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A total of 19 barangays in Bacolod City have been COVID-free for the past 14 days, the locality's Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) reported on Monday.These barangays are 4, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 31, 33, 36, 38, and Punta Taytay, data from the EOC-TF showed.“These barangays should maintain their status and the other barangays should also try to catch up with these COVID-free barangays,” said Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who heads the EOC-TF.According to the mayor, the COVID-fre’ status of 19 out of 61 Bacolod barangays is “something to celebrate” considering the efforts of the city government in containing the pandemic for several months now.*

BY CARLA GOMEZBacolod City’s COVID-19 cases that reached alarming levels in August have been dropping in the past month, and hit a single digit on Tuesday.There were only four new COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City on Tuesday, the Department of Health reported yesterday from three digit levels in August.The Department of Health report said that since the start of the pandemic Bacolod City has had 4,633 cases but as of Tuesday 3,976 or 85.82 percent of those hit by the virus had recovered.The city has 539 active COVID-19 case or 11.63 percent of the confirmed cases, and 118 deaths or 2.55 percent.The total confirmed cases compose .79 percent of Bacolod’s 583,045 population.President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed us to provide all the support needed to curb the a...

Entry of untruthful data in the Case Investigation Form (CIF), which is required for swab tests, is prohibited under the law, said Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF)- Visayas chief implementer Mel Feliciano, who oversees the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF).This after a man, who tested positive for COVID-19 on October 14, was found to have entered false information in the CIF.The man declared in the CIF that his current address is Bacolod City despite presently residing in Silay City, Negros Occidental.“It took over a day for the contact tracers to locate the index but due to our collaboration with the Provincial Health Emergency Operations Center and other cities and municipalities, the truth came out,” said EOC deputy for medical Dr. Chris Sorongon....

Two business establishments, Watson's Pharmacy and Chefs and Bakers, have opened their branches in Cadiz City.Watson's Pharmacy, the flagship health and beauty care brand of the Hong Kong-based A.S. Watson Group which is majority owned by C.K. Hutchison Holdings, formally opened its doors to Cadiznons after the blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremonies held Tuesday, Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. said.Escalante said the Chefs and Bakers, a one-stop shop and go-to-store for baking, also inaugurated its branch in Cadiz City late last week.Chefs and Bakers is a wholesale and retail specialty store selling imported and local baking and cooking products and ingredients as well as confectionary, packaging, party supplies, bakewares and cookwares, among others."These are indications o...

City PIO photoEleven local government units in Negros and Panay have sent officials and personnel to visit and join the daily huddle of the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) for benchmarking.These visits, which focus on observing the daily operations of the EOC-TF, allow other LGUs to pick up some points that may be useful in enhancing their own response against the COVID-19 pandemic, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said Wednesday.The LGUs that made visits in the past two weeks include the municipalities of Isabela, Murcia, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan; and the cities of Bago, Himamaylan, and Silay in Negros Occidental.Representatives from the provincial health offices of Aklan and Capiz also ...

City PIO photoThe Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) will no longer accommodate patients showing COVID-19 symptoms starting October 26.This is to protect other patients – especially pregnant women – from contracting the viral disease, according to City Administrator Em Ang, executive director and deputy for administration and operations of the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF)."In our daily reports, there are always pregnant women who are tested positive. We are making a study on that right now. In fact, we are planning to meet with the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecologist Society (POGS) in the next few days; we’d like to find out what is causing that," Ang said.Pregnant women are among the majority of patients who regularly seek consultation at t...

Farmers from all over Negros, along with the progressive groups, convene at the Provincial Capitol grounds in Bacolod City on Wednesday to commemorate the World Hunger Day. They also called for justice for the killed farmers and activists.They also seek a dialogue with Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson to tackle the concerns of farmers such as junking of the Rice Tariffication Law, genuine land reform, and others. Gino Lopez photos

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that he has proposed a P4.4 billion 2021 budget for the provincial government of Negros Occidental since its Internal Revenue Allotment share will increase by about 7 percent or P267 million.Lacson said he has been assured by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer that the budget that is now under review by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will be approved before the year ends.The proposed general fund for 2021 is P4,471,695,065, and allocated for personal services is P1,641,424,244, maintenance and other operating expenses – P1,374,658,871, capital outlay – P12,000,000 and special purpose appropriations – P1,443,611,950, Lacson said in his budget message.The proposed appropriation for Personal Services does not exceed the 45 percent PS limitation set unde...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that he is in favor of shorter curfew hours to help businesses to recover, but is leaving the decision up to the mayors.The governor said he in favor of the decision of the Metro Manila mayors to impose shorter curfew hours from midnight to 4 a.m. as part of the government's move to ease restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.This will allow businesses, especially those engaged in the food industry, to stay open for longer hours, as long as COVID-19 minimum health standards are followed, he said.*

The Department of Health urged the public to remain socially connected to avoid "quarantine fatigue" amid the coronavirus pandemic.“Ito nga po iyong aming laging pinapaalala ‘no, unang-una, please stay connected (We would like to remind everyone, first of all, please stay connected),” DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during a Laging Handa public briefing on Saturday aired over state-run PTV4.Vergeire said because of the quarantine status that is imposed in different parts of the country, people experience social withdrawal.She said calling friends and loved ones will help, as well as finding a hobby or other recreational activity.“After so many months of being quarantined, people feel restless; people feel anxious; they’re irritable. Mayroon po silang mga with...