TACLOBAN CITY–The construction of a new school building at Anibong Dreamville Elementary School here in the city is making steady progress, with 20% of the work already completed.

The project, which is being implemented by the DPWH Tacloban City District Engineering Office, is funded under the General Appropriations Act 2023 with a total budget of P60,525,000.

The project, which commenced on November 24, 2023, is expected to be completed within 220 calendar days. The new school building is a response to the challenges faced by the community due to the proximity of another school.

The new building is designed to be a four-storey structure housing 20 classrooms, providing ample space for students to learn and grow.

Engr. Mark Rodlly Hipona, the project engineer overseeing the construction, expressed his thoughts on the project.

“We are committed to providing a conducive learning environment for the students of Anibong Dreamville Elementary School. Despite the challenges, we are making steady progress and are confident that the project will be completed within the stipulated timeline.

This new building will not only alleviate the current challenges faced by the community but also provide a platform for future generations to thrive,” said Engr. Hipona.

The community eagerly awaits the completion of the project, hopeful for the positive changes it will bring to the educational landscape of the area. The new school building stands as a testament to the government’s commitment to investing in education and the future of the nation’s youth.
(TACLOBAN CITY DISTRICT ENGINEERING OFFICE)

At a cost of P10 million

TACLOBAN CITY – The local government unit of Guiuan in Eastern Samar and the Tourism Infrastructure Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), an attached agency of the Department of Tourism (DOT), signed a memorandum of agreement last week about the construction of a tourist rest area (TRA) in Calicoan Island.

The TRA is a flagship program of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco where foreign and local tourists can approach to get information on tourism sites, activities, accommodation, and other concerns.

This will also provide information to tourists on safety and security protocols while they are staying in the area.

The establishment and construction of a TRA will promote, encourage, and develop tourism as a major socio-economic activity and to further improve tourism infrastructure and accessibility for the enhancement of the overall tourist experience.

In the region, Calicoan is one of the two areas identified for the construction of TRA.
The other one is in Tacloban City, the region’s capital which will be put up at the ‘Balyuan Grounds.’

The Calicoan and Tacloban tourist facilities are part of the second batch of TRA that the DOT and TIEZA will fund and open in the whole country.

The MOA signing between the municipal government of Guiuan, as represented by Mayor Analiza Gonzales-Kwan, and TIEZA sealed the construction of the P10 million facility in Calicoan – a top surfing destination in the region.

The facility will also have a ‘pasalubong’ center where micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) producers may display and sell their products for tourists and visitors to buy, public toilets and showers, and a tourist police station.

The facility will also have a rain harvesting system and solar power energy which is a standard design of all TRA’s in the Philippines.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY– The Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has reported the completion of the road upgrading of a busy road in Barugo town.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura mentioned that 7,095 square meters of asphalt have been laid on top of existing pavement in Poblacion District II in the said town to provide a smooth road to motorists and the traveling public.

The project, which covers the Bagahupi-Babatngon-Sta Cruz-Barugo-Carigara road, costs P19.51 million and intends to make travel safer and more convenient.

Additionally, it improves the road’s surface capability, making it easier and quicker to get to the nearby government offices, schools, health facilities, and other public and commercial entities.

Other provisions of this project include a 41.12 meters of off-carriageway, re-blocking of damaged pavement, and the application of reflectorized thermoplastic pavement markings to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians, especially at night.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

NAVAL, Biliran– The Parole and Probation Administration (PPA), an attached agency of the Department of Justice, launched a special project dubbed “Adopt a Heritage Site” in Biliran province on April 22.

A total of 17 probationers who are residents of the municipality of Biliran conducted community service by cleaning the surroundings of the Nasunugan Watchtower, an architectural ruins in Barangay San Roque that was built at the time of the Biliran Religious Revolt from 1765 to 1774, led by a certain Padre Gaspar, as per the account of local historians.

According to Jeannette B. Avorque, chief probation and parole officer of PPA Biliran, the special project is under the restorative justice program of their office, where probationers will conduct community work services with the aim of restoring the relationship between them and the community.

Avorque also shared that the probationers will maintain the cleanliness of the heritage site within the duration of 10 months based on the special project. However, she further said that the time duration may be extended as other partner agencies have signified continuity in the implementation of the project.

Francisco A. Segovia, officer-in-charge of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Biliran Provincial Field Office, has already signified intent to enroll the probationers involved in the project under the TUPAD program so they may also earn while doing community work service.

Meanwhile, Estrellieta C. Jornales, Biliran municipal assessor and the designated tourism officer, reminded the probationers not to alter or deface any part of the Nasunugan Watchtower as it is a violation of the regulation imposed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

The PPA collaborated with DOLE, the Department of Tourism and the municipal local government unit of Biliran in choosing Nasunugan Watchtower as the project site.
The “Adopt a Heritage Site” program was simultaneously launched in all 12 PPA offices in Eastern Visayas, coinciding with the celebration of World Earth Day bearing the theme: Planet Versus Plastics.
(RSV, PIA Biliran)