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Sta Catalina PNP photo More than 80 pupils of at least two hinterland elementary schools in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, were hit with gastroenteritis secondary to suspected food poisoning after consuming fresh milk on Thursday, Assistant Provincial Health Officer Dr. Liland Estacion said Friday, May 20. She said 57 pupils were admitted to the Bayawan District Hospital, while 25 were treated at the Sta. Catalina rural health unit and have already been discharged. "The numbers do not include those who might have mild symptoms and are undergoing treatment at home," she said. Estacion said she is still verifying reports that some of the learners were brought to a private hospital in Dumaguete City. The pupils drank the milk on Thursday, which was delivered to the schools on...

A liaison officer and two other employees of the Negros Occidental Teachers Federation were about to leave the parking lot of the Negros First CyberCentre in Bacolod City when they were allegedly held up Thursday morning, May 19. They told the police that an unidentified man pointed a gun at them and declared a hold-up while they were inside the vehicle. The fleeing gunman on board a motorcycle carted away the more than P600,000 that the victims had just withdrawn from a nearby bank. Maj. Ramel Sarona, Police Station 1 commander, said footage of closed-circuit television showed that the vehicle of the victims and the motorcycle driven by the suspect were following each other when they entered and exited the premises. It is possible that the robbery was an “inside job” or “...

Negrense movie icon Susan Roces, popularly known as Lola Flora on the long running “Ang Probinsyano” primetime series, passed away Friday evening, May 20, her daughter Senator Grace Poe confirmed. She was 80 years old. "With great sadness, we announce the loss of our beloved Jesusa Sonora Poe, whom many of you know as Susan Roces. She passed away peacefully on a Friday evening, May 20, 2022, surrounded by love and warmth, with her daughter Grace, her nephews Joseph and Jeffrey and many of her family and close friends,” a statement posted on the senator’s Facebook page said. “She lived life fully and gracefully. Remember her in her beauty, warmth and kindness. She is now with the Lord and her beloved Ronnie — FPJ. We will miss her sorely but we celebrate a life well lived,” th...

DOLE-6 photo Appeals filed by business groups before the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) and National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPV) seeking the recall of the new Western Visayas wage order will not halt its implementation, Labor Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez Jr. said Friday, May 20. The Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry that is opposed to the wage hike is filing a notice of appeal before the RTWPB on Monday or Tuesday, Frank Carbon, MBCCI chief executive officer, said. Other business groups in Negros Occidental and Panay are also filing similar appeals, he added. Carbon said they are not saying that there should be no increase but the amount should be less and there should be proper timing for its implementation. An incre...

The Department of Health (DOH) is intensifying screening at borders against the entry of Monkeypox, its advisory said Friday, May 20. Monkeypox has not been detected within the Philippines or at its borders, but recent cases have been found in European countries, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, the DOH advisory said. Monkeypox is a viral disease coming from animals that occurs primarily in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions, according to the World Health Organization. Symptoms includes fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes that could lead to a range of medical complications, the DOH said. Monkeypox virus is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person, animals or with con...

Kabankalan City mayor-elect Benjie Miranda, 45, said on Friday, May 20, that he will pursue the completion of Kabankalan’s airport and hopes the city becomes the seat of the Negros Island Region if it is revived. Miranda said Rep.-elect Mercedes Alvarez (Negros Occidental, 6th District) has also committed to help complete the airport. He is hoping the airport can be completed in one or two years to help boost the tourism industry and economy in Kabankalan and southern Negros, Miranda said. He will work at uplifting the lives of farmers in Kabankalan, Miranda also said. Miranda, who is a Barangay Tan-awan kagawad, defeated Mayor Pedro Zayco in the May 9 polls. Miranda of the Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan garnered 36,889 votes and Zayco of the Nationalist People’...

Cadiz PNP photo A fisherman from Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, was shot to death off the waters of Concepcion, Iloilo Thursday, May 19. Killed was 38-year-old Joel Gulisao. Gulisao and his two companions were onboard a pump boat when the victim was hit by a bullet, police said. The police said it came from another pump boat that was ridden by two people. The victim was brought to the Cadiz District Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The police are still investigating the motive for the killing.*

A multi-sectoral coalition will hold a thanksgiving mass and tribute to volunteers of Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City on Saturday afternoon, May 21, former governor Rafael “Lito” Coscolluela said Friday. The May 21 Coalition gathering in “one of our initial steps in dealing with the results of the elections and finding ways to move forward instead of just moving on,” said Coscolluela, Robredo People’s Council (RPC) Negros convenor. The coalition is composed of the RPC Negros Occidental and Bacolod Chapters, Leni-Kiko volunteer groups, youth and other civil society organizations, the Public Interest Forum, members of the clergy and many private individuals, he said. The "Pasalamat kag Pagpadayon...

PVO photo There were four new dog rabies cases in Negros Occidental in April, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) reported on Friday, May 20. There was also one suspected human death from rabies in April in Barangay Talacagay, Hinoba-an, but only the Department of Health can confirm the actual cause of death, the PVO said. The PVO said of the four new rabies cases, two were in La Carlota City and one each in Pontevedra and Himamaylan City. Since January there have been seven dogs found to have rabies in the province, the PVO added. The PVO is continuing its dog vaccination drive and vaccinated 10, 626 dogs in April.*