TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines (PIA) — Tuesday, Aug. 9, the country joins the rest of the world in celebrating the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People under the theme “Indigenous designs: celebrating stories and cultures, crafting our own future.”

The theme highlights the need for the preservation and revitalization of indigenous cultures, including their art and intellectual property. The theme can also be used to showcase indigenous artists and cooperatives or businesses that take inspiration from indigenous peoples' customs and the indigenous communities who may have participated or benefited from this.

Police day

BORONGAN City, Eastern Samar (PIA) — The Philippine National Police (PNP) marked Monday its 110th Police Service Anniversary in simple rites at the Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office. “This is Philippine Constabulary (PC) day, then,” said Chief Insp. Edwin Barbosa after the simple program.

Eastern Samar Governor Conrado Nicart, a former PC member himself, graced the occasion and congratulated the men in uniform for reaching this far. Speaking in the dialect, the governor praised the PNP force, “I appreciate the PNP service here because there are no heinous crimes committed in the province,” he said.

Mactan permits

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — A total of 15 cease and desist orders (CDOs) were issued to the operators of mactan stone slicing and processing plant operators in this city and its neighboring town Cordova by Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7 following the lack of necessary permits from concerned authorities.

Mactan stones are special type of stones which are used for tiles, slabs, and other pieces of furniture. Finished products derived from Mactan's stone are mostly exported. (Phoebe Jen Indino)

Iloilo floods

ILOILO CITY (PNA) — More than 300 families have been displaced by flash floods in metropolitan Iloilo due to continued rainfall since Friday. On Saturday, the flash flood caused the evacuation of affected families in three barangays in Jaro district.

Jeffrey Celez, liaison officer of Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, identified the affected villages as Desamparados with 150 households affected; Calubihan with 50 families; and Lanit with 95 families. Flash floods also affected Barangays Buntatala, Jaro and Calubihan in Mandurriao district.

Aerial search

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte (PIA) — Eastern Visayas Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chairman Rey Gozon said Monday the aerial search operation conducted on Saturday showed no signs of the four missing persons from Sulat and Dolores towns of Eastern Samar.

The four have been reported missing in Eastern Samar after typhoons "Juaning" and "Kabayan" hit the area. In Sulat, Eastern Samar, Antonino Accion, 48, and Fred Baldelobar, 36, have been missing for 10 days after their pump boat was swept away while heading towards San Vicente, Sulat, Eastern Samar. Accion and Baldelobar were last seen in a fiesta at the nearby town of Taft in the afternoon of July 25.