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The Story., Cadiz City (2026)

04/10/2026

USAT Tourism Students Receive Their Scarves, Pins

USAT College in Sagay City is strengthening its place as a college in Northern Negros committed to providing affordable and quality education.

This was highlighted during the Scarfing and Pinning Ceremony for graduating students of the Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) on October 1 at Balay Kauswagan in Sagay City.

As the students received their scarves and pins, they took another step toward their chosen profession and the responsibilities that come with it.

The ceremony marked a transition from classroom learning to the demands of the tourism industry, where service, discipline and professionalism matter.

More than symbols of achievement, the scarves and pins serve as reminders of the values the students are expected to carry as they enter the profession.

This ceremony is not the end of their preparation. It is a promise to keep learning, serve with purpose and be ready for the world beyond the classroom./*

Photo: USAT - VisioGraphix

03/10/2026

In Cadiz City: Public Service Must Never Stand Still

Public service is not only about reporting to work, doing the job, and going home.

It is about people.

Employees of the City Government of Cadiz gathered at Sta. Cruz Beach Resort to celebrate the Civil Service Anniversary on September 30.

For a day, they stepped away from their desks, offices, documents, and deadlines.

They talked. They laughed. They shared stories. They got to know one another beyond their positions and daily tasks.

Government works through people. And people work better when they understand one another.

But the celebration should mean more than a day of fellowship.

It should also be a time to pause and ask: Are we still serving the people the way they deserve to be served?

Government employees may already be doing their jobs well. But good service should not be the end of the conversation.

We need to look at what we do, how we do it, and whether our ways of working still respond to the needs of the people.

Sometimes, we need to retreat.

Not to walk away from our responsibilities, but to step back from the daily routine, reflect, listen, and reconnect with the people we work with.

And then, we need to enhance.

We return to our offices with lessons learned, stronger relationships, and a clearer sense of purpose.

The gathering at the resort offered that opportunity.

It reminded employees that they are not simply assigned to different offices and departments.

They are part of one government, serving one community.

Closeness among employees is not merely about friendship. It can build trust, improve communication, and strengthen teamwork.

And teamwork matters when the work is public service.

The people who come to government offices do not see organizational charts. They see government.

That is why every public servant must remain willing to learn and improve.

The world changes. The needs of communities change. Technology changes. Government processes must change with them.

What worked yesterday may not be enough tomorrow.

The Civil Service Anniversary, then, should not only celebrate what government employees have done.

It should challenge them to ask what they can still do better.

Calibrate. Retreat. Enhance.

Three words that can turn a celebration into a commitment.

Because public service is not about being perfect.

It is about being willing to improve.

And perhaps that is the real meaning of celebrating the Civil Service Anniversary:
To pause together.

And then return to work - not simply as employees of government, but as public servants who understand that there is always another person to help, another problem to solve, and another opportunity to serve better.

The people move forward. Government must move with them.*

24/09/2026

Joncriz: A Cadiznon Pride

Cadiz City, a home of champions, continues to produce athletes who make their mark in colleges and universities across the country.

One of them is Joncriz Ayco of Barangay Sicaba, Cadiz City.

At 19, Ayco has already taken his passion for volleyball beyond his hometown and onto one of the biggest stages in Philippine collegiate sports.

A second-year student of Bachelor of Science in Fitness and Sports Management at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), Ayco was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Best Opposite in Season 86 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

He also completed his senior high school education at UST in Manila.

Ayco started playing volleyball in elementary school. Years of training, discipline, and sacrifice helped shape him into the athlete he is today.

Every practice and every match became part of his journey, not only as a volleyball player, but also as a student pursuing his education.

Ayco considers his achievement as his personal milestone. It is also a source of pride for the community that watched him grow and pursue his dream.

As he continues his studies and volleyball career, Ayco carries the name of UST and the pride of Cadiz wherever he plays.

For young athletes who dream of making it beyond their hometown, Ayco has a simple message:

Where you begin does not have to define where you can go.*

05/09/2026

PLTCOL Mansueto: A Son of Cadiz, A Pride of the Nation

Great achievements are rarely born in the spotlight.

They begin quietly in communities that need change, in problems that demand solutions, and in public servants who choose to do more than what is expected of them.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Mansueto began his journey not on a national scene, but in the communities he was entrusted to serve.

On September 4, 2026, at the Grand Hyatt Manila in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, PLTCOL Mansueto stood among the country's finest public servants as one of the 2026 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos, a distinction recognizing Filipinos whose work has made a meaningful difference in their communities and in the nation.

He was one of only three police officers selected for the prestigious recognition, alongside Police Master Sergeant Dwight Alexis B. Supsupin and Police Major Baby Rose P. Cajulao.

But behind the medal and the ceremony is a story that reaches far beyond the ballroom.

It is a story of nearly 25 years of public service, of innovation born from experience, and of leadership shaped by a simple commitment: to make public service better for the people it serves.

Before he became a national awardee, Mansueto served as Chief of Police in Cadiz City, Sagay City, and Toboso. It was during these assignments that many of the programs and innovations that would later distinguish his career were conceived, tested, refined, and implemented.

As Chief of Police of Cadiz City from mid-2018 to 2021, he helped advance a style of policing that embraced technology, community participation, crime prevention, and responsiveness.

Under his leadership, the Mobile Web Applications project emerged as an innovative tool for the Cadiz PNP at a time when similar digital systems had not yet been developed nationally by the PNP.

Among its pioneering initiatives was the Digital Local Police Clearance System, developed even before the implementation of the National Police Clearance System. The system continued to evolve and improve, demonstrating how local innovation could anticipate and contribute to the modernization of police services.

Another major initiative was the Barangay Information System, which was implemented in eight barangays and continues to be used by Mabini and other barangays.

His leadership also produced the Traffic Information and Management System (TIMS) of the Cadiz PNP, strengthening traffic monitoring and management, while Cadiz Patrol 101 enhanced police visibility as an anti-crime strategy.

Other notable initiatives included Project WALIS, a drug-clearing initiative; Project SAFE 6, which focused on road safety; and Project TEAM, which provided interventions and outreach programs for Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL).

These were not innovations created simply for recognition.

They were solutions created because communities had problems that needed solving.

For Mansueto, technology was not an end in itself. It was a tool to strengthen public service to help police officers work smarter, communities participate more actively, and government respond more effectively.

The results spoke for themselves. The programs and innovations developed during his tenure earned provincial, regional, and national recognition, including the distinction of Outstanding and Best City Police Station in 2019 and 2020 consecutively during his leadership as Chief of Police.

His initiatives promoted road safety, community collaboration, crime prevention, drug-clearing efforts, and stronger coordination between the police and the people they serve.

In this way, his leadership demonstrated that meaningful innovation does not always begin in large institutions or major cities.

Sometimes, it begins in a local police station.

Sometimes, it begins with a leader willing to ask: How can we serve our people better?

Today, Mansueto serves as Deputy Provincial Director for Administration of the Antique Police Provincial Office under Police Regional Office 6.

He holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration, reflecting his continuing commitment not only to policing but also to understanding and improving public governance.

The Metrobank Foundation recognition carries a special significance because it honors not only Mansueto as an individual, but also the communities that became part of his journey.

From Cadiz City, Sagay City, and Toboso, where his innovations took root, to his present assignment in Antique, his career reflects a continuing pursuit of better, smarter, and more responsive public service.

His story reminds us that local communities can be laboratories of innovation, places where ideas are transformed into practical solutions and where public servants can create models that inspire others.

Beyond the uniform and the responsibilities of command is a husband and father. Mansueto is married to Lizette Chavez Mansueto of Cadiz City, with whom he has four children.

Behind every public servant's journey are sacrifices rarely seen by the public, the long hours, difficult decisions, demanding assignments, and time away from family.

His story is therefore also a story of a family that has shared in the demands and sacrifices of public service.

The 2026 Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos were selected by a distinguished Board of Judges chaired by Senator Panfilo Lacson and co-chaired by Supreme Court Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez.

As one of the country's Outstanding Filipino Police Officers, PLT COL Mansueto will receive the Medallion of Excellence, to be conferred by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace.

The medal will recognize an achievement. But the greater story is the legacy behind it.

A legacy that began in local communities.

A legacy built through years of service.

A legacy strengthened by innovation.

And a legacy that proves that one public servant, armed with commitment and a willingness to improve the way things are done, can create ripples far beyond the boundaries of his assignment.

For Cadiz, his achievement is more than a personal honor. It is a source of pride for a community that witnessed where many of his innovations began.

For the Philippine National Police, it is a testament to what visionary leadership and innovation can accomplish.

And for the nation, the journey of Police Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Mansueto offers a powerful lesson:
Excellence in public service does not begin with recognition.

It begins with the decision to serve, and to leave every community better than you found it.*

28/08/2026

Emma: Cadiznon Transwoman Who Makes a Difference

Some people make a difference by doing extraordinary things.

Others do it simply by having the courage to be themselves and using their gifts to inspire others.

Emmanuel Rebadomia Dela Llave or Emma Dela Llave, a Cadiznon, is one of them.

A Licensed Professional Teacher, master’s degree holder, student leader, performer, and young Filipina trans woman, Emma is steadily building a life that reflects courage, purpose, and determination.

She studied at Pedro Pitogo Elementary School, followed by Tiglawigan National High School and Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo Memorial National High School. She later pursued her college education at the Philippine Normal University Visayas, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.

Emma pursued graduate studies at the Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM) in Murcia, Spain, earning a Master’s Degree in Bilingual Education.

Going to Spain was not merely about earning another degree. It was a decision to step beyond what was familiar—to experience independence, discover new possibilities, and grow into the person she wanted to become.

Interestingly, Emma was the youngest student in her class. But being young did not keep her from making herself heard. She became a class representative and joined the Student Ambassadors, taking an active role in representing and engaging with her fellow students.

This was not new territory for Emma. Back at PNU Visayas, she served as president of PNU Kabataang Urduja, an organization advocating gender equality, women’s empowerment, and social awareness. Her leadership earned her the Josefa Llanes Escoda Leadership Award.

For Emma, leadership was never simply about holding a title.

It was about standing for something.

It was about using her voice.

And it was about showing that a young trans woman can lead, serve, achieve, and inspire.

But Emma's voice is not heard only in classrooms or organizational meetings.

There is another place where she shines—the stage.

Known as “Taylor Switch,” Emma is a Taylor Swift impersonator who has performed at Bacolaodiat, Panaad Festival, University Week, malls, and Cuneta Astrodome.

Onstage, she entertains.

In school, she excels.

In leadership, she serves.

And in life, she continues to find her own voice.

Emma's journey as a trans woman has not been about asking the world for permission to dream.

She dreams anyway.

She studies anyway.

She leads anyway.

She performs anyway.

And she continues moving forward.

That is what makes her story meaningful.

As people are sometimes judged before they are understood, Emma offers a different message: let your character, your work, and your courage speak for you.

A person's worth is not determined by labels, but by what they do with their life and how they touch the lives of others.

From the classrooms of Cadiz to the university halls of Spain, Emma has carried with her more than dreams.

She has carried determination.

She has carried courage.

And she has carried the belief that she can make a difference.

Emma is still young, and her story is far from finished.

There will be more classrooms to enter, stages to grace, people to inspire, and dreams to pursue.

But already, she has shown something important:

Being different is not a weakness. Having a dream is not enough—you must have the courage to pursue it.

And sometimes, the most powerful way to make a difference is simply to live authentically, lead with purpose, and inspire others to believe that they, too, can become who they are meant to be.

Raised and guided by her proud parents, Julius Dela Llave and Carmela Rebadomia of Barangay Tiglawigan, Cadiz City, she is a young woman who is making her place in the world - and making a difference along the way.*

25/08/2026

Apawan: Tiglawigan’s Proud Son

Cadiz City is truly home to champions, topnotchers, scientists, and world-class professionals.

And Tiglawigan, one of its 22 barangays, has produced its own share of remarkable individuals.

Among them is a young man whose journey from the classrooms of his hometown has led him to an extraordinary calling in the service of the nation.

This is the story of Second Lieutenant Gabriele Martinez Apawan, NC.

At 28, Gab has achieved a distinction that makes his hometown especially proud: he is the first military nurse from Barangay Tiglawigan, carrying not only the rank of a military officer but also the pride of the community where his dreams first took root.

His journey began in the classrooms of Tiglawigan Elementary School, where he spent his childhood years learning and playing in the same school grounds that would later become part of his story.

He continued his secondary education at Tiglawigan National High School before pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at the State University of Northern Negros.

Like many young people pursuing higher education despite financial challenges, Gab's journey was not always easy. With the support of his aunt and uncle and the assistance of scholarships, however, he was able to complete his studies and earn his nursing degree.

After graduation, Gab gained professional experience as a volunteer nurse at the Cadiz City Emergency Clinic and Birthing Home.

There, he developed not only his nursing skills but also the compassion, patience, and responsibility essential to caring for others.

That same year, he attended a nursing review program and took the Nursing Licensure Examination, which he passed on his first attempt.

As a registered nurse, he became a Staff Nurse at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)–Mother and Child Unit of Cebu North General Hospital in Talamban, Cebu.

For several years, he cared for patients, particularly mothers and children, building valuable experience in the nursing profession.

But Gab's desire to serve eventually took him beyond the hospital.

He underwent rigorous military training with the Philippine Navy, facing the physical, mental, and emotional demands of military life.

The transition from hospital corridors to military training grounds challenged him in a different way, requiring discipline, resilience, leadership, and commitment.

His efforts earned recognition. He graduated Rank 15 among 50 trainees and received the Leadership Award for his leadership, discipline, and commitment to service. He eventually became a member of the Nurse Corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Today, he proudly wears the uniform as Second Lieutenant Gabriele Martinez Apawan, NC.
His achievement reflects not only his own determination but also the support of the family members, teachers, and community who helped shape his journey.

The young boy who once walked the halls and played in the quadrangle of a neighborhood school has grown into a nurse and military officer serving the Filipino people.

His journey also shows how one profession can lead to another dimension of service. Nursing gave him the opportunity to care for individuals; military service has given him another avenue to serve the country.

For Gab, success is not simply about reaching a personal goal. It is about using what he has learned and achieved in the service of others.

To the young people of Tiglawigan and to every Filipino who carries a dream, Gab's journey offers a simple message:
Dream boldly. Work hard. Stay disciplined. Never give up.

Challenges may make the journey difficult, but they do not have to determine where it ends.

Gab's journey—from the classrooms of Tiglawigan, to nursing, and eventually to military service—shows what perseverance and determination can accomplish.

Sometimes, greatness begins in an ordinary place, with an ordinary young person who dares to dream beyond what he can see.

And sometimes, that young dreamer grows up to become a source of pride—not only for his family, but for an entire community./*

24/08/2026

The Story will resume telling stories - amazing, inspiring stories that matter.

22/06/2026

December Avenue Rocks Cadiz

December Avenue, one of the country's most recognized OPM bands, is set to perform during the 59th Charter Day Celebration of Cadiz City on July 4.

But who is December Avenue?

The band traces its beginnings to 2007, when a group of college friends with a shared passion for music came together in Manila.

Originally performing under the name Sense of Sound, the group later adopted the name December Avenue, a title that reflects the idea of moving forward and embracing new beginnings.

Like many aspiring bands, December Avenue started by performing in small venues, school events, and local gigs.

Through years of hard work and perseverance, the group gradually built a loyal following, earning recognition for its heartfelt songwriting and distinctive sound.

Led by vocalist and songwriter Zel Bautista, the band gained national attention through songs that resonated with listeners across generations.

Hits such as Bulong, Huling Sandali, Sa Ngalan ng Pag-ibig, and Kung 'Di Rin Lang Ikaw helped establish December Avenue as one of the most-streamed Filipino bands of its generation.

Their music, often centered on themes of love, loss, hope, and personal growth, has connected with millions of listeners in the Philippines and abroad.

Over the years, the band has performed in major concerts, music festivals, and international tours, bringing Filipino music to audiences around the world.

On July 4, Cadiznons will have the opportunity to witness the band's live performance as the city celebrates 59 years of progress and development./*

Photo: December Avenue page

19/06/2026

NOTICE TO OUR VALUED SUBSCRIBERS AND FOLLOWERS

Thank you for your continued support of The Story Page.

Please be informed that our page will be temporarily inactive for a few days as we undergo improvements and preparations for exciting new features designed to serve you better.

During this brief pause, our team will be working behind the scenes to enhance your experience and bring you fresh content, improved storytelling, and new ways to keep you informed, inspired, and engaged.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. We look forward to reconnecting with you soon with an all-new and improved The Story Page.

Stay tuned. We will be back shortly—better, stronger, and ready to tell more stories that matter.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

— The Story Team

16/06/2026

Agupasa: A Cadiznon Sketch Artist

He is an artist who has won awards at both the local and national levels.

He has sketched several well-known personalities, yet he remains humble despite his success.

His exceptional talent and remarkable skills have earned him recognition and made him one of the most sought-after sketch artists in the region.

Rogelio N. Agupasa, a resident of Barangay Tiglawigan, Cadiz City, continues to turn blank sheets of paper into portraits that capture faces, stories, and memories.

At 39, Agupasa has become known in Cadiz City for his skill in charcoal rendering and portrait sketching.

Through years of practice, he has built a reputation as an artist whose work reflects both talent and dedication.

A graduate of Banquerohan Elementary School and Dr. Vicente F. Gustilo Memorial National High School, Agupasa later pursued higher education at the State University of Northern Negros (SUNN) from 2016 to 2019 while continuing to develop his craft.

Over the years, his work has gained attention in local and regional art events. He won the Charcoal Rendering Championship in 2016, 2017, and 2019, demonstrating consistency in a field where precision and patience are essential.

He also placed second in a Charcoal Rendering competition held in Dumaguete City during a Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) event.

Beyond competitions, Agupasa's artwork has reached a wider audience. His sketches and portraits have been featured by ABS-CBN News and other media platforms, bringing recognition not only to his work but also to the local art community of Cadiz.

One of his notable contributions was sponsoring and creating photogenic portraits in all 18 barangays of Cadiz City.

The project highlighted residents and communities, using art as a way to connect people and preserve memories.

Today, Agupasa continues to work as a freelance sketch artist. Despite the challenges that often come with pursuing art as a profession, he remains committed to his passion.

His story tells how dedication to a craft can create opportunities, inspire others, and bring recognition to a community.

Agupasa's journey reminds aspiring artists that talent grows through practice, perseverance, and a willingness to keep creating./*

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