TACLOBAN CITY – A farmer in Las Navas town, Northern Samar province, was killed by his own carabao on Tuesday (May 14) afternoon, in an incident that local police described as the first of its kind in the town.

Alvin Pagaban, 42, was mauled to death by his carabao while tending to it in a creek located in Barangay Andres, 7.5 kilometers from the town proper.

“The victim was tending his carabao at the creek to let it dip in the river, but it suddenly attacked him vigorously, causing him to sustain multiple wounds,” said Police Staff Sergeant Rowenda Cesista, the case investigator at the Las Navas municipal police station, in a phone interview.

Pagaban, a resident of Brgy. Geguinta, was rushed to the town’s rural health unit by witnesses but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician, Cesista said.

“This is the first time we have encountered such a case. Perhaps the carabao was tired after a day’s work and was stressed due to the sweltering heat, which may have caused it to behave aggressively and attack the farmer,” the police officer explained. The incident happened around 5 p.m.

According to Cesista, the farmer used his carabao to transport his palay produce in addition to its work in the rice fields. The carabao remains in the possession of his family, Cesista added.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar (PIA) – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) – Northern Samar First District Engineering Office (NSFDEO) is now underway in the completion of a two-storey structure amounting to P9.8 million which is intended to house national agencies providing essential services not currently available in the province.

Dorothea Dones, a person with disability and a resident of Catarman, said the building will be of great help not only to the people of Carman but to all Nortehanons as it will cut off 8 hours of travel time to Tacloban just to avail of various government services.

“I have been waiting and looking forward to its operationalization so that I can get hold of a passport without traveling 8 long hours to Tacloban which is a great hassle for me being a person with disability,” Dones said.

Dones said she was happy and excited when she first heard of the project.

“I heard this last year during the radio interview of the Philippine Information Agency with First District Representative Paul Daza, when he announced that he facilitated the funding of this project,” Dones continues.

Among the national government offices expected to provide services, once completed, are the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
The multi-purpose building is located at the heart of the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) in Catarman.

“Upon completion of this building, professionals and locals could conveniently process their documents and transactions in Catarman, therefore, saving them time, money, and efforts to travel. The one-stop-shop concept streamlines processes, allowing residents to accomplish multiple tasks at a single location,” said DPWH-NSFDEO District Engineer Alvin Ignacio.

The facility includes various engineering works for the convenience of clientele such as a covered waiting area at the ground floor, parking area, and walkways, among others. (ADiaz/PIA, Northern Samar)

TACLOBAN CITY – A 206-megawatt wind power project is on track and will be completed within the second quarter of 2025, the provincial government said.

Citing observations from the recent inspection, Northern Samar Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (PEDIPO) chief Jhon Allen Berbon said the project is on track for full-scale construction and will start within the second quarter of 2024.

The San Isidro Wind Power Project, a renewable energy project by Lihangin Wind Energy Corp (LWEC), features 33 wind turbine generators with a capacity to produce 206.25 megawatts of electricity, along with over 130 transmission towers.

“We helped the firm fast-track the bureaucratic hurdles faced by the project for their construction phase,” Berbon said in a phone interview.

The LWEC in San Isidro town is in partnership between Aboitiz Power Corp., Vena Energy, and Vivant Energy Corp. These firms have not yet disclosed their investment for the project, according to the provincial government.

The project will occupy about 176 hectares of land with wind turbines in the coastal villages of Salvacion, San Juan, Palanit, Mabuhay, Veriato and Caglanipao.

It is expected to contribute to the government’s goal of achieving a 35-percent renewables share in the energy mix by 2030.

“The integration of wind power infrastructure with a thriving economic enterprise presents a compelling model for sustainable tourism development in Northern Samar,” Berbon said.
The firm announced its planned investment in San Isidro, Northern Samar through a disclosure to the Philippine Stocks Exchange index on Sept. 27, 2023.

San Isidro, which is 235 kilometers north of Tacloban, is a 4th class town in Northern Samar with a population of 27,867 people.
(SARWELL Q.MENIANO/PNA)

ORMOC CITY– Three sachets containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu were recovered from a newly identified individual in the drugs watchlist of the local police of Hindang, Leyte during a buy-bust operation at about 5:30 pm on Wednesday (May 15).

Police identified the suspect as alias “Jay”, 39, unemployed who was arrested at the town’s public cemetery located in Barangay Tabok where he also resides.

Recovered from his possession was one sachet containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P500.

During the conduct of a body search done in the presence of an elected official and a representative from the local media, cops also recovered two more sachets containing suspected shabu with an estimated street value of P1,000.

The suspect did not issue any statement to the media covering the event.

Charges of violations of sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) & 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002 were filed against him who is now detained at the Hindang municipal police station.

(ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-The ill-fated ship that ran aground in the municipality of Capul, Northern Samar earlier this year and was brought to Balwharteco Port in Allen, also in the same province, met another sad fate when it was found half submerged at 3:30 am at the said port.

Coast Guard SN2 Hernandez of the Allen Coast Guard informed the media that the vessel, MV Reina Hosanna, was discovered half submerged while docked at the port.

According to the crew, the vessel became half submerged for an unidentified reason.
The MV Reina Hosanna, operated by Montenegro Shipping, ran aground in Capul on February 11 this year due to engine failure.

A salvage operation was conducted, and the ship was successfully towed and brought to Allen on May 13, 2024.

However, it was found half submerged on Tuesday (May 14).

Personnel from Coast Guard Northern Samar immediately proceeded to the location to verify the situation and coordinated with MEPU personnel for the possible layout of oil spill booms.

Fortunately, no sightings of oil spillage or leakage were reported.
(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY—The inaugural “Manggad san Northern Samar Trade Fair,” a key component of the Ibabao Festival honoring the Month-long celebration of Northern Samar’s founding anniversary, officially commences today, May 16, 2024, in Tacloban City, and will run until May 19, 2024.

This trade fair serves as a pivotal platform for promoting and showcasing the Ibabao Heritage Cuisine, a cornerstone of the province’s cultural richness. It celebrates the distinctive culinary traditions that contribute to the vibrant cultural mosaic of Northern Samar.

Featuring a thoughtfully curated selection of 44 Nortehanon exhibitors, the trade fair offers a diverse range of locally crafted products, with a focus on food items that epitomize the creativity and uniqueness of Northern Samar’s culinary legacy.

Beyond boosting sales, the primary aim of the event is to raise awareness about the exceptional gastronomic heritage of the province by providing local entrepreneurs with an avenue to present their offerings.

Moreover, the trade fair acts as a crucial bridge linking Nortehanon entrepreneurs with potential customers from beyond the province, thereby broadening their market presence and fostering economic growth within the region.

The attendance of DTI Regional Director Celerina T. Bato at the event underscores the significance of this initiative in supporting local industries and preserving cultural heritage.
In her opening remarks, Director Bato commended Northern Samar’s pioneering efforts in organizing an independent trade fair, expressing admiration for the province’s commitment to promoting its unique offerings.

She even issued a friendly challenge to other provinces in the Eastern Visayas Region to follow suit and host their own provincial trade fairs.

By cultivating a collaborative business ecosystem, the success of the Manggad san Northern Samar Trade Fair underscores the province’s steadfast dedication to conserving its cultural heritage while driving economic prosperity through the promotion of local products and traditions.

This event symbolizes the united efforts of the Provincial Government of Northern Samar and DTI-Northern Samar in nurturing a vibrant and sustainable local economy.

(THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR)