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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.*

The Provincial Peace and Order Council commended the local government units of Negros Occidental for achieving 100 percent high performing peace and order council results on Wednesday, Feb. 26.Provincial Director Teodora Sumagaysay of the Department of the Interior and Local Government reported at the first quarter meeting of the PPOC and Provincial Anti Drug Abuse Council on Wednesday that the 31 towns and cities of Negros Occidental have been ranked as high performing POCs based on the performance audit results for 2023 released in 2024.In the same meeting, the DILG also reported that 71 out of 601 barangays in Negros Occidental are 2023 Seal of Good Local Governance passers.*

The family of a college student who died in an alleged hit and run incident will not file a case against her uncle, the police said on Wednesday, Feb. 26.Lt. Arnolfo Robles, Moises Padilla deputy police chief, confirmed that the family went to the police station to inform them that they will not file charges against the uncle.Deserie Tadena, a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education student at Central Philippine State University-Moises Padilla Campus, died after the motorcycle she was sitting on was allegedly hit by another motorcycle in Sitio Balogo, Brgy. Magallon Cadre, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Feb. 19.Police investigation revealed that the victim was fetched by her uncle who was driving a motorcycle. He claimed that he stopped by the roadside to urinate whe...