By Herman M. Lagon We watch the hearings like we watch a storm. We keep one eye on the radar, the other on the living room floor in case water creeps in. Lately the noise is not just thunder. Contractors wave ledgers. Senators trade punchlines. And too many questions stop at 2022 — as if …
Monthly Archives: September 2025
Press freedom at its lowest in 50 years: study
Press freedoms worldwide have declined significantly over the past five years to hit their lowest level in 50 years, a report by a democracy think tank showed yesterday. Afghanistan, Burkina Faso and Myanmar — already among the poorest performers in press freedoms — posted the biggest falls, the report by the Stockholm-based International Institute for …
32 primary care facilities enhance healthcare in NIR
The delivery of healthcare in Negros Island Region (NIR) is getting a boost with the comprehensive services provided by 32 licensed primary care facilities (PCFs) across the region. Data from the Department of Health (DOH)-NIR on Wednesday, 10, showed these include 26 PCFs owned by local government units (LGUs) and six privately-run PCFs. Under the …
Warehouses to be used for city gov’t supply inventory
By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya has ordered the clearing of temporary storage facilities at the City Agriculture Office compound in Barangay Alijis as part of preparations for a citywide inventory of government supplies. Personnel from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office have been deployed to remove debris and clear overgrown vegetation from …
Citizens’ council to probe ‘corruption’ in Bacolod flood control projects
By CESAR JOLITO III A multi-sectoral group composed of church leaders, lawyers, engineers, and civil society organizations has formally launched the Concerned Citizens Council to investigate alleged corruption in flood control projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bacolod City. Fr. Mao Buenafe, the council’s convenor, said the initiative emerged amid …
2 high-value suspects yield P3.7-M ‘shabu’
By CESAR JOLITO III Authorities in Negros Island scored major breakthroughs in their campaign against illegal drugs after arresting two high-value individuals in separate buy-bust operations that yielded a combined P3.7 million worth of suspected shabu. In Negros Occidental’s Sagay City, operatives of the Sagay City Police Station arrested a dismissed policewoman identified only as …
Vigilance urged as Kanlaon spews ash anew
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has reminded the public of the active threat of the Kanlaon Volcano as it spewed ash again. OCD NIR Regional Director Donato Sermeno III said that while no communities were reported to have been hit by ashfall, the public must always be on alert and prepared for any development …
New Army commander vows to perform tasks without delay
Brigadier General Jason Jumawan, the newly installed commander of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade (IB), pledged to undertake the brigade’s mission with a sense of urgency, preparedness, and high troop morale. Jumawan made the declaration as he assumed command during a ceremony at Camp Leon Kilat in Tanjay City. Jumawan succeeded Brigadier General Joey …
Almendralejo called up for PH 18-U in Asian Youth Games
By ADRIAN STEWART CO Bacolodnon standout Rhose Vianne Almendralejo has been called up for the Philippine women’s 18-U national volleyball team competing in the 3rd Asian Youth Games slated for October 19 to 29 in Bahrain. According to Bacolod Tay Tung High School Thunderbolts team manager Jose Montalbo, he recently received a letter from the …
Ordiales gets spotlight as Alas Pilipinas names FIVB roster
By ADRIAN STEWART CO National University (NU) standout Leo Ordiales will be one of the players to watch as the Philippines makes its first-ever appearance in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Manila today. The promising wing spiker from Negros Occidental’s Talisay City earned a spot in the 14-man lineup, joining veteran leaders Bryan …