CAMP GENERAL VICENTE LUKBAN, CATBALOGAN CITY – The Candidate Soldier Course Class 552 & 553-2018 composed of 241 new aspirants was officially opened at Headquarters 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army, Barangay Maulong, this city with Maj. Gen. Raul M. Farnacio AFP, commander, as the keynote speaker on June 16.
The majority of the new selected batch of candidate soldiers came from Samar and Leyte provinces. On their educational profile, one is license professional; 51 of them are college graduates; 121 are college level and 68 are high school graduates with skills training from Technical Education Skills and Development Authority.
They will be honed for the duration of four months in basic military training and tactics and will serve as additional soldiers that will beef-up the personnel strength of the Stormtroopers Division.
Maj. Gen. Farnacio in his message, “To the 241 physically and mentally strong candidate soldiers, muli kong pinapaalala na ngayong araw ang hudyat at simula ng panibagong yugto ng inyong buhay. Sa inyong desisyon na pumasok sa pagsusundalo, gabayan nawa kayo palagi ng Poong Maykapal. Huwag ninyong bibiguin ang inyong mga magulang at lahat ng taong nagmamahal at nagtitiwala sa inyo at umaasa na mapagtatagumpayan ninyo ang hirap na ito. Kaya ninyong malagpasan ang lahat ng pagsubok. Tiwala sa sarili, positibong asal at pag-iisip ang inyong magiging puhunan at sandigan. Higit sa lahat, huwag na huwag ninyong kakalimutan ang pagtawag sa Panginoon para sa gabay at patnubay. 241 kayong nagsimula, hangad ko na 241 din kayong magtatapos at maging karapat dapat na tawaging STORMTROOPERS.”
Immediately after the program, enlistment clothing allowance were distributed to the new recruits, the Army ensures that they have already their needed equipment upon the start of their training. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan who chairs the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) said that the new police regional director has assured her of his support to the council.
Gov. Tan and Chief Superintendent Mariel Magaway, the new police regional director, met last week were the two discussed some issues concerning the security and peace and order situation of the region.
“He assured me his support to the RPOC. During our talks, we discussed to continue implementing the programs of RPOC and enhance them,” Tan said.
“Because his background is from the intelligence, we will establish some programs that can strengthen intelligence network and gathering,” she added.
Tan added that the new police regional director will have his own programs that will help in the peace and order situation of the region.
It was learned from Gov. Tan that Magaway had already met with other governors of the region during which he personally made known his programs relative to the securing the region’s peace and order and his fight against criminalities.
Magaway, who assumed the post last June 6, had also met with some of the congressmen of the region before he assumed his post early this month.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY- Five local festivals are to participate in this year’s Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals.
This was disclosed by Palo Mayor Remedios ‘Matin’ Petilla who is also the executive chairman of the said festival which is celebrating its 32nd year this 2018.
This years’ Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals will be participated by the following festivals: Tanauan (Tribu Pasaka of Tanauan; Sangutan Festival of Barugo; Buraburon Festival of Burauen and Solosogi Festival of Balangiga, Eastern Samar.
During the June 15 press conference, contingents for the Pintados Festival were not disclosed by its president, Eugene Tan.
Winners in this year’s Kasadyaan Festival will receive P700, 000 for first prize; P500,000 for second prize; and P250,000 for third prize.
The Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals will be held on June 27 at the Leyte Sports Complex(Grandstand).
Winner in the best in music will receive P100, 000 and best in costume, P100, 000. (FRANZ ERICK DADIA, ELIZABETH BAQUILOD and KEN LOUISE DE LUNA, Student Interns, Eastern Samar State University)

TACLOBAN CITY – The officers of the Sanggunian Kabataan(SK) Federation Leyte provincial chapter took their oath of office before Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla on June 13 held in Ormoc City.
Taking their oath before the governor were the following: Jo Vanille Chua from the town of Tanauan as the SK federation president; France John Fernandez (Burauen), vice-president; Jake Andrian Gerona (Barugo), secretary; Arianne Marie Go (La Paz), treasurer; Mariel Astillero (Isabel), auditor; and Ivan Saliente (Pastrana)and Jessa Monica Buenafe (Hindang) as PROs.
Also taking their oath were the members of the board of directors, namely: Jan Saavedra for the Leyte first district; Aaron Dean for the second district; Loven Lumapas for the third district; Joy Patricio for the fourth and Alfie Jian Yamson for the fifth district.
The oath-taking of the newly-elected SK federation officers in Leyte took place after the orientation of all Sanggunian Kabataan officials of the province. (RESTITUTO A.CAYUBIT)

TACLOBAN CITY- Employment Rate (ER) in Eastern Visayas in April 2018 was estimated at
95.4 percent, ranking fourth among the regions with high employment rate in the country.
This figure is lower than the 96.2 percent ER recorded in April 2017. Employment rate is the proportion of employed persons to total labor force.
Out of the estimated 3.2 million population 15 years old and over in
April 2018, about 2.0 million were economically active or in the labor force.
This number translates to a Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of 63.2 percent. This figure is 1.0 percentage point lower compared with the 64.2 percent LFPR in the same period a year ago.
Among the regions, Eastern Visayas registered the fourth highest LFPR.
The underemployed persons or those employed persons who express the desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to have a new job with longer working hours was estimated at 452 thousand. This is equal to an underemployment rate of 23.8 percent, lower than the 24.0 percent recorded in the same period last year. The region had the third highest underemployment rate in the country.
Meanwhile, about 92 thousand persons in the labor force were unemployed. This translates to an unemployment rate of 4.6 percent, higher than the
3.8 percent rate recorded in April 2017. Eastern Visayas ranked fourth among the regions with low employment rate.
Data were based on the preliminary estimates released by the Philippine Statistics Authority from the Labor Force Survey (LFS) conducted in April 2018.
For inquiries and further information, please contact our office with telephone numbers (053) 321-8392 or (053) 321-5153, and email address psa_reg8@yahoo.com. (PR)

Suspect pleads innocence

PALO, Leyte- The spokesperson of the Archdiocese of Palo has issued a warning against a man who reportedly acted as a priest.
Father Chris Arthur Militante said that they have received reports that Algerico Cabilogan Jr., who identified himself as a Supreme bishop of the Aglipayan Church was reported to have administered masses in different towns within the Archdiocese of Palo.
“Algerico Cabilogan Jr.is not a Catholic priest and is prohibited from exercising any kind of ministry among the faithful of the Archdiocese of Palo,” the spokesperson of Archbishop John Du said in a press statement.
“As per our present information he has severed himself from the fold of the Aglipayans. Asserting his ‘priestly personality’ he went as far as celebrating sacraments among the Catholic faithful. Presumably he is ‘evangelizing’ and doing his ‘missionary’ work among the Catholics of the Archdiocese,” Militante added.
Cabilogan, based on information reaching the Archdiocese of Palo,“is exercising a ministry that is detrimental to the spiritual growth and sound spirituality of our faithful.”
“It is part of our pastoral solicitude that we take the matter seriously by informing our faithful to refrain from entertaining and participating in the celebrations by this priest,” Militante said.
Meanwhile, Cabilogan vehemently denied the allegations hurled against him.
“Mine is they should know how to respect. We have religious freedom,” Cabilogan said in a radio interview aired over dyXY based in Tacloban City.
He said that what happened was just a matter of “jealousy” among Catholic priests with the spiritual services he gave to the “poorest of the poor.”
“I hope everyone will be cleared over this that I have not committed any violation. I have legal documents to show that I can officiate marriage anywhere in the country, based on what is issued to me by the Philippine Statistics Authority,” Cabilogan said.
He, however, asked the Catholic leaders not to exaggerate everything against him.
Cabilogan expressed his disappointment that the Catholic Church has “degraded” his name and those of minority sects in the public.
“It has caused damage to my family, my name. Thus I am here to clear it. Their allegations that I collected money and hold a mass in a church that is not ours have no basis,” he added.
(RONALD O. REYES)