BICOLNEWS.com

26/09/2025

25/09/2025

🌪️ OPONG WEAKENS INTO SEVERE TROPICAL STORM, NOW OVER MASBATE 🌧️🌊

Severe Tropical Storm (Bualoi) has weakened from a typhoon and is now over Palanas, Masbate as of 4:00 AM, September 26, 2025. It packs 110 km/h winds with gusts up to 150 km/h, moving west northwest at 30 km/h.

⚠️ SIGNAL NO. 3 is raised over Sorsogon, Masbate, Albay, western & southern Camarines Sur, southern Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Mindoro provinces, Batangas, southern Laguna, Northern Samar, parts of Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, and northern Leyte.

🌧️ Heavy rain, 💨 strong winds, 🌊 storm surge & flooding are expected. Residents are urged to stay alert, monitor official advisories, and follow evacuation orders from local authorities.

25/09/2025

25/09/2025

OPONGPH: TYPHOON SIGNAL NO. 3 RAISED IN SORSOGON, MASBATE, NORTHERN SAMAR

Severe Tropical Storm (Bualoi) maintains its strength as it moves westward over the Philippine Sea. As of 4:00 PM today, its center was located 195 km east northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Maximum sustained winds are at 110 km/h with gusts of up to 135 km/h.

🔴 TCWS No. 3 (Storm-force winds)
• Luzon: Sorsogon, northern Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Visayas: Northern Samar, northern portions of Eastern Samar and Samar

🟠 TCWS No. 2 (Gale-force winds)
• Luzon: Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, rest of Masbate, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, parts of Quezon and Batangas
• Visayas: Central Eastern Samar, central Samar, Biliran, NW Leyte

🟡 TCWS No. 1 (Strong winds)
• Parts of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Aurora, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, Cuyo and Calamian Islands
• Most of Eastern Visayas, Northern Cebu, Northern Negros Occidental, Northern Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Northern Antique
• Mindanao: Siargao, Bucas Grande, Dinagat Islands

🌊 HIGH SEAS & STORM SURGE
Very rough to high seas over Bicol and Eastern Visayas waters. High risk of storm surge exceeding 3 meters in low-lying coastal areas including Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Bicol Region, Northern Samar, and Leyte within 36 hours.

📍 LANDFALL POSSIBLE
Opong may make landfall over Northern Samar or Northern Eastern Samar early Friday morning, then cross Bicol Region before exiting to the West Philippine Sea.

⚠️ The public is advised to take precautions, follow local DRRMC orders, and stay tuned for the next PAGASA bulletin at 8:00 PM.

25/09/2025

ROMUALDEZ, YAP DRAGGED INTO FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL AT SENATE HEARING

A former security aide of Rep. Zaldy Co blew the whistle at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee on Thursday, directly linking House Speaker Martin Romualdez and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap to the multibillion-peso flood-control controversy.

Orly Regala Guteza — a former soldier who worked as security consultant for the Ako Bicol Party-list in 2004 — said under oath that his affidavit details the roles of Romualdez and Yap in the alleged anomalies.

Introduced by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, Guteza’s testimony widened the scandal beyond Co, tying two of the most powerful House leaders to questionable public-works projects.

📷 Senate of the Philippines FB

25/09/2025

BREAKING: EX-DPWH EXEC TAGS SEN. ESCUDERO, MAYOR BINAY IN ALLEGED KICKBACK SCHEME

Bombshell corruption claims rock the political arena. Ex-DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo directly accuses Sen. Chiz Escudero of pocketing a 20% kickback from budget insertions and routing bags of cash to a key campaign donor. Bernardo also links Makati Mayor Nancy Binay, a former senator, to alleged kickbacks, intensifying calls for a full-scale probe. | via Jean Mangaluz, Philstar