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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flanked by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez before he delivers his State of the Nation Address.*President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. outlined his agenda for the country’s economic recovery in his first  State of the Nation Address (SONA), which was welcomed by upbeat Negros Occidental and Bacolod City officials while militants slammed him on Monday, July 25.Marcos, who delivered a one hour and 14 minutes speech, said “the state of the nation is sound”.Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said with the post pandemic recovery and response as the main backdrop of the state of the country, the president’s goals and targets were reassuring.Lacson  cited  Marcos’ plans on fiscal stability and ...

Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri takes his oath as the 24th Senate President of the Republic of the Philippines in the presence of his family*Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri was elected Senate President  during the first regular session of the 19th Congress Monday, July 25.Bacolod  Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez, who congratulated Zubiri, said he will hold him to his commitment to give more to the city.Earlier Zubiri also filed a bill in the Senate for the creation of the Negros Island Region and vowed to push for its passage into law.Zubiri, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, said as senate president “I will do my utmost best to uphold the dignity, integrity, and independence of the Senate. We have 24 senators, 24 voices, 24 votes — we are equals"....

The newly elected VMLP Negros Occidental officers took their oaths before provincial administrator Rayfrando Diaz (left).*Anthony Gerard A. Suatengco of Pulupandan town was elected president of the Vice Mayors' League of the Philippines (VMLP) – Negros Occidental Chapter for 2022-2025 at L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on Monday, July 25, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced.Suatengco and the other VMLP officers were unopposed.The other officers are Thomas Maynard J. Ledesma of Silay City – vice president, Jose Nicolas V. Jalandoni III of Talisay City – secretary general, Nehemiah J. Dela Cruz of Salvador Benedicto – treasurer, Jeffre L. Encoy of Hinoba-an – auditor, and  Adrian S. Villaflor of Moises Padilla – public relations officer.Me...

Representatives Greg Gasataya, Gerardo Valmayor, Alfredo Marañon III, Francisco Benitez, Juliet Marie Ferrer and Mercedes Alvarez (l-r) at the opening of the 19th Congress on Monday, July 25.*Greg Gasataya FB photoSeven Negros Occidental and Bacolod City representatives voted for Rep. Martin Romualdez (Leyte, 1st District) who was elected Speaker of the House during the first regular session of the 19th Congress on Monday, July 25.Negrense Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) said he did not vote and remains in the minority.He will remain with whoever is elected minority floor leader, Paduano said. He was minority floor leader in the 18th Congress.Negros Occidental representatives Gerardo Valmayor (1st District), Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), Francisco Benit...

A group of Bacolodnons opposed to the mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 held a solidarity and freedom caravan on the 158th birthday of hero and patriot Apolinario Mabini on Saturday, lawyer William Mirano said on Monday, July 25.Negros Occidental has vaccinated 75.88 percent of its target population and 59. 81 percent of its target seniors against COVID-19, the Department of Health (DOH) reported on Monday.While Bacolod City has vaccinated 158.25 percent of its target population and 153.53 percent of its target seniors against COVID-19, the DOH added.“After 2 years with no vaccine and no booster shots, we are still healthy. Our stand is that the COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory,” Mirano, who joined Saturday’s caravan, said.RA 11525, the law establishing COVID-19 vacci...

Dengue cases in Western Visayas are nearing 7,000, with Negros Occidental still the topnotcher, the Department of Health reported Monday, July 25.Western Visayas’ dengue cases increased by 674 from July 10 to 16 for a total of 6,856 cases and 37 deaths this year. This is a 472 percent increase in dengue cases compared to the same period last year, the DOH said.Negros Occidental had 230 new dengue cases from July 10 to 16 for a total of 2,445 cases and 11 deaths this year, the DOH said.The 2,455 cases from January 1 to July 16 are an increase by 910 percent compared to the same period last year.Bacolod City also recorded 41 new dengue cases and one death for a total of 398 cases and six deaths from January 1 to July 16, the DOH said.That is an increase by 159 percent com...

Five employees of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, including a division head, have been issued a show cause order to explain their alleged misuse of a government vehicle and for one of them to explain why he berated the person in-charge of the Capitol Cab Service.The five senior members of the OPA exceeded the time covered by their travel order because they allegedly went to a restaurant to drink liquor, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. said Monday, July 25.The four OPA engineers and a staff member have been give five days to submit their explanations in writing, he added.The five had availed of a Toyota Innova through the Capitol Cab System to attend a meeting at the Victorias City Hall and departed from Bacolod at past 1 p.m. on January 15, Nellas said. ...