TACLOBAN CITY – Residents of Barangay Alegria in Julita, Leyte, expressed gratitude to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the completion of a P5.8-million road concreting project that now provides safer and easier access to nearby communities.
Barangay leader Marionito Adonis said the improved road is a big relief for farmers and traders. “Before, the road was rough and full of potholes. It was difficult for us who transport rice, copra, and bananas. Even small businesses were affected,” he shared.

The project, implemented by the DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO), involved a 0.20 mm-thick Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) covering 2,627.63 square meters, along with pipe culverts and stone masonry works for better drainage and durability. It was funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act and completed in the first quarter of 2025 by YFL Builders.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura emphasized the economic benefits of the project, noting that better road access will reduce transport costs and make it easier for residents to deliver goods. The new road connects Brgy.Alegria to Brgy. Balante and provides safer access to neighboring villages like Tolosahay and Sto. Niño.

DPWH-L2DEO is also implementing five more road projects in nearby areas to improve mobility and access to basic services across Julita.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY– A wing van loaded with hundreds of cases of soft drinks crashed along a curved downhill road in Barangay Pamahawan, Bontoc in Southern Leyte early Saturday morning, August 16, after allegedly losing its brakes.

The Isuzu wing van, painted blue and orange and bearing plate number CBP 6365, was driven by 44-year-old Felix Dela Riva of Tacloban City. The vehicle, registered to Ricardo Retuerto Kho of Naval, Biliran, was transporting around 600 cases of one-liter Coca-Cola products from Tacloban City to Sogod, Southern Leyte, when the incident occurred at about 4:30 a.m.

According to police, the driver lost control of the heavily loaded truck after its brake system malfunctioned while navigating a curved and slightly downhill stretch of road. The van veered off and slammed into the roadside, causing its cargo of soft drinks to spill across the area.

Responding police confirmed that the driver was unharmed and no other vehicles were involved.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Leyte will construct an international seaport in Babatngon town to boost trade, reduce shipping costs, and position the province as a major investment hub, Governor Carlos Jericho Petilla announced during the Provincial Executive and Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, August 20.

The P1.6-billion project, to be called Leyte Province International Port and Export Processing Zone, will be funded through a loan with the Development Bank of the Philippines. Petilla said the facility will eliminate the need for international cargo shipments to pass through Cebu before reaching Eastern Visayas.

“There will be no more transshipment for imports intended for Region 8, resulting in cheaper prices of goods,” Petilla said, citing expected benefits such as lower tariffs for port users, local job generation, and faster cargo movement.

Babatngon was chosen for its strategic location near Northern Samar and its accessibility without crossing the San Juanico Strait, which currently limits larger vessels due to clearance issues at the San Juanico Bridge. The project will also ease reliance on Tacloban and Ormoc ports, reducing congestion in urban areas.

The initial development will cover 20 hectares, with an additional 20 hectares for future expansion. Plans include a container yard, warehouse, and RORO(roll on-roll off) area. An access road from the national highway will also be built.

Construction is set to begin this year and finish by 2027. While the provincial government will initially manage the facility, Petilla said operations may later be outsourced to private firms for efficiency.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)