By Manuel T. Ugalde LEGAZPI CITY — A series of deaths involving public works officials has cast a pall over the Bicol region, following the ongoing probe by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) into alleged ghost and anomalous government projects. The first reported incident occurred in Sorsogon on November 13, when a 60-year-old Engineer III, identified as Larry Reyes, chair of the Bids and Awards Committee of the Sorsogon 1st District Engineering Office, repo

By Paulo DS Papa A person deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Naga City District Jail may face tougher conditions after his brother was caught attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the facility. The Naga City Police Office identified the suspect as Joe, 25, a resident of Barangay Cararayan, Naga City, who allegedly tried to bring in two sachets of suspected shabu worth P54,400 on the morning of Saturday, January 10. The illegal drugs were discovered concealed in Joe’s underwe

By Manuel Tugalde LEGAZPI CITY --- Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has tapped the regional director of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) to take over the Bicol Region, long tagged as a hotbed of corruption and insider contractors. Bicol DPWH Regional Director Virgilio Eduarte has reportedly been reassigned to the Office of the Secretary, along with Assistant Regional Director Annie de la Vega. De la Vega, who hails from Surigao, had been in Bic

“Do everything in Love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14) THE MARONITES ON MISSION – AUSTRALIA embarked on their 2026 Philippine Mission under the theme “Pilgrims of Hope,” carrying a message rooted in St. Paul’s exhortation: “Do everything in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). In a world often marked by division and fatigue, their journey became a living witness to Pope Francis’ call for the Church to walk together, renewing hearts and restoring dignity through faith in Christ. The mission

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