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Rescue operations in Sagay City as floods hit Sunday night.*Sagay DRRMO photoIt was a wet Valentine’s Day for some.Floods hit two cities and one town in northern Negros Occidental causing a few residents to evacuate, while some farm animals drowned Sunday, February 14.In Sagay City, 13 families with 61 individuals from barangays Poblacion 1 and 2, Old Sagay and Paraiso evacuated Sunday night, Zeaphard Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head, said today, February 15.In Purok Malipayon, Barangay Poblacion 2 one family with five individuals stranded on top of a truck were rescued, and in Barangay General Luna a motorcycle crossing an overflowing river was swept away by raging waters while its driver survived, the Sagay Disaster Risk Reduction Management O...

The Department of Health in Western Visayas achieved 60.37 percent accomplishment for measles-rubella vaccination coverage and 59.14 for oral polio vaccines as of Sunday, DOH Regional Director Emilia Monicimpo said today, February 15.Negros Occidental was ranked fourth and Bacolod City sixth in vaccination accomplishments in the region, the DOH data also showed.The accomplishment figures are based on the first two weeks of the Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplemental Activity (MR OPV SIA) of the DOH in Western Visayas.This translates to 399,017 children aged nine to 59 month old already vaccinate with measles-rubella out of the regional target of 660,406, Monicimpo said.She also said 457,734 out of the regional target of 770,279 children aged 0-59 months old have rec...

11IB photoState troopers recovered firearms after a clash with six suspected New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Napacao, Siaton, Negros Oriental, on February 14.Cpt. Francis Salcedo, information officer of the 11th Infantry Battalion (11IB) of the Philippine Army, said the rebels were believed to be remnants of Southeast Front, Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (SEF, KR–NCBS).The 11IB launched relentless focused military operations in response to reports of concerned residents on the armed group's presence in the area, he said.The firefight lasted for about 15 minutes, he said, adding that no casualty was reported on the government side and that bloodstains were also found on the withdrawal route of the rebel fighters.Government troopers recovered a M...

Valentine’s Day ended in tragedy for a Negrense who had just celebrated his birthday with his girlfriend.Ryan Villanueva, 33, was shot to death at a resort in Barangay Tibsok, San Enrique, Negros Occidental, early today, February 14.Villanueva along with his girlfriend and friends celebrated his birthday at the resort yesterday, February 13.Maj. Renante Salgado, San Enrique Police chief, said five unidentified suspects, who wore bonnets and jackets, stormed into the room of the victim at the resort, escorted his girlfriend out, and shot him multiple times.The victim died on the spot, while 28 fired cartridges of a .45 caliber pistol were recovered from the scene.Salgado said that the police recovered marijuana seeds and drug paraphernalia at the scene of the crime.I...

The perspective of the proposed Panay Guimaras Negros bridge posted by Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar on his Facebook page Saturday, February 13.*Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar announced Saturday that the prefeasibility study for the 32.47-kilometer Panay Guimaras Negros (PGN) Bridge has been completed.“We are now on the final stages of the feasibility study,” said Villar on his Facebook page.He, however, did not say who would fund the multi-billion peso project and when actual construction could start.Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon told DIGICAST NEGROS today, February 14, that he is not optimistic that the project will start this year. The detailed engineering design and the negotiations on the loan agreement will take another yea...

Romeo Subaldo photoA speeding truck sideswiped a motorcycle and killed its driver and passenger along the Bacolod-Silay Airport Access Road at Barangay Efigenio Lizares, Talisay City, Saturday afternoon, February 13.Killed were 55-year-old Allan Bedonia, and his nephew, 22-year-old Rodrigo Bedonia, of Hacienda San Antonio in Barangay Dos Hermanas, Talisay.The victims, who came from a christening in Silay City, were on their way home when they were hit by a prime mover truck driven by 42-year-old Jose Kenneth Verbo.The truck is owned by the Lopez Sugar Central Corp.Police Master Sgt. Michael McDowell, chief investigator of the Talisay City Police Station, said the driver and a mechanic, surrendered at the police border checkpoint at Barangay Matab-ang, more than two kilo...

San Carlos DRRM photoContinuous rains have triggered flooding in San Carlos and Sagay cities in Negros Occidental tonight, February 14.The San Carlos Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office is now conducting pre-emptive evacuation of residents in low-lying areas of Barangay 1 in San Carlos City.Water level at Palampas River is critically high with high tide at 1.6M expected at 12:54 a.m. February 15, the DRRMO said.Motorists are advised to take precautionary measures while passing these flooded roads: national highway near CED Motorpool and fronting Gaisano San Carlos, and the Circumferential Road leading to City Public Transport Terminal, the DRRMO added.Flood waters are at ankle to knee deep, it also said.Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head Zeap...