ORMOC CITY – A technical-vocational school in Leyte will expand its free skills training programs after securing a A$175,000 grant from Macquarie Asset Management through the 2025 Macquarie Shared Value Award.

The grant was awarded to the Keitech Educational Foundation, Inc., an initiative of Energy Development Corporation (EDC), a subsidiary of First Gen Corporation. EDC is a portfolio company managed by Macquarie.

Keitech was recognized as one of three winners in the first round of the 2025 Macquarie Shared Value Award, which honors Macquarie-managed teams and assets that combine strong business performance with meaningful social impact. Since it was established in 2023, the award has distributed more than A$1.3 million to 11 organizations worldwide.
The funding will be used to enhance Keitech’s technical and vocational education programs, improve training facilities, and expand access for students in underserved communities in Leyte. The goal is to boost employability and contribute to long-term community development.

Founded in 2009, Keitech provides free, high-quality technical-vocational education to high school graduates from Kananga and nearby Ormoc City. It offers specialized training in high-demand fields such as construction, metals and engineering, and tourism. The foundation has maintained a 100 percent passing rate in Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) national certification exams for over a decade.

EDC, the country’s largest geothermal energy producer, manages about 1.5 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity from geothermal, hydro, solar, and wind facilities. Since acquiring a majority stake in 2017, Macquarie has supported EDC’s renewable energy operations as well as community-based initiatives in host areas.

Jasmine Chew, Regional Head of Asia for the Macquarie Group Foundation, said the partnership demonstrates how business and community collaboration can create lasting impact.

EDC official Allan Barcena welcomed the recognition, saying the grant will allow Keitech to reach more students and strengthen its mission of empowering Leyte’s youth through skills development.

“We are honored to receive the Macquarie Shared Value Award,” Barcena said. “This recognition underscores the impact of our work at Keitech and reaffirms our commitment to empowering the youth of Leyte through education and skills development. The generous grant will enable us to expand our programs and reach more students, ultimately contributing to a brighter future for our community.”

Officials said the expanded support is expected to help address unemployment and limited access to higher education in the region while contributing to local economic growth.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Six municipalities in Eastern Visayas have taken a formal step toward reducing power costs and improving electricity reliability after their mayors signed agreements to craft local energy plans and pass renewable energy (RE) ordinances in their respective areas.

The mayors of Alangalang in Leyte; Paranas and Marabut in Samar; and Guiuan, Oras, and Salcedo, all in Eastern Samar signed separate memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (ICSC) during a ceremony held here on Feb. 20.

The Manila-based organization advocates climate resilience and low-carbon development and works with both national agencies and local governments to strengthen clean energy policies.

ICSC Executive Director Angelo Kairos dela Cruz said the collaboration demonstrates that the energy transition can be achieved through strong local leadership and cross-sector cooperation.

“Every signature, decision, and step that we take will serve as a symbol of our vision and collective action toward achieving a better and more resilient future for Eastern Visayas,” dela Cruz said in a statement, stressing the urgency of the energy transition.

The partnership aims to help local government units (LGUs) develop participatory and data-driven local energy transition plans anchored on community needs and local development priorities. These plans are expected to guide the passage of enabling ordinances that will support renewable energy investments and programs at the municipal level.

Eastern Visayas has long faced challenges in energy supply, including unstable service and high electricity rates that have disrupted hospital operations, affected schools and communication systems, and increased the cost of doing business.

Despite its strong potential for solar, wind, and geothermal energy, the region has remained heavily dependent on coal-fired power plants.

Electricity rates in parts of the region even reached as high as P20.96 per kilowatt-hour—among the highest in the country—adding financial strain on households and small enterprises.

Alangalang Mayor Lovell Ann Yu-Castro said the MOUs represent a long-term commitment rather than a symbolic gesture.

“We are not merely drafting plans, we are laying the foundation for a resilient future,” Yu-Castro said in a statement.

“This is not only about energy. It is about economic opportunity and green jobs. It is about lowering power costs for families and ensuring energy security for our schools, health centers, and public services,” she added.

Under the agreements, the LGUs committed to align their local energy initiatives with national frameworks such as the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act and the DILG–DOE Joint Memorandum Circular 2020-01, which streamlines the processing of energy projects at the local level.

The towns also pledged to promote programs like Net Metering and the Green Energy Option Program (GEOP), which allows qualified electricity consumers to directly source their power from renewable energy providers.

Paranas Mayor Elvira Babalcon underscored the role of local leaders in driving the transition.

“We affirm that local energy planning is not just an option but a responsibility that local leaders must work on, not in the future but now,” Babalcon said. “We commit to integrating renewable energy into our local development plans, promoting solar and energy solutions, building local capacities, and encouraging community participation.”

For its part, ICSC committed to provide technical assistance and capacity-building support to help the LGUs conduct multi-stakeholder consultations, prepare clean energy transition roadmaps, draft RE ordinances, and mobilize investments for renewable energy projects.

Priority actions identified under the partnership include promoting rooftop solar installations in government offices, commercial establishments, farms, and homes; developing renewable energy initiatives for sustainable tourism; expanding Community Renewable Energy (CORE) projects; and rolling out information and education campaigns to encourage greater public adoption of clean energy technologies.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The government’s campaign to end insurgency in Eastern Visayas scored another gain after seven alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered in separate operations across four provinces on February 21–22, 2026, authorities said.

The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) reported that the surrender took place in parts of Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, and Eastern Samar, with the former rebels also turning over firearms and explosives.

PRO-8 said the operations were part of intensified law enforcement and community engagement efforts aimed at persuading members of insurgent groups to abandon armed struggle and return to mainstream society.

The surrenderers were identified by their aliases as “Tibo,” 54; “Bongo,” 58; “Ador,” 50; “Jun,” 35; “Paing,” 40; and “Pikoy,” 65 — most of whom are farmers.

Authorities said another personality also yielded during the series of operations. They were reportedly affiliated with NPA units operating in Eastern Visayas.

Recovered during the surrender were one handgun revolver with live ammunition, one caliber .38 revolver with three rounds of ammunition, one rifle grenade, and one M26 grenade, commonly referred to as a “lemon grenade,” without a serial number.

Police said the operations were conducted through the coordinated efforts of maneuver companies, provincial intelligence units, municipal police stations, and elements of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force in the region.

PRO-8 Regional Director B/Gen. Jason Capoy commended the operating units, attributing the surrender to sustained security operations and strengthened partnerships with local communities.

“The surrender of these CTG members reflects the positive results of sustained police operations and strong community partnerships. We remain committed to assisting those who return to the fold of the law in leading peaceful and productive lives,” Capoy said.

The former rebels are now under police custody for documentation and assessment. They will be processed for enrollment under the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides financial assistance, livelihood support, and other social services to help former insurgents reintegrate into society.

Eastern Visayas has long been among the regions affected by communist insurgency. In recent years, authorities have intensified both security operations and reintegration initiatives under the government’s whole-of-nation approach to address the decades-old armed conflict.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

ORMOC CITY— A 51-year-old hospital employee listed as a high-value individual (HVI) in the local drug watchlist was arrested in a buy-bust operation Tuesday afternoon, February 24, in Barangay Cristina, Calubian, Leyte.

Operatives of the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the Calubian Municipal Police Station carried out the operation at around 3:27 p.m., leading to the arrest of alias “Bobby,” a married utility worker at the North Western Leyte District Hospital and a resident of Barangay Cristina.

Calubian Officer-in-Charge Maj. Niño Cabañas said the suspect sold one sachet of suspected shabu worth P500 to an undercover operative.

A subsequent body search conducted in the presence of mandatory witnesses resulted in the recovery of a red coin purse containing six additional sachets of white crystalline substance believed to be shabu.

Authorities said the confiscated illegal drugs had an estimated total weight of 0.66 grams with a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P4,488.

The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.

Charges for violation of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 have been filed against the suspect, who is currently detained at the Calubian Municipal Police Station custodial facility.

(ROBERT DEJON)