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Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (l-r) at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, April 27.*CPG photoBacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Rep. Greg Gasataya denied on Thursday, April 27, that there is a rift in their relationship.The rumors of a rift surfaced amid speculation on which candidates each of them will support for the October barangay polls.Benitez said the October polls are a long way off and the rift claim is just the work “sang mga Marites (those rumormongers)”.Benitez said he has always had a harmonious relationship with Gasataya.In fact almost every day they talk or exchange text messages on the needs of the city, Benitez said.Gasataya, who was with the mayor at the signing of the P4.4 billion loan agreement...

Joshua Aniken G. Acusta and Herach Lee B. Gelvoleo (l-r)A La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, resident topped the April 2023 Electronics Engineering Licensure Examination, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced Wednesday, April 26.Joshua Aniken G. Acusta, a Iloilo Science and Technology University BS Electronics Engineering magna cum laude graduate, topped the examination with a 88.60 percent rating.He is also a Department of Science and Technology Merit Scholar and an alumnus of Pax Catholic Academy Diocese of Bacolod Inc.Two graduates of the Technological University of the Philippines Visayas in Talisay City were also topnotchers in their respective licensure examinations.Herach Lee B. Gelvoleo placed third in the Electronics Engineers Licensure Examin...

The 60-day preventive suspension of the former acting municipal treasurer of Isabela town in Negros Occidental who is facing raps for the loss of about P6.4 million in government funds has ended.Nenette Escarda’s preventive suspension ended on Monday, April 24, and she is back to work at the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said Wednesday.She was suspended to safeguard the evidence while the investigation of the case was being conducted, he said.The investigation is over and our report is being finalized for submission to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.The penalty for the complaint lodged against her could be dismissal from service so the evidences need to be verified, he added.Meanwhile, two Office of the Provincial Agriculturist emp...

The alleged unauthorized renting of spaces and the monopoly of food kiosks during the Panaad sa Negros Festival at the Panaad Park in Bacolod City is being looked into, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday, April 26.There were allegations that certain provincial government employees rented out spaces at the Panaad that were not supposed to be leased out, he said.There were 12 spaces leased out at P6,000 each but no money was remitted to the provincial government, he said.“We will see if it worth investigating as the problem was immediately corrected,” he said.He also noted that food kiosks at the Panaad that were supposed to be raffled out to different vendors to enable healthy competition were monopolized by certain individuals.There were more than 10...

Two persons were killed in Bacolod City and Calatrava, Negros Occidental, the police reported Wednesday, April 26.Edsil Mike Biadog Diaz, 34, of Brgy Granada, was shot and killed, while John Divinagracia, 26, of Brgy Mandalagan was injured at Prk. Langis, Brgy. Banago, Bacolod City, 4:15 a.m. on Monday, April 24.Diaz was playing at a slot machine when an unidentified person suddenly shot him in the abdomen, while Divinagracia was hit on the right foot, a police report said.Diaz was formerly detained for illegal drugs, the police said.The killing could be drug related, the police added.Meanwhile, a 37-year-old man was allegedly killed by his brother-in-law in Sitio Paitan, Barangay Paghumayan, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, 12 p.m. on Tuesday, April 25.Killed was Gilb...

An unvaccinated 77-year-old female succumbed to COVID 19 in Bacolod City on Monday, the Emergency Operations Center reported on Wednesday, April 26.This brings to nine the number of COVID-19 related deaths in Bacolod City this year, three of which occurred in April, Dr. Anna Maria Laarni M. Pornan, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and Bacolod Emergency Operations Center head, said.There were six new COVID-19 cases reported on Wednesday bringing to 54 the number of active cases in the city, she said.The majority are under home quarantine, she added.Negros Occidental had five new COVID-19 cases for a total of 67 active cases on Wednesday, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported.There were 11 COVID-19 positive patients admitted at the Cadiz District ...

NPA hitman Roger Fabillar who carries a P1 million bounty on his head.*The Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) announced on Wednesday, April 26, that it is giving a P1 million cash reward to anyone who could provide information that would result in the arrest of New People’s Army (NPA) hitman Roger Fabillar, who is facing a string of murder cases in northern Negros.The bounty was increased twice this month, from P900,000 set on April 7.The cash reward was first offered at P100,000, then P300,000 in August last year, and P500,000 in September. The bounty was raised by concerned stakeholders and private individuals who wanted to hasten the manhunt against Fabillar and his group.“The amount of P1 million shall be given to anyone who could provide information that wo...

The Department of Education-Division of Bacolod is being asked to assign school nurses to all primary and secondary schools within Bacolod City to address and prevent health issues caused by the rising temperatures this summer.The request was made in a resolution authored by Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella that was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Wednesday, April 26.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez told reporters Wednesday that the city government is looking into the pay rates of school nurses in response to reports that many public schools don’t have any assigned to them.Benitez also said he will support the holding of half day classes if it is determined that heat levels have become hazardous.He said a return to the June-to-March academic cal...

The winners of the Lin-ay sang Negros pageant Friday night*Ronnie Baldonado photoProvincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz ordered the taking down of a statement on the Lin-ay sang Negros Facebook page Wednesday night, April 26, saying it was unauthorized and was not officially released by the provincial government."The judges have spoken, and they are reputable persons, so we will respect their choices… There is nothing to explain," Diaz said.The alleged “official statement” from the “Lin-ay sang Negros Committee“ was posted on the Lin-ay sang Negros page drawing swift reactions from netizens but was taken down soon after.It denied any cheating and fraudulent activity during the Lin-ay Sang Negros, amid apparent insinuations from some camps.Alliah Janine Al Rashid of Cau...

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the request of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez for authority to sign two contracts between the city government and IPM Construction Corp. involving P220.3 million, during its regular session Wednesday, April 26, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said.The first contract involves IPM’s environmental/sanitary services, which covers the collection, hauling and disposal of garbage of Bacolod City, from May 1 to Dec.31, 2023 in the amount of P156,399,150.The second contract is for IPM’s management and operation of Bacolod’s sanitary landfill facility from May 1 to Dec. 31, 2023 in the amount of P63,999,000.The SP also granted the mayor authority to sign a P4,441,000,000 loan agreement with the Development Bank of the Philippines.The ceremonia...