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Desmond Joy Yap at the Ironman Pro Series in Taupó, New Zealand.*Desmond Joy Yap of Valladolid, Negros Occidental, proved his mettle on the global stage, finishing the prestigious Ironman Pro Series in Taupó, New Zealand, on Saturday, March 7. Yap was one of only two Filipinos to compete in the grueling event, where he showcased endurance across three disciplines. He officially joined the prestigious "sub-12 hour" club by completing the full course in under the 12-hour mark. This grueling endurance feat required him to power through a 3.8km swim, a 180km bike ride, and a full 42km marathon run to reach the finish line. Yap is an alumnus of Bacolod Tay Tung High School.

State-run Social Security System (SSS) has launched a facial authentication to allow pensioners to complete the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners (ACOP) requirement without visiting its branches. In a statement on Wednesday, March 11, SSS said the initiative is part of ongoing efforts to enhance digital services for nearly 4 million pensioners nationwide and abroad, making compliance with the ACOP requirement more convenient while reducing travel burdens amid rising living costs. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph De Claro said the system uses biometric liveness checks to verify the identity of pensioners online. "This makes compliance easier, faster, and more secure, ensuring uninterrupted pension payments," De Claro said. The feature is available to pensioners regist...

Negros Oriental provincial legal officer Myles Bejar explains on Wednesday an executive order of Governor Manuel Sagarbarria on the reconstitution and activation of the Provincial Price Coordinating Council, at a press conference in Dumaguete City. *PNA/Mary Judaline Flores Partlow photo Negros Oriental Governor Manuel Sagarbarria has ordered the immediate activation of the reconstituted Provincial Price Coordinating Council (PPCC) to monitor and ensure the stability and supply of basic goods. Provincial Legal Officer Myles Bejar presented the governor’s Executive Order 29, series of 2026, dated March 10 during the Negros Oriental Consumer Protection Network Checkpoint and Planning Session on Wednesday, March 11. “The governor issue...

A fisherman was found dead aboard a drifting motorized banca about three nautical miles between Siquijor and Balicasag Island on Monday, March 9.Authorities identified the victim as Ronald Malugao, 49, a fisherman from Baclayon, Bohol.Responders discovered the victim lifeless inside his boat while it was drifting at sea.Personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard, MENRO Reef Rangers, and the municipal Sea Ambulance conducted a joint retrieval operation.The victim’s body was brought to the port of Panglao, Bohol, for proper processing.Police said an investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fisherman’s death.*

Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan, Councilor Caesar Z. Distrito and Dr. Mary Jean Ramos (l-r)*A delegation from Bacolod City is currently participating in the Better Air Quality (BAQ) International Conference 2026, organized by the United Nations in Bangkok, Thailand, from Wednesday to Friday, March 11 to 13., Representing Bacolod City are Councilor Caesar Z. Distrito, Chairperson of the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Urban Planning and Development; Dr. Mary Jean Ramos, Head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO); and Dr. Anna Maria Laarni Pornan, Head of the Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (BCDRRMD). The conference brings together around 900 delegates from 45 countries, including representatives from the Philippines, to exchange knowledge, sh...

Two people were killed and a Philippine Coast Guard member was injured in a motorcycle collision at the national highway in Brgy. Dahile, Mabinay, Negros Oriental, on Sunday evening, March 8. The Mabinay police said a 28-year-old Coast Guard member stationed in Dumaguete City was driving a black Yamaha XMAX motorcycle toward Kabankalan City. Meanwhile, another motorcycle—a Honda XRM carrying a back rider—was traveling in the opposite direction. Police said the two motorcycles collided in Brgy. Dahile, causing both drivers and the back rider to sustain serious injuries. The victims were rushed to the Mabinay Community Hospital, where the driver and back rider of the Honda XRM were declared dead. The injured Coast Guard member was later referred to a hospital in Dumaguete City for further me...