Albay, Philippines

by CL Martinez

Legazpi City (28 May) — The Spanish government thru the Poder y Prosperidad de la Communidad (PODER) project in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will fund various community infrastructures in Bicol.

The PODER Phase 4 project will focus on the disaster stricken areas in the Bicol region, particularly in Albay province where many communities were heavily affected by the mudslides from Mt. Mayon and the subsequent incidences of flashfloods brought by typhoons “Milenyo”, “Paeng”, “Reming”, and “Seniang”.

The Spanish government will support rehabilitation of community infrastructures such as water systems, community centers, day care centers, classrooms, farm-to-market roads, access facilities, etc.

The municipalities/cities identified to benefit from the project include Tiwi, Malilipot, Bacacy, Sto. Domingo, Tabaco and Legazpi.

The target barangays per municipality will be identified based on the following criteria: 1) the infrastructure and properties in the community were heavily damaged by the previous natural disasters resulting to disrupted access to basic services by the residents; 2) the barangays are included in the priority list of the DSWD and Bicol CARE Commission for relief and rehabilitation activities; 3) aside from being affected by natural disaster, the barangays has high incidence of poverty such as malnutrition, large number of school drop-outs, lack of income, lack of basic community services such as water, electricity, etc.; and 4) the people are willing and committed to participate in the development projects of their barangays.

The DSWD in Bicol headed by Assistant secretary Melinda SB. Bobis is now conducting a comprehensive briefing for the municipal/city officials on the project principle, project mechanism, roles and responsibilities of participating entities with the end goal of getting their commitment to the PODER phase IV project.

The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) will seal the partnership between the local government units, the DSWD and the Spanish government.

It can be recalled that the Spanish government through the PODER has already funded community driven development projects in the municipalities of Manito and Malinao in Albay in line with the poverty alleviation program of the Philippine government. (KCRSMO-DSWD/PIA)

by MS Arguelles

Legazpi City (28 May) — Typhoid Fever broke out killing at least three people and hospitalizing 13 villagers in a remote village in Rapu-Rapu, an island town in Albay.

Reports reaching the Albay provincial health office here, said typhoid fever claimed the lives of Amalia Austero and her sister Salvacion, while her new born baby Jose died due to premature delivery.

The rural health unit identified 13 villagers downed by typhoid fever that included Analyn, 15; Abegail, 12; Angela, 10, Alyssa, 8; Adelyn, 7; Emil John, 4; Edmon, 2 all members of the Austero family; Rodel Barcelon, 23; Wenifredo Barrameda, 48; Lorenz Mendenilla, 1; Evely Bonto, 45; Armando Raquion, 48 and Dolores Bonto all residents of Purok 6, Sitio Guinanayan, Barangay Galicia.

Albay Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda immediately directed the provincial health office to dispatch a team of epidemiologists to closely check on the reported typhoid outbreak and institute medical measures to stop the spread of the disease in neighboring villages.

Dr. Luis Mendoza, Albay provincial health officer, said the villagers were brought to the town district hospital due to moderate to severe fever, headache and diarrhea for weeks, symptomatic of Typhoid Fever.

Mendoza said initial health reports indicate that the water source in Purok 6 was taken from an open dug well which was filtered in concrete filtering box while other sources came from unfiltered water source from open dug wells.

“We have also undertaken chlorination of water sources in the area by our provincial health sanitary inspectors,” Mendoza said.

Kybo (pit privy) type toilets are common in most of the houses in Sitio Guinanayan, Barangay Galicia.

The town’s rural health units (RHU) were also directed to do household listing of cases and suspects especially in villages identified to have cases since January and areas known to have frequent and similar cases in Barangays Buhatan, Masaga, Lagundi, San Ramon, Dap-Dap, Bogtong, and Galicia.

Health authorities advised residents of affected villages to initiate sanitation campaign, use of household chlorination, boiling of drinking water, proper hygiene and frequent hand washing. (PIA Albay)

 An activist Catholic priest apologized Wednesday morning to the family of Anakpawis (Toiling Masses) Representative Crispin Beltran for what he called the church’s “act of ignorance” when a bishop barred mass for the late solon in his home province of Albay over the weekend.

However, Fr. Joe Dizon, who led the concelebrated mass at the necrological service for Beltran at the House of Representatives, said the incident could be part of the leftist lawmaker and labor leader’s “divine life.”

When Beltran was flown to his hometown of Bacacay for a weekend wake, Legazpi Bishop Lucilo Quiambao ordered priests in the diocese not to say mass for the solon because “he was not a Catholic.” By Maila Ager, Abigail Kwok

INQUIRER.net

Members of progressive groups and supporters of the late Anakpawis Rep. Crispin “Ka Bel” Beltran are now paying their last homage to the labor leader in his hometown in Bacacay, Albay.

“Before 8 a.m. dumating na sa Legazpi at sinalubong ng may 1,000 progressive groups at supporters,” said Anakpawis media liaison officer Maureen Hermitanio.

Hermitanio said 44 jeepneys, a bus and 35 motorcycles composed the caravan that stopped at the Redemptoris t Church past 8 a.m. for a mass.

After the mass, the caravan went straight to the Big Dome Gym in Central Bacacay, Albay where Beltran’s body will lie in state until Sunday evening.

“May viewing sila doon mamayang gabi. Inaasahan din ang pagdating ng mga local government officials,” Hermitanio told abs-cbnNEWS.com.

She said Beltran’s remains will be flown back to Manila on Monday morning where it will stay only until 6 p.m. at the Funeraria Paz in Araneta, Quezon City before it is returned to the Iglesia Filipino Independiente (IFI) church along Taft Avenue in Manila. With reports from Erick Baldo. ABS-CBN Legaspi

ABS-CBN News

Supporters of the late Anakpawis party-list Rep. Crispin Beltran trooped to the Legazpi City airport early Saturday to wait for the arrival of the remains of the 75-year-old veteran labor leader.

Radio dzRH reported that Beltran’s supporters wore red T-shirts praising the lawmaker as a “marangal na lingkod bayan (honorable servant of the people).”

Beltran’s remains were to arrive from Manila Saturday morning, and will be “toured” around Legazpi City and key areas in Albay province.

His body will be brought to a local Redemptorist church in Bicol for viewing, before it is transferred back to Manila after the weekend.

GMANews.TV