By CESAR JOLITO III A moderate explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Thursday night, February 26, has displaced 23 families, or 81 individuals, in two local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported. The eruption brought ashfall, sulfuric odors and ground vibrations, prompting temporary evacuations in …
Monthly Archives: February 2026
Schadenfreude in the workplace
By Herman M. Lagon There is a German word that sounds heavier than it looks: schadenfreude. It means taking quiet pleasure in someone else’s misfortune. It is usually used to describe a classmate smirking when his rival slips on stage. But it also lives in more ordinary places — like a cramped registrar’s office on …
In the world but not worldly
By Fr. Roy Cimagala In that gospel parable describing the kingdom of heaven as a treasure buried in a field and as a merchant searching for fine pearls for which the main characters would be willing to sell everything they had just to get that treasure and those fine pearls (cfr. Matthew 13:44-46), we are …
Crucial safety info missing on AI ‘agents’: study
AI developers are happy to hype up the purported capabilities of autonomous “agents” but are failing to disclose potential safety problems and risks, a study found. Researchers urged more transparency about and study of autonomous systems as growing numbers of people gain access to agents — chatbots using AI that are designed to tackle complex …
Bacolod fire razes 100 homes
By CESAR JOLITO III A major fire that broke out at Purok Katilingban 1 in Bacolod City’s Barangay 39 late yesterday morning affected nearly 100 households, with firefighting operations initially hampered by the limited availability of fire trucks deployed for ash-flushing operations linked to Kanlaon Volcano’s recent eruption. Fire Inspector Jemarie Tapiru, deputy city fire …
Toboso ground subsidence stabilizes
By CESAR JOLITO III A ground movement at Barangay General Luna in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town has stopped, according to local disaster officials, even as authorities continue to monitor a separate area showing similar soil subsidence nearby. Engineer Hospicio Carbajosa Jr., officer of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), said the total …
NIR police deployment under review
By CESAR JOLITO III The National Police Commission (Napolcom) has formally begun a comprehensive inspection and evaluation of police manpower deployment across the Negros Island Region (NIR) following the conduct of an Inspection, Assessment and Monitoring (IAM) Entrance Conference on Thursday, February 26. Held at Kanlaon Hall inside Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod …
Alert Level 3 likely if Kanlaon still restive
By CESAR JOLITO III The status of Kanlaon Volcano remains at Alert Level 2, signaling continuing volcanic unrest, though the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warns that Alert Level 3 may be raised if activity persists or intensifies. The most recent eruption occurred on Thursday night, February 26, at 7:04 p.m., lasting approximately …
9 held over illegal mining
By CESAR JOLITO III Nine individuals were arrested in alleged illegal mining activities at Barangay Bacuyangan in Negros Occidental’s Hinoba-an town on Thursday, February 26. The suspects — whose identities were released only by aliases—include drivers, generator operators, backhoe operators, and a mining manager, with residences across multiple regions, including Negros Occidental, Masbate, Surigao del …
Bacolod to build P50-M FIFA-standard football pitch
By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has committed P50 million for the construction of a dedicated FIFA-standard football pitch at the oval of Bacolod City National High School (BCNHS), a move aimed at strengthening grassroots sports and keeping local athletes training and competing within the city. Mayor Greg Gasataya announced the project during …