Top Stories

The Binalbagan River*The Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB) has issued a regular Cease and Desist Order that prohibits the Binalbagan-Isabela Sugar Company (BISCOM) from discharging water or molasses into any water bodies, Environment Management Bureau-6 chief legal officer Wilma Lagance said on Monday, May 19..The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in Western Visayas had earlier issued an interim CDO on BISCOM following the mill’s April 19 molasses spill in the Binalbagan River.The PAB on April 25 affirmed the interim CDO making it a regular CDO, Lagance said.BISCOM has been directed to clean up its perimeter canal and affected areas along the Binalbagan River, she said.The BISCOM commitment was only up to May 2 and the...

The police are preparing murder charges against a father and son who allegedly shot a farmer to death in Purok Lanipga, Brgy. Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental, Saturday night, May 17.Carlito Sison, 54, was shot to death by Ben Obreque, 69, also a farmer, and his son, Carlito, the police said.Investigation revealed that while the victim was preparing a dinner with his two sons inside their house, the suspect suddenly arrived and shot him.The victim sustained a gunshot wound in the stomach while the suspects fled after the incident.Sison was declared dead at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City.The suspects were arrested after a police hot pursuit operation.Recovered from the crime scene was an empty shell of a 12 guage shotgun. ...

Officials of the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) and the province of Negros Occidental signed a memorandum of agreement to bring telemedicine to communities across the province on Monday, May 19.This initiative supports the Department of Health’s (DOH) Universal Health Care (UHC) 8-point Action Agenda, specifically, the push for faster health services through technology - “Teknolohiya para sa mas mabilis na serbisyong pangkalusugan”, a CLMMRH press release said.“With this partnership, residents, especially from remote areas, can seek specialty medical care without leaving home. It’s a practical solution to long-standing access issues and a big win for equitable healthcare,” it said.Among those present at the MOA signing were Negros Occidental Gov....

The collision in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City*Carla Cañet photoA driver was injured while cases containing empty rum bottles were scattered on the road after two trucks collided along the Mansilingan-Murcia Road in Brgy. Mansilingan, Bacolod City, early Monday morning, May 19.Micheal Mabasa, 36, of Brgy. Alangilan, Bacolod, was injured when the Fuso Fighter Truck he was driving collided with a Hinlo Dump Truck driven by Huberto Talorong Jr., 42, of Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan City.The Fuso Truck carrying the cases of bottles was going to Murcia town while the Dump Truck carrying rice hulls was traveling to Brgy. Granada.The accident caused injuries to Mabasa while the fighter truck was damaged.Mabasa was brought to a hospital, while Talorong was brought to Bacolo...

Multi-awarded Negrense artist Charlie Co.*Ronnie Baldonado photoOrange Project‘s 20th anniversary exhibition, “Tugyan Sa Tawo: Apat Ka Dekada Nga Obra Ni Charlie Co”, opens at two venues in Bacolod City on Tuesday afternoon, May 20.The launch of the tandem exhibitions will be at the Negros Museum at 3 p.m. and at the Orange Project at the Art District in Barangay Mandalagan at 6 p.m. Tuesday.The exhibition, curated by Boots Herrera, will showcase a collection of Co’s works, spanning four decades and representing different themes, social issues, and personal struggles and triumphs.Attendees will have the unique opportunity to witness Co’s artistic vision and his enduring impact on the cultural narrative of Negros, the press release said.“This significant milestone not on...

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said a strong coalition between the United Negros Alliance (UnegA) and Love Negros is a legacy he would like to leave behind when he ends his third term as governor.He is grateful for the cooperation and support given to him by members of the coalition in the past six years, Lacson also said on Monday, May 19.Most of the mayors who won in Negros Occidental are members of UNegA and Love Negros, he said, a sign that there are two major political groups in the province.He also commended the Commission on Elections for the swift counting of the May 12 votes.*

A uniquely Silaynon slice-of-life story is making its way to the screen with the short comedy film “Hoy! Pili Ka Na!”, directed and produced by Banjo Hinolan.The film will premiere at the Cine Kahirup: Silay City Film Festival 2025 at the Silay City Public Plaza Covered Court 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 23 and 24, a press release from organizers said.Starring local talents Tex Romero and Roger Joshua Venzal, the film centers around a seemingly simple but hilariously drawn-out situation: Junjun, a soft-spoken and indecisive young man, struggles to choose from a variety of native kakanin (rice delicacies) sold by the sharp-tongued vendor Tiya’y Clara.As the minutes turn into an eternity, Tiya’y Clara’s patience wears thin —resulting in a clash of personalities over ...

The widened Kabankalan-Jct Salong-Tapi-Dacongcogon-Bantayan Road in Kabankalan City.*DPWH photoThe widening of two major roads in southern Negros Occidental by the Department of Public Works and Highways is providing road users with a faster, convenient, and more cost-efficient means of travel, the DPWH said on Monday, May 19.The DPWH Negros Occidental 3rd District Engineering Office has widened the portion of the Kabankalan-Jct Salong-Tapi-Dacongcogon-Bantayan Road in Kabankalan City.The ₱34.4-million project involved the widening 954-lineal meter portion of the existing 2-lane road, specifically in Barangay Salong, complementing the already widened road portions, the DPWH said.The project also included the construction of grouted riprap, stone masonry, and reflectorized t...

A van lies completely wrecked after colliding with a Ceres bus in Barangay Braganti, Pandan on Monday*PNA photo courtesy of Buenavista CATVSAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – One died while four others, including three from Bacolod City, were hurt when a van collided with a bus in barangay Braganti, Pandan town, Monday morning, May 19.Michael Tolentino, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer III for the province, said the van driver identified as Dolito Nalangan, 64, died upon arrival at the Justice Calixto O. Zaldivar Memorial Hospital due to severe head trauma.Nalangan was the sole occupant of the van when it collided with a Ceres bus en route to Nabas, Aklan.The bus had 19 passengers and four of them sustained minor injuries, 3 of whom were from Bacolod City.*PNA

Negros Oriental’s inflation rate declined further in April as anticipated by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), an official said Monday, May 19.Engineer Ariel Fortuito, PSA-Negros Oriental chief statistical specialist and provincial head, said the headline inflation in April was pegged at -0.1 percent from -0.7 percent in March.Fortuito said last month’s overall inflation rate was primarily attributed to housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at -0.2 percent from the previous month's -1.6 percent.Food and non-alcoholic beverage inflation came next at -0.2 percent from -0.8 percent, while health ranked third at 0.9 percent from 0.3 percent, a report from the PSA-Negros Oriental showed.Commodity group alcoholic beverages and tobacco was pegged at 2.4 percen...