Carla P. Gomez

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson holds up the MOU he signed. Richard Malihan photosNegros Occidental and two other provinces signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) this morning, November 19, for a close to P900 million Safe Water project.Palawan, Negros Occidental, and Sarangani all face recurring water shortages amid rising water demand, degraded watersheds, and inadequate access to water supply and sanitation services.Through the five-year Safe Water project, USAID will provide technical assistance to help communities in these provinces gain reliable access to clean water, USAID Acting Mission Director Patrick Wesner said.Wesner led the signing of the MOU with Negros Occidental Governor Euge...

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has endorsed the draft of the Collective Negotiation Agreement (CNA) between the provincial government and the Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for approval.The CNA will benefit the 3,250 employees of the provincial government, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, November 18.The Provincial Legal Office approved the draft CNA and the governor endorsed it to the SP in order to be granted authority to sign the agreement, Diaz said.It is scheduled for approval by the SP during its next regular session Tuesday next week, he added.The approval will enable the granting of a CNA bonus of not less than P25,000 depending on the savings from the maintenance and other operating expen...

The Diocese of Bacolod is conducting an aggressive drive to aid the typhoon victims of Luzon, Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon said today, November 18.He said for two Sundays now Catholic churches in the Diocese of Bacolod have had special collections to raise funds for the typhoon victims, he said.“I’m deeply moved by the prompt and generous response of our people,” Buzon said.The bishop in a solidarity appeal called on the faithful to help the typhoon victims through prayers and financial aid.Please send your donations to the Diocesan Social Action Center or the Office of the Diocesan Treasurer who will, in turn, send the funds to the National Secretariat for Social Action/Caritas Philippines Alay Kapwa account, he said.The Diocese of Bacolod has initially sent P385,000 ...

Richard Malihan file photoBishop Patricio Buzon is appealing to Mayor Evelio Leonardia to shorten the city’s curfew hours by an hour to enable the holding of the traditional Aguinaldo masses this Christmas.The Aguinaldo Masses are held at dawn for nine consecutive days up to Christmas.Buzon, in a letter dated November 12 addressed to the mayor proposed "to the city government a review of its existing curfew hours in order to accommodate the traditional observance of Aguinaldo masses, which is a revered and established custom among our people."The Bishop suggested that the existing curfew hours of 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. be shortened to 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. "so that the Diocese can offer more early morning Masses to reasonably accommodate churchgoers and thereby, prevent the overcrow...

Capitol file photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government’s Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital molecular laboratory in Silay City is about to breach the 100,000 mark in the number of COVID-19 tests conducted since June, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, November 18.He said from June 1 to of 4 p.m. today the laboratory has conducted 95,248 COVID-19 tests, with a positivity rate of 3.6 percent from November 1 to 18, a drop from 6 percent earlier.The TLJPH laboratory conducts an average of 744 COVID-19 tests a day but has an operational capacity of 1,300 per day, he said.Another molecular laboratory at the Valladolid District Hospital in Valladolid town, that will have robotic equipment, is set to open soon and will be able to conduct an additional...

Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg . Occ., 3rd District) stressed the need for artists to embrace digital transformation as the way of the future and outlined legislative measures underway to enable culture and creative industries in the country to flourish.Benitez was one of the speakers today, November 18, at the ongoing virtual Visayas Visual Arts Exhibition and Conference (VIVA ExCon), a Visayas-wide biennale.Digital transformation is a growing imperative to survive and compete in a world that is becoming increasingly more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous, Benitez said.Benitez pointed out that digital technology will enable new forms of artistic and creative expression, bring creative content to broader markets, and enrich the consumer experience.He also stressed the...

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he hopes the Senate approves the proposed P19 billion fund for the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) in the 2021 budget, which some senators want realigned.“There are 16 barangays in Negros Occidental that stand to received P20 million each for being NPA (New People’s Army) cleared,” he said today, November 17.Lacson said with a total of P320 million expected for the 16 barangays, “naturally, I would like to see this fund approved in the Senate.”Opposition senators Monday, November 16, said they are pushing for the realignment of the P19 billion anti-insurgency fund to address more pressing needs, like aid to typhoon victims and the COVID-19 response.Sen. Nancy Binay also questioned why ...

A NVC Mingo meal recipient in Albay.*A thank you message to NVC at the Tobaco National West Central School in Tobaco City, Albay*Mingo meals being prepared at an evacuation center in Guinobatan, Albay.*The Negrense Volunteers for Change has delivered 329,067 meals to children dislocated by typhoons “Rolly” and “Ulysses” that recently hit the country and is campaigning for more help.“Our philosophy is simple. Whenever we are spared, it’s always because we have a bigger responsibility to help those who haven’t,” NVC president Millie Kilayko said today, November 17.So far the foundation has delivered 61,000 Mingo meals to the National Capital Region, 131,500 to Bicol, 126,567 to Cagayan, and 10,000 to Bulacan, she said.She said NVC shipped out the Mingo meals even before “Ro...

District Officer Paz Marie Valenciano, representing Rep. Francisco Benitez, turns over the donation to TUP-V Talisay City campus director Eric Malooy in the presence of Dr. Leonor Validor, Nelson Franco, Grace Delumpa, and Joshua Berja.*A Technological University of the Philippines-Visayas pilot radio-based facility for distance learning funded by Rep. Francisco Benitez is set to operate in the Metro 3rd District of Negros Occidental in 2021.District Officer Paz Marie Valenciano, representing Benitez, turned over a check for P1.5 million Tuesday, November 17, for TUP-V experts to put up a 10-watt low power frequency modulation station that will carry instructional and educational modules to students within 10-20 km. radius, eight hours daily from Monday to Friday.The low power ...

Photo from Puentevella's Facebook pageThe Sandiganbayan acquitted former Bacolod congressman and mayor, Monico Puentevella, and his co-accused Monday, November 26, of the charge of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in connection with the purchase of P26 million in information technology packages for public schools.“Praise the Lord. After 13 years, justice and the truth prevail,” Puentevella said today, November 17.The Sandiganbayan, in its 34-page decision, said the prosecution failed to prove the guilt of Puentevella and Jessie Garcia, the owner of the firm that supplied the information technology packages, beyond a reasonable doubt.The court also absolved Puentevella and Garcia of any civil liability and ordered the release of the amount they deposited...