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The drug bust in Purok Kaburihan, Brgy. Mandalagan.*BCPO photoThe police arrested four persons and seized suspected shabu worth P840,344 in two barangays in Bacolod City, Monday and Tuesday, April 29 and 30. Bacolod City Police Station 8 cops arrested high-value drug individuals Jonel Bonza, 44, and Meliton Litsado Jr., 30, in a buy-bust operation at Phase 1 of the NHA Village in Brgy. Pahanocoy at about 11:51 p.m. on Tuesday. They also seized suspected shabu weighing 97.58 grams valued at P663,544. Meanwhile, Police Station 5 cops arrested two persons in a buy-bust operation in Purok Kaburihan, Brgy. Mandalagan, at about 11:10 p.m. on Monday. Arrested were Leonida Norbe, 65, and John Norbe, 49, both tagged as street-level drug individuals, the pol...

EB Magalona Vice Mayor Eric Matulac  and  Mayor Marvin Malacon (center) present tokens  to Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla (Cavite, 2nd District)  at the   Ugyonan Festival in  E.B. Magalona.*Ronnie Baldonado photo Rep. Lani Mercado-Revilla (Cavite, 2nd District) hopes government will begin funding additional incentives for senior citizens ages 80 to 95 next year following the recent amendment of the Centenarian Law.She said with the recent approval of the amendments to Republic Act No. 10868 or the Centenarian Act of 2016, hopefully the incentives for senior citizens will be given by 2025.Mercado-Revilla, who joined the  Ugyonan Festival of E.B. Magalona on  Wednesday, May 1, said  the recent amendments will give senior citizens aged 80, 85, 90 and 95 a P10,000 incent...

The Labor Day job fair  at SM City Bacolod.*Barbara Mijares photo There were 2,782 applicants and 129 of them were hired on the spot during the Labor Day job fair of the Department of Labor and Employment-Negros Occidental at SM City Bacolod on Wednesday, May 1. There were 9,770 vacancies available for  jobseekers at the fair. DOLE-Neg. Occ. head Carmela Abellar said that this is the first time that job fairs were held per province to widen the reach of job seekers. She also said that Negros Occidental  had the highest number of pre-registered applicants, which she  attributed to the strong support of  the Bacolod City government. There were a 18,998 job vacancies in DOLE’s job fair in celebration of the 122nd Labor Day in Western...

The Labor Day rally in  front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the Bacolod Public Plaza.*CPG photo Traditional jeepneys who failed to consolidate before the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) deadline on April 30 will continue to ply Bacolod’s streets starting Thursday in defiance of government “unjust” act, Lilian Sembrano, Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition (KNETCO) president, said on Wednesday, May 1. Striking  members of the  United Negros Drivers and Operators Center and KNETCO joined  the  Labor Day rally in  front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the Bacolod Public Plaza to call for the junking of  the   PUVMP. They are calling for the restoration of their franchises and will continue to operate as a sign of protest,...

Wennie Sancho, General Alliance of Workers Associations secretary-general* A Negros  labor leader slammed government   for its  failure to grant the P100 legislated wage hike approved by the Senate as the nation marked Labor Day on May 1. “It was passed on to the Lower House and disappeared. It will be difficult  for the legislated wage hike to be approved in the Lower House because  the majority of its members are capitalists and businessmen”,  Wennie Sancho, General Alliance of Workers Associations secretary-general, said. Meanwhile, the workers are suffering from  the effects of inflation with the unabated  increase in the prices of goods and services, he said. The minimum wage can no longer cope with the b...

Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Vice Mayor Aberlado Bantug III (l-r).*  The Victorias City Sangguniang Panlungsod members passed a resolution expressing their full support to the “exceptional leadership” of Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Vice Mayor Aberlado Bantug III, in a special session at the Victorias SP Session Hall,  on Tuesday, April 30. All elected councilors of the city, including the Liga ng Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Federation presidents, unanimously approved Resolution 2024-1045 or “A resolution expressing full support and appreciation for the exceptional leadership of Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez and Vice Mayor Abelardo Bantug III in propelling the City of Victorias towards unprecedented progress and development”. The resolution stated that u...

Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, Board Member Anton Occeño and Rep. Emilio “Dino” Yulo III (l-r) in Hinigaran in December 2023.*Ronnie Baldonado photoDina Arroyo-Tantoco, the daughter of the late Rep. Ignacio Arroyo, could run for the 5th Congressional seat of Negros Occidental, against Rep. Emilio “Dino” Yulo III in 2025. However, she has neither confirmed nor denied the possibility that she will run for the post, 5th District Board Member Anton Occeño said  on Tuesday, April 30. Occeño, who ran as an independent bet, said he will seek reelection as board member in 2025. He denied rumors that he is running for congressman of the 5th District. It is possible that someone else will run against Yulo, he said. He said Arroyo-Tantoco was a registered voter ...

The Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition strike.*Nico Delfin photo Two transport groups protesting against the government’s public utility vehicle modernization program (PUVMP) began a two-day transportation strike in Bacolod City on Tuesday that will culminate with their joining a Labor Day rally on Wednesday, May 1. The rally spearheaded by the Kilusang Mayo Uno will be held in front of the Bacolod City Government Center replica at the Bacolod Public Plaza Wednesday afternoon, Eric Bendoy, secretary general of the United Negros Drivers and Operators Center-Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (UNDOC-PISTON), said. UNDOC-PISTON and Kabacod Negros Transport Coalition held a vigil at the Bacolod City Government Center Tuesday night, April 30, to ai...

The high heat index brought on by the El Niño phenomenon has caused the death of 11,556 farm animals in Negros Occidental, the Provincial Veterinary Office  (PVO) reported. The PVO, in a report to Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, said as of April 26  the cost of the animals of different species  that have died from the heat has reached  P10,080,100 in 19 local government units and  damage to pasture lands has hit P2,685,500    in  seven LGUs. This has affected 870 households in 95 barangays of  Negros Occidental, the PVO reported. Isabela town had the highest damage to farm animals   at P5.9 million followed by Ilog at P1. 4 million, the report said. Murcia had the highest damage to pasture lands at P1...

Two persons, including a 4-year-old boy, drowned in  Bago and San Carlos cities  in Negros Occidental  on  Monday, April 29,  the police reported. The 4-year-old boy, a kindergarten  pupil and a resident of Purok Kasagingan Brgy. Mailum, Bago City, drowned after he reportedly  fell  in the river at Purok Matatag 1, Brgy. Ma-ao,  at about 12:30 p.m. Monday. Investigation revealed that the victim and his mother were walking beside the river.  When his mother stopped to rest, she noticed that her son was missing and she called for help to search for him. After an hour, the victim was retrieved about 20 meters away from where the mother temporarily stopped. The victim was brought to Bago City Hospital but was declared ...