PROMOTING UBE INDUSTRY. Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez announces plans to establish a five-hectare ube (purple yam) demonstration farm in Ormoc City in partnership with the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops). The project aims to encourage more farmers to cultivate the high-value crop and complements his proposed measure declaring ube a national priority crop. (Photo courtesy of PhilRootcrops)
PROMOTING UBE INDUSTRY. Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez announces plans to establish a five-hectare ube (purple yam) demonstration farm in Ormoc City in partnership with the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops). The project aims to encourage more farmers to cultivate the high-value crop and complements his proposed measure declaring ube a national priority crop. (Photo courtesy of PhilRootcrops)
ORMOC CITY – The Ormoc City government will establish a five-hectare demonstration farm for ube (purple yam) in partnership with the Philippine Root Crop Research and Training Center (PhilRootcrops) as part of efforts to expand production of the high-value crop and support a proposed law declaring ube a national agricultural priority.
The pilot farm, to be developed with PhilRootcrops of the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City will showcase modern ube production technologies and encourage more farmers to cultivate the crop.
Leyte Fourth District Rep. Richard Gomez said preparations for the project are already underway, with land being ready for planting and tissue-cultured planting materials to be supplied by PhilRootcrops.
“Currently, we are preparing our land for ube production. We are fortunate that VSU has available tissue-cultured planting materials,” Gomez told reporters on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
PhilRootcrops produces tissue-cultured planting materials of the VU-2 ube variety, a cultivar recommended by the National Seed Industry Council for commercial production.
Gomez said the demonstration forms part of a broader effort to unlock the economic potential of ube, which he described as an underutilized but highly promising crop.
“For a long time, ube was not given priority. We only realized recently that this is a golden crop,” he said.
The local initiative complements House Bill No. 10225, or the proposed Philippine Ube Industry Development Act, which Gomez recently filed in the House of Representatives.
The measure seeks to declare ube a national priority crop and establish a comprehensive framework for the development, promotion, and protection of the country’s ube industry.
Among its key provisions are the creation of a Philippine Ube Industry Council and expanded government support for research, production of quality planting materials, processing, marketing, branding, and export promotion.
According to Gomez, the Philippines has favorable conditions for expanding ube production, particularly in Leyte, where idle agricultural lands could be utilized for the crop.
“Ube thrives in our soil, and we have many vacant areas that can be used for its production. This can be achieved with government support,” he said.
He noted that ube is relatively easy to cultivate, matures within several months, and can withstand varying weather conditions, making it a viable alternative source of income for farmers.
“It can be planted regardless of weather conditions and even in idle areas. It just needs a push,” Gomez added.
He emphasized that the Department of Agriculture would play a crucial role in expanding the industry by ensuring the availability of quality tissue-cultured planting materials and supporting large-scale propagation.
According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, Eastern Visayas produced about 2,800 metric tons of ube in 2025, with Leyte contributing around 1,900 metric tons, making it the region’s top producer.
Known for its vibrant violet flesh, ube is widely used in traditional and modern Filipino delicacies, including ube halaya, halo-halo, cakes, pastries, bread, and ice cream.
With demand for ube-based products increasing in both domestic and international markets, advocates believe the crop has strong potential to become a major agricultural export while providing higher incomes for Filipino farmers.
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas aims to vaccinate nearly 446,000 children this month as it intensifies efforts to prevent measles and rubella outbreaks, diseases that remain a threat due to gaps in routine childhood immunization.
The region-wide supplemental immunization campaign, scheduled from Aug. 10 to 28, targets 445,961 children aged six to 59 months, regardless of their previous vaccination status. The initiative will also provide free Vitamin A supplementation to eligible children.
DOH Eastern Visayas Regional Director Exuperia Sabalberino said the campaign is part of the government’s continuing effort to raise immunization coverage and protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases that can lead to serious complications, disability, or even death.
“We intend to cover all eligible children based on our actual master list. We have partnered with national government agencies and local government units since this requires a whole-of-government approach,” Sabalberino said.
Of the total target beneficiaries, Leyte province has the largest number with 152,055 children, followed by Samar with 80,304; Northern Samar, 66,396; Eastern Samar, 44,461; Southern Leyte, 36,409; Tacloban City, 25,511; Ormoc City, 23,701; and Biliran, 17,124.
DOH Eastern Visayas National Immunization Program Manager Chiradee Claridad assured the public that vaccine supplies are sufficient to support the month-long campaign.
“Our current supply is sufficient. We have 850,000 doses of measles-rubella vaccines available in the region,” she said.
Health officials urged parents and caregivers to bring eligible children to the nearest health centers or vaccination sites and seek assistance from nurses, midwives, and barangay health workers to avail themselves of the free vaccines and Vitamin A supplements.
The DOH said the measles-rubella vaccine remains the most effective protection against the highly contagious viral diseases, which can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, brain inflammation, blindness, and death, particularly among young children. Vitamin A supplementation, meanwhile, helps strengthen children’s immune systems and reduces the severity of infections.
Authorities inspect the P3.25 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes seized during a joint entrapment operation in Barangay Amandayehan, Basey, Samar on Aug. 4, 2026. Three suspects were arrested and are facing charges for alleged violations of tax, consumer protection, and graphic health warning laws.(PRO-8)
Authorities inspect the P3.25 million worth of alleged smuggled cigarettes seized during a joint entrapment operation in Barangay Amandayehan, Basey, Samar on Aug. 4, 2026. Three suspects were arrested and are facing charges for alleged violations of tax, consumer protection, and graphic health warning laws.(PRO-8)
TACLOBAN CITY — Authorities seized alleged smuggled cigarettes worth P3.25 million and arrested three suspects during a joint entrapment operation in Basey, Samar on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in what police described as part of their intensified campaign against illicit tobacco trade.
The operation was conducted in Barangay Amandayehan by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group Regional Field Unit 8–Regional Special Operations Team (CIDG RFU 8-RSOT), in coordination with the Basey Municipal Police Station, the Regional Special Operations Team–Regional Maritime Unit 8, the Regional Intelligence Division/Regional Special Operations Unit 8–Team Samar, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue District Office in Tacloban City.
Arrested were a 38-year-old driver from Guiuan, Eastern Samar identified only as alias “Dev,” a 29-year-old unemployed woman known as alias “May,” and a 42-year-old driver from Basey identified as alias “Rod.”
Police said the suspects were caught in possession of 50 master cases of “CANON Menthol” cigarettes allegedly lacking the required BIR excise tax stamps and graphic health warnings.
The confiscated cigarettes were estimated to be worth P3.25 million.
Also recovered during the operation were the marked money used in the entrapment, two mobile phones, and three vehicles allegedly used to transport the contraband—an Isuzu utility vehicle, a Toyota HiAce van, and a Suzuki Traviz utility vehicle.
Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, director of the Police Regional Office 8, commended the operating units for the successful operation, saying it underscores the police’s continued efforts to curb illicit trade and protect government revenues.
“The success of this entrapment operation demonstrates our sustained commitment to combating illicit trade and protecting government revenue from illegal activities. We will continue to strengthen intelligence-driven operations and inter-agency coordination to ensure those engaged in unlawful activities are brought to justice,” Capoy said.
The suspects were taken to the CIDG Tacloban City Field Unit for documentation and proper disposition.
Authorities are preparing charges against them for alleged violations of Republic Act No. 10643 or the Graphic Health Warnings Law, provisions of the National Internal Revenue Code on excise taxes as amended by Republic Act No. 11346, and Republic Act No. 7394 or the Consumer Act of the Philippines.
The Philippine government has intensified its crackdown on the illegal cigarette trade, which authorities say deprives the government of billions of pesos in excise tax revenues each year while allowing the proliferation of untaxed tobacco products in the market.
ART EXHIBIT. Paintings by Samarnon artists take center stage during the opening of the “Ladawan: Samar Artists Club Exhibit” at Balay Samarnon in Catbalogan City on Aug. 3. The weeklong exhibit, one of the highlights of the 2026 Tandaya Festival, showcases a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, and handcrafted artworks that celebrate Samar’s rich culture, heritage, and artistic talent.
(SAMAR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE)
ART EXHIBIT. Paintings by Samarnon artists take center stage during the opening of the “Ladawan: Samar Artists Club Exhibit” at Balay Samarnon in Catbalogan City on Aug. 3. The weeklong exhibit, one of the highlights of the 2026 Tandaya Festival, showcases a diverse collection of paintings, sculptures, and handcrafted artworks that celebrate Samar’s rich culture, heritage, and artistic talent. (SAMAR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE)
TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Samar has opened the “Ladawan: Samar Artists Club Exhibit” at Balay Samarnon in Catbalogan City, bringing together the works of visual artists from across the province as one of the major cultural highlights of the 2026 Tandaya Festival.
The exhibit, formally launched on Aug. 3 through a ribbon-cutting ceremony organized by the Samar Provincial Library, showcases paintings, sculptures, and handcrafted artworks created by artists from various parts of Samar.
Featured in the exhibition are members of the Catbalogan Artist Club, the Calbayog City Visual Arts Association, and artists from the municipalities of Paranas and Daram, reflecting the province’s diverse and vibrant visual arts community.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Provincial Administrator Fe Tan-Arcales said the exhibit celebrates the creativity and cultural identity of the Samarnon people.
“Today, we celebrate more than the opening of an art exhibit; we celebrate the creativity that lives in every Samarnon,” Tan-Arcales said. “Art reminds us of who we are, where we come from, and what we can become.”
She said the provincial government remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote artistic excellence and provide opportunities for local artists to develop their craft.
According to Tan-Arcales, a thriving arts community contributes not only to the preservation of Samar’s cultural heritage but also to education, tourism, and sustainable economic development.
Representing the participating artist groups, Donald Laguipo of the Catbalogan Artist Club and Gonzalo Ostulano of the Calbayog City Visual Arts Association thanked Governor Tan and the provincial government for providing local artists with a platform to showcase their works.
The Ladawan Art Exhibit is open to the public from Aug. 3 to 9 at Balay Samarnon in Catbalogan City, where visitors can view artworks that highlight the creativity, heritage, and artistic traditions of Samar.
TACLOBAN CITY – A 46-year-old job order worker of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Calbiga town was arrested after police allegedly found an unlicensed firearm inside his vehicle while responding to a road crash in Jiabong, Samar, early Thursday, Aug. 6.
Police identified the suspect only by his alias “Welo,” a resident of Barangay 1, Poblacion, Calbiga, Samar.
According to the Jiabong Municipal Police Station, officers were dispatched at around 3 a.m. to Barangay Catalina following a report of a collision involving a metallic gray Toyota Wigo and a patient transport vehicle from Paranas, Samar.
While investigating the incident and assisting those involved, police asked the Toyota Wigo driver to present his driver’s license and vehicle registration documents.
As the suspect searched inside the vehicle, responding officers allegedly noticed a caliber .45 pistol in plain view beneath the front passenger seat.
During the investigation, the police station’s Tactical Operations Center also relayed a separate report of indiscriminate firing that had occurred in Barangay Tagbaya-on, Jiabong.
Police said verification showed that the reported gunfire happened at about the same time the suspect’s vehicle had passed through the village before figuring in the crash at Barangay Catalina.
Officers then required the suspect to present a License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) and a Permit to Carry Firearms Outside Residence (PTCFOR), but he allegedly failed to produce the required documents.
The suspect was immediately arrested for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
Recovered from the vehicle was a chamber-loaded caliber .45 pistol, one magazine containing six rounds of ammunition, and an extra magazine loaded with 13 live rounds.
Police are preparing the filing of an inquest complaint for violation of Republic Act No. 10591 before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities have yet to determine whether the recovered firearm was used in the reported indiscriminate firing incident, which remains under investigation.
Five remarkable Eastern Visayans whose leadership, service, and passion are strengthening
communities across the region.
Five remarkable Eastern Visayans whose leadership, service, and passion are strengthening communities across the region.
Beyond its breathtaking landscapes, Eastern Visayas is laden with exceptional leaders and changemakers who create opportunities, inspire others, and leave their communities stronger than ever. To recognize the exemplary individuals whose work have made a lasting impact across the region, the Department of Tourism Region VIII, in partnership with Tingog Partylist, held the inaugural Ten Outstanding Eastern Visayan Awards last July 31.
This first feature spotlights five Outstanding Eastern Visayans in Arts, Tourism and Cultural Heritage; Environmental Advocacy; Faith, Religion and Philanthropy; Public Service and Governance; and Youth Leadership and Community Development who have uplifted lives and inspired future generations across the region.
Keeping Heritage Alive Through Music
For Outstanding Eastern Visayan for Arts, Tourism, and Cultural Heritage, Dr. Stephen Q. Lagarde, preserving and promoting Eastern Visayan culture is about more than safeguarding traditions. It is about bringing communities together through the stories and songs that define their shared identity.
A cultural worker, educator, author, and choral musician from Tacloban City, Dr. Lagarde has spent decades championing the region’s musical heritage. In 2021, he established Project Kanta Binisayá, an initiative that has grown into a movement celebrating Eastern Visayan music. Through instructional books, original choral arrangements, and the Kanta Binisayá Choral Collection found on the Singapore-based Muziksea, he has helped introduce Eastern Visayan music to audiences beyond the region and preserve the region’s cultural heritage.
His collaborations with the Philippine Madrigal Singers, along with regional choral festivals and competitions, have further elevated the region’s musical traditions on both the national and international stage. A recording of Kanta Binisayá heritage songs is found on Spotify as one of the recording albums of the Madz.
Saving Seas, Sustaining Lives
Outstanding Eastern Visayan for Environmental Protection and Sustainability, Ms. Margarita T. de la Cruz, proved that caring for the environment also means caring for the people whose lives depend on it.
A fisheries expert and environmental advocate from Northern Samar, Ms. de la Cruz founded the Guiuan Development Foundation, Inc. (GDFI) in 1988 to advance marine conservation and promote sustainable livelihood across Eastern Visayas. Through more than 30 marine sanctuaries, community-based coastal resource management, along with local government and community partnerships, she empowered coastal communities to become active stewards of their natural resources. After Typhoon Yolanda, she helped families rebuild their livelihoods through sustainable means by introducing seaweed farming initiatives.
Beyond conservation, Ms. de la Cruz has played a role in shaping future environmental leaders as a professor, later a dean, at the University of the Philippines Tacloban. To this day, her work on mangrove mapping and blue carbon assessments continues to strengthen climate resilience planning for vulnerable coastal municipalities. Throughout her career, she has shown that lasting environmental progress begins with empowered communities.
From Hardship to Hope: How a Leader Builds Progress with Compassion
The son of a mangagawil sa sapa, Outstanding Eastern Visayan for Public Service and Governance, Honorable Mayor Atty. Norman D. Sabdao turned personal hardship into a blueprint for compassionate leadership. Now in his third term as mayor of San Miguel, Leyte, Atty. Sabdao led the municipality’s transformation from a fourth-class to a third-class municipality through disciplined, inclusive governance. But beyond economic growth, his greatest milestones lie in the lives he has improved.
He redefined disaster response and provided dignified shelter for evacuees through the pioneering Family Hub Evacuation Center. His administration brought clean water to over 7,000 households and established a 15-bed municipal hospital with no balance billing. He provided scholarships to over 3,000 students to ensure that young people would not have to struggle for education as he once did. Mayor Norman has received multiple recognitions, including the Seal of Good Financial Housekeeping, the National Award of the Seal of Good Local Governance, and the National Award for Gawad KALASAG.
Mayor Norman reminds us that compassion is the foundation of progress and hope for an entire community.
Beyond Resilience: Putting Advocacy into Action
A survivor of Typhoon Yolanda, Outstanding Eastern Visayan for Youth Leadership and Community Development, Aron Sedrick C. Caminong witnessed the devastation of disaster and the quiet heroism of communities rebuilding from the ground up.
Recognized as the 2025 Most Outstanding Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Chairperson of Tacloban City, Caminong transformed those lived experiences into a lifelong commitment to public service and youth empowerment. Becoming a staunch advocate of access to education, he turned an unused storage space into a community learning center and established the Paglaum Youth Hub. The space offered students free access to tools and educational resources, removing the barriers that stood in the way of learning. What began as a local initiative has since been recognized for its approach to youth empowerment, becoming a finalist in the Ten Outstanding UN SDG Awards 2026.
In 2023, he launched Project Urostorya, an ongoing youth education and dialogue initiative that empowers young people through conversations on health and well-being, climate action, leadership, civic engagement, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. As a champion of disaster resilience, environmental stewardship, and humanitarian service, he spearheaded the Urban Bayanihan Earth Month Summit. The initiative brought together Eastern Visayan youth leaders to strengthen climate action, disaster preparedness, and community resilience.
He also revived community pride through the Pasundayag Syete Kwatro festival, providing hundreds of young athletes and artists with a platform to showcase their talents each year. Humble, dedicated, and a visionary, Caminong’s leadership is grounded on a simple conviction: communities become stronger when young people are given the chance to learn, serve, and lead.
Faithfully Serving the Place He Calls Home
Raised in Maripipi, Biliran, Outstanding Eastern Visayan for Faith, Religion, and Philanthropy Aldrin C. Norio’s success was measured by how much he could give back to the island he calls home. A nursing graduate and social worker, Norio has led multiple humanitarian programs—from Typhoon Yolanda response and recovery efforts in Western Leyte to providing strategic support for multi-donor-funded early recovery projects in Ukraine, where he now resides.
Driven by a profound sense of social responsibility, Norio leveraged his professional expertise into life-changing local initiatives for the people of Maripipi. There, he supported the local government’s home-based care program for vulnerable senior citizens, who were sick, living alone, or abandoned. He organized a community medical mission that brought volunteer doctors and healthcare professionals from Manila to the island, providing safe, free medical circumcision to dozens of young boys. He also lent his expertise by facilitating a capacity-building program on sustainable supplemental feeding and giving talks to local youth, encouraging them to take active roles in the community.
For Norio, his greatest calling was to serve the island that raised him. By generously sharing his gifts, knowledge, and compassion to uplift others, he became a living testament that the truest measure of success is the impact you leave on the community.
Outstanding in Service, Rooted in Community
Though their paths are different, these five Outstanding Eastern Visayans are united by a common purpose: to serve beyond themselves. Each of them has transformed conviction into meaningful action, proving that true community building is forged by resilience, compassion, and dedication.
Their stories remind us that the true wealth of the region lies in the fierce, unyielding grace of its people. Through their leadership and unwavering service, these changemakers continue to shape communities that are more resilient, inclusive, and hopeful.
