Day: May 5, 2025

Bacolod: Consumer groups are seeking an end to the joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. as majority of the consumers in this highly-urbanized city continue to experience poor service and low water quality. According to Philippines News Agency, Water Watch Advocates, represented by its convenor Wennie Sancho, has petitioned President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for the revocation of the JVA, citing substandard water quality, particularly turbid water, which affects consumer health and well-being. The petition calls for a thorough investigation into the water quality issues and urges exploration of alternative arrangements

Negros Oriental: Police in Negros Oriental confiscated PHP10.9 million worth of shabu in a weeklong anti-crime blitz ahead of the midterm elections, officials reported Monday. The operations, spanning from April 28 to May 4, were part of a larger effort to ensure a safe and secure election period. According to Philippines News Agency, the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) arrested 23 drug suspects and confiscated 1,607 grams of methamphetamine. The operations included 19 drug raids and broader crime suppression efforts, which also resulted in the arrest of 42 gambling suspects across 21 operations. Furthermore, authorities captured four most-wanted criminals

Baguio City: The Department of Agriculture in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DA-CAR) continues to utilize its resources to help farmers sell their products to direct buyers in a bid to ensure that these farmers earn from their hard work. “Through these continuing initiatives of empowering the farmers to directly sell their produce to consumers, their net income will increase,” lawyer Jennilyn Dawayan, DA-CAR regional executive director, said on Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, Dawayan particularly cited the Cordillera Association of Regional Executives (CARE) as among those “actively engaged with the DA in assisting the farming communities in the Cordillera.”

Iloilo City: The city government and the Iloilo Tourism Foundation Inc. have formalized a partnership to enhance the local tourism industry by signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA). This initiative includes updating Iloilo’s tourism development plan and revising the tourism code that has been in place for over a decade. According to Philippines News Agency, Maria Lea Victoria Lara, the director of the Iloilo City Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) Center, stated that the agreement focuses on collaborative tourism initiatives. These efforts aim to align local tourism strategies with the national Philippine Tourism Plan and incorporate recent developments such

Bacolod City: Officials in this city welcomed the directive of Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon to require regular and mandatory drug tests for public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers as part of a nationwide road safety plan. According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez expressed support for the directive from the Department of Transportation (DOTr), emphasizing that for the drug test to be effective, it should be unannounced. Councilor Al Victor Espino, chairperson of the committee on transportation and traffic management, stated that it is the right time to implement regular and mandatory drug tests for PUV drivers, acknowledging the