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Negros Occidental recorded the first dengue death in Western Visayas for 2023, the Department of Health (DOH) said.The DOH Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit reported that the first dengue fatality for 2023 in Negros Occidental is a 7-year-old girl who died on January 21.Negros Occidental also recorded the most number of dengue cases in Western Visayas at 23 in Morbidity Week 3 from January 15 to 21, for a total of 93 from the start of the year.In second place is Aklan with 21 cases for a total of 57, followed by Iloilo Province with 20 cases for a total of 54.Bacolod City had seven new cases for a total of 30.Western Visayas has recorded 326 dengue cases in January.Dengue is a viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes. T...

Dr. Angel C. Alcala was a former Silliman University president and Department of Environment and Natural Resources secretary.*SU photoNational Scientist Dr. Angel C. Alcala died at the Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, February 1.He was 93.He succumbed to septic shock due to a ruptured appendicitis. His death was confirmed by his youngest son, veterinarian Ely Alcala.Alcala was named National Scientist in 2017, was the 9th president Silliman University (1991-1992), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) secretary (1992-1995), Commission on Higher Education chairperson (1995-1998) and a 1992 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Public Service.He grew up in a fishing village in Cauayan town in Negros Occidental. The wor...

Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson and Roel Degamo during their meeting in Dumaguete City Wednesday.*Choy Gallarde photoNegros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo wants the proposed Negros Island Region to include four provinces to ensure equal voting at Regional Development Council meetings.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson met with Degamo in Dumaguete City on Wednesday morning, February 1, to discuss the proposed creation of the NIR, which will include the two Negros provinces and Siquijor.Degamo had earlier aired his opposition to the creation of the new region.All of the representatives of Negros Occidental, Oriental and Siquijor have co-authored a bill in Congress seeking the creation of the new region.Degamo at their meeting Wednesday “put on the table, the idea of crea...

Two persons were killed in shooting incidents in Sipalay City and Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental on Monday, January 30.Marvin Amalla was killed at a birthday party at Purok Saging, Brgy. Gil Montilla, Sipalay City, at about 10:20 p.m. on Monday by Ryan Bandiola, the police said.Amalla and Bandiola were having a drinking session at a birthday party at the house of the suspect’s brother when an argument ensued.A police report said Amalla allegedly started to become unruly prompting Bandiola to shoot and hack him.Amalla was declared dead on arrival at the Sipalay City Infirmary.Bandiola voluntarily surrendered to the responding policemen and is detained at the Sipalay Police Station.Meanwhile, Divine Estoquia Anobong, 40, was shot and killed at Sitio Subo, Br...

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command head, presides over the turnover of the 303rd Infantry Brigade command from Col. Michael Samson to Col. Orlando D, Edralin (right)*The Army's 301st Infantry Brigade deputy brigade commander in Panay Island assumed the post of 303rd Infantry Brigade commander during a change of command ceremony at Camp Maj. Gerona, Brgy Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, January 31.Lt. Gen Benedict Arevalo, Visayas Command head, let the turnover rites.Col. Orlando D. Edralin took over the helm of the 303rd Infantry Brigade as its 28th Brigade Commander, replacing Col. Michael Samson, who served as the Acting 303rd Brigade Commander for more than a month.Samson was also the 303rd Brigade deputy brigade commander for over three years befo...

Fr. Chris Gonzales, head of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod*The root cause of the spread of illegal drugs must be addressed, Fr. Chris Gonzales, Social Action Center director of the Diocese of Bacolod, said Tuesday, January 31.The killing of persons linked to illegal drugs in not the solution, he said.But while the Catholic Church is against killings, they are not saying they are okay with the spread of illegal drugs, which destroys society, he said.Everyone should unite to solve the problem, Gonzales said.“We need to give hope to people,” he said.Many are engaged in illegal drugs because they have lost hope, Gonzales said.“We have to address the root cause, this is a societal problem,” Gonzales added.*

Governors Eugenio Jose Lacson and Roel Degamo (right).*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, January 31, that it will not be easy for him to convince Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo to support the creation of a Negros Island Region, which will include Siquijor, but he will try.Degamo and Lacson on Tuesday were expected to set a date for their meeting.Lacson said he sought the meeting to try to see if Degamo will have a change of heart. Degamo has publicly announced that he is against the creation of the NIR.Lacson and all of the representatives of Negros Occidental and Oriental and Siquijor are pushing for the creation of the new region.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (second from left) leads the inauguration of the new facilities on Tuesday with Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz and board members Rita Gatuslao, Araceli Somosa and Jeffrey Tubola (l-r).*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the inauguration of the provincial government’s P26 million Technology and Livelihood and Development Center (TLDC), Shared Service Facility(SSF) and organic market at San Juan Street in Bacolod City Tuesday morning, January 31.The facilities located next to the Negros Occidental Food Terminal Market are designed to upgrade the products of organic farmers and assist micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to boost their incomes.“We will strengthen our assistance to our MSMEs through our SSF or shared service faci...

Vincent Parra, officer-in-charge of the CHR Bacolod Sub-Office, at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism workshop on Human Rights Reporting*There were 81 human rights complaints in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City in 2022, including 64 for extra judicial killings, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) reported on Tuesday, January 31.About 30 of the EJK cases were for murders linked to illegal drugs, while the rest were agrarian reform and armed conflict related, Vincent Parra, officer-in-charge of the CHR Bacolod Sub-Office, said Tuesday, January 31.Parra was one of the speakers at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism workshop on Human Rights Reporting led by its training director Rowena Paraan at the Seda Capitol Central hotel in Bacolod City.Th...