February 26, 2014 1

“in pursuit of PIA’s commitment to provide a national mechanism for the free flow of timely, accurate and relevant information… “

VOL 2 ISSUE 47 Daily E-Newsletter of Philippine Information Agency - 8 February 26, 2014

EDSA is a celebration of the Filipino’s ability to rise above challenges, Pres. Aquino tells people of Tanauan

President Benigno S. Aquino III in the afternoon of February

25 led the groundbreaking for the relocation and rebuilding of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Cabalawan, Tacloban City, one of the hardest hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda. The President together with some Cabinet Secretaries attended the brief ceremony at Barangay Cabalawan before returning to Manila on Tuesday afternoon. With him were Cabinet officials led by Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (PARR) Panfilo Lacson and Health Secretary Enrique Ona. The others are Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, DSWD Secretary Corazon Soliman, PCOO Secretary Sonny Coloma, DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, DOE Secretary Carlos Jericho L. Petilla, and Cabinet Secretary Rene Almendras. From its current location which is part of the NO BUILD ZONE, the EVRMC will be relocted to the Northern Tacloban Zone. The International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) and

President Aquino leads groundbreaking for new Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center

EDSA is a celebration of the Filipino’s ability to rise above

challenges and dark days of our history,” President Benigno S.Aquino III said Tuesday in Tanauan, Leyte. “Ang Edsa ay pagdiriwang ng kakayahan ng Pilipinong bumangon mula sa anumang pagsubok at daigin ang anumang madilim na kabanata ng ating kasaysayan,” President Aquino told the more than 1,000 people of Tanauan who were gathered at the Town Plaza to see him. “The EDSA People Power is no longer just about EDSA,” President Benigno Aquino III said. continued on page 5

continued on page 7

“Narito po ako ngayon dahil higit pa sa pagbaklas ng diktadurya ang diwa ng petsang ito. Lagpas pa sa pagtitipon sa isang kalsada ang Edsa,” Aquino said during his televised speech in Tanauan, Leyte. I am here because today is more than just our triumph over the dictatorship. Edsa is beyond the gathering of people on a road. In Tanauan alone, the President said 1,375 people died in the wake of Yolanda, yet the residents there work hard to recover. Yet, President Aquino said he was heartened over the resilience

President Benigno S. Aquino leads the groundbreaking of the Memorial in honor of those who perished in Supertyphoon Yolanda and the rehabilitation of the Tanauan Public Plaza, February 25. With the President are (l-r) Leyte governor Dominico Petilla, Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery secretary Panfilo Lacson, Double Dragon president Ferdinand Sia and Tanauan mayor Pelagio Tecson. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

2 February 26, 2014

U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Goldberg to handover rice assistance for Typhoon Yolanda victims

U . S . A m b a s s a d o r P h i l i p S . G o l d b e r g i s s c h e d u l e d t o

h a n d o v e r 1 , 5 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s o f r i c e t o r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f W o r l d F o o d P r o g r a m m e ( W F P ) a n d D e p a r t m e n t o f S o c i a l W e l f a r e a n d D e v e l o p m e n t o n F e b r u a r y 2 7 , 2 0 1 4 . T h e t u r n o v e r w i l l b e d o n e o n T h u r s d a y, a t 8 : 4 5 a . m . a t W F P W a r e h o u s e i n C e b u , J K i n g W a r e h o u s e , A C C o r t e z A v e n u e , B a y 3 a n d 4 , B a r a n g a y C a m b a r o , M a n d a u e C i t y . T h e r i c e a s s i s t a n c e i s p a r t o f t h e 5 , 0 0 0 m e t r i c t o n s o f r i c e a n n o u n c e d b y U . S . S e c r e t a r y

o f S t a t e J o h n K e r r y d u r i n g h i s v i s i t t o Ta c l o b a n l a s t D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 3 . To d a t e , t h e U . S . G o v e r n m e n t h a s p r o v i d e d P h p 3 . 9 b i l l i o n ( $ 8 7 . 7 M i l l i o n ) i m m e d i a t e h u m a n i t a r i a n a s s i s t a n c e f o r Ty p h o o n Yo l a n d a s u r v i v o r s . U . S . E m b a s s y M a n i l a ’s U n i t e d S t a t e s A g e n c y f o r I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t M i s s i o n D i r e c t o r G l o r i a D . S t e e l e , W F P D e p u t y C o u n t r y D i r e c t o r A s a k a N y a n g a r a a n d D S W D R e g i o n a l D i r e c t o r M e r c e d i t a J a b a g a t a r e e x p e c t e d

t o a t t e n d t h e e v e n t , a p r e s s s t a t e m e n t f r o m t h e U S E m b a s s y i n M a n i l a s t a t e d . M e m b e r s o f t h e m e d i a i n t e r e s t e d i n c o v e r i n g t h e a c t i v i t y a r e r e q u e s t e d t o a s s e m b l e a t v e n u e a t e x a c t l y 8 : 0 0 a . m . o n T h u r s d a y. I n t e r e s t e d m e d i a m a y c o n f i r m a t t e n d a n c e b y c o n t a c t i n g C o r n e l i a P a e t z , W o r l d F o o d P r o g r a m m e P u b l i c I n f o r m a t i o n O f f i c e r, a t c e l l p h o n e n u m b e r 0 9 1 7 5 2 1 9 3 2 3 . ( P I A 8 )

President Benigno S. Aquino leads the groundbreaking of the Memorial in honor of those who perished in Supertyphoon Yolanda and the rehabilitation of the Tanauan Public Plaza, February 25. With the President are (l-r) Leyte governor Dominico Petilla, Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery secretary Panfilo Lacson, Double Dragon president Ferdinand Sia and Tanauan mayor Pelagio Tecson. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

February 26, 2014 3

UN Humanitarian chief revisits Tacloban City, GuiuanV a l e r i e A m o s , U N U n d e r -

S e c r e t a r y - G e n e r a l f o r H u m a n i t a r i a n A f f a i r s a n d E m e r g e n c y R e l i e f C o o r d i n a t o r i s s e t t o v i s i t t h e P h i l i p p i n e s s p e c i f i c a l l y t h e a r e a s a f f e c t e d b y Ty p h o o n H a i y a n o n Fe b r u a r y 2 6 -2 7 , f o u r m o n t h s a f t e r Ty p h o o n H a i y a n s t r u c k t h e c o u n t r y a f f e c t i n g a n e s t i m a t e d 1 4 m i l l i o n p e o p l e . D u r i n g h e r v i s i t , M s . A m o s i s e x p e c t e d t o m e e t w i t h r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e G o v e r n m e n t , l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s a n d h u m a n i t a r i a n p a r t n e r s . S h e p l a n s t o t r a v e l t o G u i u a n a n d Ta c l o b a n w h e r e s h e w i l l v i s i t a f f e c t e d c o m m u n i t i e s a n d l o o k a t o n g o i n g r e l i e f e f f o r t s . M s . A m o s w i l l b e i n G u i u a n a n d Ta c l o b a n o n Fe b r u a r y 2 6 . I n t h e m o r n i n g o f We d n e s d a y, s h e w i l l a r r i v e i n G u i u a n a t a b o u t 9 : 5 0 i n t h e m o r n i n g w h e r e s h e w i l l v i s i t B a r a n g a y 6 J e t t y t o i n s p e c t t h e s h e l t e r, e a r l y r e c o v e r y a n d l i v e l i h o o d p r o j e c t s o f U N D P a n d

O x f a m . T h e s e c o n d s i t e w i l l b e a t t h e Te n t C i t y f o r t h e s h e l t e r, p r o t e c t i o n , h e a l t h , WA S H p r o j e c t s w i t h D S W D, U N H C R , U N I C E F, I O M , U N F PA a n d P l a n . M s . A m o s w i l l a r r i v e i n Ta c l o b a n a t 1 : 0 0 o’c l o c k i n t h e a f t e r n o o n . S h e w i l l v i s i t B a r a n g a y 8 8 f o r t h e E a r l y R e c o v e r y a n d L i v e l i h o o d s p a r t i c u l a r l y C o c o -l u m b e r p r o c e s s i n g / f u r n i t u r e a n d p u s h - c a r t m a k i n g o f t h e U N D P ; a n d f i s h e r i e s l i v e l i h o o d s a n d h o u s e s f o r t h e p o o r - S h e l t e r c l u s t e r w i t h a l o c a l N G O. S h e w i l l t h e n v i s i t B a r a n g a y 8 9 / 9 0 f o r t h e B o a t p r o d u c t i o n , p e d i c a b s a n d c a p a c i t y b u i l d i n g b y N a t i o n a l N G O U r b a n Po o r A s s o c i a t e s . H e r t h i r d s t o p i n Ta c l o b a n C i t y i s a t B a r a n g a y S a g k a h a n w h e r e s h e w i l l i n s p e c t t h e S h e l t e r : M o d e l s h e l t e r a n d c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h c o m m u n i t y ( C a t h o l i c R e l i e f S e r v i c e s ) ; L i v e l i h o o d s : A g r i c u l t u r a l

d i s t r i b u t i o n / l i v e l i h o o d s ( FAO /DA ) a n d T B C C h i l d Fr i e n d l y S p a c e ( U N I C E F ) . W h i l e t h e G o v e r n m e n t -l e d r e l i e f o p e r a t i o n h a s m a d e m a r k e d p r o g r e s s , m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e s t i l l r e q u i r e u r g e n t a s s i s t a n c e t o r e b u i l d t h e i r l i v e s a n d l i v e l i h o o d s . M o r e t h a n a m i l l i o n h o m e s w e r e d a m a g e d o r d e s t r o y e d a n d o v e r 4 m i l l i o n p e o p l e w e r e d i s p l a c e d w i t h m a n y s t i l l i n n e e d o f s u p p o r t t o f i n d d u r a b l e h o u s i n g s o l u t i o n s . Fa r m l a n d s a n d f i s h i n g e q u i p m e n t w e r e d e c i m a t e d , l i m i t i n g p e o p l e’s a b i l i t y t o p r o d u c e f o o d o r e a r n a n i n c o m e . M s . A m o s p r e v i o u s l y v i s i t e d t h e P h i l i p p i n e s t w i c e i n N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 3 i n t h e t w o w e e k s f o l l o w i n g t h e t y p h o o n t o s e e f o r h e r s e l f t h e i m p a c t o f t h e d i s a s t e r a n d t o e n s u r e a d e q u a t e s u p p o r t f o r h u m a n i t a r i a n a s s i s t a n c e . ( P I A 8 )

President Benigno S. Aquino poses with cabinet secretaries and guests after the groundbreaking ceremony of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center in Cabalawan, Tacloban City, February 25. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

4 February 26, 2014

T he Deputy Director General of the International Organization

for Migration Laura Thompson acknowledge that there are issues that hounds the construction of temporary shelters in the Yolanda stricken areas. However, in her personal visit to a Motocross area in Caibaan in Tacloban City families who are occupying some of the bunk houses are happier to be in their new house compared to l iving in tents. There are 222 Yolanda displaced families in Tacloban city who are now housed at the bunk houses in Motocross are

in Caibaan composed of 1,500 families. According to Thompson, in emergencies of large scale such as Yolanda, one has to take two decisions, f irst, leave the people to l ive in the streets or two , do temporary solutions that are less good than what we would l ike but a l ittle bit better than being outside in the streets. “I think realistically there are some things that are feasible and not feasible, f inding a long term solution for the people immediately normally is not feasible in such a large type of emergency,” added Thompson.

Bunkhouses much better than living in streets and tents, IOM deputy director general says

“ I think the bunk houses are what could be done quickly ,and better compared to have people on streets and on tents.” “Certainly, we do know that it is not ideal, however, certainly it is much better than l iving outside. “I happen to visit the place in Motocross, yes, its basic but at least it is much better than outside,” said Thompson. Thompson underscored though that for sure bunkhouses are just temporary and should not become the permanent houses of the displaced families. (PIA 8 with Lizbeth Ann A. Abella)

PIA File Photo

February 26, 2014 5

EDSA celebration...from page 1

shown by Filipinos affected by Yolanda. Such resilience has earned Filipinos the respect of people all over the world, he said. The President said the resilience shown by residents here embody the spirit of EDSA. He said EDSA is also about communities that help each other recover and rebuild from a tragedy. “Tungkol din ito sa mga komunidad na nag-ambagan upang muling magtayo ng mga tahanan matapos ang mga sakuna; tungkol din ito sa mga pamilyang nagbukas ng puso sa kanilang kapuwang binaha; tungkol ito sa mga indibiduwal na nangapitbahay upang bigyang-babala ang kanilang mga kasama, at nagsabing, lumikas na tayo, heto ang kamay ko, tanganan mo, kailangan nating magtiwala sa isa’t isa, kailangan nating magtulungan upang mabuhay, he said. This is about communities helping each other recover, families helping other families, and people asking fellow Filipinos to trust in one another. The President was in Leyte

Pnoy meets with Yolanda survivors in Tanauan, Leyte

The historical event in Edsa revolution is somewhat similar to

the Yolanda incident that hit Leyte in November as it embodies the story of the people’s resiliency, hope and faith to overcome and rise from the devastation. Speaking before the Yolanda survivors in Tanauan, Leyte during his visit Tuesday, President Benigno S. Aquino III said, he prefers to celebrate the spirit of EDSA with the people who experienced challenges due to calamities that hit Visayas and Mindanao last year. The President came to Leyte to see for himself the condition of the people more than a hundred days ago after it was hit by the typhoon.

“Puno nga po ang schedule natin sa araw na ito, pero tuwing nakikita ko ang panibagong pag-asa ng ating mga komunidad, naririnig ang mga kuwento mula sa inyo at sa inyong mga pinuno, talaga po nawawala ang aking pagod at lalong nabubuhayan ang aking loob”, the President said. He also made inspections on some projects undertaken by the government in partnership with some private organizations such as Gawad Kalinga, INDIAP group of companies, among others. These are the permanent relocation sites in Brgy. Pago and Brgy. Maribi, Tanauan Leyte where 1, 245 families from “No Build Zones”

BY: CONSUELO B. ALARCON

to check on the rehabilitation efforts and the situation of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” survivors. Aquino assured the townsfolk of Tanauan that the displaced families will start to be relocated to their permanent home starting March when the first 50 families move into their permanent houses. Speaking to a big crowd of more than 1000 people after the groundbreaking for the rehabilitation of the town public plaza here, the President said this is the government’s solution to keep them far from danger. “Mahigit 25,000 pamilya–at permanenteng tahanan ang target nating ipatayo sa buong Leyte para mailayo itong mga kababayan natin sa sakuna. Isa po ang Tanauan sa ating mga permanent relocation sites para sa mga kabahayang tinamaan ng Bagyong Yolanda (Permanent homes for more than 25,000 families in Leyte are being readied. Tanauan is one area where we are building these homes to keep

families far from harm),” he said. “Ang pangako po sa atin, matapos ang dalawang linggo mula ‘tong araw na ito, ‘yong unang 50 pamilya, lilipat hindi na sa bunkhouse kundi doon po sa permanenteng magiging tahanan na nila. ‘Yung higit-kumulang na natirang 1,300, within six months, lilipat na rin sa permanenteng bahay nila (In two weeks, we expect 50 families to move into permanent homes. The other 1,300 can follow suit in the next six.months),” he added. He said 1,345 housing units are being built with the help of Gawad Kalinga, the National Housing Authority and the local government. The President was in Leyte to check on the rehabilitation efforts and the situation of Super Typhoon “Yolanda” survivors. Tanauan was among the most heavily devastated by Yolanda, leaving thousands dead and majority of structures damaged. The President also said he expects to return here one day and see Filipinos fully recovered. (PIA 8)

are to be relocated and a new site for Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center – the biggest government hospital in the region. The President likewise led the groundbreaking of the rehabilitation of Tanauan Public Plaza. In the same occasion, he emphasized the need to relocate 1, 245 Yolanda survivors in Tanauan Leyte to prevent them from further dangers and to ensure that a tragedy will not happen again. It maybe recalled that more than a thousand residents in the ravaged town of Tananuan, Leyte died when Yolanda struck in November last year. (PIA-8)

6 February 26, 2014

February 26, 2014 7

President Aquino...from page 1Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels Inc. (BRHI) pledged to shepherd the construction in line with PARR’s initiatives for Eastern Visayas. ICTSI said the new EVRMC will be a “modern, multi-building hospital” with state-of-the-art facilities.The ICTSI and BRHI also said they will help bridge the project with other organizations and resources to finish the project soonest. According to DOH Director Jose Llacuna said that the initial funding for the new EVRMC is P500 million. Among those present at the groundbreaking were ICTSI

IOM Deputy Director General lauds Phil. Govt for having high capacity to respond during calamities

The International Organization for Migration IOM Deputy Director

General Laura Thompson lauded the Philippine government by having the high capacity to respond during calamities. For an international community to be working with a country that has the specific structure that has been created and has the capacity to respond it is easier for them compared to be arriving to a place that has no structure and governmental affairs is not there, said Thompson. She also lauded the community for having the capacity to listen and to heed. In this sense, the response have been very good. The IOM according to Thompson have been supporting the Philippine government even before typhoon Yolanda, in other emergencies, in other typhoons that had happen before. We do have the experience and the capacity in the Philippines with our staff both local and international, Thompson added. IOM was at the typhoon devastated areas as early as the second day, said Thompson.

This is because, according to Thompson, they have their own office in manila that they were able to deploy their people immediately. IOM was in Tacloban to assess the situation and determine what are the needs of the victims and to to coordinate with Secretary Dinky Soliman to try to assist her and respond and offer their help. Thompson said that 3 months after Yolanda, in her visit she can say that “people are in a better situation now, though there are a lot of things to do we have made a large progress .” Thompson consider their mission here in the Philippines as a good case of response to an emergency situation internationally, “ I think the main reason why the international community in general provide a better response compared to other cases where we have been less effective is the strong capacity of the government” said Thomspon. The government of the Philippines have done a fantastic work, the Philippines have a large capacity of preparedness, Philippines as the 3rd most prone to disaster has put a lot of

emphasis on preparedness it’s been active in the international move for Disaster Preparedness and Reduction. Thompson in her visit to Tacloban said that they are focusing on the areas of early recovery and shelter. Thompson also underscored the importance of coordination between the clusters in the disaster risk reduction and management council , together with the non-government organizations and international organizations for they have a very important role to play in the recovery. Thompson stated that the case in the Philippines became one of the best examples of good coordination between the system and the government. The government has the capacity and has been working in the preparedness program for so long has helped a lot. Even the international community was not expecting that the Philippines has that capacity. The situation here in the Philippines is a good example of how a system can work well. (PIA 8 with Lizbeth Ann Abella)

chairman Enrique Razon Jr. and Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI Head of Asian Region and Head of ICTSI/BRHI Tacloban Rehabilitation Project, as well as Donato Almeda, BRHI and Solaire Director; and Sid Consunji, DMCI President and Luis Pastor, DMCI Vice President. The Eastern Visayas is the oldest government health care facility in Eastern Visayas. Currently, EVRMC has DOH Authorized bed of 275 but implementing at 350 beds to accommodate the influx of patients seeking medical care. However, RA 9793 authorizes EVRMC to upgrade its current 275 beds to 500 beds. It has GAA Provision

of P178 million (PS), P52million for MOOE, P53 million for equipment and P20 million for Infra in 2014. The EVRMC was severely damaged but it was the last hospital standing in Tacloban City because it never closed after Yolanda. The relocation from Magsaysay Boulevard¸Tacloban City to Cabalawan, Barangay Abucay, Tacloban City is in accordance with the passing last December 2013 of Tacloban City Council’s ordinance of a No Build Zone within 40 meters from the shoreline and pursuant to PD 1067 series of 1976 otherwise known as the Water Code of the Philippines. (PIA 8)

8 February 26, 2014

President’s visit a big event for the people of Tanauan, Mayor saysTanauan Mayor PelagioTecson, said that

the officials and the people considers the visit of President Benigno Aquino III is a big event especially because the visit in on time with the 28th Anniversary of EDSA People Power. The visit of the President according to Mayor Tecson is a strong signal that the president is all out to help Tanuan rise from the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda. “We are privileged to have the president here in Tanuan in this special occasion,” said Mayor Tecson. The president together with his cabinet members visited Barangay Pago for the inspection of the permanent relocation site of Tanauan. Tanauan has a very clear rehabilitation and recovery plan already crafted and the road map is very clear. The same has already been shown to Secretary Panfilo Lacson, the Presidential Assistance for Recovery and Rehabilitation, said Tecson. According to him, in his talk to the president he requested the president to continue that road map. In fact, according to Tecson ,there are many projects in the road map that are already supported by the national government and he also thanked the president for these help. Tanauan’s road map focused in three priorities shelter, livelihood and infrastructure. For shelter Tecson said that from the very start their bias has always been in moving fast to build permanent relocation homes, this with the help of Gawad Kalinga, National Housing Authority, and the Department of Public Works and Highways. Mayor Tecson told PIA-8 that the Tanuanon’s who are recipient of the very first permanent relocation homes constructed in Eastern Visayas are very excited especially that they already saw the first few house that were inspected by the president. The house is concrete has its own

toilet, has its own wash area, the place will be a nice subdivision said Tecson with concrete pavement, drainage, lighting system and they will have a basketball court and community facilities. Then most of all the houses with all the facilities will be given free to the recipients.

Tecson added that as of press time there are 1, 200 families who are displaced living in tents and those who cannot go back to their previous dwellings because of the 40-meter no build zone, and they will construct 1, 500 houses more than enough for them. ( PIA 8 with Lizbeth Ann Abella)

President Benigno S. Aquino inspects the permanent relocation site in Brgy. Pago, Tanauan, Leyte, February 25. The President was met by (l-r) Gawad Kalinga executive director Louis Oquiñena, National Housing Authority general manager Chito Cruz and Tanauan mayor Pelagio Tecson. (Vino R. Cuayzon)

President Benigno S. Aquino delivers his message during his visit to the permanent relocation sites in Brgys. Pago and Maribi in Tanauan, Leyte, February 25. His visit to Supertyphoon Yolanda and victims coincided with the 28th EDSA People Power Revolution celebration. (Vino R. Cuayzon)