TACLOBAN CITY – Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda expressed his deep gratitude to the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for inviting him to celebrate the agency’s 30th anniversary in the Philippines.

Mayor Agda is one of several local government officials invited to the milestone event, which highlights KOICA’s three decades of providing development assistance across the country.

Borongan City recently forged a significant partnership with KOICA, becoming part of the Philippine Climate Resilient Cities (PCRC) Project.

This $1.25 million initiative, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by KOICA, aims to help cities like Borongan, Batangas, Legazpi, Iloilo, Cotabato, and Zamboanga enhance their capacity to respond to the challenges posed by climate change.

The PCRC Project equips cities with the tools and technologies needed for climate adaptation, enabling them to implement strategies that mitigate the risks and impacts of climate change.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks to KOICA and its esteemed members for inviting me to join them in celebrating 30 years of meaningful partnership in the Philippines. My heart swells with joy knowing there is a collective organization willing to support our efforts towards climate resilience,” Agda said in a statement.

The mayor emphasized the importance of the partnership, underscoring how critical it is for the city to maximize existing resources for sustainable development and climate resilience efforts.

“I am immensely grateful for this meaningful collaboration, and I am hopeful that our resources will be utilized effectively in our ongoing campaign for sustainability and climate resilience,” he added.

In line with the project’s implementation, KOICA officials, led by Country Director Kim Eunsub, visited Borongan City in July to conduct stakeholder consultations and a site survey.

The visit focused on vulnerable areas, including barangays situated along the Lo-on River, which are particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change.

The collaboration with KOICA marks a significant step forward for Borongan City in its efforts to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Leyte polls Leyte polls

TACLOBAN CITY – Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla formally filed his certificate of candidacy (CoC) on Monday, October 7, marking his bid for a second term as governor.
Since the start of the filing of CoC last Oct.1, no other candidate has filed for the position of Leyte governor, according to records from the provincial office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Gov. Petilla was accompanied by his running mate, incumbent Vice Governor Leonardo Javier, and other candidates vying for provincial board seats and mayoral ship.

Petilla is seeking re-election under the Nacionalist People’s Coalition (NPC), which is part of a broader coalition aligned with President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.

When asked about his priorities if re-elected, Gov. Petilla emphasized his focus on enhancing agricultural productivity, with a particular emphasis on modern technology to aid local farmers.

“Inflation is one of the country’s biggest challenges, including here in Leyte. Agriculture plays a significant role in this. The cost of everything is rising, but food prices, in particular, have seen the biggest surge,” Petilla said after filing his CoC.

“That’s why we need to invest in agriculture and use modern technology to make it more competitive and sustainable,” he added.

In a related development, John ‘Jolo’ Lorenz Romualdez, nephew of House Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, has also filed his CoC, this time for the mayoralty race in Tolosa, the Romualdez family’s hometown.

John Lorenz, who submitted his CoC on Saturday (Oct.5) is running under the banner of the Aksiyon Demokratiko, the same party that fielded Manila mayoral candidate Isko Moreno in the last presidential election. Moreno was one of the candidates defeated by President Marcos, John Lorenz’s uncle.

Despite being related to the influential Romualdez family, the younger Romualdez noted that he respected the “equity of the incumbent” principle, which prevents his candidacy under the administration’s banner.

He will be facing off against incumbent Mayor Erwin Ocaña, who has the support of Speaker Romualdez.

John Lorenz’s father, Fidel, is a cousin of Speaker Romualdez, whose congressional district includes the town of Tolosa.

Explaining his decision to run, John Lorenz Romualdez expressed his desire to uplift Tolosa’s economic status.

“It’s unfortunate that Tolosa remains a poor municipality. I hope to attract investors and create opportunities for our people,” he said.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROEL T.AMAZONA)

DARAM, Samar –Oceana, a leading marine conservation organization, has launched its “Food and Livelihood Campaign” in Daram, Samar, during the Farmers and Fisherfolk Congress on Wednesday, Oct. 2.

The campaign aims to reduce post-harvest fish loss, improve fisherfolk livelihoods, and tackle poverty in the coastal town, where fishing is a primary livelihood.

With a population of over 40,000 and a poverty rate exceeding 40%, Daram struggles with inadequate post-harvest facilities, such as ice storage and fish processing, leading to significant fish loss.

Recent studies by Oceana show that up to 40% of the fish caught in Samar and Northern Samar is lost before reaching markets, affecting both income and food security in these malnourished communities.

Daram Mayor Philip Astorga emphasized the need for better facilities, stating that if ice and processing were available locally, more fish would stay in the community rather than being sold in nearby cities.

Oceana vice president Gloria Estenzo Ramos highlighted that reducing fish waste and improving fishers’ access to facilities can address both economic and environmental challenges without the need for additional fishing.

The campaign aligns with national efforts to reduce post-harvest losses by 8-10%, which would have a significant impact on the local economy and food security for families in Samar.

It also supports the government’s broader goal of sustainable fisheries management.
Local leaders, officials from the Department of Agriculture, Samar State University, and community stakeholders participated in the event, underscoring the importance of collaboration in addressing the challenges faced by coastal communities. (PR)