TACLOBAN CITY — In the wake of the devastation caused by Typhoon ‘Opong’, the provincial government of Biliran has launched the “Bahay at Pag-asa” (Home and Hope) program to provide shelter assistance to more than 150 families whose houses were totally destroyed by the storm.
Governor Rogelio Espina spearheaded the initiative, held on Oct.20, describing it as a concrete expression of Serbisyong Biliranon—a brand of public service built on compassion, unity, and resilience.
“A house is not just a roof and walls. It is a symbol of hope, of new beginnings, and of the Biliranon spirit that never gives up,” Espina said during the program’s launch.
He assured the affected families that the provincial government will continue to coordinate with local and national agencies to ensure that all victims receive the necessary support for their recovery.
Espina also thanked municipal and barangay officials for their steadfast commitment and cooperation in delivering assistance to affected residents, stressing that rebuilding communities requires collective effort.
“Our mission is not for one, but for all. In every home we help rebuild, hope is reborn,” he said.
Beyond providing shelter, Espina emphasized that the “Bahay at Pag-asa” program symbolizes a broader commitment to rebuild lives, restore dignity, and strengthen the Biliranon spirit—proving that the province continues to rise stronger and more united after every disaster.
Ormoc City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office donated one (1) electronic total station, two (2) tables, and two (2) desktop computers to Visayas State University (VSU) Isabel Campus on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. These items, which had been declared unserviceable by the office, were turned over after the university asked for assistance due to a shortage of equipment.
VSU Isabel Campus Chancellor Catherine L. Chan, PhD, personally received the donation, which will be used to support the school’s engineering and technical programs. The items are expected to give students more hands-on experience in their studies.
District Engineer Peter Scheler V. Soco said that the initiative reflects the agency’s continuing support for local academic institutions. “Through this simple act, we hope to help nurture future engineers and strengthen our partnership with the education sector,” he shared. He added that the DEO aims to continue promoting learning opportunities and community development in the district. (PR)
MANILA, Philippines-GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance super app with the largest cashless ecosystem, announced the official launch of the GCash Pera Outlet Plus. Designed to economically empower Nano, Micro and Small (NMS) businesses, such as sari-sari stores, carinderias, and other community-based retail shops, by becoming a local hub for daily digital financial transactions, such as cash-in, cash-out, load purchase, and bills payment in their communities.
GCash Pera Outlet Plus transforms sari-sari stores into local hubs for daily digital financial transactions, enabling retailers to earn additional income that helps drive inclusive growth in thriving local economies
The new GCash Pera Outlet Plus is a separate and dedicated merchant app, currently available for Android mobile devices, that offers a wide range of digital financial services, with simple and powerful tools that enables community-based retail stores to earn additional income and help grow their businesses.
Store owners can unlock income streams and higher earning potential that can augment revenues to their existing business by earning commissions from everyday GCash financial services. Unlike a standard consumer e-wallet, the GCash Pera Outlet Plus wallet is designed for high-volume community transactions, offering higher wallet limits and a separate account history for better transaction tracking and management.
To help GCash Per Outlet Plus partner stores succeed, GCash offers a range of support including, but not limited to, free store merchandising set-up, exclusive merchant promotions and helpful digital tools such as “My Suki” to save customer details and avoid mistakes in keying-in numbers, frontliner delegation features to allow a store front personnel to run the business while owners are away, and a very simple business onboarding process.
With thousands of registered outlets nationwide, GCash Pera Outlet Plus plays a vital role in the country’s digital transformation and in bridging the financial gap, as it paves the way to digitalization at the grassroots community level through NMS businesses.
“At GCash, we believe that empowering community-based retails shops is key to building a more inclusive and resilient economy,” said RenRen Reyes, CEO of G-Xchange, Inc. “With the new GCash Pera Outlet Plus, we’re giving nano,micro and small entrepreneurs the tools to help grow their businesses further, serve their communities, and contribute to national development. This is a commitment to uplift local livelihoods and drive economic progress from the ground up.”
The GCash Pera Outlet Plus features help ensure that NMS businesses—have the digital tools to adapt, thrive, earn, and lead. This initiative is a core reflection of GCash’s commitment to inclusive innovation in line with its vision of providing “Finance for All”. This vision centers on accelerating financial inclusion by providing accessible and meaningful digital finance solutions to empower all Filipinos, especially those who are unbanked or underserved by traditional financial institutions.
By expanding digital financial services to the furthest reaches of the country, the initiative directly supports the Philippine Government’s digitalization agenda for local and national economic development. (PR)
TACLOBAN CITY — In the wake of the devastation caused by Typhoon ‘Opong’, the provincial government of Biliran has launched the “Bahay at Pag-asa” (Home and Hope) program to provide shelter assistance to more than 150 families whose houses were totally destroyed by the storm.
Governor Rogelio Espina spearheaded the initiative, held on Oct.20, describing it as a concrete expression of Serbisyong Biliranon—a brand of public service built on compassion, unity, and resilience.
“A house is not just a roof and walls. It is a symbol of hope, of new beginnings, and of the Biliranon spirit that never gives up,” Espina said during the program’s launch.
He assured the affected families that the provincial government will continue to coordinate with local and national agencies to ensure that all victims receive the necessary support for their recovery.
Espina also thanked municipal and barangay officials for their steadfast commitment and cooperation in delivering assistance to affected residents, stressing that rebuilding communities requires collective effort.
“Our mission is not for one, but for all. In every home we help rebuild, hope is reborn,” he said.
Beyond providing shelter, Espina emphasized that the “Bahay at Pag-asa” program symbolizes a broader commitment to rebuild lives, restore dignity, and strengthen the Biliranon spirit—proving that the province continues to rise stronger and more united after every disaster.
TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Tourism–Eastern Visayas (DOT-8), in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), has provided financial assistance to tourism workers whose livelihoods were affected by recent calamities in the region.
In coordination with local government units, the DOT-8 identified 101 displaced tourism workers from Biliran province and Jipapad, Eastern Samar, who received relief and cash aid from the DSWD headed by Regional Director Grace Subong.
DOT-8 Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes personally led the initial distribution held at the DSWD Field Office in Naval, Biliran, where each beneficiary received P2,000 in cash assistance.
The assistance program also covers 45 tourism workers from the island municipality of San Vicente, Northern Samar, who are set to receive financial aid in the coming days.
Director Tiopes said the initiative underscores the government’s commitment to the welfare of tourism industry workers, emphasizing that recovery efforts should include the people who drive the sector’s growth.
“Tourism is not just about destinations—it’s about people. Supporting our tourism workers ensures that Eastern Visayas’ tourism industry continues to rise stronger after every challenge,” Tiopes said.
The activity, conducted in collaboration with the Eastern Visayas Tourism Association (EVTA), reflects the continued partnership among government agencies and tourism stakeholders in promoting recovery, resilience, and sustainable growth across the region’s tourism communities.
DENIAL. Former congressman Vicente Veloso of Leyte’s third district vehemently denied allegations linking him to the supposed overpricing of a farm-to-market road (FMR) project and alleged land grabbing in Barangay San Roque, Tacloban City. (PHOTO COURTESY)
DENIAL. Former congressman Vicente Veloso of Leyte’s third district vehemently denied allegations linking him to the supposed overpricing of a farm-to-market road (FMR) project and alleged land grabbing in Barangay San Roque, Tacloban City. (PHOTO COURTESY)
TACLOBAN CITY — Former Leyte 3rd District Representative Vicente Veloso has denied allegations linking him to the supposed overpricing of a farm-to-market road (FMR) project and alleged land grabbing in Barangay San Roque, Tacloban City, as featured in the October 19 episode of ‘Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS)’.
In a statement sent to Leyte Samar Daily Express on Tuesday,Oct.21, Veloso described the report as “misleading and false,” saying that Barangay San Roque is outside his former congressional jurisdiction.
“I have no comment on the issue regarding the FMR in Barangay San Roque, Tacloban City, because said barangay is located within the first district of Leyte, not within the third district, which I previously represented,” Veloso said.
Veloso served as a congressman from 2016 to 2022 and is now an associate justice of the Court of Appeals. He clarified that he had no involvement in the P100-million FMR project cited in the report, which remains under construction.
“Since July 1, 2022, I have ceased to be a member of Congress; therefore, I am not in any position to explain how the farm-to-market road in Brgy. San Roque was allegedly allocated P100 million,” he added.
Veloso also denied accusations of land grabbing, saying the KMJS report falsely portrayed his family’s land acquisitions.
“Your first interviewee claimed that I bought lands at a low price. However, as my family and I acquired those lands many years ago, we cannot make any comment on what may now be considered ‘cheap’ or ‘fair market value,’” he said.
“It is enough to stress that your own interviewee admitted that the lands were bought, which clearly disproves your report’s claim that I grabbed the land.”
He specifically refuted the claim of Erlinda Bermudo, who alleged that he took her property near the FMR site. Veloso said their prior dispute involved a different property located in Sitio Picas, Barangay Guinciaman, San Miguel, Leyte — not in Tacloban City.
He cited a Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board (DARAB) ruling dated June 8, 2004, which dismissed the appeal of Bermudo’s group, Alyansa han Parag-uma ha Sab-a Basin. The decision, he said, became final and executory on October 26, 2004.
Veloso has since called on GMA Network and the KMJS production team to correct what he described as false and damaging information.
“I urge GMA Network and the program Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho to immediately correct the false information broadcast in your documentary to prevent further damage to my reputation and to ensure the integrity of your reporting,” he said.
The controversial KMJS episode has stirred discussions in Leyte, with some residents calling for clarification from both the media outlet and concerned government agencies regarding the FMR’s funding and ownership issues.
