VOL. 19 NO. 42 ORMOC CITY P 15.00 at the newsstands NOVEMBER 12-18, 2018 Website address: www.evmailnews.net For feedback/inquiries: e-mail [email protected] Philphos retirees use social media to air appeal for benefits BY DAILYN CABARSE ISABEL, LEYTE – Retirees of the Philippine Phosphate Fertilizer Corporation (PhilPhos), the largest fertilizer plant in Asia during the Marcos years, have taken to social media to drum up support for their retirement claims. Instead of picketing the com- and was shared 1,000 times al- pany premises, some 28 retired ready. workers led by Felix Olacao, 59, Olacao said they do not be- who has worked for Philphos for lieve that PhilPhos has no budget 32 years, staged a “picket” with for their retirement pay because Olacao reading their sentiments just recently, the company re- before a camera. Calling their leased “expensive” cars and car Facebook account the “PhilPhos allowances for the managers. Retirers”, they are hoping the The operation of the company video becomes viral and reach the also seems normal because it hired attention of concerned agencies new employees and even promot- and Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. ed some. There are also managers As of this report, the video post has gathered 26,000 views SEE PHILPHOS P. 6 Ormoc City Mayor Richard Gomez (2nd from left), Congresswoman of the 4th District of Leyte Lucy Torres- Gomez (3rd from left), Ormoc City Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr. (4th from right) , and Mabuhay Capital Rama urges DSWD to approve CEO and President Lito Sibayan (2nd from right) were the guests of honor during the recent opening of SM Center Ormoc on November 16, 2018. They are joined by Chairman for Executive Committee Hans T. Sy (left), SM Markets Vice Chairman Herbert T. Sy (right), SM Prime Holdings Inc. President Jeffrey Lim (3rd from list of add’l UCT beneficiaries right) and Most Reverend Felomino Bactol (center). SM Center Ormoc is SM Prime Holding’s 72nd mall, the 7th in the Visayas region, and the first in Eastern Visayas.(By Krista May Gubalane) ORMOC CITY – During the Four- Filipinos who have been affected by teenth Sangguniang Panlungsod’s the rising prices of goods due to the regular session on November 15, implementation of the new tax reform 2018, SP Member Vincent L. Rama program known as the Tax Reform for (Chairman on Social Welfare and Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) SM Ormoc opens with fanfare, a flurry of activities Development), sponsored for the law. The beneficiaries of this program ORMOC CITY – The first ever Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr., Located in the heart of Or- passage of a resolution “earnestly” include the senior citizens. SM mall in Eastern Visayas and Mabuhay Capital CEO and moc City, along the banks of the requesting the Department of Social As of this writing, there are finally opened its doors to in President Lito Sibayan. Anilao River, SM Center Ormoc Welfare and Development (DSWD) already 3,500 Ormocanon benefi- this city, 16th of November They were joined by Chair- is SM Prime Holding’s 72nd mall office for the inclusion of additional ciaries of the UCT Program. Per 2018 at around 11:00am with a man for Executive Committee and the 7th in the Visayas region. recipients of the Unconditional Cash SP Member Rama, Ormoc also has cutting-of-ribbon ceremony led Hans T. Sy, SM Markets Vice Ormocanons flooded SM Cen- Transfer (UCT) Program. the most number of UCT benefi- by Ormoc City Mayor Richard Chairman Herbert T. Sy, SM ter Ormoc, literally, as the mall The Unconditional Cash Transfer ciaries in Region VIII. Gomez, Congresswoman of Prime Holdings Inc. President opened its doors to the public at (UCT) is a three-year program of the the 4th District of Leyte Lucy Jeffrey Lim, and Most Reverend DSWD, which aims to assist indigent SEE UCT P. 6 Torres-Gomez, Ormoc City Vice Felomino Bactol. SEE SM P. 6 RICE NO LIMIT!!! ... and more Filipino favorites MILAGRINA RESTAURANT now with a better and fresher ambiance. CONGRATULATIONS ORMOC! Ormoc City Councilor Vincent Rama represents Mayor Richard Go- mez in receiving the award for Ormoc City for successfully passing the 2017 Child-Friendly Local Governance. Located at The awarding ceremony was held in Tacloban City. (Photo & caption grabbed from the official Ormoc 134 Real St., City Government FB page) Ormoc City 2 November 12-18, 2018 PPI holds seminar on Federalism for media A-PAD Philippines launches practitioners in Visayas Eastern Visayas platform CEBU CITY – The Philip- Jesus G. Dureza (Secretary, pine Press Institute (PPI), Office of the Presidential in partnership with Hanns Adviser on the Peace Pro- Seidel Foundation and Pi- cess – OPPAP, Ortigas, Pasig mentel Institute for Lead- City) who talked about the ership and Governance, Peace Process in the Philip- held a seminar-workshop pines; and 4) Atty. Cheryl L. for Media Practitioners on Daytec-Yañgot (Assistant Understanding Federalism Secretary, Department of in the Philippine Context, Justice) who presented infor- at Summit Circle Cebu mation about the Bangsam- Hotel on November 12-14, oro Organic Law. 2018 for the Visayas Leg. Apart from the speak- A total of 26 media ers, there were also two practitioners in the Visayas invited Reactors: 1) Mr. attended the event. Rodolfo V. Vicerra (For- The seminar-workshop mer Director-General of examined the character- the Congressional Planning istics of a federal form of and Budget Office, House government such as the of Representatives) and 2) allocation of authority and Atty. Michael Henry Li. power between national Yusingo (Research Fellow, and state governments. Ateneo Policy Center). Also, the normative theories The Visayas leg, being of federalism, the status of the last leg of the seminar- countries with a federal workshop, as it was already form of government, and held in Luzon and Min- Ormoc City Mayor Richard I. Gomez in a group picture with all the A-PAD coordinating committee, convenors, and stakeholders the role of federalism in danao, also served as the prior the covenant signing during the A-PAD Eastern Visayas Platform launching at the Session Hall of the New Ormoc City contemporary political/ closing event of the info Hall on November 16, 2018. social issues were tackled. dissemination program. Invited speakers were “We are not promoting or ORMOC CITY – A-PAD on services and resources headed by the Ormoc City and the Leyte Center for no less than the follow- campaigning against Federal- (Asia-Pacific Alliance for with partners; 3) Facilitate Chamber of Commerce and Development in the person ing experts: 1) Atty. Ibarra ism no matter my personal Disaster Management) disaster response and the Industry, Inc. (ORCHAM), of Minet Aguisanda (Execu- “Barry” Gutierrez III (As- opinion about it or the re- Philippines, through the acceptance of disaster relief the Local Government Unit tive Director). There were sistant Professor, College source persons’ opinion about support of the Ministry in the country; 4) Capacity- of Ormoc City (LGU-Or- also partner stakeholders of Law, University of the it. We are here to contribute to of Foreign Affairs of Ja- building; 5) Establish ap- moc) headed by Mayor from the academe and the Philippines) who talked the national discourse. That’s pan, Citizen’s Disaster propriate measures for dis- Richard I. Gomez, the local media. about Federalism and its really very important for PPI Response Center (CDRC), tribution, implementation, media, the academe within The ORCHAM, as one characteristics as well as to know that kasi there’s al- and the Philippine Di- monitoring, and reporting the Eastern Visayas Region, of the convenors, assured comparative analysis of ways a challenge about the saster Resilience Foun- in respect of support re- and the local Civil Society everyone of their support practices regarding political lack of reportage about it, or tain (PDRF), successfully ceived from other National Organizations (CSOs). and dedication to A-PAD dynasties and taxation in it’s being underreported, or launched its 3rd A-PAD Platforms and/or regional Present in the launch- Eastern Visayas. Federal countries; 2) Prof. it’s never really understood Regional Platform based disaster relief platforms; ing were Nobutaka Miya- Ms. Gabaldon (PDRF Edmund Tayao (Executive by the generap public,” ex- in Eastern Visayas at the and, 6) Sharing of experi- hara (Senior Adviser) and Executive Director), mean- Director, Local Government plained Mr. Ariel C. Sebellino, SP Session Hall of the ence, information, research, Midori Yajima (Program while, said that PDRF and Development Foundation) the Executive Director and New Ormoc City Hall on and other resources. Coordinator) of A-PAD the Citizens’ Disaster Re- who presented salient points Trustee of PPI. November 16, 2018. It also has six core val- Japan, Veronica Gabaldon sponse Center (CDRC), as of the Draft Charter; 3) Atty. Lastly, as it was a semi- A-PAD Philippines, ac- ues: Stewardship, Service, (PDRF Executive Direc- the national convenors of nar-workshop, a writeshop cordingly, is a platform/ Volunteerism, Adherence tor), Kim Augiline Leduna A-PAD Philippines, commit on the second day was held framework for collabora- to Practice of Humanitarian (Deputy Executive Director to share group practices in NOW SHOWING !!! wherein the participants were tion, cooperation, pooling Principle, Believe in the Ca- of CDRC), Rey Gozon (Act- harnessing the strength of divided into five groups. of efforts and sharing of pacity of People, and Good ing Chief for Operations the business communities STAR THEATER Each group focused on cer- resources between humani- Governance. of OCD-8), Ormoc City and the local actors and tain key points of federalism tarian organizations, CSOs, Accordingly, A-PAD Ph Chamber of Commerce and stakeholders in the areas included in the discussion private sectors, and govern- had already established two Industry, Inc.(ORCHAM) of disaster preparedness, of the entire seminar.