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The Philippine Army is offering a total of P11,250,000 in rewards for information that could lead to the arrest of seven wanted leaders of the New People’s Army in Panay and Negros Islands, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, chief of the 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, said Thursday, September 14.The wanted rebel leaders are: *Ma. Concepcion Bocala, alias “Concha”, 1st Deputy Secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon (KR)-Panay, who was charged with rebellion with a reward of P5,300,000 for her arrest;*Roberto Cabales with aliases “Ted”, “Lloyd”, and “William”, Secretary of Central Front, KR-Panay, charged with robbery in band with frustrated murder and damage to property with a P3.1M reward for his arrest;*Roberto Gomia alias “Toto” or “Miller”, 1st Deputy Secretary-Southern Front of KR...

The victim was found about an hour later in the vicinity of the the Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary.*PNP photoA Bacolodnon drowned and a Calatrava resident was shot dead on Wednesday, September 13.Mark Palencia, 40, of Phase 3, Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City, was carried by strong current while driving his motorcycle at an overflow in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, at around 7 a.m. Wednesday, the police said.The victim was found about an hour later by a barangay tanod in the vicinity of the Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary in Purok Gayas, Brgy. Minoyan.He was declared dead at the Murcia Rural Health Unit.Jonril Pancho, 39, of Sitio Dela Rosa, Brgy. Buenavista, Calatrava town, was shot dead while he was driving his motorcycle in Brgy. 2, San Carlos City, Wednesday n...

Sitio Dacutan in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, after the fire* Louie Peter Gamboa photoA fire hit 34 houses in a densely populated area leaving 114 residents homeless and a 93-year-old injured in Sitio Dacutan Dacu, Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, at 1:40 a.m. Thursday, September 14.Firefighters had difficulty putting out the blaze as there was only a narrow footwalk leading to the scene of the fire, Senior Inspector Jovelyn Zamar, Silay City fire marshal, said.Residents were rushing out carrying their belongings as firefighters on foot were dragging their hoses through the narrow pathway to reach the site, she said.Firefighters from neighboring local government units assisted the Silay Bureau of Fire Protection in putting out the blaze.Last year a fire also hit the sam...

The Department of Education (DepEd) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, has initiated measures to help junior high school students in a mass hysteria at Talave Integrated School in Barangay Punao earlier this week.Eight learners experienced panic, hyperventilation, and nausea, prompting school officials and teachers to provide first aid and seek help from emergency responders during the incident, past noon on Monday, September 11.Joe Recalex Alingasa Jr., head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) that responded to the incident, said on Thursday the students have recovered.“The mass hysteria has not recurred, but they are still being closely monitored by the DepEd in their school in coordination with their parents,” Alingasa said.In a stateme...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs on Thursday, September 14Lacson and PDEA Assistant Regional Director Marjorie Ballesteros signed the MOA for the sustainable implementation of the Barangay Drug Clearing Program (BDCP) with the launching of the Adbokasiya Laban sa Iligal nga Droga (ALAB) campaign during a Training of Trainers (TOT) at the Mambukal Convention Hall, in Murcia.“The MOA aims to intensify the campaign and reduce drug affectation in the country through a culture of cooperation, respect for human dignity, holistic strategies, and a whole-of-nation approach to addressing the drug problem in the communities,” a press release from the Negros Occide...

The electric jeepney in Bacolod City*Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Wednesday, September 13, said 35 electric (e)-jeepneys are expected to arrive in Bacolod City from China between October and November, which will be used as public utility vehicles.“I think by October or November, these 35 units will be delivered,” he told reporters.Benitez said the e-jeepneys are part of a batch of orders of local transport operators who gave good feedback on the utilization of these vehicles for public transport.Manufacturer Jiangsu Fengchuen New Energy Power Technology Co. Ltd. (Fengchuen) launched the e-jeepney in Bacolod City in July.“There is a positive feedback from the operators. They said they would have huge savings on operational cost if they will use the e-jeep, especiall...

The Bacolod delegation at the Belt and Road Summit at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.*City officials led by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez started promoting Bacolod to foreign investors on the first day of the 2023 Belt and Road Summit at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center on Wednesday, September 13.Benitez, who spoke to reporters before his trip, said the goal of his administration has always been to attract investors to Bacolod.“We are planning several trips. I’ve said this from the start, we will not wait for investors to come here. We will go to the investors and convince them to come to Bacolod to generate more employment and further develop the city. One of our destinations is the Belt and Road Summit for us to promote the city,” he added.B...

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo awards the “Military Working Dog Achievement Medal" to "Puti".*Twenty-four soldiers and two Aspins who served as tracking dogs were given gallantry medals by the Visayas Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Tuesday, September 12, for their contribution to the arrest of rebels in various encounters in Bohol and Negros.Visayas Commander Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo awarded the Gold Cross Medal to ten Spearhead Troopers, while 14 others were given Silver Cross Medals during his visit to the 302nd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Tanjay, Negros Oriental, and the 303rd Infantry Brigade HQ in Murcia, Negros Occidental.Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 3rd Division Public Affairs Office chief, told DIGICAST NEGROS that the awards were given in recognition of ...

The Bacolod City government began releasing the P1, 000 fuel subsidy for tricycles drivers on Wednesday, September 13, Acting Bacolod Vice Mayor Em Ang said.Ang is the author of the ordinance that grants the one-time fuel subsidy.Bacolod City has a total of 5,610 tricycles-for-hire with existing franchises comprising 76 Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA), the ordinance states.Ang said she authored the ordinance because the national government through the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board had provided fuel subsidy to jeepney drivers but tricycle drivers who are also utilizing fuel in their livelihood did not receive such benefit.She said registered tricycle drivers who have complied with the minimum requirements can get their subsidy from th...

Former Bacolod First Lady Josefa “Patching” Puentevella*
Former Bacolod First Lady Josefa “Patching” Puentevella passed away on September 12.She is the wife of former Bacolod representative and mayor Monico Puentevella.She would have turned 76 on September 18.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Bacolod City offers its condolences to the family of the former first lady.“She is remembered to be a vibrant former first lady of Bacolod, who is very close to the hearts of the children and women of Bacolod,” mayor said.There will be a series of masses for the former first lady sponsored by RH Group of Companies, St. Benilde School, Scholastican Group, Damas De la Caridad, LaSaltech, Marian Missionaries of the Holy Cross, and the Puentevella, Dizon, and Alunan group.*...