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Sep252026 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Measures to address sugar crisis mapped out: CONFED

CONFED Executive Director Alan Gensoli, CONFED VP Alfonso Gamboa, CONFED President Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama, Jr., Agriculture Sec. Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr., Presidential Assistant for Visayas, Sec. Philip Lo, SRA Administrator Pablo Azcona, CONFED Consultant Rafael Coscolluela, NACUSIP President Roland de la Cruz, FTI President Joseph Lo (l-r) after their meeting.*Congress leaders led by Deputy Speaker Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez convened sugar industry representatives to discuss a draft Presidential Executive Order Constituting the Sugar Industry Pest and Disaster Management Task Force, “to provide leadership and direction in the fight against RSSI and other natural calamities besetting the sugar industry”. Aurelio “Bodie” Valderrama Jr., President of the Confedera...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

MassKara 2026 sets activities for artists, women, children, PWDs and pet lovers

Community, Top Stories

MassKara Festival 2026 will feature a series of activities for artists, women, children, persons with disabilities and pet lovers as organizers expand community participation in this year’s celebration.In a press release, the Bacolod Gugma Foundation Inc. said on Sept. 24 that the sectoral activities will bring together residents from different barangays and communities under the festival’s theme, “Share the Smile. Celebrate Gugma.”The Erceflora On-the-Spot Mask Painting Competition will be held at Robinsons Bacolod on Oct. 3, with around 75 participants from barangays and private institutions expected to join.Participants will create masks inspired by Bacolod’s iconic landmarks, culture and festival traditions, with P17,500 awaiting the grand winner.Persons with disabiliti...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Car catches fire along Sipalay road, no injuries reported

Police, Top Stories

A car caught fire along Alvares Street in Brgy. Mambaroto, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, Sept. 22, prompting Coast Guard personnel and firefighters to respond.The Coast Guard Station Southern Negros Occidental said its personnel were returning from a security assistance operation in Brgy. Maricalum when they noticed traffic congestion in the area.Upon checking, the team found a white Kia Picanto with flames coming from its lower engine compartment.Coast Guard personnel led by Lt. Junior Grade James Carbajosa used a handheld fire extinguisher to suppress the flames.They continued their firefighting efforts with the assistance of a concerned resident until personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection arrived.Police also responded to secure the area.The fi...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

NegOr solon offers P100,000 reward for information on barangay captain’s killing

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

Negros Oriental 1st District Rep. Emmanuel “MM” Limkaichong Iway has offered a P100,000 reward to anyone who can provide accurate information that will help authorities identify and arrest those responsible for the killing of a barangay captain in La Libertad, Negros Oriental.In a Facebook post on Thursday, Sept. 24, Iway called for justice for Dennis Jimpayan, the barangay captain of Brgy. Kansumandig, who was shot dead on Wednesday morning, Sept. 23.Iway described Jimpayan as a close friend who had served his community for more than 20 years.The congressman said he had witnessed Jimpayan's dedication to public service and his willingness to assist residents regardless of the time of day.Iway said he would personally provide the P100,000 reward to anyone who could give acc...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Motorcycle rider killed, back rider injured in Isabela truck collision

Police, Top Stories

A 22-year-old motorcycle rider died while his back rider was injured after a truck reportedly lost its brakes and hit their motorcycle along the national road in Brgy. Bulad, Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday morning, Sept. 23.Police identified the motorcycle driver as alias “Alog,” 22, and his back rider as alias “Bogart,” 21, both residents of Brgy. Robles, La Castellana.The truck was driven by alias “Metoy,” 40, a resident of Brgy. Magballo, Kabankalan City.Initial investigation showed that both vehicles were traveling toward Isabela proper at around 10:15 a.m. when the collision occurred at Hacienda Balatong.Police said the motorcycle was moving slowly when the truck traveling behind it reportedly experienced brake failure and struck its rear.The impact threw...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Dead dolphin found on Guihulngan shoreline, boat propeller suspected

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

A dead dolphin was found along the shoreline of Brgy. Hilaitan in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, with initial findings indicating that its injuries may have been caused by a pump boat propeller.The Guihulngan City Public Information Office reported on Wednesday, Sept. 23, that residents alerted authorities after noticing a foul odor coming from the shoreline.Personnel from the City Agriculture Office's Fisheries Section, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippine Coast Guard and Bantay Dagat responded to the area.Barangay officials and members of the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council also joined the inspection.The responding team found the dolphin's carcass along the shoreline and conducted an initial examination to determine its...

Sep242026 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

Power producer upgrades NegOr plant’s geothermal capacity to 126 MW

Business, Negros Oriental, Top Stories

First Gen Corporation is undertaking a modernization project that will increase the installed capacity of its Palinpinon-1 geothermal power plant in Valencia, Negros Oriental, from 112.5 megawatts (MW) to 126 MW.The project, being implemented by First Gen’s geothermal arm, Energy Development Corporation (EDC), involves replacing the plant’s three 37.5-MW turbine-generator units with three modern 42-MW units, EDC said in a statement Wednesday.The upgrade is expected to add 13.5 MW to First Gen’s renewable energy portfolio while allowing the facility to generate more electricity using the same volume of geothermal steam, without additional steam extraction.Noel Tan, head of the Southern Negros Geothermal Project (SNGP), said that the modernization demonstrates EDC’s efforts to im...

Sep242026 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

New bridge, classrooms revitalize villages in central Negros town

Community, Top Stories

Two community projects — a hanging bridge and a classroom building totaling about PHP10.6 million — are poised to revitalize two villages in disaster-hit La Castellana, Negros Occidental.Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, together with Mayor Anejo Nicor and Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo, on Wednesday led the unveiling of the projects implemented through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS)."Maliliit man sila (They may be small), but they are very meaningful projects because small communities get to use them every day," Gatchalian said.The hanging bridge in Barangay Robles, with a total project cost of PHP6.454 million, was completed through the convergen...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Sugar groups urge Coca-Cola to prioritize local sugar amid finished product imports

Business, Top Stories

Sugar producers and workers on Wednesday, Sept. 23, called on Coca-Cola's Philippine bottler to prioritize locally produced sugar following reports that it has been importing finished Coca-Cola products from Indonesia.In a joint statement on Sept. 23, the Sugar Council, National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines, and Democratic Association of Labor Organizations said the importation could reduce demand for Philippine sugar and affect farmers, millers and sugar workers.The Sugar Council is composed of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, National Federation of Sugarcane Planters and Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers.The groups issued the appeal after The Philippine Star reported on Sept. 17 that Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippine...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Barangay captain shot in La Libertad, special probe team formed

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

The barangay captain of Kansumandig in La Libertad, Negros Oriental, was shot in a hinterland area of the town early Wednesday morning, Sept. 23, prompting police to create a special investigation task group to investigate the attack.The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the barangay captain was traveling home from Brgy. Pacuan aboard his motorcycle at around 5:20 a.m. when the incident occurred in Sitio Mabilog, Brgy. Kansumandig.Nearby residents reportedly heard several gunshots and later found the barangay captain lying along the road, while the assailant or assailants had already fled.The incident was reported to the La Libertad Municipal Police Station at around 5:50 a.m.Police said the crime scene was about 30 kilometers into the hinterland.Investig...