ORMOC CITY — Two newly identified drug personalities were arrested by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) during a buy-bust operation at around 6:14 p.m. on November 24, in Barangay Poblacion, Kananga, Leyte.
According to PMAJ Romeo Sudario, the suspects were identified as alias “Leo,” 50, married, jobless, a resident of Sitio Cabugoy, Barangay Poblacion; and alias “Oscar,” 54, a laborer residing along Real Street, also in Barangay Poblacion.
The main target of the operation was “Leo.” Recovered from his possession was one sachet of suspected shabu sold to an undercover operative for P500. A body search conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses yielded a black pouch containing nine additional sachets of suspected shabu. Police also recovered a marked P500 bill used in the buy-bust, along with P14 in assorted denominations.
During the body search of “Oscar,” officers recovered a green coin purse containing three sachets of suspected shabu.
Police said the confiscated drug items had an estimated total weight of approximately 3.8 grams, with a Dangerous Drugs Board value of P25,840.
The suspects were informed of the nature of their arrest and apprised of their constitutional rights in a language they understood.
Charges for violations of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, have been filed before the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. Both suspects remain detained at the locked-up cell of the Kananga Municipal Police Station.
NORTH SAMAR AS SUBAYBAYANI AWARDEE. The province of Northern Samar was recognized for its strong performance in transparent and accountable governance in this year’s SubayBAYANI 2025 under the local government unit (LGU) exemplar category. The SubayBAYANI 2025 Award was presented to Northern Samar during a ceremony in Manila on November 26, 2025, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DILG Secretary Juanito Remulla.
(THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR FACEBOOK)
NORTH SAMAR AS SUBAYBAYANI AWARDEE. The province of Northern Samar was recognized for its strong performance in transparent and accountable governance in this year’s SubayBAYANI 2025 under the local government unit (LGU) exemplar category. The SubayBAYANI 2025 Award was presented to Northern Samar during a ceremony in Manila on November 26, 2025, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DILG Secretary Juanito Remulla. (THE PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT OF NORTHERN SAMAR FACEBOOK)
TACLOBAN CITY — Northern Samar has earned national recognition for its strong performance in transparent and accountable governance after being named a SubayBAYANI 2025 Awardee under the local government unit (LGU) exemplar category.
The award, conferred by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), distinguishes local government units that excel in project monitoring and reporting through the SubayBAYAN platform — ensuring that taxpayers’ money is maximized for impactful and timely public service.
The recognition underscores the province’s commitment, under the leadership of Governor Harris Ongchuan, to transforming public resources into well-implemented programs and services that directly benefit Northern Samar residents.
Presented annually, the SubayBAYANI Awards honor LGUs that consistently demonstrate timely, accurate, and comprehensive monitoring of development initiatives.
The award also highlights Most Significant Change (MSC) stories, which document real community-level improvements resulting from transparent and effective government projects.
The SubayBAYANI 2025 Award was formally presented to Northern Samar during a ceremony in Manila on November 26, 2025, led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and DILG Secretary Juanito Remulla.
Receiving the award on behalf of the province were Jay Keenson Acebuche, provincial planning and development office head, and DILG provincial director Geraldine Maquelabit.
Other top-performing LGUs from Northern Samar were likewise cited during the ceremony.
Gamay and Catarman — represented by Mayor Timoteo Capoquian and Mayor Dianne Rosales, respectively — were recognized for meeting SubayBAYANI standards of excellence, while Bobon, headed by Mayor Reny Celespara, was named a 2025 SubayBAYANI national finalist, reaffirming its standing as one of the country’s high-performing municipalities in project transparency and accountability.
TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone has called on education partners across the region to remain united in strengthening the Philippine learning system, as the Department of Education (DepEd) honored exceptional stakeholders during “Kabalikat sa Edukasyon: A Celebration of Gratitude” on November 27.
The ceremony recognized agencies, organizations, local government units (LGUs), and community advocates whose continued support has helped improve the delivery of education services throughout Eastern Visayas.
Evardone, who was among the event’s special guests, echoed DepEd’s call for collective responsibility—earlier emphasized by DepEd Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs and External Partnership Service Cilette Liboro Co.
“Let us all work together for the youth. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child,” Evardone said, underscoring that quality education cannot be achieved by the government alone. He assured that the province of Eastern Samar remains committed to collaborating with DepEd and its partners to uplift learning communities.
He also encouraged partners to remain steadfast in their advocacy despite the difficult challenges the country faces.
“I hope we continue helping one another for the education sector… We all know that the Philippines is in crisis. What we are talking about may be depressing, but what we can do is invest in the future,” Evardone added, framing education as the most enduring solution to long-term national development.
In her message, Asec. Co highlighted the importance of shared responsibility in addressing education needs, noting that DepEd — under the leadership of Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara — is working closely with LGUs to fast-track classroom construction and upgrade learning facilities nationwide.
“We do not fear because we are not alone,” Co said, expressing gratitude for partners that consistently provide resources, technical support, and community-based assistance.
DepEd-8 Regional Director Ronelo Al Firmo likewise reaffirmed the crucial role of stakeholders, emphasizing: “Education is not the work of DepEd alone. We are never alone in this journey. Thank you for believing that every child deserves education and no learner is left behind.”
Among those recognized by DepEd-8 were seven private lending institutions, 13 journalists, 13 non-government organizations, one private company, four international organizations, nine national government agencies, a private individual who funded the construction of a school building, seven city and municipal mayors, and five provincial governors.
ORMOC CITY — A businessman became the latest drug personality to fall in the continuing anti-drug campaign of the local police after he was arrested in a buy-bust operation at around 11:17 p.m. on Friday, November 28, in Barangay Candadam, Baybay City.
Police identified the suspect as alias “Monching,” 49, married, a businessman, and a resident of the same barangay.
Recovered from his possession was one sachet of suspected shabu purchased by an undercover operative for P500. During the body search, conducted in the presence of law-mandated witnesses, police recovered a small transparent plastic container with five additional sachets of suspected shabu. Authorities also seized a marked P500 bill used in the operation and a yellow lighter.
The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.
Charges for violations of Republic Act 9165, the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, are being prepared against the suspect, who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of the Baybay City Police Station.
CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY. Bishop Crispin Varquez of the Diocese of Borongan has called on the faithful within his diocese to join the call for transparency and accountability following the flood control project scandal.(FILE PHOTO)
Call for transparency, accountability
CALL FOR TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY. Bishop Crispin Varquez of the Diocese of Borongan has called on the faithful within his diocese to join the call for transparency and accountability following the flood control project scandal.(FILE PHOTO)
TACLOBAN CITY — Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez has called on Catholics in Eastern Samar to participate in the nationwide anti-corruption demonstrations on November 30, underscoring the importance of peaceful civic action to demand transparency and accountability from public officials.
In a video pastoral message, Bishop Varquez said that even though Eastern Samar is far from Metro Manila, local parishioners can still express solidarity with those joining the large protest in the capital.
“Even though we are far from Manila, we express our oneness with them by wearing white clothes and attending Mass this Sunday,” the bishop said.
He described the effort as a “peaceful and prayerful protest” against corruption, urging the faithful to wear white—symbolizing purity, honesty, and unity—when attending Sunday Mass. The act echoes similar calls from dioceses across the country in support of the Bonifacio Day demonstrations.
The November 30 rally follows a massive anti-corruption protest held on September 21, which drew tens of thousands of participants calling for clean governance and stronger safeguards against political dynasties.
Organizers expect an even broader coalition this time, bringing together religious groups, civil society organizations, and reform advocates united in their call for integrity in public service.
Across the Philippines, dioceses are preparing simultaneous activities, including prayer rallies and Masses for good governance, to allow participation even from communities unable to join the main protest in Metro Manila.
Bishop Varquez clarified that the Church’s involvement is non-partisan, emphasizing that its role is moral rather than political.
“Our goal is to strengthen the public’s call for honesty in government while upholding peace and non-violence,” he said.
The Borongan Diocese has long supported national campaigns for social justice, environmental protection, human rights, and institutional reform—efforts the bishop said are consistent with the Church’s mission to promote the common good.
LAND TITLE DISTRIBUTION. Over 5,000 farmers from across the region received their titles and certificate of condonations during a ceremony held at the astrodome on Tuesday, Nov.25, attended by DAR Sec. Conrado Estrella III. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
LAND TITLE DISTRIBUTION. Over 5,000 farmers from across the region received their titles and certificate of condonations during a ceremony held at the astrodome on Tuesday, Nov.25, attended by DAR Sec. Conrado Estrella III. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)
TACLOBAN CITY – Agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) from across Eastern Visayas received a major boost after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) rolled out P50 million worth of assistance—including farm machineries, e-titles, and Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROM)—in a regional awarding held at the Tacloban City Astrodome on Tuesday, Nov. 25.
DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III personally led the distribution ceremony attended by ARBs from the six provinces of the region.
A total of 88 farm machineries and equipment were turned over to agrarian cooperatives and organizations in Samar, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and Biliran. The machines distributed included elf trucks, three-wheeled motorcycles, tractors, mobile rice mills, floating tillers, and rice threshers with blowers.
One of the beneficiaries, Armando Orale, president of the Far East Farmers Agrarian Reform Cooperative in Can-avid, Eastern Samar, said the assistance will directly ease farm labor and improve productivity for their more than 40 members cultivating individual farms and a five-hectare communal lot planted to rice, vegetables, and root crops.
Orale shared that they previously relied on manual labor but took the initiative to request assistance from DAR—an appeal that was granted through the newly awarded equipment.
“Now that we have machineries, this will help us hasten our work on the farm, which will benefit not only our families but also our livelihood,” he said.
The group received two hand tractors with trailers worth P280,000, along with eight floating tillers (turtle-type) worth P70,000 each and eight floating tillers (mudboat-type) also worth P70,000 each.
In his message, Secretary Estrella said the agency remains committed to delivering more programs in line with the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to strengthen support services for farmers.
“Expect that the government will provide more assistance to our farmers in the days to come,” Estrella said.
Alongside the turnover of machineries, DAR also awarded 4,613 e-titles to 4,190 ARBs covering 10,000.73 hectares, and 3,011 COCROM documents to 2,048 beneficiaries, amounting to P99,394,966.65 covering 4,492.39 hectares.
DAR is targeting to complete the distribution of the remaining 800,000 land titles nationwide before the end of President Marcos’ term in 2028. For 2025, the agency aimed to distribute 300,000 titles but was hampered by weather-related disruptions, reaching a little over 200,000 as of November.
“But we are optimistic—and we have reason to be optimistic—that we can achieve our goal this year,” Estrella said, adding that once land title distribution is completed, DAR will fully shift its efforts toward expanded support services for ARBs.
