ORMOC CITY– The body of an 18-year-old student, reported missing on November 12, was discovered lifeless the following day in the waters off Barangay San Antonio, Basey, Samar.

The victim, identified as Elvin Cris Catayoc of Brgy. Guindapunan, Palo, Leyte, was the nephew of West Leyte Express Editor Ruby Ngoho Espina.

According to police, a concerned citizen alerted the Basey Municipal Police Station at around 1:45 am on Nov.13 about a possible drowning incident.

Responding officers, together with the Basey Coast Guard, barangay officials, relatives, and classmates, recovered Catayoc’s body, ending the search and rescue operation.

Initial police investigations revealed that Catayoc and his classmates had traveled to San Antonio to visit a friend.

While swimming, Catayoc reportedly chased his slippers, which were swept away by strong waves. Unfortunately, he was pulled under by the powerful sea currents exacerbated by sudden heavy rain and strong winds. Despite his companions’ efforts, they were unable to save him.

Catayoc’s body was taken to a local funeral home before being returned to his family in Palo, Leyte.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY — Two composite teams deployed by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) to Eastern Samar and Northern Samar last week have returned after assisting in preparedness and response efforts for Typhoons ‘Ofel’ and ‘Pepito.’

RDRRMC chairman and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) – 8 Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion, who led the teams’ send-off ceremony at the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) regional office, emphasized that while the region was not in the direct path of the typhoons, their tail-end brought heavy rains, particularly affecting northern areas of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

“Our primary concern was monitoring rain bands that could trigger flooding, especially in already saturated areas due to previous storms,” Torrecarion explained.

Each team, composed of eight members from various agencies including OCD, DILG, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Army, and Philippine National Police, was assigned to Oras in Eastern Samar and Catarman in Northern Samar. The strategic deployment was intended to ensure timely support and effective coordination with flood-prone municipalities.

“Their placement allowed for quick response without risking exposure to immediate danger,” Torrecarion noted.

The teams were tasked with supporting local government units (LGUs), providing situational updates, and relaying critical information to regional and national authorities to facilitate effective response and support.

DILG Regional Director Arnel Agabe highlighted the government’s commitment to disaster resilience through inter-agency collaboration. “This effort shows that people are ready to face risks to ensure assistance reaches those affected during disasters,” Agabe said.

For the first time, DSWD-8 deployed a mobile communication vehicle, enhancing on-ground communication and coordination. “From our experience during the recent shear line incident in Northern Samar, we learned that having personnel on the ground improves our response efficiency,” DSWD Regional Director Grace Subong shared.

The DSWD also prepositioned over 84,700 family food packs and non-food items across the region’s six provinces. In Northern Samar, about 16,000 packs were initially deployed, with plans to increase this to 46,962 by month’s end. In Eastern Samar, 16,596 packs have been distributed, with a target of over 30,000.

The composite teams, deployed on November 14, successfully completed their missions and returned to their units on Sunday, November 16.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – For the first time, the city government of Borongan will co-present the 10th Philippine Kiteboarding Tour, set to take place from November 29 to December 1.

The event is part of the city government’s commitment to promoting adventure and water sports, with local officials believing Borongan has the potential to become the ultimate hub for extreme fun and adventure.

In line with the hosting, Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda and Philippine Kiteboarding Association (PKA) president Jay Ortiz signed a memorandum of agreement on Friday, November 15.

Prior to the agreement, the city’s sports committee held a meeting to discuss key considerations, with committee head and SK Federation president Jimuel Adona, information officer and tourism office officer-in-charge Rupert Ambil, and Councilors Victor Franco and Frich Uy in attendance.

The competition will feature four divisions: freestyle, where competitors showcase tricks, spins, and flips; hangtime, in which participants will compete to stay airborne the longest; the twin-tip race; and the foil race.

Borongan will host the first leg of the competition, with other legs taking place on Cagbalete Island in Quezon province, Boracay Island, and another venue to be announced.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY-About nine former rebels in Eastern Samar were granted financial assistance through the government’s anti-insurgency initiative during a distribution ceremony held at the 78th Infantry Battalion camp in Borongan City.

Of these, five former rebels received a collective sum of P325,000 under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) facilitated by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). E-CLIP aims to support the legal, economic, social, and psychological reintegration of former rebels into mainstream society.

Each of these beneficiaries, who surrendered to the 78th IB between 2021 and 2022, was provided P65,000 — comprising P15,000 in immediate assistance and P50,000 for livelihood support.

DILG-Eastern Samar Provincial Director Johannes Dorado and Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Bugaoan personally handed out the aid.

Dorado urged the recipients to encourage others still in armed struggle to surrender, emphasizing the government’s ongoing support to ensure they lead better lives.

As part of a related initiative, the Borongan city government, led by Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda, extended cash assistance through the Local Social Integration Program (LSIP) to three additional former rebels.

Two received P10,000 each, while another was provided P50,000. Mayor Agda reiterated the city’s commitment to assist any New People’s Army members who surrender, regardless of their residence status.

Lt. Col. Bugaoan reaffirmed the military’s dedication to fostering sustained peace and development in Eastern Samar and across the country, expressing gratitude for the continued support of local government units in anti-insurgency efforts.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)