Negros Oriental

Aug52026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

NegOr suspends classes province-wide on Friday due increase in sore eyes cases

Governor Manuel L. Sagarbarria issued Executive Order No. 50, Series of 2026, on Wedenesday.* Negros Oriental Facebook pageThe provincial government of Negros Oriental has ordered the suspension of classes across all levels in both public and private schools on Friday, August 7, following a reported surge in cases of conjunctivitis, commonly known as "sore eyes."Governor Manuel L. Sagarbarria issued Executive Order No. 50, Series of 2026, on Wednesday declaring the province-wide suspension upon the official recommendation of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO).He said the preventive measure aims to minimize close-contact exposure among students, teaching personnel, and school staff as cases continue to rise across several areas in the province. Local...

Aug52026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Sagarbarria seeks national RSSI aid for Negros Oriental

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

Rep. Ma. Isabel Sagarbarria (Neg. Or., 2nd District) at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, August 4.*Glazyl Masculino-Jopson photoRep. Ma. Isabel Sagarbarria (Neg. Or., 2nd District) is urging the national government to extend financial and logistical assistance to her province as the red-striped soft scale insect continues to damage sugarcane farms across Negros Island.Sagarbarria raised the concern during the House Committee on Agriculture and Food hearing on proposed amendments to the Sugarcane Industry Development Act and the Sugar Regulatory Administration charter on Tuesday, Aug. 4, in Quezon City.She said Negros Oriental had not received a national government allocation similar to the P235-million assistance package announced for farmers and anti-RSSI operati...

Aug52026 by Judy F. PartlowNo Comments

Negros Oriental cops intensify drive vs smuggled cigarettes

Negros Oriental

Boxes of suspected smuggled cigarettes found during a police operation in Negros Oriental.*PNP photo Police in Negros Oriental have intensified their campaign against suspected smuggled cigarettes amid indications that the contraband is now being distributed in smaller quantities to retailers, a police official said Tuesday, August 4.Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), said police are conducting intelligence and monitoring operations to determine whether smugglers have shifted from bulk distribution to supplying smaller volumes to retailers.During an online media briefing, Polinar said that except for one major seizure in July, most police operations recovered only small volumes of undocumented cigarettes....

Aug52026 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

Guihulngan City in NegOr sets minimum hog, pork prices amid ASF woes

Negros Oriental

The government of Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental has imposed minimum buying and retail prices for live hogs and pork products to protect hog raisers, traders, and consumers amid growing concerns over the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in the province.A social media post of the city government showed Mayor Filomeno Reyes signed Executive Order No. 17, Series of 2026 on Monday, establishing the minimum buying price for live hogs and pork carcasses, as well as the minimum retail price for pork sold within the city.Under the order, the minimum buying price for live hogs is set at PHP160 per kilogram (kg) for live weight, while the minimum buying price for pork carcasses is PHP200 per kg. The minimum retail price of pork has been fixed at PHP240 per kilogram.The executive o...

Aug52026 by Judy F. PartlowNo Comments

Slain American scientist’s partner seeks witness protection

Negros Oriental

One of the arrested suspects was identified by Carpenter's live-in partner as the one who allegedly sexually assaulted her.*PNA/Mary Judaline Flores Partlow photoThe live-in partner of slain American marine biologist Dr. Kent Carpenter has applied for inclusion in the government's witness protection program following his fatal shooting in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, last month, a police official said Tuesday, August 4.Capt. Stephen Jaynard Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), said the 37-year-old woman's application has been endorsed to higher authorities for evaluation and approval."Higher authorities will decide on her application for the government's witness protection program, but we can assure the woman of her safety and security pe...

Aug22026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Armed drug suspect arrested in Dumaguete; gun, suspected shabu seized

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

A suspected drug personality was arrested after police recovered an unlicensed firearm and suspected shabu during the implementation of a search warrant in Dumaguete City on Friday, July 31.The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) said operatives of the Dumaguete City police served a search warrant in Purok Gabi, Brgy. Banilad, which led to the arrest of alias "Otay," 36, a resident of the area.Police said the operation stemmed from information provided by a confidential informant alleging that the suspect was looking for buyers of an unlicensed firearm.Based on information gathered, the police secured a search warrant from the court before conducting the operation.Recovered during the search were a Colt .45 caliber pistol with a magazine, a sling bag, one ...

Jul312026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

3ID commander promoted to major general

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

The commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has been promoted to major general, earning his second star.Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Antonio Nafarrete conferred the new rank on Maj. Gen. Joey Escanillas during a ceremony at the Philippine Army Officers’ Clubhouse in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Tuesday, July 28.Escanillas, a native of Alimodian, Iloilo, was designated as the 36th commander of the 3rd Infantry Division on July 15.Before assuming the post, he served as the division’s assistant commander.He also previously held key leadership positions within the division’s area of responsibility, including assignments with Joint Task Force Cebu and the 302nd Infantry Brigade in Negros Oriental.The 3rd Infantry Division oversees mi...

Jul302026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Only 21 of 57 Negros LGUs have sanitary landfills; 9 towns ink clustered facility MOA

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

The La Castellana Sanitary Landfill* Richard Malihan photoOnly 21 of 57 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Island have sanitary landfill facilities (SLFs), a Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Environmental Management Bureau official said Thursday, July 30.SLFs are required by law as the ultimate final disposal method for residual solid waste under Republic Act No. 9003, also known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.In Negros Occidental, 13 LGUs have SLFs, while sanitary landfill construction is underway in three other areas, DENR-EMB Negros Island Region Director Vicente S. Losbañes Losbañes said.The LGUs with SLFs are the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Sagay, San Carlos, Sipalay, Talisay, Silay, and La Car...

Jul292026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Marcos orders swift release of aid to 11,000 pest-hit farmers; initial 1,023 in 2 NegOcc cities get ₱10.5M

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Talisay Mayor Rowena Lizares and DSWD NIR Director Arwin Razo (3rd to 6th from left, front row) with the RSSI- hit farmers at the new Talisay City Public Market Wednesday morning.* Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is targeting an initial ₱113.5 million in emergency cash transfers for over 11,000 farmers affected by the red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI) infestation across the Negros Island Region (NIR).DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian led the pilot rollout of a ₱10.56 million payout to affected farmers in Talisay City and San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, July 29.Gatchalian said he was dispatched to the province under the direct orders of President Ferdinand...

Jul292026 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

718 workers get P23-M claims, 43K others avail P378-M TUPAD aid in NIR

Negros Oriental

A total of 718 workers received PHP23.2 million in settlement claims through the Single-Entry Approach (SEnA) program of the Department of Labor and Employment-Negros Island Region (DOLE-NIR) from January to June 2026.In a report released on Tuesday, July 28, DOLE-NIR said these results were based on the 347 requests for assistance handled by the regional office across Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.“Through SEnA, parties are guided towards practical and mutually acceptable solutions before disputes develop into full-blown labor cases,” the agency said.In Negros Occidental, 256 requests were handled for 617 workers, who received a settlement amount of PHP19.8 million, while in Negros Oriental, there were 70 requests with the same number of workers, result...