More sun than clouds. Warm.

Hottest: 32.22°C (Monday, Oct.17)Coolest:23.33ºC (Wednsday, Oct 17)

US USD 42.552000EU EURO 58.311800Japan YEN 0.566600Bahrain DINAR 115.528700

BSP as of October 11, 2011

Country Currency Phil. Peso

Copra (kg) Php 35.00Refined Sugar(kg) Php 45.00NFA Rice (kg) Php 32.00Oil (barrel) USD 114.55Gold (troy oz.) USD 1,827.36

KAWAYAN, Biliran. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released some P2.86 billion for its rice subsidy program for 1.1 million poor farmers and fisher folk nationwide.

GAHUM WEEKLY learned this from Vina Aquino, DSWD Information officer here in the region.

In a press statement, it was learned that said rice subsidy is a short-term intervention to help farmers and fishermen and their families cope with

Oct17 - 232011Vol. 2No. 23P10.00 From the barangay homefront to the world www.gahumweekly.com

by Melchor Caspe the effects of increasing prices of commodities and fuel and to tide them over during the lean months.

The program started last May 2011, with its deadline last September.

Meanwhile, Region 8 got around P 144 million for rice subsidy alone, this according to DSWD Regional Director Letecia C. Diokno.

Under the program, the beneficiaries received cash assistance in exchange for undergoing four-day training and rendering community service.

The four-day training focused on agricultural and food production, family and community

continued on page 4

ESamar weather forecasting centerDOST installs high-tech weather monitoring stations

p3

fisherfolk get rice subsidydisaster preparedness, gender development orientation, planting methods for palay and corn, and banca making.

After the training, the beneficiaries rendered community service under the cash-for-work scheme for seven days, such as tree planting, reforestation, coastal cleaning, dredging of waterways and canals, and repair of disaster-damaged community facilities.

Diokno said the beneficiaries are paid cash upon completion of the activities based on the

p3

continued on page 4

NMP:PH Government is not remiss in responding to maritime piracy

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Philanthropyin action: TFCCCI turns-over new school buildings in Tacloban p4

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by Edwin Tumalad

TACLOBAN City. Eastern Visayas has added yet another feather in its already heaping success hat as designer Daniel Guarino and his creation for the National Costume competition at the 22nd Philippine Travel Mart won 1st Runner Up.

Jhuneva Marie Marmita Go (picture above wearing the wining entry) modeled the classic baro't saya with banig and shell theme and Señor Sto. details. The innate beauty and charm of Ms. Go and the intricate details of the gown wowed the judges at the competition.

Indeed, Eastern Visayans are talented and truly enchanting. Congratulations to Daniel and Jhuneva, both of you made Eastern Visayas proud.

THE ART OF HARVESTING SHRIMPS. A man show the

proper way of throwing the net to harvest shrimps. These shrimp farmers harvest three

to four times a year. Mr. Huang Che Ching Director of the Tacloban Filipino Chinese

Chamber of Commerce and Industry is the owner of more or less 20 hectares of shrimp

farms at Brgy. Kabalawan, Tacloban City, the largest

supplier of shrimps in the region and produce 10 tons of

export quality shrimps.(Photo by Melchor Caspe)

“Gamot sa Bawat Bahay” program

helps folks in Biliranby Leo Dumon

NAVAL, Biliran. In far-flung barangays where the nearest “botika” ranges from to 3 to 5 kilometers away, looking for medicines in the dead of night is a trying experience.

This is especially so in poorer households of this province, where one has to scrape the last centavo and hike to the town to buy something for an ailment that homemade concoctions failed to give relief.

In what is considered a bold move to remedy the situation, Governor Gerry Boy Espina launched what he calls a “Gamot sa Bawat Bahay” programs, wherein every household, rich or poor, receives a pouch of over-the-counter medicines for most common ailments.

continued on page 4

TACLOBAN CITY. The Philippine government continues to find solutions to maritime piracy victimizing Filipino seafarers.

So says Atty. Josephus B. Jimenez, a top official of the country’s premier training center for seafarers said.

The Jimenez made this statement being the OIC-Executive Director of the National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP)in the region.

Atty. Jimenez was with other officials representing the different maritime-related government agencies in Eastern Visayas where they served as guests in the regular PIA media interaction, which centered on the National Maritime Week celebration on September 26 to 30, 2011 with the theme “Piracy: Orchestrating the Response”.

Atty. Jimenez said that there were 286 piracy-related incidents off the coast of Somalia in the past months alone. This translates to about 700 seafarers held hostage onboard 30 ships scattered at various

Eastern Visayan farmers,

AnotherEV success

by Melchor Caspe

2 3News2

BFAR:Samar Bay Areas still positive of Red Tide toxins

'Road traffic injury is the 4th leading cause of mortality in EV'

TACLOBAN City. A road traffic injury prevention project was launched here in the city in response to the growing injuries and deaths caused by road accidents.

Spearheading the said project is the Department of Health (DOH) – Center for Health Development Eastern Visayas.

The project was launched on Sept 26 in coordination with other government offices like DPWH, PNP, Highway Patrol Group, LTO, LTFRB, City Government of Tacloban, DILG, DepEd, DTI, DENR, DOT, DOLE, DSWD and PIA.

Also helping them are PhilHealth, Philippine Red Cross, OCD, CHED, EMB and EVRMC.

Said agencies also comprised the Road Traffic Injury (RTI)-Technical Working Group of the said project.

Accordingly, said project aims to prevent, to reduce and eventually to eliminate injury brought about by the road traffic.

DOST installs high-tech weather monitoring stations in E Samar

BOrONgAN City. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has recently installed automated weather monitoring stations in Salcedo and Can-avid and another weather station will be installed in Borongan City soon, said DOST provincial director Arnaldo Amosco.

“These stations are part of the 180 weather stations that are being deployed all over the country to complement DOST-PAG-ASA’s weather monitoring weather monitoring facilities,” Amosco said.

He added that “these stations are stand alone devices that measure weather-related parameters every 15 minutes and automatically transmit the data to DOSt servers on real-time basis”.

DOST E Samar, in coordination with DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI) and PAG-ASA installed these weather stations.

The stations in Salcedo and

continued on page 6continued on page 6

October 17-23, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

Philippine Information AgEncyRegion 8

Happy 67thLeyte Gulf Landings Celebrations!

from

PIA-8 Regional Director Erlinda Olivia P. Tiu

Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesCommunity Environment

and Natural Resources Office

Greetings!from

CENRODolores, Eastern Samar

through

CENRO Officer MS. DELIA ABOBOand the CENRO DOLORES Staff and Personnel

OCtOBER 20, 2011

OCtOBER 20, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtIONOCtOBER 20, 2011

Greetings!

from

Guiuan, Eastern SamarTourism Council

GUIUANEASTERN SAMAR

"Road traffic systems are the most complex and most dangerous. Worldwide, an estimated 1.2 million people were killed in road crashes each year and as many as 50 million are injured.”

“Projections indicate that these figures will increase by about 65% over the next 20 years unless there is new commitment to prevention. Nevertheless, the tragedy behind figures attracts less mass media attention than other, less frequent types of tragedy," according to a report emailed by Bryant Labastida of IRI-Technical Working Group.

Also, road traffic Injuries (RTI) are a major but neglected public health challenge that requires concerted efforts for effective and sustainable prevention of all the systems with which people have to deal everyday, World Health Organization (WHO) said.

In the country, road traffic injury is the leading cause of injury and death with a mortality rate of

7.8 / 100,000.However in the region, RTI is

reportedly the fourth leading cause of mortality.

Due to this report, Technical Working Group is committed to determine the magnitude of the road traffic injury in Region 8, formulate preventive measures to lessen traffic injuries in identified blackspots, and provide recommendations to concerned agencies / LGUs for policy development / strengthening of existing local policies on Road traffic Injury prevention.

Labastida added that each one of them is tasked to generate multi-sectoral community awareness and participation on road safety initiative, develop capacity of Technical Working Group / Traffic Enforcers / health staff on Road Traffic Injury Prevention, and ensure quality and competent licensed drivers, vehicle road worthiness and environmental compliant. (Eden Benusa-reyes and Inka Sanchez)

Borongan City are called Automated Weather Stations (AWS) and are capable of real time measurement of wind direction and speed, air temperature, humidity, air pressure, rain amount, rain intensity and duration, according to the Science and Technology Director.

On the other hand, the Automated Rain Gauge (ARG) installed in Can-avid can only measure air pressure and rain amount in the area, he added.

The deployment of the state-of-the-art weather tracking system is expected to eliminate subjectivity in manual weather observations and delays in data transmission through real-time monitoring of weather observations.

It also aims to prepare the public in times of disaster especially during typhoons, floods to result to lower rates of casualties and lessen the number of damaged properties and agricultural products. (Ninfa B. Quirante)

DOST now ready to accept undergraduate scholarship

program applicantsPALO, Leyte. Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarships applications for school year 2012-2013 is now ready.

The Department of Science and Technology thru the Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) announced this recently.

In a press release, DOST said the S & T applications are open to high school students belonging to the top 5% of the graduating class and who wish to pursue priority fields of study in the science, mathematics and engineering.

The report also said there are two program categories where students may apply to: 1) RA 7687 scholarship, otherwise known as the

S&T Scholarship Act of 1994, which provides scholarships to talented students whose family's socio-economic status does not exceed the set values of certain indicators as approved by the Advisory Committee on S&T Scholarships; and 2) the DOST-SEI Merit Scholarships awarded to deserving students whose socio-economic status exceeds the said indicators.

Applications are available in all DOST Regional and Provincial Offices nationwide.

Deadline for filing is on October 21, 2011.

The scholarship examination is scheduled on November 20, 2011. (Mel Caspe)

Vice Governor Memieta Bagulaya and Councilor Sambo Yaokasin in a a chance conversation with governor Jericho Petilla during the 6th anniversary of AACTV-AN ATON CHANNEL ( Photo : Melchor Caspe)

PCA steps up drive against coconut disease in So. LeyteMAASIN CITY. Coconut infestation in So. Leyte province will soon come to an end as the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)- Southern Leyte Provincial Office has undertaken the propagation of parasitoids to combat coconut leaf beetle or brontispa

Six towns in the said province have been infested by the said pest, according to a report.

The towns are Bontoc, Tomas Oppus, Malitbog, Liloan, Maasin city and Sogod.

PCA then started gathering the pupa of brontispa from the municipality of Bontoc that they can use for the parasitoids to lay their eggs.

It was learned that similar

parasitoid propagation has been successfully implemented in Vietnam.

PCA-So. Leyte said brontispa could be minimized with the introduction of parasitoids eating the eggs of brontispa.

Spraying of insecticides however was no longer introduced as they have seen no effect from it.

It was learned from PCA that they expect results from six to twelve months after the parasitoids shall be introduced in brontispa infected coconut trees.

PCA said they also intend to have a pilot area on this . (Leo Dumon with a report from PIA)

TACLOBAN City. Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources regional office-8 informs that the shellfish toxicity level from Samar Bay has not gone down yet.

Based on the latest laboratory results of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-8), shellfishes and seawater samples collected along Matarinao Bay areas (Salcedo, Quinapondan, Gen. MacArthur and Hernani, Eastern Samar) were POSITIVE for Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) that is beyond the regulatory limit.

In this thought, the public is advised to refrain from eating, gathering or harvesting,transporting and selling shellfish from Matarinao

bay in Eastern samar until such time the red tide alert will be lifted by their office.

Among those being forbidden were all types of shellfishes and

acetes especially alamang that were gathered from these areas as they remain unsafe for human consumption.

However, BFAR said, , squid, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and internal organs such as gills and intestines are

removed before cooking.(Meanwhile, coastal areas along

Ormoc Bay (Ormoc City, Albuera and Merida, Leyte); Biliran Waters (Naval and Kawayan, Biliran); Camotes Sea (Palompon, Leyte); San Pedro Bay (Palo and Tanauan, Leyte); Villareal Bay (Villareal, Samar); Maqueda Bay (Jiabong and Catbalogan Samar); Irong-irong Bay (Tarangnan, Samar); Cancabato Bay (Tacloban City); Sogod Bay (Sogod, So. Leyte); Carigara Bay (Carigara, San Miguel, Barugo, and Capoocan, Leyte) and Calbayog Waters (Calbayog, Samar) are FREE from toxic Red Tide organisms according to BFAR. (Mel Caspe, with reports from PIA-8)

4 5

DTI :Southern Leyte is doing well with SMEs

TACLOBAN City. In fulfilling their commitment to the community, the Tacloban Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce,Incorporated (TFCCCI) turned-over three school buildings in various villages in the city last Monday (September 26).

TFCCI President Go Tic Ching (Jack Uy),said this is part of the school for the barrio project of the chamber.

Uy said, yearly TFCCCI keeps on building classrooms to different areas

October 17-23, 2011

Happy 67thLeyte Gulf Landings Celebrations!

from

An WarayParty-List

Hon. Florencio “Bem” noelHon. neil Benedict montejo

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

OCtOBER 20, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

Department of Science and TechnologyRegional Office VIII

Greetings!from

DOST-8 Regional DirectorEngr. Edgardo M. Esperancilla, CESO III

and Staff and Personnel

of

OCtOBER 20, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

Greetings!from

magazine

OCtOBER 20, 2011

www.8-magazine.com

The program was launched with the support of Congressman Roger Espina of the Lone District of Biliran, who served as this province’s governor for three terms from 2001 until 2010.

Each pouch contains medicines for immediate relief for fever, cough and asthma, body pains and allergies, rheumatism and diarrhea. It also contains instructions on how and when to take the medicines, and strong advise to consult physicians when symptoms persist.

As of September 15, Governor Espina visited 36 barangay in 33 days bringing the “Gamot sa Bawat Bahay” program into 7,504 families. The province has 132 barangays in 8 municipalities, which he vowed to

visit all and give medicines within the year.

Governor Espina related that in his visits to the different household in the barangays, he saw the actual conditions of his constituencies and vowed that they will always be in his thoughts as to guide him in the next two years of his term.

Many of those people who received the pouches of medicines from him had never seen any governor in person in their lifetime, much more come into their humble homes in great surprise.

The Governor has visited from house to house distributing free over-the-counter medicines for common ailments under his “Gamot sa Bawat Bahay” program.

Gamot sa Bawat Bahay from p. 1. . .

points in the country’s extensive coastline.

This has pushed the government to lay down “preventive and curative” measures to combat the situation, the NMP Executive Director added.

Atty. Jimenez further said that part of the preventive measures undertaken by the Philippine government against maritime piracy is the development of an anti-piracy training program for seafarers, which NMP offered for a whole month in June, in line with the National Seafarers’ Day.

Other preventive measures

espoused by the Philippine government, in coordination with other global maritime organizations, include the fair treatment of all ships passing through the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Coast of Somalia; APEC economies to collaborate and cooperate closely on the maritime piracy issue and assist Somalia in restoring a working government, Atty. Jimenez explained.

The Philippine government has so far donated US$ 20,000 to the UN Trust Fund to support security measures in the fight against maritime piracy, issued various flag

state advisories, held inter-agency consultations, created an Ad Hoc Committee on Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships, among others, as curative measures against the looming issue, Atty. Jimenez disclosed.

He also assured that other government agencies like the Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Coast Guard are also taking steps in finding solutions to maritime piracy.

The NMP also made a proactive move by including courses about Maritime Piracy to prepare and equip the seafarers with the proper skills in meeting such situations..

NMP from p. 1. . .

prevailing regional wage rate in their respective areas.

According to a report, the list of beneficiaries were identified through the DSWD National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) project based on their 2010 data of poor farmers and fisherfolks per city and municipality. (with reports from DSWD).

Students at National Maritime Polytechnic –Tacloban undertake specialization and upgrading of courses for both licensed officers and ratings, as well as conducting studies on the latest maritime technologies and other related matters for the maritime industry. (Photo by Mel Caspe)

A mixed feeling of awe and gratitude fills a mother in Brgy. Pulangbato, Almeria in this province as Governor Gerry Boy Espina (left) hands her a pouch of medicines for her family’s use. The governor has visited from house to house distributing free over-the-counter medicines for common ailments under his “Gamot sa Bawat Bahay” Program.

EV fisherfolk from p. 1. . .

News

TACLOBAN CITY. The realization of the recall election in Samar is dependent on several factors of which budget is at the top consideration.

While the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Eastern Visayas has an allocation for election recall purposes under its annual funding, the amount needed to bankroll for its conduct has to be determined.

Comelec Assistant Regional Director Felicisimo Embalsado informed that the conduct of the recall elections would need enough budget and that factors have to be considered in coming up with the exact amount for the said undertaking.

Factors which need to be considered for recall elections include the determination of the composition of the board of

Budget constraint hampers conduct of recall election in Samarelection inspectors and the needed number of polling precints and the determination whether the election will be manual or automated.

The poll body has yet to schedule the conduct of the verification of signatures of voters in barangays where they are supposed to be registered as voters.

Verification of the authenticity of the signatures of voters is important to find out if such voters are really registered voters.

The schedule of the verification of the authenticity of voters is determined by the Office of the Executive Director represented by Jose Tolentino.

The recall election was petitioned against Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan and her younger brother Vice-Governor Stephen James Tan. (Aurora Casimpan)

TFCCCI turned-over new school buildings in Taclobanin the city to fill the gap and in answer to the requests of the barangay or school officials for more classrooms.

"This is a commitment of the chamber (TFCCCI) to the community here in the city especially to far flung areas to ensure the education for the kids," Pres.Uy added.

The said school buildings were turned-over to Marasbaras Elementary School, Northern Tacloban City National High School at barangay 101

New Cawayan and Paglaum Elem. School.

It was also learned from Uy that each school building is composed of two-classrooms with comfort room.It has a capacity of 40-50 students each.Each classroom cost from Php370,000 to Php440 thousand depending on the distance from the city proper.

One more school buildings was also tuned-over to Barangay Kahumayan in Tanuan and another one at San Isidro

Village in the municipality of Sta. Fe on Tuesday (September 27).

For more than 50 years from its (TFCCCI) creation, around 500 school buildings or 1,000 classrooms have been built by the chamber in coordination with the local officials including Tacloban City Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez and 1st district Representative Ferdinand Martin "FM" Romualdez, according to the chamber President.

Earlier, TFCCCI called a press conference held at Asia Star's Hotel Coffee Shop,Uy expressed his gratitude to the directors, members of the chamber and donors of the school buildings.

"I'm very happy that our school for the village program have last long and hoping for more longer years," Uy said.

He also asked the recipients of each school buildings to take good care of it. (Eden Benusa-reyes)

MAASIN City. Five (5) major tourism investment projects were presented by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during the Provincial Micro Small and Medium Enterprise Development Action Planning held at the Ampil Pensione here, last September 2011.

Ma. Delia M. Corsiga, Division Chief from DTI-Regional Office 8 said that the major investment in tourism industry in province of Southern Leyte were identified as follows: Danao Forest Park where an investor is proposing to establish a zoo, the Agas-Agas Adventure complex which includes not only the zipline but also bungee jumping and probably the installation of cable cars, different dive sites throughout the province, the Limasawa destination package and Silago Forest canopy walk.

“Statistics show that Southern Leyte business sector mostly operates in small business enterprises, while Eastern Visayas rank 4th in terms of having number of SME operators,” Corsiga pointed out in her presentation. By investing in these

projects, employment will increase and the gross domestic product contributions will also rise.

The government sector will just support what business to be installed while the private sector will be the one to put up the business, she added.

Corsiga while presenting the SME Development Plan for 2011-2016 nationwide is grateful for the support and eagerness of the business sector.

Probable challenges that may be encountered in investing a project/business were also discussed by Corsiga such as the business environment, access to finance, access to markets, productivity and efficiency, and the like, while how to address these challenges at the local level will be validated during the workplan. (Melchor Caspe)

Eastern Visayas'FIRST Travel & Lifestyle Magazine

and FIRST Glossy Magazine

6 7Opinion/Columns Opinion/Columns6

They Returned

An editorial

Testing our democracy: wage hike and the budget

WritersInka Sanchez, Medora B.Quirante,

Ninfa Quirante, Restituto A. Cayubit

www.gahumweekly.com

Business Address:Brgy. Tres, Guiuan, Eastern Samar 6809

E-mail Address:gahumweekly@gmail.com

Feature articles and columns contained herein are opinions of the contributing writers and columnists and are not necesarilly of the editorial team and the publisher. All materials within the

newspaper are property of the publisher.No part of this newspaper may be reproduced, in part or in

whole, without written permission from the publisher.

Gahum Weekly is printed by Tres Niñas Printing Press, Tacloban City and is a proud member of the Philippine Press Institute

and operates under DTI TRN 2906440.

© Copyright 2011

Aaron J.P. AlmadroEditor-in-Chief& Art Director

Eden Benusa-ReyesManaging Editor

J. Colima BajadoWaray/Cultural Editor

Melchor Caspe, Leo DumonStaff Writers

Jojo NobleIllustrator

Leon O. Ty TrustPublisher

Jon Facundo DeeBusiness Manager

Michael Ty Sumayod, Mel CaspeCirculation Managers

ColumnistsJenelyn Garcia, Bert Ada,

Atty. Djhoana Antoni-Clemencio,J. Colima Bajado, Robert Dejon,Gerry B. de Cadiz, Fred Padernos

Journalism and the Challenge of Consumerism

We are already aware that the lives of our journalists are not of a haut monde. First and foremost (that’s the cliché),

we get less. More than that, the word “libel” makes our world perilous. But libel is nil compare to the death-defying moments we’re involve in.

It is nearly two years ago when the country was declared the worst place for the journalists, elsewhere in the world. It was after the killing of a significant number of journalists in Maguindanao, which the case until now, sad to accept, still unresolved.

In the advent of a gratuitous upsurge of the prices of our staple needs, all of us are writhing. Juvenile criminals are becoming common today. To boot, a handful of Church ministers (when I speak of Church, I speak of all denominations) are challenged and doubted to be victimized by the virtue of consumerism. Last school semester, I attended a graduation ceremony in a theological school and the message of the Keynote Speaker was hearted in the challenge to the priesthood by the (mis)virtue of consumerism. It was a very inspiring speech that hit not only the graduates, but also the invitees of the said event. And in this challenge of consumerism, our journalists, just like anybody else, are of no excuse.

Why? Because journalists are also human. We also mull over the welfare and comfort of our family. We also eat. We also purchase this and that. And in effect, some of us are also lured into the charms of money. In exchange of assassinating the character of a political foe, if one political figure or a person in authority would give us 30 thousand pesos per month, as it is in some reported

J. Colima Bajado

TrajecTories

cases today, would we think twice? Some resist, some don’t. This is the challenge of consumerism, exchanging self respect and dignity to material glory.

I do not wish to hand and point Polano and Polana who are ensnared in the fangs of a consumerist society. I just want to remind them that writing (or journalism for that matter), is a vocation. Just like the principles of priesthood, teaching, and medicine- we go into these not because we want to be rich, but because we want to serve.

This, some of us forget. How can we not, if we continue to neglect the tenets of this noble profession? Yes, I call it a noble profession, just like teaching. It is those people who forget this nobility that are no less than what the Greek word mōron means. Which, hard to admit, some of us really are.

How to stand this challenge then? We must remember the 3 responsibilities that were taught to us.

First, we must “get to the truth and tell it plain if you are a

to page 8

to page 8

October 17-23, 2011 October 17-23, 2011

The country is still agog with the euphoria of Shamcey Supsup winning as 3rd Runner-up in the Miss Universe 2011 pageant

in Brazil. In another instance of magnifying a rather trivial feat, the Filipinos found again something to brag to the world on how “intelligent and beautiful” we are. Really? I have to agree with my doctorate professor that the answer of our contestant, and much more that of the other ladies, was bereft of insight knowing that the queries and probable responses were most likely have been given and rehearsed prior to the show. An orchestrated discourse is beyond the purview of an intellectual exercise.

But for millions of obtuse folks, from social elites to street urchins, who were only hooked at scrutinizing the pleasantness of each candidate’s physique which bares everything that priests, pastors and nuns warned us about, the spontaneous replies and illusory smiles are measures of intellect and beauty. What a pathetic and shallow basis of assessing one’s personality! Though it is expected since when confronted with a show that tickles our primal instincts, with mental processes whirling down below 00F, we usually conclude based on what we sensually perceived, thus forgetting the essence of the event and depreciating the real value of the person. I may be accused of being “kill-joy” but it is appalling to note that even if we have won the crown itself, it does not raise an iota of respect from foreign and domestic machismos who continuously subject our women to humiliation, harassment, abuse and violence. As a magna cum laude graduate, a board exam topnotcher and a professional

architect, a UPian like her deserves better accolade than being an icon of feminine oppression.

For despite of seemingly noble intents highlighted in advertisements, pageantries were meant only to feed the ravenous maw of organizers with millions of profits from media coverage and commercial sponsorships. But the most to gain are government officials who exploited the ensuing fanfare and festivities to divert the attention of the people and shield their inability to address the more pressing issues in the country. Media outlets, many of which are owned or financed by public officials, consistently downplays the worsening national crisis by giving more broadcast time or print space to insignificant political wrangling, showbiz intrigues and the occasional accomplishments of Filipinos, albeit very negligible, in international competitions. Ironically, seldom can we witness an in-depth discussion or a firm action that tries to resolve the daily predicament of our people: unabated corruption, syndicated exploitation, rising cost of basic commodities, massive

What have we become?

Waray ako!Prof. Gerry B. de Cadiz

We, Filipinos, are a resilient race. Also, our innate culture of being relaxed and

laid-back, whether from Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao, has its pros and cons. We are a happy race, problems seem to skim by, every day is a time for celebration, every day is a reason for happiness. But once faced with obstacles, we seem to shrug it off as well.

But once stretched to the limits, we fight back. Patience and suffering has its limit, like the Filipino quote, "Ang lahat ay may hangganan." This is not far from the truth that we, Warays, are innate fighters.

This October, we celebrate the 67th Leyte Gulf Landings, which means that 67 years ago, we rejoiced that our American saviours returned, driven off and "saved" us from our Asian colonizers. This moment marked the end of a world wide war.

We do not know what would have happened to our nation if these landings never happened. But the reality is this: on our lands we rediscovered independence, on our lands heroes have been borne, on our lands began hope for the world.

Whether the Americans returned or not, one thing was inevitable—our freedom.

We salute the heroes, celebrated and unsung, who delivered us from one of the darkest moments in time.

Jen Garcia

sojourner’s musings“When I return to forever/may the circle be closed/and the spiral be broader.” - Bee Lake, an Aboriginal Poet

“I will runaway if my parents will not consent. He makes me happy,” replied a young college girl when her friend asked her what her

plans are. Maybe just maybe, some young people get so drowned in the here and now of their choices with such abandon that they miss to see what could lie ahead. The friend retorted, “What you have with him is not as important as the completion of your education. If your parents will find out, they might let you stop from schooling and that would be you saying goodbye to a career that you want.” Maybe just maybe, some young people live so much in the pursuit of the future that they fail to bask in the pleasures of here and now. In that single conversation overheard in a carenderia, I made a resolve to fill my life not only with now or tomorrow; I must strive to balance them and keep watching for signs of harmony and to work hard for discord not to be sown in me.

I heard an old man saying to another, “When you’re old and poor, you do not have friends. You do not have a family; you do not have brothers, sisters, or even children. You do not even have self-respect because you pity yourself.” Maybe just maybe, some people grow old and when they look back at their lives all they see is unhappiness and bitterness. He further said, “It was a lot a better when I was younger and it was the 1950s. Food was cheaper then. The poor could still eat adobo nga manok; now, it is only the rich who could afford.” Maybe just maybe, some people grow old stuck in certain moments of glory or comfort- recall all of its tiniest details and consider everything else that follows to be gray. In that single conversation overheard in a jeepney, I made a resolve that

I would still be happy when I become old because I would have millions of memories to savor. With or without wealth, family, or friends I would still have enthusiasm because I would have the sun to wake up to; the stars and moon to accompany me in the night; the rain to cool my heart; and, the air to breathe.

I remember Ate Helen who saved me from drowning in 2001. I asked her to let go because if she would die, her fourteen children would lose a mother. I told her that they would be losing their youngest too who at that time was still in her womb. She only said, “I would not be at peace if you die and I live.” In that single conversation with a very brave woman, I found peace of mind to be the key in appeasing restlessness and further resolved to keep that peace in all situations even when my survival would be at stake. No life no matter how insignificant it may seem to others is insignificant. The most challenging task of living is to know that it matters to be alive. Nobody else though could make us feel that it matters that we are alive; we have to do it. All we have to do is know our basic necessities- physiologically, intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally. We could look for them in our internal and external environments; or, create them if we must.

Comments? E-mail me at garciajenelyn@gmail.com

Bare Necessities

ni Bert Ada

gios PagPausWagAccording to Ibon Foundation, a private research institution,

from 2001 to 2009, the recorded net income of the top 1,000 corporations in the Philippines had ballooned more than five times (552-percent), from P116-billion ($2.65b) in 2001 to P756-billion ($17.27b) in 2009. But the average daily wages and salaries increased only 31-percent over the same period, from P222 ($5.1) in 2001 to P291 ($6.6) in 2009.

What did the honorable representatives of the sovereign people in both houses of congress do uplift the plight of Philippine labor ? The record speaks for itself. Democracy worth defending? Or a democracy in real need of being changed?

The good news is that at last there is a growing support for legislated wage hike.

xxx

In the National Capital Region, Ibon computed the family living wage at P999 ($22.82) as of Aug this year, but the minimum wage is pegged in the National Capital Region (NCR), where it is highest, at P426 ($9.73). The gap between minimum wages and family living wage is wider outside of NCR . Ibon also told the legislators that a P125 ($2.86) across-the-board wage increase nationwide will

only mean a 15-percent cut in profits of companies operating in the country. It will still not bring the minimum wages close to the needed living wages, which the Philippine constitution has explicitly guaranteed its citizens.

xxx

Taxes collected by the government in the last decade have more than doubled (from P600-billion [$13.71b] in 2001 to P1,250-billion [$28.6b] in 2010), but the wages of public sector workers in the same period, have increased by only less than half (49-percent), and a big part of it was accounted for by bigger leaps in salaries of executives in government agencies, rather than in salaries of sub-professional and professional levels according Ferdinand Gaite, national president of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and

Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) at a forum with Philippine legislators.

To finance the P6,000 ($137) wage hike for government employees, Courage proposes to realign some 7.9-percent of the government budget for servicing debts. The group said the government can also consider slashing its budget for military spending, noting that the government is spending at least P297,231 ($6,790) per civilian employee, and P402,400 ($9192.50) per military personnel per year.

Xxx

Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan chairman, said to have funds for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs),Congress should rechannel the intelligence and “confidential” lump-sum funds amounting to P789.3 million (US$183,488.837) mostly from the Office of the President and the DND.

“These funds are unaudited and are lump sum funds which have been earlier found to be sources of corruption.

Crisostomo also targeted the conditional cash transfers and PAMANA dole-outs worth P15.2 billion (US$348,837) saying that the schemes are also corruption-prone . “artificial, ineffective and

The LaW and me(againsT The WorLd)Atty. Djhoana Gene A. Antoni-Clemencio

Dear Atty. Djho,Dear Atty. Djho, Ano it akon pwede himuon? Nagbulag na kami hit akon asawa kay mayda niya naanakan. Pero danay la gihap hiya nauli ha balay. Ini in nakakalipong ha akon. Pwede ko ba hiya dire pasudlon ha balay? Ngan pwede ko ba hiya ireklamo hin adultery tungod na mayda na nira anak han iya babaye? Buligi unta ako niyo, J. (Reworded for convenience) Yours, Mrs. L.

There are two questions that need to be answered in this letter and these are: (1) Can a wife prohibit her husband from

entering and visiting the conjugal dwelling? And (2) Can a wife sue her husband for adultery by reason of his having a child with another woman?

For the purpose of answering these questions, let us make the following assumptions and conclusions: (1) J and her husband (whom from then on, we will refer to as K) are legally married; (2) K had a child with another woman; (3) For which reason, J and K separated; (4) J was left in the conjugal dwelling; and (5) J and K are not legally separated as contemplated in Articles 55 to 67 of the Family Code (FC) or annulled or their marriage declared null and void as envisaged in Articles 35 to 54 of the same Code.

By reason of limited space, let us answer and discuss the first

question in this issue and treat the second question in the next issue. Thus, can a wife prohibit her husband from entering and visiting the conjugal dwelling?

Under the above assumptions, the answer is no. It is safe to conclude further that the conjugal dwelling is

the family home. Article 156 of the FC provides that the family home is part of the absolute community property or the conjugal partnership, or of the exclusive properties of either spouse with the latter’s consent. The law presumes absolute community as the property regime of the spouses if the marriage took place in 1988 when the Family Code took effect or conjugal partnership if the marriage was celebrated prior to the effectivity of the FC. In the absence of a marriage settlement or agreement to the contrary, these presumptions apply.

Hence, under the circumstances, the house continues to be

Forbidden (Part 1)

to page 8

to page 8 to page 7

Damo nga salamat han banggiitan nga singer, composer, recording artist nga bulontaryo nag komposo hin kanta nga tugma gud

para han akon programa nga Johnny Pusong kada aga alas 3:50- 4:45 a.m. na yana lunes ngadto ha sabado ha DYBR Apple Radio 711 ha iyo mga radyo-an estasyon nga kaugop mo.

Diri la kay haromamay iton pag hihimo hin osa nga kanta - kay siyahan haimo pag surat han lyrics hini, magbibiling ka gud han naangay nga mga pulong para mahimo an osa nga kanta- ngan kahuman hini magbibiling kana liwat tama nga tono ngan tiempo- pa praktison makadamo ka beses - ngan kun tuhay na masunod na an final recording.

Kahuman han recording masunod an mixing- o pagtempla han tukar ngan han boses han kanta para mabalanse- upod na an editing san- o an final copy- ready for airing kun ha mga radyo o TV. Siguro mas masayon ini buhaton hin osa nga gin regalohan han diyos hin maupay nga mga mata nga nakakakita han kaanyag han kalibutan.

Pero dinhi hini nga kanta nga akon gin hihisgotan, ginhimo ini hin osa nga buta-nga kun ano kamasirom an iya paniplatan sugad man kamalamrag an kanta nga iya ginhimo para gudla han akon programa nga Johnny Pusong- personalized pa gud kay dida han kanta igin upod pag kanta an akon ngaran.

Ini nga aton yana bida nga boluntaryo naghimo han kanta hin waray bisan sentimo nga kabalyo.”

Komo pag saludo han talento hini nga tawo ha larangan han musika, upod an mga Ka-Pusong ha bug-os nga Rehiyon 8 in nasaludo gud ha imo. Ano kuno an title han kanta Doktor?....... kudos mandaw dodo bayi otoy- bisan hi ako nahingalimot nala pag pakiana han title paka bati kun han kanta ha ha ha…

Mga ka- Pusong ini nga aton bida nga banggiitan nga musikero in waray iba kundi hi…. Tat tat tat tat tat…… ART RAMASASA…….. palakpakan mga Ka-Pusong. ------------------- PATAY HALAS:Johnny: Maring, para anAy kita ha kay mapatay anay halas.Maring: Okay sige.. (Kahuman makalima pag para – para ira motorsiklo kay sige patay halas (ihi) nangalas hi Maring)Johnny: Maring anay la ha… mapa patay halas naliwat ako…Maring: Hesus2x ginoo ko sige la nga para - sige la nga para, naduro kita ka langan.Johnny: Kay patay halas pa.. ikaw gud.Maring: Halas? Saba daw Johnny!… kahahambugan!… WATI manla ngani iton!.------------------- SALBAHIS NGA PIKOY: ( Johnny nalabay hin balay nga may ada pikoy nga mayawit)PIKOY: piroko pikoy2x… Johnny… Piyos!2x Johnny: Baa nga pikoy ka kasalbahis mo.. upaya la malabad ka..(umagi otro)PIKOY: piriko pikoy2x.. Johnny2x…. PIYOS! PIYOS!.. piroko pikoy……Johnny: Nga anitan kadaw nga Pikoy ka………… umagi ngani ako niyan nga mag siring kapa nga PIYOS.. pagrarabutan ko ikaw ngan igsusugba ko ikaw.. upaya la ha… (umagi naliwat)PIKOY: piriko PIKOY2x… Johnny… Johnny…Johnny: ANO NALIWAT!?PIKOY: ALAMS NA…….

An iyo Ka- Pusong, Ka – Pusong tutuo

ni Fred Padernos

dokTor johnny Pusong(Ng Sapang Bato —Ang Pagbabalik)

7

Tacloban Address:Sto. Niño St., cor. Zamora St., Tac.City

8 9Opinion/Classified Ads8 October 17-23, 2011

Gios Pagpauswag from p. 1 . . .

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unemployment, criminality, immorality and various kinds of suffering due to extreme poverty. Or could it be that the lack of concerted attention on social dilemma is due to the fact that there is really nothing substantial that the government does to deal with these issues?

In a research conducted among international assessment institutions and professors, this writer found out that the surveys of accrediting agencies like the Times Higher Education - World University Rankings rated Philippine universities to be unsatisfactory in almost all categories—the learning environment or teaching; research volume, income and reputation; research influence through citations; industry income and innovations; and international mix such as faculty and students. As if to affirm it, some broadcast journalists reported the very dismal status of Philippine education as compared with other countries when well-known schools like the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University ranked outside the Top 300 in the THE-WUR. Obviously, the rest of state colleges and universities as well as private higher educational institutions could not even dream of being included in the Top 10,000.

Yet, no matter if its implication is so grave, this news just ran through for a day or two. There was no spirited discussion or even just a token action from concerned sectors that may propose remedies to the embarrassing condition of our educational system. When asked for comment, some government officials simply shrugged off and invoked the standard line: the government lacks budget to subsidies SUCs while private schools must fend off for themselves. Such attitude of indifference and arrogance only aggravates the academic inferiority of our young people, the so-called uneducated professionals, while those who could no longer afford the very high tuition will have to drop from schooling and become an additional liability of the community. As this condition worsens, what can we expect from the ones who are deemed to be the hope of our nation?

Just recently, student groups called for a concerted public assembly in various parts of the country. In Tacloban City, the subsequent action was an exercise of futility. While majority didn’t simply care, some progressive students were forcibly confined in their campuses by authorities and warned with severe penalties if they would join the rally. When I pass by RTR Plaza, I saw about a hundred coeds shouting slogans on raising the budget allocation for higher education, lowering of tuition fees, upgrading the level of teaching standards, and the likes. However, their unified

Waray Ako! from p. 5 . . .

expensive projects which will not help solve poverty.”.

Xxx

DepEd budget deceivingThe budget of the Department of Education

(DepEd), was increased by 15.2 percent or P31.5 billion ($750 million). But Kabataan Partylist Rep. Palatino described the increase as deceiving .

Palatino said of the total 152,569 classrooms needed, the Aquino government only targets to build 41,381 for 2012; hire 13,000 new teachers out of the 103,599 shortage; procure 2.47 million chairs out of the 13.2 million shortage; get 45.5 million textbooks out of the 95.6 million shortage.

XxxFor the DepEd budget, ACT Partylist Rep

Tinio proposed the following amendments: additional P650 million (US$ 151,162.79) for the augmentation of cash allowances (widely known as “chalk allowance”) for teachers; the creation of 38,593 additional permanent teacher items to address the teacher shortage; the deletion of the provision for Public-Private Partnership (PPP) School Building Projects; the regularization of 68,593 kindergarten and locally funded teachers; and the inclusion of funds for the construction of 6,250 additional classrooms.

Tinio argued against PPPs in social infrastructure, citing reports proving they are costlier for taxpayers. If approved, the additional funding requirements for the proposed amendments in the

voice was drowned out by the negative comments and severe censures of fellow jeepney commuters, with one professional-looking guy even hoping that the police should apprehend these people for disturbing the peace. I silently shed some tears as I feel the pain due to the indifference of society to sympathize, at least in saying kind words, to these few but brave and concerned young people, most of which are U.P. students, the finest among the rest. In that instance, I knew that I’m just one in million who could find voices for freedom a soothing melody within the raging tempest of social apathy and degradation.

But then again, along with other institutional ills in society, the low quality of educational system and the absence of governmental support to it is just one of the perennial problems that we have to contend with everyday. For a lot of Filipinos, the only way to ease the anguish or maintain sanity out of the recurring difficulties in life is to engage in some diversions, and we readily get it from dim-witted soap operas, showbiz intrigues or the friendly neighborhood gossips, along with regular drinking sprees and gambling sessions. For ordinary folks, we rest our hope of deliverance out of this hellish state from religious sermons which glorifies the virtue of suffering and being oppressed, while the enterprising ones vied to change their luck by winning in a lottery or, for quite a number of girls, marrying a foreigner.

We are a nation in a self-devised paradox: the only Christian country in Asia but one of the most corrupt in the world; our People Power Revolution became a democratic paradigm but the people continue to suffer from government neglect and oppression; we are rich in natural resources but millions of Filipinos live in poverty; we have a very high literacy rate but a lot in the populace are ignorant, naïve and could easily be exploited. Precisely, we became engrossed with the petty accomplishments of Manny, Charice and Shamcey because we really have nothing else to show off. So that as our defense mechanism just to survive, we tried to lighten our burden by taking the entire crisis in the world as it comes. Along the way, we helped ourselves with mediocre and frivolous pleasures—irrelevant pursuits—for at least, it anaesthetized our bodies from the daily afflictions and mortifications at the same time numbing our minds due to constant infamy that we went through from the evil hands of fellow Filipinos. “Tawa na la bisan... hababaw man gud it aton kalipayan!”

For your comments/feedback on this article, please send it to gbdecadiz.waray@gmail.com

part of the absolute community or the conjugal partnership property of the spouses since there has been no legal separation of the husband and wife or judicial separation of property. The husband continues to be an owner of the property as much as the wife and has every right to enter, visit and even live again in the said home. Articles 100 and 127 of the FC state that the separation in fact between husband and wife shall not affect the regime of absolute community or conjugal partnership.

But if there are additional circumstances that may not have been mentioned by the sender, the answer may also be yes.

Such that the wife may forbid her husband from entering and visiting the home if the said property has already been granted to her via a petition for legal separation or petition for judicial separation of property.

She may also forbid him if there are additional circumstances that may have the case covered by the Anti-Violence against Women and Children Act or RA 9262 that would warrant a grant of a protection order such as physical, sexual,

psychological, or economic abuse committed by the husband against the wife.

A protection order under RA 9262 may be issued by the barangay chairman, or a barangay councilor, in the absence of the former; or by any of the Regional Trial Courts or Municipal Trial Courts, or by the Family Court when there is one within the territorial jurisdiction of the place of residence of the petitioner. One of the reliefs that may be included in a protection order is the removal and exclusion of the respondent from the residence of the petitioner, regardless of ownership of the residence; and any of the reliefs provided by a protection order may be granted even in the absence of a decree of legal separation, or annulment or declaration of nullity of marriage.

As to the second question, let us treat the same in the next issue.!

So send in your legal questions to gahumweekly@gmail.com and I’ll answer them in the following issues.

DepEd budget shall be taken from the funds of the Pamana program, the Conditional Cash Transfers-Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps), and the PPP scheme. For SUCs, Tinio recommended a provision prioritizing the regularization of 14,425 precariously employed part-time faculty and the creation of 8,000 new teaching items to effectively address the lack of qualified regular faculty in the SUCs.

XxxThe criticisms and counterproposals on the

proposed budget by representatives of progressive organizations prove that their organizations are not just creating troubles as a high official of the Aquino government described their actions protesting the oil price hike and the government policy expressed in the oil deregulation law during the last transport strike organized by PISTON.

People use the effective means available to them. If the representatives coming from workers, farmers, professionals and small business are the majority in the house of congress , they will use their political clout to enact the laws that serves their interests and that of the broader society.

IN the meantime they plead for their causes in dialogues, fora, rallies, strikes and other means. All within the context of struggling for a more effective democracy so they can end their hunger and poverty through peaceful means if possible. If not, they will likely use other effective means.

Comments are welcome at bertada@gmail.com

journalist, with the frills and colors of art if you are a creative writer”.

Second, “emphasize the obvious, particularly in the context of what we are.”

And finally, “and the most important rule is for (us) to stay alive.” What is meant by “stay alive” is, we should “write about danger but protect (ourselves) from it.” And also by staying alive is by making our writings lively. Some of our writers are deadly boring; some, simply bad.

And yes in addition, as journalists we should not be irate of criticisms. It is from criticism that we start discerning our faults, and find solutions to our weaknesses. Rather than taking criticism as a loss, we should “profit from it.”

Sometimes we are miffed with the fact that very few of our people today are reading us. Worst, we might gasp and eventually lose breaths if we see our faces together with our articles

being crushed when the newspaper is used in packaging bulad. This is one of our shared plights to our people: read us!

Time has honored the truth that writers’ life is difficult, for writers make a little. But to underscore, let us be minded again that writing is a vocation that seeks truth, truth, and nothing but the truth. People who slander just because they are paid and allow themselves to be captives of perjury, has no place in journalism. They must be gunned down in line with their co-felons and co-ignoramuses, guarantors of imprudence!

Yes, writers’ life is not easy. That is why we are considered as people who invites and enjoys misery- masochists, so to speak. But I would rather be a masochist, than a bloody liar.

For comments and queries, email me at trajectories_gahum@yahoo.com

You and me from p. 1 . . .

Trajectories from p. 4 . . .

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

National Maritime Polytechnic

Happy 67th

Leyte Gulf Landings Celebrations!

from

OCtOBER 20, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

National Economic Development AuthorityRegional Office VIII

OCtOBER 20, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

Department of HealthRegional Office VIII

Greetings!from

DOH-8 Regional DirectorDr. Edgardo Gonzaga

and Staff and Personnel

of

OCtOBER 20, 2011

Greetings!from

NEDA-8 Regional DirectorBuenaventura C. Go-Soco

and Staff and Personnel

of

10 11Art/Culture

Nemesio “Totoy” Baldesco, 56, works as a pedicab driver and a farmer. He had received various awards for his Siday from local to national competitions. His most recent is the Dr. Jimmy Balacuit Sr. Memorial Literary Award for Poetry. He had attended the Iligan National Wtiters Workshop last year, as a Fellow for Poetry. His Prinsipyo is also published in the INWW Proceeding titled, The Poetry of Place, edited by Dr. Christine Godinez-Ortega. He was hailed as “Poet Laureate of Calbayog” by the Ibabao Arts Council of Calbayog in 2006.

PRINSIPYOni Totoy S. Baldesco

Sugad sadton dugosDaw katam-is an magpasaylo,Adton kapakyasan,Kapait daw san apdo.Paningkamot san pagbudlay,Kapobrehan an nagdodoso,Mangangarapkap sa sirom,Kon dire mapgpadukot san sulo. An kaindig san mga butang,Mga rayandayan nga tunan-on,Nga kon makaparok na,Nabutho adton pagpalabilabihon,Nga daw usahay pati Taglarang,Ginpapara san dumdom,Kay yada man nababanaag,An prinsipyo sa pungkay san dulom.

Siday8th Lamiraw workshop fellows named

TACLOBAN CITY. Seventeen (17) writers from Luzon, Viayas and Mindanao made it to the 8th Lamiraw Regional Creative Writing Workshop, which will be held on November 8-11, 2011 at the Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU) in Calbayog City.

According to Mr. Phil Harold L. Mercurio, workshop coordinator/secretariat, three (3) fellows will come from outside Region 8, five (5) from Northern Samar, three (3) from Calbayog City, three (3) from Leyte, two (2) from Samar and one (1) from Biliran.

The complete list of fellows are as follows: Lawdenmarc Y. Decamora from Macabebe, Pampanga/ Angeles University Foundation; Ionnes P. Arong from Lapu-Lapu City/ Cebu Normal University; Shara O. Dionaldofrom Musuan, Bukidnon/Central Mindanao University; Nera O. Castillo from Capul, Northern Samar/ University of Eastern Philippines; Teodora O. Gacofrom Capul, Northern Samar/Divine Word University; Aiza B. Castillo from Capul, Northern Samar/ Osmena Colleges; Jethro Magdaraog from Capul, Northern Samar/UP Diliman; Jeremy Evardone from Palapag, Northern Samar/University of Eastern Philippines; Lesmes

October 17-23, 2011 October 17-23, 2011

“Carlos” Ramonida from Brgy. Carayman, Calbayog City/Local Writer; Atty. Raphael Dean Brown from Calbayog City/ Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio; Avin Cruzada from Calbayog City/Northwest Samar State University; Carmie Ortego from Tacloban City/Leyte Normal University; Ma. Belinda Lora from Dulag, Leyte/Eastern Visayas State University; Stephen Ramo from Tacloban City/UP Tacloban; Liberato Mabubay from Jiabong, Western Samar/Samar College; Alfred Mark Rosetefrom Catbalogan City/Leyte Normal University; and Jeremy Balondo from Naval, Biliran/ Naval State University.

The abovementioned fellows have been awarded fellowships which include a certificate, workshop materials, board and lodging, a proportionate stipend.

The resource speakers and panelists this year are: Dr. Marjorie Evasco from De La Salle University, Prof. Merlie Alunan and Dr. Victor Sugbo from UP Visayas Tacloban College, Dr. David Genotiva from Eastern Visayas State University, Ms. Janis Claire Salvacion from National Maritime Polytechnic, Mr. Phil Harold L. Mercurio from Northwest Samar State University,

and Mr. Dante Rosales from Ibabao Arts Council of Calbayog City.

The Lamiraw workshop is aimed to improve the writing craft of workshop fellows for poetry, fiction, essay and drama; revive the diminishing writings in Waray literature and the extinct writings in Inabaknon literature and Sebuano literature in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas); create a venue for the discussion of literature and literary studies; encourage translation of literary works from the local languages to English and Filipino (vice versa); train young panelists who will boost the pool of future literary critics in Waray literature, Sebuano literature, and Inabaknon literature; encourage book production; and serve the needs of literature teachers in Eastern Visayas.

Funded by the national Commission for Culture and the Arts, the workshop is managed by the NwSSU headed by its President, Dr. Soccoro Bohol thru the Office of the Arts, Social and Cultural Affairs (ASCA) headed by Dr. Gabriela T. Sabenicio and the Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension and External Affairs headed by Dr. Remedios T. Tomnob. (Neil Lopido with NwSSU).

An artist in the making:Chevin Villaflor and his “Muses”

by J. Colima Bajado

With the flourishing of visual arts in the region today,

equally budding is an artist- 18 year old Chevin Villaflor.

Starting from pencil sketches and crayon drawings in gradeschool, he once garnered the first place for editorial cartooning in a Regional Schools Press Conference in high school. Chevin, now a Business Administration student in Samar College, is striving to use other medium of painting.

“Most people (say) that I have the gift of art. I guess that's the major (motivation)”, he said. Surely, his vivid imagination would invigorate his membership to the growing pool of artists in the region.

Chevin’s Muses: Katawand KakanogWhen asked why the subjects of a collection of his artwork, tagged by him as “My Muses”, were mostly women, he answered, “My themes usually are women…(because) I view them more sublime than men.”

Chevin added that “…most (of my) themes are (inspired by) folklore, mythology (and) history…(because I) am a big fan of culture and tradition and I guess, that shows

in my art. Sometimes, I (do) abstract concepts like my watercolor piece entitled "Pagbaribad han Kalag". I am not an abstract artist though; I always strive to provide readily comprehensible images. Ornate but understated.”

As a student of art at the same time a proud Waraynon, Chevin endeavors to capture the Waray culture which is prevalent in his works “Kataw” and “Kakanog”, which furtherly belongs to the “My Muses” collection.

Kataw, the half fish-half human image, though a “fictional” element of our culture, was believed to be existent in our folk tradition as attested by the Jesuit scholar Francisco Ignacio Alzina in his monumental work, Historia de las Islas e indios de Bisayas, published in 1668.

While the Kakanog, a moth-butterfly, is a prehispanic Waraynon simile used to describe a woman who wears an outfit of varied colors which becomes her with elegance. However, Kakanog is believed to be a bearer of evil omens.

“Artist Gene"

Chevin shared that he has been asked not a few times whether he

is related to the celebrated Waray visual artist, Leo Villaflor. “I've heard his name numerous times, but I am not, in any way related to him,” the young boy explains.

All “art lover” in the region identify the late Leovigildo “Leo” Villaflor as the “Grand Daddy” of Visual Arts in Eastern Visayas. When he died February this year, Dulz Cuna, herself an artist, remarked that “(losing) him… is a poignant thing (for the artists in the region)” , considering his innovative and pioneering contribution in the scene of visual arts, the “tuba painting”.

While Maestro Leo Villaflor popularized the tuba painting, Chevin integrates Waray taste in his artworks, as much as possible.

Though not related by consanguinity, Chevin is “flattered” to know that he bears the same family name of a “true visual artist”. Truly, Chevin's parents Gemma and Arnold are not only flattered but also proud to see the first step of their son towards a greater part of artistry.

Future of Visual Arts in EV

Recently concluded Arangay Exhibit 2 which showcased different works of our visual artists from all over the region is a living testament of the growth of visual arts in Eastern Visayas. Works of notable

artists like Dante Enage, Ed Rompal, Noel Sagayap, Aris Ventures, Jaime Sagayap and Dulz Cuna to name a few, were exhibited at the UPVTC Humanities Lab and Hall, inside the UP Tacloban campus. Another exhibit, tentatively named as “Waray Tupong” , is set this November.

Chevin, an artist in the making, true as it may seem, needs to “spill more paints” in order to assume a “name” in visual arts. But with a mix of colored imaginations and strokes of determination and discipline, no doubt, he will become part of our pool of artists, sooner or later.

Chevin Villaflor (inset) and his artwork Kataw, half fish- half human, is believed to be friendly with fishermen, which occasionally leads to a forbidden love.Medium: Water Color and ink.

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

Happy 67thLeyte Gulf Landings Celebrations!

from

Cong. Ben P. Evardone

and

the People of Eastern Samar

OCtOBER 20, 2011

67thLEYtEGULFLANDINGSCELEBRAtION

The Department of Interior and Local GovernmentRegional Office VIII

Greetings!from

Staff and Personnel

of

OCtOBER 20, 2011

Greetings!

from

Engr. Dionesio De Paz

and the City Engineer's Office

Staff and Personnel

Greetings!

from

Ms. Gerlie Anido

of the OSCA (Senior Citizens Office)

8 News October 17-23, 2011

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Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. in Cooperation with Tacloban Filipino-Chines Chamber of Commerce, Inc. School for the Barrio Project Unveiling of Marker and Turn over Ceremonies of Classrooms School Buildings in Marasbaras Elementary School, Brgy. Marasbaras, Tacloban City ,Northern Tacloban City National High school Brgy. 101 New Kawayan, Tacloban City, Paglaum National High School, Brgy. Paglaum Tacloban City, Cahumayhumayan Elementary School., Brgy. Cahumayhumayan,, Tanauan, Leyte, and San Isidro Elementary School, Brgy. San Isidro, Sta. Fe, Leyte. (In Photos) Guests from Federation of Filipino Chines Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc.: Mr. Antonio Cosing, Vice Chairman of Welfare Committe, Mr. Julian Tan Yao Ching, Director of welfare Committe, Mr. Anson Go Tan, Director of welfare Committe. Project Coordinators: Mr. Carlos Legaspi, Mr. Jemar Pascual. Guest From Tacloban Fil-chines Chamber of Commerce Inc.(TFCCI) Mr. Go Tic Ching (Jack Uy), Mr. JimJim Yaokasin, Executive Vice President, Mr. Reynaldo Go, Treasurer, Mr. Andrew Ching, Director. Other Guests in Photo: City Counclor Cristina G. Romualdez, Vice Governor Mimiette Bagulaya, Board Member Roque Tiu. Donor, Representative from TFCCI, Mayors, Brgy. Captain, Principal and Other Guests (Photo By Melchor Caspe)

Cousins Jimjim Yaokasin, Executive Vice President of TFCCCI and Tacloban City Councilor Sambo Yaokasin pose with their auntie Betty and uncle Daniel Dionisio, Sr. donors of the two classrooms school building in Marasbaras Elementary School, Brgy. Marasbaras, Tacloban City. (Photo By Melchor Caspe)