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Negros Occidental Gov . Eugenio Jose Lacson with Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon, Kabankalan Bishop Louie Galbines and San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza (l-r) at the Governor's Office on Tuesday.*The three Roman Catholic bishops in Negros Occidental issued a collegial pastoral statement Tuesday, February 28, calling for the urgent need to transition into renewable energy amid the current climate crisis.The statement was signed by San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza, Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon and Kabankalan Bishop Louie Galbines who met with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol in Bacolod City.“Recognizing our shared responsibility and the need for collective effort in creating and shaping the future we want for our province, we as leaders of the Catholic fait...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Tuesday, February 28, that he supports the proposed reclamation projects in Barangay Banago, Bacolod, that will draw investments to the city.Residents aired their opposition to the proposed 150-hectare reclamation project of the group of businessman Jerry Sy in Barangay Banago, which they said would dislocate them from their homes and livelihoods, at a Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Environment hearing on Monday.Councilor Claudio “Kalaw” Puentevella, SP Committee on Environment chairman, said the residents’ concerns and the side of the proponents will be taken into consideration.The Banago residents are asking the SP to deny the Sy group’s request for a Resolution of No Objection to the project.The Bacolod Reclamation Gate...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said he will not oppose a joint venture proposal with Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) if it brings down power rates.“If the joint venture proponents lower the price electricity, ensure 24/7 supply of electricity and convert to renewable power they will have my support,” the mayor said on Tuesday, February 28.MORE Electric and Power Corporation and Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) have submitted an unsolicited proposal for a joint venture undertaking with CENECO, Arnel Lapore, its acting general manager, said Sunday.CENECO sent the proposal to the National Electrification Administration for comment and guidance last week, Lapore said.The proposal is to help CENECO in its financials and operations, Lapore said.*

Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban informed Sugar Regulatory Administrator David Alba that he could issue clearances for the release of imported sugar to three international traders.Panganiban, in a memorandum dated Monday, February 27, to Alba said considering that allocations under Sugar Order No. 6, Series of 2022-2023 had been duly awarded, and memorandums had been issued by the Office of the Executive Secretary dated January 13 and by himself, “you may now issue the clearance/s for the release of imported sugar” to three international sugar traders that participated in the importation.The three are All Asian Countertrade Inc. - 240,000 metric tons, Edison Lee Marketing Corp. - 100,000 MT and S & D SUCDEN Philippines Inc. - 100,000.00 MT, Panganiban said. ...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. could issue an executive order on the Negros Island Region (NIR) this year, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Tuesday, February 28.Benitez said the proposed executive order on the creation of Negros Island Region will be taken up in the March meeting of the Western Visayas Regional Development Council, which he chairs.“We will formalize the proposed options and send a letter to the president for his action”, Benitez said.Benitez said he thinks the president will act on it because in their discussions he was not for or against it, he just wanted to hear all sides first.An executive order on the NIR will be without prejudice to Congress' push for the passage of law for its creation, he said.A pending bill in the Lower House calls f...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos*First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos has confirmed that she will join a mass wedding in Bacolod City and an invitation has also been sent to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Tuesday, February 28.He is just waiting for the final date of the availability of the First Lady for the mass wedding, which target date is within March, Benitez said.He has yet to receive an affirmative response from the president, the mayor added.The target was a mass wedding for 2,023 couples but so far 2,053 have already signed up, Benitez said.They are looking at about 16,000 attendees for the mass wedding, factoring in the relatives of the couples who will attend the event, he added. ...

The pilgrim relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus at the San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City Tuesday, February 28.*Ronnie Baldonado photoMay the three-day stay of the pilgrim relics of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in the Diocese of Bacolod “re-enkindle in our hearts the desire for holiness to which we are all called”, Bishop Patricio Buzon said on Tuesday, May 28.The pilgrim relics were turned over by the Archdiocese of Jaro to the Diocese of Bacolod on Tuesday .The relics arrived at the BREDCO port in Bacolod and a motorcade to the San Sebastian Cathedral was held. Its arrival was greeted by devotees waving red roses.The relics were transferred to the Carmelite Monastery at Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod, late Tuesday afternoon.“We are greatly blessed by the vis...

Villanueva, Awit, and Reyes (l-r)*Three Negrosanon Young Leaders from the Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute Incorporated (NYLI Inc.) are bound to represent Negros Occidental in the upcoming Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative Academic and Professional Fellowships to the United States this Spring 2023.Teodoro Angelo Villanueva, Coleen Awit, and John Rey Reyes of NYLI Inc. were selected among thousands of applicants all over the Philippines, to represent the country in the competitive YSEALI Academic and Professional Fellowships to the United States, a press release from the institute said Tuesday, February 28.Villanueva will be joining the YSEALI Professional Fellowship for Economic Empowerment in the United States. He blazed the trail of youth empowerment in Negros Occide...

Bacolod City has had 15 suspected leptospirosis cases since the start of the year, with two deaths, the City Health Office reported Monday, February 27.The fatalities were a 28-year-old male construction worker who died on February 18 and a 69-year-old male who died on January 4.The suspected leptospirosis cases were in barangays Estefania – four, Bata and Banago – two each, and Puntataytay, Taculing, Alangilan, Mansilingan, Brgy 2, Brgy 3 and Villamonte – one each.The cases this year are 1,400 percent higher than in the same period last year with only one, the CHO said.Signs and symptoms of leptospirosis include fever, chills, headache, muscle pains, skin rashes, diarrhea, redness of eyes, and yellowish discoloration of skin and eyes, the CHO said.*

Has Administrator Dave Alba of the Sugar Regulatory Administration granted clearances for the release of sugar brought into the country by All Asian Counter Trade Inc.?Sources said he signed 17 clearances for a total of 16,750 metric tons that arrived in the country February 9, 17 and 18 on Monday, February 27.Alba, however, could not be reached for comment.Rep. Emilio Yulo (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said he was going over the papers of the sugar that entered the country ahead of the issuance of Sugar Order No. 6 that granted the importation of 440,000 MT, before seeking a congressional probe. It has to be determined whether the sugar can be considered smuggled, he said.What is important is that the SRA manages the millgate prices of sugar to continue to maintain the profit...