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Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and the participants at the bulk water project study presentation on Monday.*Richard Malihan photoThe Northern Negros Geothermal Power Plant’s Bago Binary Geothermal Power Plant Project updates and the study on the Negros Occidental bulk water project were presented at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday, June 19.Representatives from the Energy Development Corp. met with Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko to present updates on the Bago Binary Geothermal Power Plant Project.Present at the meeting were Project Development Head Carlo Santos, Project Implementation Head Randy Raullo, Project Manager Jayson Yu, Project Development Lead Amadeo Palacpac, Construction Manager Neil Racho, Norreen Bautista, Whitney Palenge, and Jayvi ...

Two Negrenses were stabbed to death in Bago City and Hinigaran town, Negros Occidental, Sunday night, June 18.Arturo Quipse Jr., 33, of Brgy. Dulao, Bago City, was stabbed in his upper right arm which caused his death after a commotion at the public plaza, the police reported on Monday.The suspect, identified as Jonathan Dequilla, 43, also from the same barangay, fled after the incident, the police added.Meanwhile, Alberto Libria, 29, of Brgy. Quiwi, was also stabbed to death after a commotion at the wake of the suspect’s aunt in Hinigaran town.The victim, who was intoxicated, pushed the table where a card game was being played after a misunderstanding and drew a knife.The suspect, identified as Jonathan Nasaral, ran inside the house and the victim followed him.As a...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez delivering his speech at the 85th Bacolod City Charter Day program.* Ronnie Baldonado photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez appealed to the Sangguniang Panlungsod to make sure that taxes are efficiently collected from everyone before considering any hike in Bacolod City’s tax rates.If the city government does not collect from everyone, only the diligent tax payers will bear the brunt of new tax rates, Benitez said in his speech at the 85th Bacolod City Charter Day program at L’Fisher Hotel on Sunday, June 18, where the city’s top taxpayers were honored.The Bacolod City treasurer has submitted a proposed tax adjustment, which is mandated by law, to the SP.“We should first make sure that the collection of taxes is actually inclusive and we...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Iloilo Mayor Jerry Treñas has favorably endorsed the JVA based on the track record of MORE Power in Iloilo City*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Sunday, June 18, that he is urging Bacolodnons to vote yes to the Central Negros Electric Cooperative and Primelectric Holdings Inc. joint venture agreement in the upcoming plebiscite.The MORE Electric and Power Corporation presentation of the JVA has met his criteria for it to bring down electricity rates, reduce brownouts and power fluctuations and to tap green power, he said.A meeting with renewable power operators in Negros Occidental for them to be able to supply power has been set, he said.Benitez said he has a very favorable endorsement of MORE Power’s JVA from Iloilo...

Negros Occidental vaccinated 91.61 percent of its supplemental measles rubella vaccination target as of the deadline set by the Department of Health on Thursday, June 15.Vaccinated were 203,906 of its 222,590 target children, with 7,555 more to reach its 95 percent target, a Provincial Health Office report said Friday.Eleven Negros Occidental local government units exceeded the 95 percent target, in fact five had above 100 percent accomplishments.The five topnotchers were Murcia – 108.86 percent, Himamaylan City – 106.89 percent, Silay City – 104.01 percent, Candoni -101.75 percent, and Talisay City – 100.36 percent.The six others that exceeded the 95 percent target were Kabankalan City – 99.88 percent, La Castellana - 98.91 percent, Moises Padilla – 97.99 percent, Sagay Ci...

Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chief Executive Officer Frank Carbon said on Friday, June 16, that now is not the time to increase wages in Western Visayas as the region has a higher wage rate compared to neighboring regions.Carbon told DIGICAST NEGROS that the latest increase in WV last year was about 30 to 40 percent, higher than other regions, which had at least five percent hikes.The current minimum wage in Western Visayas ranges from P410 to 450 a day.Carbon reiterated that another wave of wage increases will have inflationary effects on goods and services of local businesses.The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board will hold consultations on two wage increase petitions in the region starting next month.The United Labor-Western Visayas an...

The funeral of the massacre victims at the Barangay Aguisan Public Cemetery.*Himamaylan CSWDO photoThe four members of the Fausto family who were massacred in Sitio Kangkiling, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, were buried at the Barangay Aguisan Public Cemetery on Sunday, June 18.San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza condemned the killing of the Fausto family and blamed it on the “escalating militarization” under the current administration.Alminaza, in a statement Sunday, said the Diocese of San Carlos mourns the death of Rolly Fausto, his wife Emilda, and their minor sons, Ben and Ruben, on June 14, allegedly perpetrated by the 94th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, as reported by the human rights group September 21 Movement.“The ‘whole-of-nation approach’ advoc...

The P5.4M worth of suspected shabu seized in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, Sunday morning.*BCPO photoAbout P6 million worth of suspected shabu was seized by the police in two cities and a town in Negros Occidental from Friday to Saturday, June 16 to 18.The Bacolod police conducted four buy-bust operations and seized about P5.8M worth of suspect shabu.Rene Lapera Jr., alias “Ombap”, 26, was arrested and confiscated from him was suspected shabu weighing 800 grams with an estimated value of P5.44 million in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod, early Sunday morning, the police reported.The police also arrested Bryan Alvarez, 41, and recovered suspected shabu weighing 55 grams with an estimated value of P374,000 in Brgy. Singcang-Airport on Friday.Ramon Diaz...

The filing of the petition for Declaratory Relief and Declaration of Nullity*A group of consumers have filed a petition to nullify the joint venture agreement (JVA) between Primelectric Holdings Inc. and Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) and to halt its scheduled plebiscite, their lawyer Rey Gorgonio said on Sunday, June 18.Gorgonio said the petition for Declaratory Relief and Declaration of Nullity against the JVA was filed before the Bacolod Regional Trial Court Friday afternoon.The petition also includes an application for the issuance of a Preliminary Injunction and a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on the JVA and its upcoming plebiscite on July 25, 26, and August 1 and 2, he said.“We welcome this and let the court decide. But as long as there is no court o...