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Bacolod City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III and Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at a press conference on Monday.*The rumors that Bacolod City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III will be replaced are not true, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, May 8.The mayor made the clarification at a press conference amid rumors that Maghari may be replaced by former Councilor Caesar Distrito.Distrito ran for vice mayor under Benitez ticket in last year’s elections, but was defeated by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran.The ban on the appointment of losing candidates in last year’s elections to government post ends on May 10.“We will also take a look at those who ran under our ticket in the previous election. If there is a perfect fit among them based on their qualifications ...

Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. , Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Fermin Sta. Teresa Jr., senior vice president for Home Lending Operations of the Pag-IBIG Fund, lead the lowering of the time capsule at Villa Tiglawigan on Monday, May 8.*Richard Malihan photoCadiz City in northern Negros Occidental, in partnership with the Pag-IBIG Fund, launched a 12-hectare housing project for government employees on Monday afternoon, May 8.On the site will rise 260 socialized and 411 economic housing units.Called the Villa Tiglawigan, which is situated in the coastal Barangay Tiglawigan, the site of city's crab industry, the project intends to provide affordable and decent shelter for the target-beneficiaries, who are personnel of the city government and the Department of Education....

Negros Occidental remains African Swine Fever-free, the recent pigs deaths in the province were caused by hog cholera, Dr. Placeda Lemana, OIC provincial veterinarian, said Monday, May 8.The deaths were not only in EB Magalona but also in various areas in Negros Occidental, Lemana said.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson in a recent memorandum to all Negros Occidental mayors said in view of the serious threat of trans boundary animal diseases, which could be aggravated by the extreme high heat index that could compromise the immunity of livestock and poultry, they are highly encouraged to strengthen the animal biosecurity measures in their areas.Lemana stressed the need for proper care of farm animals amid the current weather conditions.Hog and poultry raisers are ad...

The protestors in front of the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.*Romeo Subaldo photoThree transportation groups in Bacolod City called off their strike Monday morning, May 8, after it was explained to them that it was not the city government that was preventing the granting of provisional authorities for them to operate their traditional jeepneys.They will instead bring their protest to the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regional office in Iloilo on May 11, Noli Rosales, Kilusang Mayo Uno secretary general and a member of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center (UNDOC), said.The Bacolod Alliance of Commuters, Operators and Drivers, Negros Bacolod Transport Coalition and UNDOC members gathered in front of the Bacolod City Government C...

The Community Animal Rescue Efforts (CARE) Inc. reported that a dog was allegedly beaten to death by a security guard at the Carlos Hilado Memorial State University – Fortune town campus in Bacolod City on Monday, May 8.A concerned student from the university said that the dog attempted to go inside the campus at around 8:15 a.m. Monday and the security guard on duty tried to stop the dog by kicking him out, CARE reported in a post on its Facebook page.“The dog got scared and confused, he started to defend himself until the guard got this piece of wood and hit the dog on the head a couple of times. The dog was already laying there helpless, unable to move but this did not stop the guard from continuing to beat him up,” CARE added.“The students shouted at the guard to stop but t...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has issued an executive order establishing the guidelines for the voluntary wearing of face masks within Negros Occidental.Executive Order No. 23-15 Series of 2023 signed April 27 and released Monday, May 8, states that the wearing of face masks is still encouraged for the elderly, individuals with comorbidities, immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, unvaccinated individuals and symptomatic individuals.The EO also states that mask wearing shall be mandatory in the following settings:*Healthcare facilities, including but not limited to, clinics, hospitals, laboratories nursing homes, and dialysis clinics;*Enclosed areas; and*Public transportation vehicles by land, air or sea except for tricycles and non-airconditioned p...

PCol. Noel Aliño, acting Bacolod police director*A Bacolod police Special Investigation Team (SIT) convened Saturday to act on unsolved crimes, including the dumped bodies and body parts, in the city, PCol. Noel Aliño, acting Bacolod police director, said Sunday, May 7.The SIT is headed by Aliño with the commanders of the 10 Bacolod police stations among its members.“We will work as a team”, he stressed.Ten tracker teams from each of the Bacolod police stations were also created to solve crimes in their areas.Aliño said the SIT will meet weekly to discuss the progress of investigations and further action that they may need to take.The SIT will supervise the investigation of past and current crimes in Bacolod City, he said.He said a 24/7 police outpost has also b...

The body of a Cauayan, Negros Occidental, resident who drowned on Wednesday, was found on Saturday, May 6.Elsa Alonzo Mancia, 50, had slipped into a river in Sitio Payong, Barangay Guiljungan, Cauayan, amid heavy rain, and a multi-agency search and rescue operation was conducted, PLt. Raffy Billones, Cauayan deputy police chief, said Sunday.The Cauayan Mountain Tigers reported that the body of Mancia was sighted in the waters at the boundary of Guimaras by fishermen and was brought to the shoreline of Barangay Tiling.Mancia’s son confirmed that the body was that of his mother.*

Ensure effective disease monitoring, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said.* Richard Malihan photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has called on the mayors of Negros Occidental to strengthen the animal biosecurity measures in their areas effective immediately.Pigs in an overpopulated farm in EB Magalona have died because of alleged intense heat, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday.The farm has been quarantined to facilitate the screening and culling of the sick pigs, he said.But he stressed that Negros Occidental remains African Swine Fever-free.EB Magalona Mayor Marvin Malacon on Sunday, May 7, had no comment on the matter.Lacson in a memorandum to all Negros Occidental mayors dated April 27 said in view of the serious threat of trans boundary animal diseases such ...