LUCENA CITY - Personnel of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in Quezon province can look forward to receiving compensation for their hard work that puts their lives at stake whenever calamities strike. This, after members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved during their regular session on Monday the proposal of Councilor Vinette Alcala-Naca to give a PHP2,500 monthly hazard pay to all the personnel of PDRRMO-Quezon. "It's about time the sacrifices of the Disaster Team should be compensated because they selflessly put their lives on the line every time they respond to people's emergency in times of calamity," Naca said. She said the PDRRMO has 38 employees, including its Incident Commander, Dr. Melchor Avenilla. Avenilla, in an interview, expressed gratitude to Naca and to Governor Angelina Tan for the recognition of his staff's efforts. "We submitted a request to Governor Tan in January and she agreed, cognizant of the
TURNOVER OF COMMAND. Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo (center), commander of the Philippine Army Visayas Command, presides over the change of command ceremony between the outgoing 301st Infantry Brigade commander, B/Gen. Marion Sison (left), and acting commander, Col. Michael Samson held at the Camp Adriano D.Hernandez in Dingle, Iloilo province on Thursday (Feb. 9, 2023). In his message, Arevalo said he wanted the neutralization of the insurgents to be fast-tracked.(PNA photo by PGLena) ILOILO CITY - The Philippine Army on Thursday said recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) could intensify now that movement restrictions due to the health pandemic have eased up. Philippine Army Visayas commander, Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, said they are now assessing and analyzing the effects of the pandemic in terms of the conduct of recruitment. "We feel that Covid-19 also was able to slow down their recruitment," he said. Arevalo said roughly the st
GRANT AWARDEE. General Luna Vice-Mayor Laica Batariano and Mayor Matt Florido (second and third from left respectively) in Quezon province pose after the visit of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Regional Director Myla Gatchalian (second from right) in their town. Gatchalian informed Florido that the town qualified for the P7.5 million Municipal Grant Allocation from the DSWD. (Photo grabbed from Mayor Florido's Facebook account) GENERAL LUNA, Quezon - Mayor Matt Erwin Florido on Friday said at least 52 families were able to receive P90,000 cash and livelihood assistance each under the Balik Probinsiya Program last year. Florido, in an interview, said he was grateful for the financial aid and grants that the national government continued to pour into his municipality, adding that the town is expected to receive yet another round of assistance under the Municipal Grant Allocation (MGA) from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Florido
DESTRUCTION. A drone shot of the areas razed by fire in Barangays West Habog-Habog and San Juan in Iloilo City's Molo district past 4 a.m. on Saturday (Jan. 28, 2023). Initial data from the City Social Welfare and Development Office showed that 234 houses were damaged.(PNA photo courtesy of Iloilo City Government Architect's Office) ILOILO CITY - A residential fire engulfed 234 houses in Barangays West Habog-Habog and Zone 2, San Juan in Molo district here past 4 a.m. on Saturday, according to the report of the Iloilo City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO). CSWDO head Teresa Gelogo, in an interview, said displaced families are staying in 21 classrooms of the Baluarte Elementary School and 13 classrooms in San Juan Elementary School. Of the 234 houses affected, 172 were in West Habog-Habog village and 62 in San Juan. "The validation of affected families is still ongoing. So far we have validated 91 households in West Habog-Habog," she said. Gelogo added tha