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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. ...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his state of the nation address Monday afternoon, July 25.*PNA photoBayan Negros is set to stage a protest at the Rizal Park in Bacolod City at noon Monday, July 25, ahead of the state of the nation address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. later in the afternoon.Marcos will deliver his first SONA at the House of Representatives in the Batasang Pambansa on Monday afternoon.“BAYAN Negros and its member organizations will hold a protest rally to assert the people’s demands and to amplify the true state of our country in the lens of the marginalized. The people will forward the People’s Agenda to combat Marcos Jr’s lies and grand proclamations”, the group said in a statement released Sunday, July 24.“Now more than ever, i...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson  said on Sunday, July 24,  that  he has asked provincial legal officer Alberto Nellas  Jr. to study the call of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and  environment groups for the  Sangguniang Panlalawigan  to  revoke its  Resolution of Non-Objection (RONO) to  the planned construction of a 300 MW Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Combined Cycle Power Plant in San Carlos City.Asked if the provincial government can stop the proposed LNG plant in San Carlos , Lacson said  “Capitol will always act accordingly”.The governor said he is open to investments.The building of the LNG  power plant is being proposed by the San Miguel Corp.-owned Reliance Energy Development Inc.“We maintain that the resolution of non-objection from the Provi...

The drug recoveries from a buy-bust operation in Silay City Friday, July 22.*Silay PNP photoAt least P7.14 million worth of suspected drugs were seized while two high-value suspects were arrested in a buy-bust operation at  Seaview in  Brgy. Guinhalaran, Silay City, Negros Occidental, Friday night, July 22.Nabbed were sari-sari store owner Razel "Tomboy" Lyam Gamazan, 37, and Lennie "Nene" Nava, 40, both residents of Tandang Sora, Quezon City.Both were tagged by  authorities as high-value individuals.Recovered from the suspects' possession were 31 sachets containing suspected shabu, the P30,000 buy-bust money, P100 boodle money, P5,000 believed to be cash proceeds, P700 in cash, and a cellphone.Nine plastic bags containing suspected shabu were also concea...

An agrarian reform beneficiary was shot to death in his farm at Brgy. Libertad, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, Friday, July 22.Killed was 41-year-old Hadjen Casipong.The victim was cultivating his land when six unidentified armed men arrived and shot him multiple times. He died on the spot.Recovered from the scene were one fired cartridge of  a .45 caliber pistol and three fired cartridges of  an AK-47 rifle.The perpetrators escaped to the mountainous part of the area.The police have  yet to establish the motive for the killing.*

Former Mayor Evelio Leonardia with ex-Lamitan Mayor Rose Furigay last month when he delivered his valedictory address as LCP president*Former Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia on Sunday, July 24, extended his prayers and condolences to the family of former mayor Rose Furigay of Lamitan City in Basilan province.Furigay, her aide Victor Capistrano and a certain Bandiola Jeneven died in a shooting incident at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City on 2:55 p.m. Sunday afternoon, while the suspect, a doctor, has been apprehended, the Philippine News Agency reported.Her 25-year-old daughter Hanna Rose, who was supposed to graduate from the Ateneo law school Sunday was wounded.The National Capital Region Police Office identified the alleged shooter as Dr. Chao Tiao Yumol, 38, of ...