Leyte-Samar DAILYPOSITIVE EXPRESS l FAIR l FREE VOL. XXXI II NO. 011 SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2021 P15.00 IN TACLOBAN Since start of the pandemic Jipapad the only area in JOEYEV A. GABIETA without COVID case TACLOBAN CITY-The town of Jipapad in Eastern Samar province remains to be the only area in the region to report a zero case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). And they hope to According to Noramba- maintain their clean re- ba, one possible factor why cord even until vaccines Jipapad has no COVID-19 against the ailment would case since the start of the be available, Neil Noram- pandemic last March, could baba, local disaster risk be its geographical location. reduction management of- Jipapad is among the ficer, said. far-flung towns in Eastern “We really hope that we Samar-16 kms away from can maintain our status as its nearest town of Arteche, a COVID-free area, espe- also in Eastern Samar, and cially that we don’t have around 10 kms away from the capacity to buy our its neighboring town of own vaccine,” he said in a Lapinig in Northern Samar. phone interview. It is also more than 40 The town, which has a kms away from the pro- ZERO CASE. Almost a year since the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hit the country, the town of Jipa- population of more than vincial capital of Borongan pad in Eastern Samar remains to be without a single case of the dreaded virus that has affected more than 9,000 spread on its 13 ba- City. 13,000 people across the region of which close to 180 have died already. Its geographical location is cited rangays, is considered to The nearest the town, as among the reasons why Jipapad continue to be the only area in Eastern Visayas to be COVID-19 free. be a fifth class with P71 Photo shows the town when it celebrated its town fiesta last October 7, 2019. (RYE AYON) million in income. see Jipapad /page 13 ... Gov. Petilla directs health officers to come up with a survey form as province mulls to inoculate 100,000 Leyteños of the anti-COVID vaccines TACLOBAN CITY – He suggested that the Leyte Governor Leopol- home address and the do Dominico Petilla has place of work of the indi- directed health officers in vidual should be included the province to come up see Gov. Petilla / with their survey forms in- page 13 ... tended for the vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) here. Petilla also said that he projects that at least 100,000 GOV. LEOPOLDO people of the province will DOMINICO PETILLA receive the vaccine. With the exception of Tacloban first receive the shots. City, a highly-urbanized Petilla noted that while city, Leyte has more than all the 40 towns and Bay- 1.7 million populations. bay City have confirmed The governor said that COVID-19 cases, there Tacloban City Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez administered the oath-taking of Ri- the survey form is nec- are villages in the province cajelyn Macabare as the new councilor of Barangay 92 Apitong on Tuesday, essary so that they could which remain without any January 26. (TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE) identified those who should case. 2 Leyte Samar Daily Express NEWS Saturday, January 30, 2021 Maasin city government extends cash DBP signs multi-billion credit deal assistance to 350 abaca farmers to with local ship building firm help revive the industry hit by virus State-owned Develop- this shipyard expansion vironment. ment Bank of the Philip- project is expected to MBI started opera- TACLOBAN CITY – Twenty of the city’s 70 exhibit ‘bunched top’ ap- pines (DBP) has granted increase the capacity of tions in June 2016 and is The Maasin city govern- villages are abaca produc- pearance, stunting and yel- a P4.17-billion term loan the shipyard from 10,000 engaged in shipbuilding, ment has started this week ers whose dried products lowing of the leaves, poor to Megaship Builders, Deadweight tonnage ship repair, design, con- the distribution of cash as- are sold to buyers in Baybay fiber quality and significant Inc. (MBI) to upgrade (DWT) to 200,000 DWT, struction, outfitting and sistance to abaca farmers City where a big abaca pro- fiber yield loss. and expand its shipbuild- thus accommodating an launching of any type of as part of its abaca rehabil- cessing plant operates. Other abaca producing ing and ship repair com- average of 10 vessels per vessels or watercraft. itation program. In 2019, as part of the towns in Southern Leyte plex in Albuera, Leyte, a month from the current It is also the first The abaca cash-for- city government program province were also affected top official said. two vessels per month,” shipbuilding and dry- work financial assistance of to revive its abaca industry, by the virus. DBP President and Herbosa said. docking company in the city government aims some villages like Lonoy, Although some villages Chief Executive Offi- DBP is the seventh the Visayas that utilizes to revive the abaca indus- Cabadiangan and Pinasku- in the city had started to get cer Emmanuel G. Her- largest bank in the coun- marine airbag technol- try of the city. han, established their own back on producing abaca fi- bosa said that the loan try in terms of assets and ogy in drydocking ves- Each abaca farmer will abaca nurseries. bers, agriculture officials in proceeds will be used provides credit support sels – a departure from receive P6, 000 cash assis- Villages that established the province had cautioned to partially finance the to four strategic sectors the traditional common tance. their own abaca nursery farmers to be vigilant and construction of the ship- of the economy – infra- carriage-type method. At least 350 abaca farm- received assistance from to adhere to disease man- yard’s second and third structure and logistics; DBP Executive Vice ers coming from the villag- the provincial government agement to prevent for the slipways, office building, micro, small and medi- President for Develop- es of Pinaskuhan, Nonok which included organic bunchy top virus to its aba- and other support facili- um enterprises; social ment Lending Jose Ga- Norte, Sta. Cruz and Sto. and complete fertilizers to ca industry. (ROEL T. AMAZONA) ties. services and community bino D. Dimayuga said Niño are the first benefi- strengthen its own abaca “Once completed, development; and the en- the project would help ciaries of the program. seedlings grown. address the lack of viable “The cash to be giv- Abaca production of the shipyards that could ac- en will serve as labor as- city declined for the past commodate the growing sistance for the cleaning/ years after bunchy top virus number of vessels in the clearing, weeding and oth- affected the plants. country, which presently er cultural management Bunchy top disease has a ratio of 204 vessels practices in raising the ab- (BTD) is considered the to one shipyard. aca plant,” Mayor Naccion- most destructive disease of He said as an archipe- al Mercado said. abaca where infected crops lagic country, it is imper- ative for the Philippines DENR-8 deputizes 29 ENROs in two to enhance its transport Leyte towns as part of its campaign infrastructure and logis- to further protect the environment tics facilities to promote physical integration and TACLOBAN CITY - our strengthened efforts to seamless movement of The Department of Envi- protect our environment goods that would create ronment and Natural Re- and natural resources from economic opportunities sources (DENR) regional violators who continue to especially those living in office has deputized Envi- disregard our environmen- the coastal areas. ronment and Natural Re- tal laws by ensuring their “There is tremendous sources Officers (ENROs) apprehension through our potential for the Philip- from two Leyte towns, a intensified linkage with pines to unlock the in- report from the DENR-8 the community as first re- trinsic value of its ship- based in this city said. sponders in the enforce- building industry as the DENR-8 Regional Exec- ment of our laws,” Parian country has both strong utive Director (RED) Tirso added. demands for smaller Parian, Jr. told reporters The DENR director ex- vessels in the domestic that he issued deputation plained that these ENROs market and is presently orders to 19 ENROs in Palo shall perform functions like NEW DEPUTY SPEAKER ---. House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep Martin is an exporter of large, and ten 10 from Hilongos assisting in the issuance Romualdez (left) and House Speaker Lord Alan Velasco (right) congratulates commercial ships for the towns. of apprehension receipts, new Deputy Speaker and Davao Rep. Isidro Ungab (center) during the oath international market,” “Unless revoked by the seizure orders and notic- taking ceremony at the plenary of the House of Representatives. Dimayuga said. (PR) issuing authority, these es of administrative hear- photo by Ver Noveno ENROs shall serve for one ings; arrest, even without year,” he said. warrant, any person who Parian clarified that committed or is about to School principal arrested for illegal possession of these ENROs composed commit an environmental of barangay officials and law violation; deliver the firearms, hand grenade in Northern Samar town volunteers will assist in the offenders including the ap- TACLOBAN CITY- A rangay Commonwealth by fender Series 80 cal. 45 surrender and safe keep- enforcement of environ- prehended forest products, public school principal virtue of a warrant issued by marked CBP, 1 short steel ing of the same. I also en- mental laws in their areas tools, equipment and con- in Rosario town, North- the court, report of the pro- magazine, 4 live ammuni- courage to secure all doc- of jurisdiction.