Southern Leyte will soon be efficiently connected to other islands and provinces after the completion of the Trans-Visayas Intermodal Transport Network Development Project.

      Through a soft loan released to the Philippines by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), an intermodal network will soon be constructed to link various areas in Regions V, VI, VII and  VIII by establishing the Highway and Roll On Roll Off (RO-RO) Ferry Transport Systems.

      In his visit to Japan, Congressman Saludo worked out for the inclusion of Southern Leyte in the conception and planning of the transport network project. “This is one major breakthrough in the history of transportation and it is necessarily important that our province take advantage of it”, Saludo said.

      Saludo, one of the proponents of the project, said that the new transportscheme is aimed to provide adequate and higher standard of transportation by catering to Inter-City public transport and international marine container transport throughout the Visayas region. 

      Through the project, it is expected that the acceleration of regional development in the Visayas will be greatly enhanced by tapping tourism development potential and increasing mobility. This will eventually result in the improvement of living standards in the areas where the intermodal transport network system is introduced.

      “The establishment of the Highway and RO-RO Transport Systems will render our present transportation condition a thing of the past. The introduction of this interconnected transport facility will efficiently shorten travel time, both on land and in water”, Saludo said.

Saludo nominated Outstanding 1st Term Congressman

      For his exemplary performance as a neophyte member of the House of Representatives, Congressman Odong  Saludo has been nominated  as one of the “Most Outstanding First-Term Congressman”, an award traditionally given by the by the Congress Magazine and Makati Graduate School.

     According to the organizers of the search, the selection was based on the performance of the nominated lawmakers during the previous year.

            The board of selection said that the nominees should have displayed active roles and hardworking  potentials in the first two years of their terms to qualify for the award.  

Odong files measures for the creation of two more high schools

             Students will expect the establishment of two more high schools in Southern Leyte.

            This was ensured by Representative Aniceto G. Saludo, Jr. when he filed in the Lower Chamber of Congress two house measures seeking for the creation of Nava National High School in the Municipality of Hinunangan (HB 12501) and the conversion of Himayangan National High School into Himayangan National Vocational High School in the Municipality of Liloan (HB 11929).

            Because of the need to accommodate more students and to secure an expanded educational service to students, Congressman Saludo said that it was imperative that the institutionalization of these high schools is initiated.

            “The strategic locations ofthese campuses have contributed much to the influx of enrollees annually. With the continuing increase of student population, coupled with the growing interest among students to learn  and acquire vocational skills upon graduation, the establishment of schools that offer expanded services is highly  crucial”, Saludo explained.

            “In these modern times, desire for knowledge has become predominant more than ever before. It is therefore  our responsibility to provide our children with the kind of education that they hunger for.

            “A legislated measure that will sustain the future operations of these schools is the ultimate approach that guarantees our committment to our children’s quest for learning,” Saludo concluded.

Prov’l Hospital receives medical equipment

         With the aim of improving the delivery of quality health service to Southern Leyteños, Congressman Saludo facilitated the delivery of assorted  medical equipment to the Southern Leyte Provincial Hospital. 

        “The existing medical facilities in the provincial hospital is insufficient, if not lacking,” Saludo said. The Provincial Hospital caters health services to the population of more than 300,000.

        “The medical facilities upgrading program of the Department of Health  will surely be a big boost in terms of medical service delivery. This will also increase the confidence of our people to have themselves treated in our local  hospital. With the presence of better and more advanced health facilities, our people will no longer have to worry about going to other cities just to seek for medical assistance. The kind of therapeutic service that we have long been wanted is now right here in our province”, Congressman Saludo said.

            Fifteen types of medical equipment have already been delivered to the IPHO.

Saludo Intensifies Energization Projects in So. Leyte

          In line with the national government’s thrust to energize all areas in the country, Congressman Saludo vigorously worked for the inclusion of Southern Leyte in the implementation of the energization   projects of the Department of Energy (DOE).

         Because of his desire to bring the advantages of technology closer to his constituents, Saludo directed Southern Leyte Electric Cooperative (SOLECO) to work in close coordination with concerned government agencies, specifically with the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to speed up the energization efforts in his district.

         Saludo said that the immediate implementation of the project  is imperative for the development of Southern Leyte. “Our province is among the 20 depressed provinces of the country, and this should challenge us to strive for something better,” he said. The program projects that all barangays in Southern Leyte will be energized by the year 2004.

         Through the Office of Congressman Saludo, the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) has signified its support to the full energization of the province. It has pledged to spearhead the electrification of eighteen (18) barangays in Southern Leyte. The PNOC has confirmed to handle the energization of the following barangays: Calintaan, Capacuhan, Kagingkingan, and Mainit (Anahawan), Ilaya, Matin-ao, Palongpong, and Tubura (Hinunangan), Amaga, An-an, Navalita, and Plaridel (Hinundayan), and Buak Daku, Kahupian, Kanangkaan, Mabikay, Olisihan, and Pancho Villa (Sogod).

         Meanwhile, six other barangays are expected to be energized on November. According to Saludo, energization projects will be turned over to Brgy. Sta. Filomena of San Juan, Brgy. Nava of Hinunangan, the island barangays of San Pedro and San Pablo, and Brgys. Esperanza I and Esperanza II of San Ricardo, including  barangay Camang. 

MAASIN NOW A CITY

Through the efforts of Congressman Odong Saludo, Southern Leyte finally saw the creation of the first Millennium City in the country. It came about only after a yearlong process of debate and hard work.  At 11:23 PM, the Commission on Elections officially proclaimed Maasin as a city on August 10, 2000. A whooping vote of 92% equivalent to 19,273 votes was cast in favor of Maasin’s conversion.

       A crowd of hundreds  gathered in the town hall to await the declaration of Maasin’s cityhood by COMELEC. Despite minor delays, cityhood supporters patiently waited for the last ballot to be counted and have broken into a pandemonium upon hearing the proclamation. Fireworks were displayed in celebration of Maasin’s successful campaign for cityhood.

            Because of his significant contribution to Maasin’s cityhood, the City Council of Maasin, on their first meeting passed its first resolution which adopted Congressman Saludo as “a son of  Maasin City and conferred him the singular honor of being the Father of the City of Maasin”.

BFAR launches livelihood program for Fisherfolks

In an effort to equip local fishermen with appropriate skills in fishing, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Department of Agriculture (BFAR-DA) donated three (3) units of payaw, a fish-aggregating device, to three municipalities in the Panaon Island. The donation came after Rep. Saludo requested Agriculture Secretary Edgardo Angara to strengthen agricultural support in Southern Leyte by launching a livelihood-training program for fisherfolks in the province.

           Saludo explained that pushing for the implementation of the program will be very beneficial to Southern Leyteños, especially to small fisherfolks because the program has been specifically designed for them.

      Saludo added that aside from providing training to fishermen that will aid them in acquiring relevant skills, the program also guarantees to establish an initial source of supplemental livelihood.

            The donation of three units of payaw by BFAR to Southern Leyte is a reaffirmation of DA’s strong support to Rep. Saludo’s agricultural thrusts. Earlier this year, Angara committed to Saludo that he will help spur agricultural activities in Southern Leyte through the Agrikulturang Makamasa Program.

SPORTS BUFF ODONG

Saludo startled his colleagues with his winning form in a Tennis Exhibition Game during the House of Representatives Week held on October 16-20, 2000.