Panay News
COST-OF-LIVING SQUEEZE
ILOILO City — Western Visayans are feeling an increasingly painful squeeze on their household budgets as the region’s inflation rate soared to 8.4 percent in August, the fourth-highest in the country, driven by sharply rising transport, utility and...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FULL-SCALE DISASTER DRILL EXPOSES RESPONSE GAPS
More than 30 government, private, healthcare, humanitarian and academic institutions were put through a high-pressure test Wednesday, September 9, as PROJECT MedX: Western Visayas Emergency Medical Simulation Exercise ( SimEx) staged a multi-vehicle...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MAJOR STRESS TEST
ILOILO — Western Visayas’ emergency response system will be put through a major real-world stress test this Wednesday as more than 30 government, healthcare, private and humanitarian organizations confront a simulated mass-casualty highway crash...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WADING THROUGH MONDAY.
Students take off their shoes and socks and roll up their pants to cross a flooded pedestrian lane along Burgos Street in front of Iloilo Science and Technology University (ISAT-U) in La Paz, Iloilo City on Monday morning, September 7, 2026. Sudden...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
RARE CHILD CANCER DETECTED IN WV
ILOILO — A rare but potentially deadly eye cancer is threatening Wester n Visayas’ youngest children, with the government-run Western Visayas Medical Center (WVMC) already recording six retinoblastoma cases in the first half of 2026 — equal to the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PARTNERSHIP SEALED.
(Seated from left) WeeComm’s Project Director Wilson Saldon, Metro Pacific Iloilo Water, Inc.’s Chief Operating Officer Angelo David C. Berba, and WeeComm’s Chief Operating Officer Carson Choa and VP for Finance and Area Head of Iloilo and Bacolod...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
NO MORE FEAR
ILOILO City — The Department of Education (DepEd) has abandoned fear-inducing activeattack simulations in schools, replacing simulated gunfire, weapons and role-playing assailants with calmer, trauma-informed exercises designed to prepare students for...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
INDONESIAN HAZE REACHES ILOILO
ILOILO — Transboundary haze from widespread fires in Indonesia has reached Iloilo, with environmental authorities confirming its presence in Miag-ao town and prompting the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) campus there to enforce...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘JALAUR DAM IS SAFE’
ILOILO City – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has assured Ilonggos that the Jalaur High Dam can withstand major structural and seismic risks, citing a safety factor three times higher than standard requirements, multiple geological...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CASCADING HAZARDS
ILOILO City – Citing the more than 250 billion liters of water capable of being stored behind the 109-meter-high Jalaur High Dam in the mountains of Calinog, Iloilo, an environmental group is pressing authorities to publicly disclose dam safety data,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PANAY HORNBILLS FACE EXTINCTION
ILOILO City – More than 95 percent of the world’s remaining Dulungan hornbills are now concentrated in the Central Panay Mountain Range, according to an environmental conservation organization, putting renewed urgency on protecting the species’ last...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BEWARE OF DECEPTIVE AI COP PHOTOS – PRO-6
ILOILO City — Social media users who pass off artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images of people in police uniforms as genuine photographs could face legal consequences if the content falsely suggests Philippine National Police (PNP) authority,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BSKE POSTPONEMENT GAINS MOMENTUM
Discussions with lawmakers indicated support for giving barangay officials longer terms, a move that could effectively postpone this year’s elections, Recto told the media during his visit to Iloilo on Aug. 25. “Ti natal akay‘y ans a Kongreso....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
JUSTICE UNDER ONE SAFE ROOF
ILOILO City – A surge in prosecutors and long-running structural concerns at Iloilo’s decadesold Hall of Justice have given fresh urgency to the establishment of a new integrated justice complex, with the city government now providing more than 7,000...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
A CITY BUILT ON SERVICE AND PROGRESS.
The Iloilo City Hall stands as a monument to public service and urban growth as the city marks its 89th Charter Day today, August 25, 2026. Over nearly nine decades, Iloilo’s progress, Iloilo’s growth has been driven by the collective effort of its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SCHOOLS READY FOR EXTREME THREATS?
ILOILO City — Thousands of students and school personnel across Western Visayas will test their readiness for potentially life-threatening attacks on Tuesday, August 25, as all public and private elementary and secondary schools in the region conduct a...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Carles temporarily closes popular tourist spot for safety, ecological recovery
ILOILO — One of northern I l oilo’s premier t ourist attractions will be off-limits for an entire month. The Carles municipal government ordered the temporary closure of Tangke “Saltwater” Lagoon in the Gigantes Group of Islands amid safety risks from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BULLYING CASES TRIPLE
ILOILO City — A sharp surge in bullying cases across Western Visayas schools has prompted the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 to strengthen learner protection measures, with officials unveiling a more aggressive campaign to safeguard students...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
FLOOD, LANDSLIDE THREAT WIDENS
ILOILO City — The threat of flooding and rain-induced landslides in Western Visayas extends beyond the 905 barangays officially classified as highly susceptible, with authorities warning that nearby and downstream communities could also be hit as...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DRAINAGE OVERWHELMED
ILOILO City – This city’s existing drainage system can no longer handle the volume of water produced by intense rainfall, city engineers admitted after flooding swept through 65 barangays and affected 789 families or 2,529 individuals on Monday night,...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Investor pulls out after public consultation backlash on proposed Oton AI data center
ILOILO – The investor behind the proposed 50- megawatt hyperscale artificial intelligence data center in Oton town has abandoned the project, days after his controversial walkout from a public consultation triggered backlash and left key questions...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Iloilo grooms youth for Pax Silica jobs
ILOILO — The Iloilo provincial government is positioning young Ilonggos to compete for thousands of high-skilled jobs expected from the proposed Pax Silica, with Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. pushing early training in artificial intelligence (AI), drone...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PROPOSED DATA CENTER STIRS CONTROVERSY
ILOILO — A proposed 50-megawatt hyperscale artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Oton, Iloilo has been thrown into uncertainty after its Norwegian proponent walked out of a public consultation on Friday afternoon, August 14, leaving residents’...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ILLEGAL LPG REFILL SPILLOVER FEARED
ILOILO – The Iloilo provincial government and the Department of Energy (DOE) are establishing enforcement protocols across the province’s 43 local government units to prevent illegal liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refilling operations from spilling over...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ILOILO GOES ON ‘DISASTER MODE’
ILOILO – The Iloilo Provincial Government has shifted to “disaster mode” and is preparing tighter biosecurity measures after the redstriped soft scale insect (RSSI) infested more than 7,000 hectares of sugarcane plantations. Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr....
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Feed mill, coconut oil manufacturer in Pavia join MORE Power
PAVIA, Iloilo — Two major businesses in Pavia, Iloilo – Vitarich Corporation and Visayas Coco Development Incorporated – have recently chosen MORE Electric and Power Corporation ( MORE Power) as their electric distribution partner. Vitarich...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PANAYONLY 1 ISLANDIN 5 WV EYED YOUTHFOR TALK NUCLEAR SEX POWERAT HOME PLANT
ILOILO City – Panay Island is emerging as a potential site for a nuclear power plant as the ILOILO City – Only one in every five young people in Western Visayas feels national government explores the technology to cut electricity costs and secure the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
HAVOC AFTER DARK
ILOILO City – Tornado-like winds tore through several barangays here late Saturday night, damaging at least 52 houses, affecting families and toppling trees and electrical posts as emergency teams raced to clear roads and assist the displaced households.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CHECK MEAT CERTIFICATE, NOT JUST PRICE – NMIS
ILOILO City – The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in Western Visayas has urged consumers to become “smart buyers” by checking whether meat shops, public market stalls, and supermarkets prominently display a valid Meat Inspection Certificate...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ACCESSIBLE HEALTHCARE
ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Government is readying the rollout of free maintenance medicines for qualified senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) with hypertension and diabetes, with the procurement of medicines now underway under the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PINNED TO THE GROUND
A policeman immobilizes and disarms an “active shooter” at the Department of Education - Region 6 compound in Iloilo City during a full-scale Active Shooter Incident Awareness, Response, and Simulation Exercise. The drill tested coordinated law...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
LTO suspends jeepney driver in viral overloaded incident
I LOILO – The Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6 has preventively suspended for 90 days the license of a jeepney driver after a viral video showed passengers riding on the vehicle’s roof and clinging to its exterior during a latenight trip from...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TOWARD A BETTER ILOILO CITY FOR ALL
ILOILO City – Anchored on the theme “Celebrating 89 Years of Progress Toward a Better Iloilo City for All,” Iloilo City is celebrating its 89th Charter Day through a diverse, monthlong lineup of sports, cultural, economic, and public service activities...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PANAY ISLAND EYED FOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT
ILOILO City – Panay Island is emerging as a potential site for a nuclear power plant as the national government explores the technology to cut electricity costs and secure the country’s long-term energy supply. But there are safety concerns.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Councilors League nat’l assembly record turnout overwhelms Iloilo City hotels
ILOILO City — A recordbreaking turnout at the Philippine Councilors League ( PCL) National Assembly here overwhelmed Iloilo City’ s accommodation capacity, forcing organizers to secure additional hotels, condominium units, and billeting areas even...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
US KASAG’ IMPORT BAN THREATENS 15K WV JOBS
ILOILO City — The United States’ continuing ban on Philippine blue swimming crab (locally known as “kasag”) imports is threatening the livelihoods of an estimated 15,000 fishermen and processing workers in Western Visayas, prompting the Bureau of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘DAMAGE CONTROL’
ILOILO City – Police are tracing the source and online distributors of a viral video showing two college students having sex at the Iloilo River Esplanade in Barangay Progreso, Lapuz district, warning that even those who merely forwarded or reposted...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘MASAKIT MAN SA AKIN!’
MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. announced on Monday that the government is preparing to file multiple cases before the Office of the Ombudsman against his cousin, former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in connection with the flood...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
GRAFT RAPS FILED VS USWAG ILONGGO SOLON
MANILA — The Office of the Ombudsman has formally filed 14 counts of graft before the Sandiganbayan against USWAG Ilonggo party-list’s Cong. James Ang Jr., escalating the government’s crackdown on alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
SKILLED RESCUERS SCARCE
ILOILO City — Western Visayas remains dangerously unprepared for major earthquakes and structural collapse emergencies due to a severe shortage of highly trained collapsed structure rescue personnel, with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘IMPORTED’ GARBAGE?
ILOILO City – The city government is investigating whether garbage from neighboring municipalities is adding to the metro’s mounting waste problem. Iloilo City’s solid waste management system is under growing pressure as only about 30 percent of its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TRAGEDY AT SEA
ILOILO City — A seafarer from Valderrama, Antique was among the two Filipino crew members killed after a Russian missile struck a commercial vessel off southern Ukraine, with Philippine authorities warning of worsening security conditions in the Black...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ILONGGO GENERAL TAKES AFP COMMAND
ILOILO City – An Ilonggo general has risen to the country’s highest military post. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed Calinog, Iloilo native Lieutenant General Antonio G. Nafarrete as the 61st chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
TRANSPORT GROUPS SEEK FARE INCREASE
ILOILO City – Transport groups in this city have renewed their appeal for a fare increase as another looming spike in fuel prices driven by renewed geopolitical tensions in the Middle East threatens to further squeeze public utility vehicle operators...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
PWDs BATTLE BARRIERS DESPITE PROTECTION LAW
ILOILO City – Despite decades of legal protection, persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Western Visayas remain shut out of many workplaces and public spaces because of inadequate facilities, employment discrimination, weak enforcement and persistent...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
MORE YOUTH SEEK HELP
ILOILO City – Alarmed by the growing mental health challenges confronting young people, the Archdiocese of Jaro is appealing for more psychologists, psychiatrists and counselors after launching a Pastoral Counseling Ministry at the Jaro Metropolitan...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BIG BUILD, BIG QUESTIONS
ILOILO City — A citizens’ alliance in Antique has launched what it described as the “opening salvo” of a sweeping anti-corruption and environmental accountability campaign after filing the first wave of Ombudsman complaints over P7.3-billion worth of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Western Visayas’ measles cases jump 41%
ILOILO City — Alarmed by a 41-percent surge in measles-rubella cases in Western Visayas, the Department of the Interior and Local Government ( DILG) has mobilized local government units, barangay officials, and community leaders to ensure the success...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WV POVERTY BACK TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVEL
ILOILO City – Western Visayas has reduced its poverty incidence to its lowest level in years, with the rate falling to 13.7 percent in 2023 — below both the national average of 15.5 percent and the region’s pre-pandemic level — signaling a strong...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘HABAGAT’ FLASH FLOODS AFFECT WATER QUALITY
In a water supply advisory, the primary water distributor here reported that the water level at Maasin Dam reached 95.02 meters above sea level (masl), exceeding its normal operating level of 94.85 masl. Under Metro Pacific Iloilo Water’s (MPIW)...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Q ILONGGOS SUPPORT MORE POWER’S CUSTOMER-FIRST APPROACH
haclKTCIEJneoteicdeaooelpgolghUussorslusbeyflrwnete Dfc. snorswtt reO ifeubrutrhndccilocsoee cadrimSupjoum. itdinccrloessnd tlnotstemi ebipetbtoa adohcwondn alpoinoMinti psn OcpnnBtcoueor. ee Rn nu, pwa saetEauotroisstoi n ktsecsaniEnh id...
Read Full Story (Page 7)
STRANDED AT CATICLAN PORT
Passengers wait at Caticlan Port in Malay, Aklan after sea travel was suspended on Friday, July 10, due to the southwest monsoon ( habagat) enhanced by Typhoon Inday. The Philippine Coast Guard in Western Visayas recorded 87 stranded passengers as of...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
‘HABAGAT’ DISPLACES OVER 117,000 LEARNERS
The Dep a r t men t o f Education ( DepEd) Region 6 activated its emergency learning continuity program as it counted 117,296 learners affected by class suspensions in 489 public schools across 15 municipalities in Antique and one municipality in...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DISASTER CHALLENGE NOW SHIFTS TO BRGYS
ILOILO — Disaster officials have declared a new frontier in Iloilo Province’s disaster preparedness campaign, urging that every barangay must have its own evacuation center. It warned that stronger typhoons, rapid population growth and worsening...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
26 NARCOTICS DOGS TO GUARD ILOILO GATEWAYS
ILOILO – This province is strengthening its first line of defense against illegal drugs with the deployment of 26 newly trained narcotics detection dogs and their handlers to key entry points across the province, bolstering police efforts to intercept...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
VP Sara’s impeachment trial starts; 16 votes needed to convict – Impeachment Court
MANILA – The first day of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio started yesterday, July 6. She opted to skip it. Senator- j udge Francis “Chiz” Escudero was elected as t he I mpeachment Court presiding officer after vehement...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WV TEENS EXPOSED TO ONLINE PORNOGRAPHY
ILOILO City — More than four in every 10 adolescents in Western Visayas have been exposed to online pornographic content, while a growing number are also experiencing cyber-harassment and exchanging sexual images online, according to the Commission on...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DENGUE THREAT PERSISTS
ILOILO — Although dengue cases in Iloilo Province have dropped sharply this year, health authorities are warning against complacency after recording 873 cases and six deaths from January to June 2026, with eight municipalities now under dengue...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
ILOILO STUDENT BRINGS LOADED GUN TO CLASS
ILOILO — A Grade 10 student who entered a public high school in Barotac Nuevo town carrying a loaded .38-caliber revolver has triggered heightened security measures across schools in the province, with education officials ordering psychological...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
DRONES TO MODERNIZE ILOILO RICE FARMS
ILOILO — More than 2,100 hectares of rice fields across 16 municipalities in Iloilo Province will be cultivated using agricultural drones this wet cropping season. The Department of Agriculture (DA) is rolling out a free technology-driven farming...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
CARLES FIGHTS TO KEEP SICOGON TOURISM ALIVE
Among the measures being explored is the expansion of the provincial government’s “Turista sa Barangay” program by training the i sland’s households to accommodate overnight visitors, allowing residents to earn additional income through communitybased...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WHO WILL SAVE SICOGON?
ILOILO — The future of what has been envisioned to become Iloilo Province’s flagship island tourism destination to rival Boracay Island now hangs in the balance. The operator of the multi-billion-peso Sicogon Island tourism estate in Carles town...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
AKLAN TIGHTENS ASF SHIELD
ILOILO City – The provincial government of Aklan has imposed a sweeping ban on the entry of live hogs, pork, and other swine-related products from Iloilo, Capiz, and the entire Negros Island Region (NIR), becoming the latest province to tighten its...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Tighter...
oscnhlinoeolcosnhtoenot.ing to violent aer4o1f-tyheraereoldFnourrsReowanednamSoyth, ifdsrioslomtrnigcBtao, rtvhaenerdgpauryeo.pCoaisnegdinm, eLasPuarez “I really hope a law on this is passed. If possible, students...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
Algal...
ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (puPrnoRitOedc-t6c)ohmihldamrsuencaiftrlyolemedffaofbroutrsteoa, ecrxipmloinitaltiaocnt,ivviitoy,lesntrces, saindg tchaantnsoatfebgeuacrcdoinmgptlhisehyeodubthy tinhceidpeonlitcseianlvoonlevianmg...
Read Full Story (Page 2)
74 barangays earn basic sanitation certification; Tubungan first Iloilo town with 100% compliance
ILOILO – Scoring a major p7P4urobbvlaiicrnachnegeahylatshvaecmraoilcsehssitIeloovnieledo, toheSuPshtialinpapbinle SAapnpitraotaiocnh (aPshloAcTaSlSg)oGvreardnem2eCnetrstiinfitceantisoifny, edfeffoerctasttionelaimndinaimteporpoevne sanitation standards...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
WAKE-UP CALL FOR SCHOOLS
ILOILO City – Alarmed by the deadly shooting inside a public high school in Tacloban City that left three students dead, Mayor Raisa Treñas on Monday ordered the immediate strengthening of security measures in all schools across Iloilo City to prevent...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Month-long surveillance nets 3 high-value suspects in Oton
ILOILO City – Authorities dealt a major blow to the illegal drug trade in Western Visayas after seizing nearly P14 million worth of shabu and arresting three suspected high-value drug personalities during a buy-bust operation in Oton, Iloilo early...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Aganan Flyover southbound lane 70% done; DPWH targets opening by year-end – Dizon
ILOILO City – The long-delayed AhagasnraenaFclhyeodvear pmroajjeocrt icnoPnasvtirau,cIltoioilno nmoilwest7o0nep, weritchetnhte scoumthpbloeutendasnedction t2r0a2ck6,foarccooprednininggtboeDfoerpeatrhtemendt of SPeucbrleictaWryoVrkivsenancido...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
QUAKE DRILL EXPOSES MAJOR VULNERABILITIES
ILOILO City — Iloilo City Hall cut its earthquake drill evacuation time by more than two minutes this year, but disaster management officials warned that employee complacency and failure to follow basic safety procedures remain major vulnerabilities...
Read Full Story (Page 1)
Your Daily HOROSCOPE
ARIES: A partner, either your life partner or a colleague, is likely to be in an irritable mood today, which you could find a bit upsetting. Bear in mind that this person’s mood probably has little if anything to do with you, Aries, or anything you’ve...
Read Full Story (Page 11)
ILLEGAL ADOPTIONS PERSIST IN WV
ILOILO City — Western Visayas remains free of online or black-market baby-selling cases, according to child welfare authorities even as they continue to grapple with illegal adoption arrangements and dozens of simulated birth cases across the region.
Read Full Story (Page 1)
BACK-TOBACK CLEAN AUDIT
The Iloilo City Government earned another Unmodified Opinion from the Commission on Audit for fiscal year 2025, a distinction that reflects continued compliance with financial regulations and a strong commitment to accountable governance. The clean...
Read Full Story (Page 1)