TACLOBAN CITY – The “Adlaw sa Ormoc – Diamond Jubilee Celebration” of Ormoc City was a big winner in this year’s Association of Tourism of the Philippines (ATOP) Pearl Award held during the national convention held in Boracay, Aklan, on October 5.

Ormoc City was one of two local government units from Eastern Visayas that submitted entries to the annual search organized by the ATOP.

Ormoc also bagged recognition for its other entries, first runner-ups for best practices in community-based tourism (Fostering Sustainability and Empowerment: Ormoc Tourism LEADS the Way in community-based heritage preservation), best hosting award for local government unit – international event (The 4th Southeast Asia Pacific Fencing Championship), and best tourism event – religious festival (425th Fiesta Celebration: Viva San Pedro Ug san Pablo!).

The local government unit of Burauen, on the other hand, received the first runner-up award in the best brochure for tourism promotion award for the “Find Your Ex” travel brochure.

Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that the two LGUs submitted a total of 22 entries for the 2023 ATOP Awards, and ultimately six were recognized during the awarding ceremony graced by Secretary Ma. Esperanza Christina Garcia Frasco.

“These winners – Burauen and Ormoc – share one thing in common. These LGUs both have leaders who believe and embrace tourism as their driver for growth and development. They empowered the LGU tourism teams who in return delivered and made significant strides in developing and promoting tourism for their respective LGUs,” she said.

“We hope that this recognition will inspire our other LGU stakeholders and give them the confidence to vie in the succeeding years ATOP Pearl Awards,” Tiopes added.

In her message, Sec. Frasco commended ATOP officers and members all over the country for their initiatives and stressed the importance of collaboration to sustain growth and prosperity through tourism. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY– The local government of Matag-ob in Leyte is encouraging farmers to sell at least 10 percent of their harvest to the National Food Authority (NFA) and in return, the grains agency will sell them at least P25 per kilogram to the town’s poor rice consumers.

Mayor Bernandino Tacoy said that this move is his way of helping his poor constituents amid the rising prices of rice.

“This is our way of helping Matag-obanons, especially the less fortunate ones who could barely afford to buy rice due to high price,” he said.

“We will get a list (from our municipal social and development office) of individuals who will qualify or be entitled to avail of this program,” he said.

It was learned that most of the town’s farmers are selling their harvested palay to private traders who are buying them at higher prices compared with that of the NFA.

Private traders buy freshly harvested palay at more than P20 per kilogram while the NFA buys them for less than that amount.

Mayor Tacoy said that his government will be setting aside P1.5 million to help the local farmers who will join the program by providing them with certified seeds, fertilizers, and technical support.

This way, they could expect more harvest and in the process, gain more income, he said.

“We will provide incentives to the farmers who will join this program by providing them certified seeds, fertilizers, and even technical support,” Tacoy said.

The town of Matag-ob has more than 1,000 rice farmers with over 1,430 hectares devoted to palay farming with a rice production of 4.2 to 5.5 cavans per hectare.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)

CALBAYOG CITY– Calbayog City Police files a case of reckless imprudence resulting to serious physical injury and damage to property against Patrolman Ruel Christian Tuano, 27, resident of Brgy. Talisay, Capoocan, Leyte, and a member of the Philippine National Police presently assigned at Calbayog City Police Station.

Patrolman Tuano voluntarily surrendered himself to the custody of Calbayog CPS after being involved in a vehicular accident that transpired at around 1 am of September 30, 2023 along Rosales Blvd. corner Rama St. of Brgy. East Awang, this city involving one Joem Manuel Mawo,17, a senior high school student at Christ the King College, a resident of Magsaysay Ext. Purok 7, Brgy. Rawis, this city.

Initial investigation disclosed that Tuano entered a one-way street from the west going to east direction of Rama St. while the victim, on board a motorcycle bumped on the left panel of Tuano’s vehicle as he was traversing from north to south direction of Rosales Boulevard.

As a result, the student sustained injuries and was immediately brought to Calbayog District Hospital for immediate medical attention.

After investigation, a criminal complaint of reckless imprudence resulting to serious physical injury and damage to property was filed against Patrolman Tuano and is now under the detention facility of Calbayog CPS pending for preliminary investigation.

“Calbayog PNP sustains fair treatment of individuals in need of assistance, and will never tolerate inappropriate acts of its men”, said PLt. Col. Joy G. Leanza, officer-in-charge of the Calbayog CPS.

He further reiterated to all its personnel that as law enforcers, Calbayog CPS will remain steadfast in its thrust to implement the law and fair justice to all. (PR)

ORMOC CITY– An infant, who had just been baptized, died after the boat she and other passengers on board sunk in Gandara, Samar.

The dead body of the seven-month-old baby was found on Monday (Oct.2), a day after the tragic incident, the local police said.

Based on the report, the baby together with her parents and godfather were on board a motorized boat on their way home to Barangay Tigbawon after her christening.

However, upon reaching a deep portion of the river along Brgy.Bu-ao, the boat sunk which resulted for the baby falling from the river while being held by the godfather, Joan Tejaño.

A search operation was conducted led by personnel of the municipal disaster risk reduction management office and local police to find the baby.

On Monday, the baby was found dead in a riverbank in Brgy. Casandig, 30 kms away from where the incident took place.
(ROBERT DEJON)