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The Social Security System (SSS) disbursed a total of P236.3 billion in benefits from January to November 2022, a growth of 13.2 percent from the P208.8 billion benefit disbursements it recorded for the same period last year.SSS President and CEO Michael G. Regino, in a press release, said the rise in disbursements this year is driven by the increases in number of benefit claims, number of members and pensioners, and amount of benefit releases for retirement, disability, and death.“For the first 11 months of 2022, we have received 4.58 million benefit claims. This is 7.3 percent higher than the 4.27 million benefit claims we received for the same period last year,” Regino said.“Our pensioners, which stood at three million in 2021, grew to 3.18 million by November 2022, while ou...

Acting Negros Occidental Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer*The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the appropriation of P15 million for the gratuity pay of the Negros Occidental provincial government job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers on Tuesday, December 27.The gratuity pay will be given to 1,735 JO and COS workers, Acting Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said Wednesday.The maximum amount to be released will be P5,000 for JO and COS workers who have rendered service for at least four months.A gratuity pay of P4,000 will be given to COS and JO workers who have rendered three months or more but less than four months of service, P3,000 for workers who have rendered two months or more but less than three months, and P2,000 for workers who rendered less than two months, Ferrer said....

A farm laborer hacked a barangay tanod to death with a cane cutter causing his head to nearly be severed in Brgy. Mansablay, Isabela, Negros Occidental, at 11 p.m. Tuesday, December 27, the town police chief said.Killed was Ruben Casagan Teves, 58, who was hacked multiple times by Jason Bartolo Piojo, 25, Maj. Joseph Partidas, Isabela police chief, said Wednesday.The suspect and victim are from Brgy. Mansablay.The suspect told the police he killed Teves in revenge for the death of his father in 2006, Partidas said.The suspect had been working in Manila and only returned to Isabela a month ago.Teves who was on his way home from a birthday party was attacked by Piojo who was hiding in a dark part of a sugarcane field, Partidas said.Piojo first hacked the victim on the...

Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District)*Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said on Tuesday, December 27, that he is upbeat prices of sugar will remain profitable for producers in 2023.The supply side should be determined early next year to effectively draft a program that will be good for all stakeholders – the producers and consumers, Yulo, a former Sugar Board member, said.Yulo said preparations are underway for a sugar summit early next year as suggested by Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.“We are drawing up the topics to be taken up at the summit in consultation with industry stakeholders”, he said.The target for the summit is late January or early February 2023, Yulo said.“We have to make sure we are productive for the coming crop years...

A total of 269 Bacolod policemen, 18 of whom are officers, have been promoted to the next higher rank.Lt. Col. Sherlock Gabana, Bacolod City Police Office spokesperson, said the 13 newly promoted police captains are:*Francis Depasucat - Police Station 1 deputy chief;*Jonito Pastrana - Police Station 2 OIC;*Edward Bolivar – Police Station 3 deputy chief;*Greeky Cayao - Police Station 4 deputy chief;*Melvin Mercado – Police Station 5 deputy chief;*Dax Santillan – Police Station 6 OIC;*Andy Ofalia – Police Station 6 deputy chief;*Michael Tuburan – Police Station 10 deputy chief;*Hazel Oropel - City Administrative Resource Management Unit assistant chief;*Lelanie Lagoting - Human Resource and Development Division OIC;*Christine Cerbo - City Inves...

BGen. Inocencio Pasaporte, Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, and Col. Michael Samson (l-r) at the turnover rites.*Col. Michael Samson assumed the post of acting 303rd Infantry Brigade commander at rites held at Camp Maj. Nelson L. Gerona in Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, December 27.Samson took over from retiring BGen. Inocencio Pasaporte who was honored at the “Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony”.Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Army 3rd Infantry Division commander, said his marching orders to Samson is to continue the effective campaign of Pasaporte against the Communist rebels in Negros who are now on the run.Continue the “loved by the people and feared by the enemy” campaign, Arevalo said.Arevalo said the continued support of the people of Negros ...

Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. delivering his video message.*Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. (Neg. Or., 3rd District) said he has received information that three active Scout Rangers have been sent to Negros to assassinate him and two other members of his family.Their targets are him, his brother former Negros Oriental Gov. Henry Teves and his son former Board Member Kurt Matthew Teves, the congressman told DIGICAST NEGROS on Tuesday, December 27.The congressman said he recorded a video message on his Facebook page to inform President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and Secretary Roman Felix of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Military Affairs that he received A1 information on the assassination plot.Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, A...

One of the sugarcane trucks burned at So. Carbon, Brgy. San Isidro, Toboso.*PNP photoThe New People’s Army (NPA) claimed responsibility for the burning of five sugarcane trucks in Toboso, Negros Occidental, in a statement on Tuesday, December 27.Three sugarcane trucks were burned at So. Carbon, Brgy. San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental, at 4 a.m. on Monday, December 26, the police reported.Investigation showed that the engines of the three Isuzu SKW sugarcane trucks were burned, the report said.A unit of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command (RJCP) – Northern Negros Guerilla Front of the NPA burned three more sugarcane trucks owned by Teotimo Ballesteros on the 54th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines, a statement from its spokesman Cecil Estrella said...

The confirmed cholera cases in Negros Occidental reached 76 on Tuesday, December 27, Dr. Jessica Fama, Medical Specialist 3 of the Provincial Health Office, said.If the suspected cases with no laboratory confirmation are included, then the number would be 144, Fama said.The cholera deaths remain at three with one each in EB Magalona, Silay City and Murcia.The rise in cholera cases in the province has slowed down lately, she said.The basic solution to the spread of cholera is proper sanitation, she said.Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with Vibrio cholerae bacteria. People can get sick when they swallow food or water contaminated with the cholera bacteria, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said.The infection is of...