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Mayor Mark Golez vowed to continue to make Silay “a prosperous and resilient city, proud of its culture and heritage” and outlined plans to create an alternative central district to boost growth on Wednesday, March 23.Golez, who delivered a report on the accomplishments of his administration at the Natalio G. Velez Sports and Cultural Center, said his mission is to ensure that Silaynons enjoy excellent social services and live in a peaceful community and sustainable environment.He said with the new Silay Capitol in the pipeline, several other development plans are set for the establishment of a fresh growth and progressive residential and commercial area that will cater to the founding of an alternative central district for the city.This demands for the inclusion of power, wate...

There is no shade of truth that Rep. Greg Gasataya was rejected or driven out of Grupo Progreso, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said in a press release Wednesday, March 23, in reaction to the solon's claim during a DYHB-organized debate that he did not leave GP but was actually ousted from the group.It is now clear to GP supporters and the people of Bacolod, Leonardia reiterated, that if the congressman found himself in the company of the rival camp, it was because of his own making."He was the one who ousted himself from Grupo Progreso, not us," the mayor saidFor months in the run-up to the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy in October and many weeks after the COC filing, he was claiming neutrality but his actions and pronouncements on the ground showed otherwise, the pres...

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (4th and 5th from left) with their Grupo Progreso slate Wednesday, October 6.The Mayor Evelio Leonardia-led Grupo Progreso is set to unveil its platform of government at a press conference at the Business Inn in Bacolod City at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 24.Leonardia deferred to discuss details of the GP platform, saying they don't want to preempt its contents before it is presented by the slate to members of the media, a press release from his camp said Wednesday.The group's three-pronged program is primarily anchored on the areas of health and social services, economy and infrastructure development and the Smart City framework for local government.Also to be presented are the vision and mission of the GP, a polit...

Leaders of transport groups in Bacolod City aired their disappointment at the failure of Regional Director Richard Osmeña of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to attend a scheduled dialog to listen to their grievances on Tuesday, March 22.Osmeña, however, sent LTFRB representatives to listen to their concerns and promised to join a dialog with them early next week.The transport leaders said the decrease in fuel prices on Tuesday was not enough to mitigate previous increases.Gasoline prices decreased by P5.45 per liter, diesel by P11.45, and kerosene by P8.55 on Tuesday but could go up again next week.The transport leaders had called off their two-day transportation strike on Monday after Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya and Rep. Stephen Paduano (Aba...

Richard Malihan photoThe camps of Mayor Evelio “Bing” Leonardia and his challenger Alfredo “Albee” Benitez are staging rallies to kick off the official local campaign period in Bacolod City, while Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer are joining opening salvos in various towns and cities.Leonardia’s Grupo Progreso is expected to hold a caravan on Friday, March 24, and a rally on Saturday.Benitez said his Asenso Bacolod team is holding a caravan and rally at the Paglaum Stadium on Saturday, but are still working on getting a permit.Meanwhile, Lacson said he and Ferrer will be joining separate rallies in various towns and cities to cover more ground on a daily basis since both of them remain a tandem and will campaign for each other....

Sipalay PNP photoA public school teacher died after she figured in an accident along the national highway of Brgy. Maricalum in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, March 21.The fatality was identified as Grace Amor Bornes, 26, of Brgy. Canturay.The victim was driving her motorcycle when it collided head-on with a truck driven by Marlon Cañete, 33, of Brgy. Nabulao.The truck’s chassis malfunctioned causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle, the police said.The truck almost hit another motorcycle, whose driver was able to avoid the collision but sustained an injury.The truck driver was detained at the Sipalay police station.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, March 22, that with the improvement in its COVID-19 vaccination drive Negros Occidental can probably be placed under Alert Level 1 although he does not mind if it stays under Alert Level 2, especially during the campaign period.Negros Occidental remains under Alert Level 2 with minimal COVID-19 risk, the Department of Health reported Monday.The province has fully vaccinated 59.45 percent of its target population, and 56.53 percent of its target senior citizen population against COVID-19, it added.Meanwhile, there were six local government units in Negros Occidental that had no active COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.The six were Binalbagan, Calatrava, Candoni, Salvador Benedicto, Ilog and Manapla, the Provincial Incident Management Team re...

Police Station 7 photoA 14-year-old boy who allegedly stole scrap materials at a subdivision at Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, on Sunday, March 20, was shot by a security guard.Initial police investigation showed that the security guard identified as Mark Gil John Capanas, 30, saw two minors who were allegedly stealing scrap materials at the area, which prompted him to fire his 12-gauge shotgun.It hit one of the minors.The 14-year-old was assisted by the Handumanan Emergency Response Unit and was brought to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital.Meanwhile, the security guard surrendered to the police.*