Carla P. Gomez

Jun42021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

‘Dante’ damage P3.5M in four Negros LGUs

Radyo Alagad photoFlooding brought on by Tropical Storm “Dante” caused P3.5 million in damage to crops and infrastructure in two cities and two towns in Negros Occidental, initial reports showed Thursday, June 3.Hinoba-an town reported P518, 500 in damage to infrastructure and P1,775,040 to crops, Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division chief, said.Cadiz City also reported P872,785 in damage to crops, he said.Flooding brought on by “Dante” also affected 185 families or 520 persons in Hinoba-an, Binalbagan, Isabela, EB Magalona, Talisay City and Himamaylan City, Caelian added.Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino also reported damage to crops in Pontevedra at P257,535 and Victorias City - P113,775.*

Jun32021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Body of missing security officer found in Hinoba-an waters

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Radyo Alagad photoThe body of the security officer of Hinoba-an Mayor Ernesto Estrao was found at about 2 p.m. Thursday, June 4.Rescuers found the body of retired MSgt. Dakie Dacoscos about 8 kilometers from the Hinoba-an shoreline, Estrao said.Dacoscos was onboard his pickup when it was swept away by strong current at Barangay Bulwangan, Hinoba-an, Tuesday night, the mayor said.Dacoscos, with his wife on board, was attempting to drive his pickup across a bridge but water was rising so he backed up. The engine of his pickup died just as it was hit by flood water at the approach of the bridge, Estrao said.His wife was found alive on Wednesday.Dacoscos who is from Dingle, Iloilo, had just availed of the police optional retirement program two months ago.He was formerly...

Jun32021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

VTI offers free rides for APORs, health care workers in June

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Vallacar Transit Inc. (VTI) is offering free rides for Authorized Persons Outside Residence and Health Care Workers in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in June.“To help with the Philippine government's COVID-19 response and recovery interventions, VTI is implementing this ‘Libreng Sakay’ to ease the burdens of the Filipino workers who travel back and forth due to their jobs. This is also part of VTI's corporate social responsibility,” Leo Rey Yanson, VTI president and CEO, said Thursday, June 3.VTI has allocated 25 “Libreng Sakay” buses, 18 for Negros Occidental and seven for Bacolod, Jade Marquez Seballos, VTI Media Relations head, said.The “Libreng Sakay” buses began serving Negros Occidental routes Tuesday, June 1, and those for Bacolod will begin operating Friday, June 4,...

Jun32021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

House approves bill creating online platform for farmers

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The House of Representatives approved a bill creating online platforms for farmers on third and final reading Wednesday, June 2.House Bill 9205 co-authored by Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) mandates municipalities and cities to establish an Agriculture Information System (AIS).Farmers will be registered in the AIS and the local agriculture office will help them input information about their harvest and produce, Benitez said.This online platform will link farmers with potential buyers, he added.*

Jun32021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Bacolod docs raise Covid alarm, health care system overwhelmed

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Infectious disease specialists warned Wednesday, June 2, that the COVID-19 situation in Bacolod City is very alarming - hospitals are full and health care personnel are overwhelmed.Hospitals are faced with lack of nurses and COVID-19 patients are waitlisted for admission, the doctors said at a virtual press conference called by Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia.On Monday, the Department of Health classified Bacolod City as a high risk area for COVID-19.The press conference was joined by eight members of the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Bacolod City.Dr. Dolores Rommela Tiples-Ruiz, president of the group, said the COVID situation appears to be worse now with more severe critical cases.She stressed the need for more public awareness about th...

Jun32021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Iloilo city, province adopting steps to halt entry of Negros travelers

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Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said Wednesday, June 2, that they have requested the Regional Inter-Agency Task Force to extend the suspension of travel from Negros to Iloilo and vice versa until June 15 .Treñas said they are waiting for the RIATF response but in the meantime measures are being put in place to temporarily prevent Negros Occidental travelers from entering Iloilo city and province to curb the COVID-19 surge in their areas.Iloilo City that remains under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) is issuing quarantine passes that will limit people from leaving their residences, he said.“All travelers without quarantine passes will be detained by authorities and requested to return to where they came from,” he said.Defensor ...

Jun22021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

‘Dante’ triggers floods, landslides, retired cop missing in Hinoba-an

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Radyo Alagad photoHeavy rains brought on by Tropical Storm Dante triggered flooding that caused persons to go missing, evacuations and landslides in three towns and one city in Negros Occidental starting Tuesday night, June 1.The evacuees returned to their homes after the water subsided Wednesday, June 2, Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head, said.In Hinoba-an town, one of seven persons reported missing in separate areas had not been found as of Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Ernesto Estrao said.The six were found alive but the search for retired policeman, MSgt, Dacoscos, who was onboard his pickup when it was swept away by strong current at Barangay Bulwangan, Hinoba-an, was still ongoing, the mayor said.Dacoscos, with his wife on board, ...

Jun22021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

TLJPH molecular lab conducts 227,621 Covid tests on 1st year

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Richard Malihan photoThe Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital molecular laboratory in Silay City tested 227,621 samples for COVID-19 in the first year of its operation, Dr. Mary Ann Maestral, TLJPH chief, said Wednesday, June 2.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, at the TLJPH laboratory anniversary rites Tuesday, said with its establishment Negros Occidental became among the first local government units (LGUs) to have its very own molecular laboratory.It is the first molecular laboratory in Negros Occidental, and the first owned by an LGU in Western Visayas.Lacson said before the creation of the TLJPH laboratory Negros Occidental had to rely on the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine in Muntinlupa City and the Western Visayas Medical Center in Iloilo City for COVID-19 test ...

Jun22021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Fire destroys 4 houses

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Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade photoFire hit four houses and a stockroom of a memorial park in Bacolod City, despite their being soaked by rain brought on by Tropical Storm Dante, before dawn Wednesday, June 2.Fire hit four houses at Lacson-San Sebastian streets at Purok Tunay, Barangay 32, and a stockroom at Santuario de Bacolod, Chief Inspector Rodel Legaspi said.Legaspi said three houses were destroyed and one was damaged when the fire in Barangay 32 hit at 1:20 a.m. Wednesday.Destroyed were the houses of Jeann Gonzales, Nita Gonzales and Maria Cecilia Masculino, and damaged was the house of Regie Gonzales, he said.Jeann Gonzales said she woke up to go to the bathroom when she saw her ceiling on fire, Legaspi added.The fire may have been caused by overheated wiri...

Jun22021 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

‘Dante’ causes flooding, halts sea travel

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Floods hit some areas of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City as heavy rains brought on by Tropical Storm Dante poured Tuesday night, June 1.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia placed Negros Occidental and Bacolod City disaster teams on alert with the anticipated heavy rains.Flooding and evacuation was reported in Isabela town, Tuesday night, Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head, said.There was also flooding in Victorias City, City Administrator Dino Acuña said.Flooding was also reported in Purok Paghidaet, Barangay Tangub in Bacolod City, Executive Assistant Joemarie Vargas, cluster head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO), said.Storm Signal No. 1 remained over Manapla, Cadiz City, Sa...