ORMOC CITY– The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office Officer-in-Charge (OIC) District Engineer (DE) Peter Scheler V. Soco stood before the graduating class of Visayas State University – Isabel Campus as their commencement speaker on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
In his speech, OIC-DE Soco opened up about his own experiences as a student and urged the graduates to welcome both the wins and the setbacks that come after college. “Our life experience is made up of thousands of human interactions. Some will bring happiness, some will bring betrayal and grief, but these will help you learn and experience the real life,” he said.
OIC-DE Soco also spoke of the importance of humility and grit in the real world. “Show up to the hard parts, grow in your chosen path, and remember that hard work pays off,” he advised.
Before stepping down, OIC-DE Soco left the graduates with a final message, one filled with warmth and belief, “We believe in you, Class of 2025. Make us proud.” (PR)
FOR TRANSPARENCY AND FAST RESPONSE. Police Regional Director B/Gen. Jay Cumigad(left) distributes 54 body-worn cameras to various police units under his command to promote accountability and transparency in operations, and to help achieve the five-minute response time in addressing crimes. (PRO-8)
FOR TRANSPARENCY AND FAST RESPONSE. Police Regional Director B/Gen. Jay Cumigad(left) distributes 54 body-worn cameras to various police units under his command to promote accountability and transparency in operations, and to help achieve the five-minute response time in addressing crimes. (PRO-8)
TACLOBAN CITY – Police units across Eastern Visayas have received 54 new body-worn cameras, equipped with live-streaming capability, as part of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) drive to enhance transparency, accountability, and real-time response during operations.
The distribution was led by Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) Director, Brigadier General Jay Cumigad, who reminded units to use the cameras strictly as intended—to document law enforcement activities and bolster public trust.
“These bodycams will show the real-time response of our PNP personnel on the ground,” Cumigad said in a media interview on Wednesday, July 16. “They are aligned with the five-minute response directive of our Chief PNP, General Nicolas Torre III.”
The five-minute response initiative is a flagship program of Torre which mandates police units to arrive at the scene of a crime or emergency within five minutes of being alerted. It aims to improve public safety outcomes by reducing response time, aided by advanced technology, enhanced mobility, and better coordination across units.
The use of live-streaming bodycams supports this initiative by allowing regional and national command centers to monitor incidents in real time, assess risks, and direct timely intervention.
The newly issued units are an upgrade over the previous batch of 100 bodycams earlier distributed to city, provincial, and municipal police offices. Unlike earlier models, these new devices support live video streaming, allowing commanders at regional and national levels to monitor critical operations as they happen.
Cumigad emphasized that beyond fast response times, the use of bodycams is also about ensuring lawful, ethical, and verifiable policing, especially amid concerns about human rights and alleged abuses in past operations.
The 54 new bodycams were distributed to the following units: 16 units to Ormoc City Police Office (CPO); 10 to Tacloban CPO; five units each to Leyte Provincial Police Office (PPO), Southern Leyte PPO, Samar PPO, and Eastern Samar PPO; three units each to Northern Samar PPO and Biliran PPO; and two units to the Regional Headquarters
Each bodycam comes with its own SIM card slot, internet connectivity, 4G high-definition video capability, and a battery that lasts up to five hours.
TACLOBAN CITY – A 25-year-old fisherman from Southern Leyte has been reported missing after venturing out to sea amid rough weather brought on by Tropical Storm Crising and the southwest monsoon (habagat).
Ray Mark Virtudazo, a resident of Barangay San Roque in Liloan town, left for a fishing trip around 3 p.m. on Thursday (July 17). However, he failed to return home later that day, prompting his mother, Esabel Virtudazo, to report his disappearance to the local police.
In response, personnel from the Liloan police substation launched preparations for a search and rescue (SAR) operation. Authorities have coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard Substation (CGSS) in nearby San Juan town and the Hinunangan municipal police to monitor their coastal areas for any signs of the missing fisherman or his white-colored motorized banca named Ray Mark.
Given the strong southwest monsoon affecting sea conditions, coastal communities in Southern Leyte have been urged to report any possible sightings of a drifting vessel or person.
Due to the adverse weather, the Philippine Coast Guard has suspended all sea travel across the province. The Coast Guard also reported that 660 passengers were stranded in the ports of San Juan, San Ricardo, Liloan, and Padre Burgos. A total of 224 rolling cargoes and three vessels were also affected by the suspension.
Meanwhile, classes in several areas across Eastern Visayas were suspended on Friday, as a precaution.
These include Calbayog City in Samar; the municipalities of Caibiran and Almeria in Biliran; Merida in Leyte; and San Francisco in Southern Leyte.
In Tacloban City, Vice Mayor Raymund Romualdez, city mayor officer-in-charge, has convened the city disaster risk reduction management office as part of the preparation for any adverse impacts of Crising to the city.
DISRESPECT? The move of the local government unit of Tanauan, Leyte to repaint into bright colors of the ‘Surge of Hope,” a monument for Yolanda victims have drawn strong rebuke from netizens. (SAMAR LEYTE AERIAL)
In Tanauan
DISRESPECT? The move of the local government unit of Tanauan, Leyte to repaint into bright colors of the ‘Surge of Hope,” a monument for Yolanda victims have drawn strong rebuke from netizens. (SAMAR LEYTE AERIAL)
TACLOBAN CITY – A recent decision to repaint the “Surge of Hope” Yolanda Memorial in bright pastel colors has sparked outrage and emotional reactions online, with many calling it a “disrespectful” makeover of a site that stands atop a mass grave for victims of Super Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ (Haiyan) in Tanauan, Leyte.
The memorial, originally painted in subdued beige tones, was repainted on July 6 by the Tanauan municipal government—a move that many netizens say undermines the solemnity of a sacred site meant to honor over 300 unidentified victims buried in Barangay Calogcog.
“This looks like a children’s playground. The color, I mean,” one user commented.
“With respect to those who perished and the artist, get it back to its original form,” another wrote.
Others went as far as calling the repainting “a total disgrace.”
A viral post summed up the public sentiment: “Painting the statue in bright colors takes away its real meaning. It was built to honor the lives lost and the survivors of Typhoon Yolanda. That place is sacred and should be treated with respect.”
Critics argue the new colors make the memorial look more like a festival installation than a space for mourning and remembrance, diminishing its emotional impact on survivors and grieving families.
In response to the backlash, Eugene Ramos, head of the Tanauan General Services Office, said the repainting took seven days and was meant to “bring life” to the structure.
“Someone suggested the color change, and when I consulted others, all feedback was positive. The idea was to make the memorial look more alive—because the memory of the victims remains alive in our hearts,” Ramos explained.
He emphasized that there was no intention to turn the memorial into something festive or irreverent, adding that perceptions of color in memorial spaces can vary by culture.
“There are cemeteries with colorful tombs. Not all color takes away solemnity,” he added.
The “Surge of Hope” monument, created by Mindanaoan artist Rey Mudjahid ‘Kublai’ Millan, was unveiled in April 2015. The centerpiece features a striking sculpture of a parent cradling a child, flanked by abstract figures representing both survivors and aid workers.
Two 14-foot spiral curves, symbolizing the height of the storm surge, rise from both sides. A flock of birds and a rainbow crown the monument—symbols of hope and healing. Names of the deceased are etched on a glass panel at the base, near an artificial waterfall.
Funded by Smart Communications and Granix Distributions Inc. of Procter & Gamble, the memorial has served as both a site for reflection and a venue for annual commemorations for families who lost loved ones in the 2013 disaster that claimed 1,384 lives in Tanauan alone.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. The Army in the region, headed by Major Gen. Ariel Adonis Orio, reported of its accomplishments for the first six months of the year which include deaths of 17 NPA members and recovery of more than 50 firearms from the rebels.(FILE PHOTO)
On its campaign to end insurgency
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. The Army in the region, headed by Major Gen. Ariel Adonis Orio, reported of its accomplishments for the first six months of the year which include deaths of 17 NPA members and recovery of more than 50 firearms from the rebels.(FILE PHOTO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) has reported a significant breakthrough in its intensified campaign against communist insurgency in Eastern Visayas, neutralizing 45 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and recovering 54 firearms in the first six months of 2025.
According to a statement released by the 8ID, whose headquarters is based in Catbalogan City, the sustained military operations — which cover the provinces of Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and parts of Northern Samar — resulted in the deaths of 17 NPA members during combat, one captured, and 27 others voluntarily surrendering to authorities.
The volume of recovered firearms — 21 seized during armed encounters and 33 surrendered — marks what the Army considers a major blow to the NPA’s dwindling armed capability in the region, which has long been considered a stronghold of communist insurgency.
Major General Adonis Ariel Orio, commander of the 8ID and Joint Task Force Storm, emphasized that these achievements reflect both military perseverance and strong collaboration with civilian sectors and local government units.
“These successes are not ours alone. They were made possible by the unwavering support of our communities, local leaders, and partner agencies. Civilian cooperation has been crucial in locating enemy positions and disrupting their operations,” Orio said.
He stressed that the figures do not only represent tactical gains but also highlight the weakening influence and morale of insurgents in the countryside.
“We are closing in on our objective of achieving genuine and lasting peace in Eastern Visayas. The NPA’s capabilities have been significantly degraded. Your Army remains steadfast in pursuing peace and development,” Orio added.
Alongside its military campaign, the 8ID continues to implement programs that address the root causes of insurgency through collaboration with the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC).
These include initiatives in education, livelihood, infrastructure development, and the delivery of basic services to remote and conflict-affected areas.
The Army has again called on remaining rebels to abandon armed struggle and avail themselves of the government’s reintegration initiatives, including the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), localized peace engagements, and the National Amnesty Program.
These programs offer financial assistance, livelihood support, housing, education, and psychosocial services to qualified former rebels and their families to help them rebuild their lives.
“Our message remains clear: there is always a path toward peace. The government is ready to support those who choose to lay down their arms and return to the fold of the law,” Orio said.
Eastern Visayas remains a priority area in the government’s anti-insurgency campaign, with military officials optimistic that the region could soon be declared insurgency-free, thanks to declining rebel activity and increasing community support for peace-building efforts.
TACLOBAN CITY –Health officials in Eastern Visayas have raised concern over the continued rise in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in the region, with 141 new cases reported in the first four months of 2025 alone—including three deaths recorded in April.
The Department of Health (DOH)–Eastern Visayas said the region has now documented a total of 2,652 confirmed HIV cases since records began in 1984, with 92 deaths and 11 mother-to-child transmissions reported during that period.
The growing number of infections is particularly alarming among young adults aged 25 to 34, a demographic the DOH identifies as highly vulnerable due to increased engagement in casual sex facilitated by dating apps and social media platforms.
“The accessibility of digital platforms has made it easier for individuals to meet, but it has also contributed to the rise in risky sexual behaviors,” Antonietta Diloy, program coordinator of the DOH’s HIV and AIDS Core Team (HACT), said in a recent interview.
Among the main factors driving the increase in cases are risky behaviors such as unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners; the fear of stigma and discrimination, which discourages individuals from getting tested or seeking treatment; and digital hookup culture, which is making anonymous and casual encounters more common.
To respond to the surge in cases, the DOH is intensifying its efforts through several strategies: free and confidential HIV testing, which is being rolled out in communities and health centers across the region; expanded health education and awareness campaigns, especially targeting high-risk populations such as men who have sex with men (MSM); increased availability of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to help prevent new infections; and broader access to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), a life-saving treatment for HIV patients. As of now, 1,506 individuals in the region are enrolled in ART.
The health department continues to call on the public to take a proactive role in HIV prevention by getting tested regularly, especially if sexually active; practicing safe sex using condoms; seeking medical care and treatment immediately if diagnosed; and breaking the stigma associated with HIV by fostering a more informed and compassionate community.
“Ending the stigma is as important as stopping the virus. HIV is preventable and treatable. Early detection saves lives,” the DOH emphasized.
