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The La Carlota City evacuees decamp.* La Carlota PIO photoThe 195 residents of Bago and La Carlota cities in Negros Occidental who evacuated following a two-minute moderately explosive eruption at Kanlaon Volcano have decamped and returned to their homes.Kanlaon has remained relatively calm following Thursday’s eruption, Mari Andylene Quintia, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) volcanologist, said on Sunday, Feb . 22.The volcano had nine volcanic earthquakes and emitted 910 tons of sulfur dioxide from 12 a.m. Saturday to 12 a.m. Sunday, Phivolcs reported.Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said the 26 families (80 individuals) from Barangay Ilijan in Bago City and 34 families (115 indiv...

A rally is set in Bacolod City to mark the 40th Anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution on Wednesday, February 25.The One Negros Ecumenical Council, together with the Taumbayan Ayaw sa Magnanakaw at Abusado Network Alliance (TAMA NA! Negros) and the Clergy for Good Governance, will launch the mass mobilization, an announcement from Rev. Fr. Arman Onion said on Sunday.“Let us together once again be a witness of the real meaning and essence of these significant EDSA events and be a catalyst of a truly free, just, democratic, and sovereign society where human dignity, people's rights, and enduring peace are upheld and promoted,” he said.The People Power Revolution, which took place from February 22 to 25, was a series of peaceful demonstrations in Metro Manila that led to ...

On its third day of the Emergency Cash Transfer (ECT) payout for families affected by Typhoon Tino in Isabela, Negros Occidental, the Department of Social Welfare and Development Negros Island Region (DSWD NIR) is set to serve 4,571 beneficiaries, with a total amount of ₱42,898,723 to be disbursed.The series of ECT payouts is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the swift and unhampered delivery of assistance to disaster-affected families, enabling them to recover quickly, meet their basic needs, and rebuild their homes and livelihoods with dignity, a DSWD NIR Facebook post said on Sunday, Feb. 22.On Sunday, the ECT distribution also continued in La Carlota City, where 3,795 beneficiaries are receiving financial assistance, the DSWD said.A t...

The police arrested a High-Value Individual (HVI) and seized about 61 grams of suspected shabu valued at ₱414,800 at a cemetery in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on Sunday, Feb. 22.Alias "Shakira," 38, was arrested at Purok 5A, Sitio Campaclan, Brgy. Poblacion, Sibulan, the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) reported.The operation was conducted following a tip from a confidential informant that "Shakira" of Sitio Campaclan was allegedly engaged in the illegal drug trade in the area.Surveillance operations were conducted to validate the report, which revealed that the suspect had been previously arrested for violation of Republic Act No. 9165, also known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, the PRO-NIR said.The confiscated drug evidence was submitt...

A government employee was arrested during a buy-bust operation in Brgy. Canal, Siquijor in Siquijor province, on Friday night, Feb. 20.The suspect was identified as alias “Gilbert,” 37 years old, an assistant statistician and a resident of Brgy. Poblacion, Siquijor.The operation was conducted at around 8:30 p.m. by operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Negros Island Region–Siquijor Provincial Office, in coordination with the Siquijor Police Provincial Office Drug Enforcement Unit and the Siquijor Municipal Police Station.Authorities said the suspect is classified as a high-value target.Recovered during the operation were two sachets of suspected shabu weighing about 0.05 gram.Police also seized the buy-bust money, a Mio 125i motorcycle with key, and other...

The police are still determining the cause of death of a 65-year-old man whose body was found near a ravine in Brgy. Amdus, Ayungon, Negros Oriental, on Friday, Feb. 20.The victim was identified as Dionesio Langomes, a married resident of Brgy. Amdus.Police said the body was discovered in the morning on the side of road by the ravine.The victim’s son said Langomes was last seen drinking liquor at a store near the barangay hall at around 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19.After drinking, the victim left the area riding his red Chariot motorcycle.Responding officers observed a wound on the right side of the victim’s neck and recovered two knives at the scene.Police said the victim was also found holding a small knife when discovered.Authorities said they could not yet de...

JoJaJu: Champion of the Lantern Dance Competition* Ronnie Baldonado photoJoJaJu was crowned the champion of the Lantern Dance Competition during the 21st Bacolaodiat Festival awarding ceremony Sunday afternoon, Feb. 22, at the SMile Strip of SM City Bacolod.As the grand winner, JoJaJu received P100,000 in cash and a trophy. The group also secured the Best in Costume award, earning an additional P20,000 and another trophy.The other two finalists —The Luminaries and Carlos Hilado Memorial State University (CHMSU)-Alijis Campus — each received P30,000 as consolation prizes.The Luminaries also took home the Best in Lantern award, along with P20,000 and a trophy.All three groups were top finishers in the 20th edition of the festival last year.The awarding ceremony was le...

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency arrested three alleged drug suspects, including two high-value targets, in separate buy-bust operations in San Carlos City and Bacolod City on Thursday and Friday, Feb. 19 and 20.In San Carlos City, a PDEA-led buy-bust operation was conducted in Sitio Cabagtasan, Brgy. Codcod on Thursday.Arrested were alias “Dante,” 46, who was tagged as a high-value target, and alias “Arsing,” 55, who was reported through Isumbong Mo sa PDEA.Authorities said 16 sachets of suspected shabu weighing about 55 grams with an estimated street value of P374,000 were confiscated, along with marked buy-bust money.The operation was led by PDEA RO–Negros Island Region in coordination with the PNP Drug Enforcement Unit and San Carlos City police.In a separate ...

Barangay Araal covered in  volcanic ash on Friday.*Romeo Subaldo photo The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has held off raising the alert level at Kanlaon Volcano following a two-minute moderately explosive eruption on Thursday that caused ashfall across 50 barangays in nine local government units in Negros Occidental. Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), reported on Friday, Feb. 20, that the eruption prompted the evacuation of 60 families (195 individuals) from Barangay Ilijan in Bago City and Barangays Araal and Guintubdan in La Carlota City. Barangay Araal in La Carlota City, located near the volcano's base, was covered in ash Friday morning. Classes at all levels were suspended in La Carlota C...

A Bacolod City Legal Office team dismantled 30 structures obstructing roads in Barangays 1 and 2, Bacolod City, Friday morning, Feb. 20.Retired PCol. Levy Pangue, CLO enforcement team head, said owners of 30 houses and shops were given two-week notice to voluntarily remove parts of their structures blocking the roadside.Of the 30 owners issued notices, only 15 voluntarily demolished their structures while 15 were demolished by the CLO Friday morning, he said.Pangue added that 90 percent of the structures were cleared yesterday.Two other shops asked for time to gather their belongings, which was given consideration by the CLO.The CLO will return to the area Saturday to ensure that the road is totally cleared.The Department of Public Works and Highways is going to bui...