By CESAR JOLITO III A business sector leader in Bacolod City has called on fellow entrepreneurs to avoid laying off workers or shutting down operations despite the continued surge in petroleum prices, warning that such moves could further weaken local economic activity. Frank Carbon, co-chairman of the energy and power committee of the Philippine Chamber …
Monthly Archives: March 2026
Achieving true universal healthcare
By Sonny Angara Forty years ago, delegates from 135 countries, including the Philippines, signed at an international conference the first global declaration affirming “primary health care” as key to upholding every person’s right to a healthy life. Many consider this “Alma-Ata Declaration” among the critical public health milestones of the 20th century, signaling a global …
Working daily on our fidelity
By Fr. Roy Cimagala We should never take for granted this duty to work daily on our fidelity. We cannot presume that just because we were fervent when we professed to be faithful to some commitment we made, we can hack it simply by going along with what is expected of us. We need …
How well armed is Iran, and can it replenish missiles?
As the US-Israel war with Iran nears its fourth week, Iranian missiles are still striking Israel and the Gulf states despite US and Israeli claims to have decimated missile stocks. A social media post from the White House on March 14 claimed that “Iran’s ballistic missile capacity is functionally destroyed,” yet Iran continues to demonstrate …
Biodiesel project seen to cut fuel costs of up to 50%
By CESAR JOLITO III Farmers and fisherfolk could save up to 50 percent on fuel expenses through the use of biodiesel, according to project proponents, following the relaunch of a renewable energy initiative at the Barangay Taculing Community Center in Bacolod City yesterday. Ian Fred Solas, chief executive officer of Green Solutions, said the revived …
Bacolod backs proposed Bayanihan act amid oil crisis
By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has expressed strong support for the proposed “Bayanihan for Economic Resilience and National Stability Act of 2026,” a measure set to be filed by House Deputy Speaker and Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez in response to the ongoing global oil crisis and the declaration of …
Gov’t crisis inaction ‘betrays’ public: consumer group
By CESAR JOLITO III Members of the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) have issued a strong call for government intervention against rising fuel costs, condemning what they described as the continued burden of oil price hikes on Filipino consumers. In their manifesto, ACCESS President Wennie Sancho sharply criticized the continued …
Murcia man shot dead; fellow escapes death
By CESAR JOLITO III A 27-year-old man was killed while his companion survived after unidentified gunmen opened fire on them at Barangay Caliban in Negros Occidental’s Murcia town on Sunday evening, March 29. The fatality was identified as Aljon Mino, a resident of Barangay Canlandog. Murcia police said Mino was driving a motorcycle with his …
NTF-ELCAC lauds CHR for condemning death of woman tagged as spy
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) lauded the Commission on Human Rights’ (CHR) condemnation of the murder of 74-year-old Leonora Anguit outside her home in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, after being allegedly branded as a spy by the New People’s Army last February. “The CHR’s words cut through all attempts to …
1-K NIR police to secure Holy Week
By CESAR JOLITO III The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has mobilized around 1,000 personnel to ensure a safe, peaceful and orderly observance of Holy Week from March 29 to April 5. In a statement, PRO-NIR director Police Brigadier General Arnold Thomas Ibay emphasized that the heightened police presence is not …