The IOM handovers 355 transitional shelters to the IDPs of Baybay City

Three hundred fifty-five (355) Transitional Shelters were handed over by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to the Baybayanons who were displaced by Typhoon Agaton last April 10, 2022. These are constructed in several barangays in the City of Baybay, either on site (lots provided by private individuals) or at the relocation sites provided by the Baybay City LGU.

During the Handover Ceremony of the said transitional shelters, the respective Punong Barangays thanked the IOM for providing the dream houses of their residents who were displaced by Typhoon Agaton, as the Geologists from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau Regional Office 8 (MGB RO 8) declared their respective barangays or sitios as no longer safe for habitation.

According to the Officer-in-Charge of the IOM Baybay Sattelite Station Ms. Maria Perpetua Bulawan, the IOM constructed the transitional shelters, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as part of their commitment to support communities that are in disaster situation, especially those who lost their homes, by providing them safe, resilient and dignified shelters, because as she said “prolonged stay in the Evacuation Centers is not good for the victims of disasters like typhoon Agaton.”

To this, Vice Mayor Atty. Ernesto M. Butawan thanked not only IOM but all the other national government agencies, local and international humanitarian organizations, and private individuals who helped the City of Baybay, in one way or another, in its effort to eradicate the devastation brought about by Typhoon Agaton. He also thanked the beneficiaries for their patience and for staying at the Evacuation Centers for almost a year because their respective residences are no longer safe for dwelling.

Vice Mayor Butawan added that even if the transitional shelters constructed by the IOM are temporary, City Mayor Hon, Jose Carlos L. Cari will find a way to provide them with permanent place to stay because the land where these shelters are constructed are either rented by the Local Government Unit of Baybay or the owners of the land allowed its temporary use for humanitarian reason.

City Administrator Atty. Florante Cayunda Jr., on the other hand, explained that City Mayor Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari, have learned a lot from the experiences of other Local Government Units (LGUs), especially due to typhoon Yolanda in 2013 where houses for the typhoon victims were either finished in 5-10 years or left unfinished by the responders until now. Thus, he said that Mayor Cari wanted that the disaster response of the City of Baybay to be faster and permanent. He added that the Mayor even requested the IOM to construct permanent houses, instead of transitional shelters, but IOM, after consultation with the USAID, said that they are required to follow standards in their response. However, Atty. Cayuda said that, “The transitional shelters look permanent and sturdy and this is actually record breaking, in terms of disaster response, that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) are now living in their new houses in less than a year from the disaster.”

The IOM gave Certificates of Commendation to the Baybay City LGU and to the Punong Barangays of the beneficiaries of the transitional shelters for their steadfast support and partnership in the IOM’s transitional shelter project for the survivors of Typhoon Agaton. Ms. Bulawan said that their program will not be successful without the support of the LGU, the BLGUs, and the beneficiaries.

Finally, Ms. Bulawan left three (3) important messages to the IDPs. The first is GRATITUDE.  She said that Typhoon Agaton may have left them scars but they must be thankful that they are still alive and that GOD provided them with people to help them press on. The second is MOVE ON because it is difficult to start a new life with baggage of the past. Instead they must look at the past as a source of strength. The third is LOVE.  She said that GOD has given them the chance to live for a reason and that they must do the mission with love because this is the only way to survive.

City Social Welfare and Development Officer Dr. Manuel Icon Donaire also thanked the IOM, not only for the transitional shelters but for being one of the first responders during typhoon Agaton.  “We have no idea about Camp Management and it was the IOM who helped us through. We need temporary kitchens at the Evacuation Centers and they were also the ones who made this possible. We will forever be indebted to the IOM for these,” added Dr. Donaire.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer. Engr. Rhyse Austero, on the other hand, said that together with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), they will conduct Training on Firefighting and will install firefighting equipment in the relocation sites since the transitional houses are considered as made up of light materials.

Finally, it is worth note-taking that because of the experience with TS Agaton, a resident of Barangay Kantagnos wrote a poem of thanks for the IOM. (Marissa Miguel Cano, City Information Officer, Baybay City, Leyte)

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Construction of the PLFU Building starts this year

“The City Government has always been in support towards the objective of providing peace and order to our people and to the city and our partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) is a solid manifestation towards that end,” says Baybay City Mayor Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari during the Groundbreaking Ceremony of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the Leyte Provincial Forensic Unit (LPFU) Buildings on June 24, 2022.

During the said activity, Mayor Cari revealed that the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baybay had just inaugurated and turned-over the management of the PNP Sub-station in the Poblacion to the Baybay City Police Station, headed by PLTCOL JOEMEN P COLLADO. He added that another PNP Sub-station located at the Visayas State University (VSU) will soon be completed and turned over also to the PNP.

Mayor Cari also said that, “The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), headed by Vice Mayor Atty. Ernesto M. Butawan, had already allocated funds for the construction of the HPG and the LPFU Buildings and I was also authorized by the SP to sign a Deed of Conveyance or usufruct of the land to the PNP where these buildings will be constructed.”

It could also be recalled that while waiting for the PLFU Building to be constructed, they were allowed to utilize one (1) of the buildings at the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Complex as their temporary office starting July 1, 2022. To this, the Provincial Director of the Leyte Provincial Forensic Unit (LPFU) PMAJ DANTE N. JAVINAS JR. thanked the Baybay City LGU.

PMAJ JAVINAS also thanked Mayor Cari for the continuous support to the LPFU and because according to City Planning and Development Coordinator Engr. Patrick Postrero the construction of the PLFU Building will commence this year (2023).

However, PMAJ JAVINAS revealed that their manpower is currently depleted thus he humbly requested for the Mayor’s help so that even two (2) of the Detached Service (DS) Personnel from the Baybay City Police Station, who had been trained in forensic crime scene response, could be assigned back to the PLFU.

It could be recalled that during the shooting incident at Poblacion Zone 8 on December 18, 2022, only two (2) PLFU Personnel had responded and were augmented by the PNP personnel from the Baybay City Police Station and the City Traffic Management and Terminal Office (CTMTO) Personnel to preserve the crime scene. (Marissa M. Cano, City Information Officer, Baybay City, Leyte)

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Mga kawani sa kagamhanan gibansay-bansay alang sa dugang kaalam

Dako kaayo ang pondo nga gigahin sa Lokal nga Kagamhanan sa dakbayan sa Baybay alang sa agriculture and fisheries, health and social services alang sa mga Baybayanon apan kinahanglan nga masayod ang matag buhatan sa Lokal nga Kagamhanan sa dakbayan sa Baybay kon unsaon nga ikapa-abot kini ngadto sa mga intended clientele para ila kining mabatyagan.Mao kini ang gipalanog ni Baybay City Mayor Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari atol sa gipahigayon nga Capacity Development Formulation Workshop sa mga kawani sa dakbayan sa Baybay.

Matud pani Mayor Cari nga kinahanglan nga tataw sa matag buhatan sa Lokal nga Kagamhanan ang katuyo-an sa ilang buhatan, ang mga programs and services nga iyang gitanyag sa ilang buhatan, ug kon unsaon nga maabot kini sa ilang mga kliyente.

Nunot niini, matud pa ni Mayor Cari nga gikinahanglan ang pagpataas pa sa kaalam sa mga kawani sa kagamhanan aron mahimo silang mas efficient sa ilang mga gimbuhaton.

Usa sa mga pamaagi aron makab-ot kining maong katuyuo-an mao ang pagpa-ubos sa mga empleyado sa ilang gikinahanglan nga mga pagbansay-bansay.

Angayang masayran nga maoy tuyo ni Mayor Cari nga maghimo og kaugalingon nga Facebook Page ang mga buhatan sa Baybay City LGU aron sayon na unya sa mga kliyente ang pag-access sa ilang mga serbisyo ug aron usab masayod ang mga Baybayanon sa nagkadaiyang mga programa ug serbisyo nga gitanyag sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga buhatan.

Nasayran nga gi-awhag usab ni Mayor Cari ang mga kabarangayan nga maghimo og ilang Facebook Page aron usab masayod ang mga molupyo sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga barangay sa ilang mga proyekto ug sa mga kalambo-an sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga barangay, ilabi na kadtong mga atua na magpuyo sa layong mga dapit.

Busa, pinaagi sa Gender and Development (GAD) Fund sa  Lokal nga Kagamhanan sa dakbayan sa Baybay, gihan-ay sa mga tigdumala sa Technology 4 Education, Employment, Entrepreneur, and Economic Development (Tech4ED) Center ang pipila ka mga pagbansaybansay karong tuiga alang sa mga kawani sa Lokal nga Kagamhanan, ingon man usab sa mga molupyo sa mga kabarangayan ‘ning dakbayan.

Nunot niini, napulo(10) ka mga government employees ang gipa-ubos dili pa lamang dugay sa Training on Graphics Design and Simple Animation. Kini aron sila kahatagan og dugang  kaalam sa inantigo nga presentasyon sa mga programs and services sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga buhatan.

Gilangkoban kini sa City Mayor’s Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Health Office, City Agriculture Office, City Youth Development Office, ug sa City Information Office. Mi-apil usab sa maong pagbansay-bansay ang usa nga kawani sa Philippine National Police (PNP) ‘ning dakbayan.

Didto kini gipahigayon sa (Tech4ED) Center nga kasamtangang nahimutang sa City Information Office, Second Floor sa New Baybay City Hall, Diversion Road, Barangay Gaas ‘ning dakbayan diin silang Samuel Dawal Jr. ug Jason Ybañez ang nagsilbing mga Resource Persons.

Malaomon ang mga tigdumala sa Tech4ED Center ‘ning dakbayan nga makit-an sa ilang tagsa-tagsa ka mga Facebook Page ang ilang nakat-onan sa bahisgotang pagbansay-bansay.

Angayang masayran nga gikatakdang ipahigayon karong semanaha ang Training on Basic Computer Troubleshooting and MS Office Applications alang sa mga Barangay Secretaries sa 92 ka mga barangay sa dakbayan sa Baybay. (Marissa M. Cano, City Information Officer, Baybay City, Leyte)

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Baybay City Continues its Programs Against Illegal Drugs

The second batch of five (5) reforming residents started their three (3) months of Residential Reformatory Program at the Balay Silangan Drug Reformation Center in Barangay Kilim of this city last March 7, 2022. However, since their court order states that they have to undergo rehabilitation for six (6) months, then they have to complete the 18 months after-care program still inside the Balay Silangan Drug Reformation Center.

This was revealed by City Social Welfare and Development Officer (CSWDO) and Center Director, Dr. Manuel Icon P. Donaire who also said that their graduation ceremony will probably be scheduled on September of this year.

It could be recalled that in November 25, 2021, the first batch of five (5) reforming residents of the Balay Silangan Drug Reformation Center received their Certificates of Completion after undergoing the Residential Reformatory Program of the center for three (3) months.

During his welcome remarks, CSWDO & Center Director Dr. Donaire thanked all the partner-agencies which led to the success of the implementation of the program.

These include the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region 8 represented by Assistant Regional Director Atty. Benjamin Gaspi, 14th Infantry Battalion thru LTCOL ERNESTO DELA ROSA, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) thru SINSP MARVIN CUBIO, and the Parole and Probation Officer Jesus Berongoy. He also thanked City Health Officer and Baybay City Day-time Therapeutic Community Center Head, Dr. Norberto Oja and the Balay Silangan Reformation Center staff.

Dr. Donaire recalled, “It started in 2016 after the marching order of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to strengthen the efforts of the Local Government Units against illegal drugs, the city established the first-ever Day-time Therapeutic Community Center not just in the region but in the entire country according to the Department of Health (DOH). Now, we are the first Local Government Unit in the region to operate the Balay Silangan Reformation Center.”

PDEA 8 ARD Atty. Gaspi seconded this statement and said that, “In Eastern Visayas, you (Baybay City LGU) are the first to have graduates of the Residential Reformatory Program and I am glad that the LGU is very supportive in the campaign against illegal drugs.”

While addressing the reforming residents, Atty. Gaspi said that, “But even if you have graduated from the program already, and you don’t have a family to support you and you won’t have your own source of income, you will soon be tempted to go back selling illegal drugs. Thus, you should be thankful that you have the support of your family and that of your LGU.”

According to Dr. Donaire, the graduates received a livelihood assistance of FIVE THOUSAND PESOS from the Baybay City LGU and TEN THOUSAND PESOS from Congressman Carl Nicolas Cari of the 5th District of Leyte. “The City also paid for their Skills Training on Motorcycle Small Engine Servicing NC II. They are now undergoing the 18-months After-Care Program, part of which is that they serve as Big Brothers to the new reforming residents so they report to the Balay Silangan on their assigned schedule,” added the Balay Silangan Center Director.

It could be recalled that the Balay Silangan Reformation Center in Baybay City also served as the After-care Facility of the Saving Lives at a Common Ground (SALAG) Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Dulag, Leyte thus their graduates come to the center for strength to avoid relapse.

Vice Mayor Butawan, on the other hand, said that, “During the early part of the campaign against illegal drugs, many died and were not given the chance to change and be a reformed person. But here in the City of Baybay, we established the Balay Silangan Reformation Center, we hired personnel, and provided funds for its operation, thru the Sangguniang Panlungsod of the City, to give you a chance to reform yourselves.”

“And because of our programs, thru which we attend to the persons who used drugs (PWUDs) and the pushers, the City Mayor, Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari received the awards as the 2020 National Anti-Drug Abuse Council ADAC Special Awardee and the 2019 Regional ADAC Functionality ADAC Awardee in Manila,” added Vice Mayor Butawan.

And since the PDEA had been encouraging other LGUs to also establish Balay Silangan and implement the Residential Reformation Program, representatives from the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Maasin City and Bato, Leyte came to the Balay Silangan Reformation Center for bench marking, while the Hindang, Hilongos and Matalom LGUs had been inquiring on how the City of Baybay did it. (Marissa Miguel Cano, City Information Officer, Baybay City, Leyte)

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BIDANI Strategy, LGUs legacy

Evidence-based planning is the key to successful program implementation. Thus, when the Visayas State University (VSU) presented in 2009 the Barangay Integrated Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) Strategy, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baybay City adopted the BIDANI Strategy as part of the LGU Program. Accordingly, Resolution No. 132 was approved during the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of the City of Baybay on July 6, 2009.

During that time, however, the City still does not have data for the conduct of the Sectoral Planning and the Barangay Integrated Development Plan (BIDP). Hence, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the use of the Barangay Management Information System (BMIS) Software was signed between the City Government of Baybay, the Barangay Local Government Units, and the Visayas State University (VSU) on January 15, 2010. The survey questionnaires were reproduced by the city and the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) conducted the survey in their respective barangays.

The Baybay City LGU then hired 15 Emergency Encoders to facilitate the encoding of the BMIS Questionnaire from the 92 barangays and in 2011, the Barangay City Management Information System Book for Calendar Year (CY) 2010 was printed and distributed to various national and local agencies. This was utilized during the conduct of the first Sectoral Planning and in the crafting of the first 3-year Barangay Integrated Development Plan (BIDP) of the 92 barangays of the City of Baybay, which was facilitated by the BIDANI Personnel of VSU. Since then, the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) personnel has been conducting the sectoral planning and the BIDP every 3 years, with minimal supervision from the VSU-BIDANI Staff. However, starting in 2019, the Sectoral Planning and Assessment of the BIDP is conducted annually because Baybay City Mayor Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari wants the Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPAs) of the city to be evidence-based.

The BMIS  was also institutionalized thru City Ordinance No. 07, Series of 2014 entitled, “An Ordinance creating the City Management Information System (CMIS) of the City of Baybay and Requiring the Creation of Barangay Management Information System (BMIS) in all 92 Barangays of Baybay City,” thus, in 2015, 2016 & 2017, the CMIS & BMIS Books were printed and provided to the 92 barangays of the city.

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) attended the Regional Gender and Development Council (RGADC) meeting in 2018, held at the Lintaon Convention Center, and during that time, the PCW identified BMIS for possible certification and replication as Gender and Development (GAD) Notable Project of Baybay City. True enough, the City of Baybay was recognized as the First Local Learning Hub in Region 8 during the Celebration of the National Women’s Month last March 8, 2019. This was held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.

The BMIS also played a very important role in this time of pandemic as it was used as a tool for immediate and effective COVID-19 response, as follows: The BMIS data were used: 1) in identifying the Below Food Threshold families for the distribution of the relief goods; 2) in identifying the recipients for the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), and 3) in contract tracing (by identifying the household members of the COVID-19 patient for home quarantine).

Thus, to ensure the sustainability of the BMIS, the City of Baybay allocated funds for its implementation annually, from the 5% of its Gender and Development (GAD) Fund. The Local Chief Executive also issued Executive Order No. 14 creating the CMIS Team, the CMIS Ordinance was crafted, approved, and implemented; two (2) LGU employees were given regular positions to serve as BMIS in-charge, and the Baybay City LGU provides incentives to the barangays who are prompt in submitting their BMIS data.

Given this background about the BMIS, the City Mayor is hopeful that the enumerators will ensure that the data that they will submit to the CPDO are true and accurate because this is being used by the LGU in making huge decisions for the entire City of Baybay.

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Mayor Cari Shares the City’s Growth in Terms of the Local Industry at the Adaptive Governance and Innovation for Local Executives Webinar

Way back 1998, Baybay City was the biggest municipality in Region 8 but with very limited resources. Given the needs identified during the consultations with the barangay officials and the different sectors of the society, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baybay, headed by the then Municipal Mayor then Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari, need to find other sources to finance its programs and services. Thus, they conducted an assessment of its resources and found out that Baybay is abundant in copra and abaca, during that time, so they went to Manila to introduce the municipality to a group of businessmen.

Then, investors came to visit the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Baybay and decided to invest in our beloved city. “Now we have the SC Global Coco Products, Incorporated, the Visayan Oil Mill, Specialty Pulp Manufacturing Incorporated, and the Green Carbon, Incorporated. Just lately, the Philippine Green Resources, Incorporated was also established in the city,” explained Mayor Cari.

These economic developments also paved the way to additional income to the residents of the barangays, where these industries are located, because they are either hired to work in the industry or sell food and other needs of the workers.

Asked what enticed him to invest in Baybay, the SC Global Coco Products, Incorporated Managing Director, Emmanuel S. Licup said that his considerations were the availability of the raw materials, proximity to the Cebu International Port, presence of basic infrastructure, farmer to market road, port facilities, very good roads, telecommunication, water supply and stable power supply, indispensable support from the LGU, through its City Investment Code, pro-active mindset of its officials, and the welcoming gesture of the Baybayanons.

The City’s Investment Code also paved the way to the establishment of banks, hotels, supermarket, malls and other establishments which helped improve the local economy of the city. Just lately, Mayor Cari revealed that there will be 14% decrease in the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) of all LGUs in the country in 2023. But because the locally-produced income of the city of Baybay City is high, we may expect only a 7% decrease in our IRA next year.

It could be recalled that Mayor Cari was recently invited to speak during the Adaptive Governance and Innovation for Local Executives (AGILE) Webinar for Local Government Units (LGUs), dubbed as “From Purse to Purpose: Sound Local Financial Management,” on July 12, 2022.  This was because the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Regional Office 8 revealed that Baybay City is among the LGUs that was awarded the seal of Good Financial Housekeeping affirming the LGU’s honesty and full transparency and accountability in spending and auditing of public funds. As of May 27, 2022, only three (3) provinces, five (5) cities, and forty-five (45) municipalities in Eastern Visayas passed the Good Financial Housekeeping standards.

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DA RFO 8 RD Enriquez thanks Baybay City’s LCE for its all-out support to agriculture and fisheries

“I would like to acknowledge one of the Local Chief Executives (LCEs) in Region 8 who really support agriculture and I salute you on that, Mayor Jose Carlos L. Cari because seldom will you find the kind of LCE who gives all-out support to agriculture and fisheries.” This was revealed by the Department of Agriculture Regional Office 8 Regional Director Angel C. Enriquez during the Ground-breaking Ceremony of the Provincial Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Training, Development and Product Display Center held in Sitio Cienda, Barangay Gabas of this city.

It could be recalled that immediately after the consultations with the Punong Barangays, the youth sector, and the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on how the local government may help them, Baybay City Mayor Hon. Jose Carlos Cari immediately mandated the assessment of all the resources in the city. “The assessment revealed that we have numerous water impounding areas, thus, we introduced the establishment of upland tilapia fishponds. From only one, we now have five tractors that are used to loosen and break up soil clods at depths below the level of traditional disk harrow, free of charge. We also provided them the tilapia fingerlings and the technical assistance. In return, all that we ask of them is for them to re-invest their income and ensure that their products will reach our public market,” explained Mayor Cari.

As of now, forty (40) upland tilapia fishponds sites, involving 390 individuals, have been established in 30 barangays of the city. They are now providing and addressing the demands for fish in their respective barangays and some of their produce are already being sold at the Baybay City Public Market. Furthermore, Mayor Cari also reminded them that, “For us to sustain this program, we established our own tilapia hatchery and we are now providing fingerlings not only to our tilapia growers but also to that of the nearby municipalities.”

The Baybay City LGU also rehabilitated the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and deployed hundreds of artificial reefs that will serve as breeding grounds for the fish and other marine species. The city, thru its Coastal Resources and Fishery Management Office (CRFMO), also seeded abalone and sea cucumber in nine (9) MPAs to attract more fishes which will eventually lead to the increase in fish catch of the fisherfolks and in the decrease of the price of fish at the Baybay City Public Market. The Coastal Resources and Fishery Management Office (CRFMO) personnel are conducting regular monitoring of the marine protected areas and noticed an increase in the number of fishes and fish species within the municipal waters of the City of Baybay.

And to ensure that the municipal waters of the city will be protected from encroachment, the City of Baybay provided 21 units of fiberglass motorboats to the Bantay Dagat members for them to watch over the MPAs in their respective barangays.

Meanwhile, in order to provide the needed vegetables at the Baybay City Public Market, the city also implemented the Climate-smart Integrated Crop Management. Mayor Cari explained that, “Under this program, the LGU also assisted the farmers in preparing the land for free, provided the seeds, fertilizer, and the technical assistance, through the City Agriculture Office, and just lately the Monterico Farmers Association conducted the “Monterico Farmers Day” which was featured in ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol.”

During the presentation of Mayor Cari in the Adaptive Governance and Innovation for Local Executives (AGILE) Webinar for Local Government Units (LGUs), dubbed as “From Purse to Purpose: Sound Local Financial Management,” on July 12, he revealed that 63 farmer-cooperatives from 22 barangays had benefited from this program. He added that 32 large-scale vegetable producers, in 14 barangays, also received protective structures to ensure the sustainability of vegetables in the market to minimize price increase.

“This program has provided them additional source of livelihood thus, we in the Local Government Unit of Baybay City pray that this program will sustain, through the efforts of the beneficiaries,” explained Mayor Cari.

He also revealed that he mandated the Internal Audit Services (IAS)  of the city to monitor these livelihood programs to ensure that the funds released by the Baybay City LGU indeed served its purpose to the fullest.

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Baybay City Prepares for the Worst

The Department of Health (DOH) reported that as of July 10, 2022, there are 13,000 COVID-19 cases in the country and this is higher than usual.  There is also an increasing positivity rate and a number of COVID-19 cases in the past few weeks. This was revealed by Medical Officer V Dr. Jerome Profetana of the Local Vaccination Operation Center (LVOC) of the City of Baybay during the City Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (City IATF-MEID) yesterday (July 11, 2022). This was held at the City IATF-MEID Command Center located at Diversion Road, Barangay Cogon, Baybay City, Leyte.

Thus, Baybay City Mayor Hon. Jose Carlos L. Cari mandated Dr. Profetana to lead a meeting with the Immaculate Conception Hospital (ICH) and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), “As early as now we must prepare against the possibility of another surge of COVID-19 cases in the region due to the possibility of another variant which caused the surge in COVID-19 cases in the country.”

Dr. Profetana also reported that as of July 11, 2022, Region 8 has 17 active COVID-19 cases three (3) of whom are from the Leyte Province, “The health care utilization in the region is higher than that of the national because we have a lower number of hospital beds and ICU compared to the national. Region 8 also has lower vaccination accomplishment (69.9%) compared to the national (78%).”

However, Dr. Profetana revealed that the vaccination rate in the City of Baybay is 81.36% and for the A2 (Senior Citizens) is also around 80-81%. “We are currently focusing our vaccination in the barangays and our target populations are the 5-11 years old. This is in preparation for the face-to-face classes on August 2022.” But Dr. Profetana clarified that they will also cater to other ages, both for the primary and booster shots, “They just have to go to the Vaccination Post.”

According to Dr. Profetana that as part of the Ramp-up Pediatric Vaccination they conduct the vaccination in the barangays on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, and 600-700 children are vaccinated daily.

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