TACLOBAN CITY – The Northern Samar provincial government has asked village officials in the province to help mitigate the impact of natural calamities following the recent widespread floods in the province that affected more than 100,000 families.

Speaking to local officials on Thursday, Governor Edwin Ongchuan said the cooperation of village heads and villagers is crucial in building disaster resilience.

“The cooperation of the people from the villages is very critical in times of disaster. We need to work together and be always ready to lessen the risk and mitigate the impact of natural calamities,” Ongchuan told new village officials.

Among the primary duties of village officials include the establishment and operationalization of the barangay risk reduction management committees, risk reduction and management plans, and allocation of funds for disaster response and recovery.
Rei Josiah Echano, head of the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office, emphasized the importance of unity, cooperation, and preparedness among the people of Northern Samar to achieve zero casualties during typhoons and other calamities.

“We don’t know when disaster, specifically stronger typhoons, will strike, but it’s better for us to always be ready. Though the people of Northern Samar have shown resilience, we need to continuously assess our readiness,” Echano added.

The provincial government acknowledges the partnership between the community, government agencies, and disaster officials, which has led to Northern Samar being recognized as a fully compliant provincial government in terms of disaster risk reduction and management in the 2023 Gawad Kalasag national award.

Northern Samar’s heavy floods last week were caused by unprecedented 618 millimeters rainfall in a span of 24 hours, or an equivalent to nearly six weeks’ volume of rainfall in a single day.

The floods have affected over 100,000 families in Northern Samar and left P99 million damage to the agricultural sector.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)

ORMOC CITY-An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an encounter with the government troops in the remote village of Catubig, Northern Samar on Saturday (Nov.25).

Information from the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City disclosed that the arm clash took place in Barangay Roxas, Catubig town while the members from the 74th Infantry Brigade were conducting a military operation encountered around 20 NPA members, said to belong to the front committee 15 of the sub-regional guerilla unit of the Eastern Visayas regional communist group.

The firefight lasted for ten minutes and resulted in the death of the alleged rebel member who was later identified as Jelmar Mendez alias Jet, a resident of Sitio Pangudtan, Barangay Siljagon, Mapanas, also in Northern Samar.

He was said to be a medical officer of their armed group.

The cadaver Mendez was brought to a funeral home in Gamay town and was claimed by his family.

Lt. Col. Jose Roy Manuel Dizon, the commanding officer of the 74th IB, attributed the success of the operation to the cooperation and the timely information provided by the civilians.

“We thank the residents for their cooperation in providing relevant information that resulted in the success of the operation. Despite this, we are saddened that another life is lost because of senseless ideology,” he said.

Lt.Col. Dizon also extends his sympathy and condolences to the family of the killed rebel.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-An estimated 5 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P34, 000 were recovered by operatives from a female peddler during a buy-bust operation in Tacloban City on Thursday (Nov. 28).

Police identified the suspect as a certain Lecs, who was arrested in Barangay 83(Paraiso), San Jose district at about 9 pm.

Recovered from her possession was one sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P4,500.

Further search resulted in the recovery of P4,500 which was a court subscribed money intended for the operation.

Charges of violations of sections 5 and 11 of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed against the arrested suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Police Station 1 of Tacloban city police.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– About 647 classrooms were damaged in the three provinces of Samar due to the incessant rains spawned by low pressure and shearline that struck the island last week.

The calamity also resulted in the displacement of more than 137,000 students.
Of the three provinces, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar, the latter posted the biggest damage, a report from the regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday (Nov. 28).

In Northern Samar, which bore the brunt of the massive flooding that also resulted in some landslide incidents, 587 classrooms were damaged of which 43 were classified as totally damaged.

In Eastern Samar, 44 classrooms were also damaged due to the flooding incident while 16 classrooms were reported damaged in Samar province of which five were considered as totally damaged.

Also that went underwater were 42,798 school equipment and books, the DepEd said in its report, covering the three Samar provinces.

Northern Samar reported of 42,329 damaged equipment which includes armchairs, computers, and textbooks. The province of Samar reported 417 damaged school equipment while Eastern Samar reported of 52 school equipment that were damaged.

About 127,223 students were affected in Northern Samar due to the massive while in Eastern Samar, 10,273 students were also temporarily displaced.

No student was reported to have died or injured due to the flooding incident across Samar Island.

Jasmin Francisco Calzita, DepEd regional information officer, said that classes in the three provinces have already resumed.

“Regular classes have already resumed but those still underwater were advised to implement blended learning,” she said.

At least 56 schools across Samar Island were also utilized as evacuation centers for the displaced families: 38 in Northern Samar,17 in Samar, and one in Eastern Samar.
Meantime, the Eastern Samar schools division, headed by Gorgonio Diaz, Jr., received donations from their counterparts in Southern Leyte involving P94,000 cash and used clothings, and food packs.

The donation would be distributed to the students and school personnel who were affected by the massive flooding.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)