Day: January 1, 2025

CEBU CITY: Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma has called upon Cebuanos to enter the New Year with steadfast faith and hope, inspired by the journey of the ‘Three Wise Men.’ In a New Year’s message delivered in Cebuano and released via video on New Year’s Eve, Archbishop Palma reflected on the courage and determination displayed by the wise men in their pursuit of the promised King. According to Philippines News Agency, Palma addressed the province’s 4.5 million baptized Catholics, urging them to emulate the wise men’s confidence and reliance on divine guidance amidst life’s challenges. “May we never forget that we

DAVAO CITY: One person has died, and two individuals are reported missing, while 20 others have sustained injuries in Davao Occidental due to severe rainfall linked to an intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) that has persisted since last week. The Office of the Civil Defense in Davao Region (OCD-11) provided this update on Tuesday night. According to Philippines News Agency, the continuous downpour on December 26 led to widespread flooding and landslides affecting several municipalities in the Davao region, notably Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur, and Davao Oriental. The adverse weather conditions have impacted 6,476 families, or approximately 28,686 people, leaving

MANILA: Crime incidents in Metro Manila have decreased by 10.62 percent in December, according to a report from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO). The report, presented by Acting Director Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin, highlights a reduction in crime incidents from 10,323 in November to 9,227 in December, alongside a significant decline in eight focus crimes by 11.94 percent. According to Philippines News Agency, the eight focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, theft, robbery, vehicle theft, and motorcycle theft. Aberin attributed these improvements to the effective implementation of crime prevention strategies and proactive measures by the NCRPO

BICOL: The New Year festivities in the Bicol region concluded with minimal firecracker-related injuries and no significant incidents, attributing the peaceful celebrations to a collaborative effort between law enforcement and the local community. The Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO-5) reported an effective execution of security measures that ensured public safety during the holiday period. According to Philippines News Agency, PRO-5 Director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon highlighted the proactive steps taken by the community and law enforcement as a key factor in the successful management of the celebrations. Dizon emphasized that the heightened alert status of Bicol police, combined with

MANILA: Outbound passenger traffic at ports across the Philippines surged on New Year’s Day, with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reporting 36,094 passengers departing from 6 a.m. to noon. This marks a steady flow as the holiday season draws to a close, highlighting the nation’s robust marine passenger movement. According to Philippines News Agency, the PCG also reported that during the same period, inbound passenger traffic reached 29,325. These figures represent a significant increase from the early morning hours of the same day, which saw only 5,203 outbound and 7,088 inbound passengers recorded from midnight to 6 a.m. The PCG