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Maj. Junji Liba, BTAO head, points to areas where the one-way rule will be implemented at a press conference with Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez Wednesday.*The Bacolod Traffic Authority Office expects to reduce traffic congestion in Bacolod City by 30 to 40 percent with an extended truck ban, clearing of obstructions and imposition of one-way schemes, Maj. Junji Liba, BTAO head, announced Wednesday, December 7.Liba joined Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at a press conference to announce measures to be implemented starting Monday to address the expected increase of traffic during the holidays.A truck ban will be imposed at the Bacolod Circumferential Road from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. as part of the city’s solutions, Liba said.All cargo and delivery trucks will be all...

The marijuana recovered from the high school student.*Police Station 9 photoA high school student was arrested for alleged possession of marijuana during a buy-bust operation Tuesday night, December 6, in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City.Nabbed was 19-year-old Jeremy Lumanog of Bago City.Three sachets of marijuana were obtained from Lumanog.Capt. Rondyl Tapang, Police Station 9 chief, said the suspect reportedly sold the items to his fellow high school students in Bacolod.Drug charges will be filed against him.*

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Wednesday, December 7, that he is also ordering a ban on the entry into Bacolod City of all live domestic and wild birds, from Luzon, Mindanao, Panay and Guimaras to protect the city from the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) also known as “bird flu”.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued Executive Order 22-62, Series of 2022, on Tuesday banning the entry of all live domestic and wild birds, ready to lay pullets, and their products, including table eggs and manure from all four areas.Western Visayas is on high alert following the detection of its first case of the Avian Influenza (AI) Type A from samples taken from a backyard farm that is engaged in the egg-laying business in Roxas City, Capiz.Lacson said the Negros ban had to be enforced ...

The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved the 2023 budget on Wednesday.*The P3.250 billion 2023 budget of Bacolod City was approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Wednesday, December 7, Councilor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said.The budget for Bacolod in 2023 will be the same as what was allotted in 2022 despite a drop in the city’s National Tax Allotment by P302.6 million next year.The NTA cut will be compensated by an increase in local revenue collections, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said earlier.The bulk of the budget was allocated for Maintenance and Other Operating Expenditures at P1.413 billion, or 43.51 percent of the fund, followed by Personal Services at P910.710 million, or 28.02 percent.Sayson said included in the budget is P50 million for the Bacolod City Co...

Negros Occidental representatives Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong, Manuel Sagarbarria and Rep. Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. (l-r)*The three Negros Oriental representatives on Wednesday, December 7, said they will continue to push for the creation of the Negros Island Region despite opposition from Gov. Roel Degamo.Negros Oriental representatives Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong – 1st District, Manuel Sagarbarria – 2nd District and Arnolfo "Arnie" Teves Jr. - 3rd District are co-authors of House Bill 1446 that seeks to create Region VI B along with all the representatives of Negros Occidental.The proposed Region VI B will be composed of Negros Occidental and Oriental, and Siquijor.Negros Oriental and Siquijor are currently part of Region 7, while Negros Occidental belongs to Region 6.Degamo c...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered a total ban on the entry into Negros Occidental of all live domestic and wild birds, ready to lay pullets, and their products, including table eggs and manure, from Luzon, Mindanao, Panay and Guimaras on Tuesday, December 6.Lacson, in Executive Order 22-62, Series of 2022, said the ban was imposed to protect Negros Occidental from the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).Avian influenza cases have recently been detected in Roxas City, Capiz, the Department of Agriculture reported.The Negros Occidental provincial government reserves the right to impose a total ban on poultry from other areas in the Visayas with probable cases of HPAI, the governor said in his EO.Raw poultry meat, processed and unprocessed, will be allowed entry into Negro...

The Negros Occidental provincial government may seek the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to go after persons pretending to be Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said Tuesday, December 6.Although he admitted that calls made from cellular phones could be difficult to trace.The latest prankster pretending to be the governor called the Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City to make a reservation for an event.However, the resort owner’s son verified if the governor had really made the call, Diaz said.Resort and restaurant owners have been warned about these impostors, and to verify such calls, Diaz said.The governor never calls personally to make a booking, Diaz pointed out.Three fake bookings at restaurants in Silay a...

The Senate Committee on Local Government approval of the bills seeking to revive the Negros Island Region “gives us so much hope that NIR will happen", Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Tuesday, December 6.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said while the legislators push for the passage of a law creating the NIR, he is hoping that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the meantime issues an executive order to hasten bringing national government agencies’ services closer to the people of Negros.Benitez said he spoke to Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and they agreed to submit different options to the president for his approval.The president could issue an executive order either creating an NIR or sub regions, Benitez said.“We will see what t...

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II*A revamp of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) will be undertaken to upgrade and professionalize its operations, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said Monday, December 6.The Office of the Governor has issued a show cause order to Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, PDRRMO head, to explain his alleged failure to liquidate P3 million in financial assistance to the Amity Public Safety Academy Inc. (APSA) and conflict of interest.Twelve PDRRMO contract of service drivers have been terminated, two employees have resigned and others are facing charges.They want to hire new drivers who have Technical Education and Skills Development Authority National Certificates II to ensure professional ...