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Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District)*Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said House Bill No. 8492, which aims to establish a General Hospital in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, was approved by the House of Representatives on second reading Wednesday afternoon, August 2.“I earnestly hope that the Senate will act expeditiously on this bill once it receives final reading approval from the House, in order to bring accessible healthcare to Victoriahanons and the neighboring cities at the earliest opportunity,” he said.The bill authored by Benitez states that the Victorias City General Hospital shall be under the direct control and supervision of the Victorias City government.The Victorias City government will provide the necessary funds ...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he terminated 49 job order (JO) workers and suspended four regular employees of the Bacolod City government after they tested positive for the use of illegal drugs.All of them will be asked to submit themselves to Col. Noel Aliño, Bacolod City police director, for further investigation, Benitez said on Wednesday, August 2.He said the city government workers assigned to the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) and the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) who tested positive for the use of drugs had increase from 46 to 53.There were 21 from the POSO and 42 from the BTAO, he said.Whether the four suspended regular city employees will be terminated will depend on an investigation to also be conducted by the City Legal Office, he said....

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Bacolod officials are participating in a roadshow in Hong Kong on September 13 and 14 to pitch what the city has to offer and to draw in possible investors.“Let us not just wait for investors to come to Bacolod or we might be missing the boat,” he said on Wednesday, August 2.“What we have to do is to be aggressive. We have to go out and look for investors for us to become a supper city,” he said.Some members of the city council and an economic team will be joining the roadshow to make a presentation on what Bacolod has to offer, he said.Bacolod businessmen could be invited to join the roadshow but he is waiting for the exact arrangements in Hong Kong and for information on who will he present, so the city’s presentation will be aligned wi...

The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved two ordinances creating a Plaza and Parks Management Board, and regulating the use of posts by electric and telecommunication firms in Bacolod City on third and final reading on Wednesday, August 2, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran said.Approved was the ordinance regulating the construction, installation and maintenance of electric and or telecommunication, cable television posts, and towers, owned by public utility companies that are erected on government or private lots along government streets, roads, highways or alleys, and imposing a mayor's permit fee.The ordinance was authored by councilors Vladimir Gonzalez and Renecito Novero.Also approved was the ordinance creating theBacolod City Plaza and Parks System Management Board, otherwise known...

The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) have been named the best police offices in the country.The BCPO that had a score of 97.04 percent and NOCPPO - 92.33 percent will receive the Best City Police Office and Best Police Provincial Office awards during the 122nd Police Service Anniversary at Camp Crame on August 8.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez congratulated the BCPO headed by PCol. Noel Aliño for being named the Best City Police Office in the entire country.“With an impressive overall rating of 97.04, BCPO's outstanding performance has rightfully placed them at the top position among other worthy contenders from across the Philippines,” he said.“This remarkable accomplishment is a testament to the exemplary lea...

A senior citizen who went missing for more than a month was found dead in a river in Brgy. Antipuluan, Bago City, Monday night, August 1.Bago City Deputy Police Chief, Maj. Rudy Mariano, said that the victim was identified as Martin Dupal-ang, 63, of Brgy. Abuanan, Bago City.Dupal-ang was reported missing after allegedly drowning on June 20.More than a month after, Dupal-ang’s body was found and identified by his children.Witnesses Rommel Gunayan and Jimmy Ogares were fishing at the river when they discovered the body of Dupal-ang.The victim was lying on his back on top of a pile of stones in the middle of the river.The body was in an advanced stage of decomposition, the police said.*

Eight individuals were arrested and P235,416 worth of suspected shabu was seized in six buy-bust operations from July 23 to 29, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) reported on Wednesday, August 2.Recovered were 34.62 grams of shabu, it said.The police also arrested 27 suspects in six anti-illegal gambling operations last week and seized P3,450 in bet money, the NOCPPO said.NOCPPO said one most wanted person and 54 other wanted suspects were also arrested during 51 operations provincewide.*

Negrenses who wish to run for barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan (SK) posts in October can now download Certificates of Candidacy forms at the Commission on Elections website.This was announced by Negros Occidental Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria on Wednesday, August 2, as preparations for the October 30 Barangay and SK elections are underway.The COC forms from the Punong Barangay, Sangguniang Barangay members, SK chairperson, and SK council members are available for downloading .But Ananoria said that the submission of the filled out forms should still be done in person.The Bacolod COMELEC Office will also open a booth in a mall to cater to persons who will file their COCs from the 61 barangays of the city, he said.Other cities and towns have also signif...

Bacolod and Tanduay officials announced the holding of the rum festival at a press conference on Wednesday*Celebrities are joining the nine-day Tanduay Bacolod Rum Festival 2023 that will be held at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) Complex August 12-20.Expected at the festival are Derek Ramsay, Kylie Verzosa and singer-songwriter Ely Buendia.The nationwide flairtending and mixology competition grand finals will also be held for the first time during the Bacolod festival.The winner will win P50,000 and will represent the country in a similar competition in Singapore in November.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez noted that Bacolod is the home of Tanduay, the world’s No. 1 rum that has a huge impact in terms of awareness of the city.“We would like to enhance the ...

A private armed group (PAG) responsible for the series of killings in Negros Oriental has been neutralized following the death of a key member, a police official said Tuesday, August 1.In a press briefing, Col. Ronan Claravall, acting police provincial director, said the death of alleged hired gun Alex Mayagma on Monday will lead to the eventual downfall of the group.“Mayagma is a PAG member operating in Negros Oriental. There are still members, but they are already crippled due to previous arrests as a result of intensified operations,” Claravall told reporters in a briefing held at the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) headquarters in Sibulan town.Mayagma, tagged as the topmost wanted person in the Central Visayas region, was shot dead in Barangay Malabugas, Ba...