VOL. 14 NO.

49

ORMOC CITY

P 15.00 at the newsstands

DEC. 30 - JAN. 5, 2014

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City dads defer approval of 2014 annual executive budget

BY LAlAINE M. JImENEA
ORMOC CITY The city council has deferred the second reading of the 2014 annual executive budget on January 3, 2014, the first Sanggunian Panlungsod session of the year, because of contentious issues. It was a session with two firsts, too, when the presiding officer had to cast his vote to break a tie and the new year starts without an approved operating budget. Councilor Tommy Serafica, who presided the session, had to cast his vote to break the 4-4 tie between the LP party members and the independents allied to Mayor Edward Codilla, whether to defer or not defer the second reading of the measure. Majority party wants lump sum appropriations itemized The mayor is proposing a budget of more than P 700-million but the majority party at the council is apprehensive over some lump sum appropriations that they deem should be properly itemized or identified. They also want a budget that is post-Yolanda responsive, saying that many proposed projects in the budget as identified in the 2014 Annual Investment Plan which was done before the typhoon may not be the priority of the barangays already. Elena Aviles, budget officer, who was invited to enlighten the council on the implications of the year starting without an operative budget said she did not know what to do, considering this is the first time that it happened. She said that starting January 2, the first day of the year, they have stopped accepting new financial transactions of the city because of the lack of an approved budget. She also raised apprehension that it could hamper vital operations. 90 days window However, under the law, the council has the first 90 days of the year to work on the budget, if it failed to pass in the past year. After 90 days, if the council has not approved the budget, then a reenacted budget is implemented. Nonetheless, councilor Mario Rodriguez gave his assurance that they would fast track clarification on some items and said it could be passed and approved by January 9, Thursday, the next session. What is three more working days?, he said, rather than pass a budget that has not been studied well. Quoting councilor Capahi who described the non-passage of the budget as strange uncharted waters, Dr. Rodriguez said the more that the council should be careful in scrutinizing
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GWAPO NA, MUTRABAHO PA! While on vacation at the Ilocos region during Christmas, Ormoc Vice Mayor Toto Locsin Jr. received a P 300,000 donation from Candon City Mayor Ericson Singson and Congressman Eric Singson to buy GI Sheets for victims of Yolanda in Ormoc City.

Truck carrying relief rice loses brakes, causes pile-up

ORMOC CITY A winged van containing 400 sacks of relief rice from the World Food Program (WFP) lost its brakes while entering the city proper on 5:15 PM of Thursday, January 2, causing a road pile up of at least 8 vehicles and killing three people that night. The 10-wheeler van slammed into a boom truck carrying a container van with hazardous cargo that was about to cross the highway near the rotunda at Lilia Avenue, Cogon, toppling it over. The careening Rescuers and volunteers sift through sacks of rice to look for possible victims who were pinned down in the road pile-up. They later found the body of the security guard of DES Marketing.
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64-year old is Ormocs lone firecracker victim
ORMOC CITY Ormoc posted only one firecracker victim. He was identified by the police as Mr. Manuel Malinao, 64, a resident of District 28 along Hermosilla Drive and known in the neighborhood as Mr. M. The old man suffered minor injuries on the tip of his right hand after a firecracker exploded before he could release it. Meanwhile, it was learned that the alleged victim of the first stray bullet incident in the country for the holidays last December 23 did not happen in Ormoc City but in Isabel, Leyte, a town 45 minutes away. A policeman is the suspect of the crime. Police surmise that the report was datelined Ormoc because the victim was confined at the Ormoc District Hospital. The victim was identified as one Rommel Nahine, 23, a resident of Brgy. Sto. Nio, this city but who was hit by a bullet while visiting his wifes relations in Isabel. SPO1 Mark Alexis Ruita, who investigated the report, said the incident happened at Brgy. Mahayag in Isabel, Leyte. He is not clear yet on what really happened but accounts indicate that the victim is the brother-in-law of a policeman whose firearm discharged accidentally and hit Nahine on the leg. The name of the cop is being withheld pending investigation. The incident happened on December 23 in the afternoon. The victim, who suffered a bullet wound on his left leg, was brought to Gatchalian Hospital in Ormoc which is probably why it was reported that the incident happened in Ormoc. Then, he was transferred to the government-ran Ormoc District Hospital. The victim was again transferred to the Don Vicente Sotto Hospital in Cebu City. He was brought there by Dr. Gavino Greenfield, a volunteer doctor of the International Confederation of the Red Cross stationed at ODH because the victims leg was shattered and needed delicate surgical procedure, hence the decision to bring him to Cebu. By Paul Libres

NEWS

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2014

Albuera cop, ex-CAFGU killed on Jan. 1

ALBUERA, LEYTE A policeman assigned to this town and a former member of the CAFGU were killed by motorcycle-riding assassins at around 7:00 in the evening of January 1, 2014, along the highway of Brgy. Balugo here. The two were returning to the Poblacion after investigating reports of suspicious looking men on motorcycles with no plates seen in the area. They never lived to tell their companions what they found out. The victims were identified as PO1 Rodolfo T. Securata and his friend, ex-CAFGU member Juries Tangarorang. Both were natives of Jaro, Leyte and temporarily residing at this town. Both suffered multiple gunshot wounds. According to the investigation of the cops who responded to the scene of the crime, the two went to Brgy. Balugo to investigate reports of strangers riding on motorcycles with no plates in the area. They were given the task by police chief Sr. Insp. Jonathan Camacho. They were on their way back when two motorcycles trailed them. Each had two riders. When they overtook them, the pillion riders opened fired at the policeman and his companion and shot them several times. After making sure the two were dead, the killers left. The police are discounting the possibility that it was the handiwork of the New Peoples Army. The handgun of the victim was left untouched, indicating they did not want his gun but just wanted to kill him. Sources said they are studying the angle of drugs or the involvement of a syndicate of thieves. By Paul Libres

Photo shows Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez as she distributed relief packs donated through her office from Cherry Mobile.

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UN-OCHA pinpoints shelter and recovery for Yolanda victims as top agenda
TACLOBAN CITY The United Nations Office on Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, in its January 3 report, said that current major priorities for the Humanitarian Country Team are shelter and rebuilding livelihoods for victims of Yolanda. The January 3 report highlights, among others, the processing of coconut lumber from felled trees as top priority. Another is the pressing need to bolster programs for an early recovery because of the continues rainfall. The rains have even triggered mudslides in Tacloban City. On the other hand, the Republic of Korea military contingent has announced they will focus their activities on emergency engineering repairs, medical assistance and fumigation. The UN-OCHA report said that humanitarian partners continue to implement programs across affected areas and that they are working with Government to find adequate short- and medium-term shelter solutions. For bunkhouses, in particular, humanitarian partners are advising on site selection, site planning, design and construction, beneficiary selection and camp management. Partners are also raising awareness of issues related to housing, land and property, such as in the areas designated as NoBuild Zones by authorities. Lumber from fallen coconut trees must be used immediately, as it will easily rot in the next two months. It was also noted that rainfall in Regions VI and VIII is already testing the resilience of communities affected by Yolanda. In Capiz Province (Region VI), rains have caused flooding and the evacuation of 54 families. In Tacloban City, some major roads were blocked for a few hours due to mudslides on January 2. The accumulation of debris and improperly managed household waste continue to pose health risks, particularly as the rains increase in coming weeks. The recent rains emphasize the importance of strong engagement to promote a smooth transition to early recovery, particularly in shelter and debris clearance programs. Concurrently, humanitarian partners are actively trying to encourage private companies to become involved in waste recycling and mobilizing trucks and heavy equipment to clear roads in remote areas. On communication with communities, recent research in Guiuan indicates that 81 per cent of surveyed individuals felt that humanitarian agencies
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NEWS
Lenis Garden and Koi grabs First Place in competition
CEBU- THE Philippine Cebu Koi Club recently held its 3rd annual Koi Show and the 1st DNA Koi Cup. The three-day activity headed by the PCKC Chairman, James Co and its Board of Directors took place at Park Mall, Mandaue City on December 13 15, 2013. Throngs of Koi hobbyists from all over the Philippines flocked to the Queen City of the South to grab the chance to show off their skills at handling and developing high quality Kois. Among the many contingents came from Davao, Negros, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Cebu and for the first time ever a contingent representing the Leyte Koi Club headed by the President, Rolly Villacora sent an entry owned by Lenis Garden and Kois, despite being one of the victims of the infamous typhoon Yolanda. A koi show is a competition that not only determines the best among the many different kois in their respective categories but also tests the skills and capabilities of the Koi keepers themselves. The categories of the show are based on their varieties and sizes. These varieties are kohaki, taisho sanshouku, showa sanshouku, utsurimono, asagi, tancho, hikari, koromo, kawarimono and

POEA warns of another coaching scam

THE PHILIPPINE Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) bared a new permit-to-work coaching scam baiting prospective overseas Filipino workers. The POEA posted on its Facebook account a warning for Filipinos seeking jobs as nurses or health care workers in Canada telling them to ignore the email-based scam. According to the POEA the email which is supposed from one Lesley Sawden, human resources manager of Saint Elizabeth Health Care informs recipients they were chosen for the position of a Registered Nurse. It said the email instructed the recipients to attend the Permit to work Coaching on Jan. 11 and 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.to be conducted in Makati City. The POEA said that the email scam promises a deployment date anytime in May 2014. However, the recipients are told to pay a coaching fee of P3,720. The POEA thus warned recipients of the email-scam to ignore it as it is another permit to work coaching scam!

TACLOBAN CITY - Even before the year 2013 ended, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III has already issued Proclamation No. 655 declaring the regular holidays, special non-working days, and special holidays for the year 2014. This will allow the businessmen, various offices both public and private, and schools to plan their activities. Aside from January 1, New Years Day, Malacaang has declared January 31, 2014, Friday, a special non-working day in observance of Chinese New Year. In issuing the Proclamation, President Aquino noted that Chinese nationals all over the world will celebrate Spring Festival, popularly known as the Chinese New Year, which is one of the most revered and festive events celebrated not only in China but also in the Philippines by both Chinese Filipinos and ordinary Filipinos as well. The President added that the joint celebration is a manifestation of our solidarity with our Chinese Filipino brethren who have been part of our lives in many respects as a country and as a people. January 31, 2014 may be declared as a special (non-working) day without detriment to public interest, the proclamation stated. Proclamation 655 lists a total of 10 regular holidays, 7 special non-working days and one special holiday. The following are the regular holidays: New Years Day January 1 (Wednesday); Araw ng Kagitingan April 9 (Wednesday); Maundy Thursday April 17; Good Friday April 18; Labor Day May 1 (Thursday); Independence Day June 12 (Thursday); National Heroes Day August 25 (Last Monday of August); Bonifacio Day November 30 (Sunday); Christmas Day December 25 (Thursday); Rizal Day December 30 (Tuesday). Declared Special non-working days are the Chinese New Year January 31 (Friday); Black Saturday April 19; Ninoy Aquino Day August 21 (Thursday); All Saints Day November 1 (Saturday); December 24 (Wednesday) and December 26 (Friday) and Last Day of the Year December 31 (Wednesday) EDSA Revolution Anniversary February 25 (Tuesday), meanwhile, is Special Non=-working holiday for schools. The observance of Eidl Fitr and Eidul Adha shall hereafter be issued after the approximate dates of the Islamic holidays have been determined. PIA

2014 holidays bared

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Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2014

Reminding LEYECO V of the Magna Carta

I FOUND this posted on the LEYECO V Facebook page. It was posted by election officer Teena Pore-Magalso and I am reprinting it as I am sure it also reflects the sentiments/ questions of the majority: WE have just been informed that To HAVE ELECTRICITY, WE HAVE TO WAIT FOR our schedule sa barangay sa leyeco V. BILL has been paid and wirings have been checked already. We HAVE DONE OUR PART. Ok lang unta if thats the ONLY option. THING IS, and this is what bothers me and some people, too... but i guess pwede paenlighten lang ky sayop unya ta ug sabot ba.... This is THE OTHER OPTION OFFERED TO MANY CONSUMERS AND VILLAGES, etc: pwede mukuha contractor sa leyeco to do what we are all waiting for LEYECO V to fix.. pay lang 1k per household and bayad... by then pwede na magkasuga na. Kung 1k, well, gamay ra siguro na sa uban..kayang-kaya :) QUESTiON, if this can be done and by LEYECO CONTRACTORs ra man diay pud,DI BA PWEDE LEYECO NA MU-HIRE ANI NILA PARA like what this option provides, madali maayo tanan mga linya and thereafter, the most sought after electricity will soon be provided intawn.?? THIS IS NOT to say na mahuman dayon tanan but kung pwede mas madali and daghan agi unta...imbes na consumer mu-hire and isig-bayaray ani nga mga contractor, DILI diay pwede na leyeco nalang mo-hire ani ila and mutabang para makaya nila..tibway..and LEYECO of course mo-shoulder sa bayranon and services rendered?! Kay NGANO MAN WE HAVE TO resort this option then PAY OTHER than what we need to pay sa leyeco...para lang madali?! Pwede kani nalang diay buhaton unta na option sa leyeco. pwede man diay ganij ug private? DILI PWEDE LEYECO V MO.initiate ani nga option ba? Granting dako kaayo damage ang LEYECO V after the typhoon, and so are we... TANAN man baga dako ug damage and ayuhunon and byranan saisig ka balay and properties ... Tapos this again...? IF mudayon mi, kay desperate naman kaau magka.suga intawn..,naay refund sa leyeco? kay suktan pa man gyud pud apil sa meter... SORRY kung wa ko kasabot but anyone is welcome to enlighten me or tanan consumers..? Ug DAGHAN SALAMAT KAAYO. Analou Martinez Pastor basi maka help ka . SALAMAT. rrr This is a legitimate query from a consumer. In fact, I had a similar question which I sent through PM to Analou, who happens to be the daughter of our columnist, Nene Martinez. I was asking if the P 1,000 for the meter is not a violation of the Magna Carta for Residential Consumers. I did not get a reply until now. Under the law, metering is supposed to be for free. In fact, around 6 years ago, LEYECO V was ordered to refund P 55-million to residential consumers who paid meter deposits from the year 2000 up. This was not complied with. Now, my question is, are they again trying to flaunt the law here?

Moving on
I WAS happy to hear from a priest-friend, whose family suffered greatly from the Yolanda disaster, that we should not just be contented with Tindog (Stand) or Bangon (Rise) but that we should rather Uswag (Move on). This shows a fine spirit of faith and hope that we badly need these days, even as we are given a another chance to begin again with the celebration of the New Year 2014. This should be the attitude to have. Its true that the difficulties and challenges are big and even overwhelming. They are like a gaping hole which we do not know exactly how to plug. But what would brooding, floating in idleness and inactivity, if not sinking in self-pity do to help? This is the time for belief and trust in God to directly lead us the way. As someone would say, How God will transform my troubles, I do not know, but that He will transform them, I know for sure. This is no mere wistful thinking, empty, idle, gratuitous. It is rooted on solid ground that cannot be shaken by any earthquake. The basis for this attitude is precisely the omnipotent, wise and merciful providence of God. God never abandons us, even if we feel he has left us. He has us, all of us, in his hands. He allows disasters and calamities to happen for a good reason though we, with our very limited mind, cannot fully fathom it. Hes asking for belief and trust, the way Christ asked the apostles that led to the multiplication of the few bread and fish to feed a big crowd of hungry people, and to the miraculous catch of fish when in the previous night the apostles caught nothing. This belief and trust is not inhuman at all, as some atheists and agnostics claim. These nonbelievers already have a fundamental handicap when they say belief is the death of intelligence. I dont know where they get that non-sequitur. Belief is unavoidable since the reality that we have to grapple with simply cannot be tackled with our reason alone, no matter how brilliant and high our IQ is. This has always been the case since the birth of any man up to his death. Without belief, we cannot move forward at all. A toddler learns to walk because he believes and trusts his parents who egg him to walk. A child never discovers his hidden talents until he believes someone who tells him he has got what is needed to do a certain thing. Etc., etc. There will be baby steps and awkwardness in the beginning, falls and mistakes too, but it seems like a law of life that it is precisely through these moments that precious lessons are learned and skills developed. And faced with a predicament that as of now we dont know how to handle, to whom else should we go to believe and trust that everything will just be fine? If we cannot anymore believe and trust in our present human capabilities, we go to God. We should not forget that with God nothing is impossible. This is a truth of faith that should sink deep in our consciousness and made to motivate, shape and direct our thoughts, plans, words and actions.
SEE

Powerless Power
AND SO it came to pass that the man, whod booked his return flight, stayed on and cancelled his home newspaper subscription. In between, Jorge Bergolio of Argentina, 77, emerged to the cry of Habemus Papam (We have a Pope). He stunned Piazza San Pietro crowds by asking, as Pope Francis, for their blessing instead. At that time, his letter of mandatory retirement, on reaching age 75, was on the papal desk. In just nine months, Francis upended his church on issues from fixation on sexual morality to support for the poor. Time magazine picked him Person of the Year. And across what seemed once an unbridgeable gap, so did The Advocate --- the oldest US gay rights magazine. Along comes a man with no army or weapons, Time said. (How many divisions has the Pope?, the dictator Josef Stalin once scoffed.) Yet, when he kisses the face of a disfigured man or washes a Muslim womans feet, the image resonates beyond his 1.2 billion flock. Change does not come easy to his church. It has been weakened by scandal, corruption, a shortage of priests and growing Pentecostals in South America. North Koreas dictatorship suppresses any twinge of prayer. Catholics in China are pressured by a state that claims for Ceasar what belongs to God. He lives in a spare hostel. He prays even while waiting for his dentist. He retired the papal Mercedes in favor of a scuffed up Ford Focus. No red shoes, no gilded cross, just an iron one around his neck.. He probed the Vatican bank, curbed the Italian mafia in the Curia and fired a German bishop for ostentatious overspending. And before Christmas, Francis yanked out conservative US Cardinal Raymond. Burke from the key Congregation for Bishops, New York Times reported. He was replaced by Cardinal Donald Wuerl of Washington, an ideological moderate with pastoral experience. Burke insisted that Catholic politicians who support abortion rights should be barred from receiving communion, while Wuerl took an opposite tack. That certainly is in line with the pope, who has said that communion is not a reward for being good, observers said. It is a sacrament of healing to help people. Burkes preference for the long train of billowing red silk known as cappa magna, and other such vestments, has, however, made him seem out of step with Francis, Times added. Francis dons simple attire. The new lineup at the Congregation for Bishops is critical, John Allen of National Catholic Reporter wrote. It shapes the criteria by which future church leaders will be chosen. Francis appointments, so far, signal the kind of bishop he wants in the church:, non-ideological pragmatists, close to ordinary people, and committed to the social Gospel. During the John Paul II years, many observers thought the Vatican had turned a page in media savvy because the pope himself was such a beguiling figure. In fact, John Pauls charisma smudged the reality that the Vatican remained disorganized, a point revealed with crystal clarity under Benedict. The same thing could still happen under Francis. The main thrust of Pope Francis pontificate, so far, is he wants to see a less Vatican-centered Church, reports BBCs David Willey. Its greatest concern should be for the poor and the marginalized, victims of an unjust global economic system that puts profit before people. In addition, Pope Francis says that ties with Islam have taken on great importance for the Catholic Church because of the growing number of Muslim immigrants now residing in many traditionally Catholic countries. We Christians, he says, should embrace Muslims with affection and respect in the same way that we hope and ask to be respected in countries of Islamic tradition, in the same way that we hope and ask to be received and respected in countries of Islamic tradition. Now, he heads Vatican City an instituton with about enough followers to populate China so steeped in order, so snarled by bureaucracy, so vast in its charities, so weighed down by scandals...that the gap between him and the poor seem unbridgeable, Time said. Until the 266th Pontiff walked off in those clunky shoes to pay his hotel bill... This is a man who leads, from the start, by invitation, by welcome, and by expressing above all, Gods mercy for everybody, including atheists, John Carroll wrote for CBC. He is changing the way power is executed in the Church an initiated a process that reaches to
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FR. ROY

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Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2014

5 Smoking or vaping
in the alphabet of Cebuano and Tagalog do the letters z and x exist. Those with the said letters can be construed to be not natives but foreigners. No doubt Hitler would have made our lives miserable. Can we safely say that this possibility is just a figment of the imagination? Even if the people who developed the Ayala chain of business community in Makati had German blood, let it remain as it is and no more. To the mind of this corner, Hitler was the mot-her of all lunatics. When you put a mad man at the helm of any endeavour, total chaos ensues uncontrollably. The world was saved when America changed her national policy from neutrality to eventual world power. It is America that maintained world peace. The Axis alliance of Germany, Italy and Japan would have been like another bubonic plague for the world. Look at what happened to Germany when it was split into two: East and West. What did Italy do to her own Mussolini? They spat him out of their system and paraded his dead body like a carcass on the streets. His own family must have felt the same deep inside in silence. As for Japan, they made them change their Constitution to complete non-aggression. Japan now is like a lapping dog. North Korea became emboldened and showing off their nuclear might while China is doing the same by showing off their first aircraft carrier. These two nations were once timid vassals to the Japanese Emperor Hirohito. China may be an economic behemoth and for which the USA who owes them a trillion dollars but America is still the only world power left after the others abdicated their roles. The new others are definitely just pretenders. Any takers? Please make it louder. WE ALL KNOW the bad sides to smoking tobacco. As well as causing lung cancer and other chronic respiratory conditions, smoking is also a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases, the worlds number-one killer. It also makes you look older than your actual age. Smokers in the States who want to quit are switching to electronic cigarettes (a.k.a. e-cigs) to try to kick their habit. E-cigarettes are batterypowered devices that use heat to vaporize liquid nicotine (hence the term vaping), but contain no tobacco and produce no smoke. The technology gives users seeking anonymity an edge. The inhaled vapor in e-cigs dissipate faster than cigarette smoke so workers more worried about being seen than smelled puff e-cigs in empty offices and bathrooms where visitors share favorite flavors and vaping lounges. But using a new method of testing, researchers found that in e-cigs, the level of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, came close to the amount in conventional cigarettes. A highly toxic molecule called acrolein was also detected sometimes at levels even higher than in traditional cigarettes. The problem is that without more longterm studies and tests, it is not known if e-cigs are the safe alternative to regular cigarettes that their proponents claim they are. Advocates believe that electronic cigarettes are the most exciting new development in tobacco control over the last few decades. The popularity of e-cigs suggests that there is now a product that can compete with cigarettes, thus heralding the first real possibility that cigarette smoking could be phased out. The idea is that e-cigs cannot be as bad as regular cigarettes. And if regulators get rulecrazy, they might prevent real smokers from becoming false smokers. Allowing anti-smoking ideology to dictate e-cig legislation would condemn smokers to using ineffective quitting strategies or dying prematurely. Evidence-based regulation that prioritizes public health would cause a revolution in tobacco harm reduction. While the debate rages on, the e-cigarette industry is cornering a market that is expected to reach $1 billion this year, and analysts say sales could top $10 billion in the next five years. But the more deeply troubling trend is the increased use of e-cigarettes by American teens and preteens as revealed in a new study. And many of them had never even smoked a conventional cigarette. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug. Some experts fear e-cigarettes may be a gateway to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoking. Many teens that start with e-cigarettes may be condemned to struggling with a lifelong addiction to nicotine and conventional cigarettes. Research has shown that majority of all smokers begin smoking as teenagers. The youth must be kept from experimenting or using any tobacco product. These dramatic increases of teen smoking suggest that developing strategies to prevent marketing, sales, and use of e-cigarettes among youth is critical.

RP could have been a German colony?

THE PHILIPPINES could have been a German colony if we were to go by an article that came from Mr. Ambeth Ocampo, my favorite historian. It seems that the Zobel-Ayala family descended from German Protestants originally from Hamburg and that the family patriarch, Jacobo Zobel Zangroniz, was imprisoned as a German in the 1970s. Jacobo Zobel was the youngest of three children born to Jacobo Zobel Hinsch and Maria Zngroniz y Arrieta, who owned and managed the Botica Zobel on Calle Real 13 in Intramuros....x x x The thought that we could have been a German colony intrigues this corner no end. It horrifies me like it was the black plague. This corner cannot imagine such a monster as Hitler might be seen in the streets of Manila and indulging his quest to rid the world of any Jew. If we were under the German empire, all the Jews with us would have been part of the six million that were perished with their drive to wipe out the Jews. If he were to set foot in Manila, for sure he will fall in love with the Philippines like most foreigners do. When Juan Miguel Marquez came to Manila to pay Manny Pacquiao a visit, he fell in love with the Filipinos. The same thing would have happened with Hitler. He would have set his headquarters here in Manila and would have continued his personal vendetta against the Jews here. If it is true that people whose surname ends with the letter z is a Jew, this corner can point out some of them: Aboitiz, Ruiz, Marquez, Vasquez, Velasquez, Enriquez, Martinez, Rodriguez, Yniguez, Galvez, Alvez, Sanchez, Velez, Gonzalez, Lopez and more. How about those with z anywhere like Larrazabal, Zialcita, Zaldivar, Zobel, etc.? The reader must have to agree that nowhere

The Good Life

An overwhelming 2013
BY MEGG S. LUNN
IT IS indeed an overwhelming 2013! Who says its not? For those who have lost their loved ones, their job, their houses and their other properties, perhaps it wasnt an overwhelming year for them. However, the essence is that of knowing how to appreciate Gods blessing of a breathing life that is more than enough that we could thank and ask from the Lord. Now, tell me, isnt it an overwhelming year 2013?! There must be a reason why we, in spite of being a good person, we still are not spared from pain losing our loved ones, our home, our job, our property. It may be so strange to you that I am saying it is an overwhelming 2013. But yes, all that I could think now is, indeed, we are blessed we are alive and still kicking. Have you ever look back and review your year 2013?! Have you ever think of those happy and sad moments, the obstacles and challenges you have been through, the defeat and victory, the blessings undeserved and deserved, and the moment that made you smile or frown?! In between, we continue to breathe life. Therefore, we have more than what we expected to get. Life is the most precious gift that we could ever have. And that we thank the Lord for we continue to breathe the good life, in spite of. In the next year to come, we hope for better days. We wish for a better tomorrow, a better job, a better friendship, a better marriage, and even a better me, you and us. This year is passing and we are now looking forward to 2014 with more openness and more opportunities to serve, to love, to be of good use, to keep better, to do more...to be deserving of mercy and love from the Lord. As we welcome 2014, we ask Gods help as we focus on what is important to us LIFE itself, a priceless gift. Ask Him to reveal what is most important to you each day. Offer to Him what you deserve and what you dont deserve. Ask Him also to reveal to you what is your most important gift to Him this coming 2014. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:5 My wish for all is that we continue to live in truth and love, with abundance of grace, mercy and peace from the Lord. May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Philippians 4:23.

MERCADO ... from P. 4

the lay people around the world. He has raised hopes in every corner of the world that can never be fulfilled because they are irreconcilable. The elderly traditonalist who pines for the old Latin Mass and the devout young woman who wishes she could be a priest. The ambitious monsignor in the Vatican Curia and the evangelizing deacon in a remote Filipino village, both have hopes, Time said. No Pope can make them happy all at once. How will the Francis effect impact the Philippines where eight out of ten are Catholics? Bishops of Lipa and Bacold were so fixated on the RH bill, they that openly campaigned versus Team Patayand were trounced. In contrast, Cardinal Luis Tagle, Cagayan de Oro archbishop Antonio Ledesma, among others, lead by seeking out the poorest. We shall see by 2016. That is when Francis flies to the Philippines to attend International Eucharistic Congress in Cebu. Asked whether all of the popes changes mattered, Cardinal Wuerl smiled and said. Dont we have to give this pope time?

FR. ROY ... from P. 4

We have to reinforce this belief continually, especially when we are assailed by doubts, fears, questions, failures. In fact, we have to turn this belief into a formidable conviction, and market it as widely as possible. This is not at all engaging in a Pollyana attitude toward life. Yes, we need to be cheerful and optimistic all the time, but with the cheerfulness and optimism that is properly grounded. We just have to make sure that the grounding is authentic. It should be on God, on our faith, on our belief in the spiritual and supernatural realities that should go beyond the material, temporal and natural dimensions of our life. Obviously this is easier said than done, and that is why we need to be patient and persevering in working out the many details we need to do to acquire a true belief and trust in God, and not get derailed into superstitions, which are a continuing threat to us. We are starting a New Year. Lets make it another chance God is giving us to put things in order in our life, both the personal and the collective. Lets get back on our feet and start to move on. There is no other way to go, but grow, develop and progress toward God, our ultimate end! Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

The Gospel on Sunday

JANUARY 12, 2014 The Baptism of our Lord Matthew 3: 13 - 17 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

6
Republic of the Philippines Local/Civil Registry Office Province: Leyte City/Municipality: Palompon Petition No. CCE-0088-2013RA 10172 PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF CLERICAL ERROR IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH I, SOLAME DEMELLITES OLORVIDA, of legal age, Filipino and a resident of Brgy. Cangcosme, Palompon, Leyte. After having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, hereby declare that: 1) I am the petitioner seeking correction of the clerical error in: My certificate of live birth 2) I was born on November 7, 1991 at Palompon, Leyte, Philippines 3) The birth was recorded under registry number 91-1492 4) The clerical error(s) to be corrected is (are): Item No. Description From To 2 Sex MALE FEMALE 1 Middle Name Demelletes Demellites 6 Last Name Demelletes Demellites 6 First Name Creselda Cresilda 5) The facts/reasons for filing this petition are the following: For error No. 1: To correct my sex from MALE to FEMALE, which was wrongly recorded, in my birth certificate. For error No. 2: To correct my middle name, the correct spelling I am using is Demellites. For error No. 3: The correct spelling of my mothers last name is DEMELLITES. I am filing this petition to correct such erroneous entry in my birth certificate. For error No. 4: My mother used to spell her name as CRESILDA thats why I am filing this petition to correct her name in my birth certificate. 6)I submit the following documents to support this petition: a) Certificate of Live Birth (SECPA & Office File Copy) b) DECS Form 137-E/Form 137-A/Medical Certificate/Brgy. Clearance c) Police Clearance/ NBI Clearance / Personal Affidavit d) Marriage Contract/Certification of Baptism of my mother e) Birth Certificate of my brother 7) I have not filled any similar petition and that, to the best of my knowledge, no other similar petition pending with any LCRO, Court or Philippine Consulate. 8) I am filing this petition at the LCRO of Palompon, Leyte in accordance with R.A 9048/ R.A. 10172 and its implementing rules and regulation. (Sgd.) SOLAME D. OLORVIDA Petitioner VERIFICATION I, SOLAME D. OLORVIDA, the petitioner. Hereby certify that the allegations herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. (Sgd.) SOLAME D. OLORVIDA Petitioner SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 20th day of December 2013 in the city/ municipality of Palompon, Leyte, petitioner exhibits in Community Tax Certificate No. 11295313 issued at Palompon, Leyte on January 28, 2013. (Sgd.) CARMELITA G. LODOVICA Municipal Civil Registrar Administering Officer EV Mail Dec. 23-29, & 30- Jan. 5, 2014

NOTICES
KOI CARP ... from P. 3
grabbed the biggest trophy from the podium was hailed as the Grand Champion of the 3rd PCKC Koi Show. Other participants also received minor awards and trophies. One of them is Leni dls Larrazabal of Lenis Garden and Kois of Ormoc City, who took home the Young Size First Place Award. A living proof that splashes of success can come from amidst great tragedies. For the experienced koi hobbyist, being part of a koi show, whether being on the organizing team or simply being a participant in the competition is no walk on the park. Yet for a true koi kichi (koi crazy) no matter how tedious the job, nothing could ever take the place of being able to spend time with their fellow koi hobbyists. Being able to share ideas, to lent a helping hand and to create new bonds of friendship that lasts even after the show. Perhaps no person could ever say why people could get so worked up about these beautiful insensitive water nymphs from Japan. There is just something about them that makes you get drawn to them, like invisible magnets pulling you close. They cant talk yet they can calm you down. They dont have hands yet they are capable of touching your heart. But beyond the beauty of the Koi Carp is something more enchanting. The images of the people behind them. The people, who like the koi carp, moves steadily and slowly through diversity; who finds unity in a society of differences; who builds friendships regardless of the distance in between.

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2014

Republic of the Philippines Local/Civil Registry Office Province: Leyte City/Municipality: Palompon Petition No. CCE-0087-2013 RA 10172 PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF CLERICAL ERROR IN THE CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH I, ALFREDO CABESAS MIAPE, of legal age, Filipino and a resident of Blk 272 Group 4 Zone 13, Pembo, Makati City. After having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, hereby declare that: 1) I am the petitioner seeking correction of the clerical error in: My certificate of live birth 2) I was born on March 15, 1962 at Palompon, Leyte, Philippines 3) The birth was recorded under registry number 91 4) The clerical error(s) to be corrected is (are): Item No. Description From To 3 Middle Name ELBISA CABESAS 6 Date of Birth Feb. 15, 1962 March 15, 1962 12 Last Name ELBISA CABESAS 5) The facts/reasons for filing this petition are the following: For error No. 1: To correct my middle name which was erroneously recorded in my birth certificate. For error No. 2: Due to the erroneous entry in my date of birth, I hereby file this petition to correct such error in my birth certificate For error No. 3: To correct my mothers last name which was wrongly recorded in my birth certificate. The correct entry is CABESAS. 6)I submit the following documents to support this petition. a) Certificate of Live Birth (SECPA) / LCR Form No. 1A b) Certification of Baptism/ Certification/ Passport c) Seafarers Reg. Certificate/ SSS & PRC I.D. Cards d) Police Clearance/NBI Clearance/ Employers Certifications e) Marriage Contract/Cert. of Live Birth of my child/Church Cert. f) Joint affidavit /Birth Certificate of my brother 7) I have not filed any similar petition and that, to the best of my knowledge, no other similar petition pending with any LCRO, Court or Philippine Consulate. 8) I am filing this petition at the LCRO of Palompon, Leyte in accordance with R.A. 9048/R.A. 10172 and its implementing rules and regulation. (Sgd.) ALFREDO C. MIAPE Petitioner VERIFICATION I, ALFREDO C. MIAPE, the petitioner. Hereby certify that the allegations herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. (Sgd.) ALFREDO C. MIAPE Petitioner SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 20th day of Dec. 2013 in the city/ Municipality of Palompon, Leyte, petitioner exhibits in Community Tax Certificate No. CC12012 10652982 issued at Makati City on Jan. 16, 2013. (Sgd.) CARMELITA G. LODOVICA Municipal Civil Registrar Administering Officer EV Mail Dec. 23-29, & 30 Jan. 5, 2014

UN-OCHA ... from P. 2

did listen to them but almost 60 per cent still wanted more frequent and clearer information. The collapse of media is also eyed because less than 50 per cent of pre-typhoon radio stations are now operating in affected areas, and television stations have no local content. As for funds, US$608 million has been contributed to the typhoon response as of January 2, according to the Financial Tracking Service (FTS). Of this, $328 million was contributed to the Strategic Response Plan (SRP) which is closely aligned to the Governments Recovery Assistance on Yolanda (RAY), by over 80 entities including Member States, the Central Emergency Response Fund, multilateral institutions, private companies and individuals. PIA 8

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Date: DECEMBER 11, 2013 CCE-0001-2014 R.A. 10172 In Compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 Guidelines in the Implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), Notice is hereby served to the public that DAISY DACERA YAP has filed with this Office, a petition for change of GENDER from MALE to FEMALE in the certificate of live birth of DAISY DACERA YAP at BAYBAY, LEYTE and whose parents are BAYANI M. YAP and NORMA J. DACERA. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than DECEMBER 11, 2013. (Sgd.)NOEL V. MANAGBANAG City Civil Registrar EV Mail Dec. 30 Jan. 5, & 6-12, 2014 rrr NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC Date: DECEMBER 11, 2013 CCE-0002-2014 R.A. 10172 In Compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 Guidelines is the Implementation of the Administrative Order No. 1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), Notice is hereby served to the public that JEZAREEL M. MENDIOLA has filed with this Office, a petition for change of GENDER from MALE to FEMALE in the certificate of live birth of JEZAREEL M. MENDIOLA at BAYBAY, LEYTE and whose parents are AGUSTIN M. MENDIOLA and LUCENA O. MAMAC. Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than DECEMBER 18, 2013. (Sgd.) NOEL V. MANAGBANAG City Civil Registrar EV Mail Dec. 30 Jan. 5, & 6-12, 2014 rrr Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Leyte Municipality of Baybay Petition No. CFN-0001-2014 PETITION FOR CHANGE OF FIRST NAME I, SALOME GLORIA, of legal age, FILIPINO, and a resident of BRGY. GAAS, BAYBAY CITY, LEYTE , after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, hereby declare that: 1) I am the petitioner seeking the change of first name in: a) My Certificate of Live Birth 2) I Born on Oct. 22, 1952 at BAYBAY,LEYTE , PHILIPPINES, 3) The birth was recorded under registry number 52-1696, 4) The first name to be changed is from MARIA SALOME to SALOME, 5) The grounds for filing this petition are the following: b) I have habitually and continuously used SALOME and publicly known in the community with that first name; f)All my records shows SALOME as my first name. 6) I submit the following documents to support this petition: a) COLB OCRG COPY b) AFFIDAVIT OF TWO DIS-INTERESTED PERSON c) BRGY. COURT, POLICE & NBI CLEARANCE d) EMPLOYMENT CERT. 7) I have not filed any similar petition and that, to the best of my knowledge, no other similar petition is pending with any LCRO, Court or Philippine Consulate. 8) I am filing this petition at the LCRO of BAYBAY, LEYTE in accordance with R.A. No. 9048 and its implementing rules and regulations. (Sgd.) SALOME A. GLORIA Petitioner VERIFICATION I, SALOME A. GLORIA, the petitioner, hereby certify that the allegations herein are true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. (Sgd.) SALOME A. GLORIA Petitioner SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 29th day of NOVEMBER, 2013 in the city/municipality BAYBAY CITY, LEYTE, petitioner exhibiting his/her Community Tax Certificate No. 11330679 issued at BAYBAY CITY, LEYTE on NOVEMBER 29, 2013 (Sgd.) NOEL V. MANAGBANAG Administering Officer EV Mail Dec. 30- Jan. 5, & 6-12, 2013
Extrajudicial Settlement and Partition with Sale NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that property of the late JOSE SEVILLA LICARDO, SR. re a parcel of land designated as Lot No. 203, Case -4, Cadm. 519, situated at Ipil III, Palompon, Leyte, covered by OCT No. P-95634, containing an area of 388 sq. m. was settled and partitioned among his heirs and sold in favor of ONOFRE D. LICARDO per Doc. No. 149; Page No. 30; Book No. LVII; Series of 2013 of Notary Public Wilma Cordeno-Matuguina. EV Mail Dec. 16-22, 23- 29, & 30 Jan. 5, 2013.

BUDGET ... from P. 1

the budget. Most of the city councilors are new members. It was also learned that a request for an itemization of the lump sum appropriations was already communicated Vice Mayor Toto Locsin Jr. to the Mayors Office on December 20 yet. In his reply, the mayor did not give what was requested but said we shall secure the appropriate legislative authority once we implement the priority projects as identified in the Annual Investment Plan.

M. LHUILLIER PAWNSHOPS
ALL BRANCHES AT LEYTE REGION, ORMOC 1,2 & 3, NAVAL, PALOMPON, CARIGARA, ISABEL, KANANGA, VILLABA, SAN ISIDRO, TABANGO, ALBUERA, LEYTE, BILIRAN, MATAG-OB, CALUBIAN, TACLOBAN BRANCHES 1,2,3,4, & 5, PALO, CALANIPAWAN (V&G) TANAUAN, ALANG-ALANG, JARO, DAGAMI, DULAG, BURAUEN, MARASBARAS, ROBINSON, BAYBAY, 1, & 3, INOPACAN, HILONGOS, ABUYOG, MAASIN 1 & 2, BATO, SOGOD 1 & 2; MACARTHUR, SAN JUAN (CABALIAN), LILOAN, HINDANG, HINUNANGAN, PINTUYAN, MALITBOG, & ST. BERNARD. Commencing January 15, 2014 at 9:00 am the above mentioned pawnshop will sell on Public Auction Sale all overdue pledges left in the same up to August 31, 2012, Patrons are enjoined to verify their receipts. MANAGEMENT Sa Enero 15, 2014, sa alas 9:00 and takna sa buntag isubasta sa publiko ang tanang butang naremati diri sa tag-sa-tagsa ka buhatan sa gihinganlan sa itaas. Tanang butang pinerenda nga wala makukat hangtud sa Agosto 31, 2012 maapil sa subasta. Giawhag ang tanang suki sa pagsusi sa ilang mga resibo. TAGDUMALA EV Mail Dec. 30 Jan. 5, 2014

NOTICE OF AUCTION SALE ON REMATADOS OF

PILE-UP ... from P. 1

van then turned on its side as it came to a stop after colliding with the DES Motorcycle store by the side of the road. The careening van side swept at least four vehicles, while the container van on the boom truck toppled over a single motorcycle and a passenger tricycle. It was carrying hazardous phosphate gas, as gleaned from a warning sign found on its door. In their investigation, the Ormoc traffic police said that the driver of the careening van was seen signaling and shouting that his truck lost its brakes. The driver, one Domingo San Miguel from Nueva Ecija, died. Another fatality on the spot was Rammel Mayor, the security guard of DES Marketing who was stationed outside the store when the van slammed into it. The other victim was Rico Hingco, 14, helper of the driver of the boom truck, his uncle Jessel Hingco. Ronaldo Quizon, the driver of the passenger tricycle that barely escaped being crushed by the container van when it toppled over, said he and his passengers were able to escape the pile up unscathed. He said that when he saw the winged van careening towards them, he shouted to his passengers to immediately jump off. He also saw the riders of the single motorcycle that was crushed escape. He said they were a couple and had a child with them. They were later identified as Val Arias, his wife Maria Theresa and their son Jun Mar, 8. Other affected vehicles in the pile up were a Suzuki Beaver owned by Antonio Con-ui, two service motorcycles of DES Marketing and a Honda Yamaha owned by a Liezle Loay. The drivers and passengers of the affected vehicles were also injured and brought to different hospitals.

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2014

CLASSIFIEDS

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Philippine Airlines Inc.

TACLOBAN BRANCH TACLOBAN CITY The following schedule is effective as of 01 June 2011 until further notice: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES AIRBUS 319 & 320 PR 191 MNL 5:40 AM TAC 6:55 AM DAILY PR 192 TAC 7:25 AM MNL 8:35 AM DAILY PR 391 MNL 9:20 AM PR 392 TAC 11:10 AM PR 393 MNL 4:00 PM PR 394 TAC 5:50 PM TAC 10:40 AM MNL 12:25 PM TAC MNL 5:20 PM 7:05 PM DAILY DAILY DAILY DAILY

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NEWS

Dec. 30 - Jan. 5, 2014

The Social Responsibility of the Business Sector

BY LAlAINE M. JImENEA
ALTHOUGH RESPONSIBLE for only a small portion of greenhouse gas emissions globally, Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, has been identified as being among the regions of the world most vulnerable to climate change. Local consequences will include sea-level rise and flooding, altered crop cycles and land-use patterns as well as an increasing number of extreme events (typhoons) as weather becomes less predictable.

EDCs CSR Story

CSR first came to EDC in the late 70s in the form of an environmental protection initiative. Environmentalism alone would not be able to address the issue of poverty in the upland areas where geothermal energy is usually found. This situation threatened the delicate balance of the ecosystem when people clear pristine lands for their sustenance. In 1986, we turned to social forestry where we integrated non-destructive livelihood practices into the natural cycle of geothermal watersheds. During this time, we helped communities and farmers organize themselves building their capability to plan, manage and grow cottage enterprises that are based on natural resources like interplanting the shade tolerant rattan and coffee seedlings under natural forest stands. Then beginning 2005 when we firmed up our privatization plan, we revitalized our CSR activities and folded them into a comprehensive community partnerships investment program. The underlying principle remains: to protect and preserve the lifeblood of the business, which is the geothermal reservoir and the watershed, EDC Recovery Efforts Continue Being the most important provider of electricity in the Leyte-Samar region, EDC remains focused on repairing its power plants so that power can be restored. As of this writing, one or two units of its Malitbog power plant and the Tongonan 1 power plant have already reconnected to the power grid. Local electric cooperatives must now double their efforts in erecting new transmission towers to be able to tap this available power to their customers. Power producers are duty-bound to provide power because it is for the common good, more than it is a business imperative and this is what the company has shown in the Yolanda tragedy. The business model will still be relevant as EDC moves on after this natural calamity. IT is perhaps the affinity to natures processes that allows its geothermal business to recover quickly. Geothermal and hydropowerthe indigenous and renewable energy resources that EDC harnesses for power generationis what may be called an in situ energy resource that is commonly found in forested mountain areas. It is for this reason that EDC has been adopting systems and technologies that ensure the optimal and sustained operation of its geothermal projects. Reinjectionthe process wherein spent geothermal fluids are sent back to the underground reservoir through gravityis one of them. Watershed management is another. This is actually EDCs earliest foray into corporate responsibility at a time when sustainability was not a buzzword yet. In the Philippines, geothermal is a water-based energy resource that relies on robust forest cover for the continuous recharge of the geothermal reservoir. Our approach to developing this indigenous resource is to innovate wet steam field technologies that would enhance the geothermal cycle as well as to place a holistic environmental management practice to make our business model even more viable with the participation of communities living around the geothermal reservations. Long-term Sustainability Initiatives As a sustainable form of energy, geothermal is an example that technology could improve lives without compromising the environment. On top of its existing programs on watershed and environmental management, EDC pursues a biodiversity research program and a climate change hazard decision support system through the auspices of the Oscar M. Lopez (OML) Climate Center for Research. The OML Center recognizes that science and technology have a critical role to play in enhancing the resilience and coping capacity of the various sector of the society whose aspirations to develop sustainably is threatened by climaterelated risks and disasters. The OML Center is striving to create a Center of Excellence by generating science-based solutions in the area of climate change would have to help people understand and appreciate the value of sustaining the natural regenerating capacity of these natural systems. A healthy reservoir will sustain not only our business but also the habitat of people and a thousand more life forms that are just so diverse and intricately linked to our survival. Alongside environmental objectives, broad-based campaigns were conducted to ensure the social acceptability of our energy projects starting 1990. For greater transparency, the multi-sectoral monitoring teams (MMT) composed of representatives of the local government units, host community, non-governmental organizations, DENR and EDC were installed across all our operating sites in 1993. As you can see, we have already set the pace in corporate social responsibility even before the call for sustainable social investments became the trend. From this brainchild sprang HELEn, which is now anchored on building enduring partnerships with our 43 community stakeholders in four key areas, namely health, education, livelihood and environment.

Special REPORT

The Philippines is facing two difficult and intertwined environmental tasks: minimizing the adverse impact of climate change through varied mitigation and adaptation measures and restoring its degraded environment. The way forward for the country is to pursue these tasks with greater vigor, coherence and consistency in the context of the need to green the economy while providing jobs to people in rural areas, which are more prone to the effects of environmental changes such as the one that Leytes towns and municipalities experienced with super typhoon Yolanda. In geological terms, the worlds climate has gone through periods of warming and cooling over eons but, as far as we are aware, never as rapidly as that being experienced at the present time. Perceptible change can now be measured within the space of a decade. Global warming will not only change the physical environment, it will impact on all human activity from agriculture and food security, coastal and marine resources, water resources, land use and forestry, energy and energy security as well as human health. Changing water temperatures will also impact on the marine environment compounding the effect of sea-level rise and introducing additional uncertainty into fisheries and aquaculture which remain important generators of income for many. While debate continues as to the extent that the worlds climate will change, there is general agreement that over the short to medium term, it is irreversible. The Kapamilya Spirit After the Yolanda Super Typhoon What makes EDC stand out among the rest is its unyielding adherence to continuously fulfill its mandate to discover and develop alternative resources of energy in a socially and environmentally responsible manner so that future generations could enjoy what we are benefitting today. Long before environmentalism and

sustainable development became mainstream agenda, EDC has already built its model on the principles of inclusive progress. In the midst of a dynamic business environment and undeniable climate change impact, the company remains steadfast on its promise. In the Yolanda aftermath, no other private sector entity has been able to mobilize resources that came to the aid of the people of Ormoc and Kananga even while the company also suffered heavy damages to its operations. What is noteworthy is the humility in which all the action took place free of press releases and media hype. From our sources in the host communities and Provincial Government, we were recounted stories of how this incredible assistance took place without fanfare or intentions of producing stellar media mileage. The company provided relief packs with food, water, water purification tablets, clothes, solar charging stations for cellphones, medical assistance and medicines. Through a MOA signed with the LGUs, EDC lent gensets that provided much needed electricity to Ormoc and Kananga city halls, two hospitals and the Ormoc water district pumping stations that delivered water to 80% of the city. This act of swiftly helping the two LGUs stabilized the situation in Ormoc and Kananga. Within four days, it was able to dispatch employee volunteers who assisted EDCs Corporate Social Responsibility Department in distributing relief goods to all its 16 host barangays. EDC also mounted medical missions and administered health consultations to more than 3,000 host residents and 200 local suppliers who were injured during the typhoon. When EV Mail joined the visit of cabinet secretaries to the port of Isabel, we found out that the Provincial Government and the DSWD wanted to adopt EDCs relief distribution system, a clear demonstration of private sector synchronizing efforts with the national and local governments.

adaptation and disaster risk management. Recently, the center has awarded research grants to seven projects aimed at mitigating climate change. University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University received a total of P13 million in funding for their project proposals. Aside from awarding research grants, the OML Center will build network and partnerships with regional and international research institutions and strengthen linkages with the national and local governments for the wide spread deployment of risk mitigation solutions. EDC is determined to make inroads by investing in social equity projects via stakeholder partnerships in CSR and climate change risk preparedness. With the institutionalization of the corporate social responsibility and environmental management policies, it is optimistic that the roadmap to creating empowered and resilient host communities will be achieved in the long run.