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Sagay City was the Grand Champion for its Community Based Eco-Tourism Enterprise Initiative at the Sagay Marine Reserve First Eco-Tourism Loop.*The Negros Occidental provincial government and four cities were winners in this year's Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) Pearl Awards held in Tagaytay City, Thursday night, October 27.They bagged nine awards, with Sagay and Sipalay cities winning three each, and Silay and San Carlos cities – one each, Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena said.Negros Occidental was the Province Level Grand Winner for Best Tourism Promotion Publication for the book “Halin sa Kusina-Food Stories from the People of Negros Occidental”.Sagay City was the Grand Champion for its Community Based Eco-Tourism Enterprise Initiative ...

Bacolod City and eight other local government units in Negros Occidental announced that classes will remain suspended in their areas on Friday, October 28.Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, in Executive Order No. 51, Series of 2022, said he was cancelling classes at all levels in Bacolod City because the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has forecasted that Tropical Storm “Paeng” will be causing moderate, heavy to intense rains over Western Visayas until Saturday.Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially inareas of Bacolod City that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards, he said.Benitez said he was ensuring that “public safety and public health of the citizenry takes...

The Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas intensifies its information campaign on African swine fever.*DA-6 photoThe Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas and the Bureau of Animal Industry, along with the provincial and local government units are holding a regionwide African Swine Fever (ASF) Information Caravan this week.The IEC teams discussed ASF-related topics such as biosecurity measures, frequently asked questions about ASF, hog insurance, and the national situationer on ASF.The regionwide caravan kicked off with a motorcade in Iloilo City on Monday, October 24, with LGU representatives, ASF Regional Task Force members, private company representatives, backyard hog raisers, and hog raisers associations joined the activity.The information team will a...

Search for the missing fisherman in Hinoba-an still on.*Search and rescue operations for a missing fisherman in Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, was still ongoing Thursday, October 27, Hinoba-an Mayor Daph Reliquias said.Maximino Hingaray, 69, of Barangay Alim, left his house to go fishing on Monday, October 24, , and has not returned home.His boat was found by a group of fishermen the following day, October 25.Capt. Ramel Bustamante, Hinoba-an town police chief, said the heavy downpour and current brought by Tropical Storm Paeng has been a challenge for the rescuers.*

The drug recovery from a police buy-bust operation at Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City, Thursday, October 27.*RPDEU 6 photoAn alleged high-value drug suspect was arrested in a police buy-bust operation at Sharina Heights, Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City, on Thursday, October 27, that led to the recovery of P680,000 worth of suspected shabu.Nabbed was 40-year-old Mary Nessa Ong, alias "Tata," and a street sweeper. She was said to be in the list of 10 priority high-value individuals of the Bacolod City police.She sold three sachets of suspected shabu worth P30,000 to a police poseur buyer.Upon arrest, she yielded 100 grams of suspected shabu worth P680,000, a pouch, three cellphones, and P1,100 in cash proceeds.She was previously arrested for drugs in 2016, but was released two ...

Flooding in Bacolod City* Philippine Red Cross photoA landslide in Sipalay City destroyed seven houses, while flooding triggered by Tropical Storm "Paeng" induced rains affected close to 1,000 residents in Bacolod City and four other local government units in Negros Occidental.The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council placed Negros Occidental under Charlie Protocol or the highest Emergency Preparedness and Response Protocol since it is identified as a high risk area on Thursday, October 27.It identified Bacolod City as a “no to very low risk” area.Flooding in Bacolod City Wednesday night affected 61 families with 183 individuals in barangays 39, Singcang, 35, Pahanocoy and Mansilingan, a city government report said.Those who evacuated returned to their...

The Negros Occidental provincial government received a Safety Seal for compliance with the safety and health protocols against COVID-19 from the Department of the Interior and Local Government at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Thursday, October 27.It was awarded by the Department of the Interior and Local Government Thursday after the province passed the on-site inspection and evaluation conducted by representatives of DILG, Bureau of Fire and Protection and Philippine National Police.Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz received the Safety Seal Certificate from the evaluators led by DILG Negros Occidental Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay.Also present were PLt. Col. Robert Mansueto, Senior Fire Officer I Denmark Macoco, Fire Officer II Vengie Bilolo, Jun Christian Guar...

The registration of local and overseas voters will begin on December 9 and end on January 31, 2023, Bacolod City Election Officer Kathrina Trinio-Caña said Thursday, October 27.The voter registration period was approved by the poll body during an en banc session on Wednesday.For local voter registration, qualified citizens may submit the documentary requirements and have their biometrics data captured at the Office of the Election Officer, or at any satellite registration site having jurisdiction over their residence, a COMELEC press statement said.In addition to the duly filled-out application form, applicants must present and submit competent proof of identity as may be allowed by the COMELEC, or the appropriate affidavit of identification sworn under law, it said.Minimum...

Bacolod Rep. Greg GasatayaThe House Committee on Energy is expected to conduct an inquiry on the high power rates and frequent power interruptions in all serviceable areas of the Central Negros Cooperative (CENECO) in November, Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya said on Thursday, October 27.Gasataya said he and Rep. Francisco Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) co-authored House Resolution 475 seeking the inquiry.“It was filed October 10, it will be referred to the Committee on Energy as soon as our (House) sessions resume,” he said.The inquiry, in aid of legislation, will be scheduled in November according to Rep. Lord Allan Velasco (Marinduque, Lone District) who chairs the Committee on Energy, Gasataya said.He pointed out that the Bacolod City Sangunniang Panlungsod Committee ...

Flooding in San Carlos City on Wednesday.*Kenth Alfred photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson issued a public health advisory Thursday, October 27, amid “an alarming increase in the number of cholera cases in the province”.Adding to this, the recent and succeeding typhoons have caused flooding in several areas of the province which can cause further contamination of our water sources, he said.It is strongly recommended that drinking water sources of doubtful potability should be boiled and cooled before drinking, Lacson stressed.As reported by the Negros Occidental Health Surveillance System there were 17 confirmed cholera cases in Negros Occidental as of October 25, he said.Until this year, there had been zero cases of cholera since last detected in 2018, he a...