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It will be a long holiday for all with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declaring October 31 a special non-working holiday.Marcos signed Proclamation No. 79 on Tuesday, October 18, declaring Monday, October 31, as a special non-working holiday.November 1, which falls on a Tuesday, is also a special non-working day, according to Proclamation 1236 inked by former president Rodrigo Duterte.November 2 is a special working day.Meanwhile, Proclamation 72 declared Friday, November 4, as a special non-working day in San Carlos City.*

Lucille Gelvolea, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando P. Diaz, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Benitez, Dr. Mary Ann Maestral, and Valerie Anne Hollero (l-r) during the contract signing.*Four pro-bono Bacolod City consultants, three of whom are Negros Occidental provincial government executives, signed their contracts with the Bacolod City government represented by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Tuesday, October 18.The three Capitol executives are Provincial Economic Enterprise Development Division head Lucille Gelvolea - consultant for Special Projects and Economic Affairs, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando P. Diaz - consultant for Administrative Matters and System Review, and Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital chief, Dr. Mary Ann P. Maestral, consultant for Health and Hospital Co...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, October 18, that there is no need to declare a provincewide cholera outbreak since the 12 positive cases and two deaths from the water-borne disease are concentrated in the 3rd District of Negros Occidental only.The affected local government units are doing their best to control the situation, and are focusing on ensuring that the water in their refilling stations are safe, he said.Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) said all the affected local government units have already started surveying and testing water sources.Silay City had five confirmed cholera cases with one death, EB Magalona - four cases with one death, Talisay City – two cases and Victorias City – one case, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Negros Occide...

Negros Occidental has total assets of P18.025 billion, the COA said.*Ronnie Baldonado photoNegros Occidental is the sixth richest province in the country and the the wealthiest in Western Visayas, the Commission on Audit’s 2021 Annual Financial Report on Local Governments shows.The COA said Negros Occidental has total assets of P18.025 billion making it the sixth richest province.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, October 18, that the number six ranking gives a very good picture of Negros Occidental and hopefully it will bolster more investments in the province.It will help boost investor confidence in Negros Occidental, he said.Lacson said he does not know how Negros Occidental was ranked the sixth wealthiest province in the country. The province is National Tax...

The crowd at the just concluded MassKara sa Panaad.*Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Tuesday, October 18, that it is feasible to open the town and city pavilions at the Panaad Park in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, to the public once every month starting next year.“If ever we will do that we’ll start with once a month and let’s test the waters to decide if we will make it once a week,” Lacson said.Lacson said Negros Occidental was happy to have joined the celebration of the MassKara Festival through the just concluded MassKara sa Panaad at the Panaad Park.“It gave the LGUs a picture of their readiness for the main event of the Panaad in April 2023,” he said.The Panaad sa Negros Festival has not been held for two years because ...

Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz inspects the seized smuggled sugar.*BOC photoThe Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday, October 17, seized 76 containers of refined sugar worth P228 million from Thailand after the consignee failed to present an import clearance from the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA).Customs Commissioner Yogi Filemon Ruiz led BOC agents in inspecting the containers after the Customs Intelligence, and Investigation Service-Manila International Container Port (CIIS-MICP) requested the issuance of an Alert Order on October 4, a BOC press release said.Based on intelligence reports, the shipment, which arrived at the MICP on September 24, contained "misdeclared and undeclared" items.As a result, the BOC issued two Warrants of Seizure and Detention again...

Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli, Bacolod City Health Officer.*They are validating a tenth possible cholera case in Bacolod City, Dr. Ma. Carmela Gensoli, City Health Officer, said Monday afternoon, October 17.They have declared only nine positive cholera cases in Bacolod City because they do not have final data on a tenth case, she said.Gensoli earlier said there were 10 confirmed cases in Bacolod but later clarified that they were still validating the tenth one.The CHO confirmed that barangays Suma-ag and Granada have two cholera cases each, while Mansilingan, Alijis, Tangub, Granada and 40 have one each.Gensoli stressed that there has been no clustering of COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City.It appears the cholera cases have been caused by poor handling of food and lack of pro...