Pag-IBIG Fund is offering a one-month payment moratorium and reminding borrowers of their Housing Loan insurance coverage to help members recover from the devastation caused by recent typhoons and earthquakes, officials announced Tuesday, Nov. 18. Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development Secretary and Pag-IBIG Fund Board Chairman Jose Ramon P. Aliling said the measures …
Monthly Archives: November 2025
Search is over; OCD: Families may still appeal case-by-case retrievals
By CESAR JOLITO III Disaster response authorities have officially terminated large-scale search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) operations for those missing after Typhoon “Tino,” as they agreed to conduct case-by-case search efforts for families who request continued assistance. “The order will be cut, but families can request a continuation if they are not satisfied,” Donato Sermeno III, director of …
The Bud Dajo Massacre, Quezon and the Filipinos’ struggle for self-determination
By Dennis Gorecho The Bud Dajo Massacre in Jolo was carried out under the command of General Leonard Wood, the same figure who clashed with the Filipino nationalist leadership, including Manuel L. Quezon, as they advocated for independence in the United States. Wood was a key figure in Philippine history, as governor of the Moro …
Enrile without edits
By Herman M. Lagon The news of Juan Ponce Enrile’s passing at 101 rippled through social media faster than most breaking news alerts. People reacted in wildly different ways: some offered condolences, others dusted off old family stories about curfews, raids or uncles who …
DENR: Extreme rainfall drove deadly mudflows from Kanlaon slopes
By CESAR JOLITO III The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has concluded that the catastrophic floods and landslides that swept through central Negros during Typhoon “Tino” were triggered primarily by 10 hours of nonstop torrential rain and accumulated volcanic debris on Kanlaon Volcano — not illegal logging, as initially suspected by affected communities. …
Bacolod to reassess PUV modernization impact
Bacolod City Mayor Greg Gasataya is moving to recalibrate the city’s approach to the national Public Utility Vehicle (PUV) Modernization Program as concerns from transport groups intensify ahead of route evaluations and franchise consolidation deadlines. According to the Bacolod City Communications Office, Gasataya has set a formal dialogue with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory …
Visayan bloc backs Marcos amid backlash
By CESAR JOLITO III The Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives has declared full support for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., saying the political attacks against him in recent days are attempts to derail his administration’s intensified anti-corruption campaign. In a statement released yesterday by Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, the influential …
Stepson hacked to death
By CESAR JOLITO III A 39-year-old driver was hacked to death allegedly by his own stepfather following a heated dispute over a bamboo fence at Barangay Tapi in Negros Occidental’s Kabankalan City on Monday morning, November 17. Police identified the victim as Edcel Gonzales, a resident of Purok Palangga in the village. The suspect, 50-year-old …
Bacolod accepts early processing of biz permits
Bacolod City started to accept the processing of business and mayor’s permits for 2026 on Monday, November 17, ahead of the regular renewal period in January. In a memorandum, Mayor Greg Gasataya ordered the early start in preparation for the forthcoming business one-stop-shop (BOSS) operations and to ensure the smooth and efficient processing of these permits …
Bacolod council moves to protect ‘kumarera’
The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlalawigan has stepped in to protect one of the country’s long-standing cultural practices after reports surfaced that some cockpit operators have been pressuring enthusiasts to switch exclusively to machine-based betting. Under a newly approved resolution, cockpit operators and promoters in Bacolod are now directed to give sabong patrons full freedom to choose …