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HELPING OTHERS. This community pantry outside a milk tea shop at Araneta Street, Bacolod City, is among the initiatives started by the residents on Monday, April 19, to help those in need.*Romeo Subaldo photoInspired by the selfless initiative of the residents of Metro Manila, Bacolodnons and Negrenses also united to start their community pantries in several areas of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental Monday, April 19.In Bacolod City, Kim Lizares and her group opened a community pantry at 12th Lacson Street, where they offer free essential items such as canned goods, noodles, eggs, vegetables, and other goods.The group set up their pantry under a makeshift canopy outside a residence of a good samaritan who offered his place for a joint initiative.On Facebook, Lizares called...

The Bacolod Hall of Justice was disinfected last week after five employees tested positive for COVID-19.*Bacolod DRRM photoAll courts at the Hall of Justice in Bacolod City resumed operations Monday, April 19, at reduced capacity, Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Raymond Joseph Javier said.The Hall of Justice was closed for disinfection last week after five of its staff tested positive for COVID-19.Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind Aldecoa-Delorino of the Supreme Court, in a memorandum issued Sunday, April 18, directed the reduction of the workforce in all first and second level courts in Western and Central Visayas in the light of the unabated spread of COVID-19 in both areas.All first and second level courts in Region 6 and 7, including the offices of the clerk of...

The Sipalay City Government Center will be temporarily closed starting Monday, April 19, until Wednesday, Mayor Gina Lizares said.The city administrator of Sipalay tested positive for COVID-19 and contact tracing and swabbing for RT-PCR tests is underway, Lizares said.The administrator was traced to have had come in contact with a COVID-positive person who has gone to an unauthorized cockfight, Lizares said.The City Mayor’s Office, City Administrator’s Office and Tourism Office will be closed until further notice.Meanwhile, Himamaylan City has extended the lockdown of its City Hall, City Health Office and Barangay Health Centers until April 19.Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson said Himamaylan City has recorded widespread COVID-19 community transmission, it is imperative and...

The Central Negros Electric Cooperative main office and the Bacolod City Public Information Office have been closed for disinfection after some members of their staff tested positive for COVID-19.Danny Pondevilla, CENECO acting general manager, said five employees at the CENECO main office at Mabini Street tested positive for COVID-19.“As part of the management’s commitment to ensure the safety of the employees and the member-consumer-owners, CENECO Bacolod main office will be temporarily closed for disinfection starting April 19 (Monday) to April 20 (Tuesday),” a public advisory from the coop said.However, CENECO’s emergency services and helpline units will be available 24/7 to accommodate power-related concerns, it added.The Bacolod Public Information Office located at th...

Capitol photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Monday, April 19, that he is opting for a Sinovac jab.Lacson was among the local chief executives (LCEs) in critical and high risk areas granted permission under National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center Advisory No. 26 to be vaccinated against COVID-19 ahead of their colleagues.However, Lacson, 61, is opting to be vaccinated along with the province’s senior citizens who belong to Group A2 on the government’s vaccination priority list.Lacson said he will wait for Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Ernell Tumimbang, to inform him when he can be vaccinated with the senior citizens.He is opting for a Sinovac jab since there are not enough AstraZeneca vaccines available, Lacson said.Ayala Corporation chairma...

The management of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City announced Monday, April 19, that it will no longer allow patient watchers inside the medical facility to stop the spread of coronavirus.Dr. Julius Drilon, CLMMRH chief, said that it has been observed in the past two weeks that the COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental have been "increasing drastically through community transmission.”“Evidently, the combined cases of the city and province have reached more than 200 persons per day, and it is alarming that people’s complacent behavior in the community has contributed to this situation. The poor observation of health safety protocols and attending of mass gatherings have increased the likelihood of exposure in the community,” he ...

BCPO photoA high-value individual, known as “Bebe,” yielded P1.7 million worth of drugs following her arrest in a joint police buy-bust operation at Barangay Estefania, Bacolod City, Monday, April 19.Police identified the suspect as 35-year-old Christine “Bebe” Vivero, while her husband, Edwin “Toto” Vivero, 34, was able to escape during the drug bust.The police said they recovered the P1,000 marked money used in the buy bust operation and 59 sachets of suspected shabu worth P1.7 million with an estimated weight of 250 grams from the woman.She was tagged by the police as a high-value individual.The suspect is now detained at Police Station 4 and will face drug charges.*

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia received his first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine Saturday, April 17.*Bacolod PIO photoThe mayors of Bacolod City and Cadiz City have been vaccinated against COVID-19.National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center Advisory No. 26 granted local chief executives (LCEs) in critical and high risk areas permission to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Regional Director Juan Jovian Ingeniero of the Department of the Interior and Local Government in Western Visayas said Sunday, April 18.Among those qualified for vaccination are Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and mayors Evelio Leonardia of Bacolod City, Salvador Escalante - Cadiz City, Victor Gerardo Rojas - Murcia, Neil Lizares - Talisay City, Nicholas Yulo - Bago City, Maria Gina Montilla Liz...