NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, N. Samar – The Department of Public Works and Highways – Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (DPWH-NSSDEO) has started the construction of the Missing Links/New Roads project along the Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road which aims to enhance road connectivity of far-flung barangays in the province of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, promote economic growth, and improve access to essential services.

The said project, supervised by NSSDEO Project Engineer Arturo C. Corocoto, Jr., involves the concreting of approximately 1,635 meters of roadway.

Designed with a width of 6.70 meters and a thickness of 0.28 meters, the new road will feature 1.50-meter shoulders on both sides and includes 275 meters of slope protection. The funding for this project, with Contract ID No. 24II0022, comes from the General Appropriations Act of 2024, with a total allocation of P81,206,000.00.

Local officials and community members have expressed their support for the project, emphasizing its potential to stimulate economic activities, end insurgency issues, promote tourism, and strengthen connectivity between Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.
Enhanced road connectivity is expected to facilitate the movement of goods and services, providing a boost to local economy. Farmers, in particular, stand to benefit from this project, enabling them to sell their products more efficiently.
Moreover, the construction of the Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road is anticipated to improve access to education and healthcare facilities for residents in remote areas.
With better roads, students will find it easier to commute to schools, while patients can reach medical services more quickly, ultimately leading to improved quality of life.
“Kapag natapos ine na project, darako sine an amon benepisyo nga makakarawat unina. An amon mga produkto na ginbabaligya ngadto sa bungto masayon na an amon pagtravel tungod sine na project didi sa amon. Kapag mayaon kami mga pasyente san amo baryo, malaksi na an amon pagdul-ong ngadto sa bungto tungod san maupay na an amon pagtravel kay mayaon na kami highway. Nagpapasalamat kami sa DPWH nga sayo kami sa barangay nga naging benepisyaryo sine na project. [When this project is finished, our community will receive significant benefits in the future. Our products will be easier to sell because travel has become simpler due to this project implemented by the DPWH. When we have patients in our barangay, we can quickly transport them to town because of improved road. We are grateful that our barangay is one of the beneficiaries of this project],” Bobby Turbanada, Punong Barangay of Brgy. San Francisco, Las Navas, Northern Samar, gratefully stated.
Furthermore, the realization of this vital infrastructure is of paramount importance to the prosperity of the region as it hopes to end insurgency issues and achieve peace and order for the people residing in the far-flung barangays of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, ultimately leading to improved quality of life.
With this project, the region takes a step forward in addressing its infrastructure needs. As the project continues its construction, the importance of reliable road networks cannot be overstated. The Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road project is more than just a construction effort, it represents a vision for a connected and prosperous region.(PR)

Demand release for the ‘Tacloban 5’

TACLOBAN CITY – Defying threats of red-tagging and possible arrests, activists gathered at the Redemptorist Church on the morning of Friday, September 21, to mark the 52nd anniversary of Martial Law in the Philippines.

Dressed in black and holding placards bearing the message “No to Martial Law,” they stood in solemn protest, commemorating a dark chapter in the nation’s history.

Some participants lit candles while offering silent prayers, while others raised clenched fists, a gesture symbolizing their determination and resistance.

Among the protesters was Kyle Domequil, a University of the Philippines (UP) Tacloban student and sister of political prisoner Maye Domequil.

In an interview with Leyte Samar Daily Express, Domequil shared that she attended the rally to call for her sister’s release and to demand justice for the “Tacloban 5,” a group arrested in February 2020.

The so-called Tacloban 5, composed of Domequil, Frenchie Cumpio, Marissa Cabaljao, Mira Legion, and Alexander Abinguna were reportedly members of different activist groups and are in detention for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Domequil, during the program, spoke of her family’s suffering, comparing their experience to the stories of oppression during the Martial Law era under Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“It reminds me of the enforced disappearances, torture, and widespread fear people faced during that time,” Domequil said.

She also expressed her commitment to prevent the return of tyranny in Eastern Visayas.
“We will not be silenced. We will not cower in the face of oppression. Instead, we will raise our voices in protest, our defiance echoing through the halls of power, shaking the foundations of those who seek to control us,” Domequil declared passionately.

Meanwhile, Carl John Bocala, a councilor of the UP Tacloban Student Council, emphasized the importance of rallying the youth to speak up.

“Silence is not an option when our country is facing critical issues. We must show our fellow young people that their voices matter,” Bocala said, urging others to overcome fear and confront injustice.

The rally on September 21 was the second of its kind held outside the UP Tacloban campus in recent months. In August, several participants were arrested during a protest held at the 57th General Assembly of Student Councils, underscoring the tense atmosphere surrounding student activism in the city.

(JAZMIN BONIFACIO)