TACLOBAN CITY — Recent results from the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) highlight a growing food insecurity across Eastern Visayas, affecting thousands of households and prompting calls for a deeper study to pinpoint targeted community-level intervention.

In the recently held 2025 Regional Health Research Summit by the Eastern Visayas Health Research and Development Consortium (EVHRDC), the Philippine Statistics Authority in Eastern Visayas (PSA-8) emphasized that the data presented calls for a deeper study into the region’s food insecurity.

Food insecurity, as defined by the World Food Summit and the Food and Agriculture Organization, occurs when people lack consistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for a healthy life.

PSA-8 Supervising Statistical Specialist Zonia Salazar said evidence-based data derived from local research will guide policy decision-makers, strengthen agricultural support programs, and design interventions that are targeted and relevant.

“The numbers are telling us it is alarming, and we cannot just sit by and continue to let them experience hunger,” Salazar said.

Food insecurity has continuously been an alarming concern for every city and municipality with households that experience varying levels of food insecurity, mainly due to a lack of money or other resources.

The CBMS data revealed alarming patterns, with 58.2% worried about not having enough food to eat; 38.8% were unable to eat healthy and nutritious food; 37.5% ate only a few types of food, and 19.5% had to skip a meal.

Furthermore, the data revealed that 25.9% ate less; 22.5% said their house ran out of food; 13.5% went hungry but did not eat, while 6.3% went without eating the whole day.
In the 2023 National Nutrition Survey for Eastern Visayas, the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) presented that 43.9% of households in the region are food insecure, ranking second nationwide after BARMM at 48.2%.

DOST-FNRI has recommended stronger food production systems, livelihood support for vulnerable households, and wider opportunities for farmers through the KADIWA and other programs.

Members and stakeholders of the EVHRDC, meanwhile, said that the CBMS findings should not be dismissed as mere statistics but rather should serve as a “call to action” for barangays, local governments, NGOs, and national agencies to collaborate toward food security and long-term well-being in Eastern Visayas.

The 2025 Regional Health Research Summit is an event held yearly by the EVHRDC to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and advance innovation in local health systems through research that responds directly to the needs of the community through initiatives that are grounded in the real issues on the ground.

(ACR/PIA Leyte)

TACLOBAN CITY — In a sweeping recognition of disaster resilience efforts across Eastern Visayas, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council VIII (RDRRMC VIII) and the Office of Civil Defense Region VIII (OCD VIII) honored 106 local disaster risk reduction and management councils and offices (LDRRMCOs), along with four institutions, for their exemplary performance in disaster preparedness, response, and community resilience.

The annual commendation underscores the region’s ongoing push to elevate local disaster readiness—critical in an area frequently struck by typhoons, floods, landslides, and other natural hazards. Officials said the awards reflect years of sustained work by local DRRM teams, frontliners, and community partners.

“Your hard work, commitment, and dedication have paid off,” the council said, recognizing the collective efforts that continue to strengthen Eastern Visayas’ resilience.

As part of the 2025 DRRM Champions Awards, Southern Leyte emerged as the top provincial awardee, followed by Samar in second place. Ormoc City earned recognition as the lone awardee for the independent component city category.

In the component city category, Borongan City topped the list, followed by Maasin City and Catbalogan City.

For the 1st–3rd class municipalities, Catarman, Northern Samar led the awardees, with Sogod, Southern Leyte in second place and Laoang, Northern Samar in third. In the 4th–5th class municipalities, Silago, Southern Leyte topped the list, followed by Catarman, and San Roque, both in Northern Samar.

Gold Awards were given to LDRRM councils and offices exhibiting exceptional performance. Among them were those from Naval (Biliran); the Leyte towns of Alangalang, Dulag, San Miguel, Sta. Fe, Tabango, and Ormoc City; Northern Samar’s municipalities of Catarman, Gamay, Laoang, Lope de Vega, Palapag, San Antonio, and San Roque; the provincial government of Samar, and the municipalities of Marabut, Motiong, Tarangnan, Paranas, and the City of Catbalogan.

Gold awardees from Eastern Samar include Arteche, Balangiga, Borongan City, Can-avid, General MacArthur, and Salcedo. Southern Leyte’s provincial government and the municipalities of Hinunangan, Hinundayan, Liloan, Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Pintuyan, San Juan, Silago, Sogod, Tomas Oppus, and Maasin City also earned Gold status.

Silver Awardees included the provincial governments of Biliran, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar, as well as numerous municipalities such as Almeria, Cabucgayan, Caibiran, Culaba, Kawayan, Maripipi, Babatngon, Barugo, Carigara, Hilongos, Jaro, Javier, Kananga, Matag-ob, Palo, Palompon, Tunga, Biri, Bobon, Catubig, Lapinig, Guiuan, Lawaan, Llorente, Maydolong, Basey, and many others across the region, including Calbayog City and Baybay City.

Special citations were also awarded, including Biliran Provincial Hospital – local government hospital top awardee; Philippine National Police Eastern Visayas – Special Recognition (organization); Southern Leyte State University – higher education institution award; and Catarman Emergency Response Unit Advanced Local Government Emergency Response Team – Special DRRM Award.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY — A 40-year-old construction worker was arrested after his firearm accidentally discharged and injured his girlfriend at around 11:30 a.m. on December 6, 2025, inside Maricar Beach Resort in Sitio Badiang, Barangay Lomonon, Palompon, Leyte.
The suspect, identified only as alias “Bryle,” married and a resident of Palompon, was taken into police custody following the incident. The victim, alias “Aiza,” of legal age and unemployed, also from Palompon, sustained a gunshot wound to her left leg.

Police said they were alerted by the resort owner, alias “Oscar,” who reported the gunshot. Responding officers arrived to find the victim being treated by members of the Palompon Emergency Rescue Team.

Initial investigation showed that the firearm belonged to the suspect, who is the victim’s live-in partner. The weapon was reportedly inside the suspect’s sling bag, which fell from a table, causing the pistol to fire accidentally and hit the victim.

When police asked the suspect to present documents for the firearm, he failed to produce any, leading to his immediate arrest for violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act).

Recovered from the suspect’s sling bag were a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition, personal items, cash, three mobile phones, and a heat-sealed sachet containing suspected shabu.
All evidence was marked and inventoried in the presence of required witnesses. The suspected shabu has been turned over to the Regional Forensic Unit 8 for quantitative examination.
Criminal charges are now being prepared against the suspect.

(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)