Marchel P. Espina

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City has granted the request of Mayor Evelio Leonardia to authorize him on a continuing basis to enter into contract/s with any pharmaceutical company legally operating in the Philippines for the availment of COVID-19 vaccines.The city councilors approved the request of the mayor today, January 8, in their regular session, a day after Leonardia signed multilateral and confidentiality agreements with AstraZeneca for the availment of vaccines against COVID-19.Leonardia, in a letter to the SP, said: “The availability of COVID-19 vaccines is limited, and considering the massive nationwide demand for it, we are bound to encounter problems in its timely availment if we do not act now to ensure that we are on the list of LGUs which are ready to avail ...

COVID VACCINE. Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia signs the multi-lateral agreement and confidentiality agreement with AstraZeneca on the availment of vaccines against COVID-19, as witnessed by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, Councilor Renecito Novero, City Administrator Em Ang, City Legal Officer Joselito Bayatan, OIC-City Health Officer Dr. Edwin Miraflor Jr., and Emergency Operations Center deputies for medical Dr. Chris Sorongon and Dr. Hector Gayares at the Bacolod City Government Center today, January 7.*City PIO photoThe Bacolod City government will earmark P300 million for the procurement of coronavirus vaccines, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said today, January 7.He revealed this after he signed the multi-lateral agreement and confidentiality agreement with AstraZeneca on the avai...

A man was shot to death by his cousin outside his home at Barangay Dolis in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, Wednesday afternoon, January 6.Police identified the fatality as 25-year-old Mario Mahinay.Maj. Roberto Indiape Jr., Calatrava police chief, said the victim was talking to his two cousins outside his residence when his other male cousin, identified as 24-year-old Jennifer Bargamento, approached them from behind and shot Mahinay with an unknown firearm.The victim was rushed to the Calatrava District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.Indiape said the suspect remained at-large, adding that his relatives ran after him but he escaped.Based on the police's initial investigation, the victim called the attention of the suspect last week af...

At least 144 job order employees of the San Carlos City government are undergoing COVID-19 surveillance testing, which began Monday, January 5.Dr. Jessa Tiapon, Health Cluster leader of the city’s Emergency Operations Center, said the local government has prioritized those from barangays 2, 3, 6, Rizal and Punao for now, and will later add barangays 1, 5 and Palampas, depending on the availability of test kits.If the results of the rapid anti-body tests yield positive results, they will be swabbed for Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests, she said.The move to have JOs undergo surveillance testing was mandated through Memorandum Circular No. 01 issued by Mayor Renato Gustilo to ensure the safety of employees in the various departments of the city govern...

KILLED. A tricycle driver was shot to death by unidentified riding-in-tandem suspects at the Circumferential Road in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, this morning, January 6.*Barbara Mijares photoA tricycle driver, who just went out to buy a cigarette, was shot dead by motorcycle-riding suspects at the Circumferential Road in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, this morning, January 6.Killed was 54-year-old Noel Peraren of Barangay Pahanocoy.Based on the police report, the victim, on board his tricycle, was tailed by the riding-in-tandem suspects, who peppered Peraren with bullets.The victim died on the spot after he succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.Mary Grace Tornea, the victim’s partner, said Peraren just went out to buy cigarettes for their store.She was shock...

The Provincial Treasurer’s Office at the Negros Oriental Capitol in Dumaguete City that was shutdown after 11 of its employees tested positive for COVID-19, has reopened.Bimbo Miraflor, Negros Oriental public information officer, said the treasurer’s office was closed Monday, January 4, for disinfection but has since reopened.Employees who tested negative for the virus have returned to work, he said.Meanwhile, he the Sibulan town hall was closed after a councilor tested positive for COVID-19, he added.The municipal hall of Sibulan was closed today, January 6, for disinfection after a medical frontliner, who tested positive for the virus, went there recently, the Philippine News Agency also reported.The local government employees, except those in the Rural Health Unit an...

Sacked BACIWA employees, along with cause-oriented groups, stage a rally outside the utility firm today, January 5.*BEU photoSome of the 60 terminated employees of the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) mounted a protest outside the office of the utility firm today, January 5.Leny Espina, president of the BACIWA Employees Union (BEU), said they were joined by cause-oriented groups and consumer advocates in the rally that condemned the “harassment” against the workers.Since Monday, January 4, the management has barred the sacked employees from entering BACIWA. They can only go to the office to turn over their accountabilities and process their clearances, and not to report for work.The positions of the 60 workers were declared redundant by the Board of Directors following ...

NO ENTRY. Some of the 60 terminated employees of BACIWA, who were barred from entering the premises of the utility firm this morning, January 4.*Nonoy Espina photoThe 60 terminated employees of the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) were barred from entering the premises of the utility firm this morning, January 4.The employees, whose positions were declared redundant by the Board of Directors following the joint venture agreement (JVA) between BACIWA and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. (PrimeWater) owned by the Villar family, were supposed to report for duty on the first day of the year.Leny Espina, president of the BACIWA Employees Union, said they were shocked with the decision to terminate them, and that they went to the utility firm today, January 4, to work.She main...

CBCP file photoSan Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza is asking President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine National Police Chief Debold Sinas to stop the killings.In an open letter, the bishop said the Catholic church has asked all Filipinos to pray for discernment and a change of heart within the Duterte government and the PNP to reconsider and stop implementing “Oplan Sauron” and the Synchronized Enhanced Management of Police Operations (SEMPO), which started in Negros Island, in the rest of the country.His letter came in the wake of the killings and arrests of the Indigenous People (IP) leaders in Panay Island during police operations on December 30.Alminaza recalled that in December 2018, six people were killed and 26 were arrested in Negros Oriental for alleged possession of...