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City PIO photoThe Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the allocation of P10.3 million in financial assistance for 21 participants in the MassKara street and arena competition and Electric MassKara during its session on Monday, September 11, Councilor Em Ang said.The SP approved the request of Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to sign a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the granting of P700,000 in financial assistance to each of the 10 contingents joining the upcoming MassKara street and arena dance competition.The 10 are barangays Granada, Sum-ag, Tangub, 34, Vista Alegre, Mansilingan, Handumanan, Cabug, 21 and 40.The SP also approved the request of the mayor to sign a MOA for the allocation of P300,000 to each of the 11 barangays joining the Electric MassKara Floa...

The police are still searching for the driver of an e-tricycle that hit a 72-year-old man resulting to his death at the circumferential road in Brgy. Montevista, Bacolod City, last week.Noli Chan, 72, from Purok Bakawan, Brgy. Villamonte, was allegedly hit by an e-tricycle on Thursday, September 7.The victim was rushed to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital but was declared dead on arrival due to severe injuries to his head.Capt. Francis Depasucat, Bacolod Police Station 4 chief, said that the suspect behind the accident has not surrendered to the police.*

A mother was killed while her husband and child were injured when a truck accidentally bumped their tricycle at the highway in Brgy. 13, Victorias City, Friday night, September 8.Killed was Analina Ballad, 43.The tricycle, driven by her husband Ronnie, was heading southward and was about to turn left when it stopped as a truck loaded with sugarcane passed, the police said.When the tricycle stopped, the truck from behind bumped it throwing Analina to the other lane and causing an incoming truck to hit her, the police added.The truck was driven by Rolando Laniohan, 61.Ronnie and their 9-year-old child were injured.No charges were filed against the suspect as both parties agreed to a settlement, the police said.*

Negros Occidental pig exports dropped by 70 percent in August because of African swine fever (ASF) cases in various local government units of the province, Dr. Placeda Lemana, provincial veterinarian, said Monday, September 11.Based on their estimates hogs shipped out of Negros Occidental last month were only about 3,000 compared to June and July that were at 10,000, she said.Lemana attributed the decrease to the non-issuance of Certificates of Free-ASF Status (CFS) to various local government units and backyard farmers in the province.The Bureau of Animal Industry cannot release the CFS to the local hog raisers because seven LGUs in the province have not been declared ASF-cleared, she said.CFS is a requirement of the Bureau of Animal Industry for local hog raisers to ship ...

The evacuees at the Villamonte gym.*Bacolod PIO photoFirefighters had difficulty putting out the fire that hit Purok Tangkong, Barangay 7 in Bacolod City, on Saturday night, because residents had built houses on road lots, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, September 11.The fire destroyed 38 houses and damaged two affecting 66 families with 331 members.The residents whose houses were located on the road lots will be transferred to the city relocation site, mayor said.The other houses were squatting on private land and will also have to relocate, he said.Those whose houses were destroyed will be given financial assistance of P15,000 each, and P10,000 each for those damaged, he said.The fire victims are currently staying at the Villamonte gym and w...

The rice distribution in Bacolod City during the weekend.*The Bacolod City government distributed rice assistance to more than 50 percent of its target beneficiaries during the weekend, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, September 11.The target is to reach a minimum of about 350,000 registered Bacolod residents and so far 252, 633 rice packs have been distributed, he said.Each of the recipients received 2 kilos each as part of the city’s assistance after Typhoon Goring hit Bacolod City, which was declared under a state of calamity on August 30.The mayor assured that the rice distribution will continue until everybody gets their share.Special distribution centers will also be set at the relocation sites, he said.Meanwhile, a price freeze on basic ...

Negros Occidental DTI provincial director Lynna Joy Cardinal, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III (l-r) at a press conference on Monday.*The Department of Trade and Industry will start distributing P15,000 assistance to each compliant retailer in Bacolod City affected by the price cap on rice, on Wednesday, September 13, the head of the Department of Trade Industry (DTI) in the province said Monday.Bacolod City is a priority and the distribution to retailers in other areas in Negros Occidental will follow, Lynna Joy Cardinal, Negros Occidental DTI provincial director, said during a press conference called by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday.She could not give the exact number of recipie...

The Baciwa Employees Union- National Federation of Labor Unions (BEU-NAFLU) is strongly urging Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to return the management and operations of water distribution to the Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) as mandated by PD 198.Bacolodnons have been unjustly denied their basic right to reliable and affordable clean water, marking a distressing turning point, BEU-NAFLU said in a press release on Monday, September 11.In 2020, BACIWA, led by its Board and Joint Venture Selection Committee, entered into a 25-year Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) with PrimeWater, owned by Villar family, with the promise of enhancing water services in Bacolod City.However, the reality has been starkly different, BEU-NAFLU said.“Since the JVA, BACIWA's services have ...

Asia's timeless diva Dulce Llamedo and charity diva Token Lizares (right) at the concert*A huge crowd gathered for a concert on Friday, September 8, to raise seed money to start the construction of the St. Sr.Faustina Chapel, a sacristy, convent, and Divine Mercy Center in Brgy Goza, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.The “An Evening of Mercy and Grace” concert held at the La Proa Ballroom of L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City was top billed by Asia's timeless diva Dulce Llamedo, classic balladeer Marco Sison and charity diva Token Lizares with crooner John Ryan Englis, You Tube sensation Carl Malone Montecido and Kristine Tia.The Divine Mercy group headed by Fr. Vince Nigel Camarines thanked all those who came and supported “the successful and very entertaining concert for a cause”. ...