By Jason B. Neola A proposal that could dramatically reshape the country’s tax system is expected to spark wide-ranging reactions from various sectors, following the filing of a resolution by Naga City Councilor Nathan Sergio calling for a study on the possible exemption of public and private employees from paying individual income taxes. Sergio said the idea—once unthinkable—may no longer be far-fetched if the national government seriously considers its potential economic be

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) is preparing for the possible evacuation of nearly 80,000 residents, or about 19,758 families, should Mayon Volcano’s alert level be raised to Alert Level 4. In a phone interview, Apsemo chief Roderick Mendoza said the families come from 59 barangays in nine local government units located within the extended seven- to eight-kilometer danger zone. Mendoza said the provincial gov

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- Despite the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano, the Albay Provincial Tourism, Culture and the Arts Office (PTCAO) assured on Friday that the province remains safe and open to tourists, provided safety guidelines are strictly followed. In an interview on Friday, PTCAO chief Dorothy Colle said the provincial government continues to balance visitor safety with the livelihood of communities dependent on tourism by closely monitoring the situation a

By Ernie Delgado LEGAZPI CITY --- Lava welled up from the Philippines’ most active volcano, reaching heights of up to 100 meters early this morning in a spectacular yet increasingly dangerous eruption. The sporadic lava fountaining episode was observed on Mayon Volcano at 1:39 a.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 13), according to the Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology (Phivolcs). The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) shared video footage of th

By Sally Altea LEGAZPI CITY --- Two hundred fifty police personnel were dispatched to evacuation centers and communities in the vicinity of Mayon Volcano in Albay for emergency response purposes amid Mayon’s unrest, the Police Provincial Office (PPO) said on Wednesday. The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office said a total of 1,593 individuals or 392 families have been relocated to evacuation centers after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology r

By Keren Bernadas LEGAZPI CITY --- Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian announced on Thursday that 100,000 food packs will be delivered this week in anticipation of a possible escalation of Mayon Volcano to alert level 4. This delivery is in addition to the 116,755 food packs that have already been allocated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) for affected families since January 1, he said. “If more supplies are needed, we can quickly

By Ana-Liza S. Macatangay What began as a medical mission originally intended for Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Camarines Sur has expanded into a broader initiative, providing essential services to low-income residents throughout the province who struggle to prioritize medical care due to financial constraints. “Health on the Go” remains one of the flagship programs under the Ka Fuerte health agenda, delivering mobile clinics and preventive services directly to remote communiti

By Sally Atento-Altea LEGAZPI CITY --- Residents of Albay welcomed the signing of the 2026 national budget by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., expressing optimism as education received the highest allocation among government sectors. On Monday, the President signed the P6.793-trillion General Appropriations Act for 2026, with over P1.34 trillion dedicated to education, the largest share of the national budget. “Education receives the highest allocation—amounting to over P1.34

By Rosalita Manlangit DAET, Camarines Norte --- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Camarines Norte is encouraging local government units (LGUs) to allocate funds to support and promote programs that will strengthen the One Town, One Product (OTOP) initiative in their respective municipalities. DTI Provincial Director Christie Rivera stated that the main objective of the OTOP program is to build a strong identity for each municipality through its unique, resource-based

By Keren Anne Bernadas LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Health – Bicol Center for Health Development (DOH Bicol CHD) has increased medical support for rural health units assisting people displaced by the escalating unrest from Mayon Volcano. This support includes 29,682 boxes of ash masks, 2,500 water containers, 1,000 chlorine tablets, a 4,000-liter water tanker, medications for cough, fever, and colds, maintenance medications, and hygiene kits, all of which were delivered

By Ernie Delgado LEGAZPI CITY --- Aside from evacuating residents, local authorities are also relocating farm animals from villages within the danger zone of the restive Mayon Volcano. Local officials involved in disaster management have been instructed to carry out mandatory evacuations of livestock from high-risk areas, according to the Albay Veterinary Office (AVO). “(There will be) a full implementation of animal hauling,” said Pancho Mella, the chief of AVO. Mella said t

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) clarified on Monday that families affected by Mayon Volcano’s unrest do not need to present identification cards to receive relief assistance at evacuation centers in Albay. In a social media advisory, DSWD Bicol Director Norman Laurio said only the Family Access Card in Emergencies and Disasters (FACED) form is required for families to receive relief items, such as family fo

By Ernie Delgado LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced on Wednesday the traffic rerouting plan for Maharlika Highway in Albay in the event of an explosive eruption at Mayon Volcano. In its advisory, the DPWH-Bicol said that it will implement three different rerouting schemes based on where volcanic ash and lahar fall. According to the agency, if lahar or ashfall occurs to the south of the volcano, the affected area will be the Camalig s

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The 9th Infantry Division (9ID) on Monday assured the public and local government units of continued assistance as unrest persists around Mayon Volcano. In a press briefing, Brig. Gen. Ariel Reyes, assistant commander of the 9ID and head of Task Force Sagip, said over 500 soldiers are deployed to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) in affected Albay municipalities. “Our HADR component of the 9ID is now focused on ass

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- Inflation in the Bicol Region rose to 2.3 percent in December 2025, up from 0.6 percent in November, the Philippine Statistics Authority Bicol (PSA-5) reported on Friday. At a press conference on Friday, Cynthia Perdiz, PSA-5 director, said the region’s average inflation for 2025 was recorded at 1.7 percent, lower than the 3.5 percent annual average record in 2024. Perdiz said the December increase was mainly driven by food and non-alcoholic