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Bam Aquino and Leni Robredo on a campaign sortie.* Former Senator Bam Aquino will be in Bacolod City on Wednesday.Aquino, who is running for senator, will be in Bacolod for a campaign sortie and rally, former Negros Occidental Gov. Rafael Coscolluela said on Sunday, March 16.He may be accompanied by former vice president Leni Robredo but it is not confirmed yet, Coscolluela said.Coscolluela said more details of the visit will be announced soon.*

Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (center) at the opening of the  29th Sinigayan Festival with Rep. Alfredo Marañon III, Board Member Jose Benito Alonso, Sagay Mayor Narciso Javelosa and Vice  Mayor Leo Rafael  Cueva (l-r)* Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson lauded Sagay City’s “collective excellence in governance” and urged Sagaynons to be hopeful and helpful in making it more progressive, during the opening program of the 29th Sinigayan Festival at the City Public Plaza, on Saturday, March 15.Lacson, who was the guest speaker at the event, said that Sagay City’s consistent recognition as a Seal of Good Local Governance awardee from Department of Interior and Local Government is a testament of the good governance practices in the city.“Sagay’s consistent recognition as a SGLG a...

A man was injured when he resisted police arrest and fought back at Spur 14, Brgy. Bunga, Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, March 15.“Ricky”, 35, a laborer, fought back when the police tried to serve his warrant of arrest.The police seized 45 grams of suspected shabu with an estimated price of P306,000, a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition from him.The police were serving a warrant of arrest issued by the Bacolod Regional Trial Court Branch 47 on March 13.However, the operation resulted in an armed encounter when Ricky allegedly exchanged fire with the police.The suspect is now at the DSB Rural Health Unit in stable conduction, the police said.*

Supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte at a prayer rally in front of the Bacolod City Government Center Friday night.*Dale Salazar photoLoyalists of former president Rodrigo Duterte gathered in front of the Bacolod City Government Center for a prayer rally Friday night, March 14, ahead of his pre-trial at the International Criminal Court at The Hague in the Netherlands.Duterte supporter Gibis Alejandrino prayed for God to watch over Duterte and to give him good health and justice.He also prayed that Duterte feels their love and knows that they will not abandon him.Nothing is impossible with God for Tatay Digong to attain justice and return to the Philippines, Alejandrino prayed.Participants chanted “Duterte, Duterte” as Alejandrino ended his prayer.A Pa...

The suspension of face-to-face classes due to extreme heat has affected 381,415 learners in Negros Occidental, a Department of Education official said Friday, March 14.The suspension of face-to-face classes were on various dates between March 3 to 7 depending on the heat index levels, Hernani Escullar, DepEd Western Visayas spokesperson, said.The forecasted heat index for Negros Occidental on Friday was 40 degrees Celsius and 38 degrees for Saturday, March 15.Escullar said 652 schools in five of 13 DepEd divisions in Negros Occidental reported suspensions of face-to-face classes.They were the Bacolod, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental and Silay schools divisions, he said.Escullar said 458 schools shifted to the self-learning module, 93 to the hybrid or online an...

The Philippine National Police (PNP) will activate the Police Regional Office -Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) in a ceremony to be held at Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano Sr. in Bacolod City on March 27.This was announced by the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) on Friday after the final meeting for the establishment of the PRO-NIR was held last week.“The meeting, presided by Brig. Gen. Lex Ephraim Gurat, acting director for plans, included presentations of the plans of action,” the NOCPPO said in a report.The Directorate for Personnel and Records Management presented the comprehensive plan for the manning of PRO-NIR while the Directorate for Logistics discussed the action plan on the logistical support for activation and operationalization.The Directorate for ...

Formal administrative charges have been filed against an employee  of the Bacolod  City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office for the misuse of city government fuel, City Legal Officer  Karol Joseph Chiu said on Friday, March 14.The charges were filed against the CDRRMO female employee  for  dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service on Wednesday, he  said.She was in charge of  the issuance of  fuel vouchers at the CDRRMO,  Chiu said.He said she instructed the drivers  to deliver from 20 to 40 liters of  gasoline to her house on several occasions.There were no less than 10 incidents based on the affidavit  of a witness, he said.*

The Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative announced a 60-centavo decrease per kilowatt-hour in its current electricity rates for March.Its electricity rate this month is P13.9595/kWh, about P0.6030 lower compared to P14.5625/kWh last month, a NOCECO press release said.The electric cooperative attributed the decrease to the lower transmission and systems loss charges.“However, as we approach the hotter months, we anticipate a surge in electricity demand and potential supply constraints”, NOCECO said.“We encourage everyone to be mindful of their energy consumption to help manage costs and ensure stable supply”, it added.NOCECO assured that it will provide reliable electricity service at the most affordable cost possible and is seeking solutions to minimize the impact of ...

Two persons engaged in the cockfighting business died after they shot each other following an altercation in Sitio Mambucano, Brgy. Cabatangan, Talisay City, Negros Occidental, at 12:15 a.m. Friday, March 14.The fatalities were a 32-year-old cockfighting seller and alias “Pedro”, 37, a cockfighting farm manager, of Sitio Mambucano, the police reported.Investigation revealed that the 32-year-old victim heard stones being thrown at his house and when he went out, he saw Pedro, the police said.They had a verbal altercation that led to their drawing their guns and shooting each other, the police added.The 32-year-old was shot in the head while Pedro was shot in the chest. They were taken to the Talisay City Health Office where they were declared dead.The police recovered a ...

Improved water supply will be experienced by residents in three major barangays in the southern part of  Bacolod City  with the injection of four million liters per day (MLD) starting Friday, March 14. This was confirmed by Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez as water shortage has been reported in several areas of some barangays amid the extreme heat, prompting the city government to activate measures to address the limited water supply.“This will improve water supply in Tangub, Cabug and Sum-ag,” Benitez said.As of this week, the city’s normal water supply of 84 MLD has decreased to only about 79 MLD.The 4 MLD is part of the additional volume of 10 MLD secured by Bacolod City Water District (Baciwa)-PrimeWater from its supplier, Bacolod Bulk Water Inc.In an interview over t...