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Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez tells the city government employees: "Let us all go the extra mile".*Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez rallied the Bacolod government employees to serve the people to the best of their abilities, and met with department heads to discuss how city services can be further improved on Monday, July 4.“Let us all strive to make Bacolod City great again… let us make sure each and every one of us make ourselves relevant in public service…Let us all go the extra mile,” said  Benitez at his first flag  raising ceremony as mayor  at the Bacolod City Government Center.Benitez, who was joined by Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and other city officials, said he will work on strengthening institutions, not personalities.“I will be lead...

Rep. Alfredo Marañon III and Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., UNegA chairman and secretary general.*Barbara Mijares photoLa Carlota City Councilor Julius Martin Asistio, the son of Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer, is interested to run for president of the Philippine Councilors League- Negros Occidental chapter.This was relayed by Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District), United Negros Alliance chairman, Cadiz Mayor  Salvador Escalante  Jr., UNegA secretary general, said  Monday, July 4.Asistio is the stepson of Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, UNegA president.Escalante said he talked to the Cadiz councilors and they had a  positive response to Asistio’s plans.Asked if it will mean a battle   between Asistio and Silay Councilor Ryan Gambo...

Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) said he filed House Bill 330 seeking the restoration of the NIR on Friday, July 1.*Two Negros Occidental representatives have filed bills seeking the restoration of the Negros Island Region, while a third version is set to be filed in the House of Representatives this week.Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said he is also filing his counterpart measure in the Senate on Tuesday, July 5.Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) said on Monday, July 4, that he filed House Bill 330 seeking the restoration of the NIR, which will include Negros Occidental and Oriental, on Friday, July 1.Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said he has not filed his version of NIR bill that will include the two Negros provinces and S...

The robber entered the house through the window.*A man was stabbed to death by a house owner following an alleged robbery attempt at Hacienda Lucricia in Brgy. Cabatangan, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, early Monday morning, July 4.Killed was 51-year-old Recardo “Hardy” Nasis, who turned out to be the second cousin of the owner of the house, 52-year-old Leo Diaz, whom he tried to rob.Diaz, who was sleeping in his room, was awakened by the noise and saw a man enter his home after destroying the bamboo grills of his window, the police said.The robber was armed with a bladed weapon. Diaz was able to grab the bladed weapon from Nasis and stabbed him several times, the police said.The suspect was arrested, while the victim who was immediately brought to the Talisa...

The Cadiz City officials led by Mayor Salvador Escalante with Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (6th and 5th from left) after their oathtaking rites on Monday, July 4.*Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. pledged to attract more businesses to invest in Cadiz City and    opportunities for employment for Cadiznons in his message following the ceremonial oath taking of the city’s officials at the Cadiz City Arena on Monday, July 4.Escalante also vowed to champion the protection of the environment, promote food security and sufficiency, open more avenues for public and private sector collaboration, and ensure efficiency in government service.The Cadiz officials took their oaths of office before Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District) as the city marked its 55th Charter Day...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez is set to issue an executive order creating a COVID-19 action team, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. confirmed Monday, July 4. Benitez has instructed Secretary to the Mayor Karol Joseph Chiu to prepare the EO, he said.The mayor met with City Health Office (CHO) officials led by Dr. Carmela Gensoli to discuss the slight increase in COVID-19 cases in the city on Monday.The Department of Health reported that Bacolod City had four COVID-19 cases on July 1, eight on July 2, eight on July 3, and six on July 4.The COVID-19 cases have slightly increased in Bacolod but are manageable, Gensoli said.They are waiting for the mayor’s EO creating a COVID-19 action team, which is expected to be composed of the CHO, Disaster Risk Redu...

PDEA 6 Regional Director Alex Tablate (left) and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez discuss the drug situation in Bacolod on Monday, July 4.*The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) hopes that under the Benitez administration more barangays in Bacolod City can be cleared of drugs, which will subsequently also reduce crimes in the city, PDEA 6 Regional Director Alex Tablate said Monday, July 4.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez discussed the shooting incidents in the city with him during their meeting at the Bacolod City Government Center Monday morning, Tablate said.The mayor noted that around 60 percent of the crimes in Bacolod are drug-related, Tablate added.There are currently only 13 out of 61 Bacolod City barangays that are drugs cleared.Tablate said f...

A crowd gathers at the scene of the accident in Sitio Mambucano, Brgy. Cabatangan, Talisay City, on Sunday, July 3.* Campuestohan Highland Resort Emergency Response Team photoA 9-year-old girl was killed, while 11 others were injured in separate vehicular accidents in Negros Occidental during  the weekend.The girl, whose name was withheld by the police, suddenly crossed the street and was hit by an incoming sedan carrying a family on their way to a church on Saturday, July 2, the police said.The impact of the incident threw the victim to the opposite lane, where she was run over by a motorized pedicab loaded with 15 sacks of feeds.The girl was rushed to the Bago City Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.Both drivers were detained at the police station bu...