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It will be a special non-working day in Bago City tomorrow, February 19, to mark the celebration of its 55th Charter Anniversary.President Rodrigo Duterte declared it a special non-working day by virtue of Proclamation No. 1098 signed on his behalf by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Tuesday, February 16.“It is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Bago be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies, subject to community quarantine, social distancing and other public health measures,” the president said.Bago City was formally inaugurated as a chartered city on February 19, 1966 by virtue of Republic Act 4382.The charter anniversary theme this year is “Bago City, Steadfast and Virtual at 55.”Bag...

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia thanked President Rodrigo Duterte today, February 18, for issuing Memorandum Order 51 that will allow cities to make advance payments for the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines.This has a direct impact, especially on cities that had earlier signed a multilateral agreement with the Department of Health (DOH), National Task Force Against COVID-19, and AstraZeneca for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines, he said.“But this will, more importantly, benefit all LGUs similarly situated”, said Leonardia, who is also national president of the League of Cities in the Philippines (LCP).Leonardia, on learning that Duterte signed Presidential Memorandum No. 51 today, said “this is definitely a giant leap towards accelerating the implementation of our local vaccinat...

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson placed Negros Occidental under heightened alert starting today, February 17, as Tropical Depression "Auring" approaches.The current track of the tropical depression, which is projected by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), to develop into a tropical storm indicates that it could hit Negros Occidental on Sunday or Monday, the governor said.However, the track of “Auring” could change, the governor said, as he called for prayers for the province to be spared from harm.“Let us pray, prepare and be pro-active for a resilient and safer Negros,” he said.The center of Tropical Depression "Auring" was estimated to be 700 km east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur with maximum sustained winds of 55 k...

Provincial Health Officer Ernell Tumimbang is urging officials of local government units in Negros Occidental to buy biomedical refrigerators for the storage of the COVID-19 vaccines that will be delivered to the 31 towns and cities of the province.The biomedical refrigerators can be used not just for the COVID-19 inoculation drive but for vaccines used in other immunization campaigns, Tumimbang said today, February 17.“They should prepare for it. It will not be a waste of money since they can still use it (to store) other vaccines and it can also be used for laboratories,” Tumimbang said.Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson has asked the national government for 3 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccines for 1.5 million Negrenses.The Provincial Incident Management Team ...

Kabankalan PNP photoA 40-year-old wife was bludgeoned to death by her jealous husband in their home at Barangay Camingawan, Kabankalan City, past midnight Tuesday, February 16.The victim was identified as Delbeth Laurente, who died instantly after she was hit with a hammer on the head by her husband, 44-year-old Saler Laurente.Based on the initial police investigation, the wife was already asleep when she was awakened by her husband, who then fatally hit her on the head.The husband suspected that his wife had an affair and that there was a plan to kill him, so he killed her first, the police said.The suspect surrendered to the authorities after the incident.*

There was no pre-Valentine concert at the Market Place beside the Bacolod City Government Center, Dr. Chris Sorongon, EOC deputy for medical data analysis, said today, February 17.It was a spontaneous acoustic performance on a stage by a man who had worked on a cruise ship, said Sorongon, who earlier said they would investigate the incident.Netizens had reported that a pre-Valentine concert was held in the area that drew a crowd.The crowd had gone to the Market Place to eat and shop, and not for a pre-scheduled concert, Sorongon said.He said the EOC is waiting for the official report of the Bacolod police after which they will issue an official statement.The city government did not issue a special permit for a concert, he said.*

BCPO photoA tricycle driver died after he figured in an accident along the Granada-Alangilan Road in Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, Tuesday evening, February 16.Killed was Jose Ronnie Ruel Jr., 34, of Barangay Concepcion, Talisay City.The victim was thrown on to the pavement after his tricycle hit a road gutter, the police said.The victim, who was brought to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital, succumbed to injuries on his head and other parts of his body.His tricycle had minor damages.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson announced today, February 17, that Negros Occidental will ease its border control between Kabankalan City and Mabinay town in Negros Oriental starting March 1.“We will allow Mabinay residents to enter up to Kabankalan only for a maximum of 12 hours for that day,” he said.They can only enter using private vehicles, he also said.The Mabinay residents will be allowed into Kabankalan for commerce and medical needs. This is because Kabankalan is much closer to Mabinay than Bais and Dumaguete cities in the Oriental side, Lacson said.Lacson said he does not think the Mabinay residents will travel beyond Kabankalan because their local government will quarantine them on their return if they are gone beyond 24 hours.“I don’t think anybody would want to go...