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The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) – Northern Negros Occidental has announced the resumption of sea travel in northern Negros ports as of Wednesday morning, November 5, following the improved weather conditions brought by the exit of Typhoon “Tino” from the Philippine Area of Responsibility.According to their Sea Travel Advisory No. 25, all scheduled trips from ports in the northern portion of Negros Occidental bound for Tabuelan, Toledo City, and Bantayan (Cebu), Dumangas, Iloilo City, Ajuy, Estancia, and Guimaras, and vice versa, have been allowed to resume operations.However, in a succeeding Advisory No. 26 issued at 11 a.m., the PCG clarified that voyages of MV Halili from the Manta-angan Port in E.B. Magalona bound for Bay-ang Port in Ajuy, Iloilo remain temporarily cancelled du...

Preemptive evacuation in Isabela, Negros, Occidental, Monday afternoon.* Mayor Miguel Angelo Yulo Facebook pageThousands of Negrenses and Bacolodnons were preemptively evacuated  Monday, Nov. 3, as Typhoon “Tino” intensified.Negros Occidental and Bacolod  City were both under red alert as the  Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hoisted Signal No. 4,  No. 3, and No. 1  over various parts of the province.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya called on residents to comply with calls for preemptive evacuation for their own safety.Bacolod has identified flood-prone and coastal barangays to be covered by the preemptive evacuation considering the strength of typhoon, Gasataya said.All Baco...

 The polluted waters of Manjuyod in Negros Oriental.* Romeo Subaldo photo The Municipality of Manjuyod in Negros Oriental has declared a state of calamity following the pollution caused by  the collapse of the waste water lagoon wall of the URC Bais Distillery, its Sangguniang Bayan announced on Monday, Nov. 3. The declaration shall remain in effect for 90 days, unless lifted or extended upon the recommendation of the Local Risk Reduction and Management Council, based on its assessment and validation of the environmental condition, it said. The Bais Sangguniang Panlungsod that also  earlier declared a State of calamity, stating that  the consequences of this disaster have severely impacted...

Expect large increases in fuel prices  starting Tuesday, November 4.Diesel prices  will increase by P2.50 to P2.70 per liter, Unioil Petroleum Philippines said.Gasoline prices  will increase by P1.30 to P1.50 per liter, it added.*

Water quality testing in 13 stations across the coastal area of Bais City, Negros Oriental.* Photo courtesy of Bais City-PIOThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has mobilized a team with partner government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to contain and assess the impact of a massive wastewater spill in Bais City, Negros Oriental.Some 255,000 cubic meters of molasses wastewater that leaked into Bais Bay on Oct. 26 from the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) ethanol distillery plant are posing a serious threat to marine life within the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape.Bais has declared a state of calamity.“Initial water quality assessments conducted by the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) indicate low levels of dissolved oxygen in aff...

Dead fish in Manjuyod after the waste water spill.*photo courtesy of MarGale Bancairen Facebook pageThe Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has advised against collecting and consuming dead fish and other aquatic organisms from the coastal waters of Bais and Manjuyod in Negros Oriental.This is a health precaution, as the dead aquatic life may contain harmful pathogens, chemicals, and pollutants that pose risks to human health, BFAR 7 Regional Director Mario Ruinata said in an advisory Tuesday, which was released to the media on Wednesday.Ruinata issued the advisory following the collapse of a wall of the 20-hectare wastewater lagoon of the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Bais Distillery in Bais City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday.The collapse caused the waste...

Seven villages have been identified as the location of the proposed 150-megawatt wind power project of Bago-Negros Energy Corp. in Bago City, Negros Occidental.The areas — Calumangan, Napoles, Taloc, Sampinit, Busay, Balingasag and Lag-asan — have been identified in the notice of public scoping set on Oct. 28 released by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Environment Management Bureau (EMB) in Negros Island Region."Public scoping is an early stage in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process where the proponent aims to provide an overview of the proposed project, gather issues and concerns, and other relevant information to provide the scope of work and terms of reference for the preparation of the environmental impact statement," the EMB-NIR said i...