Carla P. Gomez

Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer expects the proposed P4.4 billion 2021 budget of the Negros Occidental provincial government to be approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan at its regular session today, November 24.The SP Committee on Finance has completed its hearings and deliberations on the budget and will present its report to the SP, Ferrer said.He does not believe there will be any objections, Ferrer added.Meanwhile, Ferrer said additional incentives for provincial government employees, including the Collective Negotiating Agreement bonus, are under study.The amounts to be granted will depend on availability of funds, he said.The provincial government employees should think positive, Ferrer added.*

The National Bureau of Investigation in Bacolod is warning the public against a “gold trading scam” that has so far victimized Negros Occidental residents of more than P34 million.NBI Bacolod Chief Renoir Baldovino said today, November 23, that more than 20 Negrenses have complained before his office that they invested more than P34 million through a gold online shop that appears to be non-existent since they have not been paid.The more than P34 million figure could even be higher, Baldovino said, adding that an NBI investigation is underway.Baldovino said the alleged gold trading firm used Facebook to attract investors and has representatives in Negros who collected the investments.It appears that the principal suspects are in Surigao in Mindanao, he said.They offer a ...

The National Bureau of Investigation has filed a complaint against the Bacolod City Health Officer before the City Prosecutor’s Office for alleged discrepancies in the reporting of COVID-19 test results from the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) molecular laboratory to the City Emergency Operations Center.The complaint filed against Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli was for alleged violation of Republic Act 11332 or the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act” and Republic Act 11494 or the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act,” NBI Bacolod Chief Renoir Baldovino said today, November 23.The complaint is pending preliminary investigation at the Bacolod City Prosecutor’s Office, he said.Baldovino said because of the...

Three more Kabankalan City government employees tested positive for COVID-19 bringing the total number to 23, results released today, November 23, showed.The Kabankalan City Hall that was shut down Friday, November 20, will reopen on Thursday, November 26, with 50 percent of its workforce, Mayor Pedro Zayco said.The Kabakalan City Hall is currently being disinfected, he said.He said 50 percent of the about 200 Kabankalan City Hall employees will work at their offices while the rest will work at home, in shifts, as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19.Of the 127 Kabankalan residents, including city government employees, swabbed for COVID-19 tests Friday, November 20, only three tested positive today, November 23, Zayco said.Two are from the City Assessor’s Office ...

Himamaylan DRRMO photoThe Himamaylan City Hall will reopen tomorrow after two of its employees suspected to have COVID-19 tested negative, Mayor Raymund Tongson said today, November 23.“Rest assured that our COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force conducted necessary safety protocols to better serve our constituents as we open our city hall tomorrow,” he said.The city hall offices were disinfected to ensure a clean and safe environment, he said.The city hall was closed today while the COVID-19 test results of two employees from the Himamaylan City Mayor’s Office and City Treasurer’s Office were being awaited.*

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (center) cuts the ribbon at the inauguration of the Riverside Medical Center Inc. Molecular Biology Laboratory today, with Dr. Elizabeth Altamira of the Department of Health Region VI, Bacolod City Administrator Em Ang, RMCI Medical Director Dr. Ma. Antonia Gensoli and and Dr. David Pedroza.*Bacolod City now has five laboratories for COVID-19 tests.The Riverside Medical Center Inc. (RMCI) inaugurated its molecular biology laboratory for COVID-19 today, November 23.The four other laboratories in Bacolod are at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Philippine Red Cross, The Doctors Hospital, and Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital.The RMCI laboratory that will be able to initially conduct about 192 COVID-19 tests...

The Himamaylan City Hall in Negros Occidental will be closed starting Monday, November 23, while the COVID-19 test results of two employees are being awaited, Mayor Raymund Tongson said today, November 22.Tongson said the two employees work at the City Mayor’s Office and City Treasurer’s Office and he expects their test results out late tomorrow. COVID-19 contact tracing of city personnel in sensitive positions is also underway, he added.Pending the release of the RT-PCR test results of the two, all city hall officials, employees and personnel are directed to self-quarantine, particular those who received their salaries at the City Treasurer’s Office on Saturday, November 21, and those who came in contact with personnel of the City Mayor’s Office, a city public advisory said.Th...

The Kabankalan City Hall will remain closed until Wednesday with more city employees and close contacts set to be tested for COVID-19, Mayor Pedro Zayco said today, November 22.Zayco and the city budget officer have tested negative for the virus.About 20 employees of the Kabankalan City Engineer’s Office and City Assessor’s Office have so far tested positive for COVID-19.The results of 127 others, including some city employees, tested for COVID-19 Friday are still being awaited, the mayor said.“We expect the results to be released Monday,” he said.There have been 429 persons hit by COVID -19 in Kabankalan City, 369 of whom have recovered, seven have died and 53 are active cases, Zayco added.The Kabankalan City Hall will remain closed until Wednesday for disinfection...

The House Committee on Agriculture is set to conduct hearings on a bill filed by Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria (Neg. Or., 2nd District) seeking amendments to the Sugar Development Act to insulate the domestic sugar market from undue saturation of imported sugar in order to stabilize prices and to foster competition among local sugar producers.Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), Committee on Agriculture vice chairman, said the hearings are expected to be held soon.The SIDA of 2015 or Republic Act 10659 was authored by his brother, then Rep. Alfredo Benitez.Sagarbarria in House Bill 2971 seeks to amend Section 11 of Republic Act 10659 to ensure a proportionate allocation of the SIDA funds based on productivity and the strengthening of the Sugar Regulatory Administration's...

Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier of Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 52 meted life terms on five Bacolod residents. (Use of photo with prior permission of owner)Five Bacolod residents facing illegal drug charges were sentenced to life imprisonment on National Judgment Day, today, November 20.Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier of Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 52 meted life terms on Randy Trinidad Hamantoc, alias “Bull Jack”, and his wife, Ma. Rogelina Guarino Hamantoc, alias "Duckin"; Mitchell John Alim Sindol and Raymund Justo Alunan; and Jan Gania Marañon.The Hamantocs were found guilty of possession of 113.0222 grams of shabu inside their residence at Gold Crest Subdivision, Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, on Sept. 3, 2019, and were sentenced to each suffer the ...