FORT BONIFACIO, Taguig City – The Philippine Army (PA) commenced its five-day Forensic Dentistry Capability Enhancement Course for dental officers and civilian dentists in an opening ceremony spearheaded by the Office of the Army Chief Dental Surgeon (OACDS) and graced by the Army Chief of Staff, Maj. Gen. Potenciano C. Camba at the Philippine Army Officers’ Clubhouse, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on September 23, 2024.
“In line with the Philippine Army’s thrust to strengthen its health services, this course serves as a crucial step in enhancing our response capabilities. Equipping both our dental officers and civilian dentists with advanced skills in forensic dental examination and the Basic Incident Command System (ICS) is part of our broader mission to improve how we respond during humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts,” Maj. Gen. Camba said in his keynote remarks.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) instructors will help enrich the said course, underscoring the defense and security sector’s collaborative effort in capacitating dental officers and civilian dentists from the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Coast Guard.
The Army leadership meanwhile assured full support for the OACDS and its vital initiative which underscores the importance of forensic expertise in mass casualty incidents.(PR)
CATARMAN, N. Samar-The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Northern Samar First District Engineering Office (NSFDEO) continues its dredging operations in the heavily silted river channels of Catarman, Northern Samar, as part of its long-term flood mitigation efforts.
District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio reported that the dredging activity, which began on April 25, 2024, aims to remove a total of 127,883.38 cubic meters of silt from the river. As of now, 28.48% of the target has been achieved, with approximately 36,424.0 cubic meters of dredged material successfully cleared from the waterways.
DPWH Regional Equipment Management Division (EMD) is overseeing the dredging works ensuring that the works is carried out efficiently. District Engineer Ignacio further stated that operations may experience intermittent stoppages due to equipment repairs or preventive maintenance. Despite this, the district remains committed to completing the dredging within the designated timeframe.
“These dredging operations are essential in addressing the significant flood risks faced by Catarman, especially following the extreme rainfall event on November 21, 2023. On that day, Catarman received over a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours, leading to widespread flooding, displacing many residents, damaging properties, and tragically claiming lives,” said DE Ignacio.
Once completed, the dredging operation will significantly enhance the municipality’s resilience against future flooding events, helping to safeguard lives and properties. (ANALIZA A. PABIA/PR)
A merchant allegedly engaged in the illicit trade of endangered species was apprehended following a collaborative effort between the Philippine National Police and leading digital finance app, GCash. The suspect supposedly had been utilizing digital means to conduct unlawful transactions.
The arrest followed a sting operation where it was discovered that the suspect was selling endangered leopard geckos. The transaction involved an initial down payment made through GCash, followed by a physical exchange of the wildlife for the remaining payment at a prearranged meeting place.
Recovered from Marquez were four live leopard geckos, along with a smartphone used in illegal dealings.
Marquez has been charged under Section 27, paragraphs E (trading of wildlife) and F (possession of wildlife) of Republic Act No. 917, the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, concerning Section 6 of Republic Act No. 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
GCash issued a stern warning against the misuse of its services for criminal purposes.
“GCash is unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding user funds and preventing the platform from being exploited for illicit activities. To this end, as the largest digital ecosystem in the country we maintain a proactive partnership with law enforcement agencies, such as the PNP-ACG, to ensure that our app remains a secure and trustworthy finance app.,” said GCash vice president for corporate communications Gilda Maquilan.
The PNP emphasizes the importance of reporting crimes to bring offenders to justice. They encourage the public to report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group. Users can contact the PNP-ACG through their hotlines at (02) 8414-1560 or 0998-598-8116, or via email at acg@pnp.gov.ph. (PR)
NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, N. Samar – The Department of Public Works and Highways – Northern Samar Second District Engineering Office (DPWH-NSSDEO) has started the construction of the Missing Links/New Roads project along the Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road which aims to enhance road connectivity of far-flung barangays in the province of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, promote economic growth, and improve access to essential services.
The said project, supervised by NSSDEO Project Engineer Arturo C. Corocoto, Jr., involves the concreting of approximately 1,635 meters of roadway.
Designed with a width of 6.70 meters and a thickness of 0.28 meters, the new road will feature 1.50-meter shoulders on both sides and includes 275 meters of slope protection. The funding for this project, with Contract ID No. 24II0022, comes from the General Appropriations Act of 2024, with a total allocation of P81,206,000.00.
Local officials and community members have expressed their support for the project, emphasizing its potential to stimulate economic activities, end insurgency issues, promote tourism, and strengthen connectivity between Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.
Enhanced road connectivity is expected to facilitate the movement of goods and services, providing a boost to local economy. Farmers, in particular, stand to benefit from this project, enabling them to sell their products more efficiently.
Moreover, the construction of the Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road is anticipated to improve access to education and healthcare facilities for residents in remote areas.
With better roads, students will find it easier to commute to schools, while patients can reach medical services more quickly, ultimately leading to improved quality of life.
“Kapag natapos ine na project, darako sine an amon benepisyo nga makakarawat unina. An amon mga produkto na ginbabaligya ngadto sa bungto masayon na an amon pagtravel tungod sine na project didi sa amon. Kapag mayaon kami mga pasyente san amo baryo, malaksi na an amon pagdul-ong ngadto sa bungto tungod san maupay na an amon pagtravel kay mayaon na kami highway. Nagpapasalamat kami sa DPWH nga sayo kami sa barangay nga naging benepisyaryo sine na project. [When this project is finished, our community will receive significant benefits in the future. Our products will be easier to sell because travel has become simpler due to this project implemented by the DPWH. When we have patients in our barangay, we can quickly transport them to town because of improved road. We are grateful that our barangay is one of the beneficiaries of this project],” Bobby Turbanada, Punong Barangay of Brgy. San Francisco, Las Navas, Northern Samar, gratefully stated.
Furthermore, the realization of this vital infrastructure is of paramount importance to the prosperity of the region as it hopes to end insurgency issues and achieve peace and order for the people residing in the far-flung barangays of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, ultimately leading to improved quality of life.
With this project, the region takes a step forward in addressing its infrastructure needs. As the project continues its construction, the importance of reliable road networks cannot be overstated. The Catumsan-Jipapad-Las Navas-Catubig-Rawis Road project is more than just a construction effort, it represents a vision for a connected and prosperous region.(PR)
OFFICIAL CANDIDATE. Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla was named as the sole and official candidate of Lakas-CMD for next year’s senatorial elections. Sen. Revilla, the party’s chairperson, expressed his gratitude for the support of Leyte congressman and House Speaker, Martin Romualdez who is the president of the Lakas-CMD. (PHOTO COURTESY)
2025 midterm polls
OFFICIAL CANDIDATE. Senator Ramon ‘Bong’ Revilla was named as the sole and official candidate of Lakas-CMD for next year’s senatorial elections. Sen. Revilla, the party’s chairperson, expressed his gratitude for the support of Leyte congressman and House Speaker, Martin Romualdez who is the president of the Lakas-CMD. (PHOTO COURTESY)
MANILA– The country’s dominant political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (LAKAS-CMD) named veteran lawmaker Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. as its official senatorial candidate in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.
In a resolution adopted during the party’s national convention held in Malacañang, Revilla was nominated as the sole candidate of LAKAS-CMD in their bid for a position in the upper chamber of Congress.
Revilla, who currently sits as the chairperson of the party, accepted the endorsement and thanked Lakas-CMD President House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and his other party-mates for the trust they once again bestowed on him.
“It is with beaming gratitude that I humbly accept the nomination of our beloved party to be its candidate for senator in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections. I am deeply grateful for the trust and support of our esteemed party president, my dear friend, Speaker Martin Romualdez,” Revilla said.
“Mga kasama, hangad ko na patuloy tayong magtutulungan para sa mas maliwanag na kinabukasan ng ating bayan. Ang tiwala na muling ibinigay ninyo sa akin ay isang responsibilidad na buong puso kong tatanggapin at dadalhin,” he added.
Revilla continued in praising Speaker Romualdez and highlighted his contribution to the party’s gains in recent years.
“Under Speaker Martin’s leadership, our party has reached an unprecedented level of solidarity. Through him, our commitment to the mission of our organization has grown stronger than ever. He is the key to why Lakas is now the ruling party of our nation! And because of this, I can confidently say to all of you, we are truly in good hands,” the LAKAS stalwart said.
The solon has been with the party since his days as vice governor of the Province of Cavite, accounting to a total of 30 years of membership.
“Mula po sa aking unang hakbang sa paglilingkod, ang ating partido ang nagbigay sa akin ng lakas at inspirasyon upang tumindig at maglingkod. Hindi ko po iniwan ang ating samahan, kahit sa mga panahong hindi maginhawa at puno ng pagsubok. Sa bawat laban, sa bawat pagkakataon, I remained steadfast – because I am a loyal soldier of the party, but more importantly, I am a loyal servant of the people,” Revilla recounted.
“Throughout my political journey, I have been part of this great party. Tatlong dekada na po ako sa partidong Lakas,” he stressed.
Lakas-CMD is one of the major political parties that formed an alliance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos’s party, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, in preparation for the next year’s polls.
Revilla, who will be seeking his 4th term in the Senate, is an accomplished lawmaker who is the champion behind landmark laws such as ‘Kabalikat sa Pagtuturo Act’ (RA 11997), ‘Expanded Centenarians Act’ (RA 11982), ‘No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act’ (RA 11984), ‘Free College Entrance Examinations Act’ (RA 12006), and ‘Permanent Validity of the Certificates of Live Birthday, Death, and Marriage Act’ (RA 11909).
Program addresses security and environmental preservation
Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda
TACLOBAN CITY – The local government of Borongan City has launched an innovative initiative that merges environmental protection with efforts to combat insurgency by hiring former rebels as forest guards.
About 29 former members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, were sworn in as deputized environment and natural resources officers (DENROs) by Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda and DENR-8 Regional Executive Director Lormelyn Claudio during a simple ceremony on Sept. 11.
This move aims to simultaneously bolster the city’s environmental conservation efforts while promoting peace and reintegration of former insurgents into society.
In a phone interview, Mayor Agda emphasized that engaging them as forest rangers aligns with his administration’s broader efforts to tackle the social and economic issues that drive individuals toward insurgency.
“We hired these former rebels because, as residents of Borongan, they know the terrain and, more importantly, we want to give them a second chance to live a normal life,” Agda said on Saturday, Sept. 21.
“It is my duty to provide them with reasons not to return to insurgency and to offer them the good life they’ve long deserved through this program,” he added.
Agda hopes that this initiative will contribute to resolving the insurgency problem not only in Borongan but also in Eastern Samar as a whole.
He acknowledged that while those employed as forest guards have returned to the fold of the law, some active NPA rebels in remote villages hail from other municipalities within the province.
The mayor also emphasized that addressing poverty, a root cause of insurgency, is critical to solving the problem.
“Poverty is one of the main reasons people turn against the government. By providing livelihood opportunities, like employing them as forest guards, we are addressing this issue head-on,” he added.
Agda expressed his deep commitment to forest conservation, recognizing the vital role forests play in protecting Borongan City from natural disasters such as typhoons and flooding.
“Borongan is in a typhoon belt, and preserving our forests is essential to safeguarding our communities from natural calamities.”
Borongan City has a history of insurgency-related violence.
Among the incidents was the ambush of six soldiers by the NPA on November 12, 2019, in Barangay Pinanang-an, which also left 20 others wounded.
More recently, on January 6, 2024, a top NPA rebel identified as Martin Colima, alias “Moki,” was killed in an encounter in Brgy. San Gabriel, also in Borongan City. (JOEY A. GABIETA)
