July 2, 2025

Negros: The Negros Electric and Power Corp. has replaced at least 13,308 outdated electric meters across its franchise area in central Negros to modernize customer metering as part of its broader system loss reduction program, data on Wednesday showed. According to Philippines News Agency, following an intensified anti-pilferage campaign and sweeping technical upgrades, the power firm’s system loss went down from 11.84 percent in August 2024 to only 8.03 percent by May 2025, breaching the interim cap of 8.25 percent set by the Energy Regulatory Commission. In a statement, Negros Power said the dramatic drop signals significant progress in improving

Davao city: Davao City has been ranked fifth among the 33 highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in the Philippines for its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, as reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) 11 (Davao) on Wednesday. The city contributed PHP532.54 billion, or 2.5 percent of the GDP, at constant 2018 prices, following Quezon City, Makati, Manila, and Taguig. According to Philippines News Agency, when the rankings are extended to include the 82 provinces and 33 HUCs across the country, Davao City stands at the 10th position in terms of GDP contribution. The top contributors

Surigao del sur: A New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla surrendered to the troops of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) in Lianga, Surigao del Sur, on Tuesday. In a statement on Wednesday, 3SFBn commander Lt. Colonel Jason Pangandoyon identified the rebel surrenderer as Dante Engayas Sanchez, who brought with him an AK-47 rifle and two anti-personnel mines. According to Philippines News Agency, the surrender of Sanchez was the result of the collaborative efforts between the 3SFBn troops and the community in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga town. Sanchez is now in the custody of the 3SFBn for debriefing and processing

Ilocos region: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has provided cash assistance to 15 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from the Ilocos Region who fell victim to the ‘balikbayan box’ scam. Each OFW received PHP30,000 from the agency’s Aksyon Fund. According to Philippines News Agency, DMW 1 (Ilocos Region) officer-in-charge Assistant Director Romeo Jaramilla disclosed during a phone interview that these OFWs were identified based on a list provided by the Bureau of Customs, which confirmed the loss of their balikbayan boxes. The department reached out to the affected workers and facilitated the documentation needed for them to receive the cash

Catbalogan city: A local red tide warning has been raised in Irong-Irong Bay in Samar as collected seawater samples indicate the presence of red tide toxins, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) reported on Wednesday. The bay in Catbalogan City, the capital of Samar province, is the second area in the region included in the latest local red tide warning issued by the fisheries bureau. According to Philippines News Agency, ‘No area in the region is under shellfish ban. However, filtered seawater samples collected from Irong-Irong Bay remain positive for pyrodinium bahamense, a dinoflagellate that produces red tide