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The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Negros Occidental is reminding the public to buy and use firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices only in officially designated areas during the holidays.SFO2 Glenn Granada, OIC chief of the Fire Safety Enforcement Section of the BFP in Negros Occidental, said they are urging the public not to patronize illegal sellers of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.The public should buy at the designated selling areas in the towns and cities for safety reasons, Granada said.Residents who want to light up their firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices should also coordinate with their barangay officials so this can be done in designated areas, he said.Those selling in non-designated areas most certainly are illegal and have no business permits, Granad...

The Bacolod City government on Tuesday, December 20, warned the public against a group claiming to be authorized by the Office of the Mayor to solicit financial assistance.“It has come to the attention of the Office of the City Mayor of Bacolod that a group of men introducing themselves as members of a religious sect are roaming around the city asking for financial contributions under the appearance that they have been authorized by the office,” the statement said.The public is advised that the Office of the Mayor did not give any authorization to the group nor it is in any way affiliated with the City of Bacolod, the statement added.“Any misrepresentation committed by the group should be reported immediately to the police,” it added.The group were last reported to be solic...

Two persons were injured by stray bullets from a gun fired by man who was chasing another person at the Circumferential Road in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City, at 4:50 a.m. Tuesday, December 20.Injured were Jade Rey Agpel, 20, and Normal Fortogalete, 78, of Barangay Bata, Capt. Armilyn Vargas, Police Station 3 chief, said.Vargas said there was a commotion at Bangga Sawmill in Brgy. Bata, where the suspect chased an unidentified male until they reached the Circumferential Road.When the suspect could not reach the person he was chasing, he fired his improvised firearm, which resulted to minor injuries to two persons, she said.The victims were brought to a hospital, while the suspect fled.Hot pursuit operations were still on going for the possible apprehension of the suspect ...

Willy Miranda Satoc at the BCPO gate Tuesday afternoon.*BCPO PIO photoA jeepney driver who had gone to the Bacolod City Police Office at Barangay Singcang Airport to pay the fine for a trafffic citation ticket he was issued was apprehended at the gate for possession of drugs at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday, December 20.Nabbed was Willy Miranda Satoc, 36, of Baranagy Mandalagan, Bacolod City, the police said.On checking his citation ticket the guard on duty saw that Satoc had a sachet of shabu estimated to weigh about .005 gram worth P500.Meanwhile, the Bacolod City police reported that it confiscated 446.215 grams of illegal drugs with estimated value of P3,034,262 from November 1 to December 19.Fifty eight police operations were conducted resulting to the arrest of 66 drug person...

Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer will be acting governor.*Richard Malihan photoVice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer will be acting governor of Negros Occidental during the holidays.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, in Executive Order No. 22-65, Series of 2022, designated Ferrer acting governor from December 23 to January 3.The governor said he is taking a leave of absence to travel to Singapore.Under Section 46(a) of the Local Government Code of 1991, Ferrer shall automatically exercise the powers and perform the duties and functions of the governor, except the power to appoint, suspend or dismiss employees, while he is away, Lacson said.“To ensure continuous and effective delivery of basic and social services, it is necessary to designate an acting governor to assume my duties and respons...

The Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the SRI at its regular session Tuesday.*The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the allocation of funds for the Service Recognition Incentive (SRI) of the Negros Occidental provincial government employees during its regular session Tuesday, December 20, Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer said.The 2,905 Negros Occidental provincial government employees will receive P20,000 each for a total of P58.1 million.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lascon sought the allocation of funds after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued an order authorizing the grant of a one-time SRI at a uniform rate not exceeding P20,000.The governor wants the SRI bonus to be distributed this week.The other bonuses of the provincial government employees th...

Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (l-r) cut the ribbon at the inauguration* Richard Malihan photoNegros Occ. Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer led the inauguration and turnover ceremony of a school building at the La Carlota City College in La Carlota City, Tuesday morning, December 20.The P40 million 12-classroom building was funded by the provincial government, Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa said.Lacson said that the inauguration of the new school building is a welcome development in the provincial government’s goal to enhance and strengthen the educational system.The new school building at the La Carlota City College in La Carlota City*He also said that it is of greater significance in light of the challenges that the count...

The CPP has authorized the NPA to mount tactical offensives against the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.*The New People’s Army cannot launch tactical offensives in Negros Occidental because their capabilities have been greatly reduced, and they are now on the run, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Monday, December 19.There will be no letup in the Philippine Army’s operations against the dwindling rebel forces in Negros so they will have no opportunity to regroup, he said.The Army is ensuring that there will be a peaceful yuletide season for the people of Negros, Pasaporte said.The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on Monday announced that it is not declaring a ceasefire t...

The increase in crimes in Negros Occidental in 2022 can be attributed to the after effects of COVID-19 where people are now free to roam around, the police reported on Monday, December 19.The total crime incidents in Negros Occidental increased from 3,570 in 2021 to 4,132 this year of by 15.74 percent, the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office reported.Robbery cases were 91 this year or an increase by 97.38 percent and theft cases were 172 or a hike by 72 percent.But there was also a drop in rape cases from 193 to 157 or by 18.65 percent.The average monthly crime rate was 15.74 percent higher compared to last year, the police also reported during the joint Provincial Peace and Order Council and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council fourth quarter joint meeting at the Capi...

Fourteen former rebels (FRs) from Sagay and Escalante cities and Isabela town in Negros Occidental received livelihood settlement grants under the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday, December 19.The awarding of financial assistance was led by Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte - 303rd Brigade commander, Provincial Social Welfare and Development head Merle Garcia, and E-CLIP Focal Person Narciso Abad lll.Each former rebel received P20,000 and food packs from the provincial government.Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, 79IB commander, thanked the DSWD for the assistance.He also called on the remaining rebels to return to the folds of th...