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Anti-Red Tape Authority Secretary Ernesto Perez (right) with Bago City Mayor Nicholas Yulo (center) and Vice Mayor Ramon Torres during the awarding of the certificate of commendation and seal of electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) compliance at Bago City’s Community Center on Wednesday night, April 2.*The component cities of Bago and Victorias in Negros Occidental have been awarded the certificate of commendation and seal of electronic Business One-Stop Shop (eBOSS) compliance by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) in separate rites led by ARTA Secretary Ernesto Perez.The eBOSS is a single portal for the renewal and application of business permits jointly implemented by the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Information and Communications Technolog...

The police arrested a high-value drug personality and seized suspected shabu worth P510,000 in a buy bust operation in Purok Sigay, Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, Wednesday, April 2.Arrested was Jessica Canlas, 32, of Purok Sigay, the City Drug Enforcement Unit reported.The police said they recovered 75 grams of suspected shabu from her.She is now detained and will face charges for violation of the Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the police said.*

Fire incidents in Bacolod City dropped by about 160 percent in the first three months of the year compared to the same period in 2024, the Bureau of Fire Protection- Bacolod reported on Thursday, April 3.Records showed that from January to March this year, fire incidents in the city were 42, which are about 160 percent lower compared to the same period in 2024 which had 109.Of the total number of fire incidents this year, 22 were residential, three - business or government offices, one - a storage facility, two - special structures, five - grassfires, and five - rubbish fires.BFP-Bacolod spokesperson Paul Servano said that based on their investigation, most of the causes of the fires were electrical in nature.They have sought the help of Negros Electric Power Corporation to...

The convention delegates on the way to Bacolod*About 3,000 motorcycle enthusiasts from motorcycle clubs all over the country will converge at the Capitol Lagoon and Park in Bacolod City on  Friday and Saturday, April 4 and 5, for the 28th National Convention of the National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines (NFMCP).Dubbed as “Balik Bacolod 2025”, the annual national gathering of big bike riders is hosted by the Thunderbugs Bacolod Motorcycle Club, one of the oldest motorcycle clubs in the country founded in 1964.“We chose ‘Balik Bacolod 2025’ for this year’s national convention, because Thunderbugs also hosted this national motorcycle event here in Bacolod City in 2013,”  Thunderbugs and NFMCP president Lito Aves said Thursday, April 3.“Our fellow motorcycle...

The New People’s Army (NPA) claimed the killing of a farmer in Gawahon, Brgy. 11, Victorias City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday morning, April 2.The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command of the NPA, in a statement, claimed the killing of Jhonhi Montoya, alias “Owing”.They alleged that Montoya was guilty of killing his brother “Bembem” in December 2024 and attempted to kill his mother by allegedly hacking her while threatening his siblings.The police said that there were at least three individuals who approached the victim at the covered court in Gawahon and shot him multiple times.The police said the victim was facing raps for killing his brother and hacking his relative.*

The NEDA NIR Transition Team meeting with La Carlota City Mayor Rex Jalandoon.* NEDA photoImproved connectivity to shorten travel time between Negros Occidental and Oriental will be a priority in the Negros Island Region, Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Thursday, April 3.The National Economic and Development Authority’s instructions is to identify the top 30 projects for the NIR from which feasibility studies will be made for three, Lacson said.He expects the need for improved connectivity to be tackled when the NIR Regional Development Council convenes after the May polls.They say there are other roads that we can connect that will shorten travel time, he said.When the RDC meets he expects that new ideas will come about, Lacson said.Meanwhile, the NEDA...

A Bacolodnon drowned near ‘Punta Runway’ at the old Bacolod City airport in Brgy Tangub, Bacolod City, on Wednesday, April 2.Willie Lariosa, 28, drowned and his body was recovered three hours after the incident was reported, BREDCO Port Sub-station commander Ensign Eljohn Ga said.According to the family of the victim he often joked about drowning that is why they did not take him seriously when he said he was drowning.When the family realized that he was not joking anymore, they sought the help of the Bureau of Fire and Protection-Bacolod, and the Bacolod Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and Philippine Coast Guard personnel helped in the search and retrieval operation.The Bacolod City Fire Station received the call for help at about 3:52 p.m. and the victim was fou...

The Silliman University Medical Center in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental is the only Level 3 hospital in Negros Oriental.*PNA/Mary Judaline Flores Partlow photoThe Silliman University Medical Center Foundation Inc. (SUMCFI) on Wednesday, April 2, assured the public that the suspension of the government’s Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients (MAIFIP) program is temporary.SUMCFI president Fredita Tan and officer-in-charge vice president for financial services Charmaine Concepcion said during a press conference that the MAIFIP has to be suspended effective April 1 to avoid compromising the hospital’s operations amid the Department of Health's (DOH) outstanding debt.“We have already written and talked to the DOH Region 7 (Central Visayas) who assur...

Negrense beach volleybelles Grace Cordero, Alexa Polidario, Lorien Gamboa and Katherine Epa (l-r) at the 2nd Nuvali Open.*Five athletes from the Negros Island Region (NIR) are representing the country in the ongoing AVC Beach Tour 2nd Nuvali Open in Santa Rosa City.They are Silaynons Honey Grace Cordero, Alexander Iraya and Lorien Gamboa and Bacolodnon Alexa Polidario of Negros Occidental, and Katherine Epa of Tanjay, Negros Oriental.Cordero, Epa, and Iraya are all students at the National University, Gamboa of the University of Santo Tomas and Polidario, a former University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos Rams standout who now plays for the Philippine Army, are competing against top international teams.These NIR athletes continue to showcase their skills on the sand, carryi...

Suspected shabu was  found  on the body of a man who was shot dead by an unidentified gunman  in Purok Sigay, Brgy. 2, Bacolod City, early Wednesday morning. Alias “JR” who was temporarily residing at Purok Sigay,  was shot in  the chest. The victim was brought to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. The doctor who attended to him  recovered a sachet containing suspected shabu from his  pocket. The police are investigating if the shooting was connected to the  illegal drug trade.*