Miss Northern Samar in Bb. Pilipinas 2008 Beauty Pageant

Agatha Fontanilla represented Northern Samar in the Bb. Pilipinas 2008 Beauty Pageant where Janina San Miguel won as Bb. Pilipinas-World to represent the Philippines in the Miss World pageant. Of course, we all know what Janina San Miguel has done to the English languange,lol..Agatha Fontanilla is said to be a former Miss UEP as well.

And unlike Janina San Miguel, Agatha Fontanilla is a freshman medical student at FEU-NRMF (Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation). And when asked why did you join Bb. Pilipinas? Agatha replied, “To fulfill my childhood dream” “I don’t expect to win. I just came here to prove to others that it can be done despite a very hectic medical school schedule.”

“The experience will make a good story to tell to my grandkids. I will be very proud to tell them about my Bb. Pilipinas days” “Even though I’ve done some scary things for medical school—such as slicing a cadaver’s brain—I still find it scarier to stand in front of people who are alive and capable of judging you. That’s another reason I joined—to help me overcome my fear of large audiences” “Even when I was a child, I joined some beauty contests and won. Naging stepping stone ko yung mga yon dito. Parents and friends have also been convincing me so here I am!”

What makes you stand out from the rest? “I see this as a once-in-a-lifetime experience” “I am unique and God-fearing. But there is always so much more to all of us. I have certain qualities that are not easily seen but really help me stand out.”

The 2.97 Billion Help for Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project

A major infrastructure project is being constructed in Catubig, Northern Samar called the Help of Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project. It is a 2.97-billion peso project funded by Japan. NEDA said cost for the Help of Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project, funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, has been raised from the old amount of P2.48 billion. Its implementation has been extended from June 30, 2007 to June 30, 2010.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA), the lead agency implementing the project, and Northern Samar Gov. Raul Daza sought the adjustment and extension due to increase in the prices of materials, diesel and gasoline as well as costs of labor and rental of various equipment.

The inter-agency Investment Coordination Committee-Cabinet Committee has approved the cost adjustment and time extension on the condition that additional project cost shall be financed through local funds within the Department of Agriculture, NIA, Department of Public Works and Highways and Department of Health budget ceilings and subject to the issuance of Department of Budget certified funding strategy for Help of Catubig Agricultural Advancement Project (HCAAP).

St. Michael Academy Alumni Homecoming

The St. Michael Academy 2008 Grand Alumni Homecoming will be held on May 1 to 4, 2008 in St. Michael Academy, Catarman, Northern Samar hosted by Michaelians Batch 1984. The St. Michael Academy 2008 Grand Alumni Homecoming is dubbed as "Nahinumdom Ka Pa?"

Northern Samar, poorest province of the Philippines

Northern Samar is one of the poorest provinces of the entire Philippines. Northern Samar alongside Sulu and Masbate, were found to be the “poorest” provinces in the Philippines based on the National Poverty Map 2007 prepared by the Peace and Equity Foundation. The PEF identified the three provinces as having the “most pronounced conditions of poverty” among all the provinces in the country in a presentation last week during the World Bank-sponsored Panibagong Paraan ’08.

The provinces were ranked according to the PEF Development Index, which is based on various government poverty indicators, including the lack of housing, lack of access to clean water, sanitation facilities, incidence of malnutrition and income level.

Closely following Northern Samar, Sulu and Masbate at the low end of the PEF Development Index were Basilan, Western Samar, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Norte and Negros Oriental.

I'm not surprised. Living here in Northern Samar is like hell if you rely on the internet and on computers for a living, or even on anything that runs on electricity. Why? well, every single day, electricity is intermittent. The past few days even had times where the electricity has been going on and off like a switch. Everyday, power is out for either a second or hours on end. There is no security in the supply of electricity. The only thing that is consistent is that one should expect a power interruption everyday, no thanks to the local electric cooperative, NORSAMELCO or the Provincial Government of Raul Daza who takes a hands-off policy on the power outage situation.

What is revolting in the findings of the Peace and Equity Foundation is that the other two poorest provinces are island provinces so it is understandable that those have high poverty incidence. But, and the big but, is that Northern Samar, straddles the Maharlika National Highway and is although far is easily reachable from and to Manila.

No amount of media mileage can even budge the local authorities of Northern Samar to act. GMA7' Imbestigador launched a shame campaign on the Catarman Airport, but to date, no action has been done. The local officials only had their fingers pointed at other agencies instead of taking command responsibility as only a decent and respectable Provincial official is bound to observe.

If even the most basic of service that a government should deliver to its people as electricity is, and is very unrealiable in Northern Samar, how much more in the other aspect. To date, everywhere you look, and especially in those unannounced brownouts anytime of the day, there is no question that the Province of Northern Samar really belongs to the poorest provinces of the Philippines.