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Jan102023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

House panel okays substitute bill creating NIR, TWG to set roadmap

Representatives Greg Gasataya, Gerardo Valmayor Jr., Alfredo Marañon III, Francisco Benitez, Juliet Marie Ferrer and Mercedes Alvarez (l-r) are among those who introduced the substitute bill.*The House Committee on Local Government approved a substitute bill seeking the creation of the Negros Island Region (NIR), which will include Siquijor, on Tuesday, January 10, Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said.The bill was introduced by Benitez and Negros Occidental representatives Gerardo Valmayor Jr. – 1st District, Alfredo Marañon III – 2nd District, Juliet Marie Ferrer – 4th District, Emilio Bernardino Yulo – 5th District and Mercedes Alvarez - 6th District, Greg Gasataya – Bacolod and Joseph Stephen Paduano – Abang Lingkod Partylist.The bill states that the Negros ...

Jan102023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Robbers fire at vehicle in La Castellana, 2 injured

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A man carrying a banana trunk blocked a road causing a vehicle to slow down as four men approached and shot at its passengers before declaring a holdup at Sitio Lapak, Brgy Robles in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 10.A job order employee of the La Castellana Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office who was driving a Toyota Innova and his mother who is a teacher were injured, and the robbers took their money, the police said.Injured was Shaem Job Magaspag Galimba, 34, who was hit by a bullet on the left side of his body and was in serious condition, and his mother Chona Magaspag Galimba, 60, who was hit on her right shoulder and was out of danger, the police said.Seated in the back of seats of the vehicle were Katrina Aliermo, 31, Ma. Fe Mo...

Jan102023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Distribution of school supplies to 23,000 Bagonhon pupils begins

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Bago Vice Mayor Ramon Torres awith other local officials leads the ceremonial turnover of school supplies to more than 4,000 school children from five public schools in the city comprising the District IA at Vidal Cauntoy Elementary School in Barangay Dulao Tuesday afternoon, January 10.*Bago PIO photoThe Bago City government has started the distribution of school supplies worth P5.54 million to more than 23,000 public school children, from Kindergarten to Grade 6, in the city.Vice Mayor Ramon Torres along with other local officials led the ceremonial turnover of customized school supplies to over 4,000 school children from five public schools in the city comprising the District IA at J.L. Araneta Elementary School in Barangay Taloc Tuesday morning, January 10, a press release from...

Jan102023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Another NPA rebel killed in Guihulngan

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The 62IB soldiers carrying the remains of the slain suspected rebel.*Army photoAnother alleged New People’s Army (NPA) member in Central Negros was killed in an encounter with 62nd Infantry “Unifier” Battalion troops in Sitio Banderahan, Brgy Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, at about 7 a.m. Tuesday, December 10.Killed was Orlando Fat, alias Banban, a resident of Sitio Banderahan and an alleged political instructor of the NPA Guerilla Unit 3 of the Central Negros Front 1 that operates in the tri-boundaries of Guihulngan City and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, the 62nd IB reported.He was killed in a 62IB IB encounter with about five NPA rebels.Concerned residents annoyed by the rebels’ extortion, intimidation, and harassment ...

Jan102023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

No word from Pamitan yet on resignation, Lacson says

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Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he has not heard from PCol. Leo Pamitan yet*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Monday, January 9, said they support the call of Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. for police colonels and generals to file their courtesy resignations in an effort to help purge the Philippine National Police (PNP) of cops involved in the illegal drug trade.Lacson said PCol. Leo Pamitan, Negros Occidental police director, has not informed him yet if he has tendered his courtesy resignation.“I also want to talk to him to ask if he already submitted his courtesy resignation,” he said.Lacson said Pamitan should follow the call of his superiors.He said the call of Abalos for the courtesy re...

Jan92023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Ceneco backs Benitez call for probe on high power cost

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CENECO president Jojit Yap (center) flanked by lawyer Chuchie Destriza – Office of the General Manager OIC and Norman Pollentes - corporate planning manager at a press conference Monday.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, January 9, that he will seek a rebate on consumers’ electricity bills if it is discovered that a coal-fired power plant overcharged Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO).Benitez has asked the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to investigate why two different contract prices were charged for the purchase of power by CENECO from Palm Concepcion Power Corp. (PCPC).Under a 35MW 10-year contract PCPC charged CENECO P14.6 per KWH and under a 20MW 1-year contract it charged P10. 27 per KWH.Benitez wants ERC to investigate where PCPC is...

Jan92023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

City sets up system to hasten JO salaries, prevent ghost employees

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Identification cards were being issued to job order workers at the Bacolod City Government Center lobby on Monday.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, January 9, that the work done by 894 job order (JO) workers hired by the city government previously could not be identified.They were removed from the list and the city government now has 2,700 job order workers, he said.The assignments of all of the JO workers were reviewed to make sure that they are doing actual work, he said.More JO workers will be hired as additional projects are implemented within the year, he said.“We want to make sure that all those we hire have something to do…and are actually productive,” he said.The city government has put in place a scheme to prevent ghost JO workers, he ...

Jan92023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

City set to close two stalls at Manokan

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The Bacolod City Legal Office is set to serve two tenants at the Manokan Country closure orders for failing to pay arrears on their rent despite compromise agreements reached last year, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said Monday, January 9.The orders that may be served Tuesday will give them 15 days to vacate the premises, he said.They have not paid anything at all since they entered into the compromise agreements, Ting said.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said they have been given enough warning, if they are not earning enough to pay their rent then they would be better off not doing business at the Manokan Country.There are also 12 other stall holders at the Manokan Country who have not paid the exact amounts set in their compromise agreements with the ci...

Jan92023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Building of 10,000 housing units to create jobs for 15,000: Albee

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Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at his start of year press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).*The Bacolod City government has accepted the proposal of a Manila-based company for the construction of the 10, 000 housing units for the poor in Bacolod City starting this year, which is expected to create about 15,000 jobs for Bacolodnons, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Monday, January 9.Accepted was the public private partnership (PPP) proposal of WRS Holding Inc., Benitez announced during a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC).The city government and the firm are now in the negotiation stage, after which their agreement will be subjected to a Swiss challenge from other interested parties, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Tin...

Jan92023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Chinese firm to manufacture electric vehicles in Bacolod

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The Jiangsu Fengchuen New Energy Power Technology Co.-manufactured electric vehicles*A Chinese firm is setting up a plant in Bacolod City for the manufacture of electric vehicles, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Monday, January 9.The Bacolod mayor, who joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his state visit to China last week, said he spoke with the chief executive officer and chairman of the Jiangsu Fengchuen New Energy Power Technology Co.The firm, in collaboration with Korean partners, will build public utility vehicles powered by electricity, he said.In fact representatives of the firm have already visited Bacolod, Benitez said.He expects them to return to Bacolod soon, he added.Benitez said the visit to China was an eye opener because a lot of big firms wi...