Negros Oriental

 The establishment of the Philippine Science High School Negros Island Region Campus (PSHS-NIRC) is seen to spur another growth area in Bacolod City, with preparations underway for its opening in school year 2027-2028.Barangay Granada in the eastern part of Bacolod has been identified as the site of the PSHS-NIRC earlier this month.“Groundbreaking will be in November as scheduled,” Secretary to the Mayor Jose Marty Go said Monday, Sept. 1.Mayor Greg Gasataya received a letter dated Aug.  4 and was formally informed by Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-PSHS System Executive Director Ronnalee Orteza on Aug. 5 that Bacolod City has been selected to host the newest PSHS campus.Spanning almost 10 hectares, the PSHS-NIRC will become the PSHS System’s largest c...

The newly designated officer-in-charge police director of Negros Oriental and six new police chiefs have assumed their posts following the relief of their predecessors over the weekend, an official said Monday, August 31.Capt. Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO), said that Col. Lito Patay reported to the province on Sunday after being designated by Negros Island Region police director Brig. Gen. Roman Cardiño to replace Col. Timmar Alam."Col. Patay and the new police chiefs assumed their posts on Sunday even without an official relief order as yet to ensure continuity of the vacated posts," Polinar said.Relieved effective Aug. 28 were Lt. Col. Joeson Parallag of Bayawan City; Lt. Col. Romeo Cubo of Guihulngan City; Capt. Mary J...

Jason Michael Hill was arrested in Dumaguete City.*BI photoThe  Bureau of Immigration (BI) arrested a 45-year-old American wanted by U.S. authorities for an "underlying dangerous drugs charge" in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, it reported on Saturday, August 29.BI Fugitive Search Unit (FSU) agents, working with U.S. law enforcement agents, the Philippine National Police, as well as local police and maritime authorities, apprehended Jason Michael Hill, 45, at Purok St. John, Barangay Calindagan, on Ausust 11, the BI said..Hill is allegedly wanted in the United States for parole violation, with an underlying dangerous drugs charge, based on an outstanding warrant issued by the Sacramento County Superior Court in California.BI records further showed that Hill entered the Ph...

ECT payout in Sipalay City.*DSWD photoThe Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has disbursed a total of ₱280,891,800 in Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) assistance to smallholder sugarcane farmers affected by the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) infestation across the Negros Island Region (NIR) as of Friday, August 28.A total of 27,304 farmer-beneficiaries in  Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental have received financial support to help mitigate income losses caused by the crop infestation,  DSWD NIR Director Arwin Razn said Sunday.Negros Occidental recorded the highest number of recipients, with ₱229,153,050 released to 22,194 farmers spanning 14 cities and municipalities.La Castellana registered the largest allocation in the province at ₱47,938,9...

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region will deploy 1,632 police personnel across the region for the observance of National Heroes Day on Monday, Aug. 31.PRO-NIR said personnel will be positioned in strategic areas, including major thoroughfares, transportation hubs, public places, memorial sites and locations where increased public movement and gatherings are expected.The deployment will include fixed, mobile, motorcycle and foot patrols, traffic assistance, checkpoints, border control operations, Civil Disturbance Management units and Reactionary Standby Support Forces.Another 14 personnel from other units and 311 force multipliers will support the security operations.Police personnel will also assist motorists and commuters, manage traffic, monitor public activit...

Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office Director Col. Timmar Alam and six police chiefs were relieved from their posts following simultaneous operations against alleged illegal numbers games in six areas of the province, the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said.PRO-NIR said the reliefs were carried out under the Philippine National Police’s “one-strike policy” on illegal gambling after the  Regional Special Operations Group personnel arrested six individuals in Bayawan City, Guihulngan City, Sibulan, Pamplona, Tayasan and Ayungon on Friday, Aug. 28.The operations were conducted from around 10:14 a.m. to 1:34 p.m. and targeted individuals allegedly soliciting and collecting bets for illegal numbers games in violation of Republic Act 9287.Police recovered bettin...

Lechon is the ultimate centerpiece of Filipino town fiestas and other special events, but prices have gone up in Negros Oriental due to African swine fever (ASF) cases.*PNA /Judy Flores Partlow photoThe Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) in Negros Oriental has allowed local government units (LGUs) cleared of African swine fever (ASF) to resume selling live hogs and pork, subject to veterinary requirements, an official said Friday, August 28.Acting PVO Chief Vernon Lumbania said Valencia town has been cleared to sell live pigs and pork outside its boundaries following an inspection and the absence of new ASF cases recently."No new ASF cases have been reported in Valencia over the past weeks, and we are now allowing hog farmers to resume their businesses," Lumbania said.Howev...

A hawksbill turtle rescued in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on Thursday afternoon *DENR Negros Oriental photoThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Negros Oriental is urging coastal communities to help protect marine creatures by cooperating with authorities in stranding response.Jimmy Panebio, the provincial DENR chief, said on Friday, August 28, that the rescue of an endangered hawksbill turtle in Sibulan town on Thursday was an example of how collaboration can aid in the protection and preservation of marine species."We now have in custody an adult hawksbill turtle, which a fisherman found close to the shore on Thursday afternoon, and showed signs of weakness and was unable to return to deeper waters," Panebio said.Jay Jabagat spotted the "weakened" ha...

Police, election officials and other government and community stakeholders in Negros Oriental have stepped up preparations for the 2026 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections through a joint operational readiness activity.The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office participated in Project SAFE BSKE 2026 led by the Commission on Elections at Camp Lt. Col. Francisco C. Fernandez Jr. in Brgy. Agan-an, Sibulan, on Wednesday, Aug. 26.The activity brought together representatives from Comelec, the Philippine National Police, Department of Education, judiciary, Diocesan Electoral Board, Negros Oriental Association of Concerned Citizens for Elections and other partner organizations.Comelec Regional Election Director Lionel Marco Castillano led the activity, which focused on elect...

The La Castellana ECT payout.*DSWD photoThe Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) program releases have reach  reached ₱236,616,525 benefiting 23,009 sugarcane farmers in the Negros Island Region (NIR) as of Wednesday, August 26,  DSWD Regional Director Arwin Razo said Thursday.The relief effort provides direct social protection to smallholder farmers whose livelihoods and crops were severely impacted by the Red-Striped Soft Scale Insect (RSSI) infestation in the region.Negros Occidental accounted for the vast majority of beneficiaries, with 18,252 farmers receiving a total of ₱188,451,900 in 13 municipalities and cities.The 13 areas are:Himamaylan City: 3,549 beneficiaries — ₱36,643,425Murcia: 2,322 beneficiaries — ...