an sungkaan

I've got a good number of titles in mind for this blog update: "sungkaan", "hell roads of Samar no more (almost)", "mabalud", "the good news and the bad news". I guess sungkaan would be the best choice.

So, what about it?

First the good news. Part of the rehabilitation of the Highway in Samar is "asphalt overlay" or something to that effect. And when I took these two pictures last week (February 10, 2008 to be exact), they have put asphalt on the portion in Brgy. Bagacay. I still need to know about the portion from Catbalogan to Calbiga, but I heard that the section from Hinabangan to Calbiga is now okey. Anyway, when we traveled to Catbalogan last Saturday, I found out that the portion with asphalt on it extends from Bagacay to Ilo. And that's where the good news ends (so far).



Now for the not-so-good news. I have featured below two videos I took when we traveled to Catbalogan last Saturday. The first one was taken while on board a van to Catbalogan. The second one was taken while on board a bus going back to Calbayog. I guess I took it while we were plying the highway between San Jorge and Gandara.

T'was an uncomfy ride, no question. But knowing that rehabilitation work is being done or is ongoing makes one give a sigh of relief.

a year ago (last week)

This was supposed to have been posted last January 24, 2008 but I got sick. Anyway, I took these pictures and videos on January 24, 2007 when the Calbayog PNP presented to the media the suspects in the killing of two female students at their Boarding House in Barangay Balud. A good number of Calbayognon went out that day to show indignation against the crime committed. The presentation was held at the Conference Hall of the Old Barracks Building (Handumanan) thus explains the image of the Cathedral in the background.

I tooks these videos using my CP to record how the crowd reacted as the suspects were taken down from the Old Barracks Building into the waiting police vehicle.