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Farmer nabbed in a buy-bust operation

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ORMOC CITY– A 48-year-old farmer listed as a street level individual on the local drug watchlist was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) on Sunday night, May 25, in Barangay Libo, Carigara, Leyte.

Carigara Chief of Police Major Reymund Quinagutan identified the suspect as alias “Chito,” single and a resident of the said barangay.

During the operation, police operatives were able to purchase one sachet of suspected shabu from the suspect using a marked P500 bill. A subsequent body search, conducted in the presence of witnesses as required by law, yielded three more sachets of the same substance, along with the marked bill and P313 in various denominations.

According to Quinagutan, the total estimated weight of the seized suspected shabu was 0.5 grams, with a Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of approximately P3,400.

The suspect was immediately informed of his rights and the nature of his arrest in a language he fully understood. He is currently detained at the Carigara Municipal Police Station while charges for violation of Section 5 (selling illegal drugs) and Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are being prepared.

(ROBERT DEJON)

NMP calls for retention of DMW Sec. Cacdac

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Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac

Cacdac among Cabinet members to tender courtesy resignation

Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac

TACLOBAN CITY – The National Maritime Polytechnic (NMP), the country’s sole government-run maritime training and research institution based this city, has expressed its full support for the continued leadership of Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac at the helm of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

Cacdac, who has been holding the post since April 24 last year, was among the Cabinet members who tendered their courtesy resignations upon the order of President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.,

In an official statement issued on Monday, May 26, NMP commended Secretary Cacdac for his instrumental role in securing enhanced budgetary support that aligns with NMP’s evolving mandates and strategic goals, particularly in the agency’s modernization and infrastructure expansion initiatives.

“Secretary Cacdac has been instrumental in championing the NMP Modernization and Expansion Plan—an initiative that reflects our shared commitment to strengthening maritime education and training for the benefit of our Filipino seafarers,” the statement read.

NMP also lauded Secretary Cacdac’s backing of Republic Act No. 12021 or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, which has strengthened NMP’s mandate to serve the maritime industry.

His leadership, the agency said, consistently upholds policies that safeguard the rights and welfare of migrant workers, especially seafarers, who remain a vital pillar of the Philippine workforce.

NMP Executive Director Victor Del Rosario praised Cacdac’s integrity and dedication, saying, “I cannot think of a better person, after the late Secretary Maria Susan ‘Toots’ Ople, to lead the DMW in this critical moment… He embodies the values and vision needed to move the Department forward.”

The statement emphasized Secretary Cacdac’s professionalism, empathy, and deep commitment to the service of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), which have fostered confidence and progress within the agency and the wider sector.

“With deep respect and confidence, the National Maritime Polytechnic stands in solidarity with Secretary Cacdac,” the statement concluded, affirming its commitment to work closely with the DMW in transforming the maritime training landscape and championing the welfare of migrant workers.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

Mayor Romualdez calls for second opinion on the structural integrity of the San Juanico Bridge

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Mayor Alfred Romualdez

Following load limit

SECOND OPINION. Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez urged the government to seek for a second opinion on the structural integrity of the San Juanico Bridge which was placed under a three-ton weight restrictions.

TACLOBAN CITY – Mayor Alfred Romualdez has urged the national government to seek a second opinion regarding the structural condition of the San Juanico Bridge, following the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) decision to impose a three-ton weight limit on the 52-year-old structure.

The DPWH move came after a consultancy firm recommended the restriction, citing structural defects that require immediate attention.

However, Mayor Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., believes a separate assessment from independent experts is necessary before making any long-term decisions that could disrupt regional mobility and commerce.

“I believe we need a second opinion regarding the structural integrity of the San Juanico Bridge. We may be overreacting,” Romualdez said in an interview on Sunday, May 25. “Before making a decision, we should consult other experts. Just like when we’re sick—we seek a second opinion.”

Given that the bridge was constructed by a Japanese company with the help of its engineers, the mayor suggested that the government should also consider consulting with Japanese experts or institutions involved in its original construction.

The San Juanico Bridge, which spans 2.16 kilometers, connects the town of Sta. Rita in Samar to Tacloban City in Leyte. Built from 1969 to 1973, it remains a vital infrastructure that links Eastern Visayas to the rest of the country.

Mayor Romualdez also proposed a review of the imposed weight restrictions, suggesting flexibility for certain vehicles.

“Maybe empty trucks could be allowed to cross. They could be given specific schedules and speed limits to ensure safety,” he said.

The mayor also expressed frustration that despite the installation of a weighing scale for trucks and heavy vehicles at the bridge, it was apparently never utilized.

“The problem is, we had a weighing scale but it wasn’t used. We should learn from this,” Romualdez said.

He warned that mismanagement of the situation could lead to unnecessary government spending.

“For instance, if we start building multiple ports to compensate for the disruption, that could cost billions—possibly more than repairing the bridge itself,” he added.

Meanwhile, regional officials have raised concerns about the exorbitant rise in airfare on the Tacloban-Manila route following the implementation of the load limit at the bridge.

Jam Colas Villaber, assistant regional director of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development, brought up the issue with Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon during a meeting on Sunday. Dizon reportedly committed to raising the matter with airline companies.

Local businessman Wilson Uy noted that airfares have surged to over P9,000, which is more expensive than flights to some international destinations like Hong Kong. Before the increase, airfares ranged from P2,000 to P4,000, depending on the season.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

New multi-purpose hall completed in Barugo barangay

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TACLOBAN CITY – A P7.8-million multi-purpose building has been completed in Barangay Calingcaguing, Barugo, Leyte, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office announced.

Finished on March 16, 2025, the 14.9 x 30-meter facility features concrete structural design, steel roofing, lighting, and basketball goal systems to support community and sports activities. The project was funded under the 2024 General Appropriations Act and implemented by Astilla Construction & Supply.

Barangay Councilor Sylvia Panao thanked the DPWH, calling the facility a valuable space for assemblies, events, health programs, and disaster response.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

A disturbing spectacle

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive for all his appointed Cabinet secretaries to tender courtesy resignations is unnecessary, questionable, and politically dangerous. Such a sweeping move unsettles the bureaucracy and undermines the very concept of stable governance.

In any administration, Cabinet appointments carry both executive trust and constitutional weight. The abrupt demand for mass resignations disrupts institutional continuity and signals a power move that exceeds rational cause. When no clear justification is presented—no scandal, no failure, no betrayal of public interest—it begins to reek of internal paranoia or maneuvering rather than sound governance. What is supposed to be a mechanism for accountability turns into a theater of submission, where loyalty is measured by willingness to surrender position at the mere wave of authority.

More disturbing is how this decision chills down the line of the civil service. Cabinet secretaries do not serve merely at the president’s pleasure; they also hold a functional responsibility to the Filipino people. Ordering their courtesy resignations, without grounds or process, normalizes a culture of blind obedience rather than reasoned public service. It compromises the independence of technocrats and institutional leaders who may be forced to prioritize pleasing the appointing power over upholding what is right or beneficial to the public.

Some may argue this is the President’s way of asserting control or filtering out non-performing or disloyal allies. But leadership is not about blanket purging. It is about discernment, evaluation, and respect for systems. If individuals truly fail, due process and performance-based assessments exist. To resort to mass resignation calls is to bypass these mechanisms and indulge in arbitrary control. Worse, it leaves the impression that Cabinet positions are subject to political gamesmanship rather than merit and accountability.

To correct course, this administration must rethink the tone and direction of its internal governance. Let each official be assessed individually based on performance, integrity, and public impact. Real leadership does not fear dissent or demand ritual displays of loyalty—it builds enduring trust through consistency, transparency, and respect for public institutions.

Packaging tourist attractions

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A friend was once on the white beach of Calanggaman Island, the sun kissing the horizon at noon, when a foreigner approached him and asked why there was not much infrastructure in this gem. He shrugged, half-irritated, half-embarrassed, because the foreigner was correct. We are sitting on top of a treasure chest of natural wonders, yet we still behave as if we have lost the key.

Our province—Eastern Visayas—is not unfamiliar with grandeur. We have Kalanggaman’s fantasy sandbar, Sohoton’s legendary caves, Limasawa’s historical coastlines, Lake Danao’s mountain embrace, and Canigao’s tranquil charm, all laid out like sacred lines in a forgotten hymn. But while these places bristle with raw, untamed beauty, they lie idle, unexplored, and undermarketed. What we can offer, we don’t have in tow. And that is the tragedy: not that we don’t have it; we don’t seriously take what we have.

I’ve seen it myself. Sun-kissed Cuatro Islas boatmen with the palms of their hands calloused to the bone act as tour guides, mechanics, and lifeguards for a day’s pay of a few hundred pesos. There are no accredited tour programs, no new comfort rooms, and no trained lifeguards or certified cultural guides. Visitors manage on their own, sometimes with the result of disillusionment. We invite visitors to visit, but when they arrive, we’re not prepared to offer them a world-class experience. It’s as though we invite guests to a banquet, then serve them reheated leftovers on broken plates.

We don’t need cement sidewalks or quaint signs. We need vision. A leadership that goes beyond just barangay clean-up efforts or mere beauty pageants. A leadership that can release what we already possess—our islands, our people, our histories—and present them to the world with pride, not with added-on cosmetics. We need to stop waiting for that miracle investor to drop from heaven. We start by educating our young to be narrators of our tradition, by extending sterling and genuine hospitality, and by putting investments in small but enduring systems of sustainability. This is not a race for pursuing Western standards—it’s an exercise of making our standards seen and recognized.

The irony is that we already have the blueprint. See what the other provinces have done—Camiguin, Siargao, Bohol. These are not great wealth areas, but they had vision and persistent drive. Eastern Visayas has been running continuously in feast-or-famine tourism mode: all din fiestas and all quiet the rest of the year. We mix design with promotion and infrastructure with development. We construct roads to the beaches, but do not construct structures to safeguard them. We illuminate boardwalks but permit mangroves to wither in their footsteps. It is nature and faith in decay.

If we don’t intervene, the price is not just losing tourists, but losing ourselves. We educate our offspring on Samar’s caves and Leyte’s history, yet what is the value of learning these if we can’t save and enhance them? Why say pride when we won’t even give a decent toilet within the vicinity of our most-accessed waterfalls? This’s not lost economic opportunity; this’s lost opportunity for dignity. The neglect’s not only material—it’s moral, spiritual, and social.

And no, this is not only the Department of Tourism’s responsibility. It’s in the hands of those who make their budgets in LGUs, in schools that mold young minds, and in the media that decide what to highlight. It’s in our customs—how we greet guests, how we treat garbage, how we respect the sanctity of our domains. The world is watching. But most importantly, we are watching ourselves. All that plastic wrap along the beach, all that wild touring, all that lost comfort rooms are small, quiet concessions that we believe our paradise is not worth fighting for.

If we do need to start somewhere, let it be with respect—not the formal sort that resides in opening benedictions and ribbon cuttings, but the sort that appears in the unglamorous, no-frills effort of tending, staying current, and loving our own. We do not have to be another Boracay or Palawan—we just have to be the best Eastern Visayas has to give. The world will imitate if we first learn to value the beauty that already lies at our feet.

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