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Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian (center)  with Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District)  and Gov. Eugenio  Jose Lacson (right)  during a meeting with Negros Occidental  officials at the Negros  Residences on Thursday.* Richard Malihan photo President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is expected to visit typhoon-hit areas in Negros Occidental on Saturday, Nov. 15, as estimated losses to the province reached P1.76 billion on Friday.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he was informed that the president’s visit will depend on the weather on Saturday.Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian met with Lacson and officials of the...

A damaged sugarcane field in southern Negros* SRA photo The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Friday, Nov. 14, estimated the losses to the sugar industry in the Visayas alone at more than P1.2 billion, based on a partial assessment of the devastating damage caused by Typhoon “Tino”.“Tino” wreaked havoc in over 53,000 hectares covering the mill districts in Negros Island, Capiz, Iloilo, Leyte and Cebu, affecting more than 16,000 sugar farmers, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said.The assessment was conducted “after our research facilities and employees were able to recover from the destruction brought about by Tino”, he said.Azcona said that the SRA has mobilized field personnel to conduct a full assessment of all areas including farmlands that were in the pa...

The search for the missing continues in Moises Padilla town.* Moises Padilla DRRMO Facebook page photoThe death toll from Typhoon "Tino" hit 101 with 54 missing in Negros Island, the Office of Civil Defense reported on Friday, Nov. 14.The typhoon also injured 153 persons, it said,The dead in Moises Padilla were 18, La Castellana - 15, Hinigaran – 10, Bago City - 8, Isabela -7, La Carlota City – 7, Binalbagan – 6. San Carlos City – 3, Murcia- 2, Himamaylan City -1, Ilog -1, Kabankalan City -1 and San Enrique -1 in Negros Occidental, the OCD said.In Negros Oriental the dead in Calaon City were 20 and Vallehermoso – 1.The missing in Moises Padilla were 23, La Carlota City - 9, La Castellana – 7, Isabela – 6, Canlaon City – 5, and Bago City - 4.Injured during Typhoon "...

Reena Gamboa, Krisma  Rodriguez, Ramon Uy Jr., Jason Villarosa,  Cindy Rojas, Em Ang and  Celia Flor (l-r) at the TMAP 2025 press conference on Friday.* Ronnie Baldonado photo Terra Madre Asia and Pacific 2025 (TMAP 2025) , a global gathering of food communities initiated by the slow food movement, will open at the Negros Occidental provincial Capitol grounds in Bacolod City from Nov. 19 to 23.The gathering that will be attended by 2,000 representatives from 25 countries and 18 regions in the Philippines is expected to boost the local economy, especially of the participating small farmers affected by the recent typhoons, Ramon Uy Jr., Slow Food Councilor for Southeast Asia, said Friday, Nov. 14.The ...

Tourism  at the Manjuyod White Sandbar has been affected by the Bais distillery spill.* Manjuyod White Sandbar Facebook page photo There are 1,280 tourism workers whose jobs have been affected by the wastewater spill at the Universal Robina Corp. (URC) ethanol distillery plant in Negros Oriental and from Typhoon “Tino” in Negros Occidental, a tourism official said on Friday, Nov. 14.Affected in Negros Oriental are the tourism workers from Bais City and Manjuyod, said Krisma Rodriguez, tourism regional director for Western Visayas and Negros Island Region in a concurrent capacity.Rodriguez said they endorsed the list of the affected tourism workers to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for provision of fam...

Three individuals were arrested after the police seized an estimated ₱816,000 worth of suspected shabu during a buy-bust operation at the Bredco Port in Purok Lampirong, Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, early Friday, November 14.Arrested were alias “Dionelo”, 21, of Brgy. Banago, alias “Michael”, 32, of Brgy. Don Salvador Benedicto in Pontevedra, and alias “Stan”, also known as “Sino y Cole,” 27, of Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City.The Bacolod City Police Office said the operation was carried out by its City Drug Enforcement Unit around 12:45 a.m., resulting in the confiscation of about 120 grams of suspected shabu.The suspects are now facing charges for violating Republic Act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

The inflation rate in the Negros Island Region (NIR) slowed to 0.4 percent in October 2025, down from 0.8 percent in September, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.NIR’s inflation remains significantly below the national headline rate of 1.7 percent, which held steady from the previous month.It is also among the lowest inflation rates in the Visayas, indicating comparatively stable prices in the region.In the Visayas, Western Visayas (Region VI) recorded a higher inflation rate of 0.7 percent, while Central Visayas (Region VII) posted a notably higher 2.6 percent, despite easing from 4.1 percent a month earlier.Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) registered 0.5 percent, slightly above NIR’s level.NIR’s 0.4 percent inflation rate places the region among...

Workers and volunteers continue restoration efforts of the water supply of Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, on Friday*  The Canlaon City government in Negros Oriental is fast-tracking the restoration of its water system destroyed by Typhoon “Tino” early this month.Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas appealed to his constituents on social media on Friday, Nov. 14, for understanding, as the restoration work is risky and difficult, especially when it rains.“We are appealing for your understanding and patience as there are plenty of pipes that were disconnected or lost due to the onslaught of Tino”, he said.The restoration works started last week, but the mayor highlighted that the safety of the workers is the utmost priority.Volunteers, engineers, waterworks employees, an...

The police arrested the No. 4 Most Wanted Person in the Negros Island Region during a manhunt operation in Hacienda San Jose, Brgy. Katilingban, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, November 13. The suspect, identified as alias “Yan,” 21, of Brgy. Katilingban  was taken into custody by personnel of the Talisay City Police Station with the 2nd Mobile Company of the Regional Mobile Force Batallion-NIR. Police said the fugitive was wanted for a crime involving a minor.  The suspect is detained at the  Talisay Police  Station. PRO-NIR Dreictor BGen. Arnold Thomas Ibay said the operation reflects the regional police’s relentless pursuit of fugitives and its commitment to protecting vulnerable sec...