TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines – Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod here welcomed its newest member to the City Council. Edmund Ida Chua, the newly-elected Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation president of Tacloban City formally assumed his post as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of this city, during a regular session held last week at the City Legislative Building.

Chua, who represents the Tacloban City youth in the City Council expressed thanks to all SK chairmen of the city for their trust and confidence in being elected to represent them in the city legislative body. (Nestor L. Abrematea)

O.W.W.A. 6 OPTIMISTIC ABOUT RA 10022

ILOILO CITY, Philippines (PNA) – The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) here expressed optimism that Republic Act 10022 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Workers Act of 1995, as amended would create an impact in terms of the working conditions of Filipino workers abroad.

OWWA Regional Director Samuel Madrid said the Philippine government is trying its best to ensure the safety of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and that what is stated in their contracts is complied with.

If there are problems, concerned agencies such as the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and OWWA are sure to respond speedily, he added.

NEW CEBU ARCHBISHOP INSTALLED THURSDAY

CEBU, Philippines – Archbishop Jose S. Palma will be installed as the fourth archbishop of Cebu in solemn rites to be held Thursday at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral.

Retired Cebu Archbishop Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal will preside over the Eucharistic celebration and Canonical installation set at 9 a.m. in the presence of Manila Archbishop Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales and Papal Nuncio to the Philippines Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams.

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Palma as Vidal’s successor last Oct. 15, 2010, after the Holy Father accepted the resignation of the 79-year-old Catholic prelate.

It will be recalled that Vidal submitted his retirement papers as early as February 2006 when he turned 75 years old, the age of retirement for Catholic bishops as mandated by the Canon Law. (Christina I. Hermoso)

GOV’T WORKERS WARNED VS ABUSES

ILOILO CITY, Philippines (PNA) – Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. has warned all provincial government officials and employees not to take advantage of their positions. Defensor, who issued the warning recently, said provincial government officials and employees should not make any attempt to overprice or ask “grease money” from suppliers.

“I don’t even want to hear stories of that sort,” he said. Defensor cited reports that a suspicious transaction reached his office last week but withheld it for investigation. “Help me make this provincial government free from corruption,” he said.

“Let us show the people that the province of Iloilo can do without that.”

Defensor also told provincial government employees to report to work diligently and not waste their time outside their offices.

“We are out to organize and build a new structure of governance, a governance that is not for the governor, a governance that is not for the governed, but a governance for the government and for the people of the province of Iloilo,” he stressed.

P.R.O. 7 BURNS WEED

CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines – Inline with the continuing eradication campaign of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 against illegal drugs along with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), another 195 fully grown marijuana plants were burned here Wednesday.

Aside from the 195 fully grown marijuana plants, there were also ten seedlings included in the burning ceremony witnessed by media, and PDEA and PRO 7 representatives. Said plants were uprooted January 7 at Sitio Tarong, Barangay Bayong in the town of Balamban.

Prior to the raid conducted by the Region’s Intelligence Division (RID), SPO1 Wilfredo Lapinid of said office received information from an informant from the barangay intelligence network. (Phoebe Jen Indino)