Top Stories

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and former mayor Evelio Leonardia, right.*The camp of former Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Sunday, September 11, declined to comment on a Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Second Division decision dismissing his election protest against incumbent Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez saying their legal team has yet to receive a copy."Our lawyers have yet to receive a copy of the alleged decision of the Second Division of the COMELEC. As such, we cannot comment yet on the reported decision being unaware of the reasons allegedly made by the Second Division. Rest assured that our protest complied with all requirements of the COMELEC and the law,” Dr. Chris Sorongon, spokesperson of Leonardia, said.Sorongon said their camp will exhaust all a...

The Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6), in its intensified campaign against wanted persons, arrested 779 fugitives in a month-long operation.Of the number, 123 were tagged as most wanted persons (MWP) and 656 were other wanted persons (OWP).Negros Occidental topped the arrest of MWP in August with 48, followed by Iloilo province with 23, Aklan – 14, Capiz – 10, Bacolod City – 9, Antique – 8, Iloilo – 6, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group - Regional Field Unit 6 (CIDG-RFU6) – 4 and Guimaras with 1.Negros Occidental also topped the arrested OWP with 348, Iloilo province – 107, Bacolod City – 52, Antique – 37, CIDG-RFU6 – 32, Capiz – 27, Iloilo City – 26, Aklan – 20, and Guimaras – 7.“This notable accomplishment is an indication of the commitment and dedication of all ou...

The Bacolod resident died after he allegedly jumped off the ship Saturday, September 10.*PCG Negros Occidental photoA passenger on a Bacolod City-bound roll-on, roll-of (RORO) vessel died after he allegedly jumped off the ship on Saturday, September 10.The 43-year-old Barangay Handumanan resident, whose name was withheld by authorities, reportedly suffered from a nervous breakdown. He allegedly climbed the ship’s bridge deck and jumped off the starboard.He was later found unconscious in the water and was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.The vessel was 3.1 nautical miles away from the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corp. (BREDCO) port when the incident happened.No official statement was issued by the Philippine Coast Guard-Negros Occidental regarding the incident....

The amount needed for the Negros Occidental Abanse Negrense flagship programs from 2023 to 2025 is P3.4 billion, a report presented to the Provincial Development Council on Friday, September 9, showed.Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz presented the development direction of the province anchored on the Abanse Negrense Priority Development Agenda at the third quarter PDC meeting presided by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol in Bacolod City.The amount eyed for 2023 is P1.2 billion, 2024 – 1 billion and 2025 – 1 billion, Diaz said on Sunday, September 11.The funds are needed for agricultural competitiveness improvement and food security; building roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure; advancement of economic, trade investment and employment opportunities;Nur...

A septuagenarian woman was found dead at Pantalan Daan, Barangay Tuguis, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, September 10.The fatality was identified as 75-year-old Virginia Barroca.The elderly woman was found lying lifelessly under an improvised shed with no injuries found on her body.She was then brought to Hinigaran Medical Clinic where she was declared dead on arrival by an attending physician.According to neighbors, the woman was living alone in a temporary shelter, the police said.*

The Department of Social Welfare and Development distributed P24,765,000 in educational assistance payouts to 8,851 more indigent students in Western Visayas on Saturday, September 10.Of the beneficiaries 2,034 are elementary pupils, 1,693 high school students, 1,151 - senior high school and 3,973 – college, the DSWD reported on Sunday.There were 4,921 beneficiaries in Negros Occidental who received P12,956,000. The 1,322 beneficiaries are elementary pupils, 1,054 – high school students, 654 – senior high school and 1,891 – college.The other beneficiaries of the payout in Western Visayas were in Aklan - 286 who received P754,000, Antique -572 – P1.7 million, Capiz - 424 – P1.1 million, Guimaras - 97 – P265,000 and Iloilo – 2,551 – P7.8 million.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has issued an executive order making the wearing of face masks in outdoor and open spaces in Negros Occidental optional for all persons effective immediately.However, Lacson in Executive Order No. 22-45, Series of 2022 signed September 9 but released Sunday, September 11, said the wearing of face masks in indoor spaces will remain mandatory.Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has yet to issue an executive order on the use of face masks in Bacolod, which is a highly urbanized city that does not fall under the jurisdiction of Negros Occidental.Benitez said on Sunday that he is okay with making the wearing of face masks in outdoor places optional but would formalize it as soon as the national government does so.Lacson, in his executive order, stressed that ...

Bacolod Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier has approved the application for Level 1 certification of 46 Law Student Practitioners of the University of St. La Salle-College of Law (USLS COL) in Bacolod City.He administered the oath to the law student practitioners at the lobby of the Bacolod City Hall of Justice on Friday, September 9.USLS College of Law dean Rosanne Juliana Gonzaga said the college recognizes its duty to develop practice-ready lawyers and enhance its course offering by incorporating into its curriculum the Clinical Legal Education Program (CLEP) pursuant to Rule 138-A of the Revised Rules of Court.Javier urged the Law Student Practitioners to become a learning machine even after law school since lawyers always need to keep learning.H...

A new concrete pole was also installed to replace the leaning electric pole found between Landbank of the Philippines building and 888 Chinatown Square at Gatuslao Street. *About 490 kilos of spaghetti wires were removed from electrical poles along Burgos and Lacson streets in Bacolod City on Saturday, September 10.The removal was a unified effort of the Bacolod City Task Force Spaghetti Wires composed of the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office, telecommunication companies, Central Negros Electric Cooperative and Department of Public Services.A new concrete pole was also installed to replace the leaning electric pole found between Landbank of the Philippines building and 888 Chinatown Square at Gatuslao Street.The Task Force continues to clear excess, old and nonfunctional tel...