Kangleon who hails from Macrohon town which is about 15 kilometers away from Maasin city proper is not only a local war hero but also a national hero of significant prominence. He was a Guerilla Commander in the whole island of Leyte during the World War 2 when he was a soldier. It was also noted that he was in constant clandestine contact with General Douglas McArthur who was in Australia for logistics and ammunition support for the Guerillas in the entire island of Leyte. The armed support from the American General Commander of the Pacific were coursed and secretly delivered to the Guerillas via Submarine called M/V Nautilus that landed near the sea facing Macrohon.

Fierce fighting between the Japanese Imperial army and the combined forces of Americans and Filipinos have occurred in various areas of Leyte, of which at that time, it was not yet divided by boundaries of the current two provinces of Leyte Province and the Province of Southern Leyte.

When Douglas McArthur arrived in Leyte with fleet of battle ships in fulfilment of his promise, “I Shall Return”, the late Col. Ruperto Kangleon was there welcoming him. On that memorable day, the arriving American General Commander pinned on him the Distinguished Service Cross by the United States of America.

The American soldiers arrived in Dulag and Palo via barges and pettiboats after American battle ships from afar cleared the area by the continual bombardment of cannons and dropping of bombs from fighter planes.

The late Ruperto Kadava Kangelon is not only a national hero but also recognized and respected war hero of international scale. He gave honor and prestige to the Southern Leyteños as the first and only Southern Leyteño Senator. He was later appointed by President Roxas as the Secretary of National Defense during his active career in the Government Service.

His incorruptible reputation and good records as public servant is widely known in the country. It is also important, it was said, for the younger generations of Southern Leyteños to know and be reminded of the exemplary achievements of the late Ruperto Kadava Kangleon (1890-1958) as an outstanding military officer and World War 2 Guerrilla Commander in the entire Leyte Island who is worthy of emulation by all.

The heroic war exploits of Southern Leyteño war hero, including that of the Guerrillas during the war have greatly contributed much to the victory of the war against the foreign invasion. And the said exploits serve as the gratitude of all Southern Leyteños in particular and in the country in general.

Lourdes Bantug, Governor Damian Mercado’s Office Secretary informed that Mercado had already signed the SP resolution approving the 2 ordinances endorsed by the abovementioned organizations. Letters of communication were already sent to all Chief Executives of the one city and 18 municipalities, including all public and private schools in the entire province.

Recommendation

Furthermore, some concerned citizens recommended that DepEd would make the two books written about the late war hero Ruperto Kangleon as part of their reading materials of the students in both private and public schools in all levels-elementary, high school, and colleges. The books that tackled about the life of RKK as a citizen, a soldier and as a public servant who showed to the world the love of one’s country and God need to be reinforced in the minds and hearts of our present generations of Filipinos.

The two books entitled “Love Of Country (Saga of Ruperto K. Kangleon and the Leyte Guerillas) by Atty. Joaquin G. Chung, Jr., copyright 1989 and “The Soldier and Statesman” by Alfonso J. Aluit, copyright 2001, are worthy references and reading books on excellent soldiery and statesmanship that every student, professor, researcher, writer, anthropologist and avid reader should include in their reading.

Our youth, they averred, need good leaders to look up to whose characters and deeds are worthy of emulation. We have been taught from time and again while in school about the lives of Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo, Andres Bonifacio, Apolinario Mabini (the sublime paralytic), Marcelo Lopez Jaena, etc.

Now is the time to consider other heroes that we have in the past but still remain unknown because no-one had ever written about their lives. Writers and researches should start now their literary journey which is the gathering of the vast field of untapped valuable materials about our silent heroes in the country. They are not only in Luzon area, but also in the Visayas and Mindanao regions.

Good Models

Our young and younger generations of Filipinos need good models of leadership because they are the ones who will replace the old ones when they will have departed from this life. The past heroes we have learned in schools are not sufficient models to the present batch of the younger generations of Filipinos. They need other heroes to look up to as source of inspiration, courage and honesty. The search for heroes in various fields of endeavour who will serve as models for our youth should not be confined only in Luzon area alone. The search for heroes by our writers, scholars and researchers as sources of materials in writing books about their lives should not imposed delineations of regionalistic boundaries. But rather be made encompassing down to the nooks and crannies of the entire country, Irrespective of their regional languages and classifications.

If a hero’s life is colored with good acts and deeds like honesty, compassion, generosity, hard work, courage and dedication to his/her calling then his/hers is a good material for writing a book for the young and the old readers alike. Thus the two books regarding RKK’s life as a soldier and statesman should be mass produced with permission from the authors. These are for distributions/acquisitions to all public and private schools throughout the country.

These 2 books should also be made available nationwide in bookstores in all cities of every province so that readers, students, teachers and professors can buy them for reading and as reference books. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

In his less than two-hour inspirational speech before the audience also composed of STI staff, parents, friends and relatives of the graduating students, he mentioned great men who at the start were unknown individuals but later became great men. This include actor Jacky Chan, Abraham Lincolm, Winston Churchill, Alexander The Great, American Inventor Thomas Alba Edison and our very own pound-for-pound boxing icon Emmanuel “Manny” Catedral Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao, started from a mere amateur boxer, he gradually rises to become the world’s first Filipino boxer to conquer ten boxing divisions in his career. His coming fight during the first week of May with Mosley would determine how great he is in the field of sports’ self-punishing profession.

He disclosed that all of the great men he mentioned have experienced series of failures in their lives, yet they did not give up. But with patience and determination, they continue to push and push until they have reached their goals for success. He also implied that all of the great men he has mentioned have one thing in common: they have possessed the virtue of being positive in attitude and outlook in life.

Duarte also informed the graduates that they are lucky because they are now in an era of modern technological emergence which changed entirely the methodology of humankind’s workforce. Before the advent of modern science and technology, he said, man’s works were commonly done manually. It makes man’s way of working things more easy and distant communication and transactions with the outside world is just a call and click away. Thus,making distant nations shrink and become more closer to each other, leading to the coined phrase like ‘global community” or “global village”, he stressed.

Distribution of diplomas to the graduates for the 19 DIT (Diploma in Information Technology), 10 CET(Computer and Electronics Technology), 41 HRS (Hospitality and Restaurant Services), 18 PESFA(Private Education Students Fund Assistance) scholars and 4 Octoberian graduates (IT and HRS) was led by STI-Maasin President and Chief Executive Officer Nestor Sy, Sr. and assisted by Faculty Head Hilario Mobe, School Administrator Effie Naida Sy -Visaya, TESDA Director Rolando Juanillo and Dr. Jude Duarte.

The STI President and CEO has also handed over special and academic awards to 10 students-graduates of IT and 12 HRS graduates.

Class Valedictorian Raphael Alexander Plasabas, CIT graduate in his valedictory short speech thanked first of all his parents for their moral and financial support. He also expressed his thanks to his classmates for their camaraderie and friendship during their years of schooling as well as the moral support of his friends and relatives.

However, the honored valedictorian chose not to reveal his strategic plan or scheme on how he could get a job with his IT skill.

Earlier, the STI CEO handed over plaque of appreciations to SLSU’s Dr. Duarte and TESDA Director Juanillo. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

This was the disclosure of former SP member Jason Calva, the undefeated third termer, now works as a Capitol Consultant to the provincial government, during the recent session held at the provincial capitol here.

Calva revealed that Governor Mercado had a discussion with the Vice-President in Manila during his visit there, the latter being the Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC). He said Binay wanted to see personally the province of Southern Leyte for such plan of the aforesaid project.

above image shows the HUDCC projects (outside Southern Leyte)
during the time of Vice President Noli de Castro.
Image credit: hudcc.gov.ph

He said HUDCC is an umbrella organization of the LHURB and the National Housing Authority and other housing institutions of the national government. The housing institution, he said, was created thru Executive Order no. 19 dated Dec. 17, 1986 of which the Chairmanship is usually handled by the Vice-President.

The former SP Financial Chair claimed that Binay has committed 100 to 150 housing units for the province. The earmarked budget is something like P36M or more.

Asked by SP Albert Esclamado if the province has to put a counterpart, Calva answered in the affirmative, saying a lot where the housing units are to be constructed. That is, any LGU recipient would have to provide a lot as counterpart, he said.

The Consultant also made clear to Esclamado that if the project would materialize in the near future, the number of housing units would be distributed in selected municipalities after it would be identified by a task force formed and approved by the Governor.

However, SP Teopisto Rojas,Jr. has revealed that in Metro Manila where similar projects were existing, housing units that were distributed to the lower middle class were in the form of soft loans, but not for free.

Calva told Rojas and the rest of SP members, that according to the information he got in the HUDCC’s website relative to the housing program, if beneficiaries are considered indigents and certified by the DSWD, it would be a grant to them, as it was in other provinces. But for the higher income families like some of the beneficiaries in Metro Manila, he said, the procedure in acquiring might be similar.

In answer to Esclamado if the HUDCC Chair or its staff will be the one to identify the recipients, Calva clarified that it would be the provincial government, while the only role of the former is to provide the housing units in accordance with its specifications.

Moreover, the third termer SP member reiterated the earlier call of Binay for the SP to pass a resolution addressing it immediately to the latter’s office for approval.(Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

The District Engr. Carlos Veloso told the PIA that PhP149 Million has been allocated by the department for the rehabilitation of the said section of the Highway and he will be going to the DPWH Regional Office and will try to press the office for the concreting of the road instead of just asphalting it.

It was noted that the said section of the Maharlika Highway was rehabilitated already by asphalting it. The rehabilitation was completed on 2006. However, it seems that the asphalting did not follow the standard quality which should survive up to 10 years or a minimum of 5 years because in just 6 months after asphalting the road, it got eroded already.

This was the disclosure of PENRMO head Eva Abad during the SP’s recent session held at SP session hall. She said that the P1.3M will be a grant from GTZ, the P263, 000.00 will be the counterpart of the province. While the P32, 000.00 counterparts will be shared by the involving 8 municipalities, which is for the hauling of seedling production from the sources to the sites.

Abad pointed out that the province’s counterpart is already part of the provincial government’s Annual Investment Program for 2011 under the PENRMO Coastal Fisheries Resource Management.

The PENRMO head also stressed that the amount of P263, 000.00 will be used for the technical trainings and information education program to the concerned barangays and municipalities. Whereas the GTZ funds will be for buying the materials and cash payments for the beneficiaries who will engage in seedling production and planting.

Earlier, she further informed the SP members that a resolution is needed authorizing Governor Damian Mercado to sign the Financial Agreement or MOA, which she said, is substantial and binding, so that the project can be implemented at the soonest possible time.

She clarified that with the greenbelt project, the provincial government thru her office is responsible in implementing in the municipal level. While the municipalities that are involved will assist the Barangay Councils in the selection of beneficiaries’ lists based on the established criteria.

Specifically, she emphasized that the role of the province in the project is to supervise, monitor and access the funds for them to really implement the mangrove rehabilitation program.

The places involved are one city and 7 municipalities, namely, Maasin City, which has the biggest mangrove area of the province, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Bontoc, Sogod, Libagon, San Juan and Silago. Two other municipalities that are going to be involved in seedling production only are Liloan and St. Bernard.
Furthermore, another PENRMO staff has divulged that the MOA was finally signed by the incumbent Governor and that recently the SLMGP project will be implemented sometime in February of the current year.

According to Abad the objectives of the project are the following:

1. To promote the mangrove resources that are the major source of foods of fishes in the coastal zone. Lots of mangrove trees can produce more foods for our fishes;
2. To mitigate the effect of climate change which is globally a major threat to human life;
3. More mangroves trees in coastal areas will protect coastal communities from typhoon surges, tsunamis and other impact of climate change;
4. To promote awareness in our communities on the importance of our environment and active involvement in our EFOs in the government side.

By: Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.

He also added that they already had requested the Coast Guard Maritime Environmental Protection Group – Central Eastern Visayas. The oil response team had been sent already to the Ro-ro port terminal in Barangay Benit, San Ricardo, Southern Leyte.

Last July 28, there are 147 passengers and crews of the M/V Ocean Kings II were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard and San Ricardo Rescue Team after the roro vessel run aground in the coast of Barangay Benit, San Ricardo at early afternoon.

According to Master Chief Petty Officer Dancel, the ferryboat left  Lipata (Surigao City) Ferry Terminal at 12 noon on that day. When the vessel reached the Balongbalong point, it was hit by the 7 feet (estimated) high waves that caused the water to ingress.

It was learned that grounding the ship at the coast of the Barangay Benit is the decision of the ship captain, Captain Zaldy Angot, upon learning that his ship had problem in turning back and that the water had entered already the ship. So instead of going straight to Liloan Ferry Terminal the ship captain decided to revert its route to the Benit Roro Port but did not reach the port, instead run aground.

Out of 121 passengers, 2 of them are children and the ship was carrying 16 rolling cargoes including 2 buses.

It was also learned that the M/V Ocean King II was the one boarded by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during the inaugauration of the Benit Roro Port of San Ricardo, Southern Leyte on April 2009.

(Report by Jade G. Nombrado/ English Translation by Sustines Laplana /Image credit to Southern Leyte Balita)

This was the disclosure of Engr. Fernando Moralde, the Provincial Engineering Office head, before the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members who invited him and his colleagues during their recent session held at the provincial capitol here (April 13, 2009) to shade light on the on-going project. He was accompanied by Engr. Nelson Tan, Assistant Provincial Engineer, who accepts the plan and preparation of work; Engr.Brigido Eway, in-charge of the planning division office and construction of vertical structures; Engr. Alfonso Bantug, project in-charged of the Legislative Building.

He told the SP members that since there were no immediate available funds of P18M at the time of the construction work of the building, they have decided to do it phase by phase. He said that phases one and two have already been done and that they are now on its third and last phase of construction works.

Asked about the details of their earlier works, the Engineer said that phase one has covered the construction of foundations, tie beams, columns, some of the beams of the upper portion of the building and masonry works.

While phase two involved the construction of concrete structures, completion of the beams and of the roof decks, skyline roofing, continuation of masonry works,walling,partitions,roof framing, electrical installations, plumbing system and tile works of all the rooms.

Moralde revealed that Congressman Roger Mercado has contributed P2M for the phase three construction works which is now undergoing. The scope of work has covered the tiling of the whole flooring of the building, excavation, construction of septic vaults, drainage around the building, some electrical works, continuation of plumbing and painting.

Another amount of P2M was also allocated for the construction of session hall, slabs and framings and for partial glass covers.

The project in-charge of the Legislative Building, Engr.Alfonso Bantug claimed that the building needs more or less 277 square foot of glass covers. This would amount to P850.00 per sq. foot, he said, based on their canvassing results conducted from various stores.

Moralde said that if ever there’s an additional works of glass coverings, he recommended that the scope of work be implemented thru the supply-and–install system. He said that by this scheme, “we can bill directly to the glass suppliers and not anymore to the contractors”.

On the other hand, Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo, 11, also divulged that he has set aside P1.5M from their 2009 capital outlay for the furniture fixtures and air-conditioning of the one-storey building.

When the PEO head was asked by the Vice-Governor how far they have gone in their works, he said that the Legislative Building is now 80% accomplish.

Other works to b e done in the building are wall cladding, lights installation,water proofing/roof slab, wood works and carpentry, stainless railings, landscaping and the making of parking area.

Further queried by SP Albert Esclamado why the one-storey Legislative Building cost more than the two-storey Provincial Disaster Management Center building, which was also constructed within the Capitol Site. Moralde explained that PDMC’s floor area is only 150 square meters with an estimated cost of P20,000.00 per sq.m.Whereas the Legislative Building has occupied an area of 800 square meters at P20,000.00 per square meter.

He also said that the kind of materials they were using in the construction of PDMC is “below par” compared to the materials they were using in the LB.

If there will be no interruption whatsoever in our third phase of construction, “we would like that the Legislative Building will be finished before July 1,2009,which is one of the “highlights” of the province of Southern Leyte’s 49th founding anniversary celebration”,Moralde said. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)

WiMAX or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access is a telecommunication technology that provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully mobile internet access. It is much faster and more affordable compared to the existing Globe Broadband products which can be availed at PhP795 per month in 512KBPS speed and PhP1,295 in 1MBPS.

Currently, the WiMAX is already available in select areas in Metro Manila; Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and Quezon in southern Luzon; Cebu, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Silay City in the Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao. And this will be available by the end of the year in areas like Rizal, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, and Bataan in Luzon; and Bohol, Iloilo, Leyte, Guimaras, Capiz, and Negros in the Visayas.

But the question is: Is it really reliable compared to the existing Globe Broadband connection here in Leyte? Well, we can’t tell yet as long as we haven’t tested this new technology.

This was the disclosure of Vice-Governor Miguel Maamo, 11 in an interview at his office at the provincial capitol here.

He said prior to the inauguration and the blessing of the project, advanced party like the Presidential Security Guards and the Presidential Management staff were sent to the place. Tarpaulins were also distributed to the 4 Chief Executives of Liloan, San Francsico, Pintuyan and San Ricardo that were posted in strategic locations of the island.

“PGMA arrived in brgy. Binet aboard a ferry boat from Surigao Port Terminal accompanied by some of her cabinet members at past 12:00 noon”, Maamo said. He said right after the cutting of the ribbon, blessing of the port terminal followed, which was officiated by Bishop Precioso Cantillas.

The Vice-Governor further said that after taking their lunch, GMA, DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane, Jr,; DOTC Secretary Leandro Mendoza, DTI Secretary Peter Favila and PPA General Manger Oscar Sevilla were brought to Liloan Port Terminal in a convoy of 50 vehicles where the presidential chopper has landed.However, Secretary Mendoza was whisked to Tacloban City, he said, to take a plane for Manila since the chopper h as a limited capacity.

He revealed that the roro-type port, now managed by the Philippine Port Authority which took one year and a half to finish, still waits for interested shipping company. He implied the new port needs a shipping firm that will provide a regular ferryboat services for travelers in Panaon Island and other parts of Southern Leyte who want to go to Mindanao via Surigao or vice-versa in shorter travel time.

From the Liloan port terminal to Surigao port terminal, it will take 4 hours by ferry boat to reach the place, it was learned. Whereas, from brgy.Binet port terminal, a ferry boat on calm sea can reach the Surigao port terminal in less than an hour. On the other hand, when the principal roads of Panaon Island was not yet concreted, it would take about 2 hours to reach San Ricardo from the proper town of Liloan.Now with cemented highway roads, it will only take 45 minutes on a non-stop drive from Liloan to San Ricardo.

Moreover, the President has a unique way of inaugurating the newly-finished port. Instead of seeing her and her entourage landed in brgy. Binet by a chopper for the inauguration, she and company were aboard a ferry boat from Surigao port terminal.

The reversal of the travel, it was found out, was a form of ceremonial travel test and for the President to have” a feel for a sea ride” between the two places.

Reportedly, after the Binet inauguration, PGMA is supposed to visit the Agas-Agas Bridge in brgy.Kahupian, Sogod to see for herself its construction development. After that she will proceed to Maasin for the opening of the newly-finished wet market constructed near the bus terminal at the reclamation area.

Nonetheless, it did not push through because the President has to attend to other important things to do. Like she was going to attend to the funeral of each of the 8 presidential staff who have perished in accidental chopper crash in Timog area located between Baguio and Ifugao province. They were sent earlier as an advanced party for the President’s visit to the place. (Quirico M. Gorpido, Jr.)

The total amount for all the barrio guards’ insurance is not so big compare to other health insurance services. However, the point is to provide for a yearly health insurance for all the honorarium-based barangay guards, who by nature of their work is “on call”, Mercado pointed out.”Wala kani silay mga suweldo, honorarium ra, busa atong guitabangan aron kung adunay madisgrasya panahon sa ilang pagtuman sa ilang mga katungdanan o kaha masakit sila, aduna silay ayuda sa pagpahospital ug tambal nga guikinahanglan”, he said in Cebuano.(They have no salaries, only honorarium, so we are helping them so that if they meet an accident during the performance of their duties or get sick they can be hospitalized and provided with the needed medicines.)

The Governor explained that in case of accident or sickness, they don’t have to worry anymore where to get the money for their hospitalization or to buy the needed medicines. The Red Cross Insurance will shoulder for them.

When asked what is the specific amount appropriated for their health insurance, the Governor urged me instead to ask the provincial budget officer Ms. Sylvia Torredes for clarification. However, Ms. Torredes was not in her office. She was on an official three-day travel to Tacloban City, I was told by her co-worker.

Noli Casas, OIC-Southern Leyte Red Cross Chapter Administrator, on the other hand, has provided me with some clarifications regarding the exact amount that I need to know from the provincial budget officer during an interview.

He informed that for any individual who wants to avail of the Red Cross health insurance, a contribution of P100.00 is all that is required which is renewable every year. In other words, for every insured barangay tanod, he explained, the yearly contribution is also P100.00.Hence the total yearly contribution for the 3,350 barangay tanods provincewide is P3, 350.00.

Casas, who becomes well-known as the first Red Cross worker to rescue a baby victim during the Feb. 17,2006 Guinsaugon Tragedy in St. Bernard, clarified that the provincial government thru Governor Mercado will continue to provide the needed amount for the annual Barangay Tanods health insurance renewal until the end of the Governor’s office terms.

The granting of Barangay Tanods Red Cross health insurance were done thru the so-called “Barangay Tanod Congress” held by schedule in 4 different places of the province: 1) Hinundayan gym covering the other 5 Pacific towns of St.Bernard, San Juan, Anahawan, Hinunangan and Silago; 2) Pintuyan gym constituting the 3 other towns in Panaon Island like Liloan, San Francisco and San Ricardo; 3) Padre Burgos covered court

comprising the 7 Sogod Bay towns of Libagon, Sogod,Bontoc,Tomas Oppus,Malitbog,Macrohon and Limasawa Island; 4)Maasin City gym attended by the City’s 70 barangays’ barrio guards.

Earlier, all the 3,350 BTs also received their vests during the holding of a 4 separate “Barangay Tanod Congress”. Blood samples were also taken from the health insurance recipients by the Red Cross workers for blood typing. This is for easily reference in case anyone of them needs a blood transfusion during treatment.

On the other hand, Congressman Roger Mercado has announced in his short speech during his visit to Limasawa Island that the Philippine Tourism Authority is allocating P5M for road links of barangays San Agustin, San Bernardo and Lugsongan with the works hopefully to be started within this year.

The Congressman also revealed his plan for the Limasawa Municipal Rural Health Center that has already an assigned doctor, to have nurses and the needed medicines.

The solon further disclosed he has set aside funds of P500, 000.00 from his CDF for the Limasawa Cooperative as additional seed capital and to buy a motorboat. (Quirico M. Gorpido,Jr.)