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Power Watch convenor Wennie Sancho questions CENECO on refunds due consumers at the hearing.*At the beginning of the Sangguniang Panlungsod  hearing on Thursday, August 18, that was set to discuss Central Negros Electric Cooperative’s financial status and refund to consumers, Bacolod City Councilor Kalaw Puentevella asked the management to explain the series of brownouts and  its one bill policy.Puentevella chairs the Sangguniang Panlungsod committee on energy.Engineer Jose Taniongon, manager of the CENECO-Unified Engineering and Operation Maintenance Department, explained that the outages were caused after the insulator of one of their 69kV lines broke down. He added that they do not want power interruptions because their families are also affected.Councilor...

A scene of the accident in Murcia town, Negros Occidental.*Murcia PNP photoA soldier died when his motorcycle rear-ended a tricycle at Barangay Iglau-an, Murcia town, Negros Occidental, Wednesday night, August 17.The victim was identified as Corporal Christian Pelongco who was assigned at the 303rd Infantry Brigade that is based in Murcia. He was on his way to work when he met the accident.Capt. Marc Joeil Reclamado, town police chief, said that the victim’s speeding motorcycle bumped into a tricycle it was tailing after it slowed down.The soldier was taken to a hospital but he died due to the impact of the crash.The tricycle driver, meanwhile, was detained by the Murcia police.*

A restaurant delivered these to the Bacolod City Government Center on Wednesday, that turned out to be a fake order.*PIO photoA restaurant that delivered food to the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) on Wednesday, August 17, was scammed through a fake order.It turned out that nobody had ordered food to be delivered to the BCGC.The order included oysters, fish, rice and other dishes worth about P12,000.In the Facebook post of the Bacolod City Public Information Office, it said this is not the first time that someone has delivered food to the BCGC that turned out to be a scam.There was even a time when someone delivered coffee to the government center, but it was a fake order.Authorities warned restaurant owners to call first to confirm first if an order had been ...

The seized imported sugar.*Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said the Bureau of Customs (BOC) raids on warehouses in Pampanga and Bulacan suspected to be hoarding thousands of sacks of sugar on Thursday, August 18, were part of government’s drive to ensure sufficient supply for the country.Seized were 44,000 sacks of imported sugar estimated to cost P220 million in warehouses in Bulacan and Pampanga, the BOC reported.“What is important is government is taking active and aggressive steps to stabilize sugar supply,” said Yulo, who joined sugar leaders in a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Wednesday.Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez has already warned that the government will continue going after unscrupulous traders jacking up price...

The Provincial Infectious Disease Action and Control Council meeting on Wednesday.*The staff of the Negros Occidental molecular laboratory at the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City will be trained on how to conduct Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for monkeypox, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Thursday, August 18.This was decided during the Provincial Infectious Disease Action and Control Council (PIDACC) meeting  presided by  Governor  Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol in Bacolod City on  Wednesday, he said.The Department of Health (DOH) detected the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the country in July Monkeypox virus is transmitted from one person to another by close contact with...

The police filed charges against the son of a mayor and two others arrested with him for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the San Carlos City Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, August 18.Nestor Aburido Era Jr., 40, is facing charges for possession of drugs in Violation of Section 11 of RA 9165, P/Lt. Ruby Aurita, San Carlos City Police Station deputy chief, said.His mother, Calatrava Mayor Marilyn Era, said if he violated the law, he will have to face the consequences of his actions.Her son is of age and knows what is right and  wrong, she has not been remise in reminding him  to do what is right, the mayor said.“There is nothing I can do about that  anymore...this is sad for a parent to face,” she said, add...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez (2nd from left) with the officials of Western Visayas on Thursday*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Thursday, August 18, was unanimously elected nominee for chairman of the Regional Development Council of Western Visayas for appointment by the president.Benitez said he will push for the Panay-Guimaras-Negros bridge that will interconnect the region and boost economic growth.He will also push for other big ticket infrastructure projects that will promote regional development, Benitez added.Benitez thanked the Western Visayas government and private sector members of the RDC 6 for his nomination.“Thank you for acknowledging my capacity, your vote of confidence inspires me to work harder for my LGU, Bacolod City, and for the rest of the...

Three persons, including the son of a town mayor, were arrested in a police drug bust operation in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, at 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, August 17, a police official confirmed.Arrested was Nestor Aburido Era Jr., 40, of So. Lipat-on, Calatrava, Chito Carasaqui Atienza, 46, of Luzuriaga St., Brgy 6, San Carlos City, and Rosalia Er-Er Nemenzo, 60, of Brgy Suba, Calatrava, P/Lt. Ruby Aurita, San Carlos City Police Station deputy chief, said.She confirmed that Era is the son of Calatrava Mayor Marilyn Era.The mayor could not be reached for comment.The San Carlos police led by Lt. Col. Jesus Mesahon conducted buy-bust operation against Atienza and arrested him after he sold one heat sealed transparent plastic sachet of suspected shabu to a police poseur buy...

The MassKara Festival will be held in October,*Ronnie Baldonado photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is encouraging the Negros Occidental local government units (LGUs) to join the MassKara sa Panaad in support of Bacolod City’s annual festival in October.The participation of the LGUs in the MassKara Festival is part of the collaboration of Negros Occidental and Bacolod City, Lacson said on Wednesday, August 17.The Negros Occidental provincial government is staging a “MassKara sa Panaad” in support of Bacolod City’s festivities in October, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday, August  12.Local government booths will open to sell goods and activities will also be staged at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod, during the MassKara Festival, he ...