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Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Tuesday, April 19, said that he is still working to save his prepaid SIM Card registration bill that was vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte.Sotto, at a press conference in Bacolod City, said the veto by the president of the consolidated version of Senate Bill No. 2395 and House Bill No. 5793 can be overturned.When the president vetoes a bill it is as good as dead unless the two houses of Congress voting separately overturn the veto by two thirds votes, Sotto said.The bill will then become a law without the signature of the president, Sotto said.Sotto said he has been pushing for the prepaid SIM Card registration law since 1998. He pointed out that unregistered prepaid SIM cards have been used for bombings, scams, scandals, and to put p...

Supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo in Negros Occidental will celebrate her birthday with a series of activities in Bacolod City on Saturday, April 23.At 11 a.m., they will hold a walk-and-talk at SM City Bacolod where they will share Robredo’s story to mallers, Laban Leni Negros organizers said.At 4 p.m., a birthday mass for Robredo will be held at the Carmelite Monastery in Barangay Mandalagan to be followed at 5 p.m. with a Kakampink Fun Date at the Art District.At 6:30 p.m., a birthday party for Robredo will be held at the Art District with the lighting of the Paglaum Star of Hope made by Charlie Co and local artists to be followed by a birthday blowout of pink treats.Robredo will be campaigning in Negros Oriental on Wednesday, April 20, and her first stop will be...

62nd IB photoThe Army's 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division neutralized 34 Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) terrorists in the first quarter of 2022, it reported Tuesday, April 19.Eight of them were killed in encounters, eight were apprehended, 15 surrendered, and three were arrested.Six of the neutralized personalities are top leaders of the NPA terrorist organization, the 3ID press release said.The 3ID cited the recent death of two still unidentified NPA members in separate encounters in Sitio San Juan, Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, and So. Tulong, Brgy Enrique Villanueva, Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on April 14;Elbert Nicolas Quillano, alias Carding, a SDG Platoon finance officer, and Jessa Luiso Quillano, alias Clean/...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday, April 18, that the press conference of three presidential bets, where Isko Moreno called on Vice President Leni Robredo to quit the race for the presidency, was a dud.On the other hand, former Murcia mayor Esteban “Sonny” Coscolluela, Negros Occidental spokesperson of presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., said it was the last nail in the political coffin of Robredo.Moreno, Panfilo Lacson and Norberto Gonzales held a press conference on Sunday where they announced that they are not withdrawing from the presidential race, and offered themselves as alternatives to Robredo, who has been ranked number two in the surveys.“I thought that the press conference was a dud, people were expecting more than what they said. Peo...

Victorias PNP photoA young couple was killed after they figured in a head-on collision with a truck at Osmeña Avenue, Hacienda Newton Jison, Brgy. 13 in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, Monday afternoon, April 18.Killed were Alejandre Brotario, 28, of Roxas City, Capiz, and his girlfriend, Queenie Rocaberte, 23.Brotario was vacationing in the province as his girlfriend was set to go abroad.The couple was on board a sedan, driven by the Brotario, when it collided with the truck steered by Juanito Panes, 43, of Brgy. Inapoy, Kabankalan City.Police said Brotario may have lost control of the vehicle causing it to encroach on the opposite lane that led to the collision.Both victims were declared dead on arrival at the Victorias City Emergency Center.*

Glen Badon (right), Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) national executive director and secretary general, raises the hand of gubernatorial bet John Orola.*CPG photoNegros Occidental gubernatorial bet John Orola has the support of President Rodrigo Duterte, Glen Badon, Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan (PDDS) national executive director and secretary general, said Monday, April 18.“I can personally and categorically say that he has the support of President Duterte” in his bid for governor, Badon said.Orola, a former Bacolod representative and city administrator, is running against incumbent Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson of the Nationalist People’s Coalition.Badon said he was in Negros Occidental Monday to campaign for Orola and PDDS senatorial bet Greco Belgica...

A total of 1,280,654 residents or 61.03 percent of Negros Occidental’s target population have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Saturday, April 16, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Monday, April 18.There are also 106,046 Negrenses due for their second dose or 5.05 percent of the target, he added.Vaccinated with at least one dose are 1,386,700 residents or 66.08 percent of the target.Negros Occidental needs to vaccinate 711,721 residents more to hit 100 percent of its target population, Diaz said.Local government units that have vaccinated above 70 percent of their target populations are La Carlota City – 82.52 percent, Pulupandan - 79.60 percent, Cadiz City - 75.43 percent, San Enrique – 73.63 percent, EB Magalona – 72. 52 percent, and Sagay City – 71...

The Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary in Murcia, Negros Occidental, will reopen to the public on Wednesday, April 20, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Monday, April 18.They will accept day visits to the resort and guests for overnight stays by May, he said.The new rates at the resort will be applied as soon as they are approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The ordinance setting the new rates is still on second reading, Diaz said.It has been proposed that the Mambukal entrance fee for adults be increased from P50 to P120 and from P20 to P60 for children plus a P20 environment fee.The new entrance fee will include the free use of the swimming and dipping pools at the resort.New rates will also be charged for the use of other facilities at the resort a...