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May262023 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

Bacolod MassKara dancers to perform in New York

The US-bound Bacolod Masskara Festival dancers with Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and other city officials.*The world-renowned MassKara Festival dancers of Bacolod City will perform in New York City for the first time during the 125th Philippine Independence Anniversary Commemoration Parade on June 4.The performers will be comprised of 22 dancers from the multi-awarded Barangay Granada street and arena dance team, who will fly to the United States on May 29.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who will lead the contingent, said on Friday that the presence of MassKara Festival dancers in the cultural event is an opportunity to promote Bacolod, which celebrates the colorful "festival of many faces" in October each year.“When we promote Bacolod City, awareness about the city will ...

May262023 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

ASF hits 2nd NegOr town, Dumaguete tightens security

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Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo ordered the tightening of border controls in Dumaguete City after African swine fever (ASF) cases were reported in another town.Dwight Arnaiz Sr., the officer-in-charge of the city agriculture office, said ASF checkpoints have been set up at key entry and exit points in Dumaguete after swine deaths were reported in neighboring Sibulan town.Police and barangay officials have been tapped to ensure that pigs coming from Sibulan and Dauin, where the province’s first ASF cases were reported, do not enter Dumaguete.“Pigs that come from these towns are not allowed in Dumaguete while those from other towns and cities may enter the city provided they have a certification from their city or municipal veterinary offices that they are ASF-free,” he said,Arn...

May262023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

2 pigs from Bago test positive for ASF in Bacolod – Benitez

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Negros Occ. Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez lead a joint emergency animal biosecurity meeting Friday afternoon.*Two pigs in Barangay Taculing, Bacolod City, tested positive for African swine fever (ASF), Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced Friday afternoon, May 26.“The two pigs tested positive for ASF on Friday based on a convective PCR…although the samples will be sent to Manila for RT-PCR (confirmation), but they say this is 99 percent accurate,” Benitez said.Pigs within 500 meters surrounding ground zero in Taculing will be culled, but there appears to be no other pigs in the area, he added.It appears that the two ASF positive pigs are isolated cases, they found out that they came from Bago City, Benitez said.The may...

May262023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Governor signs MOA for student internships

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Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson signed a Memorandum of Agreement with various schools and universities for a Student Internship Program with the Negros Occidental provincial government at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Friday, May 26.“This has been an ongoing program, our colleges and universities have requested if their students can join the province as interns, “ he said.“The provincial government is seriously looking at the possibility of actually hiring them, especially the good ones. We would like to have the best for the province of Negros Occidental”, he said.The schools who joined the ceremonial signing were the University of St. La Salle – Bacolod, STI-West Negros University, Bacolod City College, Carlos Hilado Memorial State University, University of Negros Occid...

May262023 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Coalition vows to push for Ceneco JVA approval

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Leaders of the groups supporting the JVA at the Negros Press Club Friday.*JJunsay photoIt has been a divisive week for various progressive and civic action groups in Negros Occidental as they declared different stances on the proposed joint venture agreement (JVA) between Central Negros Electric Cooperative and Ignite More Power Corporation.A coalition of several groups led by Power Watch Negros and Utilities Consumers Advocates for Reforms (UCARE) released their covenant of solidarity in support of the JVA at a press conference at the Negros Press Club building in Bacolod City, Friday, May 26.Power Watch Secretary-General Wennie Sancho told DIGICAST NEGROS that they support the JVA as Ceneco needs to upgrade its services and management to ease the inconveniences of its power c...

May262023 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Kagawad, two others shot dead in Negros

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Three persons were shot dead in Negros Occidental on Thursday and Friday, May 25 and 26.In Ilog town, Joselito Magallanes, 60, a businessman and barangay kagawad, was gunned down by unidentified persons outside his residence in Brgy. Dancalan on Thursday.A barangay tanod discovered the lifeless victim on the ground with a gunshot wound from an unknown firearm.In Himamaylan City, two unidentified suspects gunned Raul Enmacino, 48, a farmer from Brgy. Buenavista, Thursday afternoon.The victim was working in the rice field when two suspects shot him several times and fled, the police said.The victim was brought to Governor Valeriano M. Gatuslao Memorial Hospital but was declared dead on arrival, it said.The wife of the victim turned over to the investigators a 5.56 mil...

May262023 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Shabu seized in 3 cities

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The shabu seized in Barangay Singcang Airport, Bacolod.*BCPO photoAn estimated P142,000 worth of suspected shabu was seized by authorities in three cities in Negros Occidental on Thursday and Friday, May 25 and 26, the police reported.The police conducted buy-bust operations in the cities of Silay, Bacolod, and Victorias and confiscated suspected shabu valued at P68,000, P47,600, and P27,200, respectively.In Silay, Diego Pelaez, 49, of Brgy. Lantad was arrested after a search warrant operation and seized were 14 plastic sachets of suspected shabu, and a .38 caliber revolver with three live ammunitions, the police said.Two more suspects were arrested by the Victorias police after confiscating five sachets of suspected shabu and various drug paraphernalia through a buy-bust o...

May262023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

DSWD prepositions assistance in WV as ‘Mawar’ approaches

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The Department of Social Welfare and Development has prepositioned P46.5 million worth of family food packs in Western Visayas as “Mawar” reintensified into a super typhoon as it moved closer to the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday, May 25.Mawar will not directly hit Western Visayas but is expected to trigger rain.Of the 73,071 family food packs for Western Visayas, 38, 451 have been prepositioned regionwide with 8,812 allocated for Negros Occidental.Mayor Nadie Arceo ordered the suspension of classes in Hinigaran town, Negros Occidental, starting at noon Friday, May 26, due to the expected rain.Mawar may enter the PAR Friday evening or Saturday morning, and may reach a peak intensity of 215 km/h, state weather bureau PAGASA said.On Sunday light to mo...

May252023 by Judy F. PartlowNo Comments

Intensify drive vs. NPA in Negros without letup, AFP chief orders

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AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Andres Centino (3rd from left) awards medals on Thursday to the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion troopers .* Mary Judaline Partlow photoArmed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, Gen. Andres Centino, instructed Army commanders in Negros Island on Thursday, May 25, to intensify operations against the communist New People’s Army (NPA) "without letup."This came as Centino lauded the Philippine Army in Negros Island for the series of encounters this past weekend "that dealt a big blow" to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).Centino, during his visit to the headquarters of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) in Isabela town, Negros Occidental, awarded medals to 62IB troopers who figured in the twin in central Negros...

May252023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Negros hog industry losses P71.3M, cash aid to raisers, caretakers eyed

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The pig death toll in Negros Occidental from various diseases, including hog cholera, hit 5,968, with 459 new fatalities in seven barangays on Thursday, May 25.The total damage to the hog industry reached P71,368,650 affecting 1,220 hog raisers, a Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) report showed.The additional barangays affected Thursday were 1 and 1 A in Manapla, Batuan in Valladolid, Pacol in Bago City, Utod in Pulupandan, MH del Pilar in Pontevedra and San Pedro in Binalbagan.A proposal is being prepared to provide cash assistance to the affected hograisers and caretakers, Ma. Gerla Sario, OIC Provincial Social Welfare Officer, said.The proposal is being discussed with Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, the PVO and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, she sa...