Day: June 25, 2025

Bacolod: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Environment Management Bureau (EMB) 6 (Western Visayas) is set to conduct public scoping and hearing sessions for three significant proposed projects in Negros Occidental next month. The initiatives include an oil palm plantation, a poultry farm expansion, and a solar power project, each poised to have substantial impacts on the region. According to Philippines News Agency, the public scoping for the PHP60 million oil palm plantation by Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. (HAPI) in Candoni will occur at the municipal covered gymnasium on July 3. Meanwhile, the poultry farm expansion project by

Iloilo City: Three companies showed interest in partnering with the local government here to operate and manage the Uswag Iloilo Hospital and Medical Arts Building through a public-private partnership. According to Philippines News Agency, Lawyer David Abraham Garcia, head of the Iloilo City Public-Private Partnership Office, announced that The Medical City (TMC) submitted an unsolicited proposal this month. Furthermore, Healthway Qualimed Hospital by Ayala and West Visayas State University Medical Center have also expressed intent to participate in this initiative. “They all want to operate and manage the city hospital,” Garcia stated in an interview. TMC’s proposal outlines an upfront

Ilocos: Farm modernization is making life easier for local farmers here, as they continue to benefit from the municipality’s share in tobacco excise tax in the form of new machinery and equipment. Nestor Asuncion, a farmer from Barangay San Guillermo, shared that his harvest from his one-hectare tobacco plantation improved significantly after receiving a diesel-powered water pump, which sustained crop growth even during the dry season. According to Philippines News Agency, on June 23, a new batch of farm equipment, purchased through the municipality’s tobacco excise tax share, benefited 50 registered farmers’ organizations and cooperatives. Outgoing Mayor Angel Miguel Hernando

Baguio: The city government here expects the implementation of the “Barangay Pagbasa” ordinance to sustain and further boost Baguio’s high literacy rate. “This is one of the initiatives we have undertaken to ensure that students who need help will be assisted and none of them will be left behind,” councilor Vladimir Cayabas, author of the ordinance that was passed on final reading and signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong on June 17, said. The ordinance is up for posting and publication, which will determine its date of effectivity. According to Philippines News Agency, the program was first started by the Department

Camarines Sur: More than 4,000 residents from various towns in Camarines Sur have started redeeming food stamps as part of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Walang Gutom Program. In an interview on Wednesday, DSWD-5 Director Norman Laurio said that at least 15 local government units (LGUs) in the province are participating in the program that aims to provide decent meals to eligible families. According to Philippines News Agency, the participating towns include San Fernando, Milaor, Garchitorena, Ragay, Lupi, Del Gallego, Sipocot, Pili, Pasacao, Libmanan, Iriga, Nabua, Minalabac, Bula, and Cabusao. Under the program, each household will receive