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The city government of Himamaylan says it has been a challenge to bring assistance to the affected communities as their movement is limited for safety reasons.*CSWDO Himamaylan photoHimamaylan City Mayor Raymund Tongson said it has been a challenge to bring help to the community caught in the crossfire between the state troopers and rebels.The clashes between the soldiers and members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, that started Thursday, October 6, have displaced thousands of residents, who have fled their homes. On the third day, October 9, two soldiers were killed, while six others were wounded.Tongson, in a phone interview Saturday night, October 8, said that they could not cover everyone on the ground as they are following the protocol...

Lightning strikes an acacia tree at the Manuel Y. Torres Sports Center in Brgy. Balingasag, Bago City, Sunday, October 9, injuring a football referee.*Aquilah Baja photoA football referee was injured after lightning struck an acacia tree at the Manuel Y. Torres Sports Center in Brgy. Balingasag, Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, October 9.Injured was Charlie Panes, 24, of Brgy. Lag-asan, Bago.Police said that after the lightning hit the acacia tree at the east portion of the new grandstand, it bounced to the football ground, where the victim was.Panes experienced cramps and difficulty of breathing and was brought to the Bago City Hospital for immediate treatment. He was in stable condition Sunday night.After the incident, the game was temporarily stopped by the o...

A motorcycle mechanic was arrested in a drug bust at Brgy Talubangi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Friday, October 7.Nabbed was Romy Ame, 36.He was caught in the act selling a sachet of suspected shabu to a police poseur buyer.Recovered from his possession were 20 grams of suspected shabu worth P136,000, the P1,000 buy-bust money, a sling bag, and a coin purse.The suspect is now in the custody of the Kabankalan police and facing drug charges.*

Bamboo Tonogbanua beside the six refurbished original houses of his village.*Bacolod’s iconic miniature Christmas Village that is marking its silver anniversary this year has opened two months ahead of schedule in time for the MassKara Festival this October.The silver anniversary of the village, located at the ancestral home of artist Bamboo Tonogbanua at San Juan Street in Bacolod City, was celebrated on Saturday, October 8.And to mark its turning silver, it has undergone some major upgrades this year.The village first opened in 1996 but because of the COVID-19 pandemic it was closed for two Christmases that is why its silver anniversary is only being marked this year, Tonogbanua, who also celebrated his birthday on Saturday, said.Since the village started it has grown...

The masks crafted by Bacolod’s renowned mask maker Jojo Vito, at the McDonald’s store at The Upper East are easily visible from afar and light up at night to give a more festive and colorful feel.*CPG photoExcitement reaches a new high for this year’s Masskara Festival in Bacolod City as the Philippines’ “most beautiful McDonald’s store” finally opens its doors inside property giant Megaworld’s 34-hectare township, The Upper East.Inspired by the revelry and excitement of the world-famous Masskara Festival, the new McDonald’s NXTGen store showcases giant masks as part of its exterior design. The ‘masskaras,’ which have been crafted by Bacolod’s renowned mask maker Jojo Vito, are easily visible from afar and light up at night to give a more festive and colorful feel.“There are ma...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez delivering his first 100 days accomplishment report*Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said new roads are set to be opened in Bacolod City to decongest traffic, five mini-hospitals will be established, 10,000 housing units will be built, and the city’s markets will be transformed from not just centers of commerce but also to food tourism hubs.He also outlined measures already taken to ensure transparency in government, steps to digitalize government transactions with the Office of the Building Official being the first to go online, and the target to recycle 80 percent of the city’s garbage.Benitez, who delivered his first 100 days accomplishment report at the Bacolod City Government Center on Saturday, said “the past three months have ...

Show cause orders have been issued to two Bacolod City government employees for availing of fuel for an unserviceable heavy equipment vehicle, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Saturday, October 8.The Good Governance Committee discovered that “there were fuel trip tickets with corresponding fuel vale slips being charged to an unserviceable heavy equipment vehicle of the city”, Benitez said in his first 100 days accomplishment report.The heavy equipment belonged to the city’s Department of Public Services, Benitez said.Benitez said the consumption of procured fuel by the city government during the previous administration for three months was a much as 17,300 liters, while the current administration only procured 9,000 liters that was not even fully consumed for the three month...

There will be a big time fuel price increase on Tuesday, October 11, Unioil Petroleum Philippines said Saturday.Diesel will increase by P5.90 to P6 per liter, and gasoline will increase by P1.10 to P1.30 per liter, it said.The increase comes after five straight weeks of rollbacks.As of October 4 there have been per-liter increases of P14.45 for gasoline, P28.95 for diesel, and P23.25 for kerosene since the start of 2022, the Department of Energy's oil monitor showed.*

Thirteen dogs have tested positive for rabies in Negros Occidental and Bacolod this year, a Provincial Veterinary Office report released Friday, October 7.OIC Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana said 12 of the cases were from various towns in Negros Occidental and one is from Bacolod City.Seventeen rabies cases were reported in the same period in 2021.A laboratory test is a big help, because it can immediately determine if a dog is positive for rabies, and those bitten can immediately be treated, she said.A Provincial Health Office report earlier showed that nine people died due to suspected rabies and one was confirmed to have died due to rabies this year.The PVO's campaign for responsible pet ownership is ongoing.So far only 42 percent of the target dogs in the...

The drug recovery in the San Carlos City bust.*San Carlos PNP photoAn alleged former member of the Virtucio drug group is now detained after he was caught in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. 3, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, October 5.Nabbed was high-value target Jordan Alquizalas, 31, a former member of the Virtucio drug group, and his alleged runner, 54-year-old Cesar Pasilan, who was said to be a street-level individual.Recovered from them were 50 grams of suspected shabu worth P340,000, the P4,000 buy-bust money, and drugs paraphernalia.The suspects are now in police custody and are facing drug charges.*