TACLOBAN CITY– The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the region is tasked to implement P178.1 million worth of projects under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) of the Department of Health (DOH), in Eastern Visayas.

Edgar Tabacon, DPWH regional director, informed that HFEP is a government initiative aimed at improving healthcare infrastructure in the Philippines, focusing on the construction, upgrading, and expansion of public healthcare facilities across the country.
He further informed that a total of 14 projects funded by the national government through GAA 2024 will be implemented by the DPWH regional office through a collaborative effort under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the DOH.

Based on the MOA of said agencies, the DPWH-8 will be constructing 11 new super health centers, each with a budget allocation of P12 million.

Of the 11 new health centers, four will be located in Leyte, one in Biliran; and two each in Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte.

According to Tabacon, three super health centers are now implementation ready and ongoing, respectively located in Cabucgayan, Biliran, Babatngon, and Leyte, Leyte.

These centers once completed, will serve as a one-stop-shop for patients, offering comprehensive healthcare services, including preventive care, outpatient services, and diagnostic facilities, particularly in underserved areas.

Also included in the DPWH RO8-DOH MOA are the repair for the existing facilities in Hilongos, Leyte and in the San Vicente rural health unit in Northern Samar, each with P10 million budget allocation, and repair or rehabilitation works for the Basey District Hospital with P26.1 million budget allocation.

Tabacon added that the enhancement of health facilities in region 8 through the HFEP, is part of a broader initiative of the government to improve healthcare accessibility and quality across the nation.

Through collaborative efforts of both agencies, health facilities are guaranteed to be in accordance with the right quality standards, investing on strong and resilient infrastructures where excellent health care are offered to every Filipino.
(LIZBETH ANN A ABELLA)

ORMOC CITY– A 45-year-old male drug dealer, identified only as “Fred,” was arrested in a buy-bust operation conducted by the Station Drugs Enforcement Team (SDET) of the local police at 12:42 pm on Thursday, November 26, in Barangay 3, población, San Policarpo, Eastern Samar.

The suspect, a self-employed resident of Brgy. 05, was previously arrested for similar offenses and is listed as a high valued individual on the Philippine National Police (PNP) drug watchlist.

During the operation, operatives seized one sachet containing white crystalline substances, suspected to be shabu, which was purchased by an operative for P500.

A subsequent body search, conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, led to the recovery of an additional sachet of suspected shabu and the P500 bill used as marked money.

The suspect was apprised of his rights under the Miranda Doctrine and informed of the nature of his arrest.

Charges for violations of Sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) and 11 (possession of illegal drugs) have been filed against the suspect, who is currently detained at the San Policarpo municipal police station.
(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-The principal suspect in the shooting of a barangay councilor was arrested by local police less than 24 hours after the crime was committed in Barangay Cagnocot, Villaba in Leyte on the evening of November 25.

The suspect, identified as Junio Montebon, a resident of Brgy. Tabunok, was apprehended on November 26 at around 10:05 pm while in his barangay.

Villaba chief of police, Major Ian Salvador Po, said the arrest followed a tip from a witness who personally reported to the police station, identifying Montebon as the gunman and providing information about his location.

Acting on this lead, a composite team from Villaba Municipal Police Station accompanied the victim’s wife to the suspect’s house. Upon their arrival, the victim’s wife positively identified Montebon as the shooter, leading to his immediate arrest.

During a search conducted in front of community members, police recovered the following items from Montebon’s possession: one .45 caliber pistol; one magazine loaded with seven live rounds of .45 caliber ammunition; and three sachets of white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu.

Major Po revealed that during the investigation, Montebon admitted to shooting the victim due to an old grudge stemming from an unresolved conflict several years ago when they were neighbors in the same barangay.

Montebon now faces multiple charges, aside from frustrated murder, including possession of illegal drugs under Article II of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and violation of RA 10591, the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

The charges have been filed at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. Montebon is currently detained at the Villaba Municipal Police Station lock-up facility.

(ROBERT DEJON)

Defense structures made in the 19th century

TACLOBAN CITY – The Samar provincial government, in partnership with the University of Santo Tomas Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics (UST-CCCPET), launched on Wednesday, Dec.4, the “Safeguarding the Sentinels of the Samar Seas: Conservation of the Samar Fortifications.”
The $245,000(approximately P14 million) project is funded through a grant from the United States Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation under the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

This conservation initiative stems from a comprehensive cultural mapping effort that began in 2017, which led to the discovery of numerous fortifications or “baluartes” in nearly all coastal towns in the province.

A total of 22 defense structures were documented during the cultural mapping. These include 13 sentinels overlooking sea or river routes, seven fortifications, one naval garrison, and one undetermined structure.

The identified structures are located in the provincial capital of Catbalogan and the towns such as Gandara, Zumarraga, Tarangnan, Jiabong, Paranas, Pinabacdao, Villareal, Santa Rita, Basey, and Pagsanghan.

The project prioritizes the preservation of two key fortifications: a naval garrison and watchtower located on Sta. Rita Island in Sta. Rita town, and a medium fortification and watchtower in Gandara.

These fortifications were vital to the early settlers of Samar, serving as protective structures against Moro raiders in the 19th century.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Executive Director Eric Zerrudo urged the people of Samar to protect these heritage structures, which serve as vital links to the province’s history.

“This is your role—to be sentinels and stewards of this heritage. Always capture that moment where your past can lead to a promising future,” Zerrudo said.
Before becoming the NCCA executive director, Zerrudo was part of the UST team that conducted the cultural mapping in Samar.

National Historical Commission (NHC) chairman Regalado Trota Jose echoed Zerrudo’s sentiments, emphasizing that understanding the past is key to safeguarding these fortifications.

“We need to study the sources and dominate the knowledge of Samar by learning the sources in their original language,” Chairman Jose said.

He advised the provincial government to send scholars to the Franciscan archives in Spain, where significant historical documents about Samar are preserved. He stressed that information gathered must be passed on through education to ensure future generations understand and appreciate the importance of these fortifications.

“Everything that contributes to our history must be collected and made accessible to as many people as possible,” Jose added.

He also mentioned that the NHC plans to install markers at the identified fortifications.
Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes expressed gratitude to the Samar provincial government for involving their agency in the project.

“We at the Department of Tourism (DOT) are very fortunate to be part of this journey with Spark Samar. This significant project is meant to preserve our heritage, which we must protect for future generations,” she said.

She added that as the lead agency promoting tourism, the DOT is committed to supporting preservation and conservation efforts and to sharing the stories of Samar’s past and present.

Governor Sharee Ann Tan, in her message, thanked all agencies and individuals who contributed to fulfilling the cultural mapping project. She highlighted the importance of educating the younger generation about Samar’s history in collaboration with the Department of Education (DepEd).

“I always believe that everything we do in the province must be backed by proper research. We share this with DepEd to help the younger generation appreciate our history,” Governor Tan said.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)