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The Provincial Veterinary Office distributed about 180 livestock heads to farmers’ associations and farm schools in Negros Occidental at the Provincial Capitol grounds in Bacolod City on Thursday, Feb. 27.Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Placeda Lemana said that the livestock, valued at P480,000, were produced at the Negros First Ranch and the Provincial Livestock Breeding Center and Dairy Farm.Eleven junior boars were given to the Negros Occidental Swine Inseminators for breeding through artificial insemination, while 10 grower pigs were given to farmer associations for breeding or sow making as livelihood support.One hundred itik-pinas ducklings intended for balut production were also given to two irrigators associations as an alternative source of livelihood and 50 month-old free...

The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has enhanced the outpatient human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment (OHAT) package, now providing P58,500 in annual benefits.This is a 95 percent increase from the previous P30,000 package rate, PhilHealth announced on Thursday, Feb. 27.PhilHealth said it is committed to supporting people living with HIV (PLHIV) through the provision of increased financial access to essential healthcare via the comprehensive outpatient HIV/AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) treatment coverage."This enhancement is aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to continually improve and sustain health insurer’s healthcare benefits by ensuring adequate financial support to patients seeking medical treatment," it adde...

Thirty-four party-list organizations participating in the May 2025 polls, including Abang Lingkod and Uswag Ilonggo, are set to receive notices from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for violating campaign rules.Abang Lingkod is headed by Rep. Stephen Paduano of Negros Occidental. Its No. 1 nominee in this year's polls is Negros Occidental Board Member Manuel Frederick Ko.Uswag Ilonggo is an Iloilo based partylist group."We will be coming out with notices for 34 party-list organizations. We are asking them to remove their campaign materials," Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in a forum on Wednesday, Feb 26.The groups that are expected to get notices are Trabaho, Act-CIS, Solid North Party, Dumper PTDA, Apec, Manila Teachers, BH-Bagong Henerasyon, 1Agila, As...

Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and PFF President John Anthony Gutierrez (2nd and 3rd from left) with City Councilor Francis Frederick Palanca (left) and PFF National Grassroots Officer Dave Javellana*Nico Delfin photoExcitement is building up as Victorias City officially announced its hosting of  the FIFA Women’s Futsal World Cup on  Nov. 21 to Dec. 7. During the ceremonial signing of the  Hall and Host City Agreement between Victorias City Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Philippine Football Federation President John Anthony Gutierrez at Nature's Village Resort in Talisay City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, the mayor expressed his gratitude and excitement for the  upcoming  “extremely historic" international competition.“This is extremely historic for the city of Victorias,” Be...

The scene of the fire*OCD photoA senior citizen died in his burning house while two others were injured in Pantalan Daan, Brgy. 1, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, early Wednesday morning, Feb. 26.Jose Lademora, 87, died while his live-in partner Regina Llasos, 43, and her mother Angelita, 93, were injured in the midnight fire that destroyed their house, the Hinigaran Bureau of Fire Protection reported.The fire spread quickly because the house was made of light materials.Regina rescued her mother first but when she attempted to rescue Lademora, the fire have already spread.Regina and her mother sustained second degree burns.The house of their neighbor Jaine Nugpo was also damaged by the fire.Damages were estimated at P90,000.*

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s sister, Senator Imee Marcos, was not in the top 12 of the SWS survey.*Ronnie Baldonado photoErwin Tulfo leads the eight senatorial candidates backed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. who made it to the top 12 in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey for the May 12 midterm elections.The survey commissioned by Stratbase Consultancy was conducted from Feb. 15 to 19.Negrense Jayvee Hinlo (PDPLBN) who obtained a single digit score of 4 percent was not close to the winning circle, the SWS reported.The survey showed Tulfo at No. 1 with 45 percent of intended votes, followed by Bong Go (PDPLBN) in second place with 38 percent and Lito Lapid (NPC) in 3rd place with 36 percent, the SWS reported on Wednesday, Feb. 26.Tito Sotto (NPC) a...

Dengue cases in Negros Occidental have increased by 421.65 percent, the Provincial Health Office reported on Wednesday, Feb. 26.There were 1,012 dengue cases and six deaths reported in Negros Occidental from January 1 to Feb. 22.There are 818 more cases this year compared to 194 in the same period in 2024, the PHO report showed.Bago City still had the most number of cases at 209, followed by La Carlota City with 74, Kabankalan City – 70, San Carlos City - 67, Silay City – 58, Cauayan – 46, Pulupandan – 45, Talisay City – 42, Hinigaran – 36 and Isabela – 33.The PHO also reported 252 typhoid fever cases from Jan. 1 to Feb. 22, with two deaths.The most number of typhoid fever cases were in Kabankalan City with 45, followed by Hinoba-an with 32, and Sa Carlos City with 19. ...

The Northern Negros Electric Cooperative announced a 90 centavo per kilowatt-hour increase in its electricity rates for February.NONECO said that there is a 0.9087/kWh increase in its electricity rates from P13.3601/kWh in January to P14.2688/kWh this month.The electric cooperative attributed it to the increase of the ancillary service charge of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, which is needed to stabilize the power grid, at P0.5643.The fluctuation of foreign exchange rates, fuel costs of the power suppliers, and the increase of rates at the Wholesale Electric Spot Market were also factors for another P0.1392/kWh increase.NONECO advised its consumers to conserve energy to avoid paying high electricity bills.Earlier this month the Negros Electric and Pow...

PDEA Negros Occidental Provincial Director David Maramba delivering his report at the joint Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting at the provincial Capitol in Bacolod City.*Barbara Mijares photoNegros Occidental and Bacolod City still have the lowest number of drug cleared barangays in Western Visayas, a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency official reported on Wednesday, Feb. 26.The drug cleared barangays in Negros Occidental were at 83.19 percent and in Bacolod City - 34.43 percent, PDEA Negros Occidental Provincial Director David Maramba reported at a joint Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council and Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting at the Capitol in Bacolod City.In Negros Occidental 500 of its 601 barangays are now drug cleared...

The rescued monitor lizard*A monitor lizard, considered to be an endangered and near threatened species, was found and rescued in Hacienda Juliana, Brgy. Washington, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Feb. 26.The Bacolod City Maritime Police Station reported that a concerned citizen found the monitor lizard or “halo” in Hacienda Juliana.Personnel from Escalante City Port and City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) of Escalante proceeded to the area and rescued the lizard.The lizard has been placed in the care of the CENRO in Escalante.*