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The ongoing Bacolod City Hospital construction work.*Bacolod PIO photoBacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said he is inclined to take a look at a possible Public Private Partnership for the operation of the Bacolod City Hospital that is expected to be completed by 2025.He is also considering allowing another water concessionaire to operate in Bacolod if the Bacolod City Water District-PrimeWater service does not improve, Benitez said at a press conference on Monday, August 14.Benitez said a lot of investors have already expressed interest in entering into a PPP for the hospital, which is now under construction at Barangay Vista Alegre in Bacolod City, and he is inclined to consider it.“We don’t have the expertise and manpower to run a full blown hospital…a PPP...

Twenty more establishments in Bacolod City serving liquor with no business permits have been advised to temporarily close while they are processing their papers, Stella Rose Rayos, Bacolod Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) head, said Monday, August 14.The BPLO and the City Legal Office inspected 24 establishments located at 17th, 18th, 19th and 27th streets, mostly within the vicinity of schools.She said 17 were served first notices and three with second notices.Those with second notices will be recommended to the CLO for permanent closure.Some have no business permits or are on process, while there were those with permits that do not allow the sale of liquor.They were focusing on eateries and videoke bars that sell liquor, especially to minors, Rayos said....

Course chairman Dr. Coruña guides young orthopedic trainees with personalized teaching in surgical approaches to the foot and ankle.*Orthopedic specialists from six countries gathered in Bacolod to take part in the first AO Trauma Foot and Ankle Seminar in the Philippines during the weekend.Dr. Juan Agustin Coruña IV, course chairman said, this is the first time that Bacolod hosted such an important gathering that brought in trauma and orthopedic experts from Australia, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand and the Philippines.“What we had was an utter celebration of the best faculty in the world meeting in the City of Smiles for relevant foot and ankle education for specialized learners from around the world,” Coruña said.“AO is the world's largest global trauma and orthopedic...

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said the Philippines should stop granting Chinese contractors big-ticket public infrastructure projects and should sell its products only to friendly nations.The Philippines should give the contracts and sell its products to friendly countries “who are not rivals for our assets in the West Philippine Sea, and not to aggressive neighbors and bullies.” Zubiri said at a press conference in Bacolod City on Saturday, August 12.The Chinese contractors are state owned so whatever they earn goes to the coffers of the Chinese government, which in turn uses it to fund its incursions in the West Philippine Sea, Zubiri said.Filipino taxpayers are unwittingly funding China's illegal incursions and harassment of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea with th...

A New People’s Army (NPA) statement released Sunday, August 13, said its forces executed two intelligence assets of the Army for “espionage” and seized five firearms from a police vehicle during an “ambush” in Barangay Minapasok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on August 9.A unit of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-New People's Army Northern Negros Guerrilla Front seized four assault rifles, ammunition and a .45 caliber pistol after an ambush on a patrol vehicle carrying 10 police personnel of the Calatrava Municipal Police Station at 9:40 a.m. on August 9, Cecil Estrella, RJPC-NPA spokesperson, claimed.The police had not reported firearms being seized from them and called the August 9 incident an encounter.Estrella said the NPA used selective rifle fire and a command-detonated...

The creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR) will become a law before Christmas, if it is not vetoed, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Saturday, August 12.“As far as we are concerned, I committed it to the people of Negros, I will pass it in the Senate,“ Zubiri said during a press conference in Bacolod City on Saturday.“At the very latest, it would become a law before Christmas. Our Christmas gift to the region, as long as it is not vetoed," Zubiri said during a press conference in Bacolod City on Saturday.Zubiri said he will discuss the NIR with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. because the Department of Budget and Management does not want new regions and departments.The bill seeks the creation of the NIR composed of Negros Occidental and Oriental, and Siquijor. ...

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri*The Senate will support the push for the restoration of the P2 billion Sugar Industry Development Program fund for 2024, but the Negros bloc in the House of Representatives should first seek its inclusion in next year’s budget, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said Saturday, August 12.Republic Act No. 10659 or the Sugarcane Industry Development Act (SIDA) of 2015 states that the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) should allocate P2 billion a year to promote the competitiveness of the sugarcane industry and improve the incomes of farmers and farm workers through improved productivity, product diversification, job generation, and increased efficiency of sugar mills.Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) acting administrator Pablo Azcon...

Fuel prices will go up for the sixth straight week on Tuesday, August 15.Diesel prices are projected to increase by P1.40 to P1.60 per liter, and gasoline by P1.70 to P1.90 per liter, Unioil Petroleum Philippines said Saturday, August 12.Kerosene prices are expected to increase by P2.20 to P2.50 per liter increase.Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Saturday, August 12, that an increase in a voucher system to aid affected sectors could help mitigate the effects of the rise in fuel prices.The rise in prices was attributed to production cutbacks by oil producing countries.Meanwhile, Zubiri said rice prices have increased because India and Vientam have held back on their exports because of the drought.It not importation that is the solution to the rice needs ...