DPWH bares P2.74 Billion budget for roads and infrastructure projects in Northern Samar this 2024

CATARMAN, Northern Samar– Governor Edwin Ongchuan has expressed profound gratitude to the national government for allocating a significant funding of Php 2.74 billion this 2024 for roadworks and other infrastructure projects in Northern Samar’s First District, which good news was announced by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 8 in its social media page.

With the growing traffic especially in the First District which is most traversed by heavy vehicles to and from Luzon and Mindanao, the Governor sees the need to expand roads as much as address the adverse damage brought about by the recent shearline and heavy rains in the province, in addition to flood controls and other vital infrastructures.

According to the DPWH, its 2024 Infrastructure Program for Northern Samar’s First District as outlined in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) consists of 77 projects which include 25 projects under the National Road Network Services, 3 under the Flood Management Services, 1 under the local program, and 48 under the Basic Infrastructure program.

Major of these projects are the preventive maintenance of the Catarman-Calbayog Road which has been funded Php 85 million, and the construction of the San Isidro-Lope De Vega Road which has the highest allocation at Php 100 million, DPWH 1st DEO District Engineer Alvin Ignacio revealed.

So far, 34 projects have been bid as of early January 2024 while 40 projects are under preliminary detailed engineering.

Governor Ongchuan likewise acknowledged the province’s representation in Congress through the Office of Congressman Paul Daza, for facilitating national government support to infrastructure development in Northern Samar which will enhance connectivity and certainly contribute to building resiliency and the overall economic development of the province.

To recall, Governor Ongchuan, along with other provincial officials, has, in the past, appealed to DPWH top officials to include the province in the agency’s programming for infrastructure projects which he believes is key to poverty alleviation and continued progress of Northern Samar.
(NORTHERN SAMAR PROVINCIAL INFORMATION OFFICE)

TACLOBAN CITY-Relevant to its commitment to participatory and data-driven governance, the Tacloban City Government was selected among 12 highly urbanized cities in the country for the conduct of the Citizen Satisfaction Index System (CSIS) survey of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The CSIS is a DILG performance tool that collects and generates data on citizens’ feedback on the LGU frontline program services conducted last year through DILG’s partner Local Resource Institute (LRI), the Eastern Visayas State University.

The results of the said survey, which had a total of 150 respondents from 21 city barangays, were presented through the utilization conference held on Tuesday, February 27 at Hotel Alejandro.

Survey data presented during the conference showed a “high level of awareness” of LGU services, and the majority of the respondents showed that they were satisfied with the delivery of services by the LGU.

Other aspects of the survey showed generally satisfactory results, such as those on economic investment and promotion, support for education, public works and infrastructure, and social welfare services.

Other highlights of the utilization conference were the signing of the Pledge of Commitment, to signify the commitment and support of the DILG, the local government, and the CSOs in implementing the Citizen-driven Priority Action Plan (CPAP).

Meanwhile, present during the event were DILG Regional Office 8 Assistant Regional Director Atty. Darwin Bibar, DILG Tacloban City Director, Engr. Visitacion Giva and the CSIS core team, headed by Dr. Jovito Madeja.

LGU attendees included the representative of Mayor Alfred S. Romualdez, City Planning and Development Coordinator Janis Canta, along with other officials that included City Councilors Elvira Casal and SK Federation President Dirko De Paz, and heads and representatives of frontline city government offices and civil society organizations.
(H.J. ROCA/CITY INFORMATION OFFICE)

MAASIN CITY– Tourism stakeholders of Southern Leyte aim to promote Sogod Bay as the top diving destination in Eastern Visayas.

Southern Leyte provincial board member Myra Rentuza, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on Tourism, stated that Southern Leyte is a top diving destination globally, and most divers visit to witness various fish species.

Rentuza narrated the story of a couple, Philp McGuire and his wife, who opened a dive resort in Padre Burgos town. They could attract foreign divers from around the world through their initiative.

“Darlene and Phil are heroes. For 18 years, they have been promoting the dive site in Southern Leyte. They are not only conducting business for the diving industry but also planting corals to preserve and maintain the marine environment and ecosystem,” Rentuza said during the joint meeting of the provincial tourism council and the provincial culture, heritage, and arts council on February 20.

Sogod Bay, as seen on a map, resembles a cleavage that bisects the province, with 11 municipalities lining its coast. Locals and foreign divers often make repeated visits as the vastness of the bay remains unexplored, offering an abundance of natural underwater sights, including steep drop-offs, live coral reefs, shelves, walls, and various sea creatures.
Napantao in San Francisco, Tangkaan in Padre Burgos, and the town’s piers are the most frequent dive locations. Limasawa is the site of the first Easter Sunday Mass, and there are also places like House Reefs and Ghost Towns, which are technical names coined by scuba divers.

Darlene McGuire shared that diving in Southern Leyte has transformed into an experience similar to underwater yoga, making it accessible to senior citizens.

However, she added that the municipality of Padre Burgos only has three dive operators, which makes it challenging to keep up with demand. She suggested that the area is ready for more investment to help meet the growing interest in diving.

Nedgar Garvez, the provincial tourism officer, informed the members of the two councils attending the meeting that the Department of Tourism has declared Sogod Bay as the anchor for a regional diving site.

Garvez suggested integrating this into crafting the ongoing provincial tourism master plan for the next five years with the assistance of Southern Leyte State University (SLSU).
During the meeting, the discussion on the province’s vast potential for diving, with the support of the tourism department, came up when the agenda included the Philippine Dive Expo on February 23 to 25, in which the McGuire couple would participate.

The province is conducting cultural mapping for all 19 LGUs, as recommended by the DOT. This encourages divers to spend their last two days sightseeing at other tourist attractions before leaving the province after their underwater experience.
(AAC/MMP/PIA Southern Leyte)