ORMOC CITY– Two individuals involved in illegal drug activities, listed as street level individuals in the Station 4 Drug Watchlist, this city were apprehended by local police during a buy-bust operation on Sunday, September 1, at around 10:15 pm.
The operation took place in Purok 1, Looc, Barangay Linao, Ormoc City.
Station 4 Chief of Police, PMAJ Angelo Sibunga, identified the suspects as alias “Raymond”, 27 and alias “Dimple”, 27.
Both suspects are residents of Purok 1, Looc, Barangay Linao and listed as street-level individuals in the drug watchlist of Police Station 4.
During the operation, Raymond was found in possession of a sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu, which was purchased by an operative for P500.
This sachet weighed 0.11 grams.
A subsequent body search revealed a maroon coin purse containing two medium sachets with white crystalline substances, also suspected to be shabu.
These sachets had an estimated weight of 5.14 grams and a street value of P34,952.
Alias “Dimple” was found with three sachets containing white crystalline substances, suspected to be shabu, with a total weight of 0.29 grams and an estimated street value of P1,972.
The total drug evidence seized amounted to 5.54 grams of shabu with an estimated street value of P37,672.
Charges for violations of Sections 5 and 11 of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed against the suspects and currently detained at Police Station 4 in Barangay Linao pending further legal proceedings. (ROBERT DEJON)
Tacloban City — The Tacloban City District Engineering Office (TCDEO) joins the Philippine Civil Service Anniversary (PCSA) Vibe Run, an event spearheaded by the Civil Service Commission Regional Office VIII, held on September 1, 2024. This event was part of the commission’s 124th Anniversary celebration.
The PCSA Vib e Run, held at the new Leyte Provincial Capitol Building Grounds in Palo, Leyte, drew active participation from selected TCDEO employees as well as representatives from various agencies across Region VIII. Despite the adverse weather, which brought rain to the area, the event proceeded as planned, showcasing the determination and spirit of the participants.
Before the start of the activity, a lively Zumba session led by Z4 dancers was held to energize the participants, adding an extra layer of excitement and engagement to the event. Meanwhile, the atmosphere was vibrant and festive, with colored powders being enthusiastically thrown at the start of the run, creating a colorful display that energized the crowd.
As the rain enhanced the challenge of the event, many participants chose to walk and still enjoyed the experience. Hence, these participants were indeed servant heroes for still completing the 1-kilometer run.
The PCSA Vibe Run not only promoted physical fitness and well-being among participants but also fostered camaraderie and a sense of community across different government agencies. (PUBLIC INFORMATION UNIT)
WIDESPREAD FLOODING. Tropical Depression ‘Enteng’ brought heavy rains on Sunday, September 1, causing widespread flooding in Northern Samar. The photo shows a man inside his flooded home in Rosario town.
(JUDE P. FRAGA/NORTHERN SAMAR NEWS AND INFORMATION)
Northern Samar hard hit
WIDESPREAD FLOODING. Tropical Depression ‘Enteng’ brought heavy rains on Sunday, September 1, causing widespread flooding in Northern Samar. The photo shows a man inside his flooded home in Rosario town. (JUDE P. FRAGA/NORTHERN SAMAR NEWS AND INFORMATION)
TACLOBAN CITY – Over 1,300 families, comprising more than 6,400 individuals, were affected by flooding in Northern Samar due to Tropical Depression ‘Enteng,’ which struck Eastern Visayas on Sunday, September 1.
The severe weather led to one fatality, while four others are reported missing.
According to the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police, Enteng impacted 1,395 families, consisting of 6,431 people from the towns of Allen, Lavezares, and Lope de Vega, causing significant flooding.
Flooding was also reported in other parts of the province, including Bobon, Biri, Rosario, Catubig, and the capital, Catarman.
In Barangay Santo Niño, Biri, a landslide accompanied by a tornado destroyed 14 houses and resulted in the death of 76-year-old Federico Sabangan, Sr and his son 29-year-old Federico Jr.
Rei Josiah Echano, the provincial head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also reported that four residents of the village were injured in the incident. They were all brought to Biri District Hospital for treatment.
A tornado also struck the village of Villaflores in Lavezares town, Northern Samar, at around 11 a.m. on Sunday.
The incident destroyed a barracks occupied by workers engaged in road repair, but no injuries were reported.
Echano noted that Enteng brought an extraordinary amount of rainfall, exceeding the expected volume for the entire month of September.
“Yesterday’s rains were extraordinary. Based on the climatological analysis of Pagasa, around 230 mm of rain was expected for September 2024. However, in just the first day of the month, and in less than 18 hours, tropical depression Enteng dropped that entire projected rainfall volume, flooding 60 percent of the affected local government units,” he said.
In response to the severe weather, Governor Edwin Ongchuan has suspended classes, and 610 passengers were stranded at the Allen port.
Meantime, minor landslide incidents occurred in Almeria town, Biliran as flooding was also reported in some towns in Eastern Samar like in Dolores and Can-avid.
These landslide incidents took place in the upland village of Sampao and in Talahid, which is located along a national highway.
Several areas in Samar province, like Calbayog City and Matuguinao, classes were suspended due to the inclement weather.
Power supply was also down in several parts of the province.
Meanwhile, three fishermen – Fidelino Amboy from Borongan City and Ernesto Ayaton, 63, from Taft, both from Eastern Samar; and Lorenzo Gasque, 62, from Kawayan, Biliran – were reported missing. They went out to sea on Saturday, August 31, and have not returned.
However, another fisherman, 47-year-old Nathan Encio from Llorente, Eastern Samar, was rescued in Gamay, Northern Samar.
The regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways reported that roads along national highways in Northern Samar and Samar, which were previously flooded, have now been cleared and are open for traffic.
TACLOBAN CITY – The town of Palo in Leyte will be the first area in the country to implement a flood mitigation project using a floodwater collection technology from South Korea.
Department of Science of Technology (DOST) 8 (Eastern Visayas) Director John Glenn Ocaña said the P28 million Rainfall and Stormwater Runoff Management Technology for Tropical Catchment (RainS-TECH) project funded by their agency is ongoing and will be completed by 2026.
“The three-year project aims to develop innovative systems, practices, technologies, and techniques that utilize and mimic the natural processes for the management of rainfall and stormwater runoff in pre-developed to post-developed tropical watersheds,” Ocaña said in an interview on Friday.
RainS-TECH, benchmarked in South Korea and piloted in Palo, adjacent to Tacloban City, is up for replication in other flood-prone, populated communities across the country.
The major component is the construction of infiltration trenches in the town center and Baras village.
Infiltration trenches are linear ditches that collect rainwater from adjacent surfaces. Their highly permeable soils allow the water to quickly seep into the ground.
“Due to development activities, the natural filtration is very limited and triggers flooding. The technology will bring the floodwater back to the ground and help recharge the water table,” Ocaña added.
The project will also install a rainwater harvesting system at the Palo municipal hall building.
Prof. Marla Maniquiz-Redillas, a department of civil engineering professor at De La Salle University in Manila, led the implementation of the project.
Redillas proposed the project after their team’s recent study of the flooding problem in Palo town.
This initiative is in partnership with the local government unit of Palo, provincial government of Leyte, DOST, Eastern Visayas State University, Philippine Science High School – Eastern Visayas Campus, National Irrigation Administration, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the state weather bureau PAGASA.
Officials from partner agencies signed a memorandum of agreement on June 28, 2024. (PNA)
ORMOC CITY-In what supposed to be a traffic violation operation took an unexpected turn when authorities in Allen Northern Samar discovered 37 kilograms of suspected shabu which has a commercial value of P277.50 million inside the vehicle.
In a joint operation conducted by the members of the Northern Samar Provincial Highway Patrol Team (NSPHPT), Regional Intelligence Division (RID) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) led to the recovery of suspected illegal drugs along Maharlika Highway in Barangay Jubasan, Allen, Northern Samar on Sunday, Sept.1, at about 5 am, report from the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police based in PALO,Leyte.
The suspect, identified only as “Sander,” a male resident of Brgy. Tubod, Iligan City, Lanao del Norte, was driving a dark turquoise Toyota Yaris Cross without a license plate and was initially stopped for traffic violations, including the absence of a seat belt.
When asked to present the vehicle’s official documents, the suspect could only provide a sales invoice and failed to produce an official receipt or certificate of registration.
During questioning, the suspect reportedly became visibly nervous before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing into the mountainous terrain of Brgy. Jubasan.
Despite efforts to pursue him, the suspect managed to evade capture, leaving behind his Vivo cellphone.
The joint team conducted a thorough inspection of the abandoned vehicle.
They discovered 37 packs of what is believed to be shabu, concealed in black plastic bags with Chinese markings which has an estimated commercial value of P277.50 million.
In addition to the suspected drugs, authorities recovered a driver’s license under the name “Sander,” a Vivo cellphone, and a sales invoice for the Toyota Yaris Cross registered to an individual named “Omar.”
The recovered evidence was carefully marked and inventoried on-site in the presence of witnesses, as required by law.
NSPHPT personnel, in coordination with nearby stations, are continuing their efforts to locate and apprehend the suspect.
A dragnet operation is ongoing, and authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any information that could assist in the suspect’s capture. (ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
As a call to action in improving the implementation of the Strategic Performance Management System (SPMS) in DPWH and in order to heighten the knowledge and deepen the understanding regarding SPMS, three personnel from the Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (NSSDEO) attended a comprehensive and interactive training on SPMS held from August 12-14, 2024, at the Sophia’s Way Event Center in Sagkahan, Tacloban City.
Joemar M. Patilan, Administrative Officer III; Edmund P. Somoray, Computer Maintenance Technologist II, and Rhea B. Maghanoy, Administrative Assistant II represented NSSDEO in this fundamental training. The training aimed to boost the participants’ understanding and implementation of the Department of Public Works and Highways Strategic Performance Management System (DPWH SPMS).
The resource speakers for the said 3-day training were led by DPWH subject-matter experts from the Human Resource and Administrative Service. Among them were Ms. Krisandra P. Dadulla, Supervising Administrative Officer; Engr. Johan Rose A. Santos, Engineer III; Ms. Darlene Angelu V. Pena, Administrative Officer V; and Ms. Ruth A. Arroyo, Administrative Officer IV. Their expertise provided invaluable insights into the SPMS fundamentals, including its purpose, objectives, scope, and policy guidelines stated in the SPMS Handbook, User’s Manual, and Department Order No. 32 s. 2024.
Participants were thoroughly trained through a variety of learning methods such as lecture, group discussion, facilitation exercise/activity, and other interactive learning activities, to ensure comprehension, retention, and application of knowledge. This is to address the recurring findings from the recent Internal Quality Audit in the DPWH Central Office and its Implementing Offices pertaining to SPMS which includes inconsistencies of Performance Commitment and Review Ratings of employees and offices and non-usage of monitoring and evaluation tools.
The attendance of this training marks a significant step in the NSSDEO’s ongoing commitment to improving organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The knowledge and skills gained are expected to drive better performance outcomes and contribute to the overall goals of the DPWH-NSSDEO’s strategic performance management system.(PR)
