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Negros Occidental Board Member Jeffrey Tubola and the Sipalay recipients of the NHA aid on Friday, June 10.*The Negros Occidental provincial government distributed P15.5 million to 3,199 Sipalay City residents whose houses were destroyed by typhoon “Odette” at rites held in Sipalay City Friday morning, June 10.Each beneficiary received P5,000 from the NHA Special Emergency Housing Assistance.The recipients were residents of barangays 1,2,3,4,5, Cabadiangan, Camindangan, Canturay, Cartagena, Cauayan, Gil Montilla, Mambaroto, Manlucahoc, Maricalum, Nabulao, Nauhang, and San Jose.Negros Occidental Board Member Jeffrey Tubola led the distribution of the cash assistance at the Sipalay City Gym, Gil Montilla Covered Court, and Mambaroto Covered Court, together with Sipalay Execut...

Mayor-elect Alfredo Benitez will take over the running of Bacolod City at noon of June 30.*A meeting of the transition teams of Bacolod City outgoing mayor Evelio Leonardia and mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez in not likely to be held at an earlier date.Ma. Victoria Parreñas, head of the Leonardia transition team’s technical working group, said on Friday, June 10, that they will have to stick to the June 22 date set by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) as they are still in the process of preparing the required documents and records for submission to the team of Benitez.Mostly probably the June 22 date will be final, she said. Parreñas assured that they are complying will all the requirements stated in the DILG memorandum circular.Incoming City ...

Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo *The Negros Occidental and Bacolod City governments will mark the 124th Philippine Independence Day at separate rites on Sunday, June 12.Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador S. Panelo will keynote the Independence Day celebration at the Bacolod City Public Plaza that starts at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, Mayor Evelio Leonardia said Friday.This year's event will center on the theme, "Kalayaan 2022: Pagsunong sa Hamon ng Bagong Bukas (Rise Towards the Challenge of a New Beginning)”.Panelo, Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran will lead city officials and guests during the entrance of colors, followed by the flag-raising ceremony and the traditional wreath-laying at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.Le...

A landslide further eroded a road and cut off water supply in Sitio Tambara, Barangay San Fernando, Talisay City, Wednesday, June 9.* Talisay DRRMO photoHeavy rains on Wednesday, June 8, caused another landslide that further eroded a road in Sitio Tambara, Barangay San Fernando, Talisay City, and cut off water supply.They have closed the road to four-wheel drive vehicles, only motorcycles are allowed to pass, Spyke Gutierrez, Talisay City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office officer-in-charge, said Thursday.He said the latest landslide in the area also damaged pipelines and cut off water supply to Barangay San Fernando and part of Barangay Dos Hemanas.The road leads to a bamboo plantation project of the Negros Occidental provincial government and some resorts 2 kilomet...

Diego Malacad, United Negros Drivers Operator Center secretary-general.*Drivers groups in Negros Occidental on Thursday, June 9, called on the national government to cut the Value Added Tax to 6 percent and defer the implementation of excise tax on fuel to reduce its cost.That would be a better option than to increase the jeepney fare to P15 that the riding public will not be able to afford, Eduardo “Junjun” Asis, Sentrong Samahan ng Tsuper at Operators Negros (SStone) acting secretary general, and Diego Malacad, United Negros Drivers Operators Center secretary- general, said after a transport unity forum Thursday.Malacad said if the fuel prices continue to rise 75 percent of the drivers of public utility vehicles still operating could drop to 25 percent because it will no long...

Dengue cases in Negros Occidental this year are now 423.63 percent higher than in 2021, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Negros Occidental provincial health officer, said Thursday, June 9.Negros Occidental recorded 953 dengue cases from January 1 to June 4 this year compared to 182 in 2021, he said.The highest number of cases this year is in Himamaylan City with 88, which has hit an epidemic threshold, Tumimbang said.Binalbagan’s cases increased from two in 2021 to 57 this year, or by 2,750 percent, which is the highest rise in percentage in the province, he added.The highest decrease in cases is in Victorias City at 73.33 percent, Tumimbang said, pointing out that the city had 15 dengue cases in 2021 and has four this year.There are five dengue deaths in Negros Occidental this ye...

LTO Bacolod chief Reuben Tampos *The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is bringing its services closer to the people with the opening of more offices in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, LTO Bacolod chief Reuben Tampos said Thursday, June 9.The aim is to have an LTO office in every legislative district of Negros Occidental and to decongest their main office in Bacolod, he said.Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante, LTO chief, will be in Negros Occidental on Friday for the inauguration of the new P6 million LTO building in San Carlos City, and for the ceremonial opening of their office for license renewal at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City, Tampos said.The LTO office at a new building in EB Magalona is also expected to open next month, he added.There are al...

CENECO personnel start removing illegal streetlights.*Central Negros Electric Cooperative Inc. began its campaign to remove unmetered streetlights from barangays in Bacolod City on Thursday, June 9, Malou Parroco, Ceneco promotions section head, said.This is part of CENECOs Bantay Kuryente campaign to put a stop to illegal electrical connections in violation of Republic Act 7832 or the Anti-Pilferage Act of 1994 and to bring down its systems loss.CENECO incurred pilferage losses of P325 million in 2021 and has launched an aggressive campaign to arrest and file charges against pilferers,Engineer Leo Arimas, CENECO Technical Services Division chief, said earlier.CENECO said electricity theft is illegal, dangerous and losses are paid for by the rest of the consumers.Th...

The TFM members at the rally to mark the 34th anniversary of the CARP at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provincial office at San Sebastian Street in Dawis, Bacolod City.*Hundreds of Task Force Mapalad (TFM) members called on the incoming Marcos administration on Thursday, June 9, to commit itself to complete the implementation of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), which they said the government of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte promised to achieve but failed to accomplish.The TFM members staged a rally to mark the 34th anniversary of the CARP at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) provincial office at San Sebastian Street in Dawis, Bacolod City.They called on incoming president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to complete the distribution of 300,0...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, right, with Guam Visitors Bureau Vice President Gerald S.A. Perez *A travel expo between Negros Occidental and Guam is being explored.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and his delegation discussed the possibility of holding a travel expo during a meeting with officials of the Guam Visitors Bureau in Tumon, Guam, on Thursday, June 9.They were welcomed by Guam Visitors Bureau Vice President Gerald S.A. Perez and Marketing Manager Sharlene Guerrero.The members of Lacson’s delegation are Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, Executive Assistant IV and Public Information Officer Charina Magallanes – Tan, and Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena.They were accompanied by Consul General Patrick John H...