CONNER, Apayao – Fifteen public schools in the Municipality of Conner have received 43-inch Smart Televisions from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), providing teachers and students with modern learning tools to support interactive, technology-driven instruction. The Smart TVs were formally turned over on July 7, 2026 through the initiative of Conner Mayor Atty. Jorico F. Bayaua, who sought assistance from PAGCOR as part of the local government's and t

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – Governor James S. Edduba has proposed a more flexible approach to the province's ordinance prohibiting the nighttime transport of quarry materials, suggesting limited exemptions for qualified infrastructure projects that can only be carried out after dark. The proposal was raised during the Management Committee (ManCom) meeting on July 20 at the New Conference Hall in Bulanao, where Edduba sought to balance the province's strict regulation of quarry oper

TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) Committee on Tourism, Trade and Industry, chaired by Board Member Camilo T. Lammawin Jr., has completed the third and final review of the proposed ordinance enacting the Revised Tourism Code of the Province of Kalinga, bringing the measure a step closer to adoption. The final review was held on July 23 at the New Conference Hall of the Kalinga Sports Center in Capitol Hills, Bulanao, Tabuk City. The proposed ordinance se

BAGUIO CITY – Young adults in Baguio may soon have to wait a few more years before legally ordering a drink, as the City Council is considering raising the minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 23 under a proposed revision of the city's three-decade-old Liquor Code. The proposal forms part of a broader effort to strengthen public health safeguards and reduce alcohol-related harm, following data presented by health officials during council deliberations. According to the repor

ENTERTAINMENT HUNGDUAN, Ifugao – Ifugao titleholder Joe Marzon Dunuan has earned a coveted spot among the 40 official candidates of Mr. Universe Philippines 2026, placing the province in the national spotlight as he competes for one of the country's most prestigious men's pageant titles. Mr. Universe Philippines is a national pageant that provides Filipino men with a platform to showcase not only their personality, confidence, and leadership but also their purpose, advocacy,

FEATURE While most forensic science students spend their days examining crime scene evidence and solving complex cases in the classroom, Michiko Gonzales has been making headlines on a different field—one where steady hands, laser-sharp focus, and nerves of steel determine victory. The University of the Cordilleras Forensic Science student from Licuan-Baay, Abra, who also traces her roots to Baguio City, delivered an outstanding run in separate international and national comp

RIZAL, Cagayan – Authorities confiscated more than ₱535,000 worth of illegally cut lauan timber during a joint anti-illegal logging operation in Rizal, Cagayan, on July 21, while the identified suspect remains at large. According to a report cited by 95.7 XFM Tuguegarao, the operation was conducted by personnel from the Rizal Municipal Police Station, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO)-Lannig in Solana, the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 2, and ot

Tineg, Abra – The Philippine Army has confirmed the first reported rebel casualty in the continuing military operations against communist insurgents in the mountainous areas of Tineg, Abra, following days of intense pursuit operations. In an update, Major Ed Rarugal, spokesperson of the 5th Infantry Division, said the slain individual is believed to be a member of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC), the regional command of the Communist Party of the Philippines-N

BAGUIO CITY – The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples–Cordillera Administrative Region (NCIP-CAR) has warned the public against an unauthorized group allegedly issuing fake native land titles while falsely claiming authority under existing land registration and Indigenous Peoples' laws. In a public advisory issued on July 20, the NCIP-CAR identified the group operating under the name "Lumad Katutubo (Independent People) Free and Independent People (ICCs/IP)" and urged t

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Governor James S. Edduba has congratulated the 24 iKalinga graduates of the Philippine Merchant Marine Academy (PMMA) "Salighirang" Class of 2026, describing their achievement as a source of pride not only for their families but for the entire Province of Kalinga. In an interview, Edduba said completing the rigorous academic and military training required at the country's premier maritime academy is no ordinary feat, noting that it demands discipline, pe

Tabuk City, Kalinga – "The Cordillera has realities that should be reflected in how we are governed and how development is planned for our people," underscored Kalinga Vice-Governor Odiem during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan’s regular session on July 20, 2026. With this message, Vice Governor Odiem renewed his call for Cordillerans to unite behind the long-standing pursuit of regional autonomy after leading the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of Kalinga in adopting a resolution

Cagayan Valley – With the water level at Magat Dam nearing its minimum operating level, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to launch ₱2.76 million worth of cloud seeding operations over the Magat Watershed in a bid to boost rainfall and secure irrigation water for thousands of farmers across the Cagayan Valley. The cloud seeding operations, to be conducted in coordination with the Philippine Air Force, are expected to begin this week and will continue until September,