TACLOBAN CITY-President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Jose “Joe” Torres Jr., an award-winning journalist and two-time National Book Award recipient, as the new director-general of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

“I am grateful to President Marcos for the opportunity and the privilege to serve the country in these trying times of misinformation and disinformation,” said Torres on Tuesday (May 23).

Torres, who is known for his “exceptional investigative reporting and work in new media”, is expected to strengthen PIA’s mission of disseminating information about government programs, projects, and services to the Filipino public.

He replaced Ramon Cualoping III who was appointed to the post by then President Rodrigo Duterte but reappointed to the same post by Marcos on July 7, 2022.

Torres brings a wealth of experience and expertise to his new role.

PIA serves as the country’s primary information arm, with a network spanning 16 regional offices and 78 provincial information centers.

According to Torres, the agency’s mandate is to empower Filipinos by providing them with accurate and timely information, enabling them to actively participate in the nation’s democratic processes.

Torres started his journalism career as a writer for the alternative news service Philippine News and Features in the late 1980s.

In the early 1990s, his groundbreaking reporting, later published into the book “Into the Mountain: Hostaged by the Abu Sayyaf,” shed light on the activities of the notorious bandit group in the southern Philippines.

Torres has also worked for various media outlets, both in the Philippines and abroad.
He served as a sub-editor for Saudi Gazette, the national newspaper of Saudi Arabia, as an investigative reporter for the now-defunct Isyu newsmagazine, and wrote for The Manila Times, The Philippine Post, and The Sunday Paper.

Recognizing the importance of online journalism, Torres joined ABS-CBN’s online platform in 2001. He later played a pivotal role in the establishment of GMA News’s online presence in 2005. He also set up the online version of the tabloid Remate in 2009.

In 2010, he joined the Bangkok-based Union of Catholic Asian News as its managing editor. He later became editor-at-large for LiCAS.news, a Church news agency based in Bangkok, and served as member of the editorial board of Radio Veritas Asia in 2018.

Torres’s dedication to his craft has earned him numerous awards and recognitions, including a citation in the 2004 International Tolerance Prize for his article on Filipino Muslims titled “Troubled Return of the Faithful.”

His piece “The Making of a Mindanao Mafia” was awarded 3rd Prize in the Jaime V Ongpin Awards for Excellence in Journalism in 2004.

Torres finished Philosophy at the University of Santo Tomas. Thereafter, he took up units of Theology at the Ateneo de Manila University.
(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the city government of Ormoc headed by Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez handed over a cash gift to centenarian Vicente Devaras.

The P100,000 cash gift was awarded to Devaras in the presence of his family as an act of honoring and granting additional benefits and privileges to Filipino centenarians as mandated by Republic Act 10868 or the Centenarian Act of 2016.

Devaras also received a letter of felicitation signed by President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
“As we gather to honor this exceptional individual, let his journey inspire us to embrace our inner strength, overcome obstacles with unwavering determination, and make a positive impact in our communities,” Mayor Gomez said during the occasion last May 19.

“May Tatay Vicente’s century of inspiration and honor, enriched by his noble service, resonate far and wide, reminding us of the limitless potential within each of us,” she added.
Torres-Gomez said that Devaras is a living testament to the triumph of the ‘human spirit, radiating a remarkable light that ignites hope and uplifts hearts.’
Devaras celebrated his 100 birthday on April 5, 2023.

On May 3, the city government awarded him a cash gift worth P20, 000 at his residence.
In addition to the recognition to the centenarian, the province of Leyte also awarded him a plaque of recognition to acknowledge his contribution to the country’s liberation campaign during the Japanese occupation in the province during World War II.

It was learned that aside from being a war veteran, Devaras in his younger years also worked as a public school teacher in Ormoc.

Since the law took effect, about 80 centenarians in the region have already received P100, 000 cash gift from the government, based on the data of the DSWD-8.
Devaras is the latest or the 20th to receive the cash gift this year.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY– An overheated ceiling fan was blamed for a fire incident that burned down three business stalls in Basey, Samar on Tuesday (May 23) at about 11 am.

The three stalls, located in Barangay Baybay in the said town, were completely gutted down with arson investigators placed the damage to P130,000.

Report from the local police said that the fire incident started at about 11 am but was declared fire out 30 minutes later as two fire trucks from the municipal fire station immediately responded to the fire call.

The three stalls that were affected by the blaze were owned by Mary Jane Ragaodao, 26; Romeo Baclea-an, 44; and Gina Hermo, of legal age. All residents of Baybay.

The initial investigation conducted by the responding police and fire personnel disclosed that Ragaodao noticed that her ceiling fan located on the second floor of her house was burning.

She immediately sought help from their neighbors but the fire quickly spread as her house was made of light materials, affecting the neighboring stalls.
No one was injured in the fire incident.
(ROBERT DEJON)