It is well to be reminded that every politician running for elective public office must be careful with the words they utter as it could boomerang on their person. Any false statement by a candidate promoting his or any other candidates’ election or destroying any candidate running against one or anyone being supported could not be easily checked through advance information technology. One found lying or spreading false information or in street parlance as fake news could suffer negative publicity and cause the loss at the polls. Indeed, in the heat of the election campaign, a candidate could easily be instigated to make false statements against a rival candidate just to gain an edge before the public eyes.
The blessings of democracy is now enjoyed after the dismantling of the despotic rule of what Primitivo Mijares called in his book of the same title “The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda” during the world-renowned Peaceful People Power Revolution of 1986. From that famous bloodless revolution was born a new government led by Corazon Cojuangco Aquino and Salvador Roamn Hidalgo Laurel which gave priority the writing of a new Constitution. It was that supreme law that demolished the vestiges of an abusive dictatorship and the oppressive system under martial law. That constitution was ratified overwhelmingly by the Filipino electorate in a plebiscite held on 02 February 1987.
Where people lost their fundamental freedoms of speech, of expression and of the press under martial law, such freedoms were restored by the 1987 Philippine Constitution. In the dark years of martial law, supporters of the dictator would claim that there was freedom of speech, of expression and of the press under the dictatorship. But the reality and truth is that while people could freely speak, the question is if there is freedom after speaking. Many of those who dared speak lost their freedom in the dead of night or in some instances even in the brightness of day like the student leader Achimedes “Archie” Francisco Trajano. He was dragged by security men of then Kabataang Barangay National President and now senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios “Imee” Marcos-Manotoc.
It is well for Filipinos today, chiefly the millennial generation, to learn that the freedoms they enjoy of spreading the truth or even lies, false and fake news are the blessings of democracy that was won by our forebears against foreign tyrants and of domestic tyrants, chiefly the conjugal dictators whose descendants are back in power. Even the right to bash and malign those who fought for our freedoms are fruits of the sweat and blood, many of whom were lost and whose names are etched in stone at the Bantayug ng mga Bayani. We ought to the countless heroes who offered their lives and the ultimate sacrifices of the orphaned families they left behind, our freedom to speak and to remain free after speaking. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
ORMOC CITY-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office (DEO) constructs a four-storey school building at San Isidro Integrated School in Ormoc City as part of the local government’s continuing push to improve access to quality education.
The reinforced concrete school building holds 12 classrooms and eight comfort rooms – two on each floor – and has a contract amount of Php 29,099,999.98 sourced from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2023.
Utilized by around 250 students from Grade 7 – 10, the facility helps reduce classroom congestion which allows for smaller class sizes that promote better teacher-student interaction and more effective learning.
“Overall, this project serves as an important asset to the people of Brgy. San Isidro as it enables them to develop a stronger foundation for learning and growth,” said District Engineer Rosita A. Tinawin. “It provides the young citizens in the community and nearby areas with the necessary resources to attain future educational success.” (PR)
Manila-From April 21 to May 2, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Southeast Asia Training Team (SEATT) conducted its first-ever Leadership and Management School (LAMS) course in Southeast Asia, with 43 members of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as inaugural participants.
Originally developed at the USCG Academy, the LAMS course conducted at the PCG’s Fleet Training Center of Excellence in Balagtas, Bulacan, is designed to develop future-ready leaders, foster innovation in maritime education, and deepen cooperation between USCG and the PCG.
“LAMS has breathed new life into how we grow leaders at the PCG’s Fleet Education, Training, and Doctrine Development Institute. The impact is real; it’s building confidence, self-awareness, and a stronger sense of purpose among our people,” said PCG Commander Raquel Colarina of the Coast Guard Fleet.
The course was held over two separate one-week sessions, each led by seasoned USCG trainers and attended by PCG personnel from key units such as the Coast Guard Fleet, Marine Environmental Protection, and Maritime Safety Services.
“Marking a milestone in international cooperation, the PCG and the USCG are not only sharing best practices, but also forging a unified approach to developing resilient, adaptive leadership in complex maritime environments,” said USCG instructor Senior Chief Operations Specialist Anastazya Lencz.
Using an experience-based curriculum, LAMS enhances the leadership skills of junior-officer managers and non-officer supervisors. It places emphasis on discussion of leadership competencies and develops skills in the following areas: communicating effectively, influencing others positively, creating an environment that motivates performance, getting the job done while taking care of subordinates, encouraging personal ethics, and promoting teamwork.
The SEATT program is poised to conduct more training events for PCG in 2025. Funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the SEATT program aims to enhance cooperation among maritime law enforcement agencies in Southeast Asia. (PR)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in the region conducted a pre-deployment orientation on May 14 for tutors and youth development workers (YDW) under the Tara Basa! program, a community-based initiative aimed at improving literacy among learners from low-income communities and empowering their families.
The orientation, held ahead of the program’s official implementation from May 19 to June 14, 2025, gathered participants from Tacloban City and the towns of Basey, Sta. Rita, and Marabut, all in Samar. Attendees included school heads, partner agencies, and youth volunteers.
Participants were briefed on program policies, roles and responsibilities, and monitoring protocols to ensure the readiness of tutors and YDWs for the month-long deployment.
Sherlita Palma, officer-in-charge superintendent of the Tacloban City schools division, welcomed the attendees and stressed the importance of responsibility and teamwork.
“Our school heads are present today so they’ll know what to monitor during your deployment. Your performance reflects our performance,” she said.
A major focus of the orientation was the DSWD’s cash-for-work scheme. Under this component, beneficiaries are required to render 20 days of service to receive full compensation based on the regional minimum wage. Attendance will be strictly monitored under a “no work, no pay” policy, with daily time records (DTRs) and accomplishment reports required—submissions must be clean, without erasures.
DSWD Regional Director Grace Subong reminded participants of the deeper purpose behind the initiative.
“It’s more than the stipend you will receive. It’s about the experience and the support you’re giving to our learners. That’s your main objective,” she said.
Also part of the orientation was a session on the Department of Education’s Child Protection Policy, facilitated by DepEd Tacloban Education Program Supervisor Gretel Laura Cadiong.
To help ease the financial burden on participants, the DSWD announced it would fast-track the release of a five-day advance payment at the start of the deployment, ensuring smoother implementation of the program.
Tara Basa! is a collaborative effort of the DSWD, Department of Education (DepEd), and state universities and colleges (SUCs). Throughout the program’s implementation, DSWD community coordinators will be deployed in the field to monitor progress and provide administrative support.
The Tara Basa! program aims not only to boost the academic performance of struggling learners but also to strengthen community involvement and provide economic assistance to participating students and their families.
NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, Northern Samar – The Department of Public Works and Highways-Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office is currently working on an access road that leads to Matikawol falls located in Brgy. Jubasan, Mapanas, Northern Samar, which aims to improve connectivity, stimulate economic growth, and enhance accessibility for the locals and wayfarers. This project has accomplishment rate of 8.40 percent as of April 30, 2025, and now marks the beginning of growth and development.
The access road leading to Matikawol Falls, Mapanas, Northern Samar, has a budget appropriation of P10-million which involves the concreting of 224.00 meters roadway with 1.50 meters shoulder both sides, funded under the General Appropriation Act (GAA) of CY 2025.
The construction works began last month, April 2025, and set to be completed on August, 2025. Through the pristine and romantic nature of the Matikawol Falls, this project will not only boost tourism in the town of Mapanas but will also help the economic development of Northern Samar through faster delivery of commercial goods and services to adjacent communities.
The project will be an integral part of tourism industry and influences the accessibility of tourism. It will also generate income from tourism industry. Once completed, this will allow better access to the area, creating more job and income opportunities for the residents in the Barangay. (dpwh8/nssdeo/rnl/jmp)
CALL FOR REHABILITATION. Various groups have issued an appeal for the immediate restoration of a mangrove park in Tacloban City as a natural barrier during a storm surge and help increase marine lives in the area.
(PHOTO COURTESY)
CALL FOR REHABILITATION. Various groups have issued an appeal for the immediate restoration of a mangrove park in Tacloban City as a natural barrier during a storm surge and help increase marine lives in the area. (PHOTO COURTESY)
TACLOBAN CITY – In the brackish borderlands where land and sea meet, the mangrove forest along the Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City silently spread its roots to become nature’s greatest defender against rising tides and surging storms.
As threats of climate change loom larger than ever, advocates such as the Tacloban-based private group Pintakasi for Landscape Restoration Incorporated are coming together with a simple but powerful goal: to expand the city’s mangrove forests and secure the marine biodiversity along Cancabato Bay – a bay that holds environmental and historical significance to the city.
Pintakasi president Josephine Agustin said they are eyeing community support in expanding more the mangrove forest hugging the bay area which was started after Supertyphoon Yolanda in 2013 which flattened fishing villages surrounding it.
“Expanding and maintaining the mangrove forest is an act of resilience showing that people can fight back the challenge or mitigate the effects of rising seas and intensifying storms, through science and a strong community support,” Agustin said.
According to the City Agriculturist Office, the Cancabato Bay is a suitable breeding ground for marine resources owing to its slow undercurrent allowing the fish to maximize breeding before they go out into the open sea.
During typhoons, mangroves absorb wave energy, sparing communities from devastating floods. Mangrove forests are rich ecosystems, home to fish, crabs, shrimp, and countless bird species. They serve as nurseries for marine life and act as enormous carbon sinks, capturing four to five times more carbon than tropical forests on land.
For fishing communities, mangroves mean livelihood. Around1,800 fisherfolks who rely their livelihood along the Cancabato Bay.
Community-led reforestation projects such as the Paraiso Mangrove Eco-Learning Park are combining scientific knowledge with local wisdom.
Community members of this project, mostly fisherfolks along the area see the reforestation as not just mangrove planting, but it is about nurturing, understanding tides, seasons, and species to ensure that their rehabilitated mangrove forest will truly thrive.
Pintakasi for Landscape Restoration Inc. has partnered with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC), City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), and City Agriculture Office to conserve the Paraiso Mangrove and Eco-learning Park.
These partnerships provide technical support, funding, and training to local communities to empower coastal residents to become stewards of the mangrove forests they depend on.
Speaking
It is well to be reminded that every politician running for elective public office must be careful with the words they utter as it could boomerang on their person. Any false statement by a candidate promoting his or any other candidates’ election or destroying any candidate running against one or anyone being supported could not be easily checked through advance information technology. One found lying or spreading false information or in street parlance as fake news could suffer negative publicity and cause the loss at the polls. Indeed, in the heat of the election campaign, a candidate could easily be instigated to make false statements against a rival candidate just to gain an edge before the public eyes.
The blessings of democracy is now enjoyed after the dismantling of the despotic rule of what Primitivo Mijares called in his book of the same title “The Conjugal Dictatorship of Ferdinand and Imelda” during the world-renowned Peaceful People Power Revolution of 1986. From that famous bloodless revolution was born a new government led by Corazon Cojuangco Aquino and Salvador Roamn Hidalgo Laurel which gave priority the writing of a new Constitution. It was that supreme law that demolished the vestiges of an abusive dictatorship and the oppressive system under martial law. That constitution was ratified overwhelmingly by the Filipino electorate in a plebiscite held on 02 February 1987.
Where people lost their fundamental freedoms of speech, of expression and of the press under martial law, such freedoms were restored by the 1987 Philippine Constitution. In the dark years of martial law, supporters of the dictator would claim that there was freedom of speech, of expression and of the press under the dictatorship. But the reality and truth is that while people could freely speak, the question is if there is freedom after speaking. Many of those who dared speak lost their freedom in the dead of night or in some instances even in the brightness of day like the student leader Achimedes “Archie” Francisco Trajano. He was dragged by security men of then Kabataang Barangay National President and now senator Maria Imelda Josefa Remedios “Imee” Marcos-Manotoc.
It is well for Filipinos today, chiefly the millennial generation, to learn that the freedoms they enjoy of spreading the truth or even lies, false and fake news are the blessings of democracy that was won by our forebears against foreign tyrants and of domestic tyrants, chiefly the conjugal dictators whose descendants are back in power. Even the right to bash and malign those who fought for our freedoms are fruits of the sweat and blood, many of whom were lost and whose names are etched in stone at the Bantayug ng mga Bayani. We ought to the countless heroes who offered their lives and the ultimate sacrifices of the orphaned families they left behind, our freedom to speak and to remain free after speaking.
comments to alellema@yahoo.com