Carla P. Gomez

Bacolod City Administrator Em Ang yesterday denied that City Health Officer, Dr. Carmela Gensoli, was relieved from her post because of anomalies that are now under investigation.A post on the “Revolutionary Bacolod” Facebook page said aside from the missing COVID-19 test results, Gensoli was also known for the "pricey Vitamin C" issue.Investigators also found out that she included an X-Ray as a requirement for the issuance of Travel Authority/Medical Certification which is not a requirement, the FB post also alleged.The X-rays were allegedly done at a facility owned by Gensoli.Ang, however, said Gensoli was not under investigation for any anomaly, she was just on leave.Dr. Edwin Miraflor is currently the officer-in-charge of the CHO, Ang added.Ang said previous dat...

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday, November 3, thanked President Rodrigo Dutrete for sending immediate help to Bacolod City when it experienced a sudden spike in COVID-19 cases in August and September.The exponential spread of COVID-19 in our midst has since been contained, the mayor told the president in a letter.“The quick and decisive response from you, and from Senator Bong Go, in just a matter of hours after our appeal for help was emailed to your Office went a long way in reassuring our people that, indeed, you had our backs at a critical time in our fight against COVID-19,” Leonardia said.He cited the immediate assessment visit of Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas, Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, and the team from the Departmen...

The Negros Occidental provincial government is increasing its hospital-bed capacity for moderate and serious COVID-19 patients to 200, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, November 3.The 50-bed Valladolid District Hospital in Valladolid town will open as a COVID-19 center on Thursday, November 5, he said.The hospital will only accept patients with COVID-19 symptoms and those who tested positive for the virus, he said.He said before bringing patients to the hospital a call should be made to 034 4730131, 09454592179, or 0961 4119717 to ensure the safety of everyone. Walk-in patients are not encouraged.The Valladolid facility is the second provincial government-run hospital that has been converted into a COVID-19 center.Earlier the 150-bed Cadiz District Hos...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has ordered the reopening of Provincial Capitol Park and Lagoon in Bacolod City.The park, which was closed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, will be open to walkers and joggers on Saturday, November 7, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.“Although the order issued today, November 3, states that the reopening should be effective immediately, we still need to put the guards and protocols in place,” Diaz said.Lacson said the guidelines on the implementation of community quarantine in the Philippines allow indoor and outdoor non-contact sports and other forms of exercise, which will improve the physical and mental well-being of Negrenses.However, the governor said the following health and safety protocols should be obser...

Councilor Ursecio Inodeo takes his oath as the new vice mayor of Binalbagan before Municipal Trial Court Judge Leticia Ban-Trigue at the Binalbagan Convention Hall today, November 3.The number one councilor of Binalbagan in Negros Occidental took his oath as the new vice mayor of the town today, November 3.Councilor Ursecio Inodeo took his oath as the new vice mayor of Binalbagan before Municipal Trial Court Judge Leticia Ban-Trigue at the Binalbagan Convention Hall in the presence of his family and other town officials.Vice Mayor Samuel Gavaran, 57, passed away on November 2 after a long lingering illness, Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol said.He was suffering from kidney disease complications, the mayor added.“It’s all so sudden but we need to have a vice mayor,” Mi...

The richest member of the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) is Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer with a net worth of P106,538,000.This was shown in the list of the 2019 Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) of the Negros Occidental SP members that was released yesterday, November 2.The second richest is board member Rita Gatuslao (5th District) with a net worth of P35,790,000, followed by Andrew Montelibano (3rd District) with P24,330,000, Sixto Teofilo Guanzon (2nd District) – P16,386,600, Valentino Miguel Alonso (6th District) – P15,345,596;Ryan Gamboa (Philippine Councilors League) - P10,281,877, Manuel Frederick Ko (3rd District) – P9,751, 292, Samson Mirhan (2nd District) – P8,999,972, Jose Benito Alonso (4th District) – P7,430,000, Araceli Somosa...

The Western Visayas Regional-Inter Agency Task Force has approved the suspension of the arrival of locally stranded individuals (LSIs) in Cadiz City and the municipalities of Manapla and Binalbagan in Negros Occidental, Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division chief, said today, November 2.The suspension of LSI arrivals in Cadiz City will be from November 2 to 6, Manapla – November 5 to 18, and Binalbagan – November 2 to 16, the RIATF said in Resolution No. 56, Series of 2020.The Cadiz City government informed the RIATF of the congestion and non-availability of their quarantine facility located at Barangay Tinampa-an, Cadiz City, due to the huge influx of LSIs.It asked for a moratorium on the entry of LSIs from November 2 to 6 to decongest, disi...

Binalbagan, Negros Occidental Vice Mayor Samuel Gavaran, 57, passed away at about 3 a.m. today, November 2.He succumbed to a lingering illness at his residence in Binalbagan, Mayor Alejandro Mirasol said.Gavaran had been ill since last year, he was suffering from kidney disease complications, the mayor said.The mayor said the Philippine flag in Binalbagan is flying at half staff in honor of Gavaran.“He was a friend, an ally, you name it…he was a good man,” the mayor said.His remains will lie in state at his residence in Binalbagan.Gavaran will be succeeded as vice mayor by the town’s number one councilor, Ursecio Inodeo, a teacher at the Binalbagan Catholic College.*