The Philippine Air Force (PAF) showcased its growing capability to respond to modern battlefield demands during the Sanay Bagwis 02-2025 Field Training Exercises, featuring high-intensity simulations in Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), Fast Rope Insertion and Extrication System (FRIES) and Battle Air Interdiction (BAI) on November 26-27, 2025 at Clark Air Base Mabalacat City, Pampanga and Colonel Ernesto Rabina Air Base, Capas, Tarlac.

The two-day exercise highlighted the PAF’s advanced search, rescue, and extraction operations. Using the PZL-W3 Sokol and S-70i Black Hawk helicopters, aircrew teams demonstrated rapid search and sustainment procedures, rescuing simulated casualties under high-risk conditions. These drills strengthened the Air Force’s operational flexibility—ensuring it can effectively respond to emergencies, recover personnel, and maintain mission continuity even in contested environments.

The Tactical Combat Casualty Care exercise placed emphasis on lifesaving interventions for troops operating in hostile zones. The activity also featured the conduct of FRIES, enabling personnel to deploy and retrieve swiftly in confined or threat sensitive areas. Military personnel and medical responders practiced critical, time-sensitive procedures designed to reduce battlefield fatalities and improve survivability under fire.

Meanwhile, the Battle Air Interdiction (BAI) scenario underscored the importance of multi-domain coordination. The PAF’s FA-50 aircraft executed precision operations aimed at neutralizing simulated threats, reinforcing the PAF’s capability to support joint missions and deliver decisive effects during complex, high-threat engagements.

Through Sanay Bagwis 02-2025, the Philippine Air Force reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening operational readiness, sharpening its tactical edge, and ensuring it remains fully prepared to protect both airmen and the nation in evolving security environments. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY – Tacloban continues to be the leading economic driver of Eastern Visayas, contributing the largest share to the region’s total output based on the latest Provincial Product Accounts (PPA) released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Data show that Tacloban posted a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of P59.58 billion in 2024, accounting for 10.7% of the entire Eastern Visayas economy, which reached P555.62 billion for the year. This cements the city’s position as the top single local government unit (LGU) contributor to regional economic activity.

GDP refers to the total value of all goods and services produced within a country, region, or city over a specific period, usually one year.

In simpler terms, GDP measures the size and health of an economy. It tells us how much economic activity is happening in a certain place.

Tacloban also recorded an 8.2% economic growth rate in 2024—faster than the region’s 6.2% expansion. This performance makes the city the third fastest-growing economy in the Visayas, trailing only Eastern Samar and Bohol.

The PSA noted that Tacloban’s economy remains heavily service-oriented, with the services sector accounting for 77.1% of total output.

Within this sector, professional and business services posted the fastest growth at 15.1%, outpacing other major industries and reflecting the city’s expanding role as the region’s business, education, and government hub.

The latest PPA results affirm Tacloban City’s continued economic resilience and its role in setting the pace for development across Eastern Visayas.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

NAVAL, Biliran — The municipal government here, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Office, inaugurated two key facilities on December 2, 2025, aimed at strengthening disaster response and public health services in the municipality.

The launch of the Naval Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) and the Water Quality Testing Facility was led by Mayor Gretchen Stephanie Espina and DOST Regional Director John Glenn Ocaña, and Provincial Director Dr. Romeo Dignos, and other regional officials.
Mayor Espina highlighted that the NEOC will serve as the municipality’s command hub during disasters, coordinating emergency responses, managing information flow, and enabling faster, more organized decision-making.

Meanwhile, the Water Quality Testing Facility will allow local authorities to monitor and safeguard drinking water, ensuring compliance with health standards and protecting residents from waterborne illnesses.

The initiative reflects the ongoing collaboration between the LGU and DOST to build a safer and more resilient community.

During the event, a usufruct agreement for the new Biliran Provincial Science and Technology Office was also signed between the provincial government of Biliran, represented by Board Member Brigido Caneja III, and DOST-8.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) and the provincial government of Southern Leyte have formalized an agreement to build a regional prison facility (RPF) in the province, marking a major step in the national government’s efforts to modernize the correctional system and ease congestion in existing penal institutions.

BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. and Southern Leyte Governor Damian Mercado signed the memorandum of agreement (MOA) on November 28, paving the way for the construction of the new penitentiary on a 2,800-hectare property in Silago.
Catapang said the initiative supports Republic Act 10575, or the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013, which mandates BuCor to upgrade correctional facilities and strengthen programs for the safe custody, reformation, and rehabilitation of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs). The development of regional prison facilities, he added, is central to this modernization push.

Under the agreement, BuCor will take charge of planning, designing, and coordinating technical aspects of the project, while the provincial government will assist in securing local permits, providing logistical support, and liaising with communities during implementation.
Silago was chosen due to its expansive land area and its strategic location in Eastern Visayas—about 165 kilometers from Abuyog town in Leyte, where the Leyte Regional Prison is currently situated.

Catapang also noted the long-term potential of the facility to serve beyond its corrections mandate, envisioning the area as a future special economic zone given its access to major seaports and airports.

“The proposed RPF can evolve into a special economic zone because of Silago’s strategic advantages. This opens opportunities for agro-industrial and eco-tourism development, which can support livelihood programs for PDLs and stimulate the local economy,” he said.
Governor Mercado welcomed the partnership, emphasizing its potential benefits both for prison decongestion efforts and the province’s development goals.

“The people of Southern Leyte welcome this initiative with optimism. We are committed to working closely with BuCor to ensure the project is implemented responsibly and sustainably,” he said.

Details on the project’s budget, construction schedule, capacity, and timeline have yet to be finalized.

The planned RPF in Silago forms part of BuCor’s broader effort to decentralize correctional services and relocate PDLs across various regions, reducing dependence on overcrowded national facilities such as the New Bilibid Prison.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)