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The police arrested two persons and seized suspected shabu worth about P119,000 in a buy bust operation in Purok Upper Nabantuan, Brgy. Balintawak, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday, March 13.Arrested were alias “John”, 48, a motorcycle driver, and alias “Gelo”, 52, a beautician, the police said.One of the suspects identified as alias “Renato” escaped.Seized from them were 35 sachets of suspected shabu weighing 17.54 grams with estimated street drug price of P119,272, and about 0.42 grams of suspected marijuana worth P63, the police said.The police also recovered three improvised tooters with traces of suspected shabu, a .45 caliber pistol with magazine and three rounds of ammunition, buy-bust money, and other non-drug items.The suspected illegal drugs were...

Everything is set for the 29th Panaad sa Negros Festival at the Panaad Park and Stadium in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City, March 24 to 30, festival director Charina Magallanes Tan said.The final coordinating meeting with various agencies and committees for the festival was held on Friday, March 14.She confirmed that the Pinoy Big Brother Big Four with ASAP of the Kapamilya Karavan will perform at the Panaad on March 29.The performers from ASAP will be Martin Nievera, Zsazsa Padilla, Angeline Quinto and Regine Velasquez, she said.This is the first time ASAP will perform outside the studio, according to ABS CBN, Tan said .Parokya ni Edgar will also perform at the Panaad on Sunday, Magallanes-Tan said.Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier announced that celebrities J...

The Himamaylan tent city.*OCD photoThe search for more evacuation centers for an expected surge in displaced residents if Alert Level 4 is raised at Kanlaon Volcano is ongoing, an Office of the Civil Defense (OCD ) official said on Friday, March 14.OCD Negros Island Region Director Donato Sermeno III said they have asked local government units in the province to provide figures on the capacity of their available evacuation centers.Himamaylan City is proposing to build another tent city, next to the existing one, but that is still being worked out, Sermeno said.Their proposal is for about 300 more tents, he said.Silay City, San Carlos City, Bago City and Pontevedra are also among the areas that will be able to accommodate evacuees, he said.Meanwhile, 700 sacks of ric...

Five pairs representing various clustered barangays are competing to be the next “Sinigay sa Sagay Hara kag Hari”, one of the highlights of the upcoming “Saot Para Sa Dunang Manggad” Street and Arena Competition of the Sinigayan Festival in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, on March 19.The Saot Para sa Dunang Manggad is the official street dance and arena competition of Sagay City's Sinigayan Festival, which is slated on March 15 to 19, a press release from Sagay City said Friday, March 14.“Dubbed as the "Festival of Many Causes", Sinigay sa Sagay celebrates the efforts of Sagaynons and the broader community to sustain and support environmental causes for future generations”, it said.The contingents of Sinigay sa Sagay Hari and Hara will dance alongside their group, carrying advoc...

Philippine Statistics Authority-Negros Occidental graphics*The inflation rate for all income households in Negros Occidental eased further to 2 percent in February, from 2.7 percent in January and 3.7 percent in December, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday, March 14.In a press briefing, PSA-Negros Occidental supervising statistical specialist Diesah Biaoco said the major contributors to February inflation were food and non-alcoholic beverages at 0.4 percent, contributing 45.3 percent to the overall inflation; restaurants and accommodation services at 4.4 percent (39.8 percent share); and transport at -0.6 (9.1 percent share).Lower food prices contributed to the decline at only 0.1 percent in February compared to 1.2 percent in the previous month, along...

A Bacolod City Office of the Building Official inspector was dismissed from the service, while an engineer was suspended for nine months effective Wednesday, March 12.The two were charged for dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service following a complaint from a Bacolod businessman that money was solicited from him during a building inspection by personnel from the OBO, City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said on Thursday.A complaint was filed against the inspector and engineer, whose names were withheld, before the CLO on Jan. 11, 2024, and following an investigation and due process Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez signed the decision in December recommending their dismissal, Secretary to Mayor Marty Go said.The two filed a...

Illegal campaign materials removed in Bacolod City.*Revo Sorbito photosThe Commission on Elections has sent notices of violation to 52 senatorial candidates and party list groups for the illegal posting of campaign materials in Negros Occidental, Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said on Thursday, March 13.The Comelec has removed 4,570 illegally posted campaign materials of national bets in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City from February 24 to March 8 under its “Oplan Baklas” drive.The senatorial candidates and party list groups have three days from receipt of the notices to remove their illegal campaign materials or face charges, Ananoria said.The penalty for such violation is disqualification from running for public office and one to six years impri...

Binalbagan and Himamaylan City have suspended all face-to-face classes on Friday, March 14, due to the expected extreme heat.The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services said the forecasted heat index for Negros Occidental on Friday is 40 degrees Celsius.The public should take extreme caution as the heat could cause cramps and exhaustion that could lead to a heat stroke, it said.Binalbagan Mayor Alejandro Mirasol said he was suspending classes to ensure the safety and well-being of the students and school personnel.“We encourage everyone to stay hydrated, avoid outdoor activities during peak heat hours, and take necessary precautions to protect themselves from the heat”, he said.*

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) on Thursday, March 13, called on farmers in Negros Occidental to stock up on water as heat levels continue to rise as summer approaches.The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services said the forecasted heat index for Negros Occidental on Friday is 40 degrees Celsius.OPA officer-in-charge Dina Genzola said they have not received reports of crop damage yet but extreme heat will cause plants, especially vegetables, to wilt.If farmers have water sources they should see to it that their plants have enough water so they do not dehydrate and suffer from water stress, Genzola said.They should also prepare containers to stock up on rain water for their plants, she said.Vegetables are very sensitive and need reg...

Two children died after they were electrocuted by a live wire while on their way home in Purok Ipil-Ipil, Brgy. Suba, Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, on Wednesday, March 12.The victims were a 15-year-old girl who was a grade 7 student, and her 13-year-old brother who was in grade 5, the police said.The girl slipped causing her to touch a dangling live wire and her brother tried to rescue her.The children were brought to the Bayawan District Hospital where they were declared dead.Initial police investigation showed the live wire that killed them was dangling at a low angle near the ground.The police and the Bureau of Fire Protection in Bayawan City are investigating the circumstances that led to the death of the siblings.*