Top Stories

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Motorcycle rider killed, back rider injured in Isabela truck collision

A 22-year-old motorcycle rider died while his back rider was injured after a truck reportedly lost its brakes and hit their motorcycle along the national road in Brgy. Bulad, Isabela, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday morning, Sept. 23.Police identified the motorcycle driver as alias “Alog,” 22, and his back rider as alias “Bogart,” 21, both residents of Brgy. Robles, La Castellana.The truck was driven by alias “Metoy,” 40, a resident of Brgy. Magballo, Kabankalan City.Initial investigation showed that both vehicles were traveling toward Isabela proper at around 10:15 a.m. when the collision occurred at Hacienda Balatong.Police said the motorcycle was moving slowly when the truck traveling behind it reportedly experienced brake failure and struck its rear.The impact threw...

Sep242026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Dead dolphin found on Guihulngan shoreline, boat propeller suspected

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

A dead dolphin was found along the shoreline of Brgy. Hilaitan in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, with initial findings indicating that its injuries may have been caused by a pump boat propeller.The Guihulngan City Public Information Office reported on Wednesday, Sept. 23, that residents alerted authorities after noticing a foul odor coming from the shoreline.Personnel from the City Agriculture Office's Fisheries Section, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Philippine Coast Guard and Bantay Dagat responded to the area.Barangay officials and members of the City Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council also joined the inspection.The responding team found the dolphin's carcass along the shoreline and conducted an initial examination to determine its...

Sep242026 by Mary Judaline PartlowNo Comments

Power producer upgrades NegOr plant’s geothermal capacity to 126 MW

Business, Negros Oriental, Top Stories

First Gen Corporation is undertaking a modernization project that will increase the installed capacity of its Palinpinon-1 geothermal power plant in Valencia, Negros Oriental, from 112.5 megawatts (MW) to 126 MW.The project, being implemented by First Gen’s geothermal arm, Energy Development Corporation (EDC), involves replacing the plant’s three 37.5-MW turbine-generator units with three modern 42-MW units, EDC said in a statement Wednesday.The upgrade is expected to add 13.5 MW to First Gen’s renewable energy portfolio while allowing the facility to generate more electricity using the same volume of geothermal steam, without additional steam extraction.Noel Tan, head of the Southern Negros Geothermal Project (SNGP), said that the modernization demonstrates EDC’s efforts to im...

Sep242026 by Nanette GuadalquiverNo Comments

New bridge, classrooms revitalize villages in central Negros town

Community, Top Stories

Two community projects — a hanging bridge and a classroom building totaling about PHP10.6 million — are poised to revitalize two villages in disaster-hit La Castellana, Negros Occidental.Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, together with Mayor Anejo Nicor and Fifth District Rep. Emilio Bernardino Yulo, on Wednesday led the unveiling of the projects implemented through the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS)."Maliliit man sila (They may be small), but they are very meaningful projects because small communities get to use them every day," Gatchalian said.The hanging bridge in Barangay Robles, with a total project cost of PHP6.454 million, was completed through the convergen...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Sugar groups urge Coca-Cola to prioritize local sugar amid finished product imports

Business, Top Stories

Sugar producers and workers on Wednesday, Sept. 23, called on Coca-Cola's Philippine bottler to prioritize locally produced sugar following reports that it has been importing finished Coca-Cola products from Indonesia.In a joint statement on Sept. 23, the Sugar Council, National Congress of Unions in the Sugar Industry of the Philippines, and Democratic Association of Labor Organizations said the importation could reduce demand for Philippine sugar and affect farmers, millers and sugar workers.The Sugar Council is composed of the Confederation of Sugar Producers Associations, National Federation of Sugarcane Planters and Panay Federation of Sugarcane Farmers.The groups issued the appeal after The Philippine Star reported on Sept. 17 that Coca-Cola Europacific Aboitiz Philippine...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Barangay captain shot in La Libertad, special probe team formed

Negros Oriental, Police, Top Stories

The barangay captain of Kansumandig in La Libertad, Negros Oriental, was shot in a hinterland area of the town early Wednesday morning, Sept. 23, prompting police to create a special investigation task group to investigate the attack.The Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region said the barangay captain was traveling home from Brgy. Pacuan aboard his motorcycle at around 5:20 a.m. when the incident occurred in Sitio Mabilog, Brgy. Kansumandig.Nearby residents reportedly heard several gunshots and later found the barangay captain lying along the road, while the assailant or assailants had already fled.The incident was reported to the La Libertad Municipal Police Station at around 5:50 a.m.Police said the crime scene was about 30 kilometers into the hinterland.Investig...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

All 106 BJMP-NIR personnel test negative for illegal drugs

Police, Top Stories

All 106 personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Negros Island Region tested negative for illegal drugs during a drug testing activity in Bacolod City on Monday, Sept. 21.BJMP-NIR said the testing covered personnel assigned to its Regional Office and was conducted as part of its drug-free workplace program.The activity started at around 8 a.m. and was facilitated by nurses and personnel of the agency's Health Service Division.Samples from the 106 personnel were collected and handled in accordance with established testing protocols, the BJMP said.No issues or incidents were recorded during the testing, while regular operations at the regional office continued, it added.BJMP-NIR said drug testing among its personnel forms part of its efforts to maintain acc...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Cigarettes, improvised knife seized in surprise search at Bacolod jail

Police, Top Stories

An improvised knife, 100 sticks of cigarettes and 115 other prohibited items were confiscated during a surprise search at the Metro Bacolod District Jail-Male Dormitory on Monday, Sept. 21.The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-Negros Island Region said the surprise greyhound operation was conducted from 6 a.m. to 7:10 a.m. to check for contraband inside the jail facility.The operation was led by Metro Bacolod District Jail-Male Dormitory Warden Supt. Richard Laure and involved five jail personnel and 25 Jail Officer 1 trainees.BJMP-NIR said personnel recovered 100 sticks of Camel cigarettes, one improvised knife and 115 other items classified as nuisance contraband.The confiscated items were documented and turned over to the jail's designated contraband custodian for p...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

P102,000 shabu, firearm seized in Kabankalan drug bust

Police, Top Stories

A 35-year-old man was arrested after police seized P102,000 worth of suspected shabu and a firearm during a buy-bust operation in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, Sept. 22.Police identified the suspect as alias “Jojo,” a resident of Zone 1, Brgy. Hilamonan, Kabankalan, and classified him as a street-level individual.The Kabankalan City Police Station conducted the operation at around 10:29 a.m. in Zone 1 after receiving information that the suspect was allegedly involved in the distribution of illegal drugs in Kabankalan and Himamaylan cities.Police said surveillance and validation operations were conducted before the buy-bust.Operatives recovered about 15 grams of suspected shabu with a standard drug price of P102,000, along with marked money, cash, a cellul...

Sep232026 by Mark L. GarciaNo Comments

Motorcycle driver killed, minor back rider hurt in Moises Padilla crash

Police, Top Stories

A 46-year-old motorcycle driver died while his minor back rider was injured in a road crash in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday night, Sept. 22.Police identified the driver as alias “Ivan,” a businessman, while his back rider was a female student. Both are residents of Brgy. Cabacungan, La Castellana.The two were traveling on a Kawasaki Barako 175 motorcycle along the Magallon-Moises Padilla Provincial Road in Brgy. Magallon Cadre at around 9:10 p.m. when the incident occurred.Initial police investigation showed that the motorcycle was heading from Moises Padilla proper toward Brgy. Cabacungan when Ivan allegedly attempted to overtake another vehicle.Police said the motorcycle wobbled, causing the driver to lose control and throwing both riders onto the road....