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Jan192023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Capitol allocates P10M for nutrition needs of Calatrava, SBenedicto kids

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz *The Negros Occidental provincial government is allocating an initial amount of P10 million to address the nutritional needs of children in 20 barangays in Calatrava and Salvador Benedicto towns, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday, January 18.They hope this will address the problem of malnutrition, stunting and wasting of children in the identified areas, he said.Diaz said while a Provincial Health Office (PHO) report shows that the nutritional status of pre-school children aged 0 to 59 months old in Negros Occidental improved in 2022, there are areas that are not doing well and need to be addressed.There is a significant decrease in the prevalence of wasting, stunting, and obesity, the PHO report said.A signif...

Jan192023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

15th IB soldier injured in battle, 530 Sipalay residents evacuate

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The evacuees at the Binulig Elementary School in Brgy. San Jose, Sipalay City, Wednesday night.*Dionilo Bogtae photoAbout 530 Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, residents evacuated after two encounters between the 15th Infantry Battalion soldiers and New People’s Army rebels in southern Negros Occidental on Wednesday, January 18.Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said 15th IB soldiers encountered about five NPA rebels in Barangay Camalanda-an, Cauayan, at 11 a.m. and spotted about 20 during their pursuit operations.A second gunbattle between the 15th IB soldiers and the rebels took place at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the same barangay, he added.One 15th IB soldier was wounded and pursuit operations against the rebels were ongoing, he said.Dionilo Bogtae,...

Jan182023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Bacolod police seize P94.4M in illegal drugs, nab 594 in 2022

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Two persons were arrested in a buy-bust operation and P34,000 in suspected shabu was seized in Purok Bayabasan, Brgy Bata, Bacolod City, Wednesday, January 18*.BCPO photoThe Bacolod police confiscated 13,890.44 grams of illegal drugs worth about P94,454,992 in 2022, PLt. Col. Sherlock Gabana, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) spokesman, reported Wednesday, January 18.He said 511 police operations were conducted resulting to the arrest of 594 drug personalities, including 38 high value individuals, 538 street level individuals and six minors.There were 811 cases filed in court for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, Gabana said.The Bacolod police arrested 179 Most Wanted Persons and 489 Other Wanted Persons.In the campaign aga...

Jan182023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Fire destroys house, kills septuagenarian

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A septuagenarian died after a fire hit her house at Purok Kampilitan, Barangay Oringao in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, Tuesday night, January 17.The victim was Maolin Amblosa, 74, whose house was destroyed by the fire, FO3 John Direck Villaruz of the Kabankalan City Fire Station said Wednesday.The woman lived alone.Neighbors alleged that the woman drank alcohol almost every day and would transfer her kerosene lamp around the house when she was drunk, Villaruz said.They are still determining if the kerosene lamp caused the fire, he added.*

Jan182023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

Heart attack, not lightning killed La Carlota farm worker

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A farm worker succumbed to a heart attack when lightning struck at Brgy San Miguel, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, Tuesday, January 17, the city police chief said Wednesday.An initial report said Elizabeth Frange Arevalo, 65, was killed by lighting while at a sugarcane field.The victim and her co-workers had been planting sugarcane tops and were preparing to go home when rain started to pour and lighting struck.Arevalo’s co-workers were surprised when she fell to the ground and she was immediately rushed to the Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital in La Carlota City where she was declared dead.PLt. Col. Lowell Garinganao, La Carlota police chief, said a medical examination showed that the victim was not hit by lighting and may have suffered from cardiac ar...

Jan182023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

City to close down more than 100 water stations, 10 establishments

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More than 100 water refilling stations and 10 commercial establishments in Bacolod City are set to be closed down for lack of business permits, City Legal Officer Romeo Carlos Ting Jr. said Wednesday, January 18.If the water refilling stations failed to obtain business permits in 2022, they cannot use the excuse that they are still on process, Ting said.Notices of closure will no longer be issued since they were already sent to the erring establishments last year, he added.The City Legal Office (CLO) and the Business and Licensing Division will enforce the closures soon, he said.Ting said the CLO had sent notices to over 200 water refilling stations last year, and more than 100 remain without business permits.The 10 commercial establishments already have notices of clos...

Jan182023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

SP names Tan of Megaworld honorary mayor of Bacolod

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Five contingents will participate in the 18th Bacolaodiat Festival - Lantern Dance Competition to be staged at the Bacolod City Government Center and The Upper East on Saturday, January 21.*The Sangguniang Panlungsod on Wednesday, January 18, unanimously approved a resolution declaring Megaworld’s Kevin Tan honorary mayor of Bacolod City from January 20 to 22 during the Bacolaodiat Festival to usher in the Chinese New Year.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez had requested the SP to declare Tan honorary mayor because of Megaworld’s significant contributions to the business landscape of Bacolod City.Megaworld is developing two townships in Bacolod – the 34-hectare The Upper East near the Bacolod Government Center, and the 50-hectare Northill Gateway at the boundary of Bacolod ...

Jan182023 by Carla P. GomezNo Comments

SP grants Benitez authority to negotiate P5B loan: Espino

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The Sangguniang Panlungsod on Wednesday, January 18, granted Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez authority to negotiate a loan for the Bacolod City government, Councilor Al Victor Espino said.The mayor is aiming to negotiate for a not less than P5 billion loan with banks and other financial institutions for the acquisition of lots for land banking and other socio-economic projects deemed useful to the city, Espino said.After the mayor negotiates with the financial institutions he will submit a report to the SP on the details and seek authority to sigh the contracts, Espino said.The mayor is looking at a loan of not less than P5 billion, he said.Bacolod City’s loan borrowing capacity has been upgraded to P5.7 billion by the Department of Finance, Espino said.*

Jan182023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

7 Neg. Occ. LGUs receive P49M SGLG incentive fund

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Seven Negros Occidental local government units (LGUs) received incentive funds worth P7 million each or a total of P49 million from the Department of the Interior and Local Government Tuesday, January 17.The turnover of the 2022 Seal of Good Local Governance Incentive Fund and Regional Roll-Out to Eligible LGUs of Negros Occidental was held at the provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City.The recipients are the cities of Talisay, Silay, Sagay, San Carlos, Himamaylan and Bago, and the Municipality of Hinoba-an.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson lauded the LGU awardees for their hard work, efficiency, and dedication to result-oriented public service, and their commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in government.“To our mayors, your sterling leadership serves as a...

Jan172023 by Digicast NegrosNo Comments

Negros 3rd district gears for intensified coastal mgmt

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Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez and Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez (l-r) at the Negros 3rd District Coastal Resources Management and Development Council meeting.*The Negros Occidental Third District is gearing up integrated plans of various stakeholders for the restoration and conservation of coastal resources, and to create more opportunities for marginal fishermen.Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) and Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel “Javi” Benitez, Metro 3rd coastal management alliance chairman, held a special meeting of the Negros 3rd District Coastal Resources Management and Development Council (N3DCRMDC) in Talisay City on Tuesday, January 17, a press release said.The congressman underscored the importance of taking an eco-system a...