Tax Court Acquits Bicol’s Oil Tycoon
By Mark A. Gomez The Court of Tax Appeals First Division has acquitted the President of COSCO Petroleum Company, Inc., Michael Cosay for violation of Section 255, in relation to Section 253(d) and 256 of the National Internal Revenue Code (NIRC), involving more than twenty three million pesos worth of unpaid taxes. On January 28, 2020, a case was filed against Michael C. Cosay, as President of COSCO Petroleum Company, Inc. (COSCO), for violation of Section 255, in relation t


Phil Army in Bicol: “It was an honor to serve Inang Peñafrancia”
By Ana-Liza Macatangay NAGA CITY --- “Our participation is a testimony of our support, not just to the Bicolanos but to all Filipino pilgrims who showed their unwavering faith to Ina during the conduct of all the Peñafrancia activities in Naga City.” These were the words of gratitude that 902nd Brigade Commander Col. Edmundo Peralta said during the conduct of the Thanksgiving and Awarding of Certificate of Merits last Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Minor Basilica and National Shr
111 tourists stranded by ‘Karding’ in Calaguas now safe
By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The 111 tourists reported stranded on Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte province are all safe and well, an official of the Department of Tourism in Bicol (DOT-5) said Monday. Herbie Aguas, DOT-Bicol director, said all the guests are now in mainland Camarines Norte and bound to go home. “The tourists were taken care of by their operators during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Karding on Sunday. They stayed in their rooms and were able to cont


100 families in CamSur get access to potable water
By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI City --- At least 100 farming families or 500 individuals in Barangay Del Pilar, Garchitorena town in Camarines Sur now have access to safe drinking water after the Department of Agrarian Reform in Bicol (DAR-5) turned over water and sanitation (WATSAN) projects to an agrarian reform beneficiary organization (ARBO). Geri Buensalida, DAR-5 spokesperson, on Tuesday said the project is part of DAR’s community-managed potable water, sanitation, and healt
Mayon remains quiet, exhibits 6 volcanic quakes
By Cet Dematera LEGAZPI City --- Mt. Mayon remains silent for more than a month now since the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) placed the area near it under Alert Level 1 status. Phivolcs, however, recorded 6 volcanic tremors, the latest of which happened last week. According to the institution which is dedicated to provide information on the activities of volcanoes and earthquakes, Mt. Mayon’s sulphur dioxide emissions were below the baseline vo


CSNHS students undergo psychosocial first aid training
By Jason B. Neola NAGA CITY --- At least 11,437 students of the Camarines Sur National High School (CSNHS) here have been undergoing training on psychosocial first aid (PFA) to help them continuously commune naturally with their surroundings. In an interview on Tuesday, Mercy Claro-Estrella, the school’s registered guidance counsellor, said CSNHS learners are not spared from the ills of the Covid-19 pandemic including the fear of contracting the dreaded virus and going throug


BFAR’s Search for MMK: LGU Sagñay among nations top 5
The Local Government Unit of Sagñay, Camarines Sur was hailed as one of the top 5 national finalists during the desk evaluation for the 2021 Malinis at Masaganang Karagatan (MMK) Program. Finalists were assessed based on five criteria: (1) No Illegal Fishing, (2) Observance of off-fishing season, (3) Declaration of marine protected areas, (4) Clean, coastal waters without any garbage or industrial effluence flowing to the sea, and (5) Effective mangrove protection and rehabil
Martial Law, a recollection of infamy, repression and corruption
By Rhaydz B. Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- As the country ruminates over the 50-year declaration of totalitarian rule, Rep. Edcel C. Lagman of the second district of Albay said that martial law is a recollection of repression, infamy and corruption. “Fifty years constitute a golden jubilee, a celebration of life for half a century. But the imposition of Martial Law on September 21, 1972, is a five-decade recall years of infamy, repression, corruption, and economic despoliation – th


EDITORIAL: Jail the enablers and conspirators
Deporting the Chinese nationals active in Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations (POGO) posthaste is pure and simple whitewash intended to shield bigwigs suspected to be their enablers or conspirators. So far, the new administration particularly the Department of Justice has put itself voluntarily on the spot regarding this pivotal concern. No one should ride on the growing disdain against POGO, by simply deporting the foreigners suspected of having a hand in the alarming rise


Cowering for Convenience
There’s one more thing that I don’t understand. Why does it get extremely difficult to take a ride on public transport on rainy days. Why should it be any different? What does the weather have to do with jeepneys and tricycles continuously going about their routes and being accessible to commuters? I also noticed that on downpours, traffic gets clogged on the city’s main thoroughfares. Traffic goes ridiculously and exasperatingly slow; then, when you have to take another r


Once More—Traffic Woes!
This is the second time I am writing about the traffic woes in the City of Naga. Being the premier City of Bicolandia, it experiences irritating and annoying daily traffic woes similar maybe to the hustle and bustle endured by any other economically booming city in the country. Not long ago the king of the road is the ineradicable smoke-belching Jeepney—it stops even in the middle of the street to pick up passengers disregarding the vehicles following it, worse they load and


MSMEs: Collaboration to recover and rebound
This word, collaboration, used to have a different connotation for people working with groups, organizations, and parties for other purposes. In college, I imbibed the word akin to being treacherous. Being a collaborator or so it seemed, was an act of betrayal. It meant you slept with the enemy and should face charges of collaboration, similar to acts of espionage. Images of “pagtataksil” run fast to mind straight from a thriller of James Bond, this English spy mogul who was


Cuadro de Alas Sa Kantong Putikon
Dai ko nanggad naisipan na sa halawig na panahon na pinag uusar sa irestoryahan, asin isinusurat sa mga bareta sa radyo asin peryodiko an Kantong Putikon, igua palan idto nin apat na harigi na iyo an mga inot na actor kan gamutan nang tambayan nin taga medya. Durante kan ginibong Family Hour kan OK FM kan nakaaging sabadong bangui, naging bisita kan programa iyo si Mr. Joe Dialogo, na sa edad na 86, kayang-kaya pa ni Joe an magtukad sa tolong eskalon na edificio ka OK FM na


Fil-Can
Sa biglaan na despidida party na pigtao para sakuya kan pamilya na pinaka-harani sakuya, ni Lando saka Flor Boyles (may tolong aking lalaki) sa saindang residensya sa Kamloops City, British Colombia. Nagkatitipon an mga Pinoy saka Pinay na mga miyembros kan Fil-Can o Filipino Canadian Association digdi. Komo puro Pinoy na kakanon an pig-puesto arog kan sinugba o inasal na sira, pansit, barbequing karneng orig asin kadakol na salad asin gulay. Siyempre imbitado ako asin an sak


Earning The Public’s Trust
One of the pillars that drives the public’s trust in its government institutions is transparency, openness and integrity, most specially in the use of government funds. This, however, seems to be the least among the concerns of the country’s highest officials. On its 3rd Reading, the House of Representatives, headed by the cousin of the President, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, has approved the P5.268 T budget for 2023. Of this budget, 4.5 B has been earmarked for the Office