Carla P. Gomez

Negros Occidental surpassed Bacolod City in the number of COVID-19 cases on Thursday, November 12, the Department of Health 6 reported.But Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said today, November 13, that he does not think the province should be compared to Bacolod because its population is four times more than that of the city.The population of Negros Occidental is 2,591,346, and 583,045 for Bacolod.The provincial government will continue conducting COVID-19 tests to prevent the spread of the virus, he said.Negros Occidental had 5,082 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, making it No. 1 in Western Visayas, followed by Bacolod City with 5,069, the DOH-6 reported.Bacolod City previously had the most number of cases in WV.The DOH said Negros Occidental had 1,559 active ...

A Bacolod Regional Trial Court judge dismissed Wednesday, November 11, a petition filed by a city councilor to nullify a joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa) and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. (PrimeWater).RTC Branch 45 Judge Phoebe Gargantiel Balbin dismissed the petition filed by Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr. and Pepito Pico for declaratory relief and declaration of the nullity of the JVA for failure to state the cause of action.The judge also denied their petition for a preliminary injunction and lifted the temporary restraining order she issued on October 27 to stop BACIWA and Prime Water from carrying out the JVA.Lorendo Dilag, Baciwa board chair, said they received the order dismissing the petition today, November 13.Di...

A barangay kagawad, who is on the police drug watchlist, was shot to death by a motorcycle-riding gunman in Barangay Lopez Jaena, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, 3:30 p.m. Thursday, November 12, PMaj. Albert Sy, city police chief, said Friday, November 13.Killed was Mario Negro Agabon, 36, married of Purok Paghidaet, Brgy Lopez Jaena, who was identified as a high-value individual on the police drug watchlist, he said.Agabon was the number one kagawad of Barangay Lopez Jaena.The wife of Agabon told the police her husband was on board his tricycle on his way home from Sagay proper when unidentified suspects on board a motorcycle suddenly stopped in front of his vehicle at crossing Barangay Lopez Jaena.The backrider then shot the kagawad several times, a Sagay Police report sai...

There will be work at the Negros Occidental provincial Capitol in Bacolod City Friday, November 13, with the resumption of the five-day work week following the drop of COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, November 12.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had ordered the observance of the five-day work week starting August following a surge in COVID-19 cases in Bacolod to lessen the exposure of the provincial government employees to the virus, he said.Lacson ordered the resumption of the five-day work week since the COVID-19 situation in Bacolod City has improved, with some barangays already free of the virus, Diaz added.”Gov. Lacson respects this accomplishment and the employees of the Capitol can work five days a week without fear,” he sai...

The Negros Occidental provincial government is ready to grant Christmas bonuses to its employees if President Rodrigo Duterte issues and order allowing it, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.He said the provincial government needs the legal basis to grant the bonus, which in the past was based on awards given to the province.The awards allowed the provincial government to grant incentive bonuses, he said.However, the granting of awards had been suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.If the president orders that across the bonuses can be given to all government employees, the Capitol is preparing and saving for that, he said.The amount of the additional bonus will also depend on the savings of the provincial government at the end of the year, he sa...

Victorias Malihaw photoMayor Francis Frederick Palanca of Victorias City in Negros Occidental is back to work after recovering from COVID-19.Palanca said he returned to work Tuesday, November 10, and his four other companions were also back Thursday, November 12.“It’s good to be functional again because there is a lot of work to do”, he said.“I thank God for the opportunity to be well again,” he said.Palanca said perhaps he was made to experience having the virus so he could advise people better.It is important to practice social distancing, to wear face masks and shields, and wash one's hands often, he said.Palanca and seven of his companions who travelled to Bacolod together on a van tested positive for COVID-19 earlier.*

BCPO photoTwelve first responders who rescued the victims of an accident involving an ambulance have been quarantined after the patient on board was confirmed to be COVID-19 positive, Bacolod City Administrator Em Ang said today, November 12.They were also swabbed for COVID-19 tests and results are expected to be out tomorrow, she said.Four of the first responders are from the Bacolod fire department, four from the EMR (Emergency Medical Responders) Raptor, and four from the Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade (CVFB), she said.Two of the CVFB members entered the ambulance that figured in the accident to rescue the patient and two others accompanied him to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, their chief, Bryant Lao, said.The patient is a 78-year-old ret...

The P4.4 billion proposed 2021 budget of Negros Occidental is the first in six years that does not exceed the Department of Budget and Management cap on personal services, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said today, November 11.Diaz appeared before the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan that began its budget hearings Wednesday.Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said four hearings are set in the next two weeks and they hope to approve the 2021 budget by the first week of December.Diaz said the proposed budget of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has been able to reduce the PS allocation that in the past exceeded the cap by P601 million.The reduction of the PS fund has enabled them to increase the amount allocated for maintenance and other operating expenses that will enable...