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The grand prize of the MassKara Festival streetdance and arena competition in Bacolod City on October 23 will be P1 million, festival director Pinky Mirano Ocampo said Wednesday, September 21.The top prize for the Electric MassKara Float and Dance Off Competition on October 22 will be P300,000, she added.The streetdance and arena competition will be held at the Paglaum Stadium, while the Electric MassKara will be held at Megaworld’s Upper East and will proceed to the Bacolod City Government Center.The Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) on Wednesday, September 21, also approved the allocation of P5.35 million for 30 barangays joining the two MassKara competitions.The 17 barangays of Bacolod City that will be joining the MassKara Streetdance and Arena competition will each g...

A City Prosecutor’s Office inquest resolution on Wednesday, September 21, found probable cause to file charges against a Bacolod resident for the illegal collection of Small Town Lottery bets without a permit.It was recommended that charges for violation of Republic Act 9287, an act increasing the penalties for illegal numbers games, be filed against Carlito Ausan Sanchez Sr.The National Bureau of Investigation arrested him for soliciting “STL” bets without the necessary permit at Sitio Sibucao, Purok Paraiso, Barangay Banago, Bacolod, on Tuesday, September 20, NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said Wednesday.He said on September 15 the NBI received information that “bookies operators” were continuing to illegally collect bets and were using the results of Super Lucky Beagler ...

The 16 former rebels who surrendered to authorities in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, Tuesday, September 20.*303rd IB photoSixteen suspected rebels, including three ranking leaders of the New People’s Army, surrendered to the Guihulngan City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and state troopers Tuesday, September 20, at rites held at Brgy Poblacion, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.The ceremonial declaration and turnover of the former rebels was spearheaded by Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander.Among those who surrendered were the commanding officer of the Sentro de Grabidad Platoon, a political instructor and a medical officer. They were part of the Central Negros 1, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (KR-NCBS) und...

Nagpadala sang mga water sampling ang Bacolod City Health Office para ma usisa ang kalidad sang tubig sa gina istaran sang 37 anyos nga babaye nga nagpositibo sa cholera.Suno kay City health officer Dr. Carmela Gensoli, ginapabaskog naman karon ang inspection kag pag-usisa sang environment sanitation division sang CHO sa mga water refilling stations sa mga kabarangayan.Ang makuha nila nga water specimen ang ginapadala sa Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Teresita Jalandoni Provincial Hospital kag sa Negros Prawn Producers Cooperative Analytical and Diagnostic laboratory para ma usisa.Ginpasaka na sang siudad ang alert threshold kadungan sang pagpasanyug man sang CHO sang education campaign kontra sa cholera dugang pa diri nga nagasaka man karon ang kaso san...

Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) *RBaldonado photoRep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District) said on Wednesday, September 21, that the call of the local food manufacturers and exporters to allow a business sector representative on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) board needs to be studied.Yulo, a former member of the SRA Board, said we welcome their proposal but there is a need to determine what sectors should be represented on the board.Expanding the membership of the SRA Board needs to be carefully studied to determine if it will be beneficial to the industry, the stakeholders and the consumers, Yulo said.The current SRA Board chaired by the agriculture secretary is composed of the SRA administrator and one representative each from the planters ...

The postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) to December 2023 will cost the Philippine government an additional P 10.5 billion for a total of P18 billion, Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) said on Wednesday, September 21.On the other hand, if the elections are postponed to May 2023 it will need about P9 billion more for a total of P17 billion.He said P8 billion has been allocated for BSKE to be held in December 2022 and so far P500,000 has already been spent for the preparations of the polls.Comelec Chairman George Garcia earlier said if the BSKE is postponed, the Comelec would have to resume the continuing voter registration in October, which would mean more new voters and added expenses.“That will mean additional number of...

Confed national president Aurelio “Bodie” J. Valderrama Jr.*Aurelio “Bodie” J. Valderrama Jr. was elected national president of the Confederation of Sugarcane Farmers (Confed) for Crop Year 2022-2024 on Wednesday, September 21.Valderrama, who was elected as president of Confed Negros-Panay on Monday, is the president of the Vicmico Planters' Association Inc. (VICMICO). He also had a short stint as planters’ representative to the Board of the Sugar Regulatory Administration.Pablo M. Lorenzo III was elected as vice-president. He is affiliated with the Associated Bukidnon Sugarcane Planters, Inc.The other officers, who will also serve a two-year term, are: treasurer – Nicolas P. Ledesma Jr. of First Farmers Association Inc. (FFAI), assistant treasurer – Preciosa T. Maturan of ...

The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees has passed two resolutions seeking health benefits for Negros Occidental provincial government employees, PACE chairman Renelo Lastierre said Wednesday, September 21.PACE Resolution 2022-15 asks Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to grant health and hospitalization insurance for officials and employees of the provincial government.PACE Resolution 2022-16 asks the governor to grant Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Insurance Program coverage and free medical and hospitalization services in provincial and district hospitals for all job order and contract of service workers of the provincial government.These workers from time to time are exposed to work hazards, suffer injuries or are involved in accidents while performing their duties, the...