Category: General

Manila: The Negros Occidental provincial government has vowed to strengthen its environmental stewardship to serve as an inspiration to the local government units (LGUs) in the province. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson made the commitment as part of the week-long Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG)-Environmental Management (EM) Governance Area Learning Event for Negros Island (NIR) that concluded Tuesday afternoon at SMX Convention Center here. According to Philippines News Agency, Negros Occidental has been a consistent SGLG awardee, including its latest recognition in 2024, along with 18 of the 31 LGUs in the province. The award is given yearly by the

Butuan City: Two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in a clash with government troops Tuesday morning on the outskirts of the city, a military official said Wednesday. According to Philippines News Agency, Brig. Gen. Arsenio Sadural, commander of the Army’s 901st Infantry Brigade, stated that the clash took place in Sitio Dinakpan, Barangay Los Angeles. The encounter was between troops of the 29th Infantry Battalion and members of the NPA’s Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad Westland (SRSDG-WL). The 10-minute firefight led to the recovery of an AK-47 rifle, a Bushmaster rifle, ammunition, medical supplies, and other items. Brig. Gen.

Negros Occidental: The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) awarded a seed allocation amounting to PHP162.785 million to farmers in Negros Occidental under the agency’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program. Data on Wednesday showed that for this year’s wet season, Negros Occidental will receive 118,592 bags at 20 kilograms per bag with an estimated coverage area of 54,676 hectares, while for the 2026 dry season, 76,128 bags will be allocated to the province with an estimated coverage area of 35,096 hectares. The seed allocation will be delivered from March to December this year. According to Philippines News Agency,

Davao City: The New Zealand government is providing PHP247 million (USD4.5 million) to fund a four-year project in Mindanao aimed at enhancing leadership skills and economic opportunities for indigenous women and girls in the region. According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative will be executed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), focusing on beneficiaries in Regions 11 and 12. The project, named Indigenous Women and Girls – Leadership and Empowerment in Ancestral Domains (I-LEAD), also aims to bolster resilience against climate change and advocate for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and sustainable development

Manila: The Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) seized a record-breaking PHP85.167 billion worth of smuggled goods in 2024, Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio reported Wednesday. Rubio stated that this is an unprecedented anti-smuggling accomplishment in the bureau’s history. According to Philippines News Agency, Rubio emphasized the need for continued vigilance in light of the emerging practices utilized by criminal organizations. “Recognizing that the challenges we face are evolving, we must reinforce our anti-smuggling drive, bearing in mind that safeguarding our society is paramount,” he said in a statement. During the 38th founding anniversary celebration of the CIIS