ORAS, Eastern Samar – The Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH ESDEO) has recently finished a road project worth Php 100 million, which spans 1.6 kilometers from Brgy San Eduardo to Brgy Nadacpan in Oras, Eastern Samar.

The road project connects the inner barangay of Nadacpan to the national highway and also features slope protection and lined canal structures.

Reynaldo Donceras, a farmer and resident of Brgy Nadacapan, shared that the project has been a great help in reducing travel time for the transportation of their farm products and people from their barangay to the national highway.

Donceras mentioned that the residents have greatly benefited its travel time being shortened from 60 minutes by boat to just 10 minutes by motor vehicle.

“Han una, malangan an transportasyon, mahal an pamasahe. Ha yana naman nga panahon, dako an pakabulig han kahuman na hit nga kalsada kay madagmit na an amon produkto mahiguwa didi han am barangay (Before, transportation was very inefficient, and the fares were very costly. Now, the road is a big help to us because we can easily transport our farm products from our barangay to nearby towns),” said Donceras.

Meanwhile, District Engineer Domcelio Natividad stated that the San Eduardo-Nadacpan Road will greatly benefit the local community, boost the economy, and promote tourism and agriculture in the area.

“The DPWH Eastern Samar District Engineering Office will continue to implement various road projects like San Eduardo-Nadacpan Road that aim to improve transportation and connectivity in the province,” added DE Natividad.

The DPWH Eastern Samar District Engineering Office implemented the road project, which started on June 16, 2022, and ended on June 21, 2023, with local funding. (PR)

Labor Day celebration

TACLOBAN CITY– The Department of Labor and Employment here in the region spearheaded this year’s jobs fairs as it joined in the celebration of Labor Day on Wednesday(May 1).

During the occasion, the ‘Kadiwa ng Pangulo’ was also held wherein basic goods were sold at a lower price.

The jobs fairs conducted here in the city and in selected areas in the region with 11,855 jobs were up for grabs for those looking for employment.

During the one-day occasion, about 183 local establishments and eight overseas agencies joined in the jobs fairs.

Of the 11,855 job openings, 6,910 were available in Tacloban City job fair; 1,908 in Borongan City; 625 in San Jorge town, Samar;568 in Ormoc City;540 in Maasin City; and 236 in Catarman, Northern Samar.

“We are expecting that many of our job-seekers will be hired on-the-spot during these job fairs,”Norma Mae Costimiano, information officer of DOLE-8, said.

Meantime, DOLE Regional Director Dax Villaruel said that they would consult first the business sectors on the proposed new rounds of wage increase.

“We will first conduct a consultation with them and see the data of the region about this proposed wage increase,’ he said in a media interview.

Villaruel said that workers in the region had just received a P30 wage increase effective November 30 of last year, making the daily wage for private workers at P405.
(NICOLE A. FANOGA EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY,STUDENT INTERN)

TACLOBAN CITY– As the Santa Cruz de Mayo resumes, streets across the city are once again filled with colorful lanterns and lively worship songs.

To celebrate the official start of Flowers Month, Santa Cruzan festivities resume. Youths from different barangays and sitios in the Apitong area gathered at the St. Josemaria Escriva Mission Station to have their lanterns and crosses blessed.

This religious procession started in the 1800s, remembering Queen Helena’s pilgrimage to retrieve the cross of Jesus.

This tradition is honored not only in Tacloban but also across Eastern Visayas and other regions.

The grand Santa Cruzan is scheduled on May 30 and is being actively prepared by the Tacloban City Tourism Operations Office.

(ALYSSA PLANA, EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)