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The opening of classes in schools under the Department of Education - Division of Negros Occidental went smoothly on Monday, August 22, its spokesperson Ian Arnold Arnaez said.However, in areas where there were heavy rains the COVID-19 protocol requiring learners to line up in an orderly manner on entering the school could not be followed, he said.The children were allowed to enter by batch and their mothers who had umbrellas were allowed into the schools to bring them to their classrooms, Arnaez said.The mothers were then asked to leave the school premises, he added.There are 8,000 classrooms under the Division of Negros Occidental that need repairs, he also said.Aside from those damaged by Typhon “Odette”, there are those that need repair because of old age, he said. ...

All Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils in Western Visayas were placed on standby protocol Monday, August 22, as the region was identified as a very low risk area for the effects of Tropical Storm “Florita”, Regional Director Jose Roberto Nuñez of the Office of Civil Defense said.This response protocol was activated to ensure that preparedness measures are in place despite the classification of the region as a low risk area, he said.“Florita” continues to maintain its strength while moving slowly westward over the Philippine sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)  reported at 8 p.m. Monday.The center of “Florita” was estimated  at 145 km East of Casiguran, Aurora (16.2°N, 123.5°E), with maximum sustained ...

The Department of Health reported on Monday, August 22, that a fourth monkeypox case has been detected in the country, but the DOH 6 could not confirm a report circulating that the person infected was from Iloilo.The DOH central office said the fourth person hit with monkeypox in the country is a 25-year-old Filipino with no documented travel history to or from countries with confirmed cases of the disease.The case had a positive result for monkeypox via real time polymerase chain reaction test on August 19 conducted by the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, it said.“The case is being cared for and is admitted in an isolation facility. Intensive case investigation and contact tracing is ongoing,” the DOH said.About 14 close contacts of the fourth case have been ident...

The newly elected Philippine Councilors League - Negros Occidental chapter officers.* photo courtesy of Ryan GamboaLa Carlota Councilor Julius Asistio was elected president of the Philippine Councilors League - Negros Occidental chapter at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City, Monday afternoon, August 22.Asistio won with 270 votes over his opponent Binalbagan Councilor Jerry Yulo who garnered 28 votes.Virgie Pastor of  Escalante City won as secretary general over Jodybonne Octaviano of Hinoba-an by a vote of  195-92.La Carlota Councilor Julius Asistio (center) with his parents Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer and Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District)*Those who won unopposed were  vice president Ryan Gamboa of Silay City, treasurer Richard Jaojoco - Toboso, auditor Ja...

Sugar Regulatory Administration board members Pablo Luis Azcona and Ma. Mitzi Mangwag, and David Alba, acting SRA administrator, (l-r) at Malacañang Monday afternoon, August 22.*President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the newly appointed members of the Sugar Regulatory Administration Board on Monday, August 22, to immediately come out with Sugar Order No. 1 setting the allocations for all sugar produced in the country for crop year 2022-23.The newly appointed members of the Board proposed the classification of all of the sugar produced in the country for the new crop year as “B” for the domestic market, David Alba, Sugar Regulatory Administration acting administrator, said.There will be no allocation of sugar for the US Sugar Quota.The president ordered us to prepare Sugar O...

The huge crowd at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central for the DSWD payout on Saturday.* Screen grab from Xian Lim videoA huge crowd flocked to the Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City to avail of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) cash assistance to indigent students on Saturday,, August 20.Secretary Erwin Tulfo has apologized for the chaos that marred the first day of the agency’s distribution of cash aid for indigent students in various parts of the country, including Bacolod City.Those seeking cash assistance, who formed a long line outside the Ayala Malls Capitol Central and rushed into the building when it opened, were from Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.There were 587 clients in the province who received P2,203,000 on Saturday, May Rago-Cas...

David Alba, Pablo Luis Azcona and Ma. Mitzi Mangwag (l-r)*The newly appointed acting administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration and the two SRA board members are all from Negros.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed David John Thaddeus Alba as SRA acting administrator, and Pablo Luis Azcona and Ma. Mitzi Mangwag as board members, Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez confirmed on Saturday, August 20.Alba is the general manager of the Asociacion de Agricultores de La Carlota y Pontevedra Inc. and the La Carlota Mill District Multi-Purpose Cooperative. Azcona, who will represent the planters on the board, is a United Sugar Producers Federation director.Alba and Azcona are from Negros Occidental.Mangwag, who is from Negros Oriental, will represent the ...

Two suspects were caught in a drug bust operation at Moises Padilla Friday, August 19.*Moises Padilla PNP photosTwo top drug suspects of Moises Padilla town, Negros Occidental, were arrested in a buy-bust operation Friday night, August 19, at Brgy. 7 Poblacion.Arrested were 30-year-old Jayvee Dingcoy, who was said to be in the town’s Top 1 Target Priority List, and 33-year-old Jioseen Vinson, a high-value individual, and in the Top 2 Target Priority List.During the bust, the suspects yielded 15 sachets containing suspected shabu that weighed 60 grams worth P408,000, the P1,000 buy-bust money, and two short firearms.The suspects are now in the custody of the police and are facing drug charges.*