TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Education in Eastern Visayas (DepEd-8) is prioritizing the full rollout of the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program this school year to address learning gaps, particularly in reading comprehension and numeracy skills.

DepEd-8 Officer-in-Charge Ronelo Al Firmo said the program is a top priority following results of the 2024 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which ranked Eastern Visayas second lowest in basic and functional literacy nationwide. The findings align with DepEd’s own assessments in the region.

“Our focus now is on ARAL. As much as possible, there should be no non-readers from kindergarten up to Grade 12,” Firmo said, adding that the program will be implemented starting the last week of August or first week of September.

Earlier, DepEd-8 introduced Project STARS (Strategic Techniques for Accelerating Readiness Skills), an initiative to strengthen reading proficiency and teaching efficiency. This will be integrated into ARAL to ensure regular assessment and progress monitoring.

Despite Leyte Division topping reading and numeracy performance in the PSA survey, interventions remain critical. Under the ARAL program, struggling learners will receive free tutorials in their respective schools after the Beginning of School Year (BOSY) assessment.
According to Rex Briones, education program supervisor for DepEd-Leyte, ARAL sessions for Grades 2 to 10 will start on August 26, while Grade 1 learners will join on October 27, 2025. Learners will be re-evaluated at the End of School Year (EOSY) assessment, with those showing improvement exiting the program, while others will continue.

DepEd-Leyte has launched intensive advocacy efforts to prepare schools, visiting municipalities such as Alang-Alang, Carigara, Jaro, Tunga, and others. Leyte National High School, the largest public secondary school in the region with 8,500 students, has submitted its ARAL School Readiness and Responsiveness Audit (ASRRA), detailing its facilities, tools, and tutor assignments.

The ARAL program, implemented under DepEd Memorandum 64, series of 2025, follows the finalization of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act 12028 (ARAL Law) signed last year by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The President reaffirmed his commitment to improving the education system in his 4th State of the Nation Address.
Out of 1.2 million learners in the region, about 300,000 are expected to benefit from ARAL this year. DepEd hopes the program will help bridge learning gaps and improve overall educational outcomes.

(CBA/PIA EASTERN VISAYAS)

ORMOC CITY– A 23-year-old construction worker from Ormoc City is in stable condition after being electrocuted while working on a building site in Barangay Caray-Caray, Naval, Biliran on Monday morning, August 18.

Police identified the victim as “Clai,” who was hauling angle bars to the second floor when the materials accidentally touched a live wire of the Biliran Electric Cooperative (BILECO), causing him to suffer an electric shock and fall to the ground.

Responding police and NAVRU personnel rushed the victim to Biliran Provincial Hospital, where he is recovering. Authorities reminded construction workers to observe strict safety measures to avoid similar accidents.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY-The Civil Service Commission in Region 8 (CSC-8) reiterated its recognition of diversity in the public sector and affirms the right of all employees to a safe and inclusive working environment including dress code policies that align with human rights standards and does not infringe upon an individual’s gender identity or expression.
Cross-dressing recently sparked conversations as one state-run university allowed cross dressing for its students, pointing that the concern is not just internal, but how the public will perceive them.

Lawyer Marilyn Taldo, CSC-8 regional director, said the commission has updated its dress code policy to be more inclusive of diverse gender identities and expressions
“The Civil Service Commission advocates inclusivity. The commission has already a guideline on dress code. It allows our civil servants to adopt whatever is comfortable for them provided the dress code is still in a professional manner,” Taldo said.

Across the region, more government employees—especially younger ones—are choosing to express their identities more openly, whether through clothing, pronouns, or workplace advocacy. Many hope that the new CSC guidelines will not only provide protection but also promote understanding.

The updated policy, outlined in Memorandum Circular No. 16, s. 2024, aims to address gender discrimination and improve employee morale and engagement. The policy includes allowing government employees to wear office attire that aligns with their sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

The CSC guidelines however retains restrictions on certain attires when the official or employees are performing official functions within their workplaces and during virtual meetings: collarless T-shirts; blouses with over-plunging necklines; backless top/plunged back top; sleeveless shirts; see-through clothing, gauzy, transparent, or net-like clothing; sando, tank tops, tube tops, halters and strapless or spaghetti-strap blouse (unless worn as an undershirt); leggings, above-the-knee skirt, walking shorts, cycling shorts, and jogging pants (unless worn during official events involving physical exercise); ripped jeans; short pants; sandals, slippers, and slip-ins exposing the toes; heavy or theatrical make-up, except for those engaged in the performing arts; and other inappropriate clothes or accessories.

On the other hand, grooming policies on hairstyle/haircut or hair color may be prescribed when it is a legitimate requirement for the job with regards to safety, professionalism, uniformity or branding, and client preferences.

The growing of beard and mustache as well as wearing of tattoo and facial or body piercings shall be governed by internal rules and regulations of the respective agencies and offices in consultation with all its officials and employees.

“We are all for inclusivity. What is important is for our public servants to exemplify competence, ethics, and dedication to public service,” Taldo added. (ACR/PIA Leyte)