ILOILO CITY – The Philippine Tuberculosis Society Inc. (PTSI) is eyeing the island province of Biliran in Eastern Visayas as one of the first provinces in the country to be declared tuberculosis-free.

This was disclosed by PTSI Executive Director Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial during the “Engaging Media for Health Literacy” conference organized by the Department of Health (DOH), which brought together journalists from the Visayas.

Ubial, a former health secretary, said Biliran was selected due to its manageable size, supportive local government, and island geography—factors that make wide-scale health interventions easier to implement. Similar provinces like Guimaras and Siquijor are also part of the campaign’s rollout, with Guimaras set as the pilot site.

“These areas don’t necessarily have high TB prevalence,” Ubial clarified. “But because of their size and governance, we can cover them fully and hopefully eliminate TB in a contained setting.”

Biliran, the smallest province in Eastern Visayas with only eight towns and a population of about 184,000, is seen as an ideal candidate for full-scale TB elimination. Seven of its towns are located on the main island, while the eighth, Maripipi, is a separate island municipality.

Ubial said the initiative was initially set to receive funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), but after the Trump administration defunded the agency’s humanitarian programs, the project will now rely on local funding from PTSI, DOH, and the concerned LGUs.

Testing and treatment will be free of charge, and efforts will center on mobile mass screening using ultraportable X-ray machines enhanced with artificial intelligence (AI).
“With just one battery, we can do 200 chest X-rays a day—far more than what traditional fixed X-ray machines can handle,” Ubial said.

Individuals diagnosed with TB will receive free treatment, and their close contacts—including household members and co-workers—will also undergo screening and receive TB preventive treatment (TPT) if needed.

Ubial emphasized the importance of TPT to stop latent TB—where the bacteria is present in the body but not causing active illness—from progressing into active disease.

“Latent TB can activate when a person’s immune system weakens,” she warned, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic triggered TB flare-ups among people unknowingly carrying the bacteria.
The TB-free campaign reflects a strategic shift toward elimination in high-potential provinces, with hopes that success in Biliran, Guimaras, and Siquijor can serve as a model for other areas in the country.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The municipal government of Pinabacdao, Samar has activated strict measures to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) after a hog from Barangay Obayan of said town tested positive for the virus.

Mayor Viannery Mabag issued an executive order enforcing the BaBay ASF Program, citing the disease’s serious threat to swine raisers, food security, and the local economy.

ASF checkpoints have been set up in all entry and exit points, with restrictions on hog transport, especially from infected zones. Breeding swine movement from infected to buffer zones is prohibited.

Surveillance, pig census, and sample collection are also being intensified. Hog owners must report swine deaths, submit to inspections, and secure permits for animal movement.
Violators face a P2,500 fine and possible non-renewal of business permits.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Eastern Visayas is urging the public to stay vigilant against suspicious investment schemes following reports of an alleged scam in Can-avid, Eastern Samar.

SEC-8 Regional Director Atty. Desiree Cuenco said over 100 individuals, possibly more, were duped by a 52-year-old student of Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) who allegedly promised high returns without any legitimate product or service.

“So far, no formal complaints have been filed with our office, but reports on social media and information from police suggest the suspect may have collected around P11 million,” Cuenco said.

She reminded the public to verify if companies offering investments are registered and licensed by checking the SEC’s online portal: https://checkwithsec.sec.gov.ph.

Cuenco added the agency will intensify grassroots education and information campaigns, especially in schools, to help people recognize and avoid scams.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Where the internet promises boundless opportunities for education, connection, and entertainment, a dark story lurks in the shadows of online platforms that of livestreaming of online sexual abuse of children.

A recent study launched by Plan International Pilipinas in Tacloban City sheds light on the troubling rise of this crime, which exploits the very technologies designed to bring people closer together.

With a number of respondents coming from Leyte province, and other parts of the country, the study entitled, ‘Safeguarding Young People from the Dark Path of Self-Facilitated Livestreaming of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse’ comprehensively explore the socio-economic, emotional and technological factors that drive children, primarily girls aged 13 to 15, to engage in such acts.

Based on firsthand accounts, the study shows how children are exposed, groomed, and coerced into sexual exploitation- some in exchange for money, gadgets or rewards (commercial cases), others through manipulation by partners, or strangers (on-commercial cases). In some instances, victims later become recruiters themselves, repeating the cycle of abuse within their circles.

For years, experts have warned that livestreaming platforms could be used for nefarious purposes, but the scale of the issue only became evident following global crackdowns by organizations like INTERPOL and Europol.

The cases of online child exploitation and abuse in Leyte was first reported through a crackdown by the INTERPOL that placed into light the darker version of online use and connectivity.

While authorities have long battled against static child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) circulating on the dark web and social media platforms, this new method self-facilitated livestreaming of child sexual exploitation and abuse has made the issue more urgent. Unlike static images and videos, these live streams create an immediate and ongoing risk, with children often forced into real-time abuse as viewers and criminals watch and interact.

Sheila Estabillo, Project Manager of the Safe Online Research Project in the Philippines, said children’s early exposure to explicit content, limited digital literacy, and lack of supervision create a dangerous environment that predators exploit with ease.

“Poverty, lack of guidance, grooming, the need for validation or simply not knowing the risks; these are the real drivers. We must stop blaming children and start confronting the realities that left them exposed and unsupported,” Estabillo said.

The research also highlights how commonly used digital platforms, such as Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Zoom, Discord and even gaming apps like Mobile Legends and Blockman GO, are being exploited as channels for abuse.

Lead researcher Danella Bianca Bona says that one of the most pressing issues is the speed at which content can be livestreamed and shared, and unlike other online forms of abuse, livestreamed events offer very little time for detection or intervention.

While the challenges are immense, non-government organizations such as Plan agrees that the fight against livestreamed child sexual abuse can be won—if the global community, from tech giants to governments, work together to prioritize the protection of children.
The study calls for urgent action to improve laws and programs that protect children. It recommends stronger enforcement of child protection laws at the local level, better support services for survivors, regular training for frontline workers social workers, police, and barangay officials) on how to spot, respond to, and report online abuse, and more efforts to raise public awareness and digital literacy.

It also urges private companies to make online platforms safer by investing in real-time monitoring of child sexual abuse materials, stronger reporting tools, and closer collaboration with child protections’ groups.

Presently, the country has Republic Act No. 11930 which institutionalized collaborative approach to prevention and response against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. It strengthens the protection measures to match the technological and digital advancements since the passage of the Anti-Child Pornography Act in 2009. It provides a clear definition of OSAEC which includes the combined use of offline and online means to abuse and exploit children sexually.

(AHLETTE C.REYS, PIA-8)