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Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez administers the oath of SRA Board Member Aurelio Valderrama, Jr., left, representing the planters at the BCGC Saturday. *Archie Rey Alipalo photoNegrense Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama Jr., the newly-installed board member of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, vowed to work towards the unification of a common goal and set aside political and personal agenda for the survival of the industry."I will talk to every planter, find out what their concerns are. My dream and my prayer is that we can unify and have one common agenda," said Valderrama, SRA board member representing the planters, after taking his oath before Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at the Bacolod City Government Center on Saturday, August 7.Valderrama, president of the VICMICO Planters A...

The house of the victim in Brgy. Busay, Bago City.*Bago PNP photoA body was found in a fishpond at Purok Cabanbanan, Brgy. Busay, Bago City, Negros Occidental, on August 3.The fatality was identified as 52-year-old Joebert Tacolod.The victim was found in the fishpond behind his home in an  advance stage of decomposition.The police has yet to determine the reason for the victim's death and whether foul play was involved.His body has been subjected to post mortem examination.*

The recovered drugs.*San Carlos PNP photoA street-level drug suspect was arrested in a buy-bust operation at San Juan Tunga, Brgy 5, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, on Friday, August 5.Nabbed was 20-year-old Robert Fernandez, who was tagged by the police as the Top 6 priority target on their list.He was arrested after he sold suspected shabu to a police poseur buyer.Recovered from him were 10 grams of suspected shabu worth P68,000, a coin purse, and the P600 buy-bust money.The suspect is now in police custody and will face drug charges.*

The Negros Occidental provincial government is updating its Provincial Revenue Code to enable it to generate more funds by 2023, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Friday, August 5.The last time the provincial government updated its revenue code, which covers property, business and franchise taxes, rentals of provincial government facilities, and service fees, including those of its hospitals, was in 2017, he said.The increases will not be exorbitant, they will still be lower than other government and private facilities, Diaz assured.Part 1 of the proposed 2022 Provincial Revenue Code of Negros Occidental has been submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for his consideration, he said.Once the governor approves the code, it will be submitted to the Sangguniang...

Dr. Ernell Tumimbang*The Negros Occidental Provincial Infectious Disease Action and Control Council (PIDACC) needs to be reactivated as a proactive measure against the threat of monkeypox, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, said Friday, August 5.He has recommended the activation of the council that focuses on emerging and remerging diseases to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, Tumimbang said.The PIDACC is headed by the governor, he said.While no monkeypox cases have been detected in Negros Occidental, they need to begin preparations, he said.Hospitals and local government units need to be prepared, Tumimbang stressed.“We need to focus on advocacy, monitoring and surveillance,” he said.Tumimbang said with the ...

The scene of the shooting incident.*Isabela PNP photoA man was injured after he allegedly ran amok at Zone 3, Brgy. Tinongan, Isabela, Negros Occidental, Thursday, August 4.Injured was 38-year-old Ramil Cardona.Initial investigation showed that the victim who was armed with a bolo allegedly attacked the barangay chairman, identified as 58-year-old Eugenio Sambrona, after the latter responded to the alarm and scandal incident.This prompted Sambrona to shoot the victim, who was allegedly suffering from mental disorder.After the incident, the barangay chairman surrendered to the police and turned over his .45 caliber pistol with one magazine loaded with six live ammunition along with his firearm’s registration and permit to carry.The victim sustained gunshot wounds on ...

SSS officials serving a Show Cause Order in Bacolod City on Friday, August 5.*The Social Security System will be constrained to file criminal complaints against employers who fail to respond to Show Cause Orders for them to pay their delinquencies, Lilani Benedian, SSS vice president for Visayas West 1 Division, said Friday, August 5.SSS officials served six more Show Cause Orders to non-compliant employers in Bacolod City on Friday as part of the SSS Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) campaign.Employers who continue not to pay contributions for their workers will face criminal complaints for violation of Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.Benedian said they have started serving Show Cause Orders to the top 20 percent of the delinquent employers covere...