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Oct292026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Over 4,500 sea passengers monitored in NIR as Undas travel begins

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) monitored 4,571 inbound and outbound passengers across ports under the Coast Guard District Southern Visayas during the first six hours of Thursday, Oct. 29, ahead of the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.The Coast Guard District Southern Visayas covers maritime operations in Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.In its situational report covering midnight to 6 a.m. Thursday, the district recorded 2,593 outbound passengers and 1,978 inbound passengers.The Coast Guard also deployed 519 personnel to monitor port operations and ensure the safety of travelers during the Undas holiday period.A total of 12 vessels were inspected, along with 513 outbound and 449 inbound rolling cargo units.No motor bancas were recorded ...

Oct292026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

82 BJMP-NIR personnel test negative for illegal drugs

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All 82 personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Negros Island Region (BJMP-NIR) who underwent drug testing in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, tested negative for illegal drugs on Monday, Oct. 26.BJMP-NIR reported on Wednesday that the drug testing was conducted by its Health Service Division at the Park Marina in San Carlos City as part of efforts to maintain a drug-free workplace.Among those who underwent testing were BJMP-NIR Regional Director Jail Chief Superintendent Brendano Fulgencio, members of the command group, regional division chiefs, section heads, jail wardens, officers-in-charge and regional office personnel.The activity began at around 8 a.m. and was completed at approximately 1:30 p.m., with no reported incidents or resistance from parti...

Oct292026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Driver in fatal Sagay hit-and-run identified, vehicle recovered

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The car involved in the hit-and-run incident.* PNP photoPolice have identified the driver allegedly involved in a hit-and-run incident that killed a 55-year-old man in Brgy. Lopez Jaena, Sagay City, on Oct. 26.The victim was identified as “Edwin”, a resident of Purok Balibag, Brgy. Lopez Jaena.Sagay City police chief Lt. Col. Alvimar Flores said investigators located the driver in Brgy. Puey and recovered the Honda sedan believed to have been involved in the incident.The driver voluntarily went to the Sagay City Police Station for questioning and admitted that he was driving the vehicle that hit Ambrosio, Flores said.Police identified the driver through information from concerned citizens and public appeals made through radio interviews.Investigators were also aided...

Oct292026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

LTO-NIR apprehends colorum van carrying 8 passengers in Dumaguete

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

The Land Transportation Office-Negros Island Region apprehended a Toyota HiAce GL Grandia van for allegedly operating as a colorum vehicle in Dumaguete City on Thursday, Oct. 29.LTO-NIR said the van was carrying eight passengers and allegedly transporting them for a fare without the required authority to operate as a public utility vehicle.The passengers were traveling along the Dumaguete-Bindoy-Guihulngan route, with fares ranging from P180 to P270, the agency said.The vehicle was apprehended by the LTO-NIR Enforcement Team as part of its continuing operations against unauthorized public transportation.LTO-NIR said vehicles operating without the necessary permits and franchises may expose passengers to safety risks and lack some of the protections required of legitimate pu...

Oct282026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Guv calls for sugar traders’ compassion, urges ₱3,000 per LKg buying price for survival of planters

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Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson appeals for compassion.* Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday, Oct. 28, said he hopes the buying price of sugar hits ₱3,000 per 50-kilogram bag to enable farmers to survive.“We cannot compel the traders to buy at the price we want [but] we are hoping they understand the situation” and are more compassionate, he said.This crop year, the country is estimated to produce 1.6 million metric tons of sugar, and he hopes the farmers can average ₱3,000 per LKg to make it sustainable, Lacson said.At ₱2,600 per bag, even efficient farms will just break even, so you can imagine what will happen to small farmers, he added.The good sign is that recent events show the sugar industry has united against t...

Oct282026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Confirmatory test results for 14 NegOcc workers positive for drug use out soon: Guv

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Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is awaiting the confirmatory test results for 14 provincial government employees who initially tested positive for illegal drug use this month, which are expected to be released this week.The 14 employees, most of whom are assigned to provincial government hospitals, yielded positive results during initial screenings, Lacson said on Wednesday, Oct. 28.Their urine samples were forwarded to the Department of Health (DOH) for final validation, Lacson said.The governor said that casual employees whose results are confirmed positive will face immediate termination.Regular employees will be processed under Civil Service Commission (CSC) guidelines, which allow for a second chance through mandatory rehabilitation, Lacson said.The su...

Oct282026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Consumers group backs call to penalize power firms over Visayas grid outages

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NONECO file photoThe Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) has declared its full support for Senator Sherwin Gatchalian’s call directing the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to penalize power generation companies and industry players responsible for recurring and prolonged power outages across the Visayas Grid, particularly in Negros and Panay.ACCESS President Wennie Sancho on Wednesday, Oct. 28, said Negros Occidental residents have suffered for months from unscheduled brownouts, voltage fluctuations, and unjust rate hikes while power firms routinely cite "forced outages" and "unplanned shutdowns" without accountability.The Visayas power grid was again placed under Red and...

Oct282026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Lacson supports call for declaration of nat’l state of calamity for El Niño

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A Negros rice field hit by the dry spell. *OPA photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, Oct. 28, that he is in favor of a national declaration of a state of calamity to cushion the effects of the El Niño phenomenon on agriculture.Senator Francis Pangilinan earlier urged the government to consider declaring a nationwide state of calamity as El Niño agricultural damage threatens food production and farmers’ livelihoods.“The idea of a state of calamity is really to make more funding accessible to address the situation, so of course, yes, I am in favor considering that El Niño will affect us,” Lacson said.Negros Occidental was earlier placed under a state of calamity following the red-striped soft scale insect attacks on sugarlands.Maybe the propos...

Oct282026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

1,034 personnel, force multipliers deployed for Undas security in Bacolod

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Andrew Altarejos file photoA total of 1,034 police personnel and force multipliers will be deployed across Bacolod City for the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day under the city’s Undas 2026 security plan.The Bacolod City Police Office, in a press statement on Wednesday, Oct. 28, said 506 of the deployed personnel are from the Philippine National Police, while the rest include government uniformed personnel, force multipliers, intelligence personnel and regional support units.Personnel will be assigned to public and private cemeteries, memorial parks, columbaria, bus terminals, seaports, motorist assistance centers and other convergence areas.Police Assistance Desks and assistance hubs will also be established in strategic locations to assist...

Oct282026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

P8.9M shabu seized, 88 wanted persons arrested in Negros Oriental police operations

Negros Oriental, Top Stories

Police in Negros Oriental seized more than P8.9 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested 88 wanted persons in a series of operations from Oct. 1 to 26.The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office said its units conducted 48 anti-illegal drug operations, resulting in the arrest of two high-value individuals and 46 street-level individuals.Police confiscated a total of 1,309.855 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated standard drug price of P8,907,014.In the campaign against wanted persons, police arrested three regional-level most wanted persons, two provincial-level most wanted persons, 28 city or municipal-level most wanted persons, and 55 other wanted individuals, for a total of 88 arrests.NOrPPO also conducted 32 operations against loose firearms, resulting in on...