Community

Oct122026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Chiz-led committee secures senate nod for 4 key housing-related measures

The Senate has approved four major housing-related measures aimed at expanding access to affordable housing, providing relief to calamity survivors, and updating the decades-old condominium law crafted by the Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement chaired by Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero.Chief among the legislative package was the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on Senate Bill No. 2420, which reconciled the disagreeing provisions with House Bill No. 2286. The measure modernizes the Republic Act 4726 of 1966 to make it more responsive to the realities of contemporary urban living. Before Congress adjourned on Thursday, Escudero, who authored and shepherded the bill, presented to the plenary the key updates on condominium maintenan...

Oct112026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Singcang-Airport bet crowned Miss Bacolod MassKara 2026

Community, Top Stories

Macy Alaine Albarico of Brgy. Singcang-Airport (center) is the Miss Bacolod MassKara 2026 with Julie Mikayla A. Borja of Brgy. Mansilingan as 1st runner-up (left), and Ma. Zonora Ellyssa Curaza of Brgy. Sum-ag is 2nd runner-up (right).*/Ronnie Baldonado photoMacy Alaine Albarico of Brgy. Singcang-Airport was crowned Miss Bacolod MassKara 2026, besting 14 other candidates at the STI West Negros University Gymnasium in Bacolod City on Sunday night, Oct. 11.Albarico received P150,000 in cash, while first runner-up Julie Mikayla A. Borja of Brgy. Mansilingan earned P100,000, and second runner-up is Ma. Zonora Ellyssa Curaza of Brgy. Sum-ag received P50,000.Kyla C. Aligaga of Barangay Pahanocoy and Daniella Louisse B. Merelos of Barangay 32 completed the Top 5.During the f...

Oct112026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Luisa Medel NHS, Corazon Montelibano ES win MassKara drum and lyre titles

Community, Press Release, Top Stories

Luisa Medel National High School and Corazon L. Montelibano Elementary School emerged champions of the MassKara Festival 2026 Drum and Lyre Corps Competition held at the Bacolod Public Plaza on Saturday, Oct. 10.Twelve schools joined the competition, composed of nine elementary schools and three high schools.The contingents first performed in the Street Show from Negros Occidental High School to the Bacolod Public Plaza before competing in the Arena Show.In the Elementary Category, Corazon L. Montelibano Elementary School won the championship and P50,000.Patricia Homes Elementary School placed first runner-up and received P35,000, while Bata Elementary School I finished second runner-up with P25,000.In the High School Category, Luisa Medel National High School claimed t...

Oct112026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Alminaza: Visayas power crisis needs accountability, not blame over coal opposition

Community, Top Stories

San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said opposition to coal and liquefied natural gas projects should not be blamed for the Visayas power crisis, calling instead for greater scrutiny of repeated plant outages, electricity costs and government energy planning.In a statement on Oct. 9, Alminaza said reliable electricity should be treated as an essential public service and called for transparency in power ownership, contracts and regulation.The bishop issued the statement following the Oct. 3 joint congressional hearing in Bacolod City on the recurring power problems affecting the Visayas.The House committees on Energy, Visayas Development and Legislative Franchises convened the hearing to examine generation and transmission problems, recurring supply interruptions and their impact...

Oct112026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Kanlaon eruption sends 5 to 6 km plume with ashfall, sulfur odor reported in Negros Occidental

Community, Top Stories

Sped-up camera footages of ash emission from Kanlaon Volcano shows that it generated a grayish plume that rose 600 meters above the summit crater before drifting general west, early morning of Oct. 11.*/Screengrab from PHILVOLCSA moderately explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano sent a volcanic plume as high as six kilometers above the summit, with ashfall, sulfur odor, booming sounds and ground shaking reported in parts of Negros Occidental on Saturday, Oct. 10.The eruption occurred from about 12:46 p.m. to 12:48 p.m., according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology. The plume drifted north-northeast.The Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region said initial reports from Bago City indicated a visible volcanic cloud, booming sounds and ground sha...

Oct112026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

9 Bacolod health centers accredited under PhilHealth YAKAP

Community, Top Stories

Nine health facilities in Bacolod City have been accredited under PhilHealth’s Yaman ng Kalusugan Program or YAKAP, expanding access to primary healthcare services in the barangays.Bacolod Lone District Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez announced on Oct. 9 the accreditation of the facilities, saying it will bring consultations, laboratory services and essential medicines closer to residents.The newly accredited facilities are the Alijis, Banago, Bata, Handumanan, Pahanocoy, Singcang, Taculing and Villamonte barangay health stations, as well as the Senior Citizen Center at the Bacolod City Government Center Annex.Under PhilHealth YAKAP, members and their dependents may access primary care services through accredited clinics, including consultations, selected laboratory exami...

Oct92026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

CLMMRH cites hospital operations reforms after national DOH recognition

Community, Press Release, Top Stories

Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital highlighted its continuing reforms in hospital operations and management during the Integrated Hospital Operations and Management Program Conference 2026 held in Cebu City from Sept. 21 to 25.In a press release on Oct. 9, the Bacolod-based regional hospital represented the Negros Island Region at the conference, which carried the theme, “Transforming Hospital System through Quality, Equity, and Innovation.”CLMMRH had earlier been recognized by the Department of Health as the second-highest-rated Integrated Hospital Operations Management Standard Compliance awardee for 2025.The recognition was based on the hospital’s compliance with standards covering quality, patient safety and systematic hospital management.John Michael...

Oct92026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Negros Occidental logs 3,732 dengue cases, 20 deaths

Community, Top Stories

Negros Occidental recorded 3,732 dengue cases and 19 dengue-related deaths from Jan. 4 to Oct. 3, according to the Provincial Health Office.The Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit said dengue cases were 24.7 percent lower than the 4,956 cases recorded during the same period in 2025, or 1,224 fewer cases.However, Provincial Health Officer I Dr. Ayessa Hugtanan said the number of dengue-related deaths had already risen to 20 as of Oct. 18.All 31 local government units in the province have reported at least one suspected dengue case.La Carlota City registered the highest number of cases at 679, with two deaths.It was followed by Silay City with 365 cases and one death, Bago City with 306 cases and two deaths, Cauayan with 206 cases and one death, and San Carlos C...

Oct92026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

MassKara enters 10-day stretch with nearly 50 events across Bacolod

Community, Lifestyle, Press Release, Top Stories

MassKara Festival 2026 enters its busiest stretch from Oct. 9 to 18, with nearly 50 major activities lined up across multiple venues in Bacolod City.The Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. said the “10-Day MassKara High” will feature competitions, cultural programs, pageants, sports events, concerts, community activities, tourism programs and brand activations.Events will be held at the Bacolod Public Plaza, Bacolod Government Center, SM City Bacolod, Robinsons Bacolod, Megaworld The Upper East, SMX Bacolod, the Lacson Tourism Strip and other partner venues.The 10-day run begins Friday, Oct. 9, with MassKareppin Elimination 2, Miss Bacolod MassKara Corporate Day, MassKarap Battle, GSM Ginuman and the Choreographers Showdown.PetsKara, the Drum and Lyre Corps Competition and Manuli...

Oct92026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Man linked to Bacolod telecom theft incidents arrested

Community, Police, Top Stories

A man allegedly linked to several theft incidents involving telecommunications facilities in Bacolod City was arrested during a police operation on Wednesday, Oct. 7, Globe Telecom’s Security and Response Unit said.Globe identified the arrested man as alias “Buriring.”The company said his arrest followed months of surveillance, monitoring and coordination between its security unit and the Philippine National Police.He is currently detained in Bacolod, Globe said.According to Globe, two suspects previously arrested in separate investigations allegedly identified him as being involved in theft incidents affecting Globe, FTAP and PTCI telecommunications sites in the city.The company said the suspect had also been included in a criminal case previously filed by its Security...