Carla P. Gomez

Isabela mayoral candidate Renato Malabor Jr. and his running mate Raffy Uy after the filing of their COCs on Sunday, October 3.*Dolly Yasa photo Anthony Villaruz Javelosa who is running for congressman of the fifth district of Negros Occidental.*One candidate for congressman, three for mayor, two for vice mayor and 22 for councilor filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) in Negros Occidental during the weekend, Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said Sunday, October 3.Vice Mayor Renato Malabor Jr. of the United Negros Alliance filed his COC for mayor of Isabela town, along with three-term councilor Raffy Uy who is running for vice mayor, on Sunday.Malabor is challenging incumbent Isabela Mayor Irene Montilla.Malabor’s councilor bets who also filed their C...

Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) at a press conference Sunday, said he is filing his certificate of candidacy for a second term on Monday, October 4.*CPG photoRep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) denied on Sunday, October 3, any part in the “hakot” system where residents of the third district of Negros Occidental are allegedly being brought to Bacolod City to register to vote.The congressman’s brother, former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, is running for mayor of Bacolod City.His political opponents have alleged that there has been a surge of out-of-town voter registrants in Bacolod City, although Bacolod Elections Officer Kathrina Trinio-Caña on Thursday said their statistics speak otherwise.“I am outrightly saying and den...

Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez, who is running for a second term, said he has implemented close to P5 billion in infrastructure and assistance projects in the third district of Negros Occidental and authored and co-authored 277 bills during his first term.Benitez, at a press conference on Sunday, said he is filing his certificate of candidacy for reelection before the Commission on Elections on Monday, October 4.The congressman stressed the need to continue to retool people towards a “Smart Asenso” future through new technologies for a more digital economy, better telehealth services to decongest hospitals, E-government for transparency and efficiency, agriculture rebooting through smart supply chains, education innovation and sustainable development.“Alternative smart models of...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and congressional candidates Gerardo Valmayor, Juliet Marie Ferrer, Ma. Lourdes Arroyo and Mercedes Alvarez (l-r) file their certificates of candidacy Friday, October 1.*Carla Gomez photosFifteen provincial and congressional candidates running under the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance (UNegA) coalition filed their certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections at the Social Hall of the Capitol in Bacolod City on Friday, October 1.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer of the National Unity Party (NUP)/ UNegA led the candidates who filed COCs for reelection.Lacson said a vote of approval will only encourage the Love Negros-UNegA coalition officia...

Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer appeared to be sending mixed signals on the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance (UNegA) stand on areas where no local coalitions had been reached.Lacson and Ferrer on Thursday, October 1, admitted that their unity ticket in some parts of Negros Occidental, especially in the 5th District, failed to get candidates to agree to local coalitions.“So we will allow them to go on with their desire to run for their respective position with the promise that whoever comes out the winner will be respected and we will continue to work with them,” Lacson said.Most likely, although it is not yet final, he and Ferrer will stay neutral in areas where there is a political battle, he said.B...

A 57-year-old seaman was the first and lone aspirant who filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) before the Bacolod Commission on Elections on Friday, October 1, City Election Officer Kathrina Trinio Caña said.Allan Arroyo, 57, a retired seaman from Barangay Sum-ag filed his COC to run for councilor of Bacolod in the 2022 polls.Arroyo said he wants to brighten the streets of Bacolod.Caña is urging candidates to file their COCs early and avoid waiting for the last minute.The filing of COCs will end on October 8.*

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia has ordered the extension of the General Community Quarantine with Heightened Restrictions (GCQ-HR) in Bacolod City until October 31 in compliance with the decision of the National Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.The Department of Health has classified Bacolod City as a high risk area for COVID-19 under Alert Level 4. The city has been under GCQ-HR since July 16.Bacolod City had 2,127 active COVID-19 cases on Friday, October 1.Under EO 47 Series of 2021 issued September 30 Church and religious gatherings will remain limited to a maximum of 10 percent of venue capacity.Daily curfew hours will continue to be observed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., and the sale of liquor will be allowed only from 12 p.m. to 6 p...

Javier Miguel “Javi” Lopez Benitez filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor of Victorias City along with his team Friday, October 1.Running for vice mayor of Victorias along with Benitez is Incumbent Councilor Abelardo “Junb” Bantug III, who also filed his COC.Seven of the incumbent councilors seeking re-election under the Benitez ticket are Virgie Adorio, Audie Malaga, Hermie Millan, Derek Palanca, Dexter Senido, Nity Sta. Ana, and Daylen Tornea.The line-up also includes former city administrator Dino Acuña, Nonoy de Asis - former chief of staff of Mayor Francis Palanca, and Barangay 15-A punong barangay Ulysis Tumimbang.Benitez said for the first time in Victorias, the identification of the final composition of the line-up was determined through a party convention par...

Four Negros Occidental congressional bets, who filed their certificates of candidacies (COC) Friday, October 1, outlined the priorities for their districts that ranged from health to infrastructure projects.Former Deputy House Speaker Mercedes Alvarez, who is running for congresswoman of the sixth district, said her priorities will be education, women empowerment, livelihood and infrastructure.Alvarez said she will also push for the creation of breast milk banks for babies whose mothers are unable to produce adequate milk.She was accompanied by her husband, Dranreb Lansang, and her father Rep. Genaro Alvarez Jr. (Negros Occidental, 6th District) in the filing of her COC.She said her brothers Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez and Vice Mayor Genaro Rafael Alvarez are also seeking ...

CLASH. An alleged ranking female official of the New People’s Army and three of her companions were killed in an encounter with the state troopers at Hacienda Builder, Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental, early Friday, September 30.*303rd IB photoAn alleged ranking female official of the New People’s Army and three of her comrades were killed in an encounter with government forces at Hacienda Builder, Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental before dawn Thursday, September 30, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, said.Killed were Marilyn Badayos, alias Monet, finance officer and former secretary of the Southeast Front; Ronilo Desabille, alias Wowie, propaganda and education officer; Rudy Carbajosa, alias Brod, finance logistics officer; and Rufino B...