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Rep. Jose Francisco Benitez (2nd from left) during the deliberation of House Bill No. 69 in the House Committee on Economic Affairs.*Rep. Jose Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) called on the Marcos administration to prioritize programs that promote the blue economy in the interest of national economic security.“Our maritime domains compose 88 percent of our territory. Sixty percent of Filipinos live in coastal communities. So it is crucial to maximize the economic and social benefits of our maritime industries, which include fisheries, shipping and tourism – and this requires strong commitment and action from concerned government agencies,” Benitez said during the initial deliberation of the House Bill No. 69, which he authored, in the House Committee on Economic A...

The brother of the mayor of Valencia in Negros Oriental was found dead with a bullet wound on the left side of his head at 8:33 a.m. Monday, February 6.Killed was Don Paulo Zartega Teves, 42, whose body was found in Purok 3, Barangay Calayugan in Valencia, the police said.He is the younger brother of Mayor Edgar Teves Jr., and son of former Mayor Edgar Teves Sr.The cadaver was wrapped in a blanket and plastic bag, the police said.*

A 9-year-old girl is the first dengue death in Bacolod City this year, the City Health Office reported Monday, February 6. Bacolod City had 39 dengue cases as of January 28, the report said.This figure is 62.5 percent higher than the dengue cases in the same period last year, which were 24 and one death, the CHO added.The CHO said the 9-year-old girl who died in January was immunocompromised, with congenital anomalies.Meanwhile, Western Visayas had 453 dengue cases from January 1 to 28, the Department of Health reported Monday.Negros Occidental remained the topnotcher with 124 dengue cases, followed by Iloilo Province with 90, and Capiz with 43, the DOH said.A 7-year-old girl from Negros Occidental who died January 21 was the first dengue death in Western Visayas for 20...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (center) at a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center Monday.*The negotiated proposal of a Manila-based firm to build 10,000 housing units in Bacolod for informal settlers was accepted by the city government at 5 p.m. Monday, February 6, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.The proposal was made by WRS Holdings Inc., City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said.The next step will be the publication of the proposal and the invitation to other bidders to offer a Swiss challenge this February, he said.The Swiss challenge system allows third parties to make better offers for a project and the original proponent then has the right to counter or match any superior offers.Benitez said an initial 10,000 housing units will be...

The DSWD assistance being delivered to the evacuees.*The evacuees in Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City, went home on Monday, February 6, Mayor Benjie Miranda said.The 283 families with 822 individuals evacuated to the Oringao covered court Sunday afternoon following clashes between New People’s Army rebels and government troops in Sitio Bugne, Barangay Oringao.There were three rebels killed, the Army said.The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Western Visayas distributed P1.4 million in relief assistance to the evacuees.The office of Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District), the Kabankalan City government, and non government agencies also assisted the evacuees.*

A Kabankalanon was hacked dead while a Sagay City resident drowned in Negros Occidental during the weekend, the police reported on Monday, February 6.Esmeraldo Erna Calamba, alias Cosme, 66, of So. Cabangahan, Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, was killed Saturday, February 4.The suspect Joemar Tapalla Magdait, 23, of Brgy. Hilamonan voluntarily surrendered to the Kabankalan police.Magdait said that while he was catching fish at the stream near the house of the victim, the latter suddenly stoned him several times.Calamba said he got angry and hacked the victim using a sugarcane cutter on the hand, neck and head and fled.The suspect is now detained at the Kabankalan police station.Meanwhile, Oliver Bucabal Estera, 47, of Purok Tambis, Brgy. Bulanon, Sagay City, drowne...

The Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Office has been directed to investigate the former acting treasurer of Isabela for the loss of the town government’s funds.“We have received the official endorsement for appropriate legal action,” Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas said Monday, February 6.Former Isabela acting municipal treasurer Nenette Mandadero Escarda said funds of the municipality that she brought to Bacolod City to be deposited in a bank were stolen from her house at Las Palmas Subdivision in Barangay Taculing, on January 21.Isabala Mayor Irene Montilla said according to Escarda the amount stolen was P3.8 million in checks and P2.6 million in cash but they are still investigating the exact amount.The Commission on Audit is investigating about P7 million in a...