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Punong Barangay Tanya Familiaran of Barangay 13, Bacolod City, has resigned.Familiaran stated that her resignation would be effective June 9 but they received her letter on June 20, Director Christian Nagaynay of the Department of the Interior and Local Government – Bacolod City said on Wednesday.Familiaran, who is the daughter-in-law of outgoing Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran, cited personal concerns as the reason for her resignation, Nagaynay said.Kagawad Cecilia Chavez will assume the post of barangay captain in her place, he added.The DILG will meet with the barangay council regarding Chavez's scheduled swearing-in ceremony and will explain the steps for the transition.Nagaynay said they are ensuring that services in the barangay will not be affected through the insta...

Threat of an eruption at Mr. Kanlaon remains* Jerick Conde Ricaplaza photoThe entry of evacuees into Mt. Kanlaon’s 6-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) to carry out farming and livelihood activities is still suspended as the threat of another volcanic eruption remains.Kanlaon had 12 volcanic earthquakes and its sulfur dioxide flux was 789 tons from 12 a.m. Tuesday to 12 a.m. Wednesday, Donato Sermeno III, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Negros Island Region director and Task Force Kanlaon vice chairperson, said.Similar indicators were experienced prior to two previous eruptions, he said.Low sulfur dioxide emission is an indicator that the volcano’s conduits may be blocked, and that a buildup of pressure within the volcano could result in an eruption.The OCD suspended th...

Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez with members of the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod on Wednesday.* Ronnie Baldonado photoMayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez approved ordinances establishing underground cabling and walkability in Bacolod City on Wednesday, June 25.The two ordinances were recently passed on third and final reading by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.The ordinance establishing underground cabling in Bacolod and setting guidelines was authored by Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella.The underground cabling and wiring system project is geared towards reducing the number of deaths caused by accidental contact with electrical wires, fire incidents caused by electrical overloading, and theft and pilferage on different utility lines, the ordinance said.The ordinance...

Mayor Rogelio Raymund Tongson Jr. takes his oath before Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson.*Richard Malihan photo The construction of a tunnel to connect Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental to Tayasan in Negros Oriental is being eyed.Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson said on Wednesday, June 25, that the tunnel estimated to cost P12 billion has the support of an international firm.He has met with National Economic and Development Authority and Department of Public Works and Highways officials to discuss the project, Tongson said.He said the Himamaylan port will also be able to accept roll on roll off vessels before the end of the year.Tongson said he will be working on tapping resources from national government agencies for projects in Himamaylan City.He will also work w...

Bishop Gerardo Alminaza *FBSan Carlos Bishop Gerardo A. Alminaza called for an end to all wars as the conflict between Israel and Iran escalates.“No one wins in any war,” Alminaza said on Wednesday, June 25.He appealed for prayers for the safety of all non-combatants, “especially our overseas Filipino Workers and officials” in Israel and Iran.Alminaza also issued a call for shared humanity in a pastoral alert on the Feast of St. John the Baptist on Tuesday, while participating in the Jubilee of Bishops at the Vatican City.Quoting both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV, Alminaza described the current moment not just as a period of global unrest, but as an epochal shift marked by systemic moral, ecological, and geopolitical crises.The bishop condemned the massive war spe...

The scene of the crime in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City.*A livestock broker was shot dead by two unidentified suspects outside a cockfighting arena in Sitio Casipongan, Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, June 24.Alias “Jesmar”, 36, of Brgy. Carabalan was shot in the head and neck by the suspects.Lt. Col. Anthony Grande, Himamaylan Police Chief, said that the victim was standing outside the cockfighting arena when he was approached by the suspects who shot him several times.They are still investigating and already have persons of interest who might be connected to the crime, Grande said.*

The Bacolod City police seized suspected shabu worth P2.5 million in operations from June 16 to 22.They conducted 10 operations that led to the arrest of 11 persons, the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) reported Wednesday.These led to the confiscation of 369.4 grams of suspected shabu valued at P2,511,899, the BCPO added.*

Part of the oil palm plantation project being developed by Hacienda Asia Plantations, Inc. in Candoni, Negros Occidental.* NICE photoThe Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Environment Management Bureau (EMB) 6 (Western Visayas) will hold public scoping and hearing activities for three major proposed projects in Negros Occidental next month.The public scoping for the P60 million palm oil plantation of Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI) in Candoni will be held at the municipal covered gymnasium on July 3, while for the poultry farm expansion project of Super Binhi Agri Ventures Inc. in Sagay City, at Barangay Plaridel’s covered court on July 4.“The public scoping is an early stage in the environmental impact assessment (EIA) process where the proponent aim...

Four people were injured in shooting and stabbing incidents in two towns and a city in Negros Occidental on Tuesday, June 24, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office reported.Alias “Reynaldo”, 36, of Brgy. 10, Victorias City, and alias “Kempe”, 26, a barangay tanod and resident of Brgy. San Isidro, EB Magalona, were brought to a hospital after they were stabbed.The victims were walking along the road from Malogo River in EB Magalona when the suspect identified as alias “Andong”, 33, of Brgy. San Isidro stabbed them without any provocation, the police said.The victims who were brought to the Abelardo & Remedios Bantug Memorial Hospital in Victorias City and are now in stable condition, while the suspect is in police custody.In Himamaylan City, alias “Anthony”, 20,...

There is a shortage of 6,298 classrooms in  Negros Island Region’s public schools, a Department of Education spokesperson said Tuesday,  June 24. This is based on the DepEd NIR data for school year 2025 – 2026, its spokesperson Almyr Caezar Dequiña said. There is also a shortage  of 877  public school teachers in the NIR, he added. This shortage  is smaller  than in other regions and they  are fast tracking the hiring of teachers,  Dequiña said. The  lack of classrooms is being  addressed by maximizing other spaces, and adopting shifting schedules for   classes, he said. “We are doing everything we can in order to address the problem,” Dequiña said. The number of enrollees in the NIR has so far re...