TACLOBAN CITY– High-impact infrastructure projects that will reduce poverty incidence in Eastern Samar were highlighted by the Department of Public Works and Highways Eastern Samar District Engineering Office (DPWH-ESDEO) during the 1st Eastern Visayas Infrastructure Summit (EVIS) in Summit Hotel, Tacloban from August 30 to September 1, 2023.

District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio mentioned that DPWH ESDEO prioritizes infrastructure road projects that connect Eastern Samar to the primary road and nearby provinces in Samar Island.

“Once these road projects connecting to Samar and Northern Samar are realized, hopefully Eastern Samar will not be a part of the country’s top ten poorest provinces anymore,” said DE Ignacio.

The District Engineer is referring to Maydolong-Basey road, which will become the shortest route from Borongan to Tacloban; Carolina, Can-avid-Dolores-Maslog-Jipapad Road and Catumsan, Arteche-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig Rawis Road which will provide easy way leading to Allen, Northern Samar, a vital transit point of goods and services going to Luzon.
Also included in the Infrastructure Development Plan of Eastern Samar are the Borongan Diversion Road, which will ease traffic in Borongan City proper, and the Pagnamitan Bridge in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, which will provide a secure, expedient, and disaster-resilient route for the traveling public to boost the tourism industry.

The DPWH Regional Office, in partnership with the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), hosted the event, which was participated by all DPWH District Engineering Office in Region VIII.

Also present during the event were the district representatives in Eastern Visayas who listened to the priority infrastructure projects in their respective jurisdictions.

Rep. Jude Acidre of the Tingog party-list said that the first EVIS is a platform to create a single voice for the region and tell the national government what the region needs, what the department can do, and how good infrastructure will proper Eastern Visayas toward long-term economic development.

“Looking at the projects ahead of us, what you’ve planned for the region, it is proof that we are capable of doing world-class infrastructure in this part of the country — only if we work together, only if we put our minds together, and if we work together in securing funding for these projects,” said Acidre.

The infrastructure summit also conducted lectures on the critical stages in the implementation of infra projects, such as the Planning and Budget Preparation Process, Procurement Processes, Construction Project Management, Policy Guidelines on the Maintenance of National Roads and Bridges, Policies on Right-of-Way and Easement Management , Guidelines and Procedure in the Preparation of Program of Works, and Social Impact Assessment and Issuances of Environmental Compliance Certificates and Certificates of Non Coverage, and other vital topics in DPWH key promises.

Moreover, the event’s main features include presentations from the Regional Office and 14 District Engineering Offices showcasing their outputs.

These include a 10-minute audio-visual display of the Infrastructure Network Development Plan (INDP) Master Plan for 2023-2028, an exhibit of three priority projects, and a presentation of the outputs from the workshop session on the planning and design of five multi-year high-impact priority projects. (PR)

Manila-Thirty-two U.S. colleges and universities will participate in the 7th EducationUSA University Fair at the Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong City on October 10, from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., to offer relevant information for Filipinos interested in pursuing higher education in the United States.

Admission is free. Interested attendees must register online at https://educationusaph.org/Fair2023.

Organized by the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines and the Philippine-American Educational Foundation, the EducationUSA University Fair provides the venue for students, parents, and school administrators to learn more about the U.S. university and college admissions process and explore academic programs offered by participating U.S. higher education institutions.

Representatives from scholarship organizations will also be present to provide information on financial assistance options while U.S. Embassy consular officers will offer guidance on the student visa application process.

The following U.S. colleges and universities will participate in the 7th EducationUSA Fair in Manila: Arizona State University; California State University – San Bernardino; Carnegie Mellon University; Cascadia College; Clark College; College of Central Florida; College of Southern Nevada; Drexel University; Ferris State University; Foothill + De Anza Colleges; Green River Community College; Kent State University; Lewis University; Merrimack College; Moraine Valley Community College; Northeastern University; Nova Southeastern University; Riverside City College; Savannah College of Art and Design; SUNY College at Plattsburgh; The University of Texas at Dallas; Troy University; University of Central Missouri; University of Colorado at Boulder; University of Hawai’i at Mānoa; University of San Francisco; University of Utah Asia Campus; Valencia College; Washington State University; Xavier University; Yale University (School of the Environment); and York College of Pennsylvania.

After Manila, the EducationUSA Fair will make its way to the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City on October 12.

“A U.S. education opens many doors for students and professionals to enhance their skills, experience a diversity of cultures, and benefit from quality programs offered by U.S. higher education institutions,” U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Y. Robert Ewing said.

“We are excited to organize this year’s EducationUSA Fair once again in Manila and Cebu to invite young Filipinos to expand their horizons and explore the different opportunities that a global education in the United States has to offer.”

On average, 3,000 Filipinos travel to study in the United States each year.

EducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories.

The network promotes U.S. higher education to students worldwide, offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about educational opportunities at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States.(PR)

ORMOC CITY-A 50-year-old man was found dead inside his house in Almeria, Biliran on Sept.26 with the town medical officer reporting that the cause of death could be due to a heat stroke.

The local police identified the victim as Mario Sedaya, a resident of Villa El Blanco in Barangay Jamorawon of the said town.

A bad and nauseating odor emanating from the house of the victim led to the discovery of his dead body, it added.

Dr. Christopher Castro, the municipal health officer, declared the victim could have died due to heat stroke. (ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– A South Korean national was found dead in a transient inn in Pintuyan, Southern Leyte on Saturday (Sept.30).

Police identified the fatality as Youngsik Shin, 36, a businessman who said to live in Pampanga.

He was found dead inside his room at D and G transient house located in Barangay Sta. Cruz of the said town at about 9:45 pm.

It was learned that the victim, together with his girlfriend Chris Roxanne Gadia,36, arrived in Pintuyan on Sept.28 to attend the town fiesta the following day, Sept. 29.

However, the two reportedly had a heated argument which resulted for the South Korean to leave DD Lodge where the couple originally had checked in, and transferred to D and G transient house where he was found dead.

Gadia contacted the South Korean national through his cellular phone but did not receive any response.

Prior to the discovery of his lifeless body, Gadia’s sister, Christine Rodriguez, received a text message from Youngsik informing her that he was suffering from acid reflux.

Police had ruled out any foul play on the death of the South Korean national as he was said to have died due to a natural cause based on the examination conducted by the town’s health officer, Dr. Kayessa Lyona Bunagan.
(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROBERT DEJON)