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)

TACLOBAN CITY- “The sanggunian is the brain of the local government and the sanggunians who are present today are doing a great job at providing the brains of the local government; that is, being the source of ideas and innovations translated into policies and programs.”
This was the pronouncement of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Marivel C. Sacendoncillo, as she recognized the accomplishments of the best performing Local Government Units (LGUs) in Eastern Visayas during the Regional Awards Ceremony of the 2018 Local Legislative Award at Robinsons Summit Hotel, Tacloban City on February 7, 2019.
“The LGUs should not only look at the needs of the people but also search for opportunities that they can maximize to pursue development in their respective communities,” Sacendoncillo added.
She told the sanggunian members to be serious in the jobs that they entered into because the people will not remember them by just being honorable but by the things that they were able to do to contribute to the betterment of their communities.
In the categories of Highly Urbanized Cities and Independent Component Cities, the Cities of Tacloban and Ormoc emerged as the regional winners, respectively. Both cities were lone entries in their respective categories.
Baybay City made it as the regional champion in the Component Cities Category followed by the Cities of Catbalogan and Borongan which were both regional finalists.
In the 1st-3rd Class Municipalities Category, Basey, Samar notched the top spot while Sogod, Southern Leyte and Naval, Biliran were recognized as runners-up.
Furthermore, Balangiga, Eastern Samar took the lead in the 4th-6th Class Municipalities Category. Following the winner were the municipalities of San Isidro, Leyte; San Juan, Southern Leyte; Cabucgayan, Biliran; and Motiong, Samar (regional finalists).
The LGUs were assessed by the Regional Award Committee (RAC) which is headed by the DILG Regional Director with the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Regional Council Chairman as the Vice-Chairman. Members of the committee also include the Regional Directors of the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and a Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) representative.
The RAC evaluated the finalists through the Awards Criteria totalling 100 points: (a) Responsiveness of the Legislative Agenda (30 points); (b) Availability of Legislative Documents (18 points); (c) Effectiveness of Performance of the Sanggunian (30 points); (d) Efficiency of the Performance of the Sanggunian (13 points); (e) Legislative Citations and Awards (5 points); and (f) Capacity Development for Legislators and Staff (4 points).
“The regional winners will now vie for the national legislative award. The National Award Committee (NAC) will be coming in the region and reevaluate the nomination,” PCL Regional Council Chairman Wilson Uy said in his closing remarks.
Usec Sacendoncillo, OIC – Assistant Regional Director Valente P. Bajet and PCL Regional Council Chairman Uy awarded a plaque of commendation and a cash award worth P10,000 to the regional champions in every category.
Approximately 300 participants from different LGUs, government agencies, and the DILG regional and field offices attended the said event.(PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Kalanggaman Island located in the town of Palompon and is considered as the Leyte’s top tourist destination, has earned more than P22 million last year, a report from the Department of Tourism regional office 8 (DOT-8) based here.
Karen Tiopes, DOT-8 regional director, told Leyte Samar Daily Express in an interview that based on the report from the municipal government of Palompon, the total revenue of Kalanggaman Island has exceeded its target of P21 million as the total income reached P22.189 million generated from tourist receipts last year.
Tiopes reported that the total number of tourist who visited the island last year reached 113,556 composed of 104,203 domestic tourists while the 9,353 were foreign tourists.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla, in another interview, said that the Kalanggaman Island, which is maintained and operated by the local government unit of Palompon, has been attracting droves of local and foreign tourists, an indication that it has fully recovered from the devastation due to super typhoon ‘Yolanda.’
The six-hectare Kalanggaman Island is just about an hour boat ride from Palompon town proper and is considered as one of the most beautiful islands in the Philippines.
The island features powdery white sand beach surrounded by clear blue water with a long stretch of sandbar with its fine white sand attracts tourists.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

TACLOBAN CITY- A town in Biliran province has declared an outbreak of dengue fever due to its record number of children getting sick due to the mosquito-causing ailment.
On Wednesday (Feb.13), Mayor Rodolfo Espina, Sr. declared a dengue fever outbreak in the town as it has now about 81 cases as of Tuesday.
Out of the town’s 20 barangays, 10 have cases of dengue fever with the village of Mapuyo having the biggest number of cases with 42 followed by the village of Tucdao with 12, Dr. Christine Balasbas, municipal health officer, said in a phone interview.
She also said that a five-year old boy from Brgy. Tucdao died on Jan.24 due to dengue fever while being treated at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center (EVRMC) in Tacloban City.
Balasbas also said that while they have 81 cases, many of them have already recovered from the ailment.
About 15 patients remain at their rural health unit as they are still being treated.
Balasbas said that with the declaration of an outbreak, they could now access funds from the local disaster funds to buy another unit of fogging machine and medicines and other needed supplies.
Balasbas said that as part of their precautionary measures, they have conducted fogging operations in the villages where there are dengue fever cases.
The municipal government has also asked the villagers to clean their surroundings, particularly their waterways and other stagnant waters to stop dengue fever-causing mosquitoes from breeding.
Meantime, Leonido Olodia, anti-dengue coordinator of the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH), said Eastern Visayas has monitored 1,069 cases as of this week.
Majority of the cases or 241 cases are from Northern Samar province, followed by Biliran with 175 cases, Samar with 163 and Leyte 151.
He also said that six have died due to dengue.
The DOH official said that those who experiences fever should immediately consult a doctor and seek for medical attention for proper care.
Those who had dengue after their hospitalization should have regular check-up for 10 days to monitor their condition and have laboratory test.
“Basta may positive dengue RDT (rapid diagnostic test), it is very important that children or patients should stay in the hospital,” Olodia adding that if ever they go home, they should go back to the hospital for check-up.
Olodia also advices communities to continue the search and destroy activities for breeding ground of mosquitoes to address problem on dengue cases in their respective areas.
(JOEY A. GABIETA,ROEL T. AMAZONA)