Biliran province as host

TACLOBAN CITY – Fourteen teams from six countries across three continents are in the island province of Biliran for the La Routa Eastern Visayas Adventure Race 2023.
La Routa is the Asian qualifying round for the Adventure World Series with the championship to be held in El Salvador next year.

This is the first time the region and the country will host this event.
Aside from the Philippines, the competing teams are from Malaysia, Japan, India, New Zealand, and Poland.

Originally, the 16 teams are to compete in the adventure race but two teams from the country had to withdraw due to unforeseen eventualities.

“Biliran is a tapestry of natural wonders waiting to be explored, with this untamed beauty providing a perfect background for an event of this magnitude,” Governor Gerard Roger Espina said during the welcome program for the athletes on Sunday (Nov.19).

The four-day competition will start on Tuesday (Nov. 21).

Espina lauded the Department of Tourism, organizers, and volunteers of the event for their dedication, showcasing Biliran to the international stage.

The island province was selected because of its high safety feature being an island. It does not have an insurgency problem and is easy to find roads or highways because of the presence of circumferential roads and cross-country roads.

In her message, DOT Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes encourages the participants especially those who are not from the region to enjoy the competition and the warm hospitality of Biliranons whom they will meet throughout the four-day competition.

“Biliran is a small province but there is so much to appreciate not just the place but especially the people, “Tiopes said.

Heide Muller, CEO of the Adventure Racing Word Series, for her part, was thankful to the national and local government for allowing the sporting event to be held in the country.
“This will not be possible without the government supporting you,” she said.

She also made a reminder to participants to be mindful throughout the competition and during their stay in the province.

“Please remember if you are up there be respectful to the land, to the people. This is an honor and a gift to come to the beautiful country they open for us to be in nature. So please make us proud as an adventure racer,” Muller said.

The La Routa Eastern Visayas Adventure Race 2023 is a group competition composed of four members who will tackle the terrain of the Biliran province through different disciplines of running, hiking, swimming, paddling, mountain biking, rappelling, and land navigation, and special section.

The competition will last for about 74 to 96 hours covering a total length of 300 to 350 kilometers from the starting point to the finish line.

Each team is provided with a GPS tracker to monitor their location throughout the race.
Teams have the option to sleep at night during the entire four-day race.

Each team is composed of four members who are mixed-gender, depending on how many male or female members are included in the team.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

In Northern Samar

GAMAY, Northern Samar– Despite the intermittent weather being experienced by the province due to a low-pressure area, Governor Edwin Ongchuan led in conducting the ‘Kauswagan Caravan’ in this town on November 17.

The caravan brings various services and programs to the different remote barangays across the province.

During its caravan in this town, residents of the villages of Bangon, Bonifacio, Rizal, Luneta, Malidong, Bato, Guibawangan, Lonoy, GM Osias, and Cade-an, serving 1, 500 families in all.

Among the services offered during the whole-day caravan, a brainchild of Gov. Ongchuan, were medical and dental services; circumcision; haircut; and free legal services.

Different line agencies like the Department of Agrarian Reform, Land Transportation Office, and the Philippine National Police also offered their services to the villagers.

Free seedlings were also offered by the Provincial Agriculture Office.

The villagers also received vitamins, slippers, and even umbrellas during the caravan. Children also received foods supplied by famous food chains.

Baltazar Drio, village councilor of Bato, said that they were happy that the provincial government visited their area and benefitted from the services offered by the Kauswagan Caravan.

“We are overjoyed that this caravan reached our village. This is a big help for us residing in remote areas like having free medical services from our provincial government,” he said.

He also said that it was the first time to see in person Gov. Ongchuan whom he described to be ‘young.’
(PETER PAREDES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The engineering experts from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted an on-site inspection on the proposed site for the construction of the second San Juanico Bridge, the regional office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DWPH) said in a statement.

Last November 17, the group conducted an on-site visit.

The group started its first on bridge route options. They are again to conduct a similar on-site visit next year.

The proposed site for the construction of the second San Juanico Bridge is located in Tacloban and Babatngon, on the Leyte side, going to Santa Rita in Samar province.

The 2nd San Juanico Bridge Project aims to provide an alternative link between Samar and Leyte and decongest the iconic San Juanico Bridge which is now 50 years old.

Prior to the on-site visit, the DPWH officials led by Senior Undersecretary Emil Sadain had a meeting with JICA officials led by its Southeast Asia Division 5 Director Takehihiro Kido and his senior representative in the country, Fukui Keisuke, among others.

Critical issues that were discussed include the coverage of the feasibility study which will be conducted by the JICA Study Team in coordination with the DPWH route selection, number of lanes, and traffic operation options for the 2nd San Juanico Bridge, including the rehabilitation of the existing San Juanico Bridge, according to the DPWH statement.

They also discussed concerns on the environmental coverage of the study were also discussed, as well as the inclusion of the future operation and maintenance of the bridge.

It was also requested to the JICA during the meeting to consider the design that would complement future road projects in the Eastern Visayas Region, including the proposed rehabilitation of Daang Maharlika in Samar to be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Samar Pacific Coastal Road Phase II under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Government of Korea.

“This project will bring so much development economically to my town, particularly at the village where it is going to be constructed because it means jobs for the people, and investors may put up businesses along that area,” Babatngon Mayor Leny Lugnasin said when asked for her reaction over the proposed construction of the new bridge that will connect Leyte Island to Samar Island.

She added that this will also mean shorter travel time for travelers and motorists especially those who comes from or going to Ormoc or Samar province.

“In disaster response, this proposed new bridge as an additional route will contribute a lot because it will allow the efficient flow of transportation and relief distribution to areas affected by calamities and disaster,” the town mayor added.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)