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“Since the president has already decided on the issue, the pressure is now on the mills to produce as much sugar as they can," Enrique Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Producers, said.*Ronnie Baldonado photoSugar groups welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s revocation of the order that would have allowed the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar, and joined the call for a revamp of the Department of Agriculture (DA)  and the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA)  on Friday, August 12.Malacañang is investigating the “illegal” issuance of Sugar Order No. 4 (SO4) granting the importation of 300,000 MT of sugar without the authority of the president, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles announced on Thursday.The president is concurrent DA ...

Charmaine Pahate, Bacolod Councilor Jason Villarosa, Benjamin Lopue II, Charlie Co, Councilor Em Ang, City Tourism Officer Tere Manalili and Manny Montelibano (l-r) at the opening of the rum festival*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Tanduay Bacolod Rum Festival opened with an art exhibition and jazz concert featuring Bacolod’s leading artists at the Art District in Bacolod City Friday afternoon, August 12.This is the first face-to-face festival in Bacolod City since the two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bacolod Councilor Em Ang said.Ang, who authored the city ordinance creating the rum festival, said it was first held in 2019 and its staging this year signals the reopening of tourism in Bacolod and Negros Occidental.It features rum made in Bacolod and highlights the...

Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama Jr. *The Planters’ Association of Southern Negros Inc. issued a statement of support on Friday, August 12, for Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama Jr. on his appointment by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as acting member of the Sugar Regulatory Administration Board representing the planters.PASON is the biggest planters' association of the Biscom Milling District whose membership is 95 percent small sugar farmers and is an independent   non-aligned association, its president Luis T. Garingalao said.Garingalao said PASON strongly believes that Valderrama is well-qualified for the position as he is a hands-on sugar farmer because of his long years of experience in the sugar industry.“He is very much acquainted with the problems besetting the ...

Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer*Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer, who has been calling for the resignation of Hermenegildo Serafica from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), said he will not comment on the matter anymore since an investigation is already underway.“The investigation is ongoing so for delicadeza I will refrain from any comment as of now,” Ferrer said on Friday, August 12.He will just submit documents in support of his call for the removal of Serafica, he said.Ferrer said he will also not comment on his call for the revocation of the president’s appointment of Aurelio Gerardo J. Valderrama Jr. as Sugar Board member representing the planters anymore.“I have already said what I want to say against Mr. Valderrama that is over” he sa...

NBI-Bacolod district office chief Renoir Baldovino shows photos of two Small Town Lottery outlets that are reportedly operating illegally in Negros Occidental.*Barbara Mijares photoThe National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod district office raided two more Small Town Lottery outlets that are reportedly operating illegally in Negros Occidental on Wednesday, August 10.They are in Sipalay City and in Binalbagan.NBI Bacolod chief Renoir Baldovino said on Thursday, August 11, that the Vikings Peryahan ng Bayan outlets  were already closed when the NBI went to the two areas.It was on August 6 when the NBI operatives made a test bet, and conducted surveillance on August 8.The STL outlets were still operating on August 9, the day before the raid.Baldovino said they su...

The recovered items from the encounter site.*303rd IB photoThe Philippine Army has yet to release the name of the suspected New People’s Army rebel who was killed in an encounter with  state troopers in Sitio Bulasot, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, August 11.The government forces encountered the members of the Central Negros 2, Komiteng Rehiyon – Negros after they responded to a report that armed men were seen in the area, the Army’s press statement said.The soldiers recovered two M-16 rifles, two .45  caliber pistols, numerous magazines with live ammunition, medical supplies, backpacks, propaganda materials, and subversive documents.Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the NPA rebels in Negros ...

Senator Imee Marcos has condemned the unauthorized and fraudulent use of the Office of the President to justify the importation of sugar - "ultimate proof that thick-faced agricultural smugglers are lording it over at the Department of Agriculture."The senator, in a press statement  Thursday, August 11, lauded her brother's timely rejection of the planned importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar but also urged an "immediate reshuffle of the DA's top officials to dismantle criminal syndicates within the government.""Stop trying to fool my brother," the senator said.Local sugar producers told Senator Marcos's office that sugar prices have spiked to above P100 per kilo because imports were being cornered by leading manufacturers of sugared products, in cahoots with DA offi...

A scene of the accident in Barangay Damgo, EB Magalona, Wednesday, August 10.*EB Magalona photoA 78-year-old man was killed after he was hit by a car at the highway in Barangay Damgo, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, August 10.Killed was  Aurelio Artus.The victim just crossed the street from his house, which was at the side of the road, when he was hit by the car, the police reported.The driver was speeding when he hit the curb, and wasn’t able to control the car, the police said.The driver was also hospitalized after sustaining injuries from the accident.*

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (2nd from right) at a press conference at the Bacolod City Government Center on Thursday, August 11.*Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said on Thursday, August 11, that he is considering proposals for public-private partnerships for the development of the Manokan Country, traffic control and waste management.There is a proposal from SM for a PPP with the city government for the development of the Manokan Country, Benitez said.The Manokan Country should have its place in Bacolod because “it is a tourist attraction and part of our culture, and we will make sure it is preserved”, he said.As long as the desire of the city to preserve that culture is met, the PPP proposal will be considered, he said.Also being considered ar...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon signing the partnership agreement.*Richard Malihan photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Bacolod Bishop Patricio Buzon signed a partnership agreement to ensure environmental protection and sustainable resource management of the ecosystems of Negros Occidental at the Capitol in Bacolod City Thursday, August 11.“The need for the recovery of our ecosystems that have been degraded and destroyed, and conservation of those that are still intact has gone beyond the question of choice, it is now a necessity,” Lacson said.“Humanity is being pressed and threatened on almost every side, and the more we lag on our efforts to save our environment, the more we endanger ourselves, our children and our future,” he said....