More than P53 million of amortization of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Eastern Visayas were erased as 1,293 ARBs receive their Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) from Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary for Field Operations Office, Atty. Kazel Celeste, on Saturday.
More than P53 million of amortization of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Eastern Visayas were erased as 1,293 ARBs receive their Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) from Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary for Field Operations Office, Atty. Kazel Celeste, on Saturday.
TACLOBAN CITY-As the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) commemorates on Monday, the second year of implementation of the Republic Act No. 11953, or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, DAR in Eastern Visayas again distributed this morning at the Tacloban City Convention Center nearly 2,000 Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to 1,293 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) across the region.
Atty. Kazel Celeste, DAR Undersecretary for Field Operations office, led the distribution of COCROMs, which erased more than P53 million of unpaid amortizations, including interests of the said ARBs.
Aside from COCROMs, Celeste, assisted by DAR Eastern Visayas Regional Director, Atty. Robert Anthony Yu, also distributed 4,486 individual land titles, covering an aggregate area of more than six thousand hectares to 3,779 ARBs.
ORMOC CITY – A head-on collision between two motorcycles left two drivers injured and a teenage back rider slightly hurt in an early morning accident along the national road in Barangay Lilo-an, this city, on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
According to Police Captain Jason Mateo, chief of the Ormoc Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU), the victims were identified as alias “Alde,” 49, a vendor and resident of Tzu Chi Village in Brgy. Lilo-an, and alias “El-el,” 19, a junior high school student from Brgy. San Juan. Both were brought to the Ormoc District Hospital for medical attention.
A back rider of “El-el,” identified as alias “Sham,” 15, a student from Brgy. Jica Lao, sustained minor injuries and opted for self-medication.
Initial police investigation revealed that both motorcycles—a Euro driven by “Alde” and a Honda driven by “El-el”—were traveling in opposite directions. Upon reaching the area of the incident at around 6:50 a.m., the Honda motorcycle reportedly attempted to overtake another vehicle and veered into the opposite lane, resulting in a head-on collision with the oncoming Euro motorcycle.
Responding TEU officers and the Ormoc Rescue Team rushed to the scene following a call from a concerned citizen. Both motorcycles have been taken into custody by authorities for proper disposition.
Police remind motorists, especially students and young drivers, to exercise caution and avoid reckless overtaking, especially on national roads with high traffic volume.
DONATION. The fans of actor David Licauco in Tacloban City conducted a gift giving to children consisting of books, toys, and school supplies.
DONATION. The fans of actor David Licauco in Tacloban City conducted a gift giving to children consisting of books, toys, and school supplies.
TACLOBAN CITY – What started as a simple act of fandom has blossomed into a meaningful mission to uplift young lives through education.
Fans of actor and entrepreneur David Licauco organized a Book Drive Project that brought joy, learning, and inspiration to children in two of Tacloban City’s barangays.
Held on June 6 in Brgy. Sampaguita and on June 15 in Brgy. El Reposo, the initiative went beyond handing out books—it fostered a spirit of hope. Along with books, the group distributed toys and school supplies, aiming to spark curiosity and a love for learning among the youth.
“Reading is a powerful activity that broadens your perspective, sparks curiosity, and inspires new ideas,” the group said in a statement. “It can also be a source of relaxation, enhance imagination, and promote self-growth.”
The project was carried out in partnership with Kabataan San Sidlangan, a local youth-oriented organization dedicated to educational and community development. Through this collaboration, the project reached more children and emphasized the power of shared efforts in making a difference.
More than a tribute to Licauco, the Book Drive mirrors his advocacy for education and youth empowerment.
His recent visit to Tacloban during the city’s vibrant Sangyaw Festival only deepened the fan community’s commitment to giving back to the place that welcomed their idol so warmly.
Organizers continue to call on the public to join the cause by donating books, toys, and school materials or volunteering in upcoming outreach activities.
By combining the influence of a public figure with grassroots action, the David Licauco fan community has shown how admiration can evolve into a movement that changes lives—one book at a time.
ORMOC CITY-Five individuals, all students riding a habal-habal motorcycle, were injured after colliding with a subcompact crossover SUV along the national highway in Barangay Borac, Naval, Biliran, around 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.
The victims, identified by police only through aliases—“Aura” (13), “Thea” (12), “Arjie” (minor), and “Dayday” (age not specified)—are all residents of Barangay Bato, Biliran. They were passengers on a habal-habal motorcycle en route to their home barangay when the accident occurred.
The SUV driver, identified as alias “Laila,” 58, a self-employed resident of Brgy. Lucsoon, Naval, was driving a Toyota Yaris Cross. She was unharmed in the incident.
According to the investigation conducted by responding officers from the Naval Municipal Police Station, both vehicles were traveling in opposite directions— the SUV heading toward the town proper of Naval, and the habal-habal heading toward Brgy. Bato. Upon reaching the accident site, the front tire of the habal-habal reportedly burst, causing the driver to lose control and crash into the oncoming SUV.
The injured students were immediately rushed to the Biliran Provincial Hospital for medical treatment. The severity of their injuries has not yet been disclosed.
Both vehicles were brought to the Naval police station for further investigation and proper disposition.
Authorities remind motorists, especially those using motorcycles to carry multiple passengers, to regularly inspect their vehicles and observe safe driving practices to prevent similar accidents.
TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Calbayog in Samar is doubling down on its identity as the “City of Waterfalls” by exploring and preparing more of its natural attractions for eco-tourism, according to Mayor Raymund Uy.
Calbayog currently has 36 recorded and validated waterfalls, yet only two—Bangon Falls and Tarangban Falls in Barangay Tinaplacan—are actively promoted and equipped with tourist facilities. These include a tourist assistance center, parking areas, and restroom and shower facilities, making them the most visited falls in the city.
“We now have an exploration team, including our chief of police, actively surveying other waterfalls to assess their potential for eco-tourism,” Mayor Uy said.
However, before any waterfall is opened to the public, Uy emphasized that community preparedness and environmental protection are top priorities.
“There must be trained local tour guides and emergency responders. That’s why our City Tourism Office and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office have trained individuals in rescue operations and tourism service, including the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence,” he added.
Mayor Uy also stressed the importance of community involvement, noting that locals must be empowered to properly welcome guests, protect natural resources, and help preserve the surrounding environment.
He said that timely updates on the condition of tourist sites are crucial to ensure visitor safety, especially given the potential challenges posed by remote terrain and weather conditions.
“Development in these areas must be minimal and sustainable. It should never damage the natural beauty of the site. We want to focus on eco-tourism practices that protect and preserve our environment,” Uy said.
The city’s strategy aligns with its broader tourism and environmental goals—promoting nature-based tourism while preserving Calbayog’s rich ecological heritage.
ULTIMATUM. Brigadier General Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade issued an ultimatum for members of the New People’s Army to surrender as government forces step up its campaign to end insurgency in Leyte and the rest of the region.
ULTIMATUM. Brigadier General Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade issued an ultimatum for members of the New People’s Army to surrender as government forces step up its campaign to end insurgency in Leyte and the rest of the region.
TACLOBAN CITY-The Philippine Army will be intensifying its mopping-up operations in Leyte to completely free the province from the dwindling number of insurgents operating in the hinterlands.
This move was initiated after a series of unheeded ultimatums, warning the insurgents to surrender or face the consequences of intensified military operations.
Brigadier General Noel Vestuir, brigade commander of the 802nd Peerless Brigade said the army’s approach may tend to be aggressive in the field but their “ultimatum” also offers alternatives for insurgents looking to turn away from armed struggle.
Alongside military pressure, the government offers programs such as the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). The goal is to offer insurgents a chance to return to civilian life with benefits like livelihood assistance, financial support, and employment opportunities, hoping to incentivize surrender.
Rebel groups are often given a period to surrender their arms voluntarily, with the army assuring no persecution under the government’s Local Amnesty Program if they choose to leave the movement.
Community-based efforts are ramping up as well, to ensure local populations see the government’s efforts in a positive light and discourage them from supporting insurgency movements.
“This ultimatum may sound harsh but it is actually an opportunity for them to come down and return to the folds of the law. We are issuing this ultimatum for them to make the right decision now, and not when they would just like to,” Vestuir said.
A recent clash with government troops of the 93rd Infantry Battalion led to the death of a high-ranking official of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) and his two other companions in Cogon village, Carigara, Leyte. While in another encounter in Pinanag-an village in Borongan City with the army’s 63rd Infantry Battalion resulted in the death of one armed insurgent.
Military leaders have warned that continuing violence will only lead to more casualties and disruptions for local civilians.
The Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade’s area of operation includes the entire Leyte Island, Biliran province, southern part of Samar, and southern part of Eastern Samar. Vestuir said they have reduced the NPA platoon under their areas of operation to only 34 active fighters, seven of them are in Leyte province.
“Choose peace. Choose life. The safest where they can be right now is with their families,” Vestuir added.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army in Eastern Visayas installs a new battalion commander of the 93rd Infantry “Bantay Kapayapaan” Battalion based in Aguiting, Kananga, Leyte in a Change of Command on July 1, 2025.
Outgoing Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Charlie Saclot relinquished his position to incoming battalion commander Lt. Col. Celeste Frank Sayson in a ceremony presided over by the army’s 8th Infantry Division commander, Major General Adonis Ariel Orio.
The new battalion commander readily accepted the challenge of finally rinsing and totally dismantling the communist terrorist groups in the battalion area of responsibility through “doctrinal, methodical and scientific ways”.
“Innovation will be the hallmark of my leadership,” Lt. Col. Sayson said in his acceptance speech.
