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The Negros Occidental provincial government’s financial assistance to hog raisers whose pigs died from various diseases will help in the rehabilitation of their businesses, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday, September 12.The delay in the release of the P2,000 assistance to each affected hog raiser can be considered a blessing since they are still in the process of decontaminating their areas affected by swine deaths, he said.“With guv’s approval we are considering it a rehabilitation fund instead of indemnification for what they lost”, Diaz said.Sentinels will be set up to determine if areas are safe for the resumption of hog raising, he said.If they are safe the provincial government will conduct a pig dispersal program along with the release of the f...

The Negros Occidental provincial government will have a bigger budget next year, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday, September 12.The hearings ended two weeks ago and the governor will be on schedule to submit the proposed 2024 budget to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan for review in early October, he said.Diaz said the total amount of the proposed budget for 2024 can only be announced when it is approved by the governor."The budget will increase, in fact the provincial government will restore its assistance for maintenance and operating expenses to several national government offices in the province," he said.These include the Commission on Audit, Commission on Elections, Civil Service Commission, the prosecutor’s office and the Regional Trial Courts, Diaz...

A man was found dead in a irrigation canal in Brgy. Linao, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, September 11.Bryan Cabrera, 29, a vendor from Purok Sunshine, Brgy. Salong in Kabankalan, was found at Purok 7 of Brgy. Linao, the police said.The victim was reported missing on September 9 by his mother after he failed to return from work.The victim’s body that was in a state of decomposition was found under his motorcycle.The victim accidentally fell into the canal and was believed to have drowned, the police said.*

A total of 269 policemen, including the Silay City police chief, who have relatives who filed certificates of candidacy for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) have been transferred to other police stations, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) reported.PCapt. Judesses Catalogo, NOCPPO spokesperson, said that this temporary transfer is in compliance with the Commission on Elections guidelines to ensure the integrity of the polls while maintaining the non-partisan position of the Philippine National Police.Out of 269, she said 268 were non-commissioned personnel while one was Silay Police Chief Lt. Mark Anthony Darroca.Catalogo said they were transferred to nearby towns or cities from their original designations, while Darroca was assigned a...

Negros Occidental has had the highest number of gun ban violators in Western Visayas since its implementation on August 29, the Police Regional Office 6 reported.There were 27 gun ban violators in Western Visayas from August 29 to September 11, it said.Negros Occidental had eight violators followed by Iloilo Province with five, while Capiz and Iloilo City had four each.Bacolod City recorded three gun ban violators, while Aklan had two and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion arrested one.The PRO 6 also said that they seized 21 guns and 11 deadly weapons from the violators.Meanwhile, the police regional office is also reminding elected barangay officials to renew or surrender their expired firearms before October 18.*

Councilor Israel Salanga.*Councilor Israel Salanga will be acting mayor of Bacolod while Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez leads a delegation of city officials participating in a roadshow to pitch what the city has to offer to potential investors in Hong Kong.Salanga will be acting mayor starting Wednesday until Sunday, September 13 to 17, City Administrator Pacifico Maghari said.Councilor Em Ang will be acting vice mayor.Joining Benitez in Hong Kong are Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and most of the city’s councilors and some department heads.Benitez earlier said they are going to Hong Kong to let potential investors know what Bacolod has to offer.“Let us not just wait for investors to come to Bacolod or we might be missing the boat," he said.“What we have to do is...

Chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza, City Fire Marshal*Eight barangays have been identified as the most critical fire prone areas in Bacolod City, Chief Inspector Stephen Jardeleza, City Fire Marshal, said on Tuesday, September 12.These are barangays 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 34, 40 and 41, whose entire areas are fire prone, Jardeleza said.This is because these barangays have numerous houses made of highly combustible light materials located in areas with narrow pathways, which are difficult for firetrucks to enter, he said.These densely populated areas are inhabited mostly by informal settlers, Jardeleza said.The number of fire prone areas are 120 in 37 of the 61 barangays in Bacolod, he added.However, he said, the list needs to be further upgraded.Jardeleza urged bara...

Rep. Francisco Benitez (3rd from left) speaking before the House Committee on Economic Affairs Tuesday morning.*The House Committee on Economic Affairs approved the blue economy bill that promotes stewardship and sustainable development of coastal marine ecosystems and resources on Tuesday morning, September 12, Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said.“The House Committee on Economic Affairs has approved this morning the unnumbered Substitute Bill to House Bill No. 69, I authored, along with other similar bills,” Benitez said Tuesday.Benitez chaired the technical working group that consolidated the bills.The consolidated bill strengthens inter-agency, cross-sectoral and multi-stakeholder coordination to promote sustainable development of the country’s m...

SRA Administrator Paul Azcona tries out one of the new tractors from Japan.*The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) recently received 80 tractors and other farm equipment from the Japanese government in support of the sugarcane industry farm mechanization program funded under the Japan Non-Project Grant Aid amounting to P314 million.SRA Administrator Paul Azcona, on Tuesday, September 12, thanked the Japanese government for “this much needed gift to our sugar farmers to increase productivity and efficiency.”Azcona said 51 tractors will be deployed to sugarcane areas in the Visayas with Negros Occidental getting the bulk at 24 units, Negros Oriental - 11, Iloilo - 6, Leyte - 4, while Cebu and Capiz will get three each.The Luzon sugar areas will receive 15 tractors and Mind...

Bacolod councilors Jason Villarosa and Thaddy Sayson, Megaworld Lifestyle Mall Bacolod general manager Christine Yusingco, Megaworld Bacolod Jr. Executive Sales Director Gian Javella, DRRMO head Anna Pornan, City Social Welfare Officer Sally Aberlarde, Secretary to the Mayor Joseph Karol Chiu, Megaworld Bacolod Executive Sales Director Gilbert Montebon and Megaworld Bacolod Sales and Marketing head Aljohn Mana-ay (l-r) during the turnover of the donations.*The Megaworld Corporation, together with Alliance Global Group Inc. (AGI), have initiated a collaborative endeavor to provide essential aid to the affected communities of Bacolod City.The relief efforts were done in response to the recent declaration of a state of calamity by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on August 30, a press r...