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The suspects in the robbery of a 60-year-old businessman in Ilog town.*Ilog PNP photosFour persons were charged for robbing a 60-year-old businessman in Barangay Galicia, Ilog, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, November 22.Charged were Jerrymar Gonzales, Rj Villarma, Argie Dela Peña and Ryan Susano.The victim was walking down the street to buy pork when he was waylaid and robbed by the suspects, who carted away P30,000 in cash, the police said.The suspects said they asked the victim to join them for a drink but when he declined, they targeted him.The suspects were immediately arrested in a police pursuit operation as the victim recognized them.*

Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, OIC Health Undersecretary, reminds the public to take precautions during the holidays.*RIchard Malihan photoThe Department of Health is reminding the public, especially those who are immunocompromised, to take precautions against COVID-19 at large gatherings during the holidays.“During the holidays we expect to gather with families and friends…We need to know what our own risks are,” Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, OIC Health Undersecretary, said Thursday, November 24.“If you have comorbidities or live with persons with comorbidities, we ask you to be more careful now that mask wearing is optional”, said Ho, who was in Bacolod for the Negros Occidental Universal Health Care Summit.She said it is highly recommended that persons who are immunocompromised, or...

Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District)The House of Representatives is waiting for the position paper of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on the proposed bills to create a Negros Island Region (NIR), Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) said on Thursday, November 24.“The most important paper is the one from the DBM, nothing will happen if there are no funds,” she said.Rep. Rex Gatchalian (Valenzuela City, 1st District), chairman of the House Committee on Local Government, has appointed Alvarez co-chair of the Technical Working Group (TWG) tasked with consolidating the NIR bills.Alvarez said Negros Oriental has also not submitted its position paper yet.The TWG is doing its best to follow up the submission of the position papers but there a...

Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, OIC Health Undersecretary, and Renato Limsiaco Jr., PhilHealth senior vice president, at the Negros Occidental Universal Health Care Summit in Bacolod City on Thursday.*Richard Malihan photoThe Philippine Health Insurance Corp. will be allocating billions of pesos for the primary health care of Negrenses with the implementation of the Universal Health Care (UHC) law, a PhilHealth official said Thursday, November 24.So far PhilHealth has accredited 19 consultation clinics in Negros Occidental to serve the primary health care needs of Negrenses, and there are six more with pending applications, Renato Limsiaco Jr., PhilHealth senior vice president on UHC administration, said.Limsiaco and Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, , OIC Health Undersecretary, were among the...

The dengue cases in Bacolod City have hit 939, with 13 deaths, which is 191.6 percent higher than last year, the City Health Office reported Thursday, November 24.The barangays with the highest dengue cases are Mansilingan – 115, Taculing – 78, Estefania- 66, Tangub – 61, Singcang- 61, Villamonte – 55, Alijis – 50, Cabug – 47, Mandalagan – 47 and Sum-ag – 42.The CHO has been conducting information drives against dengue in the barangays and fogging areas with clustering of cases such as Mansilingan, Handumanan, Alijis and Taculing, the report said.Dengue still affects people of different ages and gender through a bite of female infected mosquitoes.Mosquitoes carrying the dengue virus breed in non-moving, clear water in big or small containers, the CHO said.Patients with ...

A Bacolodnon was arrested for possession of a firearm during a police buy-bust operation at Brgy. Damgo, E.B Magalona, Negros Occidental, Tuesday, November 22.Nabbed was 43-year-old Jared Banay of Prk. 3, Magsungay, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.During the bust, he yielded a .45 caliber pistol with magazine, the P100 bill, boodle money, and a plastic bag.He is now in the custody of EB Magalona police and is facing criminal charges.*

Several students of the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod City lighted candles in the school premises Wednesday, November 23, to commemorate the 13th year of the Ampatuan massacre, which was considered as the deadliest single attack on journalists in the world.The commemoration rites was led by the USLS Communication Society, which also unveiled a two-day exhibit that featured updates on the case 13 years after.Andrew Matthew Ortoño, society president, said the people involved in the inhumane event that happened on Nov. 23, 2009 is a “manifestation that freedom is still curtailed by those who are in power, and justice remains elusive to people like us—people who are mere commoners in the society.”“The 32 fallen heroes were a few of the many journalists who lost their lives ...