TACLOBAN CITY– The peace and order council of Samar was named as among the ‘functional councils’ in the region by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The DILG has earlier conducted a peace and order council performance audit where the peace and order councils of all local government units were assessed.
The audit was aimed at assessing the interventions and innovations of the council in promoting peace and order in the province, including anti-criminality, anti-insurgency, and anti-drug abuse efforts.
In Samar, 14 LGUs of the province were likewise recognized with functional peace and order councils.
These are the cities of Catbalogan and Calbayog and the towns of Almagro, Basey, Calbiga, Gandara, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jose de Buan, Santo Niño, Talalora and Zumarraga. (LIZBETH ANN A ABELLA)
The town of Matag-ob in Leyte celebrated its 2nd ‘Himorasak’ Festival which gives honor its rice farmers. Groups from different barangays performed different rituals giving their honor the farmers of the town. (ROEL T.AMAZONA)
The town of Matag-ob in Leyte celebrated its 2nd ‘Himorasak’ Festival which gives honor its rice farmers. Groups from different barangays performed different rituals giving their honor the farmers of the town. (ROEL T.AMAZONA)
MATAG-OB, Leyte– This town successfully held its second Himorasak Festival on Sunday (September 24) with eight clustered barangays participating in the street dancing and ritual dance presentation.
Himorasak, a local word for abundant, is a festival organized by the local government held every month of September in time of the rice harvest season of the municipality.
Matag-ob is one of the local government units in Leyte province that is considered as a top rice-producing town.
Top prize for the 2nd Himorasak Festival was won by Cluster 8 carrying a cash prize of P50,000.
Matag-ob Tourism Officer Jude Sulla said that they will be conducting a post-festival assessment immediately to determine how they can improve in hosting the event to make it better in next year presentation.
“We will be doing it within this week with all the members of the executive committee,” she said.
Sulla added that hosting the month-long event helps the municipal government attract and invite people to visit their municipality.
Mayor Bernardino Tacoy, for his part, said that since they introduced the festival last year, they saw its potential in helping them boost their tourism industry and help their local farmers.
Tacoy said that they created the festival as a way of giving thanks for an abundant harvest and in the process, help improve the living conditions of his people and the same time, promoting its own culture and tradition.
Tacoy added that next year, he is planning to open the festival competition to their neighboring localities to join.
Department of Tourism Regional Director Karina Rosa Tiopes said that opening the festival to participants from other localities is a good plan because it shows that localities in the fourth district are working in unison.
She also lauded the local government and the festival organizers for coming with the event.
“I’d like to salute the festival contingents, their choreographers, and organizers. It is not easy to come up with a festival from the conceptualization, the creation of steps in dancing, to the creation of props, and even the music that they will be using. It’s not that easy,” Tiopes said. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
LEYTE FIRST. House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla are all smiles during the launching of the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ service fair on Saturday(Sept.23) in Tolosa. The service caravan provides free services from different government agencies benefitting ordinary Leyteños. The program is considered as the governance brand of the Marcos administration.
(Rep. Lolita Javier/PHOTO COURTESY)
Comelec yet to rule if BSKE-related
LEYTE FIRST. House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla are all smiles during the launching of the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ service fair on Saturday(Sept.23) in Tolosa. The service caravan provides free services from different government agencies benefitting ordinary Leyteños. The program is considered as the governance brand of the Marcos administration. (Rep. Lolita Javier/PHOTO COURTESY)
ORMOC CITY-An incumbent barangay chairman cheated death after he survived a slay attempt on his life on Sunday (Sept. 24).
Edgar de la Rosa, 52, chairman of Barangay Daco, Leyte, Leyte province managed to survive an attempt to his life by dropping inside his vehicle while traversing along Brgy. Baco at about 5:30 pm, Capt. Rush Alvarado, town police chief said.
The two unidentified suspects, according to Alvarado, were on board a motorcycle with no plate number with the driver clad in a black jacket and a red helmet with his rider wearing a black t-shirt and a bull cap.
The victim, who is seeking reelection in the forthcoming Oct.31 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), was on his way home to Poblacion coming from Brgy. Baco, and driving his Toyota Hilux pickup.
Upon reaching Mabini St. at Brgy. Poblacion, the suspects attempted to overtake the vehicle of the victim, with the back rider fired towards the victim’s vehicle, hitting several times on the driver’s side windshield, side mirror, and siding.
Capt. Alvarado said that the victim was not hit during the incident as he was able to drop inside the vehicle.
After the incident, the suspects fled heading towards Brgy. Sambulawan direction. De la Rosa personally reported the incident to the local police.
A hot pursuit operation was immediately conducted by the local police for the possible arrest and identity of the suspects but failed.
The local police requested the presence of the scene of the crime operatives to process the crime scene. Recovered from the crime scene were ten pieces of empty shells, like 9-mm ammunition.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the police have yet to determine if the incident is related to the forthcoming barangay and SK elections.
The town of Leyte is part of Leyte’s third congressional district which has been identified by the Comelec as a ‘concerned area’ due to intense political rivalries and politically-related incidents.
Last Sept.7, a village councilor who is running for chairman of Brgy. Tag-abaca also survived a slay attempt on his life.
TOLOSA, Leyte– Thousands of Leyteños benefited from the ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ Serbisyo Fair held in this town last Saturday (Sept. 23).
The launching of the Bagong Pilipinas caravan, the brand of governance of the Marcos administration, was led by House Speaker and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez(1st district) and Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla.
Rep. Jude Acidre of the Tingog party-list group, Leyte Vice Gov. Leonardo ‘Sandy’ Javier, and his wife, Rep. Lolita Javier (2nd dist.) and Tolosa Mayor Edwin Ocaña, and representatives from various national line government agencies were also present during the whole-day event.
In his message, Gov.Petilla was thankful for bringing the serbisyo fair to Leyte which would benefit ordinary Leyteños.
Speaker Romualdez, for his part, said that the caravan will also be brought to other parts of the region.
“This is gift of the President sa lahat ng mga mamamayan sa buong Pilipinas. Itong Serbisyo Fair ay iikot para makita talaga ng taong bayan kung gaano ka importante ang serbisyo ng gobyerno para sa inyo,” Romualdez said.
Among government agencies that participated and rendered services during the two-day caravan were the Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) which gave pay-out to 1,800 beneficiaries of Tulong Pangkabuhayahn para sa mga Disadvantage/Displaced Worker(TUPAD) from the towns of Alangalang, Tanauan, and Tolosa; pay-out to Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) for 18 beneficiaries from Tolosa, and for the 196 beneficiaries for the Government Internship Program; and awarding of checks to the beneficiaries under its Integrated Livelihood Projects from Pastrana town.
The Department of Science and Technology released funds handed to the beneficiaries under its Grants-in-Aid project funding to farmers associations from the towns of Sta. Fe, Matag-ob, and San Isidro, and to the Department of Tourism -8 for the establishment of the Science and Tourism Initiative (STI) in the province.
They also turned over assistance for the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrade Program (SETUP) at a total amount of P3.33 million.
For the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a total of 7,000 beneficiaries received assistance under its assistance for individuals in crisis situations, and 104 beneficiaries for the sustainable livelihood program.
Five beneficiaries also received P40,000 each from the Department of Migrant Workers under its livelihood program for OFW reintegration.
The Department of Agrarian Reform, meanwhile, turned over certificates of land ownership award to five beneficiaries. They also turned over farm machineries and equipment to 10 beneficiaries, and livelihood support to five beneficiaries.
These agencies are among the more than 40 government offices that participated in the two-day event in Tolosa town and simultaneously held in other local government units in the different parts of the country. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
Different batches of the Gala Vocational School joined a parade for this year’s grand alumni homecoming held on Sept.16. (PETER PAREDES)
GAMAY, Northern, Samar-The grand alumni homecoming 2023 of the Gala Vocational school (GVS) in this town was successfully held on Sept. 16.
Different batches of the Gala Vocational School joined a parade for this year’s grand alumni homecoming held on Sept.16. (PETER PAREDES)
The annual grand alumni, which this year carried the theme” Turupo Bisan Hagrayo Basta Magkasarayo,” was held a day after the fiesta in honor of the town’s patron saint, Michael De Archangel.
Before the parade, a Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated by Frs. Cleofas Anunuevo, Oscar Atibagos, and Gervacio Osias, all natives of Gamay, held at the school’s Center for Culture and Arts Quadrangle.
At 7 am, a parade around the town was held which featured ‘TRASHION Costume’ contest and was participated by different batches. An hourly raffle draw was also held.
After the parade, a short program was held with Mayor Raquel Capoquian delivered her message and was followed by several parlor games joined by the different batches.
On the night of Sept.16 was highlighted with the crowning of Miss Emmelee Gomba Kojima as GVS Alumni 2023.
This was preceded by a short program with Jose Mozart Arzadon, chair of Batch ‘95 as this year’s sponsoring batch.
He delivered his opening message and warmly welcomed all the batches, visitors, and guests who were in attendance at the jampacked gymnasium.
Meanwhile, Josephine Paderog-Blancaflor, a financial analyst based in New York, USA, who served as the guest speaker and class valedictorian of Batch ‘95, in her inspiring message, urged her fellow Galanians to be more assertive in dealing with their respective field of endeavor aimed at achieving their goals”.
This year’s theme also served as the guiding principle not only the GVSAA but the whole community as a whole headed by former mayor, Dr. Tim Capoquian Jr., and at same pointed out, “ nga apisar San naglabay nga mga nagkaput San organisasyon nga waray ini nga prohekto matapos, tungod San pagburubleg, natapos guihapon an aton alumni hall”.
The blessing and inauguration of the Alumni Building was one of the highlights in this year’s Grand Alumni Homecoming at the Gala Vocational School held on Sept.16. (PETER PAREDES)
And during the occasion, the newly-finished Alumni Hall was inaugurated and blessed. During the nights affair which was filled with entertainment from GVS Teachers performances and the Kuracha dances, it was highlighted by the crowning of Miss GVS Alumni 2023 from a 10-minute Kuracha performance.
In her closing statement, Marietta Lucero-Villas, GVS school in-charge gladly said, “ tungod San bug-os nga suporta San tagsa-tagsa nga mga Batches San aton higugmaon nga Eskwelahan, labihan nagud an buleg San lokal nga gobyerno San aton bungto nagin mabinungahon an aton homecoming sini yana nga tuig nga kunta hasta sa tidaraun pa nga aton Alumni Homecoming maspa nga mas maribhung ngan damu pa nga mga prohekto an aton pagburubligan para San kaupayan san at eskwelahan. (PETER PAREDES)
To help Samar youths on issues and problems confronting them, a ‘purple desk’ under the Sirak Kabataan movement was launched with Governor Sharee Ann Tan leading the event held last Wednesday (Sept. 20).
(PHOTO COURTESY)
TACLOBAN CITY– Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan spearheaded the grand launching of Sirak Kabataan’s purple desk on September 20, 2023.
To help Samar youths on issues and problems confronting them, a ‘purple desk’ under the Sirak Kabataan movement was launched with Governor Sharee Ann Tan leading the event held last Wednesday (Sept. 20). (PHOTO COURTESY)
Sirak Kabataan’s purple desk is a safe space for any youth who are experiencing mental health problems.
Tan was joined by the school division superintendents and more than 300 school heads of the three divisions of the Department of Education in Samar as well as representatives from Samar State University (SSU) and Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU), Sirak Kabataan movers and student leaders.
Tan said that the purple desk envisions to provide first-aid counseling, as well as stress and anxiety management in all schools, in every barangay, and workplaces across Samar to ensure that primary mental health services are available and accessible to all Samarnon.
The establishment of the Sirak Kabataan purple desk is a public health innovation and intervention for the Samarnon youth and their families with the participation and involvement of the local government units, the Department of Education, and the state universities in the province. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
