EgdeCast

Headline: PUBLIC SERVICE OR PERSONAL BUSINESS? 🏥⚖️

The Ormoc City LGU, led by Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez, is launching a major investigation into the Ormoc Maternity House and Children's Hospital.

For nearly 30 years, this institution has occupied city-owned land for a "token rental" of just ₱1,000 per month. The agreement was simple: in exchange for nearly free rent, the hospital must provide charitable medical services to indigent Ormocanon mothers and children.

However, serious "red flags" have emerged:
❌ Alleged charging of indigent patients for services meant to be free.
❌ Subleasing violations for 10x the cost of their own rent.
❌ Major tax discrepancies and financial reporting gaps.
❌ Failure to provide data on how they actually qualify charitable cases.

"The hospital used the space almost for free, yet it was run like a personal business," says Mayor Gomez.

The LGU is now signaling a potential termination or major overhaul of this long-standing agreement to ensure public resources truly benefit the poor.

Ormoc City Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez led the distribution of ₱15,000 financial assistance to Ormocanon athletes and their coaches who will compete in the Batang Pinoy 2025 games in General Santos City this October.

The initiative aims to support the city’s young athletes representing Ormoc in various sports and to boost their preparation for the national competition.

JUST IN: Western Leyte College Receives Bomb Threat, Students Sent Home

Western Leyte College in Ormoc City received a bomb threat on Tuesday, prompting school officials to immediately send students home for their safety.

Authorities have yet to determine whether the threat is genuine or a hoax. Police and emergency personnel swiftly responded to the scene to conduct an inspection and ensure the security of the area. Classes have been suspended until further notice as the investigation continues.

Ormoc Kicks Off Construction of New City Hospital

The city government of Ormoc broke ground Friday morning, October 3, 2025, for the construction of its new City Hospital in Barangay Sumangga, a flagship health project seen to boost the city’s medical services.

City officials said the upcoming hospital will help decongest existing health facilities and provide affordable, accessible, and quality healthcare for Ormoc residents and nearby communities. The project is part of the local government’s continuing push to strengthen public health infrastructure in the city.

📷: Vinsu Asamu Wensesuroda

Ormoc Sends Urgent Aid to Stricken Northern Cebu Towns

Truckloads of relief goods rolled out of Ormoc City yesterday as Mayor Lucy Torres-Gomez ordered the immediate dispatch of food packs and vital supplies to Bogo City and the northern Cebu towns of Tabogon and San Remegio, all battered by the recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake.

The relief convoy carried 1,000 pillow packs of 10-kilo rice and other essential food and non-food items, painstakingly prepared under the coordination of Vice Mayor Leo Carmelo Locsin Jr., City Administrator Vincent L. Emnas, and the 17th Sangguniang Panlungsod. Teams from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) worked nonstop inside warehouses, hauling sack after sack into waiting trucks bound for the Northern Cebu.

To aid recovery in communities left without electricity, Ormoc also deployed a tower light with a 6.5-kva generator, a lifeline for responders working in the dark. The city government stressed that the mission reflects Ormoc’s readiness to extend help beyond its borders.

READ: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has recorded a total of 2,792 aftershocks following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30. Of these, 551 have been plotted or located, while 14 were reported as felt events by residents. The aftershocks ranged from magnitude 1.0 to 5.0.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed that the death toll from the powerful quake has climbed to 72, as search, rescue, and relief operations continue across affected communities. Authorities are urging vigilance as aftershocks are expected to persist in the coming days.

LOOK: The Davao City Government has pledged aid to Cebu following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on September 30. City officials said they are coordinating with the Office of Civil Defense and Cebu’s PDRRMO for relief delivery, while emergency units, including Davao City 911’s Urban Search and Rescue teams, medical staff, and psychosocial workers, are on standby for deployment. Food packs and essential supplies are also being prepared as authorities finalize deployment plans.

📷 CIO-Davao City

JUST IN: PHIVOLCS reports a total of 611 aftershocks recorded following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City, Cebu on September 30.

Breakdown (as of Oct 1, 7:00 AM):
• Recorded: 611
• Plotted: 161
• Felt: 4
• Magnitude Range: 1.4 – 4.8
• Reference Station: MECP (Medellin, Cebu)

TROPICAL DEPRESSION PAOLO

The Low Pressure Area (LPA) being monitored east of Catanduanes has intensified into Tropical Depression , according to DOST-PAGASA.

Santa Rosa de Lima Retablo Image Unharmed by 6.9-Magnitude Quake in Cebu

The retablo image of Santa Rosa de Lima remained undamaged following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck Cebu on Tuesday night, September 30. According to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, the image was among the few that were not affected by the tremor, along with the Virgen del Carmen and the Immaculate Conception.

📷: Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima