After two weeks under MGCQ, 35 barangays in Cebu City remain COVID-free
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Thirty-five barangays here remain free from any coronavirus transmission even if the city has already been placed under the most relaxed form of community quarantine. City Councilor Joel Garganera, who heads the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), said these villages reported no new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases for the past […] The post After two weeks under MGCQ, 35 barangays in Cebu City remain COVID-free appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Rama to barangays: No aid if fire safety initiatives not done
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama took a bold stance on withholding yearly aid and allocations of barangays if they would fail to comply with re-blocking initiatives in communities at risk of fire. He said that the fund in context would be sourced from the Local Development Fund (LDF). READ: Probe.....»»
Rama promises to transform Cebu City into a ‘Super City’ by 2031
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Mayor Michael Rama has made another promise to the Cebuanos, and that is to transform Cebu City into a ‘Super City’ by 2031. At the same time, Rama also made a commitment to transform all of the 80 barangays into “city-like barangays” by then. Rama’s ‘Super City’ vision was the highlight.....»»
Intensify efforts against child abuse – Cebu City dad
CEBU CITY, Philippines – A Cebu City legislator urged barangays to intensify efforts against child abuse like trafficking, online, and sexual exploitation. Cebu City Councilor James Cuenco penned a resolution requesting the 80 barangays of Cebu City through the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) to reconvene the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC).....»»
Mandaue City prepares for strong El Niño
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes has instructed the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to coordinate with officials of the 27 barangays and conduct an inventory of their water tanks and make sure that they have enough water supply. Cortes also wanted an inventory of the water systems in each.....»»
Mandaue City Health Office plans to hire more health professionals
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – The Mandaue City Health Office (MCHO) is planning to hire additional doctors, nurses and midwives who will especially be deployed in health centers and clinics in the 27 barangays here. Dr. Debra Maria Catulong, the MCHO head, said that having more health professionals is expected to improve the delivery of health.....»»
Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan 2024: Barangay Guadalupe is grand champion
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Banauan Cultural Group of Barangay Guadalupe is this year’s grand champion of the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. Among the 12 participating contingents representing various barangays in Cebu City, five were recognized for their outstanding performances in the best ritual showdown category during the Sinulog sa Dakbayan 2024 held on.....»»
Mandaue conducts inventory of coastal areas
MANDAUE CITY, Cebu—Personnel of the Mandaue City Government conducted an inventory of the city’s coastal areas in preparation for its plan to develop a mangrove eco-tourism site. Heads of the different offices such as the City Agriculture, City Legal, City Environment and Natural Resources, among others visited on Wednesday, the coastal barangays, especially their mangrove.....»»
Sinulog sa Kabataan 2024: SFI encourages barangays in Cebu to join
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Sinulog Foundation Incorporated (SFI) is urging all barangays in Cebu to participate in the Sinulog sa Kabataan scheduled for January 2024. The Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan is set for January 13, while the one for city barangays will unfold on January 14. Elmer “Jojo” Labella, the executive director of.....»»
2GO ready for holiday load
2GO, the Philippines’ largest transportation and logistics solutions provider and part of SM Investments Corporation, has strategically prepared major hubs outside Metro Manila to meet the rising holiday season demand for cargo and delivery movements. This strategic endeavor aligns with 2GO’s dedication to advancing local business and catalyzing industries while optimizing operational efficiency and service excellence for its clients. “As the country’s largest logistics service provider, we embrace the philosophy of readiness regardless of season. Anticipating the increase in logistics movement during this joyous time of year, we consistently invest in supply chain preparedness by establishing a foothold in our hubs and maintaining a capable workforce. We prioritize customer satisfaction and continue to deliver on our commitments to our customers and partners, ensuring success regardless of the season,” said Frederic C. DyBuncio, president and CEO of 2GO. 2GO is dedicated to fortifying its network of strategic hubs across key cities in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The company’s logistical product portfolio was made to serve a purpose to a diverse client base. In addition to the service portfolio is the LCL shipside services, a tailored service representing an expedited Less than Container-Load offering. This pioneering solution is operational in its Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro hubs. LCL services continue to be offered in 2GO’s network of 17 vital ports of call, which serve as pivotal gateways for both dry goods and temperature-controlled cargo. Its clientele includes top domestic and international FMCGs, manufacturers, distributors, industrials and agricultural businesses, covering a wide range of industries across the nation. With LCL, 2GO extends logistics support to MSMEs and entrepreneurs, ensuring that businesses of all sizes benefit from our comprehensive solutions. 2GO visited Clark and Subic in Central Luzon, Cebu City in Central Visayas and Cagayan de Oro in Northern Mindanao, to strengthen main trade hubs across the country that serve as central points for consolidating and distributing goods. Building its presence in these strategic locations allows 2GO to move deliveries faster for industries, businesses and for personal deliveries. Faye Alonzo, business unit head for Express and Forwarding, shares that “2GO has embarked on a proactive initiative to collaborate with key stakeholders in important logistical regions across the Philippines. Reinforcing our presence in major gateways not only provides us with efficient forwarding and cargo services but helps our partners and clients increase market reach, find more opportunities, and bridge logistical requirements.” 2GO’s comprehensive logistics services include transport via cargo forwarding via air, land and sea to key strategic hubs nationwide to ensure efficient service coverage. Actively serving over 33,000 barangays, 2GO offers logistics solutions to a wide range of businesses and communities throughout the country. The post 2GO ready for holiday load appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Day 1 of campaign for Barangay and SK elections ‘successful and peaceful’ – CCPO
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The official start of the ten-day campaign for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Cebu City was “peaceful and successful.” Police Lieutenant Colonel Janette Rafter, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they did not record any untoward incidents from the city’s 80 barangays on Thursday, October 19. She said there were gatherings of a huge crowd of supporters as the candidates and their followers became excited that they were finally able to start their campaign. “The first day of the ten-day campaign period was really very successful and peaceful. Although, as I’ve said, medyo naay mga barangay nga nabibo. Murag nabibo sila tungod sa paglaunch sa mga campaign strategy sa atong mga kanya-kanyang kandidato puhon sa BSKE 2023 karong October 30,” she said. Motorcades Rafter said that on Thursday, there were candidates who officially opened their campaign with a motorcade. But, the conduct of motorcades did not have much effect on vehicular traffic since most of these were done on barangay roads. There were also those who started to already post their campaign materials. “Naa silay mga gibuhat nga mga aktibidades sa ilang mga tagsa-tagsa ka mga barangay kung asa sila molunsad but it didn’t really affect in any way sa atong trapiko sa Sugbo,” she added. The campaign period is scheduled from October 19 to 28. Oplan Baklas Meanwhile, Rafter said they will also be coordinating with Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the dates for the implementation of “Oplan Baklas” here. CCPO will be joining “Oplan Baklas” to especially provide security. “Ang atong PNP, we are just on the security of the team nga mag-conduct og Oplen Baklas puhon,” she said. Police deployment On October 30, Rafter said a total of 947 uniformed police personnel will be deployed to secure the conduct of the BSKE in the 71 polling places here. “Out of the 1,221 nato nga mga personnel, uniformed personnel, there are 947 nga available for deployment,” she said. At least 80 of 947 personnel will be deployed to augment security parts of Cebu province. Rafter said that deployment will be based on the number of voters who are expected to crowd a particular voting area. “Naa tay standard nga number of personnel for each polling places. But we are also preparing because ang atong mad police places diri is dako kaayo og butante,” she said......»»
BSKE: Selected voters from Pitogo, Pari-an to cast ballots in malls
CEBU CITY, Philippines — At least two barangays in Cebu have been chosen as part of the Commission on Election – Central Visayas’ (Comelec-7) pilot program to conduct actual voting inside malls. Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, director of Comelec-7, confirmed on Wednesday, October 18, that the voting centers for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), for selected precincts in Barangays Pitogo in Consolacion and Pari-an in Cebu City, will be in malls. READ: Mall voting simulation set for August 19 – Comelec official BSKE: Designated malls for voting centers These will be at SM Consolacion and Robinsons Galleria in the North Reclamation Area (NRA), Cebu City. There will be five clustered precincts from Pitogo and five clustered precincts from Pari-an that will have the mall voting, Castillano said. “Only five precincts from each barangay considering the space constraint,” he added. READ: Comelec-7 to launch mall voting on Brgy and SK Elections 2023 Two simulations Comelec-7 has also conducted two simulations of the ‘mall voting’ during the first week of October to assess the feasibility of having malls as voting centers for the BSKE. According to Castillano, the Comelec decided to implement a pilot test on having malls as part of their goals to enhance voting experience. The Comelec-7 official cited the high turnout they observed when voter registrations were conducted in malls as the basis behind the decision. The Barangay and SK polls will be held this October 30. ALSO READ: Guarding the vote: Over 180,000 cops to be deployed for BSKE /dbs.....»»
Mandaue City plans to remove fish pens and desilt wetland to prevent flooding
MANDAUE CITY, Philippines – Mandaue City will be distributing notices to vacate to the owners of the fish pens at the city’s wetland in barangays Banilad and Cabancalan to start desilting the wetland to prevent flooding. Lawyer John Eddu Ibañez, City Legal Officer and head of the city’s Task Force APAS (Atoang Problema, Atoang Sulbaron), said that they are currently in communication with the owners. READ: Mandaue launches Task Force APAS to help solve flooding concerns Ibañez said that Mayor Jonas Cortes also asked to prepare the financial assistance to be given to the affected families whose livelihood lies in selling aquarium fish and other kinds of fish, like tilapia. The City Legal Officer said that they are determining the number of beneficiaries. “Paghinabi ta sa fish pens owners atoa sad timbang-timbangon kay panginabuhian man sad nila pero welfare manggud sa kadaghanan atoa gitan-aw,” said Ibañez. The city wants to clear the fish pens to dredge the silted wetland in hopes of helping solve the city’s flooding problem. READ: Cortes, Rama sign pact for rehab of 2 rivers The wetland with an area of 146,270 square meters, functions as a catch basin, that holds rain and run-off water coming from Mandaue City’s neighbors such as Cebu City. But because it was already silted and with the presence of water lilies, the water tended to backflow to Sto. Niño Village which is located at the back of the wetland. The area is being monitored by the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and Housing Urban and Development Office, he said. “Dili mataro’ng og limpyo ang wetland area tungod sa mga fish pens,” said Ibañez. It can be recalled that the village which serves as a boundary between Mandaue and Cebu City experienced massive flooding last September 13 after the retaining wall of the fish pond collapsed. Drainage Clean-Up Aside from clearing the fish pond, other initiatives were also undertaken to address the flooding problem. Currently, the Task Force APAS continues to conduct the desilting and declogging of drainages and manholes choked with garbage. When there is heavy rain, they immediately position submersible pumps, to help drain the flood. READ: Girl, playing in the rain, dies after she fell into a canal, got swept inside a culvert in Mandaue The task force is also monitoring other problem areas such as Lopez Jaena St., A.S Fortuna St., Rolling Hills, and A.C Cortes Avenue.....»»
SBG honors teachers during World Teachers’ Day celebration in Lapu-Lapu City
Senator Bong Go personally paid tribute to educators in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu during their World Teachers' Day Celebration at Hoops Dome on Friday, 6 October. Go acknowledged the vital role played by teachers in society and expressed his deep appreciation for their sacrifices, especially during the challenging times when the education landscape has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I have always believed that teachers are the architects of our future. Sila ang naglalagay ng pundasyon para sa uri ng lipunan na nais nating itayo. At huwag nating kalimutan, ginagawa nila ito hindi lamang sa pamamagitan ng tisa at pisara, kundi sa mga aral sa buhay na kanilang ibinabahagi, na madalas ay higit pa sa kanilang tungkulin,” Go highlighted. As part of his appreciation, Go provided gift packs, masks, and snacks to all teachers present while he also provided balls for basketball and volleyball, shirts, and vitamins for the schools. He also gave away bicycles, shoes, and mobile phones to select recipients. The senator also took the opportunity to highlight the importance of providing support to educators through better government interventions to protect their welfare. “At ako malaki ang aking pasasalamat sa mga teachers. Hindi ako magiging senador kung hindi ako natuto noon. Dumaan ako sa mga guro na mga mababait at may natutunan ako... Maraming salamat sa inyong pagserbisyo,” he acknowledged. In 2019, Go authored and co-sponsored Republic Act No. 11466, also known as the Salary Standardization Law 5, which gives civilian government employees, including public school teachers, another round of salary increases broken down in tranches. Go also expressed support for another increase in salaries for government workers through the proposed Salary Standardization Law 6 which can also benefit public school teachers nationwide if enacted into law. The senator has also co-authored and co-sponsored Senate Bill No. 1964, or the Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act, which seeks to institutionalize teaching supplies allowances for public school teachers if enacted into law. The proposed measure was approved on the third and final reading last May. sponsored SBN 1360 which seeks to expand the coverage of the tertiary education subsidy by amending RA 10931, or the Universal Access To Quality Tertiary Education Act which was first enacted into law during the Duterte administration. Go, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Sports, also highlighted the National Academy of Sports, a fully operational institution located within the New Clark City in Tarlac, which he authored and co-sponsored that became RA 11470, establishing the NAS in 2020. NAS is a government-run educational institution that offers quality secondary education with a special curriculum on sports for gifted young Filipinos who want to enhance their physical and mental capabilities in sports. During his visit, he likewise witnessed the ribbon-cutting and opening of the new wing at Lapu-Lapu City Hospital which he also advocated for earlier. Furthermore, he also supported the construction of a diversion road along Barangays Basak and Gabi in Lapu-Lapu City. Go also went to Cebu City where he attended the Barangay Health Workers Summit and provided assistance to fire victims before heading to Lapu-Lapu City. Earlier that day, Go was a guest speaker during the 33rd Commencement Exercises of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Maragondon Branch where he extended tokens to 480 graduates. He also gave away tokens to 121 graduates of PUP-Alfonso Branch, which also held its 7th Commencement Exercises on the same day. The post SBG honors teachers during World Teachers’ Day celebration in Lapu-Lapu City appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mandaue pushes ‘kasambahay’ desk
The local government of Mandaue City’s Public Employment and Service Office in Cebu province is encouraging barangay officials in the city to establish a “Kasambahay Desk” in their respective villages. PESO-Mandaue head Musuline Suliva disclosed that the desk will assist house helpers to register and hear their side whenever they have complaints and concerns against their employers. “The purpose of the law is to see how many house helper are there in the barangays, to see if they were given the exact amount of their salary, they can be helped if they have a complaint against their employer,” Suliva said. He stressed that only five out of the 27 barangays in the city were able to establish the desk and pass data regarding the number of registered house helpers in their barangays — Barangays Subangdaku, Cambaro, Looc, Basak and Maguikay. Republic Act 10361 or the Act Instituting Policies for the Protection and Welfare of Domestic Workers was approved in January 2013 and it requires all employers to register their kasambahay under their employment in the barangay where their residence is located. Sections 1 and 2 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations stipulate the barangays with SSS, PhilHealth and Pag-IBIG to conduct registration. “When the law was passed, we launched it right away. We went to Insular Square, we invited all barangays. At least, they will know how to do it,” Suliva said. After the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, the 22 barangays are set to conduct house-to-house survey to determine how many house helpers are there in the barangays. The post Mandaue pushes ‘kasambahay’ desk appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu quarrying causes floods, says city council
The Cebu City Council has urged various City Hall departments to submit evaluation reports on areas affected by flooding, including infrastructure and drainage systems made as steps to mitigate the impact. This, as a council member disclosed that the alleged “unabated” quarrying in the upland barangays of the city is causing the flooding to low-lying areas in the city. North district City Councilor Mary Ann delos Santos in her resolution, stressed that while she is not against land development especially for the hinterlands, “the use and development of these particular areas should be made in such a manner that it does not adversely affect the natural flow of runoff water from the hinterland to the lowlands.” “Waters as high as five feet came rushing at the pressures that toppled retaining walls and similar structures,” she added. The resolution, which was adopted by the City Council directed the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the Department of Engineering and Public Works, Office of the Building Official and Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office to provide evaluation reports. “The deluge not only caused hours of city-wide traffic, damage to property and injury to persons, but worse, it left an insurmountable fear and trauma upon the affected residents,” Delos Santos said. She also asked if developers of housing and quarrying projects in the mountain barangays submitted drainage impact assessment and strategies to the departments concerned, such as the DEPW, OBO and CCENRO. Delos Santos insisted that “an honest-to-goodness” study of the assessment results, as well as inspections were conducted before the projects started. The CCDRRMO had P450,331,161.40 budget allotment for 2023 for preparedness, prevention and mitigation infrastructure works. The post Cebu quarrying causes floods, says city council appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go sends assistance to Cebu fire victims
The office of Senator Christopher “Bong” Go spearheaded a relief operation for fire victims in Barangays Kasambagan, Duljo Fatima, and Inayawan in Cebu City on Thursday, 21 September, as part of the senator’s efforts to ensure that the communities fully recover from the incident. The relief operation was held at Brgy. Kasambagan Hall. The senator’s team, together with Brgy. Kasambagan Captain Franklyn Ong, distributed snacks, shirts, and balls for basketball and volleyball to 102 fire victims. They also gave away shoes, watches, and mobile phones to select recipients. Meanwhile, the National Housing Authority (NHA) provided housing assistance to each qualified family. “Isinulong din natin na mabigyan sila ng National Housing Authority ng ayuda pambili ng housing materials tulad ng pako, yero at iba pa upang maisaayos muli ang kanilang mga tirahan,” Go said in a video message. “Isinulong ko ito noon at patuloy na sinusuportahan ang programa ng NHA ngayon upang mas marami pang mga biktima ng sakuna ang makapagpatayo ng maayos na bahay at makabangon muli mula sa trahedya,” he added. Go also highlighted Republic Act No. 11589 or the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Modernization Act of 2021. This legislation, principally authored and co-sponsored by Go, is designed to bolster BFP’s capacity through a decade-long modernization initiative. This program encompasses the enlistment of additional firefighters, procurement of more firefighting equipment, and the provision of specialized training. “Alam ko pong mahirap ang masunugan pero magtiwala lang po kayo sa gobyerno at tayo po ay makakaahon muli. Ang importante ay walang nasaktan. Ang pera ay kikitain naman po natin yan pero ang buhay ay hindi nabibili ng pera. A lost life is a lost life forever kaya mag-ingat tayo,” said Go. As chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Go also encouraged residents to take advantage of the services offered by the Malasakit Centers nationwide, including the centers located at Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), Cebu City Medical Center, and St. Anthony Mother & Child Hospital, all in Cebu City. The Malasakit Center is a convenient one-stop shop that brings together relevant agencies to provide medical aid to indigent Filipinos. Go is the principal author and sponsor of the Malasakit Centers Act, which has successfully assisted over seven million Filipinos through the 159 operational centers nationwide. “Ako po ay nasunugan at tinulungan po ako ng mahal na mayor at mahal na Senator Bong Go... Ako rin po ay nanganak at tinulungan ng Malasakit Center sa aking bill. Kaya naman nagpapasalamat ako kay Senator Bong Go sa programa niya dahil ako ay natulungan ng Malasakit Center,” Manilyn Sarmiento, one of the beneficiaries, expressed. Other Malasakit Centers in the province are available at Cebu Provincial Hospital in Carcar City, Lapu-Lapu City District Hospital, Eversley Childs Sanitarium and General Hospital in Mandaue City, and Talisay District Hospital in Talisay City. Go also expressed his support for the construction of Super Health Centers in strategic locations as identified by DOH nationwide. Through the collective efforts of Go, DOH, LGUs, and fellow lawmakers, sufficient funds had been allocated for 307 Super Health Centers in 2022 and 322 in 2023. Go emphasized the critical role that Super Health Centers play in decongesting hospitals, facilitating early disease detection, and providing essential healthcare services such as primary care and medical consultations directly to the community. These centers are designed to offer a wide range of basic health services, database management, out-patient, birthing, isolation, diagnostic (laboratory: x-ray, ultrasound), pharmacy, and ambulatory surgical unit. Other available services are eye, ear, nose, and throat (EENT) service; oncology centers; physical therapy and rehabilitation centers; and telemedicine, which makes remote diagnosis and treatment of patients possible. Moreover, echoing President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.’s priority of bringing specialized medical services closer to other parts of the country, Go highlighted that he has principally sponsored and is one of the authors of the Regional Specialty Centers Act which was recently enacted into law. The law mandates the establishment of regional specialty centers within existing DOH regional hospitals. It stands as a testament to the commitment of the government to uplift the nation's health infrastructure and bring actual medical services closer to the Filipino people. Go, vice chairperson of the Senate Committee on Finance, likewise supported the funding of various projects in the province, including the construction of multipurpose buildings in Barili, Cordova, Ginatilan, Pilar, Tabogon, and Talisay City; improvement of existing roads in Alcantara, Alcoy, Alegria, Asturias, Balamban, Boljoon, Borbon, Carmen, Madrilejos, Malabuyoc, Minglanilla, Moalboal, Pinamungajan, Sibonga, Sogod, Tabogon, Tabuelan, Carcar City and Naga City; improvement of flood mitigation structures in Catmon and Tuburan; installation of street lights in Asturias, Compostela and Daanbantayan; and acquisition of ambulance units for Madridejos and Naga City. The post Bong Go sends assistance to Cebu fire victims appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Danao City eyes wetlands protection
DANAO CITY, Cebu — The local government here announced on Tuesday that it has passed an ordinance to promote the development and protection of all its natural and man-made wetlands. Ordinance 2023-17-018 or the Danao City Wetland Protection Ordinance of 2023 was signed by Mayor Thomas Mark Durano. “Before we make major decisions, we always consider its effects and the good of both people and environment. Times are changing and climate change is a serious threat. We continue to make legislations — through the Sangguniang Panglungsod members — which will protect Danao City,” said Durano in a statement. The ordinance seeks to protect the city’s wetlands including man-made ones that have a significant effect on the wildlife habitat. It recognizes the role of wetlands such as streams, springs, ponds, lakes, mangroves, oceans and other habitats for various types of animals as it balances the ecosystem and can also be a source of food. The ordinance — authored by City Councilor Don Roel Arias — also covers the conservation and wise usage of wetlands for sustainable development, inclusive growth, poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation and disaster risk reduction and management. Danao City’s LGU also tasked the City Environment and Natural Resources to be the lead agency in monitoring compliance with the ordinance which will require affected barangays to integrate and mainstream all their policies on the conservation of wetlands, in consultation with CENRO, Department of the Interior and Local Government and other concerned agencies. The post Danao City eyes wetlands protection appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
VP Sara visits schools in remote areas of Cebu
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Tuesday visited far-flung schools in Cebu province on the first day of the opening of classes in public schools. Duterte said she chose to attend the opening of classes in Last Mile schools to show its importance and “to make sure education is accessible to far-flung barangays and to our children and learners.” She first went to the Kaluangan 1 Primary School in Asturias town. The school has 63 pupils and four teaching and non-teaching personnel. She later visited the Melecio Tito Elementary School in Oguis, Danao City. The Vice President also led the turnover of a newly constructed four-classroom building for each of the two schools. Undersecretary Epimaco Densing, who is in charge of the School Infrastructure and Facilities Strand of the Department of Education, said 15 other Last Mile school buildings were turned over in time for the opening of classes for the school year 2023-2024. Last Mile schools are usually makeshift and non-standard ones. These have no electricity, no funds for repairs, and are usually located in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged and Conflict Affected Areas or GIDCA. The Last Mile Schools Program was introduced under former Secretary Leonor Briones to address the gaps in resources and facilities of schools that are in GIDCA. The newly turned-over school building has four classrooms. During Duterte’s visit, the classrooms, which were provided with desks and armchairs, were already being used for the first day of classes. Duterte also turned over Philippine flags to the school heads of the two schools. She also brought the PagbaBAGo program of the Office of the Vice President, distributing school bags to the children. The bags contain school supplies and dental kits. The post VP Sara visits schools in remote areas of Cebu appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Palawan CoC filing ‘peaceful’
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — The Commission on Elections here on Monday said that the first day of filing of certificates of candidacies for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections was generally peaceful. City and provincial election supervisors — Atty. Julius Cuevas and Atty. Percival Mendoza — confirmed that checkpoints were deployed across Puerto Princesa and the 23 municipalities of Palawan, starting as early as 11 p.m. on Sunday night. Cuevas said that the start of reactivating checkpoints for the BSKE 2023 in Puerto Princesa went well, with no unfavorable incidents. “The launching of the checkpoints was very successful for the simultaneous holding of the BSKE filing of certificates of candidacy,” Cuevas said, expressing gratitude to the Puerto Princesa City Police Office and its various units. He also mentioned an estimated 2,100 individuals from the 66 barangays of Puerto Princesa are expected to submit their certificates of candidacy until the filing period ends on 2 September. The filing is happening at SM City Puerto Princesa, the sole designated location, Cuevas said. The designated time for the activity is between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., but the last admission will be at 4:45 p.m. Over at Central Visayas, the Comelec-7 disclosed that 48,048 positions are to be contested for the 2023 BSKE. In an interview with DAILY TRIBUNE, Comelec-7 regional director Atty. Marco Lionel Castillano said there are eight Barangay and SK posts up for grabs, with each barangay to have one chairman and seven councilors each for the Barangay and SK positions. “In the region, we have 3003 barangays as every barangay have 16 posts, thus this will be 48,048,” Castillano said. Cebu Province has the highest number of barangays with 1,203, followed by Bohol with 1,109, next is Negros Oriental with 557 and Siquijor with 134. The BSKE in the region will be managed by 133 city and municipal election offices. The post Palawan CoC filing ‘peaceful’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cebu council pries pending flood control project
The Cebu City Council had raised an inquiry on what happened on a certain flood control project which was paid P199.32 million in advance last 15 June 2021. North District city councilor Jerry Guardo — who also chairs the committee on infrastructure — disclosed that the winning contractor identified as A.M. Oreta has not yet executed the task since the project contract was awarded to them on 15 April 2021. To recall, the Commission on Audit described as “excessive” the advance payment of P199.32 million — a portion of the total project cost of P1.328 billion for flood control projects. In his privilege speech, Guardo requested the council to call for an executive session to find out from different stakeholders — especially the winning contractor, the city legal officer and city engineers — the causes of the delays in the project’s implementation. DAILY TRIBUNE tried to get the side of A.M. Oreta but has yet to reply. “This is to inform us about any lapses, violations as to why until now the contractor did not comply with the contract,” Guardo said. He revealed that the contractor had been invited to attend the regular session scheduled last 16 August but did not attend the session and instead requested to postpone their appearance to a later date. The P1.328 billion was allotted to enhance and restore the current drainage system in Cebu City with a specific focus in the south district. According to state auditors, the contract was signed for a flood control system involving the construction of drainage mains at Cabreros Street-N. Bacalso Avenue-V.H. Garces Street, A. Gabuya Street and Leon Kilat Street-Escano Street in Cebu City. Guardo cited that 80 percent of the budget was designated for addressing flooding issues in the south such as barangays Cogon Pardo, Basak, San Nicolas, Cabreros and Mambaling and in an area near a mall on N. Bacalso Avenue which extends toward Carbon Public Market while the remaining 20 percent was allocated for the north district. The post Cebu council pries pending flood control project appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»