TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways–Leyte Second District Engineering Office (DPWH-L2DEO) has completed a P19.4-million slope protection project along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road in Barangay Cabul-an, Capoocan, Leyte.
The 154-linear meter structure, built along a landslide-prone section of the national road, includes concrete railings and is designed to prevent erosion and ensure safer travel for motorists.
“This slope protection structure will serve as a shield against erosion and slope failure… and ensure the uninterrupted passage of vehicles, especially during adverse weather conditions,” said District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura.
The project, funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, began on February 14 and was completed on May 19. It forms part of DPWH’s disaster risk reduction and preventive maintenance efforts in landslide-prone areas like Capoocan.
WORLD-CLASS. Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan (second from left) beams with pride and happiness after the ‘Secret Kitchens of Samar’ won two major awards at the prestigious 2025 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Lisbon, Portugal. The governor said that she shares the award to all the people of Samar. Among those who joined the governor during the event was (right) Michael Cristobal, Provincial Employment Service Office head.
WORLD-CLASS. Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan (second from left) beams with pride and happiness after the ‘Secret Kitchens of Samar’ won two major awards at the prestigious 2025 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Lisbon, Portugal. The governor said that she shares the award to all the people of Samar. Among those who joined the governor during the event was (right) Michael Cristobal, Provincial Employment Service Office head.
TACLOBAN CITY – Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan is beaming with pride after the province’s five-volume culinary book series, ‘Secret Kitchens of Samar’, clinched two major awards at the prestigious 2025 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Lisbon, Portugal.
“This is for the people of Samar and to all our kitchen heroes,” Tan said in her acceptance speech. “We share this moment with every farmer, cook, weaver, and family whose stories and flavors are now part of global food literature. Our heritage deserves to be known, preserved, and celebrated.”
The governor, who personally received the awards during the ceremony held from June 18 to 20, said the international recognition is not only a victory for the province but also a tribute to the deep cultural roots of its people.
“This book is not meant to sit on a shelf,” Tan added. “It’s meant to live on in our kitchens, our tours, and in the hearts of future generations. This is just the beginning.”
Secret Kitchens of Samar, produced by the provincial government and written by tourism advocate Clang Garcia, was named Best Book Series in the World and Best Regional Book in the World—beating hundreds of entries from across the globe. It was also the only Philippine entry to win this year.
The book features heirloom recipes, traditional cooking techniques, and intimate stories from local families, painstakingly documented through fieldwork in various towns during the height of the pandemic.
“Governor Tan met with Ms. Clang Garcia back in March 2020 and expressed a clear vision: to preserve and document Samar’s culinary traditions before they fade,” said Provincial Employment Service Office head Michael Cristobal, who joined the delegation in Lisbon. “From there, it became a province-wide collaboration involving all local governments, home cooks, and even private families.”
A comprehensive food mapping was conducted across Samar’s municipalities in September 2020. By November, Tan formally proposed the project to the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), with funding secured by December.
Fieldwork began in 2021 despite pandemic restrictions, and by July 2022, the book series was completed and later launched in April 2024 in Basey, Samar, with DOT Secretary Christina Frasco in attendance.
“The stories and recipes in this book came directly from our communities,” Cristobal shared. “They were shared in kitchens, over open fires, and around family tables. These are dishes that hold memory, identity, and pride.”
Cristobal admitted the team did not expect to win. “We joined Gourmand after Clang suggested submitting the book to give Samar a global platform. We were thrilled when it was shortlisted, then reached the Top 6, and eventually the Top 4. But to actually win was surreal.”
The Secret Kitchens of Samar was also showcased during the Cascais World Food Summit, attended by global food writers, publishers, chefs, and historians.
Edouard Cointreau, founder of the Gourmand Awards, praised Garcia’s work for its cultural importance. “Her work not only preserves Samar’s unique gastronomy but also celebrates the heart and soul of its communities through stories, recipes, and cultural traditions.”
Among the standout dishes featured in the series are tamalos—pork simmered in a sauce of ground rice, coconut vinegar, and achuete, wrapped in leaf lard—and bola catalana, a festive meatloaf filled with sausage, pimiento, and cheese.
Beyond its literary value, the project has already inspired the development of gastronomy circuits—food tourism trails that immerse visitors in the local flavors and traditions of Samar’s communities.
OATH TAKING. Newly-elected Tacloban City Councilor Dandee Grafil took his oath of office before City Mayor Alfred Romualdez on Monday, June 23. Joining him in the simple ceremony held at the City’s Mayor Office were his proud parents, Dalmacio and Alma Grafil, and his wife, outgoing Councilor Aimee Grafil.
OATH TAKING. Newly-elected Tacloban City Councilor Dandee Grafil took his oath of office before City Mayor Alfred Romualdez on Monday, June 23. Joining him in the simple ceremony held at the City’s Mayor Office were his proud parents, Dalmacio and Alma Grafil, and his wife, outgoing Councilor Aimee Grafil.
To connect Leyte to Mindanao
ORMOC CITY – Leyte Representative Richard Gomez disclosed that he would refile his bill seeking to establish a railway system in the region, particularly covering the provinces of Leyte and Southern Leyte, connecting these provinces to Mindanao.
In an interview, Gomez emphasized that a railway system would significantly improve the delivery of services and ease of transportation across the region.
While acknowledging that the project will require substantial funding, he said the long-term benefits will far outweigh the cost.
“(When Congress opens this July) I will refile my bill to establish a railway system, starting from Tacloban City to Ormoc down to San Ricardo, Southern Leyte that will connect to Mindanao,” Gomez, who was recently reelected as Leyte’s 4th district congressman, said in the sideline of this year’s Pina Festival.
The proposed railway line would span over 200 kilometers within Leyte province alone, and is expected to involve major infrastructure investment.
Gomez recalled that when he first filed House Bill 2221 in 2022, the measure was referred to the House Committee on Transportation, but was never taken up for discussion.
He also noted that around P200 million was earmarked under the General Appropriations on that year for a feasibility study for the project, but the study was never conducted.
“It was such a waste so I will refile the bill and hopefully, the amount for the feasibility study can be increased so we can finally establish a railway system),” the lawmaker said.
“If we have a railway station, it will make transport affordable, faster, and more efficient,” he added.
“It may be expensive at the beginning, but in the long run, it will last for decades and will benefit our people.”
In March 2025, when the Eastern Visayas Regional Development Council (RDC), chaired by Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, the congressman’s wife, approved a P500 million feasibility study for the proposed railway initiative.
HAIL TO THE NEW QUEENS! They’re not just beautiful—they’re intelligent and confident, too. Erica Alliana Demeyer and Patricia Moreto proved their grace and wit on stage, earning them the coveted titles of Miss Tacloban and Miss Pintados, respectively. The two were crowned in separate glittering coronation nights, held as part of the annual Tacloban city fiesta in honor of Senior Santo Niño.
(MISS TACLOBAN AND MISS PINTADOS FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS)
TACLOBAN CITY – The city’s festive spirit is shining brighter with the crowning of this year’s queens during the Miss Tacloban, Miss Pintados, and Miss Teen Pintados 2025 pageants—celebrations held in line with the Tacloban City fiesta, one of the region’s grandest cultural events.
HAIL TO THE NEW QUEENS! They’re not just beautiful—they’re intelligent and confident, too. Erica Alliana Demeyer and Patricia Moreto proved their grace and wit on stage, earning them the coveted titles of Miss Tacloban and Miss Pintados, respectively. The two were crowned in separate glittering coronation nights, held as part of the annual Tacloban city fiesta in honor of Senior Santo Niño. (MISS TACLOBAN AND MISS PINTADOS FACEBOOK ACCOUNTS)
In the Miss Tacloban 2025 coronation night, held at the Tacloban City Convention Center, 18-year-old Erica Alliana Trinidad Demeyer of Barangay 52 Magallanes emerged victorious among 14 candidates.
Demeyer wowed judges with her strong advocacy on youth empowerment and walked away with five special awards, including Best in Evening Gown.
Joining her in the winners’ circle were Jamby Belegorio, 21, of Area 3 San Jose, crowned Miss Eco-Tourism 2025, who also bagged awards for Best in Production Number, Best in Swimsuit, and Miss Photogenic; and Liza Corazon Lehren, 25, of Brgy. 62 Sagkahan, named Miss Charity 2025, who also earned the Miss Eloquence award.
Julia Louise Manibay of Brgy. 109 V&G and Kyla Marie Corregidor of Brgy. 84 San Jose were declared 1st and 2nd runners-up, respectively.
Meanwhile, in a separate pageant held at the Leyte Academic Center in Palo town, Trisha Gabrielle Moreto of Tanauan, Leyte was crowned Miss Pintados 2025, besting 13 other hopefuls from across the region.
Her court includes 1st runner-up: Grasel Cabello (Barugo, Leyte); 2nd Runner-up: Jacel Salinas (Bontoc, Southern Leyte); 3rd Runner-up: Jhanelle Cabos (Guiuan, Eastern Samar); and 4th Runner-up: Chloe Reciproco (Carigara, Leyte)
In the Miss Teen Pintados 2025 pageant, Kristine Caye Yu of Dulag, Leyte won the crown, standing out among 14 candidates representing different municipalities.
Her court includes 1st Runner-up: Crissha Aves (Tanauan, Leyte); 2nd Runner-up: Katherine Apolinar (San Miguel, Leyte); 3rd Runner-up: Ayumi Miyamoto (Bontoc, Southern Leyte); and 4th Runner-up: Septemia Santiago (Maslog, Eastern Samar).
The Miss Pintados and Miss Teen Pintados pageants are organized by the Pintados Foundation, Inc., the group behind the iconic Pintados Festival, which promotes the rich cultural heritage of Eastern Visayas through vibrant performances, pageantry, and community-led events.
The foundation is composed of leaders from Tacloban’s business sector.
PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT. The seven mayors of Leyte whose respective areas were formally declared to be free from influence and controlled of the New People’s Army are hopeful that this could result not peace but more so development. Declared as stable internal peace and security were the towns of Palo, Babatngon, Tanauan, Tolosa, San Miguel, Santa Fe and Alangalang. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT. The seven mayors of Leyte whose respective areas were formally declared to be free from influence and controlled of the New People’s Army are hopeful that this could result not peace but more so development. Declared as stable internal peace and security were the towns of Palo, Babatngon, Tanauan, Tolosa, San Miguel, Santa Fe and Alangalang. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
PALO, Leyte– The recent declaration of “Stable Internal Peace and Security” (SIPS) status in seven towns of Leyte’s first congressional district is expected to open new opportunities for development, investment, and stronger local governance, officials said.
The Philippine Army formally recognized the municipalities of Palo, Alangalang, Babatngon, Tanauan, Tolosa, Sta. Fe, and San Miguel as areas free from the influence and threats of communist terrorist groups, marking a significant milestone in local peace and security efforts.
Palo Mayor Remedios “Matin” Petilla, who also heads the League of Municipalities of the Philippines–Leyte chapter, said the declaration will allow LGUs to focus more on governance, infrastructure, and economic growth, with peace as a solid foundation.
“Peace and internal security are vital for development. With this declaration, our municipalities are now better positioned to pursue projects that benefit our people and attract investors,” she said.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the local government units and the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division on June 20, formalizing their shared commitment to sustaining peace and preventing the resurgence of insurgency.
The SIPS status is a product of collaborative efforts among LGUs, the military, and local communities.
It recognizes the absence of NPA activity and influence in the area; the establishment of law and order mechanisms; and the readiness of local governments to take the lead in maintaining security and promoting development.
Officials noted that beyond symbolizing victory against insurgency, the declaration sends a strong message to potential investors and development partners: that the region is now safer and more conducive for growth.
The Philippine Army said similar declarations are being planned in other areas, including Tacloban City, which shares the same congressional district.
FREE SERVICES. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the region offered free services like issuance of national ID and civil registration as it joined the observance of the 127th Araw ng Kalayaan celebration on June 12.
FREE SERVICES. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the region offered free services like issuance of national ID and civil registration as it joined the observance of the 127th Araw ng Kalayaan celebration on June 12.
TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the region participated in the 127th Araw ng Kalayaan celebration by providing national ID registration and civil registration services during the Kalayaan Day Jobs Fair organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-8).
Held on June 12, 2025, at Robinsons North Tacloban in Abucay, the event carried the theme “Kalayaan, Kinabukasan, Kasaysayan” and gathered job seekers from across the region.
A featured one-stop shop for government services was set up at the venue, offering assistance in processing pre-employment requirements and documents.
Among the services rendered by PSA-8 were National ID (PhilSys) registration; application for civil registry documents issued on security paper (SECPA); and presentation of the National ID Authentication Services, which was promoted by registration officer and NID regional focal person to both government and private sector entities as a free and secure verification tool.
In addition to the job fair, PSA-8 also took part in DOLE RO8’s Information and Service Caravan under Project Angel Tree, a program aimed at supporting child laborers and their families.
The agency joined other participating government offices in signing a Pledge of Commitment in support of the Philippine Program against Child Labor.
The PSA affirmed its continued commitment to bringing its services closer to the public and supporting multi-agency initiatives that uphold inclusive development and social protection.
