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Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is issuing an executive order extending the COVID-19 Alert Level 2 status in Negros Occidental until November 15 and requiring the wearing of face masks in all provincial government buildings.“In my executive order I will specifically say that in all dealings inside a provincial government building, face mask is mandatory,” he said Wednesday, November 2.The Department of Health in its COVID-19 alert level classifications for November 1 to 15 extended Negros Occidental’s AL 2 status, while Bacolod remains under AL 1.Although President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 7 on October 28 allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks in indoor settings, Lacson said he believes the local autonomy of Local Government Units allows him to req...

"Paeng" destroyed 107 houses and damaged 936 in Negros Occidental, including in Silay City as shown above.* Mayor Joedeth Gallego FB page photoPresident Ferdinand Marcos Jr. placed Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental, under a State of Calamity following the devastation caused by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, in an executive order issued Wednesday, November 2.The State of Calamity will remain in force and effect for six months unless earlier lifted by the president.Negros Occidental suffered losses of P257.8 million in crops and livestock, reports submitted to Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday showed.There were also 107 houses destroyed and 936 damaged in Negros Occidental, Provincial Social Welfare Officer Merle Garcia said.PRICE CONTROLThe president...

Jerry Gasendo was killed at the Araneta highway in Barangay Tangub.*BCPO photoA businessman and artist was shot to death by unidentified riding-in-tandem suspects at the Araneta highway in Barangay Tangub, Bacolod City, on Wednesday, November 2.Killed was 53-year-old Jerry Gasendo of Lizares Extension, Barangay 40.Maj. Joery Puerto, Police Station 8 chief, said the victim was tailed by the two suspects on board a motorcycle. When they reached in front of EC Gas, they shot the victim several times.He said the victim fell to the ground and sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the head.He was brought to Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.The suspects fled after the incident.Recovered from the scene were two fired ...

The African Swine Fever (ASF) Task Force seized 4,450.28 kgs. of pork products and piglets with an estimate market value market value of P448,125.10 at Negros Occidental and Bacolod City entry points in October, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Wednesday, November 2.OIC Provincial Veterinarian Placeda Lemana said P381,558.10 of the seized products were shipped back to their points of origin, while P66,567 of the products were confiscated and burned.They were seized at the Bacolod–Silay Airport, Banago and BREDCO ports in Bacolod, Escalante Port, San Carlos Port, Hinoba-an and Kabankalan animal quarantine checkpoints, Kabankalan City , Cauayan and Victorias City markets, and in Silay City and EB Magalona.Diaz said for the Bacolod ports 924.69 kgs. of pork products...

The flag flies at half-mast in front of Capitol in Bacolod City for Roque Puentebella Hofileña Jr. *Barbara Mijares photoThe Philippine flag in front of the Negros Occidental Capitol in Bacolod City is flying at half-mast for a Negrense historian who passed away at his home in Bacolod City on Sunday, October 30.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson on Wednesday ordered the lowering of the Philippine Flag to half-mast as a sign of mourning for Roque Puentebella Hofileña Jr. from Wednesday until Friday, November 4.Hofileña, 83, served the province of Negros Occidental for 35 years from 1968 to 2003, retiring as Provincial Planning and Development Officer.His daughter, Olive Hofileña Javier, said he had a bad fall after which his health deteriorated.He was loved and r...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the city government is distributing free school supplies to 70,735 public pre-school and Grades 1-6 students of Bacolod City.*Negros Occidental and Bacolod City public elementary and high schools began full face-to-face classes starting Wednesday, November 2.The Department of Education Division of Negros Occidental began 100 percent face-to-face classes but there were students whose houses were hit by floods who were absent, DepEd Negros Occidental spokesman Ian Arnold Arnaez said.He also said some big schools in the division were faced with lack of classrooms and teachers.In Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the city government is distributing free school supplies to 70,735 public pre-school and Grades 1-6 students.The...

The Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion deployed troops in public and private cemeteries in Northern Negros to ensure the security and safety of the public in observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2.Part of the security measures conducted are visibility patrols at the vicinity of cemeteries; deployment of troops inside and outside cemeteries to assist and ensure the safety of visitors; distribution of hotline numbers and safety reminders; and the establishment of a Police Assistance Desk in places of convergence.Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, 79IB commander, said that the troops' deployment will also serve as an augmentation to the local PNP and other Law Enforcement Agencies in Northern Negros to ensure that Negrenses will have a solemn and ...

The devastation caused by Typhoon Paeng has prompted the United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) to seek the intervention of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to raise the suggested retail price (SRP) of sugar from the current P70 per kilo to P85-90 at least.UNIFED President Manuel Lamata said "our sugar farmers need help to recover from the damage caused by the recent typhoon that has inundated hundreds of sugar farms from north to south of Negros and the rest of the Visayas."Lamata is also asking if millgate prices can be increased by at least P60 to stabilize the price at P3,000/LKg. Currently, the millgate price is at about P2,900 per LKg, he said.Before the typhoon, Lamata said millgate prices were already going down but seeing the damage Paeng wrought, we need the immedia...