By Ma. Teresa Montemayor FILIPINO men can ease their financial worries if diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer through a dedicated care package worth P100,000 the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) said Monday. Under the state insurer’s specialized Z Benefit Package, the P100,000 health subsidy is specifically allocated to cover treatment costs for patients diagnosed with low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer. The package is available to male member

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), together with the Canadian Red Cross, distributed conditional cash grants to 62 individuals from the vulnerable sector for livelihood support at the Legazpi City Convention Center on Friday. Bea Aguilar, PRC national project coordinator, said the identified beneficiaries from the city received PHP50,000 as the first tranche of the PHP100,000 grant, with the remainder expected to be disbursed within the year. “

By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- For weeks, Australian and Philippine forces jointly conducted Exercise KASANGGA 2026 in Camarines Sur, showcasing their bilateral efforts to strengthen interoperability, capabilities, and combined arms operations in the region. Yesterday, the Australian Army (AUSA) and troops from the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division demonstrated territorial defense capabilities through a war scenario simulation, where successive gunfire reverberated a

By Rhaydz B. Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- A 40-year-old police major from La Union assigned at Camp General Simeon Ola, the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional command in Bicol, was arrested for alleged extortion after reportedly demanding grease money from police recruits. Police Lt. Col. Maria Luisa “Malu” Calubaquib, spokesperson of the PNP Bicol regional office, said the police officer entered the service on August 24, 2020 and has been assigned to the Regional Medical a

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora The Trump administration is tightening rules for non-immigrant visa holders planning to “adjust status” and obtain their green card while they are in the U.S. — a policy that would require foreigners, including Filipinos to return to their home countries to process their U.S. residency appeal. While the rule is unlikely to impact a “big majority” of Filipinos given that most of them apply from the Philippines through family petitions or employers, the

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo said the city’s housing gap is being addressed through the Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Plus Program, which includes a groundbreaking PHP480-million rental housing project and PHP17 million Community Mortgage Program (CMP) assistance. During the city’s 78th Charter Anniversary celebration on Thursday, Robredo thanked the national government and the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Developmen

QUEZON CITY, 23 June 2026 – The Social Security System (SSS) announced that its Pension Booster Program, also known as the Voluntary Provident Fund, continues to deliver strong financial performance in 2026, posting an average return on investment (ROI) of 6.2 percent from January to May this year despite prevailing economic challenges. The program remains a reliable retirement savings option for Filipino workers. While slightly lower than the previous year’s performance due

MASBATE CITY --- Emergency responders from various towns and provinces across the country are gathering this week in Cataingan, Masbate province, as the 2026 National Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) Olympics officially kicks off today, Monday, June 22. The WASAR Olympics will take place at Matayum Lagoon from June 22 to June 24, featuring numerous water, search, and rescue teams competing in simulated emergency scenarios, including knot-tying relays, rubberboat paddling, spin

By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Camarines Sur Provincial Office has recognized local government units (LGUs) in the province for demonstrating exemplary leadership and effective governance. The recognition was made through the Luminary Isarog Awards held at the DTC Hall in the Provincial Capitol Complex in Pili, Camarines Sur, which highlights the LGUs’ accomplishments on peace and order, anti-drug abuse, child protection,

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Agriculture in Bicol (DA-5) has prepared measures to help farmers in the region cope with the potential impacts of the anticipated dry season. DA-5 spokesperson Lovella Guarin said the agency has rolled out various programs to protect and sustain production, ensuring food security. Initially, she mentioned that from April to June, the agency distributed 26,729 bags of hybrid rice seeds to 142 farmers’ cooperatives and assoc

By Ernie Delgado LEGAZPI CITY --- Mount Bulusan in Sorsogon has seen a significant increase in seismic activity since June 12, recording 528 volcanic earthquakes over three days, according to state volcanologists. In monitoring bulletins from June 13 to 15, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that this sustained seismic activity, which occurred from 12 a.m. on June 12 to 12 a.m. on June 15, primarily consisted of volcano-tectonic earthqu

By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- The First Division of the Court of Appeals (CA) has reversed and dismissed the administrative case for conduct unbecoming of a public official against Camarines Norte Governor Ricarte Padilla. In a 15-page decision penned by Presiding Justice Fernanda Lampas Peralta and promulgated on May 29, 2026, the appellate court set aside the December 26, 2024 decision and July 29, 2025 order of the Office of the Ombudsman in Case No. OMB-L-A-SEP-23-015

(As a manifestation of support for members of the press covering the Philippine Senate, and for the entire Fourth Estate that was directly or indirectly maligned by Senator Rodante Marcoleta's statement tagging journalists as “bayaran” or paid hacks, BICOL MAIL is republishing this advocacy statement. — The Editor) Not Our Job, Senators Here is a lesson in media literacy: No public official is entitled to favorable coverage from the press. Again, for emphasis: No public offic

By Manuel T. Ugalde LEGAZPI CITY — Attendees at the June 12 Independence Day celebration in Albay were surprised when the Philippine flag was raised upside down, with the red field positioned above the blue during the singing of the national anthem. Albay Governor Noel Rosal, however, downplayed the incident, saying it was purely unintentional. He noted that personnel from the Philippine Navy were responsible for raising the flag during the ceremony. The flag-raising rites we

By Sally Atento-Altea LEGAZPI CITY, Albay --- The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) convened media practitioners and government information officers in Albay to bolster public awareness and advocacy against financial fraud and scams. BSP South Luzon Regional Office Director Tomas Cariño Jr. emphasized that media practitioners and information officers play a crucial role in protecting the public from fraudulent schemes by providing timely and accurate information. “This initia