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The Social Security System (SSS) has deployed its mobile e-Wheels to public markets and barangays across selected towns and cities nationwide as part of weeklong Palengke Caravan, aimed at reducing travel time, long queues, and transaction difficulties experienced by workers, pensioners, and beneficiaries.The caravan supports the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to bring public services faster and closer to the people, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach communities.“For many pensioners, informal workers, and members in underserved communities, even a single branch visit can mean transportation expenses, lost income, and hours spent in line,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. De Claro said.“Through the SSS e-Wheels / Palengke Car...

The Sangguniang Panlungsod of Bacolod has approved on first reading a proposed ordinance seeking to establish a centralized emergency communication framework that will improve the dissemination of verified public warnings, strengthen disaster coordination, and counter misinformation during emergencies and disasters.The proposed measure, authored by Councilor Caesar Distrito and Councilor Pao Sy, is titled the “Bacolod Emergency Communication System (BECS) Ordinance of 2026”.It aims to institutionalize an official emergency communication system that will serve as the City Government’s primary source of verified announcements, advisories, and public safety information during calamities, disasters, health emergencies, public disturbances, and other situations affecting the welfare o...

Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. meets with the Philippine Army troops in Negros Occidental.*DND photoDefense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. said on Saturday, May 23, that no civilians were killed in the encounter with the New People's Army (NPA) in Toboso, Negros Occidental.Teodoro said he is 100 percent sure of the legitimacy of the Army’s conduct during its encounters with the NPA in Toboso and Cauayan, Negros Occidental, amid deliberate efforts by communist groups to distort the truth.“There is a lot of misinformation coming out and I’m here to correct that,” said Teodoro, who met with Negros Occidental officials led by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol in Bacolod City, and visited the 79th and 15th Infantry Battalion troops at their headquarters.T...

The Bacolod City police seized about P42.84 million worth of suspected shabu in two major buy-bust operations this week.This came after the police confiscated 2.1 kilos more of suspected shabu worth P14.28 million in a buy-bust operation at Purok Camonsil, Brgy. 3, Bacolod City, at around 2:59 a.m. Saturday, May 23.The suspects were identified as alias “John,” 29, a painter and a resident of Purok Camonsil, and alias “Mark,” 34, a construction worker from Purok GK, Brgy. Cabug, Bacolod City.The operation was conducted by Police Station 2 operatives with support from the City Drug Enforcement Unit of the BCPO.The suspects are currently detained at Police Station 2.The latest seizure followed the recovery of 4.2 kilos of suspected shabu worth P28.56 million from a woman i...

The General Alliance of Workers Associations (GAWA)  on Sunday, May 24, said it was dismayed over the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) -Western Visayas' decision to dismiss a petition for a wage increase for all private-sector workers in  WV and Negros Occidental.Wennie Sancho, secretary general of GAWA, said the dismissal of  the requested ₱250 daily wage hike—originally filed by the United Panay Labor Alliance—on a mere technicality was premature.The WV RTWPB decision also  covers workers of  Negros Occidental since no wage board has been created for the  Negros  Island Region, Sancho said.  The dismissal of the wage petition on a technicality “is like using procedural moves to avoid a decision," Sancho said....

UNIFED President Manuel Lamata*The United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) strongly supports the call of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson for schools to be more vigilant in monitoring their students amidst allegations that “recruitment” to join the insurgency movement is happening on campuses.UNIFED President Manuel Lamata said on Saturday, May 23, that the presence of student leaders in the Toboso encounter is evidence enough that the insurgency group has a strong presence in academic institutions.“Sadly, many of them are even ‘iskolar ng bayan,’ attending top-notch, government-funded universities,” Lamata said in a press statement.It is also incumbent upon the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod to investigate how one of their supposed student leaders e...

The police arrested alias “Torag” in Hinigaran on Saturday.*Police seized more than P1.02 million worth of suspected shabu in separate buy-bust operations in Negros Occidental Friday and Saturday, May 22 and 23.In Hinigaran, a provincial-level high-value individual was arrested after authorities seized about 110 grams of suspected shabu worth P748,000 during a buy-bust in Sitio Ubay, Brgy. Pilar at around 4:30 p.m. on  Saturday.The suspect, identified only as alias “Torag,” 47, was listed as the No. 3 high-value individual at the provincial level.Police said surveillance showed the suspect was allegedly involved in illegal drug activities in Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, and parts of Himamaylan.Authorities said the suspect had been the subject of prev...

Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. (second from left) with Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District), Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, former Manapla mayor Manuel Escalante and Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) at the Capitol in Bacolod City on Saturday.* Richard Malihan photoNegros Occidental is now  in a period of continuing rehabilitation   because Kanlaon Volcano has not stopped  degassing, Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. said  on Saturday, May 23.There were nine ash emissions at Kanlaon Volcano on Saturday and Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported.The major effort is to look for permanent relocation sites  for those  affected  by Kanlaon’s  ...

A local government employee tagged as a high-value drug personality was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Valencia, Negros Oriental, on Saturday, May 23.The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region identified the suspect as alias “Mark,” 36, single, a resident of Brgy. Balugo, Valencia.He is an employee of the Valencia local government, the police also said.Police said the operation was conducted in Purok 3, Brgy. Balugo after authorities received information from a confidential informant that the suspect was allegedly involved in illegal drug activities.Operatives of the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit-Provincial Intelligence Unit of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office conducted the operation in coordination with the Valencia Municipal Police Station.Au...