Carla P. Gomez

Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection caused by Leptospira, which is transmitted from animals to humans — primarily through the urine of rats.A third leptospirosis death has been reported in Bacolod City this year.The fatality was a 52-year-old male from Jesusa Subdivision, Brgy. Estefania, Bacolod City, the City Health Office reported on Tuesday, April 7.The CHO said the fatality, who had a history of wading in floodwaters, succumbed to septic shock due to severe leptospirosis and acute kidney injury.The patient was hospitalized on March 23 and died two days later.Bacolod City has recorded 12 leptospirosis cases from January 1 to March 28 this year, representing a 200 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025.Barangay Estefania currently leads the ci...

Aloy must be kept fresh to prevent histamine poisoning.*Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. confirmed that local health officials are closely monitoring residents after approximately 15 people suffered allergic reactions from consuming Aloy (also known as Tulingan) in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, April 6.The sudden surge in cases prompted immediate medical intervention, with 10 patients treated for allergies at the city’s emergency clinic, he said.Four individuals with pre-existing conditions, such as asthma, were admitted to the Cadiz District Hospital for further observation, while one additional patient received outpatient care, Escalante added.The affected fish was transported from Iloilo on Sunday night and sold to local residents on Monday morning, he said.W...

About 40,000 tricycle drivers across 19 cities in the Negros Island Region (NIR) are set to receive ₱5,000 each in fuel subsidies on Wednesday, April 8.Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) NIR Director Arwin Razo announced on Monday that approximately ₱200 million will be released simultaneously.It will cover all eligible drivers in the 19 cities under Phase 1 of the program, following a directive from the DSWD Central Office, he said.The second phase of the subsidy distribution scheduled on April 16 will cover tricycle drivers in all municipalities across the region.Razo said the total number of beneficiaries for the second phase is still being determined as data collection for the towns is currently underway.To claim the subsidy, beneficiaries are requ...

Classes at STI WNU were suspended after the tremor.*Richard Caballero photoA magnitude 5.4 earthquake that rocked Cebu on Monday, April 6, was also felt across Negros Occidental, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.The tectonic quake struck approximately 17 kilometers southeast of Bogo City at 3:22 p.m. with a depth of 10 kilometers.In response to the tremors, several educational institutions, including STI West Negros University in Bacolod City, suspended classes as a safety precaution.Phivolcs initially reported the earthquake at Intensity II in various parts of Negros Occidental and Intensity I in Bacolod City.However, more detailed data from the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office specified ...

An Army corporal was slightly wounded following back-to-back encounters between government troops and remnants of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) Northern Negros Front in Sitio Pinyahon, Brgy. Minautok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Monday, April 6.Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said that 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers recovered an M-16 assault rifle believed to have been abandoned by a wounded rebel during their retreat.Residents disclosed that the fleeing insurgents were seen carrying injured comrades, leaving a trail of bloodstains along their withdrawal route, Dumosmog said.The rebel group was reportedly led by Roger Fabillar, alias "Jhong," the commanding officer of the remnants of the NPA’s dismantled Northern Negros Front, he said....

Rescuers trying to revive the child.*Two minors drowned in Don Salvador Benedicto and EB Magalona in Negros Occidental during the weekend.A 5-year-old girl downed in the Bago River in Don Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental, on Black Saturday, April 4.The victim was a resident of Purok Estewetes, Barangay Bagong Silang in Don Salvador Benedicto.The father of the victim told the police that they were swimming in the Bago River at Purok Mahogany, Barangay Bunga, together with family and friends when he noticed that his daughter was missing.They immediately conducted a search and recovered the victim submerged underwater.The victim was rushed to the Don Salvador Benedicto Municipal Health Unit for revival but medical personnel noted that the victim’s vital ...

Kanlaon Volcano spewing ash on Sunday.* Phivolcs video screengrabKanlaon Volcano spewed ash four times on Easter Sunday, April 5, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported. The three ash emissions in the afternoon lasted for a combined total of four hours and 27 minutes. The first emission began at 1:10 p.m. and lasted for 40 minutes, followed by a second event at 3:10 p.m. that continued for 96 minutes,  Mark John Macadangdang, Phivolcs project technical assistant, said. The third and longest emission occurred at 5:09 p.m., lasting for 131 minutes, he added. These events generated grayish plumes that rose from  350 to 1,200 meters above the summit crater, as visually recorded ...