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Rayfrando Diaz Il, r. Mary Ann P. Maestral and Lucille Gelvolea (l-r)*Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said on Thursday, September 15, that there is no need to sign a bilateral agreement of cooperation between Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.Benitez said he has a very good working relationship with Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, they agreed that there is no need for documentation and formalities.“It is not necessary to put it in paper,” he said.Councilor Al Victor Espino on Wednesday said there is a proposal for the Bacolod City government to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation with the Negros Occidental provincial government to strengthen bilateral relations.Benitez said he will resubmit his proposal to the Bacolod Sanggu...

The Bacolod police was awarded as the Best City Police Office Unit in the region.*BCPO photoThe Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) and the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (NOCPPO) were awarded as among the best police units in Western Visayas during the celebration of the 121st Police Service Anniversary at the Police Regional Office-6 headquarters at Camp Martin Delgado, Iloilo City, on Thursday, September 15.BCPO was awarded as the Best City Police Office Unit in the region, as well as the Best Unit on Campaign Against Illegal Drugs.Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, BCPO director, received the awards from Maj. Gen. Benjamin Santos Jr., acting deputy chief for operations of the Philippine National Police, who was the guest of honor.Police Station 2 was also adjudged as ...

The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) in Bacolod City received a high rating from the Department of Health (DOH) for its efficient operations.The DOH-run hospital in Bacolod City, in a Facebook post, said it has reached another milestone with a three-year sustained improvement based on the Integrated Hospital Operations and Management Program Assessment after it garnered 100 points.The assessment covered the following categories: governance, ethics and patient's rights, quality measurement and improvement, patient safety, facility safety and emergency management, and resource management.During a site visit, DOH representatives conducted a validation of all documents and witnessed the operations of the hospital.DOH Western Visayas said: "The CHD ...

The 5-year-old boy drowned in this irrigation area in Bago, City Wednesday.*Bago PNP photoA 5-year-old boy drowned in an irrigation system in Barangay Caridad, Bago City, Wednesday, September 14.The child was playing outside his house near the irrigation area when he went missing, the police said Thursday.His brother only found the boy's slippers, so they went to search for him.The city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office conducted a search and rescue operation and found the boy hours later in the irrigation area of Crossing Sagasa.He was taken to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival.*

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office VI announced on Thursday, September 15, that it will be able to proceed with its educational assistance payouts for indigent students in Western Visayas on September 17 and 24.This is because the DSWD Central Office is allocating an additional P26 million for Western Visayas, it said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.The DSWD VI on Wednesday said it would not be able to give educational assistance in Western Visayas on September 17 and 24 because funds provided by the DSWD Central Office had run out.There have been 36,131 students-in-crisis who have been given a total of P101,326,000 in educational assistance in the region so far, the DSWD VI said .*

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said they are compensating the budget cut by reducing the number of JO workers of the city to 2,700 in 2023, or by more than 50 percent.*Barbara Mijares photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Thursday, September 15, that the Bacolod government job order workers will be reduced by more than half to address the P302 million cut in the city’s National Tax Allotment for 2023.The Department of Budget and Finance has announced a 14.47 percent cut in the NTA shares of all local government units in 2023. That means Bacolod’s share of P2 billion this year will drop to P1.7 billion in 2023, or a cut of P302.6 million, the DBM said.Benitez said they are compensating the budget cut by reducing the number of JO workers of the city to 2,700 in 2023...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (center) after the signing of the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program agreement with Dr. Christine Marie Puey of the Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center, Cherry Pink Nonato of the South Bacolod General Hospital, city health insurance consultant Valerie Ann Hollero and Councilor Kalaw Puentevella.* Ronnie Baldonado photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez signed a memorandum of agreement with two private hospitals for the implementation of the Bacolod City Comprehensive Health Program, which will primarily serve the needs of indigent patients, at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, September 15.Dr. Christine Marie Puey was the signatory for the Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center and Cherry Pink Nonato for the South Bacolod Gen...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez with the Miss Bacolod MassKara 2022 contestants who were presented to the media at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, September 15.*Ronnie Baldonado photoFifteen contestants are vying for the Miss Bacolod MassKara 2022 crown and are also being groomed to participate in national and international pageants.Of the 90 who applied to join the pageant, only 15 qualified, Carlos Durana, Miss Bacolod MassKara 2022 chairperson, said during the presentation of the contestants at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, September 15.The prize for the Miss Bacolod MassKara Universe is P150,000, Miss Bacolod MassKara World - P100,000, Miss Bacolod MassKara International – P80,000, 1st runner up - P50,000 and 2nd runner up – P30,000, Durana ...

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz turns over a copy of Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson’s proposed P5.1 billion 2023 Negros Occidental budget to Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer (center) as board members Julius Martin Asistio and Rommel Debulgado, and Gemma Flores (l-r) look on.*Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson‘s proposed P5.1 billion 2023 budget for Negros Occidental was submitted to the Sangguniang Panlalawigan headed by Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer for review on Thursday afternoon, September 15.The proposed budget was submitted for Lacson by Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz to Ferrer and Board Member Rommel Debulgado, SP Committee on Finance chairman.The proposed General Fund Budget for 2023 is P4,952,981,428, while the annual operating budget of the Economic Enterprise Development...

The Negrense Volunteers for Change signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez for the implementation of a MingoMeals Nutrition Program for 200 malnourished Bacolod children sponsored by the Angat Buhay project arm of former vice president Leni Robredo's Angat Pinas Inc. at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, September 15.The MOA was signed by Benitez, Councilor Kalaw Puentevella and Dr. Rosalie de Ocampo - City Nutrition Action Officer, for the city government, and by NVC president Millie Kilayko and trustee Tima Lacson.Local Angat Buhay volunteers will partner with the Barangay Nutrition Scholars deputized by the Bacolod City Nutrition Action Office on the ground by assisting to monitor the children by helping provide activities with t...