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Ayde

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Exposing the daftness of the highest paid international lawyer defending the former and now detained president, Nicholas Kaufman who is reportedly a British-Israeli barrister by positing to limit the participants from the victims of his self-confessed client. In an effort to keep the surviving families of the bloody war on drugs that his client admittedly ordered if not masterminded, he raised the tactic of silencing the agonizing cries of the families left orphaned by the innocent victims of the bloody war on drugs. The weird idea is to purportedly simplify the proceedings by excluding family members of those innocent victims who could not present a valid identification card.

The proposal was immediately met with objections from the affected families and legal minds who care for the affected families. The main opposition was grounded on the fact that most of the victims’ families have no identification cards considering that the belong to the poorest of the poor. He mayhap not been informed by his high-profile client that government identification cards had not been issued to many poor citizens considering the cost of getting one and the fact that they seldom need such cards. It is impractical for a poor citizen to get an identification card when all their life are spent working in the fields, not even needing to go to town centers to buy for their daily needs.

The news in national broadsheets about a Filipino international lawyer accredited by the International Criminal Court (ICC) by giving the high-priced international lawyer of the former and now detained president a free lecture on realities in the country’s social and cultural situation is commendable. It explicated the situation in the country where the poorest of the poor opt rice than any identification card which has no use in buying items in the market. Indeed, why would one bother spending time and money to procure an identification card. For people living in the lowest economic strata, food is the be all and end all for the family.

Limiting the participants from the surviving families of the is a desperate strategy the defense lawyer of the former and now detained president can raise at the moment. It would bring the to fore the utter failure of his high-profile client. It is well to remind the highly-paid international lawyer that Republic Act No. 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, was signed by former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on 06 August 2018.

That national identification card may not have reached the poorest of the poor for reasons only the recipients can explain. With much more reason that the other identification documents such as driver’s license, passport or unified multi-purpose identification (UMID) can the survivors of the victims of the bloody drug war could not have. The highly-paid international lawyer badly needs ayde.

comments to alellema@yahoo.com

Going to the extreme of love

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WITH the celebration of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord’s Passion, we begin the Holy Week of our liturgical calendar, the most important week of the year that commemorates the culmination of the redemptive mission of our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s on this day that we are told how Christ went to the extreme of love by offering his life on the cross as a ransom for all our sins.

Let us hope that we can give time and due effort to meditate on this most important part of Christ’s life here on earth with the view of at least approaching this extreme of love to which we are also called.

As we can gather from the life of Christ, he, being God, not only became man to be with us, but also did everything to make things right for us, giving us the fullness of revelation about us. And since that was not enough due to our sinfulness, he went all the way to offering his life on the cross. (cfr. Phil 2,6-11)

To follow his example is the greatest challenge we have to tackle in this life. We may not be able to perfectly imitate him, but at least we should make the effort to pursue that ideal meant for us.

In this regard, we have to realize that given our wounded condition, the cross, in any of its forms, will always be an integral, if not essential, part in this pursuit for love. We need to understand that unless we love the cross the way Christ loved it, we can never say that we are truly loving, or loving with the fullness of love.

We really need to know why the cross is essential and indispensable in our life. That’s because in the first place Christ himself said that to follow him, we need not only to deny ourselves but also to carry the cross daily. (cfr. Lk 9,23) We need to know the purpose of the cross because the cross, through Christ’s passion, death and resurrection, is where everything in our life is resolved.

Yes, Christ preached. He performed miracles. But in the end, he had to offer his life on the cross because no matter what he did, our sins are such that they simply cannot be undone and forgiven through the preaching of the truths of our faith and the tremendous effects of the miracles. Christ had to offer his life on the cross!

In our daily life when we can encounter cases of severe differences and conflicts among ourselves—for example, between husband and wife, parents and children, among friends and neighbors, etc.—we need to see to it that the more difficult the situation is, the more unfair and unjust the conditions are, the more we should follow the example of Christ who, treated in the worst way possible on earth, just offered his life for us.

That’s why he was more close to the sinners than to the self-righteous ones. Just the same, he loved all as proven by the fact that before dying on the cross, he asked forgiveness from his Father for those who crucified him.

We have to expand and deepen our attitudes towards others. Are we willing to think always of them, keenly observant of how they are? Are we moved to pray for them and to leap to their assistance when the chance comes? Do we try to go all the way in loving them, no matter how unfair to us things may look?

To be sure, only when we truly identify with Christ can we go also to the extreme of love.

BFAR-8 records 100% survival rate in bangus breeder transport to Southern Leyte

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TACLOBAN CITY– In a milestone for local aquaculture, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Eastern Visayas (BFAR-8) successfully completed the transport of 150 bangus (milkfish) breeders to the Provincial Sea Cage-Based Broodstock Development Project in Barangay Looc, Tomas Oppus, Southern Leyte, achieving an impressive 100% survival rate.

In a press statement through its social media account, the BFAR-8 said that the initiative is part of a broader push to increase bangus production and support the region’s aquaculture sector.

The project was carried out in two phases: the first batch of 75 breeders was delivered in December 2024, while the remaining 75 arrived in April 2025.

The breeders were sourced from two of BFAR’s key hatcheries: the Guiuan Marine Fisheries Development Center (GMFDC) in Eastern Samar and the Laoang Multi-Species Hatchery (LMSH) in Northern Samar. These brood stocks had been reared for 5 to 7 years before deployment.

Led by BFAR-8 officer-in-charge Regional Director Dominador Maputol, the project was implemented in partnership with the provincial government of Southern Leyte and its Provincial Agricultural Services Office.

The bangus breeders are expected to yield approximately 115 million fry and 46 million fingerlings annually, directly benefiting around 200 fisherfolk associations, cooperatives, and fish cage operators across Southern Leyte.

BFAR-8 allocated an estimated P2.2 million to P4.5 million to develop and maintain the brood stock. Officials believe that the project will significantly enhance local fisheries production and offer new opportunities for small and medium-scale aquapreneurs.

Looking ahead, BFAR-8 has expressed interest in replicating the project in other provinces within Eastern Visayas, aiming to ensure a sustainable supply of quality fingerlings while uplifting the livelihoods of fisherfolk across the region.

(PRINCESS MANZANARES, LNU STUDENT INTERN)

PhilHealth says only 4 of 7 Z-benefit packages for children available in Eastern Visayas

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TACLOBAN CITY – Only four out of seven Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) Z-benefit packages for children are currently available in Eastern Visayas, based on information from the PhilHealth website and Dr. Mary Grace Labine, head of the agency’s Benefits Administration Section.

According to PhilHealth, the Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) in Tacloban City offers four Z-benefit packages for pediatric patients.

These are for acute lymphocytic leukemia; children with developmental disabilities; children with mobility disorders; and children with visual disabilities.

Meanwhile, the remaining three packages, which cover pediatric cardiac conditions, are not yet available in the region due to financial limitations.

“Cardiac problems fall under catastrophic illnesses, which usually involve substantial costs,” Labine explained in an interview.

Labine also emphasized that the Z-benefit program is designed to offer financial risk protection, especially for families dealing with serious and costly medical conditions.
The original national post from PhilHealth promoting Z-benefits for children was published on November 15, 2023, in observance of National Children’s Month.

Residents are advised to consult the PhilHealth website or visit their nearest PhilHealth office for updates on available benefit packages and accredited facilities.

(JOHN LORENZ S. LESIGUEZ, LNU STUDENT INTERN)

Over 4,400 students vie for 2025 DOST Undergraduate Scholarships in Eastern Visayas

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TACLOBAN CITY – A total of 4,423 students across Eastern Visayas took the 2025 Undergraduate Scholarship Qualifying Examination administered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in 14 testing centers throughout the region.
The program offers two types of scholarships: the RA 7687 (for economically disadvantaged but deserving students) and the DOST-Merit Scholarship (for those with high aptitude in science and mathematics).

Successful examinees are required to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, or Mathematics (STEAM) fields.

Scholars will receive generous financial support, including a monthly living allowance of P8,000; up to P40,000 per academic year for tuition and other school fees; P10,000 annual book allowance; P1,000 clothing allowance (for first-year, first semester only); P10,000 thesis allowance; and group health and accident insurance.

Transportation allowance for those studying away from their home province will also be provided to scholars.

To retain the scholarship, qualifiers must maintain a general weighted average of at least 80 percent. Failure to meet academic requirements may result in termination of the scholarship grant.

In addition to financial aid, scholars will also benefit from capacity-building activities organized by DOST to further enhance their skills and prepare them for future careers in science and technology.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

DPWH Leyte 1st DEO reports 84% completion of BIR records building in Palo

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PALO, Leyte– The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 1st District Engineering Office (L1st DEO) announced substantial progress in the construction of a two-storey Records Building for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region No. 14 (RR-14), located at the Government Center, this town.

As of March 2025, the project has reached 84% completion, reflecting the agency’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure within schedule. Construction began on September 26, 2024, and the facility is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2025.
Funded under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) with a total allocation of P45.06 million, the new building is designed to enhance the BIR’s operational capacity and record-keeping efficiency in the region.

District Engineer Mark Anthony Alejo emphasized the importance of the project in strengthening government service delivery:

“The 2-storey Records Building will be instrumental in improving the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s operational efficiency, providing a dedicated space for proper record-keeping and streamlined processes,” he said.

Once completed, the facility is expected to significantly contribute to organized, accessible, and secure documentation processes, ultimately improving the quality of public service for taxpayers across Eastern Visayas.

This project is part of DPWH’s broader mandate to support national agencies through modern, resilient infrastructure that promotes transparency, efficiency, and accountability in government operations.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

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