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Negros Occidental Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer Merle Garcia and Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang*Richard Mailhan photoNegros Occidental Provincial Social Welfare and Development Officer (PSWDO) Merle Garcia and Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang are set to retire this year.Garcia is retiring on February 24 and Tumimbang in June, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday, February 21.A new permanent social welfare officer will have to be found because it is a Seal of Good Local Governance requirement, he said.Diaz also said a PHO transition team or OIC will start work in April.There are a lot of concerns that the PHO needs to address, including nutrition and sanitation, he said.He said the PHO report that there wer...

There are now three firms interested in investing in the bulk water project of Negros Occidental, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Tuesday, February 21.The three are Suez, Manila Water of billionaire Enrique Razon Jr. and Aboitiz InfraCapital, he said.Whether or not the unsolicited proposals are submitted, the Negros Occidental provincial government will continue to conduct its bulk water project feasibility study, he said.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson wants to ensure that water rates for Negrense consumers are reasonable, Diaz said.An investors’ forum is set for June, but it could also be held earlier, Diaz said. “I we can hold the investors’ forum and conduct the bidding earlier I think the governor and our water consumers will be happy,” he said.The provin...

NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino*The National Bureau of Investigation arrested four persons and issued subpoenas against two barangay captains in connection with the illegal operation of Small Town Lottery (STL) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said Tuesday, February 21.Baldovino said the person suspected to be the financier of the illegal STL operations is a former elected official, whom he did not name, pending further investigation.The lone Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office authorized operator of STL in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City is Super Lucky Beagler Inc., Baldovino stressed. Others who collect STL bets are illegal, he said.Issued subpoenas were Barangay 5 Captain Joel Alibango and Barangay 6 Captain Franz Seguiro ...

The smuggled sugar at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) on Friday, February 17.*BoC photoSen. Risa Hontiveros is calling on the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee to investigate the entry of Thai sugar into the country through the Port of Batangas in what appears to be “government-sponsored smuggling.”The shipment of sugar in 260 units of 20-foot containers arrived February 9 six days before the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) issued Sugar Order No. 6 on February 15 for the importation of 440,000 metric tons of sugar, she said in a Senate press briefing on Tuesday, February 21.“That a shipment arrived on February 9 appears to be confirmed by this letter to the Bureau of Customs from the Department of Agriculture dated February 14, 2023, flagging shipments of sugar ...

The accident in Silay City that lleft a motorcycle driver dead.*PNP photoA truck accidentally ran over a motorcycle driver causing his instantaneous death at the Hinicayan Road in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, Negros Occidental, 10:45 a.m. Sunday, February 19.Antonio Granada, 30, of Sitio Mantabanon, Brgy. Camang-Camang, Isabela, who was driving a Kawasaki Barako motorcycle without plate number was killed, the police reported Monday. His passenger Michael Sung, 30, of Hacienda Marigasa 2, Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, sustained minor injuries.The truck driver Walden Gale, 57, of Silay City was detained, the police said.Police investigation showed that the truck driven by Gale was travelling from south to north while the motorcycle was trailing from behind.Gale changed lanes...

The Bacolod City government will not be announcing when and where it will conduct its impounding operations against about 10,000 illegally operating tricycles in Bacolod City, Councilor Al Victor Espino said Monday, February 20.The campaign that was to start on Monday was delayed because uniforms and identification cards had not been distributed to the deputized agents composed of the presidents of about 60 groups under the Tricycle Operators and Drivers' Association (TODA), he said.There are an estimated 15,000 tricycles operating in Bacolod City and there are only about 5,000 that are registered with franchises, he said.City Ordinance 650 allows the granting of franchises to only 7,000 tricycles to operate in Bacolod City, Espino said.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benite...

Bacolod City PIO photo*Seventy-seven of the 122 missing vehicles of the Bacolod City government have been accounted for but have not been physically seen, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Monday, February 20.Those assigned the 77 vehicles will be asked to explain where they are, he said.The persons issued the 45 other vehicles that have not been accounted for will also be issued notices to explain, Benitez added.The vehicles in question were assigned to barangays, the police, and personnel who have already retired, the mayor said.A new system is being proposed to bar code all city property so they can easily be located and accounted for, Benitez said.*

The business sector is suggesting that Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo be made the first chairman of the Regional Development Council of the proposed Negros Island Region, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday, February 20.To allay the fears of Degamo that Negros Oriental will not have equal footing with Negros Occidental under the new region, Frank Carbon. chief executive officer of the Metro Bacolod Chamber of Commerce and Industry, suggested that the RDC chairmanship be given to him.“We’re willing to give that to him just to prove that Negros Occidental is here to help,” Lacson said.A second meeting between Lacson and Degamo has yet to be set.All of the representatives of Negros and Siquijor islands are pushing for the creation of the new region to be composed of Negros ...

The police seized P1.4 million in suspected shabu in a buy bust operation at Luzuriaga Street in Brgy. 6, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, at 7:04 p.m. Monday, February 20.Nabbed was Mark John Quijano, 23, a high value drug target of Ylagan Street, Brgy 6, the San Carlos police reported.Recovered from him was 216 grams of suspected shabu valued at P1,469,276, the police said.Quijano is now detained at the custodial facility of the San Carlos City Police Station.*