Catarman, Northern Samar– Top officials led by District Engineer Mario D. Villena of the Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar First DEO inspected the reported damaged road slope protection in Brgy. Magsaysay, Lope De Vega Northern Samar (K0783+500) along Catarman-Calbayog Road (S00050SM).
DE Villena was accompanied by Assistant District Engineer Vivian G. Biaco and Acting Maintenance Chief Engineer Dahlia T. De Asis to oversee the extent damaged road slope by incessant rains caused by low pressure area.
The reported damaged road slope protection has a total estimated length of 160meters with an estimated amount of Php 140M.
District Engineer Mario D. Villena immediately directed the Maintenance Engineer to submit report to the regional and Central office and request for appropriate funding for the immediate repair/rehabilitation of the said area.
“The road section is now vulnerable with higher risk of being totally cut-off if the collapsed slope protection is not reconstructed immediately,” said DE Villena.
For the meantime, the maintenance section installed road safety devices, barriers/signages to caution the travelling public in traversing said road section for their safety. (ANALIZA A. PABIA, PIO ALTERNATE/PR)
FOR JOB WELL DONE. Police Regional Director B/Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil bestowed awards to the chief of police of Dolores town, Eastern Samar, and two of his men for their anti-drug campaign. Joining Marbil was town Mayor Rodrigo Rivera.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
DOLORES, Eastern Samar – Police Regional Office 8 Regional Director B/Gen Rommel Francisco Marbil bestowed the ‘Gawad Medalya ng Kagalingan’ to the police chief of this town and two of his men for their apprehension of a drug personality.
FOR JOB WELL DONE. Police Regional Director B/Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil bestowed awards to the chief of police of Dolores town, Eastern Samar, and two of his men for their anti-drug campaign. Joining Marbil was town Mayor Rodrigo Rivera. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Awarded by Marbil on Monday (Jan.23) were town police chief Maj. Arthur Daiz, and his men Msg. Romeo Dolio Jr., and Pat. Randy Gulferic.
The local personnel successfully apprehended an illegal drugs suspect operating in the municipality December of last year.
A sachet of illegal drugs and mark money were confiscated from the suspect.
Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office Director Col. Matthe Aseo and Mayor Rodrigo Rivera witnessed the awarding.
B/Gen Marbil lauded the police officer in performing their duty to address criminality problems particularly on illegal drugs in the municipality.
“This award is bestowed to our policemen who are performing their duty for the safety and benefit of the community,” the police regional director said.
“I’m very proud that our police are performing their duty very well,” Marbil added.
Mayor Rivera, for his part, expressed his gratefulness to the PNP for always being ready to assist the LGU in times of need.
“Thank you sir, because we no longer need to ask help from them like in the recent flooding,” Rivera said.
Dolores like most parts of the province suffered massive flooding early this month with police personnel among those who rendered assistance to the affected families. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
CAPITALIZING THE BENEFITS. The tourism department in the region is urging local government units located nearby the San Juanico Bridge to take advantage now that it is fully aesthetically lit up with thousands of visitors visiting the iconic bridge. (DOT-8)
San Juanico lighting project
CAPITALIZING THE BENEFITS. The tourism department in the region is urging local government units located nearby the San Juanico Bridge to take advantage now that it is fully aesthetically lit up with thousands of visitors visiting the iconic bridge. (DOT-8)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for more vibrant economic activities near the San Juanico Bridge two months after the official switch-on of the bridge lighting project.
Despite the nightly glowing of the long bridge, the tourism department noticed that local government units and nearby communities have not yet enjoyed the maximum benefits of the new tourist attraction.
“Since it is already there, the next step is to be able to capitalize on the light show by creating economic activities,” said DOT Eastern Visayas regional director Karina Rosa Tiopes in an interview.
The official said the Samar provincial government has already identified a spot to set up a viewing deck with nearby shops. The local government unit has not yet announced the official kick-off of the project.
On Dec. 1, 2022, the provincial government inaugurated the Spark Samar Tourism Information and Pasalubong Center in San Juan village in Sta. Rita, Samar.
Earlier, the local government completed the access road and the Pasalubong Center building. The access road will be connected with the soon-to-be-constructed viewing deck, which will provide a wonderful view of the San Juanico Bridge Lights and Sounds Show.
On Oct. 19, 2022, the Tourism Infrastructure Economic Zone Authority (TIEZA) announced the construction of boardwalks on both Samar and Leyte sides of the 2.16-kilometer bridge that links the two islands.
“We are banking that all systems go for TIEZA-funded boardwalk. It will attract more visitors since the structure is designed for nearby restaurants and shops. There is also a bike lane,” Tiopes said.
The official is still unsure of the timeline of the projects since funds are not yet available. She added funds will be drawn from travel tax.
Currently, only a few restaurants have been set up near the bridge on Tacloban side but need to improve service standards.
“They must level up their standard. They need assistance to improve the setting just like designated parking area and minimize the noise,” she told reporters.
On Oct. 20, 2022, President Ferdinand R. Marcos formally switched on the San Juanico Bridge Lights and Sounds Show.
The lighting of the San Juanico Bridge signals the turn of Samar to “shine” after its slow rise from the effects of natural disasters, Governor Sharee Ann Tan said.
The 2.16-kilometer San Juanico Bridge stretches from Samar to Leyte Island and is the longest bridge along the Pan-Philippine Highway that connects Luzon and Mindanao.
Built in August 1969 and completed in 1972, the bridge has stood the test of calamity, hurdling Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) that ravaged Eastern Visayas on Nov. 8, 2013.)
ORMOC CITY-The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is continuing their mandated program like the PUV modernization, anti-colorum campaign, and the return of service contracting called “Libreng Sakay” and fuel subsidy.
LTFRB Regional Director Gualberto Gualberto, in an exclusive interview, disclosed that these programs are additional functions of their agency whose main role is to issue franchising to all public vehicles.
In fact, he said that last week they were in Baybay City to launch the Peoples Transport Cooperative (PETCO) of which they will launch these modern PUVs that will travel from Ormoc City-Baybay City.
He added that the city government of Baybay like other local governments in the region is very supportive of the PUV modernization program.
Gualberto pointed out that in modern PUVs, the passengers could feel the convenience, safety and most of all very comfortable compared to the likes of multi-cab and traditional jeepneys which are very congested.
He added that aside from convenience and comfortability, the modern PUVs are also equipped with CCTVs and Wi-Fi which is now a must for commuters especially the students so they can review their assignments while in transit.
Gualberto disclosed that to acquire modern PUVs, operators should have a consolidation to come up with a transport corporation or organized into a transport cooperative like PETCO.
He said that organizing into a corporation or a cooperative is one of the requirements to acquire modern PUV as financial institutions like Landbank and the Development Bank of the Philippines will help finance them to acquire these modern vehicles.
“These financial institutions are just waiting for the transport operators to become a cooperative where they can extend financial support to a very low interest,” Gualberto stressed.
At present, Gualberto disclosed that Eastern Visayas has 407 modern PUVs traversing the local roads. (ROBERT DEJON)
The entire province of Northern Samar was placed under state of calamity on Jan.16 by the provincial board headed by Vice Gov. Clarence Dato(right) upon the recommendation of Gov. Edwin Ongchuan. (Northern Samar Provincial Information Office)
CATARMAN, Northern Samar-The province of Northern Samar was placed under a state of calamity on Monday (Jan.16) due to the damages it sustained from the heavy rains spawned by a trough of a low pressure area (LPA).
The declaration of a state of calamity was made official through a resolution approved by the provincial board on Monday upon the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) chaired by Gov. Edwin Ongchuan.
The continuous heavy rainfall, experienced by the province last week, resulted in flooding and landslide incidents affecting 55,789 families comprising 238,322 individuals, report from Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) said.
It also said that the calamity also damaged various roads and bridges with a cost of P420 million and another P104.6 million losses in its agriculture sector.
The heavy rains also resulted in the deaths of two persons, one was a soldier who crossing a river in San Isidro town to help rescue flood victims in the said area.
With the declaration, the provincial government could now use its calamity fund to help the affected families.
The provincial government through its social welfare office has earlier distributed food packs and other essentials to the families affected by flooding across the province.
Northern Samar is the second province in Eastern Visayas which declared a state of calamity.
Last Jan.6, the province of Eastern Samar was placed under a state of calamity due to the massive damages it sustained due to the LPA-induced heavy rains to include the sustained rains it experienced last December 24 due to the effect of a shear line.
The province as reported by Gov. Ben Evardone affected 72,197 families consisting of 249,022 individuals and damaged its infrastructures and crops at a total cost of P226 million.
Two persons from its provincial capital of Borongan also died related to the calamity after their boat capsized due to the heavy rains. (EUGENE M. ENANO)
Kananga, Leyte – Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Leyte 4th District Engineering Office (DEO) completes the construction of Canawagan Flood Control (Upstream) in Kananga, Leyte.
The Php 144,749,999.97 flood mitigation structure has a total project net length of 1,300 lineal meters with a 2-meter maintenance lane on both sides. It is constructed along Canawagan River in Brgy. Natubgan, Kananga, Leyte to protect residential properties and farmlands against perennial flooding during heavy rain and typhoons.
Funded under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2022, this project is in line with the Department’s mandate to build 13 flood control systems in Leyte 4th District for CY 2022, 8 of which were already completed, to serve as long-term solution in reducing damages to flood-prone areas thus ensuring the safety of the public. (PR)
