One-Stop Shop - City Government of Ormoc

opinionPangagpasni Iyo HantoyS. M. PepitoAng korte suprema maoy gitawag ugFinal Arbiter – Court of Final Results. Saatong pinolongan ang Korte Suprema maoykataposang hukmanan nga ang iyang (ilang)hukom dili na malalis. Apan ang mga yanonglungsuranon tingali mangutana? Dili ba diaymasayop ang Korte Suprema? Ang record sakorte suprema nagpakita nga pipila nila kadesisyon ilang gi-usab, gireverse sa katarungannga dunay depecto. Sa ato pa kining nahitabosa Korte Suprema nga mi-usab o moreversesa ilang desisyon dili karon lang kun dilinahitabo usab kani-adto. Nganong wala manmagkagubot kani-adto? Tungod kay walapa masudli pag-ayo sa kagaw sa politika.Maayong hisayran sa mga ka-igsoonan ta sabarangay nga ang Chief Justice dili mao angKorte Suprema kung dili usa lang siya sa kinse(15) ka miembro sa Korte. Sama sa konsehosa barangay nga dunay pito (7) ka regular“Korte Suprema”nga pinili nga miyembro ug usa ka ex-officiodili sayon nga madiktahan sa kapitan. Ang mgaCity ug Municipal Councilors, Provincial Boardmembers adunay ilang prinsipyo ug baruganansa usa ka isyo ug dili madali-dali nga mando-anlang sa ilang mga Presiding Officers.Unsa na kaha ang mga miyembro sa KorteSuprema? Usa sila matudlo sa kinatas-sanghukmanan nagsugod sila pagka MunicipalJudge –RTC – Court of Appeals, usa nilamakuha ang katungdanan pagka miyembrosa Korte Suprema. Sa laktud ang ilang trackrecord maoy daku kaayog matabang aron angmga miyembro sa Judicial and Bar Councilmorekomendar kanila nga mahimong miyembrosa (korte suprema). Kinatas-sang Hukmanan,dan dili tingali makatarunganon nga atongingnon nga ang gipakana-ug nga desisyon saKorte Suprema iya ra ni Chief Justice Corona.Ug dunay kasaypanan o depecto dili si ChiefJustice Corona ra ang basulon tungod kay angKorte Suprema usa ka collegial body. Angdesisyon sa kadaghanan maoy masunod ugilhon nga hukom sa kinatas-ang hukmanan.Subo nga hunahunaon nga sa kadaghansa mga Chief Justices gikan kang Jose AbadSantos ngadto kang Hilario G. Davide ngagihadla usab ug impeachment sa mga batanongkongresista nga gitawag ug Spice Boys,karon lang mahitabo nga ang judikatura nagatubangug mga atake ug pagsaway ug ganinapasaka na ang impeachment sa Senado ugmay eskedyul na sa hearing.Matud ni Juan Dela Cruz ma-oraglahi kini karong nahitabo ni Chief JusticeCorona kay ang nangusog pag-ayo maoang Presidente sa nasud gitambayayongansa partido liberal, ubang mga party list ngakongresista nga miyembro sa kualisyonnga nahadluk nga dili taga-an sa ilang PorkBarrel. Kabalaka ang gibati sa mga igsoontang Pilipino. Aduna kahay kaayohangnagpaabut kanato? Sa nakita ang kongresokontrolado na ni Pnoy? Kung mahitabo ngaang Korte Suprema moduko sa tinguha saPresidente, aduna pa kahay kahigayonannga ang atong gisakyang Barko nga M/VDemokrasya Filipinas modunggo sa pantalansa atong mga Damgo?Salamat…A proposed bill: “An Act Providing ThatAll Contractual and Casual Employees inthe Government Service Be Paid TheirCorresponding Wages During Special PublicHolidays, and Appropriating Funds Therefore”There is an interesting bill presentlypending in the Senate, with a separate billpending in the House of Representatives.The title is as stated above. It is ofinterest to us for the simple reason that itAngOrmocanonATTY. RUBEN R. CAPAHIConsultant/City Government SpokespersonStaff:LYNN DE LOS REYES-CELIZROBERTO C. DEJONJUN TARROZA • RONNIE C. ROAJOEY VINCENT C. MOTELDEXTER S. CON-UIPhotographer:JOSEPH LEVI C. SAUSANews Contributors:JOSEPHINE N. SERSEÑAELVIE ROMAN-ROALEO ROSWALD M. TUGONONAng Ormocanon is the official publication of the LocalGovernment Unit of Ormoc and is published weekly in thevernacular and in English with editorial office located atNew Ormoc City Hall, Añubing St., Government Center.2AngOrmocanonwww.ormoc.gov.phaffects government employees.The basis of this bill is Section 9, ArticleII of the 1987 Constitution that provides,‘the State shall promote a just and dynamicsocial order that will ensure the prosperityand independence of the nation and free thepeople from poverty through policies thatprovide adequate social services, promotefull employment, a rising standard of living,and an improved quality of life for all.”If we are to look into the explanatory noteof the Bill, it says that “all contractual andcasual employees work under the principleof “NO WORK, NO PAY” basis. Hence,during non-working special public holidayswhen tenured employees are paid a fullday’s wage, said “marginalized” employeesare deprived of the same privilege. Thissituation may very well be seen as unfair,considering that they too, are burdened bythe same problems confronting the regularemployees such as the rising cost of living,basic health care and decent education fortheir children. This practice runs counterto the government’s declared policy asIgnorantia legisnon excusatLEO ROSWALD M. TUGONONmentioned above and, in connection withthe rising standard of living and therefore,aggravates the already impoverished plightof most Filipino families.A dynamic workforce is the backbone ofa prosperous nation and without the properincentives to safeguard an employee’s rightto an improved quality of life, the avowedgoal of the government toward sustainabledevelopment will be hard to achieve.SECTION 1 of the proposed bill provides,“ALL CONTRACTUAL ANDCASUAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEESWHO HAVE RENDERED AT LEASTSIX (6) MONTHS OF CONTINOUSGOVERNMENT SERVICE SHALL BEENTITLED TO PAYMENT OF THEIRCORRESPONDING DAILY WAGESDURING SPECIAL PUBLIC HOLIDAYSAS MAY BE PROCLAIMED BY THEPRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES.”The results of the deliberations on the billwill surely be awaited by government employees.

EDC is now a globalleader in geothermalenergy productionBy: Jun TarrozaTo fulfill its vision of becominga global leader in geothermal energywhile sustaining its leadershipin the country, Manuel C. Paete,Vice President for Steam FieldOperations–LGPF of the EnergyDevelopment Corp. (EDC), saidtheir company is now engaged inenergy projects around the world.He revealed this informationBy: Robert C. DejonCity Mayor Eric C. Codilla hadcalled on teachers of the DepEdCity Division to submit their list ofpriority projects to SuperintendentSol Lumarda so that the city canevaluate them and allocate the fundsfor those that are deemed necessary.In a recent interview, themayor said that he gave thisassurance to teachers a weekbefore Energy DevelopmentCorporation (EDC) paid the citysome P305 Million last December.The amount represents EDC’s taxliabilities for 2010 and 2011.The mayor, in the sameinterview, also narrated that helearned from New Ormoc CityManuel C. Paete, Vice Presidentfor Steam Field Operations–LeyteGeothermal Production Field.during a Christmas Party for localmedia last month.Paete added that EDC is nowa majority stockholder in a jointventure with Hot Rock Limited,an Australian company. He saidthey will explore and developthe geothermal potentials of theCalerias and Longavi areas inthe Republic of Chile. He alsoexplained that the joint venturebetween the 2 companies will beexpanded to the Quellaapachetaand Chocopata areas in thecountry of Peru, with the bindingdocumentation expected to befinalized in mid-January 2012.Paete said that EDC also hasgeothermal projects in Indonesiaand Kenya. Here in the Philippines,he said they rehabilitated the Bac-Man plants in Sorsogon provinceand will continue its exploration inLeyte.EDC is committed toproviding the present and futuregenerations a better life withclean and renewable energy. Italso aims to promote costumerand investor interests, employeedevelopment, community welfareand environmental stewardshipat all times. EDC’s strategicintent is that they will leverage itsgeothermal expertise to developrenewable energy resourcesworldwide.Also during the occasion, Paetesaid their theme in celebratingChristmas 2011 is “PaskongMasaya, Kasama ang Pamilya.”Paete is hopeful that 2012 willbe more prosperous for thecompany. He thanked local mediapractitioners for their attendance atthe party, expressing the wish thatthey continue to be EDC’s partnerstowards a common goal.Beboy to teachers: list your priority projectsNational High School teachers thatthere was a plan to use alumni andPTA funds for the constructionof a drinking fountain and theconcreting of a pathway inside thecampus. He recalls asking them togive him a week, so that he couldprogram the requested projects ifnegotiations with EDC went well.With EDC’s payment, these arenow among the priorities.Other projects lined up followingEDC’s payment are the constructionof a 2-storey, 20-classroom airconditionedbuilding at the SPEDCenter. He said he came up with thisdecision after the SPED in chargepromised him to talk to the parentsof the center for the payment ofthe electricity. The Mayor saidthat he saw the need to constructair-conditioned classrooms for theSPED Center particularly since itspupils have excelled in the division.He added that it is ironic if suchamenities are not provided whenthe students have performed welland funds are available.Mayor Codilla also toldLumarda that he will constructone covered court inside theOrmoc City Central Schoolgrounds so that sports activitieswill not be played in the rain orunder the heat of the sun.Mayor Codilla also reaffirmedhis plan to construct an 8-classroomfacility for the individually impairedstudents. He said these classroomswill also be air-conditioned.Additionally, the Mayor saidthat he plans to push throughwith the construction of aswimming pool. In this way,we would have the capabilityto host swimming events duringthe Division Meet and evenduring the EVRAA. He said hedoes not want a repeat of whathappened to our swimmers, whohad to practice at sea or at thepools of PASAR or EDC. MayorCodilla noted that the locationfor the pool remains unresolved,but he hopes that it would be atthe New Ormoc City NationalHigh School grounds.4,900 Business... from p.1previous permit. As for signatures,only two are needed: that of the CityMayor and Tingson’s.Revenues from thesepermits are assessed at atotal of Php59,740,590.30.Establishments currently assessedare as follows: Retailers (1,512)at Php20,616,276.79; Services(3,110) – Php16,377,461.10;Manufacturers (139) –Php18,405,701.86 and Banks andOFI (140) – Php3,376,593.42.The amount is added with theassessment of the new businessesamounting to Php964,557.13. The4,900 business establishmentsare composed of micro businessenterprise - 4,474; small businessenterprise – 343; medium – 63 andlarge – 20.The deadline for therenewal is January 20.This week, the employees inBPLO are on overtime to assessthe submitted applications anddocuments. For good order, theyprocess applications on a “first comefirst served” basis, said Tingson.www.ormoc.gov.phAngOrmocanon 3

The Gentle RainGil Marvel P. TabucanonAS I’m writing this it is rainingoutside. The kind that gentlypatters on the roof remindingme of my childhood days in thevillage south of Albuera town.We used to huddle with friends inmy grandmother’s house acrossthe street watching the gravel dirtroad fill its puddles into poolswhile listening to radio “dramas”such as “Handumanan sa Usa kaAwit”. Our pulses would throbwith anticipation greeting theprogram’s signature music as the“announcer” reads the sender’slife story in letter form withunforgettable feeling and pathos.I am also conscious that a friendand elementary classmate of minefrom the village died last weekand will be buried tomorrow,leaving behind a young family ofseven children, the eldest havingjust graduated from high school.He was Rosalito, a dark-skinnedman with slightly stocky buildfrom our village’s fishing sitiocalled Cabatuan. I rememberhim coming from that place eversince elementary days and it wasalso there where he grew up, gotmarried and died. During thosetimes especially after typhoons,we would sneak out with friendsand go to sea to “collect” washedup but “usable” plastic debrisand toys. I always asked wherethose things - some faded flowers,tumblers and toys- scatteredashore came from and wonderedif they were from sunken ships.After grade 3, my parents decidedto transfer my studies to Ormoc.From that time on I seldom sawor heard from elementary chumsin the barrio. I heard some wentto Manila— one was said to haveworked as domestic helper of theEnrile household while anotherone, the girl with the brightest eyesof them all in elementary, withthe possible exception of her twinsister, died of pimple infection. Ofcourse, I have no way of knowingwhether these were just mythsor truth. We hear all sorts ofstories—some tall tales—once ina while from friends in the barrio.I was already a lawyer whenRosalito started seeing me again,sometimes in our house or in theoffice in the city. He would bringfresh catch from his fishing tripsand would tell me stories abouthis growing children and how his“poverty” prevented him frombuying them even a dictionary.According to him his childrenwere honor students back home.I accompanied him to Mancaobookstore where we bought amedium size dictionary. He toldme other things as well, but whatstuck in my mind to this day washis unflinching, unusually intenseconcern towards his children’sformal education. My mother whoused to teach in our place told meRosalito always managed to findways to pay the “amutans” andequip his kids with required schoolparaphernalia. He also made surehis kids attended school with cleanthough simple clothes. Who knewif he was hounded with premonitionthat soon he would go in his sleepand not wake up? And this, beforehis kids could finish school.I did not realize how difficult lifewas for Rosalito, his wife andchildren until the day I visitedtheir place when news reachedme of his death. His house wassmall and spare with no modernconveniences, the ones most of ustake for granted. It was said he putoff buying things since “all” hisearnings from subsistence fishingwent to his children’s upkeep andeducation. Understandably hewas concerned he might not beable to send off his eldest son forcollege education. He told me heplanned to enrol him to VISCAfor a two-year course. The cut outpicture displayed on his coffinwas when he went on stage toaccompany his boy receivinghonors from school. How happyhe must be that time, I thought tomyself, though he didn’t smile inthe picture. I myself have neverattended closing or graduationceremonies of my children andhonestly I have reasons to envythis man who took time out tobe with his kids during theirschool recognitions. I noticedmy friend was wearing T-shirt inhis death. I regretted asking hiswife if they could have founda barong. I realized his whiteT-shirt, simple in its quiet dignitywas the best he could wear underthe circumstances. It had someprints with a quotation: “Life is abasketball, the more you dribblethe more you fumble. But if youhold the ball firmly and determineto shoot, it will surely hit the goal”.Estrella D. Alfon wrote a storyentitled the Gentle Rain firstpublished in the Sunday TribuneMagazine in January 1937, wherewe find this: “See it commencesto rain. They say when it rains justwhen somebody has died, it meansthat the dead one did not yet wantto leave this world. Is not lifelike the gentle rain? The gentlerain that overflows the river andthat washes away its banks. Thegentle rain from which springsso many forms of life, andthrough which as many othersare destroyed”. Just like Maringin the short story, my friendnever mentioned any sadness.Only being happy and wanting to behappy, although in his case I knowfor one how he already gave all hishappiness—to his children.Ormoc cassava plantation is virus freeBy: Ronnie C. RoaAgapito Pongos clarifiedthat his cassava plantation is freefrom virus. This is contrary to thestatement of Dr. Erlinda Vasquez,Pest Management Specialist,Philrootcrops, Visayas StateUniversity, as quoted in a local dailypaper last December 2011.According to Vasquez, therewas a large number of phytoplasma,known as “Witches Broom”, thatwas discovered in 70 hectaresof land planted with cassava inOrmoc City, La Paz, Kanangaand Bato in Leyte and in MaasinCity. “The disease will place ahuge strain on Leyte’s cassavaproduction,” Vasquez added. Shealso projected a 50% reduction incassava production this year.Agapito “Yongyong” Pongos,Early7 Marketing, PhilippineTapioca Board Chairman, saidthat his plantation was previouslyaffected with this virus but theymanaged to cure it by pruningwithin 3 months after planting.He said that they first experiencedthe virus in Bohol, but this wascured by applying chemicals.As this process decreased theproduction, however, he copiedwhat was done in Thailand, whichwas to prune and leave a stem ofabout 5-inches from the ground.Pongos categorically declaredthat the cassava plantation inOrmoc is safe. He has 70 hectaresof cassava plantation in Leyte and300 hectares in Bacolod.To prove that his plantation isfree from this disease, he revealedthat Early7 supplied plantingmaterials to other regions in the lastquarter of 2011. He supplied NuevaEcija for 60 has, San Pablo, Lagunafor 10 has., Guimaras for 50 has.,Cabangkalan, Negros for 300 has.and San Carlos City for 60 hectares.Other VenturesPongos is also venturing insugarcane planting. He saidthat he paid his workers at 110pesos per day, the highest rateso far in Ormoc, which causedother planters to get irked.In the future, Early7 willbuy Gmelina at 50 centavos perkilo for Eastern Petroleum.The name of the new PPA Manager is Jose Cesario O. Bautista in page 7 of issue number 14.4AngOrmocanonwww.ormoc.gov.ph

San Jose is first destination for 2012 visitationBy: Josephine N. SerseñaOfficials of Brgy. San Josesaid they felt lucky to be the firstdestination for the city government’sbarangay visitation program for2012. Honorable Salvador Quindaoin his message before the hundredsof constituents last Friday extendedhis gratitude to Mayor EricCodilla and the 12 th SangguniangPanlungsod headed by Vice MayorNepumoceno Aparis 1.Each Barangay kagawadwas asked to speak about theirprograms and the problems in theirrespective puroks and committees.Like the Punong Barangay, theythanked the Mayor for the manyprojects and services they received.They also took the opportunity torepeat their requests for additionalprojects, such as water lines, roadconcreting and drainage, waitingsheds, toilet bowls, street lightsand the like. They also asked ifthe city government could providethem one unit multi-cab to be usedfor the patrol of their tanods. TheBarangay Council also emphasizedtheir need for the rip-rapping of aportion of the Bao River.Hon. Quindao led the officialsin thanking the owners of somelots in their barangay who donatedportions of their properties to beused as roads. He added that thenecessary Deeds of Donation werebeing finalized. “Daghan kaayongproblema namo sa mga sityo perosa ngadto ngadto dili man masulbaddayun pero puhon puhon maghuwatlang mi”, Quindao added.This is the second barangaywhere Hon. Lea Villar is theKagawad in Charge and her charmwas again observed. In order tokeep the audience intact the ladycouncilor gave away one piglet asa raffle prize. The last time she didthis was in Brgy. Luna last year. Toher, the visitation in Brgy. San Joseis a good sign because this is thestart of this year’s barangay visitsand it was her barangay that waschosen. She remembers that theopening salvo for the said activitywas done in Brgy Luna.On the other hand, it was alsolearned that the DSWD receivedcosmetology equipment fromOrmoc’s First Lady Mrs. Julida“Jingjing” Codilla.Mayor Eric Codilla, for his part,said that he was pleasantly surprisedat the attendance at the barangayvisit. “Wa nako damha nga bisankalit-kalit, ingon niani kadaghanang mutambong”.He pledged to the residentsand barangay officials there thattheir requests would be seriouslyconsidered. He also took the time toexpound on the many projects of hisadministration in the coming year,including the City Hospital.The Mayor repeated that it wasthe thrust of his administration todo its best for the city, saying “Waylaing motabang sa Ormoc kung dilikitang mga Ormocanon.”8AngOrmocanonwww.ormoc.gov.ph