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The Department of Health has upgraded the Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital (TLJPH) in Silay City, Negros Occidental, into a Level II hospital effective December 12.“There are more services that we can now provide”, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday, December 14.The hospital will now have a licensed Intensive Care Unit, including a neonatal ICU and units for high risk pregnancies, he said.The hospital will also have a pulmonary unit with a pedia and internal medicine pulmonologist, he said.Lacson on Tuesday also led the inauguration of the TLJPH Dialysis Unit that has a 15-seat capacity.The target is to further upgrade the TLJP into a Level III hospital, he said.Dialysis centers for provincial government hospitals in Kabankalan Cit...

The NIR bill was approved by the Technical Working Group of the House Committee on Local Government co-chaired by Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District).*Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District) said it is likely that the bill seeking the creation of the Negros Island Region, which includes Siquijor, will be approved by the House Committee on Local Government in January.It is likely to be approved since the consolidated bill is co-authored by all the representatives of Negros Island and Siquijor, said Alvarez on Wednesday, December 14.The NIR bill was approved by the committee’s Technical Working Group (TWG) co-chaired by Alvarez on Tuesday.Negros Oriental Gov. Roel Degamo, who is not in favor of the NIR, still has not sent his position paper to the TWG, she...

Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran has been hit with COVID-19 and is under home quarantine.He had a sore throat and fever on Sunday and immediately self-isolated, Familaran said on Wednesday, December 14.His fever was from 39 to 40 degrees on Sunday and Monday and on Tuesday he tested positive in a rapid antigen test.Bacolod Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran has been hit with COVID-19 and is under home quarantine.He had a sore throat and fever on Sunday and immediately self-isolated, Familaran said on Wednesday, December 14.His fever was from 39 to 40 degrees on Sunday and Monday and on Tuesday he tested positive in a rapid antigen test.On Wednesday his fever had subsided but he will continue to remain under home quarantine, Familiaran said.Familiaran said he has h...

There are about eight suspects behind threats being made against St. John's Institute teachers and students in Bacolod City, the SJI security and safety consultant said Tuesday, December 13.SJI that is on heightened alert shifted to full online classes starting Tuesday as an added precaution, SJI security consultant Abraham Ganzon Jr. also said.Ganzon said their investigation has come up with eight possible suspects, some of whom are current and former employees of the school.Lt. Jovito Pastrana, Police Station 2 officer-in-charge, said he has referred the SJI case to the Police Regional Anti- Cybercrime Unit to determine the source of the threats so charges can be filed.Posts on the Facebook page named “Huaming Par” on Saturday and Monday said that the school has a choice ...

The BSP Negros Occidental Council officers led by Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson, left.*Himamaylan City Mayor Raymund Tongson has been elected chairman of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Negros Occidental Council.The other elected officers are Dax Malony Montealegre – first vice president, Casius Sanchez – second vice president, Romel Yogore – treasurer, Hazel Cordero – assistant treasurer, and Arsenio Patiño –auditor.Elected sectoral representatives are Angelina Brillo, Romeo Camporaso, Jilson Vallejera, Casius Sanchez and Junbert Pabon.*

The drivers receiving their fuel subsidy* Kabankalan PIO photoA total of 1,520 tricycle drivers in Kabankalan City received P3,000 each in fuel subsidy from the city government led by Mayor Benjie Miranda.Councilor Rey Cordero, chairman of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Transportation, authored City Ordinance 2022-005 granting the fuel subsidy.The fuel subsidy is in the form of six fuel vouchers worth P500 each, a press release from the city government said.*

A manger scene in front of the Negros Occidental Capitol is a reminder of what Christmas is all about.*Ronnie Baldonado photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson Tuesday night, December 13, directed the release of the P40, 000 bonus of the provincial government’s employees this week and assured that the granting of performance based bonuses (PBB) will also be reviewed in January.Lacson made the announcement after he and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer led the switch on of the Christmas lights at the Capitol and its park in Bacolod City, which was accompanied by a burst of fireworks.The governor also marked his 63rd birthday on Tuesday.Lacson, in his speech, urged his fellow public servants, to “allow this season to rekindle and renew our promise to our fellow Negrenses t...

Lack of proper sanitation habits is seen as the reason for the majority of the 67 confirmed cholera cases, including two deaths, in Negros Occidental, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said Tuesday, December 13.Most of the cases are believed to have been caused by poor hygiene, especially in the handling of food, and not from contaminated water, he said.That is because of all of the water samples taken from areas where cholera cases were reported, only one tested positive for Vibrio cholerae at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, he said.He also pointed out that were no clustering of cholera cases.If it was the water that caused the cholera, it would not be just one person but an entire family hit, Tumimbang added.He said the long term focus sho...

The teenager who was stabbed in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.*PNP photoA 17-year-old teenager suffered injuries after he was stabbed at Hacienda Amanda, Barangay 8, Victorias City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, December 12.Police withheld the name of the minor-victim.Initial police investigation showed that the victim was with his girlfriend when two people, allegedly armed with a bladed weapon, arrived.They allegedly stabbed the victim in the stomach and back.The victim was rushed to the Victorias Emergency Clinic and later transferred to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, Bacolod City.Police identified one of the suspects as Jomer Sison, who turned out to be the stepbrother of the victim’s girlfriend.The other supect was allegedly ...

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Negros Occidental provincial health officer.*Two international organizations are helping health officials in Negros Occidental convince residents to get booster shots against COVID-19.Negros Occidental is lagging behind in its booster drive and needs to catch up on its coverage of children, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, provincial health officer, said Tuesday, December 13.Negros Occidental has fully vaccinated 78.71 percent of its target population, and 60.90 percent of its senior citizens, which has resulted in its remaining under Alert Level 2, the Department of Health reported on Tuesday.Relief International of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Reach Health of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are providing the pro...