ORMOC CITY-A man was killed by still unidentified perpetrators that took place last Friday, July 12, at about 9 pm.
The victim, Rosendo Alunan,52 and a resident of Purok 1, Barangay Naungan, this city, was on board of his vehicle when he was waylaid by the suspects along Purok 3, also in Naungan.
The perpetrators shot him several times that resulted to his death though he said to have managed to get out from his vehicle.
The suspects immediately from the scene.
According to Police Station 4 Officer-in-Charge Police Major Angelo Sibunga, the victim was previously arrested for a drug-related offense in 2018 and released under a plea-bargaining condition.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) are currently investigating the incident. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
INTERNSHIP. About 15 aspiring medical practitioners from the Ateneo de Manila University and Public Health are conducting their 4-week internship at various medical facilities in Northern Samar.
(PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR)
INTERNSHIP. About 15 aspiring medical practitioners from the Ateneo de Manila University and Public Health are conducting their 4-week internship at various medical facilities in Northern Samar. (PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR)
TACLOBAN CITY – About 15 medical interns and students from Ateneo de Manila University School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) are currently in Northern Samar to help extend hospital and community care.
The interns will stay in the province for four weeks as part of their internship and immersion program, the Northern Samar Provincial Information Office said in a statement.
This group is the first of two batches of interns and medical students deployed to the province.
They will be assigned on a rotational shift at the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital, district hospitals, and rural health centers in the province, allowing them to experience work in both curative and preventive healthcare settings in Northern Samar.
Dr. John Ezekiel Valera, chief technical officer of the Northern Samar Provincial Health Office, mentioned that the deployment of doctors, interns, and medical students is part of an ongoing partnership program between the provincial government and ASMPH.
This program has, so far, helped bring several medical personnel to work in the province.
The first batch consists of six intern doctors and nine medical students. Among those deployed in Northern Samar are Yeoj Luces and Generoso Rene Romo III, who are assigned to two district hospitals.
“I really enjoyed it. My eyes were opened to how different the setting here in Northern Samar is compared to Metro Manila. I am impressed by the resilience of the people here and those who work here. Especially their resourcefulness in getting things done. I am happy that I chose to do my elective internship here,” Luces said.
Romo, on his part, said that interacting with patients during their daily rounds helps him be more sensitive to the patients’ needs.
“Our mindset is being molded. We are becoming more ready in a sense. Aside from interviewing patients, we are learning quick examinations, things like catheterization, and assisting. We are becoming more aware of things, not extending time in thought processes,” he said.
Since 2016, about 140 Ateneans have been deployed to Northern Samar under the ASMPH program.
Additionally, UP medical interns have also expressed interest in joining Ateneans in working for Northern Samar to complement health resources, learn from health experts, and increase people’s access to healthcare services. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
RECOGNITION. The Department of Health acknowledges several town officials for their respective programs aim to address the malnutrition problem in their respective locality.(DOH-8)
RECOGNITION. The Department of Health acknowledges several town officials for their respective programs aim to address the malnutrition problem in their respective locality.(DOH-8)
TACLOBAN CITY – The mayor of Arteche, Eastern Samar expressed his gratitude for the opportunity given by the Department of Health (DOH) to share his programs addressing nutrition problems in his locality.
Mayor Roland Boie Evardone was one of the mayors from the Visayas who shared their experiences at the Mayor’s Forum for the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) held last week.
This initiative of the Marcos Administration focuses on promoting good health and nutrition through a multisectoral approach.
PMNP is implemented by the DOH and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in collaboration with the National Nutrition Council (NNC), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“We sincerely thank the DOH and DSWD for giving us the opportunity to share with our fellow mayors from Regions 8, 7, and 6 our health and nutrition strategies through Project Susan.e,” Mayor Evardone said.
Project Susan.e, or Project Sustainable Nutrition and Nanay Empowerment, is a collaborative initiative aimed at addressing the critical issue of malnutrition among children in the municipality.
It has several components, including MaMa (Masaganang Pagbubuntis, Masiglang Kamusmusan/Masustansiya at Masiglang First 1,000 Days), LETRA (Literacy Enrichment Training and Reading Assistance), One Barangay One Gulay, among others.
In his presentation during the forum, Mayor Evardone shared that they successfully reduced the stunting rate in their town from 26.04% in 2023 to 14.89% in 2024.
Additionally, they improved their ranking in terms of the prevalence of underweight children from 2nd among 23 towns in the province with 10.86% in 2023 to 19th with only 4.52% in 2024.
As a recipient of the project, the LGU of Arteche received a total of P1.95 million under Component 1 of the PMNP to support their health and nutrition programs.
Out of the 236 municipalities across the country participating in the PMNP, 70 are from Eastern Visayas, including those from the provinces of Samar, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, and Biliran.
The program, implemented over four years, aims to provide iron folic acid supplementation among pregnant women, ensure access to prenatal care services, offer nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific services, promote breastfeeding, and provide access to sanitary toilets.
LGUs included in the program have stunting rates higher than 17.5%, poverty incidence equal to 21% based on the 2015 Philippine Statistics Authority Small Area Estimate, KALAHI-CIDSS implementation, and are covered by the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Area program.
Throughout the four-year implementation, the region is expected to receive P943 million in funding. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY– Some major seawaters in Samar and Eastern Samar provinces were declared to have the presence of ‘red tide,’ which makes collecting and eating all types of shellfish and ‘alamang’ not advisable.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources(BFAR) in the region said that the Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City, Samar and the bays of Cambatutay in Tarangnan, Matarinao which covers the towns of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani and Salcedo, and the coastal waters of Guiuan, all in Eastern Samar were found to be positive for Pyrodinium bahamense, a toxic microorganism that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning(PSP).
BFAR said that fish, squid, shrimp, and crabs from the affected bays are safe for human consumption, provided that they are fresh, thoroughly washed, and have had their internal organs, such as gills and intestines, removed before cooking. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
ROAD PROJECT. Rep. Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group conducted an inspection of the Jipapad-Las Navas road project, connecting the provinces of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.(DPWH-LAOANG)
ROAD PROJECT. Rep. Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan of the 4Ps party-list group conducted an inspection of the Jipapad-Las Navas road project, connecting the provinces of Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.(DPWH-LAOANG)
LAOANG, Northern Samar-House Minority Floor Leader, Representative Marcelino C. Libanan, who represents the 4Ps party-list recently visited the Jipapad to Las Navas Road Project to monitor and inspect on the construction of new roads, including the Missing Links/New Roads Arteche, Brgy. Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road. His goal was to check the progress and make sure it benefits the local economy and improves life in Northern Samar.
Rep. Libanan was accompanied by Engr. Gil Herrera, Chief of Construction Section, Engr. Jessther Dhian Sosing, and PIO Designate Joemar M. Patilan, representatives from Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (NSSDEO), with the presence of 8th ID Commander MGEN Camilo Ligayo, 803rdBde Commander BGEN Efren Morados, ESPPO Provincial Director PCOL Jose Manuel Payos, 52nd IB Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Rudyard Garcia, Borongan City Vice Mayor Emman Tiusonco, and some members of the Sinirangan Tigers.
Spanning a total length of 16.640 kilometers between Jipapad, Eastern Samar and Las Navas, Northern Samar, the Jipapad-Las Navas Road has a completed portion of 13.825 kilometers, with an additional 1.635 kilometers for completion in FY 2024, and 1.180 kilometers proposed for FY 2025.
The total project cost is estimated at P1,118,849,000.00, with P946,349,000.00 already funded, P81,206,000.00 allocated for FY 2024, and P91,249,000.00 proposed for FY 2025.
The DPWH NSSDEO is working on this road construction to make travel faster between the towns of Jipapad in Eastern Samar and Las Navas in Northern Samar, which will benefit local people, businesses, and tourists, unlike before that residents of places like Barangay San Francisco had to take long trips by boat on the Panalaran River from 6 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon just to reach nearby areas. Now, with the new road, it’s easier and cheaper to transport important goods like coconuts, abaca, and palay.
The Jipapad to Las Navas Road Project, once completed, is expected to boost the local economy, attract tourists, and improve connectivity in Northern Samar as part of ongoing efforts to develop better infrastructure in the region.
The completion of the Jipapad to Las Navas Road Project is anticipated to further stimulate economic activities, promote tourism, and strengthen connectivity across Northern Samar, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance infrastructure development in the region.
Our political arena in the country has evolved into a disgraceful battleground where personal vendettas overshadow public service. Politicians, entrusted with the sacred duty of governance, have turned government systems and operations into weapons for settling scores with their adversaries. The misuse of power has led to a government that no longer serves its people but instead indulges the egos and rivalries of those in power. The very institutions meant to protect and uplift the citizenry are hijacked to further petty political feuds, leaving the populace to suffer the consequences of these selfish wars.
Every election cycle brings a new set of leaders, but the script remains depressingly the same. Once in power, the victors prioritize retribution over reform, using state resources to hunt down and humiliate their political foes. This vendetta-driven governance not only wastes valuable resources but also paralyzes the administration, causing vital services to grind to a halt. Health, education, infrastructure, and public safety—core functions of any government—are neglected as leaders focus on their personal battles. The result is a country mired in stagnation, unable to move forward as its leaders remain fixated on the past.
The most tragic aspect of this incessant infighting is the collateral damage inflicted on the people. Ordinary citizens, who have no stake in these political rivalries, bear the brunt of the dysfunction. They endure substandard public services, deteriorating infrastructure, and a lack of economic opportunities while politicians squabble over power and prestige. The needs of the many are sacrificed for the whims of a few, creating a society where progress is stifled, and hope for a better future is continually dashed.
This vicious cycle of retribution is as predictable as it is destructive. When a new party ascends to power, it merely repeats the sins of its predecessors, perpetuating a culture of vengeance rather than vision. Instead of breaking this toxic tradition, each new administration seems more determined to outdo the last in its pursuit of political enemies.
This endless loop of retribution ensures that the government remains perpetually dysfunctional, with leaders more focused on settling old scores than addressing the pressing issues facing the nation.
Surely, the country deserves better than leaders who prioritize personal vendettas over public service. It is high time for politicians to rise above their petty feuds and focus on the greater good. The country needs visionary leaders who can set aside their differences and work together to propel the nation toward economic progress and peace. The people should not be forced to pay the price for the political elite’s inability to move beyond their egos. It is a national imperative that governance is restored to its rightful purpose: serving the people and building a brighter future for all.
