By CESAR JOLITO III A consumer advocacy group has raised alarm over the recent increase in electricity transmission charges, warning that the adjustment could further strain households already grappling with rising living costs. In a statement, the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) said the Energy Regulatory Commission’s (ERC) approval of …
Monthly Archives: February 2026
The ‘red-tagging’ case of detained journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio
By Dennis Gorecho The prolonged detention of journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio is “inhumane and has no place in a system that claims to uphold justice and respect media freedom.” This was the declaration of the international media organization Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as a Philippine court ruled on Cumpio’s first of two cases (illegal …
The spiral progression that slips
By Herman M. Lagon Spiral progression sounds elegant when explained in a conference room: revisit key concepts every year, add complexity gradually, and let repetition build mastery. It is baked into the K-12 architecture through policy and guidance, especially for Science and Mathematics, where topics are arranged, so learners encounter “the same” ideas multiple times …
The season of Lent
By Fr. Roy Cimagala With Ash Wednesday, we once again begin the season of Lent when, as a way to pursue spiritual growth, self-reflection and preparation for Easter, we are encouraged to go through the process of repentance and conversion, deepening our relationship with God through prayer, fasting and self-discipline, and focusing on caring for …
Bacolaodiat fest opens with temple prayers, lights
Bacolod City welcomed the Year of the Fire Horse yesterday, opening the 21st edition of the Bacolaodiat Festival, one of the country’s largest Chinese New Year celebrations. The Fo Guang Shan Yuan Thong Temple led midnight prayers and the traditional striking of the drum and bell on Monday, February 16, to usher in the Lunar …
One lane passable after landslide hits DSB
By CESAR JOLITO III The traffic along the national highway at Barangay Bago in Negros Occidental’s Don Salvador Benedicto town remains limited to a single lane following a landslide that struck the area last week, prompting authorities to restrict the passage of heavy vehicles. Mayor Nehemiah Joe dela Cruz said only light vehicles and light …
Moises Padilla has no role in cash aid rollout: mayor
By CESAR JOLITO III Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo has clarified that the municipal government is not involved in the distribution of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program in the municipality, stressing that the process is being handled exclusively by the national agency. In a statement, Garcia-Yulo said …
284 NegOr brgys drug cleared, 53 drug-free
The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Dumaguete City has reported that 284 out of the 557 barangays in the province have been cleared of drugs in line with the government’s anti-narcotics campaign. The PDEA also disclosed in a recent Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting in the city that 53 barangays were declared drug-free …
DILG to LGUs: Institutionalize ‘anti-epal’ policy
An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) in Negros Occidental has urged local government units (LGUs) to ensure the sustainability of the “anti-epal” policy against “credit-grabbing” by passing a supplemental ordinance in their locality. DILG-Negros Occidental Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay, who also sits as officer-in-charge Assistant Regional Director of DILG-NIR, …
Bacolod tourism gains P6.5-B due to arrivals, MICE
By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City posted steady gains in tourism in 2025, recording a 4.83 percent increase in visitor arrivals and generating more than P6.5 billion in tourism receipts, according to data released by the City Tourism Office. A total of 873,573 local and foreign tourists visited the city last year, up from 833,345 …