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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (right)* Digicast file photoNegros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Sunday, March 8, that he fully supports the initiative of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to seek emergency powers from Congress.These powers would allow the national government to reduce excise taxes on petroleum products should global oil prices surge due to the escalating crisis in the Middle East, Lacson said.The Philippines, like many countries, remains vulnerable to external shocks in the global energy market, Lacson said.With tensions in the Middle East threatening to push crude oil prices beyond the $80-per-barrel threshold, the proposed measure provides the government with a necessary policy tool to act swiftly and cushion th...

Help sugar farmers, president asked.* Ronnie Baldonado file photoThe United Sugar Producers Federation (UNIFED) is urgently requesting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. to provide subsidy coupons to sugar farmers to alleviate the rising cost of diesel fuel. Diesel fuel comprises 30 to 40 percent of the cost of sugarcane production, UNIFED president Manuel Lamata said on Sunday, March 8. The appeal follows warnings of massive fuel price hikes brought on by the Middle East tensions, particularly involving shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and drone strikes on energy infrastructure. Lamata also said with the incoming El Niño, sugar farmers will also be using a lot of fuel for irrigation, he added. "We are hoping for urgent help fr...

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released ₱762,257,422.00 in Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT) to help 126,930 Negros Island beneficiaries recover from the devastation of Typhoon Tino, it reported on Saturday, March 8. It has reached a 64.37 percent accomplishment rate in distributing the cash assistance across 11 NIR local government units (LGUs) as of March 5, the agency said. Based on the latest data Himamaylan City recorded the highest number of recipients with 28,250 beneficiaries receiving a total of ₱151.6 million. This was followed by Hinigaran with 22,972 served (₱138.9 million) and La Castellana with 17,511 beneficiaries (₱100.1 million). Other LGUs that received funding include:• Isabela: ₱94.3M (14,207 beneficiaries)• La Carlota City: ₱92.2M (15,097 bene...

Crime incidents in the Negros Island Region declined by 18.60 percent from 860 cases in February 2025 to 700 incidents in February 2026, Police Regional Office–Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) reported on Sunday, March 8.Data from the Crime Incident Reporting and Analysis System showed that the Peace and Order Indicator decreased by 17.44 percent during the same period.Index crimes declined by 18.82 percent while non-index crimes dropped by 17.21 percent, the report added.The eight focus crimes also decreased by 18.82 percent.The Public Safety Indicator improved by 21 percent from 281 incidents in February 2025 to 222 incidents recorded in February 2026.PRO-NIR attributed the decline to sustained crime prevention measures, focused police operations, and stronger collabora...

NVC hopes to be able to paint the 105 houses like this.*The Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC) Foundation, a Negros-based non-government organization, has raised donations to build 105 houses for residents of La Carlota City in Negros Occidental whose homes were washed away by Typhoon Tino, and is now aiming  to literally bring back  color into their lives. The foundation is now seeking donors to help transform the bare plywood structures into a vibrant village of hope. Paint will help preserve the marine plywood used for the bahay kubo-inspired houses, but NVC president Millie Kilayko said on Sunday, March 8,  that color also serves a deeper purpose: “healing the dark and somber moods of families who...

Authorities seized more than P1.6 million worth of suspected shabu and arrested five suspects in a series of anti-drug operations conducted Saturday, March 7, in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental.Police said the operations were carried out under the Simultaneous Anti-Criminality Law Enforcement Operations (SACLEO) and OPLAN N.A.I.L.E.D. targeting illegal drug activities in Barangay Looc.The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office led the coordinated operations with support from the Dumaguete City Police Station, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, and the Philippine Highway Patrol Team.In a buy-bust operation conducted around 3:51 a.m. in Zone 7, Barangay Looc, operatives arrested a high-value individual identified as alias “Epax,” 25....

Comelec registration in Brgy Villamonte, Bacolod City.* Comelec Bacolod photoThe number of voter registrants for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in the Negros Island Region have increased to 146,742, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported on Sunday, March 8.The number increased with 11,714 applications processed from March 2 to 7, the Comelec said.The registration started on Oct. 20 and will end May 18. Election Day is on Nov. 2.Negros Occidental recorded the highest volume with 99,360 total applications, consisting of 47,073 males and 52,287 females.Negros Oriental followed with 44,899 total applications, including 20,859 males and 24,040 females.Siquijor reported a total of 2,483 applications, with 1,262 males and 1,221 females.Across...

The Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU) will implement a temporary four-day workweek across its four campuses effective Tuesday, March 10.The four-day workweek will remain in effect until further notice from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the university announced on Sunday, March 8.The CHMSU main campus is in Talisay City. Its three other campuses are the Alijis Campus and Fortune Towne Campus in Bacolod City and the Binalbagan Campus in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental.Under the four-day workweek scheme, the university said it will maintain the standard 40-hour weekly requirement through compressed 10-hour shifts, with employees reporting from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday.To facilitate the transition, all employees are scheduled to work from hom...