By MANUEL T. UGALDE The plunder of public works funds in the Bicol region began as early as the presidency of Corazon Aquino. This was the opinion of a high-ranking public works official who reacted strongly to the recent Bicol Mail reports on the infrastructure scandal that has already led to the imprisonment of a Bicolano bureau director and the suicide of a district administrative officer, following the creation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) in Jul

By Paulo DS Papa The Naga City Police Office has activated a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to focus on the rape-slay of 18-year-old Rosalie Muceros of Zone 4, Barangay Panicuason. On Thursday afternoon, November 27, Muceros’ lifeless body was found in a grassy lot in Zone 6 of the same barangay. She was discovered with her torso exposed and her pants pulled down. Police Capt. Gil III Guban, officer-in-charge of Naga City Police Station 4, said in an interview that t

By Rhaydz Barcia TIWI, Albay --- Mother and son Kerzy Cirujales, 30, and her two-year-old son Kyzer from Barangay Naga were among the more than 600 participants who joined the 10th Run to Save the Sea Turtles held here over the weekend. Kyzer, the youngest participant, ran alongside Kerzy in the 3-kilometer category. The oldest runner was 77 years old. Both were among participants from all walks of life who took part in the decade-old campaign pioneered in this town to advoca

LEGAZPI CITY --- A Bicol University student miraculously survived a tragic road crash that killed 11 of the 12 passengers of a UV Express van plying the Nabua, Camarines Sur–Legazpi City route on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Among the fatalities was a 49-year-old navy officer. In a press briefing on Thursday, Camalig Mayor Carlos Irwin “Caloy” G. Baldo Jr., together with responding agencies, confirmed the grim toll. Police Major Karlo Dy, chief of the Camalig Municipal Polic

By Ryan Mostar NAGA CITY — The Universidad de Sta. Isabel de Naga, Inc. (USI) has once again demonstrated its stature as one of the country’s premier nursing institutions after its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program recorded an outstanding 99.43% passing rate in the November 2025 Philippine Nurse Licensure Examination (PNLE), earning 8th place nationwide. This latest accomplishment reinforces USI’s identity as a beacon of excellence in nursing education. As the firs

By Ryan Mostar DAET, Camarines Norte — What started as a modest kitchen experiment decades ago has blossomed into one of Bicol’s most cherished bakeries. In the early 1970s, Arlene A. Vergara crafted simple sugar cookies using just six eggs, a pinch of flour, and the few ingredients her family could spare. Selling them in small batches from their apartment, she could hardly have imagined that these tiny creations would become the seed of a business legacy spanning generations

THE unfolding developments in the P289.5-million Oriental Mindoro flood control scandal once again underscore a lingering truth in our nation’s justice system: accountability remains uneven, delayed, and often dependent on public pressure. The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) revealed that two executives of Sunwest Incorporated — the private firm linked to the questionable road dike project — have sent surrender feelers after police failed to serve arrest war

And the battle rages on. Were you there at the Trillion Peso March? Apparently, this is the sequel to the rally held some weeks ago. Now, other sectors have been invited to join. Non-participants grumble that they couldn’t go out for coffee on a Sunday afternoon because of the closed roads. Warrants have been issued and arrests have been made. At least, we’re getting to something concrete and real. People seem to be satisfied. But, I heard some comments that the Presi

One 60-year-old man who killed himself after being publicly shamed over corruption accusations could have been saved. In another life—under a just and decent system—he would have remained a dedicated engineer helping build safe, dignified public works. Instead, he became one of countless casualties of a culture of malfeasance so normalized that guilt and shame become unbearable burdens. There is also Levy, 25, in and out of jail for drug charges. Once a promising band leader,

NAMUNDAG asin pinadakula ako na sarong Katoliko Romano. An agom ko namundag asin pinadakula na sarong debotong Protestante. Nag dakula akong kumbinsido na an Kotolikong Simbahan iyo lang an Saro, Banal, Apostoliko, Totoo, asin iyo lang an paagi na maka pasiring kita sa langit. Nag adal kita nin Katekismo saka Biblia nganing depensahan an satuyang Simbahan contra sa mga Protestante asin ibang relihyon. Tinatapos ta an mga argumento asin mga debate pag sinabi ta na “heresiya iy

Habang parani kita sa panahon nin Pasko, igua nin sarong ahensyang nag-calcular na sa quinientos de pesos (P500) may noche buena na ang sarong pamilya na may apat na miembro- ama, ina, asin duwang aki. Sa mahal na presyo kan mga produkto ngonian sa mercado, dacul nag-kontra sa iniinsister kang ahensya na suficiente na ang kantidad na quinientos para mag-celebrar nin ka-Paskuhan. Sa kantidad na ini, igua ka na nin 500g na hamon - P170, 250g na spaghetti noodles - P30, spaghett

Sayang mayo na an satuyang mga Magurang, mayo na an satuyang mga Ninuno, dai na ninda nahiling an mga lumang armas, mga lumang bayonita, mga lumang helmet asin mga mapa kan Naga na pig istaran kan mga soldados hapones durante kan WW2. Sa pinaka premirong pagkakataon, igua nang museum na mahihilingan kan mga bagay bagay na may koneksyon sa giyera kan mga hapon na nagpasakit sa mga bikolano, marhay na sana ta isinalbar kita ni Gen. Douglas Mc Arthur na iyo ang nanginotan sa

Atty. Paolo Tolentino 13th month pay kan nag-resign Hi Attorney, Nag-resign po ako bago mag-December dahil sa personal na rason. Ngonian, habang inaasikaso ko po an mga papeles ko, nag-aagam-agam ako kun may 13th month pay pa akong dapat ma-receive. Attorney, entitled pa po ba ako sa 13th month pay kahit nag-resign ako bago matapos an taon? --- Ang sarong empleyado na tigkukunsiderar na “rank-and-file” saka nakatrabaho na ning dae mababa sarong bulan ay may karapatan sa batas

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) on Monday opened a 3-day Basic Incident Command System (ICS) Course and 1-day Emergency Operations Center Executive Training Course (EOC-EC) with 40 participants from the city government and the city’s 27 barangays. CDRRMO head Raynor Rodriguez said the training aims to equip barangay volunteers and LGU personnel with a clear understanding of how the Incident Management Team (IMT) and the Emergency Operations Cen

By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- To help ease the burden of Bicolanos affected by a series of calamities, particularly Typhoons Tino and Uwan, the Pag-IBIG Fund has allocated ₱1,774,571,000 for emergency and calamity loans targeting more than 60,000 members across the Bicol Region. Nelson Ibarra, acting branch head of the Pag-IBIG Legazpi Branch, said qualified members may borrow up to 90 percent of their total savings. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier placed the entir