TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that the employment rate in Eastern Visayas increased to 96.9 percent in October 2024, up from 95.8 percent in October 2023.

According to PSA data, this employment rate translates to 2.07 million employed persons out of the 2.13 million persons in the labor force in October 2024.

The number of employed individuals in October 2024 was higher by approximately 56,000 compared to the 2.01 million employed persons in October 2023.

This figure also showed an increase of 84,000 from the 1.98 million employed persons recorded in July 2024.

The PSA also reported that the Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in Eastern Visayas stood at 63.6 percent in October 2024.

This translates to 2.13 million persons who were either employed or unemployed out of the 3.36 million population aged 15 years and over.

The October 2024 LFPR remained the same as that recorded in October 2023 but was 1.7 percentage points higher than the 61.9 percent registered in July 2024.

The LFPR in July 2024 corresponded to 2.07 million persons, while that in October 2023 was equivalent to 2.10 million persons in the labor force of Eastern Visayas.

Underemployment, which refers to employed persons who expressed the desire for additional hours of work in their present job, an additional job, or a new job with longer working hours, was reported at 12.6 percent in October 2024.

This represents approximately 261,000 underemployed persons out of the 2.07 million employed individuals. The 12.6 percent underemployment rate in October 2024 was lower by 7.2 percentage points than the 19.8 percent recorded in October 2023 and also decreased by 3.3 percentage points from the 15.9 percent registered in July 2024.

The unemployment rate in Eastern Visayas dropped to 3.1 percent in October 2024 from 4.2 percent in October 2023, according to PSA data.

This translates to 65,000 unemployed persons out of the 2.13 million persons in the labor force in October 2024. The number of unemployed persons in October 2024 was 23,000 lower compared to the 89,000 unemployed persons recorded in both October 2023 and July 2024.

The PSA report highlights the improvement in employment conditions in Eastern Visayas, with a higher employment rate and lower underemployment and unemployment rates compared to the previous year and quarter.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar – Dr. Emil Charles R. Robles, a renowned archaeologist from the University of the Philippines Diliman-School of Archaeology, is currently in Northern Samar to explore potential archaeological collaborations and study the province’s rich cultural history.

With support from the provincial government, Robles visited Mapanas and Palapag on January 22, 2025, where he examined the Sang-at Burial Site and Barangay Jubasan as well as Old Church Ruins, Baluarte, and Daungang Galeon, all in Palapag town.
His visit aims to assess these sites for future archaeological research and preservation efforts.

During his tour, Robles met with Mapanas Mayor Ronn Michael Tejano and Palapag Mayor Florencio Batula Jr., who both expressed strong support for initiatives that seek to protect and promote their towns’ historical landmarks.

He also engaged with local barangay officials and community members, emphasizing how archaeology can contribute to both academic research and local development.

Discussions focused on archaeological surveys, heritage preservation, and the establishment of educational programs to promote awareness of Northern Samar’s historical significance.

“It’s an honor to collaborate with local officials who are committed to preserving cultural heritage,” Robles said. “The archaeological potential of Mapanas and Palapag is immense, and through joint efforts, we can uncover and highlight the fascinating stories beneath the surface.”

The visit sets the stage for future partnerships between local government units, academic institutions, and the wider archaeological community.

Robles stressed the importance of an interdisciplinary approach, involving historians, scholars, and community leaders, to ensure the success of these projects.

Robles is part of the team of Filipino scientists who discovered Homo luzonensis, a human species that lived 67,000 years ago in the Philippines.

His extensive research on public archaeology in Samar has significantly contributed to cultural preservation efforts.

In 2018, he and his team documented archaeological sites and artifacts in the municipality of Lavezares, also in Northern Samar, further underscoring the region’s historical significance.

(THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has called on residents in Southern Leyte to avoid six areas in the province affected by landslides and rock fall caused by the recent magnitude 5.8 earthquake.

In an advisory issued Monday, Phivolcs said there are five earthquake-induced landslides and a rock fall documented by their team in the towns of San Francisco, Liloan and Pintuyan.

Specifically, landslides were recorded in Pres. Quezon village in Liloan; Malico, Tuno, and Pinamudlan villages in San Francisco town; and Nueva Estrella Norte and Nueva Estrella Sur villages in Pintuyan town.

Experts also documented a rock fall along Liloan Roadcut within the national highway that links Luzon to Mindanao.

“Avoid areas that may be affected by landslides that may be triggered by strong ground shaking or prolonged and heavy rain,” Phivolcs stated.

The agency said earthquake-induced landslides, rock falls, and other types of mass movement may occur on sloping terrains, specifically in mountainous or hilly areas.
Phivolcs issued the warning as Southern Leyte continued to experience aftershocks following the strong ground shaking on Jan. 23.

In the past three days, Phivolcs has recorded at least 20 plotted earthquakes in Southern Leyte.

“Southern Leyte and its neighboring provinces experience earthquakes as they are situated in one of the seismically active regions in the Archipelago. The presence of onshore and offshore active faults, particularly the Philippine Fault and its segments, generates high seismicity in the area. Additionally, there are local faults nearby, some potentially buried by recent deposits and have the potential to cause minor to strong earthquakes,” Phivolcs added.

The strong quake on Jan. 23 struck 10.01 km southeast of the municipality of San Francisco. (PNA)

PALO, Leyte– Leyte agricultural workers are being equipped to help farmers in the municipalities overcome weather season challenges through new technologies under Project SARAi or the Smarter Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines.

Through the Department of Science and Technology Region VIII (DOST 8), agricultural Extension Workers (AEWs) from LGUs across the province of Leyte gathered for the Project Sarai training that equipped them with modern farming tools and knowledge to address the challenges being faced by the agriculture sector in the province.

SARAi assists farmers by letting them know what the weather would be like, what kind of crops they should plant for the season, what soil type they should use to improve their crops’ quality and yield, and what kinds of pests and diseases their crops are susceptible to.

Imelda Sievert, head of the Leyte Provincial Agriculturist Office, said the agricultural technologies and systems introduced to the farmers will help them maximize produce and increase the province’s agricultural productivity which has seen a slack in the past year.

“Our farmers are heavily affected by the changing climate, whether its El Nino or LaNina,” Sievert said

However, she noted that Leyte’s agricultural productivity had significantly improved to 9.4% in 2022-2023 from a -9.6% in 2021-2022.

In his message, DOST VIII Regional Director Dr. John Glenn D. Ocaña emphasized the agricultural challenges in the region and underscored the importance of adopting Project SARAi’s smart farming technologies in Eastern Visayas.

Project SARAi encompasses a variety of technologies such as the Automatic Weather Station (AWS), Water Assisted Irrigation Scheduling System (WAISS), Soil Profiling and Characterization, Banana Technology Application (BANATECH), Drought and Crop Assessment and Forecasting (DCAF), and SARAi Knowledge Portal.

Project SARAi was implemented by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), in collaboration with 11 state universities and colleges, and 6 national government agencies. It was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) and was monitored by DOST-PCAARRD’s Agricultural Resources Management Research Division (ARMRD). (ACR)