TACLOBAN CITY- There is nothing more special than to capture a moment and hold it forever.
This is just what Dante Enage is doing when he opened his “Hiyum Art Exhibit: 9th Solo Exhibition” at Robinsons Place Tacloban Activity from February 6 to 13.
Hiyum, which means smile in the local dialect, is a contraction from Enage’s 11-year-old daughter Hiraya Yumi.
“Most of the 40 paintings at the exhibit are about the environment to raise more awareness about environmental issues,” said Enage, 46, a “Yolanda” survivor.
Despite the different conditions of the planet’s environment brought by man’s neglect and climate change, visitors at the exhibit are more drawn to the “unadulterated lightness…playfulness of youth, of hope, and belongingness” brought by the smiles of Enage’s daughter on the canvas.
“Hiyum reveals the artist’s outlook on life: his love for environment and nature, his advocacy for culture in the hidden baybayin texts, and his intense love for his daughter that reflects in each of the smiles displayed on every canvas,” said Aaron JP Almadro, editor and publisher of travel/lifestyle 8 Magazine in Tacloban.
“The subject is obvious in all artworks, as Enage captures his daughter in various stages of pure joy, forever stilled in time,” he added.
According to Almadro, the public need to see more exhibits like Enage’s “Hiyum” to counter the hate and negativity resulting from the misuse of social media, politics, and ignorance.
While local artists continue to struggle for the lack of art space in Tacloban, Enage remains thankful that the city’s art scene is still thriving. (RONALD O.REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY- More patients could now be accommodated at the Samar Provincial Hospital (SPH) in Catbalogan City.
This after the construction of the annex building that targets to accommodate about 220 patients started on Feb.11.
This was announced by Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan who in previous interviews said that improving the delivery of health services at the SPH is one of her priority programs.
At present, SPH could accommodate at least 100 patients but with the eventual operation of its annex building, it could now accommodate more than 300 patients.
The annex building of the SPH could accommodate at least 220 patients, doubling its current capacity.
Tan, who is to bow out as governor of the province June of this year, has made health service as one of her administration’s cornerstones.
With an increased bed capacity of the SPH, patients from the province would no longer need to go to hospitals in Tacloban City, like the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC).
Tan described the groundbreaking of the SPH-Annex as ‘historic.’
Aside from the annex building, a new outpatient building was also opened and part of the services being offered in this facility is the ‘Malasakit Center’ a one-stop shop wherein patients, especially the economically deprived, could immediately availed all their needed medical assistance to include access to medicines.
SPH, which is under the supervision of Dr. Katherine Faith Tabuan, has been undergoing improvements under the administration of Gov. Tan. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Tourism (DOT) is eyeing to accredit six more farm tourism sites in Eastern Visayas this year to provide a better life to farmers in this predominantly agriculture region.
The target will bring the number to nine accredited sites in the region by the end of the year or a 200 percent increase from 2018 figure, said DOT Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes.
Currently, there are only three accredited farm tourism destinations in the region – Softea Garden in Biliran, Biliran; Canaan Hills Farm and Honey Garden in Caibiran, Biliran; and Villaconzoilo Farm in Jaro, Leyte.
Prospective farm tourism sites should be in safe and in peaceful locations with roads, electricity, water; have sufficient facilities and amenities such as reception center, parking space, dining or multipurpose area, souvenir shops, accommodation and restaurants; and have trained tour guides.
“We would like to identify diverse farms so that they will not be in competition with each other. We want at least one well-developed, market-ready farm tourism sites. We’ll try to find places in the region with marine agriculture parks, a large track of coconut plantation, vegetable production area, dairy farms. Among others,” Tiopes told reporters on Thursday.
Earlier, the tourism department and the Agriculture Training Institute have identified 58 farms as potential agriculture tourism sites. These farms produce rice, dairy, coconut, aquaculture, and high-value fruits and vegetables.
“The presence of these farm sites puts the region in a good position to develop distinct and complementing farm experiences, that can be more interesting because of unique and even heart-warming stories of the farm owners themselves,” Tiopes explained.
The official said farm tourism opens up the possibilities for diversification of income for small-scale farmers while promoting sustainable agricultural systems and community involvement and participation.
The tourism department has been gathering farm owners and other stakeholders to come up with a strategic action plan that will guide them on how to develop farm tourism in the region.
“We assist them in product development, identify potential activities given the terrain, main resources, and organizational set-up that they have,” she added.
The government enacted Republic Act No. 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act on May 23, 2016, recognizing the value of farming in food production and providing income.
The law defines farm tourism as a practice of attracting visitors and tourists to farm areas for production, educational, recreational, purposes – which involves any agricultural or fishery-based operation or activity, and may also provide a venue for outdoor recreation and accessible family outings.
The tourism department launched the “It’s More Fun in Philippine Farms” program on Oct. 23 recognizing that “a day in the farm is both relaxing and educational.”
Eastern Visayas region is a predominantly farming area where 45 percent or 976,415 hectares of its total land area is devoted to agriculture.
Of its agricultural lands, 70 percent is planted to coconut and 20 percent is planted to rice and corn. The rest is planted to other crops, used to raise livestock and poultry, or inland fishery products. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO/PNA)