BAYBAY CITY- Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla has issued his challenge to the officials of the two cities and 19 towns of the province to maintain their being drug-cleared status.
Petilla pointed out that after the declaration of these areas, what is more challenging is sustaining the efforts to maintain them as drug-cleared.
The declaration is part of the ongoing crackdown on illegal drugs by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Edgar Jubay, regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, said that their office has declared two cities and 19 towns of Leyte as drug-cleared.
Director Jubay identified the LGUs as Baybay and Ormoc cities and the towns of Mahaplag, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Matalom, Capoocan, Matag-ob, Villaba, Tabango, San Isidro, Jaro, Barugo, San Miguel, Sta. Fe, Babatngon, Pastrana, Javier, Tolosa and Mayorga.
(RESTITUTO A. CAYUBIT)

ORMOC CITY-The city government of Ormoc presented before members of the media the 20 candidates vying for this year’s Miss Ormoc title, a beauty and brain search which is one of the highlights of the city’s annual fiesta, Saturday(June 16).
And on the evening, 10 LED-lighted floats paraded around the city’s main streets as part of it’s first-ever Parade of Lights.
Mayor Richard Gomez said that the holding of the Parade of Lights is part of their campaign to ‘enhance’ the city’s Piña Festival which aim to promote the pineapple products of Ormoc.
“Today is the actual kick off of our enhanced Piña Festival with the Miss Ormoc presentation and our Parade of Lights. We are doing these to make our people happy and make our fiesta more colorful,” Gomez said.
For this year’s Miss Ormoc, the 20 candidates were presented before members of the press, namely,Charo Galicia Dayandayan;Daniela Lois Tariman;Karen Joy Hawkins Degorio;Gia Leigh Maris Chu Carreon; Shanice Kae Omega Suarez;Micah Andrea Duarte Abarquez;Fhern Alyanna Magada;Alexa Shane Holanda Dolina; Kassandra Mayol; Meljoy Dacera Cairlang;April Rose Tabudlong Elejorde;Alexa Marie Saavedra Matuguina;Lyka Mae Barbac Torcende;Roijane Fae Paje Plazo;Allyza Shen Pesabille Bartolini;Maria Nathalia Parilla Veloso;Micah Maglasang; Nica Zosa Nabua;Trixie Alvia Ong;and Princess Donah Ortega Paraiso.
During the same event, held at the activity area of the Robinsons-Ormoc, the 10 Piña Festival queens for this year were also presented.
The Miss Ormoc will be held on June 28 at the Ormoc Superdome with KC Montero and Karla Henry as hosts. The winner will be the candidate of Ormoc for Miss World-Philippines.
At past 6 pm, the Parade of Lights immediately followed using animated movies as the theme used by the 10 participating floats.
The 10 floats decorated with movie themes included Frozen; Beauty and the Beast; Cars; Avatar; Turbo; Little Mermaid; Lion King; Avengers; Tinker Bell and Moana.
Mayor Gomez expressed his gratitude for the support of the city residents on the Parade of Lights as they came in thousands catch a glimpse of these well-lighted and fully-decorated floats.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

CAMP GENERAL VICENTE LUKBAN, CATBALOGAN CITY – The Candidate Soldier Course Class 552 & 553-2018 composed of 241 new aspirants was officially opened at Headquarters 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army, Barangay Maulong, this city with Maj. Gen. Raul M. Farnacio AFP, commander, as the keynote speaker on June 16.
The majority of the new selected batch of candidate soldiers came from Samar and Leyte provinces. On their educational profile, one is license professional; 51 of them are college graduates; 121 are college level and 68 are high school graduates with skills training from Technical Education Skills and Development Authority.
They will be honed for the duration of four months in basic military training and tactics and will serve as additional soldiers that will beef-up the personnel strength of the Stormtroopers Division.
Maj. Gen. Farnacio in his message, “To the 241 physically and mentally strong candidate soldiers, muli kong pinapaalala na ngayong araw ang hudyat at simula ng panibagong yugto ng inyong buhay. Sa inyong desisyon na pumasok sa pagsusundalo, gabayan nawa kayo palagi ng Poong Maykapal. Huwag ninyong bibiguin ang inyong mga magulang at lahat ng taong nagmamahal at nagtitiwala sa inyo at umaasa na mapagtatagumpayan ninyo ang hirap na ito. Kaya ninyong malagpasan ang lahat ng pagsubok. Tiwala sa sarili, positibong asal at pag-iisip ang inyong magiging puhunan at sandigan. Higit sa lahat, huwag na huwag ninyong kakalimutan ang pagtawag sa Panginoon para sa gabay at patnubay. 241 kayong nagsimula, hangad ko na 241 din kayong magtatapos at maging karapat dapat na tawaging STORMTROOPERS.”
Immediately after the program, enlistment clothing allowance were distributed to the new recruits, the Army ensures that they have already their needed equipment upon the start of their training. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan who chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) said that the new police regional director has assured her of his support to the council.
Gov. Tan and Chief Superintendent Mariel Magaway, the new police regional director, met last week were the two discussed some issues concerning the security and peace and order situation of the region.
“He assured me his support to the RPOC. During our talks, we discussed to continue implementing the programs of RPOC and enhance them,” Tan said.
“Because his background is from the intelligence, we will establish some programs that can strengthen intelligence network and gathering,” she added.
Tan added that the new police regional director will have his own programs that will help in the peace and order situation of the region.
It was learned from Gov. Tan that Magaway had already met with other governors of the region during which he personally made known his programs relative to the securing the region’s peace and order and his fight against criminalities.
Magaway, who assumed the post last June 6, had also met with some of the congressmen of the region before he assumed his post early this month.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Five local festivals are to participate in this year’s Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.
This was disclosed by Palo Mayor Remedios ‘Matin’ Petilla who is also the executive chairman of the said festival which is celebrating its 32nd year this 2018.
This years’ Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals will be participated by the following festivals: Tanauan (Tribu Pasaka of Tanauan; Sangutan Festival of Barugo; Buraburon Festival of Burauen and Solosogi Festival of Balangiga, Eastern Samar.
During the June 15 press conference, contingents for the Pintados Festival were not disclosed by its president, Eugene Tan.
Winners in this year’s Kasadyaan Festival will receive P700, 000 for first prize; P500,000 for second prize; and P250,000 for third prize.
The Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals will be held on June 27 at the Leyte Sports Complex(Grandstand).
Winner in the best in music will receive P100, 000 and best in costume, P100, 000. (FRANZ ERICK DADIA, ELIZABETH BAQUILOD and KEN LOUISE DE LUNA, Student Interns, Eastern Samar State University)

TACLOBAN CITY – The officers of the Sanggunian Kabataan(SK) Federation Leyte provincial chapter took their oath of office before Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla on June 13 held in Ormoc City.
Taking their oath before the governor were the following: Jo Vanille Chua from the town of Tanauan as the SK federation president; France John Fernandez (Burauen), vice-president; Jake Andrian Gerona (Barugo), secretary; Arianne Marie Go (La Paz), treasurer; Mariel Astillero (Isabel), auditor; and Ivan Saliente (Pastrana)and Jessa Monica Buenafe (Hindang) as PROs.
Also taking their oath were the members of the board of directors, namely: Jan Saavedra for the Leyte first district; Aaron Dean for the second district; Loven Lumapas for the third district; Joy Patricio for the fourth and Alfie Jian Yamson for the fifth district.
The oath-taking of the newly-elected SK federation officers in Leyte took place after the orientation of all Sanggunian Kabataan officials of the province. (RESTITUTO A.CAYUBIT)