The Freeman
Hasten P4.2B Interchange
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has urged the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) Bridge Management Board to fast-track the proposed P4.2-billion CCLEX–Cebu South Coastal Road (CSCR) Interchange, citing the need to ease worsening traffic congestion...
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Overall CICL cases decline
This is according to the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), which also reported that violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act continued to account for the largest share of offenses. Speaking during the Hisgutan Ta media forum, Police...
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Billions idle in Cebu City
. State auditors found that the city absorbed only P344.4 million, or 7.98 percent, of the P4.316 billion available under the Local Development Fund, a level of utilization that the state auditors said was "not optimally contributing to societal and...
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Archival: CCMC defects not under my watch
The Cebu City Government continues to use the South Road Properties (SRP) as a garbage transfer station despite a cease and desist order (CDO) issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7 last month directing the city to stop...
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P180M excess stock – COA
In its 2025 Annual Audit Report, COA found that the city was keeping P180,558,554.54 worth of inventories at the Department of General Services (DGS) and Local School Board (LSB) warehouses.
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Unused aid flagged
The Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged Cebu City over the delayed distribution of relief goods, poor documentation, and the non-utilization of millions of pesos in donations intended for victims of Typhoon Tino and other disasters, citing serious...
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Chinese envoy cautions Cebu City on WPS event
Cebu City's first official observance of West Philippine Sea Victory Day on Monday drew praise from the national government as a show of patriotism and support for the country's maritime rights, but also prompted a warning from China's top diplomat in...
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Entry of hogs banned
Cebu City has imposed a ban on the movement of live hogs, pork and pork products in and out of the city as a precaution against the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF) following outbreaks in Negros Island.
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Ashfall disrupts flights, classes
Face-to-face classes across several local government units in Cebu were suspended and at least 14 flights at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) were cancelled Thursday after volcanic ash from the moderately explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon...
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Archival admits P1.12B deficit
Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival acknowledged Tuesday that the city is operating with a P1.12-billion budget deficit, but maintained that investments in infrastructure and social services will continue as he delivered his first State of the City Address...
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Capitol gets antivenom
The Cebu Provincial Government has received its first-ever supply of polyvalent antivenom, marking a significant step in strengthening emergency treatment for venomous snakebites across the province. Capitol Piso Public Health Consultant Dr. Elisse...
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Total cellphone ban in schools
The Municipality of Dumanjug in southern Cebu has enforced a total ban on cellular phones in all public schools starting today, June 29, with Mayor Guntrano “Gungun” Gica warning that devices brought by students will be confiscated and returned only at...
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P4 million in illicit cigarettes seized
Another bulk of suspected illicit cigarettes valued at P4.722 million was seized by authorities following simultaneous operations in Cebu City. The operation, conducted on June 24, 2024, resulted in the confiscation of products carrying an estimated...
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Butuanon rehab
San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has expanded its long-running Better Rivers PH initiative to Cebu, officially launching a major cleanup of the Butuanon River in Mandaue City as part of efforts to help reduce flooding under the government's Oplan Kontra...
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DENR closes SRP dumpsite
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-7, through its Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), has issued a notice of violation and ordered the Cebu City government to stop dumping garbage at the South Road Properties (SRP) after...
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MCWD supply falls
The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) has confirmed a daily water supply deficit of more than 16,000 cubic meters across its franchise area, a situation aggravated by the ongoing hot weather and expected to worsen as El Niño conditions...
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Mandaue eyes criminal case
The Mandaue City Legal Office has recommended the filing of criminal and administrative charges against individuals involved in a controversial land acquisition flagged by the Commission on Audit (COA) after auditors found that several of the supposed...
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CV inflation remains highest in Phl
Central Visayas recorded the highest inflation rate among the country’s 18 regions in May 2026, with prices of basic goods and services rising by 10.8 percent, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)-7. PSA-7 Officer-in-Charge Wilma A....
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Baricuatro calls on mayors to direct requests to Capitol
Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro called on local chief executives to directly communicate their concerns and requests to the provincial government, stressing that problems cannot be addressed if they are not formally brought to the Capitol's...
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HUNDREDS INJURED, MASSIVE DAMAGE M7.8 quake kills dozens
A powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off Sarangani on Monday morning, June 8, killing at least 31 people, injuring hundreds, damaging buildings and critical infrastructure, and triggering tsunami warnings across parts of Southern Mindanao. The...
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1.6M learners back to school
A new school year opens today. With approximately 1.6 million learners projected in Region 7, according to the Department of Education (DepEd)-7, Cebu City continues to grapple with a shortage of 1,200 classrooms. DepEd-7 Regional Director Arturo...
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Capitol’s tourism office to launch online booking system
To strengthen Cebu’s thrust toward becoming a premier tourist destination, the Cebu Provincial Government is elevating its digitalization efforts in tourism with the development of a P1.9 million online booking system. According to Provincial Tourism...
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Reading woes persist in Cebu
Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu Province Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Senen Priscillo Paulin has admitted that reading comprehension remains a persistent challenge among learners in Cebu and other parts of Central Visayas, prompting them to...
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Ex-Marines reiterate allegations
The group of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano forced its way into the Senate plenary hall yesterday to proceed with a scheduled “Blue Ribbon Committee” hearing that gave the so-called “18 ExMarines” a platform to repeat allegations that they delivered...
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Cayetano loses grip on Senate
In a dramatic last-minute power shift on the final day of the legislative calendar, the 11-member minority bloc seized control of the Senate floor after capitalizing on the continued absence of the majority, electing Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as Senate...
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Mandaue City seniors’ aid hike passes first reading
The Mandaue City Council has approved on first reading a proposed ordinance increasing the annual financial assistance for qualified senior citizens in the city to P12,000 starting in 2027. The measure seeks to amend City Ordinance No. 16-20241867,...
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DOE admits no quick fix
The Department of Energy (DOE) has admitted that there is no immediate solution to the power supply shortage in the Visayas, which continues to trigger yellow and red alerts across the grid and cause rotational brownouts affecting businesses and...
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18 “coercive” vendors fall
At least 18 street vendors believed to be part of an organized group were arrested on Saturday, May 30, after Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival ordered a police crackdown following numerous complaints from the public. Archival personally confronted the...
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Free meals for Cebu’s homeless individuals, low-income earners
Homeless individuals and lowincome earners in Cebu City may soon have access to an open kitchen that offers free meals under the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Walang Gutom Program. Expected to open in June, the kitchen is set...
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‘Unprepared for drought’
Cebu City’s agriculture department is facing mounting criticism over its apparent lack of preparedness for the looming El Niño phenomenon, with reinstated City Agriculturist Joelito “Joey” Baclayon once again coming under fire from councilors. An...
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Nearby relocation assured
Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano on Wednesday assured residents affected by the proposed P76.412billion fourth Cebu-Mactan bridge project that they would be relocated within the same area and not far from their current homes. Ouano said...
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Archival urged to submit plan
The Cebu City Council is demanding transparency on the city’s current waste management situation and has requested Mayor Nestor Archival to submit a transition plan to phase out operations at the South Road Properties (SRP), which has been turned into...
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Group blocks new EV taxis
The United Cebu Taxi Operators Association (UCTOA) has challenged the legality of the entry of an additional 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) taxi franchises in Metro Cebu and has sought court intervention through a petition for certiorari and prohibition...
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Firefighting drones tested
Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, joined by city officials, representatives from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Bureau of Fire Protection, oversees the testing of Taiwanese-made firefighting drones at the...
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Council backs mayor’s plan
The Cebu City Council has reinforced Mayor Nestor Archival Sr.’s declaration of a solid waste management emergency by approving a resolution mandating stricter waste segregation, composting, recycling and controlled disposal of residual...
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PDEA-7 nets P138M in illegal drugs
Authorities netted at least 20 kilos of suspected shabu valued at P138 million during a buybust operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)-7, which resulted in the arrest of two individuals in Barangay Uling, Naga City,...
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Cebu City urged to review anti-mendicancy ordinance
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has urged the Cebu City Council to revisit and amend the city’s Anti-Mendicancy Ordinance, warning that provisions penalizing beggars and almsgivers may run contrary to national laws and human rights standards. In...
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Motion against Cortes junked
The Court of Appeals (CA) has reaffirmed its earlier decision that cleared former Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes of administrative liability for allowing a cement batching plant to operate in Barangay Labogon despite posing serious health risk to the...
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Power woes weaken Cebu
Business leaders in Cebu warned that recurring yellow alerts in the Visayas power grid are beginning to threaten investor confidence and raise operating costs, adding pressure on industries already grappling with inflation, weak global demand, and...
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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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