Top Stories

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Occidental has monitored increases in the prices of several brands of basic and prime commodities but they are still within the suggested retail prices.Romel Amihan, DTI Neg. Occ. Consumer Protection Unit head, said Friday, June 3, that they continue to monitor the prices of basic and prime commodities in Bacolod and other cities of Negros Occidental that are seen as key trading centers on a weekly basis, and in the towns on a monthly basis.There were movements in the prices of some commodities on May 27 compared to May 20, but the increases have not hit 10 percent, he said.DTI records show that the prices of several brands of sardines, coffee, laundry soap, and condensed, evaporated and powdered milk, have gone up.The in...

The newly elected Ilog Sangguniang Bayan members took their oaths of office before Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Ilog Municipal Hall on Friday, June 3.*Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson distributed P14.7 million to 2,944 residents of Ilog, Negros Occidental, whose houses were destroyed by Typhoon “Odette” at turnover rites on Friday, July 3The recipients received P5,000 each from the National Housing Authority Special Emergency Housing Assistance Program that allocated P91 million for the typhoon victims of Negros Occidental.Ilog Mayor John Paul Alvarez thanked the governor and the NHA for the additional help.About 6,000 residents of Ilog were affected by the typhoon and the 2,944 were those who lost their homes, Alvarez said.The newly elected Ilog Sangguniang Bayan members al...

The Negros Occidental scholars in Japan.*The Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division under the Office of the Governor is again accepting applications from young professionals who want to study the Japanese language and work part time with the Cooperative Association for Yomiuri Shimbun Distribution Services in Japan for two years.“If you are a graduate of any four-year course, male or female, between 20 to 26 years old, single, dedicated, determined, diligent and with good attitude, please submit your resume, birth certificate, transcript of records and diploma to the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division,” a press release from the Capitol said.This program is a study now, pay later scheme to help young graduates study and work in Japan. While studying the Japan...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Friday, June 3, that the P3,000 anniversary bonus of the Negros Occidental provincial government employees will be granted.“That is already an agreement so of course it will be given,” he said.“It will be released any time that it is ready,” Lacson assured.The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees had earlier asked Lacson to release the P3,000 anniversary bonus.Department of Budget and Management Circular 65 dated March 3, 1997, provides that every five years government officials and employees are entitled to an anniversary bonus amounting to P3, 000, PACE Chairman Renelo Lastierre said.The last time the provincial government employees were given an anniversary bonus was in 2017, he said.They are seeking the anniversary bonus on the bas...

Negros Occidental local government units need to vaccinate 70 percent of their target general population and 80 percent of their target senior citizens against COVID-19 to deescalate to Alert 1, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday, June 3.The total population for Negros Occidental for 2022 is 2,623,02. The Department of Health has set 80 percent of the total population as the target for COVID-19 vaccination, which is equal to 2,098,421 Negrenses, he said.Senior Citizens have a separate target of 85 percent of their total population of 269,602, which is equal to 239,374, Diaz added.The remaining targets of Negros Occidental for COVID-19 vaccination as of May 28 were 186,436 individuals from the general population and 51,310 senior citizens, he said.The provin...

A Talisay City resident takes part in the COVID-19 mass vaccination drive in Talisay City on Thursday, June 2.*Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday, June 2, that incentives will be given to barangay health workers (BHWs) to further speed up the COVID-19 mass vaccination drive in Negros Occidental.BHWs will be given P25 for every individual they convince to get fully vaccinated, he said.“We’re still very dependent on the local government units, especially the barangay health, workers to convince people in their respective communities, to get vaccinated,” Lacson said.Rice assistance of 5 kilos will also be given to those who are fully vaccinated, he said.The eight-day provincewide simultaneous mass vaccination against COVID-19 in June kicked off on Thursday.The m...

Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) that has incurred annual pilferage losses of P325 million has launched an aggressive campaign to arrest and file charges against pilferers.Topping CENECO’s pilferage watch list are areas under its Sum-ag Feeder 1, which include barangays Handumanan, Felisa and Cabug, Engineer Leo Arimas, CENECO Technical Services Division chief, said at a press conference on Thursday, June 2.These are the areas where pilferage has been very rampant, he said.Ceneco is increasing its inspection crews from three to eight and is offering rewards to those who report persons pilfering power, Arimas said, adding that about 60 to 70 are caught per month.The identities of those who provide pilferage tips will be kept confidential, he said.They are als...

Engineer Norman Pollentes, CENECO corporate planning manager, announces that the cooperative will start paying an additional P11 million a month starting in June*Central Negros Electric Cooperative will begin refunding its consumers an additional P11 million a month over a two-year period starting this June in compliance with an Energy Regulatory Commission order, Engineer Norman Pollentes, CENECO corporate planning manager, said Thursday, June 2.The refund is expected to be about P0.15 per kWh depending on the actual power consumption of a consumer, Ervin Stan Leo Ticar, CENECO acting general manager, added in a statement.The ERC this week ordered CENECO to implement the refund of its total net over-recoveries amounting to P237,949,425.51 incurred from February 2004 to Decembe...

The ballot boxes from San Enrique that were delivered to the Bago Regional Trial Court.*The camp of Napoleon Delfinando who lost to San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara in the May 9 polls believes that the results could change after a manual recount of votes.Abner Jardinico, spokesperson of Delfinado, pointed out on Thursday, June 2, that Tubillara only won by 10 votes and there were a significant number of ballots rejected by the vote counting machines.Delfinado filed an election protest and sought a recount before the Bago City Regional Trial Court.Tubillara was proclaimed the winning mayor with 8,182 votes. Delfinando had 8,172 votes.Selected ballot boxes have been transferred to the Bago City RTC for the recount.It is the right of Delfinado to seek a recount but h...