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The 3rd District of Negros Occidental has a rich culinary heritage and has vast potential for food tourism, Rep Francisco Benitez said.*Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) has just filed 11 bills, including three seeking the establishment of a Victorias City General Hospital, a Negros Occidental High School for Sports in E.B. Magalona, and a multi-species marine hatchery in Talisay City.House Bill 1239 calls for the establishment of a P500 million Victorias City General Hospital, which is crucial to providing the people of Victorias wider access to affordable and quality healthcare - and saving lives from medical emergencies, he said.House Bill 75 seeks the establishment of a high school for sports to cultivate  young Negrosanons to become accomplished ...

The NPA belongings recovered from the scene of the encounter*Four suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) died in a clash with the state troopers at  Sitio Amelis, Brgy. Santol, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental on Wednesday, July 6.The Army said  residents tipped them off regarding the presence of the armed rebels in the area. The group were said to be involved in the ambush of the police in Binalbagan early this year.Troops of the  94th Infantry Battalion responded to the tip that resulted to a three-minute firefight with the rebels belonging to the Central Negros 2 (CN 2) Front.Three males and  one female were killed, the Army said.Recovered from the encounter site were war materials including an M-16 rifle with M203 grenade launcher, a M-16 ...

The body of Negrense boxer Robert “Toto” Landero was recovered in Tabla River, Ilog.*Photo from Boxing Bida Best FB pageThe body of a Negrense boxer was recovered in Tabla River between barangays Balicotoc and Magballo in Ilog, Negros Occidental,  Wednesday, July 6.The boxer was identified as Robert “Toto” Landero, 26, of Barangay Canlamay.He tried to cross the river on July 4 amid the heavy rains.His family and the barangay launched a search and rescue operation after he drowned due to the strong current.He was found two days later.*

Jonel Sombo allegedly stabbed his uncle following a heated altercation.*Hinigaran PNP photoA man was stabbed to death by his nephew at Barangay Baga-as, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, July 5, the police reported.The fatality was identified as Gregorio Gumaw who died at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City  on  Wednesday, July 6.The victim allegedly scolded the suspect identified as 30-year-old Jonel Sombo due to his unruly behavior while they were having a drinking session. He then sent him home, police said.However, the suspect, armed with a bolo, returned and had a heated altercation with his uncle, who was then hacked multiple times.The suspect, who is now in police custody, will face charges.*

The suspected high-value target who was arrested in a drug bust at Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City on Tuesday, July 5.*PNP photoA suspected high-value target was arrested in a police drug bust operation at Magsaysay Road, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City Tuesday, July 5.The suspect was identified as Christine Dacumos, 36, of 27th St., Calamba, Sigay, Brgy. 2.Recovered from her possession were  415 grams of suspected shabu worth P2,822,000, the P1,000 marked money, and the P219,000 boodle money.Police Lt. Col. Arnel Solis, Police Regional Office-6 spokesperson, said that police monitored the suspect after receiving information that she was allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.The suspect, who is in police custody, is facing drug charges.*

Manuel Reyes, Ramon Uy and Romualdo Martinez (l-r) who joined the Regenerative Agriculture International Conference.*Making affordable locally produced farm machinery available and encouraging farmers to go organic is the key to Philippine agriculture’s survival, a US-based Filipino agriculture biosystems engineer, said.Manuel Reyes, a research professor at Kansas State University, was one of the resource persons at the “Philippine open systems agriculture machinery manufacturing workshop” at a Regenerative Agriculture International Conference at May’s Garden in Barangay Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, that ended Wednesday, July 6.“We need to focus on agriculture where the money returns to the community,” Reyes said.“We are dependent on sophisticated foreign machines that our farm...

City government hopes to draw 200,000 tourists to Bacolod City for MassKara Festival.*Ronnie Baldonado photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the Bacolod City government still has funds   for the implementation of his eight-point agenda  projects in his first 100 days in office.The 2022 Bacolod budget is not depleted,   the P78,445,475 or 22 percent   left for the City Mayor’s Office is for the general services of job order workers and casuals, he said on Wednesday, July 6.They are in the process of determining how many job order workers are needed, he said.The rest of the budget is still there so they can still push their programs, Benitez said.They were able to find the funds for his eight-point agenda, he assured.HEALTH PROGRA...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez hopes the Sangguniang Panlungsod endorses the bill seeking the creation of two Bacolod congressional districts.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said he supports Rep. Greg Gasataya’s bill seeking the creation of a second congressional district for Bacolod City.“I hope that the city council would endorse that bill,” Benitez said in an ambush interview Wednesday, July 6.Benitez said in the past the move to create a second congressional district did not prosper in Congress because of the lack of a Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) resolution endorsing it.“Now we have a new council, I hope they pass that resolution,” he said. Councilor Al Victor Espino said he will file a resolution of support for the creation of two Bacolod congr...

The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod members at their inaugural session.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez called on the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod to be transparent, accountable and responsive to the needs of Bacolodnons at the 11th SP inaugural session at the Bacolod City Government Center on Wednesday, July 6.Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, in turn, assured the mayor of the SP’s support for his programs and the legislative needs of his administration.The mayor called on the SP to be ethical, participative and consultative, and to bring back the trust and confidence of the people in government.“I called for good governance,” the mayor said in an interview.Benitez said he expects a smooth relationship with the SP, with the majority of its members co...