Top Stories

Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and the City Health Office on Sunday, June 15, confirmed the first case of mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) in Bacolod City.“The patient is stable, properly monitored, and currently in isolation and receiving appropriate medical care. We have done contact tracing also to contain the spread of the disease”, the mayor said.The City Health Office is closely coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH), Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) and all concerned agencies to ensure swift and effective response measures, Benitez assured.“I want to assure everyone that the city government has long prepared for situations like this. Mpox is a manageable disease, and with proper health protocols, we can prevent further sp...

Two more probable leptospirosis deaths have been reported in Bacolod City in June.The two new casualties are from barangays 21 and Handumanan, the Bacolod City Health Office reported on Sunday night, June 15.That brings the probable leptospirosis deaths in Bacolod City this year to five, with three other fatalities reported in barangays Villamonte, Banago and Bata, the CHO reported.The fourth casualty is a 43-year-old male from Barangay 21 who had waded in flood water three days before he was admitted into a hospital on May 25. He died on June 3, the CHO report said.Three days before admission he had fever associated with multiple episodes of diarrhea, the CHO said.The fifth casualty was a 57- year-old female from Brgy. Handumanan also with a history of wading in wat...

Barangay Cabagnaan, La Castellana, evacuees being transferred to their new camp during the weekend.* La Castellana LGU photoMore residents displaced by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest were transferred to new evacuation sites during the weekend, Negros Occidental Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Sunday, June 15.About 2,181 evacuees from barangays Mansalanao, Biak na Bato, Masulog, Sag-ang and Cabagna-an in La Castellana, who have been living in schools for nearly six months, have been transferred to five new evacuation sites, a Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office report submitted to Diaz showed.There are 1,147 evacuees from Barangay Cabagna-an at the La Castellana Junior High School who have not been moved yet.The La Castellana evacuees are not allowed ...

A mother died and her child was injured when the tricycle they were on was hit by two vehicles at the national highway in Brgy. Punta Mesa, Manapla, Negros Occidental, Saturday morning, June 14.“Renalyn”, 35, died and her minor son of Hacienda Lumagayan, Brgy. Punta Mesa, was injured after their tricycle driven by alias “Alejandro”, 57, was hit by a Nissan Almera and Hyundai sedan.The tricycle driver stopped while blinking his rear signal light to turn when the Nissan Almera driven by alias “Kenth”, 33, of Brgy. Bantayanon, Calatrava town, hit the tricycle, a police report said.The tricycle was thrown to the opposite lane and was again hit by a sedan driven by alias “Nilo”, 37, of Brgy. 21, Victorias City, causing injuries to the passengers.The victims were brought to Dr. R...

PNA file photoThe Department of Education (DepEd) on Sunday, June 15, said everything is in place for the return of around 27 million students nationwide to schools on Monday.“All systems go, everything for the opening of our classes tomorrow (Monday), June 16,” DepEd Media Relations chief Dennis Legaspi said.Under DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara’s watch, the DepEd has reverted to the original June to March school calendar, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to prevent learning loss due to successive missed school days caused by various weather disturbances.The DepEd has delivered 33,539 laptops for teachers and 5,360 for non-teaching staff under the computerization program. It also purchased almost 26,000 smart TV packages with external hard drives to he...

The police arrested a high-value drug personality and seized suspected shabu worth P1.1 million in a buy-bust operation in Purok 1 Sisi Magsungay, Brgy. Singcang-Airport, Bacolod City, on Sunday, June 15.City Drug Enforcement Unit cops arrested alias “Michael”, a resident of Brgy. 2, Bacolod, at 6:20 a.m. on Father’s Day.The police seized 170 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated street price of P1,156,000.The suspect is now in police custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

A couple died after their multicab was hit by pick-up truck at the national highway in Brgy. Cabangahan, Siaton, Negros Oriental, on Friday, June 13.Joselito Eluna , 42, driver of the multicab, and his wife Janice, 42, a day care worker, of Brgy. Mayabon, Zamboanguita, died, the police said.Their multicab was hit by a pick-up truck driven by alias “Anastacio”, 82, of Bacong town also in Negros Oriental.Investigation revealed that the pick-up truck allegedly went to the opposite lane at a curve in the road where the multicab was traversing causing the incident, the police said.The victims sustained serious injuries and were brought to the hospital but were declared dead on arrival.The police are waiting for the family of the victims to decide whether they will file charg...

Expect fuel prices to go up by more than P1 on Tuesday, June 17.Diesel prices are expected to increase by P1.60 to P1.80 per liter, Unioil Petroleum Philippines said on Saturday.Gasoline prices will increase by about P1.50 to P1.70 per liter, it added.Kerosene prices are expected to increase P1 to P1.20 per liter.*

Dr. Raul C. Alvarez Jr., CHED NIR director-in-charge, turns over the BCC award to College Administrator Dr. Ma. Johanna Ann R. Bayoneta, Dean of the College of Education Dr. Maria Milagros M. Lizades, and Program Heads Dr. Reyan B. Ballaso and Dr. Leda M. Villarosa at the Luce Auditorium of Silliman University.*Bacolod City College (BCC) is gearing up for a new batch of licensed teachers for Academic Year 2025-2026 on August 11, following its recent success in the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LEPT).“As we open the new school year, we look forward to producing new licensed professional teachers,” Dr. Ma. Johanna Ann R. Bayoneta, BCC College Administrator, said on Sunday, June 15.BCC was recognized at the 1st Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Q...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Sunday that he is very happy because various national government agencies have already started establishing their offices in the Negros Island Region, one year after it was established.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act (RA) No. 12000 or the Negros Island Region Act on June 13, 2024.The NIR is an administrative region composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, as well as the highly urbanized city of Bacolod.“Its goal is to bring government services closer to the people and after one year, we are very happy because various national government agencies have started establishing their offices in Negros Island,” Lacson said.“We are hoping that next year, when the budget for NIR is already incl...