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Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade file photoFire incidents in Bacolod City decreased by 52.4 percent from January to the middle of June, compared to the same period in 2024, the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) – Bacolod reported on Friday, June 20.Since January, the Bacolod City Fire Station received only 82 fire calls or lower by 90 from last year’s 172 calls.Of the total, 44 involved residential buildings while the rest were non-structural, 15; non-residential buildings, 14; and vehicular fires, 9.Damage to properties reached PHP7.832 million, much lower than the previous year’s PHP51.17 million.In an interview, Fire Officer 2 Paul Servano said the decrease is the result of the joint safety intervention initiatives of the Bacolod City Fire Station and the city government...

A Bacolod resident died after he lost control of his motorcycle along the highway in Brgy. Calumangan, Bago City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, June 18.George Pinalva, 58, of Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, died Wednesday night, the police said.The victim was going to Bacolod when he lost control of his motorcycle and fell on the road at Purok Cosmos, Barangay Calumangan.He sustained serious head injuries and was declared dead at a hospital.Witnesses said that the victim was driving fast and the incident was self-inflicted, the police said.*

In celebration of HIV Awareness Month, the Bacolod Justice Zone, in partnership with the Bagani Community Center, conducted HIV awareness, prevention, and testing activities for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) in three Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) facilities this week.A total of 112 PDLs were tested at the BJMP facilities in Taculing and Handumanan in Bacolod City and Victorias City as part of this initiative, Project Chair Mhel Enderes Sillador said on Friday, June 20.Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Blanche Bolunia, Bacolod Justice Zone Convenor, emphasized the significance of extending HIV-related services to PDLs.“They are an at‑risk and often underserved group and it is vital that we make HIV awareness, prevention and testing accessible to them. Thi...

Erwin B. Magallanes (fourth from left), head of EDC Negros Corporate Relations Department, is joined by Melchor Sayco (third from left), Mailum Barangay Captain; Dr. Neri Ann Alibuyog (fourth from the right), Bago City Schools Division Superintendent; and representatives from the Energy Development Corporation and Cristeta A. Dorrmido Elementary School at the laptop donation turnover ceremony at the Department of Education office in Bago City.*The Energy Development Corporation (EDC) turned over 12 laptops to four upland schools in Bago City as part of its Adopt-a-School partnership with the Department of Education Division of Bago City on Tuesday, June 17.The recipient schools are Cristeta A. Dormido Elementary School, Mailum Elementary School, RM Araneta Elementary School and Ram...

Cadoni Mayor Ray R. Ruiz said he was informed that HAPI has stopped all earth moving activities.*File photo coutersy of Joshua VillalobosThe Environment Management Bureau 6 has ordered Hacienda Asia Plantations Inc. (HAPI) to halt its quarry operations, road construction and other activities at its palm oil plantation in Candoni, Negros Occidental.The EMB issued Cease and Desist Order (CDO) dated June 5 was served on June 13 and HAPI has halted its activities, Vicente Losbañes, EMB 6 Enforcement Division Head, told DIGICAST NEGROS on Thursday, June 19.Cadoni Mayor Ray R. Ruiz said he was informed that HAPI has stopped all earth moving activities but was continuing with its planting at the palm oil plantation.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson had earlier written to the...

Five job order (JO) workers of the Negros Occidental provincial government tested positive for the use of illegal drugs, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Thursday, June 19.Their drug test results have been forwarded to the Provincial Legal Office for the issuance of appropriate notices, Diaz said.As a policy JO and contracts of services (COS) workers who test positive for illegal drugs are not rehired, he said.Their contracts will not be renewed on July 1, Diaz said.Regular employees who test positive undergo rehabilitation and can return to work when they recover, he added.The routine drug testing is part of the campaign to maintain a drug free work place at the provincial Capitol, Diaz said.It was also conducted as part of the provincial government’...

The red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI ) infestation has expanded to more than 1,505 hectares from 87 hectares in less than a month, with the bulk of the areas hit located in Negros Occidental, the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) reported on Thursday, June 19.The RSSI has hit 1,490 hectares in Negros Occidental, and the rest in three other provinces – Iloilo, Capiz and Negros Oriental, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said.“While this is still a fraction of sugar cane fields, the rapid spread is worrisome and I believe that the real data can even be bigger as there are farms that have started their own remedy without reporting the matter to SRA,” he said.On a positive note, Azcona said there are 97 hectares monitored to have been recovering and that is a good sign. ...

Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones*More than 20 ranking officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) got new assignments in the first major revamp in the police force under the leadership of its new chief, Gen. Nicolas Torre III.The number includes four officials who were named new directors of Police Regional Offices (PROs), based on Torre's directive which took effect on Thursday, June 19.Brig. Gen. Jack Wanky was named the chief of the PRO 4A (Calabarzon), replacing Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, who was designated as deputy regional director of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).Brig. Gen. Ponce Rogelio Peñones replaced Wanky as chief of the PRO 6 (Western Visayas), while Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) officer in charge, Brig. Gen. R...

The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-New People’s Army (RJPC-NPA) claimed the killing of a farmer in Sitio Spur 2, Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, June 18.RJPC-NPA, in a statement Thursday, claimed that Tolindaoy Nepalar, 63. was killed because he was an intelligence operative of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, a gun-for-hire, and a drug pusher.Nepalar was shot multiple times by four unidentified persons outside his house, the police said.The farmer sustained 10 gunshot wounds in different parts of his body causing his immediate death, the police said.The police recovered six fired cartridges of a .45 caliber firearm and one deformed slug.1Lt. Dan Samoza, 79IB Civil Military Officer, said that the claims of the NPA against the...

The Negros Occidental provincial government is considering two properties in Brgy Talaptap, La Castellana, as permanent relocation sites for residents of the town who have been displaced by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said Thursday, June 19.He said acceptability of the permanent relocation sites for those affected will be the basis for the provincial government’s purchase of the land.This is to ensure that the evacuees will stay at the new site and not return to their homes in Kanlaon Volcano’s 6-kilometer danger zone, Diaz said.The owners of the Talaptap properties will send a letter-offer, and the provincial government will respond by sending an appraisal committee for the valuation of the property, he said.If the site is acceptable t...