TACLOBAN CITY – The shellfish ban remains in place in parts of Leyte and Eastern Samar as high levels of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), also known as toxic red tide, continue to exceed regulatory limits.
Based on the red tide advisory issued by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on Wednesday, Feb.26, the affected areas are the waters in Leyte, Leyte; and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar covering the municipalities of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo.
BFAR said that they strictly prohibit the harvesting, selling, collecting, and consumption of all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. (locally known as “alamang” or small shrimp) from these waters due to health risks. Violators of the shellfish ban will face penalties.
Meanwhile, fish, squid, shrimp, and crab caught in these areas remain safe for consumption, provided they are fresh, properly cleaned, and their internal organs—such as intestines and gills—are thoroughly removed and washed before cooking.
Residents and traders are urged to stay updated on official advisories to ensure public safety. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
AFRAID? Rep. Jude Acidre of Tingog party-list group chided Vice President Sara Duterte for seeking relief at the Supreme Court on the impeachment complaint filed against her, saying she is obviously frightened of the complaint filed against her.
(FILE PHOTO)
AFRAID? Rep. Jude Acidre of Tingog party-list group chided Vice President Sara Duterte for seeking relief at the Supreme Court on the impeachment complaint filed against her, saying she is obviously frightened of the complaint filed against her. (FILE PHOTO)
TACLOBAN CITY – House Assistant Majority Leader and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre criticized Vice President Sara Duterte’s move to block an impeachment trial, calling it a disturbing attempt to evade accountability.
“Transparency is fundamental in any democracy. If Vice President Duterte has done nothing wrong, why is she afraid of the truth?” Acidre said on February 21, questioning her legal challenge before the Supreme Court.
He pointed out that this was not the first time Duterte attempted to prevent scrutiny, citing her earlier efforts to stop the Commission on Audit (COA) from releasing findings on her P125-million confidential fund.
“First, she blocked COA’s report. Now, she wants to stop Congress from doing its job. What is she trying to hide?” Acidre asked.
Emphasizing that impeachment is a constitutional process, he warned that Duterte’s actions erode public trust.
“Leaders must face accountability, not run from it. The Filipino people deserve transparency, not secrecy,” he said.
HIMURASAK. Tacloban artists get to showcase their talents and art pieces during the five-day ‘Himurasak’ event held at the Robinsons North. The event was graced by City Councilor Aimee Grafil (2nd from left) and her husband, Dandee Grafil, Joycie Dorado-Alegre, president of the Leyte Samar Heritage Society, Inc., and Jennifer Puno, Robinsons Malls Eastern Visayas regional operations manager, among others. (story page 3) (TCIO)
HIMURASAK. Tacloban artists get to showcase their talents and art pieces during the five-day ‘Himurasak’ event held at the Robinsons North. The event was graced by City Councilor Aimee Grafil (2nd from left) and her husband, Dandee Grafil, Joycie Dorado-Alegre, president of the Leyte Samar Heritage Society, Inc., and Jennifer Puno, Robinsons Malls Eastern Visayas regional operations manager, among others. (story page 3) (TCIO)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Tacloban Culture and Arts Council marked National Arts Month with Himurasak, a five-day celebration showcasing the city’s rich artistic heritage and local talents.
The event opened on Monday, February 24, 2025, at Robinsons North, featuring an art exhibit highlighting works from Tacloban’s local artists.
Guest speaker Stephen Lagarde emphasized the importance of supporting local creatives, noting that promoting cultural arts helps preserve history and identity.
He also underscored the meaning behind Himurasak—a Waray term for “abundance”—as a fitting representation of Tacloban’s wealth of artistic talent across various fields.
Kat Dela Cruz of Kolor Banwa described the exhibit as an “orchard of passion and hard work,” stressing the importance of honoring one’s cultural roots. Meanwhile, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Leyte Provincial Director Araceli Larraga reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting creative industries.
City Councilor Aimee Grafil, chair of the Sangguniang Panlungsod arts and culture committee, called for sustained efforts to nurture and expand Tacloban’s vibrant art scene.
Also present at the ceremony were Joycie Dorado-Alegre, president of the Leyte Samar Heritage Society, Inc., and Jennifer Puno, Robinsons Malls Eastern Visayas Regional Operations Manager.
The weeklong celebration featured a musical heritage talk, a visual arts workshop, and a book launch before concluding on Friday, February 28.
SOARING TOURISM. Catbalogan City’s tourism industry is on the rise, with visitor arrivals steadily increasing in recent years following the pandemic. Among the city’s top attractions is Imelda Park.
(PHOTO COURTESY)
SOARING TOURISM. Catbalogan City’s tourism industry is on the rise, with visitor arrivals steadily increasing in recent years following the pandemic. Among the city’s top attractions is Imelda Park. (PHOTO COURTESY)
TACLOBAN CITY – Catbalogan City’s tourism industry has made a remarkable comeback, with visitor arrivals in 2024 soaring 107.22% above pre-pandemic levels, according to the City Tourism, Culture, Arts, and Information Office (CTCAIO).
CTCAIO head Ador Hurtado reported that tourism receipts reached P713.03 million in 2024, surpassing the P617.54 million recorded in 2019. The increase is driven by higher daily tourist spending, which rose to P5,902 from P5,480 in 2019.
“This significant growth is driven by several factors, including the ease of travel following the pandemic, improved tourism facilities, heightened interest in Catbalogan’s attractions, and the strong support of the local government,” Hurtado said in an online interview Monday, Feb. 24.
Record-Breaking Tourist Arrivals
Data from accommodation establishments show that overnight arrivals in 2024 have surpassed 2019 levels, with both domestic and foreign visitors returning in strong numbers. Domestic tourists accounted for 99% of total arrivals, further solidifying the city’s status as a key travel hub.
The number of day visitors skyrocketed to 646,741 in 2024, a dramatic increase from just 10,893 in 2019. Officials attributed this to improved tourism monitoring, expanded data collection at more sites, and additional personnel for visitor management.
Top Tourist Attractions and Events
Catbalogan City’s most visited sites include city plaza and Rizal Statue;Imelda Park; and Buri Baras Beach.
Meanwhile, major annual events driving tourist influx include Manaragat Festival (August); Semana Santa and Alumni Festival (summer); and Kapaskohan ha Katbalogan (December).
The city’s rising profile as a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) corridor in Region 8 has also boosted visitor traffic, with the Department of Tourism recognizing its potential in this sector.
Hurtado credited Mayor Dexter Uy’s administration for its strong tourism support, helping the city emerge as one of Eastern Visayas’ fastest-growing tourism markets.
“The numbers speak for themselves—Catbalogan is not just recovering; it is thriving,” Hurtado said. “With sustained efforts and strategic planning, we envision a more vibrant and sustainable tourism industry for our city.”
TACLOBAN CITY – Maasin City Mayor Nacional Mercado has assured the safety and immediate medical response for athletes competing in the Eastern Visayas Regional Athletic Association (EVRAA) Meet by coordinating with private hospitals in the city.
“We have a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with private hospitals in case of injuries. We are fully prepared with City Health Unit (CHU) nurses, first aid kits, and other medical provisions. If emergency hospitalization or admission is needed, the city government will cover it under the MOA,” Mayor Mercado said.
By engaging private hospitals, the city ensures that more medical personnel are available to provide immediate and proper medical attention during the competition, especially for cases requiring hospital confinement.
Currently, around 5,000 delegates, including athletes, coaches, trainers, and Department of Education personnel, are in Maasin City for the event.
Athletes will compete in various sports, including arnis, badminton, basketball, football, volleyball, pencak silat, and chess.
To further guarantee the safety of participants, the city government has also deployed trained medics at all playing venues to provide first aid when needed.
Maasin City is hosting the second leg of EVRAA 2025 from February 27 to March 3. The third and final leg will take place in Tacloban City from March 6 to 9.
Eastern Visayas is again experiencing an outbreak of leptospirosis cases brought about by relentless rain and flooding. It is not an outbreak; it is a grim consequence of poor urban drainage, compromised health surveillance, and public complacency in avoiding contact with contaminated floodwaters. The risk is obvious, but individuals still expose themselves as if an infection is only a remote threat and not an imminent one.
Leptospirosis is not a new illness, nor is it a trivial illness. It thrives in floodwaters with urine from rats, and when acquired, it results in kidney failure, meningitis, and death. The rains are of no use whatsoever, and all streets become breeding grounds for bacteria. Health authorities give warnings, yet many still swim through dirty water without protection, heeding none until symptoms manifest. By then, it is always too late. The stubborn fantasy that these infections happen to “other people” has resulted in avoidable deaths.
Excusing the weather is a good excuse, but this does not exempt local authorities from blame. Inadequate garbage disposal and drainage maintenance have converted urban areas into pools of stagnant water. Year by year, the flood worsens because canals are clogged by garbage, but little sense of urgency is made to correct this chronic failure. There are campaigns by the health department, but when there is no firm step toward enacting safety and prevention, they fall far short. Local authorities might only regard leptospirosis as another annual health issue, not as a crisis that needs their immediate attention or the number of dead will only keep on growing.
No less troubling, though, is the public’s neglect of the common sense precautionary measures. They will refuse to wear foot coverings, ignore prophylactic antibiotics, and think a low-grade temperature will break spontaneously without repercussions. This is just a demonstration of an absence of discipline and cultural disposition towards reactive, not preventive, medicine. Individuals walking through knee-deep floodwaters without shoes should not become the norm. Every avoidable contact with polluted water is a danger to one’s life, yet the lesson is never learned.
This vicious cycle of neglect—by authorities and the public alike—needs to be shattered. Local governments need to work hard to upgrade drainage systems, enforce proper waste management, and offer prophylactic treatment on a mass scale. Citizens, in turn, need to do their bit by staying away from floodwaters, using protective clothing, and reporting immediately for medical treatment at the first sign of illness. Leptospirosis is not destiny; it is an avoidable disease. It is time to act responsibly.
