TACLOBAN CITY — Residents of Eastern Samar may soon have greater access to technical-vocational and postsecondary education after the House of Representatives approved on third and final reading a bill converting the Samar National School of Arts and Trade (SNSAT) in Taft into a polytechnic institute.

House Bill No. 9467 seeks to establish the Eastern Samar Polytechnic Institute (ESPI), which will operate under the supervision of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan, a native of Taft, jointly authored the measure.

Gonzales said the proposed institute would provide residents of Taft and neighboring communities with practical and market-relevant skills that could lead to employment, livelihood opportunities and entrepreneurship.

The ESPI will offer TESDA-registered programs, short-term postsecondary courses, undergraduate certificate and diploma programs, and modular training in fields such as industrial technology, tourism and hospitality, agriculture and aquaculture, information technology, automotive servicing, welding, electrical installation and computer servicing.
The programs will be aligned with local and national labor requirements, including skills needed for employment opportunities abroad.

The measure also gives priority to economically disadvantaged students, out-of-school youth, persons with disabilities and members of indigenous communities in admission, scholarship and financial assistance programs.

Under the proposed law, the institute may establish research and technology hubs, technology development farms, extension campuses and mobile training programs to bring technical education and skills training to underserved communities.

Gonzales said the proposed ESPI would help develop a skilled and globally competitive workforce while contributing to the economic development of Eastern Samar.
The bill will be transmitted to the Senate for consideration.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

Catarman N. Samar-The Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar First District Engineering Office (DPWH-NSFDEO) has completed the rehabilitation of roadside with slip and slope collapse in Barangay Quezon, Bobon Northern Samar.

Spanning a total length of 63 meters, the project involves the repair of roadside with slip, and slope collapse and construction of revetment resting on a sheet pile.

In previous interviews, residents revealed that the road section was particularly risky for motorists, especially during the rainy season. The soil may become eroded, causing the road to collapse whenever the area floods due to the strong current of floodwater.

Hence, the completion of the project brings significant improvements to motorists traversing the said area. They can now travel more safely and conveniently, with reduced risks and fewer disruptions.

To further enhance safety, DPWH also installed plant boxes that serve as barriers along the top of the slope protection system. These structures serve as protective barriers for motorists, helping prevent vehicles from accidentally reaching the edge of the slope. It also contributes to roadside beautification and promotes environmental greening.

District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio added that the completion of the project is expected to prevent erosion/soil collapse thereby reducing the risk and preventing road closure along the said area.

The project amounting to Php 17.31 million, was funded through the DPWH Quick Response Fund (QRF).

(ANALIZA A. PABIA/PR)

Together with PCG

TACLOBAN CITY — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has taken custody of a Russian national for further investigation after authorities found inconsistencies in his documents and questioned the circumstances surrounding his entry into the Philippines aboard a sailing yacht that had earlier encountered engine trouble off Samar.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the yacht INGRID MARMARIS was towed on Aug. 29 to waters off Amandayehan, Basey, Samar, where PCG personnel and an NBI team conducted an inspection of the vessel, its documents and the travel documents of its occupant.

The yacht had earlier required assistance after experiencing engine trouble in waters off Marabut, Samar. PCG search and rescue personnel aboard HSRB-031 began towing operations at about 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 29, bringing the vessel to the vicinity of Amandayehan.

At about 9 a.m., four NBI Tacloban personnel arrived at the PCG Motorpool area. The yacht reached the area off Amandayehan at around 9:20 a.m., according to the PCG progress report.

About an hour later, PCG and NBI personnel boarded the yacht to inspect its documents, verify the identity and travel documents of its occupant, and examine other items relevant to the ongoing investigation.

During the inspection, the NBI team noted several inconsistencies and questionable circumstances in documents presented by Alexey Popov, a Russian national, according to the PCG.

The NBI also raised concerns over the circumstances of Popov’s entry into the Philippines, citing an apparent lack of appropriate documentation and/or authorization from relevant government agencies.

Popov was subsequently invited to proceed to the NBI office in Tacloban City for further investigation and verification.

At around 11:30 a.m., PCG and NBI personnel, together with Popov, left the yacht and proceeded to the NBI office. They arrived at about 12:05 p.m., where Popov was placed under NBI custody pending further investigation and coordination with other government agencies.

The INGRID MARMARIS, meanwhile, was placed under PCG custody and security for safekeeping and monitoring while the case is being evaluated.

The PCG said its personnel are continuing to coordinate with the NBI and other concerned agencies while maintaining the security of the vessel and preserving the integrity of the investigation.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Former Leyte congresswoman and Baybay City mayor Carmen Cari, a key figure in Baybay’s conversion into a city and the transformation of a state university into a leading agriculture-focused institution, died Tuesday, Sept. 1, after a lingering illness. She was 90.

Cari died after a long career in public service that spanned local and national government, with much of her political legacy rooted in Baybay City and Leyte’s fifth congressional district.

She served in Congress for nine years beginning in 2001, representing Leyte’s fifth district. She later became mayor of Baybay, where she helped lead efforts that resulted in the town’s conversion into a city in 2007.

At the time of her death, Cari was serving as a city councilor and president of the Philippine Councilors League-Leyte chapter. Her position in the league made her an ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

Her death was announced by her grandson, Carl Nicolas Cari, whose father, Jose Cari, is the incumbent mayor of Baybay City.

“In every role she held and each endeavor she undertook, her abiding love for Leyteños never faltered,” Carl said in a statement released hours after her death.

“We honor the vibrant life of Mommy Carmen, which was marked by her unwavering dedication to public service, her grace under pressure, and her strength rooted in kindness. She has touched countless lives, and her legacy in the Kinto Distrito will live on forever,” he added.

The Baybay City government also mourned Cari, describing her as the “Mother of Baybay City.”

“Her passing is a great loss to Baybay City and to the many lives she touched through her years of public service,” the city government said in a statement as it extended its condolences to the Cari family, relatives, friends and others mourning her death.

Cari’s contributions extended beyond Baybay’s cityhood. She was also instrumental in the conversion of Leyte State University into Visayas State University, which has since emerged as one of the country’s prominent institutions specializing in agriculture and related fields.

Her political career was closely intertwined with one of Leyte’s influential families. Among her relatives is incumbent Leyte Gov. Carlos Jericho Petilla, who served as secretary of energy under the administration of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

Cari’s decades in public service left a legacy in Baybay and Leyte’s fifth congressional district, particularly through her role in the city’s development and in advancing agricultural education in the region.

(LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)