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The Department of Health – Western Visayas called on the public on Friday, May 16, to stay informed and proactive in preventing cervical cancer and hypertension.The DOH issued the call as the nation marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month and Hypertension Awareness Month this May.Cervical cancer remains a public health concern of importance, especially among women in Western Visayas, the DOH said in a press statement.Most cases are caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), it said.In 2024, the region recorded a total of 10,791 (0.44 percent) women screened and 520 (4.82 percent) turned out to be either positive for precancerous lesion or suspicious for cervical cancer cases, the DOH said.Cervical cancer can be prevented through routine screening ...

Bacolod Mayor-elect Greg Gasataya’s team removing campaign materials ahead of Saturday’s deadline.*The Commission on Elections is reminding all candidates in the May 12 elections to remove their campaign materials posted in public places by Saturday, May 17, and to submit their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) by June 11.Section 30 of Comelec Resolution No. 11086 states that all candidates must remove their campaign materials within five days after the elections and without need of notice, Negros Island Region Commission on Elections Assistant Regional Director Jossil Macute said on Thursday, May 15.If candidates who won and lost fail to remove their campaign materials, it will be done by the Comelec and local government and they will be billed, Macute said....

Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko, Abang Lingkod first nominee*It looks like Negros Occidental may have a seventh congressman.Abang Lingkod with Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko as its first nominee was among the winning party list groups set to gain one seat each in the House of Representatives, partial unofficial results from the Comelec server showed on Thursday, May 15.Abang Lingkod had 274,723 votes or 0.66 percent, based on 99.12 percent of the votes counted.There are 63 seats reserved for party list groups,Akbayan, Duterte Youth and Tingog — are on track to win three seats each, with 4Ps, ACT-CIS and Ako Bicol each securing two seats.There are 48 groups expected to get just one seat each.Abang Lingkod was among the 48 ...

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) started the distribution of P9.88 million in cash assistance to families displaced by the recent Kanlaon Volcano eruption through its Emergency Cash Transfer Program on Thursday, May 15.The ash fall from Kanlaon Volcano’s eruption on Tuesday, May 13, damaged P128,133 in rice crops in barangays Sag-ang and Camandag in La Castellana, an initial report from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist showed.The Negros Occidental provincial government and other local governments have sent tankers to provide affected residents with potable water and to clean roads covered with ash fall, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said.They are also providing residents with tarpaulins to mitigate the damage to the roofs of their hous...

A beauty pageant contestant died when her motorcycle hit a parked truck along the Circumferential Road in Brgy. Bata, Bacolod City, at about 7:40 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14.Rahsel Tayco, 21, of Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City, Negros Occidental, died when her motorcycle hit the rear of the parked dropside truck, the police said.The driver of the dropside truck was Jocil Roncal, 49, a resident of Brgy. Delicioso, Ilog.Police investigation revealed that while the victim was driving a motorcycle occupying the outermost lane of the road, she suddenly swerved to the right and accidentally collided with the rear of the truck.The collision caused damages to both vehicles.Tayco sustained injuries, was given first aid by a rescue team and was transported to Corazon Locsin Montelibano ...

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz*The Negros Occidental provincial government is prepared to allocate an initial P10 million as its counterpart subsidy for the sale of rice at P20 per kilo, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Thursday, May 15.They can replenish the amount when needed, he added.They are already preparing the groundwork to commence the sale of rice at P20 a kilo, Diaz assured.Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, indigents and those under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program can avail of the P20 per kilo rice, DA Regional Director Jose Albert Barrogo of the Negros Island Region, said.Under the program each family can buy 10 kilos of the P20 rice per week, he said.The Food Terminal Incorporated will buy rice from the National...

The police are investigating whether a bar along Lacson Street in Barangay Mandalagan, Bacolod City, continued to serve alcoholic drinks despite a liquor bar.An 18-year-old man was killed in a riot outside the bar early Tuesday morning, May 13.The election liquor ban ended at midnight on Monday.Maj. Rondyl Tapang, Bacolod City Police Station 3 chief, said they will be meeting with the officials of Brgy. Mandalagan to gather information on whether the bar was open despite the liquor ban.Yuri Legaste, 18, was stabbed to death allegedly by Adrian Cagayao who voluntarily surrendered to the police a day after the incident.Police investigation revealed that the victim and the suspect came from the bar before the stabbing incident happened.Tapang said that the liquor ban w...

Himamaylan Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao*Vice Mayor Justin Gatuslao said he is always "ready, open and willing to work for the betterment of Himamaylan even if that means burying political differences.""That is actually what politicians should do after an election. Elections are but just one day but three years you have to serve," Gatuslao said on Wednesday, May 14.He said that being the "opposition is just a label. Support what's right and oppose what's wrong."Love won over money in Himamaylan City" on Election Day, he said.Gatuslao won with 31,451 votes over his closes rival Barangay Captain Raymundo Tongson III who had 28,455 votes.“At the last minute they (the camp of Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongso) made me an opposition. I was not prepared for that, but the peopl...

Five persons, including a driver, were injured when a Ceres bus hit an electric post, motorcycles, and a charging machine of an automobile company in Brgy. Zone 15, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, May 14.Injured  were Mariel Medel, 35,  of Silay City; Robert Lovedorial, 32, Pablo Constantino, 22, and Reynel Malinao, 32, of Victorias City; and the driver Rodel Cohanap, 35,  of Brgy. Lopez Jaena, Sagay City.The driver  lost control of the bus  when one of  its  wheels allegedly busted.The bus hit an electric post, two motorcycles owned by Ronnie Jay Depra and Jhoeven Mike Ferrer that were parked beside the highway, and the charging machine of BYD cars.The  motorcycles and the Ceres bus incurred substantial damage.The i...