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Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Tuesday, October 25, that he welcomes the Marcos administration’s decision to make the indoor wearing of face masks voluntary.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, on the other hand, said “I strongly encourage the use of face masks indoors”.The Marcos administration’s decision to make the wearing of face masks indoors voluntary makes the country at par with its neighbors in liberalizing mask mandates, Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco said at a press briefing at Malacañan on Tuesday.Frasco confirmed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to issue an executive order lifting the mandatory use of face masks indoors, with a few exceptions.“Generally, the direction of the Marcos administration is to lift the remainder of ...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (center) hands an award to lawyer Andrea Si in the presence of GAD Focal Point System Action Officer Marie June Castro, Board Member Rita Gatuslao and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz (l-r).*Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the Appreciation Ceremony for Gender and Development (GAD) Champions and Companions of the 2021 Provincial Gender Journey, at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, Tuesday morning, October 25.“We all look forward to the day when it is not anymore necessary to fight for change and equality, because humanity has already overcome the biases and predisposition inimical to the rights and well-being of women,” he said.Lacson pointed out that the Global Gender Gap Index ranked g...

The Korean Air Airbus A330 is still stuck at the edge of the MCIA runway* Lapu-lapu City PIO photoThe Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu flights have resumed.The Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) partially resumed operations for smaller aircraft on Tuesday, October 25, Rene Aviles, Philippine Airlines (PAL) Bacolod manager, said.Since PAL uses Q400 propeller type airplanes for its Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu flights it was allowed to resume on Tuesday, he said.Cebu Pacific has also resumed its Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu flights.PAL and Cebu Pacific cancelled their Cebu-Bacolod-Cebu flights on Monday after the MCIA was closed.A Korean Air Airbus A330 from Incheon, South Korea, overshot the runway after attempting to land during heavy rains Sunday night prompting the MCIA closure.A MCIA publi...

Fireworks over the Paglaum Stadium in Bacolod City capped the three-week MassKara Festival Sunday night.*Jerancy Antonio Productions photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Tuesday, October 25, that he believes Bacolod City exceeded its targets for the MassKara Festival as seen by the huge crowds during the three-week celebration that ended Sunday.The mayor, prior to the festival, said that the MassKara celebration was expected to draw 200,000 visitors and generate income of about P5 billion for Bacolod.“I think it’s probably even more,” he said, when asked on Tuesday if his targets were met.Bacolod has set the trend for the rest of the country to get back to normalcy and celebrate, Benitez said.Benitez said with the success of this year’s MassKara, hopefully in 202...

There are five new cholera cases in Negros Occidental and four in Bacolod City, the provincial and city health offices reported on Tuesday, October 25.Negros Occidental now has a total of 17 cases and Bacolod City has 13.The new cases in Negros Occidental are in Talisay City with three, and one each in EB Magalona and Calatrava, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported.Silay City and EB Magalona have recorded a total of five cholera cases each, and one death each.Talisay City now has a total of five cholera cases, while Victorias City and Calatrava have one each.The resurgence of cholera cases in Negros Occidental began in September this year. The province had no reported cholera cases since 2019, the PHO report said.Dr. Grace Tan, City Health Office Environment ...

Seized pork products destroyed in Kabankalan.*The African Swine Fever Task Force seized more pork products worth P35,249 that entered Negros Occidental from October 22 to 25, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Tuesday, October 25.The seized pork products worth P18,850 were shipped back and the rest valued at P16,399 were burned.The task force has seized pork products worth P214,099 since October 15, Diaz said.Seized from October 22 to 25 were chicharon, frozen pork, dinugu-an, embutido, chorizo, tocino, longganisa, lechon, adobo, karne prita, siomai and marinated pork from Iloilo, Cebu, Batanes, Caloocan and Aklan.The items seized from ASF free areas like Cebu had no documents.They were seized at the BREDCO and Banago ports, Bacolod-Silay Airport, and i...

Nine suspected thieves from Manila were arrested Sunday, October 23, in Bacolod City.First to be arrested was 42-year-old Elaine Guarin, who was allegedly caught using the credit card owned by her pickpocket victim at a mall in the city.Her eight companions were also arrested in a follow-up police operation.Maj. Ramel Sarona, Police Station 1 chief , said the nine suspects arrived last week for the MassKara Festival.He said the suspects' modus operandi is to target shoppers in supermarkets and malls.Sarona said the suspects got a total of P150,000 from their victims.They will be charged with theft.*

The culminating activity at the Bacolod City Police Office grounds on Monday, October 24.*BCPO photoThe Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) said the just concluded MassKara Festival was successful and generally peaceful.The Balik Yuhum-themed festival which concluded Sunday, October 23, recorded no major criminal incidents from October 1 to 23, the police said.Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, city police director, said the 23-day-festival was a total success as far as peace and order and public safety is concerned.“The whole of nation approach involving other government agencies used in major events made the festivities peaceful and orderly. The security preparations and the deployment of PNP personnel with BCPO force multipliers also proved effective in all of the festival venues,...

The scene of the crime in Calatrava on Sunday.*Calatrava PNP photoA man was shot to death while he was at a store in Barangay Ani-e, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, Sunday, October 23.Killed was Danilo Cuales, 52.Police said the victim was eating bread with his partner when he was approached by the suspect identified as 42-year-old Ronald Abadilla, who shot Cuales multiple times.The victim died on the spot, while the suspect fled to an unknown direction.Cuales and Abadilla got into a fight in 2018, which led to the victim hitting the suspect in the face, the police said.The police said the suspect may have taken the chance to retaliate against the victim.He is currently at large.*