JARO, Leyte – The Leyte Second District Engineering Office (L2DEO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is constructing a multi-purpose building intended to be used as an infirmary health facility in Barangay Caglawaan, this town.
The said facility has a total floor area of 810 square meters and with a total budget allocation of P19.73 million featuring concrete footings, columns, and beams as well of hollow block walls, steel frame roofing, storm drainage, and sewer.
“This new building will serve as an additional health care facility for the municipality of Jaro, as they are considered one of the most populated towns in the second district of Leyte and belong to a 3rd class municipality in the province of Leyte,” Engr.Leo Edward Oppura, the district engineer, said.
Once completed and utilized, the said facility can offer services to help address health concerns, and the community can avail itself of medical treatment and diagnosis from the trained healthcare professionals.
Similarly, it will provide more job possibilities in the health sector and provide a more inexpensive and accessible healthcare system.
The project started its construction on February 20, 2023, and is expected to be completed before September 17 of this year. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
ORMOC CITY-Five persons were arrested by police in Cabucgayan, Biliran for illegal gambling on Monday (May 22).
The arrested individuals were identified by the combined elements of the local police and the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group in Barangay Madao as Juve Agang, 44; Dasty Mapa, 46; Amador Flores, 43; Marlino Gaviola, 34; and Juanito Aljo, 51.
The arrest of the five accused was by virtue of a warrant of arrest dated May 19, 2023 and issued by Judge Annabelle S Donasco-Balledo, the acting presiding judge of the 1st MCTC (Almeria-Kawayan), Kawayan, Biliran for violation of PD 449 as amended by PD 1602.
The court recommended a bail of P30,000 for each for their temporary liberty.
The five accused were brought to Kawayan MPS for proper documentation before bringing them to the court that issued the warrant of arrest. (ROBERT DEJON)
4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan led in the groundbreaking ceremony of a road project that will connect the town of Maslog to the rest of Eastern Samar via Jipapad town. The P98.78 million worth road project had its groundbreaking on May 26 and attended by several mayors and other leaders of the province.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan led in the groundbreaking ceremony of a road project that will connect the town of Maslog to the rest of Eastern Samar via Jipapad town. The P98.78 million worth road project had its groundbreaking on May 26 and attended by several mayors and other leaders of the province. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
MASLOG, Eastern Samar– The construction of a road connecting this remote town to its nearest town of Jipapad will bring economic prosperity, ease of transportation, and peace, according to town Mayor Heraclio Santiago.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the P98.78 million road project on May 26, Mayor Santiago said that once completed, this will benefit more than 1,050 hectares of rice farms in his municipality and about 1,000 hectares of rice farms in Jipapad town.
The groundbreaking was graced by House Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps party-list Representative Marcelino Libanan, officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office, and mayors from the towns of Maslog, Can-avid, Dolores, Oras, San Policarpo, and Jipapad.
Not only expected to help farmers deliver and transport their produce efficiently, the road will also help in maintaining peace in far-flung villages of Maslog, Jipapad, and Arteche traversed by the road.
“Once this road is completed this will mean the end of the insurgency problem thus bringing peace and prosperity not only to our town but also to the entire Eastern Samar province,” Mayor Santiago said.
“That is how important this road project is,” he added.
The road project consists of the construction and concreting of 1.5731 kilometers road, including drainage and slope protection.
The project is targeted to be completed within 236 days or about eight months.
Officials of two interior villages of Maslog also expect the same outcome once the road project is completed.
Alfredo Nuguit, barangay leader of Tugas and Federico Bergonio of San Roque village said that their areas used to be affected by insurgency problems, although none of their residents had joined the communist group.
The officials clarified that their people just provided support by giving food and money to the rebels.
In San Roque, the farthest village of Maslog and located near its boundary to Jipapad town, Bergonio said that the last sighting of communist members was last year.
“This road will lessen their presence because this will help the military to have access to our village,” Bergonio said.
San Roque village is located about eight kilometers from the town proper and can be reached by a three-kilometer trek from Tugas village.
The village chief of Tugas has the same sentiment sharing that even though they only have at present an all-weather road, the presence of communist rebels in their village has diminished.
“Even though we only have an access road at present, their presence has weakened because the transportation going to our village becomes easier,” Nuguit said.
Residents of Tugas are using a single motorcycle and a tractor locally called “kuliglig” as their means of transportation from the village to the town proper.
Travelling to the village lasts for about 40 minutes traversing unpaved road and rice fields, or more than an hour by walking, a condition that Rep. Libanan want to end.
“I will make sure that this project is going to be completed because these roads will help a lot in improving the lives of Eastern Samar residents,” Rep. Libanan promised. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
MASLOG, Eastern Samar– Residents of two remote villages of this town are hopeful that life will be easier and more comfortable with the construction of a concrete road that will connect the town to its nearest municipality of Jipapad.
Last May 26, the groundbreaking ceremony of the construction of Maslog- Jipapad Road was held and attended by excited village officials.
The project is expected to be finished in eight months.
The ceremony was attended and led by 4Ps party-list and Minority Leader, Rep. Marcelino Libanan, Maslog Mayor Heraclio Santiago, and officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways -Eastern Samar District Office led by Engineer Alvin Ignacio.
According to Federico Bergonio, village leader of San Roque, for the longest time, farmers from their area had difficulty of transporting their farm produce, students also struggled going to school especially when the weather was bad.
“Transportation is very hard since the road is not paved, transportation cost is so high as we have to spend at least a P100 in transporting one sack of palay; it is also slippery when rainy, while students have to walk three to five kilometers just to go to school. It’s really hard,” he said.
With the construction of the road, life is about to be better, he added. “We are happy and thankful,” Bergonio said.
Meanwhile, Alberto Nuguit, village chair of Tugas, said that even their improvised cargo for their products is easily damaged because of the road condition.
“In our village, cargoes can pass but get damaged eventually because of the bad condition of the roads. Thus we are thankful that with the construction of the road, our dream to have paved and connected roads is now a reality,” he said.
Nuguit added that the road construction will eventually eradicate the influence of the New People’s Army (NPA) in their area.
For his part, Mayor Santiago said that upon the completion of the road project, travel time to their town will reduce significantly.
Meanwhile, it is noted that the Dolores-Maslog road construction is ongoing has a P350 million project cost.
Rep. Libanan also vowed to allocate another P450 million for the continuation of the Maslog-Jipapad road project.
Libanan also informed that he requested the DPWH regional office to make the road 12 inches thick in preparation for the conversion of the road to a national road.
“I will work hard so that an additional P450 million funding will be added to the existing budget. I really hope to finish the Samar Island Circumferential Road,” he said. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
Manila-From May 15 to 26, coast guard instructors from the United States, the Philippines, and Japan jointly led a Multinational Vessel Boarding Officer Course in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan that strengthened the maritime law enforcement capabilities of more than thirty participants from Southeast Asia.
Jointly conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Mobile Training Branch, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) Mobile Cooperation Team, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), this course trained participants on the basics of boarding vessels for at-sea law enforcement. It was made possible through P4.1 million ($75,000) in funding provided by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs under its new Southeast Asia Training Team Program.
Through this course, 33 participants from the PCG, the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Malaysia’s Maritime Enforcement Agency, Thailand’s Maritime Enforcement Command Center, and Vietnam’s Department of Fisheries enhanced their knowledge on the law of the sea and policy on the use of force. They also participated in practical exercises focused on self-defense tactics and vessel search procedures.
“The Boarding Officer Course stands as a cornerstone in our relentless pursuit of maritime security. It equips us, alongside our esteemed multinational participants, with indispensable knowledge, skills, and unwavering ethical principles while fostering cooperation and camaraderie with our international counterparts,” PCG instructor Ensign Gilbert Alberto Rueras said at the culminating exercise on May 25. “Through this transformative experience, we are able to fortify our capabilities, ensuring the safety, prosperity, and shared interests of our maritime domain.”
“It has been an outstanding collaboration bringing all these countries and agencies together. It is most fulfilling to see the students forming bonds and partnering during the boarding exercises,” USCG instructor Senior Chief Kenneth Christian said.
The USCG and JCG have been conducting joint maritime trainings for the PCG since April 2022. This course marks their first training event conducted for a multinational audience with the PCG as a co-host. To further strengthen trilateral maritime cooperation, the USCG, PCG, and JCG will continue to carry out other collaborative training events on maritime law enforcement, patrol vessel operations, and maintenance procedures. (PR)
FOR EASTERN VISAYAS’ DEVELOPMENT. Top officials of the region, led by House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and House Minority leader and 4Ps Rep. Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan attended the Regional Development Council (RDC)-Advisory Council meeting led by Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez of Ormoc City at the House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 24) where they discussed major projects to be implemented across the region that will help accelerate Eastern Visayas’ growth. Also present were all of the region’s congressmen, governors, and various head of different line agencies. (PHOTO COURTESY KARINA ROSA TIOPES)
Alfred asks people to have a healthy lifestyle
FOR EASTERN VISAYAS’ DEVELOPMENT. Top officials of the region, led by House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and House Minority leader and 4Ps Rep. Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan attended the Regional Development Council (RDC)-Advisory Council meeting led by Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez of Ormoc City at the House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 24) where they discussed major projects to be implemented across the region that will help accelerate Eastern Visayas’ growth. Also present were all of the region’s congressmen, governors, and various head of different line agencies. (PHOTO COURTESY KARINA ROSA TIOPES)
TACLOBAN CITY– After almost six months, the number of active cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the region has reached over 100 cases again.
The Department of Health (DOH), in its report, said that based on the May 15 to 21 period, active COVID-19 cases of the region have reached to 126.
Of this number, 108 were considered to be new cases.
The last time Eastern Visayas reached the three-figure mark of active COVID-19 cases was on December 12, 2022 which was 105 cases.
Despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the DOH reported that none of the patients were considered to be severely or critically affected by the deadly virus.
“No severe or critical cases admitted in the hospital (and) out of the 491 intensive care unit beds for COVID-19 patients, 10 or 20.42% are occupied,” it said on its report.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, meantime, said that the best way to avoid not to contract the virus is to have a healthy lifestyle, especially during this time of hot temperature.
“I think people have learned their lesson. We can avoid it if we exercise as (a) caution. Let’s be careful if the weather changes, pag medyo tag-init naman, tapos papasok pa ang tag-ulan. So kailanga, healthy lifestyle,” he said during a recent press briefer.
The DOH said that of the 126 active COVID-19 cases of the region, 108 of these were classified as new cases.
Leyte posted the highest number of new cases with 71 of which 32 are from Tacloban City alone.
Aside from Leyte, the DOH reported 21 new cases in Samar; seven in Biliran; four each in Northern Samar and Southern Leyte; and one in Eastern Samar.
Earlier, Dr. Exuperia Sabalberino, DOH regional director, said that the rise of COVID-19 cases in the region is due to the non-compliance of the mandatory health protocols by the people and the lax of the restrictions.
The health official also reminded the public to get their booster shots against COVID-19, especially those considered to be part of the vulnerable sector like the senior citizens.
