Education dept condemns shooting in Nueva Ecija school
by Red Mendoza on August 8, 2025 at 12:40 AM
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education – Nueva Ecija Schools Division Office (SDO) condemned the shooting that injured two students at the Sta. Rosa Integrated School in Sta. Rosa town.According to the police report by Sta. Rosa police, a 15-year old female student was shot by the suspect after he entered the classroom of the victim.The victim was only known by the alias “Lea” while the suspect was identified as Menard Canoza, an 18-year-old dropout student.The SDO said in a statement that schools should always remain a safe and secure place for learners, teachers, and personnel, and that any act of violence within or near school grounds was unacceptable and would not be tolerated.It also said that it was now coordinating with local authorities and law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible would be accountable.The SDO is also working to provide psychosocial support and stress debriefing to affected learners and staff, strengthen security protocols within the school, and restore normalcy and ensure that learning continues in a safe environment.”DepEd reiterates its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of all learners and personnel. We appeal to our stakeholders, including parents, local government units, and the community, to remain vigilant and support our shared responsibility of promoting a culture of peace and safety in our schools,” it added.
Cebu to livestream procurement meetings
by Kaiser Jan Fuentes on August 7, 2025 at 4:16 PM
CEBU CITY — The closed door procurement meetings at the Cebu provincial capitol will soon be streamed live for all to see.All competitive bidding activities of the Cebu provincial government will be shown live online following an executive order issued by Gov. Pamela Baricuatro to promote transparency, accountability and public access to procurement proceedings.Baricuatro signed Executive Order (EO) 37 on July 28, 2025, mandating the real-time livestreaming of procurement activities handled by the Capitol’s Bids and Awards Committees (BAC), such as pre-procurement meetings, pre-bid conferences and bid openings.The provincial board approved the order during its regular session on Aug. 4.Provincial administrator Ace Durano said the policy is already required under Republic Act (RA) 12009 or the New Government Procurement Act, and that the executive order ensures its active implementation.He said transparency is already mandated by law but the EO reaffirms the province’s intent to fully enforce it.Durano said that while the BAC had previously been recording meetings on video, the livestreaming component will officially begin during the next week’s open bidding.He added that this would allow the public to follow the proceedings in real time, even without being physically present at the BAC office.The order applies to all bidding processes regardless of contract amount, but recordings must be archived for at least five years only if projects meet the following thresholds: P10 million for goods, P20 million for infrastructure and P5 million for consulting services.The EO clarifies that although livestreaming is required for all procurement activities, only projects meeting the specified monetary thresholds must have recordings stored for five years.Implementing offices are directed to maintain digital platforms for livestreaming and publishing procurement details.For projects with an approved budget of P50 million and above, post-award information must also be printed in newspapers of general circulation.This includes the project name, contract amount, winning bidder, implementation period, and other relevant data.The Public Information Office (PIO) will serve as the lead agency in implementing the livestreaming policy and ensuring compliance. It is tasked with managing technical needs, coordinating with BAC, and observing data privacy protocols.Sensitive personal data and trade secrets will be redacted unless parties waive confidentiality.Procurement documents are presumed to be open and accessible to the public, unless classified as confidential by law or jurisprudence.The order also mandates the regular publication of the Government Procurement Policy Board’s consolidated blacklisting report, which must include penalties, grounds for blacklisting and the agencies involved.Public officials or employees who fail to comply with the executive order may face administrative sanctions.Funding for the initiative, including livestreaming equipment, staffing, IT upgrades, and training, will be sourced from the annual provincial budget or other lawful funding options.Durano said the livestreaming measure aims to discourage irregularities such as overpricing, collusion and manipulation in the procurement process while reinforcing public trust in government transactions.EO 37 supports and strengthens the mandates of RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act), RA 12009, and RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), reinforcing the Provincial Capitol’s stance on open governance and fair, competitive bidding.
Santos voted PCL president in Nueva Ecija
by Celso Cajucom on August 7, 2025 at 4:15 PM
PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija — Councilor Lance Jarwin Santos of General Natividad town has been elected as president of the Nueva Ecija chapter of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) in an election held at the Palayan City Convention Center on Wednesday.Santos, who defeated Peter Marcus Matias of Santa Rosa town by only five votes (159-154), will also serve as an ex officio member of the Nueva Ecija Provincial Board or the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.A total of 319 councilors from the five cities and 27 municipalities of Nueva Ecija, participated in the election.Six of the ballots was declared spoiled by the PCL’s election canvasser due to technicality.It was surprise victory for the 34-year-old Santos who ran as president without a ticket compared to Matias, who has a complete lineup of officers.“I will make a difference and do very best interest of the members under his new leadership,” said Santos, a former SK Federation president during the term of his father, former Gen. Natividad mayor Librado Levi Santos.Matias is a nephew of Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Matias Umali and was president of the PCL from 2010 to 2019.The rest of the positions were uncontested and the candidates were automatically declared winners based on the PCL election guidelines.Also proclaimed as officers were Kent Natividad (vice president), Julius Sta Maria (general secretary), Janette Tomas (treasurer), Melody Dela Cruz (auditor), Ivy Belmonte (PRO), Edgar De Leon Jr. (business manager), and board of directors Cleofe Felix, Rodney Cabrera, Amir Ramos, Mawei Munsayac, Kent Natividad and Gelo Bote.Outgoing PCL president Belinda Palilio, meanwhile, urged the new set of officers to be united and work as one team.PCL national chairman Raul Corro, who was present during the election as observer and guest, said the league has more than 17,200 members nationwide and continue to take care of the welfare of councilors, including health and benefits.
San Simon mayor arrested for extortion
by Frederick Silverio on August 7, 2025 at 4:14 PM
MAYOR Abundio Punsalan Jr. of San Simon town in Pampanga found himself at the center of a controversy after attending a seminar on ethics and accountability.Just hours after sitting among fellow local leaders at the Leadership, Ethics, Accountability and Development (LEAD) program in local governance in the city of San Fernando, Pampanga, Punsalan was arrested in an entrapment operation by National Bureau of Intelligence (NBI) agents inside a cafe at Clark Freeport in Angeles City on Tuesday afternoon over allegations of multimillion-peso extortion and illegal possession of firearms.Punsalan and his cohorts were accused of allegedly asking P80 million from RealSteel Corp. in exchange for the release of its business permit.The NBI said the scheme began when one Eric Yabut, posing as a San Simon municipal officer, ordered the company to stop its construction and hauling activities.Shortly after, Dr. Ed Ryan Dimla, also known as “Dr. Yang,” who introduced himself as the town’s external city administrator and claimed to be acting on behalf of Punsalan, allegedly demanded P30 million to “prevent” any further municipal action against the firm, as well as an additional P50 million purportedly to reimburse the mayor’s political campaign expenses.Investigators said the threats included revocation of RealSteel’s business permits and the cancellation of a municipal ordinance that granted the company tax incentives.A sting operation was set up, culminating in the arrest of both suspects while they received marked money from the complainant.The NBI said P30 million in marked cash was allegedly received by the mayor as initial payment from the complainant.It was learned that the suspects allegedly demanded payment in tranches for the remaining sum of money.NBI probers said Punsalan did not resist arrest while his six bodyguards were also held and disarmed.The operation stemmed from complaints filed by Irwin Chua and Mel Arellano, president and corporate secretary, respectively, of Real Steel Corp., a steel bar manufacturing firm operating in San Simon.The complaint alleged that Punsalan demanded millions from the company despite the firm having no environmental or tax-related violations.The company reported the incident to the NBA and an entrapment was immediately set.This is a stark contrast of the seminar’s message and the mayor’s arrest has sparked outrage and raised questions about corruption in local offices.The seminar, organized by the provincial government of Pampanga in partnership with the Department of Interior and Local Government, aimed to promote ethical leadership, unity and transparency in local governance.Punsalan faces charges under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.Ironically, San Simon, named after Saint Simon the Zealot, a man of conviction, is now in the spotlight for alleged betrayal of public trust.Punsalan has been suspended multiple times, with the latest being a six-month suspension by the Office of the Ombudsman for “simple neglect of duty and simple misconduct” in June 2023.The suspension stemmed from the reclassification of a parcel of land without deliberations which was later transferred to private individuals and used as collateral for a millions of loan.Punsalan was also suspended for six months in July 2021 after the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Pampanga found him and five other councilors guilty of “dishonesty, grave misconduct in office, gross negligence, gross dereliction of duty, and grave abuse of authority” over the purchase of parcel of land near the municipal hall in 2020.
Aklan board member Haresco steps down
by Rjay Zuriaga Castor on August 7, 2025 at 4:13 PM
ILOILO CITY — Aklan 2nd District Board Member Jose Ceciron Lorenzo Haresco has formally stepped down from his seat at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP), citing personal and family commitments.Haresco’s irrevocable resignation was read into the record by SP member Apolinar Cleope during the SP’s regular session on Wednesday.In his letter dated July 30, Haresco said his resignation is effective immediately.“This decision follows careful consideration of pressing personal and family commitments, which regrettably prevent me from continuing to serve in public office,” Haresco wrote.“I extend my gratitude to this Honorable Body and to the people of Aklan for the privilege, however brief, and trust that the vacancy thus created will be filled promptly in accordance with law,” he added.He requested that his resignation be entered into the official journal of the session proceedings to allow for the lawful appointment process for the position’s replacement.Copies of the resignation were also furnished to the Commission on Elections, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Nacionalista Party and the Office of the Provincial Governor.In the recent midterm elections, Haresco garnered the highest number of votes in the district with 92,199 votes. He was set to serve until 2028.His resignation now leaves a vacancy in the provincial board, which must be filled through appropriate legal processes.Under the Local Government Code of 1991, Gov. Jose Enrique Miraflores has the authority to appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy.The appointed person should come from the Nacionalista Party, the political party of the former officeholder.
E-sabong banned in Negros Occidental
by Eugene Y. Adiong on August 7, 2025 at 4:11 PM
BACOLOD CITY — The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) of Negros Occidental on Tuesday passed an ordinance prohibiting online or remote betting for cockfights in the province. Provincial Ordinance 11, authored by Board Member Andrew Montelibano of the third district, aims to uphold Presidential Decree (PD) 449 or the Cockfighting Act of 1974 by allowing only the traditional betting methods for cockfighting and derby in the province.Under the ordinance, non-traditional means of betting for cockfights, such as e-sabong, are prohibited.The Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) defines e-sabong as “the online/remote or off-site wagering/betting on live cockfighting matches, events, and/or activities streamed or broadcasted live from cockpit arenas.”Cockfighting, on the other hand, refers to the “live match between two gamecocks pitted against each other and being watched live onsite by spectators inside a licensed cockpit arena.”Local government units are tasked to issue permits for traditional cockfighting events.The ordinance said there is “a need to protect the hapless gamblers for rigged or unreliable forms of betting that could lead to financial and emotional ruin.”The ordinance also aims to preserve traditional cockfighting while ensuring compliance with existing laws.Montelibano, chairman of the Committee on Games, said that while cockfighting is part of Filipino history and culture, it should not be exploited.Montelibano pointed out that with this ordinance “it is prohibited and declared illegal to conduct non-traditional Sabong and non- traditional means of taking bets in the province of Negros Occidental.”He said that the local government must ensure that only traditional methods will be used for sabong and betting when issuing a permit for sabong events.Montelibano added that PD 449 recognized that cockfighting is part of the Filipino customs and traditions and should neither be exploited as an object of commercialism or business enterprise nor made a tool of uncontrolled gambling but more as a vehicle for the preservation and perpetuation of native Filipino heritage and thereby enhance our national identity.Montelibano said that machine betting, or e-sabong, is not permitted under Presidential Decree 449, the Cockfighting Law of 1974. The ordinance noted that those engaged in this activity lack necessary permits and are not registered with the Bureau of Internal Revenue, resulting in lost government revenue.Violation of the ordinance, faces one year of imprisonment and a fine not exceeding P5,000 for owner/operator of non-traditional cockfighting/betting.For cockpit owner leasing to violators, they will face revocation of business permit and a fine not exceeding P5,000.Montelibano said that the cockfighting industry is protected under PD 449 and will not be affected by proposed anti-animal cruelty acts in the Senate and House of representatives. The ordinance will take effect on Aug. 19, 2025 after publication and will be disseminated to local government units and police units.Cockfighting and breeding business is considered the second largest industry in Negros Occidental.
Mt. Pinatubo observation station burglarized
by Arlie O. Calalo on August 7, 2025 at 4:11 PM
THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has reported about its discovery of a theft of valuable seismic equipment worth P1.2 million at its observation station for Pinatubo Volcano in San Jose, Tarlac.Phivolcs officials led by director Teresito Bacolcol on Thursday expressed dismay when they learned that the seismic vault of San Jose Observation Station was forced open and its equipment stolen.Among the items taken were the usual solar batteries and solar charge controllers worth approximately P70,000 and the state-of-the-art Kinemetrics Q330HRS+ Quanterra digitizer worth P1.144 million, Bacolcol said.Quanterra digitizers record and convert to usable formats all earthquake signal data that are detected by sensitive seismic sensors connected to these by specialized cables.Phivolcs officials said the stolen borehole seismic sensor was vital for recording wide range of volcanic earthquakes caused by magma intrusion beneath the volcano as well as for detecting tectonic earthquakes for the Philippine Seismic Network.Commissioned in February 2022, the station, which has provided crucial data for locating volcano-tectonic earthquakes generated by deep-seated magma beneath the Pinatubo edifice, also contributed data for the recording and aftershock monitoring of large-magnitude earthquakes that have severely affected northern Luzon since 2022, the agency said.The latest is the third incident for the station, following theft of its solar panels in October and December 2024, Bacolcol said.This reporter asked the agency why it did not bother to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, especially so that it was already the third theft at the same station, its officials said they are now highly considering of putting up.“We are appealing to those behind it or to anyone who have knowledge about the stolen equipment to return them because, they actually don’t have use to them as they are of no use to anyone but so vital for the station for earthquake monitoring,” Bacolcol said.“What they stole was not the equipment but the protection of the communities.”Phivolcs cited Republic Act 10344 or the Risk Reduction and Preparedness Equipment Protection Act of 2012 which penalizes “the unauthorized taking, stealing, keeping or tampering of government risk reduction and preparedness equipment, accessories and similar facilities.”
by Frederick Silverio on August 7, 2025 at 4:10 PM
CITY OF MALOLOS — The Philippine National Police’s (PNP) services, particularly in Bulacan province, are now faster and more accessible through their 5-Minute Response Time (5-MRT) commitment which can be reached via 911 hotline.On Wednesday, PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III visited the Bulacan Police Provincial Office (BPPO) at Camp Alejo S. Santos where he was welcomed by Bulacan officials led by Gov. Daniel Fernando, Vice Gov. Alexis Castro, and city and municipal chief executives.In his speech during the command visit, ceremonial turnover of equipment and pledge of support to 5-MRT by LGUs of Bulacan, Torre shared the reason why the police must respond to the public in a span of only five minutes, emphasizing that every second of waiting feels like a lifetime to those who call for help during emergency situations.“Many don’t believe it could be done. Why five minutes? Because we believe that for someone who needs help and calls 911, every second of waiting is almost a lifetime — both figuratively and literally,” said Torre.“You can count on your national police force to continue to strengthen our service not only here in Bulacan but also throughout the country. We will ensure that our citizens, those in need of help, can be reached within five minutes,” added Torre.It can also be recalled that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. praised the PNP’s rapid response capability in his fourth State of the Nation Address last July 28. He said that this is a reflection of the government’s ongoing efforts in modernizing law enforcement operations and strengthening public safety.Meanwhile, the provincial government of Bulacan donated a total of 100 Kirisun POC handheld radios, one DJI Matrice 30 Series drone, 24 Motor Star motorcycle patrol, and one Toyota Rush to BPPO to enhance their patrolling in the province and maintain their quick response to crime-related incidents.Fernando expressed his gratitude to the BPPO for keeping Bulacan safe, which led to the province’s recent recognition as the 3rd Safest Place in the Philippines as released by the 2025 World Travel Index.“Sa totoo lang po, kapuri-puri ang husay at abilidad ng aming kapulisan. Sa katunayan, sa ating pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan, ay kinilala ang buong Bulacan bilang ikatlong pinakaligtas na lugar sa Pilipinas. Kaya salamat po sa ating kapulisan (Honestly, the skills and abilities of our police force are commendable. In fact, with our unity and cooperation, the entire Bulacan has been recognized as the third safest place in the Philippines. So thank you to our police force),” said Fernando.