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Bacolod mayor-elect Alfredo Benitez (right) supported the presidential bid of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.* File photo/Screenshot from BBM VlogBacolod mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez said he is meeting with president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. next week to ensure Bacolod City gets support from the national government.He is hoping Bacolod gets more than its fair share, Benitez said on Monday, May 30.Benitez, when asked if was offered a Cabinet position, said “secret”.“I hope not, because there is really so much expectations from mayor-elect Albee Benitez in Bacolod. His priority, I am sure, is in Bacolod,” Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Lacson said Tuesday, in reaction to talk that an offer had been made.“We are looking forward to his term as mayor of Bacolod… The vast major...

The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday, May 31, said five new cases of the Omicron subvariant BA.2.12.1 have been detected in Western Visayas.The DOH, however, did not specify where the cases were detected in Western Visayas.Three of the cases are returning overseas Filipinos from the United States of America and the other two are local cases, DOH - Health Promotion Bureau Director Beverly Ho said in an online media forum.All of the five cases are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and are considered recovered, she said, adding that they had seven close contacts.*

Art Araneta – Megaworld head of construction, Eugene Reducindo - Choice Gourmet Banquet Inc. managing director, Lourdes T. Gutierrez-Alfonso – Megaworld chief operating officer, Jennifer Palmares-Fong – Megaworld Visayas vice president for sales and marketing, and Gerlie Corral Liguaton - Golden Arches Development Corp. marketing assistant for Visayas Area (l-r) at the groundbreaking ceremony for McDonald's The Upper East on Tuesday, May 31.*Megaworld is set to build what is poised to become “the Philippines’ Most Beautiful McDonald’s” inside its 34-hectare township, The Upper East, in Bacolod City, Harold Brian Geronimo, the firm’s senior assistant vice president, announced Tuesday, May 31.The second Megaworld McDonald’s store in Bacolod is expected to open in time for this year’s...

Oathtaking Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (4th from left) and councilors Israel Salanga, Cindy Rojas, Em Ang and Renecito Novero (l-r) took their oaths before Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier at the Bacolod Hall of Justice on Tuesday, May 31.*Atty. Kristel Develos photoThe five Grupo Progreso members who won their re-election bids in the May 9 polls in Bacolod City took their oaths before Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier at the Bacolod Hall of Justice on Tuesday afternoon, May 31.Those who took their oaths were Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, and councilors Israel Salanga, Cindy Rojas, Em Ang and Renecito Novero.Mayor-elect Alfredo “Albee” Benitez, Rep. Greg Gasataya and the eight other Team Asenso winning councilors of Bacolod took their oaths earlie...

Farm equipment purchased to boost agriculture in Cadiz City*Mayor Salvador Escalante said on Tuesday, May 31, that P850 million has been allocated to pump prime Cadiz City’s economy, and boost its agriculture and tourism industries.Among the projects covered by the fund are the construction of 54 kilometers of roads in the hinterlands that will boost food security, equipment to modernize agriculture, drainage systems and lighthouses to guide fishermen home, Escalante said.Work on a port, breakwater and sports complex are also underway, he said.The roads will also boost local tourism, he said, noting that the city has 11 waterfalls some of which are in accessible.Some tourism areas in Cadiz are hampered by lack of road access, Escalante City.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson distributed P4.9 million in aid from the National Housing Authority Special Emergency Housing Assistance Program to 990 residents of two cities and one town in Negros Occidental whose houses were destroyed by typhoon “Odette in December last year ” at rites held on Tuesday, May 31.Each recipient received P5,000.There were 76 recipients in Cadiz City, 215 in Victorias City and 699 in Pontevedra.At the Cadiz City distribution, Lacson was joined by Mayor Salvador Escalante who said the Cadiznons who lost their houses also received P5,000 from the city government earlier.The distribution of aid on Tuesday brought the assistance they received to P10,000 each, he said.The distribution rites in northern Negros Occidental were held at the Cadiz City Are...

The Rural Health Units (RHUs) in the 31 towns and cities of Negros Occidental have activated their dengue fast lanes amid the alarming increase in cases in the province, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, Provincial Health Officer, said Tuesday, May 31.The dengue cases in Negros Occidental have increased by 282 percent compared to last year, which is the highest in Western Visayas, the Department of Health reported on Monday.Negros Occidental had 96 new dengue cases from May 15 to 21 bringing its total this year to 657 cases and five deaths.The dengue situation in Negros Occidental has hit an alert threshold and with a few more cases could hit an epidemic threshold, Tumimbang said.He said the RHU dengue fast lanes will prioritize patients with dengue symptoms that include sudden onset o...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson says COVID-19 in Negros Occidental not alarming.*Negros Occidental will return to normalcy starting Wednesday, June 1, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Tuesday.He pointed out that the province-wide curfew will be lifted on Wednesday, and the provincial government will resume a five-day work week.Lacson said the COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental remain low and are not alarming.The active COVID-19 cases in Negros Occidental dropped from 35 last week to 26 on Tuesday, the Provincial Incident Management Team reported.“We just have to continue to wear masks and observe physical distancing, Lacson said.*

Senate Majority Floor Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is seen as a top contender for Senate president*Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he hopes Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri becomes the next Senate president and that the new Sugar Regulatory Administrator is a Negrense.Zubiri is seen as the top contender for Senate president against Sen. Cynthia Villar and senator-elect Francis Escudero.Lacson said he hopes Zubiri gets the post because his family has roots in Negros Occidental, and lived in the province before moving to Bukidnon.“We will know soon whom the majority of the senators will choose,” he said.He also hopes the next SRA head is a Negrense who is based in Negros Occidental, Lacson said.The governor said the Cabinet appointees of presiden...

Mayor Evelio Leonardia has asked the Bacolod police to implement tighter security measures and intensify visibility around the Bacolod City Government Center to avert the occurrence of any crime in the area.Leonardia wrote Bacolod police director, PCol. Thomas Joseph Martir, a day after Yeshua John Alvarez Torres, 15, of Barangay 41, Bacolod City, was stabbed in the back and was declared dead on arrival at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital on Sunday, May 29.PLt. Greeky Cayao, Police Station 4 OIC, identified the suspect as Jorebel Solatorio Datulayta, alias Nonoy, 21, of Purok Pag-asa, Barangay Alijis, Bacolod, who is now detained.The police have filed murder charges against Datulayta.Cayao said their initial investigation showed that the stabbing wa...