Negros Oriental

Students, government agencies, and other stakeholders make their way to Lake Balinsasayao, a protected upland area, in Sibulan, Negros Oriental on Thursday for a tree-planting activity to commemorate Philippine Arbor Day.*DENR photo  The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in the Negros Island Region (DENR-NIR) targets to plant around 200,000 native trees this year, an official said on Thursday, June 25.DENR-NIR regional director Charlie Fabre said  that the tree-planting program will kick off as part of Philippine Arbor Day celebration as mandated by the national government.“We will hold simultaneous tree-planting activities across the region in celebration of Arbor Day, but this is just the beginning of a bigger target to plant more trees this ye...

PNA/Joan Bondoc file photo More than 4,200 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Negros Oriental will receive land titles and Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROM) from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) during a mass distribution activity in early July, an official said Wednesday, June 24.Manuel Galon, provincial agrarian reform program officer of DAR-Negros Oriental, said  4,242 ARBs are set to benefit from the distribution scheduled at the Negros Oriental Convention Center in Dumaguete City.Of the total beneficiaries, 350 recipients of land titles and 1,150 recipients of COCROMs will attend the ceremonial turnover, while the remaining awardees will receive their documents through simultaneous releases on the same day.“The number o...

The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region deployed 47 police personnel to five geographically isolated barangays in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental on Wednesday, June 24.The personnel were organized into five Revitalized Pulis sa Barangay teams that will be stationed in Brgy. Pinapugasan, Escalante City, Brgy. Winaswasan, Calatrava, and Brgy. Bug-ang, Toboso, in Negros Occidental.The remaining teams will be assigned to Brgy. Budlasan, Canlaon City, and Brgy. Caigangan, Santa Catalina, in Negros Oriental.The deployment was formally launched during a send-off ceremony at Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Brgy. Estefania, Bacolod City.PRO-NIR Acting Regional Director BGen. Romano Cardiño led the ceremony, which was attended by regional and provincial police offici...

Remittances from the  Energy Regulation (ER) Program 1-94 for 2025 turned over to representatives of the Municipality of Valencia and Barangays Puhagan, Malaunay, and Caidiocan in Negros Oriental.*EDC photoHost communities of the Southern Negros Geothermal Project (SNGP) in Valencia, Negros Oriental, are set to receive significantly higher remittances in 2026 following the implementation of the enhanced Energy Regulation (ER) Program 1-94 by the Department of Energy (DOE).Erwin Magallanes, head of the Public Relations Division of First Gen-owned Energy Development Corporation (EDC) in Negros, said Tuesday, June 23, that the updated policy under Department Circular DC2025-10-0023 increases the financial benefits for host communities of energy resource and power-generating faciliti...

A man listed as the No. 8 Provincial Most Wanted Person in Negros Oriental was arrested by police operatives in Bais City on Saturday, June 20.The suspect, whose identity was withheld by authorities, was arrested at around 3:21 p.m. in Brgy. 1, Bais City by intelligence operatives of the Bais City Police Station.Police said the accused is facing four counts of acts of lasciviousness and was arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 45 in Bais City.Authorities did not disclose details of the charges.The  suspect is now detained at the Bais City Police Station pending  appropriate court proceedings.*

Three people died in motorcycle crashes in Negros Occidental from Friday to Sunday, June 19 to 21, the police  reported.The road crashes occurred in  Toboso, Hinoba-an, and Silay City.In Toboso, a 45-year-old man died after the motorcycle he was riding crashed along the national highway in Sitio Bebang, Brgy. General Luna, Friday morning.Police said the motorcycle was traveling from Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, toward the Central Lopez transloading station when it allegedly overshot a curve, swerved to the opposite lane, and crashed into a coconut tree beside the road.The driver sustained injuries and was brought to a hospital in San Carlos City, while the back rider was taken to a medical facility in Toboso where he was declared dead.In Hinoba-an, a 49-year...

The Leonardo Panaligan Command-New People’s Army (LPC-NPA) claimed responsibility for the killing of a 54-year-old man in Isabela, Negros Occidental, whom it accused of  numerous alleged abuses.The  rebel group, in statement  sent to the media Saturday,  said its members carried out a “death sentence” on Henry Pracio of Sitio Patuyo, Brgy. Makilignit, Isabela,  at around 5:15 p.m. on June 16.The LPC-NPA alleged that Pracio was a former member of an anti-communist armed group operating in parts of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental and had previously surrendered to the NPA after being subjected to proceedings before its so-called revolutionary court.The group claimed that Pracio was found guilty of several offenses.The NPA said the killing was car...

Rep. Janice Degamo  (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) has expressed support for the extension of the franchise of the Negros Oriental II Electric Cooperative (NORECO II), saying reliable electricity remains vital to the province’s growth and development.Degamo, in a statement on Thursday, said she is joining fellow lawmakers in supporting legislation that seeks to secure the future operations of NORECO II and the communities it serves.The lawmaker said dependable power supply is essential for economic growth, job creation, education, healthcare, and the overall quality of life of residents.“By supporting the extension of NORECO II’s franchise, we are helping ensure that families, businesses, farmers, fisherfolk, and entire communities across Negros Oriental continue to receive the...

The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) has ordered the relief of the Sibulan police chief, pursuant to the strict implementation of the "One Strike Policy" against illegal gambling.PMaj. Fortunato Sabio Villafuerte was ordered relieved on Thursday, June 18.The action stemmed from a successful anti-illegal gambling operation conducted by the PRO-NIR Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) on June 17 in Purok Mauswagon, Barangay Looc, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, the PRO NIR reported.The operation resulted in the arrest of a female suspect for the alleged violation of Republic Act No. 9287 (Illegal Numbers Games).Recovered during the operation were betting paraphernalia, betting records, cash believed to be proceeds from illegal gambling activities, and other...