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BY CARLA GOMEZCapitol file photoThe Philippine Coast Guard has been instructed not to allow migratory workers to board vessels for Negros Occidental without prior coordination with the provincial government to ensure that they undergo COVID-19 tests, Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division chief, said yesterday.There are 1,808 migratory workers from Antique who have recently arrived in Negros Occidental for the harvest season, eight of whom were found to be COVID -19 positive, he said.The majority of the migratory workers, , also known as sacadas, work as cane cutters in Negros Occidental that is the top producer of sugarcane in the country.They are swabbed for COVID-19 tests on arrival in Negros Occidental and quarantined in farm quar...

Another 48 residents of Victorias City were swabbed Thursday, October 22, at Victorias Elementary School in Victorias City by a combined team of healthcare frontliners of Metro 3rd Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Victorias Inter-Agency Task Force.*Photos from 3rd District EOC

BY CARLA GOMEZThe Western Visayas Regional Inter-Agency Task Force has approved the suspension of the arrival of Locally Stranded Individuals into two cities in northern Negros Occidental effective today, October 23.Entry of LSIs into Victorias City is suspended until October 30 and to San Carlos City until November 6, RIATF Resolution No. 50 Series of 2020 issued yesterday said.Victorias officials had requested a seven-day moratorium on the entry of returning overseas Filipinos and LSIs to the city to enable them to decongest and disinfect quarantine facilities.San Carlos City made a similar request but asked for a 14-day moratorium.As of Wednesday San Carlos City had 94 active COVID-19 cases and Victorias City had 63.*

Persons showing COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to seek consultation at the Bacolod Respiratory Outpatient (BRO) Center, instead of going to the City Health Office (CHO), which will no longer accommodate such patients starting Monday, October 26.This new development in the CHO policy aims to prevent other patients, especially pregnant women who often seek consultation at the CHO’s lying-in clinic, from contracting the viral disease, a press release from the Bacolod Information Office said today."In our daily reports, there are always pregnant women who test positive (for COVID-19,” City Administrator Em Ang, executive director and deputy for administration and operations of the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center - Task Force (EOC-TF), said.IATF- Visayas chief implementer...

BY CARLA GOMEZBacolod City’s COVID-19 cases that reached alarming levels in August have been dropping in the past month, and hit a single digit on Tuesday.There were only four new COVID-19 cases in Bacolod City on Tuesday, the Department of Health reported yesterday from three digit levels in August.The Department of Health report said that since the start of the pandemic Bacolod City has had 4,633 cases but as of Tuesday 3,976 or 85.82 percent of those hit by the virus had recovered.The city has 539 active COVID-19 case or 11.63 percent of the confirmed cases, and 118 deaths or 2.55 percent.The total confirmed cases compose .79 percent of Bacolod’s 583,045 population.President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed us to provide all the support needed to curb the a...

City PIO photoEleven local government units in Negros and Panay have sent officials and personnel to visit and join the daily huddle of the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center Task Force (EOC-TF) for benchmarking.These visits, which focus on observing the daily operations of the EOC-TF, allow other LGUs to pick up some points that may be useful in enhancing their own response against the COVID-19 pandemic, a press release from the Bacolod Public Information Office said Wednesday.The LGUs that made visits in the past two weeks include the municipalities of Isabela, Murcia, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan; and the cities of Bago, Himamaylan, and Silay in Negros Occidental.Representatives from the provincial health offices of Aklan and Capiz also ...

City PIO photoThe Bacolod City Health Office (CHO) will no longer accommodate patients showing COVID-19 symptoms starting October 26.This is to protect other patients – especially pregnant women – from contracting the viral disease, according to City Administrator Em Ang, executive director and deputy for administration and operations of the Bacolod City Emergency Operations Center-Task Force (EOC-TF)."In our daily reports, there are always pregnant women who are tested positive. We are making a study on that right now. In fact, we are planning to meet with the Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecologist Society (POGS) in the next few days; we’d like to find out what is causing that," Ang said.Pregnant women are among the majority of patients who regularly seek consultation at t...

Farmers from all over Negros, along with the progressive groups, convene at the Provincial Capitol grounds in Bacolod City on Wednesday to commemorate the World Hunger Day. They also called for justice for the killed farmers and activists.They also seek a dialogue with Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson to tackle the concerns of farmers such as junking of the Rice Tariffication Law, genuine land reform, and others. Gino Lopez photos

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that he has proposed a P4.4 billion 2021 budget for the provincial government of Negros Occidental since its Internal Revenue Allotment share will increase by about 7 percent or P267 million.Lacson said he has been assured by Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer that the budget that is now under review by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan will be approved before the year ends.The proposed general fund for 2021 is P4,471,695,065, and allocated for personal services is P1,641,424,244, maintenance and other operating expenses – P1,374,658,871, capital outlay – P12,000,000 and special purpose appropriations – P1,443,611,950, Lacson said in his budget message.The proposed appropriation for Personal Services does not exceed the 45 percent PS limitation set unde...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said yesterday that he is in favor of shorter curfew hours to help businesses to recover, but is leaving the decision up to the mayors.The governor said he in favor of the decision of the Metro Manila mayors to impose shorter curfew hours from midnight to 4 a.m. as part of the government's move to ease restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic.This will allow businesses, especially those engaged in the food industry, to stay open for longer hours, as long as COVID-19 minimum health standards are followed, he said.*