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Mud streams were seen in the   Cabacungan and Biak-na-Bato, La Castellana, waterways on Thursday, Dec. 19.*OCD photoThe Office of Civil Defense (OCD) may further expand the extended danger zone around Mt. Kanlaon from six kilometers to 10 kilometers if weather conditions worsen.An expansion would mean thousands more would have to evacuate amid concerns raised by local officials on the mounting cost of caring for the current evacuees.“We are keeping a close watch on the PAGASA weather reports that would be the trigger for a massive evacuation,” OCD Western Visayas Director and Task Force Kanlaon chairperson Raul Fernandez said on Thursday, Dec. 19.He said they were in the consultative phase with the relevant agencies and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismolog...

The ARBs at the Cadiz Arena with DAR Undersecretary Jesry Palmares and Assistant Secretary Rodolfo Castil Jr., Negros Occidental Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer and  Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante*The Department of Agrarian Reform distributed Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (CoCRoM) worth P816,688,884 to 6,125 agrarian reform beneficiaries in Negros Occidental who were represented by some ARBs at rites held at the Cadiz Arena in Cadiz City on Thursday, Dec. 19.The DAR also distributed land titles to 2,902 agrarian reform beneficiaries covering 2,935 hectares in Negros Occidental.Present at the distribution rites were DAR officials led by Undersecretary Jesry Palmares and Assistant Secretary Rodolfo Castil Jr. who were joined by Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer, ...

There are 45 barangays in four cities and three towns in Negros Island within the pyroclastic density current (PDC) hazard zone of Kanlaon Volcano, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said on Thursday, Dec. 19.The barangays are located in the cities of Bago, La Carlota, San Carlos and Canlaon, and the municipalities of La Castellana, Moises Padilla and Pontevedra.There are also 111 barangays in four cities and 10 towns within the lahar hazard zone of Kanlaon Volcano, Phivolcs said. They are located in the cities  Bago, La Carlota, San Carlos and Canlaon, and the municipalities of Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Murcia, Pontevedra, San Enrique, Valladolid  and Salvador Benedicto.

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez has ordered the recall of a service vehicle whose driver flashed a dirty finger at a motorist, which went viral on social media.The service vehicle with the photo and name of the mayor on it is not government owned, City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said Thursday, Dec. 19.Benitez, in a statement Thursday, said “I am aware of a viral post involving a community service vehicle linked to my office. The driver committed a traffic violation and displayed unacceptable behavior, which does not reflect our values.”This vehicle, issued in 2023 for youth leaders to support community services, was clearly misused, he said.Benitez said he directed the City Legal Office to retrieve it and reassign it to a barangay for proper use.“We re...

The Bagô Public Market in Brgy. Maquiling, Sagay City*The 80-year-old Bagô Public Market in Brgy. Maquiling, Sagay City, which underwent a P62.5 million major facelift was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, Dec. 18.The market had started out with makeshift market stalls also known as ‘hayob-hayobs”.Mayor Narciso Javelosa, Jr., in his speech at the inauguration, said the market is a vital facility as it is a cultural and economic center in the area where vendors of all sorts converge.City Engineer Jezreel Alingco said that the project was started Aug. 18, 2022 with project cost of P62,489,030.About P60.6M came from a loan while the city government put up a counterpart of P2 million for the project, which started during the administration of former mayor now Rep. Alfre...

A businesswoman died after she was shot by her live-in partner in front of a convenience store at Cabahug Street, Brgy. Zone 2, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Dec. 18, the police said.Lydiolyn Taniuchi, a businesswoman who was legally married to a Japanese national, was shot by her live-in partner Robert Corbo when she tried to pacify him after they confronted an individual in the area, the police said.Investigation revealed that Corbo and Taniuchi confronted Johnrey Cordero and a heated argument ensued.This prompted Corbo to shoot Cordero who sustained a gunshot wound on his leg, the police said.When Taniuchi tried to pacify her live-in partner, she was shot in the head, the police added.The victims were brought to the Cadiz Emergency Clinic while T...

Queensyl Joy Nimes Lapno, Marjorie Erellana Balontong  and Debbie Marie Entila Garciniego  (l-r)*Three graduates of Riverside College in Bacolod City were among the 10 highest placers in the December 2024 Radiologic Technologists Licensure Examination.Radiologic Technology graduate Queensyl Joy Nimes Lapno placed 6th, Marjorie Erellana Balontong 7th, and Debbie Marie Entila Garciniego 10th.The Professional Regulation Commission said 2,450 or 57.55 percent out of the 4,257 takers passed the examination on Dec. 12 to 13.Lapno had a rating of 91.8 percent, Balontong had 91.6 percent, and Garceniego had 91 percent.*

An octogenarian died after she was accidentally ran over by a pickup truck at St. Francis Village in Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City, on Thursday, Dec. 19.Angelita Casquite, 80, died after she was hit by the vehicle driven by a 56-year-old man, the police said.The police said while the victim was walking on the side of the road she slipped and fell as the pickup was passing.The victim was not allowed to go out of her residence because of her age but she was able to when the accident occurred, the police said.*

The newly opened Himamaylan City Public Plaza all lighted up for Christmas.*Himamaylan City gov't photosHoliday cheer is in the air in Himamaylan City with its public plaza all lighted up a week before Christmas Day.Thousands of Himamaylanons and visitors from nearby towns gathered at the new and improved Himamaylan City Public plaza during the grand “Paskwa sa Maylan” Christmas lights on celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 17, a press release from the city said.“It is not only a lights on celebration filled with diverse performances, but also a soft launching of our new and improved Himamaylan City Public Plaza,” Mayor Raymund Tongson said during the event.Tongson said flooding has been a problem in the plaza for decades and its condition had never improved but “under this c...

Some of the pets being  fed  in Barangay Cabagna-an, La Castellana,  on Wednesday.* photo courtesy of Cabagna-an village chief Bon SacapañoThe municipal government of La Castellana in Negros Occidental has created the Mt. Kanlaon Task Force Pet Rescue to feed pets left behind in the six-kilometer radius extended danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon.Municipal information officer Remuel Seladan Lajo said on Thursday, Dec. 19, that they received excess food and dog food for those who want to help feed the affected animals.“Please coordinate with us at the Mayor’s Office. This will help in feeding pets left in the barangays within the four to six-kilometer extended danger zone,” he said.So far 54 dogs have been brought by their owners to the evacuation center at the La Ca...