TACLOBAN CITY — The Office of Civil Defense in Eastern Visayas (OCD-8) has extended aid to earthquake-affected communities in Davao Oriental, sending thousands of bottled water to help families struggling with limited access to clean drinking supplies.
Led by Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion, OCD-8—working closely with the Tactical Operations Group 8 (TOG-8) Tacloban and the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8)—dispatched 15,785 bottles of drinking water aboard a C-130 aircraft from Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban City to Mati City, Davao Oriental.
The relief mission aimed to deliver much-needed potable water to evacuees and affected residents as part of efforts to address urgent humanitarian needs following the recent series of strong earthquakes in the province.
Despite heavy rains brought by Typhoon ‘Ramil’, the operation was completed smoothly—a testament to the strong coordination and bayanihan spirit among responding agencies.
OCD-8 said the assistance symbolizes the region’s solidarity with fellow Filipinos in Mindanao, recalling how Davao communities extended help to Eastern Visayas in the aftermath of past disasters.
Before this latest mission, the regional office also sent drinking water to earthquake-affected areas in Cebu province, underscoring its commitment to providing aid wherever needed.
TACLOBAN CITY — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region VIII – Leyte 1st District Engineering Office (DEO) has imposed temporary traffic restrictions on Sapiniton Bridge which connects Barangays Libtong and Bahay in San Miguel, Leyte, following reports of excessive vibration and deck deflection observed during vehicle crossings.
In an advisory issued on October 16, 2025, the DPWH said the restrictions are precautionary measures aimed at ensuring public safety and maintaining the bridge’s structural integrity while further inspections and assessments are being conducted.
Effective immediately and until further notice, the following restrictions will be strictly implemented on the bridge: maximum load Limit: 15 tons; crossing speed limit: 20 km/h; and one vehicle allowed to cross at a time.
The DPWH Leyte 1st DEO appealed to motorists, transport operators, and the public for cooperation and understanding, stressing that these measures are temporary and necessary to prevent potential accidents or further structural damage.
“Public safety remains our utmost priority,” the advisory stated, assuring that monitoring and technical evaluation activities are ongoing to determine whether the bridge requires immediate repairs or full-scale rehabilitation.
The Sapiniton Bridge serves as a vital link for residents and motorists traveling between interior barangays of San Miguel and nearby municipalities. It is frequently used by cargo trucks and public utility vehicles transporting goods and passengers to and from Tacloban City and other parts of central Leyte.
The DPWH said a detailed structural assessment will guide the next steps, which may include temporary reinforcement works or full repair recommendations to restore the bridge’s normal capacity.
Faith Baldago of Eastern Samar State University named best actress during the PelikulAgraryo Eastern Visayas Regional Short Film Festival. (DAR-8 photo)
Faith Baldago of Eastern Samar State University named best actress during the PelikulAgraryo Eastern Visayas Regional Short Film Festival. (DAR-8 photo)
Eastern Visayas’ raw talent, Faith Baldago, earned a nomination for best actress at the recently concluded PelikulAgraryo: The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Central Film Festival.
Though she failed to bag the award, Baldago’s nomination, under the agrarian reform beneficiaries organization (ARBO) category, was already enough for DAR Eastern Visayas to celebrate. The award went to Daizelle Nicole Diaz, for “Ang Pagtililipon sang mga Damgo” produced by student-filmmakers from Central Philippine University in Western Visayas.
Baldago was nominated for her role in the short film “Lubi han Kinabuhi” produced by students from Eastern Samar State University in Borongan City, along with five other nominees from Ilocos, Western Visayas, Central Luzon, Central Visayas and MIMAROPA regions.
The national awarding ceremony held at the Novotel Manila in Cubao, Quezon City on Monday, October 6 this year, was attended by the PelikulAgraryo regional winners for the best films for both ARBO and agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) categories.
Baldago, unable to attend the said event, said that, she was surprised, grateful and overwhelmed when told by her team of her nomination. To be recognized and nominated is already a huge honor for me, she stressed.
During the Pelikulagraryo Eastern Visayas Regional Short Film Festival held in July this year in Tacloban City, “Lubi han Kinabuhi” was named best film under the ARBO category, while Baldago was awarded best actress.
“Lubi han Kinabuhi” together with “Bunot,” adjudged best film under the ARB category, produced by students from Visayas state University in Baybay City, Leyte, were this region’s official entries to the national competition.
PelikulAgraryo is a short film festival, organized by DAR, showcasing true to life stories of ARBs, particularly recipients of individual land titles generated under the Support to Parcelization of Lands for Individual Titling (SPLIT) Project, and ARBOs, whose lives were changed through the government’s agrarian reform program. These films are produced by college students from various state universities and colleges (SUCs) from across the country.
Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III disclosed “Ang pakay ng Pelikulagraryo ay mahikayat ang mga kabataan na magkahilig sa pagsasaka. Magtanin at mag-alaga ng hayop upang nakakasigurado tayo sa food security program ng ating bansa. Sana mangyari yan.”
“Sa pamamagitan ng pelikulagraryo, namumulat ang mga mata ng ating mga kababayan, lalo na ng ating mga kabataan. Salamat dahil nakilahok kayo. Salamat dahil tumutulong kayo sa programa ng DAR. I would like to say that you are the new heroes. Mga bagong bayani din kayo, kayong mga kabataan,” said Estrella as he addressed the student filmmakers. (PR)
TACLOBAN CITY– A newly identified drug peddler listed as a street-level individual (SLI) on the local police drug watchlist was arrested during a buy-bust operation conducted by the Station Drug Enforcement Team (SDET) on the evening of October 14 in Barangay 62-B, Sagkahan, this city.
Police identified the suspect only by his alias “Cloycloy,” 42, self-employed, and a resident of the said barangay.
During the operation, an undercover police officer purchased a sachet of suspected shabu worth ₱500 from the suspect. Upon his arrest, authorities recovered a black coin purse containing seven additional sachets of suspected shabu. They also seized the marked P500 bill used in the transaction.
The suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he fully understood.
He is currently detained at the lock-up cell of the Tacloban City Police Office pending the filing of formal charges for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, before the Bulwagan ng Katarungan in Tacloban City.
INSURGENCY-FREE. Catarman, the capital town of Northern Samar, was officially declared insurgency-free in a ceremony held on October 16. Mayor Dianne Rosales signs the official declaration document marking the municipality’s achievement of stable internal peace and security.
(MIO CATARMAN, NORTHERN SAMAR FACEBOOK)
INSURGENCY-FREE. Catarman, the capital town of Northern Samar, was officially declared insurgency-free in a ceremony held on October 16. Mayor Dianne Rosales signs the official declaration document marking the municipality’s achievement of stable internal peace and security. (MIO CATARMAN, NORTHERN SAMAR FACEBOOK)
TACLOBAN CITY — The provincial capital of Northern Samar, Catarman, has been officially declared under a stable internal peace and security (SIPS) condition — more popularly known as “insurgency-free” — marking a major milestone in its decades-long journey toward peace and stability.
The declaration, held on Oct.16, recognizes the town’s progress in addressing local insurgency threats and fostering a secure environment conducive to development. It also signifies that the responsibility for maintaining internal peace and order now lies primarily with the local government unit (LGU) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), with continued support from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The ceremony, held in Catarman, highlighted the collective effort of various stakeholders led by the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) chaired by Mayor Dianne Rosales.
“Ini nga SIPS Declaration diri ini an katapusan, kundi panibag-o ini nga pagtikang — sayo nga panata nga aatamanon nga tatagan naton bug-at an kamurayawan nga aton nakab-ot,” Mayor Rosales said.
“Let us continue to build a Catarman where hope thrives, opportunities abound, and peace is sustained for generations to come.”
The event was attended by key officials including DILG Northern Samar Provincial Director Geraldine Maquelabit, 803rd Infantry Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Carmelito Pangatungan, Police Provincial Director Col. Sonnie Omengan, and Governor Harris Christopher Ongchuan, represented by SP Member Neil Hernandez.
Lt. Col. Jayson Que, commanding officer of the 43rd Infantry Battalion, described the declaration as a product of sustained collaboration among all sectors of society.
“Achieving insurgency-free status is a significant achievement, but it is not the end of the journey. We must remain vigilant and continue to work together to sustain the peace we have achieved,” Lt. Col. Que said.
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the LGU of Catarman, the AFP, and the PNP, reaffirming their united commitment to maintaining peace and development. The signing was followed by a symbolic release of white doves, representing hope for a peaceful and progressive Catarman.
Brig. Gen. Pangatungan commended former rebels who decided to lay down their arms and reintegrate into society, calling them “symbols of renewed hope.”
“Peace is not merely the absence of conflict but the presence of hope, livelihood, and dignity,” he said. “This declaration marks a new mission — to sustain development, deliver services even to the farthest sitios, and empower every Nortehanon to live with dignity.”
Also present were Vice Mayor Francisco Rosales Jr., members of the Sangguniang Bayan, 55 barangay captains, municipal department heads, and representatives from national government agencies, who all joined in signing the Wall of Commitment — a collective pledge to safeguard the peace the town has achieved.
The SIPS declaration positions Catarman as a model for other towns in Northern Samar still striving for lasting peace, underscoring the importance of local leadership, community participation, and inter-agency cooperation in ending local insurgency and sustaining progress.
TACLOBAN CITY — Sixty-three beneficiaries from Hilongos, Leyte received a total of P2 million in livelihood assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) regional office to help boost local economic recovery and support small-scale enterprises.
Two local groups — the San Isidro Farmers Association of Brgy. San Isidro and the Hilongos Seafarers Association of Brgy. San Juan — each received livelihood packages for hog fattening projects, consisting of 100 piglets and 100 sacks of feed per group, valued at P1 million each.
The turnover ceremony was attended by Hilongos Mayor Manuel Villahermosa, Darwinda Labastida, senior labor and employment officer and livelihood program focal person, and other local officials including PESO Manager Giovani Olo, barangay chairmen Reynaldo Tuco, and Carmen Virdejo of San Isidro and San Juan, respectively.
Mayor Villahermosa and the barangay officials thanked DOLE for its continued partnership with the local government in creating livelihood opportunities and uplifting residents’ quality of life.
The initiative forms part of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), a flagship project designed to provide sustainable income sources for marginalized and vulnerable sectors, including farmers, fisherfolk, and displaced workers.
Beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for the support, noting that the assistance will not only increase their household income but also strengthen their associations’ capacity to manage long-term livelihood ventures.
Several recipients, including former seafarers and small-scale farmers, said the project gives them hope for renewed financial stability and better opportunities for their families.
