NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, Northern Samar — The Department of Public Works and Highways – Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (DPWH-NSSDEO) continues to demonstrate its commitment to ensuring public safety and maintaining road infrastructure.
In its latest efforts, the NSSDEO Maintenance Section Field Personnel successfully conducted a pothole patching operation on January 20, 2025, in Brgy. La Perla, Laoang, Northern Samar. This initiative was undertaken to address road conditions that posed risks to motorists and pedestrians alike. Concrete potholes can cause vehicular accidents and damage, were thoroughly filled to ensure smoother and safer travel for residents and commuters in the area.
Earlier, on January 17, 2025, the same team engaged in clearing operations and manual ditch cleaning in Brgy. Dale, San Roque, Northern Samar. The activity aimed to address issues of clogged drainage systems that had been causing water stagnation and increasing the risk of flooding, particularly during heavy rainfall. The clearing operation ensured proper water runoff and drainage flow, mitigating potential hazards to both residents and infrastructure in the area.
The DPWH Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office reiterates its commitment to addressing public concerns promptly, ensuring safer and better road conditions for the traveling public.(PR)
WATER SYSTEM REPAIR. The municipal government of San Francisco in Southern Leyte is rushing the immediate rehabilitation of its water system which was damaged when the town was struck by a 5.8 magnitude quake on Jan.23. Story on Page 3.(SAN FRANCISCO-LGU)
WATER SYSTEM REPAIR. The municipal government of San Francisco in Southern Leyte is rushing the immediate rehabilitation of its water system which was damaged when the town was struck by a 5.8 magnitude quake on Jan.23. Story on Page 3.(SAN FRANCISCO-LGU)
Program seen to end EV insurgency problem
TACLOBAN CITY – The Local Amnesty Board (LAB) in Catbalogan City has reported that 172 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) have applied for the national government’s amnesty program.
The amnesty program offered by the national government under Pres. Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos, Jr. is expected to encourage even those still fighting with the government.
Military officials in the region, in particular, has expressed their confidence that the insurgency problem in Eastern Visayas, especially on Samar Island, would be over before Pres. Marcos steps down from Malacanang in 2028.
Jazmine Odyssa Lutao, head of LAB-Catbalogan, said the applicants were former rebels who had operated in Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar before surrendering to various Army battalions.
Of the 172 applicants, 100 were from Northern Samar, 50 from Samar, and 22 from Eastern Samar. Their applications, facilitated by LAB-Catbalogan, have been forwarded to the National Amnesty Council (NAC) for approval.
“We don’t have a deadline for amnesty applications. These figures cover the period from December 10, 2024, to January 22, 2025,” Lutao said on Thursday, January 23.
While the government has not set a target number of participants, the final deadline for applications is March 13, 2026.
Under the program, applicants—including those with pending criminal charges—will have their cases dropped upon approval. They will also receive financial and livelihood assistance, health and medical support, and psychosocial services.
According to LAB-Catbalogan’s records, 28 of the 172 former rebels have pending cases, including murder and illegal possession of firearms. The rest have no known criminal charges.
Lutao also revealed that 10 applicants were minors when they joined the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
The amnesty program is based on Proclamations 403, 404, 405, and 406, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on November 22, 2024. These grant amnesty to individuals who committed crimes in pursuit of political beliefs under the Revised Penal Code and special penal laws.
Eligible groups include former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF, Partido ng Manggagawa ng Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army/Alex Boncayao Brigade, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).
Mayor Tacoy says facility to be completed in 3 months
Mayor Bernardino Tacoy
MATAG-OB, Leyte– A ‘super health’ center is set to be constructed in this town, a development warmly welcomed by the municipal government.
The facility, which will be funded by the Department of Health (DOH) under its Health Facilities Enhancement Program, has an allocated budget of P12 million.
Mayor Bernardino Tacoy stated that the new facility will be built at the town center, adjacent to the existing rural health unit (RHU) building.
“We are pushing for the super health center to be located here in our town proper, next to our rural health building. This is part of our plan to consolidate all health facilities in one location,” Tacoy said in a media interview on Tuesday, Jan. 28.
A super health center offers a range of medical services, including laboratory tests such as blood and urinalysis, diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, X-ray services, birthing and lying-in services, and basic dental care, among others.
“This super health facility is one facility that is closest for us to have a hospital which Matag-ob does not have at present,” the town mayor said.
However, Tacoy disclosed that Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez of the 4th district has attempted to transfer the location to Barangay Sta. Rosa instead at the town proper.
The mayor opposed this proposal, arguing that placing the health center in Sta. Rosa would not effectively serve the town’s residents.
“Sta. Rosa is one of our farthest barangays, about nine kilometers from the town proper. It has also been identified as a hazard area prone to landslides,” he explained.
Tacoy has already ordered the demolition of an old building to make way for the construction of the two-story health facility. If all goes according to plan, the center is expected to be completed by April of this year.
He also assured Matag-ob residents that the project will proceed as planned despite the upcoming elections, as its funding was allocated last year and a notice to proceed has already been issued by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Tacoy shared that he initially requested the DOH to build the health center as early as 2022 to supplement their existing rural health office. The new facility will significantly enhance healthcare services for Matag-ob’s more than 18,000 residents.
Meanwhile, the mayor expressed gratitude to the DOH for assigning an additional doctor to their town.
Matag-ob is one of 22 municipalities in Eastern Visayas that recently received new doctors under the DOH’s ‘Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB)’ program.
“We currently have only one doctor serving our town, and this addition will greatly strengthen our efforts to provide medical assistance to our people,” Tacoy said.
TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the employment rate in Eastern Visayas increased to 96.9 percent in October 2024, up from 95.8 percent in October 2023.
According to PSA data, this employment rate translates to 2.07 million employed persons out of the 2.13 million persons in the labor force in October 2024.
The number of employed individuals in October 2024 was higher by approximately 56,000 compared to the 2.01 million employed persons in October 2023.
This figure also showed an increase of 84,000 from the 1.98 million employed persons recorded in July 2024.
The PSA also reported that the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in Eastern Visayas stood at 63.6 percent in October 2024.
This translates to 2.13 million persons who were either employed or unemployed out of the 3.36 million population aged 15 years and over.
The October 2024 LFPR remained the same as that recorded in October 2023 but was 1.7 percentage points higher than the 61.9 percent registered in July 2024.
The LFPR in July 2024 corresponded to 2.07 million persons, while that in October 2023 was equivalent to 2.10 million persons in the labor force of Eastern Visayas.
Underemployment, which refers to employed persons who expressed the desire for additional hours of work in their present job, an additional job, or a new job with longer working hours, was reported at 12.6 percent in October 2024.
This represents approximately 261,000 underemployed persons out of the 2.07 million employed individuals. The 12.6 percent underemployment rate in October 2024 was lower by 7.2 percentage points than the 19.8 percent recorded in October 2023 and also decreased by 3.3 percentage points from the 15.9 percent registered in July 2024.
The unemployment rate in Eastern Visayas dropped to 3.1 percent in October 2024 from 4.2 percent in October 2023, according to PSA data.
This translates to 65,000 unemployed persons out of the 2.13 million persons in the labor force in October 2024. The number of unemployed persons in October 2024 was 23,000 lower compared to the 89,000 unemployed persons recorded in both October 2023 and July 2024.
The PSA report highlights the improvement in employment conditions in Eastern Visayas, with a higher employment rate and lower underemployment and unemployment rates compared to the previous year and quarter.
CATARMAN, Northern Samar – Dr. Emil Charles R. Robles, a renowned archaeologist from the University of the Philippines Diliman-School of Archaeology, is currently in Northern Samar to explore potential archaeological collaborations and study the province’s rich cultural history.
With support from the provincial government, Robles visited Mapanas and Palapag on January 22, 2025, where he examined the Sang-at Burial Site and Barangay Jubasan as well as Old Church Ruins, Baluarte, and Daungang Galeon, all in Palapag town.
His visit aims to assess these sites for future archaeological research and preservation efforts.
During his tour, Robles met with Mapanas Mayor Ronn Michael Tejano and Palapag Mayor Florencio Batula Jr., who both expressed strong support for initiatives that seek to protect and promote their towns’ historical landmarks.
He also engaged with local barangay officials and community members, emphasizing how archaeology can contribute to both academic research and local development.
Discussions focused on archaeological surveys, heritage preservation, and the establishment of educational programs to promote awareness of Northern Samar’s historical significance.
“It’s an honor to collaborate with local officials who are committed to preserving cultural heritage,” Robles said. “The archaeological potential of Mapanas and Palapag is immense, and through joint efforts, we can uncover and highlight the fascinating stories beneath the surface.”
The visit sets the stage for future partnerships between local government units, academic institutions, and the wider archaeological community.
Robles stressed the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, involving historians, scholars, and community leaders, to ensure the success of these projects.
Robles is part of the team of Filipino scientists who discovered Homo luzonensis, a human species that lived 67,000 years ago in the Philippines.
His extensive research on public archaeology in Samar has significantly contributed to cultural preservation efforts.
In 2018, he and his team documented archaeological sites and artifacts in the municipality of Lavezares, also in Northern Samar, further underscoring the region’s historical significance.
MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING. The Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced the completion of the construction of the P1.9 million multi-purpose building in Barangay 3, Jaro, Leyte. (L2DEO)
MULTI-PURPOSE BUILDING. The Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced the completion of the construction of the P1.9 million multi-purpose building in Barangay 3, Jaro, Leyte. (L2DEO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has completed the construction of a multi-purpose building in Barangay 3, Jaro, Leyte, providing the community with an additional venue for gatherings and social services.
District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura reported that the P1.9 million, two-story structure, built as an extension of an existing facility, has a floor area of 20.62 square meters.
The project included reinforced footings, columns, beams, concrete block walls, tilework, painting, electrical wiring, and lighting installations. It is also equipped with glass windows, wooden doors, railings, and a steel gate.
“This newly built facility exemplifies our commitment to delivering infrastructure that directly benefits the people,” said Oppura. “It is more than just a structure; it is a hub for community engagement and development.”
Designed as a flexible space for barangay meetings and local events, the facility is expected to enhance public services and strengthen community ties.
Residents expressed their gratitude for the new building, emphasizing its role in fostering unity and providing a safe venue for various activities.
The project was funded under the DPWH CY 2024 General Appropriations Act, specifically under the Basic Infrastructure Program – Multi-Purpose Buildings and Facilities. It was completed on October 4, 2024.
