Day: April 22, 2025

Manila: Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David clarified that there are no specific candidates in the conclave to be held following the passing of Pope Francis. David emphasized that the method of choosing the new leader of the Catholic Church differs significantly from political elections. According to Philippines News Agency, Cardinal David stressed in an interview on Church-run Radio Veritas that the process of selecting the next pope should be considered a “retreat” rather than an election. This period is marked by sincere prayers and reflection, guided by the Holy Spirit, rather than political

Northern Mindanao: Northern Mindanao’s trillion-peso Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) is expected to maintain its momentum following President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s inauguration of key infrastructure and agriculture projects in Misamis Oriental province on Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, Ma. Estrella Luz Pe±aloza, officer in charge and chief economic development specialist of the National Economic and Development Authority 10 (Northern Mindanao), stated that the expanded Balingoan port and the new Balingasag coconut processing plant would significantly stimulate economic activity for residents, tourists, and traders. “Coconut is a major agricultural driver in our region, contributing to 80 percent of our

Manila: Senior high school (SHS) graduates from public schools in Negros Occidental are being offered enhanced employment opportunities thanks to free National Certificate (NC) competency assessments in various technical-vocational livelihood (TVL) tracks provided by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). According to Philippines News Agency, the free assessments are part of the Provincial Assessment Week (PAW) scheduled from April 21 to 26. At least 552 SHS graduates will have the opportunity to undergo these assessments at designated centers throughout the province. TESDA-Negros Island Region Interim Regional Director Ni±a Connie Dodd stated that the week-long activity will include simultaneous

Central Luzon: Five communist rebels surrendered to the government while 13 supporters severed their ties with the underground movement in Central Luzon during the Holy Week, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 3 (Central Luzon) said on Tuesday. According to Philippines News Agency, the peaceful surrender of the communist terrorist group members and the withdrawal of support from their sympathizers are seen as indicators of the success of localized peace engagements. PRO-3 Director Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo emphasized this development in a statement. The PRO-3 reported that the “wave of defections” took place in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Bataan, and Olongapo City

Manila: The Land Transportation Office (LTO) 6 (Western Visayas) has issued show cause orders (SCOs) to five drivers and a jeepney operator for violations reported during the Holy Week. The announcement was made on Tuesday, highlighting the agency’s commitment to enforcing traffic regulations. According to Philippines News Agency, the SCOs were directed at Robert Alemania, the driver of a jeepney involved in an incident on Black Saturday, and the operator, Maria Fe Gayamo. LTO records indicate that the private jeepney was overloaded with 70 passengers, with some individuals positioned on top of the vehicle and others standing on the stepboard.