School in Tacloban to suspend afternoon classes

TACLOBAN CITY– Several schools in Baybay City have resorted to modular learning method due to the heat wave.

Among these schools that shifted to the modular learning method are Mailhi National High School, Higuloan Elementary School, and the Bitanhuan National High School.
Jasmin Calzita, the regional information officer of the Department of Education (DepEd), said that these schools started the said learning method since last week.
About 600 students are enrolled in these three public schools.

However, there could be days that face-to-face classes could still be conducted to be held at the school’s open spaces like a gymnasium.

Calzita said that school heads have the discretion to implement the modular distance learning for some reasons like due to natural calamities ‘to ensure continuity and that learning competencies and objectives are met,’ as mandated under Department Order Number 37.

“And during our recent regional management committee meeting, our schools’ division superintendents have been reminded of D.O. 37. The principal/school heads are also reminded of their authority and responsibility to suspend in-person classes and switch to alternative delivery modes (of learning) amid extreme heat, especially if the situation already puts the students’ health and safety at risk,” she said.

Calzita said that other school divisions of the region have yet to cancel face-to-face classes due to the heat wave.

Meantime, a teacher in one of the public schools in the city, who declined not to be named as she waits for an official pronouncement by their school principal, said that they would change their class schedule due to the current weather condition.

“Classes in all grade levels will now be conducted in the morning. Afternoon classes will be canceled due to our present weather condition which is not conducive to learning,” the teacher, who handles Kindergarten classes, said.

The said new set-up will be implemented next week.

Module distance learning was used by the DepEd when the country was hit by the pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

For the past several weeks now, Eastern Visayas have been experiencing heat spells that sometimes reached up to more than 40 Celsius degrees.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY-The body of an 8-year-old child with special needs was fished out in a seashore in Baybay City on Friday (May 5).

The girl, Rasheed Maglahus, and a resident of Barangay Punta of the said city was believed to have been drowned, the local police said.

Initial investigation conducted by the responding police disclosed that prior to the drowning incident, the victim was noticed by his parents while heading to the seashore.

However, at around 1:45 pm, the victim was seen floating by the children who passed by along the seashore of Brgy. Punta.

The victim was retrieved by a concerned citizen in the community who tried to revive her but unfortunately, the victim failed to survive.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The mother of Eastern Samar candidate to the Miss Universe Philippines Airissh Ramos asked for help and prayers from her supporters and followers for her daughter to advance to the finals.

Thelma Ramos said that it will be a great pride for their town of Arteche and the rest of the region if her daughter will make it in this year’s Miss Universe Philippines which is slated on May 13.

“I’m really excited and thankful that my daughter is getting recognized and noticed at the pageant,” she said.

“I’m appealing to her supporters to help her make it and pray for her to be part of the finalists,” the proud mother added.

The Miss Universe Philippines is scheduled to crown its new queen this May 13. The winner will replace the reigning MUPh titleholder Celeste Cortesi and will compete in El Salvador for the Miss Universe title.

This is the first time Airissh joined a national pageant although she joined local pageants in the past.

In 2021, she was crowned as Miss Arteche, and in the same year she bagged 1st runner-up at the Bb. Silangan Samar Turismo.

In 2022, she was the 1st runner-up for the oldest beauty pageant in the region, the Miss Pintados.

For the MUPh 2023, Airissh was also named as among the top five winners on the photoshoot challenge as she also emerged as the winner on the national costume competition held in the city on May 4.

Meantime, Airissh expressed her gratitude to her gown designer John Hubert Capito and to those who helped him, particularly the students of the Oras National High School, Oras, also in Eastern Samar.

“This is a fruit of love. This is for Hubert and the young creatives of Eastern Samar who once found it impossible for their creations to take on the national stage. This journey will always and forever be for you and about you, Eastern Samar,” she said.

The beauty queen admitted that at first, she was adamant to join the Miss Universe Philippines but eventually submitted her application.

“When I got a call from our priest encouraging me to join MUPH, I didn’t fully understand then why, I was even hesitant to heed the call. After days of praying and introspection, I submitted my online application with just one goal in mind—to showcase the talent and culture of the Waray,” she said.

Incidentally, aside from Airish, two others from the region, Kimberly Escartin of Southern Leyte and Layla Adriatico of Northern Samar, are also competing for the title.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY– Government troopers were able to recover the cadaver of a former barangay official reportedly abducted and killed by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) last July 9 ,2022.

The cadaver of Jaime Asinas, village councilor of San Jose, Las Navas town in Northern Samar, was located through the help of a former rebel who surrendered to the government.
Members of the 3rd Infantry Battalion recovered the cadaver of Asinas in Brgy. Epaw, also in Las Navas, last May 5.

The cadaver was positively identified by Asinas’ family and relatives.

According to them, Asinas was abducted because he refused to use the village’s internal revenue allotment (IRA) as he was also suspected by the rebels to be a government informant.

They also claimed that the rebels forced Asinas to dig his own grave using a piece of wood and was shot several times that led to his death.

Lieutenant Colonel Isidro Vicente, the commanding officer of the 3rd IB, condemned the brutal killing of the village official.

“It only shows the true faces of NPA terrorists. Terrorists that continuously violate human rights, the Ottawa Convention, the International Humanitarian Law, and RA9851. We still call for those victims of this communist terrorist ideology to lay down their arms and live a normal life as all Filipinos should do,” he said.
(ROBERT DEJON)