Enhanced Justice on Wheels program launched in Calbayog

Deputy Court Administrator Nimfa Cuesta-Vilches (5th from the left) and Mayor Reynaldo Uy (4th from the left) as they led ribbon-cutting which launched the Enhanced Justice on Wheels Program in Calbayog. Also in photo are (l-r) Judge Felipe Maglana, Judge Myrna Clemens, Judge Lolita Mercado, Executive Judge Reynaldo Clemens, Judge Sibana Usman and Judge Romeo Tagra.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy with Deputy Court Administrator Nimfa Cuesta-Vilches, Executive Judge Reynaldo Clemens and Judge Romeo Tagra.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy was invited to the launching of the Enhanced Justice on Wheels Program (JOW) which was held at the grounds of the Calbayog City Sports Center. The affair was graced by Deputy Court Administrator Nimfa Cuesta - Vilches.

In his message, Mayor Uy commended the Supreme Court for the program. "The simple bus transformed into a courtroom" will undoubtedly benefit the especially poor sector of society who are facing problems in the courts. That it's not only a symbol but an actual proof of bringing justice close to the people.

For her part, DCA Vilches said that she is happy to have Calbayog as "launch site" for the Enhanced Justice on Wheels Program in Samar Island. She thanked Mayor Uy and other LGU officials for the support in the launching program; and for providing doctors during the medical and dental mission for the Calbayog jail inmates. She noted that the number of cases in the courts, especially commercial cases is an indication of progress in the city. 4,299 inmates have released under the program since it was re-launched in 2008. And in today's JOW program in Calbayog, 63 inmates were released.

Chief Justice Renato Corona, Justice Antonio Nachura and Court Administrator Midas Marquez were not able to make it because of a Supreme Court en banc session that day.

Mayor Uy delivering his message

Executive Judge Reynaldo Clemens introducing DCA Vilches

DCA Nimfa Cuesta-Vilches delivering her message.

Judge Felipe Maglana delivering his closing remarks.

DPA Vilches and Mayor Uy as they witnessed an actual hearing inside the Justice on Wheels bus. In photo are Executive Judge Reynaldo Clemens, Interpreter Rhea Ricafort and Stenographer Elissa Abanilla.

Prosecutor Avelino Basco, Atty. Vivelyn Monsanto, Stenographers Lilian Muñoz and Elissa Abanilla with accused Ramon Asis who was provisionally released during the hearing. 62 other inmates were released that day.

Images from the Gawad Kalinga Groundbreaking and MOA signing

Mayor Reynaldo Uy and Ms. Elisea Gozun as they signed the Memorandum of Agreement. Looking on as Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino and Dinagan Punong Barangay Felicisimo Daguman.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy attended the Tomasing Gomez / Dinagan Gawad Kalinga (GK) Village Groundbreaking and MOA signing in Barangay Dinagan last Saturday. The affair was graced by GK Board Member Elisea "Bebet" Gozun. Ms. Gozun who is a former DENR Secretary is also the Program Director of Green Kalinga.

The day's activity included the MOA signing between the GK and Barangay Dinagan. The Gomezes led by Atty. Eduardo Gomez were also on hand to sign for additional lot donation. After the groundbreaking ceremony, some the invited guests and Punong Barangay proceeded to Breadmix Conference Hall at the city proper an Environmental Forum with Ms. Elisea Gozun.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy

Ms. Elisea "Bebet" Gozun

Atty. Eduardo Gomez

Mayor Uy with (r-l) Ms. Elisea Gozun, Mr. Ghandi Gomez and Atty. Eduardo Gomez

Mayor Uy with some of the Department Managers who attended the event.

Ms. Elisea Gozun as she presided over the Environmental Forum

On the sidelights: Here are some pictures of the Calbayog Sanitary Landfill project in Barangay Dinagan

LGU signs MOA with IJM

Mayor Reynaldo Uy shakes hands with IJM Manila Field Office Director Atty. Carmela Andal - Castro after they signed the Memorandum of Agreement.

Last Monday, after his visit in Barangay Aguit-itan and the Slaughter House, Mayor Reynaldo Uy attended the program of the International Justice Mission (IJM) at Marju Krisel Resort. A highlight of the activity was the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the LGU and IJM.

Subject of the MOA was the CSWDO-operated institution known as Calbayog Response Center for Women and Children (CRESCENT-WC) which is located in Barangay Payahan. It can be recalled that the center was opened sometime in October of 1999 with then Vice President Gloria Arroyo as guest of honor. The center was aimed at enabling Children in Need of Special Protection (CNSP) and Women in Especially Difficult Circumstances (WEDC) resolve their problems and thus restore their normal social functioning through the provision of protective rehabilitative services.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy delivering his message before the MOA signing.

The CRESCENT building is in need of repair. Thus, as stipulated in the MOA, the IJM shall provide support social services, which will include the following:

• The improvement of the facility for the total well-being of the admitted residents. The improvements of the building will cost Php 686,438.78.
• Provision of free legal services to victims of trafficking in person.

For its counterpart, the LGU shall execute the following:

• Allocate funds for labor, equipment rental and contingencies amounting to Php 136,823.24
• Assign the City Engineering Office as the Project Implementation and Management Team; and
• Continuously allocate funds for the maintenance of the CRESCENT-WC Building.

The LGU will also provide manpower and facility for the implementation and sustainability of the programs and services such as temporary shelter to address needs and problems of CNSP and WEDC to include victims of trafficking in persons; make provisions for the continuous awareness raising activities and advocacy campaign on anti-trafficking in person; allow the CSWDO to participate in the programs of the IJM; and accommodate proposals from the CSWDO on the delivery of basic services provided that such proposals are covered within the area of IJM’s program.

IJM is an international human rights organization which provides free investigative, legal and social work assistance to the urban poor especially cases involving child abuse and child sex trafficking in the National Capital Region, the neighboring provinces and Calbayog City.

City Officials visit Aguit-itan

As agreed upon during the People's Day held last week in Barangay Aguit-itan, the City Officials led by Mayor Reynaldo Uy, together with the Department managers visited the said barangay to see for themselves what was reported by the General Services Office (GSO). The GSO personnel had Aguit-itan as their assignment during the Iwas Dengue days activity of the LGU.

The officials visited the fishport and the so-called "wetland" area of Aguit-itan. The bulk of garbage seen in the area prompted the City Mayor to form a multi-department committee composed of the City Solid Waste Management Office, the City Health Office, the General Services Office, the City Urban Housing Division, the PNP and the Aguit-itan Barangay Council to come up with solutions.

Aside from the garbage, the condition of the majority of the settlers in the area prompted the officials to include the said barangay in the top priorities of the Calbayog Urbanization Programs Services (CUPS) component of the 3-D Development Program.

Here are some pictures I took during the visit.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy and some Department Managers as he entered the Fishport

Mayor Uy with 3-D Executive Director Ruben Adona

This morning with Mayor Uy

Aside from attending to his usual callers (who always crowd his office), Mayor Reynaldo Uy presided over a Civil Wedding ceremony. Then he made a surprise visit to the City Health Office afterwhich he met with the fishport stall owners at the Old Barracks Building conference hall.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy takes time to talk with City Health Officer Dr. Sylvia De Guzman and Dr. Christopher Corsiga (in stripes).

Mayor Uy with Economic Enterprise Development and Management Office (EEDMO) manager Nida Beso and Urban Housing Division chief Cecinio Oquendo.

People's Day sa Barangay Aguit-itan

Guinbuhat yana nga adlaw an People's Day sa Barangay Aguit-itan. Ini resulta san Iwas Dengue Days nga guinpatuman san lokal nga pan-gubiernuhan san Calbayog. Sumala san report san General Services Office, an opisina nga naka-assign sa Barangay Aguit-itan, damu kaupay nga basura ug iba pa nga nakakahugaw an ira na-obserbaran sa nasabi nga barangay.

Nagkamay-ada sin usa nga dialogue sa butnga san mga opisayales san ciudad kaupod an mga Department Managers ug san mga lumulupyo san Aguit-itan. Nahibaru-an nga an barangay may-ada kalugaringun nga anti-littering ordinance, kundi tungod san katig-a san ulo san kadam-an nga naukoy sa nasabi nga barangay, ini dire nahipapatuman. Guin abuyun san mga taga Aguit-itan sa atubangan san mga opisyales san ciudad nga istrikto na nga ig-iimplimentar an nasabi nga ordinansa nga upod na an pagdire san mga kutay (o sampay sa pathway) sugad man an pagdire sa pagtangkal o paghigot san mga baboy sa pathway.

Usa liwat nga daku nga problema nga nahibaruan mao an basura labi na sa tinatawag nga wetland area. Sugad man an problema mahitungod san presensya san mga fish vendors sa dalan. Guin harampangan liwat an mahitungod san mga paragbulad diin an ira pagbulad nagdadangat san maraut nga baho dire la sa nasabi nga barangay kundi naabot pa sa City Hall compound ug sa Barangay West Awang. Tungod sine, guinkasaragbutan nga igdidire na na pagbulad ug ini guin uyunan san mga nadabihan pina-agi san ira pagsaad nga mabalhin sira san iba nga lugar gawas san city proper.

Guin abuyunan nga sa ti-abot nga Lunes, an mga opisyales sa panguna ni Mayor Reynaldo Uy, kaupod an mga Department Managers mao an malibot sa bug-os nga Aguit-itan agud makit-an kun may resulta an guin abuyunan sa guinbuhat nga People's Day.

Si Mayor Reynaldo Uy kaupod an pipira nga paragbulad sa Barangay Aguit-itan.

Si Konsehala Regina Rabuya san iya paghatag san mensahe. Kaupod sa litratu sira Vice Mayor Ronald Aquino, ug sira Konsehal Jim Uy, Ver Porlares, Ronald Mark Aquino, Arturo Pasacas ug Jonas Montealto.

An pipira san mga Department Managers nga nag-atendir san People's Day.

Courtesy Call

Mayor Reynaldo Uy earlier today received Lt Col William Peñafiel, the Commanding Officer of the 34th IB of the Philippine Army. Col Peñafiel was accompanied by 1Lt Rodrigo Latonio (34th IB Bravo Company Commander), 1Lt Randy Eloreta and 1Lt Wilson Ocampo during the courtesy call.

They discussed a good number of issues, among which is the citation for Lt Latonio for his help in the pursue of bandits which lately terrorized the people in Barangay Migara.

Mayor Reynaldo Uy with Lt Col William Peñafiel.

Mayor Uy with 1Lt Rodrigo Latonio