Good morning, everyone.

I am Rjay, reporter of Daily Guardian and I am covering the City Hall and follow stories on environment, transport, energy, and business, among others.

I am looking forward to more interactions with all of you here.

Here are my stories this Monday, September 29:

CHECK-IN FIX: DOTr eases airport screening at Iloilo Airport
https://dailyguardiahttps://dailyguardian.com.ph/opong-monsoon-affect-98k-families-php-45m-in-damage-recordedx/affect 98K families; PHP 45M in damage recorded
https://dailyguardian.com.ph/opong-monsoon-affect-98k-families-php-45m-in-damage-recordedx/

Children's Literature takes centerstage this week in Guimaras province...

Sugilanon: Palihan sa Pagsulat ng Aklat Pambata, Celebrating the Voices of the Unheard will be held from 29 September to 3 October 2025 at Andana Resort Guimaras.

The workshop is part of the global initiative of Room to Read, an international organization founded in 2000 by John Wood, Erin Ganju, and Dinesh Shrestha, which advances literacy and gender equality in education.

Read: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/room-to-read-and-the-celebration-of-unheard-voices-in-philippine-childrens-literaturex/

Hello from Manila!

DPWH-6 was called in the session of the Pavia LGU earlies regarding updates in the Aganan Flyover. Here is the summary:

- there is a P285 million proposed budget in the 2026 NEP; this balloons the budget for the flyover to P1.1 billion (original budget is P802 million)
-DPWH-6 is targeting to complete the flyover in the last quarter of 2026 or late of first quarter of 2027 (prolly March)
-unless the proposed budget is proposed, DPWH-6 said they cannot proceed to complete the flyover
-DPWH-6 said the P285 million is justified since the original cost of does not include the appropriate depth of the piers

Hello po! Ilongga Writer from Iloilo ^^

Hi, @Ilongga Writer. Welcome to the DG chatroom.

Between Aganan and Ungka flyovers (which are more or less 1 kilometers apart on the same national highway), the government has spent more than PHP2 billion already. Phooey!

On September 21, citizens participated in the "Trillion Peso March" to protest the misuse of flood control funds, an event that teacher and Daily Guardian columnist Dr. Herman M. Lagon describes as feeling like both a fiesta and a wake. Concerned that the movement will now fade, Lagon proposes a simple, actionable plan to convert the protesters' anger into tangible outcomes, such as dry homes and transparent accounting.

Read: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/what-do-we-do-next/

Latest update in the flood control projects of Iloilo:

-The DPWH-6 has terminated the PHP100 million rehabilitation of the Mansaya Creek in La Paz district
-the reason? Presence of informal settlers and inaccessibility of the project
-note that the project is funded by the 2023 GAA. I cannot confirm what is the accomplishment rate of the project, but the project has a contract expiry of March 2024
-What’s interesting about this project is it is implemented by YPR Gen. Contractor and Construction Supply, Inc., a Discaya-owned firm

Good morning.

Here’s the full report from the DPWH-6 meeting yesterday.

COST SOARS TO P1.1-B: DPWH-6 earmarks P285-M for Aganan Flyover; completion eyed in late 2026

https://dailyguardian.com.ph/cost-soars-to-p1-1-b-dpwh-6-earmarks-p285-m-for-aganan-flyover-completion-eyed-in-late-2026x/

Just another fallout from the raging flood control project controversies in the country:

The Department of Public Works and Highways Western Visayas (DPWH-6) has terminated the PHP 100 million Mansaya Creek rehabilitation project in La Paz district, Iloilo City, due to persistent obstructions and inaccessibility of the site.

DPWH-6 director Joel Limpengco said the failure to clear informal settlers along the creek was the main reason the project could not proceed.

Read: https://dailyguardian.com.ph/dpwh-6-ends-php-100m-mansaya-creek-rehab-project/

FRESH FROM THE DPWH: Engr. Jose Al Fruto has been appointed as officer-in-charge Regional Director of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Western Visayas through Special Order No. 159, issued by DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon on Tuesday, September 30.

Fruto, who has been Assistant Regional Director since November 2021, replaces Joel Limpengco, who was appointed only in June this year after the retirement of then-RD Sanny Boy Oropel.

Tenants of a five-story apartment building along Jalandoni Street in Jaro rushed outside after tremors were felt in Iloilo City tonight. | Rjay Zuriaga Castor @here

Hope you are all well and safe!

JUST IN: The Iloilo Provincial Government has announced a suspension of work in the provincial capitol on Wednesday, October 1, following tremors felt in Iloilo City on Tuesday evening, Sept. 30.

The work suspension will allow the Provincial Engineer’s Office and the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to assess the capitol building’s structural integrity.

Classes in all levels, both public and private, in Iloilo City are suspended tomorrow, October 1, to ensure the safety of the students and school staff following the strong earthquake that jolted Iloilo City this evening.

JUST IN: The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported that tremors were also felt in the following areas in Negros Occidental on Tuesday night, after the quake struck Bogo City, Cebu at 9:59 p.m. with a magnitude of 6.9.

Intensity VI
Murcia
Manapla

Intensity V
Bacolod City
San Carlos City
Toboso
Moises Padilla
Hinigaran
Calatrava
Himamaylan City
Talisay City

Intensity IV
Cadiz City
Bago City
Ilog
Kabankalan City
La Castellana
Cauayan
Pontevedra
Some portion of Binalbagan

Intensity I
Sipalay City
Hinobaan | Glazyl M. Jopson