IRIGA CITY - A national winner in the country's biggest street dancing competition last year heads a talented group of entries in this year's Gayon Bicol Festival which this city is hosting on February 11, 2010 coinciding with its very own Tinagba Festival.

"Who do the AkoBicol, Alliance of Bicolnon Party and the Oragon Party really represent? We are asking these groups to truthfully answer this question and reveal their nominees. We would also like to know who is funding their campaign particularly the ones who have a lot of air time both in television and radio, big billboards and a lot of vehicles?"

CASTILLA, Sorsogon, Feb. 4 -- Bloody encounters between government troops and communist guerrillas in Bikol marred the approach of the campaign period among bets for national posts in the coming May 10, 2010 polls.

PILI, Camarines Sur, Feb. 4 - The strength of the communist movement operating in Camarines Sur was cut down following the surrender of two ranking New People's Army rebels to Philippine Army (PA), the Army Bikol spokesman said on Thursday.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 5 -- The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan has approved implementation of the P780-million project on the construction of seven evacuation centers in the province of Albay under the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

"I was a victim of oligarchic politics." This was the revelation of former Naga City Mayor Sulpicio "Cho" Roco during a citizens' forum which invited some of Naga City's mayoralty candidates last 26 January at the Ateneo de Naga University.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb. 2- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Bikol generated some P12.09 million last year from various permits, rentals and administrative fees.

LEGAZPI CITY, Feb.5 -- Operatives of Task Force Masbate collared on Thursday two suspected members of a political armed group (PAGs) operating in the island province of Masbate, with several high powered assault firearms seized in their possession, a Bikol national police official said.

CANAMAN, CAM. SUR - AFTER THE CITY GOVERNMENT of Naga had ignored an appeal by more than 30 business establishments, including a school and a hospital to reconsider the removal of barricades in the implementation of a "one-way" experimental traffic along Panganiban Drive since May last year, Public Works regional director Danilo C. Manalang had intervened by directing the local DPWH district to notify the City government of the removal of the said obstructions along Panganiban Drive, a national highway.

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Jan. 27 - The Irish priest who was kidnapped last year in Pagadian City has returned and resumed his missionary works, an official disclosed. Allan June Molde, Zamboanga del Sur provincial government spokesman, disclosed that Fr. Michael Sinnott of the Missionary Society of Saint Columban (MSSC) arrived last Friday in Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur.