CATARMAN, Northern Samar- The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) together with the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (DA-AMAD) conducted recently an enterprise development assessment attended by agri-entrepreneurs.
The activity, held last Feb.23, aimed to help sustain agri-business operations in the province, started with an enterprise assessment where producers were made to identify the issues and concerns in their respective ventures; assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of their enterprise; and develop a three-year capacity development plan. It also sought to assess the organizational structure and administration of the association, including policies implemented and systems of operation; marketing and financial aspect, as well as the sustainability of their enterprise.
Spearheaded by the DA-AMAD under the Republic Act 11321 or the Sagip Saka Act, the activity was part of the priority agenda of Governor Edwin Ongchuan dubbed as ‘Sustained PROGRESS,’or ‘Pro-Poor Programs and Agro-Industrial Development.’
(EUGENE M. ENANO)

BORONGAN CITY– Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH ESDEO) will construct more than half-kilometer of flood control structure to protect remote barangays in Oras, Eastern Samar.
District Engineer Ma. Margarita C. Junia of DPWH ESDEO said that the district office is going to implement two flood control structure projects for Brgy. Gamot and Brgy. Cagpile, Oras.
“We will implement this year the construction of flood control in Brgy. Gamot with a length of 310 meters with an appropriation of P100 million and in Brgy. Cagpili with a length of 205 meters amounting to P50 million,” said DE Junia.
On January 20, 2022, DE Junia together with other DPWH ESDEO heads inspected the location of the projects and witnessed the impact of soil erosion in the barangays.
“According to the barangay officials in Brgy. Gamot, three houses and barangay roads were already damaged and vanished because of soil erosion,” said DE Junia.
She also added that once the projects are completed, it will protect the lives and properties of the locals, especially those who are living along the riverside.
“The flood control structure will also preserve and protect the land area of the two barangays which decreases annually because of scouring caused by the strong current of the river, particularly during bad weather,” she also added.
DPWH Eastern Samar DEO has already issued a notice to proceed dated February 7, 2022 for the construction of flood control projects  in Cagpile and  Gamot has not yet started because the fund of the projects is categorized as for later release.(PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Part of the strategy of the Department of Tourism(DOT) to revive the diving activities in the province of Southern Leyte after it suffered a major blow from Typhoon ‘Odette’ is to look for divers who would want to do volunteer works.
DOT-8 Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said although the province’s tourism industry was badly hit by Odette last year, stakeholders are working hard to revive the sector, particularly the diving activities.
“We are looking for divers who would want to become volunteer tourists. Meaning, they will go there for diving activity and they will also have to participate in activities for reviving the tourism industry of the province like clean-up drive,” she said.
“They will go there not only for leisure but with a purpose of reviving the diving industry of the province and the tourism activity in the community,” Tiopes added.
Diving shops in Southern Leyte particularly those located in Padre Burgos town are planning to have their soft opening this month and will be welcoming foreign tourists starting this April.
They are expecting foreign tourists from Europe and North American countries who will be staying in the province for about two weeks.
Dive shops located along Sogod Bay had finished repairing their areas and were able to buy new boats that are essential when providing diving activities.
In an earlier interview, Philip Mcquire, owner of Sogod Bay Scuba Resort, said that they had received many inquiries not only on when they will resume their operations but also on how they can help in restoring the diving activities and typhoon-affected communities in their place.
“We’re having lots of inquiries now. People wanted to come back not just to dive but also help, to see, to look, and be involved,” Mcquire said.
Moreover, asked on the preparedness of the tourism sector in accepting tourists after more than two years of not operating due to travel restriction, “as far as the popular tourism site they are relatively ready,” Tiopes replied.
She added that they regularly and constantly remind tourism players on policies and protocols set by the national government that needs to be followed while the country is still facing the problem on Covid-19 pandemic.
“The tourism officers in every local government unit also knows what they need to do and they also do monitoring at tourism facilities and destinations in their respective areas,” Tiopes added.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Natural barrier against storm surge

TACLOBAN CITY- More mangrove trees will protect Tacloban coasts few years from now after a tree planting activity took place in San Jose District.
Initiated by Barangay 88 officials, in partnership with Red Cross – Leyte Chapter, said activity was successfully carried out last February 24.
The village, to recall, was considered to be among the hardest-hit areas when Tacloban was pummeled by Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ almost nine years ago.
Forester Marito Barillo of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) provided technical assistance during the mangrove planting activity as he also helped the team identify the appropriate area to plant the seedlings at Purok Timex.
According to village chairwoman Emelita S. Montalban, Red Cross provided them with a series of trainings and seminars on mangrove growing and its impact on environment resilience. More seedlings are being nurtured by barangay workers at their nursery for the next planting activities.
A brainchild of the barangay, this project which started rolling at the height of the pandemic, aims to protect their place from possible water surge during typhoons.
Mangroves, having been proven by experts to be beneficial to marine ecology, are seen to also strengthen the livelihood of roughly over 300 fisherfolks in the area.
Joining the Barangay 88 officials and Red Cross- Leyte in the environmental activity were representatives from the City Mayor’s Office, Aviation Security Unit 8 (AVSEU-8), Philippine Coast Guard, Fisherman’s Village Elementary Schools, Brgy. 88 fisherfolks, barangay workers, and Hiraya President Raymund Romualdez along with his staff.
(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)