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The Bailes de Luces Festival in La Castellana Thursday night.*Ronnie Baldonado photoGov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is urging Negrenses joining festivals in various parts of Negros Occidental to continue to wear masks and to remain vigilant against COVID-19.Lacson joined the Bailes de Luces Festival in La Castellana town on Thursday night, January 5.While he is happy that fiesta celebrations have resumed after the COVID-19 pandemic, Lacson said the public should not forget that its threat still remains and they should protect themselves, especially in crowded areas.The Sinulog Festival in Kabankalan City kicked off Friday and Cadiz City is set to celebrate its Dinagsa Festival from January 14 to 29.Even if the COVID-19 protocols have eased, the provincial government remains vi...

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz*The Negros Occidental provincial government is aiming to implement the fourth tranche of the Salary Standardization Law (SSL) in July, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday, January 6.The SSL was created to upgrade the standard of living of government employees. The law states that the modified salary schedule for civilian personnel and their authorized additional benefits should be implemented in four tranches from 2020 to 2023.Diaz said the provincial government implemented the second and third tranches last year.The provincial government has also adjusted the daily salaries of its casual employees from P477 to P481, he said.The majority of the provincial government’s job order and contract of service employees hav...

The Bacolod City officials in Baguio City.*Councilor Israel Salanga photoThe Bacolod City officials are in Baguio City for their 2023 strategic planning meetings.“I’m setting the direction for the implementation of our legislative agenda so we don’t waste time,” Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said Friday, January 6.Benitez said his priority for Bacolod is job creation.In Baguio with the mayor are Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya, Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran and the city councilors.Only Councilor Celia Flor who is in the United States and Councilor Kalaw Puentevella who had a previous commitment were not present, Familiaran said.Familiaran said they are discussing the problems of the city that need to be addressed, including water and electricity concerns.Beni...

The illegal pyrotechnics being destroyed on Friday*Adrian Prietos photoThe police destroyed illegal pyrotechnics confiscated during the holidays at rites held at the Bacolod City Police Office headquarters in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod, Friday, January 6.Destroyed were P50,800 worth of illegal pyrotechnics confiscated from different barangays in the city, Lt. Col. Sherlock Gabana, spokesperson of the Bacolod City police, said.They were seized by police stations 2, 5, 6, 7 and 10, he said.The pyrotechnics were soaked in water and buried.*

Enrique D. Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters, and Danilo Abelita, president of the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (l-r).*Two planters’ federations lauded Malacaňang for absolving four former officials involved in the issuance of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Sugar Order No. 4, which authorized the importation of 300,000 metric tons of sugar last year.Enrique D. Rojas, president of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters (NFSP), and Danilo Abelita, president of the Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (Panayfed), in a joint statement Friday, January 6, said that justice prevailed in the decision of the Office of the President clearing former Agriculture and SRA officials of wrongdoing in issuing the controversial sugar order....

Negros ACE president Javier Miguel Benitez.*The Negros Association of Chief Executives (Negros ACE) has unanimously passed a resolution supporting the call of Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. for the courtesy resignation of all colonels and generals of the Philippine National Police (PNP).The resolution signed by Negros ACE president, Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, and secretary general, Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., on Thursday, January 5, said the call is consistent with their good governance and eradication of illegal drugs advocacy.Abalos, implementing the mandate of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on good governance, called for the courtesy resignation of all colonels and generals of the PNP amid the fears that some high-ranking police ...

PBrig. Gen. Leo Francisco, Police Regional Office 6 director*“As a good soldier, I will heed the call of the SILG,” Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco said in a statement issued Thursday, January 5."I will answer the appeal of our SILG. It is also our chance to clear our names and make a statement that we are supporting the programs and the transformation of our PNP organization. There is nothing for us to fear, the truth will come out,” Francisco said.“Let us trust the process of investigating who the rogue cops are", he added.PCol. Thomas Joseph Martir, Bacolod police director, also said he is ready to heed the call of Abalos.*

Col. Michael Samson, 303rd IB acting commander*The new commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade said the Army will encourage Communist rebels in Negros to give peace a chance through local dialogs.Col. Michael Samson, 303rd IB acting commander, said on Thursday, January 5, that they believe there is a vacuum in the Communist Party of the Philippines leadership with the death of Jose Maria Sison and they will take advantage of the situation.They are calling for local dialogs because the issues at hand are local, Samson said, pointing out that they have been informed that a lot of the rebels want to return to folds of the law.They hope to solve the insurgency problem through peaceful means, he said.However, “for those who insist on using violence, there is no other option ...

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has dismissed three engineers and a project development assistant (PDA) of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist from the service for grave misconduct.Dismissed were engineers Ramelo Letran, German Abihay and Rezin Palacios, and PDA Maria Luisa Abaño.The 12-page decision recommended by Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. was approved by Lacson on Tuesday, January 3.“The respondents having been found guilty of grave misconduct based on substantial evidence on record are hereby dismissed from service. It is further ordered that the respondents' dismissal from the service shall carry with it the accessory penalties of cancellation of eligibility, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, bar from taking civil...