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Cristine Mansinares was former Negros Occidental tourism officer*Negrense Cristine Mansinares has been replaced as regional director of the Department of Tourism in Western Visayas.Mansinares, former Negros Occidental tourism officer, was replaced by Chrisanta Marlene P. Rodriguez, DOT Order 2022-15 said.The order did not state the new assignment of Mansinares.Mansinares, in a statement issued Friday, December 16, said in view of the publication of the list of newly-appointed officials of the DOT, “I wish to thank everyone, who, in one way or the other supported me in my role as regional director of DOT Region VI-Western Visayas”.“I have given the instructions to the DOT Region VI staff for the composition of a Transition Committee to plan for a smooth turnover of the O...

The Social Security System Visayas (SSS) West 1 Division has collected P7.1 million in delinquent payments from 42 out of 75 employers in Negros Island and Siquijor subjected to its Run after Contributions Evaders (RACE) operations from March to November, the SSS announced.The SSS again reminded erring employers of their legal obligations under Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 during its RACE Campaign in Silay City and La Castellana, Negros Occidental, on Monday, December 12.Three sugarcane plantation owners, a restaurant, a common carrier and a fireworks distributor received written orders from the RACE Team headed by SSS Visayas West 1 Division head Lilani B. Benedian for non-remittance of contributions and non-production of monthly collection list.“T...

Former Commissioner Aina Magpale-Asirit of the Energy Regulatory Commission was the speaker at the Consumer's Assembly.*The Department of Energy (DOE) has agreed to a plan being pushed by Mayor Alfredo Alberto “Albee” Benitez to bring down power rates in Bacolod City.The DOE has verbally okayed his proposal, he is just waiting for an official reply so measures to lower power rates can be implemented, Benitez said at a Central Negros Electric Cooperative Consumers’ Assembly at the Acacia Hotel Function Hall in Bacolod City on Thursday, December 15.“Hopefully we will be able to see a reduction of our power cost in the near future,” Benitez said.Benitez, in an interview, said he has asked the DOE to allow the local government to aggregate all the power consumers of Bacolod as ...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has ordered the Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation to fast track the investigation into threats made against teachers and students of St. John’s Institute in Bacolod City.Benitez met with representatives of SJI, Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, city police director, and Renoir Baldovino, National Bureau of Investigation Bacolod chief, at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, December 15, to address the problem.“We condemn any form of violence that threatens the security and public safety of Bacolod, specifically of the children studying at SJI,” Benitez said on his Facebook page.“The NBI and PNP are already on top of this and I also ordered them to fast track the investigation,” he added.Posts on the Fa...

No Suspension of Military Operations (SOMO) against the Communist rebels has been declared for the holidays, Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Thursday, December 15.The Army is continuing its regular security operations, he said.Pasaporte called on the rebels to abandon the armed struggle and return to the government so they can be with their families during the holidays and beyond.The Communist rebels in Negros are on the run after suffering major losses this year, he said. The Philippine Army engaged the rebels in 39 encounters this year where they suffered major losses, especially among their key leaders, Pasaporte said.The rebels in Negros are on the run and are unlikely to be able to gather and stage attacks during the Communist Party of ...

The area in Purok Katlingan where the demoliton was to take place.*The owner of the land at Purok Katilingban in Barangay Punta Taytay, Bacolod City, where some residents are set to be evicted has expressed interest in selling his entire property to the city government for its on-site housing program for illegal settlers, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Thursday, December 15.“We are now negotiating and discussing for a possible Yuhum Village or Yuhum residential site there”, Benitez said.It was a tenant of a section of the property, not the owner, who had sought a demolition order against the eight residents, Benitez said.The eight houses were up for demolition on Wednesday but following negotiations led by Benitez the affected families agreed to voluntary leave...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, who is joining President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his state visit to China from January 3 to 6, hopes to find economic partners who can help develop Bacolod City.Benitez said he hopes to find investors for infrastructure projects in Bacolod, and tap into the large tourists potential of China.Of the 1.4 billion Chinese citizens, Benitez pointed out that about 150,000 million have passports, which is a sizable number of potential tourists coming from China.On talk that the president’ son, Vinny, will run for congressman of Bacolod should a second congressional district be created for the city, Benitez said he has not discussed the matter with him.If he shows interest it will be a welcome development, Benitez said.Benitez is optimistic that a...

Negros Occidental and Bacolod City had 43 leptospirosis deaths and 42 dengue deaths this year, the Department of Health (DOH) reported Wednesday, December 14.There were 34 leptospirosis deaths in Negros Occidental and nine in Bacolod City.The leptospirosis cases in Negros Occidental where 225 from January 1 to December 3, or a 221 percent increase from last year, making it the topnotcher in Western Visayas, the DOH reported.Bacolod City had 41 leptospirosis cases this year or an increase by 64 percent, it added.Western Visayas had 596 leptospirosis cases with 81 deaths from January 1 to December 3 or an increase by 74 percent, DOH added.Leptospirosis is caused by the entry of the leptospira bacteria through wounds when in contact with flood waters, vegetation, moist soi...

The participants of the bulk water meeting on Thursday.* Barbara Mijares photoThe Negros Occidental provincial government is aiming to conduct the bidding for its bulk water projects in June 2023, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Thursday, December 15.The first meeting of the Technical Working Group, the core group for the public private partnership projects of Negros Occidental, with the Capitol’s partners from the PPP Center and its consultants was held Thursday.The TWG members will be making the feasibility study on the Malogo and Imbang bulk water projects, which will include the terms of references for the bidding, he said.Private partners will be invited to invest in the bulk water projects, he added.The bulk water projects are being undertaken to ensu...

The scene where the two victims were attacked by riding-in-tandem suspects in Sipalay City on Wednesday.*Sipalay PNP photoA man was killed while another was injured in a shooting incident at Barangay Mambaroto in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, December 14.Killed was 40-year-old Jomel Espora while his rider, 23-year-old Rogie Fajardo, was injured.The police said the two victims were on board a motorcycle when they were stopped by riding-in-tandem suspects and shot several times.Espora was dead on arrival, while Fajardo is being treated at a hospital in Bacolod.The police are still investigating the motive for the killing.*