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Jan272023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Suspected leptospirosis hits 4 Bacolodnons in January, 1 dies

There have been four suspected leptospirosis cases, including one death, in Bacolod City this January, the City Health Office (CHO) reported Friday, January 27.The 69-year-old male fatality from Taculing developed fever, chills, cough and jaundice on December 30 and died in a Bacolod hospital on January 4, Dr. Grace Tan, CHO Environment Sanitation Division head, saidThe three other suspected leptospirosis cases were in barangays Bata, Estefania and Punta Taytay.Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection acquired through coming in contact with food, water or soil contaminated by urine or any body fluids of infected animals, especially rats.Prevention and control includes not swimming or wading in water possibly contaminated with urine of infected rats or animals, Tan said.Fo...

Jan272023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Labor groups slam importation of 450,000 MT of refined sugar

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Labor leaders present their manifesto opposing the importation of 450,000MT at a press conference Friday.*Nico Delfin photoLabor groups in Negros Occidental issued a manifesto expressing their strong opposition to government’s planned importation of 450,000 MT of refined sugar at a press conference in Bacolod City on Friday, January 27.The labor leaders and advocates, who represent the majority of labor organizations in Negros, said they are opposing the importation to safeguard the welfare of farmers, and farm and mill workers in the sugar industry.Copies of their manifesto will be sent to the Office of the President, Department of Agriculture, Sugar Regulatory Administration and sugar planters’ groups, Wennie Sancho, convenor of the Save the Sugar Industry Movement, said....

Jan272023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Globe deactivates, blacklists 50,000 SIMs linked to fraud

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Globe deactivated and blacklisted more than 50,000 SIMs last year as it continued to intensify consumer protection initiatives amid the rising cases of online fraud.Globe deactivated 20,225 SIMs and blacklisted 35,333 SIMs involved in scam and spam messages in 2022 alone as part of its campaign for internet safety, a press release from the firm said Friday, January 27.This was on top of the record 2.72 billion scam and spam messages it blocked last year, 83.4 million of which were bank-related. All these efforts have been on-going to protect customers from harmful content and fraud before the enactment of the SIM Registration Act."Globe recognizes the growing threat posed by scammers, who use various tactics, including text messages, to deceive innocent victims into giving up p...

Jan272023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Cadiz holds fluvial parade, security up for Dinagsa

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Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante during the fluvial parade in honor of the Sto. Niño de Cadiz*Cadiz City held a colorful fluvial parade in honor of the Sto. Niño de Cadiz despite gloomy weather on Thursday, January 26.A concelebrated mass was led by San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and was joined by more than 30 priests, Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante said.It was one of the highlights of the 49th Dinagsa Festival that will culminate with a street dancing competition on Sunday.The Cadiz City government is prohibiting the use of water guns and enamel paint during the “Lamhitanay sa Dalan” on Sunday.The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office said it sent personnel to augment the Cadiz police during the festival.Lt. Col. Gil John Despi, Cadiz police chief, said they...

Jan272023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Police official: Station 2 cop not drug protector

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A police official on Thursday, January 26, denied the allegation that a policeman assigned to the Bacolod Police Station 2 is a drug protector.A note found along with two chopped off hands soaked in beef broth in Purok Kagaykay, Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, on Wednesday, January 25, linked 22 persons to illegal drugs and alleged that a certain RR from Police Station 2 is a drug protector.Capt. Jonito Pastrana, Police Station 2 chief, said that the RR referred to in the note is an anti-illegal drugs operative who was previously assigned at Police Station 2. He is no longer assigned to the station as he went for further schooling, in fact he no longer wants to be assigned to anti-illegal drugs operations, Pastrana said.“I can vouch for the integrity of this policeman because he just do...

Jan272023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Factory planned to put Negros on the world chocolate map

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Steven DeVries and Chloe Doutre Roussel*A firm plans to put up a factory in Negros Occidental that will produce craft chocolates from unique locally grown cacao with a distinct taste.Ricardo Dominic Lopez, CY & Sons Group general manager, said on Thursday, January 26, that his mother Celina Yanson Lopez (CYL) wants to put Negros’ chocolate on the world map.The CY & Sons Group has a 50-hectare plantation in Barangay Dos Hermanas, Talisay City in Negros Occidental, with 35,000 Criollo variety cacao trees planted on 40 hectares, he said.“My mother wanted a unique business to stand out from any other business and put Negros on the chocolate map,” he said.“Our long term plan is penetrating the world chocolate market,” he said.Negrense farmer Chris Fadriga and CYL...

Jan272023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Silay mayor cancels classes

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Mayor Joedith Gallego suspended classes at all levels in Silay City on Thursday, January 26, because of heavy rainfall over northern Negros Occidental.This is to protect students and teachers from flood threats, landslides and other hazards on their way to school, he said.Work in government offices was not cancelled, Gallego said.The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said a low pressure area was causing the rain but the LPA remains less likely to develop into a tropical depression.Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over the Visayas, it said.*

Jan262023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Close to P.5M in poultry, pork products intercepted

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Close to P500,000 worth of pork and poultry products banned from entering Negros Occidental were intercepted in the first three weeks of January, Dr. Placeda Lemana, OIC provincial veterinarian, said Thursday, January 26.Lemana in a report to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said that the African Swine Fever Task Force seized 331.75 kilograms of assorted pork-products from other parts of the country at seaports, checkpoints and markets in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City from January 1 to 22 estimated to cost P268,656.She said from January 14 to 20 the quarantine team inspected 3,592 incoming vehicles and refrigerated container vans at seaports and checkpoints in the province and only products with complete documents were allowed entry.Lemana also reported that 960 hogs were shipped ...

Jan262023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Neg. Occ. dengue cases still No. 1 in W Visayas

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Negros Occidental continued to have the highest number of dengue cases in Western Visayas in the second week of January, the Department of Health (DOH) reported.There were 66 newly-reported dengue cases in Western Visayas for morbidity week two from January 8 to 14, bringing the total to 176 this year or 76 percent higher than the same period in 2022, the DOH said.The top provinces with the highest number of dengue cases in Western Visayas for morbidity week two are Negros Occidental with 22 for a total of 57 from the start of the year, Antique – 11 for a total of 30 and Capiz – 10 for a total of 17.*

Jan262023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

NGCP, CENECO reschedule weekend power interruptions

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The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) have rescheduled power interruptions set this weekend.The NGCP will reschedule the shutdown of the Bacolod-San Enrique 69kV line affecting the Sum-ag and Hilangban substations to Sunday, January 29, from Saturday, January 28, CENECO announced.While CENECO rescheduled its preventive maintenance work affecting Asdes-Gonzaga Feeders 1 to 6 to January 28, Saturday, from its original date on Sunday January 29.The 12–hour NGCP power interruption will be from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Sunday and will affect the Sum-ag Substation and Hilangban Substation, CENECO said.The 9-hour CENECO power interruption will be from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.Those interested in more d...