Sun.Star Cebu
COUNCILORS SEEK REVIEW OF ALL HILLSIDE PROJECTS
SOME Cebu City councilors have called for a citywide assessment of hillside developments, arguing that concerns about flooding and environmental risks should not be focused on the Monterrazas de Cebu project alone. Several families live in communities...
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PHOTO BY JUAN CARLO DE VELA
WEDDING PHOTOS FOR SALE. Photographers display printed wedding photos outside the Nuestra Señora de Regla Parish National Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City on Thursday, June 18, 2026, hoping to earn from newly married couples and their families after a mass...
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HOUSE PROBE SOUGHT ON VISAYAS GRID ALERTS
Business groups welcomed the push for accountability but urged government to move beyond repeated hearings and prioritize faster power infrastructure upgrades and additional generation capacity. AMID recurring yellow alerts and rotational brownouts in...
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MANDAUE TO CANCEL P32M SOCIALIZED HOUSING DEAL
Aside from legal defects, officials disclosed that the selected property lacks a proper right of way and poses severe flooding risks. City officials are considering invoking mutual restitution to recover millions of pesos in taxpayers’ money from the...
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A MAN
paddles his makeshift raft through the waterways of the South Road Properties (SRP), carrying sacks of plastic collected from the SRP Trash Transfer Station to sell in Inayawan, Cebu City, for P3 per kilo.
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MOTORISTS
and nearby residents expressed concern after passing through the South Road Properties on Saturday, June 13, 2026, citing a persistent foul odor emanating from the trash transfer station.
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PERILOUS DRIVE.
Motorists navigate a dangerous stretch of road in Barangay Binaliw, Cebu City, on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The section remains unrepaired months after a landslide triggered by typhoon Tino in November 2025, continuing to pose strict risks to local...
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INDEPENDENCE DAY.
Members of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines carry Philippine flags during the Cebu City Government-led Independence Day parade from Plaza Sugbo to Plaza Independencia on Friday, June 12, 2026. The parade, joined by government agencies and private...
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FLOOD-PRONE VILLAGE ASKS CITY FOR HELP
Floodwaters have reached up to seven feet in some parts of the subdivision during heavy rains. Meanwhile, the runoff from higher areas overwhelms its drainage system RESIDENTS of Guadalupe Heights Village in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City, are asking...
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NOT ENOUGH ROOMS BUT LEARNING GOES ON
THE Department of Education (DepEd) 7 is turning to double-shift class schedules across Central Visayas to accommodate students for School Year (SY) 2026–2027, highlighting a persistent deficit of over 10,000 learning spaces. During a media briefing...
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CEBU FACES URGENT CALL TO OVERHAUL WASTE MGT.
CEBU must urgently shift its approach to managing waste and resources to survive a compounding global environmental crisis before international climate deadlines arrive. Speaking at a World Environment Day exhibition at the Cebu Provincial Capitol...
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SILENT PRAYER.
A young girl touches a statue of Jesus Christ in silent prayer inside Sto. Rosario Parish in Cebu City. The quiet moment reflects the deep faith and devotion of local Catholics seeking spiritual comfort and guidance.
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SOLAR CITY HALL.
Cebu City Hall’s legislative and executive buildings will be fitted with an on-grid rooftop solar power system under a P12-million project launched on June 3, 2026. The project is expected to supply about 30 percent of the buildings’ electricity needs...
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SENATE ROW MAY REACH CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS
A DISPUTE over who controls the Senate has raised the possibility of a Supreme Court (SC) case, after two blocs claimed authority to lead the chamber. The Senate cannot function normally if senators disagree over who may preside over sessions, control...
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SOGOD ROAD ROCKFALLS TRIGGER SAFETY PROBE
FALLING rocks along the national highway in Sogod, Cebu have raised concerns over whether ongoing slope stabilization works are being carried out safely, after motorists reported debris falling onto traffic lanes. While rockfalls are often associated...
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FLOOD CONTROL WORK.
Construction continues on the riprap flood control project along the Butuanon River in Barangays Casuntingan and Tingub, Mandaue City, on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
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HIGH HAULING COSTS STRAIN WASTE BUDGET
A DEADLY landfill collapse and rising emergency hauling fees force Cebu City leaders to evaluate long-term infrastructure alternatives while temporary dump sites grow congested. Why it matters The choice of waste disposal locations carries severe...
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RELIGIOUS ECO-FASHION.
Youth dressed in gowns made from recycled materials took part in the culminating celebration of Flores de Mayo at the Sto. Rosario Parish in Cebu City on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The traditional Catholic devotion honors the Blessed Virgin Mary through...
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SOLEMN CEREMONY.
The Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission commemorated National Flag Days Friday, May 29, 2026, with a flag-burning ceremony at the Cebu City National Science High School in Barangay Labangon. The solemn event serves to respectfully...
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PROTEST.
Members of the Save Carbon Public Market Movement, a coalition of vendors’ groups and supporters, hold a Santacruzan-style protest march from Barangay Pari-an to Carbon Public Market in Cebu City on Friday, May 29, 2026, to oppose the privatization of...
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MIND GAME.
Fifteen young Filipino chess players take on Russian Grandmaster Ivan Popov in a simultaneous exhibition match held during the 50th anniversary celebration of Philippine-Russian relations at Nustar Resort and Casino in Cebu City on Thursday, May 28,...
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CEBU CITY SEEKS LOAN FOR WASTE FACILITY
It plans to build a P360-million recycling center in Barangay Mabolo that will feature two advanced waste processing machines to manage trash. Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña notes that technical validation is still required to ensure the new system can handle...
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COUNCILORS SOUND ALARM OVER EL NIÑO PREPAREDNESS
THE ability of Cebu City to feed itself and protect its farming communities from the looming El Niño dry spell hinges on a dysfunctional network of broken pipes, missing agreements, and administrative miscommunication. While weather authorities warn...
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NATIONAL FLAG DAY.
The Cebu City Cultural and Historical Affairs Office is preparing for National Flag Day on Thursday, May 28, 2026, by installing Philippine flags at the Rizal Memorial Library and Museum on Monday, May 25. This observance marks the beginning of the...
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CEBU, BOHOL BATTLE HIGH HIV BURDEN
A LONG-TERM perspective on regional data highlights deep transmission patterns, sharp geographical disparities, and clinical retention gaps that challenge progress toward global health targets. Central Visayas continues to witness a sustained public...
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VACCINATION DRIVE.
Members of the Talisay City Veterinary Office conduct an Anti-Rabies Vaccination Drive in Barangay Jaclupan Thursday, May 21, 2026, vaccinating a total of 524 dogs and 230 cats. The activity is part of the City’s responsible pet ownership and rabies...
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Ferry route revives Oslob Port operations
A DORMANT port in southern Cebu has reopened with a new daily ferry route linking Oslob to Larena, Siquijor and Dumaguete, Negros Oriental, aiming to boost tourism and trade across the Visayas. The project traces its roots to former President Gloria...
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CA CLEARS CORTES
THE Court of Appeals (CA) Fifth Division has cleared former Mandaue City mayor Jonas Cortes of administrative grave misconduct charges, reversing a September 2024 ruling by the Office of the Ombudsman that dismissed him from public service and barred...
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LANDFILL GETS PERMIT BEFORE DENR CDO LIFT
A STRUCTURAL conflict within the Cebu City Government has exposed how economic efficiency laws can override public safety during an ongoing environmental crisis. The granting of a business permit to Prime Integrated Waste Solutions Inc. (PWS),...
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GARBAGE GRIDLOCK.
Garbage trucks line up along the coastal road at the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, as mixed waste continues to pile up at the temporary transfer station near Pond A. City Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. warns...
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LAST DAY.
An applicant completes their registration form under the guidance of a Comelec officer at Robinsons Galleria Cebu on Monday, May 18, 2026. The nationwide voter registration deadline concluded Monday ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan...
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FUTURE CHAMPIONS.
Youth participants showcase their skills during the culmination of the Summer Grassroots Program 2026 on Saturday, May 16. The two-month citywide initiative provided formal training in 26 sports disciplines to more than 3,000 youth from various Cebu...
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SEEKING EMPLOYMENT.
Job seekers check available vacancies during the one-day job fair in Lapu-Lapu City on Thursday, May 14, 2026. The event, organized by the Public Employment Service Office with Mahi Center and the Mactan Economic Zone Human Resource Association,...
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ILLEGAL DUMPING.
Residents fear water contamination after waste dumping in Sitio Dapdap in Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City, especially in downstream areas where residents source water.
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ROLLING BLACKOUTS HIT PARTS OF CEBU
PARTS of Cebu were placed under one-hour rotational brownouts on Wednesday evening, May 13, 2026, as tight power supply conditions triggered a Red Alert in the Visayas Grid, forcing utilities to implement emergency load management to prevent a...
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BINALIW REHAB.
Drone photos show the Binaliw landfill in January 2026 after the deadly garbage slide (left) and in May after rehabilitation works (right). Cebu City has delayed resuming dumping operations pending an independent safety review despite partial...
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LOW SUPPLY.
The Metropolitan Cebu Water District has announced that water production from the Jaclupan Dam in Talisay City has declined by 16 percent with the onset of the summer season. MCWD has also discussed alternative water supply sources with the Cebu City...
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257 VOTES SEND VP TO SENATE TRIAL
THE House of Representatives’ decision to impeach Vice President Sara Duterte on Monday, May 11, 2026, marks a watershed moment in Philippine politics. This vote represents the first time a single government official has faced two separate impeachment...
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EVERY DROP COUNTS.
With nearly onethird of Metro Cebu’s water supply lost to leaks and “non-revenue water,” MCWD is overhaulilng its distribution system to ensure that the water produced actually reaches the people who need it. New management aims to cut losses and...
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MODERNIZATION PLAN SET FOR FUENTE CIRCLE
CEBU City is planning a major renovation of Fuente Osmeña Circle to address serious safety concerns and improve the landmark’s function. Mayor Nestor Archival met with representatives from the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday, May 5,...
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ASEAN LEADERS CALL FOR PEACE IN MIDEAST
MEMBERS of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) have called for peace and an immediate deescalation of tensions in the Middle East as the 48th Asean Summit concluded Friday, May 8, 2026, in Cebu. The regional bloc focused on practical...
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BINALIW SAFETY FIRST: CITY REJECTS REOPENING
Four months after the deadly trash slide that killed 36 people, Cebu City is refusing to resume dumping operations at the Binaliw landfill despite a partial clearance from environmental regulators, insisting that public safety — not waste capacity —...
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GOK-ONG CONFIRMS FEES COLLECTED IN CARBON MARKET
With unverified daily fees reportedly reaching P300 per vendor, Cebu City officials scramble to regulate a parallel payment system that threatens to drive up food prices THE ongoing dispute over who collects money from Carbon Public Market vendors...
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SUMMER PLAY.
Afternoon light stretches long shadows across a neighborhood open court in Mandaue City, where residents in Banilad squeeze in a game despite the lingering summer heat. As Cebu continues to experience warm, dry weather, moments like these offer a brief...
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ASEAN SUMMIT CUT FROM 5 TO 3 DAYS
THE 48TH Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit (Asean) will proceed on a streamlined three-day schedule in Cebu from Wednesday, May 6, to Friday, May 8, 2026, following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to scale down preparations...
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CEBU CITY WEIGHS BAN ON OFFICIAL KIN IN DEALS
A LEGISLATIVE effort to block relatives of city officials from government deals highlights the difficult boundary between public integrity and private rights. Why it matters The Cebu City Council is currently weighing a measure that would prohibit...
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BUSINESS AS USUAL.
A man selling bottled water has no time for the chants and protest signs as he passes members of cause-oriented and labor groups holding a rally in Cebu City on the 124th Labor Day, Friday, May 1, 2026. He continues to earn a living for his family,...
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INAYAWAN REHAB.
Once a vast landfill that received Cebu City’s waste, the former Inayawan landfill has been reclaimed by grass and time. Beneath the green surface rest decades of buried trash—echoes of a polluted past. Today, it stands as a quiet symbol of change,...
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CITY COUNCIL DEFERS CBRT SRP ROUTE PLAN
Concerns over revenue loss and commercial bias have prompted Cebu City officials to delay endorsing the latest DOTr transport expansion plan THE Cebu City Council has deferred its support for the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) proposal for bus...
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BINALIW LANDFILL REOPENS; 36 DEATHS STILL UNEXPLAINED
Despite the loss of critical records in a fatal landslide, the Binaliw waste facility has secured government clearance to restart limited operations THREE months after a waste facility in Barangay Binaliw was the site of a tragedy that claimed 36...
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KADAUGAN SA MACTAN.
Monday, April 27, 2026, marks the 505th commemoration of the Victory at Mactan, featuring a reenactment of the historic battle at the Liberty Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. Content creator Elcid Camacho portrayed the legendary hero Datu Lapulapu,...
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CEBU BOARD BLOCKS BRT CAPITOL STATION
A dispute over a proposed transit station in front of the Cebu Provincial Capitol highlights the complex challenge of modernizing urban infrastructure without compromising legally protected historical landmarks or jeopardizing critical international...
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ON A CLEAR DAY.
A clearer view of the Cebu City skyline emerges as air quality across Metro Cebu improves to “fair” on Friday, April 24, 2026, following several days of haze and elevated pollution levels, according to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7. Data...
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CLEANING THE COASTLINE.
A large volume of trash was cleared from the coastal area in Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, on Thursday, April 23, 2026, as the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 7 continued cleanup operations ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian...
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IN PURSUIT OF JUSTICE.
Families and friends of the late Kingston Ralph Cheng gather outside a building in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City, that temporarily houses courts on Thursday, April 23, 2026, calling for justice on the first day of trial in his fatal hit-andrun case,...
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OSMEÑA, RAMA CLASH OVER COUNCIL RULES
THE friction between administrative rules and political advocacy often creates gridlock in local governance. When a presiding officer steps into a debate, it challenges the tradition of neutrality intended to keep legislative proceedings fair. This...
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CEBU CITY CRACKS DOWN ON ‘ILLEGAL’ EARTHMOVING
UNAUTHORIZED earthmoving and backfilling operations in upland barangays of Cebu City have triggered a wave of ceaseand-desist orders (CDO), underscoring growing tensions between rapid urban expansion and the safety of critical infrastructure and...
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TOXIC AIR GRIPS CEBU
A SEVERE drop in air quality driven by local emissions and stagnant weather patterns has triggered health alerts, underscoring systemic environmental vulnerabilities in the region. Gov. Pamela Baricuatro has directed provincial and district hospitals...
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METRO CEBU AIR TURNS HAZARDOUS
SEVERE pollution episodes in Central Visayas expose the vulnerabilities of a growing metropolis, demonstrating how extreme heat and localized emissions combine to create lasting public health hazards. The mechanics of stagnant air When the air...
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PHOTO BY JUAN CARLO DE VELA
AFTERNOON JOG. Chasing the golden hour before the shadows of tomorrow creep in, children and their loyal companion race through the sun-drenched streets of Gullas Heights. On this pristine Friday afternoon, April 17, 2026, in Minglanilla, every stride...
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WORKERS ON THE WALL.
Workers clean the walls of Fort San Pedro in the port area of Cebu City on Friday, April 17, 2026, in preparation for a series of events this May, including National Heritage Month, the fort’s founding anniversary on May 8 and upcoming Asean Summit...
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NEW CHIEF.
Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. (center) presides over the turnover of command ceremony between Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan (left) and Brig. Gen. Arnold Abad at Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr., the headquarters of Police Regional...
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MONT RESUMES WORK, DISPUTES FLOOD CLAIMS
MONT Property Group Inc. is resuming its hillside development after stoppage orders were lifted and a recent scientific study challenged claims that the project caused severe flooding during typhoon Tino in November 2025. The controversy surrounding...
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BILLIONS UNACCOUNTED; MCWD PROFIT DROP 89%
Despite growth in assets and workforce, a 20222024 performance audit of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District reveals an 89 percent income collapse, unresolved financial disallowances, and recurring annual losses of P117.7 million due to infrastructure...
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SOLAR
panels are an increasingly common sight across households and establishments in Cebu City as residents take advantage of the region’s intense heat and sunshine. Cebu experiences high solar irradiance levels year-round. This makes the area a viable...
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DOE: DIESEL COST TO GO DOWN P20
PHILIPPINE motorists anticipate substantial relief at the pump in mid-April 2026 as international oil markets temporarily stabilize. The Department of Energy (DOE) projects significant per-liter decreases across petroleum products, led by an estimated...
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MANDAUE PLUGS PAY, GARBAGE GAPS
A NEARLY P198 million supplemental budget resolves months of delayed gratuity pay for non-regular government personnel while addressing critical logistical hurdles in local garbage collection. The Mandaue City Council passed Ordinance 76-2026,...
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STRAINED SECTOR.
Public utility vehicle drivers and operators line up at the Commission on Elections office in downtown Cebu City on Friday, April 10, 2026, to obtain their Certificates of Voter Registration, a requirement for accessing government financial assistance...
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REMEMBERING PATRIOTS.
The Cebu City Government, led by the Cultural and Historical Affairs Office, marks Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cebu Veterans Memorial in Plaza Independencia on Thursday, April 9, 2026. Cebu City Vice Mayor...
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STILL SUFFICIENT.
Despite the recent intense heat, Buhisan Dam in Barangay Buhisan, Cebu City remains well supplied with water, as seen in this aerial photo taken Wednesday, April 8, 2026. The dam continues to serve as a vital water source for several areas, including...
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TRANSPORT SHUTDOWN LOOMS AS FUEL PRICES SURGE ANEW
THE transition to modernized public utility jeepneys (MPUJs) in Cebu is facing a systemic threat as soaring operational costs and dwindling passenger numbers push transport cooperatives toward a total shutdown. What began as a government mandated...
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STUDENTS
from a university in Cebu City evacuate their classrooms after feeling tremors from a magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck Bogo City in northern Cebu on Monday, April 6, 2026.
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5 FIRES DISPLACE 350 ACROSS METRO
Following a month of significant fire activity in March, these latest blazes in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu force a critical re-examination of urban infrastructure and the systemic risks facing the region’s most crowded neighborhoods THE...
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TIMEOUT.
Children rest from the intense heat after flying kites at the Good Shepherd in Banawa, Cebu City on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
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EIGHTEEN
carrozas join the Pasos procession from the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on Holy Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The carrozas featured religious images that depicted scenes from the Passion of Jesus Christ. Hundreds of Catholic devotees walked alongside the...
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