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Runway extension allows larger aircraft at Calbayog Airport, opens way for direct Manila flights

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DEAL. Soon the Calbayog Airport will soon service larger commercial airplanes carrying more passengers, a development welcomed by its mayor Raymund Uy(right) who met last week DOTr Sec. Giovanni Lopez. (RAYMUND ‘MON MON’UY FACEBOOK)
DEAL. Soon the Calbayog Airport will soon service larger commercial airplanes carrying more passengers, a development welcomed by its mayor Raymund Uy(right) who met last week DOTr Sec. Giovanni Lopez.
(RAYMUND ‘MON MON’UY FACEBOOK)

TACLOBAN CITY — The completion of a runway extension at the Calbayog City Airport is expected to improve air connectivity in Samar, as the facility can now accommodate larger aircraft and potentially offer direct flights to Metro Manila, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

DOTr Secretary Giovanni Lopez announced the development during his visit to Calbayog City on Monday, Feb.2, saying the expanded runway removes previous limitations that confined airport operations to turboprop aircraft.

Calbayog City Airport is one of the few operational airports on Samar Island with an existing commercial route, currently serving flights between Calbayog and Cebu. Until recently, runway constraints prevented the airport from handling larger aircraft capable of flying directly to Metro Manila.

With the runway extension completed, Lopez said bigger aircraft can now safely land and take off, paving the way for possible Manila-bound flights and improved passenger access to and from Samar.

To further enhance airport facilities, Lopez directed the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to allocate additional funding for infrastructure upgrades. These include P60 million for an asphalt overlay covering a 300-meter section of the runway, P100 million for strip grade correction, and P10 million for airport fencing.

Calbayog City Mayor Raymund Uy welcomed the development, saying it will significantly benefit passengers and boost the city’s connectivity.

He said the availability of direct flights to Metro Manila would eliminate the need for travelers to go to Tacloban or Catarman, or take connecting flights via Cebu, reducing travel time and costs for residents and visitors.

The mayor added that the improved airport facilities are expected to support tourism, trade, and overall economic activity in Calbayog City and neighboring areas.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Albuera Mayor Kerwin Espinosa surrenders in Cebu over murder warrant

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TACLOBAN CITY — Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa voluntarily surrendered to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 in Cebu City on Thursday, February 5, following the issuance of a warrant of arrest for murder.

Espinosa said in a video message that he chose to surrender instead of waiting for authorities to serve the warrant, adding that he was seeking prayers for his safety. The arrest order was issued on February 4 by Judge Merlo Pasco Bagano, with no bail recommended, against Espinosa and three co-accused.

A close aide said the mayor was not fully aware of the details of the charge, which Espinosa earlier described as politically motivated.

Following his surrender, Vice Mayor Mariel Espinosa Marinay assumed the post of acting mayor and assured residents that local government operations will continue uninterrupted.
She said the delivery of basic services would not be affected and vowed to carry on the programs of the mayor while upholding truth and public service.

(JOEY A. GABIETA/ROEL T. AMAZONA)

VSU bags 2025 Tanglaw Award for research impact on communities, farmers

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AWARD. Visayas State University (VSU) based in Baybay City was again recognized as the Philippines’ most outstanding research institution in this year’s 2025 Tanglaw Award.The recognition was conferred during the 53rd anniversary celebration of the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).(VSU PHOTO)
AWARD. Visayas State University (VSU) based in Baybay City was again recognized as the Philippines’ most outstanding research institution in this year’s 2025 Tanglaw Award.The recognition was conferred during the 53rd anniversary celebration of the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD).(VSU PHOTO)

TACLOBAN CITY — Visayas State University (VSU) based in Baybay City has once again been recognized as the Philippines’ most outstanding research institution after clinching the 2025 Tanglaw Award, underscoring its sustained focus on scientific research that delivers concrete benefits to farmers, communities, and other stakeholders.

The recognition was conferred during the 53rd anniversary celebration of the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD), marking the fourth time the university has received the prestigious honor.

VSU President Prose Ivy Yepes said the award affirms the university’s commitment to research that goes beyond academic output and directly addresses real-world needs.
“VSU is a community of scholars, innovators, and visionaries bound by a shared belief that research must create real and tangible impact,” Yepes said in a statement released by the university.

She added that the recognition serves as a reminder for the institution to remain grounded in service. “This award reminds us that recognition is meaningful only when it keeps us attentive to those we serve. It asks us to remain thoughtful in how we ask questions, careful in how we apply knowledge, and honest in assessing the impact of our work,” she said.

The Tanglaw Award is the highest institutional recognition for excellence in research, development, and innovation (RDI), citing VSU’s strong performance in translating scientific knowledge into practical solutions that benefit communities, industries, and the environment.

Along with the Tanglaw trophy, the university received a P5-million grant to support the upgrading of its research, development, extension, and innovation (RDEI) infrastructure and capability-building programs.

The university first received the Tanglaw Award in 1977, followed by recognitions in 2013 and 2019.

From 2020 to 2024, VSU generated 70 commercialized technologies and filed 112 research outputs for intellectual property protection. Through its Innovation Office, 71 intellectual property rights were granted, with innovations adopted by 26 local enterprises and incubatees, generating a combined income of P19.2 million.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Leyte town welcomes ‘super RHU’ to boost local healthcare services

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TACLOBAN CITY — Residents and health workers in MacArthur, Leyte now have access to improved healthcare services with the completion of the town’s new “Super Rural Health Unit” (RHU), a state-of-the-art primary care facility constructed by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)–Leyte District Engineering Office.

The project, implemented in two phases, aims to provide comprehensive healthcare access and enhance service delivery for both the community and health personnel.

District Engineer Leo Edward Oppura reported that Phase 1, funded under the 2023 General Appropriations Act (GAA) with P24.7 million, involved the construction of a one-story building measuring 441.5 square meters. It was equipped with an air conditioning package, water pumping system, fire alarm system, a pad-mounted distribution transformer with accessories, and a generator.

Phase 2, with a budget of P24.4 million sourced from the 2024 GAA, added a ground floor building of 691.05 square meters, also complete with modern amenities, air conditioning, and fire alarm system.

Evangeline Matoza, a public health nurse with nearly 33 years of service, shared that the new RHU has greatly improved both the work environment for health staff and the delivery of services to the public.

“We had transferred several times before, even to the gym. Now, the building is much bigger. This is no longer just an ordinary RHU—it’s a ‘Super RHU.’ The setup is good, it’s no longer congested, and it has become a healthier workplace for the health personnel here,” Matoza said.

She also expressed her gratitude to the DPWH for completing the facility. “Thank you very much to the Department of Public Works and Highways for providing this new building. It benefits all the residents of MacArthur, Leyte, as well as the health personnel, who can now implement programs more comfortably because of the improved setup,” Matoza added.
Constructed by KML Builders & Construction Supply, the facility is expected to enhance primary healthcare delivery, ensuring residents have better access to essential health programs and services.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)

Lagging behind

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Tacloban’s steady lag behind its neighboring cities in economic development, cleanliness, and order is a troubling paradox for a highly urbanized city. Its apparent advantage is due solely to its regional offices. However, this is a symptom of a more serious problem that cannot be ignored anymore.

Some cities in Eastern Visayas, aside from Tacloban, have been successful in developing a leaner, more disciplined population despite having fewer historical advantages. Tacloban, meanwhile, seems stuck in complacency, content to serve as a venue for regional offices rather than as a real city with a clear vision for economic development. It is a place where commerce is slow, public areas are poorly managed, and activity seems busy but moves nowhere.

The problem is not that Tacloban lacks resources. It has a strategic location, an airport, a seaport, schools, hospitals, and a centuries-long head start as a center. However, it lacks a strong, consistent governance model that treats rules as obligations rather than suggestions. Its failure to effectively manage zoning, traffic, sanitation, and business regulations has created a disorder that has become the norm.

Leadership decisions have similarly prioritized short-term visibility instead of long-term structure. Projects come and go, while basic services are less prioritized. Cleanliness programs come and go, only to be forgotten. Economic programs are launched with less implementation effort. In the absence of discipline and order, benefits become opportunities squandered, while neighboring cities progress quietly.

A renewed resolve rooted in discipline, order, and accountability is needed. City management should be treated as work, not as performance, with rules and consequences that apply without exception. Economic growth is achieved only when order is well-established, rules are followed, and leadership is willing to make decisions, even unpopular ones. Tacloban needs no more excuses; what it needs is the resolve to act like the city it claims to be.

Flooded

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As a result of three consecutive rainy days, the streets of these places are no longer streets but water. I have witnessed places that have literally turned into slow-moving waters, with houses adrift. It is not only unfortunate but also unacceptable for places that already know too well the effects of floodwaters.

In these places, it is not a calamity; it is a way of life. Flooding has become the norm in these places, bringing life to a standstill. When it rains and does not stop for a while, life comes to a standstill. The water on the streets is not just a nuisance for the residents; it is a wall for them—a barrier for income, safety, and even dignity.

The first thing that strikes my mind is how quickly life has adjusted to this new reality. It is not a reality heralded by alarms and sirens; it is a reality that comes gradually, ankle-deep and slow-moving. It is a reality that has become a way of life for these places and their residents.

What strikes me is how quickly life has adjusted to this new reality and how easily people have accepted it as the way of life. It is not a reality of heroes and heroism; it is a reality of acceptance and compromise. The problem is that this reality has been accepted and has even become a norm for these places and their residents, so much so that living with water inside one’s house has become a way of life.

These are the places that are hit the hardest because the water has nowhere else to go. The drains clog with garbage, the rivers are narrowed or even closed off, and the land that was once so ready to soak up the rain is now nothing but pavement. The rain is not the enemy; it is the lack of preparation, the lack of regulation over how the land is used, and the lack of urban planning that turn the rain into an enemy. The flooding, in other words, is the man-made suffering that the weather just makes worse.

What troubles me most, however, is how the flooding reveals the inequalities in our society. Those with the high ground sleep through the rain, while those in the low-lying places stay awake through the night, watching the waters rise against their walls. The flooding becomes a reminder of how we are stacked against each other, with levels determined not by how much money we make, but by the height of the land we stand on. The water, being fair and impartial, ends up punishing the same people over and over.

However, there is another problem that is never really addressed. The psychological toll of the flooding on residents is rarely discussed. Living with the flooding every time it rains creates an anxiety that seeps its way into the very bones. The rain becomes something to be dreaded, something to be worried about with every passing cloud. The hope we are left with is that the waters will not rise higher than last time, that the appliances will be spared, and that the children will not get sick. It is not, however, something that can be fixed with an engineering solution. It is determined by the way we choose to live.

Flood areas should not fade into the background as the waters rise. Proper maintenance of the drainage system, honest land use, and respect for waterways are not grand solutions, but basic responsibilities. Until these are taken seriously, the rain will continue to reveal what has been hidden by neglect.

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