Eastern Samar, Philippines

A low-pressure area (LPA) inched near Eastern Samar province early Friday but state weather forecasters said it is not likely to develop into a cyclone, at least for now.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 2 a.m., the LPA was estimated 600 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

“Hindi pa, hindi pa ito active (Not yet, it’s not yet active),” Pagasa forecaster Gilbert Aquino said in an interview on dzBB radio, when asked if the LPA will develop into a cyclone.

Pagasa said the LPA is presently embedded along the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) affecting Visayas and Mindanao.

“Southern luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,” it said in its 5 a.m. advisory.

GMANews.TV

By Alice Nicart

Borongan City (20 May) — To ensure an all time availability of government rice, National Food Authority (NFA) Borongan Branch will set up exclusive NFA stalls inside the city’s public market.

This was learned from Pen Pomida in her interview with NFA Operations Officer, Romy Obregon.

Obregon reported that this scheme is in accordance to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s order to always make the staple food accessible to the poor.

Asked how NFA will handle the scheme, Obregon said that three stalls will be granted 30 sacks of rice everyday beginning May 26; however, the said stalls must not sell any other commodity except for the NFA rice; this way, previous allegations of mishandling the rice will be prevented.

This, according to the interview, is a new approach of the incoming NFA Provincial Manager, Atty. Art Macabasag who recently assumed the post due to the transfer to Northern Samar of his predecessor, Arnaldo Borjal

The report revealed further that the same old price at P18.25 shall be the cost of the government rice.

Aside from the NFA rice, other variety are available in the City public market. Harvest time is now over and despite the poor harvest as a result of the past flooding that hit most of the rice plantations, Eastern Samarenos still enjoy the bounty of the staple food. (PIA-Eastern Samar) (PIA)

A ROOKIE policeman is being hunted for shooting and seriously wounding his commanding officer who berated him for drinking while on duty in Eastern Samar.

Police Regional Office 8 director Chief Supt. Abner D. Cabalquinto said PO1 Wintrop Caspe escaped on foot after shooting Senior Insp. Edwin Barbosa, the chief of the Maydolong Police Station in Eastern Samar.

“My men are still tracking down PO1 Caspe who will be facing summary dismissal proceedings and charged criminally and administratively,” Cabalquinto said.

Investigators said Barbosa summoned Caspe and his colleagues, PO1s Mario Quial and Gilbert Colima and SPO1 Artemio Azura to his office after he found that the four oficers did not report for duty. By: Alfred P. Dalizon

Journal Online

By Joey A. Gabieta
Visayas Bureau

TACLOBAN CITY — A town police chief in Eastern Samar was shot and wounded by one of his men who used his service firearm Thursday night, a police official said Friday.

Chief Superintendent Abner Cabalquinto, police regional director, identified the victim as Inspector Edwin Barbosa, 36, and police chief of Maydolong town.

Barbosa was hit on the thigh when Police Officer I Wintrop Caspe shot him, Cabalquinto said.

Cabalquinto said that Caspe, using his M16 rifle, shot Barbosa inside the town police station after the latter reprimanded Caspe for not reporting for duty.

Barbosa ordered Caspe, said to be under the influence of liquor, to leave the police station and return the following day when Caspe allegedly answered in a disrespectful manner.

INQUIRER.net

By Cyrain Cabueñas
Philippine Daily Inquirer

BORONGAN CITY – People of Eastern Samar are no strangers to potholes.

Pockmarked roads and gaping craters are salient features to daily commuters and are slowly becoming more predictable than the typhoons that frequent the province. This year, however, has been particularly hard on the owners of public utility vehicles and motorists alike.

Bus operator Mario Roncales, 54, says that besides the discomfort, the bad road conditions translate to higher car-repair bills. “The bone-rattling potholes can sometimes toss light passengers up the car roof and can easily damage the car’s suspensions and alignment,” he says.

He says half of his P1,500 daily net income is allocated to the vehicles’ tires that don’t last two months because of the wear-and-tear.

INQUIRER.net