Eastern Samar to host tomorrow's Cabinet meeting

Eastern Samar will play host to President Arroyo and her senior government officials for tomorrow’s Cabinet meeting as part of efforts to promote the province as a tourism destination.

The Surf Camp in Guiuan town will be the venue for the National Economic and Development Authority-Cabinet meeting.

Caliocan Island, just 20 minutes away from Guiuan town, is being promoted as a tourist destination, with its white sand beaches, lagoons, forests, caves and wetlands.

The President and her Cabinet will stay overnight on Caliocan Island after which she will proceed to Bacolod City for the Masskara festival.

But before going to Guiuan, the President will first visit the towns of Arteche and Balangiga tomorrow morning to attend two events.

In Arteche, the President will inaugurate the Catumsan-Aguinaldo farm-to-market road project, which is part of the 26.3-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation under the P86-million Arteche farm-to-market road project.

Around 10,200 residents of 15 barangays are benefiting from the project.

The President will also conduct an aerial inspection of the construction and rehabilitation of several stretches of the Arteche road network that will link the Eastern, Western and Northern Samar provinces.

A total of P311 million for eight road projects in Eastern Samar and P562 million for nine road projects in Northern Samar to complete the Samar circumferential road network have been allocated in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

From Arteche, the President will proceed to Balangiga town for the wreath-laying ceremony at the statue of Capt. Valeriano Abanador in commemoration of the “Balangiga Massacre” in 1901.

Abanador led the townsfolk in the historic assault on Company C of the US Infantry Regiment during the American occupation, killing 48 of the 74-member American military contingent.

In retaliation, the American soldiers torched Balangiga town into a “howling wilderness” on Sept. 28, 1901 and took the now famous Balangiga bells as war booty.

The President is expected to deliver a message during the formal commemoration program at the Balangiga town plaza to be attended by residents, guests and local officials led by Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone, Balangiga Mayor Viscuso de Lira, and National Historical Institute Chairman Ambeth Ocampo.