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A Department of Education official said claims circulating online that teachers in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City  in Negros Occidental were being threatened by armed persons are fake news. The DepEd - Schools Division Office of Himamaylan City after coordination with authorities and school personnel has found that no such incident has been reported or validated, Schools Division Superintendent Gladys Amylaine D. Sales said in a statement posted online.“This misinformation only creates fear and disrupts the education of our learners,” she said.She urged teachers to remain calm, focused on their duties and continue building safe, peaceful school communities.“We also call on the public to be cautious and critical in sharing information that may be detrimental to public ...

A Tripartite Memorandum of Cooperation was signed on Thursday, June 26, to revive the Lasallian education mission in Victorias and nearby towns through the reopening of La Salle College Victorias, which will focus on technical and vocational education and training.Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez , Third District congressman-elect , signed the Tripartite Memorandum of Cooperation with the University of Saint La Salle and Unilab Education Incorporated at the Don Alejandro Acuña Yap Quiña Arts and Cultural Center on Thursday, June 26.The shared vision is to reestablish the institution as a center for technical skills development, career readiness, and economic empowerment, a press release from Victorias City said.Unilab Education Inc., the education arm of the Filipino-...

The senior citizen whose hands and foot were amputated after he was hacked by his neighbor died at a hospital in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Monday, June 23.Jerry Alunan, 60, was hacked by Arjie Malacapay, 35, of Sitio Balisong, Brgy. Orong, Kabankalan, on Saturday, June 21.Capt. Joelan Vinson, Kabankalan Deputy Police Chief, said the victim allegedly accused the suspect of being a thief. This caused the suspect to hack the victim several times, he said.The suspect is now in police custody and will be charged for murder.*

Personnel of the Commission on Elections in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, conduct an inventory of yellow ballot boxes*The Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in the Negros Island Region (NIR) is continuing preparations for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in December while awaiting the decision of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to approve or veto its postponement.“So far, what has been deferred is the registration of voters originally scheduled from July 1 to 11, but other activities continue, such as the inventory and procurement of yellow ballot boxes,” Comelec-NIR Director Lionel Marco Castillano said on Thursday, June 26..He said the “enrolled bill” on the postponement of the 2025 BSKE passed through both houses of Congress and has been transmitt...

A construction worker was stabbed to death by four suspects in Brgy. Handumanan, Bacolod City, on Thursday, June 26.Alias “Edrick” of Purok San Antonio, Phase 6-A in Handumanan was stabbed multiple times in the chest, back, and head.Capt. Glenn Montaño, Bacolod City Police Station 10 commander, said that the suspects teased and chased the victim and his backrider who were on a motorcycle.When they fell from the motorcycle, Eldrick was cornered by the suspects who stabbed him multiple times, Montaño said.Montaño said that they have already identified the suspects who remain at-large.The suspects may face homicide charges if the victim’s family decide to file a case, the police added.*

The police arrested four persons and seized suspected shabu worth P102,000 in a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, June 25.The Silay police arrested alias “Hector”, 30, alias “Hari”, 30, alias “Nel”, 23, and alias “Rod”, at Purok Yuhom, Sitio Sawmill in Brgy. Mambulac.Seized from them were 15 grams of suspected shabu, improvised tooters, cash proceeds, and other non-drug items, the police said.The suspects are in police custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

The Victoria City government reaffirmed its commitment to agricultural development and educational advancement through the ceremonial signing of two agreements at the Victorias City Hall on Thursday, June 26.The city government inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philippine Sugar Research Institute Foundation Inc. (PHILSURIN), becoming the first local government unit (LGU) in the country to officially partner with PHILSURIN in advancing sugarcane productivity.The city government and PHILSURIN aim to empower local sugarcane farmers by introducing appropriate farming technologies and new high-yielding, climate-resilient sugarcane varieties, a press release from Victorias said.The collaboration is expected to boost farm productivity, improve the income of farmers, a...

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) on Thursday, June 26, lauded Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 53 for its acquittal of a Bacolod journalist facing a libel case after nearly two decades of legal proceedings.Acquitted of the libel raps was former Negros Press Club president Erwin "Ambo" Delilan, formerly of SunStar-Bacolod.The court determined the prosecution failed to prove libel charges beyond a reasonable doubt for charges that arose in 2005, PTFOMS said in a press release.“Delilan's reporting on a dispute cited official complaints without additional commentary or malicious intent. This action was deemed to be within the realm of responsible journalism and protected by the constitutional freedom of the press,” it said."This ruling underscores ...

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez delivering his state of the city address. *Ronnie Baldonado photo Incoming Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya is not inheriting a burden, he is inheriting a city prepared to fly.That was stressed by outgoing Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez in his State of the City Address, which he delivered at the Bacolod City Government Center Wednesday night, June 25.Benitez outlined the gains of Bacolod during his term as mayor and vowed to support the incoming city officials led by Gasataya, as he assumes his new role as congressman of Bacolod.“Bacolod today is competitive, rising, and ready to lead…the city has a solid revenue base, and we have mechanisms in place to keep it that way,” Benitez said.He pointed out that of the P4.1 billi...

Incoming Vice Mayor Claudio Jesus Raymundo Puentevella receiving the gavel from outgoing Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran (right).*Outgoing Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran turned over the gavel to incoming Vice Mayor Claudio Jesus Raymundo Puentevella during the last regular session of the 11th Bacolod City Council on Wednesday, June 25.The gavel is a symbol of authority, order and leadership of the vice mayor in his role as presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), Familiaran said.Familiaran, in his speech, said after nine years as vice mayor and presiding officer of the SP “I can proudly say that I am happy with what we have achieved to make Bacolod City what it is today - and hopeful for what lies ahead under the leadership of our new elected officials”.“We may ha...