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Former Bacolod Rep. John Orola Jr. said on Thursday, September 2, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan meeting in Negros Occidental on September 4, is postponed until after the holding of the PDP Laban Convention in Manila on September 8.Orola, a former PDP-Laban member and the liaison of the PDP-Laban Cusi wing group in Negros Occidental, said the holding of the convention is in compliance with the Comelec requirements and policy.The rift between the PDP Laban Cusi wing and the Pimentel wing had to be resolved first before the holding of the party consultation in the province of Negros Occidental, he said.Orola, who is being endorsed by certain groups to run for governor of Negros Occidental, said that he has not committed yet to run as there are many factors to be ...

Neg Occ photoThe first batch of migratory workers set to work in Negros Occidental sugarcane farms have arrived from Antique, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Friday, September 3.The 33 cane cutters from Antique arrived Friday and were swabbed for COVID-19 tests. They will be quarantined in the farm where they will be employed until their test results are out, Lacson said.About 4,000 migratory workers are expected to arrive in Negros Occidental as the milling season starts, he said.“It’s very important that we have these people. It is very difficult to find cane cutters in Negros Occidental,” he said.But he stressed that there is a protocol to follow, all incoming migratory workers must be tested for COVID-19.The farm owners are contributing to the COVID-19 tests, he a...

PCL Negros Occidental president Ryan Gamboa and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson , right.*Richard Malihan photoThe Philippine Councilors League (PCL) Negros Occidental Federation is in full support of the reelection bids of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer in 2022, its president Ryan Gamboa said Friday, September 3.Lacson and Ferrer have agreed on a Love Negros-United Negros Alliance merger and the PCL is also in full support of that, said Gamboa in an interview during a program to mark PCL Week at the Capitol in Bacolod City.However, it cannot be avoided that there will be some people who cannot agree on unified tickets in certain local government units, Gamboa said.They will leave such matters to Lacson and Ferrer to resolve, he said.“But most of the ...

62nd IB photoA militiaman was killed by 10 suspected rebels in his home at Barangay Pinocawa in Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental, on Wednesday night, September 1.The fatality was identified as Cirilo Paderna, 51, a Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary (CAA) member, the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army reported. He was assigned at the Barangay Maglahos Patrol Base in Vallehermoso.Recovered from the scene were three spent cartridges of a M-16 rifle, five .45 caliber pistol spent shells, a .45 caliber cartridge, a .45 caliber slug, and one 5.56mm slug.Lt. Col. Melvin Flores, 62nd IB commanding officer, appealed for the cooperation of the public in identifying the perpetrators and to bring justice to the victim and his family.*

City PIO photosThe third batch of establishments found compliant with minimum public health standards received their Safety Seal Certificates from the Bacolod City Government Wednesday, September 1.These include PanAsiatic Solutions, Jollibee (CyberCenter), Just Gold (SM City), Jollibee (Gatuslao), Ysa Aesthetics and Wellness (Ayala Malls Capitol Central), Speedo (Ayala Malls), Healthy Options (Ayala Malls), Greenwich (Ayala Malls), and Jollibee (Ayala Malls), Safety Seal Committee (SSC) chair Stela Rose Rayos said in a press release.These nine business establishments - like those that received the Safety Seal before them - were commended by Mayor Evelio Leonardia for doing their part in the fight against Covid-19.The Safety Seal Certification Program was launched to affirm...

The man who was beheaded in Bacolod City Tuesday night was facing illegal possession of drugs raps and had just been released from jail on bail, PMaj. Ramel Sarona, Police Station 1 chief, said Wednesday, September 1.He was identified as Glen Paul Bautista Castillo, 42, of General Trias, Cavite.Castillo had been living at Deca Homes in Barangay Cabug, Bacolod City, with his live-in partner Analie dela Cruz Baldevieso, 36. They were arrested in a police buy bust operation at their house on August 21, Sarona said.Baldevieso was charged for the sale of drugs that is a non-bailable offense, while Castillo was facing illegal possession of drugs raps and was able to post bail for his temporary liberty on Friday, August 27, Sarona said.Castilo was picked up at his house by the men...

A family of eight tested positive for COVID-19 in Barangay, Sum-ag, Bacolod City, and one member may have been hit with the Delta variant, Dr. Chris Sorongon, Emergency Operations Center deputy for medical data and analysis, said Wednesday, September 1.A female health care worker at a hospital tested positive for COVID-19 and seven members of her family were also found positive for the virus.One member who works at a computer store has a cycle threshold of 15.07 and is suspected to have been hit by the Delta variant, he said.His specimen will be sent to the Philippine Genome Center for testing, Sorongon said.Earlier a family of 20 also tested positive for COVID-19 in Barangay Singcang-Airport, and the specimen of one was sent to the Philippine Genome Center for variant test...