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The Negros Occidental Schools Division enrollment for School Year 2022-2023 hit 80.65 percent on Tuesday, August 16.Enrollment was at 271,771 compared to 336,970 in school year 2021-2022.The enrollment for school year 2022-2023 at public elementary schools was at 133,377 or 76.25 percent, public junior high school – 82,410 or 81.93 percent, public senior high school – 36,254 or 101.57 percent, integrated schools – 1,440 or 74.27 percent and private schools 18,290 or 76.78 percent, the Division reported.The Department of Education (DepEd) has set the start of classes on August 22 and will end on July 7, 2023.DepEd only prescribed the options of five days in-person classes, blended learning modality, and full distance learning until October 31.Starting November 2 all publ...

Dengue cases are nearing 10,000 in Western Visayas, with four new deaths, the Department of Health reported Tuesday, August 16.Western Visayas has had 9,533 dengue cases and 54 deaths from January 1 to August 6, or an increase by 572 percent compared to last year, the DOH Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit reported.The top three provinces with the highest number of new dengue cases are Negros Occidental with 235, Iloilo Province - 124 and Antique – 79, it said.Of the four newly-reported dengue-related fatalities, Iloilo province had two and Negros Occidental – two, the DOH said.Negros Occidental still has the highest number of dengue cases in WV at 3,345 and 16 deaths.Bacolod City has 569 cases and eight deaths.Antique  has 2,110 cases and nine deaths, Iloi...

Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (2nd from right) at the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms hearing on Tuesday*Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) said the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms voted 12-2  on Tuesday, August 16, to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) from Dec. 5, 2022, to Dec. 4, 2023.Ferrer,  committee vice chairperson, authored House Bill 00121 seeking the postponement of the BSKE to May 2023.There were 31 bills filed for the postponement of the BSKE polls to dates ranging from May 2023, October 2023, December 2023, May 2024, October 2024, and December 2025, she said.The bills were consolidated   and a common date was agreed on, Ferrer said.Commission on Elections chairman Ge...

Aurelio Gerardo “Bodie” Valderrama Jr. says he stands by his integrity and the truth.*CPG photoThe planters’ representative on the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board on Tuesday, August 16, said he leaves the decision on whether he should step down to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. amid calls for his resignation.“I will wait for the instructions of the president, I believe that I did not do anything wrong,” said Aurelio Gerardo “Bodie” Valderrama Jr. , one the signatories of the controversial Sugar Order No. 4 that would have allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.Valderrama said he was appointed to the SRA Board by the president two weeks ago, he did not ask for the position but was recommended by planters and millers’ groups.“I did not seek the ap...

Hermenegildo Serafica said: "I performed the functions of my office consistent with, or within the bounds of the law“.Malacañang has accepted the resignation of Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica of the Sugar Regulatory Administration, who was one of four signatories of the controversial Sugar Order No. 4 that would have allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar.The Sugar Board importation order was revoked by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for being issued “without his authority and approval”.Serafica is the third member of the SRA Sugar Board who has resigned.“In behalf of president   Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., I wish to inform you that your resignation has been accepted, effective immediately,” Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez said in a letter ...

Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) called on all of those who signed SO4 to resign out of delicadeza at a House briefing on the sugar importation mess on Monday.The millers’ representative on the Sugar Regulatory Administration Board resigned on Monday, August 15, and lawmakers are calling for the resignation of the rest of its members.Roland Beltran was the second member of the Board to resign.Department Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian resigned of Friday after Malacañang announced that he “illegally” signed and issued Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4) granting the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar without the authority of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.SO4 was also signed by Beltran, SRA Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica and Aurelio Gerardo Valderrama...

The policeman was gunned down in Barangay San Roque, Bayawan City*RFS FM Bayawan photoA policeman was shot to death at Sitio Ipil-ipil in Barangay San Roque, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, Monday afternoon, August 15.P/Cpl. Rey Ambo was on his way home on board his motorcycle when he was gunned down.CMsgt. Archer Birjes, Bayawan police investigator, said the victim was taken to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.Ambo was a member of the 705th MC Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 and a resident of Brgy. Poblacion, Basay, Negros Oriental.*

A drunken man was stabbed to death by his elder brother at Purok Kalubihan, Brgy. Bacong, Bago City, Negros Occidental, Sunday, August 14.Killed was 58-year-old Arturo Vicente, a laborer.The victim, who was said to be under the influence of liquor, met his brother, 65-year-old Hernane Vicente, at the road and challenged him to a fight.This prompted the suspect to run, but the victim chased him.When the suspect stopped due to shortness of breath, he drew his long knife and stabbed the victim on the chest.The victim was brought to the Bago City Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.The suspect who fled after the incident was later caught by the police.*

Rep. Joseph Stephen Paduano (right) at the House briefing on Sugar Order No. 4 on Monday.*The Senate and House of Representatives are set to conduct inquiries into the “illegal” issuance of Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4) granting the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar, which was revoked by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last week.“We were not born yesterday. We know importation is a lucrative business,” Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri said in a privilege speech Monday, August 15, calling for an investigation into the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Board’s issuance of SO 4.Zubiri also said there is “tong-pats” or a corruption scheme involving sugar importation that was divulged to him by industry insiders.He was informed that “tongpats” or bribes worth P50 to P1...

The drug recoveries during the buy-bust operation in Kabankalan City on Monday, August 15.*Radyo Bandera photoA suspected drug group leader was arrested in a buy-bust operation at Purok Paraiso, Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on  Monday, August 15.Nabbed was high-value individual Jonalyn “Mommy Jing” Bugalon, 49, who was said to be the leader of Bugalon drug group, and Juanito “Jerome” Artisano Jr., of Purok Riverside, Brgy. Suay, Himamaylan City.Recovered from the suspects possession were 130 grams of suspected shabu worth P884,000.The suspects and the recovered items are now under the custody of Kabankalan police.Col. Leo Pamittan, provincial police director, lauded his men on the accomplishment and  reiterated his directive for a more ...