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The Asenso Raffle Live Event of former Rep. Albee Benitez will go virtual instead, with the elevation of Bacolod to Alert Level 3 following the increase of COVID-19 cases in the city.The Asenso Raffle will still push through with the giving away of prizes to Bacolodnons through virtual draws, a press release from the Bacolod mayoral bet’s camp said Friday, January 14.The virtual raffle draws will be aired on the official Facebook page of Benitez on January 15, 23, 30 and February 6.Benitez added one more car to the three existing cars for the raffle draw and posted “#ApatDapat” last January 10 that brought excitement to Asenso leaders and supporters, the press release said.“I am ready for the raffle draw, and I hope that I will be one of the lucky leaders who will win one o...

Volunteer groups of Vice President Leni Robredo in Negros Occidental announced that they gathered P3.5 million worth of relief goods for victims of Typhoon Odette in Negros Island.The groups helped 9,011 families in 24 Odette-affected areas in Negros, a press release from the volunteers said Friday, January 14.Negros Youth for Leni and Negros for Leni worked with Dapat Si Leni and Robredo People’s Council to collect 24,250 kilograms of rice, 12,683 pieces of canned goods, 10,878 packs of noodles, 1,000 kilograms of sugar, 500 kilograms of monggo, 19,921 liters of water, 4,192 hygiene kits, 2,000 kilograms of dry goods, and 400 thermal mats, it said.The Negros Youth for Leni, the biggest youth volunteer network of Leni Robredo in Negros, also crowdfunded P237,741.45 in cash for ...

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Executive Director, Remelyn Recoter, led the distribution of P5.2 million in financial assistance to 1,041 farmers in Binalbagan town Thursday, January 13.The aid is from the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund – Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RCEF – RFFA) of DA, which provides financial assistance to rice farmers as compensation to the projected reduction of farm income arising from the tariffication on rice, a press release from the Capitol said.Each farmer-beneficiary received P5,000 during the distribution at the Payao Covered Court in Brgy. Payao, Binalbagan, attended by Board Members Rita Gatuslao and Tinto Bascon, Binalbagan Vice Mayor Samuel Gavaran, Office of the P...

A total of 500 typhoon-affected households were given 25-kilo sacks of rice in selected barangays in Ilog town and Sipalay City donated by the Grand Family Association of the Philippines in a relief operation conducted by the Rotary Club of Sagay-Sinigayan last week.The donation from Grand Family Association was from the Lau Family, through Rotary Sagay Past President Alex Yupangco.The distribution of rice was conducted through a two-day mission of the organization from January 8 to 9, visiting barangays Andalauan and Bocana in Ilog, and barangays Canturay, Cartagena, and along the national highway of Sipalay City.Rotary Sagay President Jezreel Alingco expressed his profound thanks to the generosity of the members of Grand Family Association of the Philippines for their Relief ...

San Miguel Corporation’s (SMC) response efforts for provinces hit by typhoon Odette continue, with food and water donations totaling over P35 million to date.This, as fuel subsidiary Petron Corporation managed to restore full operations to most of its damaged service stations throughout the affected provinces, a press release from SMC said.SMC president and chief executive officer Ramon S. Ang said on top of donations estimated at P30 million in the week following the typhoon in December, the company has continued to send food aid to affected provinces, with P5 million worth of additional food donations given out through partner organizations and its own businesses.SMC’s food donations, coursed through local government units, the military, and non-profit organizations, have rea...

Javi Benitez with Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland.*Dr. Nia Zalamea-Ducklo, Renato Zalamea, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, and Javi Benitez (l-r).*Memphis Mission of Mercy lawyer Mark Crosby, Renato Zalamea and Javi Benitez (l-r).*Victorias City mayoralty aspirant Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez is taking the initiative to make the long-felt dream of Victoriahanons for a hospital, a reality.Understanding the longing and plea for access to better healthcare, he picked up the pieces where the project had encountered unforeseen circumstances and buckled down to pursue the dream that was initially given life by his great grandmother, the late former Mayor Remedios Palanca-Bantug, a press release said Tuesday, January 11.Benitez re-connected via Zoom with the Memphis Mission of Mercy, a US...

Rotarians visited the site in Brgy. Camugao, Kabankalan City where most of the homes located below the bridge were wiped out by Typhoon Odette.*Residents await the distribution of relief goods from Rotary District 3850 Disaster Response Team.*The Rotary Club of Kabankalan with Past District Governor Jundad Legislador (center) led the distribution of goods in their city.*Dr. Jonicel Masweng of RC Kabankalan dressed the wound of a victim in Brgy. Cabadiangan, Sipalay.*Assistant Governor Alan Nuega hands over the construction repair kit won by a resident in Sipalay.*Rotarians handed over relief goods in Kabankalan City.*Sipalay Mayor Gina Lizares (4th from left) received the donated goods from District 3850 Disaster Response Team led by District Governor Nominee Mate Espina (3rd from left) an...

Brgy Mailum Kagawad Reneboy Hongoy (left) receives sacks of rice from EDC’s Community Partner Jayvi Valenzuela (right). EDC provided 110 sacks of rice to its partner communities in Bago City, Murcia, and Isabela, Negros Occidental.*The Energy Development Corp. (EDC) continues to extend its “pampamilyang malasakit” by conducting relief operations for its partner communities in Negros Oriental and Occidental that were affected by Typhoon Odette in December.More than 2,700 households benefitted from the 260 sacks of 50 kilograms of rice that EDC provided to its host communities in Valencia, Negros Oriental, and Bago City, Murcia, and Isabela in Negros Occidental.The donation to Isabela is in partnership with Dagiaw Experimental Theatre.“We are doing our best to help ease the b...

RU Foundry’s Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation Inc. sent equipment to southern Negros Occidental to help farmers convert debris into organic fertilizer.*A Bacolod-based foundation is providing assistance to farmers in six Typhoon Odette-hit local government units in Negros Occidental and has launched a community garden for residents of Barangay Pahanocoy in Bacolod City.Ramon Uy Sr., president of the RU Foundry’s Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation Inc., said the foundation will provide farmers in typhoon-hit areas with a P5,000 loan each, interest-free, to grow rice and vegetables, Uy said.Included are 80 farmers in Sipalay City, 50 in Candoni, 35 in Cauayan, as well as others in San Carlos City and Salvador Benedicto, and coffee growers in Murc...

More than 2,000 residents of Barangay 5 in Sipalay City thanked Sipalaynon actress Sue Ramirez and boyfriend Javi Benitez of Victorias City for the relief assistance they delivered, recently.The celebrity couple went to Sipalay City, which was among the worst hit by Typhoon Odette, with Provincial Consultant Albee Benitez to deliver rice and food packs, hygiene kits, and water.The Negros Occidental provincial government also provided assistance to the relief assistance drive, as well as several private sector donors.The celebrity couple led the distribution of the assistance, and interacted with the residents “to help ease the pain brought by their traumatic experiences and losses during the typhoon”.Former Rep. Mercedes Alvarez-Lansang joined the aid distribution assisted ...