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May22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Guv welcomes Marcos’ order for NGCP to act on WV power

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s intervention into the power supply problem in Negros, Panay and Guimaras islands that caused fluctuations and outages last week.“The president has called the attention of everybody concerned so we should be expecting better stability in our power supply,” Lacson said on Tuesday, May 2.The National Grid Corp. (NGCP) of the Philippines on Sunday announced the full restoration of power a day after the President intervened.“It is good that the president did say that the national government is willing to enter into the picture” if NGCP could not solve the problem, Lacson said.“As the president said it is so ironic that we (Negros) have surplus power but this thing is happening,” he said.Mar...

May22023 by Perla LenaNo Comments

W. Visayas sugar heritage trail pushed for World Heritage List

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The Binalbagan Isabela Sugar Company in Negros Occidental.*Ronnie Baldonado photoA sugar heritage trail in Western Visayas (Region 6) is being proposed to be included in the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).Iloilo City Planning and Development Officer Jose Roni Peñalosa, said what started as a proposal of the Department of Tourism (DOT) for the trail as part of the destinations in the region has led to the idea of pushing for its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage Site given the role of the region in the world’s sugar industry.“It all started with a study that was commissioned by the DOT 6 to explore the possibility of establishing a Western Visayas Sugar Heritage Trail. The intended outcome is to better un...

May22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

‘Bringing down inflation, not wage hikes needed’

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Increasing food production to bring down inflation, not wage increases is what is needed now, a Negros business leader said Tuesday, May 2.Frank Carbon, Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive officer, saidincreasing wages now will worsen inflation as it will lead to businesses raising the prices of their goods.The wage increase will benefit workers in the formal sector, but those in the informal sector who form almost half of the labor force will not benefit from it and will suffer more from the increase in the prices of goods.Increasing wages will also send a negative signal to both domestic and foreign investors, Carbon added.Existing businesses will also not expand because higher wages will be beyond their reach, he added.The Philippines h...

May22023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Former EB Magalona mayor, board member passes away

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Reynaldo P. Depasucat*Former EB Magalona mayor and Negros Occidental board member Reynaldo P. Depasucat passed away on Monday, May 1.Mayor Marvin Malacon has ordered the flying of the Philippine flag at half-staff in EB Magalona from May 2 to 4, in honor of Depasucat.The people of E. B. Magalona deeply mourn Depasucat’s passing, Malacon said.“It is very sad to hear of Board Member Rey's passing away and even sadder to learn that it happened on the day we were celebrating the highlight of our 34th Ugyonan Festival,” he said.“We shall remember him more fondly on our fiesta day because he was the one who conceptualized and started our Ugyonan Festival,” Malacon added.Depasucat had passionately dedicated his time and talent to a life of public service, he said.He se...

May22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

P136K in shabu seized

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Two persons were arrested and suspected shabu worth P136,000 was seized in Villa Angela Subdivision, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City, 7:50 p.m. Monday, May 1.Nabbed were Sheeja Liberato dela Fuente, 31, and Nora Navarra Alvaran, 52, both of Brgy. Banago, Bacolod, the police reported Tuesday.Seized from them were 20 grams of suspected shabu and the buy bust money.Tactical interrogation was still ongoing to locate the source of the illegal drugs, links and accomplices, the police said.*

May12023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Identify flood-hit areas, Albee directs task force

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Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, May 1, that he has directed Task Force Baha to identify all the areas hit by flooding in Bacolod City on Sunday.Benitez said he has asked the task force to identify the areas and submit recommendations on how to address the flooding problem.He directed the task force to also coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways.A flood control system for the reclamation area where SM City is located will also be undertaken, he said.Heavy rain brought on by a sudden thunderstorm during high tide triggered flooding in some parts of Bacolod City on Sunday afternoon, Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officer, said.Pornan also cited the slow exit of the water at the Mambuloc Creek for th...

May12023 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

DPHW: New bridges connect remote EB Magalona villages

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The two new bridges in EB Magalona*DPWH 6 photosTwo bridges worth P74.7 million completed in recent months have made travel easier and safer for residents of remote villages in E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental, the Department of Public Works and Highways in Western Visayas (DPWH-6) said Monday, May 1.Connecting communities across the Malogo River, these projects which were completed in January and April this year, include the P24.7 million construction of Sitio Calaptan Bridge and the P50 million reconstruction of the Nanca-Cudangdang Bridge.DPWH-6 Regional Director Nerie Bueno said the two-lane Sitio Calaptan Bridge now allows residents of barangays Canlusong and San Isidro to safely cross the river after previously using only an old overflow bridge.Barangay Canlusong, loc...

May12023 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

Bacolod City sets up hospital help desks for indigent patients

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Assigned personnel distributed the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP) family health membership cards to qualified beneficiaries last week.*Bacolod PIO photoThe Bacolod City government deployed liaisons on Monday, May 1, to man the help desks for indigent patients seeking hospital admissions under the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program (BacCHP).Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the personnel will be assigned to hospitals with existing agreements with the city government in the implementation of the city’s flagship health program.“By May 1, they should be in the hospitals. To make it simple, the BacCHP office will set up help desks in the hospitals. Patients need not do anything but go to the hospital and ask assistance from the help desks,” he added....

May12023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

NGCP fully restores WV power as Marcos steps in, probes sought

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the irony of the power interruptions is Negros actually has a surplus of power supply.*The National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) on Monday, May 1, assured that full power has been restored to Negros and Panay, a day after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that the national government would step in to augment efforts in addressing power outages caused by a problem in the distribution system.Sen. Raffy Tulfo and Iloilo City Rep. Julienne Baronda are also seeking inquiries into the power outages.An NGCP advisory issued Monday morning said as of 8:30 p.m. Sunday all loads in Negros affected by the system disturbance that caused rotational power interruptions and voltage fluctuations have been restored.“With the synchronization ...

May12023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

ULAN calls for P750 wage hike, other groups seek P150 to P350

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Militant labor groups call for a P750 wage increase across-the-board nationwide during their Labor Day protest in Bacolod City on Monday, May 1.*Bayan Muna photoAbout 250 members of militant labor groups under the banner of the United Labor Alliance – Negros gathered in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the plaza in Bacolod City for a Labor Day rally to call for a P750 wage increase across-the-board nationwide and the lowering of prices of goods.“While workers are clamoring for their immediate demands for a wage hike and other benefits, (President Ferdinand) Marcos is in the US on one of his trips, surely to forward his neoliberal agenda and to further sell off our sovereignty to imperialists,” Noli Rosales, Kilusang Mayo Uno-Negros secretary general, said....