TACLOBAN CITY – Concerned about the rising incidence of rabies in Eastern Samar, the Provincial Veterinary Office and the Provincial Health Office have launched the province-wide rabies prevention and control program.

This initiative aims to provide accessible vaccines through Rural Health Units (RHUs) and veterinary offices, coupled with rabies education and awareness campaigns targeting the public and partner agencies.

A meeting convened by Dr. Melai Osita, the provincial animal rabies coordinator, and Edna Tumandao, the provincial human rabies coordinator, was held on April 15, 2024 to discuss the latest data on rabies cases in Eastern Samar, affecting both humans and animals.

During the meeting, board member Virginia Requillo Zacate, chair of the committee on agriculture, proposed declaring a state of health calamity due to the escalating rabies cases in Eastern Samar.

This underscores the urgency of addressing the health concern, especially with three human rabies cases reported in Balangiga, General McArthur, and Borongan City last year.
A rabies diagnosis is often fatal, as evidenced by the tragic deaths of individuals in Guiuan and Gen McArthur this year due to the disease.

The conference underscored the provincial government’s unwavering commitment to prioritizing public health and safety.
(ALYSSA PLANA, EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)

TACLOBAN CITY – Melboy Hechanova was named as the new Regional Fisherfolk Director (RFD) for Eastern Visayas.

Hailing from Catbalogan City, Samar, his deep understanding of the region’s fishing challenges positions him well for the role which he formally took during a ceremony last April 22 at the Regional Freshwater Aquaculture Production Center (RFAPC) Training Center in Babatngon, Leyte.

He pledged to collaborate closely with government agencies and industry partners to enhance fishing communities.

Among those present were top officials of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources headed by its regional director, Hannibal Chavez, whose office spearheaded the event attended by fisherfolk leaders and representatives from the different provinces of the region.

Hechanova’s responsibilities include visiting fisherfolk associations and production centers to better understand their needs and ongoing programs. This initiative coincides with the upcoming Farmers and Fisherfolks Month in May, honoring the nationwide contributions of farmers and fishermen.

His leadership marks a promising step towards addressing the needs of fishermen in Eastern Visayas and fostering a more empowered fishing community.

(THERESE A.CASTILLANO, EASTERN VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of Education has allowed the teaching and non–teaching personnel not wear collared shirts as alternate uniforms amid this rising heat index across the country which led to suspension of in –person classes.

This was disclosed by Nilo Eder, information officer of the schools’ division here in the city, citing DepEd Memorandum Order 0662 issued on April 11.

The order allows all teaching and non–teaching personnel the option to wear “comfortable clothing” as the country experiences intense heat caused by the El Niño phenomenon.

In the same order, teaching personnel can opt to include their existing DepEd collared shirts used during official events and activities like Brigada Eskwela, Palarong Pambansa, Oplan Balik Eskwela and conference, among others.

Also listed were white collared shirts with the DepEd and “Matatag” logos.

T-shirts must be paired with matte black pants of any fabric or textile, such as jeans, slacks, and cargo pants, with the alternative uniform compliant with dress code rules set by the Civil Service Commission. This meant that leggings, jogging pants and tights were prohibited, Eder said.

(NICOLE A. FANONGA, EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Samar Electric Cooperative (Samelco) II records of up to 19 million megawatts of electricity demand from their consumers behind the Yellow Grid Alert in the entire Visayas.

“The increase in demand for electricity is about the ability of many of the consumers of the cooperative to use appliances that reduce heat, like fans, air conditioners, and refrigerators, where those appliances consume a lot of electricity,” Dickson Bernales, institutional services department head of Samelco II stated.

Furthermore, consumers will still be able to use appliances at night, like televisions, which continue to consume several watts of electricity.

The Samelco II substations will perform scheduled power interruptions as preventive measures, as well as check-up maintenance and filtering if needed to avoid overloading on Saturdays and Sundays.

The office of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) launched a yellow grid alert in the Visayas area after a forced power outage of up to 15 power stations in the said area.

The demand for electricity cannot be increased anymore, and the reason for the thinning of supply is the electric cooperatives.

Samelco II serves the second district of Samar with its offices located in Paranas town.

(MIYLENE C. CATUBAY, EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)

TACLOBAN CITY – A rider is currently hospitalized and undergoing surgery following an accident in Palapag, Northern Samar on April 20, 2022.

The victim, identified as Mijad Jauhari, 33, is a resident of Sta. Margarita, Samar. According to reports, the incident occurred around 6 am when a group of motorcycle riders was traveling along Samar-Palapag Road in Barangay Jangtud. Suddenly, a dog darted across the road, causing the rider to lose control and resulting in a significant accident.
Rescuers and fellow riders promptly rushed the victim to the hospital, where he required surgery for injuries sustained to his foot.

(JANESSA T. MOSCOSA, EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)