Carla P. Gomez

Elections Officer Kathrina Trinio Caña debunked claims that the bulk of those registering to vote before the Bacolod Commission on Elections at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum are transferee voters from towns and cities of Negros Occidental.Caña, in a virtual press conference Thursday, September 30, also said COVID-19 health protocols, including social distancing, are being observed inside the USLS premises in response to the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center claim that their voter registration is a super spreader for COVID-19.That is why the COMELEC sought the help of the police, Task Force Disiplina and the City Legal Office in controlling the crowds outside the USLS premises, Caña pointed out.Caña said after the COMELEC gives queue numbers to 500 people for the day...

Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya announced Thursday, September 30, that he is seeking reelection under the Nationalist People’s Coalition and will stay neutral on the mayoral race of the city.Gasataya has been a member of the Grupo Progreso of Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who is being challenged by former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez in the 2022 polls.“I am not taking sides. I will run as neutral. Mayor Bing Leonardia and Former Congressman Albee Benitez are my ‘maninoys’ during my wedding. Both are significant to my personal and political journey,” said Gasataya at a press conference yesterday.He said the decision was difficult to make “but it was made with the most important and sacred consideration in mind: the lives of the people of Bacolod City”.“My decision is ultimatel...

Ian Lee Ananoria assumed the post of acting provincial election supervisor of Negros Occidental Thursday, a day before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) on Friday, October 1.Ananoria, Antique provincial election officer, took over from Ma. Fatima Aspan who returned to her post as election officer of Victorias City.He was assigned to Negros Occidental because the COMELEC in the province lacks lawyers, Ananoria said.Bacolod Elections Officer Kathrina Trinio Caña, who joined Ananoria in a virtual press conference Thursday afternoon, said they expect more reshuffling of election officers before the 2022 polls.Ananoria and Caña called on candidates to file their COCs early, and avoid waiting until the last minute.Some candidates delay their filing f...

Former Negros Occidental Gov. Rafael Coscolluela said he is happy that 1Sambayan has decided to endorse Vice President Leni Robredo for president.“We now have a rallying point from where we can begin to free the nation from the clutches of a bankrupt and treacherous administration,” he said.The 1Sambayan coalition on Thursday, September 30, announced that it picked Robredo as its presidential candidate for the 2022 national elections.“1Sambayan is pleased to announce to the nation that it has reached a decision to endorse Vice President Leni Robredo as its presidential candidate for the May 2022 elections,” retired senior associate justice Antonio Carpio, the group’s lead convenor, said.Robredo thanked 1Sambayan for the nomination and the overwhelming trust and support give...

Capitol photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order Thursday, September 30, extending the duration of the General Community Quarantine over Negros Occidental until October 31.Lacson, in Executive Order No. 21-46 Series of 2021, said stringent measures against mass gatherings will remain in place amid the continuing surge in COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental.Negros Occidental had 403 new COVID 19 cases, 249 recoveries and 16 deaths on Thursday, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.The 16 deaths were in Toboso with six, Bago City – four, Victorias City and La Carlota City – two each, and Talisay City and Escalante City – two each.In the top five Thursday were Talisay City with 35 new COVID-19, La Castellana - 33, Binalbagan – 27, Kabankalan City - 25...

Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya said Thursday, September 30, that the construction of the Bacolod City General Hospital is targeted to start in the first quarter of 2022.Gasataya said he asked the Department of Health for its technical assistance in choosing the site for the hospital.A second meeting with the DOH is set next week and he has asked Bacolod City government representatives to join so the hospital site can be identified, Gasataya said.There are five properties being donated for the site of the Bacolod City General Hospital, Gasataya said earlier.The five sites are at barangays Vista Alegre, Felisa, Alijis-Pahanocoy, Bata and one is in a still undisclosed area, Gasataya said.Republic Act 11564 that directs the creation of the hospital and allocates P600 million fo...

Cheryl Decena*Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has named Cheryl Decena Negros Occidental provincial tourism officer.Decena takes over the post vacated by Cristine Mansinares who is now Department of Tourism regional director, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said, Thursday, September 30.He said Jennylind Cordero was named OIC provincial tourism officer pending the appointment of the permanent tourism officer.*

The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan has granted former Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez the authority to nominate PDP Laban official candidates for the May 9, 2022 elections in the province of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.He has been appointed president of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing for Negros Occidental and is tasked with signing the certificates of nomination of the Negros Occidental and Bacolod bets, Benitez said Wednesday, September 29.Benitez authority to nominate official candidates of the province, excluding the positions of governor, representatives and mayor of Bacolod, was signed by PDP-Laban national president Alfonso Cusi.He is running for mayor of Bacolod under the PDP Laban Cusi wing, Benitez said.*

TF Disiplina photoThe ongoing satellite registration of the Commission on Elections at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City is a super spreader activity with hundreds, if not thousands, of prospective “out-of-town transferee-voters” being allegedly unloaded by vehicles of Negros Occidental local government units at the USLS grounds and Ayala Malls in the past two weeks.This was the analysis of the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF) as it pointed out that the spike in COVID-19 infections began with the onset of the voter registration, a press release from the Bacolod City Public Information Office claimed Wednesday, September 29.The EOC-TF also took into account the report of law enforcement agencies that the out-of-towners are in violation of curf...

Negros Occidental Elections Supervisor Ma. Fatima Aspan said Wednesday, September 29, that there should be no fanfare and cheering squads during the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) starting Friday, October 1, until October 8.Persons accompanying a candidate should only be limited to nine or less as a precaution against COVID-19, she said.The filing of COCs for congressional and provincial bets will be held at the Social Hall of the Capitol in Bacolod City to allow more room for social distancing, she added.Candidates filing their COCs will be accommodated on a first-come-first-serve basis, Aspan said.The Negros Occidental provincial government officials running under the Love Negros-United Negros Alliance coalition will be filing their COCs on Friday.The coal...