HEADLINE

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 …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has committed to issuing a sugar order to regulate the entry of sugar substitutes and artificial sweeteners into the Philippine market, following mounting concerns from lawmakers and industry stakeholders over their impact on local sugar producers. The commitment was made during the first hearing of the …

By CESAR JOLITO III Labor group National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry in the Philippines (Nacusip) urged sugar board officials, including Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), to step down, blaming the agency’s leadership for policy decisions that allegedly worsened the crisis facing the local sugar industry. During the …

By CESAR JOLITO III Bacolod City Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez is pressing the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to immediately explain and reassess what he described as “excessive” overnight parking fees at Bacolod-Silay Airport, following mounting complaints from travelers and local stakeholders. In a letter dated February 9, addressed to …

By CESAR JOLITO III The 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has urged the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to conduct a thorough investigation into a series of killings on Negros Island allegedly carried out by the New People’s Army (NPA). In a statement, the 3ID reported that at least 28 individuals have been killed across Negros …

By CESAR JOLITO III Despite the absence of major volcanic events following an explosive eruption at Kanlaon Volcano on February 19, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that another eruptive episode cannot be ruled out. Mari-Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory, said monitoring instruments continue to show signs of …

By CESAR JOLITO III At least 195 residents from 60 families across several local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental were displaced following a renewed explosive eruption from Kanlaon Volcano, prompting evacuations, class suspensions and heightened monitoring. Evacuations were carried out on Thursday night, February 19, in two barangays considered at higher risk, the Provincial …

By CESAR JOLITO III Kanlaon Volcano had a moderately explosive eruption late yesterday afternoon, generating a dark gray ash plume that rose about 2,000 meters above the crater before drifting southwest, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The eruption lasted approximately two minutes at 4:38 p.m., Phivolcs seismic records showed. Pyroclastic density …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Negros Occidental provincial government has decided not to pursue sourcing supply from the rivers of Silay City for the proposed P1.1 billion bulk water project after the Silay City council denied Capitol’s request for a Resolution of No Objection (RONO), which was triggered by strong opposition from local barangays. Governor …

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 …