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President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 11935 on Monday, Octoberr 10.*President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 11935 postponing the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) said Wednesday, October 12.RA 11935 postpones the Barangay and SK elections on December 5 this year to the last Monday of October 2023, Ferrer, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms vice chairperson, said.“There shall be synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, which shall be held on the last Monday of October 2023 and every three years thereafter,” the law signed by the president on Monday, October 10, said.The terms of office of the new Barangay and SK officials ...

Bago City's pavilion at the MassKara sa Panaad* Ronnie Baldonado photoThe MassKara sa Panaad is not competing and taking away revenues from other activities of the MassKara Festival in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday, October 11.The week-long MassKara sa Panaad at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan , which kicked off Monday, is being held in support of Bacolod City as it celebrates its annual festival, he said.“It’s not competing, but in fact it is really joining and collaborating with the festivities of Bacolod City,” Diaz said.Activities at the MassKara sites at the Bacolod City Public Plaza and the Bacolod City Government Center grounds are still bustling until the wee hours of the morning, he pointed out.T...

Photo from Bishop Alminaza FBOne hundred days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was sworn into office, Filipino workers and members of civil society are still looking for clear directions and comprehensive and inclusive plans from the present administration on how to immediately address the country’s economic woes, San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza said on Tuesday, October 11.Marcos has not given his formal report of “accomplishments” in his first 100 days in office, Alminaza said in a statement.“But while the plans and priorities of this administration remain unclear and unreliable, what is certain is that the needs of the Filipino people require nothing less than urgent action,” he said.The most recent report from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows a rise in un...

A 31-year-old man was found dead in a gated subdivision in Brgy. Zone 15, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, early Tuesday, October 11.Police identified the fatality as Kevin Edwin Mijares of Town and Country Subdivision.Police said that the victim’s 67-year-old father, Edwin Mijares, went out looking for his son and found him lifeless at the grassy part of the subdivision.The victim had an injury on the forehead and a firearm was found beside him, the police said.According to the father the victim left their house the night before and needed to take his medication, which prompted him to look for his son, the police said.The victim was brought to the Talisay City Health Center, where he was declared dead on arrival.*

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez meeting with school officials.*Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Tuesday, October 11, that he intends to provide internet connections to all public schools in Bacolod soon.“We want our students to be more knowledgeable with easy access to information and to get used to the digital environment,” Benitez said on his Facebook page.“Providing access to the internet for our students is part of our plan to make Bacolod a global city with a strong digital infrastructure,” he added.Benitez said her met with Department of Education officials from the Bacolod Schools Division to discuss their needs and requests on Tuesday.Their requests include the improvement of the Rizal Elementary School Phase 2, acquiring a mobile learning hub, desktop comp...

A body was found floating in the Himogaan River in Sagay City Monday, October 10.*Sagay PNP photoA man was found dead in the Himogaan River in Barangay Fabrica, Sagay City, Negros Occidental, Monday, October 10.The body of the man was found floating in the river, the police said.The family of the victim claimed he was mentally retarded.Police are still waiting for the result of the post mortem examination of the body.*

Negros Occidental still has the highest number of dengue cases in Western Visayas, while Bacolod City has two new deaths.Western Visayas had 169 new dengue cases on October 1 covering morbidity week 39, for a total of 13,224 this year or an increase by 605 percent compared to 2021, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Tuesday, October 11.The region’s dengue deaths this year are 76.Negros Occidental had 64 new cases during morbidity week 39 for a total of 4,738 this year, or an increase by 989 compared to 2021, the DOH said. The province also has 28 dengue deaths this year.Meanwhile, the City Health Office reported two new dengue deaths in Bacolod City during morbidity week 39 for a total of 12 this year.The fatalities were 6-year-old females from barangays 8 and Tacu...

Top ranking NPA leader Romeo Nanta, alias Juanito Magbanua, who was killed in an encounter in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, Monday, October 10.*30rd IB photoA ranking New People’s Army (NPA) leader was killed in the fifth encounter between government and rebel forces in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, 5:25 p.m. Monday, October 10.Killed was Romeo Nanta, alias Juanito Magbanua/Juaning/Jack, who was the commanding officer of the NPA’s Regional Operational Command of the Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros and the spokesperson of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command.Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, in a statement released Tuesday, October 11, said that Nanta was previously arrested in 2011 for murder, frustrated murder, robbery and dam...

Pryde Henry Teves addressing his supporters from the steps of the provincial Capitol in Dumaguete City before stepping down as governor of Negros Oriental on Tuesday afternoon, October 11.*Alex Pal photoPryde Henry Teves voluntarily stepped down as governor of Negros Oriental Tuesday afternoon, October 11, to allow a peaceful transfer of leadership to Roel Degamo, pending a Supreme Court (SC) ruling on his bid for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).Teves left the Capitol shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday after speaking to his supporters, some of whom were teary eyed, from the steps of the provincial Capitol in Dumaguete City.Degamo, the former governor of Negros Oriental, is expected to assume his post as governor at the Capitol on Wednesday, October 12.The Commission on Elect...

Residents of Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan, leave their homes as armed clashes between government and rebel forces continue.*Mary Jane Faduga photoThe number of evacuees in Himamaylan City increased to 16,976 following the latest clash between government and rebel forces in Barangay Carabalan, Provincial Social Welfare Officer Merle Garcia said on Tuesday, October 11.The number increased by 1,952 persons from Monday when the evacuees were at 15,024.Romeo Nanta, alias Ka Juanito Magbanua, commanding officer of the New People’s Army Regional Operational Command – Negros and the spokesperson of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command, was killed in an encounter in Sitio Medel, Brgy Carabalan, at 5:25 p.m. Monday, the Army reported.It was the fifth encounter in Carabalan since Thursd...