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Mayor-elect Mayette Javellana (right) being proclaimed winner*Thirteen of the 31 just elected Negros Occidental mayors are new.Among the new mayors are Councilor Mayette Javellana who defeated Vice Mayor Ramon Torres in Bago City, while Jose Luis Jalandoni won against incumbent Mayor Rex Jalandoon of La Carlota City.In Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol was defeated by former mayor Manuel Aranda.The other new mayors are former mayor Richard Jaojoco in Toboso, Nehemiah de la Cruz - Don Salvador Benedicto, Mikaela Escalante - Manapla, Abelardo Bantug III - Victorias City, Maria Rowena Lizares - Talisay City, Matthew Malacon - EB Magalona, Ricardo Presbitero - Valladolid, Mary Grace Arceo - Hinigaran, Miguel Yulo - Isabela, and Añejo Nicor - La Castellana.The following is...

Rep. Emilio Yulo was reelected and his son Miguel Yulo won as mayor of Isabela.*Ronnie Baldonado photoIt is all in the family for the winning mayors and vice mayors of 10 towns and cities in Negros Occidental.In Cadiz City Mayor Salvador Escalante and his nephew Vincent Escalante who ran as vice mayor won unopposed.It’s a son and father tandem in EB Magalona with Matthew Malacon winning as mayor and his father Mayor Marvin Malacon as vice mayor.In Pulupandan Miguel Peña was reelected mayor and his cousin Anthony Gerard Suatengco won as vice mayor.Vice Mayor Mary Grace Arceo won as mayor of Hinigaran and her husband Mayor Nadie Arceo as vice mayor.In La Castellana Councilor Añejo Nicor won as mayor and his sister Mayor Rhummyla Mangilimutan as vice mayor.It is ...

The crime scene in Silay City. *The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office has created a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) “Silay” which aims to streamline investigative efforts on the shooting incident that left two Silaynons dead and seven injured in Brgy. Mambulac, Silay City, on Monday, May 12.The creation of the SITG Silay aims to monitor the progress of the investigation and oversee the process of gathering witnesses’ affidavits and statements, NOCPPO said.“The task group acts as the heart of the investigation as to coordinating and analyzing all aspects of the investigation”, NOCPPO said.The police also considered the surrender of Brgy. Lantad Chairperson Arnie Benedicto an “early victory”, while they continue to search for other accomplices.Col. Rainer...

Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative announced on Tuesday, May 13, that its electricity rates will drop by P3.58 per kilowatt-hour in May.NOCECO said its electricity rate for May is P12.0262/kWh, which is P3.5842/kWh lower compared to April which was at P15.6104/kWh.The primary driver of the decrease is the lower Generation Charge, from P8.6067/kWh in April to P6.2267/kWh in May or a reduction of P2.38/kWh.“This favorable change is primarily attributed to a significant reduction in the cost of power sourced from the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), which decreased by P3.8265/kWh, from P10.5620/kWh to P6.7355/kWh in May”, it said.NOCECO also said that this decrease in rates reflects the fluctuations in the cost of power generation and transmission, and we will con...

Bam Aquino campaigning in Bacolod City in March.*Former senator Bam Aquino topped the senatorial race in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, results showed on Tuesday, May 13.The 12 winners in Bacolod City are:BAM AQUINO (KNP) - 147,832ERWIN TULFO (Lakas CMD) - 114,596KIKO PANGILINAN (LP) - 108,111BONG GO (PDP Laban) - 107,833PING LACSON (IND) - 102,765PIA CAYETANO (NP) - 99,440TITO SOTTO (NPC) - 84,768BEN BITAG TULFO (IND) - 83,734BATO DELA ROSA (PDP Laban) - 82,919MANNY PACMAN PACQUIAO (PFP) - 79,843LITO LAPID (NPC) - 69,667ABBY BINAY (NPC) - 68,892The 12 winners in Negros Occidental are:BAM AQUINO (KNP) - 666,619ERWIN TULFO (Lakas CMD) - 605,808BONG GO (PDP Laban) - 589,810PING LACSON (IND) - -507,797KIKO PANGILINAN (LP) - 475,059PIA CAYETANO (NP) - 452,532TITO SOTTO (NPC) -...

An 84-year-old man died after he was struck by lightning in Zone 1 Calatong, Brgy. Cabadiangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Election Day, May 12.The victim, who was not named by the police, was found lying on his back with visible burn marks on his arms and back.The victim was brought to the Sipalay City Health Facility but was declared dead on arrival.A post-mortem examination report said the cause of death was fatal arrythmia secondary to lightning strike.*

A man died after her was shot in the head inside a computer shop in Purok Lubi, Brgy. 3, Bacolod City, early Tuesday morning, May 13.The unidentified man was shot by his assailant while they were both playing computer games.Maj. Eugene Tolentino, Bacolod City Police Station 2 commander, said that their initial investigation revealed that the victim and the suspect were sitting beside each other inside the computer shop.The suspect was with a woman and they were arguing while indirectly mentioning the victim.The suspect went out and when he returned he immediately shot the victim.The victim was about 38 to 40 years old and was wearing a black shirt and khaki shorts, the police said.*

Voting in Negros Occidental*Ronnie Baldonado photoThe Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said that the 2025 National and Local Elections in the region was generally peaceful. except for an isolated shooting incident in Silay City, Negros Occidental, on May 12.The PRO-NIR, in a press statement, said that despite the incident the overall conduct of the elections across the region remained calm and orderly.“Voters were able to freely and safely exercise their right to vote in all areas of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, demonstrating the strength of our democratic process”, the statement said.PRO-NIR also said that they are commending the efforts of the security forces, election officials, volunteers, and the citizens of the Negros Island Region for ...

A moderately explosive eruption occurred at the summit crater of Kanlaon Volcano at 2:55 a.m. Tuesday, May 13, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.The eruption lasted for five  minutes based on seismic and infrasound data.The eruption generated a greyish voluminous plume that rose at least four kilometers above the vent before drifting to the general west, Phivolcs said.Audible rumbling sounds of the eruption were reported in Brgy. Pula, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental and La Castellana, Negros Occidental. Incandescent pyroclastic density currents or PDCs descended the southern slopes within approximately two kilometers of the crater based on visual and thermal camera monitoring, Phivolcs said.Large ballistic fragments were als...

The members of the Bacolod City Board of Canvassers with the Bacolod winners*             The City Board of Canvassers officially proclaimed the winners of the May 12 polls at the Bacolod City Government Center at close to 4 a.m. today.                Election Officer Revo Sorbito led the proclamation of Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez as the winning  congressman, Rep. Greg Gasataya as mayor and Kalaw Puentevella as vice mayor.The 12 candidates for councilor proclaimed winners are:Caesar DistritoIsrael SalangaEm AngThaddy SaysonJason VillarosaCelia Matea FlorBobby RojasWilson Gamboa Jr.Dindo RamosPao SyHomer BaisAl Victo...