Fighting the guerrillas – apart from the Japanese regular forces – were a Japanese-formed Bureau of Constabulary (later taking the name of the old Philippine Constabulary during the Second Republic), the Kempeitai (the Japanese military police), and the Makapili (Filipinos fighting for the Japanese). Postwar studies estimate that around 260,000 people were organized under guerrilla groups and that members of anti-Japanese underground organizations were more numerous. Such was their effectiveness that by the end of World War II, Japan controlled only twelve of the forty-eight provinces.
The guerilla movement under Ruperto Cadava Kangleon, its acknowledged leader in Leyte had been winning against the Japanese imperial forces. Historical records bare that Ruperto Cadava Kangleon is a native of Macrohon, Southern Leyte is a politician and military officer. He served as Secretary of National Defense from 1946 to 1950 and as Senator from 193 to 1958 as a member of the Liberal Party. He died shortly thereafter in the same year 1958. It is well to mention that the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police is named after him in recognition of his role and distinguished service for the country and the Filipino people.
It is unfortunate that the small victories won by the guerilla movement which could have been close to defeating the Japanese forces was over-glossed by the return of the allied forces composed of United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China and the United States of America.
It was the allied forces that defeated the Axis Power composed of Germany, Italy and Japan. The Allies used their air and sea power to destroy the Axis’ in a multi-layered battle. This was the true battlefield of WWII: a massive air-sea super battlefield that stretched for thousands of miles. Victory in this super-battlefield led to victory in the war. The Battle of Leyte Gulf earned the label as the largest naval battle in modern history, fought 23-26 October 1944 in the Philippines, this battle virtually ended the Japanese Navy’s capacity to fight as an organized force.
It is well to mention that the research by Atty. Vince M. Tañada led him to the document showing that the return of American General Douglas Mac Arthur was paid by the Philippine government under President Manuel Luis Quezon. Historical records bare that two days later, after discussing it with MacArthur and his cabinet, Quezon issued Executive Order # 1 of the Philippine Commonwealth, awarding MacArthur $500,000, with lesser amounts going to members of his staff.
It is high time for Filipinos to know that the role of General Douglas Mac Arthur in the history of our country was one that grabbed the credit of the victories from our guerillas who fought with gallantry despite inferior arms. Indeed, what was publicly declared as fulfillment of the promise “i shall return” was not fully a heroic act but one which is a return with benefits. comments to alellema@yahoo.com
ORMOC CITY– A housewife was wounded after a neighbor attacked her in a dispute over an electric connection on Sunday, on Sunday, October 20, at around 7:30 pm in Barangay Looc, Cabucgayan, Biliran.
The victim, identified only as alias “Rose,” 26, lives with her common-law husband and is currently unemployed. The suspect, alias “Pidong,” 50, is a fisherman and also a resident of Looc.
According to local police reports, the incident occurred after Rose cut off the suspect’s illegal electric connection to her house in order to determine her own electricity usage.
Upon realizing that his power supply had been disconnected, Pidong went to Rose’s house and, without hesitation, attacked her with a scythe, or ‘garab’ in local parlance.
Rose sustained a wound to her right eyelid and was immediately taken to the Cabucgayan Rural Health Unit for medical treatment.
The police arrested Pidong following the incident and took him into custody at the Cabucgayan Municipal Police Station for further investigation and proper disposition. (ROBERT DEJON)
ORMOCANON. Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco(center) was honored as one of the awardees of this year’s ‘Garbo sa Ormoc’ in a ceremony on Saturday, Oct.19. Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez and her husband, Rep. Richard Gomez handed the award to Frasco (PHOTO COURTESY)
ORMOCANON. Tourism Sec. Christina Frasco(center) was honored as one of the awardees of this year’s ‘Garbo sa Ormoc’ in a ceremony on Saturday, Oct.19. Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez and her husband, Rep. Richard Gomez handed the award to Frasco (PHOTO COURTESY)
ORMOC CITY – Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco was recognized by the local government unit of Ormoc during the Shine Ormoc “Garbo sa Ormoc” and “Tatak sa Ormoc Business Awards Night” held on October 19, 2024.
The event also celebrated Ormocanons who have brought pride to the city through their achievements in international competitions.
Over a hundred small and large business establishments were honored for their significant contributions to Ormoc’s economy and tourism sector.
Rep. Richard Gomez (4th district) and Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez presented the awards. Mayor Gomez has played a key role in promoting the city’s tourism and driving its economic development, while her husband, Rep. Gomez, has been a steadfast supporter of Ormoc’s growth and progress.
Ormoc City’s efforts to enhance tourism have gained national recognition, with the city winning multiple awards, including the prestigious Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) Pearl Awards.
In her speech, Sec. Frasco praised the teamwork of the Gomez couple, the Sangguniang Panlungsod, and barangay officials for their contributions to transforming Ormoc into a thriving city.
“Ormoc’s economy is flourishing, its development is sustainable, and the quality of life for Ormocanons is high,” Frasco remarked.
Frasco expressed her gratitude for receiving the Garbo sa Ormoc Award, acknowledging the city’s remarkable progress over the years.
Meanwhile, the Tatak Ormoc Consumers’ Choice Awards, which were launched several years ago, once again recognized outstanding products and services based on consumer votes. The categories included Food, Services, Banking and Finance, Trading, and Retail.
The voting period ran from September 13 to October 11, gathering 6,000 consumer votes through an online system developed by a local computer school.
Mayor Gomez emphasized that the Tatak Ormoc Consumers’ Choice Awards serve as the city’s way of celebrating registered businesses and encouraging community support.
“This is a way to honor our local businesses and strengthen the community’s ties to our economy,” she said. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
ACCESS ROAD. The construction of the P9.7 million road in Brgy. San Agustin, Jaro, Leyte is now completed which is expected to help delivery of farm products easier and faster. (L2DEO)
ACCESS ROAD. The construction of the P9.7 million road in Brgy. San Agustin, Jaro, Leyte is now completed which is expected to help delivery of farm products easier and faster. (L2DEO)
TACLOBAN CITY – In a bid to improve access for local villagers and boost the movement of agricultural products, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), through its Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office, has recently completed the construction of a road in Barangay San Agustin, which traverses Barangay Atipolo in Jaro, Leyte.
District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura shared that the P9.7-million project involved the construction of a 1.708-kilometer Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP), which will provide easier access for residents and farmers.
“The newly paved road will enhance socio-economic activities in the area, reduce vehicle wear and tear, lower fuel consumption, and shorten travel times. It will also open up new opportunities for local farmers and improve access to government and healthcare services,” Oppura emphasized.
Meanwhile, Jaime Suralta, a resident of Barangay San Agustin, expressed his gratitude for the new road, stating that it has significantly reduced the challenges of transportation.
“Thank you to the DPWH for this project. It’s a huge help for us, as it has made transportation easier, both for the community and for bringing our local goods to the town proper and Tacloban. Now, we can access essential services in Jaro and nearby municipalities more easily,”) he added, reflecting on the previous challenges before the road was completed.
Funded under the DPWH CY 2024 General Appropriation Act, the project was carried out under the Basic Infrastructure Program by Filzand Construction. (LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
TACLOBAN CITY — Local farmers from Brgy. New Kawayan and Brgy. Sto. Niño, Tacloban City, are now benefiting from the newly concreted farm-to-market road, which was completed on June 7, 2024.
Implemented by the Tacloban City District Engineering Office (TCDEO) and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), the project was funded with a total contract amount of P20-million under the DAR-FMR 2023 budget.
The paved FMR, spanning 1.418 lane kilometers, aims to provide a safer and more efficient route for local farmers, greatly facilitating the transport of agricultural products to local markets. To ensure that the road remains passable during heavy rains, a drainage system was included to prevent flooding in the area.
“The completion of this farm-to-market road will be instrumental in improving the livelihoods of our farmers in Brgy. New Kawayan and Brgy. Sto. Niño. It will enable quicker transport of their produce, ensuring fresher goods reach the markets,” said District Engineer Rebecca G. Yuse.
The newly completed FMR in the aforementioned barangays will provide farmers with faster and more efficient access to local markets, significantly improving the transportation of agricultural products. The road is expected to reduce travel time and lower transportation costs, benefiting both producers and consumers.
GCash brings affordable and accessible insurance protection to millions of Filipinos
The Philippines has historically lagged behind its counterparts in Southeast Asia regarding insurance penetration. According to data from the Insurance Commission (IC), the country’s insurance penetration rate stands at 1.68% of GDP, compared with 3.3% in Thailand and 4.5% in Malaysia. Japan boasts an insurance penetration of 10%, while the global average rests at 7.2%.
This is the challenge that GCash, the leading finance app in the country, has been addressing as evidenced by the rapid growth of its insured user base to 7.8 million, marking a 140% year-on-year (YoY) surge. GInsure is the GCash in-app insurance marketplace. The fintech leader reported selling 28.3 million of insurance policies for the year, reflecting a 156% YoY growth as of the second quarter of 2024.
With this continuous growth, GCash has enabled more and more Filipinos to achieve a better and more secure financial future through its accessible and convenient insurance products right at their fingertips.
“We are pleased to see the significant growth in our GInsure platform. This reflects our ongoing commitment to financial inclusion and our mission to provide ‘Finance for All.’ Through GInsure, users can now manage unexpected expenses and help them be ready for a ‘rainy day’,” said GCash vice president and group head of new businesses Winsley Bangit.
As it marks 20 years of enabling financial inclusion for millions of Filipinos, the success of GInsure is part of GCash’s broader strategy to deliver comprehensive financial services that go beyond payments. From savings and investments to insurance and credit, GCash has evolved into a cutting-edge digital financial platform designed to meet the diverse needs of its users. The integration of these services into one app allows GCash to offer a seamless user experience, as well as a simpler application process by reducing the documents that a user requires to qualify for an insurance product, further encouraging the adoption of financial tools among Filipinos, especially the unbanked sector.
By integrating insurance products directly into the GCash app, the platform has made it easier for users to access various insurance options that cater to their specific needs—whether life, health, or travel insurance. This ease of access has been crucial in driving the adoption of insurance products among the previously uninsured or underinsured segments of the population.
As the leading fintech platform in the Philippines, GCash remains committed to driving financial inclusion and providing Filipinos with the tools they need to improve their financial health and independence. The continued growth in its user base and the increasing uptake of its insurance products underscore the platform’s role in shaping the future of financial services in the country. (PR)
Return with benefits (Second of two parts)
Fighting the guerrillas – apart from the Japanese regular forces – were a Japanese-formed Bureau of Constabulary (later taking the name of the old Philippine Constabulary during the Second Republic), the Kempeitai (the Japanese military police), and the Makapili (Filipinos fighting for the Japanese). Postwar studies estimate that around 260,000 people were organized under guerrilla groups and that members of anti-Japanese underground organizations were more numerous. Such was their effectiveness that by the end of World War II, Japan controlled only twelve of the forty-eight provinces.
The guerilla movement under Ruperto Cadava Kangleon, its acknowledged leader in Leyte had been winning against the Japanese imperial forces. Historical records bare that Ruperto Cadava Kangleon is a native of Macrohon, Southern Leyte is a politician and military officer. He served as Secretary of National Defense from 1946 to 1950 and as Senator from 193 to 1958 as a member of the Liberal Party. He died shortly thereafter in the same year 1958. It is well to mention that the regional headquarters of the Philippine National Police is named after him in recognition of his role and distinguished service for the country and the Filipino people.
It is unfortunate that the small victories won by the guerilla movement which could have been close to defeating the Japanese forces was over-glossed by the return of the allied forces composed of United Kingdom, Soviet Union, China and the United States of America.
It was the allied forces that defeated the Axis Power composed of Germany, Italy and Japan. The Allies used their air and sea power to destroy the Axis’ in a multi-layered battle. This was the true battlefield of WWII: a massive air-sea super battlefield that stretched for thousands of miles. Victory in this super-battlefield led to victory in the war. The Battle of Leyte Gulf earned the label as the largest naval battle in modern history, fought 23-26 October 1944 in the Philippines, this battle virtually ended the Japanese Navy’s capacity to fight as an organized force.
It is well to mention that the research by Atty. Vince M. Tañada led him to the document showing that the return of American General Douglas Mac Arthur was paid by the Philippine government under President Manuel Luis Quezon. Historical records bare that two days later, after discussing it with MacArthur and his cabinet, Quezon issued Executive Order # 1 of the Philippine Commonwealth, awarding MacArthur $500,000, with lesser amounts going to members of his staff.
It is high time for Filipinos to know that the role of General Douglas Mac Arthur in the history of our country was one that grabbed the credit of the victories from our guerillas who fought with gallantry despite inferior arms. Indeed, what was publicly declared as fulfillment of the promise “i shall return” was not fully a heroic act but one which is a return with benefits.
comments to alellema@yahoo.com