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VOL. XXV NO. 017

MONDAY JANUARY 07, 2013

P10.00 IN TACLOBAN

INSIDE
NEWS
Phivolcs Palo station likely to relocate to its main oce
news page 2

Noel doubts plan to privatize govt hospitals to be realized

BY

Mayor Codilla proposes desilting of Anilao River, construction of 12-km diversion road
news page 3

PCGG gives up after almost 3 Decades

opinion page 4

TAC L OBA N CITY An Waray party-list Representative Florencio Noel said he is doubtful the bill pushing for the privatization of a number of government hospitals in the country will be approved by the present Congress.
House Bill 6069 seeks to privatize 26 government hospitals in the country including Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, the largest government-run hospital in the region. Rep. Noel said the bill may not have enough time to go through until final reading before Congress goes on recess in time for the campaign period and the elections this year. He added that the Lower House tackled major bills, such as the Reproductive Health bill, before the Christto page 2

Epiphany Question
opinion page 5

Attainment of MDG in 2015 dependent on parents support

news page 7

A BFP award for LGU-Calbayog. Mayor Ronald Aquino beams with smile as he received from Calbayog City Fire Marshal Insp Romeo Jaca the plaque of recognition which the Bureau of Fire Protection awarded to LGU-Calbayog City for its active involvement and constant support for the improved delivery of re safety service in Calbayog. The LGU was cited during the 39th BFP Fire Service Recognition Day. In photo with Mayor Aquino are city administrator Rosario Gonzaga, SFO2 Diosdado Callosa and SFO1 Walter Magbutay.
(CTIO/RONALD L. RICAFORT)

Lingganay, Pasaka Festivals to compete in Sinulog Festival

TACLOBAN CITY Two Leyte festivals will again join in the Sinulog Festival in Cebu City later this month of January. Alangalangs Lingganay Festival will again compete and defend its crown as the grand champion during last years Sinulog, while Tanauans Pasaka Festival will again see action in one of the countrys grandest festival. Lingganay Festival wowed the Cebu crowd and tourists with its fresh and colorful interpretation during the Sinulog 2012. The festival was concepto page 6

Sun and clouds mixed with a slight chance of thunderstorms during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.

weather

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NEWS

Monday, 07 January 2013

Phivolcs Palo station likely to relocate to its main office

PALO, Leyte The Department of Education (DepEd) regional office here said that the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology(Philvocs) station should be removed out of a school grouind, even as the latter elevated its appeal to the formers main office. DepEd Regional Director Luisa BautistaYu said that even with the repeated plea of the Philvocs to let them stay inside the campus of the Arado Elementary School in this town, they still maintain their stand that any nonschool facilities should be taken out. Yu confirmed that Philvocs main office formally asked the DepEd central office last month to issue a special permit to the former to keep their seismic stations inside the school vicinity. Our stand is that the campus should be solely devoted to educational purposes. However, we are willing to support any decision of our top officials, Yu told Leyte Samar Daily Express. The seismic station was established in Baof the much-needed government health services and worsen the already ill state of health of the country. This privatization is seen to only further reduce overall access of the poor to health services, increase the number of seriously-ill people unable to get treatment, and result in more deaths from diseases. House Bill 6069 is authored by Bacolod lone district Representative Anthony Golez Jr. and was filed on March 2012. A similar bill was also filed by Senator Franklin Drilon in the Senate. rangay Arado back in 1970s by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration when geotectonic phenomena monitoring was still under the weather bureaus watch. Philvocs Palo station chief Nemesio Caete said that if the education department will insist to remove their facility, they have no choice but to relocate to their main office in Quezon City. Our present location is very ideal for seismic station since we are on top of bedrock. The 26 government health institutions identified for corporitization are: Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Veterans Regional Hospital, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, Region I Medical Center, Dr. Paulino J. Garcia Memorial Research and Medical Center, Jose B. Lingad Memorial Medical Center, Batangas Regional Hospital, Bicol Medical Center, Bicol Research Training and Teaching Hospital, Quirino Memorial Medical Center, Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Rizal Medi-

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The school is very accessible. We can only find bedrocks in remote areas, which is not a good place to set up an office, he added. The education department has been asking the service institute to relocate their facility for how many years now claiming that it is disruptive to learning. Our facility is also educational. A lot of pupils and students have been coming here for their educational tours, Caete said in a phone interview. (SARWELL Q. MENIANO)

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Noel...
mas break that other proposed legislations stood waiting. Moreover, Rep. Noel said there is a number of protests coming from other legislators for the said bill and may face heated debates from both sides. It still has a long way to go but I doubt it will be passed during this Congress, Rep. Noel said in an interview. Protesters to the bill contend that corporatization of public hospitals will deprive people
from page 1

cal Center, Amang Rodriguez Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Western Visayas Medical Center, Northern Mindanao Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Zamboanga City Medical Center, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, CARAGA Regional Hospital, Davao Regional Hospital, and Mayor Hilarion A. Ramiro, Sr. Regional

Training and Teaching Hospital. The privatization of the 26 hospitals is reportedly the start of the planned privatization of

all government hospitals nationwide in line with President Benigno Aquino IIIs Public-Private Partnership. (AHLETTE C. REYES)

Monday, 07 January 2013

NEWS

Leyte Samar Daily Express

Mayor Codilla proposes desilting of Anilao River, construction of 12-km diversion road
TACLOBAN CITYThe national government stands to lose close to P200 million if his suggestion would not be heeded relative to the implementation of two big-ticket projects in his city. Thus said Ormoc City Mayor Eric Codilla who explained that his proposal is in consonance with the tuwid na daan(straight path) mantra of the administration of President Benigno Aquino. Codilla was referring to the proposed desilting of the Anilao River and the construction of a 12-kilometer diversion road covering about five barangays. The cost for the proposed desilting of the Anilao River, one of the major waterways of Ormoc, is about P92.7 million while construction of a diversion road has a proposed budget cost of P100 million. According to Codilla, the national government through the Department of Public Works and Highways, could save over P100 million if only the Philippine Port Authority (PPA) would be allowed to source the needed gravel and sand for its port expansion program. The port expansion project involving the Ormoc port, meantime, has a budget cost of P130 million. This is my suggestion. If only they will heed by suggestion, the national government can save about P200 million, Codilla said. The Ormoc city mayor also said that the Larrazabal family, whose vast track of lands are to be affected by the diversion road project, had agreed in principle not to ask for any payment. But Codilla said that he was surprised that the Department of Public Works and Highways reportedly allocated about P150 million as payment for land owners who would be affected by the project like the Larrazabal. Codilla said that a similar set up was initiated by his father, Eufrocino Codilla, who was then the mayor of Ormoc who suggested that aggregates excavated from the Malbasag River, which was

DENR to conduct survey of peatland in Basey village

TACLOBAN CITY Seven years after the validation of the Leyte Sab-a Basin as the countrys second confirmed peatland, the government will complete the survey of another peatland in Barangay Dolongan, Basey, Samar this year. Armida Andres, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau country coordinator for peatland said that the area in Samar will be included in the map of confirmed peatlands in the country. Final peatland map then undergoing for an extension of the flood control mitigation project, were dumped to a reclamation project in Barangay Alegria. This set up had resulted for the city government to save about P55 million, he said. According to the city mayor, he had made his suggestion to Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson. Singson, however, did not reply to the text message he sent to him regarding his proposal,Codilla said. Codilla reiterated that he has no other intention with his proposal but only to ensure that public funds would not go to waste. If we can save, then why not, he said. He also stressed that when he made the suggestion, it is not to derail, much more,stop the implementation of either projects. He said that the people of Ormoc are to directly benefit the projects. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

January 2013 at your favorite Mall

The year of the Water Snake wont start sluggish for you and your family at Robinsons Place Tacloban. The same fun and more will be happening this New Year 2013! Watch for the following events at your favorite destination in Tacloban: On January 18, 4pm at the Activity Area, its JUMP IN Dance Contest Grand Finals brought to us by SMART, Cellcom, Bunkang Marketing and Love Radio 91.1; January 19, 5pm at the Activity Area, its time to meet and greet in person Luke of ABS-CBNs Be Careful With My HeartJerome Ponce!; January 20-22, 10am at the Activity Area, its the Autism Society of the Philippines Colors of Spectrum Photo Workshop and Exhibit; January 26, 4pm at the Annex Area, its time to search for Robinsons Singing Star Season 2 1st Elimination finalists; January 31, 5pm at the Annex Area, Robinsons Center Stage Presents a mini dance concert featuring The Battle Dance Showdown 4s Grand Winnerthe G-CLEF Dancers. Plus, dining at the FOODCOURT has never been this rewarding with Pepsi-Foodcourt YULETIDE TREATS Promo. A customer may get a Free Quaker Oaties Oatmeal Cookies for every meal with 16 oz drink of any Pepsi Product. Promo runs until January 23, 2012. See posters or visit the Promo Booth at Level 2 Foodcourt Area of Robinsons Place Tacloban. Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 8495, Series of 2012. Fun never stops at your favorite MallRobinsons Place Tacloban! [PR]

for the country will be out this year, with the completion a four-year assessment of the estimated 70,000 hectares peatland cover in the Philippines. The area became known as peatland area citing the 1975 soil survey in Samar. The ongoing assessment, which started in 2010, also covers swamp forests in Upland Peat, Northern Luzon; Ultramafic Hills, Surigao; Ligawasan Marsh, Brgy. Tan-ag Ilaya, Lopez, Quezon; Sitio Balumbong, Brgy. Perez, Calauan, Laguna; Naujan Lake Marshland, Oriental Mindoro; Pag-asa Peatland; Talacogon Peatland; and Bunawan Peatland. We were told by the ASEAN Peatland Forests Project that there are about 70,000 hectares of peatland in the country, which is way beyond the 20,000 hectares confirmed peatland in our map, Andres said in an interview. The country has two confirmed peatlands: Agusan Marsh with more than 16,000 hectares and the Leyte Sab-a Basin with nearly 4,000 hectares. Both areas were confirmed in the 2005 validation. The map of confirmed peatlands would guide policy makers and implementers to effectively manage these swamp forest - when left ignored - can contribute to wild forest fire, flooding, and haze pollution, she added. Andres said that there is practically zero knowledge on peatlands at the start of the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS)

implementation in 2005. We really need help in identifying and verifying where exactly the reported peatlands are and in building its capacity for peatlands management, she added. The country started its participation in the consultation workshop for the development of the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS) held in Malaysia in May 2005. The assessment is part of the ASEAN Peatland Forest Project funded through the International Fund for Agriculture Development and Global Environment Facility. Peatlands are wetland ecosystems where partially decomposed organic matter accumulates over thousands of years under water logged conditions to form carbon-rich soil, or peat. Over the past 30 years, peat swamp forests have been increasingly cleared, drained and degraded as a result of unsustainable forestry and agricultural practices. An estimated 13 million hectares in Southeast Asia have been impacted and often degraded by legal and illegal logging activity which often involves drainage of the peat during the extraction process, and over exploitation of forest resources. Peatland fires and their associated haze have had the most severe negative impact on the environment, socioeconomic and health.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)

Leyte Samar Daily Express

OPINION

Monday, 07 January 2013

Leyte Samar

DAILY EXPRESS
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The Leyte Samar Daily Express is published daily with editorial and business ofces at G/F Knights of Columbus Bldg., 187 P. Zamora St. Tacloban City CONTACT Tel. Nos. 321-4833/ 523-7373 Fax. (053) 321-5591 WEBSITE leytesamardaily.net EMAIL ADDRESS

EDITORIAL

Its political combat, the main event in the Year of the Water

hatever significance the Year of the Water and among our people who listen to them that snake is among our people, it certainly after they shall have chosen their elected leader EDITORIAL pales in comparison to the forthcoming better days may yet come indeed. Money plays a very important role in eleclsdaily2@yahoo.com May elections, the usual most awaited event in the tions. Candidates spend a fortune to produce land. campaign materials and employ media outlets ADVERTISING While the legal date for the formal conduct of po- to project their better image, especially to make lsdaily_ads@yahoo.com litical campaigns will still be in March, media out- known their commendable intentions for good lets; prints, broadcast, television and interpersonal in their quest for an elective post. That is what All rights reserve. Except as permitted by communication have already made some subtle re- it should be, anyway. leases and shaded public pronouncements aimed at law, no part of Leyte Samar Daily But if candidates stack up money to buy Express may be re-produced or distributed increasing the level of awareness of voters who the votes to win, that should be a no no in true candidates are, their platforms, and suggested inno- democratic elections. That is prostitution of the in any form or by any means stored in a vations for a better led governance. database or retrieval system without its ballot; therefore immoral. And what is worse in Every candidate during elections appears to be the the elections Philippine style is that is a reality prior written permission from the long-awaited Messiah who has in his fingertips the here. publisher. ready solution to our age-old problems of dishonesty We pray that such practice should be a thing and incompetence of some elected public officials of the past as we venture into a straight path Commentaries from readers whose not only in the way of governance but most esidentities they prefer to remain anonymous when they go out speaking before their audience. By and large its the season of building hopes for pecially in our private lives. can be accommodated as blind items. It will be our editorial prerogative, however, to verify the veracity of such commentaries before publication.

PCGG gives up after almost 3 decades

Letters should be as brief as possible, and sent with the writers name,signature address and phone numbers (if any) to: Letters to the Editor, Leyte Samar Daily Express, They may be edited for length and clarity.

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The Marcos clan, to include the Romualdez family can replicate privately, together with their loyal cronies of course, a similar New Year revelry observed last Tuesday world-wide. Why? The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) has announced their proposal to end their quest to recover the Marcos loot. -oOoWith over half of the alleged $10 billion (repeat: billion dollars) stolen wealth apparently committed by President/dictator Ferdinand Edralin Marcos and his cronies from our poor Philippine nation still unaccounted for, we

Observer
ALVIN GZ. ARPON can not help but feel frustrated and should unite in collective anger at realizing governments apparent weakness and inutility in running after this nations greatest plunderer who ranks at par, if not above other leaders of other countries who shamelessly committed similar thievery. -oOoThat is almost 30 years of looking for those hidden wealth and running after perpetrators, all

under anti-Marcos Presidents, with the exception of President Erap Estrada who romped away with a landslide victory for President, but only served an abbreviated term since he was also ousted from that exulted position via People Power II allegedly committing a similar infraction. -oOoIf at all, the nation can be consoled that since 1986 PCGG has recovered some P164 billion ($4 billion) from some of the Marcos
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Monday, 07 January 2013

OPINION
PCGG...
from page 4

Leyte Samar Daily Express

some hidden wealth were recovered though, a telling sign and of unearthed unquestionable evidences of unparalleled big-time dishonesty, but not one of them have seen prison bars. -o0oAnd the most spectacular albeit nauseating scenery in our midst is their easy resurrection to political power. Imelda, the amboyant former rst lady is Congress Representative of Ilocos Norte, eldest daughter Imee Marcos is governor of Ilocos Norte, and the namesake of the late President/dictator, his only son Ferdinand Romualdez Bongbong Marcos is senator of the republic and he is reported to be salivating and may yet

The RH Law

From A Distance
joey e. clarin A suit was filed before the Supreme Court against the new Reproductive Health (RH) Law which was signed into law by President Aquino last Dec. 21, 2012. Lawyer James and Ann Imbong filed a case assailing the constitutionality of the law. The RH law mandates the state to provide reproductive health services, including access to contraceptives and information on family planning to couples that ask for it and appropriate sex education to school children. The Imbongs petitioned the Supreme Court to stop the government from enforcing the law. In their petition for certiorari and prohibition, the Imbongs said the law introduced policies that negate and frustrate the foundational ideals and aspirations of the Filipino people. The law is to take effect on Jan. 17 or 15 days after its publication. Rep. Edcel Lagman, the principal author of the law belittled the petition saying it was premature

because it seeks to prevent the implementation of a law which is not yet in effect. If we read the Constitutions it mandates the protection of the life of the unborn from conception. In other words, no less than this constitution acknowledges that life begins when conception sits in and it is upon conception that there is an unborn which is entitled to protection. This suit is a good opportunity to explain to the people the merits of the law. This petition of the Imbongs is non-sense. It is based on shewed and distorted reading of the RH law. I could sense that this petition has something to do with the stand of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). James Imbong is the son of CBCP legal counsel Jo Imbong.

Epiphany Question

Commentary
juan mercado

Araw Ng Tatlong Hari or Feast of the Three Kings, is marked here on first Sunday of the new year. Liturgically, this is known as the Epiphany. That translates into revelation of God the Son as a baby laid on a manger . Day after Epiphany, many take down their belens and switch off Christmas lights. Others keep them until February 2. But Epiphany stirs old questions. Behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? Matthew wrote. For we have seen His star at its rising and have come to worship Him. Was the Star of Beth-

lehem a comet? An alignment of planets? It led the Magi, as historian Horacio De La Costa put it, to go on a fools errand, to a Prince they have not seen, in a country they do not know., recalls the weekly newspaper Mabuhay. Science is unraveling the mystery behind one of the most famous stories in astronomical history, says a British Broadcasting Corporation report. New technology allows (scientists) to map ancient night skies with extraordinary accuracy. Theyre looking at a number of unusual events the Magi could have seen.Experts now challenge a traditional claim: that the star was a comet. Halleys Comet appeared about 12 BC. Chinese and

Korean star-gazers, around 5 BC, reported a blazing object. For over 70 days, it didnt budge. Could the Star have been a rare triple conjunction of planets in 7 BC? asks Dr. David Hughes of University of Sheffield. Jupiter and Saturn came together thrice, over several months, that year. An ancient clay tablet, now displayed in the British Museum, describes this merging, BBCs Rebecca Ellis adds. They were probably astrologers from Persia There is evidence that Persian astronomers predicted this conjunction. Professor Hughes adds. They combined science with faith to predict the birth of a new Messiah A particularly striking conjunction occurred in June 17, 2B.C, Ed Krupp of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles told National Geographic. For skywatchers, at that time, it looked like a massive, single star. Matthew writes when the Magi found the Child with Mary his mother, they opened their bags and offered him gifts of gold, in-

investments New York real estate, Imeldas fantabulous collection of jewelry, and some $600 M stashed in secret unnumbered Swiss banks 26 years after. -oOoThe Dept. of Justice is recommended to assume the task left by PCGG after Congress abolishes it. With barely three years left of the PNoy presidency, we doubt if his administration will succeed in successfully recovering all these Marcos-ill-gotten wealth and of course and most especially put guilty heirs and cronies involved in the thievery behind bars. Wishful thinking it is!!!? -oOoCome to think of it. If we pay a visit to our jails countrywide we will see and count how many government employees are incarcerated therein, who committed crimes of dishonesty, like stealing few pesos from government coffers and other employees dismissed from public service of smaller offenses even earning perpetual disqualification to re-enter public service. Their dishonest takes are but a minuscule. Everybody equal before the law? My eye!!! -o0o In the Marcos case, cense and mrryh. --- ancient symbols of divinity, kingship --- and pain. Inheriting Spanish tradition, Filipinos call the Magi Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar. The Magi upset the elite of their day. Herod was greatly disturbed and ---- note this --- with him all the people in Jerusalem. He hurriedly summoned leaders to what Filipino politicians today would dub a caucus or pulong-pulong. Where would this Messiah be born?, he demanded of experts who had the answer down pat: In the town of Bethlehem And they cited verse and line from scriptures to back their stand. But they didnt move out of their comfort zones. They did nothing. It was business-as-usual then. Will it be business as usual in 2013? Pew Research Centers Forum on
to page 6

become President of the Philippines. Also in our midst is the handsome highly urbanized city Mayor of Tacloban Alfred Romualdez, nephew of the Conjugal Dictatorship. -oOoTacloban highly urbanized city Vice Mayor Lawyer Arvin Antoni capped this development with this statement: Then the truism that crime does not pay just lost its potency in the countrycrime after all pays especially when the crime committed is the rape of our precious government coffers and only when perpetrated under the deposed (Conjugal) Dictatorship.

The Sower
Monday after Epiphany 1 Jn 3:22-4:6; Ps 2; Mt 4:12-17, 23-25

THE BEGINNING OF THE GALILEAN MINISTRY

When [Jesus] heard that John arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,/ Galilee of the Gentiles,/ the people who sit in the darkness/ have seen a great light,/ on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death/ light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. His fame spread to all of Syria, and they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them. And great crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.

TEST THE SPIRIT

A teacher once asked a class of ten-year olds to write down a definition of religious faith. It was a quite a challenge for them. Nevertheless, one little boy wrote: Faith is believing what you know is not true. If that is so, is faith a blind leap into the dark? For example, why do we believe that Jesus is God? St. John says, Every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come into the flesh of God (1 Jn 4:2). Is he referring to blind faith? NO. His own faith in Christ came from his personal contact with Christ and the grace of God. He was one of those people who lived in darkness and had seen a great light (Mt 4:16). Hence his faith was an enlightened and discerning faith. Our own faith has to be the same. Not a blind one. That is why St. John warns us, Not every spirit is to be trusted and asks us to test the spirits to see whether they are of God (1 Jn 4:1). Suppose there is big decision to be made: should one persuade ones still sprightly mother to put a badly senile father in a nursing home, so that she can be relieved of an almost unbearable burden? There may be a dozen reasons for and against. The family needs discernment of spirits in the presence of God. When the family approaches God in prayer, he makes them free. In that freedom they will be able to see more clearly what is good for the person in question and for the good of the whole family. They will cease to be selfish and the right course of action will emerge, because the Spirit of God who makes them children of God sets them free. (His Word is Life by Vima Dasan, S.J. published by Paulines. Visit us at www.paulines.ph or at Paulines Media Center, Real St., Tacloban City. Tel. #321-3195) Sowers Seeds: God has a particular design over each one of us; if we give God our support we will carry out his design and attain our happiness. Blessed James Alberione, Founder of the Pauline Family

Prayer for the Nation and for Those who Serve in Public Ofce
God, our Father, you guide everything in wisdom and love. Accept the prayers we offer for our nation; by the wisdom of our leaders and integrity of our citizens, may harmony and justice be secured and may there be lasting prosperity and peace. Almighty and eternal God, You know the longings of our hearts and You protect our rights. In your goodness, watch over those in authority, so that people everywhere may enjoy freedom, security and peace. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. (Courtesy of Daughters of St. Paul)

Pray the Holy Rosary daily for world peace and conversion of sinners (The family that prays together stays together)

Leyte Samar Daily Express

May the king of peace turn his gaze to the new leaders of the Peoples Republic of China for the lofty task that awaits them, the pontiff said.. I hope it will enhance the contribution of religions, in respect to each, so that they can contribute to the construction of a society of solidarity for the benefit of that noble people and of the whole world. `Chinese leaders issued, just before Christmas, 8,330 copies of a 16-page secret order, from the Communist Partys Central Committee. This directed universities to root out foreigners seeking to converting students to Christianity, Reuters reported. The document singles out Christianity as particularly dangerous and the US leads the effort. No other country or religion is mentioned by name, Reuters notes.. Buddhism and Taoism are now supported by the government to some degree, Christians remain a source of contention, along with Tibetan Buddhists, Uighur Muslims and Falun Gong practitioners. In his 1927 poem The Journey of the Magi, TS Eliot has one of the Magi, reflecting years after they were warned against returning to Herod. They made their to their country by another way. We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,/ But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,/ With an alien people clutching their gods. Life was never the same, after being led by a star to this Child. (Email: juan_mercado77@yahoo. com )

Epiphany...
from page 5

NEWS Lingganay...
from page 1

Monday, 07 January 2013

Republic of the Philippines MUNICIPALITY OF CATARMAN Province of Northern Samar

Religion & Public Life just published The Global Religious Landscape This study is anchored on analysis of 2,500 national censuses in 230 countries and territories . Among other conclusions, it finds that today that there are 2.2 billion Christians. Those who say the heed the Child of Bethlehem make up make up 32% of the worlds population. Breakdown of other major faiths: 1.6 billion Muslims ( 23%), 1 billion Hindus ( 15% ), nearly 500 million Buddhists ( 7% ) and 14 million Jews ( 0.2%) Fully 97% of all Hindus live in India, Mauritius and Nepal. Nearly nine-inten Christians ( 87%) are found in the worlds 157 Christian-majority countries. Theyre also the most evenly dispersed. Europe (26%), Latin America and the Caribbean (24%) and sub-Saharan Africa (24%). Three out of every four, who cluster in Asia and the Pacific, are religiously unaffiliated (76%). In China, the number of creed-less people crests at about 700 million. Thats more than twice the total US population. `In his Christmas message Urbi et Orbi, Benedict XVI addressed a direct appeal to the leaders in Beijing, in a particularly difficult time. Uneasy relations between the Holy See and China, became more tense after Beijing last year forced sacking of Shanghai auxiliary bishop Ma Daqin.

tualized in 1995 based on the legend of the towns lost golden bell. The legend says that when the Moro pirates surprised the people, they tried to flee away with the bell. Aside from winning the grand prize, Lingganay Festival was also named as the contingent with the best costume and best in musicality. The Lingganay contingent already started practice even during as the Christmas season to fully prepare for the Sinulog competition. Lingganay earned the right to represent the province in the Sinulog Festival as it won the first place in the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival in June 2012. Tanauans Pasaka Festival was Pintados-Kasadyaans second place winner thus likewise earning the right to join in Cebu this year. Pasaka was also a contingent in the Sinulog 2012 and its lead dancer Nerissa Modesto was named Festival Queen first runner-up in the Festival Queen competition. The Sinulog Festival

BIDS AND AWARDS COMMITTEE

INVITATION TO APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID
The Local Government Unit of Catarman, Northern Samar, invites interested parties/suppliers to Apply for Eligibility and to Bid for the Supply and Delivery of 700 pcs. Tricycle Plates w/ Picture and 1,500 pcs. Business Plates w/ Picture with an Approved Budget for the Contract of P500,000.00 (Source of Fund: 2011 Gen. Fund Budget). Eligibility/Prequalification Forms and Bid Documents shall be available for issuance on the dates shown below and upon payment of non-refundable amount of P1,000.00. * Submission of LOI and Issuance of Eligibility/ Prequalification Forms * Deadline of Submission of duly accomplished Eligibility/Prequalification Forms * Issuance of Bid Documents * Pre-Bid Conference * Dropping/Opening of Bids January 14, 2013 January 15, 2013 Janauary 16, 2013 January 17, 2013 January 25, 2013

-ooOoo-

All particulars relative to Eligibility, Bid Bond, Performance Bond, Pre-bid Conference, Bid Evaluation and Award of Contracts shall be governed by the Provisions of the IRR of RA 9184. The Local Government Unit of Catarman, Northern Samar, reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any minor defect therein, and accept the offer most advantageous to the Local Government Unit. The Local Government Unit of Catarman, Northern Samar assumes no responsibility whatsoever to compensate or indemnify the bidders for any expenses incurred in the preparation of the bid. (Sgd.) MR. SANDY C. BALITE LGU-BAC Chairman
EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH PARTITION

LSDE: January 7 & 14, 2013

is held every third Sunday of January where millions of tourists and devotees of the Sr. Sto. Nino flock to Cebu for the grand parade and competition as well as the religious festivities.
(AHLETTE C. REYES)

NOTICE is hereby given that heirs of late Cornelio Daylo extrajudicially settled, partitioned and adjudicated over 2 parcels of land, both situated at Brgy. Salvacion, Alangalang, Leyte, described as: 1) Parcel 1, Cad Lot No. 2554, containing an area of 13.3362 has. more or less, and covered by Tax Dec. No. 08-02-042-00045; Parcel 2, Cad. Lot No. 2711 containing an area of 2.4479 has., more or less and covered by Tax Dec. No. 08-02-042-00046; per Doc. No. 569, Page No. 56, Book No. VII, Series of 2010 of Notary Public Atty. Leodegario Alimanguhan. LSDE: January 7, 14 & 21, 2013

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Monday, 07 January 2013

Attainment of MDG in 2015 dependent on parents support

PALO, Leyte The ability of the region to attain universal primary education target under United Nat i on s - s p o n s o re d Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in 2015, is largely dependent on support of parents, a top official of the Department of Education (DepEd) said. Regional Director Luisa BautistaYu said that parents cooperation is critical in convincing all school-aged children to actively participate in schools, even as hope dims for universal education by 2015 based on the recent enrollment report. The target is still attainable as long as all stakeholders, especially parents, will push children to pursue basic education, Yu told Leyte Samar Daily Express. Elementary education enrollment in impoverished provinces of Samar Island has decreased by 10.36% this year, a setback from attaining universal primary education target under MDG. Samar province recorded the highest enrollment decrease from previous school year to present (111,355 to 91,896), Eastern Samar (79,306 to 67,374), and Northern Samar (119,111 to 118,379). Citing the 2009 survey, the National Statistical Coordination Board said that Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Samar are considered the top poorest in Region 8 with poverty incidence of 54%, 51.2%, and 45%, respectively. The enrollment decline of three Samar provinces has affected the performance of Eastern Visayas. Number of children studying in elementary slightly went down from 709,835 in 2011 to 707,315 this school year. Poverty is the main reason that affects childrens ability to go to school but we can overcome this challenge with the support of all stakeholders, Yu added. She claimed that they have no problem with beneficiaries of Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), considering that parents are compelled to send their children to school to receive continuing financial assistance. But not all children belong to 4Ps families and we have

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to look for them, Yu added. Under MDG, the government is eyeing that 100% of elementary age children should finish basic education. As of last school year, the region has a participation rate of 90.4%, survival rate

of 66.5%, and completion rate of 67.3%. The DepEd regional office is still processing data for this school year. The United Nations reported that enrolment in primary education has continued to rise in developing countries like Philippines. But the pace of progress is insuficient to ensure that, by 2015, all girls and boys complete a full course of primary schooling.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)

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Monday, 07 January 2013