Pacific Partnership 2012 opens in Calbayog

U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas (4th from the left) as he stood at attention during this morning's ceremony which formally opened Pacific Partnership 2012 (PP12) in Calbayog City. PP12 is a humanitarian activity which will extend medical services, engineering projects and community relations activities in Calbayog City, Northern Samar and Samar. In photo with the Ambassador are (l-r) Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, U.S. Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Cecil Haney, Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento, AFP Central Command Commander Lt Gen Ralph Villanueva and Monsignor Francisco Cinco, III. (Photo by Joel Lagang)

PCSO to open Samar branch

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) will open a branch office in Samar on June 14 in line with its advocacy of making its medical and health-related services accessible to as many Filipinos as possible.


The new branch is situated at the Calbayog City Convention Center, where it will cater to the northern and eastern parts of the province.


The inauguration will be attended by PCSO AGM for Operations Online Lottery Sector Remeliza Jovita Gabuyo, Chief-of-Staff to the Chairman Vince Juico, Special Projects Department Manager Jose Bernardo Gochoco and the members of the Calbayog Local Government Unit.


All services offered by the PCSO main office will also be offered at the Samar branch. However, for charity services, only medical requests for Php 10,000.00 and below will be entertained at the branch. Requests for larger amounts will be subject to approval at the main office.


Samar Province has two Congressional Districts, 24 Municipalities and two Cities and has a population of 224,124 who are expected to benefit from the branch office.


There are 29 PCSO lotto agents in the province whose outlets contribute to the 30% charity fund used by PCSO for its medical assistance programs.

Wazup Malajog Beach?

Work to develop Malajog Beach has started. I still have to get hold of some of the artist's sketch on the plan on Malajog. In the meantime I am happy to inform you that concreting of the access road has started as seen in these pictures.

and when this project is finished, a shaky ride to and from Malajog Beach (as shown by the video below) will be a thing of the past

Brigada Iskwela sa Guinba-oyan Norte

The last school that Brigada Iskwela visited yesterday was Guinba-oyan Norte Elementary School. As the pictures show, it needs help; and it's a far cry from what the Barangay officials of Guinba-oyan Sur has done for their school

Brigada Iskwela sa Guinba-oyan Sur

Yesterday, after having lunch at Migara National High School, we visited the Guinba-oyan Sur Elementary School. There were kids who attended classes, and there were also kids who, for whatever reason preferred to stay outside and do nothing. Worth noting is the three-room school building which was nicely made of local materials (read: nipa, bamboo and plywood). The same building served as the auditorium during their commencement exercises. And the building was made courtesy of the barangay officials and the folks of Guinba-oyan Sur.

Brigada Iskwela sa Migara National High School

An ika-upat nga eskwelahan nga amun guin du-aw kakulop mao an Migara National High School (MNHS). San nakalabay nga Marso sini nga tu-ig, guin buhat san nasabi nga liburan an ira ika-duha nga commencement exercises. Adi an mga litratu nga kaun kakulop nakuha san amun pagdu-aw sa MNHS.

Brigada-Iskwela sa Migara Elementary School

An ika-tulo nga iskwelahan nga guin bisita san Brigada Iskwela yana nga adlaw mao an Migara Elementary School. Sugad san makikit-an san mga litratu nga akun guin api sini nga blog update, kinahanglan pa san nasabi nga liburan an bulig san taga-barangay para san paglimpyo ug labi na gud an pagtampo san napondo nga tubig sa butnga san school campus. Na-obserbaran liwat nga apesar san bandilyo ug pahibaro sa gate san eskwelahan, kulang mga estudyante nga nagkasulod ug sering pa san amun napaki-anhan usa nga rason posible an kawara interes san mga kag-anak pagpasulod san ira mga anak.

Brigada Iskwela sa Tabawan Integrated School

An ika-duha nga Iskwelahan nga amun guin bisita kanina mao an Tabawan Integrated School (TIS).

This is what I consider as the best welcome sign or reminder.

This is one section of Grade 7 student in TIS. They numbered around 50 in one room.

These are kinder students who for the meantime have to settle for a makeshift classroom.

TIS has these types of classroom. One made of sawali and nipa . . . 

. . . the usual concrete with galvanized iron roof

. . . and this brand-new 3-room school building