ORMOC CITY– A 33-year-old man recently added to the local drug watchlist was arrested during a buy-bust operation on June 4, in Sitio Calero, Barangay Casilda, Merida, Leyte.
The suspect, known by the alias “Pipo,” is unemployed and lives with his common-law wife in the same barangay.

An undercover police operative purchased one sachet of suspected shabu from the suspect for P500. During a body search witnessed by barangay officials, authorities recovered a coin purse containing three more sachets of suspected shabu, along with the marked P500 bill used in the operation.

The suspect was informed of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.

He is currently detained at the Merida Municipal Police Station, with charges being prepared for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY– A 44-year-old ‘habal-habal’ driver listed as a street-level drug personality was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) on May 29, in Barangay Imelda, Matag-ob, Leyte.

The suspect, identified only as alias “Baduyo,” is a resident of the said barangay.
An undercover police operative was able to purchase one sachet of suspected shabu for P500. During the body search witnessed by barangay officials, authorities recovered a cigarette pack containing four more sachets of suspected shabu. Police also confiscated cash in various denominations, the P500 marked money, a lighter, and a piece of aluminum foil.

The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.

He is currently detained at the Matag-ob Municipal Police Station, facing charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The case has been filed with the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Ormoc City.

(ROBERT DEJON)

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.

(ROBERT DEJON)

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.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

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)