By CESAR JOLITO III President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. emphasized that sustained cleaning, dredging and waste removal in major urban waterways in Bacolod City will significantly reduce flooding by 60 percent, marking a major push in the intensified implementation of Oplan Kontra Baha during his visit in the city yesterday. Marcos’ visit underscores the national government’s …
Monthly Archives: December 2025
When patience runs thin
By Herman M. Lagon We all have them — those little things that poke at our patience until it wears dangerously thin. Maybe it’s the tita who cuts the line at the grocery. Or the beachgoer who treats the sand like their trash bin. To some, these may seem petty. But for those who value …
Why we rejoice in Advent
By Fr. Roy Cimagala The 3rd Sunday of Advent is usually dubbed as Gaudete Sunday (Rejoice Sunday) because the Entrance Antiphon of the Mass for that day starts with the joyful greeting, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice! The Lord is near.” (Philippians 4:4-5) We are clearly encouraged to be happy as …
World’s 1st teen social media ban takes effect in Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia’s implementation of the world-first ban on social media for children under 16 “is one of the biggest social and cultural changes,” stressing “enough is enough.” The ban took effect at midnight on Wednesday, December 10, with authorities ordering social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat …
PBBM: Upgraded Banago port to serve as ‘standard design’ for terminals
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said yesterday the Banago Port Improvement Project will serve as a model for the country’s terminals and ports to ensure more efficient and modern services for passengers and cargo. After inspecting the upgraded Banago Port, Marcos said the new Port Operations Building (POB) can now accommodate up to 500 passengers, …
Farmers urge Marcos to step in as sugar prices fall
By CESAR JOLITO III Sugar producers in Negros Occidental’s Fifth District are urgently appealing for the intervention of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. as farmgate sugar prices continue to plummet, leaving thousands of farmers and laborers on the brink of financial distress. In an open letter addressed to Marcos, the Sugar Association and Cooperative of Negros …
BFP on full alert for holidays
By CESAR JOLITO III The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Negros Occidental will be placed on full alert beginning December 22, 2025 until January 2, 2026, as part of intensified preparations for the holiday season. BFP Provincial Director Fire Supt. Rodel Masip said the heightened alert status aims to strengthen monitoring of firecracker zones, …
Cops intensify crackdown on bomb threat hoaxes
By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) is tightening its campaign against bomb hoaxes after three educational institutions across the province were disrupted by recent threats that later turned out to be false alarms. NOCPPO spokesperson Lt. Judesses Catalogo said in a press briefing that investigators are now tracing the digital …
Bacolod-Silay Airport rehab now at 80%, PTB expansion to begin
The rehabilitation of the Bacolod-Silay Airport is now at 80 percent, with expansion plans for its passenger terminal building (PTB) on track to begin next year. During an inspection of the airport yesterday, Acting Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Giovanni Lopez said the airport’s improvements are in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to ensure …
Coast Guard NegOr deploys more floating assets for maritime security
The Philippine Coast Guard in Negros Oriental is adding more floating assets to enhance maritime security and disaster response, an official said yesterday. Lt. Marionne Abigal Enopia, commander of Coast Guard Station Negros Oriental, told the Philippine News Agency that three aluminum boats have been repaired, and three new units are en route as additional …