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The Makabayan bloc filed a resolution urging the House of Representatives to investigate the joint venture agreement (JVA) between the Bacolod City Water District and PrimeWater Infrastructure Corp. and its impact on the provision of water services and security of tenure of employees of BACIWA on Wednesday, April 12.House Resolution 909 urging the Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization to conduct the inquiry in aid of legislation was filed by representatives France Castro (ACT Teachers Party-List), Arlene Brosas (Gabriela Women’s Party) and Raoul Danniel Manuel (Kabataan Party-List).The resolution said on June 17, 2020, a 25-year JVA was entered into by BACIWA and PrimeWater for the "financing, development, improvement, rehabilitation, expansion, operation and mainte...

The signing of the renewal of the marketing agreement between the Department of Agrarian Reform and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology led by (seated, from right) Assistant Regional Director Lucrecia Taberna of DAR-Western Visayas, Teresita Mabunay, officer-in-charge of DAR Negros Occidental I, Senior Supt. Marie Rose Laguyo, jail administrator of BJMP-Negros Occidental, and Chief Insp. Jumcarvi Rosales, warden of the Victorias City District Jail.*At least 11 agrarian reform beneficiary organizations (ARBOs) have been tapped anew to supply vegetables and other farm produce for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in 11 district jails located in northern Negros Occidental.The renewal of the marketing agreement between the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental I...

The truck that fell about 50 to 60 meters down a ravine.*DSB PNP photoThe brakes of an Isuzu 6-wheeler truck failed causing it to fall about 50 to 60 meters down a ravine in Barangay Pandanon, Don Salvador Benedicto town, Negros Occidental, at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13.Fortunately before the truck fell it hit a barrier on the side of the road giving its driver and his helper time to jump off, PMaj. Rey Tolosa Jr., Don Salvador Benedicto OIC police chief, said. The driver Renate Meralles, 40, and his helper Joelito Tumbado, 29, of Batangas sustained minor injuries and were brought to a hospital for treatment, he said.The truck loaded with steel products was travelling from Bacolod City to San Carlos City. The truck was travelling up a snake road between Kilometer 35 a...

Dr. Placeda Lemana, Negros Occidental OIC provincial veterinarian, said pregnant pigs should be given baths three times a day*The intense heat has been causing farm animals to die from heat strokes, or to suffer miscarriages and stillbirths, Dr. Placeda Lemana, Negros Occidental OIC provincial veterinarian, said Wednesday, April 12.Carabaos, pigs, cows and chickens in the province have been affected by the intense heat, she said.Lemana stressed the need to keep animals in cool well ventilated places, to give them adequate water, vitamins and food, and more baths to prevent heat strokes and other ailments.She said pregnant pigs should be given baths three times a day.It is advised that pets such as dogs should be given baths only once or twice a week to keep their coats ...

Show cause orders are set to be issued to several provincial government personnel at the Rice Processing Center (RPC) warehouse at Tabunan, Bago City, for the disappearance of 789 bags of fertilizer at the facility, Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said Wednesday, April 12.The 789 bags of fertilizer from the Department of Agriculture were worth P2.367 million, he said.An Office of the Provincial Agriculturist investigation report on the missing fertilizer at the provincial government-owned RPC since October had been submitted to the PLO.The PLO has recommended the issuance of show cause orders against several RPC warehouse personnel.Nellas, however, withheld their names pending service of the show cause orders.The investigation report sai...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has ordered the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Command and Operation Center to go on blue alert during the 27th Panaad sa Negros Festival at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, on April 17 to 23.Blue alert means continuous monitoring and preparedness measures are heightened.People from different parts of the province and tourists are expected to join the annual celebration and enjoy different scheduled activities and experience the rich Negrense cultural heritage, he said.An Incident Management Team (IMT) will be deployed at the festival site and all town and city Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices are encouraged to position responders in their respective areas on those date...

Bacolod Councilor Celia Flor *The Bacolod City Sangguniang Panlungsod passed an ordinance for the provision of maintenance medicine for hypertension and diabetes to indigent senior citizens on third and final reading on Wednesday, April 12.This initiative aims to improve the health and well-being of the elderly in the community by providing them with access to necessary medication, Councilor Celia Flor said.The ordinance was proposed by Flor, SP Committee on Senior Citizens and Veteran Affairs chairperson, with councilors Simplicia Distrito and Claudio Jesus Puentevella as co-proponents.An initial budget of P4,000,000 will be allocated for the purchase of various maintenance medicines for hypertension and diabetes for eligible beneficiaries, Flor said.Indigent senior ci...

Bacolod City Water District terminated employees held a picket in front of the Civil Service Commission (CSC) national office on Wednesday, April 12, to demand action on their pending case for “illegal termination” after BACIWA signed a joint venture agreement with Prime Water Infrastructure Corp. in 2020.The CSC regional office decision ruled that the employees were illegally terminated and should be reinstated but BACIWA appealed the decision, a press release from Leny Rojo Espina, Bacolod City Water District Employees Union (BEU) president said."Delaying the decision is a grave social injustice to the employees. The delay in rendering decisions smells rotten how the rich and powerful like Manuel Villar hold the necks of government officials to protect their interest", she said. ...

Police have identified three members of the New People’s Army as persons of interest in the killing of a civilian in a remote area of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, Tuesday, April 11.Lt. Col. Romeo Cubo, Guihulngan police chief, said the victim, Armando Duran Babor, was a former NPA supporter but had already turned away from the insurgency movement.Three armed men shot and killed the 33-year-old Babor while having breakfast with his wife inside their house at Sitio Mag-ubay in Barangay Maniak, Guihulngan City.The armed men fled towards the mountainous part of Barangay Calupaan in Guihulngan.Police recovered three empty shells of caliber 5.56 mm.Cubo said they are gathering more information before the filing of charges against the suspects and declined to elaborate fu...