Carla P. Gomez

Forty-two more Western Visayas residents, two of whom are from Negros Occidental and one from Bacolod, have been hit by three types of COVID-19 variants, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday, August 3.The DOH said a Philippine Genome Center report released July 28 showed that 15 Western Visayas samples tested positive for the Alpha (B.1.1.7) variant and 23 for the Beta (B.1. 315) variant.Negros Occidental has a new Alpha variant case and a Beta variant case, it said.These are in addition to the patient from La Carlota City found to be infected with the Alpha variant and a Cadiz resident who was hit by the Beta variant earlier, DOH regional epidemiologist Glen Alonsabe said.Four samples from persons with addresses in Bacolod City, Iloilo City, Guimaras and Iloilo ...

Fastcraft vessels plying the Bacolod-Iloilo City route stopped operations Tuesday, August 3.The halt came a day ahead of an order of Mayor Jerry Treñas temporarily suspending all inbound air and sea travel to Iloilo City, which is under Enhanced Community Quarantine, from August 4 to 8.Treñas told DIGICAST NEGROS he is imposing a “hard lockdown” to curb the surge in COVID-19 cases in Iloilo City.Capt. Ludovico Librilla Jr., Coast Guard Station - Negros Occidental commander, said travel between Iloilo and Bacolod cities will be halted until August 8.However, they have not received any instructions for the halt of roll-on-roll-off vessels plying the Bacolod City-Guimaras in Iloilo province route, he said.Frank Carbon, Weesam Express consultant, said they halted operations...

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has approved the release of P150 million for the improvement and rehabilitation of Bacolod’s three major public markets, Mayor Evelio Leonardia announced Tuesday, August 3.DBM Secretary Wendel Avisado informed him that he has approved his request for the P150 million assistance, which is by far the biggest single Local Government Support Fund Bacolod has ever received, Leonardia said.The Libertad, Central and Burgos markets will get P50 million each, the mayor said.Meetings with the officers of the market vendors associations have been held, and the City Engineer’s Office has also consulted them during the process of preparing the Program of Works for the project, Leonardia said.“This 150 million assistance will be a substantial...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) congratulated Nesthy Petecio for bringing honor to the Philippines by winning the silver medal in the women’s featherweight final at the Tokyo Olympics on Tuesday, August 3.“I honestly think that she won the bout. Be that as it may, I congratulate Nesthy Petecio for again bringing honor to our country,” Lacson said.Japan’s Sena Irie beat Petecio for the gold in a controversial victory.Petecio’s silver medal is “the result of years of sacrifice and discipline which our youth should emulate. Boxing was her way of helping her family get out of poverty and she succeeded”, Lacson said.Petecio equalled the 1996 Olympic medal feat of boxing legend Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco of Negr...

Contributed photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government has fully vaccinated 8.8 percent of its 1.4 million residents targeted for COVID-19 vaccination, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday, August 3.Those fully vaccinated are 123,734, he said.The provincial government has vaccinated 82.9 or 18,628 of its targeted A1 health care workers, 30 percent or 36,483 of its A2 senior citizens and 134 percent or 68,623 of its A3 persons with comorbidities, he said.This week the provincial government began rolling out 50,000 Sinovac doses for A4 economic frontliners, Diaz said.He said while they have completed vaccinating their A3 targets, there has been a low percentage of senior citizens vaccinated because of their hesitancy and lack of mobility.They are...

The Negros Occidental provincial government has repaired and upgraded its oxygen plant at the Teresita L. JaLandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) compound in Silay City to increase its production, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday, August 3.The increase in oxygen production comes as other areas in the country are experiencing shortages in supply amid COVID-19 surges.The Negros Occidental provincial government will be ready if the demand for oxygen in its hospitals increases, because aside from its plant it also has suppliers who are ready to provide for its needs, he said.The Silay plant’s target is to produce oxygen for 1,540 tanks a month, he said.The TLJPH, Cadiz District Hospital and Valladolid District Hospital consume 1,200 tanks of oxygen a month, so...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson again called on Negrenses to strictly observe COVID-19 health protocols amid the threat of the highly contagious and deadly Delta variant.Lacson said Negros Occidental will never be ready enough for a Delta variant outbreak that is why “we just really hope that we can prevent it.”“That is why we’re still calling on people to follow the minimum requirements, which is face mask, face shield, distancing, avoid gatherings, avoid leisure travels,” he said.All those entering the province are also required to have negative COVID-19 test results, he said.Lacson said he has not issued any order preventing unvaccinated residents from leaving their homes.They will just wait for instructions from the national government, he said.In Bacolod...

The collapsed bailey bridge that connects La Carlota and Bago cities in Negros Occidental.*Jim Pieldad photoThe Bagumbayan bailey bridge that connects La Carlota and Bago cities in Negros Occidental collapsed as three vehicles with 16 passengers on board headed for an Iglesia ni Kristo church were crossing it at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday, August 1.A few of the 16 passengers suffered minor injuries that did not require hospital care, while a boy who is a resident of the area was treated as an outpatient, PLt. Joseph Jaro of the Bago City Police said Monday, August 2.The bridge starts at Sitio Bagumbayan, Barangay Balabag in La Carlota City and ends in Barangay Jorge L. Araneta in Bago City, La Carlota Mayor Rex Jalando-on said.Christopher Trupa, the driver of the Isuzu Cros...

The Department of Health dropped the COVID-19 risk classification of Bacolod City to low on Monday, August 2.The DOH said the COVID-19 average daily attack rate of Bacolod City per 100,000 population was 13.92 percent from July 2 to 15, which was high.However, from July 16 to 29 the COVID-19 average daily attack rate of Bacolod City dropped to 6.93 percent, which the DOH classified as low.Negros Occidental remained a low risk area for COVID-19 with its average daily attack rate of 3.43 percent from July 2 to 15 further dropping to 2.11 percent from July 16 to 29, the DOH said.Bacolod City is under General Community Quarantine with Heightened Restrictions and Negros Occidental is under GCQ.Bacolod City had 34 new COVID-19 cases and Negros Occidental had 61 on Monday, the...

The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office temporarily halted the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccination for A4 frontline personnel in essential sectors at the Negros Residences in Bacolod City following a glitch in its master list on Monday, August 2, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.The vaccination of the A4 frontline personnel with AZ vaccines purchased by the provincial government will resume Thursday, Diaz said.About 80 persons belonging to the A4 category were vaccinated at the Negros Residences Monday morning when the mass vaccination was halted with many still waiting outside, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said.He apologized for having to halt the vaccination drive Monday morning but said they had to reconcile the number of persons on their list...