Belgian National donates Medical Supplies By Bong Pedalino A citizen from the country of Belgium has given sever- al items that are useful for the medical needs of patients and health personnel, especially at the new provincial hospital in barangay Dongon, Maasin City. On Friday, April 25, Patrick Ha- ghedooren, a Belgian national, to- gether with his Southern Leytena wife, a native of Macrohon, San- dra Peroso, led the formal turn- over of the equipment at the new April 16-30, 2014 Media Center, 2nd Flr., Capitol Bldg. Vol. I, No. 20 hospital to Gov. Roger Mercado and Cong. Damian Mercado, the ceremony witnessed by health SL holds first Environment Summit workers and heads of agencies. The donated items included 90 Event held on Global Earth Day units of hospital beds, 100 pieces matresses, 300 pieces blankets, By Bong Pedalino 200 pieces bedsheets, ten units The very first environment of wheelchairs, 40 pieces opera- summit held at Lourdes Con- tion clothes, ten pieces walkers, vention Center at barangay and five pieces crutches. Mantahan, Maasin City, April 22 Gov. Mercado, in his accep- has drawn together experts on tance speech, heartily thanked matters relating to nature’s bio- Patrick for his kindness, generos- diversity, marine and forest man- ity, and concern for the people of agement, and each one shared the province. inputs in their respective fields. He said the budget for procuring The gathering, which coincided such items will be saved, and will with a global observance of Earth be used instead for other medical Day, also served as a forum for needs. PLEDGE FOR MOTHER EARTH: Gov. Roger Mercado, left, with back to camera, non-government organizations, For his part, Cong. Mercado leads the recitation of a pledge to protect the natural resources of the province. The people’s organizations, and local welcomed Patrick’s humanitarian 400-plus participants, including some Mayors, join the pledge and consequently signed government units to partake with gesture, and pledged to help in the covenant, with the Governor as the last signatory (inset) their best practices on how they his mission anywhere around the were able to maintain the ecosys- country. RGM calls for DRR, CCA integra- tem, while coping with the practical In an interview, Patrick said demands on daily life among their he had no foundation but acted tion in school curriculum members. on his own initiative, which begun By Erna Sy Gorne “Environment protection is the name of the game. All sectors of eight years ago through Tahan- Governor Roger Mercado ini- regulations on the protection of en- society must realize the importance ang Walang Hagdanan. He said tiated moves to strengthen the vironment. of the environment, this is the ratio- he had been to several South- integration of Disaster Risk Re- He even urged the teachers to nale of this summit,” declared Gov. ern Leyte towns giving various duction and Climate Change bring the children to places in the Roger Mercado in his welcome donations like food and clothing, Adaptation into the school cur- province with best practices on among others. message before an audience of riculum in a workshop April 23 environment protection, like the He said he was grateful to Cus- (to page 2) at Ruperto Kangleon Function Macrohon Marine Park (the award toms personnel in Cebu and a Ce- House, Maasin City. -winning Molopolo Sanctuary), bu-based Ombudsman official for DPWH to enforce He said children are among the Macrohon LGU waste manage- facilitating the transport of several right-of-way limits containers from Belgium loaded most vulnerable sector in times of ment, planting of trees to 547 hect- The Department of Public with the donated goods most of- calamities and effects of climate ares in Brgy. Lunas, Maasin City Works and Highway (DPWH) of- ten free of the usual charges. change yet they can easily influence by the YISEDA, among others, for their parents, peers and community them to see the actual mitigation fice here in the province is bent He also mentioned Mayor Allan on removing obstructions within Go of Malitbog, who helped him with the mitigation and adaptation and adaptation measures. the public right-of-way along na- stock his goods in the Mayor’s measures integrated in their lessons The provincial government in co- tional roads to widen these roads warehouse. in school. ordination with the Department of and as a safety precaution for For his benevolent work in the Mercado wanted that the chil- Education, the MDRRMOs and the motorists and pedestrians. province, Patrick said he called dren will be guided in the proper PLAN International wanted that District Engr. Margarita Junia, in a press conference/kapihan this Solidaritiet Southern Leyte waste disposal, how to plant and the children will have the knowl- with local media Tuesday last Belgium. grow trees, and learn the different edge on disaster preparedness. week, disclosed that an invento- ry on road right-of-way (RROW) has been undertaken and is still going on. BELGIAN DONATION: Patrick Ha- “By May 2014 hopefully the ghedooren, his Southern Leytena wife inventory will be finished and a Sandra Peroso by his side, shakes hands database can be made,” said Ju- with Gov. Roger Mercado to seal the do- nia, who assumed as the DPWH’s nation for the various items he gave for head in the province in Septem- ber last year. the new provincial hospital. Looking on The lady district engineer said are Cong. Damian Mercado, with hos- the great calamities that hap- pital staffs Nandy Acasio, Dr. Lisa Rich pened affected their schedules as and Atty. Tobias Aguilar. they dispatched teams to help in (to page 2) Vol. I, No.20 Cong Mian recalls Maasin City’s journey ESTORYAHI! to National Nutrition Honor Award Willie Justimbaste By Rebecca Cadavos Willy J’s column resumes next issue - ED “Our goal is to have a healthy and his opening message during the welcome nourished citizenry not only in Maas- program for the national nutrition eval- in City but throughout Southern Leyte,” uators held April 29 at the Maasin City Samaco. Cong. Damian G. Mercado disclosed in College. The awards for Maasin for effective nutrition The Southern Leyte so- program implementation were mentioned such lon recalled how Maasin as the Green Banner Awards; Outstanding Mu- City attained the nutrition nicipality in the Region; Red Orchid Awards for awards. “This is the prize three consecutive years which gained Maasin City of our efforts which start- the Hall of Fame for successfully implementing ed when I was still the the anti-smoking campaign; Consistent Regional local chief executive of Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN), to Maasin,” he said referring name a few. to the numerous awards This year Maasin City will vie for the Nation- since he was still the may- al Nutrition Honor Award, the highest nutrition GO FOR NUTRITION HONOR AWARD: The officials and employ- or of Maasin, a munici- award throughout the country for being consis- ees behind the effective implementation of nutrition program in Maasin pality then, then became tently winning the CROWN Maintenance Award City.....With Mayor Maloney Samaco and former city/municipal May- city mayor and was con- for two years from 2012-2013. or and Governor and now Cong. Damian Gaviola Mercado. tinuously supported by “Giving good services to the people is our now city mayor Maloney top priority,” Cong. Mercado, formerly the mayor (from page 1) of Maasin and Governor of Southern Leyte dis- SL holds first... DPWH to enforce... (from page 1) more than 400 individuals composed of provin- closed adding that “our burning desire and un- cial officials, Mayors, LGU officials, police offi- the clearing of places badly hit by typhoon Yolanda, ending commitment towards nutrition improve- cers, religious groups, the academe, and some which was followed by Basyang that destroyed some ment for all Maasinhons is a continuing journey.” highways in the province. These roads are now pass- private sector organizations. able. “With or without the award, our passion will Dr. Eva Abad, head of the Provincial Environ- Once the RROW database can be established, still keep on burning,” he said. ment and Natural Resources Management Of- the DPWH will start sending notice to those who He was grateful to Mayor Samaco for contin- fice (PENRMO), the office which spearheaded encroached the roads preparatory for clearing opera- uously implementing the best nutrition practic- the event, said in her overview that the summit tions, Junia informed. es, not to mention all other innovative programs was the brainchild of the Governor, a known en- National primary roads are measured ten meters concerning health and nutrition that were intro- vironment advocate. from the center line on either side, thus with one lane measuring 3 meters, another 7 meters is reserved for duced by Samaco. Timing for the holding of the activity was public use, in which the government can claim a right Other than Maasin City, LGUs vying for NHA meaningful not just because it was Earth Day, a of way free of obstructions. are the Municipality of Lal-Lo, Cagayan in Re- timely act in itself, but also because this month Meanwhile, Junia said her office is working to gion II and Ifugao Province in the Cordillera and year marked the 6th anniversary for the pas- reclassify the highway from Liloan to Benit, San Ri- Administrative Region. These LGUs have shown sage of the province’s Environment Code, Abad cardo, from a secondary into a primary road so funds efficient and effective management of its nutri- for its maintenance can be included in the regular said, adding that the Code was the “roadmap for tion program for the past 5 years which resulted a clean and green Southern Leyte.” budget.