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Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Philippine Army chief, in an interview in Bacolod City on Friday.*Lt. Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., Philippine Army chief, said the ongoing pursuit operations against New People’s Army rebels in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, is part of their overall campaign to end the local Communist armed conflict.Brawner, who was in Bacolod City for the annual Philippine Army Multi-Sectoral Advisory Board summit on Friday, October 14, said “I am very happy to see we are hitting the targets…we really want to dismantle the guerilla fronts”.Military and rebel forces have engaged in eight clashes in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, since October 6 that have caused thousands of residents to flee their homes.“Aside from combat operations are efforts to win the h...

Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito*Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito met with sugar leaders in Negros Occidental on Friday, October 14, to discuss how the Sugarcane Industry Development Act can be improved to make it more effective.“I’m frustrated because after its passage it seems nothing happened because of too much importation”, he said.“I am against too much sugar importation,” Ejercito said.The intention of the law was to aid the sugar industry to improve its production and competitiveness, he said.Ejercito said he met with leaders of the United Sugar Producers Federation of the Philippines and Confederation of Sugar Producers to get their recommendations.“We gave him some insights, talks are ongoing,” UNIFED president Manuel Lamata said.Ejercito said he is also a...

Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez turned the check over to CURE president Stephanie L. Montaner*A check amounting to P30, 822, 095.95 was awarded to the CENECO Union of Rational Employees (CURE).Department of Labor and Employment Regional Director Sixto Rodriguez turned the check over to CURE president Stephanie L. Montaner in compliance to the resolution of the Case No. OS-AJ-2022-0207-0001 dated October 13.Rodriguez said he turned over the check for the immediate implementation of all economic provisions of the 2017-2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement between CENECO and CURE.Montaner said the order will benefit 348 CENECO employees and its retirees.*

Another encounter between the government and rebel forces transpired in Brgy.Calupaan, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental Thursday, October 13.The gun battle between the 62nd Infantry “Unifier” Battalion, and the New People’s Army lasted for two minutes.There was no casualty on the government side.The Army in a press statement claimed that there was at least one casualty from the enemy side, which was based recovery of one .45 mm pistol with one fully loaded magazine with live ammunition and one backpack with personal belongings.The Army is calling on the rebels, especially those who were wounded, to lay down their arms and go back to the fold of the law.*

Evacuees at the Barangay Carabalan gym in Himamaylan City.Some evacuees at Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental have expressed concern over their safety.Barangay Carabalan chief Mildred Titular said only tanods are securing the area.She said that 192 families or 451 individuals are currently staying at the open village gym in the upland area.She also said that other residents don’t stay at the gym because it’s too hot.Sitio Sig-ang leader Melvin Parcon aid he was worried as they left their livelihood when they sought refuge, as he lamented what will happen to them if the situation continues. “Indi na ka trespaser (it could not sustain us),” he added.He said they initially thought that the gunfire was fireworks, but when the burst continued, they ...

Media barred from entering the Cong. Agustin M. Gatuslao Memorial Center in Barangay 1, Himamaylan, on Thursday.*The evacuees in Himamaylan City have one common sentiment, they want to go back to their homes but are willing to wait, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday, October 13.It has been a week since the evacuees left their homes following clashes between government and rebel forces in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, that began on October 6.Lacson, Mayor Raymund Tongson, Rep. Emilio Yulo III (Neg. Occ., 5th District), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) officials visited the evacuees at the Cong. Agustin M. Gatuslao Memorial Center in Barangay 1, Himamaylan, but the media was barred from entering the facility.Men manning the entrance said ...

Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital is the third private hospital tapped for BacCHP.*BQMC photoThe Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod City has approved the proposed memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the City of Bacolod and a private hospital during its 15th session on Wednesday, October 12.Bacolod Queen of Mercy Hospital will soon sign a memorandum of agreement with the city to underpin the Bacolod City Comprehensive Care Program (BacCHP), which is a flagship project of Mayor Alfredo Benitez in his response to mitigate hospitalization conflicts he witnessed in public hospitals.It would be the third private hospital to strengthen the curative service of BacCHP for free hospitalization after the MOA signing with the Metro Bacolod Hospital and Medical Center and South Bacolod Gener...