• This epic origin story weaves the legend of “Kankabatok,” Tacloban’s ancient name, with Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, the Visayan blade-fighting system, blending Leyte’s folklore with the blade art’s lethal principles.
• Thirteen years after Typhoon Yolanda, Eastern Samar marked a milestone on October 7, 2026, as the Felipe Abrigo Memorial Hospital opened in Guiuan, bringing accessible, quality healthcare to the district.
• The Philippine Army recovered an M1 Carbine rifle and two magazines after a brief gunfight with suspected Communist Terrorist Group members in Barangay Poponton, Las Navas, on October 4, 2026.
• Catbalogan City was declared to have a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition on October 7, 2026, becoming the 19th of Samar’s 26 cities and municipalities to receive the declaration.
• UGB and First Cabuyao Hospital signed an MOU on October 11 to provide free medical assistance and hospitalization to members, families, and constituents in Laguna, Cavite, and Batangas.
• IMNet Chairman Dalmacio Grafil told Tacloban journalists to learn self-protection in risky communities during the Konekted for Media Resilience workshop on October 7, gathering broadcast, print, and online reporters.
• DPWH in Eastern Visayas will continue the P4.77-billion Tacloban City Causeway Project despite terminating six of eight contracts, assessing which portions of the 2.55-kilometer project can still be finished.
• The Provincial Association of Irrigators will use its P100,000 assistance from the National Irrigation Administration to buy palay from farmers and find buyers for their produce.
• Police arrested two drivers in a buy-bust operation in Barangay 97 Cabalawan on October 6, 2026, seizing about five grams of suspected shabu worth an estimated P34,000.
• A 33-year-old man, alias “Dan,” was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Barangay San Andres, Catbalogan City, on October 5 after allegedly selling shabu to an undercover officer.
‘The Legend of Kankabatok and the First Blade’ 
A Gift of Unity and Hope for Eastern Samar: Felipe Abrigo Memorial Hospital Officially Opens in Guiuan 
Army Recovers M1 Rifle After Brief Clash in Northern Samar 
Catbalogan City Declared Peaceful and Stable 
UGB, Cabuyao Hospital Sign Pact for Free Medical Aid for Guardians 
IMNet helps Tacloban journalists prepare for risks in the field 
DPWH to Push Through with P4.77B Tacloban Causeway Project Despite Contract Terminations 
NIA aid to help Eastern Samar farmers market their palay 
2 Suspected Drug Personalities Nabbed in Tacloban Buy-Bust 
Drug Suspect Arrested, 7 Shabu Sachets Seized in Catbalogan