Ormoc City – The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office has completed the construction of a concrete road in Barangay Cacao, Kananga, Leyte.

The project involves the construction of 120 meters of 5-meter-wide Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP), 125 meters of 3-meter-wide PCCP for one-lane widening, and 937 meters of 1-meter-wide PCCP for additional lane widening. The project, funded under the FY 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), has a contract amount of P5,871,933.46.

With its completion, the improved road strengthens mobility within the barangay by easing vehicle flow and providing more dependable access to markets, schools, and essential services. Farmers who regularly transport produce to nearby trading centers are expected to benefit significantly from the improved surface and widened road sections, thus, supporting the local economic activity. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Seeking to boost food production and strengthen the livelihoods of its coastal residents, Ormoc City has formally opened its 24.5-hectare mariculture park—a major step in its wider push for sustainable aquaculture development in Leyte.

Launched on Friday, December 5, 2025, at the Barangay Alegria covered court, the project underscores the city’s growing role as a regional leader in modern, environmentally compliant mariculture. The facility is fully covered by an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and carries the theme “Cultivating a Sustainable Legacy, Securing a Thriving Livelihood.”

Designed to increase the production of milkfish and other high-value species, the park aims to provide long-term livelihood opportunities for eight fisherfolk associations and more than 400 coastal households. Its layout includes designated zones for large operators, small and medium enterprises, research and development, conditioning, and a fisherfolk zone that ensures local fishers remain at the core of operations. Polyculture systems—such as farming siganids alongside bangus—are also being promoted.

To jumpstart operations, the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) turned over P12 million worth of interventions under the AMEIP and BFAR Regular Fund – Cages for Livelihood Program. These include four circular HDPE cages, four modular HDPE cages, and supplies of feeds and harvest materials.

The city government also provided 20 bamboo cages (5×5 meters) to individual fisherfolk.
Beneficiaries are expected to begin operations right away, with the first harvest projected in the second half of 2026—estimated at 38 metric tons of milkfish. The project is further supported by Ormoc’s 115-hectare citywide mariculture zone established under the 2024 Fisheries Code, ensuring room for expansion.

Among those who attended the launch were City Councilors Tomas Serafica and Ari Larrazabal, former BFAR assistant director and mariculture pioneer Gil Adora, OIC BFAR-8 Regional Director Dominador Maputol, BFAR Mariculture Focal Person Julius Ceasar Caballes, Leyte Provincial Fisheries Officer Lorieginia Briones, DA-8 OIC Regional Director Rodel Macapañas, representatives from Visayas State University and the Philippine Coast Guard, and fisherfolk beneficiaries.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Residents and farmers in Tunga, Leyte can now enjoy safer and more convenient travel following the completion of a new concrete road connecting Barangay Balire and Barangay San Roque, a project undertaken by the Leyte 2nd District Engineering Office (L2DEO) of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura reported that the P19.5-million project involved the construction of 7,946.50 square meters of Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP), with accompanying stone masonry works, a lined canal, and the installation of a Reinforced Concrete Pipe Culvert (RCPC).

The new road is expected to enhance mobility for local residents, improve access to essential services, and support economic activities across the municipality of Tunga.
Local resident Vilma Bibat shared that the project has greatly improved the community. She noted that the road, previously a narrow single-lane path, has now been expanded into a two-lane concrete road, allowing four-wheeled vehicles to pass through safely and conveniently.

“The road is a big advantage for our community. Farmers can now transport their products from the fields to the town more easily, and students benefit as the area is no longer prone to flooding,” Bibat said. “We are very thankful to the DPWH for providing this project. We no longer have to walk through mud, and everyone can pass through the road more easily.”
Funded under the DPWH CY 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA), the project was implemented by YFL Builders and marks a significant improvement in infrastructure that boosts both daily mobility and local livelihoods in Tunga.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone is actively strengthening the collaborative push among Samar’s three provinces to secure UNESCO World Heritage Site status for the Samar Island Natural Park (SINP).

Fresh from his first League of Provinces assembly in July, Gov. Evardone met with fellow governors Sharee Ann Tan of Samar) and Harris Ongchuan of Northern Samar to discuss a unified strategy for the park’s international recognition.

He described the discussion as “productive, open, and genuinely meaningful.”

The proposed UNESCO designation is expected to boost ecotourism and reinforce environmental conservation in the Philippines’ largest contiguous lowland rainforest, home to diverse wildlife and critical watershed systems.

The governors, supported by local universities and stakeholders, continue to coordinate efforts for sustainable conservation and global recognition of SINP.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)