Leyte to get electrification funds

ORMOC CITY - The Department of Energy (DoE) has released funds to the Leyte Electric Cooperative V (Leyeco) for the electrification of 45 communities here. Ormoc City Mayor Eric C. Codilla said Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes informed him that the Energy department has released P16 million to energize 45 sitios. Jovenal Alesna, Leyeco V general manager, said they will provide electricity to the identified communities within this quarter. "The city government identified the priority areas," he said.

These are Leondoni, Manlilinao, Nueva Sociedad, Green Valley, Mabato, Magaswe, San Isidro, Curva, Dona Feliza Mejia, Lao,Mahayag, Nadongholan, , Patag, Salvacion, Hibunawon, Guintigui-an, Dolores, Catmon, Monterico, Cagbuhangin, San Jose, Concepcion, Sabang Bao, Cabingtan, Bagong, Boroc, Macabug, Quezon Jr., San Antonio, Hugpa and Sumangga. There are four sitios to be energized in Magaspe, Patag and Dolores, while others have only two to three sitios. Public information officer Roy Magdadaro said Leyeco V will conduct a survey before energizing these villages. —

By Gerardo C. Reyes, Jr.

Hundreds join Palo archdiocesan Silver Jubilee celebration

By Gay B. Gaspay

Tacloban City, Leyte (14 February) -- As sweethearts and couples in love celebrate Valentines' Day today, hundreds of delegates will join in today's culminating Silver Jubilee celebration of then Palo diocese as an Archdiocese.

The delegates, coming from the different 60 parishes of region 8 under the Dioceses of Catarman, Borongan, Calbayog and Naval, will troop to the Metropolitan Palo Cathedral in Palo, Leyte, center of activities to join the celebration.

The three-day Silver Jubilee culminating celebration started its activities last February 12, as clergies, youth, lay workers, religious men and women, public officials and parishioners participated the Congress of Faith Communities, Jubilee of the Clergy & religious and Youth Jubilee Vigil in Palo and Tacloban City.

According to Palo Archdiocese Social Community coordinator Rev. Fr. Amadeo Alvero in an interview said that special guests of the 25th year celebration will include the Archbishop Emeritus Pedro R. Dean, the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Most Rev. Joseph Edward Adam, Cardinals, Bishops and clergies.

Highlight of the celebration of the Final Day of Festivities will be the 10am. Eucharistic Celebration to be officiated by His Eminence the Papal Nuncio, followed by an AGAPE, a short talk of the Papal Nuncio at the Archbishop Cipriano V.Urgel Hall and a special presentation of the Sinulog grand winner the Buyugan.

As the Archdiocese celebrates its 25th year of Palo as an Archdiocese, Archbishop Most Rev. Jose Palma has proclaimed February 14, 2008 to February 14, 2009 as the Jubilee Year with its theme: " A celebration of the blessing of the past, a hopeful journey towards a renewed Church".

The Archdiocese of Palo has lined-up many events for the yearlong celebration, one of which was the designation of pilgrim sites of churches & places of worship in the Archdiocese during the jubilee year. Archbishop Palma himself has declared the following places as pilgrim sites: Metropolitan Cathedral of the Transfiguration of Our Lord (Palo), Sto. Niño Parish (Tacloban City), Holy Cross Parish (Carigara), St. Joseph Parish (Barugo), St. Francis Xavier Parish (Abuyog), Our Ladey of Peace & Good Voyage (La Paz), Sts. Peter & Paul Parish (Ormoc City) and Monasterio de la Virgen de Guadalupe (Kabaon-an, Ormoc City).

Aside from the pilgrim sites visit, the Silver Jubilee Cross likewise visited all the parish Churches.

It was in November 15, 1982 when His Holiness Pope John Paul II elevated the Diocese of Palo to the status of Archdiocese and was canonically erected February 14, 1983 with Most Rev. Cipriano Urgel as the Archbishop of Palo. Originally the Diocese of Palo was under the Archdiocese of Cebu. (PIA-8)