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The Sagay City Government Center that was closed for disinfection will reopen Thursday, April 22, Mayor Alfredo Marañon III said.He said they closed for disinfection after the city accountant tested positive for COVID-19.Personnel of the accountant’s office were swabbed for COVID-19 tests.Sagay City had 48 active COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, April 21.Meanwhile, Mayor Alejandro Mirasol has issued an executive order temporarily closing the Binadlan/ Bambi Falls and imposing a moratorium on the entry of tourists and non-essential visitors to Binalbagan to curb the surge in COVID-19 cases in the town.Binalbagan had 96 active COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.Negros Occidental had 2,095 active COVID-19 cases Wednesday, 138 lower the 2,233 cases on Tuesday, the Provincial Incid...

Capitol photoThe Research Institute for Tropical Medicine of the Department of Health has given the COVID-19 molecular laboratory at the Valladolid District Hospital compound a 100 percent proficiency test rating, Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday, April 21.The Safeguard DNA Diagnostics Inc. laboratory passed the 2021 pre-licensing proficiency test for SARS-CoV-2 detection by real-time polymerase chain reaction, the RITM said.With the RITM test result, a DOH license to operate is expected, which will enable the laboratory to operate, Diaz said.This is perfect timing, the molecular laboratory is needed with the recent surge in COVID-19, he said.*

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said Wednesday, April 21, that he has not received any death threats before and after the murder of provincial consultant Mariano Antonio “Marton” Cui.The governor said the tight security at the funeral of Cui Tuesday was requested by his family, and was not intended for any public official.The police still have no leads on the identity of the killer and the motive for Cui’s killing.Cui, who was Negros Occidental provincial consultant on hospital operations, was shot and killed as he was leaving his office at Emerald Arcade in San Carlos City on April 12.He was buried at the San Carlos Memorial Park Tuesday afternoon.*

PAWSsion photoIt began with a simple act of kindness and a table. Then the community pantry initiative spread quickly across the Philippines.People from all walks of life have been donating vegetables, canned goods and other essential needs that are placed on tables for those who are in need to avail of for free.“Give what you can and take what you need” has been the battle cry that has touched hearts and triggered the sprouting of community pantries that have been increasing in number in Bacolod City and throughout Negros Occidental daily.Residents, policemen, students, the rich and poor, have come together to help those in need.In Bacolod City, more than 15 barangays have hosted community pantries since Monday, April 19.Many more residents have called for donation...

Photo from Earth Day-Bacolod & Negros Occidental Network FB pageEarth Day will be marked in Bacolod City with numerous activities Thursday, including a protest against the recent cutting of trees to make way for sidewalks.The Bacolod City government will mark Earth Day, which theme is "Restore Our Earth", with a caravan that will start at 7 a.m. from the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds, passing the three major public markets, and will culminate at the GP Forest Area at Progreso Village I in Barangay Vista Alegre for a tree planting activity, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said.A culminating program will be held at the Fountain of Justice at the Bacolod City Hall at Araneta Street where a Declaration of the Sustaining Implementation ...

Junjun Mojica photoMembers of Konsyumer-Negros and Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)-Negros staged a protest on Wednesday, April 21, at the Bacolod main office of the Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) to denounce what they call “coal financing.”Grid Langco, coordinator of Konsyumer-Negros, said “BPI’s executives must know by now that Negrenses reject coal. We shun dirty energy as it destroys the environment, leads to health issues, contributes to climate change, and makes electricity costs higher.”During the rally, protesters also cut their BPI ATM cards to symbolize their discontent with the bank’s policy.“Civil society groups, sectoral organizations, the Catholic church, and even provincial government officials unite in calling Negros the Renewable Energy Capital of ...

A COVID-19 positive Bacolod City government employee passed away at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital Tuesday morning, April 20.The 62-year-old cashier from the City Treasurer’s Office was the seventh Bacolod government employee to succumb to COVID-19 since last year, City Administrator Em Ang, who is also executive director of the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center, said.He is the 56th city government employee to be hit by virus this month, Ang said.The cashier is also the 15th Bacolod COVID-19 fatality in April, Ang said, pointing out that the number of deaths this month are three times more than those for the entire March.Ang stressed the need for everyone to take the necessary precautions against COVID-10 that appears to be more deadly now and s...

Bacolod DRRM photoTravelers who arrived in Bacolod City Tuesday, April 20, with expired COVID-19 negative results were swabbed for RT-PCR tests, City Administrator Em Ang said.She said 20 passengers arrived from Manila and several others from Cebu.Bacolod City requires arriving passengers to submit negative RT-PCR test results taken within 72 hours before their departure.However, many had expired test results after their trips were cancelled when a moratorium on travel to Western Visayas was declared, Ang said.The travel moratorium ended on Monday, April 19.To spare these passenger from spending again for expensive RT-PCR tests before departure for Bacolod, the city has offered to have them swabbed for free on arrival, she said.The passengers then have the optio...