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Carl Hanson Gerale*A University of St. La Salle-Bacolod graduate placed 8th in the August 2023 Psychometricians Licensure Examination, the Professional Regulatory Commission announced Thursday, August 10.Carl Hanson Gerale, a BS Psychology graduate from USLS last year, placed eighth with a 87.60 percent rating.Gerale placed eighth out of 6,133 passers of the examination.USLS also announced that the school had a 84.85 passing rate, where 54 out of 64 Lasallian examinees passed the licensure exam.There were 8,370 individuals who took the exam in the country but only 73.23 percent passed.*

A Negrense died after sustaining multiple hack wounds in Purok Bougainvillea, Brgy. Culo, Pulupandan town, Negros Occidental, Wednesday, August 9.Rudy Amar, 43, was found lifeless, the police said.He told his wife, Carisma Amar, that he was going to check on the fishpond near their house.Moments later, two witnesses informed Carisma that her husband was found dead.*

A former rebel turned forest guard was gunned down in Sitio Buli, Brgy. Rizal, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, August 9.Alejandro Traya, 62, of Sitio Pakighiusa, Brgy. Pinoyawan, Salvador Benedicto town, was shot by an unidentified suspect, the police said.Traya was shot in the back and was declared dead at the San Carlos City Hospital.San Carlos Police Chief, Lt. Col. Jesus Mesahon, told DIGICAST NEGROS that Traya was a former member of the New People’s Army then the Revolutionary Proletarian Army- Alex Boncayao Brigade before he surrendered.He was given a work as forest guard of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.*

The shabu seized in Brgy. Vista Alegre, Bacolod.*BCPO photoAn alleged member of a notorious drug syndicate was arrested in a buy-bust operation and P14.38 million in suspected shabu was seized from him in Bacolod City at 6:49 a.m. Thursday, August 10.Micheal Frias, 45, an alleged member of the Caunda Drug Syndicate, was arrested in his house at Purok Pablo Torre, Brgy. Vista Alegre, the police reported.The police recovered four heat-sealed sachets and five plastic bags containing 2.12 kilograms of suspected shabu worth P14,382,000 from Frias, Capt. Joven Mogato, City Drug Enforcement Unit chief, said.Micheal Frias, seated, during the drug bust.*BCPO photoThe suspect, whom they had been monitoring, had been arrested in 2009 but was released after 10 years in detention, f...

Cocolisap-hit leaves being inspected*Cocolisap, pests that eat the leaves of coconut trees until they die, have been detected in two cities and two towns in Negros Occidental and bio-control measures have been taken to prevent their spread, Dr. Neil Melencion, Philippine Coconut Authority Western Visayas regional manager, said Thursday, August 10.An estimated 5,000 coconut trees have been infected in Barangay Mailum, Bago City, Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, La Carlota City and La Castellana, he said.Cocolisap pests that look like fish scales usually thrive during the dry season.Cocolisap had hit Laguna, Batangas and Zamboanga in the past and almost wiped out the coconut industry, Ramon Uy Sr., RU Ecological and Agricultural Development Foundation president, said.The PCA 6 i...

The fire at Purok Masagana, Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod.*BFP photoFirefighters responded to three fires in Bacolod City on Thursday, August 10.A fire partially damaged a house owned by Kim Tumimbang at Hda. Guanzon in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, at 10:22 a.m. Thursday.Damage was placed at P360,000, the BFP reported.Fire also hit a storage facility of Pepz Beverage Trading at Purok Masagana, Brgy. Alijis, Bacolod, at about 10:41 a.m., The BFP said.The BFP placed the damage to the facility owned by Jose Orlino at about P27,750.Firefighters also responded to a grass fire at Purok Gate 3, Bredco in Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, at 11:04 a.m. Thursday, the BFP added.*

The Negrosanon Initiatives for Climate and Environment says these are the the DOE target sites.*Environment advocates are opposing the inclusion of Negros Occidental among the Department of Energy’s 13 nuclear target sites, Joshua Villalobos, convenor of the Negrosanon Initiatives for Climate and Environment (NICE), said Thursday, August 10.They are opposing the DOE’s having named Talusan Point in Negros Occidental as as one of the sites, he said.NICE called on the government to focus on renewable energy instead of "false solutions" that could potentially increase electricity prices and harm the environment and residents.About 150 leaders from various organizations, schools, and churches joined a forum to discuss the proposed nuclear power plant sites at the Balay Kalinunga...

Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District)*The House of Representatives has approved the bill seeking the establishment of a general hospital in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, on third and final reading, Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said Thursday, August 10.“I’m very happy to announce that the House of Representatives just approved on third and final reading the bill seeking the creation of a general hospital in Victorias City,” Benitez, who authored House Bill 8492, said.Benitez said he is hoping the Senate passes its counterpart measure soon.The bill states that the general hospital shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Victorias City government.The Victorias City government will provide the necessary fund...

The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation (BYF) has submitted its 2022 MassKara Festival financial report to the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Laws, Ordinances and Good Government.Councilor Al Victor Espino rescheduled the committee hearing on the proposed memorandum of agreement for the designation of the BYF as the overall organizer of the 2023 MassKara Festival in October because its president Katherine Matiling was unable to attend on Monday.Matiling had to accompany her children to the Palarong Pambansa, BYF spokesperson Mate Espina said Wednesday, August 9.The Bacolod Yuhum Foundation raised P80 million for the 2022 Masskara Festival from sponsorships and events but closed at a loss of a little over P6 million, Espina said.If the BYF is granted permission to handle this...

The dentures seized from the house of Jude Yanson Labado*NBI photoNational Bureau of Investigation agents apprehended a “fake dentist” in an entrapment operation at his house in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday morning, August 9.Arrested was Jude Yanson Labado who faces charges for violation of Republic Act 9484, An Act to Regulate the Practice of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene and Dental Technology in the Philippines, NBI agent Jovel Aperio said.The NBI was accompanied by members of the Philippine Dental Association-Negros Occidental chapter headed by Dr. Maribel Ong in the conduct of the operation against Labado.Aperio, who posed as a patient, said Labado was caught in flagrante delicto for practicing dentistry without a license from the Professional Regulation Commi...