The Freeman
Kin won’t claim “rebel” remains
The family of a slain University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu alumnus and former student leader who was among the five individuals killed in a series of military encounters in Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Saturday, May 16, has decided not to claim his...
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Impeachment court convenes
The Senate officially convened as an impeachment court on Monday afternoon, May 18, to try Vice President Sara Duterte, ordering her to file her response to the articles of impeachment within 10 calendar days from receipt of the summons. Unlike last...
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Fire displaces 247 families
At least 247 families were left homeless after a massive fire razed a residential area in Sitio Silangan, Barangay Tejero, Cebu City on Saturday evening, May 16, causing more than P2 million in property damage. The Department of Social Welfare and...
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‘Very unhealthy’
Metro Cebu is once again blanketed with varying air quality conditions, with Talisay City recording a “very unhealthy” breeze. Just weeks after the haze experienced in Cebu thinned, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-7 reported that air quality...
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Schools urged: Lead the fight against garbage
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has renewed his call for the Department of Education (DepEd) to strengthen environmental practices in schools, linking the city’s waste management campaign directly to the education sector. Speaking during the Division...
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Mayor, council tackle options, rising costs
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival finally met with members of the City Council the other day to address the city’s worsening garbage disposal crisis, a move seen by some officials as long overdue amid mounting public frustration. The meeting was...
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P95M smuggled cigarettes seized
The alleged illegal shipment was found inside two container vans reportedly smuggled into the port area. The operation was launched after Coast Guard intelligence operatives received reports of allegedly misdeclared cargo bound for Gothong Wharf at...
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MCWD readies for rationing
The dry season has begun affecting the operations of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD), with the agency warning of possible water rationing as El Niño is expected to intensify later this year. So far, our supply has already been affected by...
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Impeached anew
The House of Representatives has impeached Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, May 11, voting 257 to 25 to send her to a Senate trial on charges of plundering public funds and plotting to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. killed.
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ASEAN backs nuclear-free Southeast Asia
ASEAN leaders reaffirmed their commitment to preserving Southeast Asia as a nuclear weapon-free zone through the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty and called for stronger engagement with nuclear-weapon states to advance global...
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ASEAN Summit hailed a success
Hailed as a success, the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings staged in Cebu is touted as a showcase of the Filipino spirit. Following months of preparations, the organizers of the 48th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings consider the event a...
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ASEAN seals key accords
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reached key agreements in Cebu aimed at strengthening regional energy security, food stability, and the protection of citizens across Southeast Asia amid growing global...
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BBM calls for peace
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. reaffirmed the Philippines’ commitment to peace, dialogue, and ASEAN solidarity as he addressed concerns over the border situation between Cambodia and Thailand during a regional meeting.
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ASEAN leaders meeting today
“It has been nine years since the Philippines last chaired ASEAN. Since then, our region has shown remarkable resilience, overcoming major obstacles and making meaningful progress.” PRES. FERDINAND MARCOS JR.’s ASEAN Summit message As regional...
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Palace declares Mactan holidays
Malacañang has declared May 6 to 8, 2026 as special non-working days in Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova as part of the security measures in line with Cebu’s hosting of the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related...
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66 families relocated
A total of 66 families from a community near the Mactan Expo—one of the main venues of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders’ Summit on May 7 and 8—have been temporarily relocated to a resort in Cordova since April 27.
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Cebu City College eyed after ACT row
The Cebu City Government is pushing to revive plans to establish its own city college following the Asian College of Technology (ACT) scholarship accreditation controversy, with Councilor Pastor M. Alcover Jr. proposing satellite campuses in upland...
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BBM to join leaders
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will join fellow leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during the summit proper on May 8, 2026, alongside representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia,...
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EMB-7 defends Binaliw landfill
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources– Environmental Management Bureau Region VII (DENR EMB-7) has defended its decision to partially lift the cease and desist order (CDO) against the Binaliw landfill, following strong objections from...
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NBI-7: Inmate dies of ‘torture’
Prajes died on April 26, more than a month after being committed to the Cebu City Jail–Male Dormitory on charges of statutory rape involving an 11-year-old girl. Dr. Rene Cam, medicolegal officer of NBI-7, presented photographs of Prajes’ injuries,...
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Capitol speeds up water projects amid supply shortage
With only half of Cebu Province’s current daily water demand of 350 million liters being supplied by existing systems, the provincial government is working double time to fast-track water projects and address the widening gap, especially with a looming...
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Kadaugan rites echo global call for peace
Calls for world peace took center stage during the commemoration of the 505th Kadaugan sa Mactan yesterday, April 27, 2026, as LapuLapu City honored its historic legacy at the Mactan Shrine. Around 2,500 spectators and guests gathered at the Mactan...
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Human waste sparks concern
Reports of human waste being dumped along a roadside on busy Magallanes Street near Carbon Public Market in Cebu City have raised concerns over sanitation and labor conditions, as the Cebu City Council approved amendments to the city’s waste management...
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Nuclear back on the table
Nuclear energy is back on the table as part of the Philippines’ longterm power strategy, but industry leaders and stakeholders remain split, with some raising skepticism about whether it should be pursued now or later. During a recent energy forum...
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Mayor backs JVA review
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has expressed support for the City Council’s move to review the joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Cebu City Government and Megawide Corp. for the Carbon Market redevelopment project, even as councilors grappled...
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Air quality improved
Metro Cebu remained under a “very unhealthy” air quality classification on Monday, April 20, despite a slight improvement in readings, as hazardous levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) continued to linger over the metropolitan area. Data from the...
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Metro air hits hazardous level
Metro Cebu’s air quality index (AQI) reached the “very unhealthy” level yesterday, prompting Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival to issue a public advisory urging residents to take immediate protective measures. At 1:30 p.m. yesterday, April 19, official...
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Metro Cebu air unhealthy
In an advisory, the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Central Visayas reported that hazy conditions were observed in parts of Metro Cebu. Its evaluation revealed that Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 levels near the Talisay City Station had exceeded...
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PRO-7 gets new director
Central Visayas’ top police command entered a new leadership phase on Thursday, April 16, as Police Brigadier General Arnold Evangelista Abad assumed command of Police Regional Office 7 (PRO-7). Abad took over from Brigadier General Redrico Maranan...
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Unified truck ban pushed
The Cebu Provincial Government is pushing to standardize truck ban hours across Metro Cebu, citing fragmented local regulations that worsen traffic congestion, disrupt the flow of goods, and contribute to rising commodity prices. Governor Pamela...
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Alegria oil, gas field revived
An Indonesian-backed firm is set to revive oil and gas production in Alegria, Cebu after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. awarded a new service contract allowing the company to take over operations of the oil field from a Chinese firm that previously...
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Upland farm crisis
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival is considering placing the city’s mountain barangays under a state of calamity following mounting complaints from farmers over collapsing crop prices, rising fuel costs, and the punishing heat of the dry season.
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Osmeña pushes plan to solve garbage woes
Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña has stepped in to help Mayor Nestor Archival address the city’s worsening garbage crisis, outlining a plan aimed at cutting costs and restoring efficiency to a system that has long burdened residents and strained...
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₱1.1 billion ‘fake’ cigarettes seized
Over P1.1 billion worth of cigarettes believed to be counterfeit, along with manufacturing equipment, were seized from at least four Chinese nationals and a Filipino cohort who were arrested during a joint search warrant operation inside a warehouse...
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Tomas backs MCWD rate hike
Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña has expressed support for the Metropolitan Cebu Water District’s (MCWD) water rate increase even as the Cebu City Council has called for its suspension. “I’m in favor of the increase in water rates. It’s necessary. We have to...
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Suspend water rate increase
The Cebu City Council, led by Acting Vice Mayor Winston Pepito, is seeking the suspension of the 10-percent water rate increase implemented by the Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) on April 1, citing the growing burden on consumers amid rising...
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Capitol creates mineral task force
The Cebu Provincial Government has created an inter-agency task force aimed at strengthening the monitoring and regulation of quarry, sand, gravel, and other mineral resources, amid continued concerns over compliance and proper documentation of mineral...
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Capitol shifts to legal front
The executive department of the Cebu Provincial Government is set to pursue its legal battle with Apo Land and Quarry Corporation (ALQC) after the Provincial Board effectively rejected the proposed P211.56-million compromise agreement, returning it to...
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M5.1 quake shakes Cebu, triggers panic
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake jolted parts of Cebu on Monday afternoon, triggering panic among residents—particularly in northern Cebu, where communities are still recovering from the deadly quake in September last year that left 79 people dead and...
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LTFRB-7 suspends taxi over Soobin complaint
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) has issued a show cause order (SCO) and placed a taxi operator under preventive suspension after its driver was accused by Choi Soobin, leader of the K-pop group...
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RDC-7 okays P97B budget
A total of P97.21 billion worth of budget proposals for 2027 from 40 regional agencies has officially been approved by the Regional Development Council in Central Visayas (RDC)7, which comprises big-ticket projects aimed at fostering economic growth,...
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MCWD braces for dry season
The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has begun rolling out early contingency measures, including water rationing and supply augmentation, as it braces for a projected daily deficit of 43,000 cubic meters amid the possible onset of El Niño this...
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Archival asks P981.9M more
The largest share—P500 million—has been earmarked for garbage hauling and disposal services, amid rising costs that have already exceeded P400 million. Archival said the city is exploring measures to reduce landfill dependence by converting waste into...
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Rising prices, unemployment
Central Visayas is facing the prospect of rising prices, reduced investment, and possible job losses as escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran ripple through the region’s economy, as revealed by Department of Economy,...
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Archbishop Uy leads Palm Sunday, start of Holy Week
Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy leads Palm Sunday celebration at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, marking the official start of Holy Week. Hundreds of faithful gathered at the historic cathedral, waving palm fronds in commemoration of Jesus’ triumphant...
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Mandaue City College gets CHED recognition
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has officially handed over the certification for institutional recognition to Mandaue City College (MCC), to provide quality and accessible education to the students of the city. The Institutional Recognition...
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LABOR GROUPS PETITION RTWPB-7 ₱100 daily wage increase sought
A coalition of 18 labor organizations in Central Visayas has formally filed a petition yesterday seeking a ₱100 across-theboard daily wage increase, citing the urgent need to shield workers from the impact of rising global oil prices and persistent...
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THIS TIME, SEVERAL GROUPS OPT NOT TO JOIN PUVstrikehitsCebu
Transport group PISTON-Cebu is set to stage a transport strike on today (March 27), from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., as drivers take to the streets anew to protest rising fuel prices, while calling for the scrapping of the oil deregulation law, and pushing for...
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Capitol prepares subsidy for habal-habal drivers
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) is close to completing the list of public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers who will benefit from the government’s fuel subsidy program, its regional director...
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Capitol rolls out ₱360M rice aid
Assistant Provincial Administrator Aldwin Empaces said the distribution is expected to begin early next month, with funding sourced from the ₱720-million Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) provided by the national government. Empaces confirmed that...
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Mayor defends BRT lane setup
Cebu City’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will continue with its mixed-use setup for the time being, allowing public utility buses and jeepneys to share with BRT lanes. Mayor Nestor Archival, in defending the arrangement, said the decision to allow...
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Council eyes private bulk water suppliers to serve upland brgys
The Cebu City Council is considering an ordinance that would allow private bulk water suppliers to directly serve the mountain barangays. This measure aims to alleviate chronic water shortages and reduce dependence on the Metropolitan Cebu Water...
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Unified waste action pushed
Speaking at the Cebu Provincial Waste Management Summit at Marco Polo Plaza Cebu last March 19, Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano described waste management as one of the most persistent challenges that local governments face, citing its...
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New ferry service
Daily commuters traveling between Mandaue City and Lapu-Lapu City are expected to benefit from lower transport costs and reduced road congestion with the introduction of the seabus, a new passenger ferry service set to begin operations in April. The...
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Cebu transport strike cut short
A militant transport group in Cebu scaled down its planned two-day strike, limiting the protest to a single day on March 19, even as their counterparts in Metro Manila continued with a second day of nationwide transport actions. Cebu City Mayor Nestor...
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BBM suspends PUV fare hike
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos has ordered the suspension of the planned fare hike for public utility vehicles (PUVs) that was set to be implemented today (March 19, 2026), as part of the government’s effort to ease the financial burden on...
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Fare hike approved
LTFRB said the implementation of fare increases will take effect on Thursday, March 19, 2026. LTFRB Chairman Vigor D. Mendoza II, in a press conference yesterday, explained that the computation for the fare hike was carefully deliberated, relying on...
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PBBM leads series of events in Cebu
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PBBM) led a series of engagements across Cebu on Monday, highlighting education reforms, tourism development, disaster recovery initiatives, and preparations for a major international summit. During four separate...
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Missing college student found, returned to Bohol
After eleven days of searching, the missing 21-yearold female college student was finally found and reunited with her parents on Saturday morning, March 14. However, the reasons for her disappearance remain unclear. Jannah Balag Sarabosing, a...
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Suroy-Suroy goes private
Baricuatro disclosed the move during the opening of the International Travel Festival 2026 on Friday (March 13) at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino, where tourism stakeholders gathered for the annual travel event. The governor said the...
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LGUs vow to revive price councils
Responding to concerns over possible price manipulation, at least 25 city and municipal mayors in Cebu Province have committed to revive their Local Price Coordinating Councils (LPCCs) following an appeal from Governor Pamela Baricuatro to strengthen...
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Soco defends PB decision
Flashing a smile and a peace sign, Cebu Vice Governor Glenn Anthony Soco defended the Provincial Board’s decision to review a proposed tax compromise with Apo Land and Quarry Corporation (ALQC), saying the move is part of their mandate despite being...
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‘Soco’s hypocrisy’
Tensions filled the Cebu Provincial Capitol as Governor Pamela Baricuatro branded Vice Governor Glenn Anthony Soco a ‘hypocrite” over his criticism of the proposed P211million tax compromise settlement between the provincial government and Apo Land and...
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Shipping firms increase fare
Several domestic shipping companies have announced fare adjustments through their respective Facebook pages, temporary fuel surcharges, and trip cancellations as rising global fuel prices— linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East—continue to...
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Rice prices hit historic high
Rice prices in Cebu have already reached historic highs even before the Middle East conflict, and retailers warn that the ongoing war could push costs further upward. Local rice retailer Erwin Gokong of the Cebu Market Vendors Multi-Purpose...
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Garbage cost swells to P2B
Cebu City’s garbage crisis is anticipated to swell into a billion-peso burden. Mayor Nestor Archival warned that the city’s ₱500 million annual disposal budget may no longer be enough, with costs expected to double or even triple because of...
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Fuel subsidies at the ready
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the government is prepared to roll out targeted fuel subsidies should Dubai crude prices breach the $80-per-barrel threshold, as authorities also intensify efforts to safeguard Filipinos in the Middle...
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Mayor-of-the-night program ready to roll
The Cebu City Government on Monday formally signed, with Eklestos Estates, the lease agreement for its pioneering 24/7 Government Office, known as the “Mayor of the Night” program, in a ceremony led by Mayor Nestor Archival at the Mayor’s Office...
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