TACLOBAN CITY– An eight-year-old boy was found dead floating in a sea in Macrohon, Southern Leyte on Sunday(July 2) at about 8:30 am.
Report from the local police of Macrohon said that the dead body of Sunny James Monter was discovered floating off the waters in Barangay San Vicente by some fishermen, 200 meters away from the shoreline.
The fishermen, identified as Roben Maitem, Jimmy Magpatoc, Justin Magpata, and Manuel Maitem retrieved the body and brought it to the seashore.
Among those who rushed to the shoreline was the boy’s father, Socrates, who said that he left their house in Brgy. Molopolo at about 5 am on that day for a swim at the sea.
The grieving father said that his son was suffering from a mental problem.
The remains of the boy were brought to the rural health unit where the attending physician declared him dead due to drowning. (ROBERT DEJON)
SANIZI FALLS. One of the tourist attractions in Jipapad, Eastern Samar, the Sanizi Falls, is expected to draw more tourists as a paved access road will now be constructed. (PHOTO COURTESY REAL ROWN/ITS MORE FUN IN EASTERN SAMAR PAGE)
Jipapad’s secret ‘paradise’
SANIZI FALLS. One of the tourist attractions in Jipapad, Eastern Samar, the Sanizi Falls, is expected to draw more tourists as a paved access road will now be constructed. (PHOTO COURTESY REAL ROWN/ITS MORE FUN IN EASTERN SAMAR PAGE)
JIPAPAD, Eastern Samar– This town’s most known falls, the Sanizi Falls, may soon see an uptick of tourists visiting it.
On Saturday (July 1), a groundbreaking for the construction of a road leading to the Sanizi Falls was held with 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan leading the event.
The 2.35 kms road project starts at sitio Casapa in Barangay 4, San Roque, and Cagmanaba where the Salizi Falls is located.
For this road project, the government through the Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH) through its Sustainable Infrastructure Project Alleviating Gaps(SIPAG), has allocated P43.82 million and is expected to be completed within the year.
“As of the moment, tourist arrivals in our town are still minimal but when this road is completed, I am pretty sure that more people will be visiting our town, especially Cagmanaba where Sanizi Falls is located,” Dindo Picardal, Jipapad Municipal Tourism Officer, one of the villagers of Cagmanaba, said.
Picardal disclosed that preparations are now underway on the possible influx of tourists who will be visiting the waterfalls once the road is completed.
The preparations being made by the residents include organizing a people’s organization with the help of the Philippine Army, selection of local dishes using local ingredients that are abundant at the river to be served to tourists, and activities that visitors may enjoy while in Sanizi, and creation of tour packages.
Picardal added that it was Mayor Benjamin Ver who encouraged them to develop Sanizi Falls for the residents have extra income and also, for the local government earn some income.
Mayor Ver said that Sanizi Falls is considered by them as a ‘paradise’ though not often visited due to the problem of insurgency in the village.
“But now, the village is already secure due to the presence of our government forces and this situation will usher economic development because more people are able to visit the Sanizi Falls which we consider as our gem,” the town mayor said.
Sanizi Falls is a multi-layered waterfalls and can be reached by tourists by taking a 15 minutes to one-hour motorboat ride from the town proper to Cagmanaba and about 15 to 20 minutes trekking from the village to the site.
For his part, Rep. Libanan said that once the project is completed, it will bring hope and opportunity to people, including progress and development to the communities.
The project, he said, is a manifestation of the cooperation of government officials to help the people, develop tourism, and agriculture, deliver social and health services, and secure the community.
“If you want progress, construct a road. This will connect our province to the mainstream of our country,” Libanan said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez pose during the celebration of the Philippine-American Friendship Day, which also marks the 247th anniversary of U.S. independence. The celebration was held last June 27 at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Manila in BGC, Taguig City. Speaker Romualdez said he was honored by the invitation by Ambassador Carlson and vowed to help make the partnership and alliance of the US and the Philippines stronger.
United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez pose during the celebration of the Philippine-American Friendship Day, which also marks the 247th anniversary of U.S. independence. The celebration was held last June 27 at the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Manila in BGC, Taguig City. Speaker Romualdez said he was honored by the invitation by Ambassador Carlson and vowed to help make the partnership and alliance of the US and the Philippines stronger.
TACLOBAN CITY– House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez extended financial assistance to several local government units in Eastern Visayas to help them with their various programs.
Among those who received the financial assistance were the provinces of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Southern Leyte.
Also, around 70 mayors across the region were also given financial assistance from Romualdez.
The giving of financial assistance to the local leaders took place on June 29 here in the city.
It was learned that the governors received P25 million each while the mayors, P2.5 million.
Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone said that the assistance he received from the Speaker will be used in helping indigent patients as well as in helping his constituents who are in dire economic situations, including workers who were displaced.
For his part, Gov. Edwin Ongchuan of Northern Samar said the ‘generous’ cash assistance will be allocated to fund various programs of the provincial government which aim to help its poor people.
“The grant of P25 million will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the lives of many individuals and families in Northern Samar,” he said in a statement.
“As the province moves forward, the government’s support serves as an encouraging reminder that unity and cooperation remain key in fostering the growth and development of communities across the nation,” Ongchuan added.(JOEY A. GABIETA)
ORMOC CITY– A security guard succumbed to death after he was shot by a farmer using an improvised gun at about 11: 30 pm on June 30 in Calbayog City.
The police identified the victim as Elesio Daguman,25, and a resident of Purok 1, Barangay San Rufino, Oquendo District, where the incident took place, while the suspect was identified as Abdon Miano, 55.
Based on the investigation conducted by the police, the victim was shot by the suspect using a home-made shotgun locally known as “bardog”.
Prior to the incident, the suspect, who was at the house of the victim and under the influence of liquor, uttered that he would kill Daguman who confronted him and even challenged to a fistfight.
But the suspect drew the gun and shot the victim.
However, with the timely arrival of the police, the suspect was immediately arrested inside his house located in the same barangay.
The police has yet to say the reason why the suspect shot dead the victim. (ROBERT DEJON)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ in Carigara, Leyte joined the Pride Month celebration as they clad themselves in outlandish outfits. (Photo Courtesy)
Members of the LGBTQIA+ in Carigara, Leyte joined the Pride Month celebration as they clad themselves in outlandish outfits. (Photo Courtesy)
TACLOBAN CITY – The mayor of Carigara, Leyte assured the members of the LGBTQIA+ community of his support to them.
Mayor Eduardo Ong, Jr. made this commitment during the town’s Pride Month celebration on June 30 which served as the initial salvo of the town’s 428th fiesta celebration on July 16.
“This year, we will continue to promote inclusivity, love, and we are going to continue showing our support to the LGBTQ community,” he said.
Ong assured the LGBTQIA+ members that despite some opposition coming from some sectors, his support for the community will remain firm.
“This event is a reminder that someone out there loves you, supports you. This is a statement of how we’ve come, showing our strength in numbers,” he stressed.
The town mayor added that showing support to the members of the LGBTQ+ community does need to be at the same level of their gender preference but anyone could be an ally for as long as they know how to show respect.
This is the second time that the municipality hosted a Pride Month celebration since 2022.
The local government also provided a space at the municipal hall grounds for LGBTQ members who have businesses to sell their products. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO,Leyte– The DOH-EVCHD led the first administration of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines in the region last June 30, 2023 at the DOH Treatment and Rehabilitation Center – Dulag.
Offered to eligible populations who have received the 2nd booster dose, the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are now available as a 3rd booster dose against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant.
Ten health care workers at the DOH-TRC-Dulag were the first to receive the supplementary vaccines.
The inoculation was participated by national immunization program coordinators— Ma. Elena Joy Villarosa and Chiradee Claridad, health education and promotion officer III— Maria Rosario Juntilla, and communications management unit head Jelyn Malibago.
As this was only the initial launch of the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, a larger scale rollout will soon be implemented by health facilities across the region as an additional protection for health care workers and the A2 population or the seniors, and to ensure that there will be no resurgence of a rise in COVID-19 cases in the region. (PR)
