Top Stories

Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez after filing the “TUBO Act of 2026” bill at the House of Representatives on Tuesday.*Rep. Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) filed House Bill No. 9088 on Tuesday, May 5, seeking a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s sugar industry to protect farmers from market volatility and over-importation.Dubbed the “TUBO Act of 2026” (Tunay na Ugnayan, Buhay, at Oportunidad sa Asukal), the measure proposes sweeping amendments to the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA) of 2015 to stabilize production and supply.Benitez said that the legislation aims to establish a more responsive, data-driven, and inclusive framework for the sugar industry, which remains a vital source of livelihood for rural communities.The bill addresse...

The restive Kanlaon Volcano*One cannot outrun a volcanic eruption and get to safety in time, a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) official warned on Tuesday.Residents living near Kanlaon Volcano should not be complacent and must avoid entering the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ), Ma. Antonia Bornas, chief of the Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division of PHIVOLCS, said on Tuesday, May 5.“When we say avoid the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ), we mean it day to day, because any time there could be an eruption,” she said.She also said residents living within the Pyroclastic Density Current (PDC) hazard zones outside the PDZ should also be prepared to evacuate at any time.“We must be prepared at all times for a possible...

The King Cobra in the toilet bowl at a resort in Don Salvador Benedicto.* screengrab from video of Dranreb TeodosoThe Don Salvador Benedicto municipal government in Negros Occidental is investigating reports of a King Cobra sighting at a local resort, while reminding the public that such wildlife is part of the town’s natural ecosystem within a protected forest zone.In an official statement, the local government unit (LGU) confirmed it is coordinating with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the resort management to verify the accuracy of the reports.The LGU noted that because Don Salvador Benedicto is situated within the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP), the presence of various reptile species is a "natural occurrence" and a sign of the area's r...

TUCP President Raymond Democrito Mendoza and Vice President  Roland C. de la Cruz (right)*The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has intensified its call for the immediate overhaul of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), citing an "avalanche" of imported sugar and unregulated substitutes as proof of the agency's failure to protect local producers.House Deputy Speaker and TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza is pushing for the urgent passage of House Bill No. 8376, which seeks to democratize the SRA Board by institutionalizing seats for workers, farmers, and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs).The move comes as the National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines (NACUSIP) spearheads a massive signature campaign demanding the resi...

“We call on all stakeholders to move forward with responsibility and unity", UNIFED Chairman Manuel Lamata said.*Ronnie Baldonado file photoTwo major sugar federations on Tuesday, May 5, accused the Sugar Council of "counterproductive agitation" and sabotaging industry unity by seeking to oust Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel and the current Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) leadership.The United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) and the Luzon Federation of Sugarcane Growers Association (LuzonFed) issued a joint statement reaffirming their full support for Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona and the Sugar Board members, arguing that the recent drop in sugar prices is a result of systemic "structural gaps" rather than a ...

Two individuals, including a high-value target, were arrested in a buy-bust operation that yielded about P680,000 worth of suspected shabu in Bacolod City early Tuesday, May 5.The Bacolod City Police Office identified the suspects as alias “Em-em,” 31, tagged as a high-value individual, and alias “Polite,” 41, a street-level individual. Both are residents of Brgy. Sum-ag.Police said the operation was conducted at around 2:24 a.m. in Purok Fatima 2, Brgy. Sum-ag by the City Drug Enforcement Unit.Authorities said about 100 grams of suspected shabu were confiscated during the operation, with an estimated standard drug price of P680,000.The suspects are currently under police custody for documentation and proper disposition.Charges for violation of Republic Act 9165, or the...

A 29-year-old construction worker was injured after he was shot by unidentified assailants in Brgy. Banilad, Bacong, Negros Oriental, early Monday morning, May 4.The victim, a resident of Dumaguete City, had attended a disco event at the barangay gymnasium before the incident.Initial investigation showed the victim was standing in front of a nearby sari-sari store when two unidentified male suspects arrived on separate motorcycles and suddenly opened fire.Authorities said the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body, including the chest, arms, and legs.Despite being shot, the victim managed to flee as the suspects chased him before eventually escaping.Recovered from the scene were five fired cartridge cases of .45 caliber and three 9mm a...

Artist Charlie Co speaks at the unveiling of the mural*A 30-meter commemorative mural honoring the life and works of Sagaynon artist Nunelucio “Nune” Alvarado was unveiled at the Amparo Private Cemetery in Brgy. Old Sagay, on Tuesday, May 5.The unveiling marked the 76th birth anniversary of Alvarado and introduced a new cultural landmark in the city, a press release from Sagay City said.The mural, initiated as a family tribute and developed through a collaboration among Syano Artlink, the Alvarado family, Mortabond, Steine Paints, and the Sagay City Government, features a collection of Alvarado’s major works, including the Nawong Series, “Kaupdanan sa Kampo,” “Lain Buot,” “Kaubay,” “Siga Mata,” and “Hudhud.”Designed around the concept of “Diin Tabo Man” or a point of con...

Police operations across Negros Occidental resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspects and the seizure of illegal drugs worth P491,000, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) reported Tuesday, May 5.In its accomplishment report from April 27 to May 3, NOCPPO said a total of 19 individuals were arrested in 18 anti-illegal drug operations.Authorities confiscated around 72.28 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated standard drug price of P491,504.Police also intensified operations against wanted persons, leading to the arrest of 30 individuals.Of these, seven were listed as most wanted persons arrested in seven separate operations, while 23 other wanted individuals were arrested in 22 operations.In the campaign against illegal gambling, police conducte...

The 20 beneficiaries of the “EleVAte AIDA” digital upskilling initiative with Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya.*The Bacolod City government, in partnership with the Aboitiz Foundation, has launched the “Elevate Aida” program to strengthen local economic empowerment by training 20 women in high-demand digital skills.Part of Mayor Greg Gasataya’s Pag-eskwela to Pagtrabaho (P2P) initiative, the program targets students, job-seekers, and single mothers from various barangays, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office (BCCO) said.Participants will undergo free training in virtual assistance (VA), artificial intelligence (AI) integration, and data annotation, it said.The 20-day course, which began on Monday, May 4, includes four-hour daily sessions. Each particip...