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Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (center)  receives the  special patent title from   DENR Region 6 Assistant Regional Director Edgardo Rostata  and  Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office OIC  Joan Nathaniel Gerangaya in the presence of Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko and  Murcia Mayor Victor Gerardo  Rojas (l-r)*Richard Malihan photo The  Negros Occidental Provincial government  officially owns the 24-hectare  Mambukal Resort and Wildlife Sanctuary in Murcia with the turnover  by   the Department of Environment and Natural  Resources (DENR) of its special patent title on Monday,  July 15, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson  said. Lacson received the special patent title from DENR Region...

Central Negros Electric Cooperative announced on Monday that its average residential electricity rate for July increased to P13.3457/kWh from last month’s rate of P12.7632/kWh.The rate hike of P0.5825/kWh is mainly attributed to the increase in total generation charge which went up by 6.67 percent compared to previous month, it said.It cited the rise in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) price from P8.8040/kWh to P10.4293/kWh or an upward adjustment of P1.6253/kWh.*

Construction  is underway at the old City Hall in Bacolod City.*Nico Delfin  photo More funds will be allocated for the ongoing construction of two Bacolod City government legacy buildings, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said on Monday, July 15.  The two buildings are the Bacolod City Legislative Building behind the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) and the old City Hall at Araneta Street that are targeted for completion next year, he said. The initial budget for the legislative building  was P515 million and   P223 million for the old City Hall. About P80 million more  will be needed for the old city hall, Benitez said. That is because the original design did not incorporate the second, third and fourth floors on top of the Fountain of...

An engine cadet operator died after he was shot multiple times by an unidentified suspect in Purok Margarita, Brgy. Balintawak, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, July 14.Killed was Alfredo Sumaylo II, 21, an engine cadet operator of a shipping company and a resident of Cantaroc B. Maria, Siquijor province, the police said.The victim arrived at Purok Margarita on board a tricycle and was chased by the suspect who shot him several times.The suspect fled the crime scene after the incident, while the victim was rushed to the Vicente Gustilo District Hospital but was declared dead on arrival.The police are still investigating the motive for the killing and searching for the assailant.* 

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez at his press conference on Monday.*  Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez and Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson will be conducting meetings in August to finalize their lineups for the 2025 polls. The meetings will be conducted by Love Negros for their provincewide alignments, Benitez said during his regular press conference on Monday, July 15.Asenso Bacolod will also meet in August, he said. Benitez said they should be able to make announcements on their lineups after the August meetings. For the Bacolod candidates for councilor, Benitez said he will respect the equity of the incumbent. Those who are incumbent will be assured of slots if they want them, he said. Meanwhil...

PSA-Negros Occidental chief statistical specialist John Campomanes (center), with senior statistical specialist Jerome Cadayona (left) and supervising statistical specialist Diesah Biaoco,  shows a sample of the identification card issued to field enumerators.* PNA/Nanette L. Guadalquiver photo The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) has  deployed  2,332 personnel in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, to conduct the 2024 Census of Population and Community-Based Monitoring System (POPCEN-CBMS) starting Monday, July 15,  until September 15. These include 1,591 enumerators, 269 team supervisors, and 69 census area supervisors assigned to 19 municipalities and 12 cities in Negros Occidental, which has 601 barangays, as well as 335 enumerators, 56 team supe...

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office arrested 1,291 wanted persons in the first half of the year, the highest among the police units in Western Visayas, the Police Regional Office-6 reported.There were 3,004 wanted persons arrested in Western Visayas in 2,387 police operations from January to June, PRO-6 reported on Monday, July 15.It said 512 were tagged as most wanted persons (MWP) while 2,492 were other wanted persons (OWP).The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) had the highest number of MWPs arrested at 139, followed by the NOCPPO with 138, Capiz PPO - 49, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) - 48, Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) - 45, Antique PPO - 44, Aklan PPO - 28, Guimaras PPO - 11, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Regional Field Unit 6 (CIDG-RFU6...

Mayor Victor Gerardo Rojas* The Murcia government in Negros Occidental has purchased pesticides to combat the fall armyworms that have been attacking the town’s cornfields.The purchase was done to augment the pesticide supply also provided by the provincial government, Mayor Victor Gerardo Rojas said on Monday, July 15.A seminar was also conducted to teach the farmers how to spray the pesticides, he said.The fall armyworms have hit sections within 100 hectares in six Murcia barangays, he said.This has affected 40 to 50 farmers, he said.*