From elections and natural disasters to crimes and infrastructure failures, 2025 tested the resilience of communities across the regions, as GMA Regional TV news stations tracked the year’s most significant and impactful stories.
One of the major events covered this year was the 2025 national and local elections. GMA Regional TV followed the entire process, from campaign periods to election day and the official proclamation of winning candidates.
ONE NORTH CENTRAL LUZON
Education made headlines early in the school year. Just two days into the June reopening of classes, a bullying incident was recorded at Mangaldan National High School.
Severe weather repeatedly battered Luzon. The southwest monsoon and a series of typhoons caused landslides in Itogon, Benguet, and a rockslide in Baguio City. Tropical Cyclone #EmongPH left widespread damage in Pangasinan and La Union, cutting power and destroying homes. Tropical Cyclone #PauloPH caused major flooding in Isabela, while Tropical Cyclone #RamilPH affected coastal communities in Aurora. Even as residents recovered, Tropical Cyclone #UwanPH struck, triggering storm surges that damaged homes and schools in La Union and Pangasinan.
Infrastructure failures also drew attention. On October 7, the Pigattan Bridge in Alcala, Cagayan collapsed after several overloaded trucks crossed it. At least seven people were injured.
The Department of Public Works and Highways said the trucks weighed about 50 tons each, far exceeding the bridge’s 18-ton capacity. The bridge was already 45 years old.
Several deadly explosions linked to illegal firecracker storage shook Dagupan City. On November 16, an explosion at an illegal firecracker factory killed one person.
On Christmas Day, another blast at a house allegedly used as a firecracker storage site killed two people, including a seven-year-old girl.
On December 29, authorities found a bride-to-be who had been missing for 20 days in Sison, Pangasinan. Sherra De Juan said she woke up on a road in Mangaldan and walked through several towns in Pangasinan and La Union before seeking help. She has since returned to Quezon City, but authorities continue to investigate how she ended up in Pangasinan.
Crime stories also gripped the region. In August, the body of seven-year-old Baby Portia was found along the shore of Tondaligan Beach in Dagupan City. She was earlier reported missing in Asingan, Pangasinan. Authorities identified her father as the primary suspect.
Corruption issues surfaced in September after DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon discovered alleged anomalies in flood control projects in Bauang and Tubao, La Union. Investigators found fake pipes, substandard materials, and a supposed “ghost project” with no clear construction plans.
Drug enforcement operations in Bugallon and Labrador, Pangasinan in October led to the seizure of more than one ton of shabu. Police arrested a Chinese national and a Filipino accomplice. Authorities said the drugs were stored in a warehouse and were meant for delivery to Metro Manila.
In December, the death of former DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral also drew national attention. Cabral was found dead near the Bued River after reportedly falling from Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet. She was among the key figures linked to investigations into anomalous flood control projects.
ONE WESTERN VISAYAS
Typhoon #TinoPH affected over 700,000 individuals across Western Visayas. According to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC), a total of 233,694 families were impacted.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Cebu also jolted Western Visayas on September 30, 2025. Bacolod City reported tremors, causing temporary disruptions.
A minor explosive eruption was recorded at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Island on October 24, 2025. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported that the eruption lasted from 8:05 p.m. to 8:08 p.m.
Political violence hit Aklan this year. On August 8, the vice mayor of Ibajay, Julio Estolloso, was shot dead by a councilor. Earlier, on April 29, Juan Dayang, 89, a former mayor and veteran journalist in Kalibo, was also shot dead in his residence.
Two Discaya-owned firms failed to secure a mayor’s permit for projects in Iloilo City, delaying flood control works in the region.
BALITANG BISDAK
The September 30 Cebu earthquake affected over 748,000 people, including residents in Bogo City, according to the NDRRMC.
Torrential rains from Typhoon #TinoPH triggered severe flooding in Cebu, damaging homes and infrastructure when the storm made landfall on November 4, 2025.
Cebu has at least 414 flood control projects worth P26.61 billion, which accounts for 4.2 percent of the government’s total number of flood control projects and 4.9 percent of the total contract cost, based on data gathered by GMA Integrated News Research from the sumbongsapangulo.ph website.
Officials of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other government agencies conducted an inspection at the San Juanico Bridge and alternative routes connecting the Provinces of Samar and Leyte.
Controversial contractor Sarah Discaya was committed to the Lapu-Lapu City Jail along with eight officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Occidental dawn on December 20, 2025.
ONE MINDANAO
A series of strong earthquakes also rattled Mindanao in 2025. A magnitude 6.8 earthquake jolted Davao Oriental just hours after a more powerful magnitude 7.4 quake struck nearby areas.
Politics also shaped the year’s major headlines. Members of the Duterte family secured key victories in the 2025 national and local elections, reinforcing their political influence in Davao City and nearby areas.
Infrastructure concerns surfaced after the Department of Public Works and Highways uncovered an alleged “ghost” flood control project in Davao Occidental.
Severe weather again tested communities in the region. Dinagat Islands was placed under a state of calamity after Typhoon #TinoPH caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods across the province.
A tragic aviation incident capped the year’s major stories. A Philippine Air Force helicopter crashed in Agusan del Sur while conducting a relief mission during Typhoon #TinoPH, killing those on board and prompting an investigation into the incident.
As 2025 ends, GMA Regional TV News remains committed to delivering timely, accurate, and impactful news, continuing to tell the stories that matter most to communities across the region.
