TACLOBAN CITY – Young filmmakers from across Eastern Visayas were recognized during the PelikulAgraryo 2025 Regional Short Film Festival held at Summit Hotel, this city.
Organized by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the festival highlighted stories of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and organizations (ARBOs) through short films created by students in the region.

Top winners in the ARB 1st Place: ‘Bunot’ – Visayas State University (VSU) (P30,000 + trophy); 2nd Place: ‘Nitubong Pangandoy sa Yuta’ – VSU (P15,000); and 3rd Place: ‘Katuna-an’ – Northwest Samar State University (NWSSU) (P10,000).

In the ARBO category: 1st Place: ‘Lubi han Kinabuhi’ – Eastern Samar State University (ESSU); and 2nd Place: ‘Laom’ – Leyte Normal University (LNU).

Special Awards: Bunot – Best Music, Best Editing (Therese Cabuñag), Best Cinematography (Aveguel Sinangote), Best Director (Annie Rose Bolataolo); Nitubong Pangandoy sa Yuta – Best Screenplay (Zoe Tumaob), Best Poster, Best Teaser; Katuna-an – Best Sound; Lubi han Kinabuhi – Best Production Design, Best Actor (Chester Tubiera), Best Actress (Faith Baldago).

Each individual award came with a trophy and P10,000, while participating teams received P5,000 each.

DAR said the event celebrated the power of storytelling in amplifying rural voices and promoting agrarian reform through film.

(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced the promotion of lawyer Maria Corazon Montallana as the new assistant regional election director for Eastern Visayas.

The regional Comelec office officials lauded Montallana’s appointment, calling it a recognition of her outstanding track record in upholding the integrity of electoral processes in the region.

In her new role, Montallana, who has held the post in an acting capacity, will help oversee election operations across the six provinces of Eastern Visayas, ensure strict compliance with election laws, and lead initiatives on voter education and electoral reforms.

“This well-deserved promotion is a reflection of her dedication, integrity, and excellence in public service,” the regional office said in a statement.

As a seasoned election officer, Montallana has played a key role in implementing Comelec’s mandate of delivering transparent, fair, and credible elections in the region.

Her leadership comes at a crucial time as the electoral body prepares for the upcoming 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, and the continued rollout of reforms in election administration.

Comelec regional office expressed pride in Montallana’s achievement and confidence in her ability to elevate the standards of public service within the institution.

Her promotion is seen as a boost to Comelec’s mission to strengthen democratic governance through efficient and credible electoral management.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY– In a bid to strengthen police-community partnerships, the Southern Leyte Police Provincial Office (SLPPO) led by Provincial Director Colonel Raymundo Graveles launched a Stakeholders’ Forum on PNP Quick Response Strategies in Maasin City as part of the 30th Police Community Relations (PCR) Month celebration.

With the theme aligned with the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) shift toward people-centered and service-oriented policing, the forum gathered more than 70 barangay captains from Maasin led by ABC president Daryl Costillas, along with 18 chiefs of police, two force commanders, and other barangay officials from various towns in Southern Leyte.
“This activity reflects our unwavering commitment to community engagement and inclusive peace and order programs. Building stronger partnerships with local leaders allows us to respond more effectively to grassroots concerns,” the SLPPO said in a statement.

The forum also served as a platform for dialogue and collaboration between law enforcement agencies and local stakeholders on quick response mechanisms to public safety and crime prevention.

Key speakers included lawyer Joy Templonuevo, provincial officer of the National Police Commission; Jose Reynaldo Abad, focal person of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC), Department of Interior and Local Government Southern Leyte; Lyna Gayas, information officer of Department of Education Southern Leyte division; Lt. Col. Mark Nalda, chief of the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Unit; and Lt. Col. Jay Balderian, Deputy Provincial Director for Operations.

The forum emphasized the importance of police visibility, quick response coordination, and building public trust through consistent dialogue and collaboration with local government units and civil society.

(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre has welcomed the safe return of eight Filipino seafarers from the MV Eternity C, who arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1 on July 16, 2025, after surviving a harrowing ordeal in the Red Sea.

The Filipino crew had been stranded amid escalating tensions in the Red Sea region, prompting a coordinated response from multiple Philippine government agencies to secure their safe passage home.

Rep. Acidre expressed his gratitude to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for leading the government’s swift action, and to key officials including Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Tess Lazaro for ensuring the crew’s repatriation and welfare.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah, the Migrant Workers Office–Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (MWO-OWWA) team, and other national agencies, including the DMW, Overseas Welfare Workers Administration, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Health, among others.
“The safe return of our seafarers underscores our shared duty to protect those who carry our flag across the world and to ensure that no Filipino is left behind,” said Acidre, noting the vital role Filipino seafarers play in global maritime trade.

The Tingog party-list continues to advocate for stronger protection and reintegration programs for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), especially those exposed to high-risk areas due to geopolitical conflicts.

The return of the MV Eternity C crew was met with relief and gratitude from their families and serves as a testament to the importance of inter-agency coordination during times of crisis.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)