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The Bacolod City Water District (BACIWA) has submitted a letter of intent to participate in the pioneering Bulk Water Supply Project of the Negros Occidental provincial government, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Wednesday, July 19.The minimum committed volume of water BACIWA aims to avail of for the duration of the project is 10 million liters a day (MLD) subject to the conduct of due diligence and execution of a definitive agreement, its general manager Mona Dia Jardin said in a letter to Lacson.“That is already a good amount that we were expecting from Bacolod,“ Lacson said.Lacson said with the BACIWA letter of intent the project will be more beneficial for investors.The investors forum for the bulk water project is set August 10 and expected to join are Aboitiz InfraCapit...

The Talave Bridge in northern Negros*Andoni Llantada Valencia photosA Negrense is calling for the preservation of the 90-year-old Talave bridge that connects San Carlos City and Calatrava in northern Negros Occidental.The Talave steel bridge has connected San Carlos and Calatrava since it was built in 1933 by the United Sates Steel Products Company as stated in its marker, Andoni Llantada Valencia said.He said because of the bridge, the economy of the two areas was boosted, as it hastened the mobility of Negrenses and cane trucks were able to go to sugar mills, thanks to the Americans.San Carlos Mayor Renato Gustilo said on Wednesday, July 19, that the old bridge will be replaced with a new one by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) because ...

The e bulk of beneficiaries are from Negros Occidental with 134,447.*Nic Ledesma photoAround 170,096 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from Western Visayas are recipients of the newly-signed Republic Act No. 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act, one of the priority measures under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.The law condones the principal payment, interests, and penalties.“Last July 7, finally our President signed the New Agrarian Emancipation Act where our farmer-beneficiaries will become debt-free from the lands that were awarded to them,” said lawyer Sheila Enciso, DAR Regional Director for Western Visayas, in an interview on Monday, July 17.Beneficiaries can already purchase farm inputs for higher production and pay for their household...

Sen. Risa Hontiveros (right) reaffirms her support for the sugar industry at a meeting in Bacolod City Tuesday, July 18, attended by CONFED president Aurelio Gerardo G. Valderrama Jr. and NFSP president Enrique D. Rojas.*Senator Risa Hontiveros said on Tuesday, July 18, that there is a need for better implementation and strengthening of existing laws to protect the country’s sugar industry.Hontiveros, who was in Negros Occidental for consultations with sugar industry stakeholders, cited possible amendments to laws such as the Sugar Industry Development Act and the Price Act to improve and strengthen them.She was in Negros to gather inputs to aid the sugar industry in its modernization and development, said Hontiveros, who also met with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson...

The volleyball team of Western Visayas won the volleyball pre-Palaro qualifying games in Cebu City in June.*The Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas is eyeing new records in the 2023 Palarong Pambansa to surpass the seven records set in the sporting event held before the pandemic in 2019.The region recorded five new records in athletics composed of long jump and shot put for secondary girls, 3,000-meter steeple chase and 1,500-meter run for secondary boys, and javelin throw for elementary girls.Two records were also set in swimming consisting of the 100 and the 200 long course (LC) meters freestyle.DepEd information officer Hernani Escullar Jr. said on Tuesday, July 18, that the region will have a strong contingent consisting of 539 athletes; 131 coaches, assi...

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office reported the confiscation of P1.74 million worth of suspected shabu and the arrest of 17 most wanted persons in the first two weeks of July.NOCCPO, in a Facebook post, said from July 2 to 15, they conducted 39 operations against illegal drugs where they apprehended 44 suspects and seized P1,738,500 worth of suspected shabu.They conducted 12 illegal drug operations, nabbed 12 suspects and recovered 70.54 grams of suspected shabu worth P479,658 from July 2 to 8.The NOCCPO also conducted 27 illegal drug operations, arrested 32 suspects, and recovered 182.8 grams of suspected shabu worth P1,258,842 from July 9 to 15,.They arrested 17 most wanted individuals and 120 other wanted persons in Negros Occidental the past two weeks, the N...

A trader died after his tricycle and a Ceres bus figured in an accident at Sitio Cambagting, Brgy. Cabacungan in La Castellana town, Negros Occidental, on Sunday , July 16, the police reported.The fatality was identified as Anthony Paulan, 42, a trader from Brgy. Guinpana-an, La Castellana.The Ceres bus driver was identified as Alberto Recomo, 38, of Brgy. Linuthangan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.The bus was going to Moises Padilla town while the tricycle was going in the opposite direction when the accident happened, Capt. Dennis Melfarejo, La Castellana deputy police chief, said.A settlement was reached with the family of the victim and no charges will be filed against the Ceres bus driver, he said.*

Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez visiting Mayor Renato Gustilo in San Carlos City.*Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez is on a three-day tour of the towns and cities of Negros Occidental as part of a knowledge-sharing program among LGUs.As president of the Negros Association of Chief Executives (ACE), Benitez is undertaking the tour to benchmark best practices of different LGUs in Negros Occidental, a press release from his office said on Tuesday, July 18.On Monday Benitez kicked off the knowledge-sharing program in E.B. Magalona with Mayor Marvin Malacon.He then visited Silay City, Murcia, Don Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City, and Calatrava.On Tuesday he visited LGUs in southern Negros and will be in the north on Wednesday.Victorias City ...

Forty employees assigned to the motorpool of the San Carlos City Engineering Department underwent random drug tests on Monday, Mayor Renato Gustilo said on Tuesday, July 18.Gustilo said they cannot announce if there are employees who test positive for drugs as the results will have to be subjected to confirmatory tests,The ongoing surprise drugs tests are being conducted to ensure a drug-free workplace as mandated by the Civil Service Commission, he said.The San Carlos City government has 900 regular employees and 700 to 800 casual and job order workers, he said.Ana Liza M. Macaraya, San Carlos City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (SCCADAC) secretariat, said they will inform the regular employees through a letter if they test positive and must undergo Drug Dependency Examination (D...

The seized magic mushrooms and shabu.*BCPO photoThe police confiscated for the first time psychedelic or “magic” mushrooms worth P316,000 in a subdivision in Brgy. Cabug, Bacolod City, at 10:35 p.m. Monday, July 17.Street-level targets Diane and Franz Jovi Tolmo, who are siblings, and Fierre Santillana were arrested in a buy bust operation at One Community Subdivision, the police reported.Seized were 13 grams of shabu worth P88,400 and 3.61 kilos of magic mushroom with a market value of P316,000, the report added.PMaj. Joery Puerto, Police Station 5 Commander, told DIGICAST NEGROS that this is the first time that they have recovered magic mushrooms in Bacolod City.Franz Tolmo told them the confiscated magic mushrooms were sourced from a resident of Don Salvador Benedic...