Carla P. Gomez

Oct202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Special flights for fully vaccinated start, VTI island-wide travel sought

The first Philippine Airlines special flight from Manila to the Bacolod-Silay International Airport for fully vaccinated individuals began Monday, October 18, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday.The provincial government has asked PAL not to sell tickets for the special flights online to enable Negrenses to have a chance to locally avail of the cheap rates being offered, he said.Fully vaccinated passengers on the special flights do not need to present negative RT-PCR test results, he said.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had granted the request of PAL to mount the special flights for fully vaccinated individuals from October 18 to November 29.All passengers of the special flights will be given a special discounted rate of P3,750 all-in-fare.The special flig...

Oct202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Monico throws support behind Albee, Manny

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Former Bacolod mayor and representative Monico Puentevella said he is campaigning for mayoral candidate Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez and his team “against these people who harassed me for all the years I have been in public service”.Benitez is running for mayor of Bacolod City against incumbent Mayor Evelio Leonardia, Puentevella’s political nemesis.Puentevella, at a press conference Tuesday, October 19, said three more cases filed by the camp of his political opponent have been dismissed.“All these cases from the beginning up to now have all been dismissed, which were proven to be harassment cases against me”, he said.“I am warning the people against reelecting these people…I suffered a lot, they defeated me in the past elections by using these harassment cases,” Puent...

Oct202021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

OHS caters to 1,300 infected with Covid

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Capitol photoThe digitized One Hospital System of Negros Occidental has catered to more than 1,300 Negrenses infected with the COVID-19 virus since its inception in July this year, Provincial Administrator Rayfrado Diaz said Tuesday, October 19.About 5,806 residents from the different cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental, including residents of Bacolod City, were also facilitated by the One Hospital Command System from July to October 12, Diaz said.The digitized system of the province has efficiently facilitated its inter-hospital COVID-19 response and prevented a possible breakdown in hospital operations and capacity, he added.The OHS has reduced the waiting time of patients looking for hospitals by simply referring them to the appropriate district hospitals that...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Covid cases slightly decline; Negros low risk area – DOH

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There has been a slight decline in COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Monday, October 18.“We are happy about the trend, hopefully, the worst is over for our fellow Negrenses,” he said.The COVID-19 active cases in Negros Occidental dropped from 4,443 on October 13 to 4,059 on Monday, October 18, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported.The Department of Health on Monday classified Negros Occidental as a low risk area for COVID-19 under Alert Level 2.Bacolod City remained a moderate risk area under Alert Level 4, the DOH said.Diaz said the number of COVID-positive Negrenses at the Negros Occidental quarantine facilities in Cadiz City, EB Magalona, Silay City and at the Mambukal Resort in Murcia have dropped.Howeve...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Nine new Delta cases detected in Bacolod

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Nine more Bacolod residents found positive for the COVID-19 Delta variant have all recovered from the virus but will undergo new RT-PCR tests, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy for medical data and analysis, said Monday, October 18.He said they were informed Monday that the Philippine Genome Center found seven males and two females positive for COVID-19 based on swab specimens sent September 1 and 2.The two senior citizens and seven young adults hit by the Delta variant will be locked down in their homes until their new RT-PCR test results are released, he said.The Delta-hit Bacolod residents are from barangays Granada and Mansilingan – two each, and Alijis, Pahanocoy, Singcang, Villamonte and Taculing – one each, Sorongon said.*

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

House approves Bacolod economic zone authority

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The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading House Bill No. 5440 establishing the Bacolod Economic Zone Authority, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya said Monday, October 18.“The establishment of special economic zones and a governing body would generate employment for our people and allow our skilled workers not to seek employment in other urbanized cities in the country,” he said.“Investors both foreign and local may also invest in industries in our city such as manufacturing which in turn would entail more competitive wage rates,” he added.Gasataya said he filed the bill in 2019 as existing economic zones in Clark and Cavite have shown promise in local economic, social, and cultural growth.“Through this bill, we will be able to further propel growth for B...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

348,360 Covid jabs arrive, more brand choices now

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Contributed photoNegros Occidental and Bacolod City received 348,360 more doses of COVID-19 vaccines on Monday, October 18.Negros Occidental received 306,060 doses and Bacolod City got 42,300 doses, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.The province received 4,700 doses of AstraZeneca, 175,000 doses of Sinovac, and 126,360 doses of Pfizer vaccines, he saidNegros Occidental also received 17,000 doses of Moderna vaccines on Friday, October 15.Bacolod City received 11,700 doses of Pfizer and 30,600 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines on Monday.The Negros Occidental vaccination drive is continuing on a daily basis because the national government has been giving the province a lot of vaccines, he said.“I hope our fellow Negrenses will take this opportunity to have ...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

VG: P5.7B budget approval expected by mid November

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SP file photoVice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan may approve the P5.7 billion Negros Occidental proposed budget for 2022 by the second week of November.The SP Committee on Finance is set to conduct hearings on the proposed budget this week, he said.The budget priority is to address the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic recovery of the province, Ferrer said.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said while there is a dramatic increase in the province’s share of the National Tax Allotment, formerly the Internal Revenue Allotment, it is still an uphill climb with the continuing battle against COVID-19.The health crisis has shifted priorities and spending policies, he said.“Our foremost goal is to get back on track at the soonest possible time, Lac...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Zubiri to DA: Act on rising fertilizer prices

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Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is calling on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to take action amidst the skyrocketing fertilizer prices in the country, which has put farmers on the back foot as they struggle to balance rising production costs and low farmgate prices.Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Executive Director Wilfredo Roldan has cited global demand as the primary reason for rising fertilizer prices."Urea used to go for just around P800 to P900 per 50 kilograms, but now it is at P1,500 to P1,800. That's an astronomical jump, especially in the middle of a pandemic," Zubiri, who has roots in Negros Occidental, said Monday, October 18."The best way to address this is for the DA to lead the efforts in really developing our local fertilizer industry. How is it t...

Oct192021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

It’s fake news: Guanzon

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“That’s fake news.”That was the reaction of Commission on Elections Commissioner Rowena Guanzon Monday, October 18, to a Banat News YouTube post quoting her as saying that Vice President Leni Robredo had committed violations against Comelec rulesThe report quoted Guanzon, a Negrense, as citing Robredo and her team for seeking possible campaign contributions from foreigners and supporters for her presidential run.The report also quoted Guanzon as saying that the election has not started yet and the camp of Robredo appears to have committed numerous violations.“Just in: Hala! Comelec, kunumpirmang ma-didisqualified na si Robredo (confirms Robredo will be disqualified)?" the YouTube post of Banat News TV on October 17 said.*