‘Handog ng Pangulo’ event

TACLOBAN CITY—More than 1,500 residents of Northern Samar benefited from the ‘Handog ng Pangulo: Serbisyong Tapat Para sa Lahat’ event, held last Friday, September 13, at the provincial capitol gymnasium.

During the event, 1,393 beneficiaries from the municipalities of Catarman, San Isidro, Pambujan, Allen, Las Navas, Catubig, Rosario, and San Jose received financial aid through the Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) TUPAD program (Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers).

The total assistance distributed under TUPAD amounted to P2.19 million.

In addition, DOLE provided livelihood assistance worth P2.9 million to the local government units of Gamay and Silvino Lubos.

The provincial government, through the Northern Samar Public Employment Service Office (NSPESO) and in coordination with DOLE, also organized a job fair, offering over 1,000 domestic and overseas job opportunities.

A total of 36 job seekers were hired on the spot, with an additional 15 applicants awaiting final evaluation.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) distributed scholarship allowances amounting to P432,000 to 74 scholars.

TESDA also opened enrollment for various skills training programs, providing residents with access to further education.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in coordination with the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO), set up Kadiwa stores at the event, selling groceries, agricultural products, and locally processed goods at farm gate and wholesale prices.

DTI also offered loans and facilitated business name registration for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the province.

Meanwhile, PAO distributed 500 assorted vegetable seed packs and 200 fruit tree seedlings to local farmers.

The Department of Agriculture’s Northern Samar Agricultural Program Coordinating Office also turned over farm inputs and tools to 11 farmers’ associations. Vegetable seeds and informational materials were provided free of charge to farmers interested in expanding their crop production.

Governor Edwin Ongchuan expressed his gratitude to the Office of the President for spearheading the event, likening it to the provincial government’s own Kauswagan Caravan, which similarly aims to bring essential government services closer to the people.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY– The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and other law enforcement authorities in Eastern Visayas are ramping up surveillance of individuals previously involved in drug trafficking.

This follows concerns over the possible operations of a significant drug syndicate in the region.

The heightened vigilance comes after two major drug hauls in September, in which a joint operation led to the seizure of suspected shabu worth approximately P277.5 million.

The operation, conducted by the Northern Samar Highway Patrol Group (HPG), Allen Northern Samar Police, PDEA Northern Samar, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Maritime Law Enforcement team, took place in Barangay Jubasan, Allen, Northern Samar.
In an interview, PDEA Eastern Visayas Assistant Regional Director Alex Tablate confirmed that an investigation has been launched to trace the source of the illegal drugs.

“We are conducting backtracking and investigating the suspects who were arrested,” Tablate said.

He added that part of this process involves checking potential routes used for drug transport, such as the Mindanao-Lipata area and Lilo-an port.

Based on initial findings, the illegal drugs seized in Northern Samar were reportedly destined for Mindanao, not Eastern Visayas.

For years, Luzon-to-Mindanao has been a known trade route for illicit goods. However, Tablate noted that it now appears the drugs may have originated from Mindanao itself, signaling a shift in the operation’s logistics.

Although Tablate refrained from naming specific individuals, he disclosed that authorities are closely monitoring people with past connections to drug syndicates.

“It’s too early to link their names, as the investigation is still ongoing, but we are not ruling out their involvement. There could also be new players from other areas,” Tablate added.

Meanwhile, Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan, chair of the Provincial Peace and Order Council, has ordered the intensification of efforts to monitor illegal activities throughout the province.

Law enforcement agencies have stepped up their operations by establishing checkpoints, conducting regular patrols at ports and terminals, and expanding surveillance to prevent the spread of illegal drugs across Northern Samar and the entire region.

Authorities are also collaborating with community leaders and local businesses to gather information on suspicious activities and individuals. This coordinated effort aims to strengthen the fight against drug trafficking in Eastern Visayas.
(JAZMIN BONIFACIO)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recognized key government institutions in Eastern Visayas for their outstanding contributions to the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) project through the procurement of agricultural products from agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs) in 2023.

Rowena Niña Taduran, DAR Undersecretary for Support Services, said during the “PAHP Kumustahan Session” on September 3 this year held at Hotel Alejandro, “You had greatly contributed in every milestone of the project as this ensures a sustained and increased gains for our ARBs (agrarian reform beneficiaries).”

Taduran, assisted by Atty. Robert Anthony Yu, DAR Eastern Visayas regional director, handed plaques of recognition to these institutional buyers as a gesture of gratitude during the said occasion.

Regional Director Grace Subong received the award for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which registered with the highest purchases reaching P4.7 million for their supplementary feeding program.

Dr. Catalino Dotollo Jr. accepted the award for the National Nutrition Council (NNC) which ranked second with purchases reaching P2.7 million for the food requirements of their “Tutuk Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program.”

For the Department of Health (DOH), which ranked third with purchases reaching P2.4 million for the food requirements of patients of their attached medical centers, the award was received by Dr. Noel Arteche.

Other notable recipients include the Eastern Visayas Medical Center and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology who also purchase from the ARBOs for the daily food requirements of patients and persons deprived of liberty, respectively.

Meanwhile, ARBOs who generated the highest sales through the PAHP project last year were likewise recognized. The top three ARBOs were the MAALSADA-FISCO from Alangalang, Leyte; the Almeria Seafarers Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Almeria, Biliran; and the FEA-ARCO in Salcedo, Eastern Samar.
(KARL JONES O. NIEGO, DAR-8/PR)