TACLOBAN– Travelers utilizing the Mayorga-La Paz road will have a more convenient road with the asphalt overlay implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

According to District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura of the Leyte Second District Engineering Office (L2DEO), they had started implementing the P14.56 million under the asset preservation program which involves the asphalt overlay with provisions for thermoplastic pavement markings along Barangay Bonifacio, Mayorga town.

Oppura also mentioned that when roads are exposed to heavy loads, they are susceptible to damage, and the combined effects of traffic loading and the environment will cause damage to the infrastructure, no matter how well-designed and constructed it is. Thus, road restoration is necessary to improve the road’s surface capability.

With the improved road, motorists and travelers can expect smoother and faster access to schools, health care facilities, government centers, and other public and private establishments in the area.

The project is expected to be completed on or before April 28, 2023 sourced from the department’s general appropriations for this fiscal year.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

ORMOC CITY-A jobless man who visited his friend at the city jail in Tacloban City is set to join his friend after he was arrested in possession of suspected shabu upon inspection at about 1:40 pm on March 22.

The suspect, Bryan Claros, 35, and a resident of Barangay 62-B Sagkahan Charismatic, was about to enter the jail facility when he was discovered possessing one opened plastic sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu and a crumpled tin foil.

The items were discovered by JO2 Bryan Concepcion during the conduct of a body search.
Charges of violation of Sec 11 and 12 of RA 9165 the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002 were already filed by the police against the suspect who is presently detained at the Police Station 2 locked-up cell.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-The Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary of this city joined the celebration of the 60th Earth Day by conducting a coastal cleanup activity at the river banks of the Malbasag River Saturday (March 25).

Commodore Jimmy Elazegui said that the 1102nd, 1103rd &1105th PCGA Squadrons of Ormoc together with CGS Western Leyte, joined the other groups led by the city government of Ormoc City and the Environment and Natural Resource Office in participating in the cleanup activity.

He said that joining the cleanup activity was the squadron’s way of supporting awareness of climate change that brought catastrophic situations in many parts of the world.
Elazegui added that their station collected 16 sacks of non- biodegradable trash weighing about 450 kilos.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The city Public Employment Services Office (PESO) will conduct a MEGA (Mayor’s Employment Generation Activity) job fair on Friday (March 31) at the ground floor of the People’s Center.

This activity is open to all job seekers from the city as well as from neighboring towns where 50 local and 10 overseas employers are expected to join.

“At the same time, mag-iinvite gihapon kami hin government agencies like PAG-IBIG, SSS, PhilHealth, para at least if may inquiries an job seekers para han requirements, an event is one stop shop na gihapon,” said Katherine Singzon, PESO development management officer 1.

About 1,000 job positions are available on this job fair.

As of March 24, 40 domestic and 6 overseas employers have confirmed their participation of the job fair.

About 471 job vacancies were already submitted and numbers are still expected to increase as vacancy enlisting and application are ongoing.

The organizers remind all job seekers to bring all pertinent papers, updated resumé, and be early to the venue as it is on a first come first serve basis.

This fair is organized by Tacloban PESO in coordination with the city government, Department of Labor and Employment VIII, and Philippine Overseas Employment Agency VIII.

(MARCO JEMSBOY ARCENA, LNU Student Intern)

TACLOBAN CITY – The 8th Infantry Division together with the Hands Off Our Children Movement, and the Situational Awareness and Knowledge Management (SAKM) Cluster the regional task force on ending Local Communist armed conflict(RTF-ELCAC), and the Pitad Kultura Waraynon presented the ‘peace and quiet 2’ event last.

The event, which opened on March 22 and to end this Wednesday (March 29) is in cooperation with the Robinsons Mall.

B/Gen Noel Vestuir, the brigade commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, lauded the organizers of the event and noted that the Philippine Army should not be left alone in fighting for peace but should be participated by all stakeholders of the society.

“This Peace and Quiet 2 culture and arts caravan, Likha para sa Kapayapaan exemplifies our collective quest for peace,” he said in his message.

Vestuir then urged those who participated in the event to help the government in maintaining peace and order to ensure progress and development and continue the fight against insurgency.

Among the activities of the week-long event were art competition, spoken word poetry concert, cosplay exhibition, rap competition, and concert spearheaded by the Army.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY– The City Health Office(CHO) cautioned citizens to practice minimum health standards at all times and refrain from sending children to school if the manifestation of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) symptoms had been noticed to contain further spread.

This after the Department of Health – Eastern Visayas issued an advisory noting a significant uptick of cases in the region.

HFMD is a viral disease that easily infects school children aged 5-12 years old, according to Dr. Danilo Ecarma, acting local health officer.

“It can be transmitted through direct contact with the infected individual, contaminated surfaces and respiratory droplets,” he said, adding that fever, sore throat, loss of appetite, blisters-like lesions on the tongue, gums, and inside of the cheeks, and blisters commonly found on the hands, feet, or buttocks are among the symptoms of this infectious disease.
However, the official noted that HFMD is a self-limiting disease and requires symptomatic treatment only.

The infection lasts for one to two weeks.
On the monitoring of HFMD data in the city, Dr. Ecarma said they will coordinate with the Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit to track accordingly the confirmed cases.

From the past two weeks, the reports they are receiving came from schools but are tagged as suspected only since these cases are “not yet properly diagnosed.”

“The school nurse from Scandinavian Elementary School notified us they recorded up to 46 possible cases of HFMD,” Dr. Ecarma disclosed.

For the safety of the pupils, classrooms, and surroundings were disinfected by the personnel of the CHO and modular lessons for some of its learners had been implemented following the detection of suspected infections.

The health official reiterated the practice of cleanliness, frequent hand-washing and isolation of the infected person are efficient to prevent the spread of the said disease in the community.

From January to March 4, 2023, a total of 331 cases of HFMD were recorded in the region, which is higher compared to last year’s 261 cases for the same period, per DOH.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)