ORMOC CITY— What began as a friendly drinking session between two septuagenarians ended in tragedy after one of them was killed and the other seriously wounded following a heated altercation on Thursday night, October 9, in Barangay Casiongan, about 25 kilometers from the town proper of Calubian, Leyte.
Police identified the fatality as alias “Cosmie,” 72, a married farmer from Barangay Casiongan. The suspect, alias “Gorio,” 70, also a married farmer from the same village, is now in police custody.
Based on a report from the Calubian Municipal Police Station, officers received a call around 10:45 p.m. from Pat. John Lloyd Aler, a “Police sa Barangay” member, reporting a lifeless body discovered in the area. Responding police found the victim lying on the ground with multiple stab and hack wounds.
Initial investigation revealed that the two elderly men were drinking together at the victim’s house when an argument broke out. The confrontation quickly escalated, leading to a violent exchange in which both men used bladed weapons. Cosmie sustained multiple fatal wounds, while Gorio was also injured during the struggle.
The victim’s body was brought to the North Western Leyte District Hospital for post-mortem examination. The suspect, meanwhile, was first treated at the town’s Rural Health Unit before being transferred to the Eastern Visayas Medical Center in Tacloban City.
After recovering from his injuries, Gorio was returned to the Calubian police station, where charges of homicide was filed against him.
We paid a courtesy visit to Police Regional Office 8 at Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, where we were warmly welcomed by Regional Director PBGEN Jason L. Capoy. This visit highlights the continuing partnership between the City Government of Tacloban and PRO 8 in promoting peace, order, and public safety across Tacloban and the region. With unity and shared commitment, we can better safeguard our communities and build a more secure future for all. #RaymundRomualdez
We paid a courtesy visit to Police Regional Office 8 at Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, where we were warmly welcomed by Regional Director PBGEN Jason L. Capoy. This visit highlights the continuing partnership between the City Government of Tacloban and PRO 8 in promoting peace, order, and public safety across Tacloban and the region. With unity and shared commitment, we can better safeguard our communities and build a more secure future for all. #RaymundRomualdez
TACLOBAN CITY — To address mounting traffic congestion during rush hours, the city government here has begun implementing a temporary one-way traffic scheme in key streets within the downtown area starting Monday, October 13.
The move is pursuant to Executive Order No. 2025-10-56 issued by City Mayor Alfred Romualdez which aims to decongest major thoroughfares and improve traffic flow during the morning rush, particularly on weekdays.
The scheme will be observed from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Mondays to Fridays, excluding weekends and holidays.
Under the new traffic plan, the following streets will operate on a one-way system during the specified hours:
Salazar Street – One-way from the corner of Avenida Veteranos toward Msgr. Lino Gonzaga Avenue.
Msgr. Lino Gonzaga Avenue – One-way from Salazar Street toward Paterno Street.
Paterno Street – One-way from Msgr. Lino Gonzaga Avenue toward Justice Romualdez Street.
T. Claudio Street – One-way from Paterno Extension Street toward Sto. Niño Street.
Independencia Street – One-way from Real Street toward Juan Luna Street.
Juan Luna Street – One-way from Independencia Street through the entire stretch of Sta. Cruz Street.
Sta. Cruz Street – One-way from Juan Luna Street toward Salazar Street.
The City Traffic Operations Management (CTOM), together with local law enforcement units, has been directed to strictly enforce the new traffic order and monitor its impact.
City officials said the scheme forms part of ongoing efforts to improve mobility in high-density areas, especially during school and office hours. Motorists are urged to comply with traffic signs and enforcers’ directions to ensure smooth implementation and public safety.
The city government also appealed for public cooperation as it evaluates the effectiveness of the new system and considers possible adjustments in the coming weeks.
TACLOBAN CITY — Tingog party-list Representatives Yedda Marie Romualdez, Andrew Julian Romualdez, and Jude Acidre have filed House Bill No. 5213, or the Philippine Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Act, seeking to overhaul and modernize the country’s nearly century-old civil registration system established under Republic Act No. 3753 of 1930.
The measure aims to establish a fully digital, inclusive, and responsive system for recording births, deaths, marriages, and other vital events—ensuring that every Filipino, including those in remote and crisis-affected areas, is recognized before the law.
Aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority agenda for public administration and civil services, the proposed law would make registration services free of charge and streamline processes through digitization, mobile registration units, and barangay-level registration systems.
Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez emphasized that legal identity is the cornerstone of human rights and access to government services.
“Legal identity is the first public service and the gateway to all others,” she said. “When a child’s birth is registered, we unlock a lifetime of rights—healthcare, education, and protection. This bill transforms paperwork into protection and data into dignity.”
Rep. Andrew Julian Romualdez said the modernization of the CRVS system will harness technology and inter-agency coordination to improve efficiency and accountability.
“Good data is good governance,” he stressed. “By professionalizing civil registration and linking PSA with frontline agencies, we create a single, reliable source of truth for births, deaths, and marriages—helping government target social protection more accurately and respond to crises more effectively.”
Rep. Acidre highlighted the bill’s inclusive and rights-based approach, ensuring no Filipino is left unrecorded.
“Civil registration is both a rights and governance issue,” he said. “A modern, inclusive CRVS system is the foundation of equitable development and human dignity.”
The measure mandates the reorganization of the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Civil Registration Service into a new Civil Registration Office headed by a Deputy Civil Registrar General, with strengthened regional and field offices. It also establishes a Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS) to make documentation accessible at the community level.
The Tingog lawmakers stressed that the reform will not only simplify public transactions but also produce accurate, real-time data for policy planning, disaster response, and social welfare programs.
“This reform brings our civil registration system into the digital age,” Acidre added. “It’s a vital step toward inclusive governance and ensuring that every Filipino, wherever they are, is recognized before the law.”
UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN. The Philippine Statistics Authority has reported that the country’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% as of August. Photo shows jobseekers flocking to a job fair organized by the Public Employment Service Office of the Tacloban city government.(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
UNEMPLOYMENT DOWN. The Philippine Statistics Authority has reported that the country’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% as of August. Photo shows jobseekers flocking to a job fair organized by the Public Employment Service Office of the Tacloban city government.(TACLOBAN CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)
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Part of Rep. Ongchuan’s renewable energy campaign
TACLOBAN CITY – Northern Samar is set to emerge as a major player in the Philippines’ renewable energy drive after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) approved the grid connection of the 206-megawatt (MW) San Isidro Wind Power Project, a development welcomed by 2nd District Rep. Edwin Ongchuan as a “transformative step” for the province’s economic and environmental future.
The wind project, located in San Isidro town, is being developed by Lihangin Wind Energy Corporation (LWEC)-a joint venture among Aboitiz Renewables Inc., Vivant Energy Corp., and Singapore-based Vena Energy.
The ERC approval, which was made public last week, clears the way for the facility to connect to the Visayas grid through the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) substations in Calbayog City and San Isidro, ensuring its generated power contributes to the region’s supply stability once commercial operations begin in February 2026.
Rep. Ongchuan, a former provincial governor who promoted the use of renewable energy sources in his province, lauded the ERC’s decision as a reflection of Northern Samar’s growing role in the national energy transition, describing it as “a realization of the groundwork laid years ago to make the province investment-ready.”
“The ERC approval of the San Isidro Wind Power Project is a continuation of what we started under the Winvest initiative,” Ongchuan, in a statement issued on Wednesday, Oct.8, said, referring to his administration’s flagship campaign—short for Winning Investments—which sought to attract sustainable and job-generating ventures.
“This development affirms Northern Samar’s readiness to host large-scale renewable projects that create livelihood opportunities while advancing our shift to clean and reliable power,” he added.
Officials said the project has already secured key permits from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Once operational, it will supply up to 206 MW of clean energy to the Visayas grid, helping reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and supporting the Marcos administration’s target of achieving a 35% renewable energy share in the power mix by 2030.
The San Isidro Wind Power Project features 33 wind turbine generators with a capacity to produce 206.25 megawatts of electricity, along with over 130 transmission towers.
It will occupy about 176 hectares of land with wind turbines in the coastal villages of Salvacion, San Juan, Palanit, Mabuhay, Veriato, and Caglanipao.
Ongchuan also reaffirmed his commitment to advancing legislation that promotes renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure, stressing that the private sector’s participation remains vital in achieving inclusive and resilient development.
“Partnerships like this underscore how government and industry can work hand in hand to deliver solutions that benefit communities, the environment, and future generations,” he said.
The San Isidro Wind Power Project is expected to generate local employment during its construction and operations phases, boost municipal revenues, and position Northern Samar as one of Eastern Visayas’ front-runners in renewable energy development.
PATIENT OVERLOAD. The Eastern Visayas Medical Center, the region’s largest government-run hospital, has announced that it has reached full bed capacity. The hospital urged patients seeking only medical consultation or minor treatment to visit other health facilities instead. (File photo)
PATIENT OVERLOAD. The Eastern Visayas Medical Center, the region’s largest government-run hospital, has announced that it has reached full bed capacity. The hospital urged patients seeking only medical consultation or minor treatment to visit other health facilities instead. (File photo)
TACLOBAN CITY — The Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC), based this city, has appealed to the public and health facilities across the region to limit referrals to critical and life-saving cases only as the hospital continues to grapple with severe overcrowding.
In an advisory issued on October 5, 2025, EVMC reported that it has already exceeded its authorized bed capacity by 125 percent, while its Emergency Room (ER) was operating at a staggering 193 percent capacity. The hospital said the unprecedented patient load has stretched its manpower and facilities to near full capacity.
To ensure the safety and welfare of patients, EVMC advised healthcare providers to refer only Level III cases—those needing urgent, life-saving care that cannot be managed at the provincial or district hospital level.
The facility also cautioned that, during peak surges, some patients might need to remain in ambulances while hospital staff attend to those who arrived earlier due to the limited space inside the ER.
The hospital assured the public that it is exerting all necessary efforts to address the congestion, including measures to streamline patient flow and expand access to services through ongoing modernization.
At present, EVMC has 629 functional beds, but plans to expand to 1,500 beds by 2028 under a multi-year modernization program.
The expansion includes the construction of new buildings, acquisition of modern medical equipment, and upgrades to digital and information systems to improve healthcare delivery in Eastern Visayas.
As the largest referral hospital in the region, EVMC continues to receive patients from all six provinces, especially from Samar and Southern Leyte, where higher-level hospitals are still being developed.
To help ease the burden on EVMC, the government has initiated the construction of two tertiary-level hospitals outside Tacloban City: a 300-bed Samar Island Medical Center in Calbayog City, and a 150-bed general hospital in Sogod, Southern Leyte, which is being upgraded from its current 25-bed district hospital.
These projects, according to the Department of Health are expected to decentralize medical services and reduce travel time for patients who currently rely on EVMC for advanced care.
Once completed, they are also expected to significantly decongest the regional medical center and improve access to quality healthcare across Eastern Visayas.
TYPHOON AID. The local chief executives from Biliran province, namely, Mayors Rhodessa Revita of Caibiran, Grace Casil of Biliran, and Joseph Caingcoy of Maripipi recently met with Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion of the Office of Civil Defense and discussed assistance to their respective areas which was pummeled by Typhoon `Opong’ last September 26. (OCD-8)
TYPHOON AID. The local chief executives from Biliran province, namely, Mayors Rhodessa Revita of Caibiran, Grace Casil of Biliran, and Joseph Caingcoy of Maripipi recently met with Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion of the Office of Civil Defense and discussed assistance to their respective areas which was pummeled by Typhoon `Opong’ last September 26. (OCD-8)
TACLOBAN CITY – Mayors from the typhoon-hit province of Biliran met with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Eastern Visayas to discuss ongoing relief and recovery operations following the devastation caused by Typhoon “Opong.”
Mayors Rhodessa Redante-Revita of Caibiran, Grace Casil of Biliran, and Joseph Canonoy Caingcoy of Maripipi held a dialogue with OCD Regional Director and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) Chairperson Lord Byron Torrecarion to assess the situation in their respective municipalities.
Discussions centered on the status of relief distribution, the need for additional food and non-food aid, and the rehabilitation of damaged water systems, which were among the hardest hit by the typhoon.
The mayors expressed their gratitude to OCD Region VIII for being among the first national agencies to provide emergency assistance and for its continuing support as recovery operations advance.
Biliran province remains under a state of calamity, which recorded 12 deaths, as local governments work to rebuild damaged infrastructure, restore essential services, and assist families in rebuilding their homes and livelihoods. Torrecarion assured the LGUs that OCD will sustain its support to ensure that basic needs such as potable water, food, and logistics reach affected communities as recovery efforts continue.
