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Work, classes, and sea travel suspended

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TACLOBAN CHRISTMAS VILLAGE. The historic Price Mansion in Tacloban City transforms into a festive Christmas village once again, with twinkling lights and a beautifully adorned Christmas tree bringing holiday cheer to the iconic building. (I LOVE TACLOBAN PAGE)
TACLOBAN CHRISTMAS VILLAGE. The historic Price Mansion in Tacloban City transforms into a festive Christmas village once again, with twinkling lights and a beautifully adorned Christmas tree bringing holiday cheer to the iconic building. (I LOVE TACLOBAN PAGE)

CHRISTMAS VILLAGE. Colorful lights and decors provides happiness to visitors at the historic Price Mansion in Tacloban City which has been converted into a Christmas village during this time of the year.
(PHOTO COURTESY)

EV braces for Wilma

TACLOBAN CITY — Schools and offices across Eastern Visayas were suspended starting Thursday, December 4, as Tropical Depression Wilma approached the region, prompting local authorities to implement precautionary measures.

Governors of Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Southern Leyte, and Biliran ordered province-wide suspension of classes and work, while several municipalities in Leyte and Samar also followed suit amid the storm threat.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Wilma slightly accelerated as of Friday morning, with its center located 270 kilometers east of Borongan City. The storm packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 55 kph, and is forecast to move west-southwestward until December 6 before turning generally westward.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also suspended sea travel in Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, western Leyte, and Biliran, advising all vessels to seek shelter at the nearest harbor or anchorage and urging fisherfolk to strictly follow safety precautions.
Local government units have activated emergency response teams in preparation for possible flooding and landslides, as heavy rainfall is expected in the coming days.

The regional Office of Civil Defense emphasized vigilance and readiness among communities.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VIII is on high alert, pre-positioning 77,866 family food boxes, 12,716 ready-to-eat food packs, and 18,574 non-food items across strategic locations. An additional P2.59 million has been set aside for emergency interventions.

The agency continues to urge the public to coordinate with local government units for immediate assistance if needed.

JOEY A. GABIETA

Kenneth Cobonpue gives Ormoc a Christmas Tree like no other

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A towering 55-foot Christmas tree celebrating the flora and fauna of Ormoc City dazzles the public plaza on Monday night as designer Kenneth Cobonpue, Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, and Rep. Richard Gomez lead the ceremonial lighting. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
A towering 55-foot Christmas tree celebrating the flora and fauna of Ormoc City dazzles the public plaza on Monday night as designer Kenneth Cobonpue, Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, and Rep. Richard Gomez lead the ceremonial lighting. (JOEY A. GABIETA)

ORMOC CITY — He has designed furniture for Brad Pitt, Queen Sofia of Spain, and even royalty in the Middle East — but on Monday night, world-renowned Filipino designer Kenneth Cobonpue unveiled something delightfully unexpected: his first-ever Christmas tree.

And Ormoc City gets to brag that it’s the chosen home.

Rising 55 feet at the city’s public plaza, the whimsical installation lit up the night as Cobonpue joined Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez and Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez onstage for the countdown, greeted by cheers, camera flashes, and the collective wow of a city seeing something truly unique.

This is no ordinary tree. Think less pine and more playful fantasy — with an Ormoc twist.
Crafted from fabric, foam, styro, paint, and LED lights, the tree is stacked in six imaginative layers that bring the city’s natural world to life, inspired largely by the biodiversity of Lake Danao.

The journey begins underwater: turtles, coral, starfish, schools of fish, and even a mermaid swim through glowing lights. Climb a level and you’re on the farm, where a carabao, goat, deer, and dragonfly seem to graze in neon harmony.

The adventure continues through land and forest — complete with a snake, lizard, and banana (because why not?) — before taking flight into the sky, where birds and butterflies dance in color. At the very top sits an eagle spreading its wings next to Ormoc’s official flower, the calachuchi.

For Cobonpue, it was a creative leap.

“This is my first time to design a Christmas tree and it is in Ormoc City,” he said, recalling how Mayor Torres-Gomez approached him just a month ago with the idea.

For a designer famous for sculptural furniture made from rattan and bamboo, the switch from chairs to Christmas wonder was a refreshing challenge — and clearly, a fun one.
But the spectacle doesn’t end with the tree.

Inside the plaza, 12 glowing pineapple ferries illuminate the walkway. They’re Cobonpue’s playful tribute to Ormoc’s famed sweet pineapples, as well as a nod to the 12 months of the year.

Mayor Torres-Gomez said this year’s theme is a joyful reminder of nature’s beauty.

“For this year’s Christmas tree, we want to celebrate the environment because we are all stewards,” she said, noting how climate change makes the message more urgent.

Rep. Gomez, meanwhile, was all smiles as he admired the towering masterpiece.

“This is the most beautiful Christmas tree the city has ever had. Thank you, Kenneth, for designing it for Ormoc,” he said proudly.

Ormoc has built a reputation for creative Christmas trees — last year’s Nutcracker-themed one drew crowds — but Cobonpue’s imaginative, nature-inspired installation may just be the city’s most magical yet.

(JOEY A. GABIETA/LIZBETH ANN A.ABELLA)

NSSDEO conducts assessment of By-Pass Roads for Possible Conversion to National Roads

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NSSDEO, Brgy, Burabud, Laoang, Northern Samar – To assess the functionality of by-pass roads in Gamay, Lapinig, and San Roque, the Department of Public Works and Highways-Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office recently conducted an assessment of these roads for their possible conversion from local roads to national roads. The Subject Road for Conversion (SRC) include the Gamay By-Pass Road, Lapinig By-Pass Road, and San Roque By-Pass Road.

This assessment and validation activity of subject by-pass roads was led by the Planning and Design Section, with the support from the Construction Section, Quality Assurance Section, and Maintenance Section, and was conducted from October 6 to 10, 2025. Known as the Traffic Condition Assessment (TCA), this evaluation aims to determine the current condition of the identified roads and verify their potential function as by-pass or diversion roads in accordance with Department Order No. 112, series of 2024, Revised Criteria and Guidelines for Road Conversion from Local to National Roads and Vice Versa. The assessment team carried out field data collection, including traffic volume counts, road inventory, and travel time and delay surveys.

The activity commenced on October 6, led by DPWH-Central Office personnel, followed by an orientation for the personnel assigned to conduct the Traffic Condition Assessment (TCA) on the identified by-pass roads. On the following day, October 7, the team formally began the traffic survey at the San Roque By-Pass Road which included the mobilization of survey equipment such as tents, traffic signages, and other necessary materials.

On October 8, the team prepared to mobilize the survey equipment, including tents, traffic signages, along with the assigned personnel. The following day, October 9, they proceeded with the traffic surveys at Gamay By-Pass Road & Lapinig By-Pass Road. The activity concluded on October 10, with an exit conference attended by District Engineer Atty. Arthur Eric L. Sabong, OIC- Assistant District Engineer Francisco Y. Tañala, and Planning & Design Chief, Engr. Joseph C. Romance.

This activity highlights the department’s aim to balance development with sustainable mobility by rigorously evaluating traffic conditions, impacts, future directions on the said SRCs, and by promptly producing solutions to the identified problems.

Furthermore, the possible conversion of the subject roads is expected to greatly support the Implementing Office in fulfilling its mandate to deliver essential infrastructure services by ensuring the timely execution of routine maintenance to prolong the serviceable condition of its national roads.

By: Jamaica I. Acebuche-PIO Staff Writer

Red tide alert up in parts of Samar, Eastern Samar, Tacloban, and Catbalogan

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TACLOBAN CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has raised a shellfish ban in several coastal areas in Eastern Visayas after recent laboratory tests confirmed the presence of red tide toxins.

In its latest advisory issued on December 1, BFAR reported that shellfish meat samples collected from the coastal waters of Zumarraga in Samar and Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar—covering the towns of General MacArthur, Quinapondan, Hernani, and Salcedo—tested positive for saxitoxin, a potent red tide toxin.

Because of this, BFAR said all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. (alamang) gathered from these waters are unsafe for human consumption.

Local red tide warnings also remain in effect over Cancabato Bay in Tacloban City and Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City, Samar, where filtered seawater samples were found positive for Pyrodinium bahamense, the dinoflagellate responsible for producing saxitoxin.
Red tide is a harmful algal bloom (HAB) that occurs when toxin-producing microorganisms, such as dinoflagellates, multiply rapidly in coastal waters. While not all algal blooms are toxic, species like Pyrodinium bahamense release saxitoxin, which accumulates in shellfish.
Humans who consume contaminated shellfish may suffer from paralytic shellfish poisoning, a potentially fatal condition that can cause tingling, dizziness, paralysis, and, in severe cases, respiratory failure.

Environmental factors such as warmer temperatures, nutrient-rich runoff, and calm seas can trigger these blooms, making them a recurring concern in Eastern Visayas.
BFAR reiterated its precautionary advisory urging the public to avoid harvesting, selling, and eating shellfish and alamang from all affected bays to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning.

However, the agency clarified that fish, squid, shrimp, and crab from these areas remain safe to eat, provided they are fresh and thoroughly cleaned, with internal organs removed before cooking.

The agency continues to monitor the affected waters and will lift the ban once toxin levels return to safe limits.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

Eastern Visayas top drug target arrested in Tacloban City; over P11 million worth of suspected shabu seized

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ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN VICTORY. The Philippine National Police(PNP) in the region, together with other government security agencies, scored a victory on their campaign against illegal drugs with the seizure of suspected shabu worth P11 million in a sting operation in Tacloban City. (PRO-8)
ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN VICTORY. The Philippine National Police(PNP) in the region, together with other government security agencies, scored a victory on their campaign against illegal drugs with the seizure of suspected shabu worth P11 million in a sting operation in Tacloban City. (PRO-8)

TACLOBAN CITY — Police arrested Eastern Visayas’ top priority drug target in a major anti-illegal drug operation in Barangay 97, Cabalawan, this city on Wednesday, December 3, yielding over P11 million worth of suspected shabu.

The suspect, identified only as “Roy,” 55, unemployed, and a resident of Brgy. 109, Tacloban City, is ranked number one on the Regional Priority Target List (RPTL), according to the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8).

Authorities recovered 16 knot-tied and four self-sealing sachets of suspected shabu weighing about 1,701 grams, with a Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value placed at P11,566,800.

The arrest was carried out through a joint operation of multiple law enforcement units, including the Regional Police Drug Enforcement Unit 8 (RPDEU-8), Regional Intelligence Division 8 (RID-8) Tracker Team, Leyte Police Provincial Office intelligence units, Tacloban City Police Office, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and other specialized units.
PRO-8 regional director PB/Gen. Jason Capoy praised the successful arrest of the high-value suspect.

“Their relentless efforts reflect our strong commitment to safeguarding our communities and achieving a drug-free Eastern Visayas,” he said in a statement released on Thursday.
Police said the seized evidence was properly marked and inventoried at the place of arrest, with the required witnesses present.

Criminal charges against the suspect are now being prepared.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

EVMC achieves top 5-green star rating for sustainable health practices

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TACLOBAN CITY — The Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) has earned a 5-green star rating, the highest recognition in the 2025 National Green and Safe Health Facilities Recognition, highlighting its commitment to sustainability and climate-resilient healthcare.

EVMC achieved a 96.42% score in the Green Viability Assessment (GVA), surpassing national standards and meeting targets originally set for 2028. Engr. Alberto Canillas, head of the EVMC Materials Management Section, received the award on behalf of the hospital.
The assessment evaluates hospitals across key areas, including governance, energy and water efficiency, sanitation, waste management, and climate resilience. From a 4-Star rating in 2023 to 5-Star in 2025, EVMC has steadily strengthened its environmentally responsible practices.

Hospital officials said the recognition underscores EVMC’s dedication to providing safe, green, and climate-ready services for patients and communities in Eastern Visayas, positioning the hospital as a leader in sustainable healthcare in the Philippines.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

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