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Enrollment in the Bacolod Schools Division has also dropped, Councilor Al Victor Espino said Tuesday, September 5.There were about 72,000 students enrolled from preschool to grade six last year and the number has dropped to 66,450 this school year, he said.Meanwhile, the city government will release its school supplies aid to public school students in October, Espino said.That is because they have had problems accessing school supplies because of a shortage in paper nationwide, he said.It is not only scarce but also expensive, Espino said.The city government is allocating P15 million for the school supplies, Espino said.*

Other options are being eyed for this year’s MassKara Festival music, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Tuesday, September 5There are other songs being considered, there will be more than one, he said."Sinadya sa Bacolod" that was presented by the Bacolod Yuhum Foundation as this year’s MassKara song drew criticism from netizens for failing to capture the upbeat spirit of the festival.It was created by musical director and arranger Marvin Querido of Neocolours, and performed by singer and actor Kyle Echarri, artist and social media influencer Janeena Chan and actor, singer, host and model Anthony Rosaldo.Meanwhile, Benitez said there is a standing invitation for President Ferdinand Marcos and his family to join the MassKara Festival.Rep. Sandro Marcos ...

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCCPO) reported a P13.8 million illegal drugs haul in its weekly accomplishment report from August 27 to September 2.The NOCCPO conducted seven buy-bust operations and seized 2.045 kilograms of suspected shabu amounting to P13,845,460 and arrested 10 individuals.Seven most wanted persons and 35 other wanted individuals were also arrested, the report said.The police also arrested 44 persons for illegal gambling and confiscated P40,637 in bet money, the report added.2 MORE NABBEDMeanwhile, two persons were arrested and shabu worth P95,200 was seized in buy-bust operations in the cities of Bago and Silay, Negros Occidental, on Monday, September 4, the police reported.Randy Aguilar, 52, a laborer, was arrested in a buy-bu...

Two persons were found dead in Toboso and Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, September 4, the police reported.Gilbert Lapuz, 45, was found dead with a hack wound on his neck in Sitio Bingig, Brgy. 3, Himamaylan City.Prior to the incident witnesses said the victim joined a drinking session with his friends, the police reported.The victim was last seen when he left the drinking session at about 11 p.m. to go home.Roger Pesanon, 56, was found dead in Sitio Tiguib, Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso town, Monday afternoon.The victim was found lying on the ground and was believed to have been under the influence of alcohol.The was no indication of foul play, the police said.*

The mufflers being destroyed in Brgy. Granada, Bacolod City, on Tuesday.*Police Station 5 photoBacolod City Police Station 5 cops destroyed 280 open pipe noise-causing mufflers using a vibro roller in Brgy. Granada, on Tuesday morning, September 5.The mufflers were destroyed at the diversion road in Brgy. Granada in compliance with City Ordinance 356 or “An Ordinance Regulating Noise Pollution in the City of Bacolod”.Maj. Joery Puerto, Station 5 acting commander, said the activity aims to send a message to the public that motorcycles with open pipe mufflers are not allowed and will be confiscated, especially within the vicinity of their police station.Puerto said that they are intensifying the enforcement of the city ordinance as well as Republic Act 4136 or the Land Transp...

Rice was still being sold above the price cap at the Burgos Public Market in Bacolod City on Tuesday.* Barbara Mijares photoRice prices in Bacolod City’s markets remained above the price cap set by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, September 5.Executive Order No. 39 issued by Marcos that took effect Tuesday set the price cap for regular milled rice at P41 per kilo and P45 for well-milled rice.Regular milled rice was still selling at P49 and well-milled rice from P50 to P52 a kilo at Bacolod markets.The Bacolod City government will convene its Price Monitoring Council to discuss the procedures for monitoring and enforcement of the price cap, City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said they will make sure the executive order o...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at a press conference Tuesday with councilors Al Victor Espino and Jude Thaddeus Sayson and Social Welfare Officer Sally Abelarde (l-r).*The city government is distributing rice assistance to all registered Bacolod residents following its declaration of a state of calamity, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Tuesday, September 5.The city government has allocated P40 million in aid to the victims of Typhoon “Goring” in Bacolod City.Benitez said the entire Bacolod was affected by the “Goring” induced rains and floods so rice assistance of 2 kilos each will be distributed to every registered city resident.The more than 344,000 beneficiaries will be based on the COMELEC list of registered voters. Those not on that list can present...

The Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC VI) met with university and college heads in Bacolod City to raise awareness against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) recruitment activities in school campuses.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez welcomed the participants to the meeting held at the MassKara Hall of the Bacolod City Government Center Tuesday morning, September 5.Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said they are raising awareness against the anticipated CPP-NPA recruitment activities in urban centers.“With the drop in their numbers we expect them to double their efforts at recruitment,” he said.They will not allow it to happen with very close coordination with the police, the...

Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commandThe Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Center (PJSCC) has recommended 55 election areas of concern in Negros Occidental, Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Tuesday, September 5.However, this has to be approved by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that will then make an announcement, he said, with the election period for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls having already started.There were formerly 101 areas of concern, he said.The parameters for identifying election areas of concern are the presence of heightened political rivalry, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army or private armed groups, he said.The 55 barangays recommended as election areas...

Roel Z. Castro, Primelectric Holdings Inc. president and chief executive officer, said with the JVA consumers will have competitive power rates and better services.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he is hoping that power utilized within the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) franchise area will come from completely renewable sources by next year.Benitez met with Roel Z. Castro, Primelectric Holdings Inc. president and chief executive officer, whose firm has entered into a joint venture agreement with CENECO, on Tuesday, September 5.Under the agreement a joint venture firm to be known as Negros Electric and Power Corp. (NEPC) will take over the power distribution within the CENECO franchise area.Benitez said the majority of the CENECO consumer-members h...