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Apr212023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Police apprehend 8, seize P1.2M in shabu

The seized 20 grams of shabu in Barangay 13, Bacolod, on Wednesday.*PNP photoThe police nabbed eight persons and seized P1.26 million in suspected shabu in seven buy bust operations in three cities and three towns in Negros Occidental on Wednesday and Thursday, April 19 and 20.The City Drug Enforcement Unit nabbed John Millan Lucasan, 59, an alleged high-value individual listed as a priority target, in a buy bust operation at his residence in Purok Oraro, Barangay 4, Bacolod City, 10:20 p.m. Thursday.Seized from him were 115 grams of shabu valued at P782,000, the police said.The Bacolod Police Station 1 operatives also nabbed Romar Espinosa, 31, during a buy-bust in Purok Boulevard, Barangay 13, 5:47 p.m. Wednesday, April 19.Seized from him were 20 grams of shabu valued...

Apr212023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Give seized sugar to poor instead of selling: senator

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Office of the Press Secretary photoSenator Risa Hontiveros said that instead of selling seized sugar in Kadiwa stores, it is more favorable to turn it over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for the benefit of the less fortunate and victims of calamities."Instead of rotting or selling it to make more money, why not just give it for free to our fellow citizens who are in need and victims of calamities? There are many who are hungry and hardup because of the high price of goods," Hontiveros said.The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) recently announced that it has revised existing regulations to authorize the sale of at least 4,000 metric tons of smuggled refined sugar in Kadiwa stores around the country.The sugar stocks, which were earlier confiscated in ...

Apr212023 by Perla LenaNo Comments

DA reactivates WV El Niño task force to form action plan

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The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas (Region 6) will reconstitute its Regional Task Force on El Niño next week and come up with an action plan on how to mitigate the impact of the dry spell in the region.“The Department of Agriculture is preparing for the worst. The department is ready to extend interventions for affected areas,” DA Western Visayas OIC Regional Director Jose Albert Barrogo said on Friday, April 21.Barrogo said they have to reactivate the task force created during the 2018 to 2019 El Niño and revisit and update the action plan that was prepared during the mentioned dry spell to be submitted to the central office next week.The task force consisting of DA line agencies will set up committees to work on the action plan.DA data showed that 153,0...

Apr212023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Children’s book on saving Irrawaddy dolphins launched

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The Marine Wildlife and Animal Welfare advocacy group Earth Island Institute Asia-Pacific launched "Wady's Epic Adventure to Save Home," a children's book aimed at raising awareness about the region's endangered Irrawaddy dolphins, in Bacolod City on Friday, April 21.The book chronicles the journey of Wady, a courageous and tenacious Irrawaddy dolphin, as he struggles to rescue his home and community from extinction.It was written by Karl Ramirez, a singer-songwriter and environmental campaigner.Young readers will discover the significance of conserving marine life and the environment via Wady's narrative.This is a unique opportunity to shed light on the challenges faced by Irrawaddy dolphins and to start important conversations about conservation efforts in the region, Ear...

Apr212023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Marañon gets posthumous Normandy Honors for Peace

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Agnes Marañon-Iida (center) receives the award from French writer Pascal Buleon, Lye Lin Heng of the Asia Pacific Center for Environmental Law Singapore, Georgina Lloyd - regional coordinator for Asia and the Pacific of Environmental Law and Governance for the UN Environmental Programme, Emilie Gaillard -Normandy chair for peace), Ed Hagedorn, and David Forman if the Environmental Law Program, University of Hawaii (l-r).*The late Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. was given a Normandy Honor for Peace Lifetime Legacy Award at the Ramon Magsaysay Hall in Manila City, Wednesday, April 19.The late governor was honored for his dedication and effort in marine conservation in Sagay City and for the creation of the 32,000-hectare Sagay Marine Reserve, which started in the 19...

Apr212023 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

Safety of Senate witnesses in NegOr killings assured

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Witnesses in the death of Governor Roel Degamo and other unsolved killings in the province board a C-130 Air Force plane bound for Negros Oriental on Friday*The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) assured Friday, April 21, the safety of witnesses in the Senate hearing on the assassination of Governor Roel Degamo and other killings in the province.“Regardless of their political affiliation or background, we will be doing our best, with the help of the military, to keep them safe,” Col. Alex Guce Recinto, NOPPO provincial director, said.At least 60 people, including the governor’s widow, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo, arrived at the airport in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, from Metro Manila onboard a Philippine Air Force C-130 aircraft Friday morning.The group left Ne...

Apr212023 by Ferdinand PatinioNo Comments

DOLE reminds private sector to pay workers double on Eid’l Fitr

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The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Thursday, April 20, reminded employers in the private sector to pay their employees double should they render work on Friday as the country joins the Muslim community around the world to celebrate the Eid'l Fitr (Feast of Ramadan).In an advisory, Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma reminded employers to be guided on how to compensate their workers on Friday, declared by Malacanang as a regular holiday, and employees are entitled to 200 percent pay if they report for work.Those who will render work during a regular holiday will be paid a total of 200 percent of the employee's wage for that day for the first eight hours (Basic wage × 200 percent).For work done over eight hours, the worker will receive an additional 30 percent of th...

Apr212023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Cadiz honors artists in coffee table book

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Councilor John Vincent Escalante, Mayor Salvador Escalante, Vice Mayor Lilia Decolongon and Councilor Lalen Lamis (l-r) at the unveiling on the book and newsletter.*CPG photoCadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante launched a coffee table book featuring the paintings of artists from the Second District of Negros Occidental at the Panaad Park in Bacolod City Thursday afternoon, April 20.Also launched was the Saganak, the official monthly newsletter of the Cadiz City government.The Las Pintas coffee table book is a “compilation of God’s commissioned works from the Cadiz, Manapla and Sagay artists”, Escalante said.The paintings featured in the book are proof that Cadiz City is blessed with skillful artists just waiting to be tapped, he said.He pointed out that about 80 percent ...

Apr212023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Show cause order issued to Capitol supplier: PLO

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The Negros Occidental provincial government has issued a show cause order to a supplier linked to the former provincial General Services Office (GSO) head, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr., said Thursday, April 20.The show cause order was issued against Sheen Consumers Cooperative because of the allegation that Lucile Chavez Pines, former provincial GSO head, had been using its name in seeking investments from private individuals to finance supplies stipulated in purchase orders.Sheen actively bids to provide general merchandize to the Capitol, Nellas said.As of now it is under investigation, its reply is being evaluated, Nellas said.The provincial government had cleared Pines for retirement last year as she had no pending administrative cases, Nellas said.Th...

Apr212023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

DPWH says P70.1M access road, bridge widening to boost tourism

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Motorists will soon experience faster and safer travel going to Murcia and the Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary with the ongoing improvement of the access road and bridge widening project undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways Bacolod City District Engineering Office.The ₱70.1 million project is under the Government Infrastructure Program and part of the District’s Tourism Road Infrastructure Project (TRIP) program, which started in 2019 and is expected to boost tourism, a DPWH press release said.The road improvement project is located along the Negros First CyberCentre and Negros Occidental High School, while the widening of Bakyas Bridge is situated about 100 meters from Bangga Cory towards Murcia, which is in the boundary of barangays Taculing and Mansil...