February 20, 2014 1

“in pursuit of PIA’s commitment to provide a national mechanism for the free flow of timely, accurate and relevant information… “

VOL 2 ISSUE 42 Daily E-Newsletter of Philippine Information Agency - 8 February 20, 2014

222 displaced families in Tacloban now occupies the bunkhouses at Motocross Area in Caibaan

There are still seven schools in Tacloban which are being used as

evacuation centers for 556 Yolanda-displaced families or 2,347 people. This was disclosed by the Department of Education as shown by the Regional Task Force Update, Situation Report no. 79 regarding the effects of Typhoon Yolanda dated February 18, under the Emergency Management : Education Cluster. The data revealed that about 78 classrooms in the 7 schools being used as evacuation centers, are being utilized by the families. The schools were identified as Anibong Elementary School where 7 classrooms are being used as evacuation centers, Sagkahan National high School where 6 classrooms are being used by the displaced families ,Rizal Central School with 22 classrooms, Leyte National High School with 19 classrooms, San Fernando Central School with 11 classrooms, Kapangian Central School with11 classrooms, San Jose Central School with 2 classrooms being used by families. In Anibong Elementary School there are 45 families; in Sagkahan National High School,100

Seven Tacloban schools are still being used as evacuation centers for 556 Yolanda displaced families

At least 222 Yolanda-displaced families in Tacloban City are

now housed at the bunkhouses at the Motocross area in Caibaan, the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Eastern Visayas said. Assistant Regional Director Virginia Edano, during the February 18 meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said that there are already about 1,500 individuals living in said bunkhouse. She said that the DSWD and the LGU classified families with 3 to 4 members as small while those with 5 members and more are classified as big families. The small families were continued on page 5

continued on page 7

made to occupy one unit while the big families were given two rooms. What the DPWH did was to make a door in between the two units so that the couple will have privacy including those with already teenage girls, ARD Edano said. Edano disclosed that the families who are now occupying the bunkhouses at Motocross Area in Caibaan are from Barangay 88 in San Jose who were staying in tents. They were the priority families because during Basyang they were flooded in their tents, Edano said. She added that the

Rev. Fr. Amadeo Alvero officiates a thanksgiving mass in commemoration of 100 days after Super Typhoon Yolanda devastated Eastern Visayas and claimed thousands of lives. The mass was attended by local, national and international personalities held at the Tacloban City Astrodome on Sunday, Feb. 16. (Photo by Raul Tiozon, Jr./PIA-8)

2 February 20, 2014

Catholic Relief Services assists Yolanda-hit ARCs in EVT h e C a t h o l i c R e l i e f S e r v i c e s

( C R S ) c o m m i t t e d t o a s s i s t t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f A g r a r i a n R e f o r m ( D A R ) i n h e l p i n g o u t a g r a r i a n r e f o r m b e n e f i c i a r i e s ( A R B s ) i n h e a v i l y - d a m a g e d a g r a r i a n r e f o r m c o m m u n i t i e s ( A R C s ) i n E a s t e r n V i s a y a s r i s e f r o m b e i n g s h a t t e r e d b y s u p e r -t y p h o o n “ Yo l a n d a ”. A t l e a s t e i g h t A R C s i n L e y t e a n d E a s t e r n S a m a r p r o v i n c e s c o v e r i n g n i n e p i l o t b a r a n g a y s , a c c o r d i n g t o D A R R e g i o n a l D i r e c t o r E l i a s e m C a s t i l l o , h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n v a l i d a t e d b y t h e C R S a n d i n c l u d e d i n t h e l i s t w h i c h w i l l b e n e f i t m o r e t h a n 4 , 0 0 0 f a r m e r s . H e i d e n t i f i e d t h e s e a r e a s a s B a r a n g a y S a n J o s e i n P a l o ; B a r a n g a y L a p a y i n Ta n a u a n ; a n d B a r a n g a y s M a l b o g a n d C a p a n g i h a n i n To l o s a , a l l i n L e y t e p r o v i n c e . I n t h e p r o v i n c e o f E a s t e r n S a m a r t h e a r e a s a r e i n B a r a n g a y C o t i c o t i n G i p o r l o s ; B a r a n g a y B u l u s a o i n L a w a - a n ; B a r a n g a y S t a . R o s a i n B a l a n g i g a ; B a r a n g a y L a b t i c i n Q u i n a p o n d a n ; a n d B a r a n g a y S i g u i n o n i n S a l c e d o . D i r e c t o r C a s t i l l o s a i d t h a t t h i s n o n - g o v e r n m e n t o r g a n i z a t i o n ( N G O ) r e a d i l y r e s p o n d e d t o D A R ’s c a l l t o i n c l u d e A R C s i n t h e i r a s s i s t a n c e o p e r a t i o n i n t h e p r o c e s s o f D A R ’s p r e p a r a t i o n o f t h e r e s t o r a t i o n a n d r e h a b i l i t a t i o n p l a n f o r t h e s e a r e a s . H o w e v e r, i t w a s e m p h a s i z e d b y C R S O p e r a t i o n s M a n a g e r Te r r y Tu a z o n , t h a t t h e y w i l l o n l y b e a s s i s t i n g f a r m e r s i n c o c o n u t a r e a s t o a v o i d d u p l i c a t i o n o f s i m i l a r a i d e x t e n d e d b y o t h e r o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o r i c e f a r m e r s . Tu a z o n e x p l a i n e d t h a t

i n o r d e r f o r t h e s e f a r m e r s t o b e a b l e t o s t a r t r e h a b i l i t a t i n g t h e i r f a r m s , C R S w i l l p r o v i d e f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e i n c l e a r i n g o u t d e b r i s b r o u g h t b y t h e t y p h o o n . T h e f a r m e r s a r e r e q u i r e d t o f o r m i n t o g r o u p s w i t h 1 5 m e m b e r s a n d h e l p o n e a n o t h e r c l e a r ( a n d p l a n t i f s e e d s /s e e d l i n g s a r e a v a i l a b l e ) 1 5 l o t s i n 1 5 d a y s .E a c h f a r m e r w i l l b e p a i d P 3 , 9 0 0 f o r t h e 1 5 - d a y w o r k a t P 2 6 0 p e r d a y . I n a d d i t i o n , Tu a z o n s a i d , e a c h f a r m e r w i l l a l s o g e t a P 1 , 0 0 0 w o r t h o f v o u c h e r t h a t c o u l d b e u s e d i n p r o c u r i n g f a r m t o o l s , s e e d s / s e e d l i n g s a n d f e r t i l i z e r s a t a c c r e d i t e d s t o r e s . E a r l i e r , C a s t i l l o s a i d , P C A h a s c o m m i t t e d c o c o n u t s e e d l i n g s a n d c a m o t e c u t t i n g s f o r t h e r e h a b i l i t a t i o n o f t y p h o o n - r a v a g e d a r e a s . B u t Tu a z o n s a i d t h a t f a r m e r s c o u l d a l s o p l a n t v e g e t a b l e s a s i n t e r c r o p s t o c o c o n u t s f o r a d d i t i o n a l i n c o m e . M e a n w h i l e , D A R ’s B u r e a u o f A g r a r i a n R e f o r m B e n e f i c i a r i e s D e v e l o p m e n t ( B A R B D ) A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r M a . E l e n a C a b a ñ e s i n t r o d u c e d t o t h e A R B o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n t h e s e A R C s v e r m i c u l t u r e a s a d d i t i o n a l l i v e l i h o o d f o r t h e m w h e r e t h e y c a n r e c y c l e t h e d e b r i s a s f e e d s f o r t h e w o r m s t h r u a s h r e d d i n g m a c h i n e . I f t h e f a r m e r s w o u l d b e i n t e r e s t e d , D A R w i l l p r o v i d e 3 0 k i l o s o f w o r m s f o r e v e r y A R C a n d f a c i l i t a t e t h e s o u r c i n g o u t o f t h e s h r e d d i n g m a c h i n e f r o m a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l o r g a n i z a t i o n , J o s e A l s m i t h S o r i a , I n f o O f f i c e r o f D A R - 8 s a i d . ( P I A - 8 )

BJMP doing its best to solve scarcity of food source at Tacloban City Jail

T he Tacloban Cit y Ja i l i s having di f f icult ies in procur ing

foods for the inmates but the management is t r y ing i ts best to answer this . This was revealed by Ja i l Chief I nspec tor R i l l F. Sonon, Chief Paralegal of the Bureau of Ja i l Management and Penology BJMP dur ing the Regional Disaster R isk Reduc t ion and Management Counci l RDRRMC last Tuesday. According to Sonon, the Nat ional Food Author i t y in Tacloban cannot supply the BJMP ’s needs. I t was revealed that the Tacloban Cit y Ja i l consume 7 sacks of r ice dai ly. Sonon said that they were referred to Baybay Cit y NFA for the purchase of r ice but the cost of t ravel i s a a lso a burden for them. Sonon admitted that af ter t yphoon Yolanda Tacloban Cit y Ja i l ’s food supply were depleted and i t was the Depar tment of Socia l Welfare and Development DSWD that was the ver y f i rst to respond to their needs. The DSWD gave about 200 sacks of r ice to the Tacloban Cit y Ja i l to augment their deplet ing source. As of press t ime the management of Tacloban c i t y ja i l i s t r y ing i ts best to provide for the needs of the inmates Sono added. I t was learned that the nat ional of f ice of BJMP also provided enough funds for the repair of the fac i l i t ies of the Ja i l . (P IA 8 with L izbeth Ann Abel la)

February 20, 2014 3DOH 8 warns public vs three illnesses that are present in the Yolanda-affected areas in Eastern VisayasDepartment of Health (DOH) Regional

office 8 warned the public not to be complacent as three diseases are now present in typhoon Yolanda affected areas in Eastern Visayas. During the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction (RDDRR) meeting on February 15, Tuesday, DOH 8 reported that they have recorded high number of cases on dengue fever, chikungunya and measles in Tacloban City as they continuously monitor all barangays in Tacloban City. According to DOH 8 representative, they have recorded seventy cases on Dengue with two deaths, 180 cases in measles also with two deaths all in Tacloban City. To address the danger posed by the said illnesses, DOH is ramping up a region wide campaign calling for more participation from local government and communities to help in its efforts. DOH said these three illnesses have similar symptoms like rashes and fever. Dengue and chikungunya fever is

transmitted by the bite of mosquito with virus. DOH advised that anyone who thinks they have these illnesses should rest, and consult a doctor or go the nearest hospital. The best preventive measure to reduce these diseases is to eliminate the places where the mosquitos lay their eggs. DOH recommended to the communities to adopt the four S campaign, and it refers to search and destroy, seek early consultation, self-protection and say yes to fogging. By applying these steps, dengue incidents and other diseases can be avoided and eliminated. Meanwhile, DOH 8 is continuously giving free anti measles vaccine in all health facilities in the region. DOH is also conducting fogging operation to prevent dengue and chikungunya diseases in typhoon Yolanda affected barangays. (PIA 8 with Avha H. Ebalde)

Brgy Capt. Niko Mercado, LIGA Prov'l President in Southern Leyte handed over shelter financial assistance to Typhoon Yolanda victims in Maasin City, with CSWDO Fe Sta Cruz assisting. (PIA8-Southern Leyte)

TESDA – Samar partners with private sector to train haircutters, carpentersT he TESDA-Jing Monis Salon

partnership is giving excitement to the men and women in Sta. Rita, Samar as they embark on a ten-day training period of hair-cutting under Anacleto Ballos of Sogod, Southern Leyte as their instructor. According to TESDA –Samar Head Rolando Juanillo, the Monis salon chain also sponsored the training kits with scissors, cape, brush and other bits of hair cutting tools. The training that started on Monday, February 17 will run until the 28th of February. “By then, the trainees must have acquired the skil ls on hair cutting,” said Prime Regis, TESDA’s operations officer. As TESDA is providing the trainer, the LGU through Mayor Joven Tiu sponsored the accommodation of the trainer from S Leyte. Meanwhile in Marabut, Samar, another set of 20 able bodied men are also in a training called “Carpentry cum Repair ”. Here, families whose houses were partially damaged by typhoon Yolanda were prioritized and given some 20 GI sheets. These families to qualify must also own the lots where their houses were erected and must not be in the “No-Build Zone” area. The trainees will repair the houses themselves as they were also given carpentry tools by TESDA. Beneficiaries from Barangays Osmena, Tinabanan, Lipata and Mabuhay were chosen to undergo the training.

continued on page 5

4 February 20, 2014

More than three months have passed since Yolanda devastated

the city but authorities continued to recover more dead bodies from different areas in Tacloban. In the recently concluded Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Meeting held at Leyte Sports Development Center, in this city, Task Force Cadaver headed by Senior Superintendent Pablito Cordera of the Bureau of Fire Protection in the region has reported that 30 dead bodies were recovered by the team from February 4 until February 17,

2014 in different places in the city. Most of the cadavers were retrieved in San Jose District, one of the coastal barangays hardly hit by the storm surges. Eleven(11) of the cadavers were found on February 4. 2014, One(1) in February 6, Two (2) in February 8, five(5) in February 11, three(3) in February 13 and eight(8) were retrieved in february 17. All of these were brought to the grave site at Holy Cross Cemetery. This brings to a total of 2, 622 cadavers recovered by the task force since November 16, 2013 until

30 more dead bodies recovered in Tacloban in two weeks

February 18, this year. The task force cadaver comprises personnel from the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, City Government of Tacloban, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Department of Health and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) which is the lead agency.(PIA-8)

BY: CONSUELO ALARCON

The members of Korean Army, Philippine Army (543rd and 546th Engineering Brigade) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development 8 pose after the turn-over of the newly rehabilitated Home for Girls and Haven in Pawing, Palo, Leyte, Feb. 15. (Photo by Raul Tiozon, Jr./PIA-8)

February 20, 2014 5222 displaced families...from page 1

bunkhouses at the Motocross Area have water and light facilities. She disclosed that DSWD has agreed to shoulder the bills for water and electricity in the said bunkhouse for six months because the LGU Tacloban said it does not have the financial capacity to shoulder the same. Moreover, Edano said that the bunkhouses at Abucay and NHA fronting the Chinese Cemetery could not yet be occupied pending the action of the DPWH on the installation of water and electric facilities. Meanwhile, Edano said that 81 families are now occupying the bunkhouses at the Government Center at Candahug, Palo, Leyte. It was learned that there is light already here via solar power while water is available through a water bladder installed by a humanitarian agency. (PIA 8)

Catbalogan LGU distributes dental kits to a thousand kids The Catbalogan City Mayor believing

that oral health should start whilethe kids are still young, distributed free dental kits composed of toothbrush and toothpaste to a thousand elementary school children today. The schoolchildren mostly coming from Catbalogan 1 Central School crowded the city plaza as they received the dental kits from Mayor Stephany-Uy-Tan. “I wanted to promote awareness for the children on the importance of proper tooth brushing, “ said Mayor Step. She also announced that she will also visit other schools to promote tooth

brushing with the City health Dentist Dr. Armi Paula Rodriguez. Despite the crowded place, the children gamely joined the tooth brushing drill led by the lady dentist. The City Health Office also rendered free tooth extraction and check up the whole day at the City Plaza. Dr Gerarda Tizon, city health officer said that the theme for this 2014 Oral Health Month is: Ngiping Pinagtibay,Ngitingwalang Humpay, Para sa kinabukasang Maginhawang Tunay! (PIA 8-Samar with reports from Jun Arceno)

TESDA Samar...from page 2

Instructor Vic Del Rosario is teaching them basic carpentry skil ls for ten days. In the recent past, some 20 families in Barangay Catadman, Basey were also given the chance to repair their houses through the TESDA program. Some of the newly-repaired houses were also installed with electric wirings. Basey and Marabut were considered hardest hit by typhoon Yolanda in November while some barangays of Sta Rita were also damaged. (PIA 8-Samar)

Beneficiaries of the haircut training in Sta Rita receive their hair-cutting tools from TESDA-Samar Prime Regis. The tools are sponsored by the Jing Monis Salon with branches in Makati and Alabang. The program is an intervention for the rural folks to augment their income as they move on from the devastation brought by typhoon Yolanda. (PIA with TESDA –Samar)

6 February 20, 2014

LEYECO II has energized 66.84% of the brgys. within its coverage area

More households within the coverage area of Leyte II Electric

Cooperative (LEYECO 2) are getting power supply. Based on the latest data received by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), it revealed that out of the 51, 065 member consumers of LEYECO II, 18, 439 households were already energized.

This includes one hundred thirty one (131) barangays of the one hundred ninety six (196) barangays covering the City of Tacloban and the Municipalities of Palo and Babatngon, Leyte. Of the 138 barangays in Tacloban, 94 were already energized comprising 13,251 household connections while in Palo, out of 33

barangays, 16 barangays have power supply comprising 1, 884 household connections. In Babatngon Leyte, of the 121 barangays, 4 barangays remain un-energized and 82.85% of household connections were already energized comprising 3, 304 member-consumers. With these development, LEYECO II is expected to meet the target date of completion of its rehabilitation next month that was imposed by the National Electrification Administration (NEA) .(PIA-8)

BY: CONSUELO B. ALARCON

February 20, 2014 7

Seven Tacloban...from page 1

families; in Rizal Central School, 142 families; in Leyte National High School, 67 families; in San Fernando Central School,157 families; in Kapangian Central School, 70 families; and in San Jose Central School, 3 families, still living. Over all, there are 2,347 individuals from all the 556 families. It may be recalled that Dir. Luisita Bautista-Yu Regional Director of the Department of Education Regional OfficeNo. 8 said that they will not compel the families to leave the schools for humanitarian reasons. The DSWD Region 8 disclosed that there are still 11 evacuation centers in Tacloban with 1,389 families. (PIA 8 with Lizbeth Ann Abella)

DOH-8 focuses on fixing of health facilities destroyed by Yolanda

BY: CONSUELO ALARCON

In line with its goal to continue the delivery of health services to the people

despite the enormous destruction of its facilities brought by super typhoon Yolanda, the Department of Health (DOH) in the region is determined to fix all of its health facilities including the rural health units. During the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Meeting held recently at Leyte Sports Development Center, this city, Dra. Carmen Garado of the Department of Health (DOH) said, fixing of the health facilities which were destroyed by the typhoon is one area that is being focused

by the agency under the Health Facility Enhancement Program. Garado has emphasized the need to rehabilitate the facilities including rural health units in order that health services will not be jeopardized. Rehabilitation of the health facilities in Eastern Visayas is being implemented by the government with the help of a number of international partners. It was learned that 45 Rural Health Units, 15 hospitals and 68 Barangay health Centers have incurred damages during the typhoon.(PIA-8)

8 February 20, 2014

Beneficiaries of the Training cum Repair in Marabut receive their free GI sheets from TESDA-Samar. They will repair their partially damaged houses by typhoon Yolanda as their practicum from a basic carpentry skills training provided by TESDA-Samar. (PIA Samar with TESDA)