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Northern Samar recognized for its anti-Red campaign

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RECOGNITION. The provincial government of Northern Samar was awarded the Gawad Parangal by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for its campaign to help eliminate its insurgency problem, notably putting up the Kauswagan Village for former rebels. B/Gen. Efren Morados received the award, held on Dec. 6, 803rd commanding officer, representing Gov. Edwin Ongchuan. Present during the event were Undersecretary Ernesto Torres, NTF-ELCAC executive director; National Security Adviser Eduardo Año; and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo, representing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (PHOTO COURTESY)
RECOGNITION. The provincial government of Northern Samar was awarded the Gawad Parangal by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for its campaign to help eliminate its insurgency problem, notably putting up the Kauswagan Village for former rebels. B/Gen. Efren Morados received the award, held on Dec. 6, 803rd commanding officer, representing Gov. Edwin Ongchuan. Present during the event were Undersecretary Ernesto Torres, NTF-ELCAC executive director; National Security Adviser Eduardo Año; and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo, representing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (PHOTO COURTESY)

TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Northern Samar has been recognized with the 2024 Gawad Parangal Award by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

The award was presented during the task force’s 6th founding anniversary celebration at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on December 6, 2024.

The recognition highlights Northern Samar’s exceptional efforts in fostering peace and development within its communities.

Governor Edwin Ongchuan, in a statement, attributed the award to the collective dedication of the province’s government and its stakeholders.

“This award affirms our unwavering commitment to creating lasting peace and prosperity for our people. Through programs like the Kauswagan Village, we are not just building homes but also rebuilding lives and futures,” he said.

One of the key initiatives that earned the province this recognition is the construction of the Kauswagan (Prosperity) Village in Mondragon.

This permanent settlement, built in 2023, provides rehabilitated New People’s Army (NPA) members with housing and a fresh start. Over 30 families of former rebels now reside in the village, benefiting from various livelihood programs designed to support their reintegration into society.

The village is home to programs such as an ube plantation and poultry farming, supported by the Department of Agriculture’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) program, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU), and the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA).

These initiatives aim to empower residents with sustainable means of livelihood, aligning with the provincial government’s vision for inclusive development.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) also commended the province’s collaborative efforts, emphasizing that the success of such initiatives lies in collective action.

“The Gawad Parangal Award underscores the importance of addressing the root causes of armed conflict through holistic and sustainable approaches,” the DILG stated.

The awards were presented by Undersecretary Ernesto Torres, Executive Director of the NTF-ELCAC National Secretariat; National Security Adviser Eduardo Año; and Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo, representing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Brigadier General Efren Morados of the 803rd Brigade, based in Catarman, accepted the award on behalf of Governor Ongchuan, reflecting the united commitment of Northern Samar’s government and military to peacebuilding.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

3 ex-NPA rebels received financial assistance from government

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In Samar

TACLOBAN CITY — Three former members of the New People’s Army (NPA) under the care of the 78th Infantry Battalion received a total of P95,000 in financial assistance through the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

The beneficiaries were identified as alias Emboy, a former regular member of Squad 2, Bugsok Platoon, sub regional committee (SRC) Sesame, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC); alias Nonoy; and alias Eday, both former yunit militia members.

Nonoy is the father of Emboy and Eday. All three are residents of Brgy. Layo, Pinabacdao, Samar, and surrendered to the 78th Infantry Battalion on December 15, 2022.

Emboy received P65,000 for being a former regular rebel member while Nonoy and Eday each received P15,000 as former yunit militia members.

The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to the government agencies for the assistance, which they plan to use for small business ventures and as additional livelihood funds.

E-CLIP is a comprehensive, community-based national program implemented locally to address the legal status, security, and economic, social, and psychological rehabilitation needs of former rebels.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Construction worker killed in accidental building collapse in Calbayog City

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ORMOC CITY-A construction worker was killed, another was injured and treated at a local hospital, and two others sustained minor injuries after a building they were repairing collapsed accidentally at around 9 am on Sunday, December 8, in JD Avelino St., Barangay Aguit-itan, Calbayog City.

The victims were identified as alias “Nino,” 47, with a common-law wife; alias “Tilo,” 47, married; both construction workers and residents of Purok 4, Barangay Bagacay; alias “Pak,” 53, married, a backhoe operator from Purok 2, Barangay Begaho; and alias “Arvin,” a newly hired construction worker.

Initial investigations by responding police officers revealed that alias “Nino,” “Tilo,” and “Arvin” were fixing the cable rope of a demolished building when the backhoe operator, alias “Pak,” moved the machine closer to the structure.

Police said the backhoe accidentally struck one of the building’s beams, causing it to shake and eventually collapse.

The victims, who were underneath the structure, were hit by falling debris. Alias “Nino” was killed instantly, while alias “Pak” was injured and brought to Calbayog District Hospital for treatment.

The other two victims, who sustained minor injuries, were treated on-site by the responding personnel from the Calbayog City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).

(ROBERT DEJON)

SSU launches medical course program

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MEDICAL COURSE. The Samar State University in Catbalogan City will now be offering a medical course. The launching was made on Dec.8 attended by Gov.Sharee Ann Tan, Ched Regional Director Maximo Aljibe, Reps. Michael Tan and Jude Acidre. (PHOTO COURTESY)
MEDICAL COURSE. The Samar State University in Catbalogan City will now be offering a medical course. The launching was made on Dec.8 attended by Gov.Sharee Ann Tan, Ched Regional Director Maximo Aljibe, Reps. Michael Tan and Jude Acidre. (PHOTO COURTESY)

TACLOBAN CITY — The Samar State University (SSU) and the provincial government of Samar officially launched the Samar Island Institute of Medicine (SIIM) on Sunday, December 8, at the SSU Main Campu s Gymnasium in Catbalogan City.

The event was attended by Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan, House Deputy Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Representative Jude Acidre, Samar Rep. Michael Tan(2nd district), Ched Regional Director Maximo Aljibe, St. Paul’s Hospital administrator Sr. Sarah Gocela, SIIM dean Noel Espallardo, SSU president Redentor Palencia, and former SSU president Marilyn Cardoso.

The SIIM was established to address the shortage of medical professionals, particularly in government-run health facilities across Samar province and the entire Eastern Visayas, which limits access to quality healthcare.

During the launch, Espallardo introduced the first batch of 22 SIIM medical students, who hail from various localities in the province.

These students will study as scholars and benefit from free basic tuition, allowances for prescribed books, supplies, equipment, uniforms, dormitory accommodations, internship fees, and financial assistance during their mandatory internship.

Additionally, the students will receive funding for medical board review fees, licensure fees, annual medical insurance, and other education-related allowances.

Their scholarships are mandated under Provincial Ordinance No. 17-453-24, which allocates annual funding for the program, a priority initiative of Gov. Tan. Faculty members will also receive support through capacity development initiatives.

To ensure an adequate public health workforce in Samar, scholars will be required to serve in rural health units, district hospitals, and the provincial hospital operated by the provincial government upon completing their medical degree and passing the medical board exam.

This return-service agreement aligns with the Universal Health Care law’s mandate to strengthen healthcare systems.

The SIIM at SSU, established in March 2024, expands on Republic Act No. 11509, also known as the Doktor Para sa Bayan law.

SSU is the first state university in Eastern Visayas to offer direct enrollment in a medical program.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Siphoned funds

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The siphoning of funds from SSS, GSIS, PhilHealth, and government-owned banks to bankroll the Maharlika Fund is a gross betrayal of public trust. These institutions hold the hard-earned money of workers, retirees, and contributors who rely on them for financial security during emergencies, retirement, or health crises. Redirecting these funds to a controversial program raises serious questions about priorities, transparency, and fairness.

The funds in question are not government assets; they belong to the people. These institutions exist precisely to provide a safety net for contributors, not to subsidize broad schemes that favor populist handouts over sound fiscal management. What’s more troubling is that the supposed payout of P5,000 per beneficiary is a pittance compared to the billions collected. If the government truly sought to help its people using this money, why not address systemic needs like employment, healthcare, or education rather than resort to tokenistic, unsustainable giveaways?

Adding insult to injury is the lingering campaign-era narrative that the Maharlika Fund would be financed by the recovered and allegedly ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family. The disillusionment is palpable as citizens realize the funds still came from government-controlled savings, eroding trust in leadership. This bait-and-switch action undermines credibility and diminishes any semblance of accountability. The people were promised change, but they saw their future stability being gambled away.

Meanwhile, the misuse of these funds perpetuates a culture of dependency. Many recipients of the ayuda may have valid needs, but the blanket distribution fosters complacency instead of empowerment. Job creation and livelihood programs could have had a long-term impact, but such measures seem to have taken a backseat to fleeting political optics. The long-term implications of draining institutions meant to safeguard workers’ financial well-being cannot be overstated; this is not just about economics but about eroding the social contract.

What must be done is clear: restore the funds to their rightful institutions and establish stricter safeguards to prevent further misuse. Transparent audits, genuine efforts to recover misappropriated wealth, and targeted investment in sustainable programs will go a long way in rebuilding trust. The government owes its people more than handouts; it owes them integrity, foresight, and a commitment to securing their future.

We’re losing ourselves

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DOMS PAGLIAWAN
DOMS PAGLIAWAN

I see it now—the exodus has taken a darker turn. What was once a hopeful voyage in search of greener pastures has become an escape. Our countrymen, who used to pack their bags dreaming of better pay and brighter horizons, now leave with heavy hearts, driven not by ambition but by desperation. They aren’t chasing dreams anymore; they’re running away from nightmares—corruption, crime, poverty, and a political circus that never seems to leave town.

I remember when going abroad felt like a badge of courage. A friend used to boast about his construction job in Saudi, where the money flowed like a river. He’d come home once in a while with balikbayan boxes bursting at the seams, his kids decked out in clothes that screamed: “imported.” But when he left last year for another country, he wasn’t bragging anymore. He sold his house because he didn’t trust leaving his family behind. “What future is there here?” he said, his voice low, like the country might hear him and take offense. He’s not alone. These days, the stories are the same—a quiet despair wrapped in stamped passports.

And who can blame them? Our streets tell the truth louder than any politician ever could. There are potholes near my house that have survived three mayors and countless promises. There’s the barangay road teeming with cracks and crevices. Even the air feels heavy with exhaustion as if the land itself is tired of the circus. People are tired of voting for leaders who promise the moon but deliver scandals. “Sir, this is normal,” a tricycle driver once told me as we dodged a flooded street. Normal? Since when did hopelessness become our baseline?

It’s not just about money anymore; it’s about safety, dignity, and peace of mind. A friend of mine, a nurse, used to love her job here despite the low pay. She stayed because, as she put it, “Home is home.” But after her co-worker was mugged on the way to a graveyard shift, she applied to every hospital in the UK. She claimed it wasn’t just the crime; it was the apathy. “We’re sitting ducks here,” she said. Now she posts photos of the foggy English countryside and comments that she can finally sleep soundly at night.

What breaks my heart most is the quiet resignation. People don’t even complain much anymore; they just leave. It’s like watching a slow-moving disaster—a typhoon that you know is coming but can’t stop. My neighbor, an engineer, had been fixing his house for years. When I asked why he suddenly sold it, he shrugged. “What’s the point?” he said. “They steal from us whether we stay or go.” It’s this quiet giving up that stings the most, like a song sung in a minor key, the melody of a nation losing its voice.

The irony is suffocating. Our leaders love to brag about the overseas workers, calling them heroes while doing little to keep them home. The economy relies on their remittances, yet the system that sends them away remains broken. It’s like planting trees in a deforested land and wondering why it doesn’t grow back. Meanwhile, the rest of us left behind are stuck in a waiting game, praying for scraps of change that never come.

Consider the mess. I love my hometown, and I love going there on special occasions. But now it takes 3 to 4 hours of bumpy and stressful land trips due to the badly damaged roads that never get fixed. Why? Because a budget of 500 million for the repair of a highway stretch is never spent exactly for the purpose. Perhaps half of it, or even more, goes to the corrupt politicians and officials in the area. And so, the quality of the work is poorer than poor, and in just a few days or weeks, the newly-repaired concrete is again pulverized into cracks and holes.

If there’s any hope, I think it lies in what’s left of our stubbornness. We’re a nation of fighters, after all, even if our battles are more uphill than ever. But hope needs something to hold on to—a reason to stay. Maybe it starts with demanding more, not just from our leaders but from ourselves. Maybe it’s time we stopped settling for “okay na ’yan” and started asking, “Why not better?”

I don’t know what will fix this mess, but I know running away isn’t the answer. And yet, I can’t tell anyone not to go. If I were in their shoes, would I stay? I’m not so sure. All I can say is that this country deserves better—better leaders, better systems, better chances. Until then, the departures will continue, and we’ll keep losing pieces of ourselves, one boarding pass at a time.

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