Whistle Bomb Cut Off Man's Right Hand

Dec. 30,2010

Whistle Bomb Cut Off Man’s Right Hand

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-A young man from Hilongos,Leyte who joined the neighborhoods’ revelry during the recent Saturday evening cut off his right hand when a lighted whistle bomb exploded on his hand.

The victim was identified as Dennis Rapa Ayuban,30 years old,single,a resident of brgy. Lunang, Hilongos, Leyte, which is a one-hour trip to Maasin.

He said that during a recent midnight, he held a whistle bomb bought at the proper town while family members went shopping.

He said he lighted it without expecting such an accident, but it just exploded on his right hand.

Although he did not collapse right after the explosion, he said, he felt an excruciating pain that he bore until he was brought by an ambulance and was accompanied by his cousin Bembo Alocir,34 years old, married, to the provincial hospital here for emergency treatment.

He implied some of his fingers’ bones were shattered. His right hand’s cut was at the wrest and flesh fragments were hanging on its sides.

Dr.Elpidio Sibud,an orthopedic surgeon on-duty at a time of the victim’s arrival at the emergency room ,had cut off the latter’s loose flesh fragments with permission from his father Julio Ayuban,52 years old, a resident of Alicia, Bohol.

Alicia, Bohol is less than 20 kilometers away from Ubay, the elder Ayuban said, where a pier was located which transported passengers from any place in Bohol province to Bato, Leyte or Maasin City, the capital city of Southern Leyte.

He said he was in Hilongos to visit his two children-a married daughter and the victim, his son. He arrived in Bato by a pump boat a day prior to the hurting incident of his son which resulted to the latter’s amputating explosion.

As of this writing, the victim was still in hospital confinement and was receiving his daily dosage of medications.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

Postcript: Take good care of your hands. It’s the only one you’ve got and no substitute for it in the marketplace. It’s one of the very important parts of your body, which you’ll find very difficult to do your writing,drawing,painting,raising,puling,pushing,scratching,holding and doing other things if it will be lost or cutoff by firecracker explosion, because you are holding it while you are lighting it. Don’t be too confident or believing too much in yourself that your hand is invulnerable to any kind of firecracker explosion, which is not actually true. Shun effrontery boasting to your friends, relatives and neighbors that you are a superman. These are just a deceptive boastfulness and a misleading conception of the mind.

Panny’s Bakeshop City Proper,

Maasin City, So. Leyte, infront Of Mercury Drug;

Panny’s Hombakeshop Products,

Tacloban City Branch, 125 Gomez St., telephone

Number (053) 321-5353.Accept Orders.

Kinamot Sa Abgao Restaurant: tel.no. (053)381-3878;

Villa Romana Hotel: tel.no.(053)381-0639,Tomas

Oppus St., Maasin City, Southern Leyte. The two establishments

are located close to the sea facing the Sogod Bay, one of a well-known

divesites in Southern Leyte Province.

MWD To Develop Bulokbulok Spring As Additional Water Source

Dec. 30,2010

MWD To Develop Bulokbulok Spring As Additional Water Source

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Maasin Water District, with the technical assistance of Rio de Verde from Cagayan de Oro City, is set to develop the bulokbulok spring in brgy.Maria Clara as additional source of water supply for the city dwellers. This was the disclosure of the newly-appointed MWD General Manager Nestor Geraldo in an interview with LSDE in his office in brgy.Abgao here.

The General Manager revealed they have already sent the necessary requirement documents to the main office of the Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) for the approval of P22.5M loan to be used for the development of the aforesaid spring.

The move was prompted by the present pestering occurrence of water shortage of the whole city consumers. He intimated that the seven-month dry spell, the additional one hundred plus concessionaires last year and the discovery of illegal connections in some areas are the main causes of the scarcity of water.Besides,the city population has gradually increasing, it was observed.

The current occurrences of December rains have greatly contributed to the augmentation of water supply to many households whose faucets were installed in one-storey buildings. However, in 2 or three-storey buildings, water would come out from the faucets either during midnight or at dawn.

Geraldo explained that the January up July dry season with short duration of occasional rains did not compensate with the huge volume of water losses that the consumers have needed. Although there were few rains occurring during the months of August, September and October, he said, still it did not fill up enough the concessionaires’ water needs.

To solve the problem on illegal connections, he said, the Board of Directors have issued a resolution mandating the MWD field men to disconnect all illegal connections and to impose fines to violators.

“The illegal connections are considered as the first offense and the violators will be warned”, he said, “For the second infraction, the violator/s will be fined P1, 000.00. And for the third violation, an offender’s water connection will be permanently cut”.

At present, the Maasin Water District has three springs and three deepwells, which are located at Canlitid in San Jose, Capores in Batuan and in Nasaug.

The General Manager further informed there are 2 additional ongoing deep well projects in barangays Sorosoro and Batuan.

He said his fieldmen shall be soon connecting the Batuan deepwell to MWD’s mainline in the city thru series of PVC pipes to augment the supply of water to users. The cost of pipes and labors were estimated to reach the amount of P280, 000.00, he said.

MWD will also be buying 117 pipes, he said, to connect the Sorosoro deepwell to the mainline either in January or February of next year.

On the other hand, Congressman Roger Mercado divulged that Rio de Verde, Water System Installer Company has sent recently some of its technical men here to conduct a feasibility study of the bulokbulok spring as another source of water supply.

The part time teacher of Saint Joseph College has confirmed this and confided that Rio de Verde will be the one to make a design as guide for the project implementation by MWD for a modern water system .It also Include the proper installations of pipes from its main source down to brgy. Maria Clara and the neighboring barangays of Pasay, Ibarra and Pugaling.

The 100 plus huge PVC pipes to be used for the series of pipes connections in the four abovementioned barangays would come from the City Government. He said that when the works for the tapping of the bulokbulok spring would start any time next year, it could be finished within three to four months.

Moreover, he said that MWD has its treatment plants in Canlitid and Batuan and that its water sources were treated with chlorine to kill the bacteria. However, if the water becomes murky due to heavy rains, he said, we use alum, another chemical to treat it.

Nevertheless, it’s always logically good and prudent not to drink unclear water caused by continuous rains despite the alum treatment. Drink it only when the MWD water becomes normally clear.

Now and then many folks will be going to the naturally-cold bulokbulok spring, especially during the hot season to take a bath, to swim and to soak themselves for a refreshing feeling. It s overflowing voluminous of spillage would go down into the nearby hectares of rice fields and even going farther to irrigate adjacent farms. But when the concrete-confined bulokbulok spring would be converted into another source of potable water, swimming and soaking in the deep bulokbulok spring would just become a thing of the past.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

Postscript: Water is life and it’s precious. Do not waste it even if your faucet/s is located near the main water reservoir and has a constant supply of water day and night. Much more to those households that are located far from the water sources. Avoid also leaving a faucet/s unclosed if it has no water coming out after opening. Leaving the faucets unclosed would become the conduits of water wastage if nobody is around to check it. Even if somebody is around in the house or in the boarding house, you should not rely on them but do your filial obligation as a dweller/s or lodger/s.Make your common sense active. Allow it to work for the benefit of all. Avoid squandering this all-purpose liquid. Remember that some folks are fetching their drinking water far from their respective residences.

Panny’s Bakeshop City Proper,

Maasin City, So. Leyte, infront Of Mercury Drug;

Panny’s Hombakeshop Products,

Tacloban City Branch, 125 Gomez St., telephone

Number (053) 321-5353.Accept Orders.

Natasha Store: dealer of various Natasha and Sundance

Products,etc.,A.Bantug St.,Tunga-Tunga,Maasin City,So.Leyte.

Infront of SOLECO satellite office. A few meters away from

Supercha Restaurant and Vida Mariz.

Please Help Me If You Can

Dec. 23,2010

Please, Help Me If You Can

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

I am calling on my relatives, both father and mother sides, particularly those who have the means and the capacity to help a poor relative. If only I have my own dwelling, I could have refrained myself from asking some sort of assistance from my kith and kin. However, I have been renting a house for the past 20 years now since I started to live independently away from any siblings’ reliance. Our parents have already passed away many years ago. Because of poverty, some of my siblings were not even able to finish high school education. We have separated from each other earlier than most instances that happened to a poor family. It was only thru my initiative efforts that I was able to study in high school as a working student in ICC (now De La Salle University) in Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental where my siblings and I grew up.

I was able to take up journalism when I decided to go to Metro Manila where I worked in the past and stayed there for several years. But when I lost my job I was forced to stop my study. My experiences of acquiring some commonly manual works including two private companies where I happened to work did not make me well enough to live a much better life than when I was still young. The little progress in my life did not serve well to materialize my desire to own a house until now.

If only there would be an existing housing projects initiated by the Government exclusively for the poor Filipinos who are houseless that could be owned thru affordably low monetary monthly payment for the period of ten years, I could have my own house and lot now. But there is none that exist here and I’m still renting and always moving from one house to another like a migratory bird.

It would be taxing to always be renting. My little savings would usually be used mainly for a monthly rental. It seems that houseless people are always struggling everyday to be able to pay one’s monthly obligations to their landlords/landladies. If you happen to live in a boarding house owned by a non-compassionate landlord or landlady, chances are you will be ordered to leave the house and look for another boarding house. But how can you look for another lodging house, when in the first place you were not able to pay your preceding rental obligation? You see! This is the common fate that would happen in some occasions to some boarders who have no immediate funds to pay for their house rents. It would be hard indeed and hurtful for those who have undergone such experiences.

The housing projects that I know available are only for those government workers who have contributed to PAGIBIG fund. How about those who are not government workers and have no money to contribute regularly for 20 years at least as requirement for possible acquisition of PAG-IBG-sponsored housing units? The poor have none of this kind.

We are calling on the present Administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino,111 and the succeeding Presidency to please consider for the establishing of another kind of government-sponsored housing projects exclusively constructed for houseless poor Filipinos who have no house of their own, but continue to live under the dictation and mercy of their respective landladies or landlords who imposed monthly rentals according to their satisfying wishes.

I’m not talking about the housing projects under the supervision of the so-called Urban Poor. It seems that these so-called Urban Poor dwellings -approach did not really cater to those who are indeed poor. I heard stories that most of these so-called “Urban Poor” are not really poor people. Unofficial reports have it that they were the first to gain an acquisition of housing units, because they have the means to pay much quickly than the poor ones. How true is this?

Indeed, there’s really the need to construct in every province of the country housing units, exclusively for the genuine poor. Genuine poor refers those who have only a little income, but did not own houses of their own and continue paying their monthly rentals for many years already. Another Chairman of this kind of housing projects is needed for him to focus on the task of surveying the genuine poor anchor on the premise that these poor Filipinos are houseless and continue to pay monthly renting for their respective dwellings.

Vie-President Jejomar Binay’s Chairmanship of Pag-ibig –sponsored housing projects should be his focus so that this kind of projects he’s tasked to do would be effectively implemented, with similar expectations to that of the Chairmanship’s in the housing units for the genuine poor Filipinos in all provinces of the archipelago.

I hope that officials appointed by the new President to the housing committee will be able to read this article in the internet and will be moved with altruistic concern. That a compassionate concern would drive the Chairman Committee on Housing projects and its members in Congress for the millions of poor Filipinos to act with dispatch. And that plans for the approach of truly helping the millions of poor Filipinos will be realized in the near future.

Nevertheless, on my personal side, it’s too long years for me to wait. But my abovementioned idea is worth implementing for the Aquino Administration to start the planning now for the welfare and benefit of millions of poor houseless Filipinos who I am specifying categorically here in this piece. We, the millions of us poor Filipinos are hoping the government will bail us out soon from our predicament and plight.

On my part, I have been struggling for more than 20 years now of monthly renting from different boarding houses that I happened to live in different places. And I think that this duration is quite long enough for my endurance to suffer from such kind of struggle. I hope that a well-off relatives or relative who has owned a big lot would be kind enough to share a part of his/her land for constructing a house that could accommodate 6 to 7 persons. It would be good if there would be a portion of his lot also which I could plant some vegetables for family consumption and could also plant some fruit trees so that I would not be buying always vegetables and fruits in the public market.

Here are the marks to show to which I am related by blood on both sides of my father and my mother. My maternal grandmother is Marcela Almendras (deceased) whose roots are from Ilocos Norte. My maternal great grandfather is Pastor Almendras (deceased) who hails from Laoag, Ilocos Norte. My mother Lourdes Almendras Monte de Ramos (deceased) was born in Southern Leyte province. My maternal grandfather is Tomas C. Monte de Ramos (deceased) of Southern Leyte. All I know about my grandfather’s lineage is that the Monte de Ramos clan originally settled in barangay Nasaug, Maasin City, Southern Leyte. Some of them have migrated to other places in the province and even some have moved to settle in Mindanao. I have also three or four first cousins who are now living in various areas in Mindanao to look for a greener pasture.

Nonetheless, our great greatgrandfather who bears the family name of Monte de Ramos hails from the province of Negros Oriental. He migrated to Southern Leyte and got married here. Some of his siblings chose to settle in Mindanao. His progeny got married and their children have multiplied. That’s why there are so many Monte de Ramoses in Southern Leyte.

On the other hand, my paternal grandfather is Agapito Gorpido (deceased) of Pambujan, Northern Samar. My paternal grandmother is Eugenio Siervo (deceased) also of Pambujan, Northern Samar. My father is Quirico Siervo Gorpido, Sr.(deceased). I also know that there are some Siervos living in the province of Negros Oriental .With this information that I’ve got somewhere, I have the perception that these Siervos have the highest possibility that they belong to only one tree that the Siervos in Northern Samar have progenically belonged.

With my aforementioned family backgrounds my kith and kin who happen to read this article can now easily identify themselves definitely with me who needs their compassionate help. I hope that some of my distinguished relatives or relative who has the capacity to offer help will have the great interest to extend his/her generous help in sharing part of his/her large lot that I can own. And where a proposed house can be constructed and that I can plant also some vegetable and some fruit trees for family consumption. In this way I will not be buying always at the public market for such things. Similarly, I can have my own permanent residence and that no one will be driving me out anymore because I have no available money to pay for my monthly rent.

I hope that a kindhearted and generous relative who have the means to help me will be able to read my piece in the internet and will readily contact me thru my email address here in my blog (click About Me piece above the template’s interface).I’ll be waiting for your help.

I’ll reiterate, I hope that some of my relatives, both mother side and father side, who are internet users will be able to read this piece in the internet and are or is interested to extend a compassionate generosity of sharing his/her portion of his/her big lot for a house construction where I could permanently live, and can also plant some vegetables and fruit trees for family consumption. I also hope that such kind of a relative or relatives with golden hearts can read this article in the internet. I hope. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

DOTC Earmarks P200M Additional Budget For Full Development Of Panan-awan Airport In 2013

Dec. 14,2010

DOTC Earmarks P200M Additional Budget For Full Development Of Panan-awan Airport In 2013

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Panan-wan Airport, in brgy.Panan-awan, about 15 kilometers away from the city proper, which at present is under improvement works, would be fully developed in 2013. The Department of Transportation and Communication has an additional earmark of P200M budget for the airport.

This was the disclosure of Congressman Roger Mercado, who invited the print and broadcast media in touring the different places of the city together with his Korean visitor whom the former has invited to visit Maasin and encourage the latter to invest here.

At the airport during the course of the group tour, he informed that the 1,200 meters extension of the runaway was already completed. A tarmac, where smaller planes are to be placed on standby was already constructed.

However, if it would be converted into an international airport to complement the Mactan airport in case of future air traffic, Mercado explained, it needs another 2 kilometers more as the standard length of a runway to accommodate bigger airlines.

He said the airport construction in Pan-awan will be following the standard 8-lane concrete ground laying for the landing planes in preparation for its coming future operations.

The Congressman said that by the time the Maasin airport will be fully developed, a terminal building shall be constructed, including the tower, radar and the necessary lightings of the airport and the runway to guide the pilots during the night flights.

Presently, four, two-seater training planes for students-pilots have used the airport in their flight trainings. These training planes come from Mactan airport where a training school is located.

Pilot-instructor Jesup Bahinting who is in his 50s,owner of a six-seater plane with plate no.RP-C4434 used to bring Congressman Mercado and his two friends, Korean investor Richard Ryu and water analyst Louie Kuizon,told the press that he has at present 100 students-pilots composed of 28 nationalities.

He said that among them were Indians, Afghanistans, Indonesians, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Taiwanese, Chinese, others.

Bahinting divulged that most of his students were airline scholars whose fathers were pilots working in various airlines that provide them with the scholarship grants.

He claimed that the Indonesian students-pilots have the highest numbers of monthly graduates numbering to 20. He has other pilot-instructors who assisted him in the training of students-pilots.

The pilot -instructor confided that the tuition fee for the 6 to 12 months training, depending on the weather condition, is $40,000.He said the aforesaid amount would cover board and lodging, equipment and gadgets needed during the duration of the students’ training and others.

Moeover, he pointed out that students-pilots must have graduated in a four-year college course in order for them to qualify as commercial pilots in different airline companies.

For his part, Mercado informed that he will file a Bill in Congress to promote rural air transport for the provinces that have good tourism potentials.

Later, after viewing the airport with some workers doing their jobs, the Congressman urged the people of Maasin to visit the Panan-awan airport to see for themselves its development and improvement.

Mercado and his visitors, together with Governor Damian Mercado, the media and some capitol employees after posing for souvenir photo shoots beside Bahinting’s plane, embarked aboard the plane. It moved towards the runway and positioned itself facing north to summon its full power before speeding for the take off.

Earlier Mercado intimated that Panan-awan airport to Mactan airport in Cebu is only about 25 minutes flight. From there they will take a plane bound for Manila.”Lesser travel time”, he averred, “than if you go to Tacloban riding on a van or private car for 4 hours or more to reach the Tacloban airport for your Manila journey”.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

Postcript: Computer-a modern day invention with a superbly unique multi-complex functions greatly

beneficial and helpful to students, common workers, writers and professionals who are computer literates, tremendously availing its flexible and broadly encompassing comfortability and convenience of speedy services to its users.

Music is ageless. It transcends time and space.Teenagers,adults and older people who are music lovers must also listen, not only the new songs and current hits, but also the popular songs of yesteryears, whether it be in ballad,jazz,reggae,rock,love songs,etc.,including one’s own native songs as there are about 171 living languages in the Philippines. Most of these languages spoken by various groups of Filipinos in this archipelagic country have their own respective songs written in the local tongues. We must love our respective languages by patronizing, cherishing and loving it, which is by using it constantly in our conversation and communication with our fellow provincemates.

PPA To Construct P10M Roro Port In Guadalupe-Mercado

Dec.14,2010

PPA To Construct P10M Roro Port In Guadalupe-Mercado

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Philippine Port Authority, thru the initiative of Congressman Roger Mercado to construct an alternative roro port in brgy.Guadalupe here, has finally informed the latter lately that PPA will now push thru with his plan.

This was the revelation of the Southern Leyte solon during his coming to his district to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of Metro Gaisano for the construction of a department store/supermarket at the new reclamation area where the bus terminal is located.

The port’s construction, if there will be no hitches, will start during the first quarter of 2011, he said.

He implied that it would be good if the new roro port would be finished before the end of March 2011,so that it could be inaugurated on March 30,2011,in time for the launching of 500 years anniversary of Ferdinand Magellan’s landing and the first Catholic mass(2021)held in Limasawa Island in 1521.

Mercado informed that construction of Guadalupe port would serve students and travelers in Maasin and its neighboring towns in going to Cebu with lesser expenses and shorter travel time. “Going to Bato or Hilongos to board a passenger ship for Cebu City is more expenses for both of them”, he said.

The Congressman disclosed that the passenger ship or ferry boat in Guadalupe can cruise directly to Mactan Island without anymore passing the Camotes Island known for its rough seas even during good weather. This sea passage is an inevitable route for most ships coming from Leyte, a jolt of surprise among unfamiliar passengers, who at the course of their travel experienced comfortable ride before reaching the Camotes Island.

“Again, the travel time in going to Cebu would become shorter than if you go to Bato or Hilongos to take a ship bound for the aforesaid City”, he emphasized.

Since barangay Guadalupe is located in an enclave, unaffected by the habagat season(northwestern monsoon),he said, it will likewise serve as an alternative port for Maasin’s,which is facing the Pacific and is subjected to wild lashing of huge waves during the habagat season, making a docking ship ramming in constant destructive motions against the pier’s sides.

With the existence of a new port in the near future. Mercado pointed out, foreign tourists arriving at Mactan International Airport who want to go to Southern Leyte to visit some tourist spots, would not have to go to Cebu City anymore, but just take a boat in Mactan direct to Guadalupe port in Maasin.”This is a more comfortable travel for them than going to Cebu City to take a ship for Maasin”, he explained.

in an interview with the media at City Hall, Richard Ryu,a Korean investor invited by the solon thru a friend in Manila to engage in business here, confided that he will be providing the ferry boats service for the Guadalupe-Cebu route and vice versa.

Mercado further said that as the port progresses in its operation, and travelers and students would be coming to Guadalupe, the ferry services might be extended to Surigao City, that is Guadalupe-Surigao –Cebu route and Cebu-Guadalupe-Surigao or vice versa.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

KINAMOT SA ABGAO RESTAURANT AND

VILLA ROMANA HOTEL, T. OPPUS ST., BRGY.

ABGAO, MAASIN CITY, SO. LEYTE. BOTH

ESTABLISHMENTS LOCATED CLOSE TO THE SEA

FACING SOGOD BAY, ONE OF WELL-KNOWN

DIVESITES IN SOUTHERN LEYTE.TEL. NOS.

(053)381-3878 ;( 053)381-0639.

Systems Technology Institute (STI-Maasin)

4^th Floor/Zialcita-Oppus Bldg., above Mercury Drug,

Maasin City, So.Leyte. Courses Offer: Computer and

Electronic Technology, Informaton Technology, Hotel

And Restaurant Services, Travel and Tourism. For more

Information call telephone no.(053)381-3744.

The Establishment Of A Metro Store in Maasin Is A Win-Win Accord-Gaisano in

Dec. 14,2010

The Establishment Of Metro Store In Maasin Is A Win-Win Accord-Gaisano

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The establishment of a Metro Department Store and Supermarket here in this 10-ten-old city is a win-win situation between Metro Gaisano and the City Government.

This was the conclusive disclosure of Dr. Edward Gaisano, owner of a well-known Cebu-based chain of stores in the Visayas area during the groundbreaking ceremony held recently at the bus terminal at the new reclamation area.

He revealed it was the former Mayor Damian Mercado who invited him to open a Metro store in Maasin sometime in the 1998.

However, that plan remains a plan until the time when the Metro owner has decided to open a branch pawnshop named Prime Asia here several years ago.

The younger Gaisano informed the additional opening in the city of two other Prime Asia branches that he also owns, has raised his interest to reconsider Mercado’s invitation by visiting again.

Former Vice-Mayor and now the Mayor of Maasin Maloney Samaco confided that he made follow-ups by attending series of meetings in Cebu. He said he also appointed City Administrator Atty. Feorillo Abiera Demeterio,Jr. to attend on his behalf if he has other engagement to attend.

Mercado, now the incumbent Governor of the province confirmed in support of what Gaisano has said earlier that the coming of Metro Gaisano is not a “negative treat” to the local businessmen selling goods and items similar to Metro.

“Those buyers who by other reasons have forgotten something to buy while inside the Metro store”, its owner said” can also buy those things in some local stores”.

He claimed that the presence of his store will attract other consumers/buyers in the neighboring towns of Maasin. Most likely to come from the northern part of Leyte are buyers from Matalom,Bato,Hilongos,Hindang and Inopacan.From the southern part are Macrohon,Padre Burgos,Limasawa Island,Malitbog,Tomas Oppus ,Bontoc ,Sogod and Libagon.

“Going to Maasin will certainly reduce the buyers’ expenses and travel time than going to Cebu to do the shopping”, Gaisano emphasized.

He stressed that another positive reaction as to the result of establishing his store here is that it will also attract other potential investors who will visit the place.”They might also consider, after touring Maasin, to put up also their businesses here”, he said.

Gaisano like Mayor Samaco said that the opening of Metro will provide employment to local workers who would fill up about 80% of the workforce with only 20% from the main office in Cebu occupying special positions.

Governor Mercado further divulged that the secret why Gaisano Metro has finally decided to establish a store here was because of the prevailing peace and order of the city “which is conducive to progress and prosperity”.

Groundbreaking Ceremony

At the groundbreaking there were two sets of public officials including the owner and his staff who performed the demonstrative act of the ceremonies. The first group was composed of seven persons, namely, Dr.Edward Gaisano, Mayor Maloney Samaco, Vice-Mayor Effie Abiera-Sabandal, Congressman Roger Mercado, Governor Damian Mercado, Metro Gaisano’s Retail Group Head eadHeadHKeadArthur Emmanuel and ABC President Nacional Verrano Mercado.

The second group was all Barangay Captains of the City. Each group all wearing helmets with their shovels on hand scooped part of the heap of sands to bury the time capsule put inside the hole. Digital cameras and cellphones with built-in cameras among the Metro staff and the press flashed and clicked as the groundbreaking ceremonies took actions.

Earlier, Saint Joseph College Chaplain Rev. Arniel Borneo did the prayer. He then blessed the time capsule and those who surrounded it before it was put inside the hole dug near the concrete stairs, within the bus terminal area.

Emmanuel for his part, promised that they will be good citizens of Maasin and that they will provide lower prices of their goods and products coupled with friendly services to the customers.

He also claimed that they have the commitment to serve the people and allow their workers to grow and do something more.

Building Construction

Asked in an ambushed interview with the press, Gaisano confided that the building will be occupying 5,400 square meters lot for its construction at the reclam.

Architect Dennis Hontiveros, project coordinator, with the presence of his colleague Engr. Joel Castañares Tabaranza, intimated they were the once who drew up the design of the building in the computer. He then emailed it to other office where the blueprint of the building could be magnified in a tarpaulin for clearer public viewing. Although the building design is still in huge plastic print, it looked like a real thing.

Hontiveros said that they will be hiring three contractors doing specific jobs, that is from building construction to electrical and pipeline installations and landscaping. He also estimated that the works shall start either in February or March next year.” Once the construction would start”, he said, “we would be ordering the contractors to finish it in less than five months time”.

Samaco further unfolded that in the agreement both the City Government and the Metro store owner are applying the Build-Operate-Transfer scheme.”This means that after the length of years drawn in the agreement”, he said,” the Metro store building shall be turned over to the City Government”.

This scheme is also in consonance with the executive order of the Aquino administration encouraging the government sector to have partnership with the private sector called Public-Private-Partnership approach.

Additionally, the opening of the Metro store that has a partnership with the Ayala Corporation has likewise lower the city’s bank loan to only P50M, instead of about P 144M, Samaco confessed, for the building construction at the reclamation area.”The Gaisano Metro management will be the one to continue for the building construction”, he said.

During lunchtime at the SP session hall, Gaisano donated to the provincial government P50,000 for the LGU which was received by the Governor. He handed the P50,000 check to Mayor Samaco who showed it to the audience with gleeful smile.

Also present during the historic even were 10 City Counciors,70 Barangay Captains, all heads of City Hall offices and some of its employees, Louie Kuizon-water analyst; Korean investor Richard Ryu; Atty.Vincent Tomaneg-Metro Gaisano’s Legal Counsel; Aljim Tamandre- MGVP for Finance; Luz Bitang-MG-AVP for Operations; Enbee Tagalog-Marketing Dept; and other Metro Gaisano personnel, the print and broadcast media and some city dwellers. Tourism Officer Royen Kangleon Segovia,Sr. was the EMCEE of the program proper.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

Panny’s Bakeshop, City Proper,

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Please, Help Me If You Can

Dec. 10,2010

Please, Help Me If You Can

By Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.

I am calling on my relatives, both father and mother sides, particularly those who have the means and the capacity to help a poor relative. If only I have my own dwelling, I could have refrained myself from asking some sort of assistance from my kith and kin. However, I have been renting a house for the past 20 years now since I started to live independently away from any siblings’ reliance. Our parents have already passed away many years ago. Because of poverty, some of my siblings were not even able to finish high school education. We have separated from each other earlier than most instances that happened to a poor family. It was only thru my initiative efforts that I was able to study in high school as a working student in ICC (now De Lasalle University) in Ozamis City, Misamis Occidental where my siblings and I grew up.

I was able to take up journalism when I decided to go to Metro Manila where I worked in the past and stayed there for several years. But when I lost my job I was forced to stop my study. My experiences of acquiring some commonly manual works including two private companies where I happened to work did not make me well enough to live a much better life than when I was still young. The little progress in my life did not serve well to materialize my desire to own a house until now.

If only there would be an existing housing projects initiated by the Government exclusively for the poor Filipinos who are houseless that could be owned thru affordably low monetary monthly payment for the period of ten years, I could have my own house and lot now. But there is none that exist here and I’m still renting and always moving from one house to another like a migratory bird.

It would be taxing to always be renting. My little savings would usually be used mainly for a monthly rental. It seems that houseless people are always struggling everyday to be able to pay one’s monthly obligations to their landlords/landladies. If you happen to live in a boarding house owned by a non-compassionate landlord or landlady, chances are you will be ordered to leave the house and look for another boarding house. But how can you look for another lodging house, when in the first place you were not able to pay your preceding rental obligation? You see! This is the common fate that would happen in some occasions to some boarders who have no immediate funds to pay for their house rents. It would be hard indeed and hurtful for those who have undergone such experiences.

The housing projects that I know available are only for those government workers who have contributed to PAGIBIG fund. How about those who are not government workers and have no money to contribute regularly for 20 years at least as requirement for possible acquisition of PAG-IBG-sponsored housing units? The poor have none of this kind.

We are calling on the present Administration of President Benigno Simeon Aquino,111 and the succeeding Presidency to please consider for the establishing of another kind of government-sponsored housing projects exclusively constructed for houseless poor Filipinos who have no house of their own, but continue to live under the dictation and mercy of their respective landladies or landlords who imposed monthly rentals according to their satisfying wishes.

I’m not talking about the housing projects under the supervision of the so-called Urban Poor. It seems that these so-called Urban Poor dwellings -approach did not really cater to those who are indeed poor. I heard stories that most of these so-called “Urban Poor” are not really poor people. Unofficial reports have it that they were the first to gain an acquisition of housing units, because they have the means to pay much quickly than the poor ones. How true is this?

Indeed, there’s really the need to construct in every province of the country housing units, exclusively for the genuine poor. Genuine poor refers those who have only a little income, but did not own houses of their own and continue paying their monthly rentals for many years already. Another Chairman of this kind of housing projects is needed for him to focus on the task of surveying the genuine poor anchor on the premise that these poor Filipinos are houseless and continue to pay monthly renting for their respective dwellings.

Vie-President Jejomar Binay’s Chairmanship of Pag-ibig –sponsored housing projects should be his focus so that this kind of projects he’s tasked to do would be effectively implemented, with similar expectations to that of the Chairmanship’s in the housing units for the genuine poor Filipinos in all provinces of the archipelago.

I hope that officials appointed by the new President to the housing committee will be able to read this article in the internet and will be moved with altruistic concern. That a compassionate concern would drive the Chairman Committee on Housing projects and its members in Congress for the millions of poor Filipinos to act with dispatch. And that plans for the approach of truly helping the millions of poor Filipinos will be realized in the near future.

Nevertheless, on my personal side, it’s too long years for me to wait. But my abovementioned idea is worth implementing for the Aquino Administration to start the planning now for the welfare and benefit of millions of poor houseless Filipinos who I am specifying categorically here in this piece. We, the millions of us poor Filipinos are hoping the government will bail us out soon from our predicament and plight.

On my part, I have been struggling for more than 20 years now of monthly renting from different boarding houses that I happened to live in different places. And I think that this duration is quite long enough for my endurance to suffer from such kind of struggle. I hope that a well-off relatives or relative who has owned a big lot would be kind enough to share a part of his/her land for constructing a house that could accommodate 6 to 7 persons. It would be good if there would be a portion of his lot also which I could plant some vegetables for family consumption and could also plant some fruit trees so that I would not be buying always vegetables and fruits in the public market.

Here are the marks to show to whom I am related by blood on both sides of my father and my mother. My maternal grandmother is Marcela Almendras (deceased) whose roots are from Ilocos Norte. My maternal great grandfather is Pastor Almendras (deceased) who hails from Laoag, Ilocos Norte. My mother Lourdes Almendras Monte de Ramos (deceased) was born in Southern Leyte province. My maternal grandfather is Tomas C. Monte de Ramos (deceased) of Southern Leyte. All I know about my grandfather’s lineage is that the Monte de Ramos clan originally settled in barangay Nasaug, Maasin City, Southern Leyte. Some of them have migrated to other places in the province and even some have moved to settle in Mindanao. I have also three or four first cousins who are now living in various areas in Mindanao to look for a greener pasture.

Nonetheless, our great greatgrandfather who bears the family name of Monte de Ramos hails from the province of Negros Oriental. He migrated to Southern Leyte and got married here. Some of his siblings chose to settle in Mindanao. His progeny got married and their children have multiplied. That’s why there are so many Monte de Ramoses in Southern Leyte.

On the other hand, my paternal grandfather is Agapito Gorpido (deceased) of Pambujan, Northern Samar. My paternal grandmother is Eugenio Siervo (deceased) also of Pambujan, Northern Samar. My father is Quirico Siervo Gorpido, Sr.(deceased). I also know that there are some Siervos living in the province of Negros Oriental .With this information that I’ve got somewhere, I have the perception that these Siervos have the highest possibility that they belong to only one tree that the Siervos in Northern Samar have progenically belonged.

With my aforementioned family backgrounds my kith and kin who happen to read this article can now easily identify themselves definitely with me who needs their compassionate help. I hope that some of my distinguished relatives or relative who has the capacity to offer help will have the great interest to extend his/her generous help in sharing part of his/her large lot that I can own. And where a proposed house can be constructed and that I can plant also some vegetable and some fruit trees for family consumption. In this way I will not be buying always at the public market for such things. Similarly, I can have my own permanent residence and that no one will be driving me out anymore because I have no available money to pay for my monthly rent.

I hope that a kindhearted and generous relative who have the means to help me will be able to read my piece in the internet and will readily contact me thru my email address here in my blog(click About Me piece above the template’s interface).I’ll be waiting for your help.

I’ll reiterate, I hope that some of my relatives, both mother side and father side, who are internet users will be able to read this piece in the internet and are or is interested to extend a compassionate generosity of sharing his/her portion of his/her big lot for a house construction where I could permanently live, and can also plant some vegetables and fruit trees for family consumption. I also hope that such kind of a relative or relatives with golden hearts can read this article in the internet. I hope. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

STI Foundation Sponsors Nationwide Oratorical Competition

STI Foundation Sponsors Nationwide Oratorical Competitions

By Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

Maasin City, Southern Leyte-The Systems Technology Institute (STI) Foundation, Manila has sponsored national oratorical contests dubbed as the “Voice Of Youth” for selected secondary students in some selected cities of the country.

This was the disclosure of Christler Borce Calizo, STI-Maasin instructor in an interview at the school’s faculty office recently.

Calizo divulged that the national oratorical contest participated in by almost 600 public and private schools nationwide with the cooperation of DepEd, the National Youth Commission and STI network of schools, aims “to embark on an advocacy of developing in the young the ability to express their views in English, think critically and confidently, and inspire them to motivate, influence, and inform others through the art of public speaking”.

He informed the first level division competition, with a theme “Change I want To See Begins With Me: Becoming The New Filipino”, were conducted by STI’s 63 campuses in various regions of the country which started from November 15 up to November 26, 2010. Although the national contests were not simultaneously held, he explained, but the designated dates are their guiding days to conduct such oratorical competitions.

For Maasin, he said, the oratorical contest was participated in by 10 schools, namely, Maasin National High School, Maasin Christian Academy, Saint Joseph College, The College Of Maasin, Manhilo National High School, Dongon National High School, Ichon National High School, Guadalupe National High School, Villa Jacinta National High School, and Sogod National High School.

The STI instructor said that the 10 selected fourth year participants who represented the 10 schools were first interviewed at the STI faculty office. This was prior to the conduct of the competition held recently at the City Gymnasium. Each contestant was accompanied by a teacher-coach.

The category for judging, he said, were 40% content for a oratorical piece,40% delivery during the stage presentation before the judges and audience, and 20% from interview results.

The English instructor claimed the second phase of the competition will be by clusters.”The champions and the first runner-ups in the first level contests”, he said, “shall vie with other placers in the cluster contest to be held in Cebu City during the last week of January 2011”.

He revealed that the cluster contest, aside from the Maasin and Cebu participants, shall be participated in by winners-representatives of other schools coming from places like Ormoc, Tacloban, Calbayog, Tagbilaran, and Mandaue City.

Calizo further told that the champions and first runner-ups from different clusters’ winners throughout the country shall be vying at the national level in Manila during the last week of February 2011.

Moreover, for the three placers in the division contest, he said, each has received a medal and a trophy for the school where the placers have studied, while their respective coaches have received certificates of participation.

For the cluster winners: champion will receive P10, 000.00 in cash. For his/her coach P5, 000.00 in kind. And for the school also P5, 000.00 in kind. For the first runner-up the prize is P6, 000.00 in cash. For the coach is P3, 000.00 in kind. And for the school he/she representing is also P3, 000.00 in kind. For the second runner-up is P4, 000.00 cash. For his/her coach and the school is P2, 000.00 each in kind.

For the national winners: the champion will receive P100, 000.00 cash. For his/her coach is P30, 000.00 in kind. And P800, 000.00 in kind also for the school he/she has represented. For the first runner-up is P50, 000.00 cash. For his/her coach is P15, 000.00 in kind. And P400, 000.00 in kind for the school. For the second runner –up the prize is P25, 000.00 cash. For his/her coach is P10, 000.00 in kind. And for the school he/she is representing is P200, 000.00 in kind.

For the Maasin contest, the winners were the following fourth year students:a)champion-Justine Ellice G.Biluan-College of Maasin; coach-Ernita S. Mata; winning piece “My Voice”; b)first runner-up-Jobelle Anne F. Duarte-Saint Joseph College; coach-Ma. Thelma I.Obligado; Winning piece-“Change: A Young Hope And A Young Dream”; c) Second runner-up-Elrhey F. Lanugan-Maasin Christian Academy; coach-Rizi Mae J. Codal; winning piece-“Be The Change”.

The affair was attended by some students of other participating schools, all STI students and the following STI staff: Nestor M.Sy-President and Chief Executive Officer; Effie Naida Sy-Visaya-School Administrator/Registrar;Mylene M. Melorin, Emma C. Lacerna,Wilma M. Galdo,Erlinda S.Balamon,Bendiamin C.Ausa,JC Lito Morilla,Arnilene G. Maturan,Emilynne B. Balingkit,Edwin C.Balagot,Alberto Requiso;

Faculty members: Hilario V. Mobe-Academic Head; IT Instructors-Ichdien T. Kangleon-IT Chairman,Gualberto D. Coquilla,11,Marife M. Batestil; GE Instructors-Alona M. Teomera-GE Chairman, Maria Leila V. Aguilar, Roland Mendoza,Marvee P. Pajao,Charlito M.Piao; HRS Instructors-Angema P. Paloma, Archel Lorelie C. Zamora, Elizabeth S.Garvez. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

Panny’s Bakeshop, City Proper, Infront

Of Mercury Drug, Maasin City, So. Leyte. Panny’s

Homebakeshop Products,(Tacloban City Branch)

125 Gomez St., telephone number (053)321-5353.Accept Orders.

STI-Maasin, 4th Floor, Zialcita-Oppus Bldg.,

Above Mercury Drug, Maasin City, Southern Leyte.

.Courses Offer: Information Technology, Computer and

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Travel and Tourism. For more information call telephone

Number (053) 381-3744.