ORMOC CITY– A newly identified drug peddler was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) of the local police on May 29, in Barangay Tabunok, Hilongos, Leyte.
The suspect, identified only as “Jhonny,” 29, single and unemployed, is a resident of the said barangay.
Police operatives recovered seven sachets of suspected shabu, including one sachet sold to an undercover agent for P500.
A body search, witnessed by barangay officials, led to the discovery of six more sachets hidden inside a red coin purse, along with the marked P500 bill used in the operation.
The suspect was immediately informed of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.
He is now detained at the Hilongos Municipal Police Station, facing charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
Charges have been filed before the Leyte Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
TACLOBAN CITY – Seventeen out of every 20 individuals aged five years and older in Eastern Visayas are considered basic literate, according to the results of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA reported that 85.1 percent, or around 3.78 million out of 4.44 million individuals in the region’s 5 years and older age group, can read, write, and perform basic mathematical operations—skills that fall under the definition of basic literacy.
The remaining 11.1 percent, or about one in every nine persons, are considered illiterate, while 3.8 percent are classified as low literate—those who can read and write but not compute.
Basic literacy is defined as the ability to read and write a simple message in any language or dialect with understanding, and to compute or perform basic mathematical operations. Functional literacy, on the other hand, includes comprehension, such as making inferences and integrating information.
Among the provinces, Leyte (excluding Tacloban City) posted the highest basic literacy rate at 88.6 percent, followed closely by Tacloban City at 88.3 percent. Northern Samar recorded the lowest at 74.9 percent.
By sex, females had a higher basic literacy rate at 87.3 percent compared to 83.1 percent among males. Individuals aged 20 to 24 years registered the highest literacy at 94.9 percent, while those 60 years and older had the lowest at 61.1 percent.
In terms of education level, those who attained college education or higher recorded a 97.6 percent basic literacy rate. Those with no grade completed or only early childhood education had the lowest at 39.6 percent.
Meanwhile, the region’s functional literacy rate—which includes the ability to comprehend and apply information—was recorded at 61.8 percent among individuals aged 10 to 64 years. This means about 2.21 million out of 3.57 million people in that age range can not only read, write, and compute but also comprehend.
Similar to basic literacy, females had a higher functional literacy rate at 67.0 percent than males at 57.0 percent. The highest rate was observed among the 20 to 24 age group at 73.6 percent, while the lowest was among those aged 60 to 64, at 35.8 percent.
Individuals who completed college or higher education posted the highest functional literacy at 82.0 percent, while those with no schooling or only early childhood education recorded just 2.2 percent.
The province of Leyte also led in functional literacy with 67.9 percent, while Northern Samar again had the lowest at 51.8 percent. Tacloban City posted a functional literacy rate of 63.9 percent.
The PSA noted a significant gap between basic and functional literacy in the region.
Among individuals aged 10 to 64 years, 89.6 percent were basic literate, but only 61.8 percent were functionally literate—indicating a gap of 27.8 percentage points.
The widest gap was found among those aged 60 to 64 years, highlighting difficulties in comprehension despite the ability to read and write.
Davao City-On June 4 and 5, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines’ Regional English Language Office (RELO) and the Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) Davao City Division conducted an intensive workshop that trained forty newly hired teachers under DepEd’s Alternative Learning System (ALS).
Facilitated by two American trainers from the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Specialist Program, this is the first ALS workshop supported by the United States in Davao City.
The activity entitled “Embracing Student-centered Learning: Art as Expression” provided participants with knowledge and tools to integrate innovative, hands-on teaching in ALS curricula, ensuring that students are active participants in the learning process. The workshop included teaching demonstrations, an introduction to creating sustainable and engaging teaching projects, and peer learning.
The American trainers also introduced free English language teaching resources from the U.S. government that will help enhance curriculum development and facilitate engaging classroom activities.
“The insights and strategies shared by our American teacher trainers are designed to significantly enhance the learning experience for ALS students,” U.S. Embassy Regional English Language Officer Jeff McIlvenna said. “This initiative underscores the United States’ direct investment in the professional development of Filipino educators, reinforcing our shared dedication to expanding access to quality education and fostering human potential across the Philippines.”
“DepEd’s ALS champions inclusivity by reaching the lost, the least, and the last,” DepEd Davao City Division superintendent Reynante Solitario said. “Supporting ALS teachers is vital so they can teach better and ensure that every learner, regardless of circumstance, is embraced and given a chance to thrive.”
ALS is a parallel learning system in the Philippines which provides a vital pathway to basic education for out-of-school youth and adults who lack access to formal schooling due to socioeconomic or geographical barriers.
The U.S. Embassy’s RELO is committed to supporting Philippine education through its English Language Specialist Program. Previous initiatives include an early literacy project for K-7 teachers in Negros Occidental, which improved reading scores among students through intensive teacher training and community volunteer support in 2024. Last year, RELO hosted an English proficiency training for the Philippine Army in Tarlac.
RELO also supports long-term educational partnerships. Three American English Language Fellows are concluding their academic year with three universities in Bohol and Leyte, where they led preservice training for future teachers. RELO is also in the process of establishing five new two-year English Access Scholarship Programs around the Philippines, which will provide deserving teenagers with intensive English language instruction and cultural immersion to boost their educational and career opportunities.(PR)
TACLOBAN CITY– The digital revolution is irreversibly changing how Eastern Visayas population, aged 10-64 years, consume media that redefines the landscape for mass media in the region.
In the recent Data Dissemination Forum on Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority in Region 8, media platforms such as printed newspapers and traditional radio are witnessing a marked decline in audience exposure.
In 2024, the exposure rate of printed newspapers as a reading platform was at 19.5 percent, while radio as an audio/visual platform was at 37.8 percent. Both the printed newspaper and radio saw a significant decline at 28.9 percent for printed newspaper and 43.3 for radio, with data comparison from the 2019 FLEMMS.
The decline in exposure to printed newspapers and traditional radio reflects a broader transformation in media consumption. While not entirely obsolete, these formats must adapt by embracing digital-first strategies, interactive storytelling, and multi-platform distribution to remain relevant, according to Regional Head Reyan Arinto of the Philippine Information Agency 8.
“There remain areas in Eastern Visayas which have yet access to digital platforms, radio is still their primary source for news and information. They should still be catered to,” Arinto said.
Meanwhile, the general population in Eastern Visayas mostly uses the internet for social media at 75.4 percent, with others using it for work or research coming a little far behind at 46.3 percent.
In the Philippines, known as the “social media capital of the world,” Filipinos spend an average of over 3 hours per day on social platforms—far above the global average. From barangay updates on Facebook to viral dances on TikTok, social media has become the public square for entertainment and discussion.
With 81.1 percent in the region owning a cellular phone and with 37.2 percent subscribed to mobile broadband and 24.2 percent combinedly powered by broadband internet and satellite internet, audiences are shifting toward digital platforms including news apps, podcasts, and YouTube consuming news in bite-sized formats, often through smartphones.
The younger demographics prefer on-demand content over scheduled broadcasts or lengthy articles and feature stories, which require time and attention, are being replaced by snippets, summaries, and visuals.
The platforms may be shifting but the demand for truth, accountability, and compelling storytelling is as strong as ever.
LEYTE EVRAA MEDALISTS. Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla beams with pride over the achievements of young athletes from the Leyte Sports Academy (LSA), who contributed significantly to Eastern Visayas’ medal haul in this year’s Palarong Pambansa. As a gesture of gratitude and recognition, Petilla awarded cash incentives to the LSA athletes and their coaches during a ceremony held on June 3. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
LEYTE EVRAA MEDALISTS. Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho “Icot” Petilla beams with pride over the achievements of young athletes from the Leyte Sports Academy (LSA), who contributed significantly to Eastern Visayas’ medal haul in this year’s Palarong Pambansa. As a gesture of gratitude and recognition, Petilla awarded cash incentives to the LSA athletes and their coaches during a ceremony held on June 3. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
PALO, Leyte-Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla said that the imposition of a load limit on the San Juanico Bridge has not significantly disrupted the supply of essential goods and fuel in the province.
Petilla, however, emphasized the need to urgently address the structural issues affecting the 2.15-kilometer bridge, which connects the islands of Leyte and Samar.
“In our monitoring last week and even this week, we compared the prices of basic goods to the suggested retail prices set by the Department of Trade and Industry, and we found no price movement,” Petilla said in an interview on Tuesday, June 3, at his office.
The governor explained that fuel and essential commodities, including rice, needed by Leyte residents and businesses do not pass through San Juanico Bridge. Instead, these are sourced from Cebu or brought directly through the Tacloban City Port, which also hosts a fuel depot.
Still, Petilla offered an alternative port in Babatngon, Leyte which could serve as a temporary route for heavy vehicles coming from the Samar side.
Currently, the Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar is undergoing rehabilitation to serve as the main access point for trucks heading to Leyte via Tacloban City. The port is expected to be operational by June 10, allowing trucks weighing up to 3 tons to be transported via roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessels.
Petilla noted that the economic impact of the bridge’s weight restriction is felt more severely in Samar than in Leyte.
The provinces of Samar and Eastern Samar as well as the city of Tacloban are now under a state of emergency due to the San Juanico Bridge problem.
“But once the RoRo route is fully operational, and everything normalizes, the San Juanico Bridge issue may become negligible since light vehicles are still allowed to cross,” he said.
The governor also remarked that the issue is being overblown, not only by ordinary citizens but even by some public officials.
“If you ask me—yes, I think it’s being hyped. And when you cause panic, prices tend to rise unnecessarily,” he added.
Meanwhile, Eugene Tan, president of the Philippine Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry–Leyte Tacloban chapter, expressed hope that the Amandayehan Port would begin operations as scheduled on June 10.
“The longer this problem drags on, the more it will hurt our economy. Last year, we had a strong economic performance with a regional gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.2 percent. We might end up at the bottom next year—and that’s not good,” Tan said in a separate interview.
According to Tan, the effect of the bridge’s load limit is already being felt in Tacloban’s downtown commercial area.
“While we have yet to hear of business closures, we’ve been informed of declining income due to fewer customers, most of whom come from Samar,” he said.
PALO, Leyte– Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla has expressed pride over the remarkable performance of young athletes trained at the Leyte Sports Academy (LSA), which he established 15 years ago, following their successful campaign at the recently concluded Palarong Pambansa in Ilocos Norte.
Of the 16 gold medals secured by athletes from Eastern Visayas, 10 were won by LSA-trained athletes, underscoring the academy’s role in developing top-tier talent in the region. The region earned 16-17-21 gold, silver, and bronze medals at the Palarong Pambansa, finishing 10th overall.
The LSA, the only of its kind in the region, was established in 2010 during Petilla’s first term as governor. He is now serving the second term of his second cycle in office.
“When we created the LSA in 2010, it wasn’t just to put up another sports academy. The goal was to put Leyte—and the entire Eastern Visayas—on the sporting map of the country,” Petilla said in an interview on Tuesday, June 3.
That same day, the governor awarded cash incentives to more than 20 LSA athletes who bagged medals at the national games. Gold medalists received P8,000, silver winners P3,000, and bronze medalists P2,000.
Located at the Tacloban City sports grandstand, the LSA offers intensive training in athletics, swimming, and boxing. Students train daily after attending their regular classes.
Currently, about 50 student-athletes are enrolled in the academy at both elementary and secondary levels. The provincial government allocates more than P120 million annually to support its operations.
While proud of the athletes’ victories, Petilla emphasized that LSA is not just about winning medals, but also about creating opportunities for a better future.
“What makes me even prouder is not just the medals they bring home, but the scholarships they earn after graduating from high school—which give them a more secure future,” he said.
Many of the academy’s graduates receive scholarship offers from universities, particularly in Metro Manila.
One such athlete is Efosa John Paul Aguinaldo, 17, from Hindang, Leyte, who is about to finish senior high school. Aguinaldo, who won gold and silver in the long jump events, shared that he was offered a scholarship by National University.
“I’m happy that I was offered a scholarship by National University,” he said, though he has yet to decide what course to pursue.
His younger sister, Iyebosa Eve, 13, is also an LSA scholar and competes in athletics.
According to Petilla, LSA has consistently produced athletes who not only shine in local and national competitions but also represent the country on the global stage.
Among its most notable alumni is Aira Villegas of Tacloban City, who won a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics last year.
