CATARMAN, Northern Samar-The Bureau of Fire Protection(BFP) of this town is conducting a thorough investigation of the origin of the fire that gutted a warehouse of a huge establishment at about 9:35 pm on Friday(Dec.1) located in Barangay Dalakit.

BFP Catarman Fire Marshall Fire Senior Inspector Victor Ygbuhay identified the gutted warehouse as Sanvic Supermart Dalakit Branch which contained with alcohol, dry good products, and canned goods.

The fire reached up to third alarm with fire stations coming from nearby towns of San Jose, Lavezares, Bobon, Mondragon, and San Roque helped put out the blaze.

The fire was controlled past 10 pm and was totally put out at 1:35 early morning.

Arson investigators are still conducting their probe as to the origin of the fire.
Damage due to the fire was placed at P30 million. (ROBERT DEJON)

BORONGAN CITY – The provincial office of the Department of Trade and Industry in Eastern Samar opened the “One Town, One Product (OTOP)” hub in this city which is seen to help boost the income of local producers.

During the December 1 opening of the facility, located at the Fun Borongan building at Baybay Boulevard, DTI provincial director Ruthelma Samonte said that the OTOP hub is not just a place to exhibit products produced by local producers in the province but is also a venue where producers and exhibitors have a chance to connect with possible clients.
The DTI official also said that with the OTOP building now in existence, the local producers could seek assistance from government agencies for the improvement of their products and make them competitive.

Samonte said that the OTOP hub ensures that micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) not just in Borongan but in all of Eastern Samar province are assured that they have a place to go to for marketing, promoting, and permanent display or exhibit area.
Samonte added that having an OTOP hub would not only help the MSMEs but also the tourism industry and economy of the city.

Pedro Tan, DTI-8 chief of staff who represented regional director Celerina Bato, lauded the local producers which he said will help in providing identity to the city.

“This time we have the potential, hindi tayo natutulog, and our best can compare with the world’s best. An kinahanglan la an marketing access, financial support, commitment hit LGUs,” he said, adding that the MSME sector is the leading economic driver of the country providing a 99.6% contribution to the Philippine economy.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

In Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY– The provincial government will continue to extend support to any health-related initiatives, including addressing HIV-AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus-acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

This was assured by Vice Governor Clarence Dato as the province joined the worldwide observance of World’s AIDS Day last Saturday (Dec.2).

Based on the record of the Northern Samar Provincial Health Office, the province has recorded 204 HIV cases since 2015, 72 of which have already died, while 74 are undergoing treatment.

“The provincial government will always look after the health of the Nortehanons. We will work hand-in-hand with different sectors and stakeholders to address health issues which include HIV-AIDS and the stigma that comes with it,” Dato, representing Governor Edwin Ongchuan, said.

Jeane Pelayo, HIV-AIDS control program coordinator in the province, said most of their cases were acquired outside Northern Samar.

“We are offering testing and treatment for free at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital treatment hub. So those who want to be tested need only come to us for help. With the confidentiality rule, we assure you of utmost privacy in the process,” she said.

The HIV-AIDS control program in the province, Pelayo said, is actively carried out in Northern Samar through the HIV-AIDS core team (HACT) composed of health experts.
Based on the record from the Department of Health, since 1984, Eastern Visayas recorded 1,899 AIDS cases with 128 deaths.

Leyte has the highest at 1,006 cases with 51 deaths followed by Samar with 276 cases with 11 deaths; Northern Samar with 224 cases and 33 deaths; Southern Leyte,172 cases with 14 deaths; and Biliran 87 cases with six deaths.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY-The staging of the La Routa 2023 – Adventure Race World Series (ARWS): Asia Championship Leg was a milestone for Eastern Visayas sports tourism.
Karen Tiopes, tourism regional director, said this following the “successful and mishaps-free” hosting of the world’s top adventure racing event in Biliran province from November 20-24.

“Sports tourism is one of the priority tour offerings of the Department of Tourism under the leadership of Sec. Christina Garcia Frasco. Region 8 has a space in this product offering particularly in surfing, skimboarding, golf, and adventure racing, to name a few,” she said.
“The market for these sports activities domestically and globally offers Eastern Visayas a significant opportunity to increase its visitor arrival figures,” she added.

Beyond this, the La Routa 2023 – ARWS also allowed Eastern Visayas to showcase the “heart of the Philippines,” according to the tourism director.

“It gained us promotional mileage in terms of showcasing our wonders of nature, our culture, our heritage, and the warmth of our people to the foreign teams and participants from other parts of the country,” Tiopes said.

La Routa, the longest running, locally organized, adventure race in the Visayas, had been popular among the domestic outdoor adventure enthusiasts from different parts of the Philippines.

This year, however, the ARWS chief executive officer Heide Muller reached out to the organizers of La Routa to collaborate for their race leg in the Philippines.

“Ultimately, the Biliran race became the Asia Regional Championship Leg. Previously, Biliran Province was the venue of Carrera Habagat, the toughest non-stop adventure racing event in the country. This 2023, it was the staging place of the ARWS, the most prestigious and globally recognized adventure racing event in the world,” Tiopes said.

“This impacts positively on the image of Biliran as a most suitable place for nature-adventure activities and as the mountaineering destination of Eastern Visayas,” added Tiopes.

The FEAR Youth team from New Zealand emerged as the champion in this year’s Asia Regional Championship after they defeated 13 other teams from India, Poland, Malaysia, and the Philippines in a challenging competition around Biliran.

The winning team was composed of Dean Stewart, 20; Josiah Murphy, 20; Flynn Goodger 23; and Sophie Shallard, 20.

The race lasted 96 hours, covering 300 to 350 kilometers of non-stop activities across remote islands, rainforests, tropical seas, and rugged terrains around the province.
As the overall winner, the FEAR Youth earned a ticket to compete in the Adventure Racing World Series in Ecuador in November 2024.
(RONALD O. REYES)