TACLOBAN CITY – A registered nurse was killed while three others were wounded in Northern Samar when typhoon Glenda smashed Eastern Visayas last week. Confirmed dead was Lourdes Lim, 50, of Lagundi village, Allen, Northern Samar. Toppled electric post hit her while she was on her way home from her duty as a staff nurse of Allen District Hospital on the afternoon of July 14, according to the regional Office of the Civil Defense (OCD).

Northern Samar provincial disaster risk reduction and management officer Amancio Unay said fisherman Jeffrey Longcot and an unidentified companion have been reported missing for three days after they left their coastal village in Mapanas town on July 14. Three persons in Catarman, Northern Samar were injured at the wake of Glenda – Victoriano Custona, Jr., 46; Kim Sagurio, 31; and Joselito Tibayan, 49. At least 3,566 families in Eastern Visayas were moved to safer grounds last week as the state weather bureau raised public storm signals in Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Biliran and Southern Leyte.

Of the total displaced families, 941 were in Tacloban City, 124 in Leyte, 308 in Biliran, 553 in Northern Samar, 237 in Eastern Samar, 202 in Catbalogan City in Samar, and 1,200 in Calbayog City also in Samar.

 In Tacloban City, affected families who were living in tents and makeshift houses were evacuated at the Tacloban City Convention Center until evening of July 14.
“People voluntarily evacuated because the memory of super typhoon Yolanda is still fresh. They have been reactive to weather disturbances and we hope that this attitude will be sustained,” OCD Regional Director Blanche Gobenciong told reporters. At least 1,923 passengers bound for Luzon, Cebu and Mindanao and 203 rolling cargoes were stranded in Allen port in Northern Samar, Bato and Hilongos ports in Leyte, and San Ricardo and Liloan ports in Southern Leyte from June 14 to June 16. (SARWELL Q.MENIANO)

PALO, Leyte- Different organizations and individuals were recognized by the Department of Education (DepEd) here in the region for the services and assistance they extended to the department for the rebuilding of school buildings destroyed or damaged during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda. The giving of recognition by the DepEd to the organizations and individuals coincided with the department’s 39th anniversary on July 9. The activity, led by Regional Director Luisita Bautista Yu, was held at the DepEd regional office at the Government Center, Barangay Candahug, this town. Yu said that the giving of recognition to these groups and individuals was their way of showing their “pasasalamat”(gratitude) for the assistance and support they have extended to the DepEd particularly for the repair of damaged or destroyed school buildings and for the donation of school materials to children.

Yu said that the giving of the awards were presented to DepEd national office, national government, local government, inter- national partners, local partners, civil society, volunteers, non-government organizations international and local groups, individual local and international donors. The help extended by the donors were varied said Yu, from psychosocial interventions, water sanitation, food, shelter, clothing, temporary learning spaces, construction materials, school supplies, learning kits for school children, teaching kits, instructional materials, classrooms, comfort rooms, cash donations, equipment and other facilities.

Aside from the plaque of appreciation a copy of a magazine were all the donors were listed were also given to the awardees. Yolanda has resulted to the destruction of 759 schools in the region while 3,146 classrooms were completely destroyed. However, Yu said, the overwhelming support given to them by the different donors, they were able to recover and attracted children to go back to school as shown by the high turn- out of enrollment during the opening of classes. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)