Catarman Northern Samar– The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Northern Samar First District Engineering Office (NSFDEO) actively participated in the nationwide synchronized “Operation Baklas”, an initiative led by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to remove unlawful campaign materials ahead of the May 12, 2025, midterm elections.
This activity aimed to dismantle all prohibited election paraphernalia displayed in unauthorized locations, ensuring compliance with election laws and preventing potential hazards caused by the massive hanging of tarpaulins in public spaces. With the election period fast approaching, this measure serves as a preemptive effort to maintain public safety.
District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio deployed roadside maintenance workers to facilitate the removal of unlawful election posters obstructing major highways and in public places outside the common posting areas.
“The midterm election is near, this illegally put-up election paraphernalia along major thoroughfares can pose a serious danger to the traveling public, so we will continue to monitor and will strictly comply with the COMELEC’s directive to ensure public safety.”
DPWH-NSFDEO served a total of five (5) municipalities within the 1st District of Northern Samar during the kick-off of said activity together with the Philippine National Police, and COMELEC personnel.
The District Office’s proactive participation in Operation Baklas demonstrates its commitment to ensuring a safe and compliant electoral environment. (ANALIZA A. PABIA/PR)
TARA, BASA! PROGRAM – About 1,260 elementary students from various public schools in Tacloban City have been identified as beneficiaries of the ‘Tara, Basa!’ program, which aims to address learning gaps among young students. The initiative, made formal in a MOA on Feb.11, will be implemented through a partnership between the DSWD, local universities, and the Tacloban City government, represented by ABC President Raymund Romualdez(center). (Photo courtesy of Tacloban City Information Office).
TARA, BASA! PROGRAM – About 1,260 elementary students from various public schools in Tacloban City have been identified as beneficiaries of the ‘Tara, Basa!’ program, which aims to address learning gaps among young students. The initiative, made formal in a MOA on Feb.11, will be implemented through a partnership between the DSWD, local universities, and the Tacloban City government, represented by ABC President Raymund Romualdez(center). (Photo courtesy of Tacloban City Information Office).
TACLOBAN CITY – The ‘Tara, Basa!’ tutoring program is set to benefit more learners and families in Tacloban City as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) strengthens its partnership with key local institutions.
On Tuesday, February 11, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed between DSWD regional office, the Tacloban City government, Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), and Leyte Normal University (LNU) to formally implement the initiative in the city.
DSWD Director Grace Sugbong led the MOA signing, joined by LNU president Evelyn Aguirre, EVSU president Dennis De Paz, and Liga ng mga Barangay Tacloban and Region 8 president Raymund Romualdez, who represented Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez. Tacloban Schools Division superintendent Sherlita Palma served as the witness to the agreement.
With a regional target of 1,510 tutors and Youth Development Workers (YDWs) assisting 5,040 learners and parents, Tacloban City will contribute 477 college student tutors and support 1,260 learners and parents under the program.
The ‘Tara, Basa!’ program is a three-pronged social welfare intervention designed to improve literacy skills among struggling Grade 2 pupils through structured tutoring; provide financial support to college students through a cash-for-work scheme, enabling them to serve as tutors; and enhance parental involvement through Nanay-Tatay sessions, where YDWs will conduct discussions on effective parenting, family dynamics, child development, and children’s rights, equipping parents with the skills to better support their children’s education.
The program is set to run in Tacloban from May 19 to June 13, 2025.
FLOODING. The shear line experienced by Eastern Visayas since Sunday, Feb.9, triggers flooding suspension of classes. The town of Jipapad, Eastern Samar, has again been flooded due to the nonstop rains. (VICKY ABESTROS)
Due to shear line
FLOODING. The shear line experienced by Eastern Visayas since Sunday, Feb.9, triggers flooding suspension of classes. The town of Jipapad, Eastern Samar, has again been flooded due to the nonstop rains. (VICKY ABESTROS)
TACLOBAN CITY – Continuous heavy rains brought by the shear line across Eastern Visayas have led to widespread flooding and class suspensions in several provinces.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has placed the provinces of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Northern Samar, and Leyte under a red alert category, warning of heavy rainfall that could trigger floods and landslides.
The region has been experiencing nonstop downpours since Sunday, February 9, prompting several local government units (LGUs) to suspend classes at all levels in both public and private schools.
Among the areas where classes have been suspended are Tacloban City, Leyte; Northern Samar (entire province); Leyte: Palo, San Miguel, Babatngon, Burauen, Abuyog; Biliran: Kawayan, Cabugcayan, Caibiran, Naval; Samar: Basey, Sta. Margarita, Daram, Pagsanghan, and the cities of Calbayog and Catbalogan and in Eastern Samar: Dolores, Can-avid, Jipapad.
In Mayorga, Leyte, the local disaster risk reduction and management office (LDRRMO) has conducted evacuations for families whose homes were half-submerged due to rising floodwaters. However, as of Monday morning, officials have yet to release the number of affected families and individuals.
Meanwhile, parts of northern Tacloban City, where families displaced by Super Typhoon ‘’Yolanda were relocated, also experienced flooding, with affected residents sharing their struggles online as water entered their homes.
In Sitio Soliman, Barangay Salvacion, Tacloban City a house made of light materials was destroyed due to flooding, but no injuries were reported, according to local radio reports.
Floodwaters have also risen in several other areas. Eastern Samar: Arteche, Can-avid, Balangkayan, Maslog, Jipapad; and in Northern Samar, San Roque, Mondragon, Catarman
As of Monday morning, LGUs in these affected areas have yet to report any mass evacuations.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported that a road in Barangay Liberty, Mayorga, Leyte, is impassable to light vehicles due to flooding.
Also not passable to all types of vehicles is the Arteche-Jipapad- Las Navas – Rawis Road located in Jipapad.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard in Northern Samar and Biliran has suspended sea voyages in their respective areas to prevent maritime incidents amid rough seas caused by the bad weather.
INTERNTIONAL CONVENTION CENTER. A three-story international convention center, to be named the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center, is set to bolster Tacloban City’s goal of becoming an international convention hub. The facility, as depicted in an artist’s sketch, is projected to be completed within three years at an estimated cost of P750 million.
INTERNTIONAL CONVENTION CENTER. A three-story international convention center, to be named the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center, is set to bolster Tacloban City’s goal of becoming an international convention hub. The facility, as depicted in an artist’s sketch, is projected to be completed within three years at an estimated cost of P750 million.
TACLOBAN CITY – The local business community and tourism sector have expressed their support for the construction of a state-of-the-art convention center in Tacloban, citing its potential to boost economic growth and tourism in the city.
Officials from both sectors view this development as a game-changer that will strengthen Tacloban’s position as a key player in the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Events (MICE) industry.
“This is truly a project that the region has been looking forward to. A facility like this is what we lack in terms of promoting Region 8—and Tacloban in particular—as a MICE destination,” said Department of Tourism (DOT) Eastern Visayas Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes.
She noted that Tacloban and nearby Palo town are strategic locations for MICE-related activities due to the presence of most hotels and accommodation facilities in the region.
With the construction of the convention center, Tacloban will soon be able to compete with other major cities in the Visayas and Mindanao in hosting large-scale conferences and conventions, Tiopes added.
The business community also sees the project as an opportunity to attract more investments.
Colai Go of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (PCCI) Tacloban-Leyte emphasized that this project will enhance Tacloban’s competitiveness as a highly urbanized city.
“We are expecting more projects like this so we can compete with bigger cities. The business sector is very excited, and we hope that more developments will be implemented in Tacloban,” Go said.
On February 7, Speaker Martin Romualdez led the groundbreaking ceremony for the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center (BRICC), alongside top officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Eastern Visayas.
Named after Speaker Romualdez’s late father, who served as Leyte governor from 1967 to 1986, the P750-million facility will be built on a more than two-hectare lot inside the former Leyte Park Hotel compound.
Initially designed to accommodate 2,200 people, Speaker Romualdez requested DPWH Regional Director Edgar Tabacon to revise the design and increase the seating capacity to 5,000 to attract larger events.
“If we can maximize the capacity to 5,000, I think we will attract more events, especially since we are also planning to build a world-class hotel here to support the convention center,” Romualdez said.
The three-story BRICC will house meeting rooms, conference halls, and other modern event facilities on the second and third floors.
Speaker Romualdez also confirmed plans to construct a hotel nearby to cater to guests attending events at the convention center.
“Let the Benjamin Romualdez International Convention Center be a platform for building connections, a showcase of the region’s wealth and experiences for the country and the world. This is a monument to the world-class efforts of every hardworking and forward-looking Taclobanon,” Romualdez said.
CATARMAN, N. Samar– In line with the continuous monitoring efforts of the Department of Public Works and Highways on the dredging activities at Maroyondoyon and Kaglangkoy Creeks, Engineers from DPWH-Bureau of Equipment (DPWH-BOE) conducted water quality tests in the said creeks on February 05, 2025.
In an interview, Engr. Vincent Jan A. Nicer stated that the assessment aims to monitor the progress of dredging activities and check water quality conditions.
“We are here to check the progress of the dredging works, to conduct water quality tests, and measure improvements in water conditions, and to quantity of the improvement using the apparatus.” Engr. Nicer further stated.
Prior to the site inspection, the team together with the RO8 Equipment Management Division engineers made a courtesy visit to District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio who acknowledged the assistance given by the BOE in the conduct of said tests.
BOE engineers further assured that water quality on the said areas will be regularly monitored throughout the activities to ensure that environmental or rehabilitation targets for the said works are being achieved.
The dredging operation is part of the department’s efforts to mitigate flooding and improve waterway conditions, ensuring the safety and welfare of the affected communities. (PR)
TACLOBAN CITY– The Technical Education and Skills Development (TESDA) in Leyte has vowed to initiate more innovative and relevant technical vocational education and training (TVET) in 2025 to meet the evolving demands of the labor market.
One of these innovations is the current trend in the education sector to embed TVET in the senior high school program of the Department of Education as presented in a recent Stakeholders Forum and Partners Recognition ceremony conducted by TESDA Leyte.
The embedment of TVET qualifications in all Senior High School tracks follows the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to improve the senior high school graduates’ employability and to promote lifelong learning.
By embedding at least one Training Regulation in every grade level in the SHS, a learner may earn two National Certificates (NCs). The goal is to make learners workforce-ready and become employable.
The embedment of TVET in SHS academic strands is also a response to the findings of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, entitled “Employability of the Senior High School Graduates: Evidence from the Labor Force Survey”, and the DOLE -JobStreet Senior High School Employability Survey, both of which suggest the necessity of reevaluating the work preparation element in the Senior High School curriculum.
The embedment of the TVET program in the revised senior high school curriculum is contained in a joint memorandum circular signed last year between TESDA and DepEd.
Meanwhile, TESDA Leyte Provincial Director Vivian E. Abueva emphasized on the value of collaboration in undertaking the wide opportunities for TVET graduates and national certificate holders both local and abroad.
She noted that the successful implementation of TESDA programs in Leyte has been made possible through convergence efforts and support from the stakeholders sharing the same vision and goals – inclusive and sustainable growth. The convergence efforts and support from the stakeholders sharing the same vision and goals take an important role.
TESDA’s eight-point agenda includes: Access to TVET; Behavior and Mindset Change; Competency Standards and TRs for New and Higher-Level Qualifications; Demand-Driven and Data-Driven TVET; Employment Outcomes; Flexible Learning, and Facilities; Global Competitiveness, and Good Housekeeping; and, Harmonization with SHS Curriculum, Ladderization with Higher Education, and Lifelong Learning Pathways.
