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PPCRV national coordinator Arwine Serrano, COMELEC commissioner Maria Norina Tangaro, COMELEC chairman Erwin Garcia, OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno and Negros Occidental Provincial Legal Officer Alberto Nellas Jr. (l-r) hold up the signed memorandum of agreement.*Commission on Elections chairman George Erwin Garcia and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno signed a memorandum agreement for safe elections, especially in areas hit by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest in Negros Island.The MOA for the enforcement of a disaster contingency plan for safe elections was signed in a ceremony at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City Thursday afternoon, May 1.The registered voters in La Castellana, Bago City, La Carlota City, Pontevedra and Murcia in Negr...

The Kilusang Mayo Uno-Negros and Makabayan-Negros held a Labor Day rally at the Bacolod Public Plaza*Let’s make the call for a national living wage of P1,200 a day a central election issue, militant groups in Negros Occidental urged as the nation marked Labor Day on Thursday, May 1.Kilusang Mayo Uno-Negros and Makabayan-Negros, in a press statement, called on the public to place wages and livelihoods at the center of the national conversation because farmers and the poor continue to be left behind.Prices of goods, services, and taxes continue to rise, while workers’ incomes remain low and inadequate, they said.IBON Foundation states that the living wage for a family of five is P1,200 per day, which is far from the current minimum wage in the region of only P440 to P480, the...

The Bacolod City Water District assured on Thursday, May 1, that action is being taken to ensure that PrimeWater responds to the complaints of the Water Watch Advocates on turbid water and supply shortages.BACIWA General Manager Mona Dia Jardin told DIGICAST NEGROS that they are monitoring PrimeWater’s moves to solve the water problem in Bacolod.Water Watch Advocates, in a statement on Thursday, condemned the alleged dereliction of duty over turbid water and the water shortage crisis by BACIWA PrimeWater and the Bacolod City government.“By ignoring our request for a public hearing and failing to address these critical issues, you have demonstrated a callous disregard for the well-being and rights of Bacolod City's citizens”, Wennie Sancho, Water Watch Advocates convenor, said. ...

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Arnulfo Figueroa (center) of the Department of Agrarian Reform Negros Occidental 2 (South), with District Manager Elma Popioco (left) and City Assessor Roldan Dunque, at the distribution of the certificates of condonation in Kabankalan City.*A total of 111 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, have been relieved of debts amounting to P15.378 million under the Republic Act (RA) 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act.The certificates of condonation with the release of mortgage (CoCRoMs) were distributed to identified farmers under the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Negros Occidental 2 (South) in a ceremony held on Tuesday, April 29, led by Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Arnu...

A member of the New People’s Army surrendered to the police in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, April 30.Alias “Ronilo”, 57, laborer and resident of Sitio Cunalom in Barangay Carabalan surrendered to 2nd Negros Occidental Police Mobile Force Company operatives.Ronilo was a Yunit Militia member under the Central Negros 2-D, Komiteng Rehiyon- Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor.During his surrender, he also turned over a .22 caliber revolver without ammunition to the police.Ronilo said he wanted to clear his name and inform the authorities that he had renounced his support for the NPA.Ronilo had been recruited by the Northern Negros Front in Sitio Sta. Cruz, Brgy. Prosperidad, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, as a fulltime member in 1982....

Soldiers from the 62nd Infantry Battalion recovered a high-powered firearm, ammunition, and personal items following the encounter in Guihulngan City*A 62nd Infantry Battalion soldier  sustained  minor injuries in an encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Brgy. Humay-humay, Guihulngan City,  Negros Oriental, Thursday morning, May 1. Lt. Col.  Evelio Ilanga, III,  62nd IB commander,  said the initial clash occurred around 6 a.m. in Barangay Humay-humay, where soldiers encountered about nine remnants of the dismantled Central Negros 1 (CN1) guerrilla front.The rebels opened fire on the government troops using an M-203 grenade launcher, hitting the leg of a soldier with shrapnel.A three-minute firefight took place before the rebels retreated and p...

The police are looking into the possibility that the woman who was found dead behind a motorpool in Brgy. 1, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, was killed elsewhere and dumped in the area.Maj. Jaynick Bermudez, Hinobaan Police Chief, said they are now closely coordinating with the family of the victim to gather more information about the whereabouts of the victim before the incident.The victim was identified as Thalia Evangelista, 24, of Brgy. 2, Hinoba-an. Her body was found in a state of decomposition on Wednesday, April 30.The body was examined and immediately buried Thursday afternoon.Bermudez said that they are looking for CCTV footage around the area where the victim was found.The police said that the victim was possibly killed elsewhere as they did not see any signs o...

The Bacolod Hotel Alliance officers with Chief Tourism Operations Officer Ma. Teresa Manalili (4th from left).*Officers of the recently formed Bacolod Hotel Alliance have been elected.Park Inn by Radisson Bacolod Area General Manager Sherwin Lucas was elected president, with Roy’s Hotel and Convention Center President John Victor Go as vice president, a press release from the Bacolod City Tourism Development Office said on Thursday, May 1.Acacia Hotel Sales Manager Catherine Gonzalez is the secretary, and Seda Capitol Central Hotel General Manager Kim Joseph Guimba is the treasurer.Board members were Citadines Bacolod Assistant Manager for Brands and Marketing Allen Jimenez, Sugarland Hotel Operations Manager Regina Guanco, and L’Fisher Hotel Sales and Marketing Manager Te...

Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno (l-r)*Top Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) officials are signing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the conduct of the May 12 polls at alternative voting centers in areas affected by Kanlaon Volcano’s unrest, at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Thursday, May 1.Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia and Office of Civil Defense Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno will lead the signing of the MOA.The MOA aims to establish a partnership for disaster risk reduction and management related to elections, especially in La Carlota City, La Castellana and Bago City in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental where 8,338 residents displ...

Former Bacolod mayor Luzviminda Valdez said she is filing a motion for reconsideration to the Sandiganbayan’s decision finding her and her former staff member Brendo Eligio guilty of falsification of private documents on seven counts for altering cash slips for reimbursement.If denied she will elevate the case to the Supreme Court as she is innocent of the charges lodged against her, Valdez said on Wednesday, April 30.The anti-graft court’s Sixth Division in its 114-page decision promulgated Tuesday, April 29, found Valdez and Eligio, former secretary to the mayor, guilty of falsification of private documents in seven cases and acquitted them for two others.The penalty meted for each of the falsification of private documents convictions was 2 years and 4 months...