TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has released P3.6 million in livelihood assistance to 120 parents of child laborers in Southern Leyte, aiming to provide sustainable sources of income and help keep children out of the workforce.
The assistance was distributed under the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) during a ceremonial turnover on Aug. 5 at the Sogod Municipal Gymnasium in Sogod, Southern Leyte.

Implemented by the DOLE Regional Office 8 through its Southern Leyte Field Office in partnership with the Sogod local government, the program seeks to help beneficiaries establish or expand small businesses that can provide long-term income for their families.
The livelihood packages included tools, equipment, and materials for a wide range of enterprises, including barbershop services, bread and cake vending, carpentry, dressmaking and tailoring, snack vending, fish vending, fishing, ginger farming, ice cream making, meat vending, painting services, peanut butter production, Piso WiFi, poultry raising, rag making, tilapia farming, tuba vending, vegetable farming, vulcanizing, and welding.

Each beneficiary received a package based on the livelihood project he or she had chosen.
DOLE Southern Leyte Field Office head Eden Ligaya Y. Golong said the program addresses one of the root causes of child labor by helping vulnerable families earn a stable income.
“By empowering parents of child laborers with viable sources of income, we are not only helping improve their economic condition but also strengthening our collective efforts to ensure that every child remains in school and is protected from child labor,” Golong said.
She added that the livelihood assistance supports the government’s efforts to improve the welfare of disadvantaged families by creating sustainable employment opportunities.
Sogod Mayor Sheffered Lino S. Tan thanked DOLE for extending livelihood assistance to residents and assured beneficiaries of the municipal government’s continued support to ensure the success of their livelihood projects.

One of the beneficiaries, Lalaine Baigan, who received a snack vending package, said the assistance would provide her family with a steady source of income and help meet their daily needs.

DOLE said the livelihood assistance is part of its continuing campaign to eliminate child labor by reducing the economic pressures that compel children to work and by helping families become more self-reliant.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Students in colleges and universities could gain wider and more equitable access to digital learning resources and high-speed internet under a measure approved by the House of Representatives on third and final reading.

The House on Wednesday, August 12, approved House Bill No. 9532, or the proposed “Universal Access to Digital Academic Learning Resources Act,” principally authored and sponsored by Tingog Party-list Rep. Jude Acidre, chairperson of the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education.

Acidre said the measure seeks to address persistent barriers faced by students, particularly the high cost of textbooks and mobile data, limited access to academic materials, and unreliable internet connectivity.

“We already know how important digital access is to learning. If books are lacking, mobile data is expensive, or the internet connection is poor, that immediately puts a student at a disadvantage. We want to remove as many of those barriers as we can,” Acidre said.
Under the bill, a National Academic Content Repository will be established under the supervision and management of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in partnership with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and higher education institutions.

The repository will serve as a nationwide platform where students and faculty can freely access digital textbooks, lecture videos, syllabi, research papers and other open educational resources.

The measure requires materials uploaded to the platform to undergo quality assurance and be accessible, inclusive and culturally relevant.

The bill also seeks to address internet connectivity by directing the DICT, in partnership with higher education institutions, to provide free and secure campus-wide high-speed Wi-Fi to enrolled students and faculty.

Rural and under-resourced campuses will be prioritized during the initial implementation of the program.

The measure further provides grants to higher education institutions and faculty members for the development and digitization of locally produced academic materials. It also directs CHED to work with publishers to secure affordable or open-access arrangements for educational resources.

Acidre said the proposed policy is intended to ensure that digital learning becomes a tool for reducing, rather than widening, inequality among students.

“Getting a student into college is only the first step. We also have to make sure that once they are there, they have the books, materials, connectivity, and academic support they need to keep learning and to succeed,” he said.

“For digital learning to expand opportunity, access cannot depend on a student’s income, location, or ability to pay for data. We have to make sure that technology helps close the gaps in higher education instead of reinforcing them,” Acidre added.

The measure will now be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

(JOEY A. GABIETA, LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The courage of slain student and Senior Scout Chris Lorenz Fabian was formally honored by the Tacloban City government as he was posthumously named the city’s “Young Hero” for sacrificing himself to protect his classmates during the June 22 shooting at San Jose National High School (SJNHS).

The recognition was conferred on Wednesday,Aug. 12 during the city’s observance of International Youth Day at SJNHS through City Ordinance No. 2026-16-15, which cited Fabian’s “extraordinary selfless courage and supreme sacrifice” in the face of danger.
Fabian’s mother, Erbea Fabian, accepted the recognition on behalf of her late son and thanked the city government and others who continue to honor his memory.
“I am deeply grateful that my son’s courage has not been forgotten,” she said during the ceremony.

Fabian, 15, was among the three students killed in the June 22 shooting that shocked Tacloban and drew national attention.

Based on earlier reports and resolutions recognizing his heroism, Fabian showed exceptional presence of mind when he rushed to close the classroom door as the attacker approached, helping shield his classmates from further harm.

His actions later earned recognition from the Boy Scouts of the Philippines-Leyte Council, which passed a resolution honoring his courage and devotion to the Scout ideals of service and sacrifice.

The city ordinance further institutionalizes Fabian’s recognition as a young hero, preserving his story as part of Tacloban’s history and highlighting the values of courage, compassion and service that he displayed in his final moments.

The conferment also formed part of the city’s International Youth Day observance, underscoring the role of young people in promoting leadership, service and positive action in their communities.

Fabian was also posthumously named one of the recipients of the 2026 Outstanding Eastern Visayas Awards for embodying extraordinary heroism, selflessness and concern for others despite his young age.

City officials said Fabian’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations to uphold courage and compassion and to serve others even in the face of adversity.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar — Northern Samar has intensified its campaign to protect young children from measles and rubella as provincial health authorities launched the 2026 Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) on August 10.

The “LIGTAS TIGDAS: Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity 2026” was launched at the New Administration Building of the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, led by the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital (NSPH), Provincial Health Office and Department of Health (DOH) Northern Samar.

The campaign aims to increase immunization coverage and protect eligible children from measles and rubella, both of which can cause serious complications among young children.
For the province, about 66,396 targeted children are to be given with the vaccine during the campaign.

Dr. Joseph Estanislao, chief of hospital, opened the program by emphasizing the importance of vaccination in protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases. He also called on parents and communities to actively participate in the campaign.

Dr. Teresita Myra Luzon conducted a health education session on measles and rubella, including the importance of Vitamin A supplementation. She discussed the health risks associated with the diseases and the benefits of timely vaccination.

Sarah Jane Narca, provincial national immunization program assistant program coordinator, presented an overview of the MR-SIA 2026, including its objectives, implementation strategies and target coverage.

Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Aurora Dubongco-Vicencio and DOH Eastern Visayas Assistant Regional Director Dr. Catherine Layon-Miral also underscored the need for strong cooperation among health workers, local governments, communities and parents to achieve high immunization coverage.

NSPH personnel added a lively element to the launch through a presentation of the MR-SIA campaign jingle and dance, followed by a ceremonial vaccination marking the official start of the campaign in the province.

Following the ceremony, healthcare workers immediately began administering measles-rubella vaccines to children aged 6 to 59 months, or those below five years old.
Health authorities reminded parents that vaccines are safe and effective and provide protection against measles and rubella, locally known as measles and German measles, respectively.

They also urged parents not to hesitate in having their children vaccinated, stressing that timely immunization can help prevent the spread of the diseases and reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.

The campaign emphasizes that achieving protection against measles and rubella requires the participation of parents and communities alongside healthcare workers.

(EUGENE M. ENANO)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar — At least 611 indigent elementary pupils in Catarman received school bags and basic learning materials from the municipal government as part of an initiative aimed at easing the financial burden on low-income families.

The distribution was held Aug. 7, 2026, covering pupils from five public elementary schools in the municipality.

The program was implemented under Municipal Ordinance No. 2023/193/-28, which provides free school supplies to indigent pupils in public elementary schools in Catarman. The ordinance was initiated by Municipal Councilor Jennifer Salutan and approved by the Sangguniang Bayan under the leadership of Vice Mayor Francisco Rosales Jr., with the support of its members and Mayor Dianne Rosales.

Each beneficiary received a school bag, 10 notebooks, two pads of paper, four ballpens or pencils, a ruler and an eraser.

The beneficiaries came from Barangay Guba Elementary School, with 70 pupils; Barangay Bocsol Elementary School, 74; Barangay Salvacion Elementary School, 73; Barangay New Rizal Elementary School, 213; and Barangay Cal-Igang Elementary School, 181.

Salutan personally distributed the school supplies to the pupils. She was accompanied by her husband, Barangay Kagawad Dindo Arillo, who expressed support for the program.
Teachers, barangay officials and parents also attended the distribution, which organizers said was intended to ensure that children from financially challenged families have basic materials needed for their studies.

Parents and pupils expressed appreciation for the assistance, saying the supplies would help reduce their expenses as they provide for their children’s education.
The municipal government said the program reflects its continuing commitment to supporting education and improving the welfare of children in Catarman.

(EUGENE M. ENANO)