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#Bicol

EDSA at 40: Bicolano protesters say ‘fight not yet over’

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/bicol-regional-protests-people-power-commemoration-albay/

<p>ALBAY, Philippines – Beyond the iconic images of <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/edsa-people-power-revolution-40th-anniversary-news-photos-videos-february-2026/">EDSA</a>, the <a href="https://www.rappler.com/voices/newsletters/decoded-edsa-people-power-40th-anniversary-better-off-now/">People Power movement</a> 40 years ago was fueled by regional uprisings that echoed across provinces, where the brutalities of Martial Law were also felt. </p>

<p>In Bicol, the days leading up to the revolution saw over 25,000 protesters flood the streets of Legazpi, culminating in a massive assembly at Peñaranda Park, as veteran protesters <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2373123869716635&id=100010571357612&mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=ilVBvtSlmgz2Tkgg#" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">recalled.</a> Four decades later, those same streets and the same park became the staging ground for commemorative protests, where over 300 attendees from Albay, Camarines Sur, and Sorsogon gathered on Wednesday, February 25.</p>

<p>Nica Ombao, spokesperson for Bicolana Gabriela, a regional chapter of the Gabriela Women’s Party, said that these regional actions were the backbone of the national movement. She noted that scattered protests in provincial town centers gave people the courage to join the historic mobilization in Metro Manila, overcoming the fear weaponized by the Marcos dictatorship.</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large

Naga City marks People Power anniversary as ‘Anti-Political Dynasty Day’

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/naga-city-anti-political-dynasty-day-people-power-commemoration-leni-robredo/

<p>ALBAY, Philippines – In a “bold stand” against entrenched power, Naga City has officially designated February 25 — the anniversary of the People Power Revolution — as Anti-Political Dynasty Day. </p>

<p>“In line with Mayor <a href="https://www.rappler.com/people/p15352991-leni-robredo/">Leni Robredo</a>‘s vision for Naga City to take a bold stand against political dynasties, we have deemed it wise to declare Anti-Political Dynasty Day on February 25. By coinciding with the People Power commemoration, this move emphasizes the city’s commitment to democratic reform,” said Naga City Councilor Allan Reiz Macaraig, who authored the resolution.</p>

<p>Macaraig said that while Robredo has long advocated for the measure, the ordinance took months to formalize due to legislative complexities. </p>

<p>“We have always abhorred dynasties in Naga. The youth of yesterday, today, and the future of Naga know it by heart. This declaration is us shouting to the nation — to wake up and make a stand,” Macaraig added.</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-3150234" height="682" src="https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2026/02/photo_2026-02-25-15.59.44.jpeg?fit=1024%2C853" width="1024" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>SOLIDARITY. </strong>Robredo joins Naga City residents and officials in this year’s ‘People’s March; to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution. Photo by CEPPIO-Naga Cit

Citizen monitors flag ‘ghost’ coordinates, unfinished infra projects

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/citizen-monitors-flag-ghost-coordinates-unfinished-infrastructure-projects/

The curse of repeat presidential candidates: Why Leni perhaps shouldn’t run again

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/curse-repeat-candidates-leni-robredo-2028-presidential-elections/

Has Leni Robredo decided on a 2028 presidential run?

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/leni-robredo-decision-2028-presidential-elections-february-20-2026/

Retro romance: Reclaiming the ’80s at Albay’s queer speed dating night

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/people/human-interest/queer-speed-dating-retro-event-albay-valentines-day/

<p>ALBAY, Philippines – A new generation is shifting the Bicolano ’80s narrative from one of conservative silence to a celebration of queer connection, and an Albay cafe is leading the charge through coffee, community, and a night of unapologetic and inclusive speed dating. </p>

<p>For Mida Casulla, owner of Kapihan, the queer community still faces widespread prejudice — a reality that fuels her advocacy for spaces where identity can be expressed without fear. </p>

<p>Despite the prevailing prejudice, “so many continue to embrace who they are and support one another,” Casulla said. “At Kapihan, we want to champion that kind of love and courage.”</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-3145874" height="682" src="https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2026/02/photo_2026-02-13-15.01.13.jpeg?fit=1024%2C853" width="1024" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">CHEMISTRY TEST. From random trivia to deep-seated passions, joiners fill the cafe with laughter as they explore new connections, one conversation at a time. Photo by Zachary Oliver Gonzales/Rappler</figcaption></figure>

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-struggles-of-the-80s">Struggles of the ’80s</h5>

<p>While the 1980s were an era when many were forced to remain in the closet, Casulla chose the theme as a form of “reimagined history.”</p>

<p>“In the ’80s, almost no one was out,” Casulla shared. “We envision

COA flags P16.7B in NIA projects possibly awarded to unqualified contractors

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/coa-flags-nia-projects-awarded-unqualified-contractors/

<p>MANILA, Philippines – The <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/government/g10909186-national-irrigation-administration/">National Irrigation Administration</a> (NIA) awarded at least 292 projects worth about P16.75 billion in 2024 to contractors who did not meet qualification standards, a <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/government/n75226608-commission-audit/">Commission on Audit</a> (COA) report showed.</p>

<p>The COA report, released in December 2025, found that a number of NIA offices failed to follow mandated procedures under the Government Procurement Reform Act and its 2016 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (RIRR).</p>

<p>Auditors called out the NIA due to shortcomings across several stages of the procurement process. These included gaps in detailed engineering work, pre-procurement conferences, and the advertising and posting of the invitations to bid. </p>

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[Kasalikasan] Historic treaty protecting high seas kicks off 2026

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/voices/newsletters/kasalikasan-agreement-marine-biological-diversity-areas-beyond-national-jurisdiction/

<p>A new year is upon us, and with it comes a piece of good news in a sector often beleaguered by problems of all kinds: a historic global treaty to safeguard biodiversity in the high seas <a href="https://www.rappler.com/world/global-affairs/united-nations-biodiversity-treaty-enters-force-january-2026/">came into effect</a> last January 17.</p>

<p>Known as the <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/agreement-marine-biological-diversity-areas-beyond-national-jurisdiction-bbnj-agreement">Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction</a> (BBNJ Agreement), it provides a legally binding global framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in the high seas, contributing to a separate <a href="https://www.cbd.int/article/cop15-cbd-press-release-final-19dec2022">global commitment</a> to protect 30% of the world’s biodiversity by 2030. As of this writing, <a href="https://www.protectedplanet.net/en/thematic-areas/marine-protected-areas">only 9.61%</a> of it is protected.</p>

<p>Archipelagic Philippines is a <a href="https://rplr.co/49Lg7dC">signatory</a> to the BBNJ Agreement and ratified it last September. Back <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/increase-protected-areas-2030-our-ocean-conference-2024/">in 2024</a>, during an international conference in Athens, the country also mentioned an initial roadmap that projected an area coverage of 18.5% of terrestrial and 16% of marine protected areas.</p>

<p>B

Ada deja 2 muertos en Sorsogon; Las inundaciones desplazan a la concurrencia de Bicol y Visayas #Ada #Bicol #deja #desplazan #gente #inundaciones #Las #muertos #Sorsogon #Visayas #ButterWord #Spanish_News Comenta tu opinión 👇
https://butterword.com/ada-deja-2-muertos-en-sorsogon-las-inundaciones-desplazan-a-la-concurrencia-de-bicol-y-visayas/?feed_id=65320&_unique_id=696c1c824d2a7

FACT CHECK: Video of explosive Mayon eruption is AI-generated

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/mayon-volcano-explosive-eruption-ai-generated-video/

<p><strong>Claim:</strong> A video shows the current state of Mayon Volcano in Albay, with lava and pyroclastic flows seen on the slopes of the volcano.</p>

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rating-false"><strong>Rating:</strong> FALSE</h5>

<p><strong>Why we fact-checked this:</strong> The video, depicted as a breaking news report, has already received 259,000 views, 5,600 reactions, 1,200 shares, and 143 comments as of writing. It was posted on Monday, January 12, amid Mayon Volcano’s intensifying unrest under Alert Level 3. </p>

<p>The video shows an explosive eruption of a volcano, followed by footage of lava flowing from the crater and hot gas and volcanic matter running down its slopes. Text overlaid on the video reads, “Breaking news: Mayon Volcano dome collapse, live update.” </p>

<p>Several social media users were convinced that the events shown in the video happened in reality. </p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-3135257" height="1024" src="https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2026/01/2023-fact-check-full-post-20.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024" width="964" /></figure>

<p><strong>The facts:</strong> The supposed news report uses AI-generated clips. Contrary to its claim that it shows live updates of Mayon Volcano, it does not show the true state of unrest at the volcano.</p>

<p>AI video detector <a href="https://hivemoderation.com/ai-generated-content-detection" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Hive Mode

Bakit may nakatira pa rin sa Mayon danger zone?

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/video-mayon-volcano-permanent-danger-zone-residents-albay/

Evacuees in some Albay towns stay in cramped shelters as Mayon unrest continues

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/situation-albay-evacuation-sites-mayon-unrest-january-9-2026/

<p>ALBAY, Philippines – As <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/n08262934-mayon-volcano/">Mayon Volcano</a>‘s unrest continues, an increasing number of residents are being uprooted from their homes and moved to designated evacuation sites. But in municipalities like Camalig, the “sanctuary” offered is a cramped reality: according to evacuees, as many as 13 families — roughly 35 or more individuals — are squeezed into a single classroom.</p>

<p>Amy Nabor, a resident of Barangay Anoling — a farming village situated within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone — has been staying with her family at Tagaytay Elementary School since Tuesday, January 6, when <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/phivolcs-mayon-volcano-alert-level-january-6-2026/">Alert Level 3 was declared.</a></p>

<p>For Nabor, this is a recurring ordeal. She has spent her life fleeing Mayon’s eruptions; now that she has her own family, the same familiar dangers loom over a new generation.</p>

<p>“We just make do with the space provided, no matter how many members are in each family, because we have to evacuate for our safety,” she said in Filipino.</p>

<p>Nabor’s family is among the 123 families or 430 individuals sharing the limited rooms of an elementary school. (<a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/albay-bicol-farmers-safety-crops-mayon-volcano-ashfall-january-2026/">READ: Refuge or harvest? Albay farmers torn betwe

FACT CHECK: Videos of Mayon eruption are AI-generated, volcano at Alert Level 3 as of January 9

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/mayon-volcano-eruption-ai-generated-videos/

<p><strong>Claim:</strong> Videos show the eruption of Mayon Volcano in Albay, as Alert Level 4 has now been raised. </p>

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rating-false-nbsp"><strong>Rating:</strong> <strong>FALSE</strong> </h5>

<p><strong>Why we fact-checked this:</strong> One video bearing the claim has already received 274,000 views, 957 shares, and 378 comments as of writing. It was posted on January 6, amid the increasing unrest at the volcano. </p>

<p>The video shows a thick plume of ash coming out of Mayon. Text in the video reads, <em>“Nasa Alert Level 4 na wag naman sana kawawa naman nakatira doon [Mayon] Volcano in Albay.”</em></p>

<p>(It’s already at Alert Level 4. I hope not. I pity the people living near Mayon Volcano in Albay).</p>

<p>Another video, posted on January 7, has already received 6,400 views, 70 shares, and 36 comments as of writing. The video shows a <a href="https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/introduction-to-volcanoes/#:~:text=Debris%20avalanche%20or%20sector%20collapse,Ground%20Subsidence%20and%20Fissuring" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">pyroclastic density current</a> (PDC) or a fast-moving mixture of hot gas, volcanic ash, and rock fragments rushing down the slopes of a volcano.</p>

<p>The videos drew worried reactions from Facebook users, especially those from Albay province.</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-3133235" height="1024" src="https://www.rapple

Refuge or harvest? Albay farmers torn between safety, saving crops amid Mayon ashfall

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/albay-bicol-farmers-safety-crops-mayon-volcano-ashfall-january-2026/

<p>ALBAY, Philippines—<a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/mayon-unrest-displaces-albay-residents/">Thousands </a>are fleeing<a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/n08262934-mayon-volcano/"> Mayon</a>’s 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), but for Albay’s farming families, evacuation is only half the battle. Caught between the threat of volcanic eruption and the total loss of their livelihood, many are risking their lives to return to ash-covered fields to salvage what remains of their harvest.</p>

<p>Vilma Navata, 55, has tilled the soil of Barangay Anoling in Camalig, Albay, alongside her husband for decades. She shared that amid the heavy ashfall on Thursday, January 8, her husband risked a return to their fields, fearing that volcanic dust — and potential looters — would wipe out the harvest they had labored over for two months.</p>

<p>“My husband came with me to the evacuation center, but he went back to the farm earlier. He went back specifically for our crops. If no one is there, people will think the owners are gone and they’ll steal them or the ashfall would destroy all of them. We would have nothing left to harvest,” she said in Bicol. </p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="Mayon Volcano evacuees, Camalig, Albay" class="wp-image-3133636" height="818" src="https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2026/01/photo_2026-01-09-12.40.27-1.jpeg?fit=1024%2C1023" width="1024" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><strong>

FACT CHECK: No announcement of January 8 lockdown in Luzon due to Mayon Volcano unrest

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/no-announcement-january-8-2026-lockdown-luzon-mayon-volcano-unrest/

<p><strong>Claim:</strong> A lockdown will be imposed on January 8, 2026, in several areas of the Philippines, including Metro Manila, Mimaropa, and Calabarzon, due to increasing unrest at <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/n08262934-mayon-volcano/">Mayon Volcano</a>. </p>

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rating-false"><strong>Rating: FALSE</strong></h5>

<p><strong>Why we fact-checked this:</strong> A Facebook page called “Nagkakaisang Pilipino TV Newsline”<em> </em>posted two similar videos of a pseudo-newscast on January 5.   </p>

<p>In the video, the female announcer declares: <em>“Posibleng i-lockdown ang buong Metro Manila, Mimaropa, Calabarzon, at iba pang mga lugar dahil sa pag-aalburoto ng Bulkang Mayon ngayong January 8, Huwebes.”</em></p>

<p>(Metro Manila, Mimaropa, Calabarzon, and other areas may be placed under lockdown on Thursday, January 8, due to Mayon Volcano’s unrest.)</p>

<p>Text overlaid on the video also reads, “Lockdown January 8<em> dahil sa pagsabog ng Bulkang Mayon</em> (because of the eruption of Mayon Volcano).”</p>

<p>The announcer further alleged that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has advised the public to wear face masks for safety. The announcer also directed viewers to a link in the post’s caption that supposedly lists the areas under lockdown.  </p>

<p>As of writing, the two posts have collectively garnered more than 40,000 views, 75

Mayon Volcano raised to Alert Level 2 on New Year’s Day

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/phivolcs-mayon-volcano-alert-level-january-1-2026/

FACT CHECK: Video of Peñafrancia procession misrepresented as rally in Metro Manila

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/penafrancia-procession-video-misrepresented-rally-metro-manila/

<p><strong>Claim:</strong> The video shows a rally on EDSA and Quezon City. </p>

<h5 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rating-false-nbsp"><strong>Rating:</strong> FALSE </h5>

<p><strong>Why we fact-checked this:</strong> Several videos posted as early as November 18 bear the online claim. One video that was posted on that date now has 232,000 views, 1,600 shares, and 681 comments as of writing. It was posted coinciding with the massive “anti-corruption” <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/updates-iglesia-ni-cristo-rally-november-2025/">rally</a> organized by the Iglesia Ni Cristo.</p>

<p>The text on the video says, “<em>#PEOPLEPOWER Hindi lang INC Ang Nagrarally, Marami pang Grupo Ang Nagkakaisa Sa EDSA At Sa QC, Mga Curacot ikulong nayan lahat</em>.” (#PEOPLEPOWER It’s not just INC that’s rallying. Many other groups are uniting on EDSA and QC. Lock up all the thieves.)</p>

<p>Another video, posted on November 19, has already received 244,000 views, 2,100 shares, and 508 comments. The text on the video says, “<em>ANG DAMING TAO!ANO NA NGYYRI S MUNDO!ANG TNONG? BABABA BA ANG PNGULO?</em>” (So many people! What is happening in the world? The question is will the president step down?) </p>

<p>Some Facebook users believed that the video was indeed that of a rally. One wrote, “<em>Grabi ang dami naman ng taong bayan ang kapal naman ng mukha ayaw pa bumaba ang bangag</em>.” (There are so many people. The president has no shame. He s

‘Higit sa Pag-ibig: The Musical’ reveals the pain of Bicol’s flooded, red-tagged communities

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/theater/higit-sa-pag-ibig-the-musical-bicol-flooded-red-tagged-communities/

<p>ALBAY, Philippines – Using hymns as protests and acting as a fierce testimony, <a href="https://www.rappler.com/entertainment/theater/albay-theater-group-stages-struggles-filipinos-hiv-gymgurls-too/">Sining Banwa</a>‘s <em>Higit sa Pag-ibig: The Musical</em> powerfully stages a collective demand for climate justice. </p>

<p>Hailed as one of Bicol’s best plays, it amplifies the voices of communities ravaged by worsening floods, marginalization, corruption, and human rights violations.</p>

<p>Set in Barangay Eskwala, a slum area relentlessly flooded due to rapid urbanization and continuous government neglect, the play immediately immerses the audience in the residents’ fight. Their struggles for a better future and community welfare forms the foundation of the characters’ pursuit for what is greater than love.</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-3120249" height="683" src="https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2025/11/DSC06405-scaled.jpg?fit=1024%2C1024" width="1024" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">‘COZSEANA’. Tonyang takes center stage, leading the entire Eskwala Center crew as they perform ‘Pumalakpak,’a rousing number from their original soundtrack. Photo by Zachary Oliver Gonzales/Rappler</figcaption></figure>

<p>Tonyang, reprised by Camile Berces, who played the role in the 2023 run, is a leading figure in Eskwala. Despite her terminal cancer, she manages a center that teaches children to read a

Uwan’s damage reaches P5.74 billion in Catanduanes alone

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/super-typhoon-uwan-damage-agriculture-infrastructure-november-19-2025/

<p>CATANDUANES, Philippines – A week after <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/weather/tropical-cyclone-uwan-forecast-track-wind-signals-rain-damage-relief-updates-november-2025/">Uwan (Fung-wong)</a> affected Catanduanes, the provincial government said the total damage left by the super typhoon had so far reached P5.74 billion. </p>

<p>Based on figures posted by Catanduanes Governor Patrick Azanza and confirmed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the province incurred damage in infrastructure, agriculture, and non-infrastructure properties worth P4.21 billion, P1.45 billion, and P79.55 million, respectively.</p>

<p>“Uwan’s intense rainfall, which was dumped on Catanduanes for one and a half days, was equivalent to a month’s worth of rain. That’s why it really loosened the soil of some of our mountains, causing landslides and even flash flooding in some areas,” said Azanza, describing Uwan’s wrath in the province.</p>

<p>Uwan has affected over 63,798 families or 214,964 individuals across the province’s various towns that continue to ask for help in the super typhoon’s aftermath. (READ: <a href="https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/typhoon-uwan-victims-bicol-appeal-help/">‘We lost everything’: Displaced Uwan victims in Bicol plead for help</a>)</p>

<p>The data, according to the PDRRMO, was sourced from consolidated reports provided by municipal DRRMOs and the Disast

Catanduanes fisherfolk struggle to cope after Uwan shatters boats, homes

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.rappler.com/philippines/luzon/catanduanes-fisherfolk-struggle-uwan-shatters-boats-homes/

<p>CATANDUANES, Philippines – George Molina, a fisherman who has spent more than 30 years fishing off their local coast, is now at a loss for how to restart his livelihood after Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong) ravaged his community. </p>

<p>The storm surges, which residents, including Molina, said reached a terrifying height of nine meters, destroyed all his fishing tools and boat. </p>

<p>“The (super) typhoon split my boat, and the nets disappeared. My boat was already up on higher ground, but the sea still reached it. The nets were loaded onto it, so they were also lost when the boat was split into two,”<em> </em>he told Rappler in Filipino. </p>

<p>Molina and at least 78 other fisherfolk from Tamboñgon in Viga town, Catanduanes, were rendered helpless when the super typhoon engulfed not only their homes but also the boats that have sustained generations of life in their town.</p>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img alt="" class="wp-image-3113945" height="572" src="https://www.rappler.com/tachyon/2025/11/photo_2025-11-15-16.48.09.jpeg" style="width: 840px; height: auto;" width="796" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">PAINFUL STROLL. George Molina and his grandchild walk past piles of debris left by Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong) on November 13, 2025. Photo by Izel Manata/Rappler</figcaption></figure>

<p>When asked what he thought could be repaired first, Molina was momentarily silent, torn between rebuilding his

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