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E. B. Magalona officials, led by Mayor Marvin Malacon, on Thursday visited residents of Sitio Tinapok in Barangay Batea where a cholera case was reported.*The cholera cases in Negros Occidental have increased to seven, with another case reported in Silay City, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday, September 29.There are now five Silay City residents who have been hit with cholera, one of whom died. Victorias and EB Magalona have one cholera case each.The latest person confirmed to have been hit with cholera is a 51-year-old male from Barangay Guinhalaran, Silay City, who is in stable condition at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.Lacson said the number of cholera cases in Silay can get alarming. “The numbers are...

The Bakunahang Bayan PinasLakas Special Vaccination Day at the Murcia Public Plaza on Thursday.*Richard Malihan photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is calling on all local government units to intensify their COVID-19 vaccination and booster drives as Negros Occidental is still lagging behind.“Let us find ways and think up innovative plans not just to reach the desired numbers, but to achieve our desired end to win this fight against COVID-19,” said Lacson in his speech at the launching of the Bakunahang Bayan PinasLakas Special Vaccination Day at the Murcia Public Plaza on Thursday, September 29.“This booster vaccination campaign, meant to increase the number of Filipinos who have been given the COVID-19 booster, should be taken as seriously and earnestly as the first vaccination dri...

Lawyer Reynaldo "Lolan" Novero Jr.*The city administrator of Kabankalan in Negros Occidental has resigned.Lawyer Reynaldo "Lolan" Novero Jr. submitted his irrevocable resignation to Kabankalan Mayor Benjie Miranda on Wednesday, September 28.Novero, in his letter to Miranda, said “I am hereby tendering my irrevocable resignation as city administrator effective today”.“I believe this sacrificial act of resigning will operate for the good of the city and for all Kabankalanons which is the only thing foremost in my mind. For this reason, I pray that God will give you the wisdom in our dream to promote and protect the general welfare of our constituents,” he added.Novero could not be reached for further comment.Miranda said Novero’s resignation was sudden, he does not kn...

Damage to rice and high value crops in three cities and two towns in Negros Occidental caused by heavy rains and flooding brought on by Typhoon "Karding" has reached P9,659,150Affected were 934 farmers tilling 735.24 hectares in 46 barangays from September 23 to 26, Provincial Agriculturist Edmundo Raul Causing said in a report to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Thursday, September 29.Bago City was the worst hit with rice crop damage placed at P7 million. Affected were 740 farmers tilling 520 hectares in 13 Bago barangays.Rice crop damage in Himamaylan City was P284,512, Sipalay City - P729,513, Cauayan - P708,815 and Hinoba-an - P849,800.Ten famers planting high value crops in Sipalay City also suffered P46,950 damages, the report said.*

Bacolod City is a finalist for the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2022 Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit Award in the highly urbanized city category.The city has advanced to the final judging scheduled on October 3, Jose Alejandro, PCCI’s chairman for LGU awards, informed Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez.Bacolod has been asked to submit a video presentation that focuses on the significant initiatives introduced by the LGU in fast-tracking sustainable local economic development through ease of doing business initiatives and the most successful and effective initiatives between the LGU and private sector in ensuring inclusive growth.The city was named the “Most Business-Friendly Local Government Unit” for 2021 by the PCCI besting 10 other finalists i...

The cities of Sagay and Bago in Negros Occidental made it to the Green Destination Top 100 Stories List in the world during the Green Destinations and Future of Tourism Summit in Athens, Greece, Tuesday night, September 27.The unveiling ceremony of the Green Destination Top 100 Stories List was attended by 250 delegates from 43 countries.Sagay City was recognized for its story on “Mangrove Forest Protection through Community-based Eco Tourism”, while Bago City was cited for “Reviving the Majestic Diversity of the Bago Watershed”.Green Destinations is a Netherlands-based organization working on the assessment, capacity building, and certification of destinations and businesses committed to sustainable tourism.Every year the Green Destinations Top 100 Stories competition coll...

The drug recovery from the bust at Brgy. 29, Bacolod City, Wednesday, September 28.*BCPO photoTwo persons, including a street-level individual, were arrested in separate drug buy-bust operations in Bacolod City in the last two days.Arrested at Purok Cadena De Amor, Brgy. 29 on Wednesday, September 28, was Marciano “Nonoy” Marchan, 51, of the barangay.He yielded 15 grams of suspected shabu worth P102,00 during the bust.Also recovered from him were the P300 buy-bust money and the P200 cash proceeds.In a related development, alleged street-level suspect Deolito Gonzaga was arrested in a bust operation at Prk. Kabugwason, Brgy. Mansilingan, on Tuesday, September 27.Confiscated from him were six grams of suspected shabu worth P40,800, the P500 marked money, a pouch, and ...

Seventeen former rebels received financial assistance, food packs and hygiene kits at the city hall of Himamaylan, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, September 27.Ten others also received educational assistance from the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and Himamaylan City government.Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, lauded the former rebels for making the right decision to return to the folds of the law.He said they were just victims of the propaganda lies and deceptive recruitment of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army- National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).The financial and educational assistance extended by the local government unit is solid proof that the Himamaylan is sincere in its com...

Hospital Administrator Ann Flores, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Dr. Ramon B. Gustilo and Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante III (l-r) cut the ribbon at the inauguration of the Dr. Ramon B. Gustilo Hospital Medical Specialty Services building in Manapla, on Wednesday*Richard Malihan photoThe Dr. Ramon B. Gustilo Hospital Medical Specialty Services building in Manapla, Negros Occidental, was inaugurated on Wednesday, September 28.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Manapla Mayor Manuel Escalante III, who joined the inauguration, thanked Gustilo for his dedication towards helping indigent patients and for giving back to his hometown.Gustilo, president and medical director of the hospital, is a world renowned orthopedic surgeon, scientist and inventor who made a name for himsel...