in memoriam Fr. Cantius Kobak, ofm

from the LSDE: Samar guv finds it 'favorable' that her province is identified as potential hot spot

Tacloban City - Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan said that she finds it "favorable" with her province identified as one of the potential hot spot areas in the country relative to the conduct of the 2013 midterm elections. (read more ...)

Samar Leaders set aside politics during Pacific Partnership 2012 Opening

U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas is joined by some officials as he faced the media after the PP12 Opening Ceremonies. In photo are (l-r) Governor Sharee Ann Tan, Representative Mel Senen Sarmiento, Mayor Ronaldo Aquino, Col Emmanuel Cacdac, Lt Gen Ralph Villanueva and Rear Admiral Cecil Haney. (Photo by Joel Lagang  for the CTIO)

Calbayog City - Politics was set aside for the first time in the province of Samar, this after political rivals in the said province gathered in Calbayog City for the opening of the humanitarian mission of the US Navy medical ship Mercy. (read more)

In Samar Comelec: Verification of signatures to end this week

Tacloban City - Samar elections supervisor Maria Corazon Montallana said that the verification of the signatures attached to the recall petition against Governor Sharee Anne Tan and younger brother Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan would be finished as scheduled. (read more . . .)

Samar prov'l Comelec office seeks extension of signature verification

Catbalogan City - Citing low number of verified signatures, the provincial office of the Commission on Elections based in this city, has sought for the extension (of the number) of days for signature verification in relation to the recall bid against Samar Governor Sharee Anne Tan and her brother Vice Governor Stephen James Tan. (read more . . . )

Samar gov decries petitioners of using P-Noy for her ouster

Tacloban City - Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan decried claims by those calling for her ouster of using President Benigno Aquino in pushing for their agenda. (read more . . .)

Signatures verification in Samar starts today

Tacloban City - It's all systems go for the verification of the signatures of those who enlisted themselves in the call to oust Samar Governor Sharee Anne Tan and her younger brother, Vice Gov. Stephen James Tan through a recall elections as the proceedings is to start today. (read more . . .)

PET gives COMELEC go-signal for signature verification

Tacloban City - The Presidential Electoral Tribunal has its go-signal for the Commission on Elections to  use election-related documents for it to start the signature verification process relative to the recall petition against Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan and her brother. (read more . . . )

Calbayog City, 8 Samar towns organize Yellow Ladies Movement

Pinabacdao, Samar - At least one city and eight municipalities have organized its own chapters of Yellow Ladies Movement (YLM) initiated by Rosa Jessica Uy - Delgado of Calbayog City. (Read more...)

Even men are joining Yellow Ladies Movement in Samar, says Uy-Delgado

Tacloban City - The Yellow Ladies Movement which she helped organize is now gaining followers not only among women but even among men in Samar province.


(read more . . . )

Women's Movement set to be launched in Samar

Calbayog City - A movement involving Samar's women is set to be launched next month with no less than the sisters of President Aquino among those invited during the affair. (Read more . . .)

Uy family continue to seek justice to identify the killer

(This news item appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Calbayog City - Moore than four months after he was slain by still unidentified killer, the family of former Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy continues to seek justice as the identity of the killer has yet to be established. (read more . . .)

Uy's daughter cries foul over excessive number of security escorts of Samar vice gov

(This news report appeared in the August 2o, 2011 edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Tacloban City - The eldest daughter of slain former Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy, Jessica Uy-Delgado, cried foul over what she claimed excessive number of security escorts of Samar Vice Governor Stephen James Tan (read more . . . )

CHR temporarily archives Mayor Uy murder case

(This news report appeared in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Tacloban City - The murder case involving former Calbayog Mayor Reynaldo Uy was archived by the Commission on Human Rights here in the region due to lack of witnesses who could provide leads at to who could be the killers of the victims. (read more . . . )

Gov. Tan confident there will be no recall election in Samar

(This news report appears in today's edition of the Leyte-Samar Daily Express)

Tacloban City - Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan expressed her confidence that there will be no recall election in the province.

Tan said that she is banking on the assurance of her lawyers who told her that with the long process for a recall petition to succeed, deadline will catch those who are pushing for the recall election. (read more . . . )

A letter from Samar

(This is an article from the Philippines Free Press)

My first glimpse of Samar is a few hours before sunrise after a two-hour ferryboat ride from Matnog, Sorsogon.


The sea is calm, the outlines of the Samar terrain beckon on my grandson like a haunting opening scene from the film version of Michener’s Hawaii.


From Matnog to Allen town, my grandson surveyed the Sorsogon-Samar seas and wondered how several buses, a few cars and trucks can fit into a ferryboat.


In between the Samar destination, the ship showed a scary film on how deadly fishes feasted on beach revellers—inch by inch, hands, limbs, eyes and all. I told my grandson there was a better view of the sea and would he please stop staring on the TV screen? This was no way to introduce a child on his first sea ride and fortunately, my grandson found the sea more enchanting than the cinematographer’s fetish for chunks of human flesh.


When we reached Allen just before sunrise, I realized how beautiful the Samar landscape is. I feasted on the dark brooding green hills and the beautiful meadows jutting out in between rows and rows of coconut trees. As the bus resumed land travel from Allen town to Calbayog City, I knew there was no way I can’t remain indifferent to the natural charm of this third biggest island in the country.


From the well-cemented seaside road, I got to see rows of other islands (and islets) dotting the horizon. I also saw outlines of Masbate province and down south, the mountains of Biliran and Leyte. (READ MORE)

Press statement of the Uy family on the slay of Calbayog City Mayor Reynaldo Uy (from Samar News.com)

Aika Uy, the eldest daughter of the late Mayor Reynaldo Uy faced the media yesterday. Here's a video courtesy of Samar News.com

The scene of the crime

Here are some pictures of the Social Hall in Hinabangan where Mayor Reynaldo Uy was shot last April 30,2011. I got these courtesy of Ms. Gina Dean - Ragudo.