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Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (2nd from right) at a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, August 11.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said on Thursday, August 11, that he is considering proposals for public-private partnerships for the development of the Manokan Country, traffic control and waste management.There is a proposal from SM for a PPP with the city government for the development of the Manokan Country, Benitez said.The Manokan Country should have its place in Bacolod because “it is a tourist attraction and part of our culture, and we will make sure it is preserved”, he said.As long as the desire of the city to preserve that culture is met, the PPP proposal will be considered, he said.Also being considered ar...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon signing the partnership agreement.*Richard Malihan photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon signed a partnership agreement to ensure environmental protection and sustainable resource management of the ecosystems of Negros Occidental at the Capitol in Bacolod City Thursday, August 11.“The need for the recovery of our ecosystems that have been degraded and destroyed, and conservation of those that are still intact has gone beyond the question of choice, it is now a necessity,” Lacson said.“Humanity is being pressed and threatened on almost every side, and the more we lag on our efforts to save our environment, the more we endanger ourselves, our children and our future,” he said....

The Bacolod City government will provide free school supplies to students at public schools not later than November 22 when the 100 percent mandated face-to-face classes start, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, August 11.The school supplies will be delivered on time, he said.They are still determining the amount needed for the schools supplies and where the funds will be sourced from, Benitez also said.The city government is preparing for the opening of classes, and is addressing health and traffic concerns, Benitez assured.The city government wants to ensure that the health of students is properly protected, he said.Dr. Carmela Gensoli, Bacolod City Health Officer, said they strongly advise parents to have their children vaccinated against COVID-19 for t...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, August 11, that a congressional inquiry on expired COVID-19 vaccines will be conducted, and he expects that it will include the AstraZeneca vaccines ordered by Bacolod City.“It’s not just Bacolod, there are several other LGUs as well as the national government that have expired vaccines involving billions of pesos”, Benitez said.He said AstraZeneca has not sent the Bacolod City government the balance of its bill for the 650,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines ordered by the Leonardia administration, many of which expired at the Department of Health central office.“I’m not in a hurry, I’m willing to forget if they are,” Benitez said. About 434,000 AstraZeneca doses ordered for Bacolod  by the Leonardia administration ...

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer (l-r)*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez called on the sugar industry stakeholders on Thursday, August 11, to unite and work for the common good.Lacson, when asked for his comment on the call for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to revoke the appointment of Aurelio Valderrama  Jr.  as planter representative on the Sugar Board, said “I don’t think we have to continue talking about this”.“Mr. Valderrama has already made an open letter and recognizes the authority of the president and he is at the disposal of the president,” Lacson said.The governor said it is not good to say that there is now a brewing disagreement between sugar groups in ...

Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announcing the Palace investigation into the issuance of the unauthorized order granting the importation of sugar at a press briefing on Thursday.*Malacañang is investigating the “illegal” issuance of Sugar Order No. 4 granting the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar without the authority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced in a press briefing Thursday, August 11.EO4 was uploaded on the website of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) on Wednesday and later deleted.“An investigation is ongoing to determine whether any acts that will cause the President to lose trust and confidence in his officials can be found, or if there is malice or negligence involved,” Cruz-Angeles  said.“In such a...

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has removed 87,678 households in Western Visayas, which include 23,687 from Negros Occidental, from the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps).They were removed from the list of recipients because they were already tagged as “non-poor” based on the Listahanan database, DSWD-6 public information officer May Rago-Castillo said Thursday, August 11.Households removed from the list in Aklan were 8,692, Antique - 8,829, Capiz - 18,691, Guimaras - 3,303 and Iloilo - 24,476, she added.There are about 134,930 new poor households eyed as potential beneficiaries of the 4Ps in Western Visayas for this year,  Rago-Castillo said.She said the breakdown per province of those to be included on the list was not available yet.The Pa...

A suspected member of the New People’s Army was killed in an encounter with state troopers at  So. Bulasot, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, August 10.The troops of 94th Infantry (Mandirigma) Battalion were conducting combat operations in the area when they received a report that the rebels were conducting extortion activities in the adjacent barangay.When the government forces responded, they encountered members of the NPA that resulted in a firefight.The encounter reportedly claimed the life of a rebel, whose name was not yet released by the Army.The troops also recovered one M-16 rifle at the site.*

Bacolod City Councilor Al Victor Espino proposes an ordinance granting tax relief.*Bacolod SP photoBacolod Councilor Al Victor Espino proposed the granting of amnesty for delinquent real property taxes during the Sangguniang Panlungsod session on Wednesday, August 10.The ordinance granting tax relief for delinquent real property taxes, hurdled first reading and was referred to the SP committee on laws, ordinances, and good government.Espino said the ordinance is up for a public hearing next week.The tax relief is one way of giving Bacolod residents a little respite, he said.“We’re still in the middle of the pandemic…we’re still in a state of national calamity,” he added.Espino said that his proposed ordinance  seeks to condone tax penalties and surcharges of de...

Work is underway at the new PAC site.*Barbara Mijares photoClearing and excavation is underway for the building of the seven-storey new Negros Occidental Provincial Administration Center in Bacolod City but work has been hampered by the rain, Provincial Engineer Ernie Mapa said Wednesday, August 10.The new PAC estimated to cost close to P1 billion is expected to be completed by Dynamic Builders in three years.The excavation is underway for the laying of the building’s foundation and basement that will be used as a parking area, he said.The area where the adjacent old PAC is located along the North Capitol Road has been leased by Dynamic Builders from the provincial government for the construction of a multi-use commercial building.However, its demolition has yet to star...