By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government warned that penalties and confiscation await vendors operating outside the city’s designated firecracker zone, reiterating strict compliance with safety and regulatory requirements for the sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnics. Councilor Caesar Distrito, chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Human Resources and Development, said all members of …
Monthly Archives: December 2025
Voices from the waiting shed: What Filipinos wish for this New Year
By Ignacio R. Bunye As the year ends, the country feels noisy again. Headlines compete for attention — a record-breaking national budget, traffic that refuses to move, and yet another scandal that leaves people shaking their heads. But outside the news cycle, in the places where most Filipinos actually live, the hopes for the new …
Routine and new initiatives
By Fr. Roy Cimagala Happy New Year, everyone! As we open another year, let us first of all be thankful for everything that took place in the last year, regardless of what color they came, and look forward to this new year with great desire to do a lot of good things. We certainly have …
2025: Negros at the Crossroads | Stories that became turning points
(Last of two parts) Renewed NPA killings In March, the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) reported a significant weakening of the New People’s Army (NPA) forces in northern Negros. This assessment comes following an encounter in Negros Occidental’s Cadiz City, where two high-ranking NPA leaders were killed in Barangay Caduha-an. The encounter was a …
The case vs. political dynasty
By Herman M. Lagon Election season in the Philippines has a familiar rhythm. Tarpaulins rise before the rain clouds do, surnames grow larger than platforms, and campaign jingles recycle promises that sound generous but feel oddly hollow. In many provinces, the choices look different only on paper. The same families rotate seats, swap positions and …
DOH-NIR logs spike in firecracker, road crash injuries during holidays
By CESAR JOLITO III The Department of Health in the Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR) has recorded a significant number of injuries linked to firecrackers and road crashes based on its ongoing holiday surveillance period. DOH-NIR documented 37 fireworks-related injuries and 290 road crash injuries across Negros Island and Siquijor since December 21. Of the 37 …
Cops warned of zero tolerance for indiscriminate firing
As part of the heightened security measures for the holiday season, Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Lt. General Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. reiterated yesterday its strict enforcement of the one-strike policy against indiscriminate firing. Sanctions include dismissal from the service and the filing of appropriate criminal cases. “The Philippine National Police is strictly enforcing …
‘Not priority’: Hinigaran presses DPWH to speed up roadworks
By CESAR JOLITO III The Hinigaran municipal government has formally called on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 2nd Engineering District to expedite the ongoing road construction along a section of the national highway, citing worsening traffic congestion and growing public frustration. In a statement, Hinigaran Mayor Grace Arceo expressed concern over the …
P1.5-M ‘shabu’ seized from Rizal Day buy-bust
By CESAR JOLITO III Nearly P1.5 million worth of suspected shabu was seized in a drug buy-bust operation along Circumferential Road in Bacolod City’s Barangay Bata in the early hours of Rizal Day, December 30. Police arrested the primary suspect, alias “Gang” or Elias, 39 years old, a resident of Islamic Center, Lopez Jaena Street, …
Army reaffirms security commitment during holiday season
The 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has emphasized that its security operations will continue throughout the holiday season, regardless of any announcements from armed groups, particularly the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). In a press conference at the Philippine Information Agency – Western Visayas office, 2025, Captain …