General

Negros Oriental: The Commission on Elections in the Negros Island Region (Comelec-NIR) has instructed local officials running in the upcoming May 12 elections to remove or cover their photos and names on government vehicles throughout the campaign period. According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec-NIR Assistant Regional Director Jossil Macute stated that this directive applies specifically during the campaign period for local candidates, which commences on March 28 and concludes on May 10. Macute emphasized the importance of preventing accusations of using government resources for personal campaign benefits, recommending that photos and names be temporarily removed or covered on ambulances, dump

Baguio City: It was business as usual for drivers and operators of public utility vehicles (PUV) here on Monday amid the start of a three-day nationwide transport strike set by groups opposed to the PUV Modernization Program (PUVMP). In a joint statement, 16 transport cooperatives and corporations operating in Baguio City and nearby areas voiced their support to the government’s PUVMP. According to Philippines News Agency, the groups expressed their unified stance saying, “United we stand in support to modernize the transport system in the Cordilleras.” While they are in favor of the PUVMP and have shunned the transport strike,

Manila: Local officials in Samar Island are preparing all necessary documents to make sure that the proposed PHP11.9-billion ‘Unity Roads’ will be funded by the national government. Imelda Bonifacio, Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Area Management Unit-Eastern Visayas chief, said on Monday that they must make sure that these projects endorsed by top regional policymaking bodies are ready for implementation. According to Philippines News Agency, Bonifacio emphasized the importance of complying with all the project documents to ensure these are implementation-ready. She noted that the infrastructure and resource management clusters are working diligently to

Iloilo City: The local government has partnered with the Department of Education-Division of Iloilo City to initiate “TRASHkolekta: Basura ta, Manggad naton,” a sustainable waste management program aimed at engaging students. This initiative was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of agreement on Monday. According to Philippines News Agency, Mayor Jerry Tre±as emphasized that the agreement is not just a policy but a call to action for the community to contribute to preserving the city for future generations. He stated that the collaboration is aimed at managing waste effectively while transforming mindsets and inspiring positive change toward a cleaner,

Manila: The Australian government continues to assist the Philippines in enhancing its aviation security, with a focus on capacity building, an official from the Office for Transportation Security (OTS) announced on Monday. “Since there are direct flights between the Philippines and Australia, there is a need for stronger cooperation and collaboration, sharing of information and best practices to prevent any acts of unlawful interference or terrorism,” OTS spokesperson Kim Marquez explained to the Philippine News Agency during an interview. According to Philippines News Agency, the Australian Department of Home Affairs has been actively involved in providing training and workshops to