By CESAR JOLITO III The National Security Council (NSC) has expressed full support for Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. in opposing any resumption of national-level peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing the New People’s Army, and its political arm, the National Democratic Front. In a statement, National Security Adviser …
Monthly Archives: May 2026
‘Corned beef’ as dehumanizing language to mock activists’ deaths
By Dennis Gorecho Social media has recently been flooded with the dehumanizing term “corned beef,” used to mock the deaths of activists. On April 19, 2026, a military operation in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, left 19 people dead. Among the casualties were student leader Alyssa Alano and land rights activist Maureen Keil Santuyo, both …
CHED and the balance we might lose
By Herman M. Lagon The May 5 CHED online hearing comes with a quiet kind of unease. Not loud, not dramatic — just there, in faculty rooms and in passing thoughts. The idea of cutting or reshaping General Education may look like a simple fix, but it feels like shifting something foundational midstream. It is …
Natural ‘miracle tree’ may help filter microplastics from drinking water: study
A plant long dubbed the “miracle tree” could offer a low-cost, eco-friendly solution to one of today’s most pressing environmental problems: microplastic contamination in drinking water. A recent study highlighted by CNN found that extracts from the seeds of Moringa oleifera can remove up to 98 percent of microplastics from tap water. Researchers from Brazil’s …
DOE action on high power rates sought
By CESAR JOLITO III A consumer advocacy group has formally asked the Department of Energy (DOE) to intervene amid the high costs of electricity affecting consumers in the Negros Island Region (NIR). In a complaint, the Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) urged Energy Secretary Sharon Garin to take immediate action …
Solon pushes sweeping sugar reform bill to stabilize industry
By CESAR JOLITO III A lawmaker from Negros Occidental has filed a measure in the House of Representatives seeking a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s sugar industry, aiming to address long-standing issues in pricing, supply and farmer protection. In House Bill No. 9088, filed on May 5, 3rd District Representative Javier Miguel Benitez proposes amendments …
Bacolod signs lease deal for waste-to-energy facility
By CESAR JOLITO III The Bacolod City government has taken a step toward advancing its solid waste management program after formalizing a lease agreement for a proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) facility within the city’s sanitary landfill in Barangay Felisa. The agreement grants Forza Development Corporation the use of a 10-hectare property designated as a WTE Industrial …
2 druggies nabbed over P680-K ‘shabu’
By CESAR JOLITO III A high-value individual (HVI) and a street-level individual (SLI) were arrested in an early morning anti-drug operation in Bacolod City’s Barangay Sum-ag yesterday, with authorities seizing illegal drugs worth an estimated P680,000. Suspects 31-year-old “Em-em,” tagged as an HVI, and 41-year-old “Polite,” categorized as an SLI, were arrested by operatives of …
Phivolcs: Don’t underestimate ashfall even if it appears light
Residents near Kanlaon Volcano, which spans the provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, should not underestimate ashfall even if it appears light, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s (Phivolcs) chief said yesterday. Phivolcs recorded ash emissions from the volcano’s summit crater at around 5:32 a.m. and 6:01 a.m. yesterday, generating grayish plumes that …
Fisherman hurt in late-night stabbing
By CESAR JOLITO III A 50-year-old fisherman was injured after being stabbed during a late-night altercation in Negros Occidental’s Hinoba-an town on Sunday, May 3. Hinoba-an police said the victim was on his way home when he encountered the suspect, identified only by the alias 45-year-old “Lolong,” also a fisherman and a resident of Barangay …