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The sugarcane truck that rammed into a house.*Isabela PNP photoThe sugarcane truck that crashed into a house in Barangay Guintubhan, Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Monday, September 12, led to the death of a senior citizen and injury to three others.The fatality was identified as 66-year-old Eduardo Malabon, while wounded were his nephew Ariel, his 15-year-old niece, and the truck helper, Dan Plohinog.Lt. Dante Balenario, Isabela police deputy chief, said the truck driver Erniel Terol, 37, lost control of the vehicle after he tried to avoid the tricycle in front of him, causing him to crash into the house.The victims were sitting outside of the house when the incident happened.The truck driver immediately surrendered to the police.*

Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez explains the land recovery project on his property in Purok Bayanihan, Barangay Banago.* Nico Delfin photoCouncilor Vladimir Gonzalez said on Tuesday, September 13, that Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez was just being fair when he ordered his firm to temporarily cease and desist from proceeding with its land recovery project in Purok Bayanihan, Barangay Banago, pending verification by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).The mayor is like a father of a family who does not take sides when his children are fighting, Gonzalez said.He understands that the mayor needs to be fair to all that is why he wants the DENR to render its opinion on the matter, Gonzalez said.Gonzalez said his firm, Home Invest Ventures Inc., received...

Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer and her husband, Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, were among the guests at the birthday party of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, September 13.*The consolidated substitute bill postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from Dec. 5, 2022, to Dec. 4, 2023 was approved by the House of Representatives on second reading on Tuesday, September 13, Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) said.House Bill 4673 is expected to also be approved on third and final reading.Ferrer, House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms vice chairperson, authored House Bill 00121 seeking the postponement of the BSKE that was consolidated into HB 4673.Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said ...

The 17 tenants of the Manokan Country have until the end of the month to pay their delinquent accounts to the Bacolod City government, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Monday afternoon, September 12.If they fail to pay, their spaces will be auctioned off to the next tenant, he said.The Bacolod City Legal Office (CLO) served final notices or demand letters to the 17 tenants of the Manokan Country to pay their delinquent accounts totaling P8.64 million or face closure on August 26.The City Treasurer’s Office has been able to collect P898,393.36 covering the 17 tenants’ partial payments, City Administrator Pacifico Maghari III said Tuesday.That leaves P7.7 million more in delinquent payments, Maghari added.*

The Philippines' sugar production for Crop Year 2022-2023 is expected to be 1,876,135.36 metric tons.*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board on Tuesday, September 13, ordered the classification of all of the Philippines’ sugar production for Crop Year 2022-2023 as “B” to be sold in the domestic market.The Board is also expected to come out with Sugar Order No. 2 on Wednesday, September 14, granting the importation of 150,000 metric tons of refined sugar.The 75,000 MT will be for industrial users and 75,000 MT for consumers, SRA acting administrator David Alba said.This is to address the tightness of our sugar supply, he said.“Some sugar mills have already started milling and we will soon have a steady supply of sugar,” he said.Sugar Or...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Tuesday, September 13, issued an executive order allowing the optional wearing of face masks in open spaces and crowded outdoor areas with good ventilation.Executive Order No. 33 or "An order providing for the policy and guidelines in wearing of face masks within the territorial jurisdiction of Bacolod City" was issued in response to a similar order issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday.Benitez, in EO 33, stressed that the wearing of face masks shall continue to be worn in hospitals, medical facilities, indoor private or public establishments, including public transportations by land, air, or sea.Individuals who are not fully vaccinated, senior citizens and immuno-compromised are highly encouraged to wear their face masks a...

The Barangay Banago Council recently held a hearing on the Home Invest project where participants aired their grievances.*Nico Delfin photoBacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has ordered the firm of Councilor Vladimir Gonzalez to cease and desist from proceeding with its ongoing embankment and slope protection project in Purok Bayanihan, Barangay Banago, pending verification by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).The mayor’s notice signed on Friday, September 9, was sent to Home Invest Ventures Inc. and released to the media on Monday.Gonzalez said he respects the decision of the mayor and had stopped the project on September 1.Barangay Banago officials are questioning the legality of the project.The councilor earlier said that the project on h...

Part of the 45 modernized jeepneys that began plying Bacolod's streets on Monday*Forty-five additional modernized jeepneys began operating in Bacolod City Monday, September 12.They are plying the Alijis-Central Market and Bata-Libertad routes, Neriza Jamora, corporate secretary of MBMJ and Uy Transport Services Inc.Their corporation is composed of three jeepney operators, she said.She said the 45 units are part of the first phase of the modernized jeepneys granted to them for purchase through the Landbank of the Philippines. They have been granted 80 units for Alijis-Central Market and 98 for the Bata –Libertad routes, Jamora said.Their minimum fare rate is P13.*

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez in an ambush interview on Monday, September 12.*“Don’t they have anything better to do? Let’s get to work, the elections are over.”That was the reaction of Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez to the statement of former Bacolod mayor Evelio Leonardia’s spokesman on the dismissal of the election protest they filed against him.The COMELEC Second Division in an eight-page order dated September 7 dismissed the election protest of Leonardia against Benitez for being “improperly filed” and “insufficient in form and content”."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. R...