Fr. Jayson Gaite, Director of the Archdiocesan Commission on Prison Welfare, celebrates one of the Triduum Masses in honor of St. Maximilian Kolbe, patron saint of the said Commission, before his feast day on Aug. 14. (Photo by Natalie Quimlat)

The Parish of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal recently observed a procession of the sacred images of El Divino Rostro and Inâ, Our Lady of Peñafrancia, ahead of the annual Peñafrancia festivities in September. (Photos from Inang La Medalla Milagrosa/Facebook)

By Natalie Hazel Quimlat The five jail facilities within the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of Caceres celebrated the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe on Aug. 14. A Triduum Mass was observed in all the facilities ahead of the saint's feast day. Outreach activities were also done during the said occasion. In one of his homilies, Maximilian Ministry Director Fr. Jayson Gaite, spoke of the deep devotion of Kolbe to the Blessed Virgin Mary, urging PDLs (persons deprived of liberty)

Bikol literature and language is the topic of a panel of three academics in the Philippine Studies Conference at the SOAS University of London on August 21, 2026. The overall theme of the conference is “Archipelagic Tongues — Philippine Languages and Meaning-making, Austronesian Worlds and Global Futures,” while the panel on Bikol literature and language is entitled “Istória, Díla’: Archipelagic Recovery and Re-orientation through Bikol.” The first speaker, Grace M. Saqueton,

BUSINESS leader Ronald “Bong” Rodriguez and Representative Nelson Legacion of the 3rd district of the province of Camarines Sur, who is the principal author of the proposed renewal of Casureco III’s operational franchise, led a consultation in Buhi, Camarines Sur, concerning the renewal of the electric cooperative’s franchise and the issue involving Bicol Light Power Corp., which reportedly wants to enter the Rinconada area. The two personalities from Camarines Sur were invit

By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY — Government physicians at the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) successfully reattached the severed left hand of Police Staff Sergeant (PSSg) Noli M. Miraña during a complex operation on Monday, following a bolo attack in San Jose, Camarines Sur. Miraña sustained serious injuries after he was attacked by a suspect armed with a bolo while responding to a report of an armed individual in Zone 1, Barangay Calalahan, San Jose, on Aug. 22, 2026. Police Lt.

(Our reader, Engr. Wenfredo Firme, shares his views on the issue of conviction in the ongoing impeachment trial before the Philippine Senate. Having closely observed the proceedings, he offers his perspective on the matter and the broader issues surrounding the impeachment process. The Bicol Mail provides him this space to make his views known to the public. –Editor) CONVICTION IN IMPEACHMENT 1. Two-thirds vs 16 The Constitution states that a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of th

By Jason B. Neola NAGA City Mayor Leni Robredo has highlighted the gains made by the city government during her first year in office, citing investments in infrastructure, social services, economic development, environmental protection, disaster preparedness, tourism and public spaces as key steps toward achieving the city’s 2028 Finish Lines. In her report, Robredo said the administration’s direction is clear: to build a city where development translates into a better qualit

By Jordan Domingo LOCAL Government Units (LGUs) in Bicol, including those in Camarines Sur, are being urged to strengthen their efforts to prevent flooding by keeping garbage out of streets, drainage systems, canals and waterways. The call from Malacañang comes as the national government intensifies its campaign against flooding and improper waste disposal—issues that remain particularly relevant to communities in Bicol that regularly face flooding during periods of heavy rai

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The newly opened Camalig Community College (CComC) is providing 120 pioneer students with free tuition and access to higher education in their hometown, while preparing them for opportunities in the construction and development sectors. CComC, the first collegial institution established in Camalig, Albay, formally opened on Monday at the Camalig Training Center in Barangay Salugan, initially offering the Bachelor of Engineering Technology ma

By Manly Ugalde TABACO, ALBAY --- A barangay chairman who earlier sought the suspension of four of his councilors for repeatedly skipping the mandatory Monday flag-raising ceremony has himself been suspended, this time for violating the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. The Office of the Ombudsman ordered the suspension of Barangay San Roque Chairman Elias Bobiles, along with Barangay Secretary Elsa Borleo and Treasurer Evelyn Barrameda

By Benilda Recebido SORSOGON CITY, Sorsogon --- More than 75 residents of Barangay Pamurayan in Sorsogon City benefited from a free legal aid mission and local identity registration during an Information Caravan hosted by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Sorsogon Information Center on Saturday, August 22. The community outreach activity prioritized low-income, marginalized, and undocumented families to address complex grievances that often exceed the jurisdictional man

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Albay Provincial Health Office (APHO) is expanding its dengue prevention and control efforts through a health caravan to strengthen the role of barangay officials in protecting their communities. Efelia Bitas, Nurse I of the APHO, said the current figure is based on data from three hospitals: the Bicol Regional Hospital and Medical Center (BRHMC), Ziga Memorial District Hospital, and Josefina Belmonte Duran Albay Provincial Hospital. “We

By Ana-liza S. Macatangay For years, families in several communities across Naga City lived with the uncertainty of losing the land they called home, never knowing if one day, the ground where it stands will no longer be theirs. However, that fear for many is slowly giving way to a sense of security as the Enhanced Community Mortgage Program (ECMP) reaches their communities. The ECMP, an initiative of the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) under the Expanded Pambansang

By Paulo DS Papa THE Naga City Police Office has yet to receive approval from Camp Crame and the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) for its requests to implement signal jamming and a gun ban during the Peñafrancia Fiesta next month, even as the regional command is set to deploy around 1,500 police personnel as an augmentation force in the city. PLTCOL Elmer Azurez Jr., chief of the City Community Affairs and Development Unit of the Naga City Police Office, said in an interview