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The COVID-19 “epidemic wave” that hit Negros Occidental starting mid-April is now under control, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday, April 19.Diaz said the COVID-19 active cases in Negros Occidental that soared above 2,000 from April 15 to May 14 are now going down.“Our testing and contact tracing was effective, we were able to contain the spread,” he said.The COVID-19 active cases in Negros Occidental dropped to 1,330 Wednesday from a high of 2,631 on May 6.The number of daily COVID-19 cases have also dropped from triple-digit figures to double digits, he said.The highest number of new COVID-19 cases in a day were 297 on April 14 and on Wednesday there were only 36, Diaz said.Of the 36 new cases, Manapla had 14, Victorias City – 5, Silay City - ...

The Negros Occidental provincial government has began systemic reforms to prevent the delay in the salaries of its job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) personnel, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Wednesday, May 19.He said the delay in the salaries of some is part of the birthing pains of the new system.The JO and COS personnel information has been entered into the computer system of the Capitol, because they previously had no records at the Provincial Human Resource Management Office, he said.Their salaries will also now be paid through LandBank of the Philippines ATM accounts, Diaz added.“We are doing our best to address the problem as soon as possible”, he said.He said a lot of checks for the March and April payrolls were signed Wednesday, and the ...

Capitol photoAbout 200 Negros Occidental provincial government employees are set for vaccination against COVID-19 Thursday, May 20, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.The first batch of Capitol employees will be vaccinated at the Negros Residences at Gatuslao Street in Bacolod City starting 8 a.m., he said.Diaz said the vaccination of the Capitol employees cannot be imposed, it will have to be administered on those who voluntarily sign up.“But we are really campaigning that the maximum number of government employees should be vaccinated so safety in the workplace can be established,” he said.Diaz said when employees test positive for COVID-19 it causes a big disruption to services, as their close contacts also have to be isolated.The provincial government ...

A water spout was spotted from several areas of Bacolod City, including in Barangay Tangub, Wednesday afternoon, May 19.*Roxanne Reyes photoA waterspout spotted over the water between the Banago and Bredco ports in Bacolod City Wednesday afternoon, May 19, did not cause any damage to structures, Executive Assistant Joemarie Vargas said.Vargas, who heads the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, said a waterspout is a huge funnel-shaped cloud that occurs when hot and cold air meet above water.It happens when an Intertropical Convergence Zone is present, he said.This usually happens during the transition from summer to the rainy season, Vargas added.Waterspouts are similar to tornadoes but are usually smaller and less intense.*

The Crusaders for Justice has filed a complaint before the Ombudsman against the heads of two government agencies for the cutting of decades-old trees at Araneta Street in Barangay Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, in April, its founder president Dominador Villaluna Jr. said Tuesday, May 18.The complaint for grave misconduct, grave ignorance of the law and grave abuse of power was filed against District Engineer Jaime Javellana of the Department of Public Works and Highways and Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya, head of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office – Bago City.Villaluna sent the complaint dated May 14 to the Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente.“Hoping that after investigation, your office will file the appropriate case in court,” Villaluna said. ...

Talisay PNP photoThree men, including an Oman national, were found dead in Negros Occidental Tuesday, May 18.The body of Oman national Ahmed Haj, 34, of Barangay Alijis, Bacolod City, was discovered in the grassy portion of the BREDCO port in the morning.The victim sustained a gunshot wound on his chest, the police report showed.He was last seen by his family Monday night, May 17.In Murcia town, the body of Archie Aguirre, 41, of Hinigaran was found at a sugarcane plantation in Barangay Blumentritt.The victim sustained gunshot wounds on his head and body.Police investigators recovered eight empty shells of a .22 caliber pistol and two fired bullets from an unidentified firearm.In Talisay City, the body of 24-year-old Bryan Barredo of Barangay 1, Bacolod City...

Another 6,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines for Bacolod City and Negros Occidental arrived at the Bacolod-Silay Airport Tuesday, May 18.*CAAP-Bacolod photoThe Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) expects to begin the vaccination of residents who fall under the A4 category by the end of the week, City Administrator Em Ang said Tuesday, May 18.A4 covers frontline personnel in essential sectors, including uniformed personnel, she said.Bacolod City and Negros Occidental received 3,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines each on Tuesday.The city government is currently using Astra Zeneca vaccines for the mass vaccination of healthcare workers, seniors and persons with medical conditions, said Ang, who is also EOC executive director.There were 3,079 Bacolod residents who were vac...

Bacolod DRRMO photoA COVID-19 positive woman gave birth at an isolation facility in Bacolod City Tuesday, May 18.The Barangay Estefania resident gave birth to a baby girl at the city government’s Midway Isolation Facility in Barangay Alijis, Executive Assistant Joemarie Vargas, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office cluster head, said.The 20-year-old woman was being readied for transfer by ambulance to the Bacolod City Lying-In and Birthing Center when she suddenly gave birth.A midwife of the City Health Office was assisted by the medical responders of the DRRMO in the delivery of the baby, he said.The mother and the baby were then transferred to an isolation room at the Bacolod City Lying-In and Birthing Center, he said.This was fifth baby born to COVID-positive...