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Seven elementary students and two mothers were injured after they were hit by a tricycle driven by a senior citizen in Brgy. Sum-ag, Bacolod City, Tuesday, Nov. 19.Seven grade 3 and 4 students from Sum-ag Elementary School and two mothers were injured after they were hit by the tricycle driven by Nelson Jalandoni, 76, along the national road, Maj. Ramel Sarona, Police Traffic Management Unit head, said.The victims were crossing the pedestrian lane from the school going to the church.When they reached the other end of the road to hail a jeepney the tricycle overtook a vehicle and hit them, Sarona said.The students and one mother sustained minor injuries and were treated as out patients.One mother with a broken leg was hospitalized, Sarona said.The tricycle d...

Transport groups still using traditional jeepneys are staging two-day protest rallies in Bacolod City, on Nov. 29 and 30.If they are not happy with government’s response to their demands, they may then opt to stage a five-day strike, Rudy Catedral, Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers (BACOD) president, said Wednesday, Nov. 30.Joining BACOD in the protest are the Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition and the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center, he said.Rallies will be held at the flyovers at Magsaysay and Bata in Bacolod on Nov. 29, and another rally in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the plaza on Nov. 30, which is Bonifacio Day, he said.They are protesting against the threat that they will be arrested after Nov. 30 for t...

Consumers also face higher prices with price manipulation, Wennie Sancho, Save the Sugar Industry Movement convenor, said.*PNA photoA labor leader is calling for an investigation to allay fears of sugar price manipulation amid over supply speculation and a decrease in farmgate prices."Somebody is gaming the market" in the sugar industry, Wennie Sancho, Save the Sugar Industry Movement (SAVE-SIM) convenor, said Wednesday, Nov, 20."Gaming" the market in the sugar industry allegedly refers to unethical practices that manipulate prices, and supply and demand to gain an unfair advantage, he said.“The winners are the large sugar traders and middlemen. They manipulate prices, control supply and profit from supply difference,” Sancho said.He also said unscrupulous producers, i...

 Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he is presenting his roadmap to a supercity at a public consultation Friday morning, Nov. 22.It will be the unveiling of Bacolod’s masterplan, Benitez said on Wednesday.The public consultation for the stakeholders development agenda will be held at L’Fisher Hotel.“Key stakeholders from various sectors will be in attendance to discuss and align on the shared vision for Bacolod’s future.” he said.The roadmap presentation will include a sustainable urban development framework and plan.The Negros Electric and Power Corp. and BACIWA-PrimeWater will also make short presentations.*

Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona *Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said on Wednesday, Nov. 20, that he takes offense to the claim that the SRA announcement of no importation until the end of the harvest was “misleading”.“I hope the NFSP (National Federation of Sugarcane Planters) will be able to substantiate their claims as this kind of accusations show how warped and distorted their state of mind is”, Azcona said in a press statement.Azcona was reacting to the statement of NFSP President Enrique Rojas on Tuesday when he retracted his initial statement of support to the no importation pronouncement issued by both the SRA and Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu Laurel until after the harvest.“It’s funny that I even sent a letter of thanks fo...

Food for sale at one of the booths at the North Capitol Road in Bacolod City.*Andrew Altarejos photoSales at the 17th Negros Island Organic Farmers Festival and the 2nd Terra Madre Visayas in Bacolod City hit P314,507 on opening day.The twin events being held at the North Capitol Road and in front of the provincial Capitol in Bacolod opened on Tuesday, Nov. 19, and will run until Saturday.Organic farm produce, various other products and cooked slow food are up for sale at the 101 participating booths, Provincial Agriculturist Dina Genzola said.Products from Negros Oriental and Panay are also being sold at the festival.The organic agriculture area in Negros Occidental is 5,547 hectares with 4,117 farmers and 110 associations, Genzola said.Meanwhile, Tourism Secreta...

The New People’s Army (NPA) has owned the killing of a member of the Bantay Lasang (forest guard) who was shot outside of her residence in Sitio Taytay, Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, Nov. 14The Romeo Nanta Command of the NPA-South Central Negros, in a press statement, said that the action against Arnie Tuparan, 47, was conducted by the guerilla front after a verdict by their revolutionary court.She was shot in the face and back after she was dragged by the suspects outside her house, the police said.The Romeo Nanta Command alleged that Tuparan provided the military with intelligence information and actively searched for NPA members in the area.Tuparan also allegedly guided the military troops in a strike operation in Sitio Palosais, ...

A church caretaker died after she was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street in Sitio Mohon, Brgy. Binicuil, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Nov. 20.Nenita Valdez, 57, a Catholic church caretaker and resident of Purok Kawayanan, Brgy. Tampalon, Kabankalan, was hit by an SUV driven by Sandly Castillo, 37, of Brgy. Man-uling, Cauayan town, the police reported.The victim was crossing the street to buy medicine for his husband who is hospitalized, Capt. Sammy Gasataya, Kabankalan City Deputy Chief of Police, said.When she attempted to cross the street to go back to the hospital, she was accidentally bumped.The victim was brought to the hospital but was declared dead, while the suspect is detained at the Kabankalan City Police Station.*

The police arresting the suspect.*The police arrested a Bacolodnon for multiple offenses and seized two loose firearms from him in an operation in Totong 2, Brgy. Felisa, Bacolod City, Tuesday evening, Nov. 19.Bacolod City Police Station 10 cops arrested alias “Richard” of Brgy. Felisa, following complaints from concerned citizens.He was arrested for alleged alarm and scandal, direct assault, and violations of Republic Acts 11926 (an act penalizing wilful and indiscriminate discharge of firearms) and RA 10591 (the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act), the police said.Records showed that the suspect caused a public disturbance by indiscriminately firing a firearm and alarming residents in the area.The police seized a .38 caliber revolver and .22 caliber...

The Negros Occidental Irrigation Management Office Satellite Office sold 500 bags of rice in Barangay Hilamonan, Kabankalan City.* Irrigators associations in Negros Occidental continue to support the government efforts to sell lower priced rice, the latest beneficiaries of which were residents of Kabankalan City on Wednesday, Nov. 30.At the Negros Occidental Irrigation Management Office (IMO) Satellite Office in Barangay Hilamonan, the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) disposed of 500 bags of rice, containing 10 kilograms (kgs.) each at P29 per kg.The cheaper rice was sold to senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, and Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries.Called the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice, it is a product of the Farm...