General

Manila: House Speaker Martin Romualdez on Monday paid tribute to Pope Francis following the pontiff’s death, remembering him as a leader who served as a “guiding light in times of darkness” for many Filipinos. “It is with a heavy heart that I join the world in mourning the passing of Pope Francis, whom we in Leyte – and across the Philippines – lovingly called ‘Lolo Kiko’,” Romualdez said in a statement. According to Philippines News Agency, Romualdez recalled the Pope’s visit to Tacloban in 2015, just over a year after Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) devastated the Eastern Visayas region, noting it

Manila: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President, Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David, has called upon bishops across the nation to ring the bells of churches in memory of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. He requested the faithful to also pray for the soul of the Holy Father, who had recently been released from the hospital after battling double pneumonia. According to Philippines News Agency, the pontiff died at his residence at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican on the morning of April 21. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber,

Manila: A group of environmental advocates on Monday filed a Writ of Kalikasan before the Supreme Court seeking to halt the Samal Island-Davao City Connector (SIDC) project due to its alleged destruction of critical coral ecosystems in the Davao Gulf. According to Philippines News Agency, petitioners Ecoteneo, Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability Inc., Sustainable Davao Movement, and Marvelous Camilo stated that the project threatens Paradise Reef in Samal Island and a Marine Protected Area in Davao City. The group claims that the construction of the SIDC project is resulting in actual, serious, and irreversible damage to the coral reefs in

Antique: Antique±os working or temporarily residing in the Negros Island Region and displaced by the recent unrest of Mt. Kanlaon are being urged to coordinate with their respective municipal disaster risk reduction and management offices (MDRRMOs) in Antique province. This is a necessary step to access potential assistance from the provincial government. According to Philippines News Agency, Antique Provincial DRRM Officer Broderick Train, who is currently stationed in the Negros Island Region (NIR) to support the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), emphasized the importance of coordination. Train stated that Antique±os should contact their MDRRMOs to ensure they can be located

Manila: Senators on Monday joined the global mourning for Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff who passed away Monday at the age of 88. Senate President Francis Escudero described the Catholic leader as ‘a true shepherd of Christ’s flock,’ noting that ‘his tireless efforts to foster peace and inclusion reshaped the Church’s role in promoting unity across religious and cultural divides.’ According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero said, ‘Pope Francis championed the marginalized, bringing their voices to the forefront of his papacy and inspiring the world with his message of love and acceptance.’ He highlighted the Pope’s 2015 visit