TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO) has successfully completed the off-carriageway improvement project in Barangay Macopa via Jaro Poblacion Road along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road section.

The project, aimed at enhancing safety and convenience for motorists and other road users, was completed ahead of schedule.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura mentioned that the off-carriageway improvement project extends 706.90 lane meters, adding 2.0 meters to both edges of the existing pavement with 20-millimeter-thick Portland concrete cement pavement (PCCP).

The project also included the application of asphalt overlay and reflectorized pavement markings.

“These enhancements will benefit the community for years to come, making daily commutes safer and more efficient for road users. This project commenced on February 19, 2024, and was completed on April 2, 2024,” Oppura said.

Furthermore, the off-carriageway improvement project in Jaro, Leyte, will enhance road connectivity, provide faster and more convenient travel for drivers, increase vehicle capacity, and create safe walkway zones, ensuring safe and comfortable travel for local residents.

The project was funded with an allotted amount of P5.85 million under the DPWH-CY 2024 General Appropriations Act.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – House of Representatives Minority Leader Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan has filed a bill seeking to transform the Samar National School of Arts and Trade (SNSAT) into a new polytechnic state college, aiming to enhance Eastern Samar province’s capacity to produce job-ready higher education graduates.

Under House Bill No. 10092, proposed by Libanan, the SNSAT, located in the town of Taft, would be developed and modernized into the new Eastern Samar Polytechnic State College (ESPSC).

“We are absolutely determined to boost public access to free higher education in Eastern Samar,” Libanan said in a press statement.

The national government covers tuition and other school fees for students enrolled in state universities and colleges under the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017.

“We are counting on the new ESPSC to produce highly employable graduates who can help their families achieve a superior quality of life,” Libanan added.

Once enacted, the new ESPSC would have its own governing board under the supervision of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).

The ESPSC would offer professional and technical instruction and training at both graduate and undergraduate levels in fields such as engineering, education, arts and sciences, and trades.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The provincial government of Northern Samar turned over books to selected municipalities during the Pamana 2024 program as part of its efforts to promote and preserve the province’s heritage.

The donated books include “The History of the Bisayan People in the Philippines” by historian, writer, and Spanish Jesuit missionary Francisco Ignacio Alcina; “Dogs in Philippine History” by Ian Christopher Alfonso; and “The Extraordinary Life and Works of Cantius J. Kobak: Polish Priest and Historian in the Philippines,” published by the Embassy of Poland in Manila and written by Northern Samar’s culture and arts coordinator, Carl Bordeos.

The ceremonial turnover was led by Governor Edwin Ongchuan and Vice Governor Clarence Dato, along with the Ambassador of Poland to the country, Jarosław Szczepankiewicz; historian and author Ian Christopher Alfonso; and UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines Secretary-General Ivan Anthony Henares.

The recipients included the local government units of Biri, Palapag, Laoang, Catarman, Bobon, and San Roque.

“We hope to foster cultural awareness and a deeper appreciation of the history, cultural heritage, and development of our province,” Gov. Ongchuan said during the program.
“As the provincial government works towards achieving our vision of a progressive, resilient, and happy province of Northern Samar, we hope to instill pride, integrity, understanding, and unity among the present and future generations of Northern Samar,” the governor added.

During the event, the municipalities of Laoang, Palapag, and Lavezares turned over their Local Cultural Profiles (LCP) to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The LCPs are products of the cultural mapping of LGUs, assisted by the NCCA and the provincial government, in identifying and recording the heritage and cultural resources of the community.

Of the 24 LGUs in the province, Laoang was recognized as the first to complete its cultural profile. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)