TACLOBAN CITY – A total of 4,423 students across Eastern Visayas took the 2025 Undergraduate Scholarship Qualifying Examination administered by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in 14 testing centers throughout the region.
The program offers two types of scholarships: the RA 7687 (for economically disadvantaged but deserving students) and the DOST-Merit Scholarship (for those with high aptitude in science and mathematics).
Successful examinees are required to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, or Mathematics (STEAM) fields.
Scholars will receive generous financial support, including a monthly living allowance of P8,000; up to P40,000 per academic year for tuition and other school fees; P10,000 annual book allowance; P1,000 clothing allowance (for first-year, first semester only); P10,000 thesis allowance; and group health and accident insurance.
Transportation allowance for those studying away from their home province will also be provided to scholars.
To retain the scholarship, qualifiers must maintain a general weighted average of at least 80 percent. Failure to meet academic requirements may result in termination of the scholarship grant.
In addition to financial aid, scholars will also benefit from capacity-building activities organized by DOST to further enhance their skills and prepare them for future careers in science and technology.
PALO, Leyte– The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 1st District Engineering Office (L1st DEO) announced substantial progress in the construction of a two-storey Records Building for the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Revenue Region No. 14 (RR-14), located at the Government Center, this town.
As of March 2025, the project has reached 84% completion, reflecting the agency’s commitment to delivering quality infrastructure within schedule. Construction began on September 26, 2024, and the facility is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2025.
Funded under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA) with a total allocation of P45.06 million, the new building is designed to enhance the BIR’s operational capacity and record-keeping efficiency in the region.
District Engineer Mark Anthony Alejo emphasized the importance of the project in strengthening government service delivery:
“The 2-storey Records Building will be instrumental in improving the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s operational efficiency, providing a dedicated space for proper record-keeping and streamlined processes,” he said.
Once completed, the facility is expected to significantly contribute to organized, accessible, and secure documentation processes, ultimately improving the quality of public service for taxpayers across Eastern Visayas.
This project is part of DPWH’s broader mandate to support national agencies through modern, resilient infrastructure that promotes transparency, efficiency, and accountability in government operations.
CATARMAN, Northern Samar– The Department of Public Works and Highways Northern Samar First District Engineering Office recently completed another one-storey, three-classroom school building at Acereda Integrated School in Brgy. Acereda Bobon Northern Samar.
The newly constructed 290.17-square-meter facility is equipped with electrical utilities, lighting, toilets, a PWD-accessible ramp with handrails and a handwashing area.
The scope of work includes CHB gutter, removal of structures & obstruction, embankment, removal of trees, clearing & grubbing, detached handwashing at school entrance, window grill on the front and rear, a parapet wall and water pumping system with concrete platform.
District Engineer Alvin A. Ignacio explained that the new facility was constructed with an elevated foundation, considering the area’s vulnerability as a low-lying location.
Teacher Rhea Alo, the president of the Teachers’ Club at Acereda Integrated school, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the construction of the new classrooms.
“I am very thankful to the Department of Public of Works and Highways and to the DepEd for building 3 Classrooms. It has great impact to our school community and of course to our learners. I can still recall how difficult the teaching life of my colleagues, I could I still remember na nasa-makeshift lang kami, din ang iba, dalawang klase sa isang classroom and now we are so blessed that our request has been granted.”
Teacher Rhea further stated that hearing feedback from the parents has been heartwarming.
“Hearing different feedbacks from the parents; 1st sabe nila that “Ay salamat mas maupay na kuno an classroom san amon mga kabataan, mayaon na sira mas dako-dako nga classroom, may CR.”
Teacher Rhea also appreciated the elevated features of the classrooms.
“Ngan pinakana-appreciate ko siton nga classroom it is actually elevated because Acereda Integrated School is located in a low-lying area, so we are very prone to flooding, even just a short period of rain. If its heavy we are going to experience about knee-deep floods. So, iton nga building dako an bulig kay hataas siya deri makukurian an amon kabataan specially that it is actually intended for our kindergarten and grade 1 learners-our primary students.”
The project, with a total cost of P9.91 million, was funded under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Basic Educational Facilities Fund (BEFF) FY 2024.
ORMOC CITY– Maintenance field workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Leyte 4th District Engineering Office (DEO) rendered overtime work to conduct square and patch activities along the Ormoc-Albuera Diversion Road, including the approach of Anilao Bridge along the Palo-Carigara-Ormoc Road.
The team addressed surface deterioration, including potholes and delamination, which pose hazards to motorists. The maintenance works were strategically scheduled after regular hours to minimize daytime traffic disruptions and help decongest the flow of vehicles along the busy route.
These road sections are vital corridors within the district’s road network and through timely preventive maintenance, the DPWH Leyte 4th DEO aims to ensure the continued safety, functionality, and longevity of these infrastructures. (PR)
NSSDEO, Brgy. Burabud, Laoang, Northern Samar – On March 7, 2025, at the Mezzanine Floor of the Bureau of Maintenance in Manila, Mr. Gene Ryan A. Altea, Director IV of the DPWH – Bureau of Maintenance, led an engaging in-person session to prepare the CY 2025 Annual Maintenance Work Program/Preparation Budget (AMWP/PB) Preparation. This gathering aimed to meticulously plan for the repair and maintenance of our national roads, bridges, and road safety facilities.
The meeting was a productive platform designed to tackle and resolve the various concerns raised by district engineering offices regarding the Annual Maintenance Work Program/Performance Budget preparations. The objective was clear: to ensure that each district’s proposal adhere to the specific guidelines concerning the source and classification of maintenance activities, as outlined in Secretary Manual M. Bonoan’s memorandum dated January 28, 2025.
Additionally, this event included discussions on preparing the AMWP/PB for the General Appropriations Act (GAA) release and the first round of additional funding. Representatives from regional and district engineering offices participated, including Engr. Christian Dave C. Pangandoyon and Engr. Danny M. Pillado, Jr., of the Maintenance Section of this office, adding their expertise to the session.
PIETA MONUMENT, THEN AND NOW. Residents of Catbalogan City have voiced strong opposition to the demolition of the Pieta monument to make way for the construction of a popular fast-food chain. The monument, built in 1995, stands as a solemn tribute to the victims of the M/V Doña Paz maritime tragedy in 1987—considered the world’s deadliest peacetime sea disaster. A significant number of the over 4,000 lives lost in the tragedy were from Catbalogan.
(PHOTO COURTESY, JHONIL BAJADO)
In Catbalogan City
PIETA MONUMENT, THEN AND NOW. Residents of Catbalogan City have voiced strong opposition to the demolition of the Pieta monument to make way for the construction of a popular fast-food chain. The monument, built in 1995, stands as a solemn tribute to the victims of the M/V Doña Paz maritime tragedy in 1987—considered the world’s deadliest peacetime sea disaster. A significant number of the over 4,000 lives lost in the tragedy were from Catbalogan. (PHOTO COURTESY, JHONIL BAJADO)
TACLOBAN CITY — The demolition of a memorial monument in Catbalogan City, Samar, honoring the thousands who perished in the tragic 1987 collision between the M/V Doña Paz and oil tanker M/T Vector, has sparked outrage among local officials and residents, especially those who lost loved ones in the world’s deadliest peacetime maritime disaster.
For Lourdes Singzon, the destruction of the Pieta monument is not only shocking but deeply disrespectful to the memory of the victims and their families.
“We were all shocked by the demolition of the Pieta monument. It is not just a simple monument—it is a symbol of remembrance and honor for those who died in the M/V Doña Paz tragedy,” she told the Inquirer in an online interview on Sunday, April 6.
Singzon lost her mother-in-law, Petra Singzon, her aunt Nenita Villapaz, and several other relatives and friends in the December 20, 1987 disaster, which claimed the lives of more than 4,000 people, many of them from Catbalogan City.
Another relative of the victims, who gave her name only as C.V., 57, also expressed grief over the destruction of the marble Pieta monument.
“We are very sad. Because we were never able to recover the bodies of our mother, father, and youngest sibling. The Pieta was a place that gave honor to their memory. It was a symbol of love and remembrance,” she said.
Both Singzon and C.V. appealed to the Diocese of Calbayog—reported to be the owner of the land where the monument stood—not to convert the site into a commercial area.
The area, located beside St. Bartholomew Church in the heart of Catbalogan, is reportedly leased by the Diocese of Calbayog to Shakey’s, a well-known restaurant chain.
The centerpiece of the 1,300-square-meter park was the 5×5-meter Pieta statue, crafted from Italian marble in 1995 by Catbalogan artist Alejandro Villarin and commissioned by a group of Catbaloganons, including actress Tessie Tomas. The statue depicted the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus Christ—a powerful religious image and a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the M/V Doña Paz–M/T Vector tragedy.
Attempts to get a statement from the Calbayog Diocese in Calbayog City on Monday were made by LSDE through phone calls and social media messages, but the diocese said it has no response at this time.
On Sunday night, hundreds of relatives of the victims held a vigil at the site, pleading with the diocese to abandon plans to commercialize the area.
“We are not against development in our city—I’m a businesswoman myself. But our appeal is to leave the Pieta structure untouched. It’s the only place where we can honor and remember our loved ones, especially during the disaster anniversary and All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days,” Singzon said.
Jhonil Bajado, a history professor and curator of the Samar State University Museum and Archives, also lamented the demolition.
“I vehemently abhor this desecration of a religious and historical structure that gives remembrance to the memory of those who perished in the Doña Paz tragedy,” he said in a separate online interview.
“The demolition of Pieta Park came like a thief in the night and robbed us of the collective effort to honor our fellow Samarnons,” he added.
Bajado, who was among the first to publicly denounce the demolition on social media, said that it was unfortunate that the local Church did not conduct any consultation with its faithful on the matter.
In a Facebook post dated April 5, Catbalogan Mayor Dexter Uy expressed strong opposition to the park’s demolition and conversion into a business site.
“The city government of Catbalogan expresses deep concern over the unauthorized demolition and development activities… at Pieta Park,” Uy said.
He said that when he learned the area had been fenced off and construction equipment brought in on April 3, he immediately directed the City Engineering Office to issue a notice of violation to the franchisee.
The notice ordered the immediate stoppage of all unauthorized construction activities, required the party to coordinate with the engineering office within three days to submit proper documentation for a building permit, and warned that failure to comply would prompt legal action.
Despite this, Uy said, demolition continued and the Pieta statue was already destroyed by the time the order was served.
It was learned that work stopped on Saturday, April 5.
Uy also revealed that in a phone conversation with the franchise holder—whom he did not name—the latter claimed the demolition had the knowledge and consent of local Church officials, including Bishop Isabelo Abarquez.
“Rest assured, the city government remains committed to preserving the heritage and cultural spaces of Catbalogan while ensuring all development projects follow the law,” he said.
The park has been classified under the “parks and plazas” category in the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan and was declared a cultural heritage site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2018.
Meanwhile, Shakey’s Philippines, in an open letter released on Sunday, issued an apology, calling it an “unfortunate situation involving one of our franchisees.”
“We recognize our franchise partner’s intention to relocate and enhance the landmark to a new site, and we are deeply disheartened by the accident that caused damage to La Pieta,” the statement said.
“While we aspire to bring Shakey’s to Catbalogan, our priority at this time is to help rectify the situation and respectfully do what is right for the community,” it added.
For his part, Ariel Donceras, president of the Catbalogan City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, also opposed the destruction of the park.
“I know we need progress and development. We want more jobs and better business opportunities. But progress should never come at the expense of our faith and our values,” he said in his social media post.
“This place is not just about religion, it’s also about respecting our past and making sure that next generation sees the importance of faith,” Donceras added.
