Lottie the volunteer's BLOG

By: Lottie Salarda Carigara, Leyte --- Carigara Municipal Mayor Eduardo C. Ong was very happy when the Bureau of Internal Revenue have declared their municipality as one of the mythical five (5) that have a good performance of collecting their revenues. The municipalities of Isabel, Palompon, Kananga, Abuyog and including Carigara has been on the top 5 on BIR’s list. Last 2014 the municipality of Carigara got 18.1 million pesos revenue and last year it increased by 11% in which they have a total of 20.7 million pesos. They were able to surpass their 20 million targets last year. This year their target is still to hit 20 million pesos. Mayor Ong dreamed that their municipality will be on the top revenue collecting LGU in the province of Leyte. He also disclosed that their revenue collection will increase soon because Herbert Sy has already inquired in preparation for their future construction of Savemore Department store in the area. “Hantayin nalang natin matapo...

The Zegrahm Cruise Ship By: Lottie Salarda Capul, Northern Samar --- The two historical islands of Eastern Visayas, which is the island town of Capul, Northern Samar and Limasawa in Southern Leyte, were chosen by the group of passengers of the Zegrahm Expedition to visit on Good Friday and Black Saturday. The group of passengers, who were retirees, were from United States of America, South Africa, Canada, United Kingdom and from all over the world. All of the sixty passengers who visited the islands haven’t visited yet the Philippines. According to Micheal Moore of Zegrahm Expedition, they chose the two islands in Eastern Visayas because of its history and they also want to learn their different cultures. “The Philippines has the friendliest people; fantastic food; history and different culture, it’s all here right in this small island,” said Moore. The retirees were able to enjoy the “habal-habal” ride which brought them to their destinations like the Sto...

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman and DSWD Director Restituto Macuto together with the Brgy Officials in a turn-over of the newly constructed footbridge connecting Brgy Minohang and Brgy Balud, Barugo Leyte By: Lottie Salarda Tacloban City ---Through the National Community-Driven Development Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the unity of the community in Brgy Balud, Barugo Leyte; a new footbridge connecting Brgy Balud and Bgry Minohang was constructed. The construction of the footbridge 160 linear meter sub-project was made possible by the Millennium Challenge Corporation through its funding. As of March 31, 2016 a total of 956,820,096.62 pesos has been granted to the community in Leyte, Samar, and Northern Samar. see the difference Forty-one percent of the MCC fund was allocated to the basic infrastructure; forty-six percent for basic social services and thirteen percent for disaster mitigation. Before the construction of...

DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman and DSWD Director Restituto Macuto during the inauguration of the newly constructed footbridge connecting Brgy Minohang ang Bgry Balud, Barugo Leyte By: Lottie Salarda Tacloban City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Dinky Soliman is calling those candidates this coming May 9 elections to stop using the name of the DSWD by promising that the survivors of typhoon Yolanda will receive additional Emergency Shelter Assistance if they win this election. There are reports from the community in the North Western part of Leyte that there are candidates who are using the agency for their campaign this election. The Secretary clarified that their distribution of the ESA for the Yolanda survivors amounting to 9 billion pesos under the NCRRP list of former Rehabilitation Czar Panfilo Lacson, was already done. Those promises made by some candidates are baseless and will never happen according to the Secretary. “The book ...

By: Lottie Salarda Tacloban City – The funds under the RAY 3 of the Department of Interior and Local Government Regional Office 8 to the brgys of Ormoc City has just been downloaded by the agency last March 22, 2016. According to DILG Regional Director Pedro Noval A. Jr, in Ormoc City, the rehabilitation of their City hall amounting to 20 million pesos under RAY 2 is not yet fully completed. But their coliseum, which is under RAY 1, was already finished. Meanwhile, all brgys in Ormoc City could not implement those projects intended for the rehabilitation of their brgy facilities affected by typhoon Yolanda last 2013 because the funds downloaded to them has been made just last March 22. “Sa mga brgy hindi pa, the funds downloaded to them was on March 22, pasok na sa election ban, so they can still conduct bidding but they cannot implement the projects,” said Noval.  They can implement their projects after the election. Under RAY 3, about 60% of the LG...