By Ernie Delgado LEGAZPI CITY --- People living near Mount Mayon often feel the ground move. Sometimes it’s just a light tremor, like a breeze, and at other times a sharp jolt that can knock dishes off the counter. Over time, these subtle shifts have become part of everyday life in nearby communities. On Friday, June 5, more than a dozen volcanic earthquakes and tremors shook the area around Mayon. State volcanologists recorded 14 volcanic earthquakes and three volcanic tremo

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Philippine Statistics Authority in Bicol (PSA-5) bared on Tuesday that the inflation rate in Bicol eased slightly to 7.4 percent in May from 7.6 percent in April 2026. In a press conference, PSA-5 Director Cynthia Perdiz said the main sources of the deceleration in May inflation were housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels, which accounted for 58.9 percent of total inflation. "The second is transport with a 37.2 percent share, p

By MANUEL T. UGALDE LEGAZPI CITY --- Despite the much-publicized presidential probe that cast the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Bicol as deeply mired in corruption, not a single engineer in the region has reportedly been charged by the now-defunct Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI). President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created the ICI on September 11, 2025, following his State of the Nation Address, where he revealed that billions of pesos allocated

By Bobby Q. Labalan and Rhaydz B. Barcia LEGAZPI CITY — Eleven members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Catanduanes and the provincial vice governor have been ordered suspended for six months by the Office of the Ombudsman, according to an order dated May 22, 2026. The preventive suspension, signed by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, covers Vice Governor Robert Fernandez and the following board members: Josevan Balidoy, Giovanni Balmadrid, Jose Romeo Francisco, Edwin Tan

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has warned the public, including Bicolanos, against fake online investment advertisements that use the names and images of government officials, business personalities, and financial experts to lure victims into fraudulent schemes. The warning came after a fake social media post circulated online claiming that BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. appeared in an interview on ANC Headstart together with financial coach Chinkee Tan to endorse an in

By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- Amid the country’s deepening political and economic crisis, Bishop Joel “Bong” Z. Baylon of the Diocese of Legazpi has called on Filipinos, particularly Albayanos, to repent for their participation in corruption and dishonesty, and to remain vigilant in demanding integrity, transparency, and accountability from those in public service. In a pastoral letter issued in light of the current situation, the prelate warned that graft and corruption

By Paulo DS Papa The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) has pledged legal assistance to the bereaved family of Roselle Bandojo, a 17-year-old high school student who was found dead and in a state of decomposition in a grassy, abandoned lot at the corner of Acacia Street, Barangay Liboton, Naga City on July 28, 2023. Days before her lifeless body was discovered, Bandojo was reported missing after she went out to buy food items at a convenience store along Peñafranc

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- At least PHP5.5 million worth of fish catch, fishing equipment, vessels and other evidence were confiscated, and 97 individuals were arrested for violations of fisheries and environmental laws in May 2026, the Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) reported Tuesday. Brig. Gen. Erosito Miranda, PRO-5 director, said most of the 51 anti-illegal fishing operations were conducted in the coastal provinces of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbat

By Sally A. Altea LEGAZPI CITY, Albay --- More than 6,400 farmers have received emergency cash assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) after losing crops and income because of ashfall from Mayon Volcano.The assistance was provided in accordance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure that affected families and communities receive immediate support amid the ongoing volcanic activity in Albay. “The President’s instruction is

QUEZON CITY, June 2, 2026 – The Social Security System (SSS) today begins the early rollout of the second tranche of the Pension Reform Program (PRP) to 4.1 million pensioners, advancing the originally scheduled September pension increase to provide SSS pensioners with earlier financial relief. Finance Secretary and Social Security Commission (SSC) Chair Frederick D. Go and SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said the agency is releasing approx

By Connie Calipay LEGAZPI CITY --- The Department of Information and Communications Technology in Bicol (DICT-5) will distribute more than 22,000 Bayanihan SIM cards to students and schools in eight primary schools across the region as the 2026-2027 school year begins. In a Kapihan forum on Monday, DICT-5 officer-in-charge and regional director Christian Roy Melad said the distribution will commence next week. “For the Bayanihan SIM card distribution scheduled next week, we w

By Edna Bagadiong VIRAC, Catanduanes --- A total of 247 job seekers participated in the “Trabaho Para Sa Catandungueno Job Fair” held on May 30, 2026, at the Provincial Capitol Dome, where nine applicants were hired on the spot. Job seekers registered for both local and overseas positions offered by participating companies during the event. Additionally, 169 local applicants were recorded as “qualified” after meeting the basic requirements set by employers. These candidates

By Rosalita Manlangit DAET, Camarines Norte --- Seven individuals and organizations have signed their interim small-scale mining contracts during the Mobile One-Stop Shop (MOSS) event organized by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau in the Bicol region (MGB 5). Under the interim small-scale mining contract, miners are given two years to fulfill all their requirements in order to obtain their license. This license will enable them to sell gold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (

By Rhaydz Barcia LEGAZPI CITY --- As the Philippines braces for the worsening impact of El Niño, the provincial government of Albay has allocated P40 million in assistance for farmers, primarily for the distribution of free fertilizers, Governor Noel Rosal said. Rosal said the province is preparing for a prolonged dry spell expected to affect food production, noting that Albayano farmers are already facing a “double whammy” due to the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano, which ha

By Bobby Q. Labalan Legazpi City --- Labor force in this year’s Brigada Eskwela in Bicol Region was reinforced by thousands of workers sponsored by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as the annual school preparation program kicks off June 3 at Labo Central School in Labo, Camarines Norte. The event was led by DepEd-Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad, Assistant Regional Director bebiano Sentillas, Educational Support Service Division Chief Joan Lagata, Curriculu