Victorias City Receives P7.5 M Grant For Yolanda Typhoon Victims

Victorias City obtained a grant of P7, 500,000 from Vice President Jejomar Binay through the efforts of Cong. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to be used for the implementation of the City’s Housing Materials Assistance (HOMA) Project under the National Housing Authority (NHA) Materials Assistance Program in coordination with the City Housing Office last May 21.

The Victorias City HOMA Project memorandum of agreement between NHA and the City Government of Victorias was signed by NHA General Manager Atty. Chito Cruz and Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca.

The ceremonial check was turned over to the Housing Office by the City officials during the regular flag ceremony last May 26.

The fund will be allocated to purchase housing materials of the families affected by the super typhoon Yolanda.

The project beneficiaries of the HOMA were identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office and were approved by the City.

Based on the Damage Assessment Report, there were 651 totally and 5,300 partially damaged houses in the City caused by the super typhoon.

The families should receive the housing materials such as GI sheets, plywood and nails, etc.  in not more than 60 days from the date of the release of funds.

Victorias City Kicks Off Brigada Eskwela, Turns Over Rescue Boats To 6 Barangays

                Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, Vice Mayor Jerry Jover in the presence of City Councilors turned over painting materials to the different schools of the City during the flag ceremony as Brigada Eskwela 2014 kicks off.

                Each of the school received buckets and gallons of semi gloss white paints, paint rollers, brushes, paint racks and other painting materials.

                These will help them in their ongoing brigada eskwela in preparation for the opening of classes.

                Meanwhile, the City also turned over six Dinghy Boats to flood-prone barangays VI, VII, IX, XIII, XVII, and XIX-A.

                Barangay captains Rolando Millan, Cassidy Buatag, Juvy Pepello, Eric Alcobilla, Eduardo Paran, and Henry Laguna received the rescue boats equipped with two pieces life jackets, a pair of paddles and and one life ring this morning.

                Mayor Palanca reiterated that in times of calamities, the City will always be ready to help them as he called for more volunteers to join the rescue efforts of the City and encouraged the barangays to utilize their calamity fund in purchasing additional rescue boats and other equipment used for disaster preparedness.

Victorias City Rescue Team Undergoes WASAR Training

The Victorias City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office underwent Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) and Rubber Boat Operation and Maintenance (RBOM) Training at the Victorias City Sports and Amusement Center last May 12-17.

The water safety rescue and survival training, under the supervision of Victorias City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office headed by Eduardo De La Paz, Jr., aims atmitigating the hazardous effects of flood through drowning of the residents in the affected barangays in the City.

The City’s immediate responders in the flood prone barangays and the Rescue personnel underwent a six-daywater safety rescue and survival training to enrich necessary knowledge, skills, attitude physical and mental capability to assist the persons in distress during the occurrence of floods including those in the open water.

Upon completion of the course these barangay immediate responders and Rescue personnel were able to appreciate water safety, perform water rescue effectively and acquire the ability to self-rescue, skills in shallow water working basic boat handling and basic rope work.

Coast Guard District of Western Visayas CommanderAtheloYbanez, Coast Guard District of Bacolod City Asst. Station Commander CPO JomarAzuelo and company conducted the training and were present during the closing ceremony.

CDRRMC Chairman Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca awarded the certificates signifying the participants’ completion of the WASAR training and he gave an inspirational message at the end of the training.

City SPES Program Helps 188 College Students of Victorias

                                               By Jameson Baguio

Victorias City through its summer Special Employment of Students (SPES) Program has benefitted 188 college students. The program ran from April 14 to May 14.

An orientation headed by PESO Manager Armen Tabligan kicked off the summer job program and Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca along with City Councilors Sulpicio Montinola, Jr., Blandino Galinato, Vincent Marie Roa and Ronilo Sarito were present.

The SPES beneficiaries joined several community development activities including the summer remedial reading classes under the Developmental Reading in Progress Project of the City.

                They also attended seminars on drug addiction and proper solid waste segregation conducted by Chief of Police P/Supt. Santiago Rapiz and Solid Waste Management Office Head Lara Ann Garcia, respectively.

                During the culmination, the SPES beneficiaries showcased their talents in singing, dancing, and acting, among others.

This program which helps support the students’ educational expenses is under Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca and PESO Manager Armen Tabligan in coordination with the Department of Employment (DOLE) and Public Employment Services Office (PESO).

The summer job workers rendered eight hours of clerical work in the different offices and departments at the Victorias City Hall for 20 days.

They received P5,000 of which 60 percent came from the City and 40 percent from DOLE with insurance, employment and termination contract.

The summer SPES program qualifiers are legitimate residents of the City with ages 15 to 25 years old, preferably second to fourth year college students, belonging to low income families and has no failing grades.

Victorias City Receives Two Flatbed Dryers From Department Of Agriculture

                     By Samson Garzon, Victorias City Agriculturist

                The City of Victorias availed two units of Flat Bed Dryer (FBD) facility from the Department of Agriculture (DA). 

One FBD was turned over by the City Officals, headed by the Mayor Francis Frederick Palanca, to farmers of Hda. Mimi, Brgy. X last May 13, while the other one was given to farmers of Barangay  XI last May 20 and was established at Purok Cingko in Gawahon.

 Each unit has the capacity to load 120 cavans of palay for the duration of 8-12 hours drying time.  

According to Wilmer De La Cerna (DA-RFU VI Farm Mechanization Coordinator for Negros Occidental), the cost of two units FBD have totaled to more than P 1.5 Million project grant from the Department of Agriculture. 

The project is expected to help improve rice quality of farmers’ produce as the facility is equipped with temperature gauge and moisture tester to ensure proper drying of palay.

Farmers of Hda. Mimi and Gawahon have expressed gratitude to the present administration for facilitating the establishment of said facilities in their areas because they are often visited by heavy rainfall which usually lasts for weeks and destroy their harvested palay. 

FBDs are very useful for harvest especially during rainy season (usually on the months of November to January). 

These facilities will surely help farmers save their palay from spoilage and eventually ensure good quality rice for Victoriahanons.