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Feb32023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

‘No need for 3rd Negros province for equal footing in new region’

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (left) and Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez say solutions on "equal footing" concerns should be found.,*Ricgard Malihan photoBacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said it is not necessary to create a third Negros province to assure the Oriental side of fair representation in the proposed Negros Island Region (NIR).What should be addressed is the issue at hand, ensuring fair representation, Benitez said on Thursday, February 2.Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, in a meeting with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday, said the new region should include four provinces to ensure equal voting at Regional Development Council (RDC) meetings.A bill pending in Congress calls for the creation of a new region composed of Ne...

Feb32023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Guv turns over P18.5 M for DepEd farm schools

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Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson turned over P18.5 million worth of Special Educational Funds to various Department of Education Schools Divisions in Negros Occidental on Thursday, February 2.The checks were distributed to the Schools Division Offices (SDO) Farm Schools of the cities of Bago, Cadiz, Escalante, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Sagay, San Carlos, Sipalay, Silay, and Victorias.SDO Negros Occidental, led by Schools Division Superintendent Anthony Liobet, also received financial assistance for its farm school, and programs on sports trainings and seminars, Seal of Excellence, and Disaster Risk Reduction Management.Lacson said that the assistance given to the schools is a step towards the achievement of the goal to give the needed focus on agri-fishery, forestry, farm...

Feb22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Show cause orders for failure to produce 122 vehicles readied

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Show cause orders will be issued against Bacolod City employees who fail to produce the 122 city government vehicles assigned to them for inventory, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Thursday, February 2.“We will go through the process, charges will be filed,” Benitez warned.Benitez had asked that all vehicles of the city be inventoried at the Bacolod City Government Center grounds on January 28 but 122 were missing.If they say that the vehicles are unserviceable they should report where they are so they can be inspected, Benitez said.“If they cannot produce the vehicles there will be show cause orders that will be issued,“ he said, which are already being readied.Benitez is questioning why the books show that the city government has more assets than what were reporte...

Feb22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

P10B electric vehicle plant investors arrive in Bacolod

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Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez announced Thursday, February 2, that the Chinese investors planning to put up an electric vehicle manufacturing plant arrived in Bacolod City this week.They plan to put up a $200 million (P10.7 billion) plant in the city, he said.Benitez met with the chief executive officer and chairman of the Jiangsu Fengchuen New Energy Power Technology Co. when he joined President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during his state visit to China in January.The mayor said he met with the investors on Wednesday, who are continuing their due diligence work in Bacolod.“They sounded really excited so I hope it really pushes through,” he said.The investors want to make sure that all bases are covered before putting in that huge investment, Benitez said.The firm, in co...

Feb22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Lotto bettor in La Carlota wins half of P73M jackpot

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A bettor in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, was one of two winners of the P73.4 million jackpot in the Mega Lotto 6/45 draw on Wednesday night, February 1.The winning tickets were bought in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, and Barangay Pinagkaisahan, Makati City, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) announced Thursday.The bettors guessed the winning combination, 37-29-42-21-27-05, and will split the prize money of P73,481,247, the PCSO said.All jackpot prizes must be claimed at the PCSO main office in Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City, within one year from the date of the draw, it said.*

Feb22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

New Isabela treasurer takes over Friday, audit of about P7M in ‘missing’ funds on

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The new municipal treasurer of Isabela, Negros Occidental, will assume his post on Friday, February 3, while the Commission on Audit investigates the whereabouts of about P7 million in alleged missing funds from the town treasury, Provincial Treasurer Amy Grace Bolivar said Thursday.Jesse Gumapas, former acting municipal treasurer of Toboso, has been assigned to Isabela.Current Isabela municipal treasurer Nenette Mandadero Escarda will be reassigned to the Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Bolivar said.Isabela Mayor Irene Montilla had requested for the revocation of the designation of Escarda, Bolivar said.An audit is being conducted on the extent of the shortage of the Isabala municipal government funds, she said.Escarda reported to the police that funds and checks belong...

Feb22023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

SP approves on 2nd reading city’s Paleng-QR Ph Program

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Bacolod Councilor Celia Flor is the author of the Paleng-QR Ph Program ordinance.*SP photoThe Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod passed on second reading the proposed ordinance for the Paleng-QR Ph Program in Bacolod City on Wednesday, February 1.The proposed ordinance authored by Councilor Celia Flor, SP Committee on Markets and Slaughterhouse chair, enjoins all business establishments and local transportation in Bacolod to adopt Quick Response (QR) Digital Payments in line with Paleng-QR Ph.This ordinance basically urges the market vendors and transport sectors to adopt the digital platform of payments through GCash, Paymaya and other approved mobile applications stated by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Flor said.She said the ordinance will also support Mayor Alfredo ...

Feb22023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Two USLS programs now AUN-QA certified

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The University of St. La Salle has reached another important milestone as two of its programs are now ASEAN University Network- Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) certified.The Bachelor of Science in Accountancy and Bachelor of Secondary Education programs successfully passed assessments and are confirmed to be in accordance with the AUN-QA standards, a press release from USLS said.AUN-QA is an international body that promotes quality higher education and collaborates with global institutions for the benefit of the ASEAN community, it said.Notwithstanding the pandemic, the University will continue to deliver its mission of providing quality education that is at par with local and international standards, the press release said.*

Feb22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Aboitiz proposes P2.8B bulk water project: Albee

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Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Cosette Canilao, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz InfraCapital, (l-r) meet at the Governor's Office on Thursday, February 2.*Richard Malihan photoAboitiz InfraCapital is proposing a P2.8 billion bulk water supply joint venture project with the Negros Occidental and Bacolod City governments, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.Cosette Canilao, president and chief executive officer of Aboitiz InfraCapital, met with Benitez and Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the provincial Capitol on Thursday, February 2, to discuss the plan.The proposal is to put up the bulk water supply facility in Talisay City, which will also service the needs of Bacolod, Benitez said....

Feb22023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Guanzon says libel charges could be filed for viral video

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Former Commissioner Rowena Guanzon of the Commission on Elections said the person who posted the video of her berating drunk persons on the sidewalk during the Dinagsa Festival in Cadiz City that has gone viral could face libel charges.The video was posted with malice as it did not capture the entire incident, Guanzon said.“What you saw in the video posted on Facebook is untruthful,” she said.“They are trying to portray that I am abusive and violent which is not true, none of them were hurt,” she said.She said when she passed Magsaysay Street on her way home there were two people drinking Red Horse and one was waving his arm as he was smoking.“I told them not to smoke on the sidewalk as someone could get hurt and all of a sudden someone shouted ‘is this your side walk’,...