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Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (4th from left), Mayor Gerry Rojas (5th from left), Vice-Mayor Johnny Reosura (3rd from left) and Sangguniang Bayan Members (l-r) Kedy Yu, Adrian Olimpo, PidongVillarosa, HernanAlintana and Anton Gonzaga with the brand-new ambulances procured by the Department of Health for Murcia.*Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) recently turned over two brand-new ambulances to Murcia, represented by Mayor Victor Gerardo M. Rojas, in the presence of Vice Mayor Johnny Reosura, Sangguniang Bayan Members, Punong Barangays and other municipal officials.“We thank the Department of Health for the arrival of these ambulances for Murcia. The ambulances came at the right time, because we need the services of these vehicles in this time of pandemi...

Kassandra Eva Marie Legarde needs help to live.*The 4-year-old granddaughter of a couple who have roots in Silay City, Negros Occidental, is fighting for her life at a Metro Manila hospital and needs help.The once bubbly Kassandra Eva Marie Legarde is confined at the pediatric intensive care unit of the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City and her medical bills are now over P1 million.The bills are beyond what her parents can afford, and the ECMO machine that she may need to save her life will cost about P210,000 a day.Kassandra is the granddaughter of Art and Lucille Lagarde and the only child of John Karlo and Elaine Legarde.John Karlo said they are appealing for financial help because “Kassy is a wonderful, smart, loving child who is a fighter and has her whole l...

Vision 20/30 youth representative Javi Benitez ((left) with event moderator Marlon Apanada who is the Southeast Asia Engagement Lead for Energy and Climate of the World Resources Institute.*“It is time to let our lights shine. It is time to be who we want to be . . . and fight for the future we deserve”.That is what Javier “Javi” Benitez of Victorias City, Negros Occidental, representing the youth sector rallied the more than 1,700 participants of the first ever blended virtual and physical press conference for a multi-sectoral coalition championing energy transformation and climate action in the Philippines.“VIsion 20/30: Powering and Empowering Filipinos towards a #BrighterFutureToday” was held at Rockwell Center, Makati City in Metro Manila, July 29,a press release said....

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources turned over around P3.4 million worth of livelihood projects to Sagay City fisherfolk at the Balay Kauswagan Friday, July 30.A total of 96 fisherfolk from four associations received livelihood projects under BFAR’s Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program, National Fishery Program, and Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat Kontra sa COVID-19 (ALPAS) Program, a press release from Sagay City said Tuesday, August 3.Projects under the SAAD Program include Provision of Crabs Pots (P814,040), Fish Gill Net for the year 2020 (P471,280), Fish Gill Net- 2021 (P123,240), Packaging Materials in Support to Fishery Value-Adding and Production (P82,700) and Solar Lamp for Fish Cages and Fishing Boats (P200,000.00).Meanwhile, Seaweeds Farming...

The "Ecological Saturdays Initiative| program, also known as EcoSats, was launched at Brgy. Tangub and Brgy. 27 in Bacolod City on July 31.The program was initiated by a group of youth advocates coming from the Children Optimization for the Revitalization of Environment (CORE) in partnership with the Foundation of the Philippine Environment and Sowing Legacy Movement, Inc.It is a youth-led organization founded in 2018 that aims to empower, educate and expose children to different environmental issues. For them to protect and revitalize our environment, especially for those aging nine to 12 years old who were the main subjects of this program.CORE founder and executive director Elmeer Meeynard Calimpos said, "we want to enhance how the children interact with the environment and ...

The Project FREE scholars receiving their stipends and incentives at the Capitol Social Hall.*Capitol photoA total of P1,948,300 in stipends and incentives were released to 1,000 Project FREE (Flagships to Reach Educational Excellence) scholars of the Negros Occidental provincial government at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, Friday, July 30.The scholars who belong to the Batch 2 grantees have already graduated from their post-graduate studies at the University of St. La Salle (USLS)–Bacolod, a press release from the Capitol said.The Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division, headed by Karen Dinsay, and Provincial Treasurer’s Office facilitated the activity.Project FREE is an ongoing scholarship program of the Negros Occidental provincial government that is op...

Capitol photoThe Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office and Negros First Provincial Blood Center spearheaded a bloodletting activity with the theme, “Give Blood and Keep the World Beating” at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, July 29.The activity is in line with the National Blood Donors’ Month this July.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that there is a need for constant and stable supply of blood throughout the year especially in this time of crisis.He also said that blood donation remains to be the only way of providing blood, and engaging blood donors remains to be the only lifeline.“A well-organized blood service is incumbent if we are to meet the varied blood necessities of the province. As what I always emphasize with regard to the importance of blood dona...

Capitol photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the distribution of P566,666 in insurance benefits to the families of barangay tanods, officials, employees, and health workers enrolled in the Provincial Government’s Barangay Insurance Program, Thursday, July 29.The distribution was held at the Provincial Capitol Grounds in the presence of Board Member Agustin Ernesto Bascon.The beneficiaries were from the cities of Victorias, Bago, Himamaylan, Kabankalan and Sipalay, and the towns of San Enrique, Hinigaran, La Castellana, Candoni, and Cauayan.The activity was spearheaded by the Special Programs and Concerns Division headed by Jose Maria Amugod.*

The Victorias City Alliance of Tricycle Owners and Drivers Association (VCATODA) recently received financial assistance for members who are direly hit by the pandemic so they can start alternative livelihood activities.Javier “Javi” Benitez of Asenso Victorias met with the association officers and turned over the P 200,000 financial aid for a group of tricycle owners and drivers of Victorias City, a press release said.“The transport sector in Victorias is one of the most affected during the pandemic,” Benitez said.Since the Covid-19 pandemic started more than a year ago, the drivers shared that there are fewer passengers and their daily income has been greatly affected.There was a time when they could not go out to ply their routes because restrictions and health protocol g...

Rep. Leo Rafael Cueva (Negros Occidental, 2nd District) allocated P1.12 million worth of scholarships to the first three batches of the first ever “School Heads Academy” program of the Department of Education- Sagay City Division that aims to train public school teachers to become school leaders.The partnership was inked through a memorandum of agreement signed by Cueva, DepEd-Sagay Acting Superintendent Arlene Bermejo, and Northern Negros State College of Science and Technology president Renante Egcas at Vito National High School on July 15, a press release from Sagay City said Monday, July 26.The “School Heads Academy” is a first of its kind program in the city that aims to institutionalize a platform to formally train and prepare aspiring public school teachers in Sagay to becom...