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There were two typhoid related deaths involving senior citizens in Negros Occidental in January, Dr. Girlie Pinongan, Provincial Health Officer, said on Monday, Feb. 3.A 69-year-old man in Victorias and a 72-year-old woman in Isabela died, she said.The deaths were not from areas with high cases of typhoid fever, she said.Typhoid cases in Negros Occidental rose by 100 percent with 80 cases as of Jan. 18 compared to 40 in the same period last year, she said.They are investigating the source of water in the affected areas, including the method of preparing food, she said.Pinongan said Kabankalan City had the highest number of reported typhoid fever cases at 16 followed by Hinoba-an with 13 cases.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson warned the public against increasing typhoid fe...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said the P300 million beautification of the Bacolod Public Plaza and the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds is expected to start this month.The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has already bidded out the work and it is expected to be finished in three to four months, he said.TIEZA is funding the Bacolod Public Plaza fountain and lighting project estimated to cost P80 million and the technology fountain at the BCGC grounds worth P220 million.*

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez gives an update on the NIR during his press conference on Monday*The regional directors of the national government agencies in Western and Central Visayas are set to meet in mid-February to discuss the allocation of personnel and facilities for the new regional offices of the Negros Island Region, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, Feb. 3.The NIR is expected to officially be operational on Feb. 19, or 15 days following the publication of its implementing rules and regulations (IRR).The meeting of the regional directors is tentatively set on Feb. 17 “but we might want to bring it a bit earlier so that after Feb. 18, we can hit the ground running and we will know what to do,” Benitez, who is the outgoing chairman of the...

Social media posts claiming that the titles of the 27-hectare property purchased by the Bacolod City government in Barangay Granada have been canceled are fake news, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said on Monday, Feb. 3.City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said the title of the property is already in the name of the Bacolod City government.The Granada property was purchased under the land banking program of the city and it went through a thorough process, Benitez said during his regular press conference.Among the projects planned for the property are an animal shelter, courtyard, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility, solar power farm, and a housing project.Benitez said fake news attacks, especially as elections approach, are no longer effective.Candid...

A habal-habal driver hit by fighting cock gaffs died in Sitio Pasil, Brgy. Refugio, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Friday, Jan. 31.Alias “Jaybee”, 22, of Brgy. San Isidro, Calatrava, died after he was hit by the gaffs (razor-sharp steel blades) in his hands and chest.The victim held the fighting cock but when he was supposed to let it go at a cockfight it moved unsteadily.He tried to control the fighting cock by hugging it causing the gaffs attached to it to hit his right hand and chest.The victim died because of severe blood loss as the hospital is far from the area of the incident, the police reported.The family of the victim believe that there was no foul play involved, the police added.*

A woman died while her husband was injured in a hit-and-run incident involving their motorcycle and a pick-up truck in Hacienda Garazon, Brgy. San Jose, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, early Saturday morning, Feb. 1.“Gilberta”, 45, died while her husband, alias “Joear”, 44, was injured.The fish vendors from Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, were onboard their motorcycle when they were hit by a pick-up truck.The victims were brought to a hospital where Gilberta was declared dead on arrival, while Joear has been hospitalized for injuries in the head and eyes.The police are searching for the pick-up truck and its driver.*

The police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents arrested four persons and seized suspected shabu worth P782,000 in two separate buy-bust operations in Pontevedra and Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday and Saturday, Jan. 29 and Feb. 1.PDEA-Negros Occidental agents arrested “John”, 21, of Brgy. Nangka, E.B. Magalona, and “Eric”, 25, of Brgy. Old Sagay, Sagay City, at 25th Street, Brgy. 1, Bacolod City, on Wednesday.Recovered from them were 60 grams of suspected shabu, a P500 marked bill, and P9,000 counterfeit money.Meanwhile, alias “John”, 33, a high-value drug personality, and “Joribet”, 24, were also arrested in Sitio Tamsic, Brgy. Miranda, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, the police reported.The police confiscated from them 17 sachets of sus...

About 200 persons deprived of liberty and jail personnel tested negative for drugs in tests conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency - Negros Occidental at the Silay City District Jail in Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City, recently.PDEA said they conducted tests on 202 PDLs and jail personnel on Jan 24.The drug testing was part of the joint search and seizure operation at the male and female jail dormitories of the Silay City District Jail.During their search operation no illegal drugs were found, the PDEA said.The activity is part of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s campaign for drug-free jail facilities and the Drug-Free Workplace Program.*

Talisay Mayor Neil Lizares said the man who fired a gun at agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) at Hacienda San Antonio Dos in Barangay, Dos Hermanas, Talisay, Negros Occidental, is under probation for cases for illegal possession of a firearm and threats.“I have directed a full blown investigation on the incident so that legal steps may be properly taken,” Lizares said Sunday, Feb. 2.The manhunt for the suspect was still ongoing on Sunday, Lt. Col. Salvador Trono Jr., Talisay police chief, said.Trono said on Friday that the suspect will face charges for violation of the Commission on Elections gun ban, grave threats and illegal discharge of a firearm.Lizares aid the police are expected to submit a report to the prosecutor’s office on Monday so a warrant of arrest can be i...