Top Stories

Authorities seized more than P1.3 million worth of suspected shabu in three separate anti-illegal drug operations conducted across the province on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 24 and 25.In Victorias City, operatives arrested a drug personality identified as alias “Bert”, 25, during a buy-bust operation at Tirad Paz Street, Brgy. 6, on Friday.Confiscated from him were nine sachets of suspected shabu weighing about 15 grams, valued at P102,000.Meanwhile, in Bacolod City, two major buy-bust operations conducted by the City Drug Enforcement Unit (CDEU) of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Friday and Saturday led to the arrest of three suspects and the confiscation of about 140 grams of suspected shabu with a standard drug price of P952,000.Among those arrested were alias “Jo”,...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Christmas tree launch at SM City Bacolod.*Ronnie Baldonado photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the Christmas tree lighting at SM City Bacolod on Sunday, Oct. 26.“This year's theme, ‘Unwrapping Sweet Surprises’, captures what Christmas brings to our lives: simple joys, unexpected blessings, and the warmth of love shared with family and friends”, he said.“But as we unwrap these sweet surprises, let us also remember the greatest gift of all, the birth of our Savior, Lord Jesus Christ. His coming into the world in utmost humility and simplicity reminds us that the truest form of celebration lies in our gratitude, compassion, and faith,” the governor said.The governor thanked SM City Bacolod for again bringing light and cheer to N...

Kanlaon Volcano’s minor explosive eruption as seen from Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, Friday night.*Canlaon City Administrator Mamerto Bermil photo  A minor explosive eruption occurred at Kanlaon Volcano from 8:05 p.m. to 8:08 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 24, causing ashfall and sulfuric odor in several barangays across three cities and two towns in Negros Occidental.A booming sound was heard in Brgy Pula, Canlaon City, in Negros Oriental, during the eruption, the Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) reported.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 2.No evacuations were ordered as of Friday evening, but LGUs near Kanlaon remained on alert.The m...

The woman giving birth on the sidewalk*screengrab from Spincer Ayco videoA woman safely delivered her baby on the sidewalk in front of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) on Thursday, Oct. 23.CLMMRH, in a statement on Friday, confirmed that a precipitous delivery occurred on the sidewalk of Lacson Street as seen in a video posted by Spincer Ayco that went viral on social media.The CLMMRH Nursing Service and the Outpatient Department (OPD) personnel immediately responded to provide assistance to the mother and her baby.“The patient was promptly brought into the hospital for appropriate medical care. Both mother and baby are now under close monitoring and are in stable condition under the care of our medical team,” the CLMMRH statement sa...

The Negros Island Region is faced with a shortage of 6,298 classrooms, the Department of Education NIR spokesman said on Friday, Oct. 24.They welcome the news that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is urging the local government units (LGUs) to ensure the timely completion of classroom construction that adhere to proper standards, DepEd NIR spokesperson Almyr Caezar Dequiña said.“We welcome this and we commit to supporting our LGUs in ensuring that we address the classroom backlog, and moving forward, ensure timely completion of projects for the benefit of our learners and teachers,” he said.*

A bread delivery helper died while his driver was injured in a three-vehicle collision at Sitio Malasbalas, Brgy. Orong, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday morning, Oct. 23.The police identified the fatality as Poldo Dela Cruz, a resident of Brgy. Camugao, Kabankalan City, who was riding on a Kawasaki Barako tricycle driven by Julian Jacolbe, 39, of Brgy. Hilamonan.Initial investigation showed that the tricycle and a Mitsubishi Fuso panel van driven by Asher Perez, 44, were both traveling in the same direction toward Kabankalan when Perez allegedly lost control and hit the rear of the tricycle, which was moving slowly because of a road construction.The panel van then crashed into an oncoming Toyota Hilux driven by Cecilia Sonsona, 52, a regional manager of Expressi...

Dengue deaths in Negros Occidental have risen to 12, but the number of dengue cases in the province this year are 9.49 percent lower than in 2024, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) reported on Friday, Oct.24.The were 5,033 dengue cases in Negros Occidental from January 1 to October 18, which are 528 less compared to the same period last year.The local government units with the most number of dengue cases are Bago City with 1,117, followed by La Carlota City with 460, Kabankalan City – 455, San Carlos City – 260, and Isabela 239.The dengue virus is transmitted by day biting Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.*

Public school classes will resume on November 3.* Levi Trio photoPublic schools will have a “wellness break” from October 27 to 30, Almyr Caezar Dequiña, spokesperson of the Department of Education, Negros Island Region, said on Friday.The break will cover learners from pre-schools, elementary to high schools, he said.A similar break at private schools will be at their discretion, Dequiña said.October 31 has also been declared a public holiday.The break is to give students and teachers time to rest and recover from the impact of the recent disasters, Dequiña said.Public school classes will resume on November 3.*

A suspect was injured when a gun went off while he attempted to resist arrest during a drug bust that led to his apprehension along with two others in Brgy. Banago, Bacolod City, Friday morning, Oct. 24.Bacolod Police Station 3 operatives were about to serve a warrant of arrest in Purok Langis, Brgy. Banago, at around 7:25 a.m. when they reportedly saw the three suspects in the middle of a drug transaction.Upon noticing the approaching law enforcers one of the suspects, identified as alias “Joe”, 49, attempted to dispose of a sachet believed to contain shabu.A policeman saw a firearm tucked in the suspect’s waist and tried to disarm him. Joe resisted and attempted to grab the officer’s service firearm, which accidentally discharged, hitting him on the left side of his face, the...