Due to high demand

TACLOBAN CITY – The city government of Borongan will be entering another memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Airlines (PAL) for the country’s national carrier to continue its operation at the city’s airport.

This was disclosed by Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda who said that the current agreement is set to expire in December.

The said agreement, signed on November 30, 2022, paved the way for PAL to open a flight in Borongan City.

PAL’s inaugural flight at Borongan City Airport started on December 19, 2022.
Agda said that during the renewal of the agreement, they will try to appeal for PAL to increase an additional flight from the current twice-a-week flight, or every Monday or Friday.

Agda noted of the favorable passenger traffic in September when PAL had two additional flights for the city fiesta.

On the suggestions to make the present Manila-Cebu-Borongan a direct Manila-Borongan flight, Mayor Agda said that he prefers the present set-up because there is a demand for Cebu-Borongan airline passengers.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

ORMOC CITY-Charges were filed by the police of Villaba, Leyte against a man who was found to be in possession of firearm and ammunition.

Charged was Emeterio Inopiquez,41, jobless and a resident of Barangay Capiñahan of the said town at about 6:30 am on October 7 in Sitio Paril of Brgy. Hibulangan, also in the same town, Police Major Edwin Tolibas, town police chief.

The police said they had received an information that the suspect was creating trouble prompting them to proceed to the area, about nine kms away from the town center.
Upon arrival, they saw the suspect who was under the influence of liquor and found something jutting out from his waistline.

They then asked Inopiquez to pull up his shirt which was bulging in his waist. Once the suspect pulled up his shirt the police found a short firearm tucked in his waist. The police immediately asked the suspect if he had a permit to carry the firearm and when he responded that he had none, he was immediately arrested by the responding cop.
Seized from his possession was one unit of Caliber .45 with one magazine with five live ammunition.

The suspect and the seized evidence were brought to Villaba municipal police station for documentation and proper disposition where charges of violation of RA 10591, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition and Comelec law filed against the suspect at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. (ROBERT DEJON)

ORMOC CITY-Bystanders were shocked when they discovered that children were playing with a fragmentation grenade in San Jose district in Tacloban City at about 3:50 pm on October 6.

The police said that a resident of Barangay 87, San Jose district went to their office to report the incident, prompting them to go to the area where they discovered a corroded fragmentation grenade.

Members of the Explosive and Ordnance Division (EOD) of Tacloban City Police Office immediately responded to the area and identified the item as a one-hand fragmentation grenade MK2, complete, corroded, but serviceable.

The EOD immediately assisted the local police in the recovery of the item which is now in their custody.
(ROBERT DEJON)

Compared to last year of same period this ‘03

TACLOBAN CITY– Cholera cases in the region shows a ‘slight’ surge as reported by Department of Health(DOH).

The health office the region reported that from January up to September of this year, it recorded 3,683 cholera cases, higher by about four percent compared to the same period of last year, or 3,556 cases.

Covering the same period, the DOH also reported nine deaths due to the water-borne disease: three each in Samar and Eastern Samar provinces; two in Leyte; and one in Northern Samar.

“We have monitored an increase, albeit a slight increase at just four percent, of cholera cases in the region from the period of January up to September 30 of this year compared to the same period of last year,” Joseph Pica, health program officer of the DOH-8, said.
He, however, stressed that out of the 3,683 cases that they have monitored, only 31 were confirmed to be cholera cases with the rest of the cases categorized either as suspected or probable cases.

Based on the DOH data, 2,996 of the patients, majority were children, were treated in the hospitals.

Pica said that cholera is a preventable disease though could be fatal if not detected or treated early.

He said that personal and environmental hygiene should be strictly observed by the community which includes proper washing of hands, especially after using the bathroom; ensure that the source of drinking water is safe and not contaminated with bacteria and if needed, boil drinking water for at least five minutes.

He also said that food safety should also be practiced like eating food while hot, clean all utensils, and cook food thoroughly.

“Also ensure that our surroundings are clean. We should always have a clean and healthy environment as it influences our overall health and well-being,” Pica said.

And for those who are showing symptoms of the disease, take Oresol and seek medical attention, he said. Among these symptoms include acute diarrhea, vomiting, and rapid dehydration.

An increase of cholera usually occurs during the rainy season as it contaminates sources of drinking water.

One can get cholera if the person has swallowed food or water contaminated with the Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
(JOY A. GABIETA)