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Authorities seized an estimated P5.1 million worth of smuggled cigarettes during a joint operation in Sitio Cotcot, Brgy. Bongalonan, Basay, Negros Oriental, on Wednesday, March 4.The operation was conducted by the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office through the Provincial Intelligence Unit with support from the Philippine National Police Maritime Group, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.Police said the operation was launched after authorities received information about abandoned boxes of cigarettes in the area.Operatives recovered more than 100 boxes of cigarettes that had no proper tax seals and the required graphic health warnings.Authorities said the suspect or suspects had already fled the area before police arrived at the site.The con...

DepEd Regional Director Ramir B. Uytico and  Randolph Aleman presenting Bacolod City’s  Negros Island Regional Athletic Association Meet 2026  Overall Championship trophy to  Dr. Dennis Develos, Schools Division Superintendent of Bacolod City, (1st to 3rd from left)  in the presence DepEd officials Lila Arro,  Anthony  Liobet, Lira Cynthia  Quejada and  Serafin Fariñas III on Friday.* BCCO photo Bacolod City was declared the overall champion at the historic first Negros Island Regional Athletic Association Meet (NIRAA) as the games closed at the Panaad Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, on Friday, March 6.Bacolod finished the meet with 162 gold, 101 silver, and 100 bronze medals, securing the top spot in the overall medal standings.Negros Occidental was first runner...

The fire at Purok Lampirong in Brgy. 2, Bacolod City.* Argie Tupan - Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade photoA 7-year-old boy playing with a lighter triggered the fire that hit 29 houses in Purok Lampirong, Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, FSupt. Jenny Mae Masip, Bacolod Fire Marshal, said on Friday, March 6. The boy, who was home alone, was lighting a candle with the lighter, she said. March is Fire Prevention Month because it is when most fires occur, Masip said. Masip said children should not be allowed to play with fire and be left unsupervised. Lighters, matches, candles, even butane, or anything that can cause a fire should be kept away from children, she said. Masip stressed the need to practice fire safety every day. Plugs, especially phone chargers, should be unplugged when not in use, she s...

Smoke rises after an Israeli army launches a second wave of airstrikes on Iran Saturday, Feb. 28,* Anadolu photoTwo more Negrense Overseas Filipino Workers are asking for help to be repatriated amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.The two new requests for help, made through the Negros Occidental Help Desk, bring to five the number of Negrenses wanting to be repatriated, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Friday, March 6.Of the five, three are working in Kuwait, one in Qatar, and one in Saudi Arabia.Their requests have been forwarded to the office of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).Meanwhile, a Candoni resident working in Qatar also sought assistance for a safe workplace since her employer has no bomb shelter.There are 16,623 Negrenses wor...

The areas where the skeletal remains were found.*The skeletal remains of a woman believed to be among the victims of Typhoon Tino were discovered in a sugarcane field in Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Friday morning, March 6.The remains were found by sugarcane cutters working in Hacienda Balatong, Brgy. Bulad,Police later identified the victim as “Jessica,” 48, a resident of Crossing Magallon, Moises Padilla town.PMaj. Joseph Partidas, Isabela police chief, said the victim was positively identified by her brother.Authorities said the identification was based on personal belongings recovered with the remains, including an ID cord with keys, clothing, necklace, and dental features.Police said the victim was among those swept away by flash floods when Typhoon Tino ...

The Negros Occidental Capitol has slashed its electricity costs by more than half following a strategic shift to solar power and a comprehensive rehabilitation of its electrical wiring, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Friday, March 6.This transition aligns with recent directives from Energy Secretary Sharon Garin, who advised government offices on Wednesday to adopt energy-saving measures—such as maintaining air-conditioning thermostats at 24°C—to mitigate rising fuel costs driven by the Middle East crisis.The integration of solar power at the Negros Occidental Capitol, Negros Residences, and the Food Terminal Market of Occidental Negros in Bacolod City in September 2025 has already yielded substantial savings, Diaz said.Monthly electricity bills that previously...

The congressional office of Rep. Alfredo Abelardo "Albee" Benitez provided immediate relief to residents following a fire in Purok Lampirong, Barangay 2, Bacolod City, on Thursday, March 5.The team distributed packed meals and hot soup to families displaced by the blaze, Councilor Ceasar Distrito said on Friday.Upon receiving the fire report, Benitez coordinated a rapid response to ensure victims received hot food and essential support. Volunteers personally delivered the assistance to families temporarily sheltered in the area, Distrito said."We want our affected residents to know that they are not alone," Benitez said."Our office will continue to monitor the situation and provide assistance as needed," he added.The congressional office is currently working with city a...