Just exactly what is the distinction between the government’s Balik Probinsya Balik Pagasa (BP2) program and Hatid Probinsya Project? This is being asked in the light of the confusion stirred on account of the misplaced usage of the terms interchangeably, especially among a number of media establishments.

It could have been less confusing had the personalities concerned taken the initiative to inquire about the distinguishing features. The predicament is markedly detected in the province of Camarines Sur.

In any case just to clear the air, it is pointed out that on June 10, this year, the Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that BP2 Council Executive Director Marcelino Escalada Jr., who is also general manager of the National Housing Authority (NHA), said that “ Balik Probinsya program is a long-term program of the government intended for Metro Manila residents who want to return to their provinces “for good.”BP2 beneficiaries are provided certain packages and assistance upon return...

Just when passengers have gotten used to 20 peso worth tricycle rides, just when jeepneys with plastic curtains and dividers are starting to take commuters, just when food could be dined in and just taken out, just when parents are preparing for online classes, and just when the World of Fun jingle can be heard in the malls, we have this.  Let us all together let out a sigh of sadness at the count of three.  It took a mother and daughter returning home to cause a domino effect of infections which could very well reach nigh twenty by the time this article is published.  This is far worse than the first case in Concepcion Pequeña, the one in Calauag, and those in San Francisco and Naga City Subdivision.  Those previous cases now seem like little sparks when compared to flames of this fire.  I hope that you are one with me in the prayer that the higher authorities heed Mayor Nelson Legacion’s admirably quick appeal to suspend permission of transport of locally stranded individuals.  The p...

The news is out: from the institutional Church, there will be no Traslacion this year, no fluvial procession. 

The State, as represented by the local government unit of Naga City, declares there will be no trade fairs, no civic and military parades.

The notification is about the Peñafrancia celebration this September. 

The land procession, called the Traslacion, when the image of the Virgin of Peñafrancia, is transferred from its Shrine by the river to the Metropolitan Cathedral will not happen. The Virgin will remain in the Basilica. The Divino Rostro – a manifestation of the face of Christ imprinted on the veil of this woman named Veronica, a name which in Latin means “the true image” and in Greek, “one who brings victory” or “true image” – will stay in the old shrine.

No penitential processions will be held in between the second Friday of September and the nine days that follow that. There will be no image in the black cathedral, its color antedating the sorrow of this unprecedented...

Mala ta igwa nang mag-ina digdi sa Naga hali pang Naic, Cavite an nagpositibo na sa Covid-19. Iyan an pigtatakot ko kaidto pa na pigpaguian  na an lockdown o quarintina duman sa Kamaynilaan na makakalaog digdi sa Kabikolan an mga taong maydara nin corona virus disease 19. Si mga nagka-erenot na nagpositibo sa ibang parte kan rehiyon harali baga sa luwas kan Bikol o hali sa laog nin ospital.

Ngonyan aram ta na an tunay na dahilan kan lockdown o pagdeklara nin General Community Quarantine: an pagpa-untok kan paglakop kan virus por medyo sa pagpondo kan hiro kan mga tao na may sintomas o mayo alagad pwedeng carrier na .

Kundi ngonyan ta tolong bulan na kitang laom, dakol na an mayong trabaho, mayong hanapbuhay, igwa nang gurutom, dakol na an gustong magbalik provincia o magbuwelta sa lugar na saindang pinaghalian o namundagan.

Kaya an gobyerno na pipiritan na burutasan an mga nalalaom tanganing makatrabaho asin maasikaso an saindang pamilya na magka-igwa nin pagkakan asin paragastos. 

Ma-...

With contributions from private, government and informal sectors and lifetime members and other indirect contributors like the senior citizens under the National Housing Targeting System coming to a halt, Philhealth officials express fear that it may not be able to sustain its role in providing health care services to its members. Thus, the poor and the destitute members of our society who rely most often for their medical needs and expenses  from Philhealth are apt to suffer the most, it being that they can hardly afford the professional services of medical private practitioners. In a live broadcast report this evening however, this writer is glad to note the assurance of Minority Senator Franklin Drilon that Congress will see to it that the necessary funding appropriation will be infused to Philhealth for the latter to continue its basic services even without contributions from the private, government and informal sectors and other lifetime members. It is our hope that members of the...

Tigsik ko an programang balik probinsiya
Sa pag-urulian nag-orog an mga problema
Ta kadakol kan igwang dara-darang corona
Ata libre na kuta an Naga, nahinguragan pa

Tigsik ko an programang may  sa kulapos
An balik probinsiya ipigpautob nang dagos
Orog pa logod na nagwarak an corona virus
Mga inabutan sa probinsiya naulakitan tulos

Tigsik ko an mga nagpositibo na makaurag
Na abang tatagas, saindang mga alimantak
Sa quarantine facilities biyong nagdudurulag
Dai bale kuta nagugutom basta dai matigbak 

Tigsik ko ining abang sakit na bagang panahon
Nin huli sa covid kadakol kan mga nagugutom
Daing mga trabaho, pagbuhay saen kukuanon
Solusyon kan iba iyo an mang-ikit, manghabon

Tigsik ko man ining buhay na nakakapongot
Ta kadakol na an nakakamati nin pagkaguslok
Igwa na ngani dyan nanghahabon nang manok
Paghigop kan tinola, ganot biyong tabog-tabog
Kan mabasog kuminarigos, sa agom duminurog

Fazed with a barrage of negative comments of the way he and his peers are doing their part in ensuring a more expeditious and organized implementation of the Social Amelioration Program, Speaker Allan Peter Cayetano, in a hearing conducted by the Lower Chamber, found a convenient escape goat: the DSWD.

This is not to defend the DSWD personnel, but to a very large extent, politicians now holding influential posts, mostly members of the House Majority, are principally to blame. They feel so entitled up to the extent of pulling the strings linked to the appointive government employees so that the latter may move in cadence with the baton of district representatives.

This stratagem proved to be very beneficial to the district legislators, but tragic to the target beneficiaries who suffered further from opportunistic local government leaders well connected with the powers-that-be. As the benefits trickled down, their amount continued to get smaller. Those entrusted with the task of distribu...

There had been so much debate in past years on changing the start of classes from June to August or September.  Who knew that it wouldn’t take a congressman, senator or a president, to push it forward?  Kids, at least, there’s something  you could thank the virus for.  

In one of the President’s announcements in the middle of May, he had put his foot down with a declaration of ‘no vaccine, no classes”.  Later, “no classes would be clarified to mean “no (face to face) classes”.  (My favorite part there was the President’s advice for the children to use their time, for the meantime, on playing. “Maglaro muna”.  I suppose he meant video games which wouldn’t require face to face contact.)  Okay, fair enough.  That was actually the easy solution which DepEd authorities seemed to hesitate or were afraid to propose.  Other Asian nations who have allowed opening of classes quickly experienced infections among pupils which warranted to make such a stand.  I have to admire the Pre...

An estorya kan ciudad nin Naga, Ciudad de Caceres sa laog nin poco mas o menos  500 na taon, ika-tolo sa pinaka-enot na ciudades sa Pilipinas, sunod sa Manila asin Cebu asin bistado sa pangaran na Naga hali sa tataramon na Narra,na sarong kahoy na dakul nagtuturubo sa lugar na ini kan taon 1521 kan mag-abot si Magellan sa Cebu. An Naga na naguin Cavesera kan Camarines Sur o an dating Ambus Camarines, pinakadakulang provincia sa enterong Kabikolan. 

An Bicol Mail an solamenteng pan-relihiyon na diyaryo kan Kabikolan.

Sa ibong na lado an diyaryong Bicol Mail na an enot na publisher iyo an lider kan mga guirelya kan tiempo Hapon na si Leon S. Aureus kan Libmanan, iyo an enot na alkalde kan Naga paka-Liberation poon kan 1948.

Maski ngani an enot na Bicol Mail na pigmukna ni Mayor Aureus kan 1953 alagad pinasara kan Martial Law kan 1972 pakalihis nin 20 anyos kan 2002 Hunyo 18, binuksan liwat an presenteng Bicol Mail kan sobreno ni Mayor Leon na si Nilo P. Aureus kan Hunyo 18 kan taon...

The recent red-tagging of Sr. Mary John Mananzan, a Missionary Benedictine Sister from St. Scholastica’s College of Manila, by Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Undersecretary Lorraine Badoy does not surprise me anymore. In fact, I expected it, given the propensity of the military, government officials, or paid trolls to red-tag activists. 

Sr. Mananzan, a political activist since way back during the time of the Marcos dictatorship, is a staunch critic of the current Duterte administration. She is not the typical nun that many of us know. She speaks her mind fearlessly. She marches to protest the absence of justice in a country that prides itself to be democratic. She has been at the forefront in the struggle for human rights for decades. She co-founded Gabriela, the federation of women’s organizations and was its national chairperson for many years. She has gotten so many accolades from reputable national and international organizations for her social justice work....