Assistant Regional Director Ma. Margarita ‘Maya’ Collantes Junia(center) has been designated in concurrent capacity as ARD of DPWH Region 8 and officer-in-charge District Engineer (OIC-DE) of Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (ESDEO) after the retirement of District Engineer Domy Natividad. This to prevent a vacuum while waiting for a new district engineer to be appointed. Junia reported to ESDEO and met with key officials to assess project status. She also led a coordination meeting with stakeholders, including project engineers.
Assistant Regional Director Ma. Margarita ‘Maya’ Collantes Junia(center) has been designated in concurrent capacity as ARD of DPWH Region 8 and officer-in-charge District Engineer (OIC-DE) of Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (ESDEO) after the retirement of District Engineer Domy Natividad. This to prevent a vacuum while waiting for a new district engineer to be appointed. Junia reported to ESDEO and met with key officials to assess project status. She also led a coordination meeting with stakeholders, including project engineers.
TACLOBAN CITY – Assistant Regional Director Ma. Margarita Junia has been designated as officer-in-charge District Engineer (OIC-DE) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (ESDEO) following the retirement of District Engineer Domy Natividad.
Junia said the designation ensures continuity in the office’s operations while awaiting the formal appointment of a new district engineer. Upon assuming the post, she convened key officials of ESDEO to discuss the status of ongoing infrastructure projects and led a coordination meeting with project engineers.
As part of her oversight role, Junia also joined the regional inspectorate team in inspecting various projects across Eastern Samar. Before returning to Tacloban, she met with House minority floor leader and 4Ps partylist Representative Marcelino C. Libanan and Eastern Samar Lone District Representative Christopher Sheen Gonzales to discuss development priorities.
Junia described the meeting as a “good opportunity to work closely with the province’s leaders to ensure effective implementation of DPWH programs.”
POWER SUPPLY. The picturesque Higatan Island off Naval in Biliran will soon have a 24-hour power supply as electrification project is soon to start. (FILE PHOTO)
POWER SUPPLY. The picturesque Higatan Island off Naval in Biliran will soon have a 24-hour power supply as electrification project is soon to start. (FILE PHOTO)
TACLOBAN CITY — The ongoing electrification project for Higatangan Island in Naval, Biliran through a submarine power cable is expected to spur economic growth and boost tourism on the island, Mayor Gretchen Espina said.
The Higatangan Island Submarine Cable Project, spearheaded by the Biliran Electric Cooperative (BILECO), will provide residents in the island’s two barangays with 24-hour uninterrupted electricity once completed.
Funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA), the P117.7-million project involves laying a four-kilometer submarine cable linking Barangay Jubay in Calubian, Leyte, to Barangay Mabini in Higatangan.
Mayor Espina welcomed the development, emphasizing that stable electricity will not only improve living conditions but also attract investors and tourists to the island, which was declared a special tourism development area under Republic Act 10409 or the Tourism Development Area Act.
“Tourism-wise and economically, this is a huge help. Our people in Higatangan will no longer struggle when putting up businesses or addressing household needs,” Espina said.
Currently, Higatangan residents rely on a diesel generator that supplies power for only eight hours daily, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. This limited power supply has long been a barrier to economic development, discouraging businesses and reducing the island’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.
“This is a big factor. How can you put up a business if electricity is limited? Investors need to spend on generators, which is costly. With continuous power, development in Higatangan will finally accelerate,” the mayor added.
Higatangan is renowned for its 200-meter shifting sandbar that changes direction with the season, attracting local and domestic tourists, particularly during the annual Higatangan Island Summer Festival (HisFest). The island also features the Capilla del Mar, an underwater chapel with a 12-foot cross and benches symbolizing Biliran’s eight towns.
In 2024, Higatangan was added to the growing list of cruise tourism destinations in Eastern Visayas, further highlighting its potential as a premier tourism hub in the region.
The LTO officer checks the plate number of the motorists. (LTO N. Samar)
CATARMAN, Northern Samar– The Land Transportation Office (LTO) underscored its community-based approach to road safety, including free driving courses for towns and deploying deputized personnel across Northern Samar to improve enforcement.
During PIA’s ‘Huruhimangraw san Panginudto’ radio program on August 15, LTO Officer-in-Charge Guy Ellison T. Zosa said the agency is bringing services closer to communities.
“We offer the Free Theoretical Driving Course to LGUs that request it as part of their student permit application process,” he said, noting that private driving schools charge between P1,200 and P1,500 for the same course.
Zosa cited San Isidro and Victoria as examples of municipalities that have availed themselves of the free program.
To improve enforcement, Zosa reported that 58 deputized police officers are now authorized to act on behalf of the LTO across the province.
“These deputized personnel are authorized to apprehend individuals and confiscate licenses. They must wear IDs marked ‘Deputized LTO’ to verify their authority,” he explained.
Zosa highlighted LTO’s outreach efforts, such as registration caravans that provide vehicle registration and smoke emission testing to municipalities. He said these initiatives aim to eliminate excuses for non-compliance and promote road safety, including helmet and seatbelt laws.
“These programs are part of a broader strategy to improve road discipline, safeguard commuters, and ensure that vehicles operating on public roads are in good condition,” Zosa said.
EVACUATED. Over 500 students of the Visayas State University in Baybay City were evacuated from their dormitories following heavy rains that flooded parts of the school campus.(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
EVACUATED. Over 500 students of the Visayas State University in Baybay City were evacuated from their dormitories following heavy rains that flooded parts of the school campus.(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY — More than 500 students from the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City were evacuated Tuesday evening after hours of heavy rainfall caused flooding in parts of the campus, prompting the school’s Disaster Resilience and Management Office (DRMO) to implement emergency protocols.
Engr. Andy Phil Cortes, VSU DRMO director, said the evacuation mainly involved students staying in the upper dormitories, which are at higher risk during flooding events.
“Our protocol is based on rainfall monitoring. If we have three consecutive days of rain, we raise Alert Level 1 so students can prepare for possible evacuation. If the rain continues for six hours non-stop or three hours of heavy downpour, we proceed with evacuation,” Cortes explained.
The evacuation system is part of VSU’s institutionalized disaster mitigation plan, developed by the school’s Disaster Management Committee with inputs from geotechnical engineering and meteorology experts.
Cortes added that the protocol was patterned after the impact of Typhoon ‘Agaton’ in April 2022, which triggered massive landslides in Baybay City and Abuyog, Leyte, killing over 150 people and leaving many missing.
To strengthen disaster preparedness, VSU is planning to integrate disaster management lessons into the curriculum across all courses and even in its laboratory school.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion lauded the move, stressing the importance of instilling disaster readiness among students at an early age.
“In Japan, disaster management is taught as early as elementary school. It’s good that we inculcate this in our education system as well,” Torrecarion said.
He added that Eastern Visayas’ geographical location makes it one of the most hazard-prone regions in the country, making disaster education critical. “This will help build a culture of preparedness and even encourage volunteerism among the youth,” Torrecarion said.
The OCD official also noted that students equipped with disaster management knowledge can help cascade lifesaving information to their families and communities.
The Philippines consistently ranks high in global risk indexes, making proactive measures like those of VSU essential in reducing disaster impacts.
NEW ROAD. The Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO) reported the completion of a road project in Dulag town, connecting the villages of San Vicente and San Agustin. (L2DEO)
NEW ROAD. The Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO) reported the completion of a road project in Dulag town, connecting the villages of San Vicente and San Agustin. (L2DEO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO) has completed a key road improvement project in Dulag, Leyte, upgrading a 0.37431-kilometer stretch that connects Barangays San Vicente and San Agustin.
The project involved the construction of a 1,871.56-square-meter Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP), aimed at strengthening local road connectivity and ensuring safer, faster transportation for residents.
According to District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura, the newly paved section is expected to significantly reduce travel time between the two barangays, enhance transport safety, and support economic activity by easing the movement of goods and agricultural products.
Barangay San Agustin Councilor Christian Rey Garcia expressed gratitude for the project, emphasizing its impact on residents’ daily lives.
“Now that the road is paved through this DPWH project, we are truly thankful. We no longer experience difficulties, especially for our students, workers, and farmers. Transporting their products has become faster and more convenient. Thank you very much, DPWH, for this project,” Garcia said.
He added that before the improvement, the road was often muddy, filled with potholes, and nearly impassable during heavy rains and typhoons, making it difficult for farmers to transport rice and other produce.
The project, funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA) with a budget of P4,879,199.46, was implemented by IRT Builders and completed in April 2025.
INSPECTION. Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strict directive, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez inspected several flood control projects in the city to ensure quality and prevent anomalies. He also urged residents to report any irregularities in the construction of these projects in their areas.
(ALFRED ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
INSPECTION. Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strict directive, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez inspected several flood control projects in the city to ensure quality and prevent anomalies. He also urged residents to report any irregularities in the construction of these projects in their areas. (ALFRED ROMUALDEZ FACEBOOK)
Decades of isolation to end?
TACLOBAN CITY – A long-awaited infrastructure project in Northern Samar is finally moving closer to reality, with the Samar Pacific Coastal Road 2 (SPCR 2) included in the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP).
The project, backed by a $111.43 million (P6.34 billion) loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, will build two key bridges—the 800-meter Laoang Bridge 2, connecting Barangay Talisay to Poblacion Laoang, and the 605-meter Laoang Bridge 3, linking Barangay Calomotan to Barangay Pangpang in Palapag.
Once completed, travel time from Palapag and Laoang to mainland Northern Samar will shrink from an hour to just 15 minutes.
Northern Samar Governor Edwin Harris Ongchuan hailed the development as a breakthrough for towns historically plagued by geographic isolation and disaster vulnerability.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for fulfilling his commitment to fund the Samar Pacific Coastal Road II Project by including it in the 2026 NEP,” Ongchuan said.
He also thanked House Speaker Martin Romualdez and the Regional Development Council for their support in advancing the proposal.
The governor underscored the life-saving potential of the project, recalling a 2015 tragedy when 12 passengers went missing after their boat capsized during Typhoon ‘Nona’.
“Projects like this are not just about progress; they are also about saving lives,” Gov. Ongchuan stressed.
Laoang, once Northern Samar’s commercial hub in the 1960s and ’70s, lost its prominence when maritime trade waned and road networks developed elsewhere. Ongchuan hopes SPCR 2 will revive the area as a gateway for trade and commerce.
The project traces its roots to a proposal by the late Rep. Emil Ong and RDC endorsement in 2021. It follows SPCR 1, the Simora-Palapag Road, inaugurated by President Marcos in 2023 after five years of construction, also funded by the Export-Import Bank of Korea.
Officials believe SPCR 2 will unlock economic growth for long-marginalized Pacific towns like Laoang, Palapag, Mapanas, Gamay, and Lapinig, transforming connectivity and resilience in Northern Samar.
