Community

Sep272026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Bacolod gears up for MassKara, Batang Pinoy, MMFF Parade of Stars

Bacolod City is preparing to host three major events in the final quarter of 2026, with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 athletes and delegates expected for the Batang Pinoy national youth sports competition.Mayor Greg Gasataya announced the city's preparations for the MassKara Festival in October, Batang Pinoy 2026 and the Metro Manila Film Festival's first simultaneous Parade of Stars in December during Bacolod Day at the 40th Negros Trade Fair in Taguig City, Sept. 26.Gasataya said the events are expected to bring more visitors to Bacolod and generate opportunities for local businesses.“This will be a very busy quarter for the City of Bacolod, and this will redound to the benefit of the people of Bacolod and, as much as possible, every business in Bacolod and Negros Occidental,...

Sep262026 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

PHCCI promo offers members chance to win motorcycle, cash prizes

Community

Maria Sashi Ivy Patrocinio,Rex A. Rastica, Joesilo S. Cua and Krisna Marie Joy Dejedo (l-r)* Judy Partlow photoThe Perpetual Help Community Cooperative (PHCCI) in Dumaguete City is giving its members a chance to win cash prizes and a motorcycle through its latest “Pay 2 Paldo” promotional campaign.PHCCI chief marketing officer Rex A. Rastica said Thursday that the promo aims to usher in the Christmas season by rewarding eligible “Kaabag” members who make advance payments on their existing loans.Under the promo, every accumulated PHP2,000 in qualified advance payments toward a member’s Principal Loan Balance (PLB) earns one electronic raffle entry.“The more qualified advance payments you make, the more e-raffle entries you can earn,” Rastica said. “Our Chief Ex...

Sep252026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

HCT and Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod Advance Nursing Education Through an Innovative Technology-Enabled Healthcare Education System

Community

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines —Healthcare and Technology Institute Inc. (HCT) and Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod (CSA-B) have entered into a two-year partnership to strengthen nursing education through an innovative, technology-enabled Healthcare Education System designed to connect classroom learning, simulation, clinical skills development and competency assessment within one coordinated learning environment.The program will support 410 nursing students from CSA-B’s College of Health and Allied Professions. Rather than introducing a single technology or stand-alone intervention, the partnership brings together multiple educational technologies and learning components under one integrated system that can be embedded into the nursing curriculum and developed as part of an institution’s broade...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

MassKara 2026 sets activities for artists, women, children, PWDs and pet lovers

Community, Top Stories

MassKara Festival 2026 will feature a series of activities for artists, women, children, persons with disabilities and pet lovers as organizers expand community participation in this year’s celebration.In a press release, the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. said on Sept. 24 that the sectoral activities will bring together residents from different barangays and communities under the festival’s theme, “Share the Smile. Celebrate Gugma.”The Erceflora On-the-Spot Mask Painting Competition will be held at Robinsons Bacolod on Oct. 3, with around 75 participants from barangays and private institutions expected to join.Participants will create masks inspired by Bacolod’s iconic landmarks, culture and festival traditions, with P17,500 awaiting the grand winner.Persons with disabiliti...

Sep242026 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

New bridge, classrooms revitalize villages in central Negros town

Community, Top Stories

Two community projects — a hanging bridge and a classroom building totaling about PHP10.6 million — are poised to revitalize two villages in disaster-hit La Castellana, Negros Occidental.Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, together with Mayor Anejo Nicor and Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo, on Wednesday led the unveiling of the projects implemented through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS)."Maliliit man sila (They may be small), but they are very meaningful projects because small communities get to use them every day," Gatchalian said.The hanging bridge in Barangay Robles, with a total project cost of PHP6.454 million, was completed through the convergen...

Sep232026 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

PBBM peace program aids 131 PAMANA groups in NIR

Business, Community, Negros Oriental, Top Stories

A total of 131 livelihood associations in the Negros Island Region (NIR) have received or are scheduled to receive PHP300,000 each in seed capital under the government’s PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (PAMANA) program, an official said Tuesday, Sept. 22.Dan Donald S. Candare, PAMANA Project Development Officer 3 of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-NIR, said the program has allocated PHP39.3 million for the 131 PAMANA Livelihood Project Associations (PLPAs) in the region.“The associations, with a combined membership of 1,969 individuals, are located in vulnerable and conflict-affected communities,” Candare said on Tuesday.The livelihood funding is provided by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) as part of Pres...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

DSWD opens satellite office in Ilog for southern Negros communities

Community, Top Stories

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Negros Island Region opened its fourth Social Welfare and Development Satellite Office in Brgy. Dancalan, Ilog, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Sept. 23.DSWD-NIR said the new satellite office will provide communities in southern Negros Occidental with closer access to the agency's social protection programs and services.The office is the fourth SWAD satellite facility established in the Negros Island Region as the agency expands its presence outside its regional offices.Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian and DSWD-NIR Regional Director Arwin Razo led the inauguration, which included a ribbon-cutting and blessing of the facility.Rep. Mercedes “Cheding” Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) also attended the inauguration and e...

Sep212026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

DSSD training to strengthen child-sensitive, trauma-informed justice process starts

Community

The Department of Social Services and Development - Bacolod in partnership with the International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines, Department of Justice, and Bacolod City Police Office, officially opened the five-day Videotaped In-Depth Disclosure Interview (VIDI) Training at Acacia Hotel, Bacolod City, on Monday, Sept. 21.DSSD Head Richelle Verdeprado-Mangga emphasized the importance of making the justice and protection process more sensitive to the experiences and needs of children, particularly during interviews that may become a lasting part of their experience, a press release from the Bacolod City Communications Office said.“As among the frontline professionals, our goal is to ensure that our way of life is child-sensitive and trauma-informed. At the heart...

Sep212026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

NegOcc champion in National Robotics Competition-Visayas 2026

Press Release

NOLITC photoThe Province of Negros Occidental demonstrated its growing prowess in technology and innovation after emerging as the overall champion in the National Robotics Competition-Visayas 2026 last Saturday at the NOLITC Campus in Talisay City, capturing six victories across nine competition categories.Leading the province’s remarkable delegation was Cabacungan National High School, which achieved back-to-back championship titles in two separate categories: Edjay Bryle Gemotra and John Dale Bangcaya in Sumobot 1KG-Autonomous, and Shantelle Kate Ballesteros and Razor Chua in Line Tracing Beginner.Adding to the province’s dominant performance was the amazing run of Deanyvien Paculanang of Escalante National High School, who successfully maintained his championship streak, bui...

Sep212026 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Chiz: Decent housing through usufruct to benefit millions of low-income families

Press Release, Top Stories

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero has hailed the Senate’s approval on third and final reading of Senate Bill No. 2421, or the Adequate and Decent Housing Through Usufruct Act, saying the measure will provide millions of low‑income Filipinos with secure and decent homes. Escudero, chair of the Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement, said the bill institutionalizes adequate and decent housing program that allows qualified beneficiaries to occupy and use government‑owned land for residential purposes through usufruct arrangements, while the State retains ownership.“Through usufruct, families will gain the right to live in government housing without the burden of ownership costs, while ensuring transparency and legal protection through contracts registered with t...