SAFE AT LAST. Jeniel Amolo, a 26-year-old fisherman from Guindulman, Bohol, is assisted by members of the Macrohon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council after his disabled motorboat drifted across rough seas and washed ashore in Barangay Aguinaldo, Southern Leyte, following strong winds and currents brought by Typhoon “Inday.”
(Photo courtesy of Macrohon MDRRMO)
SAFE AT LAST. Jeniel Amolo, a 26-year-old fisherman from Guindulman, Bohol, is assisted by members of the Macrohon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council after his disabled motorboat drifted across rough seas and washed ashore in Barangay Aguinaldo, Southern Leyte, following strong winds and currents brought by Typhoon “Inday.” (Photo courtesy of Macrohon MDRRMO)
ORMOC CITY – A 26-year-old fisherman from Bohol was rescued after his disabled motorboat drifted across rough seas and washed ashore in Macrohon, Southern Leyte, following strong winds and currents spawned by Typhoon “Inday.”
The fisherman, identified as Jeniel Amolo of Guindulman, Bohol, was rescued by members of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) after reaching the shoreline of Barangay Aguinaldo in Macrohon.
Amolo told rescuers he left Guindulman at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8, to fish for squid when his pump boat developed engine trouble due to a faulty spark plug.
He initially tried to paddle back to shore but was overpowered by strong winds and currents, which had intensified due to Typhoon “Inday.”
Unable to steer his boat safely, Amolo decided to let the current carry him until he eventually reached Barangay Aguinaldo at around 4 p.m.
Members of the MDRRMC immediately responded and brought the fisherman to safety.
Macrohon Mayor Jerome Curtina directed the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) to provide temporary assistance to Amolo while coordinating arrangements for his safe return to his family in Bohol.
The local disaster management office reminded fishermen to inspect their boats thoroughly and monitor weather advisories before going out to sea, particularly during periods of inclement weather.
BACK TO SCHOOL. Students of San Jose National High School in Tacloban City return to campus for the first time since the June 22 mass shooting that killed three students and injured 20 others. Instead of regular classes, the school conducted psychosocial activities to help students recover from the trauma as authorities enforced heightened security measures, including metal detectors, bag inspections, police deployment, and newly installed CCTV cameras.(Joey A. Gabieta)
Traumatized but resilient
BACK TO SCHOOL. Students of San Jose National High School in Tacloban City return to campus for the first time since the June 22 mass shooting that killed three students and injured 20 others. Instead of regular classes, the school conducted psychosocial activities to help students recover from the trauma as authorities enforced heightened security measures, including metal detectors, bag inspections, police deployment, and newly installed CCTV cameras.(Joey A. Gabieta)
TACLOBAN CITY — Students of San Jose National High School (SJNHS) returned to their campus on Monday, July 6, for the first time since the June 22 mass shooting that killed three students and injured 20 others, with school officials setting aside regular lessons in favor of psychosocial activities aimed at helping students heal from the tragedy.
Instead of academic instruction, the day’s activities focused on counseling sessions, group interactions, and other psychosocial interventions designed to help students and teachers gradually recover from what has been described as one of the deadliest school shootings in the Philippines in recent years.
Returning students were welcomed by a band and bugle corps from a neighboring school, while performers hired by the Tacloban City government entertained students in an effort to ease anxiety and create a more positive atmosphere on campus.
We do not want our students to stay away from school. We want them to gradually return to normal,” said Nilo Eder, information officer of the Tacloban City Schools Division.“That is why the Schools Division decided to resume face-to-face classes. But this does not mean teachers will immediately begin regular lessons. It would not be good for students to be given academic lessons right away after what they have gone through,” he said.
Eder said there is still no timetable for the full resumption of regular classroom instruction, stressing that the emotional well-being of students and school personnel remains the division’s top priority.
As part of efforts to help students move forward, the two classrooms where the three victims were fatally shot will no longer be used for classes.
“We have enough classrooms here,” Eder said, explaining that the rooms previously assigned to Grades 9 and 10 students would instead be converted into storage rooms or offices.
The June 22 attack shocked the country after two students, aged 14 and 15, allegedly opened fire just over an hour the classes started on that day, killing three fellow students and injuring 20 others.
The two minors are now under the custody of a rehabilitation center managed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) with the 15-year-old facing charges of three counts of murder, three counts of frustrated murder, and multiple counts of serious physical injuries.
Despite lingering fear, some parents decided to keep their children stay at SJNHS after seeing the enhanced security measures implemented by the school and local government.
Jovelyn Capable, whose daughter is in Grade 8, admitted that she remains worried about her child’s safety.
“My daughter wanted to transfer to another school after the incident, but I explained to her that transferring now could cause her to fall behind in her studies. I only hope the security measures being implemented by the school will be sustained,” she said.
Capable added that her daughter suffered anxiety and had difficulty sleeping in the days following the attack.
A Grade 12 student, who requested anonymity, said returning to school was emotionally difficult.
“Our classroom building is far from where the shooting happened, but we still heard the gunshots and the screams. We were all traumatized by what happened,” the student said.
Security was significantly tighter as students returned to campus.
All students, teachers, and school personnel were required to pass through walk-through metal detectors before entering the school grounds.
Security guards, assisted by Philippine National Police personnel, inspected bags and personal belongings, while at least 16 newly installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras now monitor various parts of the campus.
Parents, guardians, and members of the media were not allowed inside the school during the reopening.
SJNHS, one of Tacloban City’s largest public high schools with more than 1,600 students, has also revised several school routines to minimize security risks.
Beginning next week, flag ceremonies will no longer be conducted in the school grounds. Instead, they will be held inside individual classrooms to avoid large gatherings and allow classes to begin immediately afterward.
Eder said the same practice would be adopted in all 60 public elementary and secondary schools under the Tacloban City Schools Division.
He also disclosed that 14 schools in the city have already been provided with walk-through metal detectors through donations from private sector partners, with similar security protocols now being enforced across the division.
Eder assured parents that the heightened security measures would remain in place even after classes normalize.
Meanwhile, he said all 15 students who had been hospitalized following the shooting, including three who were admitted to intensive care units, have already been discharged.
“They are now recuperating, and their recovery remains our priority,” Eder said.
RARE BLOOM. The endangered Samar Rafflesia (Rafflesia manillana) has been rediscovered inside the Samar Island Natural Park, marking its first confirmed sighting in 15 years. Environmental officials said the finding highlights the ecological importance of the country’s largest terrestrial protected area and strengthens ongoing efforts to conserve one of the Philippines’ rarest and most threatened flowering plants. (DENR-SINP)
RARE BLOOM. The endangered Samar Rafflesia (Rafflesia manillana) has been rediscovered inside the Samar Island Natural Park, marking its first confirmed sighting in 15 years. Environmental officials said the finding highlights the ecological importance of the country’s largest terrestrial protected area and strengthens ongoing efforts to conserve one of the Philippines’ rarest and most threatened flowering plants. (DENR-SINP)
TACLOBAN CITY — The endangered Samar rafflesia (Rafflesia manillana), one of the country’s rarest flowering plants, has been rediscovered inside the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP) after 15 years, offering fresh hope for the survival of the species and reaffirming the protected area’s importance as one of the Philippines’ richest biodiversity sanctuaries.
The rare parasitic plant was documented during a biodiversity survey conducted by the Samar Island Natural Park Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) to determine the current distribution and conservation status of the species within the country’s largest terrestrial protected area.
The discovery was announced by the SINP through a Facebook post on June 29.
The Samar Rafflesia was last officially documented in March 2011, making the latest sighting the first confirmed record of the species in the park in more than a decade.
Botanists Dr. Pastor Malabrigo Jr. and Dr. Julie Barcelona, both leading experts on Philippine flora, verified the identity of the flowering plant.
According to the Protected Area Management Office, the survey was undertaken to locate and map existing populations of Rafflesia manillana and gather scientific data that will support future conservation efforts, habitat management, and long-term monitoring of the endangered species.
Under Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Department Administrative Order No. 2026-20, Rafflesia manillana, commonly known as the Samar Rafflesia, is listed as an endangered species because of its limited distribution and the continuing loss of its natural habitat.
Unlike most flowering plants, the Rafflesia is a holoparasitic species that depends entirely on vines of the genus Tetrastigma for survival. It has no leaves, stems, or roots and spends most of its life concealed within its host before producing its iconic giant flower, which blooms for only a few days.
The flower is known for emitting an odor similar to decaying flesh, an adaptation that attracts flies, its primary pollinators.
The Samar Island Natural Park spans more than 333,000 hectares across the provinces of Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar, making it the country’s largest terrestrial protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
It protects one of the Philippines’ last remaining tracts of old-growth tropical rainforest and serves as a vital watershed supplying water to hundreds of communities across Samar Island.
Aside from the Samar Rafflesia, the park is home to numerous endemic and threatened wildlife species, including the Philippine eagle, Philippine tarsier, Philippine spotted deer, Philippine warty pig, Philippine flying lemur, Samar hornbill, and several rare species of amphibians, reptiles, orchids, and native forest trees found nowhere else in the world.
Environmental officials said the rediscovery highlights the ecological significance of the park and underscores the need to intensify forest protection, biodiversity monitoring, and scientific research to safeguard Samar’s unique flora and fauna from threats such as illegal logging, habitat destruction, land conversion, and wildlife poaching.
The Protected Area Management Office said it will continue expanding conservation initiatives to ensure the long-term survival of the Samar Rafflesia and the many other endangered species that thrive within the island’s remaining forests.
Conservationists said every confirmed documentation of endangered wildlife and plant species inside the park provides valuable scientific information while reinforcing the importance of preserving Samar Island’s globally significant biodiversity.
ENHANCING PUBLIC SERVICES. Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier joins local officials during the blessing and inauguration of the new Rural Health Unit and Fire Station in MacArthur, Leyte on July 3. The ceremony also included the turnover of ambulances, a fire truck, rescue vehicles, and other government service units to strengthen the municipality’s healthcare delivery and emergency response capabilities.
(Photo courtesy of the Office of Vice Governor Sandy Javier)
ENHANCING PUBLIC SERVICES. Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier joins local officials during the blessing and inauguration of the new Rural Health Unit and Fire Station in MacArthur, Leyte on July 3. The ceremony also included the turnover of ambulances, a fire truck, rescue vehicles, and other government service units to strengthen the municipality’s healthcare delivery and emergency response capabilities. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Vice Governor Sandy Javier)
TACLOBAN CITY – Residents of MacArthur, Leyte are expected to benefit from improved healthcare and emergency response services following the inauguration of the town’s new rural health unit and fire station on Friday, July 3.
Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo “Sandy” Javier joined Mayor Rene Gonzalez, local officials, and residents during the blessing and inauguration of the new facilities, which are aimed at enhancing the delivery of essential government services in the municipality.
The event also featured the turnover of several government service vehicles, including ambulances, a fire truck, rescue vehicles, and other utility units that are expected to strengthen the town’s emergency response and disaster preparedness capabilities.
In his message, Javier lauded the local government of MacArthur and all those who contributed to the completion of the projects, describing them as investments that will directly benefit the community.
“These new facilities and service vehicles symbolize our shared commitment to protecting lives, promoting public health, and bringing quality government services closer to our people,” the vice governor said.
He also underscored the importance of sustained cooperation among government officials and the public in pursuing development initiatives across the province.
“Let us continue moving forward together with unity, dedication, and genuine love for our province. There is still much work to be done, but I am confident that together, we will build an even stronger, safer, and more progressive Leyte,” he added.
The new Rural Health Unit is expected to improve access to primary healthcare services, while the new Fire Station and additional emergency vehicles will enhance the municipality’s capacity to respond to fires, accidents, medical emergencies, and other disasters.
PARTNERS FOR AGRICULTURE. Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Director Rodel Macapañas and Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone lead the signing of a memorandum of agreement under the province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES) during the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Summit on July 2. The partnership includes a ₱304-million allocation for farm-to-market roads and expanded support for farmers and fisherfolk in Eastern Samar.(Photo Courtesy)
PARTNERS FOR AGRICULTURE. Department of Agriculture Regional Executive Director Rodel Macapañas and Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone lead the signing of a memorandum of agreement under the province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES) during the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Summit on July 2. The partnership includes a ₱304-million allocation for farm-to-market roads and expanded support for farmers and fisherfolk in Eastern Samar.(Photo Courtesy)
TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Agriculture (DA) has committed more than P300 million for farm-to-market roads in Eastern Samar as it renewed its partnership with the provincial government to strengthen agricultural and fisheries extension services aimed at increasing farm productivity and improving the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk.
The renewed collaboration was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of agreement under the province-led Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES) during the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Summit on July 2.
The agreement reaffirms the commitment of the DA-8 and the provincial government of Eastern Samar to institutionalize a more responsive, coordinated, and inclusive agriculture and fisheries extension system through joint planning, investment, implementation, and monitoring.
During the summit, DA Regional Executive Director Rodel Macapañas announced that Eastern Samar would receive increased government investments, particularly in infrastructure that would improve agricultural productivity.
“With PAFES, we have committed a much higher fund allocation for Eastern Samar. For farm-to-market roads alone, we have allocated a total of P304 million. I hope this package will be complemented by the local government and the private sector,” he said.
Aside from the PAFES agreement, the DA and the provincial government also signed a separate memorandum of agreement for the co-financing of projects under the 2026 Collaborative Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Program (CPAFEP).
The agreement commits both parties to jointly finance and implement priority agricultural and fisheries projects designed to increase production, improve farmers’ and fisherfolk’s incomes, and promote sustainable rural development across the province.
Governor Ralph Vincent ‘RV’ Evardone welcomed the renewed partnership, saying collaboration between the national and local governments is essential to achieving long-term growth in Eastern Samar’s agriculture sector.
“We are united in advancing the agriculture sector in our province. We are grateful that the Department of Agriculture is here to help our farmers and fisherfolk. As a provincial government, we give our full support to this initiative,” he said.
PAFES is the DA’s flagship program that harmonizes agricultural extension services between the national government and local government units, ensuring that government programs, technologies, and investments effectively reach farmers and fisherfolk at the grassroots level.
The initiative also supports the DA’s “Para sa Masaganang Bagong Pilipinas” agenda and serves as the primary platform for implementing agricultural devolution under Executive Order No. 103, Series of 2025.
Officials said the renewed partnership is expected to strengthen agricultural governance in Eastern Samar by fostering greater collaboration among government agencies, local government units, farmers’ organizations, and development partners while enhancing food security, increasing the competitiveness of the province’s agriculture and fisheries sector, and building more resilient farming and fishing communities.
ROAD TO PROGRESS. Farmers and residents of Barangays Doyog in La Paz and Burgos in Mayorga, Leyte now enjoy safer and more efficient travel following the completion of a P19.58-million, 1.742-kilometer farm-to-market road by the Department of Public Works and Highways. The project is expected to improve the transport of agricultural products, reduce travel time, and provide year-round access to farming communities.
(Photo courtesy of DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office)
ROAD TO PROGRESS. Farmers and residents of Barangays Doyog in La Paz and Burgos in Mayorga, Leyte now enjoy safer and more efficient travel following the completion of a P19.58-million, 1.742-kilometer farm-to-market road by the Department of Public Works and Highways. The project is expected to improve the transport of agricultural products, reduce travel time, and provide year-round access to farming communities. (Photo courtesy of DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office)
TACLOBAN CITY – Farmers and residents of two villages in Leyte are now benefiting from faster and safer access to their farms following the completion of a P19.58-million farm-to-market road project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The newly completed 1.742-kilometer road links Barangay Doyog in La Paz and Barangay Burgos in Mayorga, improving year-round connectivity for farming communities that had long struggled with muddy and impassable roads, especially during the rainy season.
Implemented by the DPWH Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office and funded under the 2025 General Appropriations Act, the project involved the concreting of a 1.160-kilometer stretch using a five-meter-wide Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP), the construction of a 582-meter gravel road extension, and the installation of stone masonry protection works to enhance the road’s stability and durability.
The project was undertaken by CNE Construction at a cost of P19.58 million.
Before the road was improved, residents found it difficult to transport agricultural produce to markets because the route became muddy and hazardous during inclement weather.
Ronalyn Suria, a resident of Sitio Banhaway, Barangay Doyog, said the poor condition of the road previously hampered their livelihood.
“Before our road was concreted, traveling to our rice fields was extremely difficult. Transporting our harvest was a major challenge because the road was very muddy. We often could not bring our agricultural products to the market, and many motorcycle drivers refused to travel to our area because of the poor road conditions and the risk of accidents while hauling rice,” she said.
Suria said the completed road has transformed daily life in the community by making travel safer and more efficient.
“Now that we have a concrete road, traveling has become much easier and safer. Transporting our farm products is faster and more efficient, and more motorcycle drivers are willing to serve our community. We are truly grateful to the DPWH for providing this road because it has greatly improved our livelihood and made our daily lives more convenient,” she added.
The DPWH said the project is expected to reduce transportation costs, improve the movement of agricultural products to markets, strengthen connectivity between rural communities, and contribute to the economic development of the area.
