TACLOBAN CITY — Tingog party-list, led by Reps. Yedda Romualdez and Jude Acidre, celebrates its 12th anniversary, marking over a decade of service and advocacy.
Founded in Leyte as Tingog Leyteño in 2012, the party-list has expanded its reach nationwide as Tingog Sinirangan, advocating for marginalized communities.

Rep. Yedda Romualdez highlighted the party’s progress, saying, “Our commitment to serving the people remains unwavering as we continue to uplift communities and empower individuals.”

Tingog party-list has been instrumental in pushing socio-economic development, social justice, and human rights, particularly focusing on the rights of women and children, healthcare, and education. It has filed over 500 bills, including: RA 11510:

Institutionalizing Alternative Learning Systems for out-of-school youth and adults; RA 11648: Strengthening protection against rape and sexual exploitation; RA 11934: The SIM Card Registration Act; RA 11967: The Internet Transactions Act; RA 11983: The New Philippine Passport Act.

Beyond legislation, Tingog has actively provided aid to communities affected by natural disasters and fire incidents, and has established 140 Tingog Centers nationwide, in partnership with various government agencies, to deliver financial, healthcare, and crisis assistance.

“This milestone is not just a celebration of our past but a commitment to our future,” Acidre said.

As Tingog party-list commemorates its 12th anniversary, it reaffirms its dedication to inclusive and sustainable development for all Filipinos.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

CATARMAN, Northern Samar-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Northern Samar First District Engineering Office (NSFDEO) officially kicked off its Sportsfest 2024 with a vibrant and festive opening ceremony on September 27, 2024.

The event began with a lively motorcade that weaved through the streets of Catarman and culminated at the Area Equipment compound in Brgy. Macagtas, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting week of games and camaraderie.

The opening ceremony was a hit, especially when each section proudly presented their respective muses a fun and nostalgic twist that brought smiles and laughter to everyone in attendance.

District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio, in his opening message, reminded everyone about the goal of the sportsfest.

“More than winning or showing off of skills in various games, this event is about fostering teamwork, respect, and camaraderie,” he said, encouraging everyone to embrace the value of sportsmanship.

Engr. Vicente Galecio, President of the NSFDEO Employees Association, led the athletes in taking the oath of sportsmanship before the games officially began.

Right after the ceremony, the crowd eagerly moved to the courts as the basketball competitions kicked off, with teams ready to give their all.

Later in the week, employees will compete in other sports like volleyball, badminton, and table tennis.

The friendly rivalry is sure to heat up, but at the end of the day, it’s all about building relationships, relieving stress, and promoting a healthy balance between work and life.
With all the excitement and enthusiasm, the DPWH NSFDEO Sportsfest 2024 is shaping up to be a week filled with memorable moments, team spirit, and, most importantly, a celebration of the employees’ well-being. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY — Engineers Louiege Genotiva and Jesselle Ven Macasil from the Tacloban City District Engineering Office’s (TCDEO) Planning and Design section participate in a five-day training on the utilization of ArcGIS Pro, a Geographic Information System (GIS) application.

The training, held from September 23-27, 2024, took place at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office VIII in Baras, Palo. This was conducted in relation on updating of Convergence Program Regional Connectivity Map. Thus, it aims to equip participants with the essential knowledge and skills necessary to properly utilize ArcGis Pro.

ArcGIS Pro is a desktop application used for creating, analyzing, and sharing maps and geographic information. It helps users design detailed 2D and 3D maps, making it a powerful tool for visualizing spatial data. During the training, participants learned about basic GIS concepts, key features of ArcGIS Pro, how to create map layouts, and the basic commands and functions of the application. They also completed hands-on exercises to practice using the software in real-world scenarios.

The training culminated with a major exercise activity that involved creating and presenting map layouts, followed by critiques. A written examination was also administered to assess the participants’ grasp of the application’s tools and capabilities.

Engr. Macasil described the training as a valuable learning experience. “This training provided us with hands-on experience using ArcGIS Pro, which will be instrumental in enhancing our mapping and spatial analysis capabilities at TCDEO,” she said.
(PUBLIC INFORMATION UNIT)

CATARMAN, N. Samar– The Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar First District Engineering Office is currently working on the improvement works along road sections of Poblacion, Lope De Vega providing a smoother and safer travel experience for motorists.

Prior to the road rehabilitation, the district Office received numerous complaints regarding the poor state of the road causing delays in transporting goods and services to neighboring provinces since Lope De Vega is one of essential thoroughfare in the district.

Frequent reports highlighted the need for urgent repairs to ensure road safety and improve traffic flow, especially during the rainy season.

District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio said that improvement works along Poblacion, Lope De Vega were important since it is one of the major routes connecting the province of Northern Samar to other provinces in the region.

He further revealed that for several months, Lope De Vega was utilized as main passage road for heavy loaded vehicles due to the limited access along Daang Maharlika, caused by the damaged Palanit Bridge.

District Engineer Ignacio further explained that the heavy volume of vehicles contributed to the deterioration of the road, as it was originally designed as a secondary road and not intended to handle the same load as Daang Maharlika.

The improvements made on the Lope De Vega section are just some of the district’s on-going efforts to provide better mobility and accessibility for all motorists. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Self-confessed drug lord Kerwin Espinosa filed his certificate of candidacy (CoC) for mayor of Albuera, Leyte, on Tuesday, October 1.

Espinosa is running under Bando Espinosa-Pundok Kausaban, a local party he established.
In his speech to supporters after submitting his CoC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office, the controversial mayoralty candidate vowed to uplift the lives of the people of Albuera.

“Join me in my campaign to improve the lives of every Albueranon. My administration will focus on the welfare of children, youth, and the elderly,” Espinosa stated.

Dressed in a blue campaign t-shirt, he compared himself to the cartoon superhero Batman, claiming he would help those who are aggrieved. “He fights against those who oppress the poor,” he added.

Outgoing mayor Sixto de la Victoria acknowledged Espinosa’s right to run for office in an earlier interview.

“That is his right unless there is a lawful order against him,” he said. De la Victoria is stepping down due to health reasons.

Among Espinosa’s potential rivals is board member Michael Rama, the brother-in-law of Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez.

Albuera, a third-class municipality with over 47,000 residents, has a poverty incidence of approximately 29%, according to 2021 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.

The town gained notoriety as a central hub for illegal drug operations in Eastern Visayas, allegedly run by the Espinosa family.

Kerwin’s father, Rolando Espinosa Sr., was elected mayor of Albuera in the 2016 elections but was later arrested for his involvement in drug operations, as claimed by former president Rodrigo Duterte.

He was killed inside his cell at the Baybay City sub-provincial jail during a reported shootout with Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) operatives on November 5, 2016.

Kerwin Espinosa was arrested in Dubai and detained on drug charges.

In June of this year, a regional trial court in Baybay City dismissed the drug case against him due to insufficient evidence.

However, he still faces money laundering charges in a Pasay court, along with pending cases for illegal drug possession and firearms in a Manila court.

Espinosa previously implicated former senator Leila de Lima in illegal drug activities but later recanted his statements.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)