TACLOBAN CITY – Government agencies, local government units, and civil society groups have formalized a partnership to ensure that the Basey–Maydolong Road is managed without compromising the ecological integrity of the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP), one of the country’s largest remaining tracts of old-growth rainforest.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here in the region, together with the provincial governments of Samar and Eastern Samar, the municipalities of Basey and Maydolong, the church, and other stakeholders, signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Wednesday, July 7, establishing a unified framework for the protection and sustainable management of the road corridor that cuts across the protected landscape.

The agreement seeks to balance the area’s growing transportation needs with the conservation of the Samar Island Natural Park, a protected area known for its rich biodiversity, endemic wildlife, extensive cave systems, and critical watershed that supports communities across Samar Island.

Among the signatories were DENR Eastern Visayas Regional Executive Director Arturo Salazar, Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez, Basey Mayor Luz Ponferrada, and representatives of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other partner agencies.

Salazar said the agreement reflects the shared responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that infrastructure development does not come at the expense of environmental protection.
“The Basey–Maydolong Road serves as a vital link for our communities, but it also passes through one of our most ecologically important protected areas. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that infrastructure development proceeds without compromising the integrity of the Samar Island Natural Park,” he said.

“Through this partnership, we reaffirm our commitment to achieving sustainable development—where progress goes hand in hand with the protection of our natural heritage for present and future generations.”

He added that the agreement demonstrates that infrastructure development and environmental conservation can coexist when supported by responsible governance, science-based management, and sustained collaboration among stakeholders.
Under the MOA, the parties committed to strengthening inter-agency coordination, adopting sustainable road management practices, and implementing measures that minimize environmental impacts while ensuring safe and responsible public access along the Basey–Maydolong Road.

The agreement also reinforces the shared responsibility of national government agencies, local governments, the private sector, faith-based organizations, and local communities in safeguarding the Samar Island Natural Park, a key biodiversity area and one of Eastern Visayas’ most important ecological treasures.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Tourism (DOT) has intensified its campaign to improve the quality of tourism services in Eastern Visayas by training more than 100 tourism workers and students under its Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) program.

The capacity-building initiative, conducted in Samar, Southern Leyte, and Leyte, aims to equip tourism frontliners and future tourism professionals with the skills and values needed to deliver world-class service rooted in genuine Filipino hospitality.

In San Jorge, Samar, 55 participants from primary and secondary tourism enterprises completed the FBSE training, the first time the municipality has hosted the program. The activity was facilitated with the support of Tourism Officer-in-Charge Liza Badocdoc and the Municipal Tourism Office.

Participants underwent sessions designed to enhance customer service, promote professionalism, and strengthen the municipality’s readiness to serve both local and foreign visitors.

The program also reached Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte, where 50 participants from tourism establishments and various municipal government offices completed the same training.

Vice Mayor Hermenegildo Culpa welcomed the participants and underscored the local government’s commitment to promoting quality tourism services and sustainable tourism development.

To help prepare the next generation of tourism professionals, the DOT likewise conducted the FBSE training for Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship students of Leyte Normal University–San Isidro Campus before they begin their internship.

The students were introduced to the FBSE’s core principles, including the “7Ms of Filipino Values,” “Mabuhay Gestures,” and the GUEST and HEART service methods through interactive discussions and practical exercises designed to strengthen customer relations and service excellence.

The San Jorge and Padre Burgos sessions were facilitated by FBSE trainer Victorino D. Mendiola III, while FBSE trainer Emily Jill Nival handled the training at Leyte Normal University–San Isidro Campus.

The FBSE is one of the DOT’s flagship training programs that seeks to develop a culture of service excellence across the Philippine tourism industry by instilling professionalism, courtesy, and authentic Filipino hospitality among tourism workers. The program forms part of the agency’s broader efforts to enhance visitor experiences and improve the country’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar — Former Northern Samar First District Representative Paul Daza urged nearly 3,700 graduates of the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP)here to view their diplomas not merely as academic achievements but as symbols of the sacrifices and aspirations of their families during the university’s 65th Commencement Exercises.

Daza, a lawyer and member of the UEP Board of Regents, served as the commencement speaker before 3,687 graduates from the university’s 12 colleges, including the Graduate School and the College of Law, at the packed Academic Circular Building on the university’s main campus during the June 30 ceremony.

Addressing the graduates, Daza, who also served as governor of the province, reminded them that earning a college degree represents years of perseverance shared not only by students but also by the people who supported them throughout their education.

“A diploma is far more than a piece of paper. It is a symbol of sacrifice, hope and purpose—one that belongs not just to the student, but also to the families who sacrificed, prayed and worked to see them through,” he said.

He emphasized that behind every diploma is the unwavering support of parents, grandparents, siblings and loved ones who worked hard, saved money, borrowed when necessary, and never stopped believing in the students’ potential.

“Behind every diploma is your Mama, Papa, Lolo, Lola, Ate, Kuya, or a loved one who sacrificed, prayed, worked, borrowed, saved and believed in you,” Daza told the graduates.
To underscore the significance of completing higher education, Daza cited national education statistics, noting that only a small percentage of Filipino children who begin kindergarten eventually finish college.

“Of every 100 children who enter kindergarten, only about 60 complete high school, and only around 15 graduates from college,” he said, encouraging the graduates to recognize the privilege and responsibility that come with earning a degree.

He concluded his address by reminding the Class of 2026 that their diplomas represent not only personal success but also the hopes of their families and communities.

“When you hold your diploma, remember that you are not only holding proof that you finished. You are holding hope, the hope of your family, the hope of your community, and the hope of many young people who are still dreaming of the opportunity you now have,” Daza said.

Founded in 1924, the UEP is the oldest state university in Eastern Visayas and has long been one of Northern Samar’s leading institutions of higher learning, producing graduates who have gone on to serve in government, education, business and other professions throughout the region and the country.

(PETER D. PAREDES)

TACLOBAN CITY — Health authorities in the Samar town of Gandara have intensified mosquito-control measures after an outbreak of chikungunya sickened at least 84 residents, prompting the local government to place two villages under red code alert and urge residents to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

Data from the Gandara Rural Health Unit (RHU) showed that all 84 confirmed cases have been recorded in Barangays Ngoso and Catorse de Agosto, two adjacent villages in the town proper that have been under red code status since June 30 following the outbreak.
Health officials said the first suspected cases were detected in May before the number of infections steadily increased.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted through the bites of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes—the same species that spread dengue and Zika.
While the disease is rarely fatal, it can cause debilitating joint pain that may persist for weeks or even months.

Patients infected with the virus typically experience sudden high fever, severe joint pain, headache, muscle pain, skin rash, and fatigue.

Although the outbreak has so far been confined to Barangays Ngoso and Catorse de Agosto, local health officials are closely monitoring the town’s remaining 67 barangays to prevent further spread.

Gandara has a total of 69 barangays.

To contain the outbreak, the municipal government, through the RHU, has appealed to residents to regularly clean their surroundings, unclog canals and drainage systems, remove stagnant water from containers, and destroy mosquito breeding sites in homes and communities.

The RHU also advised residents experiencing symptoms consistent with chikungunya to seek immediate medical consultation and avoid self-medication.

“We strongly urge the public to remain vigilant and rely solely on official health channels for updates,” the local government said in an advisory.

Health experts said there is no specific antiviral treatment for chikungunya.
Management focuses on relieving symptoms through adequate rest, hydration, and medicines to reduce fever and pain.

Since chikungunya shares many symptoms with dengue, patients are advised to consult healthcare providers promptly so dengue can be ruled out before taking medications such as ibuprofen or aspirin, which may increase the risk of bleeding in dengue cases.

The Department of Health has long emphasized that the most effective way to prevent chikungunya is to control mosquito populations through regular community cleanups, proper waste disposal, elimination of stagnant water, and personal protection measures such as using mosquito repellents, wearing long-sleeved clothing, and installing window screens.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)