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Curfew in the 31 towns and cities of Negros Occidental will be lifted starting June 1, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Thursday, May 26.The curfew is being lifted in response to the clamor of the business sector, which was agreed on by the mayors, he said.Curfew for persons 18 years old and above is from midnight to 4 a.m., and for persons below 18 years old from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. in Negros Occidental.Mayor Evelio Leonardia also lifted curfew in Bacolod City, which is a highly urbanized city that is not under the governor’s jurisdiction, starting Tuesday, May 24, citing the need to accelerate economic recovery.Curfews in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City were imposed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.“I would like to think all our policies contributed to addressing ...

Rep. Stephen Paduano and his wife, Ma. Lalaine Lam Paduano, at the partylist proclamation rites at the PICC.*The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed 55 winning party-list groups, whose representatives will occupy 62 seats in the House of Representatives, at rites at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on Thursday, May 26.Two winning partly list groups, Abang Lingkod and P3PWD, are represented by Negrenses.The victory of Abang Lingkod means Rep. Stephen Paduano of Negros Occidental will serve another term in Congress.Paduano and his wife, Ma. Lalaine Lam Paduano, joined the proclamation rites at the PICC.Former Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon who campaigned for the P3PWD said its president is Grace Santibañez Yaneza who is from Bacolod Ci...

Capitol photoThere were 5,620 teenage pregnancies in Negros Occidental in 2021 and 144 were aged 10 to 14 years old, a Provincial Health Office reported Thursday, May 26.Health Education and Promotion Officer Jeny Saron presented the report at the International Day of Action for Women’s Health program at the Capitol in Bacolod City.She said there were also 5,476 Negrenses aged 15 to 19 years old who were pregnant in 2021 bringing the total teenage pregnancies to 15 percent of the 37,663 pregnancies of all ages last year.Of the 1,943 psychiatric patients who sought consultation at local government unit facilities, 1,002 were female and 941 were male, Saron also reported.*

Capitol photo“Let us commit to action to make sure that in Negros Occidental, women’s rights are upheld and all forms of discrimination eradicated. Let us purposely reject gender as a determinant of health and wellbeing,” Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Thursday, May 26.The governor issued the call at the International Day of Action for Women’s Health program at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City.Women represent the core of a family’s overall health, the illness or death of a woman has serious and far-reaching consequences for the health of her children, family and the community, he said.“Women’s health is influenced not just by their biology but also by other conditions such as poverty, employment, and family responsibilities. Let us strongly encourage Negrense women to...

A man was allegedly beaten by a policeman who was also his boss at a lechon stand in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City.The worker reported the incident to Police Station 8 on Wednesday, May 25.He claimed that the policeman, who was assigned at the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, mauled him after it took too long for him to cook the lechon, that drove the cop mad.NOCPPO spokesperson Lt. Abegael Donasco said the policeman denied the claims that he had beaten up the worker.The Philippine National Police-Internal Affairs Service is expected to look into the assault complaint against the policeman.*

Police Station 6 photoTwo wanted persons, including a suspected member of the Aki Cuadra criminal group, and an alleged cop killer were arrested in separate police operations in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City.Nabbed on Wednesday, May 25, were the Top 8 and Top 9 most wanted persons of Bacolod Police Station 6 following the service of warrants for drug charges.Authorities swooped down on Puentebella Subdivision in Brgy. Taculing to collar 36-year-old Lloyd Martin Lopez, who was said to be a member of the Aki Cuadra group.Also arrested was wanted man Glen Descutido, 41, of Prk. Mahigugma-on in Brgy. 22. Both are detained at Police Station 6.Meanwhile, nabbed on Monday, May 23, in Cadiz City was alleged cop killer Hernando Soledad Jr.Soledad is the suspect in the m...

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was proclaimed president-elect by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco in the presence of his family on Wednesday, May 25.*PNA photoCongress proclaimed Ferdinand “BBM” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte the next president and vice president of the Philippines on Wednesday, May 25, in the fastest canvassing in the country's election history.“This is a historic win for BBM and Sara considering that they are from one team and were elected by the majority,” said Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, who led their campaign in Negros Occidental.“We wish them all the best,” he said.“We wish the new president and vice president well in the next six years. I campaigned for them because I am confident that they will deliver the good governan...

Mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez wants to repurpose the funds allocated for the construction of a Bacolod Coliseum for a cheaper and simpler convention or trade center, and realign the rest of the funds for the further improvement of the three Bacolod markets.Benitez met with the City Engineer’s Office and Development Bank of the Philippines officials at the construction site in Barangay Alijis Wednesday, May 25.The city government has a close to P800 million loan for the coliseum, and about P250 million has already been withdrawn from DBP, he said.“We are asking legal if the funds can be repurposed, as far as DBP is concerned it has no problem with it,” he said.Benitez said he will also meet with the Yanson family who donated the land for the coliseum and the contractor...