Carla P. Gomez

The DA price monitoring at the Burgos Public Market.* DA photoVendors in two of the three main public markets in Bacolod City are compliant with the ₱50 per kilo price ceiling set for imported premium rice, a Department of Agriculture (DA) official said Friday, June 12.The vendors at the Libertad and Central markets were compliant, DA Negros Island Region Director Jose Albert Barrogo said.Most of the vendors at the Burgos Public Market were non-compliant because they purchased their stocks at the previous higher price from their suppliers, he said.However, their suppliers have adjusted the price for their new stock, so they can now sell their imported premium rice at ₱50, Barrogo said.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued EO 118, imposing a nationwide temporary price c...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, 5th from left, with the provincial board members on Independence Day.*CPG photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson marked the 128th Philippine Independence Day on Friday by calling on Negrenses to collectively work for freedom against poverty  and social injustice.Lacson, in his speech during rites held at the Provincial Capitol Park in Bacolod City, said the freedom won in 1898 will be incomplete without widespread economic dignity and institutional equity for the modern Filipino.“Our independence is a constant reminder of our solemn duty to preserve our liberty, promote inclusive development, and work for the betterment of the lives of all Filipinos,” Lacson said."Freedom means more than political independence,"...

The FAO special session.* Lionel Dabbadie FB page photoThe Slow Food Movement in Negros and Terra Madre Asia Pacific in Bacolod City was highlighted at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's 181st special session in Rome on Wednesday, June 10.The initiatives were featured during a panel discussion on "Food, Biodiversity, and Community-based Agrifood Systems" at  the FAO Headquarters, Slow Food International Councilor Ramon “Chinchin” Uy Jr. said Thursday.Uy represents Slow Food in Southeast Asia and operates Fresh Start Organic Farm in Negros Occidental.The high-level dialog was inspired by Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food movement and the Food and Agriculture Organization Zero Hunger Special Ambassador for Europe.The event focused on biodiv...

A total of 2,197 police personnel will be deployed across  Negros Island Region (NIR) to secure the nationwide observance of the 128th Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on Friday, June 12.The massive deployment is part of the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region’s (PRO-NIR) intensified security and public safety preparations to guarantee a safe, orderly, and meaningful celebration.The PRO-NIR said policemen  will be strategically positioned in major convergence areas hosting flag-raising ceremonies, civic and cultural programs, wreath-laying activities, and large public gatherings.The regional command will also establish police assistance desks, heighten mobile patrols, set up checkpoints, and provide traffic assistance to minimize publ...

A 32-year-old woman listed as the Negros Island Region  tenth most wanted person was apprehended by law enforcement authorities in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, on Wednesday, June 10.The suspect, identified by police only as alias “Kri,” is an unemployed resident of Purok Mahimayaon.She was arrested by virtue of a standing warrant of arrest for ten counts of qualified theft.The joint operation was carried out by intelligence operatives of Bacolod Police Station 3, in close coordination with the City Intelligence Unit, the Warrant and Subpoena Section of the Mandaluyong City Police Station, the Eastern District Intelligence Team, and the Regional Intelligence Unit National Capital Region.The suspect is currently in police custody pending proper legal disposition.*

Benitez, Marañon and Escalante (l-r)*Who  will be the  Love Negros-United Negros (UNegA) coalition candidate for Negros Occidental governor in 2028?Three contenders whose names are being floated  are Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (3rd District), Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), and Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante, president of Negros  Alliance of Chief Executives.Benitez is a member of Love Negros, while Marañon and Escalante are with UNegA.Marañon said during the  meeting of the province's top officials on Monday, they agreed that the coalition would field a single candidate for governor to keep the province politically stable.However, the final decision on who will be fielded has yet to be made, Marañon said.He added that  th...

The EB Magalona blue crabs*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Philippines' sale of blue crabs to the United States will be banned effective Thursday, June 11, due to the country’s alleged failure to comply with American marine mammal protection laws.This will affect the country’s approximately P6 billion in annual crab exports, 90 percent of which goes to the US market,  former mayor Alfonso “Diding” Gamboa of EB Magalona, Negros Occidental, said WednesdayNegros Occidental accounts for a large chunk of the country’s blue crab exports.Gamboa said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) failed to adequately defend the Philippines against claims that the country violated the US Marine Mammal Protection Act's import provisions.The alleged violation stems from a 20...

The North Capitol Road in Bacolod City*The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office has requested the Bacolod City government to clear vendors operating along North Capitol Road, citing traffic congestion, sanitation issues, and security risks.In a letter to City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu dated June 5, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. emphasized that public streets must remain dedicated to their primary purpose - vehicular and pedestrian traffic."Any permission granted for private use should not unduly impair public access, convenience, safety, or the general welfare," Nellas said.Nellas raised the following  concerns on the  vendors' presence:Traffic and Safety: The stalls obstruct the regular flow of traffic, causing lane congestion and p...