TACLOBAN CITY — About 52 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, were issued safe conduct passes during a ceremony held on Wednesday, December 17, in this city.

Col. Rico Amaro, deputy commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the passes allow the former rebels—who are undergoing reintegration—to move freely without the risk of arrest while their applications for amnesty are being processed.

“These individuals have pending amnesty applications, and once approved, their criminal cases may be dismissed,” Amaro said in an interview.

He stressed the importance of the document, noting that it provides temporary legal protection. “This safe conduct pass is very important because it assures them that they will not be arrested despite their pending criminal cases,” Amaro said.

The safe conduct passes will remain valid until the National Amnesty Commission, through the local amnesty board, either grants or denies the applications.

Amaro clarified that if an application is denied, the corresponding safe conduct pass will automatically be revoked.

One of the recipients, identified only as alias “Donna,” 34, said the pass would allow her to reunite with her family, particularly her two children who are currently under the care of her widowed mother.

“This safe conduct pass will allow me to visit my two children,” she said.

Donna is currently under the custody of the 93rd Infantry Brigade, which operates under the 802nd Infantry Brigade. She voluntarily surrendered in 2023 after spending nine years with the communist armed group. She faces charges that include violations of the Anti-Terrorism Act and frustrated murder.

“I am happy that after nine years with the communist group, I can now visit my mother and my two children, aged 15 and 10, without worrying that I will be arrested,” she said.
Donna cited the hardships of armed struggle and her desire to live a normal life with her children as the reasons for leaving the movement. She added that once her amnesty application is approved, she hopes to work abroad to provide better opportunities for her family.

She also shared that she has attempted to persuade her husband, who remains active in the armed group in Samar, to surrender, but without success. “He could not leave because he is already deeply involved with the armed group,” she said.

Donna disclosed that her husband was previously arrested in 2002 but managed to escape a few months after his capture.

(JOEY A. GABIETA, ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Rice priced at P20 per kilo is now available in all three provinces of Samar following the inclusion of Eastern Samar in the government’s subsidized rice distribution beginning December 15, completing the rollout of the food security initiative across the island.

The program, “Benteng Bigas Meron Na” was launched by provincial local government units in Samar on December 4, Northern Samar on December 8, and Eastern Samar on December 15. The initiative aligns with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s push to make affordable rice accessible to economically vulnerable households, particularly during the holiday season.

The P20-per-kilo rice is also being offered under the banner “Pamaskong Handog ng Pangulo”, making low-cost rice available not only in the three Samar provinces but also in nearby Leyte.

According to the Department of Agriculture–Regional Field Office 8 (DA-RFO 8), the Benteng Bigas Meron Na program is implemented through several modalities, including provincial government-led distribution, partner agency initiatives, and the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program. Accredited farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) serve as partner outlets to ensure wider reach at the community level.

The confirmation came from the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division (AMAD) of DA-RFO 8 during the final provincial launch held in Borongan City, Eastern Samar, on Monday, December 15.

In each provincial rollout, about 400 bags of locally sourced rice were made available to some 2,000 household beneficiaries. Each household was allowed to purchase up to 10 kilograms of rice at the subsidized price of P20 per kilo.

Francis Rosaroso, head of AMAD-DA 8, said the availability of P20-per-kilo rice will now be sustained beyond scheduled Kadiwa activities.

“From Monday to Friday, the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses are open for walk-in buyers,” Rosaroso said. He explained that while the program initially targeted Rice Business Subsidy Assistance (RSBSA)-registered farmers cultivating two hectares or less, it has now been expanded to include other vulnerable sectors.

He added that some farmers’ cooperatives and associations are also selling theP20 rice, though not on a daily basis. “All of them are authorized to sell P20 rice,” he said.

Provincial local government units in the three Samar provinces have likewise joined FCAs in selling the subsidized rice. However, Rosaroso noted that the withdrawal of rice stocks by LGUs depends on how quickly they can liquidate previous allocations.

With Eastern Samar now on board, officials said the full rollout across Samar is expected to ease the burden of rising food costs on low-income families, especially as demand increases during the Christmas season.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

Manila-The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) trained more than 140 national and provincial government officials and civil society representatives in a three-day workshop designed to strengthen the Philippines’ capacity for tsunami preparedness and response.

From December 8 to 11, NOAA and PHIVOLCS organized the Tsunami Ready National Workshop in Quezon City, gathering experts from NOAA’s International Tsunami Information Center (ITIC), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the workshop equipped participants with the skills to conduct risk assessments and develop effective warning systems and evacuation plans in case of tsunamis.

“Preparedness saves lives. The Tsunami Ready Workshop demonstrates our two countries’ shared commitment to ensuring every community has the tools to face tsunami threats with confidence,” U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Y. Robert Ewing said at the workshop’s opening ceremony on December 8. “For decades, the United States and the Philippines have worked together on disaster preparedness, which keeps Filipinos and visiting Americans safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”

The workshop supports the Philippines’ implementation of IOC’s Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme (TRRP), which guides high-risk coastal communities in meeting the 12 key indicators required for “Tsunami Ready” recognition, including mapping tsunami hazard zones, approving evacuation maps, conducting regular community tsunami exercises, and ensuring reliable alert systems. The TRRP was modeled after the United States’ TsunamiReady® program.

“Tsunamis are no-notice events. We don’t know when the next big one will be, so we need to always be ‘Tsunami Ready,’” said Dr. Laura Kong, Director of the ITIC, the primary provider of tsunami preparedness training in the Pacific.

In his opening remarks, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. recognized over 20 years of collaboration with U.S. scientists for tsunami preparedness. “With your help, we hope to finally see our very first internationally recognized Tsunami Ready community—or communities—in the Philippines very soon,” said Secretary Solidum.

For decades, the United States and the Philippines have worked together to strengthen disaster resilience to ensure the safety of Filipinos and Americans. Through agencies like NOAA, the United States supports initiatives that build the resilience of Philippine communities against natural disasters. (PR)

The Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of Eastern Visayas in July 2025 decreased to 58.1 percent, from 61.9 percent in July 2024 and 59.5 percent in April 2025.

The 58.1 percent LFPR placed the region’s labor force at 1.97 million persons who were either employed or unemployed out of the 3.40 million population 15 years old and over in July 2025. The number of persons in the labor force in July 2025 was lower than the number of persons in the labor force in July 2024 and April 2025 posted at 2.07 million and 2.01 million, respectively.

The region’s employment rate in July 2025 decreased to 94.7 percent, from 95.7 percent in July 2024 and 97.0 percent in April 2025. The 94.7 percent employment rate translates to 1.87 million employed persons out of the 1.97 million persons in the labor force of Eastern Visayas in July 2025. The number of employed persons in July 2025 was lower than the number of employed persons in July 2024 and April 2025 posted at 1.98 million and 1.95 million, respectively.

The unemployment rate of Eastern Visayas in July 2025 was 5.3 percent, higher than the 4.3 percent unemployment rate in July 2024 and 3.0 percent in April 2025. The number of unemployed individuals in July 2025 was 105 thousand.

This was higher than the 89,000 unemployed individuals in July 2024 and the 60, 0000 unemployed individuals in April 2025.

Meanwhile, underemployed population is the proportion of employed population who expresses the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job, or an additional job or to have a new job with longer working hours.

The underemployment rate of Eastern Visayas increased to 17.7 percent in July 2025, from 15.9 percent in July 2024 and 15.8 percent in April 2025.

This means that out of the 1.87 million employed individuals in July 2025, 330 thousand were underemployed or expressed the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have an additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work. (PR)