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A non-partisan coalition of youth organizations from various causes and sectors is uniting to launch the Bacolod Youth Coalition for Democracy (BaCoD) at the Saint John Mary Vianney Hall, San Sebastian Cathedral, 9 a.m. Saturday, May 15, to push for youth voters registration, education, and empowerment.The launching event dubbed “Bangon, Pamatan-on!” aims to introduce BaCoD to the public, and to get youth leaders to sign a manifesto of support for the coalition which is composed of student councils, campus-based organizations, the Sangguniang Kabataan, and the youth arms of civil society organizations, a press release from the group said.The public launch also aims to invite other youth formations from different sectors such as young professionals, religious youth organizations, an...

Capitol photoThe P500 million fund for projects in 25 insurgency-cleared barangays in seven local government units in Negros Occidental has been download by the Department of Budget and Management and is ready for disposal.This was announced at the 2nd Quarter Joint Provincial Peace and Order Council - Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PPOC-PADAC) meeting chaired by Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City, Wednesday, April 12.Lacson said the insurgency-cleared barangays are receiving P20 million each under the Support to Barangay Development Program (BDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).The PPOC unanimously approved a resolution of Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante supporting the sustainability of the N...

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lascon said Wednesday, May 12, that he is issuing an executive order creating a provincial peace panel for dialogs with Communist rebels.The peace panel will be a multi-sectoral body that will include the private sector, including the Church and the academe, Lacson said.This is in compliance with a national government directive and they will be guided by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, he said.This is one of the targets of the Duterte administration to end the Communist armed struggle on the local level, Lacson said.The panel is expected to hold exploratory dialogs with local Communist terrorist groups.The DILG has asked local government units in Negros Occidental to also submit the compos...

Bacolod PIO photoThe Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will start the mass vaccination against COVID-19 of health workers, senior citizens and persons with comorbidities in 21 barangays of Bacolod City on Friday, City Administrator Em Ang said Wednesday, May 12.This will be held simultaneously with the ongoing mass vaccination at the SMX Convention Center and the Ayala Malls Capitol Central in Bacolod City, said Ang, who is also EOC executive director.She said 199 Bacolod residents were vaccinated at the SMX Convention Center and 320 at the Ayala Malls Capitol Central on Wednesday.“We will start vaccinations in the barangays Friday using the AstraZeneca vaccines that arrived Tuesday,” Ang said.The mass vaccinations will be held at Villamonte, Montevista, Handumanan, Man...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson was surprised by a Provincial Health Office report on Wednesday, May 13, that only 16.46 percent of the targeted health care workers (HCWs) in Negros Occidental have fully been immunized against COVID-19.He stressed the need to show a high performance rate to encourage the national government to provide Negros Occidental with more vaccines.The governor also called on the mayors to continue to convince their constituents to sign up to be vaccinated against COVID-19.He was expecting that by now the vaccination of the HCWs would be finished that is why the inoculation of senior citizens had started, Lacson said, adding that he has asked the PHO for an updated report.Lacson said he was informed that the national government will have a bigger rollout of ...

PDEA-6 photoA high-value target from Bacolod City was arrested in a buy-bust operation at the Old Tagbak Terminal in Jaro, Iloilo City, Wednesday, May 12.The suspect was identified as Ramel Delgado, who yielded around 60 grams of suspected shabu worth P408,000 when he was arrested by the operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and Iloilo City Police Station 3 during the bust.Cases for violation of Sections 5 and 11 of the Republic Act 9165 of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, or sale and possession of illegal drugs, are now being prepared against the suspect.*

At least 19 alleged members of the New People’s Army surrendered to the police in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, May 11.This, after they realized they have no future in the insurgency movement, a press release from the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office said.The former rebels will receive assistance from the government to help them start their new life, the press release said, adding that their surrender was the result of continuous negotiations of state units and the support of barangay leaders in the area.Col. Romy Palgue, provincial police director, urged the rebels who are still active in the movement to surrender to the authorities.He said their identities will remain anonymous, and they will be given assistance as they gradually establish a pe...