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Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District)*Another bill filed by Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez  (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) on Extended Producers’ Responsibility (EPR)  has lapsed into law.It is  now known as Republic Act 118981, an act institutionalizing the extended producer  responsibility  on plastic packaging waste, amending RA 9003  otherwise known as the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, Benitez said Monday, August 1.Benitez bill lapsed into law on July 23 without the signature  of former president  Rodrigo Duterte.Benitez was a member of the Bicameral Conference Committee that consolidated similar EPR  bills passed by the Senate and the House. The EPR Law shares the local government units ...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer (right) lead the coalition*It’s UNe-Love.That is what Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer on Monday, August 1, called the political coalition between the United Negros Alliance (UNegA) and Love Negros that has allowed most candidates in Negros Occidental to run unopposed.Ferrer is president of UNegA and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson leads Love Negros.The coalition has lately agreed to field a single slate for the Philippine Councilors League-Negros Occidental (PCL-NO) chapter election on August 22.They agreed that La Carlota City Councilor Julius Martin Asistio, stepson of Ferrer, will run at PCL-NO president.Silay City Councilor Ryan Gamboa, current PLO-NO vice president, will run as his vice president.The coalition wil...

The Philippine flag at half-mast in front of the Negros Occidental Capitol in Bacolod City on Monday*Barbara Mijares photoThe Philippine flag was flying at half-mast in front of the Negros Occidental Capitol and the Bacolod City Government Center on Monday, August 1, in honor of former president Fidel Ramos who passed away on Sunday at the age of 94.Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the flag was flying at half-mast in mourning over the loss of Ramos and to honor his legacy of service and significant contributions to the country.“Together with the entire nation, we mourn the passing of a great president and statesman, President Fidel V. Ramos. We are eternally grateful to him for his crucial role in restoring freedom to our people at EDSA and for bringing a newly liber...

Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer*Rep. Juliet Marie Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) is positive that the House of Representatives will approve the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) set on December 5.However, she could not speak for the Senate, Ferrer said on Monday, August 1.Ferrer was one of the first to file a bill in the Lower House seeking the postponement of the BSKE to May 2023.She filed House Bill 121 because “we have just concluded the national and local elections on May 9, and the government will have to prepare for the Barangay and SK elections in December 2022. Instead of spending on another electoral exercise, the government can direct its resources to COVID-19 related programs and help rebuild our economy,” Ferrer said.Ferrer sa...

The Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City has been limiting  admissions at its Department of Pediatrics to "extreme emergency cases".It was determined a week ago that certain patient watchers had become ill during their stay at the low risk areas and eventually tested positive for COVID-19, a hospital advisory had said on July 22.The doctors and nurses who were by contact tracing determined to have been exposed were isolated after testing positive as well, the advisory said. This had affected the manpower availability of the Pediatric Ward, it said.The hospital management assured that the situation had been contained to prevent further transmission.*

Silay City Councilor Ryan Gamboa*Silay City Councilor Ryan Gamboa said on Sunday, July 31, that he will run for vice president of the Philippine Councilors League-Negros Occidental (PCL-NO) chapter.Gamboa, who is current PCL-NO president, said he will abide by the Love Negros and United Negros Alliance coalition agreement to field La Carlota City Councilor Julius Martin Asistio for the presidency.He said Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has talked to him and he will abide by their party’s decision to run as Asistio’s vice president. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to have served for three years as PCL president and ex-officio board member,” he said.They will be finalizing the entire PCL-NO  line up of the coalition this week, he said.However, they cannot prevent...

Negros Occidental’s active COVID-19 cases are nearing 100.The province had 12 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, July 2, bringing its total active cases to 99, the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT) reported.Since the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020, Negros Occidental has had 1,978 deaths and 39,685 recoveries, the PIMT said.Meanwhile, Bacolod City had 17 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday and 15 on Sunday, the Department of Health reported.*

Two men were arrested in a buy-bust operation for firearms at Prk 1, Brgy Laga-an, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Friday, July 29.Nabbed were furniture maker Renato Delima, 49, and businessman Danelson Amolo, 57, both of Calatrava.During the bust, the suspects yielded a 12-guage shotgun, two .45 caliber pistols with two magazines and six live ammunition, the P100 buy-bust money, the P69,900 boodle money, and a sling bag.The suspects are now in police custody, facing charges for illegal possession of firearms.*

The man (right) who was arrested in Escalante City Saturday, July 30.*NOCPPO photoA man was arrested after he and his companions chased and fired a gun at a moving Ceres bus at the national highway of Crossing Cristobal, Barangay Mabini, Escalante City in Negros Occidental Saturday, July 30.Nabbed was Joefel Sante, 19, of Purok Makiangayon 2, Echarri Street, Barangay Balintawak, Escalante.Police said the conductor of the bus had sought the help of the police after they were chased by motorcycle-riding suspects.Responding policemen chased the suspects, but were only able to catch Sante.The driver reportedly didn’t stop the bus to pick up the suspects after one of them was seen with a pipe, and  there was also a previous incident of a hold-up in the area, a police re...