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The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) has announced that there will be a 12-hour power interruption from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 5.NGCP will shut down its Bacolod-Reclamation and Bacolod-San Enrique 69kV transmission lines in connection with its ongoing Cebu-Negros-Panay 230kV Backbone Project, it said in its advisory Thursday, June 2.During the 12-hour power interruption NGCP will conduct continued replacement of its remaining wood poles, and correct other transmission line defects.Central Negros Electric Cooperative said it will also take advantage of this downtime to conduct simultaneous maintenance activities.CENECO will conduct preventive maintenance and servicing of its 10MVA power transformer at the Lag-asan Substation, Hda. Hilangban, Brgy...

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) announced on Wednesday, June 1, that it has ordered Central Negros Electric Cooperative (CENECO) and two other cooperatives to refund over collections charged to their consumers.The two others included in the ERC order are the Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative (PANELCO I) and La Union Electric Company (LUECO).“The Commission resolved to approve with modifications the respective applications of CENECO, PANELCO I and LUECO for the approval of the over/under recoveries based on the formula on the various Automatic Cost Adjustments and True Up Mechanisms and corresponding confirmation process,” ERC Chairperson and CEO Agnes VST Devanadera said.The ERC ordered CENECO to implement the refund of total net over-recoveries amounting to P237,949,425...

The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) approved the typhoon "Odette" Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Recovery Plan at its meeting at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City Wednesday morning, June 1.The PDRRMC members at the meeting presided by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson realigned P32.5 million for the repair of provincial government structures damaged by Typhoon "Odette".The council approved the realignment of P27,526,656 from the 2021 PDRRMC Special Trust Fund for the repairs of Negros Food Terminal Market – P1.5 million, Guintubdan Bridge and Camang-camang road in Isabela - P4 million, Agboy Bridge in Candoni – P2.7 million, Merceditas Montilla District Hospital in Sipalay City – P1.5 million, Negros First CyberCentre – P6.8 milli...

An eight-day provincewide simultaneous mass vaccination drive against COVID-19 kicks off in Negros Occidental on Thursday, June 2.*The eight-day provincewide simultaneous mass vaccination drive against COVID-19 will kick off in Negros Occidental on Thursday and Friday, June 2 and 3, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, said Wednesday.The mass vaccination days will be conducted on Thursdays and Fridays in the first three weeks of June, and on Monday and Tuesday on the fourth week, he said.Senior citizens who complete their two doses of vaccines will be given five kilos of rice by the provincial government and additional membership in the Negros Occidental Comprehensive Health Program, Tumimbang said.They have asked the local government units for the lists of thei...

The Progressive Alliance of Capitol Employees is asking Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to release the P3,000 anniversary bonus of the Negros Occidental provincial government employees, PACE chairman Renelo Lastierre said Wednesday, June 1.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, he said.They are seeking the anniversary bonus on the basis of Provincial Ordinance No. 006, Series of 2011, declaring May 1, 1901 as the date when the province of Negros Occidental was created, Lastierre said.The last time the provincial government employees were given an anniversary bonus was in 2017, he said.*

A Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, Regional Trial Court judge has initiated indirect contempt proceedings against Sugar Regulatory Administrator Hermenegildo Serafica for issuing a memorandum allowing the implementation of Sugar Order No. 3 that grants the importation of sugar despite an injunction against it while a case is pending in court.Himamaylan RTC Branch 55 Judge Walter Zorilla ordered Serafica to show cause within 15 days why he should not be cited in contempt of court for failing to abide with the writ of preliminary injunction order and for issuing Memorandum Circular No. 11 on May 4.The circular addressed to the applicants of Sugar Order No. 3 allows the processing of applications for the importation of refined sugar for the whole country, excluding Region 6 only, t...

The San Enrique ballot boxes being delivered to the Bago City Regional Trial Court.* Youth for Leo-Carlo Facebook page photoThe candidate who lost by 10 votes against San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara in the May 9 polls has filed an election protest and sought a recount before the Bago City Regional Trial Court.The protest was filed by Napoleon Delfinando (NPC) who garnered 8,172 votes, while Tubillara had 8,182 votes.Selected ballot boxes have been transferred to the Bago City RTC for the recount.Tubillara said he received a copy of the election protest last week.It is the right of Delfinado to seek a recount but he is confident the recount will not change the outcome of the polls, Tubillara said.The vote counting machines have a 99 percent accuracy rate, he said....

The five persons in Western Visayas hit by the COVID-19 Omicron Sub-variant BA. 2.12.1 are residents of Iloilo City, the Department of Health reported Wednesday, June 1.Three are returning overseas Filipinos from the Unites States and two are local cases.All are fully vaccinated, completed home quarantine and have been tagged as recovered, the DOH said.The DOH said all of their close contacts have also completed home quarantine and have recovered.Getting vaccinated and adherence to the minimum public health standards are the best defenses against COVID-19 and any of its variants, the DOH said.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Australian Ambassador Steven James Robinson and their teams meet at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City on Wednesday, June 1.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and Australian Ambassador Steven James Robinson discussed Negros Occidental’s investment opportunities and tourism potentials in a meeting held at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City on Wednesday, June 1.The ambassador was accompanied by his wife, Rhonda, and other Australian embassy officials.Also joining the meeting were Negros Occ. Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz, Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr., Executive Assistant to the Governor Charina Magallanes – Tan, Scholarship Program Head Karen Dinsay, Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena, and Provincial Agriculturist Edmund...