TACLOBAN CITY — Twenty-eight families displaced by a fire that destroyed and damaged houses in Barangay 2, Maslog, Eastern Samar, have received immediate relief and rebuilding assistance from the provincial government.

Gov. Ralph Vincent Evardone led the distribution of aid, with each affected family receiving a sack of rice, a box of canned goods and construction materials, including galvanized iron sheets and plywood.

The fire broke out at around 6:18 p.m. on Sept. 5, leaving several families with totally or partially damaged homes, based on a partial assessment by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).

Families whose houses were totally destroyed will also receive P25,000 each in financial assistance from the provincial government. Assistance for partially damaged houses will be determined after the completion of the damage assessment.

Evardone personally met with the affected families and assured them of continued provincial government support as they recover from the disaster.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also extended assistance, providing sleeping kits, family kits and P10,000 in financial aid to the affected households.
The DSWD assistance followed a request from Eastern Samar Lone District Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and House Minority Floor Leader and 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan.

Maslog Mayor Septemio Santiago thanked the provincial government, DSWD and other agencies for their immediate response, as well as the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) units from Maslog and Taft for their firefighting efforts.

Santiago also acknowledged Gonzales for visiting the affected families and Bishop Crispin Varquez for offering prayers and visiting the fire site.

The MSWDO continues to validate the extent of damage to the affected households. Further assistance may be extended once the assessment and the BFP’s official fire incident report are completed.

The municipal government said it will continue coordinating with national and provincial agencies to assist the affected families in rebuilding their homes and recovering from the incident.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

Pasay City — Senator Mark Villar has filed Senate Bill No. 2440, or the proposed “Media Workers Hazard Pay Act,” seeking to grant hazard pay and additional insurance benefits to media workers assigned to dangerous areas and emergency situations.

“Media workers serve as the eyes and ears of the public during the most difficult and dangerous situations. Kung inaasahan natin silang humarap sa panganib upang mapanatiling ligtas at may sapat na kaalaman ang ating mga kababayan, tungkulin din nating tiyakin na sila ay protektado, insured, at makatarungang binabayaran,” Villar said.
The Senator also cited incidents, as in the case of a television reporter who was hospitalized for nearly two weeks in 2022 after contracting leptospirosis while covering a story in Payatas, Quezon City.

In 2024, another reporter assigned to deliver weather updates became a flood victim in his own community and barely managed to save his belongings.

Under Senate Bill No. 2440, duly accredited media workers in both the public and private sectors who are required to physically report from strife-torn or embattled areas, distressed or isolated stations, disease-infested locations, and areas declared under a state of calamity or emergency would receive hazard pay of at least P650 per day.
The hazard pay would be granted for the duration of the dangerous assignment and could not be reduced.

Media workers already receiving an equal or higher benefit would no longer be entitled to separate hazard pay under the proposed law.

The measure would also require employers to provide additional insurance coverage, including a P200,000 death benefit for a media worker who dies in the line of duty; a disability benefit of up to P200,000 for total or partial disability arising from an injury sustained in the line of duty; and medical insurance benefits of up to P100,000 for every covered media worker.

Media workers who are required to render service beyond the normal eight-hour workday or between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. would likewise receive additional compensation in accordance with existing laws and recognized industry practices.

Senator Villar said the proposed benefits are long overdue, and recognize the serious occupational hazards faced by reporters, camera operators, technical personnel, and other media workers who deliver verified information, official warnings, disaster preparedness measures, and emergency hotlines during calamities and other crises.

Behind every live report from a flooded community, conflict area, or disease-infested location is a media worker who chooses to fulfill his or her duty despite the risks. Their courage and public service must be recognized through concrete and enforceable benefits,” Villar concluded. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY — Economically disadvantaged students of the City College of Ormoc (CCO) can now receive assistance for daily meals and transportation under a new program launched by the college and the Ormoc City government.

The Our Daily Bread Program (ODBP) was formally launched on September 2 at the Ormoc City Hall lobby, with Acting Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr. leading city officials during the ceremony.

The program seeks to ease the daily financial burden of qualified CCO students, particularly those who travel from far-flung barangays and spend more on transportation to attend classes.

To qualify, students must be officially enrolled at CCO and verified as economically disadvantaged. Priority will be given to students living in identified far-flung barangays who face higher daily commuting expenses.

The CCO Technical Working Group has formulated screening and prioritization policies to determine eligible beneficiaries and ensure that assistance reaches students with the greatest need.

CCO said the program was established with the support of the city government as part of efforts to address the welfare needs of students and help ensure that financial difficulties do not prevent them from pursuing higher education.

The assistance is intended to help beneficiaries cope with some of the recurring expenses associated with attending college, particularly food and transportation costs.

CCO said the initiative reflects the city government’s continuing efforts to make higher education more accessible to students from economically disadvantaged families.

By providing support for basic daily needs, the ODBP is also expected to help qualified students remain focused on their studies and reduce the financial pressures that could affect their attendance and academic performance.

Also present during the launch were Sangguniang Panlungsod members Tomas Serafica, Peter Rodriguez and Kia Mercadal, and CCO Officer-in-Charge President and College Administrator Atty. Nolito Quilang.

The city government and CCO said the program will provide continuing welfare support to qualified students as they work to make college education more accessible to learners who face financial difficulties.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — Sixty persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) have begun their college education inside the Leyte Regional Prison (LRP) in Abuyog, Leyte, under a program aimed at preparing them for rehabilitation and eventual reintegration into the community.
The pioneering PDL students underwent a general orientation on Sept. 1 conducted by the Abuyog Community College (ACC) and facilitated by the LRP Education and Training Section at the College Makeshift Classroom of the Maximum Security Camp.

The orientation introduced the students to their new academic environment, school policies, responsibilities and requirements as they pursue higher education while serving their sentences inside the prison facility.

ACC president Clemelle Montallana welcomed the students and underscored the importance of giving PDLs opportunities to pursue their educational aspirations despite their present circumstances.

LRP Superintendent C/SSUPT Ruben Formoso also congratulated the 60 pioneering students and urged them to remain committed to their studies, emphasizing determination, perseverance and responsibility throughout their academic journey.

The orientation included discussions on ACC’s academic and organizational framework, academic policies, student responsibilities and expectations, as well as student services and support programs available to PDL learners.

It also tackled the roles of various stakeholders and the support mechanisms needed to ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of Project PAGLAUM.

Sports, intramurals and other physical activities were also discussed as part of efforts to promote the students’ holistic development while inside the correctional facility.

CO2 Noli Ann Billo, acting deputy superintendent for reformation, said the program reflects the prison’s effort to go beyond confinement by providing PDLs opportunities for education, personal development and reform.

“We are doing our best here not only to keep them imprisoned, but to reform them so that they will be accepted when they are released. If they remain here without being reformed, then we are not fulfilling our mandate,” Billo said.

Project PAGLAUM is a collaborative initiative between LRP and ACC that provides PDLs access to higher education as part of their rehabilitation and personal development.
The program forms part of the LRP’s continuing educational and reformation initiatives designed to help PDLs develop skills, values and knowledge that could help them prepare for their eventual return to the community.

The LRP is implementing the program under the leadership of Formoso and the direction of Bureau of Corrections Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — BDO Unibank has urged its customers to remain vigilant against online scams, warning that fraudsters are becoming increasingly sophisticated in using text messages, social media, phone calls and other channels to make their schemes appear legitimate.

During a media forum in Tacloban City on Sept. 4, BDO Executive Vice President and Banking Group Head Cora Malilin reminded customers of three basic rules to avoid falling victim to fraud: do not click suspicious links, never share account information and never disclose one-time passwords (OTPs).

“Let us not be tempted by what is being offered to us and let us not believe immediately,” Malilin said, urging customers to verify unsolicited messages, calls and offers before taking any action.

“These are the three things that we should always remember as we progress digitally. Let us not be victims of scams,” she added.

BDO Senior Vice President and Digital Banking Head Roy Villareal said scammers are exploiting virtually every available communication platform and have become adept at impersonating legitimate institutions, including banks.

“Be vigilant. Maging alisto tayo,” he said.

Villareal said scammers use text messages, social media and phone calls, among other channels, and may sound convincing enough to make it difficult for customers to immediately determine whether they are dealing with an actual bank representative.
“Mind you, they are professionals. So in the moment, it’s hard to discern or to differentiate if the one calling is a representative of the bank,” he said.

Villareal advised customers who receive unexpected calls, messages or offers that they do not understand to simply disengage.

“If you have no idea at all, do not entertain it, ignore it and move on,” he said.
BDO continues to issue security advisories through its website, mobile applications and other communication platforms to warn customers about emerging scams and fraud risks.
The bank’s efforts are in line with broader measures by financial regulators to strengthen consumer protection and increase public awareness of financial fraud.

Government agencies have also been conducting the “Protect Your Money” campaign, a joint initiative of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Insurance Commission, Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation and Securities and Exchange Commission. The campaign aims to help consumers identify fraudulent schemes, report suspicious activities and better understand their rights and responsibilities in financial transactions.

The financial sector is likewise implementing safeguards under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (Republic Act No. 12010), which strengthens measures against financial account scams and imposes penalties for fraudulent activities involving financial accounts.
Villareal said preventing financial fraud requires both banks and customers to play an active role, particularly as digital banking becomes increasingly common.

For customers, Malilin and Villareal emphasized that vigilance remains one of the most effective defenses against scams.

Their advice is straightforward: Do not be tempted. Do not click suspicious links. Never share account information or OTPs. And when in doubt, do not engage.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)