President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. intensified the government’s response to flooding and heavy rains from August 17–21, 2026, while advancing programs on social assistance, health, food security, infrastructure and public safety.

On August 17, Marcos visited Negros Oriental and reaffirmed government support through the “Bawat Bayan Makikinabang” program, funded by the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). The Palace also warned against fake news during the enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat.

As rains and flooding worsened, Marcos directed agencies to strengthen coordination on flood control. The Philippine Coast Guard continued rescue operations, while the Department of Transportation provided free bus rides to affected commuters.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development assured adequate food supplies and monitored aid distribution, with the government providing P717.4 million in assistance to affected families. Heavy rains also replenished dams and supported irrigation needs.
Meanwhile, the Department of Budget and Management released P1.855 billion in additional funding for the Philippine General Hospital, including the Zero Balance Billing program.

The government said efforts remain focused on protecting communities, delivering assistance and developing long-term solutions to recurring flooding and weather-related challenges.(PCO)

TACLOBAN CITY — Motorists using the Cabadiangan Bridge in Mayorga, Leyte, are now restricted to vehicles weighing no more than five metric tons following a temporary load limit imposed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) due to the bridge’s deteriorated condition.

The restriction covers the Cabadiangan Bridge along the Mayorga-La Paz Road in Barangay Mabini, Mayorga, Leyte.

In a travel advisory issued by the DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office as of 5 p.m. on Aug. 22, the agency said only vehicles with a maximum gross vehicle weight (GVW) of five metric tons or less are allowed to cross the bridge.

Trucks, buses, trailers, heavy vehicles and overloaded vehicles exceeding the prescribed limit are prohibited from using the bridge while the restriction remains in effect.
The DPWH said the temporary load restriction was imposed to protect motorists and the general public amid the bridge’s deteriorated condition.

The restriction will remain in effect until further notice.

The DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office urged motorists to strictly observe the load limit and other traffic and safety regulations while using the road.
Motorists traveling along the Mayorga-La Paz Road were also advised to plan their trips accordingly and expect possible delays because of the restriction.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

ABUYOG, Leyte– On August 4, 2026, Abuyog Community College (ACC) and Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) formally signed a Memorandum of Agreement and officially launched the College Extension Program for Persons Deprived of Liberty, named Project Paglaum, at the LRP facility in Barangay Cagbolo, Abuyog, Leyte.

The initiative aims to give hope and a clear path to PDLs, empowering them to earn college degrees while serving their sentences—so they may reenter society as college graduates and productive citizens.

The agreement was signed by Hon. Lemuel Gin K. Traya, Municipal Mayor of Abuyog and Chairman of the ACC Board of Trustees, alongside Dr. Clemelle L. Montallana, ACC College President. Representing Leyte Regional Prison was C/Ssupt. Ruben R. Formoso. The event was graced by CHED Region VIII Director Maximo Aljibe, who served as the program’s approving authority and delivered a message of strong institutional support. Also present were ACC and LRP officials, staff, the first batch of PDLs enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship program, and partners from the DENR Baybay City—which donated wood materials for the classroom—and the Alpha Phi Omega organization, which assisted with the DepEd Alternative Learning System for PDLs at LRP.

The signing was followed by the ceremonial ribbon-cutting of the new Abuyog Community College classroom inside Leyte Regional Prison, marking the official start of classes. Project Paglaum stands as a landmark partnership, bringing quality higher education directly to those incarcerated and turning their time inside into an opportunity for growth, learning, and a hopeful future.

(The author, Dr. Teofilo O. Montallana is the Dean of the College of Hospitality Management and Entrepreneurship of Abuyog Community College)

TACLOBAN CITY — Former Balangiga, Eastern Samar mayor Randy Graza was arrested by police after a court issued a warrant charging him with alleged violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, or Republic Act No. 3019.

Graza, 52, was arrested at about 10:40 p.m. on Aug. 21 in Barangay Guinmaayohan, Balangiga, by personnel of the Balangiga Municipal Police Station, Provincial Intelligence Unit and the 2nd Eastern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company.

Police said the warrant was issued on Aug. 19 by Judge Nelson Leyco, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court, Seventh Judicial Region, Branch 27 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.
The warrant cited alleged violations of Sections 3(e) and 3(h) of RA 3019, with recommended bail set at P90,000 for each offense.

Section 3(e) penalizes public officers who cause undue injury to any party or give unwarranted benefits, advantages or preferences through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. Section 3(h) prohibits public officers from having a financial or pecuniary interest in certain transactions in which they intervene in their official capacity.

Graza served as mayor of Balangiga from 2019 to 2022.

Police did not disclose details of the specific government transaction involved in the graft case or the circumstances that led to the filing of the charges.

The former mayor had previously been involved in a controversy over the procurement of a property intended for the town’s evacuation center, which was funded through assistance from the Department of the Interior and Local Government. It was not immediately established whether that matter was connected to the charges covered by the latest warrant.

Following his arrest, Graza was informed of his constitutional rights under the Miranda Doctrine and the Anti-Torture Law in a dialect he understood, police said.

He was brought to the Albino M. Duran Memorial Hospital for a medical examination before being taken to the Balangiga Municipal Police Station for documentation.

Police said Graza would subsequently be turned over to the court of origin for proper disposition of the case.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)