Northern Samar’s farthest town

TACLOBAN CITY– Northern Samar’s most isolated town, Silvino Lubos, is now connected to the rest of the province with the inauguration of a bridge on June 16.
The 3.25 kms bridge connects the town via the municipality of Mondragon which was completed after five years of construction and in the amount of P238.31 million funded under the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity – Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (OPAPRU-Pamana).

Prior to the construction of the bridge, which traverses the Suba River, the people of Silvino Lubos has to take a 12-hour of travel by boat to reach the town of Pambujan, its former mother town until it became a municipality in 1967.

With the completion of the bridge, the people of Silvino Lubos would need one and a half hour of travel.

Town Mayor Leo Jarito expressed his gratitude to the national government agencies for the bridge project that will link Silvino Lubos to the rest of the province.

Aside from fast mobility among its people and services, the bridge will also help address its insurgency problem, he said.

“This is where Silvino Lubos will begin to find peace. It is right to say that when there is an infrastructure, the members of the New People’s Army leave because the grievances of the residents are met,” Jarito said.

Board member Marites Gillamac, whose area covers the town of Silvino Lubos, said that indeed the bridge will be a big factor for the town to solve its problems of poverty and insurgency.

“We address not only poverty but most of all, our peace and order situation. Now things have changed a lot. We can go to remote barangays so that means peace and order situation is good,” she said.

For his part, Major Gen. Camilo Ligayo, the commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division, is upbeat that with the completion of the bridge, ending the town’s problem and the rest of the province against the members of the NPA, the armed wing of the communist group, will be hastened.

“I am optimistic that the three brigades with nine battalions deployed here on Samar Island, we can eradicate the communist terrorist groups and will soon welcome socio-economic development, most especially in the areas which were once exploited by the terrorists,” he said.

“I am optimistic that the three Brigades with 9 Battalions deployed here in Samar Island we can eradicate the communist terrorist groups and will soon welcome socio-economic development most especially in the areas which were once exploited by the terrorists,” Ligayo said.

Silvino Lubos is a fourth-class town inhabited by more than 15,000 people spread on its 26 barangays and has a poverty incidence of 56.9 percent based on the 2018 poverty survey of the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA).
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – Kananga town in Leyte province is stepping up its promotion through artwork as part of its 73rd founding anniversary celebration this month.

Mayor Manuel Vicente “Matt” Torres said on Monday the local government has unveiled the highly anticipated painting “Kan Anga” at the town hall last June 17.

This remarkable artwork is a collaborative masterpiece by renowned artists Manny Garibay, Otto Neri, Jun Vicaldo, and Jezir Lacuña.

The unveiling event was a visual delight, revealing the vibrant colors and profound emotions woven into “Kan Anga.”

The painting beautifully embodies the spirit and essence of Kananga, reflecting the combined talent and creativity of these exceptional artists.

Torres said the painting revolves around Kananga’s history which depicts the town’s local products, livelihood, sceneries, natural wonders, and people.

Before the unveiling, at least 50 local artists also attended and collaborated on a three-day ”Patilaw” Art Talk, Demo, and Collaborative Mural Workshop last June 15-17, with the theme “Envisioning an Art and Cultural Flourishing.”

“Their mastery of the patriotic art talk, demo, and collaborative mural workshop has captivated the hearts and minds of the people of Kananga. Through their creations, they have stirred emotions, inspired imagination, and enriched our cultural landscape. We are forever grateful for their artistic brilliance,” Torres said.

The painting and mural are up for display year-round at the new town hall.

Kananga, which is 77 kilometers west of this city, is a first class town in Leyte province with a population of around 60,000.

The bustling town near Ormoc City shares a home to Energy Development Corporation’s Tongonan geothermal power plant, one of the largest geothermal power plants in the country.

Kananga was created in 1950 from the villages of Lonoy, Kananga, Rizal, Tugbong, Montebello, Aguiting, Agayayan, Montealegre, Libungao, Naghalin, and Masarayao which all used to be part of Ormoc City. (PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY – A group of mat weavers has emerged as the most innovative women entrepreneur in Eastern Visayas and will compete in the national innovation challenge.
The Basey Association of Native Industry Growth (BANIG), Inc. of Basey, Samar ranked first of the five nominees in the 2023 Search for the Most Innovative Women Entrepreneurs in Eastern Visayas dubbed as “Unlad Bayi” (Women Development) by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The group has been making woven products such as bags, home decorations, and accessories made of “tikog” (reed grass) and buri leaves. The weaving and designs are inspired by the daily lives of the people of Samar. The enterprise has provided jobs to persons with disabilities, mothers, and youth.

“We owe our success as the most innovative women entrepreneur in the region to our aspiration of helping the community of women. We thank DOST for this opportunity and recognition. We are especially thankful to Samar provincial government for their unending support and all the national government agencies that believed in us. This is for the people of Samar,” BANIG, Inc. president Anita Ogrimen said in a statement.

The DOST announced the winners on Tuesday after a two-day pitching session at the Summit Hotel here.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan committed to continue the provincial government’s support to women weavers of Basey town.

“I was inspired by the dedication and passion of BANIG in empowering women and promoting their skills and crafts. The impact you have made in women’s lives, particularly our weavers, is truly commendable,” Tan said.

The DOST has received 32 entries from different provinces in Eastern Visayas. Ten were shortlisted to do a pitch presentation and only five were picked to compete in the national competition in 2024.

Each of the five regional winners received a P50,000 cash incentive and will be endorsed as entries for the national search with a chance to win up to PHP5 million worth of funding assistance.

“For these five regional winners, we will provide continuing assistance to the nominee enterprises to further prepare them for the national competition,” DOST Eastern Visayas regional director Ernesto Granada said.

The other four winners are Azotea de Maasin in Maasin City; Caputo’s Farm in Kawayan, Biliran; Tabo Software Development Services in Dagami, Leyte; and Todoc’s Special Native Delicacies in Abuyog, Leyte.

Azeotea De Maasin is a catering service that uses food packaging made from eco-friendly materials.

Sister Teodula Forones of Caputo’s Farm introduced turmeric planting with the intent to provide free books to poor students. She also opened Caputo’s Farm for employment in exchange for turmeric production. The farm paid for the tuition of the children of the mother-workers.

Tabo Software Development Services is a web-based agricultural e-commerce platform that connects smallholder farmers to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) or institutional buyers and addresses the information disconnect between the demand for agricultural produce.

Todoc’s Special Native Delicacies has been showcasing the diverse culinary heritage and cultural tradition of Leyte through the production of moron, a mixture of sticky rice and chocolate.

The search is part of the Women-Helping-Women: Innovating Social Enterprise Program funded by the DOST-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development.

The initiative provides a grant to support women-led social enterprises that need access to technology, early-stage funding and customized gender-focused support.

(SARWELL Q. MENIANO with reports from Ading Riodeque, Jesica Lentejas, and Roxanne Rojales, OJTs/PNA)