TACLOBAN CITY – Officials from Sarangani province visited Northern Samar on April 11, 2025, to conduct a benchmarking activity focused on the consignment mechanism of the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital (NSPH) and other healthcare innovations aimed at enhancing hospital service delivery in their province.
The NSPH’s consignment mechanism is a procurement system that promotes transparency and accountability in acquiring medicines and medical supplies. It also helps reduce wastage due to expiration and enforces effective internal controls.
This mechanism also supports the government’s No Balance Billing policy, which aims to minimize or eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for patients seeking medical treatment.
Leading the Sarangani delegation were Assistant Provincial Administrator Atty. Divine Grace Sumaira Fernandez and Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Arvin Alejandro. They were warmly welcomed by Vice Governor Clarence Dato and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during a courtesy visit.
The initiative reflects Sarangani’s commitment to improving healthcare access and efficiency through the adoption of best practices from other provinces.
MOU SIGNING. Dr. Dennis C. de Paz signing the MOu with The Director for International Affairs. Ms. Simran Dhaliwal of Chandighar Group of Colleges -Jhaderi, Mohali, India. (FAUSTITO A. AURE)
MOU SIGNING. Dr. Dennis C. de Paz signing the MOu with The Director for International Affairs. Ms. Simran Dhaliwal of Chandighar Group of Colleges -Jhaderi, Mohali, India. (FAUSTITO A. AURE)
Staying true to its commitment to building lasting international partnerships, the Chandigarh Group of Colleges in Mohali, Jhanjeri, India, invited two representatives from one of its newest partners in the Philippines – Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), to take part in the Global Education Conclave 2025.
Held from March 28 to 31 at the CGC Main University Complex in Mohali, northwest of New Delhi, the event featured Dr. Dennis C. De Paz, EVSU President, and Prof. Faustito A. Aure, Director of the Office of Internationalization, as distinguished guest speakers and panelists.
This prestigious event was generously sponsored and hosted by the Chandigarh Group of Colleges, a renowned institution in India known for its commitment to global academic engagement and excellence.
The conclave brought together 35 distinguished representatives from 16 countries, including academicians, ambassadors, and consuls. This diverse and dynamic assembly created a unique platform for dialogue, collaboration, and knowledge exchange across borders. Over the course of three days, delegations from all over the world engaged in a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions, networking sessions, and cultural activities.
The program focused on key global education themes such as internationalization of higher education, sustainable academic partnerships, innovation in pedagogy, and the role of education in fostering peace Highlights of the Conclave included insightful addresses from ambassadors, consular representatives, and academic leaders on the future of international education.
Participants also took part in collaborative workshops that promoted cross-cultural exchange of ideas and best practices. Additionally, the event provided valuable networking opportunities, enabling delegates to build meaningful connections and explore potential institutional collaborations.
The hospitality extended by the hosts was warm and impeccable, providing a culturally enriching experience that added depth to the professional interactions.
The venue at Mojali, Jhanjeri offered a serene and conducive atmosphere for both formal sessions and informal exchanges. Overall, the Global Education Conclave 2025 was an inspiring and productive experience that underscored the importance of global collaboration in education.
It reaffirmed the shared commitment of institutions and nations toward shaping a more inclusive and innovative global academic landscape.
(FAUSTITO A. AURE, MRD, Associate Professor V, Director, Internationalization for Higher Education Office, Eastern Visayas State University)
TACLOBAN CITY – Around 22 farmers from Barangay 101 New Kawayan are set to benefit from a solar-powered irrigation system that aims to boost vegetable production across 2.8 hectares of farmland.
The project, spearheaded by the City Agriculture Office with P1 million in funding from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), addresses persistent water scarcity issues that have long hampered agricultural productivity in the area. The barangay shouldered 30% of the total cost.
Now under construction and expected to be completed within one to two weeks, the system will enable farmers to draw water from a well using solar energy—eliminating reliance on costly electric-powered pumps.
“New Kawayan has struggled with water supply, making it hard for farmers to produce vegetables in large quantities,” said Agricultural Technologist Aileen Quimbo.
“This system ensures a steady water source to help improve yields and meet market demands, including Kadiwa Centers in Tacloban.”
DOST is also conducting training for members of the New Kawayan Farmers Association on how to operate and maintain the system. Monitoring will be conducted twice a week, with crop output and income used to assess the project’s impact.
To ensure long-term sustainability, 5% of the project’s budget has been set aside for maintenance, alongside additional contributions from the barangay and the farmers’ association. Farmers will also allocate part of their earnings for system upkeep.
Officials hope the project will serve as a model for similar solar-powered solutions in other farming communities. “This needs to succeed so it can be a long-term model for future farming communities,” Quimbo added.
TACLOBAN CITY – Former rebels now organized under the Eastern Visayas Peace Builders and Development Federation have denounced the visit of Makabayan Bloc candidates in the region, accusing them of attempting to gain votes and support for the upcoming May 12, 2025 elections.
Wearing black shirts as a sign of protest, the group held a rally and candle-lighting ceremony at RTR Plaza, Tacloban City’s designated freedom park.
“We’ve observed that because their urban operatives can no longer recruit people, the candidates themselves are now doing the recruitment, going as far as visiting schools,” said federation president Alma Gabin.
Gabin claimed that the Makabayan Bloc, composed of senatorial and party-list candidates, has visited several areas in Eastern Visayas during their three-day campaign swing, including some schools.
“This is very disturbing and alarming for us. Before, they had organizers doing the work, and we would see people supporting them. But now that support has waned, and they are targeting new and young voters directly,” she added.
As a former high-ranking member of the communist underground movement who was recruited during her student years, Gabin warned against allowing these groups to influence young minds and bring them into the armed struggle.
She urged the public to be vigilant and to withhold support from candidates affiliated with the Makabayan Bloc.
“Let us not vote for anyone from this bloc. We must protect our youth and our future from being misled,” Gabin emphasized.
Known locally as ‘Tais Dupol’, the Penitentes of Palo, Leyte, walk barefoot through the streets, carrying crosses, offering penance, or reenacting the suffering of Christ. Their presence is a powerful testament to the town’s enduring Catholic roots and a tradition that transforms public spaces into sacred ground.
(Photo Courtesy of Msgr. Gilbert Urbina/ Archdiocese of Palo)
Known locally as ‘Tais Dupol’, the Penitentes of Palo, Leyte, walk barefoot through the streets, carrying crosses, offering penance, or reenacting the suffering of Christ. Their presence is a powerful testament to the town’s enduring Catholic roots and a tradition that transforms public spaces into sacred ground. (Photo Courtesy of Msgr. Gilbert Urbina/ Archdiocese of Palo)
PALO, Leyte– Despite modernity and changing religious expressions, the “Penitentes” of Palo, Leyte remain a powerful image of Filipino folk Catholicism. Their hushed footsteps on a scorching pavement and silent walk along the aisle of the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral strikes a contrast to the noise of daily life, a slow, meaningful, and prayerful reminder of the roots of Holy Week.
The all-male confraternity of the “penitentes” will once again feature in this year’s Holy Week observance of Palo town, whose tradition of making repentance has been passed from father to son, godfather to godchild, uncle to nephews, and continues not out of obligation but out of an unwavering belief that through penitence, humility, and devotion, one can be made whole.
Reynaldo Pedrosa, 58 years old of Luntad, Palo, said he joined the “Penitentes” when he was about 20 years old. He has not missed the Holy Week ritual since the late ‘80s and now his son and nephews have also become members of the Penitentes.
For many, joining the ranks of the Penitentes is a deeply personal vow—made in gratitude for prayers answered, or in petition for healing, forgiveness, or deliverance.
To deter the faithful from flagellating during Holy Week, this custom was instituted under the Spanish occupation through Franciscan Fray Pantaleon de la Fuente in the late 1800s. The penance seekers are garbed in long robes and wear cone-shaped head pieces that cover their faces and are either pointed (“tais”) or blunt (“dupol”) which has earned the group the name “Tais-Dupol” of Palo.
The ‘tais’ and ‘dupol’ headpieces carry distinct meanings within the group. Married members don navy blue robes with pointed hoods, signifying their status while the unmarried members wear violet or deep purple robes with black, blunted hoods. Officers or senior members distinguish themselves by wearing all-white robes with pointed hoods.
With this garb, the men are stripped of their identity, pride, and ego. Their anonymity is part of the ritual – an act of penance by the willingness to walk in humility and atonement.
On Holy Wednesday, new members joining the Penitentes undergo a solemn investiture ceremony and are given their special robes at the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral.
When the Lenten season starts, members actively participate in the preparations and join the Station of the Cross done seven Fridays before Palm Sunday. Their commitment to church preparations continues until Easter Sunday.
The reenactment of the “Washing of the Feet” on Holy Thursday, the adoration of the Cross on Good Friday, and the Station of the Cross on Black Saturday are the highlights of the group’s services.
The local government of Palo will also highlight the Penitentes this year in the GUGMA Art Exhibition, where miniature figures of the confraternity will be featured, inspiring tradition among the younger populace through art.
For Palo—a town known for its deep Catholic roots and being the ecclesiastical seat of Eastern Visayas—the Holy Week is not just observed, it is embodied. The Penitentes represent the people’s way of physically entering the story of the Passion, of feeling the weight of the cross not just in thought, but on their shoulders.
PNP ADVISORY GROUP. The PRO-8 Advisory Group for Police Transformation and Development has a new set of officers. Reelected as chairman was Dr. Ronald Madera with DOT-8 Director Karina Rosa Tiopes as the vice chairman. LSDE publisher Dalmacio “Massey’ Grafil was elected as committee chair on selection and membership. The election and oath-taking was held on April 5, 2025, at Layao Resort in Marabut, Samar.
PNP ADVISORY GROUP. The PRO-8 Advisory Group for Police Transformation and Development has a new set of officers. Reelected as chairman was Dr. Ronald Madera with DOT-8 Director Karina Rosa Tiopes as the vice chairman. LSDE publisher Dalmacio “Massey’ Grafil was elected as committee chair on selection and membership. The election and oath-taking was held on April 5, 2025, at Layao Resort in Marabut, Samar.
TACLOBAN CITY — The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) Advisory Group for Police Transformation and Development has officially announced its new set of officers and members for the next two years during an election and oath-taking ceremony held on April 5, 2025, at Layao Resort in Marabut, Samar.
The event was officiated by PCol. Matthe Aseo, CRS/C, RPSMU 8, and highlighted the group’s continuing commitment to the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) PATROL Plan 2030 — a long-term reform program aimed at improving police performance and public trust.
Reappointed as chairman for a second term is Dr. Ronald Madera, while Department of Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes assumes the role of vice-chair.
The Advisory Group also welcomed new members from key regional government agencies: Atty. Robert Yu, Regional Director, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR); Engr. Maya Collantes Junia, Assistant Regional Director, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); Atty. Risty Sibay, National Police Commission (Napolcom); and Keena Mate, private sector representative.
Continuing members include Rachel Cuevas (Department of Education), Ma. Daisy Amor Belizar (DyAS), Lady Ann Yao, Atty. Ryan Mancera, Engr. Dindo Obediencia, and a representative from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
The Advisory Group plays a vital role in helping guide and monitor police transformation initiatives within Eastern Visayas, including strengthening personnel skills, improving public service, and encouraging transparency and community participation.
Aside from Nadera and Tiopes, also elected as officers were Ma. Daisy Amor L. Belizar, secretary; Rachel Cuevas, treasurer; and Lady Ann Yao, auditor.
Named as committee chairpersons were Dalmacio Grafil, selection and membership; Engr. Ma. Margarita Junia, ways and means; Engr. Dindo Obediencia, public information & advocacy; Atty. Risty Sibay, best practices and good deeds; Atty.Robert Anthony Yu, policies and programs; and Keena Mate, capability building.
The event also served as a platform to discuss upcoming initiatives aligned with the PNP’s transformation roadmap and reaffirm the group’s support for sustainable and community-focused policing reforms across the region.
