biliran—A local geothermal firm and its partner from Iceland, Orka Energy, is set to put up a 49 MW power plant to supply the electricity needs of this small island on the northern tip of Leyte, officials said.

Eirikur Bragasson, Chief Executive Officer of ORKA Energy, said construction of the power plant was the second phase of its joint project with Biliran Geothermal Inc (BGI) to make the island energy self-reliant in the next two years.

“We’ve finished the first stage and now we’re into the second stage, which is putting up the power plant …The project here has very strong geothermal energy resources,” Bragasson told a press conference on Tuesday.

Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the earth. About 24 countries use geothermal power, which is cost effective, reliable, sustainable and environment friendly.

ORKA and BGI are set to enter into an agreement with Toshiba for its turbine and

operational works. The project is expected to hire more than 600 workers for its engineering, steel works, pipeline, machineries and construction.

The geothermal plant will mean cheaper electricity rates for the people of Biliran, Leyte and the nearby provinces, Bragasson said.

New Zealand Ambassador Reuben Evermore, who joined Bragasson and other officials of ORKA and BGI congratulated officials involved in the project because of its great potential and “not every country in the world has the same opportunity as the Philippines in terms of geothermal energy potential.”

“I am happy for this project. One of our objectives is to try to contribute and work on renewable energy … More jobs will be created in Biliran and important energy needs will be met,” Evermore said.

BiliranIsland.com Staff
BiliranIsland.com
First Posted 16:50:00 02/03/2014

Smart has the fastest 3G connection in Naval, it reaches up to 6 mbps at times. Globe’s 3G reaches only 1 mbps during daytime, one can only get 3mbps at dawn.

Smart

Globe

Globe implements a Fair Usage Policy. If you reach 1 gig in one day, it is only then that you are shifted to 2G. Smart is not strict with a data cap.

Globe FUP

By Julliane Love De Jesus
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–A carton box containing an improvised explosive device (IED) was found inside a passenger bus in Surigao City, but was immediately detonated by authorities.

Reports from Surigao City Police Station said Tuesday an IED placed at the rear seat of a PP Leyte Biliran Bus unit was discovered Monday morning by a commuter while the vehicle made a stopover at an eatery on the national highway in Barangay (village) Lipata.

Authorities are looking into two possible motives behind the bombing attempt. One is the unsettled case involving one of the bus line’s units in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte sometime in November 2013. The other angle was extortion.

According to police, a female passenger from Southern Samar told them that a male passenger placed the carton box at the back of the bus, which was parked at an eatery, and immediately alighted the vehicle.

When another passenger from Southern Leyte boarded the bus after he relieved himself, he noticed smoke coming out of the vehicle and then called the driver to check its origin.
The driver carried the box out of the bus and brought it to a safe area beside the highway.

According to the report, it took more than an hour for the authorities and Coast Guard K9 Units to detonate the IED using a water disruptor, a material for bomb disposal.

“When examined, (the box contained) gasoline dissolved with paint used as main charge, a detonating cord as the initiator, original time fuse and improvised firecracker fuse, and one gallon plastic container,” police said.
The bus with plate number TOC 681 arrived from Davao City and was heading to Luzon.

Police are still conducting further investigation on the incident.

By: Rodrigo S. Victoria

NAVAL, Biliran – The practice of governance that values transparency, accountability, participation and performance into an institutionalized status paved the way for the provincial government of Biliran and the six towns of the province the much-coveted Seal of Good Housekeeping (SGH) award given to qualified local government units in the country for the year 2013.

The announcement of the 2013 SGH awardees in Biliran province was made by no less than Marilyn Saboy, provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Biliran province in an executive forum attended by the local chief executives and top officials of the eight towns held recently at the Naval State University (NSU) Hostel, this town.

The 2013 SGH awardees are the provincial government of Biliran and the towns of Almeria, Biliran, Cabucgayan, Kawayan, Maripipi and Naval .

Boris Pascubillo, program manager of the Seal of Good Housekeeping-Performance Challenge Fund (SGH-PCF) of DILG-Biliran disclosed that the seven local government units that are recipients of the 2013 SGH award under the silver category will also receive check as incentive.

The provincial government will receive P7M and P1M each for the six towns, Pascubillo assured upon submission of the required documents to DILG.

He informed that the requirements to be submitted to DILG before the incentive check will be released include the following: Memorandum of Agreement (MOA); trust fund certification from Land Bank of the Philippines; and the 2014 annual investment plan of the municipality.

The SGH-PCF program manager of DILG-Biliran further said that no less than DILG Secretary Mar Roxas will give the award and the incentive check to the awardees in Biliran this month of February in Tacloban City.

The towns of Caibiran and Culaba have also qualified to receive the 2013 SGH under the bronze category but will not receive incentive check. # (PIA 8 Biliran)

BiliranIsland.com Staff
BiliranIsland.com
First Posted 17:38:00 02/09/2014

An accident happened near Bileco in Caraycaray, Naval last night. Nobody has yet claimed the body of an unidentified woman victim, who suffered severe injuries.

Blotter item of Caraycaray accident

Traffic Accident
Figured Vehicle – KYMCO Motorcycle Model Code KB22BS VISA IIOR Spoke , Engine No. KB22
2034126, Chasis No. LC2E 10000 01011102, Color Bright Red Owned by Jovita D. Ejoc of Zone 22. Taytayan Baybay Leyte.

Driver:
Back Ride: Harlie Pascual, 21 years old ( Born Nov 11, 1981)
Occurence: OOA 1:35 AM Feb. 09, 2014 at Brgy. Caray-caray Naval, Biliran. A self vehicular accident transpired. The above mentioned drive and her back ride is suspected to be under the influence of liquor. Driver and her backride was immediately rush to Biliran Provincial Hospital for medical treatment by a barangay tanod of barangay Caray-caray Naval, Biliran.

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ATC F News

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”
- Amelia Earhart

If the words of Amelia Earhart hold true, Nita Matheson is responsible for cultivating a whole forest in the Philippines. Nita grew up in a small town of about 30,000 people called Naval, which is located in the province of Biliran, located in Leyte, in the Philippines. Her mother was a teacher and her father was the Mayor of Naval back when Nita was attending the local public elementary school, Naval Central School (NCS). Today NCS has over 1,000 students and 39 teachers, all of whom have benefited from Nita’s many acts of kindness in the years since she left the Philippines to come to America—where she now works as a program analyst for the FAA’s ATO.

Nita first came to America in 1971, but she always intended to return to the country of her birth and give back to her community. In 2005 Nita founded the William F. Matheson Computer Laboratory at the NCS in honor of her late husband, a retired U.S. Air Force Officer. She started the lab by donating ten computers and workstations, a digital camera, printer, school supplies, and Internet service. She even paid to renovate the lab with new paint, tile, and curtains to make a welcoming environment for the students. From her home in the U.S., Nita worked with a man in the Philippines, who arranged to purchase the required equipment and set up the lab without ever having met her. On the day the lab was commissioned, Nita returned to the Philippines for the first time in 34 years, and saw first-hand the results of her generosity. The students and teachers were excited to have access to computers and the Internet—some for the first time in their lives—and acknowledged the huge improvement the lab would make in the quality of their education.

Why does someone like Nita feel compelled to give back so much? She realized from a young age that she lived a life of privilege compared to many other children, such as her mother’s students, who lived in total poverty. Many other children did not even go to school because they lacked the proper school supplies or clothing, but her mother promised to give them t-shirts and supplies if they would return to school. Needless to say, as she grew up, Nita aspired to follow in the footsteps of her charitable mother.

Nita’s acts of kindness have continued over the years—she has also distributed over 1,000 pairs of shoes, 1,000 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste, sports equipment, food, books, Christmas decorations and presents, as well as funding for the construction of a pathway in the local cemetery. After Typhoon Yolanda damaged the town of Naval in November 2013, Nita coordinated relief to her hometown where she was able to put the donations of others to work, helping about 700 families.

Nita left the Philippines to pursue a life in America, and she went to work for the FAA, worked hard and became successful. Her success has afforded her the opportunity to fulfill her desire to continuously give back to the community where she was born. “After visiting several countries all over the world, I’m even more inspired to continue what I’m doing to save the indigent children of my hometown.” Though in her words she has put only “a tiny dent on child poverty and illiteracy” there, she has accomplished great acts of kindness that will echo for generations to come in Naval.

Typhoons cause a lot of damage in the Philippines, and among the assistance Nita Matheson has given to the children at Naval Central School was the “Feeding Program” (pictured above) after a typhoon this past July and August. She continues to contribute, along with friends, by sending funds and supplies to villages suffering after such storms as Yolanda or Haiyan.

Related Search Keywords:

• digital camera OR digital cameras

Business World Online

The World Bank (WB) on Friday approved US$479 million worth of loan for the Philippine government to fund the latter’s anti-poverty program for at least 8 million Filipinos, including the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda”.

In its website, the WB reported that its Board of Executive Directors approved the anti-poverty loan equivalent to more than P21 billion to scale up the coverage of the National Community-Driven Development Project (NCDDP) implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The government’s poverty alleviation program, formerly known as Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services, will prioritize municipalities affected by the disaster that devastated Visayas region in November 2013.

DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman said the approved loan will boost major programs to alleviate rural poverty in communities and at the same time will help to respond to the needs of typhoon survivors who are still reeling from the devastation.

The projects will target the areas of Western Visayas, specifically Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental, and in areas of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor in Central Visayas heavily damaged by 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Moreover, areas of Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Western Samar and Southern Leyte in Eastern Visayas will receive the necessary projects for development, Soliman said.

The program, which started in 2002 with the support of the World Bank, helps poor communities to organize, analyze their own situation, prepare project proposals to address their common problems, and compete for block grants to finance their own projects, Soliman said.

Community-driven projects under the NCDDP including include local construction of water systems, school buildings, day care centers and health stations, as well as roads and bridges.

World Bank Country Director for the Philippines Motoo Konishi said these projects have good track records in the country in terms of contributing to improvements of poor people’s lives. He said that based on a recent evaluation, NCDDP beneficiaries’ spending for food and other necessities has increased by 12 percent.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said the loan will contribute to the US$8 billion needed for the reconstruction and recovery plan of the government.

“The NCDDP will assist our efforts in the swift reconstruction of disaster-affected areas through financing and implementing community-driven projects,” he said.

The DSWD will also implement several projects in Luzon, MIMAROPA (Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Cordillera Administrative Region, and in Bicol.

It also aims to lift the lives of communities in Northern Mindanao, in Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat, Caraga , Zamboanga Peninsula, and Davao. (Ron B. Lopez)

NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) – In commemoration with the National Arts Month, Naval State University (NSU) in Naval, Biliran province, thru the Supreme Student Council (SSC)-Main Campus launched and celebrated the 1st Subol Arts Festival on February 14.

Subol, a Cebuano term for sprout, was the first-ever grandoise celebration of the arts in the university and in Biliran province aimed to showcase the artistic talent and brilliance among amateur and professional artists and to enrich the spirit of the art in the university and in the province.

Bannering the theme, “Art on the Edge”, the event kicked off with several activities which was started with the opening of the 1st NSU Art Award, literary readings and performance, movie marathon, theatrical play and the Hinumdom: A Celebration of Folk Music and Dance.

Prof. Michael Carlo Villas, Literature and Communication instructor of Leyte Normal University (LNU) and known in the region in the field of poetry graced the event as Keynote Speaker.

In an interview, Dr. Erwin Salvatierra, SASO and Cultural Affairs Director of NSU said, “ the event is significant especially that it is related to arts and students will be inspired to develop their artistic brilliance and talent and be recognized not just locally but worldwide’.

The 1st Subol Arts Festival of NSU was chaired by Mr. Ralph Arvic T. Arcenal, Supreme Student Council (SSC) Event Committee Chair.

The celebration of the National Arts Month, a national fete of the arts, is celebrated every year in the month of February by virtue of Presidential Proclamation 683 and spearheaded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). (rarcenal/PIA 8 Biliran intern)

NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) – An international-based charity organization, Sathya Sai Organization, in partnership with the Provincial Government of Biliran headed by Governor Gerardo “Gerryboy” Espina, Jr. and the Offfice of Congressman Rogelio J. Espina of the lone district of Biliran conducted a three-day medical mission in the province recently.

The medical mission aimed to help the victims of super typhoon Yolanda in Biliran province who are really in need of medical assistance.

The medical mission was conducted in the three barangays of the municiaplity of Naval namely: Calumpang, Larrazabal and Atipolo.

The medical mission was headed by Jan Floris, Organizer and Team Leader, with two foreign doctors in the persons of Dr. Rama Saichellappa and Dr. Manosh Bhardway, together with the Biliran Provincial Hospital doctors led by Dr. Edgar Veloso, Chief of the Hospital who is also the Provincial Health Officer of the province.

Sathya Sai is an Indian organization based in the United States of America.

Likewise, Sathya Sai, distributed relief goods to victims in Eastern Visayas after typhoon Yolanda hit the area in November 8, 2013. (rarcenal/PIA 8 Biliran intern)

NAVAL, Biliran (PIA) – Some 18 hotel operators in Biliran province and the municipal tourism officers attended the annual meeting of Hotels, Inns, Lodging Houses Operators called by the Provicincial Tourism and Infromation Office at the Provincial Capitol held at the provincial capitol recently.

Higatangan Island. Photo by Jalmz

The annual gathering was aimed to update the hotel operators and owners in the province on the current trends and developments in the tourism industry.

Part of the agenda of the meeting was to require the operators and owners of hotels to render a monthly report of tourist statistics like domestic and foreign tourists who visit the province.

In attendance to said meeting were operators and owners or their representatives of the VRC Beach Resort; ASEMCO Hostel in Almeria, Biliran ; Alegre Beach Resort in Culaba, Biliran; Marvin’s Seaside Inn in Naval; Paradizu Beach Resort in Brgy. Talahid, Almeria; ERBJ Lodging, NSU hostel in Naval; Claire’s Pension House in Cabucgayan; Hagdan Beach Resort in the island town of Higatangan, Naval; Trani’s Garden in Brgy. Bato, Naval and the Red Stone Ville Resort in Sitio Pulang-bato, Almeria.

In an interview with Dionisio Oliva, Jr. Provincial Tourism and Information Officer, he informed that the annual meeting was likewise called to motivate hotel operators and owners to submit regularly their monthly report on the number of tourists who check-in in hotels and lodging houses and visit the island province, especially those coming from other parts of the world.

The province of Biliran which is considered an island paradise, has a lot of natural tourist attractions to offer to tourists both local and foreign.

He further explained that this is part of the intensive effort of the provincial government of Biliran to promote the tourism industry, the province being declared as a tourism zone. (rarcenal/PIA Biliran intern)