Carla P. Gomez

303rd IB photosTwo alleged New People’s Army rebels belonging to the Central Negros Front – 1 surrendered to the Guihulngan City Task Force ELCAC headed by Mayor Carlo Jorge Reyes at his residence in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, Friday, October 23, Captain Kelvin Bayaban, 303rd Brigade civil military officer, said.The two were identified only as Mari, chairman of Kaugma-on Guihulngan City Chapter and Jomar, a member of a Central Negros 1 platoon of the Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor, he said.The two said that aside from the unbearable hardships and hunger, they realized that their recruiter’s promise of “change” in their lives on joining the movement never came true, Bayaban added in a press statement.The surrender was made possible through the joint eff...

The damaged Talacagay Bridge in Hinoba-an (left). Flooding about 150 meters from the Hinoba-an municipal hall Sunday. Contributed photosHeavy rain brought on by Typhoon Quinta caused water from three rivers in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental to overflow, destroying crops, killing farm animals and submerging houses starting 2 p.m. Sunday, town mayor Ernesto Estrao said today, October 26.He said they were still assessing the extent of the damage.Killed were carabaos, cows, pigs and chickens, while destroyed were corn and rice crops, and banana trees, Estrao added.A portion of the Talacagay bridge was also damaged and only one lane was passable yesterday, he said.The heavily silted rivers of Talacagay, Bacuyangan and Bulwangan triggered the flooding, Estrao said.The Provi...

Fastcraft trips between Bacolod and Iloilo cities will resume at the end of the month but those headed for towns and cities of Negros Occidental will be swabbed for COVID-19 tests, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today.They will be swabbed and quarantined, anyway their test results will be out in three days, he said.The provincial government is also willing to swab those headed for Bacolod City if they cooperate for the good of everybody, Diaz added.However, he said mandatory COVID-19 testing of those headed for Bacolod is up to the city government. Bacolod is a highly urbanized city that is not under Negros Occidental.Travel between Bacolod and Iloilo cities had earlier been halted because of the spike in COVID-19 cases.Jose Venancio Vero, Maritime Industr...

Pope Francis announced today the elevation of Capiz Archbishop Jose Advincula, former bishop of San Carlos in Negros Occidental, to cardinal at a consistory on November 28.The pope announced the appointment of 13 new cardinals, including Advincula, during his Sunday Angelus.Advincula is the ninth Filipino cardinal, following cardinals Orlando Quevedo, Luis Antonio Tagle, Gaudencio Rosales, Jose Sanchez, Ricardo Vidal, Jaime Sin, Julio Rosales and Rufino Santos.Advincula was ordained priest of Capiz on April 14, 1976, appointed Bishop of San Carlos on July 25, 2001 and was consecrated on September 8 of the same year.On Nov. 9, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI elevated Advincula to Archbishop of Capiz.Advincula is 68 and is among the nine new cardinals eligible to vote in a concla...