Negros Oriental

The seized cigarettes* PNP photoPolice intercepted more than ₱3.09 million worth of suspected smuggled cigarettes and arrested three men during a joint anti-smuggling operation in Barangay Nagbo-alao, Basay town,  Negros Oriental, on Monday morning, November 2.The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) identified the suspects as “Lom,” 25, the truck driver; and passengers “Joe,” 41, and “Ben,” 40.All three are residents of Barangay Pook in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.Police operatives from the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) received a tip regarding a blue Mazda truck transporting illegal tobacco products from Barangay Nagbalaye in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental, bound for Hinoba-an.At around 7:20 a.m., a multi-agency task force intercepted t...

The Department of the Interior and Local Government  Negros Island Region (DILG NIR) honored nine outstanding local government units (LGUs) for demonstrating superior infrastructure governance and project monitoring during the FY 2026 SubayBAYANI Awards held at the Sugarland Hotel  in Bacolod City, Wednesday, Oct. 28.The annual awards recognize LGUs that excel in tracking, implementing, and maintaining transparency in government-funded infrastructure projects using the SubayBAYANI platform.Leading the honorees in the Province Category were the provincial governments of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.In the City Category, the city governments of Bago, Sipalay, and Victorias bagged top honors for their exemplary performance in project monitoring and pu...

Bago City Mayor Mayette Javellana and DOH NIR Officer-in-Charge Assistant Regional Director Adrian Hort Ramos (2nd and third from right) sign the agreement* Bago PIO photoThe Department of Health (DOH) is allocating  ₱80 million to improve and    equip the Bago City Hospital following an agreement signed  in Dumaguete City on Wednesday, October 28.The funding, released under the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) Fiscal Year 2025 CONAP Project, will be transferred directly to the Bago City government  for procurement and execution alongside additional Quick Response Fund (QRF) allocations meant for disaster-resiliency repairs.Bago City Mayor Mayette Javellana joined DOH - Negros Island Region Center for Health Development (DOH NIR CHD) of...

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) monitored 4,571 inbound and outbound passengers across ports under the Coast Guard District Southern Visayas during the first six hours of Thursday, Oct. 29, ahead of the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.The Coast Guard District Southern Visayas covers maritime operations in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.In its situational report covering midnight to 6 a.m. Thursday, the district recorded 2,593 outbound passengers and 1,978 inbound passengers.The Coast Guard also deployed 519 personnel to monitor port operations and ensure the safety of travelers during the Undas holiday period.A total of 12 vessels were inspected, along with 513 outbound and 449 inbound rolling cargo units.No motor bancas were recorded ...

The Land Transportation Office-Negros Island Region apprehended a Toyota HiAce GL Grandia van for allegedly operating as a colorum vehicle in Dumaguete City on Thursday, Oct. 29.LTO-NIR said the van was carrying eight passengers and allegedly transporting them for a fare without the required authority to operate as a public utility vehicle.The passengers were traveling along the Dumaguete-Bindoy-Guihulngan route, with fares ranging from P180 to P270, the agency said.The vehicle was apprehended by the LTO-NIR Enforcement Team as part of its continuing operations against unauthorized public transportation.LTO-NIR said vehicles operating without the necessary permits and franchises may expose passengers to safety risks and lack some of the protections required of legitimate pu...

Police in Negros Oriental seized more than P8.9 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested 88 wanted persons in a series of operations from Oct. 1 to 26.The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office said its units conducted 48 anti-illegal drug operations, resulting in the arrest of two high-value individuals and 46 street-level individuals.Police confiscated a total of 1,309.855 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated standard drug price of P8,907,014.In the campaign against wanted persons, police arrested three regional-level most wanted persons, two provincial-level most wanted persons, 28 city or municipal-level most wanted persons, and 55 other wanted individuals, for a total of 88 arrests.NOrPPO also conducted 32 operations against loose firearms, resulting in on...

The suspect (right) during his arrest in Nueva Ecija*Operatives of the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) arrested the region’s No. 4 most wanted person in Nueva Ecija on Tuesday, Oct. 27, for allegedly sexually abusing his minor stepdaughter.The suspect, identified only by the alias “Sid,” 46, a caretaker and resident of Sitio Tan-ayan, Barangay Nangka, Bayawan City, was apprehended during a manhunt operation in Barangay Bayanihan, Gapan City, Nueva Ecija.The operation was conducted by personnel of the Bayawan City Police Station, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office and  the Gapan City Police Station.Sid was arrested by virtue of warrants for Qualified Rape of a Minor under Article 266-A(1), in relation to Article 266-B of the Revised Penal Cod...

Ten Coast Guard units and personnel groups were recognized for search and rescue, emergency response, civic activities and other accomplishments during an awarding ceremony in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, on Monday, Oct. 26.The Coast Guard District Southern Visayas held the recognition during its Monday Morning Colors at its headquarters in Brgy. Lo-oc, led by district commander Commodore Christopher Auro.Coast Guard Station Siquijor personnel received the Coast Guard Search and Rescue Medal for their participation in search and retrieval operations for a missing fisherman off Brgy. Tambisan, Siquijor, from Oct. 5 to 15.Several groups received the Coast Guard Merit Medal Ribbon, including personnel involved in the response to the Oct. 21 fire during the Buglasan Festival in...

All trails leading to Mt. Talinis within the jurisdiction of Valencia, Negros Oriental, will be temporarily closed starting Nov. 1 to allow the mountain’s ecosystem to recover.Valencia Mayor Edgar Teves Jr. signed Executive Order No. 45 on Oct. 26 ordering the temporary closure.The order cited the increasing number of climbers and outdoor enthusiasts visiting Mt. Talinis, also known as Cuernos de Negros, which has contributed to the deterioration of its ecosystem after years of continuous human activity.The municipal government said the closure is intended to provide the mountain with an undisturbed period for ecological recovery.Under the order, the Philippine National Police will lead the implementation of the closure in coordination with the Valencia Tourism Office.T...

Sugarcane workers in Negros Occidental.*Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has so far disbursed PHP677,800,000 under its Uplift Disaster Assistance Program to assist Red-stripe soft scale insect  affected small sugarcane farmers and laborers across the Negros Island Region, DSWD NIR Regional Director Arwin Razo said Monday, Oct.  26.DSWD Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) data released as of October 24, shows that the ongoing disaster assistance initiative has provided financial relief to a total of 66,005 beneficiaries, comprising 56,301 sugarcane farmers and 9,704 sugarcane laborers in Negros Island.Negros Occidental accounted for the largest portion of the aid distribution, rec...