Day: April 16, 2025

Batangas: Pilgrims or visitors wanting to spend the Holy Week or do the Visita Iglesia in Tagaytay and Batangas could do so as there is no imminent threat concerning the Taal Volcano, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) affirmed on Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol assured the public that “Batangas and Tagaytay remain generally safe for visitors and tourists, including those doing Visita Iglesia.” Despite the reassurance, Bacolcol emphasized that Alert Level 1, indicating low level unrest, continues to be in effect over Taal Volcano. He cautioned the public that

Bacolod: Communities near the Kanlaon Volcano must remain vigilant and heed guidance from authorities, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. “Communities are advised to remain vigilant and to follow the guidance of Phivolcs and their respective LGU (local government unit) disaster risk reduction offices,” Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told the Philippine News Agency in an interview. According to Philippines News Agency, residents should be prepared for possible evacuation if necessary, especially in the event of an escalation in volcanic activity. Kanlaon is still under Alert Level 3, indicating a relatively high level of unrest

Washington: US President Donald Trump threatened to strip Harvard University of its tax-exempt status Tuesday after the Ivy League school bucked his demands to enact sweeping overhauls of its operations and policies. “Perhaps Harvard should lose its Tax Exempt Status and be Taxed as a Political Entity if it keeps pushing political, ideological, and terrorist inspired/supporting ‘Sickness?’” Trump posted on his proprietary social media website. “Remember, Tax Exempt Status is totally contingent on acting in the PUBLIC INTEREST!” According to Philippines News Agency, the threat came after Harvard said Monday it would fight reforms demanded by the Trump administration after

Masbate City: The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Bicol (DSWD-5) has extended relief assistance to families and individuals affected by a fire incident in the capital of Masbate province on Monday. In a report on Wednesday, DSWD-5 Director Norman Laurio said they mobilized its Disaster Response Management Division, in coordination with the Masbate Quick Response Team, to provide essential relief aid to the affected residents in Masbate City. The relief items that were distributed on Tuesday included family food packs and various non-food items such as hygiene kits, family kits, sleeping kits, kitchen kits, and 10-meter laminated sacks,

Manila: The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has reported that over 140,000 maritime passengers navigated through ports nationwide on Wednesday. This substantial movement of travelers was closely monitored by the PCG in its continued effort to manage the flow of passengers during the busy Holy Week period. According to Philippines News Agency, the PCG’s situation report highlighted that from 6 a.m. to 12 noon, there were 77,782 outbound passengers and 68,890 inbound passengers recorded across all ports. The PCG also deployed 4,748 frontline personnel across its 16 districts to inspect 647 vessels and 1,113 motor bancas, ensuring safety and security during