TACLOBAN CITY — Athletes from Ormoc City made a strong showing on the national stage after hauling multiple podium finishes in the Philippine Fencing Association (PFA) 1st Leg Ranking Tournament held February 14–15 at the Amoranto Sports Complex in Quezon City.

Competing against the country’s top fencers, the Ormocanon contingent delivered standout performances that underscored the city’s sustained grassroots sports development program and consistent local support for fencing.

In the Senior Men’s Épée event, Samuel German clinched a silver medal finish, while Deen Rafael Muñoz secured a Top 6 placement. John Agasti Malinao followed with a seventh-place finish.

Ormoc’s dominance was more pronounced in the Senior Women’s Épée division, where Princess Honey Arbilon captured the championship title. Juliana Gomez bagged silver, and Alexa Larrazabal took bronze. Ivy Claire Dinoy also impressed with a Top 5 finish, completing a strong overall showing for the team.

The tournament, organized by the Philippine Fencing Association, is the first of five ranking legs. Only the Top 4 athletes in both the men’s and women’s divisions at the end of the series will be considered for selection to represent the Philippines in upcoming international competitions.

City sports officials said the results reflect years of discipline-driven training and a long-term investment in fencing development, positioning Ormoc as one of the emerging powerhouses in the sport.

(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)

The Philippine Statistics Authority – Regional Statistical Services Office VIII (PSA – RSSO 8) conducts the 2026 Monthly Integrated Survey of Selected Industries (MISSI) and 2026 Producer Price Survey (PPS) for Manufacturing. The MISSI and PPS are nationwide surveys that cover manufacturing establishments confined to the formal section of the economy.
The 2026 MISSI aims to provide planners and policymakers in both the government and private sectors with timely flash indicators on the performance of growth-oriented industries in the manufacturing sector. Data are used as inputs to monitor the business cycle of key manufacturing sectors of the economy.

The survey will gather key data on employment, compensation, value of production, sales from manufacturing activity, other income, inventories of finished products, work-in-progress and raw materials, and capacity utilization rate.

The 2026 PPS aims to collect producer price data of manufactured commodities for the generation of the Producer Price Index (PPI). The PPI measures yearly and monthly changes in the producer prices of key commodities in the manufacturing sector. The survey will gather key data on producer price data of commodities by specification or brand name.
Data collection for PPS is every 9th to 22nd day of each month after the reference month while for MISSI it is on 9th to 25th day after the reference month. In Eastern Visayas, sample establishments are taken from the provinces of Leyte, Samar and Northern Samar. The respondents can accomplish the MISSI and PPS for Manufacturing questionnaires through any of the following modes: electronic copy of the questionnaires to be emailed to the establishment’s official email address; printed questionnaires distributed/collected by SRs; MISSI/PPS Online Questionnaires to be accessed through URL: https://missipps.psa.gov.ph ; and phone interview.

The 2026 MISSI and 2026 PPS were reviewed and cleared for conduct by the Statistical Survey Review and Clearance System (SSRCS), a mechanism prescribed by RA 10625 or the Philippine Statistical Act of 2013 to ensure sound design for data collection; minimize the burden placed upon respondents; effect economy in statistical data collection; eliminate unnecessary duplication of statistical data collection efforts; and, achieve better coordination of government statistical activities.

In line with this, PSA enjoins all sample establishments to support the survey by answering truthfully to the questionnaires provided to them by PSA personnel. The Office reassures the public that all personnel involved are bound by the stipulations in Section 26 of RA 10625 and Section 8 of RA 10173.

All data obtained herein shall be held strictly confidential, and will not be used for taxation, investigation or law enforcement purposes. Survey results will be released in the form of summaries or statistical tables.(PR)

TACLOBAN CITY — Soldiers of the 802nd Maneuver Company (802nd MC) of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 8 (RMFB 8) spearheaded a school repair activity at Canticum Elementary School in Barangay Canticum on February 16, 2026, aimed at providing students with safer and improved learning facilities.

Dubbed “Eskwelahan Niyo, Repair Ko,” the project, led by Maj. Leslie Lalic, focused on classroom maintenance and minor infrastructure improvements across the school grounds.
Barangay officials, led by village chairman Paquito Yamugan, and school personnel under Principal I Angela N. Agbon joined the initiative, highlighting a collaborative effort between the Philippine National Police, local government, and the Department of Education to support school development and a secure learning environment.

Lalic praised his team for their dedication, emphasizing their commitment to completing the repairs efficiently and safely, while fostering stronger community engagement with local schools.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)