Carla P. Gomez

Negros Occidental had 15 new COVID-19 deaths Wednesday, July 7, for a total of 479 fatalities since March last year, the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) reported Wednesday, July 7.The province also had 1,838 active COVID-19 cases and 212 recoveries on Wednesday, the PIMT added.The province has had 19,649 COVID-19 cases since March last year and 17,332 recoveries.Bacolod City had 98 new COVID-19 cases, 165 recoveries and no new deaths, the Department of Health reported Wednesday.Bacolod has had a total of 13,672 COVID-19 cases, 11,808 recoveries and 319 deaths, the DOH added.*

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat in Boracay Wednesday, July 7.*The mass vaccination of tourism workers in Boracay Island began Wednesday, July 7.Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, who led the ceremonial vaccination rites, told DIGICAST NEGROS she has not received requests from Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia for the coverage of tourism workers in their areas yet.When asked if Negros Occidental would be included in the vaccination rollout for tourism workers, Puyat said she had not received a request but would ask the governor.Puyat said that the inoculation program in Boracay targets an initial 3,000 tourism workers. To reach the target beneficiaries, 500 workers are expected to be inoculated daily.National ...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has directed the provincial government’s human resource management officer (HRMO) to file a counter affidavit to administrative complaints lodged against her by the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees (PACE), Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday, July 7.PACE wants Annabelle Palic, who was transferred to the Office of the Governor amid numerous complaints against her, removed from office, its chairman Renelo Lastierre said Tuesday.The administrative complaints filed against Palic before the Office of the Governor were for alleged acts of oppression, acts prejudicial to the public interest, and grave abuse of discretion.She allegedly deprived provincial government employees hit with COVID-19 of leave credits, caus...

The molecular laboratories of the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) in Silay City and Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City achieved 100 percent passing rates in the 2021 External Quality Assessment (EQA) on SARS-COV-2 Detection by Real-Time PCR conducted by the DOH - Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), officials announced Wednesday, July 7.Dr. Julius Drilon, CLMMRH chief, said the 100 percent passing rate of the CLMMRH Molecular Laboratory indicates that it is at par with the quality standards set by national regulations thereby ensuring that all results generated are reliable.The CLMMRH Molecular Laboratory is the first hospital-based Level 3 testing laboratory in the country. The other two Level 3 biosafety la...

NUJP Bacolod photoNewsman Jose Jaime “Nonoy” Espina, 59, succumbed to liver cancer at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 7.The former National Union of Journalists of the Philippines chairman died peacefully in his sleep surrounded by family at their home at Capitol Heights, Barangay Villamonte, Bacolod City, his sister Mate Espina said.Espina, a veteran journalist and fierce advocate of freedoms and human rights, had just turned over the NUJP chairmanship, his sister Inday Espina-Varona wrote on her Facebook page.“We are grateful that Nonoy survived a severe infection of COVID-19 and was able to return to the bosom of the family. His death was due to liver cancer,” she said.“A few days ago, Nonoy was able to enjoy sitting in front of the organ, to hear family make some music. T...

Bacolod PIO photoA finance executive is calling on authorities to investigate the alleged presence of a “runner” charging a fee to facilitate COVID-19 vaccinations at the SMX Convention Center in Bacolod City.Joey Ledesma said Tuesday, July 6, that a friend of his went to the SMX Convention Center to have herself and her sister vaccinated.“They were walk-ins. They were approached by a ‘runner’ asking for P1,500 each, promising that he could get them vaccinated. My friend in desperation paid and they were vaccinated,” Ledesma said in a Facebook post.Ledesma, who withheld the names of the two, said they do not want to file any complaints so it is difficult to prove.He is asking authorities to look into these practices and punish those who are guilty.Ledesma said he is...

The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees filed an administrative complaint against the Negros Occidental provincial government human resource management officer before the Office of the Governor on Tuesday, July 6, Renelo Lastierre, PACE chairman, said.They want Annabelle Palic, who was transferred to the Office of the Governor amid numerous complaints against her, removed from office, he said.PACE is also filing administrative and criminal complaints against Palic before the Office of the Ombudsman, Lastierre added.The administrative case filed against Palic was for alleged acts of oppression, acts prejudicial to public interest, and grave abuse of discretion, he said.Attached to the complaint was a petition and signed sworn statements of aggrieved employees, retirees...

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued an executive order Tuesday, July 6, adopting the salient points of the guidelines and protocols for fully vaccinated individuals set in Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution 124-B.An individual is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series or after having received a single dose vaccine, Lacson said.Fully vaccinated senior citizens are allowed intrazonal movement in areas under General Community Quarantine and Modified GCQ.All they have to do is present a COVID-19 domestic vaccination card issued by a legitimate vaccinating establishment, or a certificate of quarantine completion showing the holder’s vaccinat...

Negros Occidental and Bacolod City received 20,000 more Sinovac vaccines Tuesday, July 6.*CAAP photoThe provincial government delivered 6,267 Sinovac vaccines to 24 towns and cities of Negros Occidental Tuesday, July 6.The vaccines delivered are part of the 34,800 Sinovac vaccines received by the province on June 30.The Department of Health delivered 10,000 more Sinovac vaccines to Negros Occidental and 10,000 to Bacolod City on Tuesday, June 6.Of the 6,267 vaccines delivered to the 24 local government units (LGUs) Tuesday, 5,246 or 83.71 percent were utilized, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.In Bacolod City 1,898 Sinovac doses were administered at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, SMX Convention Center, Robinsons Place, and barangays Estefania and Pahanocoy o...