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SRA Deputy Administrator Guillermo C. Tejida III *The chairman of a famers federation has withdrawn a complaint for “grave misconduct, abuse of authority, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service" that he filed against a deputy administrator of the Sugar Regulatory Administration in 2022.Enrique Tayo, chairman of the Negros Occidental Federation of Farmers Association (NOFFA), in an affidavit of retraction dated January 10, withdrew the complaint that he filed against SRA Deputy Administrator Guillermo C. Tejida III before the Office of the President for the issuance of an order to import 200,000 metric tons of refined sugar.Tayo has not withdrawn his complaint against Tejida’s co-respondent, then SRA administrator Hermenegildo Serafica.Tejida said with T...

A farm worker is facing charges for alarm and scandal that allegedly resulted in the death of a pensioner from a heart attack at Hda. De Agua, Brgy. Cubay, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 21.The complainants alleged that the suspect Romel Dela Torre Maquilat indiscriminately fired a gun, which is still under investigation, Lt. Col. Lowell Garinganao, La Carlota City police chief, said Sunday.They are still investigating if a firearm had been used as it has not been recovered, Garinganao said.However, alarm and scandal charges will be filed against Maquilat.Nador Luyao Guitguit, 66, of Hda. De Agua succumed to a heart attack during the incident.Initial police investigation showed that at around 7:05 p.m. the suspect went to the house of th...

The New People’s Army has claimed responsibility for killing a 29-year-old resident of Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental on Thursday, January 19.Raffy Byarcal Estorco, 29, was killed at Sitio Tubod, Barangay Macagahay, Moises Padilla, the police reported Friday.Estorco was on board his motorcycle when an unidentified suspect shot him on the forehead, the police said.Ka JB Regalado, spokesman of the NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command, said they sentenced Estorco to death for being an intelligence asset of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion.*

The Sipalay evacuees were assisted by the city government.*The evacuees in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, who fled after an encounter between government and rebel forces, went home on Friday, January 20.Dionilo Bogtae, head of the Sipalay Emergency Assistance and Rescue Services, said the 399 evacuees staying at the Binulig Elementary School in Brgy. San Jose and 66 outside the evacuation center went home at 7 a.m. Friday.Classes in three schools at barangays San Jose and Camindangan in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, that were temporarily suspended will all fully resume on Monday, Bogtae said.The affected schools were the Binulig Elementary School, Gil Montilla National High School – Binulig Extension, and Omas Integrated School.Gunbattles between the 15th Infantry ...

Diageo, a multinational alcoholic beverage company, has announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Don Papa Rum, a super-premium, dark rum produced in Negros Occidental.The upfront consideration is €260 million with a further potential consideration of up to €177.5 million through to 2028 subject to performance, reflecting the brand’s current growth potential, Diageo said in a press release posted on its website on Tuesday, January 17.The super-premium plus segment of the rum category is in the early stages of premiumisation, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18 percent in Europe and 27 percent in the US between 2016-2021. Through the same period, Don Papa Rum consistently outperformed the market in Europe, delivering a 29 percent CAGR, the press release said....

The National Electrification Administration (NEA) and Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) should think out of the box to further bring down power rates, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said Friday, January 20.Benitez was reacting to the statement of NEA Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda on Thursday that the current rate for CENECO’s generation mix is very much acceptable.“I can rule out mismanagement because the prevailing (CENECO) generation mix is within the accepted price range in the market,” Almeda said.Benitez, who has been finding ways to bring down CENECO’s cost of electricity, said he disagrees with Almeda that the generation mix rate is acceptable.“They are not looking outside the box, there are other sources of power that could be cheap...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez leads the opening of the Bacolaodiat Festival on Friday, January 20.*Ronnie Baldonado photo“The New Year will bring good luck and good fortune to Bacolod, we will have a great year”, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said as the Bacolaodiat Festival kicked off Friday, January 20.The three-day festival is being held to usher in the Chinese New Year or the Year of the Rabbit.Expect more developments for Bacolod City in all aspects in 2023. Benitez said.The participants of the Bacolaodiat Festival parade on Friday.*Ronnie Baldonado photosHe also said Megaworld’s Kevin Tan, the city’s honorary mayor during the Bacolaodiat Festival, will be in Bacolod on Sunday.Tan will be returning to the country from the World E...

The Confederation of Homeowners Associations of Negros Occidental was formally launched in Talisay City on Friday, January 20.It’s organization was spurred by the Metro 3rd Balay Hilway Program of Rep. Francisco “Kiko” Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), a press release said.Rogelio Plaida of the Federation of Bacolod City HOAs was elected president of the interim executive officers and board of directors.Others elected were Roy Moraña of the Silay Federation of HOAs – vice president, Juvy Cardinal of Victorias Federation of HOAs – secretary, Janette Ferrer (Victorias) - assistant secretary, Junilo Padua of Talisay Federation of HOAs – treasurer, Renante Tabanquerao (Talisay) - assistant treasurer, Marcelino Hinolan of Silay Federation of HOAs - auditor and Sonia Paviera (Silay)...

The office furniture donated by the provincial government to the LTO.*The Land Transportation Office (LTO) is expected to gradually begin its operations on February 4 at its new building that was built by the Negros Occidental provincial government on its property at Manayaosayao in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday, January 20.The LTO will gradually transfer its operations from its office at Cottage Road in Bacolod City to its new site, he said.The provincial government has also provided the LTO with office furniture, he added.The office furniture was donated to the provincial government by a firm that was a previous occupant at the Negros First CyberCentre.The Department of Agriculture has also constructed its buil...