TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in Eastern Visayas has launched a new digital platform designed to streamline employment services and improve job matching across the region.

The platform, called HIRE Eastern Visayas or the Hub for Integrated Regional Employment, was introduced during the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) Year-End Performance Assessment and Regional PESO Congress held in Palo, Leyte.

HIRE Eastern Visayas aims to bring employment-related services into a single digital system where job seekers, employers, and Public Employment Service Offices across the region can connect more efficiently.

The system integrates job matching, career development support, labor market information management, and inter-agency data sharing into one platform, allowing PESO offices across Eastern Visayas to better coordinate employment services.

DOLE Regional Director Dax Villaruel said that the initiative marks a significant step in modernizing how government agencies connect job seekers with employment opportunities.

“With HIRE Eastern Visayas, we are not simply upgrading a system—we are fundamentally transforming the way government connects with its people,” he said.

Officials said the platform is expected to benefit workers, returning overseas Filipino workers, and young job seekers by improving access to employment opportunities and related services.

A memorandum of agreement was also signed with partner agencies to support the implementation of the platform, including the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Migrant Workers, Philippine Statistics Authority, and the Civil Service Commission, along with Advance Thinkers Corporation, the platform developer.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — A new two-classroom school building has been completed at Tagkip Elementary School in the town of Dagami, Leyte, providing improved learning facilities for pupils who previously held classes in makeshift rooms.

The project was implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways through its DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office to help address classroom shortages and enhance the learning environment in the school.

The newly completed one-story building includes two standard classrooms, two comfort rooms, and a water tank that serves as a rainwater catchment system connected to handwashing and sanitation facilities. A PWD-accessible ramp with proper slope and handrails was also installed to comply with accessibility standards.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura said the new facility will benefit 49 learners, including 26 Grade 4 pupils and 23 Grade 5 pupils, who previously held their classes in temporary structures.

Before the building was completed, the students conducted their lessons in a makeshift classroom, according to school principal Merlinda Angcay, who expressed gratitude for the project.

Angcay said the new classrooms will provide a safer and more conducive environment for learning for both students and teachers.

The project, funded under the Department of Education Basic Education Facilities Fund (BEFF), had a contract cost of P5.95 million and was implemented by KM Golong Construction.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY — A House committee has approved at the committee level a measure seeking to create a congressional body that will conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s agriculture sector and craft a long-term reform roadmap.

The House Committee on Agriculture and Food approved House Bill No. 6689, which proposes the creation of the Congressional Commission on Agriculture (AGRICOM).
The measure was authored by Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, representative of the Leyte 1st District, together with Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and Jude Acidre of Tingog party-list.

Under the proposal, AGRICOM will serve as a multisectoral body tasked with assessing the country’s agricultural production systems, value chains, institutions, and regulatory frameworks to guide evidence-based policymaking aimed at improving food security, rural livelihoods, and farm productivity.

During the deliberations, Acidre said the proposed commission is anchored on three principles — comprehensiveness, honesty in assessment, and clarity of purpose.
“What this bill seeks is a comprehensive assessment of the entire agricultural industry so we can finally see, with clarity, where we truly stand,” he said.

Lawmakers said the proposal takes inspiration from the work of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which conducted a nationwide review that helped shape long-term reforms in the Philippine education sector.

House Bill 6689 will serve as the lead reference in drafting a substitute measure consolidating other proposals seeking to establish the Congressional Commission on Agriculture.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

Tacloban City — The Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Office in Eastern Visayas will implement a compressed four-day workweek starting Monday, March 9, 2026, as part of the national government’s energy-saving measures in response to rising global fuel prices and Middle East tensions.

Under Department Order No. 2026-0013, the regional office will operate from Monday to Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., while Fridays will be observed as a non-working day. The policy aims to reduce energy consumption in government offices while maintaining uninterrupted public service.

Despite the change, clients requiring urgent assistance can contact the office via email at dotreg8@yahoo.com or through its official Facebook page, Department of Tourism – Eastern Visayas Office.

Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes thanked stakeholders for their understanding and support, stressing that the office remains committed to providing timely assistance and sustaining tourism services during the new schedule.

The move reflects broader government efforts to modernize work arrangements, conserve energy amid international fuel market volatility, and promote employee well-being without compromising efficiency in public service delivery.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)