Part of the Spark Samar campaign

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Tourism (DOT) here in the region recently launched, as a pilot project, the Inclusive Local Growth (IloG) Project: Basey Golden River Cruise in the town of Basey.
The program, which is part of the provincial government’s tourism promotional campaign known as ‘Spark Samar’, capitalizes the old town’s natural attractions like the Sohoton Natural Bridge Natural Park, its historicity and the diverse communities that live along its riverbanks.
The ground breaking rites signals the start of the construction of the different tourism facilities involved in the ILoG Project, the DOT said.
The program is an attempt to recreate the rural ambience of the river people in the Philippines and in the process, introduce tourists or visitors the culture of the people of the town and the rest of Samar province.
With the success of community-based tourism in Sohoton Service Cooperative, the new project aim to replicate the same to other barangays along the Golden River and provide the residents along the coast income opportunities.
The ground breaking rites signals the start of the construction of the different tourism facilities involved in the ILOG Project. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) here in the region has called on candidates to stop nailing their campaign materials on trees.
DENR Regional Executive Director Crizaldy Barcelo said that trees become susceptible to diseases and attacks of harmful insects when harmed by nailing and eventually may cause the tree’s death.
Barcelo cited section 3 of Republic Act 3571 which prohibits, the cutting, destroying, or injuring of trees along public schools, roads, and other public areas as the legal basis for his appeal to candidates.
The same prohibitions are also provided under section 3 of PD 953 which provides that an imprisonment of not less than six months and not more than two years, or a fine of not less than P5,000 or with both imprisonment and fine shall be imposed for violation of said prohibitions.
Since the start of the campaign period, posters and other campaign materials could be seen being nailed at the trees.
Together with the call against nailing campaign materials on trees, Barcelo also reminds the public to be mindful of the wastes that will be generated during the campaign period.
“Do not litter our streets and clog our water ways with campaign materials and other sort of wastes, strictly observe RA 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,” the DENR executive regional director said.
However, Barcelo emphasized that this appeal to stop harming trees and maintaining cleanliness is a call that extend beyond the election period.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO,Leyte- Anti-drug elements of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)RO8 together with 8th Military Intelligence Battalion(MIB) and Catbalogan City Police Station arrested a drug personality during the conduct of buy-bust operation at Purok 2, Barangay Maulong, Catbalogan City on February 24, 2019 at around 7pm.
In a report submitted to PDEA Director General Aaron N. Aquino, elements of PDEA RO8 under Director Edgar T. Jubay together with 8th MIB and Catbalogan CPS identified the suspect as Agapito Antonio, member of the Philippine Army, 32, single, and a resident of Bannawag, President Quirino Sultan, Kudarat; and Ronnel Acera, 31,single,jobless,and a resident of Brgy. Maulong of the said city.
Purchased and confiscated during the said operation were three pieces of heat-sealed transparent plastic sachet containing white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu weighing 0.21 gram with an estimated market value of P1,500 and drug paraphernalia.
The suspects will be facing charges for violation of section 5 (sale of dangerous drugs), section 11 (possession of dangerous drugs), and section 12 (possession of drug paraphernalia), article II of RA 9165 and are now temporarily detained at Catbalogan City Police Station lock-up facility. (PR)