DOLORES, Eastern Samar – One of Eastern Samar’s most remote towns, Maslog, will now be connected to the rest of the province.

This after a road opening connecting the town to the rest of the province was held on Saturday (Feb.4) via the town of Dolores.

With the town of Maslog connected via land, not only the transport of people and products will become easier but ensure that the problem of insurgency could come to a complete end, Rep. Marcelino Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group said.

It was Libanan, who is also the House minority floor leader, who initiated the road project with a total cost of more than P334 million sourced from the general funds of the government.

The party-list solon has urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) not only to finish the project in time but make sure it will be built according to the standards.
The project is seen to be completed before the end of this year.

Libanan noted that the people of Maslog has to use the river in going to Dolores, its nearest town.

“It is hazardous so it is necessary to build this road. We will help transform the lives of the people (with this road opening),” the solon said.

Noli Pumarejos, village chairman of San Miguel, the barangay of Maslog near Brgy.Aroganga, this town where the road opening starts, said that he is happy that finally their town will be connected to the rest of the province for the first time.
“This will ease our burdens in terms of transportation and delivery of our products,” the 47-year barangay leader said.

According to him, traveling by water going to Dolores town takes more than two hours with a travel fare of P300, a high cost where most of its families are enrolled of the anti-poverty program of the government, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program.

Another village leader, Cleto Rebarter, of Tambo, said that with the road construction, the people of Maslog could now travel to Dolores even during bad weather.

“We are rendered isolated during typhoons and continuous rain. And during these times, we have difficulty in accessing essential needs like foods,” he said.

Lt. Col.Rudyard Garcia, the commanding officer of the 52nd Infantry Battalion based in Oras town, said the road opening will help address the insurgency problem not only in the town but for the rest of Eastern Samar.

“This will have a big impact to the people of Maslog and end what the communist terrorists have been peddling to the people that the government is not helping them. This is a concrete evidence that the government looks after its people,” he said.

DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon said that they will make sure to finish the project within its timetable, though he said that weather conditions will be a factor.

The province of Eastern Samar and the rest of Eastern Visayas has been experiencing heavy rains since December of last year.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA/JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – A thorough investigation has to be made to know the real identities of the Chinese vessel crew who were rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) off the coast of Guiuan after issuing a distress call.

Thus said Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone adding this could erase any doubts from the public on the presence of these Chinese nationals.

Still, the governor stressed that he is not imputing anything sinister, at least this time pending formal investigation on the incident.

“Unang-una diri kita maaram kun nag aano hira ngan kun tikang hira diin. An initial report waray hira mga dokumento,” Evardone said.

“Para masigurado la kita kay nakadi hira ha atun teritoryo, although waray kita gin iimpute, para la kung waray man problema para liwat ma-clear hira, kasi may doubt it tawo, kun ano,” the governor added.

Currently, the Chinese vessel is still docked around four miles away from Tacloban port as ordered by the Philippine Port Authority and the city government.

The Coast Guard monitors and conducts security measures while the vessel is docked in the waters of Tacloban.

The Chinese vessel, MV Kai Da 899, made a distress call on Jan.26 as it was said to have developed a problem on its rudder.

The said vessel, manned by seven-crew, was towed to the city, arriving Friday night.
The Coast Guard in the city said that they are providing all the necessary assistance to the Chinese nationals like giving them food and water.

This gesture of the PCG is commended by Gov. Evardone saying that it was good for the personnel of the agency to show compassion and humility to the distressed crew of the Chinese vessel.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)