Top Stories

A man died after the multicab he was driving fell off a bridge in Brgy. Man-uling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, 10:55 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 15.The casualty was identified as Rodulfo Trinidad Jr., a resident of Hinoba-an town.The victim was driving southwards and believed to be going home when his vehicle accidentally fell off the bridge, the police said.The vehicle bumped the railings of the bridge causing it to fall in the river, the police added.Due to the high water level in the river the victim drowned.There were no other passengers inside the vehicle that was carrying fruits and vegetables.*

The Department of Trade and Industry is part of the Provincial Price Monitoring Council.*DTI file  photoThe Provincial Price Monitoring Council will convene to begin monitoring prices of basic and prime commodities, and to prevent hoarding while Negros Occidental is under a state of calamity.The Department of Trade and Industry is part of the council, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Monday, Dec. 16.The Negros Occidental provincial government’s declaration of a state of calamity following the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano includes a price freeze on basic and prime commodities.To protect consumers, especially those in the areas affected by the Kanlaon eruption,  they will also be vigilant against possible hoarding, Diaz  said.  Governor ...

The police arrested two individuals and seized suspected shabu worth P795,600 in a buy-bust operation in Purok Tilapia, Brgy. 3, Bacolod City, on Sunday, Dec. 15Arrested were Tito Feloteo, 55, a high-value drug personality, and Ronald Feloteo, 33, a street-level drug personality, of Purok Tilapia.City Drug Enforcement Unit operatives seized eight sachets of suspected shabu weighing 117 grams.The suspects are now under police custody and will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.*

Lights of Bago 2020* Ruel Cadigal photo The “Lights of Bago (LOB)”, the most anticipated grand musical fireworks display of Bago City, is making a comeback at 6 p.m. on Jan. 1, 2025.Bago City Senior Tourism Operations Officer Mae Ann Furtos said “this dazzling event will not only illuminate the sky but also the hearts of every spectator, celebrating the resilience and unity of the community after a four-year hiatus brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic”.The last physical LOB celebration was in 2020 during its 12th year, Furtos said in a press release.The 26-minute musical fireworks and lights display was witnessed by least 35,000 spectators from Bago City and other localities in the province in 2020.Themed "A Rhapsody of Colors and Diversity," the 2020 edition of the ...

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson (right) leads the distribution of Christmas gift packs and rice*  The Negros Occidental provincial government distributed Christmas gift packs and rice to its 2,320 job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers on Monday, Dec. 16.Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who led the ceremonial distribution held at the Provincial Capitol lobby in Bacolod City, acknowledged the contribution of the JO and COS personnel in running the affairs of the province.“They play a crucial role in the success of the provincial government’s projects and programs and contribute significantly to their effective implementation,” he said.The recipients included 1,362 JO and 958 COS employees.Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said the fo...

A laborer was injured after he was stabbed multiple times by his nephew in alleged revenge for the killing his father in Hacienda Caiñaman, Brgy. Balabag, La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, Dec. 15.Alias “Ernie”, 51, was injured after he was stabbed by “Art”, while he was sleeping at their quarters, the police said.Police investigation revealed that while the victim was sleeping, he felt pain in his stomach and when he woke up, the suspect was about to stab him again but he parried the attack using his hands.When the victim sat up, the victim stabbed him again in the back and fled, the police said.The victim was rushed to the Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital in La Carlota by the camp keeper.A co-worker disclosed that in 2011 the victim ...

Lahar-like flow in Barangay Guinpanaan, Moises Padilla, as shown in a photo posted by Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor on his Facebook page on Sunday.*The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Sunday, Dec. 15, warned of a potential lahar hazard flow from Mt. Kanlaon that could endanger 644,487 residents across 13 cities and municipalities on Negros Island.The 13 areas are Bago City, La Carlota City, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Valladolid, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana and Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.Dr. Razel Nikka Hao, regional director of the Department of Health Negros Island Region (DOH-NIR), in a separate advisory on Sunday, also said their team monitored that lahar flow has started in some parts o...

Goats being evacuated from the Kanlaon Volcano danger zone.*The mass evacuation of farm animals located within the 6-kilometer Expanded Danger Zone (EDZ) of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, was conducted during the weekend amid fears of another Kanlaon Volcano eruption and lahar flow.They were evacuated to an animal shelter in La Carlota City so their owners would not keep returning to check on their livestock in the danger zone, Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz said on Sunday, Dec. 15.The eruption has also damaged P27,182,102 worth of high value crops, rice and fisheries in La Castellana and La Carlota City, Diaz said.A provincial government report said 940 farm animals, which included carabaos, cattle, goats and chickens, were rescued and evacuated during th...

Alias “Ka Pinky”*The 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers overran a New People’s Army hideout and captured an alleged key rebel leader in Brgy. Bandila, Toboso, Negros Occidental, on Saturday Dec. 14, a 79IB report said.The Army seized firearms and war materials during an encounter with remnants of the dismantled North Negros Front - Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) on Friday, which led to the arrest of alias “Ka Pinky”, a leader of the dismantled NPA-NNF, in a pursuit operation, the 79IB said.“Pinky” is an alleged cohort of Roger Fabillar, alias “Arnel Tapang”, an NPA hitman facing a number of murder cases in northern Negros with a P1 million bounty on his head, the 79IB said.1Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, 79IB civil-military operations officer, said “Pink...

A Negros-based workers group fearing that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation’s (PhilHealth) having zero government subsidy in 2025 would wreak havoc on the lives of millions of health care beneficiaries, is urging the Senate to reassess its “anti-people” decision.General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA) Secretary General Wennie Sancho said in a statement Sunday, Dec. 15, that they are condemning the decision of the Senate to slash to zero the 2025 budget for PhilHealth.“The Filipino workers will experience burden and suffering due to their lack of access to essential healthcare services”, he said, adding “Millions of workers and their dependents will be denied medical assistance exacerbating health conditions and mortality rates”.Senate Committee on Finance ...