TACLOBAN CITY – The municipal government of Guiuan, Eastern Samar has ordered an intensified environmental sanitation campaign after the town recorded 16 confirmed dengue cases from January to the second week of July, with more than half of the infections reported in a single village.

Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan on July 16, issued Executive Order No. 07-94-2026, directing all 60 barangays to immediately mobilize and strengthen clean-up and dengue prevention activities to curb the spread of the mosquito-borne disease.

The order was issued after an inspection report submitted by the Municipal Health Office (MHO) on July 15 showed that nine of the 16 confirmed dengue cases were recorded in Barangay Salug, making it the municipality’s most affected village.

The report also identified numerous mosquito breeding sites across the town, including stagnant water, clogged canals, overgrown vegetation, and improperly managed solid waste, prompting local officials to intensify preventive measures.

Under the executive order, all barangays have been directed to conduct weekly clean-up drives, remove water-holding containers that could serve as mosquito breeding sites, unclog drainage canals and waterways, eliminate stagnant water in public places and residential areas, trim overgrown vegetation, and strengthen solid waste management in accordance with Republic Act No. 9003.

Barangays were also instructed to coordinate with the Municipal Health Office in conducting information and education campaigns on dengue prevention, mobilize barangay health workers and community volunteers for sanitation activities, and assist health personnel during larval surveys, misting, spraying, and other vector-control operations.

Households are likewise encouraged to undertake weekly search-and-destroy activities against mosquito breeding sites, properly dispose of household waste, maintain clean surroundings, and cooperate with health authorities during inspections and vector-control interventions.

To ensure compliance, all village chiefs have been ordered to submit weekly accomplishment reports, including photographs and summaries of activities undertaken, until the Municipal Health Office determines that the intensified sanitation campaign may be scaled down.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Tubig Catbalogan Corporation (TCC) has launched an emergency response plan after the city’s water supply system fell to only 30% to 40% of its normal capacity, leaving many households, schools, businesses, and workers with little or no water for several days.

In a statement issued July 16, 2026, TCC apologized to residents affected by the prolonged water shortage and admitted that the company should have acted earlier to detect and repair leaks, improve backup capacity, and develop additional water sources.
The company attributed the crisis to a combination of prolonged dry conditions that depleted water sources, heavy rains that made other sources difficult to treat, power interruptions that disrupted pumping operations, and significant water losses caused by leaks.

To oversee the emergency response, Mark Eric Roxas, chief operations officer of Tubig Pilipinas, has been deployed to Catbalogan to supervise operations and ensure the rapid implementation of response measures and infrastructure projects.

Among the immediate measures being undertaken is the expansion of leak-repair teams from two to four. A second leak-detection team equipped with sonar technology has also been deployed to locate underground leaks that may be contributing to the loss of water in the distribution system.

TCC also began testing a District Metered Area (DMA) rotational piped-water service on July 16. The system is intended to improve water pressure in selected areas while providing scheduled water distribution through existing pipelines.

The company said water delivered by local government unit trucks will remain free to all Catbalogan residents, whether or not they are connected to the TCC system. Additional water trucks will also be deployed, with routes and schedules to be announced through official communication channels.

TCC said it will begin utilizing the Masacpasac water source this month, which is expected to add about five liters of water per second to the system.

The company also plans to upgrade the pumping and filtration facilities that transport water from Caramayon to the Kulador Water Treatment Plant to increase the volume of treated water available for distribution.

A longer-term project, the San Andres–Caramayon–Cagutian water source and pipeline project, is scheduled to begin construction in August 2026 once the required materials arrive. Upon completion and successful testing, the project is expected to provide up to 15 million liters of water per day.

TCC urged residents to help address the crisis by reporting visible leaks and broken pipes, conserving water, and avoiding the use of unauthorized booster pumps directly connected to the main distribution line.

The company said unauthorized booster pumps can reduce water pressure for neighboring households.

The water crisis has forced many Catbalogan residents to rely on water containers and deliveries as the city’s water distribution system struggles with depleted sources, infrastructure problems, and operational disruptions.

TCC thanked the city government of Catbalogan, the Catbalogan Water District, barangay officials, emergency responders, and residents for their assistance during the crisis.
The company said it would continue to release updates on repair work, DMA schedules, water-truck routes, and the progress of water infrastructure projects through its official communication channels.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

NOWADAYS, mental health clinics are becoming more common. More people, especially the young, seek help for anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, and other emotional struggles. This growing need should concern us all.

These clinics perform an important service. Professional counseling, therapy, medication, and other psychological interventions have helped many recover balance and hope. They deserve our appreciation and support.

But there is one truth we should never overlook. Mental health and spiritual health are deeply connected.

One affects the other. A troubled mind can make prayer difficult, weaken hope, and drain one’s desire to do good. At the same time, a neglected spiritual life can leave the mind more vulnerable to fear, loneliness, despair, and confusion. They constantly interact because the human person is both body and soul.

Yet we should also keep our priorities clear. Our spiritual life has primacy. It is the soul that gives ultimate meaning to everything else. We are not merely biological or psychological beings. We are children of God, created to know him, love him, and live with him forever.
This is a point worth remembering in a culture that often looks only at the psychological or material dimensions of life. Human problems cannot always be solved by techniques alone. There are wounds that only God’s grace can heal.

Everything begins with our relationship with God. When we strive to pray, receive the sacraments, meditate on God’s word, and do his will, we develop an inner stability that no external circumstance can completely destroy. We discover that our worth depends not on success, popularity, or comfort, but on being loved by God.

That spiritual foundation strengthens the mind. Life will still bring disappointments, failures, sickness, misunderstandings, and loss. But faith enables us to face them without losing hope. We may experience sorrow, but not despair. We may feel fear, but we are not paralyzed by it. We may carry heavy burdens, but we never carry them alone.

This is one of the practical consequences of a healthy spiritual life. It gives meaning to suffering, direction to difficulties, and peace even in uncertainty. We begin to see every event, pleasant or painful, as something God can use for our good.

The reverse is also true. When we neglect our spiritual life, we often lose our proper perspective. Small problems can become overwhelming. Setbacks easily discourage us. We become imprisoned by our emotions because we have lost sight of God’s loving providence.
This does not mean that every mental illness is caused by weak faith. Many psychological conditions have genuine biological or emotional causes and require competent professional care. Seeking such help is neither a sign of weakness nor a lack of trust in God.

Rather, grace and sound therapy should work together. God can act through doctors, psychologists, counselors, family members, and friends. But while professional care heals the mind, only God can fully satisfy the deepest longing of the heart.

That is why we should care for both our mental and spiritual health. Let us seek competent medical help when needed, but let us also nourish our soul through prayer, the sacraments, Scripture, and works of charity.

Then we can truly make St. Paul’s words our own: “Do not be anxious about anything… the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” With Christ at the center, we can face every challenge with serenity, courage, and lasting hope.