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Officials of SM Prime Holdings are scheduled to present their plan for the development of the Manokan Country and adjacent properties of the city government at a public hearing at the Bacolod City Government Center 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 10.SM is leasing 16,875 square meters of property owned by the Bacolod City government where the Manokan Vendors Plaza, Bacolod Arts Youth and Sports Center and nearby properties at Fr. Ferrero Street are located.The hearing is being conducted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government and Committee on Transportation and Traffic chaired by Councilor Al Victor Espino and Committee on Markets chaired by Councilor Celia Flor.“We have successfully negotiated with the proponent and it has been endorsed to the ci...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez warned persons who intend to commit crimes in Bacolod not to do it because they will be arrested.“You will be arrested because we are ready. Make sure you don’t try it,” Benitez said on Monday, October 9.Benitez said the Bacolod police has created the B-HAB (Bantay Holdaper and Akyat Bahay) Task Force to focus on holduppers and house thieves, especially during the MassKara Festival when criminal elements may strike.He also pointed out that the Bacolod police will be augmented by 1,048 additional cops coming from the police regional office during the festival.*

The Bacolod Traffic Authority (BTAO) towed 14 vehicles for illegal parking along Lacson Street in Bacolod City on Monday, October 9, the first day of the enforcement of the city’s clamping and towing ordinance.Towed were six motorcycles, two canter delivery trucks, three private vehicles and three tricycles, Maj. Junjie Liba, BTAO head, said.He said 44 tickets for traffic violations were also issued to erring drivers.Drivers who park along Lacson Street and put their hazard lights on are warned that they cannot stay in the area for long. Parked vehicles with no drivers are clamped for towing.Liba said they will continue to implement the ordinance along Lacson Street to ease traffic.Its implementation will later also be expanded to other areas where traffic violations ar...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday, October 9, that he supports the call of the mayors of Negros Occidental for an increase in the Barangay Development Fund for insurgency-free barangays.The mayors of Northern Negros earlier sought the help of Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro for the restoration of the P20 million allocated for each identified insurgency free barangay.Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said the amount dropped to P4 million in 2022 and is P6 million in 2023.Lacson said he supports the call for the increase in the fund because “the bigger the budget the better for the barangay.”Although he is for the increase, it really boils down to the budget, Lacson said.Maybe they can implement the increase in the fund slowly and initially raise it up to P1...

The Negros Occidental COMELEC office in Bacolod City*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday, October 9, that he expects the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to heat up as the October 30 polls near and the candidates should keep it non-violent.“I can expect the campaign period to be heated but let’s limit it to verbal tussles, it does not have to get violent,” Lacson said.“We just have to show the world that here in Negros Occidental in spite of the intensity of the campaign period no untoward violent incident will happen,” he said.He also reiterated that it is very important for the candidates to take seriously the warning of the Comelec as far a premature campaigning is concerned.The fact that the Comelec is issuing show cause order...

Jada Biaxyl Celeste, 19, is a volleyball player*MBM photoA 19-year-old varsity player from the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod highlighted the importance of sportsmanship in both sports and pageantry.Jada Biaxyl Celeste, 19, a volleyball player and a Business Administration student is the seventh candidate for this year’s Miss Bacolod MassKara.Celeste, who brings the advocacy for youth empowerment, was raised by her grandmother.She said the value she will use as a contestant of MBM is sportsmanship.“In pageantry, it’s a competition, however, there will be someone who will excel that night, and being a sport allows us to accept the challenge and celebrate the wins of that girl,” she said.Celeste is one of the 15 candidates vying for the Miss Bacolod Mass...

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) convened to assess the joint venture agreement (JVA) of Primelectric/Negros Electric and Power Corporation (NEPC), a sister company of MORE Power, along with Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) on Wednesday, October 4, which is aimed at promoting quality service to the consumers.NEA Administrator Antonio Almeda said during the hearing that along with scrutinizing CENECO’s donated capital and viability, the board would also address the concerns of the oppositors to improve the JVA of the involved parties."I hope we can address the concerns of the oppositors. We must also consider them. Regarding the participation of the Member-Consumer-Owners, it has been concluded during the plebiscite so we will put this into motion with a...

Heirloom dishes will be featured at the MassKaNamit Food Festival*The MassKaNamit Food Festival, the newest addition to this year’s MassKara celebration, is gearing up to open its doors to showcase arts, culture and cuisine that is truly Negrense, and promises to launch Bacolod City as a culinary destination.Savor heirloom dishes from restaurateurs that have made their brand as food institutions in Bacolod in just one place as the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation brings in a dozen of their specialties for people to enjoy in a 10-day culinary extravaganza at the Upper East, Megaworld from October 13 - 22.This is in line with the vision of Bacolod City Mayor Albee Benitez to make the city as a major food destination in the country that caters to local and international palates, a Bacolod...

A man nabbed by the police twice for robbery was arrested for the third time in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Cabug, Bacolod City, Friday night, October 6.Edric Namol, 23, a street-level target was arrested for allegedly possessing suspected shabu worth P10,200, the police reported.The police described him as a notorious “Akyat Bahay” robber.Bacolod City Police Director, Col. Noel Aliño, said that the suspect had been arrested twice for robbery since he was a minor.The suspect was previously arrested in violation of Republic Act 7610 and Robbery in 2020 and 2021.The arrest Friday was conducted by police officers from the Bacolod Police Station 10 drug enforcement team.*

The SuperCity’s Little Trendsetter participants.*A gathering of Zumba groups in Negros Occidental, a 42-kilometer marathon around Bacolod, and a runway of kids wearing festive costumes highlighted the first weekend of festivities in this year’s MassKara Festival at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC), October 7 and 8.Kids wearing creative masks and costumes joined the SuperCity’s Little Trendsetter at the BCGC stage a Sunday night.The event gave the spotlight to children to wear their smiles and raise awareness on oral health through the short talk from the Philippine Dental Association.Ten-year-old Jaiane Hadraniel Villacuatro and 12-year-old Messi Jyno Luiz Cervera were both hailed as the SuperCity Little Trendsetters and received P2,500 worth of gift packs.Vill...